# Movie musicals for someone who doesn't like movie musicals? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 23, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039 "2014-02-23T22:40:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 9:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/41 "2014-02-24T09:01:08Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Maybe it’s just me, but I find the scheme of typical movie musicals – an ordinary movie except where at some points the stars and supporting cast burst into song and dance instead of dialogue or narrative-- utterly ridiculous. I really have no patience for them because they take me right out of whatever suspension of disbelief I might have and slap me in the face with their unreality. I feel _exactly_ the same way. Musicals evolved because throughout history music, singing & dancing were performed in the exact same venues as plays. So it was perfectly natural to combine them. In fact, it was the rule, not the exception, performing was performing. But by the late 60s/early 70s cinema had finally come into its own. Plus the baby boomers, who were the first young generation raised primarily _without_ ever seeing things performed live but rather only on TV & film, found musicals to be decidedly ‘establishment’. It helped that the small, B&W TV screen simply did not work for grand song & dance spectacles. I’m a Gen-Xer but I was fortunate (I think) to have been raised with at least an early appreciation for musical films like _My Fair Lady, The King & I, Jesus Christ:Superstar_ etc. I also got to see some famous Broadway productions, _Pippin, A Chorus Line, Beatlemania, The King & I_ (w/ Yul Brenner!) and I definitely could see & feel the ‘magic’ of live theater. And importantly, how live theater is simply much more conducive to characters suddenly ‘breaking out into song’ than television or film was. With a stage, you know you’re watching a ‘performance’, that the people are actually there in front of you ‘play-acting’, not recreating a documentary. As I got older though I, like you, found the combination of drama & singing hard to take seriously. But every so often there were musicals that I felt just ‘worked’, watching _ **All That Jazz** _ on HBO being an early example. As others have already mentioned I also found _ **Moulin Rouge** _ to be a wonderful film. The video version of _ **Cats** _ I also really enjoyed, particularly because it’s a pure musical (i.e. there is not one word of regular dialog). Still, in today’s modern media world the musical is an incredibly unforgiving double-edge sword. Get it right and you have _The Lion King_. Wrong and you get _Viva Laughlin_ (or _Cop Rock_…) ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 9:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/42 "2014-02-24T09:06:16Z")
I was going to recommend Chicago for the same reasons listed above: all the musical numbers (except for one?) are simply the imagination of one or more of the main characters of the movie. It’s also a lot of fun. The Phantom of the Opera is one where almost the whole thing is sung, with very little dialog, so it’s hard to see or complain when they go from speaking and acting “normally” to singing. As others mentioned, Cats and so forth are completely sung-through, so maybe those might work for you. In short, I have nothing to add. Avoid Guys and Dolls though. You’ll hate that one. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/43 "2014-02-24T09:21:29Z")
_The Blues Brothers._ First of all, it also has tons of car chases. Second of all, it’s one thing when people burst into song; it’s another thing altogether when Aretha bursts into song. \*Then \*it’s awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Elemenopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b5e925/32.png) [@Elemenopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elemenopy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/44 "2014-02-24T13:15:44Z")
I’m definitely not a big fan of musicals, but I would highly recommend _Sweeney Todd_. To me, it felt more like an opera or a really long music video from the heyday of MTV. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/45 "2014-02-24T13:59:52Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Excellent choice- really too bad the sequel sucked so bad. The music is still top notch. Musicals are tough. For the most part they don’t translate that well to film. I saw The Producers on Broadway with the original cast. Brilliant. My favorite Broadway experience. The film which was identical to the play was flat and boring. Probably my favorite movie musical is 1776. I don’t know why but it just works in movie form. And I have seen a great Broadway version of the play live. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/46 "2014-02-24T14:14:22Z")
How about the romantic comedy “Enchanted”, staring Amy Adams as an animated Disney Princess who finds herself in modern 3D New York City? It sort of lampoons the classic movie musical by having Patrick Dempsey standing around confused and embarrassed every time Adams not only break into a typical Disney flm song and dance number, but also has random people and animals on the street seamlessly join in as if they had been rehearsing for months. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/47 "2014-02-24T14:28:27Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > . . . Musicals are tough. For the most part they don’t translate that well to film. I saw The Producers on Broadway with the original cast. Brilliant. My favorite Broadway experience. The film which was identical to the play was flat and boring. . . . Yeah, I think it’s a lot easier to suspend disbelief and get into the spirit of things with live musical theater. In that setting, you’ve also got stagecraft that demands a strong agreement between viewer and performers that we’re going to play pretend as well - puppetry, sets, backdrops, and scenery can be mind-blowing, but they never look like real life. I just saw _Book of Mormon_ and briefly mused about whether they’d make it into a movie. Immediately, I decided it would never work - it would come across as horribly racist, mean-spirited, and generally preposterous. It’s a fable best presented with a nod to its own imaginary status. (Which fits perfectly with its themes!) ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/48 "2014-02-24T14:46:55Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > …Are you thinking of _The Commitments_, about the creation and breakup of an Irish band? I’d forgotten about that one, and I liked it quite a lot. And it further reminded me of another film about the rise and fall of a band that I liked – _The Five Heartbeats_. Yes, of course, _The Commitments_, not _The Replacements_. \ I must have been thinking about the band from Minnesota! ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/49 "2014-02-24T16:04:13Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > How about the romantic comedy “Enchanted”, staring Amy Adams as an animated Disney Princess who finds herself in modern 3D New York City? It sort of lampoons the classic movie musical by having Patrick Dempsey standing around confused and embarrassed every time Adams not only break into a typical Disney flm song and dance number, but also has random people and animals on the street seamlessly join in as if they had been rehearsing for months. I read this the thread waiting to bring this one up. Beaten to it, but I’ll agree with the choice. The “meta-magic” of Adams’ character is what makes it ‘plausible’ (provided you accept the premise of the whole film). People start singing around her when she sings for the same reason that animals help her clean or sew – because she’s a magical princess and surrounded by an aura of magical princess-ness even in New York City. Everyone didn’t spend forever choreographing, they just knew what to do because she’s magic. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/50 "2014-02-25T21:20:03Z")
How could I forget? South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut. Really one of the best movie musicals ever! ---
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2014, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/51 "2014-02-25T21:29:46Z")
Not, of course, a \*movie \*musical, but in _Once More With Feeling_, the musical episode of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_, the characters are confused and upset that they keep breaking into song and dance numbers. ---
**Author:** ![Moe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moe/32/2972_2.png) [@Moe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moe)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/52 "2014-02-26T00:12:39Z")
> [@amarinth](#): > > Hedwig & the Angry Inch - the main character is the fronts a band & the songs the band’s performances. I was coming in to suggest that one. Incredible movie with some really beautiful songs. ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/53 "2014-02-26T04:17:54Z")
> [@Zebra](#): > > How could I forget? > South Park: Bigger, Longer, Uncut. Really one of the best movie musicals ever! If you can handle the profanity, yes, it truly is a genuinely professionally written, great modern-day musical! After I saw it I went out and bought the soundtrack CD just for _Uncle Fucker!_ And _Team America_ was almost as good! ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/54 "2014-02-26T08:17:13Z")
> [@msmith537](#): > > How about the romantic comedy “Enchanted”, staring Amy Adams as an animated Disney Princess who finds herself in modern 3D New York City? It sort of lampoons the classic movie musical by having Patrick Dempsey standing around confused and embarrassed every time Adams not only break into a typical Disney flm song and dance number, but also has random people and animals on the street seamlessly join in as if they had been rehearsing for months. Haha, Dempsey was hilarious in that film! “He knows this song too?” ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/55 "2014-02-26T11:52:02Z")
I am shocked, \*shocked \*I tell you, that the wonderful movie [Once](http://www.allmovie.com/movie/once-v381696) has not been mentioned. 97% on the [tomatometer](http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/once/). mmm ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/56 "2014-02-26T12:12:53Z")
> [@Sitnam](#): > > I hate musicals. Dr. Horribles Sing-Along Blog was awesome. And of course if you get the DVD one of the commentary tracks is _an entirely different musical_. In fact _Commentary!: The Musical_ has several absolutely killer songs (and a few duds, to be fair). > [@Alessan](#): > > _The Blues Brothers._ > > First of all, it also has tons of car chases. > > Second of all, it’s one thing when people burst into song; it’s another thing altogether when Aretha bursts into song. \*Then \*it’s awesome. Anyone who does not feel the urge to get up and dance during “Shake Your Tail Feather” has no rhythm in their soul. I pity such people. > [@Elemenopy](#): > > I’m definitely not a big fan of musicals, but I would highly recommend _Sweeney Todd_. To me, it felt more like an opera or a really long music video from the heyday of MTV. Love the musical and the soundtrack, but the film really gutted the stage show in the interest of time. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/57 "2014-02-26T14:46:14Z")
> [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](#): > > I am shocked, \*shocked \*I tell you, that the wonderful movie [Once](http://www.allmovie.com/movie/once-v381696) has not been mentioned. I specifically came in to either mention or to find this one - this is the perfect not-a-musical musical. There are songs all over the place, but no one just randomly breaks into song on the street. It’s about musicians who play on the street, sing together at home, and record in the studio. Absolutely fantastic, IMO, though I didn’t care as much for the stage musical version. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/58 "2014-02-26T18:50:25Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > I read this the thread waiting to bring this one up. Beaten to it, but I’ll agree with the choice. The “meta-magic” of Adams’ character is what makes it ‘plausible’ (provided you accept the premise of the whole film). People start singing around her when she sings for the same reason that animals help her clean or sew – because she’s a magical princess and surrounded by an aura of magical princess-ness even in New York City. Everyone didn’t spend forever choreographing, they just knew what to do because she’s magic. And of course, because it’s New York City, the obliging animals are rats and pigeons. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/59 "2014-02-26T22:25:12Z")
> [@terentii](#): > > _ **Yankee Doodle Dandy** _. Yeah, pretty much all the music makes sense in context. Stage performaces, Geo. Cohan composing, parades, etc. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2014, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039/60 "2014-02-26T22:55:21Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Maybe it’s just me, but I find the scheme of typical movie musicals – an ordinary movie except where at some points the stars and supporting cast burst into song and dance instead of dialogue or narrative-- utterly ridiculous. I really have no patience for them because they take me right out of whatever suspension of disbelief I might have and slap me in the face with their unreality. I’m going to recommend a film that pretty nearly exactly matches the description of what you don’t like, except that in another way it doesn’t: The Music Man. First, the time and place are so out of joint from what we’re used to (small-town Iowa in around 1912, I think) that you can easily believe that people would sing and dance at the drop of a hat. Second, most of the musical numbers seem to arise quite naturally (with a couple of notable exceptions - “Being in Love” and “Shipoopy”). If you’re all modern and hipster you’ll probably hate it, but most of it is very enjoyable on its terms. Roddy [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/movie-musicals-for-someone-who-doesnt-like-movie-musicals/682039.md?page=4)