Unit 6 LO4

Musical films are quite controversial, a sudden burst into song is not to everyones
cup of tea. This form of storytelling is often described as pure entertainment, mere
escapism, and simple wish fulfilment.

Musical films have a target audience predominantly of middle aged women, falling
in the socio economic category B semi professionals. These were women who had
some free time in the week, and financially able to go to the cinema as there were
no DVDs back in the day. Arguably nowadays, the musical film genre has stretched
out to families. In recent times, a lot of musical films have aimed at a younger
audience. For example, Tangled, Frozen and Moana.

Musicals are always set in a fantasy world where music appears out of nowhere,
where extras spontaneously act as back-up dancers. Where everybody has a
booming Broadway-style singing voice. There are several familiar codes and
conventions to the production of musical film, and there not too different to a stage
production. The overall style and characteristics of a movie musical include songs
sung by the characters to enhance the plot or develop the films characters feelings
or themes. And the characters outwardly express emotion through song and dance.
Also yoursll expect to hear a mixture of non-diegetic and diegetic sounds or songs.
Non deictically performed songs are the main numbers. Deictically performed songs
usually are tied with song reprises. prove to be of narrative significance, or to
anchor a new meaning. As well as that, youll find that a lot of musical films include
parallel editing, this adds to the excitement of a song or a piece of dialogue.
Overall, musical films tend to be utopic and happy where good rules over evil or
where the protagonist prevails. Whether the characters in the musicals feel up or
down, or if they are alone or in public, they are always able to fulfil their desire to
feel better by dancing and singing.

The musical accompaniment comes from "nowhere"outside the world of the film,
though the singing comes from within the world of the film, which is a violation of
the rules of realism that govern almost all other genres/styles.
Singing originates from the mind and emotion of the characters the songs are used
to express inward thoughts and feelings outwardly. Also, the songs tend to be
Broadway style which require big powerful voices, a named example is Dreamgirls
with the voices of Beyonc, Eddy Murphy and Jennifer Hudson.

Musicals have been set in many different times and places and are embedded in
many other genres. They commonly appear big, lavish, with over the top movie sets.
In terms of characters, youll have a male lead who described as a Protagonist, hero.
A female lead, also the protagonist, often the love interest of the male lead.
A typical villain character, usually an adult male, or often the conflict comes from the
protagonists struggle against a life struggle. This struggle can stem from poverty,
finding way home, unsympathetic family, forbidden love or a desire for something
unobtainable. Finally, the sidekicks, the characters that round out the narrative and
support/thwart the protagonists.

Originally, these films were distributed from the cinema and maybe a tape recording.
As technology has grown, musical films are now distributed by several different
medias. You can view them in the Cinema, DVD and Blu-ray, Netflix amazon prime,
sky movies, Freeview, YouTube and illegal movie sites like Putlocker and 123 movies.
I would say the main viewing is probably putlocker and Netflix as most families have
a Netflix account and putlocker is a free illegal website that attracts many people on
a budget.
The history of the musical film genre stemmed way back from the 1920s. In fact,
The Jazz singer is considered the first musical. It was the first feature length
Hollywood talkie film. However, only 25% of what we are used to seeing in todays
society. Movie musicals were originally referred to as talkie films, the talkie parts
were used to generate dramatic action. The film was such as success, and it was the
commercialisation of using sound and the transmutation from the silent movie
industry that made it such a hit.

1930s movie musicals took off with the musical Dames, by Julien Duviver. Dames
payed homage to the golden age if Hollywood. The film describes the fate of a family
tailor shop that is driven out of business when a gigantic department store opens
across the street. It has beautiful black and white imagery synomns with 1930
American cinema. Using methods of camera movement, staging and lighting, seen
in Hollywood classics like Gone with the Wind, Mr Smith Goes to Washington. 1930s
musical films saw more choreography and complex dance numbers.

It was then that the 1940s, songwriter Arthur Freed headed MGM's main musical
production unit. There were other fine musical producers at that studio (including
Joe Pasternak), but Freed's team set the industry standard. After proving himself as
associate producer of The Wizard of Oz (1939), Freed supervised forty musicals over
the next twenty years.
1950s musical films are credited to Rodgers and Hammerstein. Many theatre/stage
productions adapted into musical films. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein
rose to fame by writing major hits such as Oklahoma! (1955) and South Pacific (1958)
set in everyday life. Meanwhile Disney made many animated musicals such as
Cinderella (1950), Peter Pan (1953), The Lady and the Tramp (1955) and Sleeping
Beauty (1959).

In the early decade of the 60s, musical films were mostly huge successes. For
example, the infamous West Side Story was released in 1961, a modern take on the
classic Romeo and Juliet. West side story was a romance, thriller and crime drama.
Other films include The Music Man (1962), My Fair Lady (1964) Mary Poppins (1964).
1965 was the year of Sound of music, a heartwarming biographical, family, romance
film starring Julie Andrews, making her a very popular musical film star.
In the late 60s, with the predominance of rock music, most of the film musicals were
commercial flops: Camelot (1967), Paint Your Wagon (1969) which was a musical
western crime film starring Clint Eastwood.

1970s musical films saw huge success at the big screen. Popular music took over
musical films. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973), Tommy (1975), The Rocky Horror Picture
Show (1975), Grease (1978), Hair (1979)The genre of musical films were being
explored more, for example Rocky Horror Picture Show explores the weird and
wacky transvestite Dr Frank-N-furter. A cult classic. On the other hand, Grease
explores the high school social status, lgbt and rude comedy. Also with the rivalry
gangs of the T-birds and the Scorpions.
The musical films made in the 1980s were sparse. Most of the few musicals made in
the 80s were directed at children: Jim Hensons Muppets made three full-length
musicals (1979, 1981, 1984), and Disney released the classic musical The Little
Mermaid (1989).

1990s musical films are now known as the golden age of musicals. Beauty and the
Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), Newsies (1992), The Lion King (1994), Pocahontas
(1995), The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996), Hercules (1997), Mulan (1998), Tarzan
(1999). These are films that people my age grew up with. Nowadays, you can still see
reenactments of these films on stage, which showcase the impact the made on the
audience.

2000s musical films were bold and some are even post-modern. Only a few musicals
were made, but they were bold, such as: Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001), Moulin
Rouge! (2001), 8 Mile (2002), Chicago (2002), Dreamgirls (2007), Sweeney Todd
(2007) . Hollywood names are teaming up with production teams to star in these
films for example Jamie Fox, Eddie Murphy and Beyonc all starred in Dreamgirls.
Sweeny Todd also showcases big Hollywood stars for example, Johnny Depp, Alan
Rickman and Helena-Bonham Carter.
I think nowadays, audiences expect a less fairytale narrative for musical films. For
example, Les Miserables set in the French revolution and is about seeking
redemption, prostitution death and violence. Another good example is Straight
Outta Compton a biographical musical film of the lives of the rap group NWA. Its a
dark story with raising issues such as drugs/gangs/ racial prodigious and
discrimination from the police.
Through time, the narrative structure has changed too. We familiarize ourselves with
musicals to have a predominant love interest, for example some of the animated
films such as Trolls Moana, the Muppets franchise. They are all films with feel good
characters, however, not necessarily romance. Some musical films even have tragic
endings, for example Sweeny Todd, West Side Story and Les Miserables. Also, recent
musicals have pop stars signing the musical accompaniment, for example Christina
Aguilera and Cher in Burlesque, Eminem in 8 mile, John Legend in La La Land and
Indina Menzel in Frozen.
Lastly, the representation of musical films has changed through the years. At the
beginning, musical films had a female character who often had a strong lead, for
example Judy Garland in Wizard of Oz and Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music.
However, there has been a change, Les Miserables for example, represents women
horribly, with Anne Hathaways character, Fauntine becoming a prostitute to pay for
her daughter. Grease for example showcases the weak new girl Sandra dee, but she
ends up turning out on top. However, for the majority of the film there was a sense
of bullying from the other characters. It was often you see males play the role of a
villain in musical films, however, Miss Hannigan from Annie is a drunken criminal.
And, Mrs. Lovett form Sweeny Todd, is the murderous accomplice to Stephen
Sondheims demon barber of Fleet Street.

In summary, I love the classic musical films. Over time, theyve changed to suit a
majority child audience and as Ive grown up Im rewatching films like Grease over
films like Frozen. Successful musicals for example Rocky Horror and Grease have all
transferred into filling theatre seats on a daily occasion. The attraction and love of
musicals is loved universally that they are now so iconic, that the medium has taken
the movie into other artfroms. That progression into theatres has not only
transferred into the west end and Broadway but throughout the world by amateur
dramatic groups in village halls. Even though La La Land realised in January of this
year made box office success and Oscar nominations and wins, I feel that it may not
stand the test of time in 10 years. Bringing it back to grease, its loved by all and the
songs were hits in the chart at one point, which I think is less common with musical
films today.
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