LoC 70: Top 50 Musicals!

[Johnny Unusual]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/PmTZ0mSuIIA?version=3&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/PmTZ0mSuIIA?version=3&amp;</a>

Memorable Songs:
Sadly, aside from the above song, there's not much new material in the film. "Man or Muppet" is an exception, and the cast does perform "The Rainbow Connection"... but we'll get back to that. They do cover "Smells Like Teen Spirit" though. On and "Mah Na Mah Na" returns too.

Awards:
Oscar for Best Original Song for "Man or Muppet"

Well, you are forgetting "Pictures in My Head" which gave me goosebumps when I first heard it.  Especially when the Electric Mayhem takes a great song and ups that beat.  Also, I really like Tex Richman's rap.  I will admit that the Rainbow Connection gets overused in the movie, though I still liked each time it was used.

I loved Man or Muppet, but why did that get nominated over Pictures in My Head or, most glaringly, Life's a Happy Song, which is an unashamedly old-fashioned, catchy and fun musical number.

[Compound]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/1Pu1adxqUAg?hl=en_US&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/1Pu1adxqUAg?hl=en_US&amp;</a>

Number 17 : Mary Poppins
(48 points on 3 of 12 lists. Top Vote #9 by CJones)

Synopsis:
In 1910, Bert, a chimney sweep, introduces the audience to Cherry Hill Lane, home of the Banks family. The children of the Banks family are quite out of control and have driven off their latest nanny. The next day, as a line of nannies await outside the Banks home, a breeze rises up and blows them all away, leaving only Mary Poppins, who arrives via umbrella. She takes charge of the children. First she takes them to the park and introduces them to Bert, teaching the children to look past appearances. As the children relate their adventures to their father, George, he becomes irate and orders them to speak of Poppins no longer, dragging them along to his bank. Unfortunately, the children start a run on the bank, and the children are lost in the chaos, ending up in London's East End. There Bert finds them and brings them back home, where Mrs. Banks asks him to look after the children on Poppins' day off. The children are whisked away to the rooftops where a gathering of chimneysweeps lead them dancing across London. George is suspended by the bank, but he realizes that his children are more important than his job and returns home, laughing. At that point, Poppins must leave as the wind has changed. And so she leaves as her intellectually distinct cousin, Shari, heads towards Springfield USA.

Memorable Songs:
Many. "Chim Chim Cheree" "A Spoonful of Sugar" "Let's Go Fly a Kite" "I Love to Laugh" "Jolly Holiday" "Step in Time" "Feed the Birds" (one of Disney's favorite songs.) and more.

Awards:
Oscars for Best Film editing, Original Film Score, Best Visual Effects, Best Actress and Best Song for "Chim Chim Cher-ee"

Trivia Notes:
The more recent musical version hews closer to the book, and includes a conflict between Poppins and the evil nanny Miss Andrews, the holy terror. It also shows the children as being more naughty and the parents as being more dysfunctional.

In 2004, Julie Andrews appeared in a short, film by Disney called  "The Cat Who Looked at a King" . It's up to the interpretation of the viewer as to whether Andrews is in fact playing Poppins. Although the fact that the set was an exact recreation of a set from the Poppins film as well as other nods seem to weigh towards one conclusion.

Coming Soon:
Our first trip to Paris for the evening.

[Compound]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/dtEgAx80NC4?hl=en_US&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/dtEgAx80NC4?hl=en_US&amp;</a>

Number 16 : Moulin Rouge!
(49 points on 5 of 12 lists. Top Vote #2 by Routing Protocols)

Synopsis:
In 1899, a depressed writer named Christian moves to Paris to become a writer. There he meets Toulouse-Latrec, who invites him to write at the Moulin Rouge. While there, Latrec introduces Christian to Satine, a courtesan. She mistakes Christian for a Duke and Christian falls for her. But the real Duke catches them dancing, and they claim to be performing scenes from a new play. The Duke agrees to back the play, provided that he be allowed to continue and see Satine. As the play is rehearsed, the jealous Nini points out to the Duke that the play is a metaphor for the relationship between Christian , Satine and the Duke. He explodes and wishes to kill Christian, but Satine offers to stay with him if he would be spared. Christian is turned away from the Rogue, depression sets in, then he returns to save Satine, fights the Duke and reunites with Satine. Who then dies from tuberculosis.

Memorable Songs:
Well, let's see. Smells Like Teen Spirit? Nature Boy? Rhythm of the Night? Like a Virgin? The Sound of Music? Roxanne? Lady Marmalade? Yeah, lots of songs. Not a lot of original material though.

Awards:
Oscars for Best Costuming and Best Art Design

Trivia Notes:
Yeah, yeah. Since someone will mention it, here's the Nostalgia Critic review: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3rnBwXmvU4

Coming Soon:
One whole fried chicken. And another return trip.

[Compound]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cGXU7268Z50?version=3&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/cGXU7268Z50?version=3&amp;</a>

Number 15 : The Blues Brothers
(52 points on 3 of 12 lists. Top Vote #2 by Darth Geek)

Synopsis:
After serving time, Jake "Joliet" Blues is released from prison and reunites with his brother, Elwood. They visit the orphanage where they grew up and discover that the orphanage is set to be closed unless $5,000 in late property taxes are collected. Upon hearing the words of a preacher, Jake and Elwood realize that God has asked them to save the orphanage and to do so, they must reunite their old band.

As they leave the church to find their old band mates, they are stopped by the police, who try to arrest Elwood due to his expired driver's license. They flee through a mall and are saved by a mysterious assassin. While recruiting other band mates, they manage to anger a group of Illinois Nazis as well as a country western band, The Good Old Boys, whose gig they stole. They set up a concert at the luxurious Palace Hotel Ballroom, avoid the police, play the concert, get signed by a major record label, and then flee the hotel to escape the police. Outside, they meet an old flame of Jake, who's been trying to kill him since his release. Jake charms her, again, and they head back to Chicago, with police, Nazis, Good Old Boys and more in pursuit. They mange to return to City Hall, pay the outstanding taxes and are then arrested by hundreds of cops and are promptly thrown back into prison. And then 20 years later they made a sequel...

Memorable Songs:
Quite a large number of them. James Brown's sermon, which doesn't technically have a name, 'Think", "Minny the Moocher", "Rawhide", "everybody Needs Someone to Love" and more.

Awards:
None, although "We're on a mission from God" is one of AFI's Top 100 film Quotes.

Trivia Notes:
Steven Spielberg, who appears in the film as the Cook County Clerk, appeared in the film as a favor to John Landis, who had a cameo in  Spielberg's 1941.

At the time of the release, the Mann theatre chain is alleged to have refused booking the film in predominately white neighborhoods as it was thought that white audiences wouldn't go to see it.

The Blues Brothers held the record for "most cars destroyed in a single film" at least until the 2000 sequel surpassed that records. Of course, Blues Brothers 2000 was then surpassed by, you guessed it, Alvin and the chipmunks: The Squeakquel.

A number of musicians appeared in cameo roles in the film. Chaka Khan appears in James Brown's choir. Joe Walsh is a prisoner in the final jail scene.

Coming Soon:
English accents even worse than mine.

[Compound]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/uVmU3iANbgk?hl=en_US&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/uVmU3iANbgk?hl=en_US&amp;</a>

Number 14 : My Fair Lady
(53 points on 3 of 12 lists. Top Vote #4 by Kete)

Synopsis:
In London, a cockney flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, runs into Professor Henry Higgins, who off handedly says that he could turn anyone into a lady by teaching them to speak properly. The next morning, Doolittle arrives at Higgins' house  and implores him to teach her to become a lady so that she can get a job in a flowershop. He does so, and over the next few weeks, he teaches her to become a lady. She passes with flying colors, eventually dancing with the Prince of Transylvania.

Higgins is overjoyed that the experiment is over and she storms off. Returning home, she discovers that she no longer fits in with the other flower girls. Oh, and her father has received a fortune from an American Millionaire. At his home, Higgins realizes that his life has fallen apart without Eliza and goes to find her. She spurns his apology and decides to marry another, and Higgins returns home in defeat. As he reviews his materials, Eliza returns to Higgins and the duo possibly reunite as the musical ends.

Memorable Songs:
"I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face", "Get Me to the Church on Time", "Wouldn't It Be Lovely?"

Awards:
Many Tony Awards and 8 Oscars including Best Picture.

Trivia Notes:
In the movie version, Katherine Hepburn's singing was deemed to, well, suck, as she was dubbed my Marni Nixon, who also sand Maria's parts in West Side Story. At the same time, Rex Harrison would not pre-record his songs for the movie as he'd never performed them twice in the same way and thus wouldn't be able to lip-synch them convincingly.

Coming Soon:
Oh, boy. Russell Crowe. Singing.

[Compound]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/IQkrKhyGuBA?hl=en_US&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/IQkrKhyGuBA?hl=en_US&amp;</a>

Number 13 : Les Miserables
(70 points on 5 of 12 lists. Top Vote #1 by CJones)

Synopsis:
Oh dear lord. where do I start?

In 1815, a prisoner, Jean Valjean, who was jailed for stealing a loaf of bread. He is paroled and taken in by the local bishop, whom he repays by stealing from. Caught by the police, the Bishop intervenes, saying that he gave him the items and giving him even more. In return, he tells Valjean that he has bought Valjean's soul for God and he must become an honest man. Valjean takes the items and flees.

Years later, Valjean as reformed and become the mayor of a small village. One of the workers in the factory that Valjean owns is sending money to her illegitimate daughter and is then thrown out by the sleazy factory foreman. She becomes a prostitute to make ends meet and is nearly arrested by Inspector Javert, but Valjean intervenes, remembering his part in her downfall. But Javert remembers the long ago missing Valjean and begins pursuing him again. In the meantime, Valjean promises Fantine that he will raise her daughter as his own, and he rescues her from the evil Thenarrdier innkeepers. They then leave for Paris.

More years later, the General ruling Paris is ill and about to die, and the streets are aflame in revolt. Cosette meets Marius and they fall in love. Valjean is beset by thugs, but escapes. Skipping a lot of subplots, the General dies. Valjean prepares to leave town. The students plan a revolt and Javert joins with the revolutionaries, intending to betray them. Javert is exposed and imprisoned, but Valjean arrives looking for Marius. He frees Javert, who flees. The Parisians abandon the students, who vow to fight on, but are killed, with only Valjean and Marius escaping. Valjean gives the wounded Marius to Javert, asking him to take him to a doctor, then vanishes. Javert does so, and then commits suicide. Marius and Cosette wed and then rush to Valjean's side as he dies.

Memorable Songs:
Practically every song in the production is beloved by someone. particular highlights include "I Dreamed a Dream", "Master of the House", "Red/Black", "On My Own" and "Do You Hear the People Sing?"

Awards:
Numerous Tony and Oliver awards.

Trivia Notes:
No, I didn't use the movie version. There are versions out there with, you know, actual singers.

The show is reportedly set to return to Broadway in 2014.

Coming Soon:
And almost a complete tonal opposite to Les Miz. Almost as many people die though....

[Compound]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/SVsgpTaBhSY?hl=en_US&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/SVsgpTaBhSY?hl=en_US&amp;</a>

Number 12 : Little Shop of Horrors
(71 points on 6 of 12 lists. Top Vote #10 by Routing Protocols)

Synopsis:
In 1960s Los Angeles, a young man, Seymour, discovers a strange plant after a mysterious unexplained total eclipse of the sun. He works at Mushnik's Skid Row Florists along with the cranky Mr. Mushnik and Audrey, whom Seymour pines after. Seymour names the new plant after her, but it fails to grow, at least until Seymour feeds it blood, which causes it to thrive.

As folks flock to the shop to see the strange plant, Audrey meets with her abusive boyfriend, the abusive dentist Orin. Despairing, Seymour is startled to hear the plant talk, requesting more blood. Seymour decides to kill Orin and feed him to Audrey II. Seymour loses his nerve, but Orin accidentally dies anyway. The plant grows even bigger and Seymour and Audrey admit their feeling for each other. Meanwhile, Mr. Mushnik realizes that Seymour had something to do with Orin's disappearance and confronts him, but Audrey II devours him. As Seymour prepares to give a speech to Life magazine, Audrey approaches the plant, intending to water it, but Audrey II attacks and attempts to devour her. Seymour rushes to her rescue, freeing her but not before she is mortally wounded. She passes away in Seymour's arms, and he feeds her to Audrey II so that they may always be together. He then realizes that the plant intends to conquer the world and attacks it with a machete, but is eaten. The owner of the World Botanic Society then arrives, doesn't find Seymour and asks the chorus to take some plant cuttings so that he may sell them across America. As they do so, the chorus relate that the cuttings grew across America, imploring people to feed them to gain fame and fortune. And Audrey II sprout new flowers, which have the faces of Seymour, Orin, Audrey and Mr. Mushnik which then implore the audience to never feed the plants as the audience itself is threatened by the alien plant...

Memorable Songs:
"Suddenly Seymour", "Skid Row" , "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space", "Dentist!" are all quite popular. And Family Guy used "Somewhere That's Green" for a particularly goofy cut-away scene.

Awards:
Nothing major, although Mean Green Mother was nominated for an Oscar.

Trivia Notes:
The musical differs from both the 1986 film and the 1960 film. In the Corman version, Mushnik and Audrey survive the plant, which really only eats Seymour and Orin, and Seymour has a hypochondriac mother, rather than being an orphan. Also, the plant isn't an alien, just a weird plant.

In the 1986 film, Audrey is threatened by the plant, but Seymour manages to kill the creature with electricity. And then he and Audrey head to the suburbs, where a smaller version of Audrey II is planted in the yard.... It was originally filmed with the same ending as the theater version, but was re-edited after the darker ending testing very poorly.

In 1991, Fox turned the series into a Saturday Morning cartoon show, with Audrey and Seymour as teens and the plant as less man-eating. Yeah. Not the brightest decision to make there.

This is also the only film on the list to be riffed, in some form, by Rifftrax. Or is it?

Coming Soon:
Third time's the charm....

[Compound]

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/PSZxmZmBfnU?version=3&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/PSZxmZmBfnU?version=3&amp;</a>

Number 11 : The Wizard of Oz
(74 points on 4 of 12 lists. Top Vote #5 by Kete, Monty & Pak-Man)

Synopsis:
Teenager Dorothy Gale is caught in a tornado and ends up in the magical kingdom of Oz, accidentally killing the Wicked Witch of the East as she arrives. After being hailed by the local Munchkins as a hero, Dorothy is greeted by Glina the Good who gives her the witch's magical ruby slippers and informs her that in order to get home, she must follow the yellow brick road to Oz and meet the Wizard. Along the way, Dorothy meets a Scarecrow, who is looking for a brain, a Tin Man, who seeks a heart, and a Lion who seeks courage. Oh, and a magical singing tree, who no longer wants to be a tree. But he's left behind. Arriving in Oz, she is informed by The Wizard that she must kill the Wicked Witch of the West in order to be sent home.  She and her companions headed out to find the witch, but Dorothy is captured by flying monkeys and she is brought to the Witch's castle. The Lion, Scarecrow and Tin Man storm the castle to free her, but Dorothy accidentally spills water on the witch, causing her to melt away. The quartet return to Oz where the Wizard still refuses to send her home. But Toto pulls on a nearby curtain, revealing the less impressive Wizard, who is a fraud. The Wizard reveals that the Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion all had what they wanted all along. He offers to take Dorothy home via the balloon which caused him to arrive in Oz in the first place, but Dorothy misses the balloon. Glinda reveals that Dorothy could go home any time that she pleased. She clicks her heels and awakens back on her family's farm, with some very familiar people beside her. But she learned to value her home and family.

Memorable Songs:
"Follow the Yellow Brick Road", "We're Off to See the Wizard", "If I Only Had a Brain"

Awards:
Oscar for Best Original Song "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" Included in the National Film Registry in 1989. Entered into UNESCO's Memory of the World Register in 2007.

Trivia Notes:
Andrew Lloyd Weber and Tim Rice wrote a musical theater version of the film which premiered in 2011. The chronicles of casting Dorothy was chronicled in a reality show called "Over the Rainbow." The same process occurred in Canada when the show opened there.

The ruby slippers were silver slippers in the Baum novel, and were an allegory for the silver standard. Yeah.

No, there is no ghost of a suicidal munchkin in the film. But yes, Dark Side of the Moon does synch up in strange ways with the film.

Coming Soon:
The top 10! People die! A lot! People Sing! A lot! Folks race cars! Folks are kidnapped! And in one film almost nothing happens at all! All this and more!

[anais.butterfly]

Did you say that Katherine Hepburn was in My Fair Lady?


Also, DUDE! the latest version of Les Mis did have some really good fucking singing....and Russell Crow, but still I could have done without the commentary 

[Compound]

Did you say that Katherine Hepburn was in My Fair Lady?

Well, that would explain why her voice was dubbed. (My eyes saw "Audrey" and typed "Katherine." Mea Culpa.)

Also, DUDE! the latest version of Les Mis did have some really good fucking singing....and Russell Crow, but still I could have done without the commentary 

While there are some good performances in the movie, they still get steamrolled by some of the performances from the Broadway and London versions. Seriously. Watch this clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpDbvlAI_A0
and note that about 15 of them make Hugh Jackman sound like Russel Crowe. Even the Japanese Valjean.

[Johnny Unusual]

Wow, this list is shaping up great.  Lots of favourites as well as great stuff I haven't seen.  I can't imagine that my number 11 will make it now, though.  I figured it would just be me and George Harrison on that one.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/dtEgAx80NC4?hl=en_US&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/dtEgAx80NC4?hl=en_US&amp;</a>

Moulin Rouge is alright but more as a visual and audio blitz.  I'm not a big Luhrman fan (I can't stand his Romeo + Juliet, for the most part), but you got to admit he's good at what he does.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/cGXU7268Z50?version=3&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/cGXU7268Z50?version=3&amp;</a>

Number 15 : The Blues Brothers
(52 points on 3 of 12 lists. Top Vote #2 by Darth Geek)

I only saw this one a year and a half ago, but MAN it is amazing.  Hilarious and (cliche, I know) the music really wants to make you get up and dance.  BTW, thank you so much for picking "Think"  I would have been happy with Shake a Tail-Feather or even Rawhide, but damn think is fantastic!

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/IQkrKhyGuBA?hl=en_US&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/IQkrKhyGuBA?hl=en_US&amp;</a>

Number 13 : Les Miserables
(70 points on 5 of 12 lists. Top Vote #1 by CJones)

Yeah, I only saw the recent movie.  Which was pretty OK.  Russell Crowe didn't bother me as much as most, but I was not familiar with the play and don't always have an ear for that kind of thing.  Some of the talk-singing that bothered me in Phantom is here too, but I think they use it better.  Mostly.  It really bothered me in the opening number (which was made for the movie, right?)

One Day is great and Master of the House is catchy as hell (re: that one Seinfeld episode).

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/SVsgpTaBhSY?hl=en_US&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/SVsgpTaBhSY?hl=en_US&amp;</a>

Number 12 : Little Shop of Horrors
(71 points on 6 of 12 lists. Top Vote #10 by Routing Protocols)

This one is pretty darn great too.  Amazing effects on Audrey as well.  I'd say Mean Green Mother is my favourite from this one.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/PSZxmZmBfnU?version=3&amp;" target="_blank" class="new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/PSZxmZmBfnU?version=3&amp;</a>

Number 11 : The Wizard of Oz
(74 points on 4 of 12 lists. Top Vote #5 by Kete, Monty & Pak-Man)

I don't know if I've ever seen this one in it's entirety.  This one of those films that you catch so many scattered parts, that you've basically have seen it.  In fact, I think the only part I haven't is when they finally get to the witch's place.

[Kete]

From the Les Mis 17 Valjeans video:



The Chairman!!

By the way, I prefer the singing in the movie.  I don't really give a crap about great voices (which are usually attached to people who love themselves a little too much).  I'll take great acting over great singing any day.

[Mrs. Dick Courier]

good list so far even with The Wizard of Oz.  I didn't even like that movie as a kid.  But I know it is well loved.

I prefer the Oz that takes place behind bars.  And has lots of man sex

[Johnny Unusual]

Ah, Return to Oz!

[Darth Geek]

I love Return to Oz! Never read the books, but I keep hearing it is closer in tone to them. So wonderfully wierd.