In early Hollywood, the musicals of Rogers and Hammerstein and Shirley Temple, Gene Kelly and Judy Garland were the staples of silver screen entertainment. This is no doubt due to the direct translation of these productions from stage plays. In the last few decades the musical has faded from mainstream and has become the novelty that “talkie” pictures once were. Lately there has been a resurgence of the musical genre. My thoughts…
I love music, I also love movies, why then do I hate the average musical? I will more than gladly tell you why. There comes this moment in every musical that the cast burst forth into song like spontaneous rays of sunlight over a field of golden grain. It just doesn’t make sense, and I don’t believe it is happening, it just isn’t plausible.
However, in the past year there have been several musical films that have swayed me adamant disdain for them. The most notable of these is the little indie film that made it big, Once. With authentic musicians, a great story and quick and dirty style of shooting it won me over, I believed it.
The next was August Rush. Although some of the music was mimed and dubbed there was enough emotion here to allow me to enter the fantasy, and the music permeated the film from beginning to end. The film was and is music, every aspect and every facet and John Rhys-Myers has a surprising amount of musical chops to boot.
Of course the most entertaining was the reunification of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp on Steven Sondheim’s adaptation of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. With terrific singing, bloody good action and revenge, this film was magic.
Well that is all for now, I anxiously await the next musical and hope that the current trends continue.
Do you have a favorite musical?
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July 8th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I think Chicago was one of the few musicals that I have really enjoyed. I attempted Sweeney Todd once, but could not get past the first ten minutes or so. I may give it another chance:)
July 9th, 2008 at 7:36 am
ST does start out a little slow, but it picks up in the second act, easily one of my favorites. Never got around to seeing Chicago though, perhaps I shall