Recent movie musicals rant

[dangermousie]

There have been four recent big-screen musicals (and The Producers are soon to hit the screen): Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Phantom of the Opera and Rent. Ironically, the one I like least (Chicago) is the one with, by far, the most acclaim and $$$. I don't like Chicago because it has little emotional relevance, which is OK, but also has little intelligent to say. OMG, the justice system is corrupt and media is hype crazy? Who could have thought! It might have been more novel in the era it initially came out, but now, the concept is far from fresh. Nor are there interesting or rounded characters, or a clever concept.

But what it does have, and what the other three notably lack, is a cynical detachment. Forget wearing your heart on your sleeve. Chicago has no heart, it's all about shallow and glitter. Which is why it got as far as it did I think. Musicals are often about letting go of your emotion, suspendinging your cynical side and your sense of disbelief: come on, random people singing in unison on the street? People belting out their deepest secrets at the top of their lungs? Neo-realism it is not. Moulin Rouge, which was quite emotional, got as far as it did because it was the "first" recent big screen musical and because it was quite post-modern in its concept. Musicals are just "not cool." Their whole concept is completely against the current movie trends. At least what are considered prestigious, Oscarbation movies: quasi-realistic, grim.

Why this little rant? Some reviews I've been reading. I have no problem with people not liking either Phantom or Rent or MR or any other musical as movies. If you think the movie is bad because the directing is bad, the acting sucks, whatever, it's your right and it's quite understandable (though I might disagree with your opinion, depending on the movie). But there were a lot of reviews that didn't care for them because they don't like the musical genre: because it's constant singing (and people singing on the streets, how realistic is that? Imagine.) and because all that emotion is silly. One review that didn't like Rent said (paraphrasing) "how can you like a movie where people sing almost non-stop?" Ummm, because it's a musical. It also said all that singing wasn't realistic. I repeat, musical. It's like criticizing a horror movie because it has murders in it. All the reviews that bashed Phantom because it's full of Andrew Lloyd Webber music made me go...huuuuuuuh? It's an adaptation of ALW musical, what other music is it going to have? And then of course there are people who have a problem with the concept: musicals are by their nature are going to be somewhat more in your face and "simplistic" because they are about emotion. They are not about witty film noir repartee. I wouldn't expect beautiful music and an emotional connection from a gritty drama. Why expect vice versa?

Oh, so this won't all be a rant, here are my Top 10 little moments from Rent:



1. Angel introducing himself to Collins.

2. Roger's scream over Mimi's body

3. The way Maureen takes off her jacket at the engagement party and crawls on the billiard table.

4. The fact that Mimi's "sexy" outfit has a little rip in the arm.

5. Angel buying Collins a coat from the street vendor.

6. The way Roger sings "I should tell you, I'm disaster."

7. Roger telling Mimi he's never been to Times Square for New Year's.

8. Collins handing Angel her purse after she busts the door open and someone (Mark) remarking "This is a full service woman."

9. Mimi sitting on Roger's lap during Joanne and Maureen's engagement.

10. Roger holding Mimi as she has the shakes.

Comments

[jammer77.livejournal.com]

It's funny that you say that b/c my gf said that her biggest problem with the movie was the singing on bikes. It's a musical, people. Singing happens.

My problems with Rent (the movie), however, have nothing to do with the spontaneous bursting into song. :)

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Heh.

See, I have no problem with people not liking an individual musical. Tastes differ and all that. It's the sort of blanket dismissal of the genre that makes me gnash my teeth...

[plazmah.livejournal.com]

Agreed on all counts. Then again, I know people who bitch about horror movies because they are scary and full of blood. Well, DUH. It's horror.

Certain people just aren't comfortable with certain movie genres...

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

It is always odd to me. I mean, I don't care for horror movies because I am squeamish. But I'd never say "too much blood" because, come on!

[katranna.livejournal.com]

Well, actually, some horrore movies really DO have too much blood. It's not part if horror's definition to be drowning in blood--that's often a cheap out directors use to cover up other flaws. That's like sillyness and comedy--a comedy can be too silly, because sillyness (like blood) is just a tool of comedy, not its whole substance. A better comparison would be saying a horror movie is bad because it's too scary.

Anyway, agree with your rant. :-P

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Don't ruin my ramblings with your logic :P

I just think if you don't like a genre, you should stay away from it altogether. It's like blaming someone for having blonde hair. They just do. It might make them unappealing to you, but claiming blondness is universally bad would be bizarre.

[elvensapphire.livejournal.com]

Now, I happen to love Chicago for completely non-emotional, glittery reasons, just as it wants you to. My mother was big into theatre when she was younger, and directed all through college, so I've grown up looking at things from very technical aspects at times, and Chicago always gets me for its staging: the choregraphy, the lights, the theatricality of it all. It often looks like a theatre show committed to film. But, you're right - it has no heart (as it's not meant to) and doesn't exactly inspire much other than flashes of razzle dazzlement. While I actually enjoy Chicago 's music better, Kander and Ebb's other huge success, Cabaret , is overall a superior show because while it is cynical and harsh, it has a very clear and dark underlying meaning regarding society and life far beyond the setting of Nazi Germany. ( Cabaret is also much better on stage than it is on film, because the film left out a whole subplot in the story, but I digress.)

Moulin Rouge! is beautiful because it's romantic and sweeping yet feels comfortably familiar, obviously due to its ingenious use of recycled pop music. I also love the sets, costumes, actors, direction, etc. It reinvigorate the musical film genre and I'm glad for that. Plus, I adore it generally. I always cry at the end.

Phantom is gorgeous and lush visually, but (in my opinion) Joel Schumacher spent way too much time depending on eye candy and too little time making Christine, Erik (the Phantom), and Raoul three-dimensional, sympathetic characters. As lovely as parts of the film are is as breathtakingly stunning they are on stage. Besides that, the Phantom is much more tender and tentative with Christine in the show than he is in the movie (there is no "MOTN" groping below the waist, and in "Point of No Return" he is fully cloaked, so no one can see him at all and Christine doesn't realize it's him until a point near the end of the song where she reaches behind her - she's seated on a bench - and feels the mask on his face. It's so much more sensual and dramatic. Schumacher seems to have gotten confused as to where the line between sensual and sexual stops and that bugs me.) Ah, Phantom . I could spend forever dwelling on this. :P That's what I get for growing up with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman singing Andrew's melodies in my head. I wish I could look at the film with fresher eyes... Wow, I didn't mean this to be a rant.

And then there's RENT , which I would argue is the best of all of them. Why? Because the actors and direction is amazing, the music is still breathtaking, and while it holds true to the stage show (or what I know about it), it also opens it up for film and seamlessly transitions it into being another medium. It's what a musical film should be.

And then of course there are people who have a problem with the concept: musicals are by their nature are going to be somewhat more in your face and "simplistic" because they are about emotion. They are not about witty film noir repartee. I wouldn't expect beautiful music and an emotional connection from a gritty drama. Why expect vice versa? The point of most musicals is that they are about emotion. You have to suspend reality and let yourself believe the story and the characters. I never understand people who go to these movies and then are like, "I hate musicals. They're always singing." Well, duh. Fantasy causes us to suspend reality, too, and more people can take that than musicals. It's just strange how the genre gets such mixed, and sometimes really idiotic reactions. It's fine if someone doesn't like musicals, but they can't blame it on the fact that they have "singing" because that's obvious and makes whatever the person is saying nonsensical. It's weird.

I love them because I'm a sap, I have a hopelessly romantic streak, and I have been singing since I could talk. :D I was born to it, and there ain't nothin' I can do. It's as much a part of me as my eyes are blue or my hair is curly. Take me baby, or leave me.

[elvensapphire.livejournal.com]

I had to split this comment up, so I just want to say I adore all the moments you listed.

I forgot about Angel's purse. LOL I do <3 Angel. Too cute.

And all the Roger/Mimi moments go without saying. *swoons*

[dangermousie.livejournal.com]

Take me baby, or leave me

Heeee.

I happened to have enjoyed POTO movie but I've seen the play only once, a long time ago, so can't compare it much.

[elvensapphire.livejournal.com]

I thought you might like that. :D

I really enjoy sections of the movie. Because parts of it still catch me and make me realize why it's my favourite. And then parts of it are screwed up and make me want to stab someone. *coughs innocently* Overall, I really do like the movie. I'm meaner to it than I intend to be. If the occasion ever arises, though, I would say definitely go see the play again. Seeing it at the beginning of the month ranks among the most cherished experiences of my life. (Yeah, it sounds dramatic, but it's true. Whee.)