The Spider-Man comics were created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, and published by Marvel Comics for the first time in 1962. As kid, I saw “The Amazing Spider-Man”, which aired in ’77-’78 and obviously Spidey was one of my heroes. Based on a book by Julie Taymor, Glen Berger, and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark” is the most expensive – $70 million and counting – Broadway production in history, a rock musical with music and lyrics by U2’s Bono and The Edge. Two Irish guys writing a rock musical for Broadway, it is something. While U2 fans waiting for the new album, we’ve got “Duals” and now this soundtrack. Bono said: “If we thought it would take this long, there is not a chance on earth we’d have done it.”
The musical get mixed, but mainly negative reviews. “Upon a preliminary viewing back in February, “Spider-Man” was a spectacular mess. The finished version is reasonably improved but somewhat less spectacular.” – Steven Suskin wrote in Variety. The Hollywood Reporter called the show a “bloated monster” while The New York Times branded it “a bore”. Peter Marks for The Washington Post said about the new show – “a definite upgrade” to its previous version, “this effects-driven musical is still situated a wide canyon’s distance from good”. The Associated Press summed up its opinion by saying: “It may not be the best thing in theater, but it is far from the worst show in Broadway history.”
Entertainment Weekly blasted the score: “a mostly lacklustre collection of forgettable tunes that play like B-sides” and Adam Markovitz wrote: “You’ll be safe from falling stuntmen, but the soundtrack to Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, Broadway’s notorious mega-musical poses a more mundane risk: boredom.” “The score by Bono and The Edge of U2, with barely a single memorable tune, and a constant feeling of déjà entendu as they raid the riffs of their back catalogue. This is rock music at its most ponderous and overblown and now sounds well past its sell-by date.” – said Charles Spencer in The Telegraph.
For the OST Bono said they have been chosen from 18 songs and 20 pieces of score, and he added: “plus we’ve included some of our own demos for the fun of it”. While some praised performances from lead actors Reeve Carney, Jennifer Damiano and Patrick Page, I still believe Bono’s voice still charming and I like The Edge’s particular guitar riffs and playing style.
I’m not an expert in musicals, actually I’m kind of reluctant, but there’s a few “nice” songs. “Pull the Trigger” and “Sinistereo” are quite exciting tracks while “I Just Can’t Walk Away (Say It Now)” is ok for another ballad. I listen thousands of media praised million time worster albums only this year…
Anyway, I’m still hoping that the new U2 album will be much more exciting.
I still don’t get it: what kind of idiots spend $70 million in this times of crises and what use for?
Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark – Official Site
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_amDjGtI8k&w=500&h=305]
