MUSICAL FILM A celebration of sound and escape

DEFINITION  Interweaves vocal and dance performances into the narrative of a film.  Songs can either be used to further the story or simply enhance the experience of the audience.  Primarily an American genre, Japanese, Italian, British, and German film have added to the genre.  Bollywood has resulted in a unique, specific offshoot of the genre.

THEATRICAL ELEMENTS  Big, colorful, over the top settings.  Scenery can convey a shift from reality to something dreamlike.  Costuming is lavish.  Characters express feelings and thoughts through song and dance rather than relying on dialogue and body language.

CINEMATIC ELEMENTS  Long shots – allow the audience to view the dancers in their entirety  Tracking shots – camera follows the dancers as they move across a set  Extreme long shots – accommodate grand sets  Bird’s-eye or crane – highlight complicated choreography

HISTORY  1930’s – extravagantly imaginative, elaborately staged dance sequences, overused plots (Busby Berkley)  Mid-1930’s – focus shifts to singing/dancing teams like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers (Top Hat)  Late 1930’s-1940’s – move towards better unification of plot and music (The Wizard of Oz, Singin’ in the Rain)

HISTORY  Mid-1950’s-’60s – demand declining but screen adaptations of Broadways musicals successful (Oklahoma!, The King and I)  Contemporary currents: subtlety (Les Parapluies de Cherbourg); exploitation (Elvis films); experimentation (Beatles; The Who’s Tommy)  Period of decline followed in late ’60s and ‘70s.  Current period of resurgence

SUB-GENRES  Broadway musical: already successful stage production brought into film; built in anticipation and audience (Chicago, My Fair Lady)  Animated musical: incorporate large musical numbers into the narrative; family appeal; battle of good over evil with likable, memorable characters (Beauty and the Beast)  Family musical: simple storyline with elaborate dance and musical numbers; appeal to wide age range (The Sound of Music, High School Musical)

 Western: Annie Get Your Gun  Mystery: Edwin Drood  War: South Pacific, Hair  Science Fiction: Little Shop of Horrors  Horror: Sweeney Todd MUSICALS EVERYWHERE  Action/Adventure: The Great Race  Fantasy: Mary Poppins  Documentary: This is It  Mockumentary: This is Spinal Tap  Biography: Musical Biography of Quincy Jones