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"The Death Of Musicals"

When I was little and spent most of the weekend watching tv i used to dread when my mum wanted to watch something. Straight away she went to BBC2 or Channel 4 and put on some generic black and white film from the 40's/50's about a man in a nice suit and a woman in a nice white dress falling in love. There was something that made these films special, something lacking from nearly every damn film released. That difference is the medium of song.
BAck in the days of the studio system a huge quantities of films contained showstopping tunes, even though there wasnt many standout songs from the majority of them. The musical was popular
Sadly the musical is no longer popular, the only style of films that now use song are cartoons, and since the Lion King the songs have become more and more forgetable. The amount of money spent on developing the songs now goes to special effects or paying Phil Collinc to create some pointless sentimental rubbish.
There is hope, Good old Baz Luhrman the otherday was on TV (i think it was footage from the Cannes film festival) saying that no matter what language you speak, music can evoke emotion worldwide. And I cannot disagree with this statement. The music in Moulin Rouge (while being a little soppy) was extremely powerful, in particular the rendition of Roxanne by The Police. It cannot be doubted that music evokes emotion, it is hard to understand why the industry does not use song to highlight, or just strengthen the feelings films are trying to get the audience to feel.
Musicals do not have to be so serious though,two of my favourite comedies (Little Shop Of Horror and Bugsy Malone) use songs in a way to allow the audience to feel exactically how the characters feel, something which often is secondry to the jokes in comedies. Before moulin rouge came out the last musical i know of (i think it was 'loves labours lost' or some other shapespeare play with alicia silverstone and kenneth brannagh) totally flopped, most dont even know it exists. People have started to actually blame the fact it was a musical on its downfall. Should this really be a reason for failure?
With the charts being ever popular (though in a sorry state) surely the cinema going public should embrace the idea of combining film and music. It makes sence. Maybe the Hip Hop musical staring Beyonce from Destinys Child will help carry the message on to others that the musical is a strong way for filmmakers to heighten emotion. If another musical flops this may well be the death of the musical...

I didn't see it so I can't be sure. But I think it was you know,in the film there all having sing alongs like they do in The Sound of Music. Nicolas Cage learnt to play the Banjo for that film don't ya know.

Wasn't a musical though - practically every film has music in it, not all are musicals. Captain Cor isn't a musical.

What about that Nicolas Cage film that was quite big and it was also a musical. Captain Correlis Madalin or something.

MUST REMEMBER TO PROOF READ BEFORE HITTING SEND INSTEAD OF HITTING THE STOP BUTTON AT LAST MINUTE.

Loves Labour Lost was all over the place when it launched. Didn't exactly set the box offices alight, but if was by no means a flop. Since the musical most of note would be Dancer in the Dark - huge media coverage and critical acclaim. Featured Bjork, if that jogs the memory.

Loves Labour Lost was all over the place when it launched. Didn't exactly set the box offices alight, but if was by no means a flop. Since the musical most of note would be Dancer in teh Dark - huge media coverage and critical acclaim. Featured Bjork, if that jogs the memory.

you could have just asked there was no need for the clothes line that was just harsh

*applauds softly*

Someone hadda do it, and Wookiee stepped up to the plate.

Mystique wrote:
> *runs around wit arms spread*
> THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC!

*Clotheslines Mystique as she runs past, just to shut her up*

*runs around wit arms spread*
THE HILLS ARE ALIVE WITH THE SOUND OF MUSIC!