Do-Re-Mi, its Chelledun's Top Ten Musical Movies!!!Jan 28 '06 (Updated Feb 16 '06) Write an essay on this topic.
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I LOVE either a good musical, or a good movie. A great movie musical is the best of both worlds. Reading some recent entries to this category inspired me to share my top ten favorites. Feel free to comment with your favorites! 10. Chicago – This film adaptation about the Chicago underworld and manipulation of the justice system stars Renee Zellwegger, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Richard Gere. For me it is worth watching just for Queen Latifah’s role as “Mama” Morton, the jail warden. The best scene in the film to me is the “Cell Block Tango” as I think it really takes advantage of the movie medium. Chicago has some shortcomings (mainly in pacing) but also some really great songs and memorable moments. I love to watch it over and over, so it makes the list. 9. The Wizard of Oz – I think this film is pure magic, and Judy Garland is delightful. My mom always talks of watching this movie on holidays with her family growing up and we often do the same thing. This film makes it on a lot of ‘great movie’ lists and for good reason. Whether you want to sing along to “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” or “If I Only Had a Brain,” this is a wonderful movie musical. 8. South Pacific – Although this 1958 film is undeniably a little cheesy (and a little sexist), I love South Pacific. This was the first movie musical I ever watched and also the first one I saw on a theater stage. This is a story of a US Navy scouting mission turned into romance between French planter Emile de Beque (Rossano Brazzi) and nurse Nellie Forbush (Mitzi Gaynor). Juanita Hall as Bloody Mary is the most entertaining character for me. The South Pacific scenery is fun and the soundtrack is top notch. My favorite songs are “Bloody Mary”, “Some Enchanted Evening”, and “Honey Bun.” 7. Grease – Olivia Newton John and John Travolta star in this movie adaptation with a script that is, in my opinion, far superior to the original musical. After falling in love over the summer, Danny (Travolta) and Sandy (Newton John) find themselves in the same high school the following fall. This is the classic high school movie musical, although realistically speaking much of the cast looks quite a bit older than the kids did at my high school! Stockard Channing as Rizzo is my very favorite character. 6. Fiddler on the Roof – I LOVE this story, and I love the movie adaptation. Although set in the Russian village of Antevya, everyone can relate to this story about family, religion, and cultural traditions changing over time. Topol as Tevye the father is the star of the show, but Rosalind Harris as Tzeitel was always my favorite for some reason. There are many great songs on this soundtrack. “Sunrise, Sunset” makes me cry, and I love “Far from the Home I Love” and “Matchmaker.” 5. Annie – I may be partial to this movie because I played an orphan in 8th grade, but it is a pretty cute one. (I was July, by the way.) Aileen Quinn as Annie has a refreshingly new and sincere feel for a child actress, and Carol Burnett as the alcoholic Miss Hannigan is an inspired casting choice. The songs include “Tomorrow”, “Hard Knock Life”, and “Little Girls”. This film adaptation takes advantage of the medium to provide a diverse range of sets and scenery that the play can’t. I especially love the scenes of hundreds of girls singing and working in the orphanage. 4. The Lion King – Yes, it’s completely animated, but still one of my very favorites. This film features songs that were good enough to get lots of radio play and a fabulous musical. I particularly love “The Circle of Life” and the film’s dramatic opening scenes featuring dozens of varieties of African animals. The Lion King’s great story, beautiful animated scenery, and song variety rivals any live action movie musical. Best of all, this film really can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages. 3. Mary Poppins – It would be hard not to love this charming movie for the whole family. Starring the beautiful Julie Andrews as the “practically perfect” nanny, Mary Poppins is full of magic. The inclusion of an animated sequence gives the movie a little something extra too. This film’s songs are great and varied, and I particularly love “A Spoon Full of Sugar.” 2. Rent - This popular musical has recently been made a movie, based on the same story of a group of friends living with and dying of AIDS in New York City. What the filmmakers here really did right was choosing to bring the majority of Rent the play’s original broadway cast into the same roles in the film. The actors are clearly familiar with the characters and I got a clear sense of each of the seven main characters in just two hours. I love, love, love the voices in this cast, particularly those of Jesse Martin and Rosario Dawson. The songs and story of Rent are haunting and you won’t be able to get it out of your head after you watch. With a soundtrack this great, it would have been tough for the movie to be too disappointing. 1. Moulin Rouge – You will probably either love this zany modern musical starring Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor. Personally, I love it! Featuring some original songs and parts of songs and some rip-offs from popular culture, the Moulin Rouge soundtrack is amazing and energetic. The jokes and action are fast but this makes it great for repeat viewing. Even if you can’t handle the visual overstimulation of the film, do give the soundtrack a try. This movie has something special, making it my favorite movie musical of all time. *Check out my Top Ten Favorite Movies Ever!  |
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