Theatre Thursday

Week 33 - Musicals

We love them, but we'd never admit to watching them.

Oh sure, Chicago won Best Picture a couple of years ago, and everyone loves The Sound of Music, but musicals have occupied a more significant place in our motion picture landscape than most people will be willing to admit.

This week's questions are about the great Movie Musicals. Put on your tap shoes, grab your umbrella, and.....well, what are you waiting for - a cue?

1) What is your favorite Movie Musical of all time? What's the worst you've ever seen?

My favorites are Evita and Beauty and the Beast - I'm not sure, something else may occur to me. My least favorite I ever watched was Brigadoon - what a snoozefest...

2) Which Musical is your guilty pleasure? (i.e. which musical would you never admit to anyone - except 5.2 million internet users - that you know all the words to?)

Please don't anyone disown my blog for this, but I love Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Now, hear me out. For years I took piano and learned all the classical stuff. In middle school I started listening to what passed for rock and roll at the time (late 70's disco era - I couldn't help when I was born) but had never really gotten into the Beatles. A friend of mine had the soundtrack to the movie, and I listened to it. I loved the music! We rented the video and I watched it over and over. Then I bought a book of sheet music to all the songs - of course, to me, it was just the soundtrack to the movie, but I actually learned to play Beatles songs. That opened up a whole new world of what I could do on the piano (which helped me immensely as time went on) and also started a lifetime appreciation for the artistry of the Fab Four. And the Sgt Pepper movie started it all.

So there. :) Oh, and I just noticed this the other day, if anyone's still looking for late birthday presents!

3) Which actor/actress do you feel made the biggest contribution to Movie Musicals? Which is your favorite?

Julie Andrews, without a doubt. To both.

4) Do you prefer movies with musical numbers that are part of the plot itself, or pop songs that basically act as background for regular scenes?

Definitely Broadway-style musicals, where the music is integral to the plot.

BONUS) Have you ever, in your wildest moments, come into a situation so perfect that it would almost be perfectly normal just to break into song? What would you do if you someone else belting out a heartbreaking ballad or a group of young toughs dancing in the street?

Absolutely. In fact, I believe Life is one big musical number that everyone's just afraid to be seen singing....

"We are the maker of music, and we are the dreamers of dreams"