Author Topic: Top 5 Original Screenplays in a Musical Motion Picture  (Read 1272 times)

1SO

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Top 5 Original Screenplays in a Musical Motion Picture
« on: May 06, 2013, 02:05:56 PM »
With musicals, there seems to always be apologies for the story. So, what are the best stories in a musical? The pastiche shop talk of Singin' in The Rain, with its lengthy Broadway Melody? West Side Story, which just retells Romeo and Juliet? Take away the singing and dancing and which Scripts deserve praise?


1. The Nightmare Before Christmas
2. The Blues Brothers
3. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
4. The Wicker Man
5. Holiday Inn


Willy Wonka is the one where, as good as some of the songs are, I think the movie as a whole would be better without them. Though I would miss "Oompa Loompa".
« Last Edit: May 06, 2013, 11:34:13 PM by 1SO »

oldkid

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Re: Top 5 Original Screenplays in a Musical Motion Picture
« Reply #1 on: May 06, 2013, 06:21:34 PM »
This is a tough one.  The field is too narrow.  There are musicals that are basically filmed theatre (Sunday in the Park with George, Pirates of Penzance); musicals that are based on Broadway (Fiddler on the Roof, Funny Girl); musicals that are based on other works of art (Jesus Christ Superstar, My Fair Lady).  But all of the great musicals are disqualified.

What do we have left?  A lot of Disney:

Mary Poppins, which is great and has a lot of themes to it.  The songs are sometimes counterpoint to the script, pointing out hypocrisies. 

The Lion King, which is high drama.

Mulan, which is Disney's feminist manifesto, and hilarious whether in the songs or out.

Beauty and the Beast, which is vaguely taken from a fairy tale, but it's a great musical, with some very good lines.


Oh, and Once.  Which is a great romance with or without the songs.

All of these films would be much weaker without the music, but they would stand, even so.
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Junior

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Re: Top 5 Original Screenplays in a Musical Motion Picture
« Reply #2 on: May 06, 2013, 09:40:40 PM »
And The Lion King is basically Hamlet.
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Dave the Necrobumper

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Re: Top 5 Original Screenplays in a Musical Motion Picture
« Reply #3 on: October 08, 2013, 06:16:38 AM »
Mulan, which is Disney's feminist manifesto, and hilarious whether in the songs or out.

It is funny I have always seen Mulan as Disney's apology to China for releasing 7 Years in Tibet, but put your way makes perfect sense also.