Andrew Lloyd Webber
is one of the most popular composers in musical theater history, creating such powerful works as "The Phantom of the Opera," "Cats," "Jesus Christ Superstar," "Evita" and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." While nothing replaces the experience of seeing one of his shows live, there have been many splendid movie versions made of his pieces. It helps to watch those in order, with a bit of perspective on his career.
Instructions
1. Andrew Lloyd Webber created the first of his important shows, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" at 19, as a commission for a British school called Colet Court. This Biblical piece wasn't produced for Broadway until nearly two decades later, disorienting some on its place in Webber's canon, but it clearly shows his foundational talents, including an ability to masterfully mix musical styles. It also was his first collaboration with lyricist Tim Rice, a team that later produced "Jesus Christ Superstar" and "Evita." The best film version, starring Donny Osmond in the title role, pays tribute to this school-house beginning for Webber, and Osmond's voice has become the definitive one for this role. See this movie first. It's the lightest and most accessible.
2. "Joseph" leads directly to the musical that put Webber on the map, "Jesus Christ Superstar." There are two important movie versions of this show, and both should be watched because of the importance of this one in Webber's career. The first, created in 1972, features Ted Neeley as Jesus, and is an epic that centers around a bus-load of hippies. The second, more obscure, is the exceptional new version, featuring Glenn Carter as Jesus, which presents a sparse and modern reinterpretation that represents more of a stage feel. Totally different presentations of the same great material.
3. Get past the idea of Madonna as Eva Peron. That actually turns out to be pretty good typecasting, and the film version of "Evita," also starring the surprisingly strong Antonio Banderas, is the next must see in chronological order of when Webber created these pieces. This film is so extravagantly (and beautifully) produced that it makes it hard to go back to the spare stage version.
4. We're starting to build toward the crescendo now. "Cats," featuring Elaine Page, marks the separation of Webber and Rice. Webber's new partner is from the past, T.S. Eliot, and Webber blends a "Joseph"-like mix of music into the Jellicle mythology of Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." The pace of this one is a bit slow at first, but once the viewer gets connected to the concept, it soars.
5. Webber's pinnacle, "The Phantom of the Opera," finishes this list, with an underappreciated film version released in 2005 starring Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum. It's not quite the same as going to a theater and seeing the chandelier fall, but this movie also incorporates some special cinematic touches that make it worth watching over and over again, especially when none of the top Webber shows are playing in your area.
