One point that I've made about adaptations before - both your examples are now a rarity - shows that retitle their properties. (Though in the case of The Lion King, that's debatable, given that the stage show was directly based on the film.) It used to be that musicals strove to come up with new titles - but not so much anymore. So whereas Some Like It Hot originally became Sugar, now it seems that it becomes...Some Like It Hot. Which doesn't help redefine it.
The Wizard of Oz was reworked with a black setting and became The Wiz. Kismet was only somewhat altered for a black cast but still became Timbuktu. Raisin lost its sun, Purlie wasn't victorious, Carmen got a last name, and Porgy got Bess.
But - Some Like It Hot will seemingly keep its original title this time, which, subliminally or not, invites more comparison to its source. |
