"While I’m sure the stages on Broadway continue to bloom with great musical talents, the glory days of 1950s musicals are long gone from the cinema."
Despite my fear of ever participating in one, even if I, somehow, ever wanted to, I’m actually quite fond of musicals.
Much like horror films and romantic comedies, it was an appreciation that came over time. There’s an art to making a great musical; it’s a collaboration of talent which, when done right, can be explosive and awe-inspiring. It’s one of the rare art forms I’ve grown to appreciate more with age. Whether it’s the production values, the choreography, the dancing or the singing range, when musicals are great, they can be pretty spectacular.
Yet, it’s been a while since there’s been a truly great musical film. While I’m sure the stages on Broadway continue to bloom with great musical talents, the glory days of 1950s musicals are long gone from the cinema. Back in the day, musicals were more than just singing; it was about everything. Whether it was the dancing, the story, the romance, the laughs and whatever else the performers could bring to the screen, musicals were a chance for talented people to showcase just how exceptional they were.
Now, musicals degraded to just singing, and these can be fine enough in their own right. Les Miserables was good, if not great, and I just watched Jersey Boys over the holiday break and found it surprisingly entertaining despite its flaws. But even the great musical films of today, like Sweeney Todd and Once, lack the zest of the greats of yesteryear.
This month, there are not one, but two new musicals roaring into theaters vying for the musical hearts of theatergoers everywhere. They’re Annie and Into the Woods. While I can go online now and confirm/deny the former’s quality, I think it’s safe to say this new re-adaptation of orphan Annie’s plight won’t become the next West Side Story.Into the Woods, on the other hand, is one giant question mark over this awards season. The movie scored a great cast, but the director’s shoddy musical resume (this is the man who directed both Chicago and Nine) leaves much to be determined.
Still, even if either of these are great — and from what I’ve heard from those who watched the leaked Annie film, that consensus will not fall in its favor — they still will not have the razzle-dazzle, awe-striking nature of the original great musicals.
I mean, will there ever be a day where we’ll get another Singin’ in the Rain or aforementioned West Side Story? Probably not, but I’d like to believe at least someone out there will be daring enough to bring back the spectacle musical. I mean dance movies are popular enough in their own right, still. Why can’t they just make a great, dance-filled musical instead of Step Up 12?
I’ve heard rumblings about Damien Chazelle, the writer/director of Whiplash — easily one of the year’s best movies — making a ‘50s-esque musical for his next project, titled La La Land. Perhaps this’ll bring the magic back to the screen? I guess we’ll see.
Will Ashton is a senior studying journalism and a writer for The Post. Email him at wa054010@ohio.edu or find him on Twitter at @thewillofash.
