DVDizzy Forum

dvdjunkie wrote:Let's not argue but each person's opinion.

Then why are you? You're the only person who had to make 5 or so posts to argue over something nobody cares about. To say a film with 7 to 10 songs (that move the story forward) is not a "musical" because it's animated doesn't make any sense at all. If the exact same movie was released in live-action with absolutely no other changes, you'd consider it a musical. Which--again--does not make sense. Quite a few animated films are musicals, and that's a fact that isn't going to change.

But moving beyond this craziness, I'm surprised so many people enjoyed The Sound of Music. Nice music, yes, but it was really boring for me. And considering it hasn't been mentioned yet, I'm guessing Burlesque wasn't that popular (I haven't seen it myself, but I want to eventually).

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Disney's Divinity wrote:

dvdjunkie wrote:Let's not argue but each person's opinion.

Then why are you? You're the only person who had to make 5 or so posts to argue over something nobody cares about. To say a film with 7 to 10 songs (that move the story forward) is not a "musical" because it's animated doesn't make any sense at all. If the exact same movie was released in live-action with absolutely no other changes, you'd consider it a musical. Which--again--does not make sense. Quite a few animated films are musicals, and that's a fact that isn't going to change.

But moving beyond this craziness, I'm surprised so many people enjoyed The Sound of Music. Nice music, yes, but it was really boring for me. And considering it hasn't been mentioned yet, I'm guessing Burlesque wasn't that popular (I haven't seen it myself, but I want to eventually).

Not to make matters more complicated than they already are ..

But Burlesque in no way resembled a musical to me. Did it have songs? Yes. Did the characters sing them? Yes. Did it movie the story forward? ..... uhm... story?

If only the movie was good in a so bad it's good kinda way, but no.. it just... went along. It was boring and the songs were forgettable. Cher can't move her face and Christina has no acting chops. A total trainwreck of a film.

Also, wether someone finds a Disney film like The Little Mermaid to be a musical or not, is not an opinion. It's a fact. So, it's kind of pointless to continue debating it.

Disney's Divinity wrote: But moving beyond this craziness, I'm surprised so many people enjoyed The Sound of Music. Nice music, yes, but it was really boring for me.

The Sound of Music, for me, was an acquired taste. I always appreciated it for what it was, but I didn't begin to actually really like it until my third or fourth viewing. I can't explain it, but for some reason, the movie just gets better each time I watch it. It isn't my favorite R&H film (that would be The King and I), but I think as a film it worked better than Carousel, Oklahoma, and South Pacific, even though I do prefer the scores of those musicals to the overall score of The Sound of Music.

By the way, glad to hear you checked out Victor/Victoria and enjoyed it! Definitely the brightest gem of all the work Julie and Blake did together.

Disney's Divinity wrote:
But moving beyond this craziness, I'm surprised so many people enjoyed The Sound of Music. Nice music, yes, but it was really boring for me.

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me, besides absolutely LOVING the songs, I also really enjoy the story and the scenery. I find it really moving, especially the scene where the family sings "Edelweiss" at the concert right before the Nazis are going to take them away, and the entire audience stands up and sings along. "Bless my homeland forever..."

All that, and also because it has Julie Andrews!

i admit that, when it comes to live action, the list is short. in no order

Mary Poppins
Sweeney Todd
Willy Wonka
Grease
Enchanted
Cinderella
Hairspray

ive seen more theater musicals

Oklahoma
Spamalot
Mamma Mia!
Into The Woods
The Music Man
The Apple Tree
It's a Wonderful Life
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
the Lord of the Rings
Cats

The Sound of Music is not just my favorite musical, but it's also my favorite movie of all time. My parents say it's the first movie I ever watched as a baby. I don't know why they started me off with a 3 hour musical, but I'm glad they did. I just love it! Julie Andrews, the songs, the scenery, the children, the fact that it's a true story, etc. It's just a feel-good musical that always makes me feel like all is good and agreeable in the world. Whenever I was sick, I would watch it and would always feel better to the point that my parents thought I was faking illness. Like someone said once, "it's cheaper than therapy." Hahaha. Also, my parents, especially my dad, are not really movie people, but The Sound of Music is the only movie they watch from beginning to end. We never get tired of it.

1. The Sound of Music

(The rest are in no particular order)

2. Mary Poppins- For this one, it took me several viewings before I liked it. I know others who feel the same way.

3. My Fair Lady- First time I watched it, I was either in 5th grade or middle school. My parents bought it for me on VHS. I watched it but I did not like it. It wasn't until I got older that I appreciated and understood it. I may get in trouble for saying this, but I think Audrey Hepburn should have been nominated for an Oscar for her role as Eliza Doolittle and won, while Julie Andrews should have won for The Sound of Music instead of Mary Poppins. But, that's just me.

4. West Side Story- Another one I didn't appreciate until I got older.

5. Gigi- This is My Fair Lady set in Gay 90's Paris, but it's still pretty darn good!

6. The King and I- Classic! This is the only musical that the theater teacher at the high school I attended would put on and everyone would pay attention (I went to a high school that took theater as a filler class).

7. Hairspray- Such a happy movie with a good message.

8. Enchanted- I don't know if this counts, but I loved it! Had a smile on my face the first time I saw it.

9. Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella- I love all versions, but my favorite is the 1997 remake with Brandy and Whitney Huston. I know this was pretty big in the elementary school I attended.

10. The Slipper and the Rose- Another one I didn't appreciate until I was old enough to understand.

11. Mamma Mia!- A movie musical me and my parents love, mainly because of the songs. They raised me and my sibling with ABBA songs.

12. Dreamgirls- Not really a diehard fan, but I appreciate it for what it is. I think it's good from "I Love You, I do" and onward. Everything before that song is boring to me.

13. Annie (1999) - I love this movie, way more than the original from 1982. I especially love the choreography by Rob Marshall.

14. Chicago- Like Dreamgirls, not a diehard fan, but I think it was very deserving of its Best Picture win, which occurred in a year filled with strong contenders.

15. High School Musical- Once upon a time, I loved this movie. Even went to the concert.

Disney Animated Musicals:

1. Cinderella
2. The Little Mermaid
3. Tangled
4. The Princess and the Frog
5. Beauty and the Beast

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Oh, yeah, how could I forget Willy Wonka?! It never gets old.

Willy Wonka! That one slipped my mind as well.

Singin' in the Rain
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Duck Soup (it's got musical numbers, so that counts right?)
The Nightmare Before Christmas
Beauty and the Beast
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Pinocchio
Funny Face (not a spectacular film, but I love the songs, Fred Astaire, and Audrey Hepburn, so...)
Sound of Music

......yeah, that's all I can really think of. Haven't seen too many musicals, aside from Disney stuff.

Since I kinda do theatre stuff for a living I'll make a few lists...

top 10 I've been in/set designed/was crew for

1- Cats
2- Into the Woods
3- West Side Story
4- Little Shop of Horrors
5- Fiddler of the Roof
6- A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
7- Thoroughly Modern Millie
7- Pirates of Penzance
8- Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Coat
9- The Baker's Wife
10- R&H's Cinderella

top 10 I've seen on stage

1- Les Miserables
2- The Lion King
3- Billy Elliot
4- Wicked
5- Hairspray
6- RENT
7- Cats
8- Phantom of the Opera
9- Legally Blonde
10- The Little Mermaid

top 10 musical films

1- Moulin Rouge
2- Newsies
3- Little Shop of Horrors
4- Hairspray
5- Sweeney Todd
6- Dreamgirls
7- The Sound of Music
8- Oklahoma!
9- Reefer Madness!
10- RENT

Searchy searchy!

http://www.dvdizzy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22215

There are some interesting comments from DVDJunkie and others on what makes a musical (in reference to A Hard Day's Night)

From that thread, here is my list:

Lili (1953) - WHERE IS THE DVD!!!?? Right now, this is my most-wanted film not on DVD.
Annie (1982)
Annie Get Your Gun (1950)
Cats (1998) - is this a musical, or a taping of a stage play?
Doctor Dolittle (1967)
Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
Grease (1978) - While I enjoy this one, I wouldn't normally include it on a top-10...
The Music Man (1962) - BAH!! to the remake!
My Fair Lady (1964)
Oklahoma! (1955)
Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
Singin' in the Rain (1955)
Duck Soup (1933) - is that really a full musical? I love the film, though
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
The Sound of Music (1965)
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Mary Poppins (1964)
White Christmas (1954)

I forgot "Phantom of the Opera" and "Jesus Christ Superstar" which i saw in both formats.

I came in just to say that dvdjunkie has my support and agreement that even films with a lot of songs in them aren't necessarily musicals.

If I could give an example, it's like how Walt wanted "story songs" that really made sense in the films. Like how Snow White sings in order to be happy or do work, or Jiminy Cricket comes up with the song so Pinocchio can whistle the tune to call him, or in Bambi, the songs are more like voices of nature and feelings, or Cinderella and the Prince are actually singing to the music at the ball. It's all songs that make sense like maybe they would sing them in real life. It's not like musicals like Sweeney Todd where they are just singing because it's dramatic, or where it's just about singing any of your feelings when you wouldn't do it in real life.

But ever since The Little Mermaid, or rather, Oliver & Company, Disney films became more like actual musicals.

I'm just saying I know the difference dvdjunkie is talking about. However, I think it's okay to list Disney films as musicals sometimes, as it's all up to opinion. I just expected this thread to leave out Disney movies because I felt they were different.

littlefuzzy wrote:Lili (1953) - WHERE IS THE DVD!!!?? Right now, this is my most-wanted film not on DVD.

Good call! I really enjoy this film as well, and it is surprising it is still not available, considering it seems to be reasonably known and liked, and other Leslie Caron films are available on DVD.

David S. wrote:

littlefuzzy wrote:Lili (1953) - WHERE IS THE DVD!!!?? Right now, this is my most-wanted film not on DVD.

Good call! I really enjoy this film as well, and it is surprising it is still not available, considering it seems to be reasonably known and liked, and other Leslie Caron films are available on DVD.

I had an online friend burn a DVD from an airing on TCM and send it to me...

Piracy? Not really, in my opinion...

Will I still buy an official DVD? ABSOLUTELY!