I'm not a very big fan of movie musicals, but like most Americans (I think!), many of my earliest film memories are of beloved musicals. As I was looking at my list of favorite films the other night, I noticed that there were more musicals than I would have guessed, but that the favorites were from my childhood. My ratings of film musicals since I became an adult—excluding animated Disney movies—are mostly quite low (Hellllooooo, Evita and Moulin Rouge!!).
My favorite all-time (and in fact number eight on my all-time favorite movies list) is Disney's Beauty and the Beast, an amazing combination of brilliant, breath-taking animation and wonderfully engaging songs. Until 1992, when the film was in theaters, I thought nothing could ever surpass Pinocchio, but this one does by just a bit.
A sentimental favorite (I worked on two productions of it in high school) is The Music Man, for me one of those movies I cannot channel-surf past. If I come upon it while I'm flipping through stations, the surfing stops right there. I think other films have better songs, but none has a total soundtrack, from beginning to end, of songs that make me feel happier. Have you ever noticed that "Goodnight, My Someone" has the same melody as "76 Trombones," only slowed down?
I don't like to sing duets when I'm at karaoke with friends, mostly because I only get a handful of songs and I like to sing metal stuff. The exception is "Suddenly, Seymour," from Little Shop of Horrors, another favorite. The combination of dark lyrical themes and traditional-sounding Broadway-type melodies is too much for me to resist. That moment when Steve Martin launches into "Dentist!" is one of the funniest moments in film. Rick Moranis as Seymour is just freaking terrific. He's so used to being a second banana that he carries an unassuming humility that fits the role perfectly in this, a lead role.
My pick for underrated musical is The Muppet Movie, something that seems to have been dismissed as a kids' movie. It is that, but if you haven't watched it attentively with your grown-up eyes, you need to! It's even cleverer than Little Shop of Horrors, in its plot and music. Typical of the good Muppets stuff (I'm talking The Muppet Show and its related ilk), it's musically witty AND lyrically witty, with such attention paid to detail that there are amusing touches in the most unexpected places. See it repeatedly, and you'll see what I mean. The details are so well-thought-out that you find something new to appreciate every time you view it. And the songs are SO singable.
You know what I don't get? How overrated Moulin Rouge! is. It's an inexorably long story, and the novelty of pop songs sung in the melodramatic movie-musical style wears thin about thirty-two bars into the first song. I'll give Ewan McGregor props for an unexpected and unbelievable great singing voice. But that's it! I find this movie such a bore!
I suppose I should mention Singin' in the Rain, very nearly a perfect movie musical, and another one of those film that makes you feel happy every time. My problem with this one is that long, surreal scene with the long flowing bedsheets. What the heck IS that? It brings the whole film to a crazy standstill.
You can take a look at the fifty most popular (based on number of votes, not on average rating) movie musicals at IMDb here, if you're interested.
What are some of your favorite movie musicals? Which do you consider overrated or underrated? Do you have a least-favorite?
My favorite all-time (and in fact number eight on my all-time favorite movies list) is Disney's Beauty and the Beast, an amazing combination of brilliant, breath-taking animation and wonderfully engaging songs. Until 1992, when the film was in theaters, I thought nothing could ever surpass Pinocchio, but this one does by just a bit.
A sentimental favorite (I worked on two productions of it in high school) is The Music Man, for me one of those movies I cannot channel-surf past. If I come upon it while I'm flipping through stations, the surfing stops right there. I think other films have better songs, but none has a total soundtrack, from beginning to end, of songs that make me feel happier. Have you ever noticed that "Goodnight, My Someone" has the same melody as "76 Trombones," only slowed down?
I don't like to sing duets when I'm at karaoke with friends, mostly because I only get a handful of songs and I like to sing metal stuff. The exception is "Suddenly, Seymour," from Little Shop of Horrors, another favorite. The combination of dark lyrical themes and traditional-sounding Broadway-type melodies is too much for me to resist. That moment when Steve Martin launches into "Dentist!" is one of the funniest moments in film. Rick Moranis as Seymour is just freaking terrific. He's so used to being a second banana that he carries an unassuming humility that fits the role perfectly in this, a lead role.
My pick for underrated musical is The Muppet Movie, something that seems to have been dismissed as a kids' movie. It is that, but if you haven't watched it attentively with your grown-up eyes, you need to! It's even cleverer than Little Shop of Horrors, in its plot and music. Typical of the good Muppets stuff (I'm talking The Muppet Show and its related ilk), it's musically witty AND lyrically witty, with such attention paid to detail that there are amusing touches in the most unexpected places. See it repeatedly, and you'll see what I mean. The details are so well-thought-out that you find something new to appreciate every time you view it. And the songs are SO singable.
You know what I don't get? How overrated Moulin Rouge! is. It's an inexorably long story, and the novelty of pop songs sung in the melodramatic movie-musical style wears thin about thirty-two bars into the first song. I'll give Ewan McGregor props for an unexpected and unbelievable great singing voice. But that's it! I find this movie such a bore!
I suppose I should mention Singin' in the Rain, very nearly a perfect movie musical, and another one of those film that makes you feel happy every time. My problem with this one is that long, surreal scene with the long flowing bedsheets. What the heck IS that? It brings the whole film to a crazy standstill.
You can take a look at the fifty most popular (based on number of votes, not on average rating) movie musicals at IMDb here, if you're interested.
What are some of your favorite movie musicals? Which do you consider overrated or underrated? Do you have a least-favorite?
Comment