1. Hollywood Musical Genre What is genre? Narrative vs. Musical Realities Musical Forms The Astaire-Rogers Musical Integrated Musical Musical and Ideology

2. Musical as a Genre What is genre? – Nature of each film as independent product –Plots and characters –Audience expectations

3. Narrative vs. Musical Realities Narrative reality within the film –Not simple reality but a style created Musical reality ruptures narrative reality Shifts in registers Creation of pleasure

4. The Backstage Musical Tension between narrative and musical numbers –When musicals try to cohere the two, the narrative must resolve the “problem” of the musical numbers Busby Berkley –http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJOjTNuuEVw (“We’re in the money” from Gold Digger of 1933)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJOjTNuuEVw –http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIO9y1xMPIA (“The words are in my heart” from Gold Digger of 1935)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kIO9y1xMPIA Show people

5. The Cakewalk Musical Fluidity of the transformation from narrative to song –Actors are performers and actors as audiences –Use of props –Who are they performing for? –http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ2Q8_P_ msg (“Under the bamboo tree” from Meet Me in St. Louis)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ2Q8_P_ msg

6. The Operetta Unmotivated musical numbers Fantasy settings Shift in registers marked by dialogue

7. The Astaire-Rogers Musical Perfect exemplification of “genre” –Subgenre of “screwball musical” Sexual desire is displaced into song and dance Musical numbers function as extensions of the characters and reflect stages in their developing relationship –Solve obstacles thrown out by narrative –In-class activity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxPgplMuj zQ (Dance Studio Number from Swing Time) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxPgplMuj zQ

8. The Integrated Musical MGM and Arthur Freed (1939-1960) Blurs the boundaries of narrative and performance spaces Singin’ in the Rain –http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpd XbQhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1ZYhVpd XbQ

9. The Musical and Ideology Escapism at its best Creates utopian version of capitalist society where there is boundless cheer and energy and everyone who deserves it ends up happy Remember what “We’re in the money” says about the Depression?