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february 7, 2013 arts & entertainment
The Sound of Movie Musicals: Cinema’s sing-songy show-stoppers
by conor sheehey Once upon a time, musicals were the bread and butter of Hollywood filmmaking. With massive box-office figures and sturdy critical appeal, songand-dance spectacles such as Anchors Aweigh and Kiss Me Kate lit up the big screen throughout the ‘40s and ‘50s. That said, when rock-and-roll music took over the airwaves and the so-called “New Hollywood era” of the late 1960s and ‘70s began, traditional movie musicals seemed outmoded and irrelevant. Rather than resort to escapist fantasies a la The Wizard of Oz, audiences elected to confront unpleasant realities at the Cineplex. Once the domain of singing priests and dancing pirates, the musical genre began to take on tough topics like addiction, abuse, mental illness and murder in such dark classics as Tommy (1975) and All That Jazz (1979). But even these sorts of gems became a rarity before long, and by the time A Chorus Line (1985) and Newsies (1992) crashed and burned on the big screen, it was clear that the golden age of the movie musical had passed. Even so, the Hollywood machine has dished out at least a small handful of solid musical films in the past few decades and the magic of Netflix has brought some old standouts to the fore once again. Last year’s Les Miserables is by all counts a disaster, but in honor of the musical frenzy that the film has inspired in audiences across America, A&E offers up its list of the five finest musical films to grace the silver screen in cinematic history. 5. Evita (1996) In some ways, this bombastic Andrew Lloyd Webber extravaganza-turnedMadonna star vehicle makes for an uncomfortable movie-watching experience. The film’s lack of spoken dialogue and its overwhelmingly opulent production design make most of the characters seem distant and unrelatable, and the twohours-plus runtime borders on oppressive. But Madonna’s ferociously energetic turn as the frighteningly ambitious Eva Perón brings the entire project to life and provides enough intimacy and nuance
nificent film. 3. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007) Adapting Broadway musicals to the big screen can prove problematic, in large part because sprawling ensemble pieces and wide-but-not-deep plots tend to play much better on stage than they do at the cinema. In the case of Sweeney Todd, however, Tim Burton has resolved these issues with ease, stripping down the score and story line to cast his gaze aptly on the play’s emotional core: the demon barber ’s vengeful quest and the tragic Mrs. Lovett’s undying passion for Todd. Thanks to Burton’s focused direction, outstanding performances across the board and a haunting visual style, the clever stage satire has become a cinematic masterpiece. 2. Singin’ in the Rain (1952) As the saying goes, “they don’t make ‘em like they used Courtesy Paramount to.” The unbridled optimism and earnest good nature of this to engage the audience, even during the movie’s slow stretches. In addition, Web- uproariously funny classic may be absent ber’s score is a revelation; running the from mainstream filmmaking today, but gamut from soft lullaby to strident military nothing about Singin’ in the Rain feels march, the music both enhances Eva’s remotely dated. From start to finish, this emotional arc and mirrors her historical film is a breath of fresh air, and to call its rise and fall. For a film that focuses largely famed ballet sequence one for the ages is on the shallow fragility and artifice behind an understatement. 1. The Sound of Music (1965) so-called icons and heroes, Evita offers up The prevailing cynicism of the day may a surprising level of depth and sensitivity. have made it fashionable to mock Rod4. Going My Way (1944) Though some audiences and critics have gers and Hammerstein for their allegedly been quick to commend Tom Hooper for “cheesy” and “unrealistically upbeat” his allegedly daring decision to have his musical output, but a quick look at this actors sing live on camera for Les Mis, 1965 masterwork should set even the nastithis strategy was, by virtue of necessity if est critic straight. Taking on such weighty nothing else, common practice until very themes and topics as nationalist fervor, recently. The difference, of course, is that conflicts of loyalty, interclass relationunlike Russell Crowe, Amanda Seyfried, ships, the uncertainty of the ideal Christian et al, old-school actors could actually per- life and the value of family, this Broadform well without digital polishing and way adaptation features one of the most the like. With a wonderful ‘old way v. new moving and well-acted love stories in film way’ story and a handful of terrific tunes history, but also moves boldly and fearsung stunningly by the incomparable Bing lessly into messy, controversial territory. Crosby, Going My Way marks the pin- The Sound of Music is what every movie nacle of the so-called ‘live-singing’ practice. musical should aspire to be, and we can Moreover, this Oscar-winner proves that only hope that the future will bring more sincerity and emotional exploitation, if films of this sort — and fewer ‘miserable’ played appealingly, can make for a mag- Tom Hooper train wrecks.
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‘Warm Bodies’ melts our hearts
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by ben willis
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