Musicals - Love or Hate?

[Hazell B]

Everybody keeps telling me I've got to learn to love musicals by January, just in time for Sweeny Todd's release in the cinema. It's not going to be easy, I hate any films (except The Blues Brothers ) that include songs for no good reason. They're catchy enough, but why would anyone just starts singing and dancing for no reason? It's madness :confused:

On my one trip to a theatre for a rather nasty musical I fell asleep only to be awoken screaming when some idiot fired a gun on stage. It wasn't nice all in all, especially as the gunshot just encouraged the rest of them to sing louder :mark:

So, make me like musicals.
I dare you :p :

[SEATFreak]

So, make me like musicals.
I dare you :p :

Sorry sweetheart, not even the might of the US military, the SAS, KGB CIA, MI5, the threats of virtually every secret organisation and not forgetting being sent on a caravan holiday to Blackpool with the Neal family couldn't make me make you like musicals.

I share your every sympathy with this pointless art form.

I have never like mass choreographed dancing. Especially in musicals like the new wave of musicals based on groups like Queen (We Will Rock You), ABBA (Mamma Mia) and Greese. Theirs something that just makes my skin crawl. Maybe it is the type of dancer. Young, athletic and so irritatingly "fresh".

Except on ChittyChittyBangBang. I didn't mind that for some reason.

But I fail to see how it is important to appreciate musicals in order to see the new Sweeney Todd movie.

[Hazell B]

Except on ChittyChittyBangBang. I didn't mind that for some reason.

That's the one I hate the most, as it happens. Having once spent two whole days next to the rancid heap of pointlessly wasted V8 that is one of the cars from the film, along with it's entire sound track on a loop, my contempt knows no end. Only high point was the insane old guy who owned it and his utterly batty wife. They argued non-stop in the way only the super rich do - then she threatened to squash him with her Range Rover and it all got unfunny :p :


But I fail to see how it is important to appreciate musicals in order to see the new Sweeney Todd movie.


Johnny Depp singing and you ask why I have to learn to love musicals? :eek:
Loving Johnny Depp is easy. The sound he makes when Tim Burton turns to musicals stolen from the stage, is a whole other matter :s

[A.F.F.]

But I fail to see how it is important to appreciate musicals in order to see the new Sweeney Todd movie.

Because in Sweeney Todd there is Johnny and Hazell loooooves Johnny. :mark:

I loves West Side Story and Grease in theater. They were actually very funny. Not all dancing and singing at all.

I just saw Hairspray and I liked it too. Although, it's nowhere near good old Blues Brothers not to mention The Commitments.

And no, I'm not going to make you like musicals either. I think it's do or don't, there's no in between there ;)

EDIT: Beat me by a minute HB

[Hazell B]

By the way, I laugh in the face of the SAS.
They're kittens.

:p :

[Hondo]

I still like "The Sound of Music".

[leopard]

I found many drama and playing several theme songs on it.

.
.
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I am talking about film of India, love it :D

[GridGirl]

Ohhhh I love musicals! I would give my right arm to get tickets to see Dirty Dancing but you have to book tickets six months in advance. Seeing as I cant take holiday between January and March I'm hoping someone loves me enough to buy em now in time for my birthday in June. :)

Hazel, I think it all depends on what musical you see. The are ones that I thought were alright but I wouldn't bother seeing them again such as Beauty and the Beast or Mary Poppins. Then there are one's that are amazing like the Lion King or Startlight Express that I would watch over and over again. I listen to the soundtracks to those two all the time in my car. :)

[LeonBrooke]

I loved Moulin Rouge and Chicago. Absolutely brilliant movies.

[leopard]

I don't think we would mind to buy em for you the ticket of Beauty and the Beast, as long as you didn't point out the beauty only for yourself while the beast was referring to me. :)

[gadjo_dilo]

As a kid I loved them. I remember I went to the theatre and saw " Good evening mr. Wilde ", a musical after " The importance of being earnest " by Oscar Wilde. Then I saw it again and again, about 8 times - no wonder I still can hum the tunes.
These days I can't stand this genre.

[Donney]

I hate them with a passion, so no help from here. As said before I don't understand why people start dancing and singing without an apparent justification in some movies.

[ShiftingGears]

Nothing tops Blues Brothers :up:

Last musical I saw was Showgirls...eurgh. Vocals were over the top in many songs, and how several scenes went from serious dialogue to musical in the space of a few seconds was rather ridiculous.

[SEATFreak]

Nothing tops Blues Brothers :up:

You do have me over a barrell there. The Blues Brothers is simply one the funniest phenomenons that Hollywood has ever created.

But what does everyone think of High School Musical?

That is what gets my skin crawling about musicals. When the dancers are fresh faced kids who think their all fun loving and nice.

But even then theirs few musicals either stage or movie based that make up for that.

Take Dirty Dancing or Cabaret. Any bloke with a stronger right hand than the left know exactly what those movies was god for.

[slinkster]

My school used to do a musical production every year and I must say they were pretty good. I was never involved of course... far too shy.

I don't mind SOME musicals... I actually like Jesus Christ Superstar for all it's cheesiness, other than that I've only ever seen Miss Saigon at the theatre. That was okay I guess. I think musicals in a proper theatre setting are far more impressive and make more sense than on the big screen. I'd make allowances for Mr Depp though. Always. ;)

[MrJan]

I hate any films (except The Blues Brothers ) that include songs for no good reason. They're catchy enough, but why would anyone just starts singing and dancing for no reason? It's madness :confused:

Couldn't agree with you more. The Blues Brothers is ace (and I like blues music so is cool for that too) and likewise the Commitments. Can't think of any other good ones but there could be some.

Otherwise every musical makes me want to scratch my ears off. Seriously they get into my brain and actually hurt. Terrible, terrible things and to make it worse everyone is smiling in them, but not a happy smile, no, it's that irritating look at me I'm an American schoolkid in Hollywood smile that makes you want to throw something at the telly. Little s***s.

Oooh do't mind 8 Mile either, even though I'm not a fan of Eminienenemem. And Buena Vista Social Club is good but I suppose that's more of a documentary. School of Rock as well but only because Jack Black is cool and that black girl has an amazing voice.

[BDunnell]

Sorry sweetheart, not even the might of the US military, the SAS, KGB CIA, MI5, the threats of virtually every secret organisation and not forgetting being sent on a caravan holiday to Blackpool with the Neal family couldn't make me make you like musicals.


:laugh:

I'm not a fan either, for all the reasons others have given.

[Hazell B]

... 8 Mile .... Buena Vista Social Club .... School of Rock ....

But do they count as musicals? I don't think films about people who happen to make music but don't leap at the chance of singing pointlessly half way through a conversation count.

Was going to list all those noted here as good and give my opinion, but the filter doesn't allow that sort of comment :p :
In short, sorry cannot stand any of them. Tried and failed to watch most, even Moulin Rouge. All that film left me with was a question - Why Ewan? Why?

[LeonBrooke]

Tried and failed to watch most, even Moulin Rouge. All that film left me with was a question - Why Ewan? Why?

Moulin Rouge was a great movie! Full of emotion and feeling like few others. Sure, the plot was a bit silly but it all worked. The songs fitted the mood perfectly.

Sure, it's silly because people don't start singing like that in the middle of talking, but who cares? It's cinema, it's art, it's escapism, not representation of life.

[MrJan]

But do they count as musicals? I don't think films about people who happen to make music but don't leap at the chance of singing pointlessly half way through a conversation count.[/i]

Not really but didn't want to discount all musicals and then have someone say 'mnahhhh what about 8 Mile' :D

[Hazell B]

Good point Miguel.
Now if you'll excuse me, I want to sing about the next few posts ..... :p :

[BobbyC]

"Mamma Mia" infuriated me with one script when the US national tour visited my area in March. The script was pathetic that I thought I needed to get Dr. Laura to come discuss it, since I was ready to call a questionable term from my seat. A friend was scheduled to go but she fell sick, and another friend wasn't able to get someone else to go instead (I was available, and expected them to show up, but weren't there), so I had to cough up a ticket for myself (vbg).

I had to grab my suit pocket for earplugs.

I've also seen national tours of Les Miz, and also local productions of Cats (the friend who had to lose her Mamma Mia! tickets said the production was the best Town Theatre had in years, and is haunted by Memory) and The Wizard of Oz (my collegiate piano teacher was directing), and also a collegiate production of Carousel directed by the other friend I mentioned.

I'll go back to the time I took a ride on Serena's Carousel in April 2006 in Darlington:

Don't be a Jigger. Billy's mistakes cost him, and with my father's death recently, I actually was reduced to tears at the end (with "You'll Never Walk Alone").