When the cinema first spoke in 1927 it sang and since then musicals have been a big part of the film industry, although this type of movies have had its ups and downs throughout the decades nevertheless it still has its special magic and it is still capable of transforming you to another world with the charming it adds to every story.
Here are ten movies you should watch if musicals capture you, movies from different times that will give you a clue about the evolution of musicals.
1. The Wizard of Oz (1939):
The Wizard of Oz is an American musical fantasy film, and it is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time, and it is the most commercially successful adaptation of L.Frank Baum’s 1900 children’s fantasy novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
The story is about a girl called Dorothy Gale who has swept away from a farm in Kansas to a magical land of Oz in a tornado and embarks on a quest with her new friends to see the wizard who can help her return home to Kansas and help her friends as well.
2. Singin' in the Rain (1952):
Singin' in the rain is a musical romantic comedy film, the film was a modest hit when it was first released, and it won some prizes like the Golden Globe Award for best actor – motion picture musical or comedy. However, it has since accorded legendary status by contemporary critics and is often regarded as the greatest musical film ever made, and it was one of the 25 films selected by the United states library of Congress for preservation in the national film registry for being culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.
The film offers a light-hearted depiction of Hollywood in the late 1920s with the three stars portraying performers caught up in the transition from silent films to ‘talkies’.
3. An American in Paris ( 1951):
It is a musical comedy film inspired by the 1928 orchestral composition an American in Paris by George Gershwin, it was an enormous success, garnering Eight Academy Award nominations and winning six.
The story is about three friends struggle to find work in Paris and things become more complicated when two of them fall in love with the same woman.
4. West Side Story (1961):
The story is set in the upper west side of New York City in the mid-1950s, a multiracial, blue-collar neighborhood. The musical explores the rivalry between the jets and the sharks, two teenage street gangs of different ethnic backgrounds.
The dark theme, sophisticated music, extended dance scenes, and focus on social problems marked a turning point in American musical theatre.
5. My Fair Lady (1964):
It is a musical drama film adapted from the 1956 Lerner and Loewe stage musical, the film depicts a poor Cockney flower seller named Eliza Doolittle who overhears an arrogant phonetics professor, Henry Higgins, as he casually wagers he could teach her to speak ‘proper’ English, thereby making her presentable in the high society of Edwardian London.
It was a critical and commercial success and won eight Academy Awards.
6. Grease (1978):
It is a musical romantic comedy, when released grease was successful both critically and commercially, becoming the highest-grossing musical film ever.
The story is about the good girl Sandy Olsson and greaser Danny Zuko fell in love over the summer. When they unexpectedly discover they are now in the same high school.
7. The Sound of Music (1965):
It is a musical romantic drama film and one of the greatest musicals of all time; it was a major commercial success and received five Academy Awards and two Golden Globe awards.
It is about a woman who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the 7 children of a naval officer widower.
8. Moulin Rouge (2001):
It is a jukebox musical romantic drama film, the film tells the story of a young English poet/writer, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, a cabaret actress. It was nominated for eight Oscars and won two.
9. Less Misérables (2012):
There are so many adaptations of Victor Hugo's novel less miserable but the 2012 edition was a unique one, the film won three Golden Globe awards and was nominated for eight Academy awards from which it won three.
10. La La Land (2016):
While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist and an actress fall in love while attempting to reconcile their aspirations for the future.
The movie is inspiring and it won a record-breaking seven awards from its seven nominations at the Golden Globe and won five awards at the British Academy film awards, and six Academy Awards.
If you are a music lover and have not watched any one of these amazing films, buckle up with a popcorn bucket and dwell into this musician saga.
Written By - Aya Koky
Edited By - Sravanthi Cheerladinne
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