Just one more sleep till Christmas, at least for those of you in the western hemisphere, so this post is an early present of sorts. For those of you who celebrate this particular holiday, have a safe and Merry Christmas tomorrow. And for those of you who celebrated Hanukkah, I hope you thought of me when you fried up some jam doughnuts.
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We got The Sound of Music
You’ll notice the absence of Judy Garland films, because I can’t stand her – not her voice, not her acting, nothing. And Meet Me in St. Louis was a stupid movie anyway. I also didn’t include West Side Story, which was ruined for me by the first scene; street “toughs” who run around New York dancing in tights are not tough and nothing they do afterwards will convince me otherwise.
Films that didn’t make the cut included The Muppet Christmas Carol
10. Mary Poppins
9. Moulin Rouge!
8. Aladdin. I’m not sure if any movie has had me laughing as consistently as Aladdin did on my first viewing, and it’s one of the only movies I’ve ever seen more than twice. It’s also one of the only animated films that had songs I might actually want to hear outside the context of the movie. Best song: “Prince Ali.”
7. Holiday Inn
6. Royal Wedding
5. White Christmas
4. Once
3. The Music Man
2. My Fair Lady
1. Singin’ in the Rain
By the way, if any of you happen to end up with the new Tinker Bell DVD (The Lost Treasure), check out the fake blooper reel called “Scenes You Never Saw.” I still haven’t made it through the entire film proper (although my daughter loves it), but the four-minute outtake clip is hilarious.
no fiddler on the roof? or worse – willy wonka and the chocolate factory? unless you don’t like candy…
So glad to not see ‘Grease’ anywhere on that list. I hate that movie so much.
No “Rock & Roll High School?” Also, for a great alternative musical you should check out “Poultrygeist” by Troma.
I second the aghast at no Fiddler. IMO it is hands down the greatest musical of all time. It’s story is so much richer than basically every musical out there and the music is just beautiful.
My second choice would also be My Fair Lady. Any show where a 12 year old (me) can be dragged along and end up enjoying it is a good show.
Third would be A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. The funniest musical of the golden age with a brilliant score by Stephen Sondheim.
Others you didn’t mention that I would are Sweeney Todd, Man of La Mancha, and How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying.
As for your West Side Story comments; it seems contradictory that the dancing would be be silly in that instance where sporadic song and dance is the essence of all musicals.
The Blues Brothers
its too bad for you that you are so quick to dismiss west side story. truly one of the best american musicals ever. your loss, no one else’s.
How did “Paint Your Wagon” not make the list? The dulcet tones of Lee Marvin are not to be missed.
Gonna use oil-based paint because the wood is pine!
No Guys and Dolls!!???
My favorite bit about Singin’ in the Rain:
Jean Hagen did all her own voicework: both the squeaky talking voice (affected), the rotten offkey singing, and the supposedly dubbed singing. Which means that, in the final scene, on stage, Jean Hagen is dubbing Debbie Reynolds, whose character is dubbing Jean Hagen’s.
Otherwise, the movie could barely hold my interest.
Swing Time tops either of the Astaire films you’ve got on there. Fred was better with Ginger than with any other partner, and Never Gonna Dance — both Fred’s performance of the song, and the dance that accompanies it — breaks my heart every time I watch it. Pick Yourself Up, and A Fine Romance, are pretty damn good numbers too, and it’s even got a blackface number in it so you’ve got that angle covered.
Hmm. Astaire seemed to do a lot of blackface, didn’t he?
South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut!!
High School Musical? Just joking on that one…
What about Cole Porter’s Kiss Me Kate?
Totally agree with Singin in the Rain but disagree with the having White Christmas above Holiday Inn. Fred Astaire over Danny Kaye and Bing had a young smoother voice. I actually hate the edited version. In my opinion it is silly to ignore how things were back in the day. Leave it in so people can learn about the past and show how wrong everyday people were about race.
Astaire did exactly one blackface number, in “Swing Time.” It was intended as a tribute to Bill Robinson and was actually one of the least egregious of that theatrical convention. Astaire had no part in the blackface number in “Holiday Inn,” which is one of the most egregious of that theatrical convention.
“Everyone Says I Love You” – a musical that captures (and is ABOUT) what musicals are about – the urge to break into song
Great call on “Once”
“Chicago” is overrated though certainly well done. But I liked the balls behind “Across the Universe” more – which like Moulin Rouge was an artistic homerun swing.
Also the musical version of Hairspray really is inspired … yes it lacks the subversive quality of the Waters film, probably to appeal to a Broadway audience – but the songs are awesome the movie IS funny (it is not without the edge, just less of it) and the lead performance is perfect.
Surprised to see White Christmas make your list, what with it being so racist and all. Bing Crosby’s dreaming of a white christmas, just like the one’s he used to know? Please. The only thing missing was German subtitles.
Lest anyone get the wrong idea, that was sarcasm. Actually it was more of an ill-conceived joke. Or not-so-ill. I laughed.
Wait wait wait, I thought of a better punchline: “Surprised to see White Christmas make your list, what with it being so racist and all. Bing Crosby’s dreaming of a white christmas, just like the one’s he used to know? Please It’s no wonder that song was composed by a guy named Berlin.”
WINNER!!!
Nice call on “Once.” Did you consider South Park (also mentioned by Jeff)? Have you seen “Hedwig and the Angry Inch?”
I watched West Side Story to the end and hated it. I didn’t like the music. I thought the plot was a bad retelling of a better story. I found the decision to cast Natalie Wood as the lead and the more-talented (and curvier) Rita Moreno as the supporting actress mind-boggling. And yeah, I had a hard time accepting the tough guys as tough when they’re prancing around New York City in leotards.
South Park: First 30-45 minutes were absolutely hilarious, even groundbreaking, and some of the songs were very funny, but it’s not much of a movie – just a really good SP episode that went on an hour too long.
I don’t think of Willy Wonka or Blues Brothers as musicals. I used the AFI’s nomination list from its Top 25 musicals ranking and I don’t think either film was on there.
I don’t like the music from Fiddler. Never did, even as a kid. Biddy biddy blech. Also not a fan of the music in Grease.
Speaking strictly of Disney movies, I think my favorite would have to be The Lion King over Aladdin, though both are good.
No Les Parapluies de Cherbourg? It certainly makes the Musicals Hall of Merit…
Sriram- Really? I thought Across the Universe was one of the worst movies I’ve ever sat through. Could they find ways to sing with less energy? And they crammed so many songs/song references into the movie, unnecessarily, that the whole thing had the feeling of a late-season Happy Days episodes where ever plot is a guest star. Sheesh.
High Society-
Bing, Frank, and Satchmo, plus the ACTUAL most beautiful actress of all-time, Grace Kelly (puts that bag lady Audrey Hepburn to shame!)
Big big props for putting Once on this list. As an independent musician, this really hit home for me. And what I loved more than anything else about it was that they didn’t cut any corners in the hopes of making it more universally appealing. It’s a grown-up movie. And unfortunately, you don’t see that too often with musicals.
Couldn’t agree more on Aladdin, although I would have moved it a notch or two higher. The funny thing is Prince Ali started up in my head as soon as I saw the name of the movie. Classic songs and a classic performance by Robin Williams, possibly his last decent movie role.