The MoFo Top 100 Musicals Countdown

[Thursday Next]

26lists324pointsWest Side Story (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/1725-west-side-story.html)Director
Robert Wise, 1961

Starring
Natalie Wood, Richard Beymer, Russ Tamblyn, Rita Moreno

[Thursday Next]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m7xTvb-FAhQ

[Thursday Next]

West Side Story was on the most ballots so far and was my #2. I fell in love with the soundtrack before I ever saw the film, but despite a few less than perfect casting choices, I think it's a brilliant film. The way that it is shot and the use of colour are excellent. It was a close fought battle between WSS and Cabaret for my #1 spot. Although it was on lots of ballots, only one person had it at #1.

[kgaard]

I was a big fan of Dahl's novel, but the adaptation Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory never sat right with me. This time, it's Family Guy with the preferred version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0whJVDOJpxE

West Side Story has its flaws, but it was good enough to make my ballot at #19.

[MovieMeditation]

I had West Side Story at #18.

[cricket]

It's been a while but I really hated West Side Story.

[Miss Vicky]

Obvious brown face is obvious.

I watched West Side Story for this countdown. It nearly usurped The Music Man's position of my least favorite movie ever. Had any of its songs been worse than "Shipoopi," it might've succeeded.

[exiler96]

Now we're talking. My favourite musical of the classical era... So passionate, So red, So purple, So. Darn. Sexy.

https://youtu.be/O-S7Sizo0vc?si=PSuAf6eqPiC-EOBv

"But Sir do you need a remake?"... yeah, me neither.

[Citizen Rules]

Were's WSSlover at:D Probably protesting that West Side Story (1961) wasn't #1:p

[Little Ash]

I feel like my tween years was filled with West Side Story. My middle school seemed to like to show it, even if it was only once, it felt like a lot, because of it being a Shakespeare adaptation and was both in the category of, "appropriate for young children," and "Shakespeare updated to be relevant for today's youth." I feel like I both remember it well and don't remember it well. I don't have a strong urge to revisit. I prefer Robert Wise's gothic horror movies.

[Holden Pike]

102871

West Side Story was #28 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 1960s as well as #80 on the MoFo Top 100 Refresh.

[Takoma11]

I really don't want to drag this out in this thread, but I'm seeing that this is going to take a lot more work than our back-and-forth has already entailed.

Yeah, we do not have to litigate this over 10 pages or anything. I'm not wedded to defending the moral virtue of the imaginary universe of The Lion King.

The criticism here is very simple:
If we're concerned about Y's well-being,
because Z might kill and eat them,
then why aren't we concerned about X's well-being,
because Y might kill and eat them?

We're concerned about Timon being eaten because we've spent time with him, not because he's somehow objectively superior to an insect. Obviously other meerkats have been/are/will continue to be eaten by lions. If Grubby the Grub was a character we got to know, we'd be worried about her, too.

Simba dropping down a rung in the food chain represents the way he has been displaced from his family and his position.

This is clearly a double standard, and I think it's a complete cop-out to argue that a character cannot be morally judged by virtue of their screentime, let alone the writing which raised the question in the first place.

I'm on board with you criticizing the fact that there's a choice made as to where to stop "humanizing" the living creatures.

I'm not on board with morally judging omnivores and carnivores for eating to survive. If Simba/Mufasa are committing a moral wrong by eating other creatures, what is the morally correct action? Starve to death?

I guess my issue with your criticism is that you seem to be conflating natural animal behaviors (which exist whether acknowledged implicitly or explicitly) with the storytelling choices made by the writers. If we never saw an animal/creature get consumed on screen, we'd still be implicitly being asked not to care that Simba's mom and her friends kill a member of the community a few times a week.

[Citizen Rules]

102872
*Spoilers*


I've watched West Side Story (1961) several times, the last time was for this countdown. I hadn't realized before my last viewing that WSS was progressive especially for the time that it was made. The movie shows the plight of Puerto Rican immigrants as one of hardship while facing bigoted hatred from the local white teen gang. Shockingly even the white police officer spouts anti Puerto Rican sentiments to the white teen gang, telling the Jets to get rid of them. The Jets gang are bottom of the barrels type. One of the kid's mom is a prostitute, another has a father who's a junkie, yet another is beaten at home. The Jet girl 'Anybodys' name spells it out pretty clearly what her low status is in society. Point being the Jets aren't the heroes of the film, they're the antagonist even though we see a lot of the story from their viewpoint.

It's through the Puerto Rican Sharks gang leader Bernado, that we learn that they didn't want to be in a gang but was forced to out of survival as the Jets chased them down and beat them. The most racist and hateful person in the film is Riff the leader of the Jets who instigates the fight that ends with Tony being killed, showing us that hatred begets violence and violence begets death.

Yes unfortunately the Puerto Rican actors have brown face, presumably because the white audience at the time wouldn't recognize the actors as Puerto Rican (and some were not Puerto Rican). What doesn't get mentioned is likewise many of the Jets get 'yellow hair' to make them look whiter I guess. But none of that bugs me because the film has it's heart in the rate place and delivers a progressive message that was needed at the time, still needed too.

So glad to see West Side Story make it so high!

[Wooley]

Obvious brown face is obvious.

I watched West Side Story for this countdown. It nearly usurped The Music Man's position of my least favorite movie ever. Had any of its songs been worse than "Shipoopi," it might've succeeded.

Shipoopi is great.

[Wooley]

West Side Story was my No.3.
The artistry in this film blows me away. Probably one of the best movies I've ever seen.

[stillmellow]

It's undeniably a great musical and very fun. It's sadly still very timely as well, but I just don't like this version of Tony. Maybe he's just a little too squeaky clean, or perhaps Romeo is just too recklessly impulsive and immature in any version, I'm not sure. It's not like there's a version of the original story I like better.

It's very good, with great music and sets, but it doesn't make my list. Maybe the top 50.

[Omnizoa]

We're concerned about Timon being eaten because we've spent time with him,Well I can't speak for you, but that's never been the metric by which I base a concern for the well-being of someone, fictional or otherwise.

If we never saw an animal/creature get consumed on screen, we'd still be implicitly being asked not to care that Simba's mom and her friends kill a member of the community a few times a week.Exactly, and that's fine.

You can tell the story of Hamlet without condescending to explain to the audience that the society in which Hamlet lives and the government from which Hamlet receives his princehood is a just, acceptable, or good thing.

There are plenty of stories that surround less than perfectly virtuous people in a power struggle for a throne, that's literally Game of Thrones in a nutshell. You can have good and even great stories with morally dubious, or even immoral characters, I have no issue with that.

But I think The Lion King has to do one of two things in this situation:
1.) Completely obfuscate out the real world relationships of these animals, or
2.) Have those real world relationships actually reflect on those characters.

The Lion King doesn't do either of these things, it's very black and white in it's portrayal of what it considers the "good" animals and "bad" animals, and it provokes questions by rationalizing The Circle of Life and illustrating the characters' double standards, but not in any way that could be construed as intentionally maligning those characters.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EF1zYFHbus


To bring it back around to the Countdown, I don't have this issue with Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, despite the fact that it's literally called Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and the reasons are very simple:


The movie doesn't list off the ingredients of a Wonka bar.
Wonka, Charlie, and Grandpa Joe aren't presented as infallibly virtuous characters.
Wonka's relationship with the Golden Geese isn't elaborated on, and in fact it's implied that the Golden Geese are voluntarily employed and Wonka's lying to them, which impugns his character!

The movie doesn't go out of it's way to tell the audience that The Great Circle of Capitalism means that corporations like Wonka depend on Oompa Loompa slave wages, or that Charlie's family deserves to be poor because they waste their money trying to win candy-themed lotteries.

These aren't issues to me because the movie doesn't bring those things up, so I can suspend my disbelief and PRETEND... that maybe Wonka runs a giant vegan chocolate empire, okay??

Let's leave it at that.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

West Side Story is great.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/56cdc4478259b5c112bb2285/b15ddfba-f651-4009-8cfb-d52e21532755/image.jpeg

I had it at number five on my list. I think it's masterfully executed and even though the content of rival gangs singing and dancing and duking it out seems so ridiculous on paper it somehow works. I can even forget the million and one parodies or homages that do more to point out how absurd this premise is... the Michael Jackson Thriller video among other things, and ONLY look at the film and the numbers for what they are.

It is a big pill to swallow, but if one can get past the suspension of disbelief and "stop worrying and learn to love the silliness" then West Side Story is truly great. Unlike some musicals with lots of movement over different locations, see La La Land, the choreography in West Side Story is great, framed well, and every single person on the screen moves in a purposeful and natural way. I love the moviewise "test" to determine if a musical has good dancing and coreography... just turn the sound off and watch and see if it still feels like it is flowing well and appears impressive. West Side Story passes.

Robert Wise is a solid director... he edited Citizen Kane. Composer Leonard Bernstein does some of his best work here along with lyricist Stephen Sondhiem. The songs are all great and have meaning and character development. I particularly love "America" and "Officer Krempke" (sp?) is it? "Tonight" and "I Feel Pretty" and standards and both special in their own way. The cinematography is spectacular and really sells it for me however. It's just a great, great looking film and the aerial shots of Manhattan with the ambient sounds of the city and the whistling and slowly working its way down into the alleys and streets where the Sharks and Jets and battling it out leading into that great musical number and introduction is one of the best opening sequences in all of film. West Side Story's opening 10-20 minutes or so, I rank right up with there with the all time great opening sequences AND I love JUST LOVE openings to films that have little to no dialogue... see Once Upon a Time in the West, Rio Bravo, and The Mechanic (1970s).

Regarding the social issues and such that at least one MoFo user brought up... yeah I get that too. Every generation seems to think that any discussion of social injustices and what have you is new and fresh to their generation, but in our recency bias and each new generation's tendency to over estimate their own important and transcendence over the past, we tend to forget that our grandparents, great grandparents, and on and on... also did it too and sometimes better. So when we have people in the media or elected office that spout off about social injustices and what not thinking they are the first people to bring this up and anyone over the age of 50 is out of touch, we tend to forget that this is old hat and old news.

So yeah it doesn't come as a surprise that West Side Story is so full of surprises and definitely ahead of its time in that regard in dealing with poverty, racism, classim, immigation, police brutality or misuse of force or power, parentlessness, gangs as surrogate families, red-lining, ghettos, youth violence, and on and on and on... yeah nothing new here. Hell, even by 1960 film had tackled many of these issues too with acts like The Dead End Kids from the 1930s and 40s and films like Cagney's Angels With Dirty Faces. Even Mickey Rooney did a couple of films in the 1930s exploring the hoodlum youth, decades before West Side Story was even a thought.

Oh and I love the idea of adapting and transposing Shakespeare to modern times in different contexts... I love My Own Private Idaho, Baz Lurhman's (sp?) Romeo + Juliet, the fascist era Richard III with Ian McKellen, Kurosawa's RAN, Throne of Blood, Bad and the Beautiful, John Wayne's McLinktok! and many others. West Side Story not only is a title I bring up whenever discussing the great musicals, but it's also a title I bring up when discussing the great Shakespeare inspired films.

It deserves a top five spot and whether right or wrong I have no interest in Spielberg's remake.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Oh and one of the best SNL skits is with Norm Macdonald leading a hilarious parody of West Side Story with the Cobras and Panthers battling it out in song and dance, much to the surprise and bewilderment of Norm. This goes back the mid-1990s SNL before Norm was fired for his relentless OJ jokes on his Weekend Update.

The fact that Norm plays this material straight for what is, is absolutely genius and truly hilarious. Whether you're like me and find Norm Macdonald one of the great comic geniuses of our time, or just find him mildly amusing, this is a MUST WATCH and well forth a five minute investment of your time. It's so good and especially if you like West Side Story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNzNeGw8Fmo

[SpelingError]

West Side Story is alright, but aside from the music, I've never been a fan of it.

[Thief]

Like I said when the remake came up, my dislike of West Side Story is probably no secret around here. You can read my full review here (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2266913-west_side_story.html), but if I were to put aside the racial angle, the main story between Maria and the guy (who I keep forgetting his name) is weak as hell, script-wise and performance-wise. Ironically, just like the remake, it is the supporting actors the ones that steal the show. Rita Moreno and George Chakiris are excellent, but they still can't save the bad script and the bland leads. Obviously, it didn't make my list.


Here's where I stand...

SEEN: 36/97
MY BALLOT: 17/25


1. Moulin Rouge! (#30)
2. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
3.
4. Once (#25)
5. La La Land (#13)
6. Aladdin (#22)
7. An American in Paris (#42)
8.
9. Cabin in the Sky (#103)
10. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (#110)
11. The Lion King (#6)
12. Inside Llewyn Davis (#53)
13. Moana (#68)
14. Sing Street (#40)
15.
16. My Fair Lady (#10)
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
18. Chicago (#21)
19. Mary Poppins (#8)
20. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (#5)
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22.
23.
24.
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Thief... read your review. Some solid points and some I vehemently disagree with at least in terms of how the final product appears as it is. One thing I will say, regardless of whether or not the film sides with the Jets or the Sharks... the Puerto Ricans get the absolutely best musical number in the whole film with "America."

Also regarding Chakiris playing a Puerto Rican when he is Greek... it's a non issue I think because the role and performance was respectful. I have no more issue with that than I do Anthony Quinn, a Mexican, playing a Greek, playing an Arab, playing Indians, playing Italians, and on and on. If the performance is great and rises above being a thin sketch or stereotype, it just doesn't bother me and is irrelevant to the art.

[dadgumblah]

I'm pretty sure I said earlier in this countdown that I've never seen West Side Story start-to-finish, but rather a scene here, a scene there, until I had the gist of the movie and the fates of most of the characters were known to me. But I do want to see it "legitimately" one day. I love Robert Wise as a director, so this is a must for me to watch one day. Glad to see it make it.

#1. On the Town #93 (list proper)
#2. Holiday Inn #109 (NEAR MISS)
#5. The Blues Brothers #19 (list proper)
#6. Easter Parade #78 (list proper)
#7. Grease #9 (list proper)
#8. Meet Me in St. Louis #33 (list proper)
#9 Yankee Doodle Dandy #32 (list proper)
#10. Gigi #85 (list proper)
#12. Calamity Jane #84 (list proper)
#14. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers #71 (list proper)
#15. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory #5 (list proper)
#17. Mary Poppins #8 (list proper)
#18. The Muppet Movie #45 (list proper)
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)

[Citizen Rules]

Thief... read your review. Some solid points and some I vehemently disagree with at least in terms of how the final product appears as it is. One thing I will say, regardless of whether or not the film sides with the Jets or the Sharks... the Puerto Ricans get the absolutely best musical number in the whole film with "America."

Also regarding Chakiris playing a Puerto Rican when he is Greek... it's a non issue I think because the role and performance was respectful. I have no more issue with that than I do Anthony Quinn, a Mexican, playing a Greek, playing an Arab, playing Indians, playing Italians, and on and on. If the performance is great and rises above being a thin sketch or stereotype, it just doesn't bother me and is irrelevant to the art.I just read this about the director of West Side Story, Robert Wise
Wiki
Wise, a lifelong liberal, contributed to charitable organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, and established the Robert E. Wise Foundation to provide financial assistance to causes in the Los Angeles area.Wise's private papers are housed at the University of Southern California.I think that tells us what we need to know about the film's intentions.

[WHITBISSELL!]

Haven't seen West Side Story. If you added up all the little glimpses and snippets I have caught over the years it would still add up to less than a minute. I'm okay with that.

[Thief]

Thief... read your review. Some solid points and some I vehemently disagree with at least in terms of how the final product appears as it is. One thing I will say, regardless of whether or not the film sides with the Jets or the Sharks... the Puerto Ricans get the absolutely best musical number in the whole film with "America."


"America" is, indeed, a great musical number.


Also regarding Chakiris playing a Puerto Rican when he is Greek... it's a non issue I think because the role and performance was respectful. I have no more issue with that than I do Anthony Quinn, a Mexican, playing a Greek, playing an Arab, playing Indians, playing Italians, and on and on. If the performance is great and rises above being a thin sketch or stereotype, it just doesn't bother me and is irrelevant to the art.

Well, I did say in my review that Moreno and Chakiris are the best part of the film. They're great, but that doesn't make the use of "brownface" any less racist, stereotypical, and/or offensive (wether it's in West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, or any other film). Like "blackface" it is based in a monolithic and narrow-minded notion of how the filmmakers think a Puerto Rican should look like. This is more blatantly presented by the fact that even Moreno, an actual Puerto Rican – born and raised in the island – was forced to wear "brownface" because, again, that is how "Puerto Ricans look" (I, myself, am very light-skinned and I've lived all my life in the island).

But the bottom line for me is not the racial representations, but rather the void that are Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer (and ironically Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort in the remake). They have no chemistry together, their characters are uninteresting, and their dialogue is weak, to put it mildly.

[Thief]

I just read this about the director of West Side Story, Robert Wise
Wiki
I think that tells us what we need to know about the film's intentions.

Actually that doesn't say anything about the film's intentions. It does say something about Wise, but him being a charitable or good person has nothing to do with the film's intentions. I actually don't think there was malice from his part when making West Side Story. Just misguided notions and ideas about other countries and heritages, which has never be uncommon in Hollywood.

[Wooley]

I'm pretty sure I said earlier in this countdown that I've never seen West Side Story start-to-finish, but rather a scene here, a scene there, until I had the gist of the movie and the fates of most of the characters were known to me. But I do want to see it "legitimately" one day. I love Robert Wise as a director, so this is a must for me to watch one day. Glad to see it make it.



The reason to see West Side Story is not for the story. It's literally just Romeo and Juliet set on the Upper West Side.
The reason to see West Side Story is the incredible contemporary dance numbers to a pretty contemporary Jazz score from Leonard Bernstein. The songs are mostly great and all that and it's a classic story I guess but the thing that elevates it is the choreography and dance, the score, the design, and Wise's direction. It's excellence.

[beelzebubble]

Hey, what's going on here? This is actually on my list.
https://youtu.be/wugWGhItaQA?si=TD48tzTiNpwtZCb7

[PHOENIX74]

4. West Side Story (1961) - If I'd sat down and watched West Side Story again before compiling my ballot I dare say it would have surged into the top 10. Every time I see a scene I'm struck by how absolutely perfect it is and my mind enters this "wow" mode - endorphins release because of that special sense of satisfaction observing pure beauty gives me. It has a special kind of energy. Most of the songs are still part of our shared consciousness, but hearing them in their specific context and seeing the extraordinary choreography adds something divine to all of them. I don't think I could have liked it as much as I do until I got to a certain age - because the whole style of the 50s/60s delinquent gangs had become extremely passé during the era I was growing up in, and adding music to that only worsened the effect. Now that I'm free from all that personal baggage I can see it as it was meant to be seen, and not get so hung up on what's cool right at this moment. It's an incredible cinematic achievement, and I see a bright kind of (comparative) simplicity in it that gives it a definite edge over the Spielberg version. I had it way down at #21 on my ballot, only contributing 5 of it's 324 points, but it was never going to miss out entirely. If I were being completely objective, it might have made #1, but I judge my movies on more criteria than simply how technically excellent and culturally significant they are. #21 will do - it was always going to be up in the top 10.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seen : 67/97
I'd never even heard of : 11/97
Movies that had been on my radar, but I haven't seen yet : 19/97
Films from my list : 19 + 1

#4 - My #21 - West Side Story (1961)
#9 - My #9 - Grease (1978)
#11 - My #12 - The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
#14 - My #3 - The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
#15 - My #4 - Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
#20 - My #2 - Dancer in the Dark (2000)
#21 - My #10 - Chicago (2002)
#23 - My #15 - A Hard Day's Night (1964)
#24 - My #11 - Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
#28 - My #7 - Labyrinth (1986)
#37 - My #1 - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
#41 - My #6 - Pink Floyd - The Wall (1982)
#44 - My #13 - Oliver! (1968)
#47 - My #14 - Hair (1979)
#59 - My #5 - Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
#60 - My #23 - Annie (1982)
#72 - My #22 - Yellow Submarine (1968)
#92 - My #8 - Tommy (1975)
One-pointer - My #25 - Shock Treatment (1981)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
#108 - My #16 - Evita (1996)

My #19 is a musical that some people consider a terrible movie, but being something of a fan of Robert Altman's films, I can't help but have a soft spot for Popeye - a most unusual addition to the genre. My review can be read here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2427643#post2427643), on my Robert Altman thread.

https://i.postimg.cc/d1BWkd6B/pop.jpg

This first paragraph of my review says it all : "Are we only just now able to appreciate Robert Altman's Popeye? Did it confound us at the time of it's release? Nothing up on that screen is comparable to any other such film, and off-screen it's equally hard to find examples to judge it's production against. The idea alone is remarkable and hard to process mentally - the director of films such as Images, Nashville and 3 Women, an anti-establishment, arthouse/experimental filmmaker taking on a big budget, property-based, live-action comic strip musical. Altman's previous films defied convention, and in some cases had paid dearly for doing so. Now he was to direct what was anticipated as one of the biggest films of the year for Paramount - a position he had never been in before. The result of this strange marriage was indeed remarkable, but tagged a "fiasco", "failure" and "bomb" - despite being none of those things. Popeye was one of the biggest moneymakers Paramount had for the year it was released, and has critics looking at it today and seeing something that wasn't seen back then - an extraordinary filmmaking achievement. A wonderful film." I knew however, that hoping this film would make it was perhaps too much.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Haven't seen West Side Story. If you added up all the little glimpses and snippets I have caught over the years it would still add up to less than a minute. I'm okay with that.

What is it that leads you to conclude you have no interest in even giving West Side Story a try? You're posting in this thread so I imagine you have some moderate or mild interest in musicals at least... Hell, even I watched and sat through the monstrosities and awfulness that are Oklahoma! and South Pacific. Is it just the premise of West Side Story that you can't get beyond?

And even if so, at least give the prologue and first 10 minutes of film a chance because it's some of the best material ever committed to celluloid... and, AND

It's RIGHT HERE, FOR THE LOW COST OF ZERO DOLLARS!!!! Just clicky below...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-S7Sizo0vc

[Allaby]

West Side Story was my #9. It's a fantastic film.

Seen: 95/97

[Little Ash]

My #19 is a musical that some people consider a terrible movie, but being something of a fan of Robert Altman's films, I can't help but have a soft spot for Popeye - a most unusual addition to the genre. My review can be read here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2427643#post2427643), on my Robert Altman thread.

https://i.postimg.cc/d1BWkd6B/pop.jpg



I saw this on TV when I was really young and we'll just say I was confused by it (and also young enough where being confused by movies that I thought were for children but were actually for adults was not uncommon).
Nowhere in my memory did I retain there were any musical numbers in this. I just remember the "dog" track racing scene. If I had known it was a musical, I probably would have given the movie a rewatch for this countdown.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

"America" is, indeed, a great musical number.



Well, I did say in my review that Moreno and Chakiris are the best part of the film. They're great, but that doesn't make the use of "brownface" any less racist, stereotypical, and/or offensive (wether it's in West Side Story, Lawrence of Arabia, or any other film). Like "blackface" it is based in a monolithic and narrow-minded notion of how the filmmakers think a Puerto Rican should look like. This is more blatantly presented by the fact that even Moreno, an actual Puerto Rican – born and raised in the island – was forced to wear "brownface" because, again, that is how "Puerto Ricans look" (I, myself, am very light-skinned and I've lived all my life in the island).


I agree that Moreno and Chakiris stole the show. I completely distinguish the blackface of the old minstrel shows which portrayed blacks as the "Y'sir massa!" spouting and bumbling idiots of an old Al Jolson skits or a golliwog doll. We have to look at intent and the discrimination that led to blackface. Those old portrayals were meant to demean, disservice, and undermine an entire group of people AND many times blackface was used because of segregation and Jim Crow laws that prevent blacks from performing or even setting foot into those venues.

So to compare the makeup that was done in West Side Story to blackface is a bit of a stretch and a violation of Hanlon's razor to fit within a more progressive and post-modern view than it does to speaking the reality of the situation. Oh, and I should add, Mickey Rooney's imfamous presentation of a Japanese man in Breakfast at Tiffany's, which came out the same time as West Side Story, IS meant to be slightly demeaning and again something like that shouldn't be compared to West Side Story. Certainly West Side Story and Chikaris playing a Puerto Rican as a Greek doesn't detract from the film any more than Orson Welles' accent and pretending to be Irish in The Lady of Shanghai does for me.

Orson Welles also did blackface in his brilliant take on Othello, and although it's not politically correct, anyone who says that Welles' was being disrespectful, evil, and/or just an awful human being, either isn't being honest with themselves, can't see past the myopic vision of their progressive politics, or just plain hasn't watched the film.

Not only does comparing West Side Story to blackface discredit the motives of the filmmakers while amplifying imagined wrongs, but it also undermines the cruelty that was real blackface of the 1800s and early 1900s.

Hell, I'm Irish, but Heaven knows if I were ever cast in a film where I had to be on a beach or go shirtless, God forbid, they'd definitely want to do some tanning work on me, which who cares. And part of that could be just from a practical standpoint too of what shows on film vs what doesn't show up on film. The fact that we live in a society that gets it panties so worked up over race and such, I'll never understand. I think we truly do have to look at intent.

But the bottom line for me is not the racial representations, but rather the void that are Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer (and ironically Rachel Zegler and Ansel Elgort in the remake). They have no chemistry together, their characters are uninteresting, and their dialogue is weak, to put it mildly.

I agree about Beymer, but I thought Natalie Wood is excellent. No, it's no where near her performance and character in Rebel Without a Cause or Splendor in the Grass, but I think she's perfectly great, but again you are right that Moreno and Chikaris steal the show. I had no issues with the dialogue.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

The reason to see West Side Story is the incredible contemporary dance numbers to a pretty contemporary Jazz score from Leonard Bernstein. The songs are mostly great and all that and it's a classic story I guess but the thing that elevates it is the choreography and dance, the score, the design, and Wise's direction. It's excellence.

I agree, it's all so perfectly staged and even the background players have key roles and don't fall prey to the "standing around" trap that a lot of big musical numbers have. I love the jazz music and Bernstein is legendary. Even though the rival street gangs thing holds almost zero appeal to me as a story, it's more or less how this material was handled and presented that makes it so great and why it was my number five of all time.

[gbgoodies]

West Side Story was on the most ballots so far and was my #2. I fell in love with the soundtrack before I ever saw the film, but despite a few less than perfect casting choices, I think it's a brilliant film. The way that it is shot and the use of colour are excellent. It was a close fought battle between WSS and Cabaret for my #1 spot. Although it was on lots of ballots, only one person had it at #1.


I was the one person who had West Side Story at #1 on their list. :)

I first saw the movie when I was a kid, and I loved it. Then a few years later, I saw the Broadway show, and I loved that too. The story, the songs, the dancing, everything about this movie is perfect. I've probably seen the movie hundreds of times over the years, and I still watch it every time I find it playing on TV. I'm thrilled to see that it made it this high on the countdown. :)

And while I didn't see the need for a remake of this movie, and I didn't think the recent remake lived up to the original movie, I thought it was a very good movie.



My list so far:
1. West Side Story (1961)
2. The Music Man (1962)
5. Oklahoma! (1955)
8. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
9. 1776 (1972)
12. The Greatest Showman (2017)
13. My Fair Lady (1964)
15. Les Misérables (2012)
16. Oliver! (1968)
17. Anastasia (1997)
18. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
22. Mary Poppins (1964)
24. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
25. Frozen (2013)

[iluv2viddyfilms]

I was the one person who had West Side Story at #1 on their list. :)

I first saw the movie when I was a kid, and I loved it. Then a few years later, I saw the Broadway show, and I loved that too. The story, the songs, the dancing, everything about this movie is perfect. I've probably seen the movie hundreds of times over the years, and I still watch it every time I find it playing on TV. I'm thrilled to see that it made it this high on the countdown. :)

And while I didn't see the need for a remake of this movie, and I didn't think the recent remake lived up to the original movie, I thought it was a very good movie.



I'm always torn when it comes to evaluating and ranking films between my personal liking of a film and how much it speaks to me and my preferences and lived experience vs an objective and non-bias truth and reality examination of a film.

On a personal level West Side Story, doesn't do a lot for me. Fiddler on the Roof seems more intellectual, so it works for me more on that level, Dancer in the Dark hits me more on a gut level and tends to fit within my overall darker leaning world view of interpersonal relationships and how people truly treat each other, and I think a musical like Pennies From Heaven is far more creative and unique than West Side Story.

Yet I ranked West Side Story higher than each of those others musicals because I think from an objective point of view, you can't take away from what a monumental accomplishment it is, how amazing the choreography, music, cinematography are and the story, despite the silliness of gangs dancing somehow all just clicks and works very well.

And, sadly, I think the strange thing is one of the most overlooked items in musical films is the music itself, which Bernstein is on such a high level and the music runs throughout the film and compliments the numbers... nothing feels dethatched or tacked on. There's some musicals where I think... OK this is a neat song, but it doesn't really do much in terms of progressing the story or characters... it's just kind of there and generic.

Oh and I love the reprise of "Tonight" here as the film builds itself up to the climax and the lighting is spectacular. I have never seen West Side Story in the theater, but I would love to. And again the youth gang vs youth gang thing isn't something that has any appeal to me, so the fact I find great value in spite of my subjective bias of a silly premise, speaks volumes to me on how solid it is.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyUV3hIL-G0

[Citizen Rules]

Actually that doesn't say anything about the film's intentions. It does say something about Wise, but him being a charitable or good person has nothing to do with the film's intentions. I actually don't think there was malice from his part when making West Side Story. Just misguided notions and ideas about other countries and heritages, which has never be uncommon in Hollywood.I want to ask what you meant by the boded part? I did just read what you said about your objections to brown face, so no need to explain that part of your objection but is there something else?

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Also can Yoda arrange for a "rumble" in some empty parking lot at midnight between those MoFo members who are in the West Side Story camp and had it on their list vs those who aren't in the West Side Story camp and didn't place it on their list?

This way we can truly settle it? Lets meet a in a middle America spot... I say some derelict parking lot, broken down vacant building, or street in East St. Louis that would be a neutral spot and distance for most MoFo members? Plus no police presence and it's not likely we're able to do much of any property damage, if anything we'd probably improve it!

Yoda, let's have a rumble! Set a date on your calendar! We need to of course discuss ground rules and whether or not its pure fisticuffs or whether or not we get chains, bats, pipes, and what not. We need to also pick out what side will wear what colors too.

Oh and four MoFo's who are musically inclined will need to sit out the fight to provide and play the music. I want a live jazz quartet to set the tone for this thing!

[Wooley]

4. West Side Story (1961) - If I'd sat down and watched West Side Story again before compiling my ballot I dare say it would have surged into the top 10. Every time I see a scene I'm struck by how absolutely perfect it is and my mind enters this "wow" mode - endorphins release because of that special sense of satisfaction observing pure beauty gives me.

This is my reaction to WSS as well, I kinda go into Wow Mode.

[Wooley]

I agree, it's all so perfectly staged and even the background players have key roles and don't fall prey to the "standing around" trap that a lot of big musical numbers have. I love the jazz music and Bernstein is legendary. Even though the rival street gangs thing holds almost zero appeal to me as a story, it's more or less how this material was handled and presented that makes it so great and why it was my number five of all time.

Exactly.

[Daniel M]

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg was my number two film, so good to see it high up even if it didn't crack the top ten.

My number one film was One from the Heart which won't make it now which is a shame, one of the most visually stunning films that I have ever seen.

[Hey Fredrick]

I tried watching West Side Story several times before I finally got though it. I never made it past the opening scene until I just forced myself to sit and watch it one rainy day. Glad I did because I loved it and have watched it a few times since then. Loved it enough to have it at number 5. I still can't get over that that was Dr. Jacoby was jumping around like Bugs Bunny on pep pills during some of the dances. Just amazing athleticism. It has great songs, great dance numbers and it's pretty much a perfect musical, as are all my top 5.


1. Yes
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991) # 12
3. Grease (1978) #9
4. My Fair Lady (1964) # 10
5. West Side Story # 4
6. Chicago (2002) #21
7. Aladdin (1993) #22
8. Moulin Rouge #30
9. South Park #27
11. Pink Floyd The Wall #41
12. The Music Man #29
13. Nope - A little surprised that it didn't make it.
14. Top Hat #58
15. 42nd Street #76
16. The Band Wagon #80
17. I've seen it mentioned but sadly nope.
18. No
19. The Rocky Horror Picture Show #14
20. Yes
21. Meet Me in St. Louis #33
24. Hair #47
25. The Forbidden Zone (one pointer)

[mrblond]

Me too, tried to watch West Side Story twice, first time I was about 20 yo. Quite the opposite, I've never reached more than half of the movie, bored to death of uninteresting musical numbers performed by strangely looking guys.

[Holden Pike]

No West Side Story para mí, so another of my no-shows…

102891
In addition to having an actual Elvis Presley movie on my ballot (King Creole), I also have a Musical commenting on Elvis-mania. The 1960 Broadway hit Bye Bye Birdie has a fictionalized version of Presley, Conrad Birdie, an impossibly beloved, young, charismatic Rock ‘N’ Roll star that the teenage girls swoon for and the adults just don’t get, who has been drafted into the Army. A struggling songwriter manages to pitch the idea that Conrad will sing his new original song, “One Last Kiss”, on the Ed Sullivan Show before he is inducted. And as a further publicity stunt, a regular high school fan will be chosen for that kiss. Hilarity ensues.

For the 1963 movie adaptation, original Broadway stars Dick Van Dyke and Paul Lynde reprise their roles as Albert the struggling songwriter and Harry MacAfee the father of the girl who is chosen for the kiss, respectively. The other primary roles are filled by Janet Leigh as Albert’s long-suffering girlfriend who wants to get married, Maureen Stapleton as Albert’s meddling mother, Jesse Pearson as the teen idol Conrad Birdie, real-life teen idol Bobby Rydell as Hugo Peabody the chosen girl’s jealous boyfriend, and the vivacious Ann-Margret as Kim MacAfee, the lucky smalltown girl who gets to actually kiss Conrad on live TV! All directed by Hollywood Musical vet George Sidney who helmed Anchors Aweigh, The Harvey Girls, Annie Get Your Gun, Kiss Me Kate, and Pal Joey, and who a year later would re-team with Ann-Margret and the real Elvis Presley for Viva Las Vegas.

Bye Bye Birdie is a fun tale about jealously and celebrity with some really good songs, including “Put on a Happy Face” and Lynde’s show-stopper “Kids”, elevated by the stellar cast. I had I on my ballot at number twenty, six points. And that reveals all but two of mine. One of which is coming in the Top Three, one of which most certainly is not. Both were in my Top Ten.


HOLDEN’S BALLOT
2. La La Land (#13)
3. Pennies from Heaven (#56)
4. Dancer in the Dark (#20)
5. A Hard Day’s Night (#23)
6. The Blues Brothers (#19)
7. That Thing You Do! (#31)
8. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (#11)
10. The Commitments (#107)
11. This is Spın̈al Tap (#55)
12. Hearts Beat Loud (#101)
13. A Star is Born (#43)
14. Hair (#47)
15. Sing Street (#40)
16. Xanadu (#DNP)
17. Amadeus (#97)
18. Once (#25)
19. The Muppets (#DNP)
20. Bye Bye Birdie (#DNP)
21. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (#69)
22. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
23. King Creole (#DNP)
24. My Fair Lady (#10)
25. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (#74)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9t_mAyHZ9Is
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84b0DoeFebI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gzm4PZowN-k

[Wooley]

No West Side Story para mí, so another of my no-shows…

102891


I strongly considered Birdie for my ballot, for what it's worth.

[stillmellow]

It is worth mentioning that West Side Story is Natalie Wood's best movie. She really stole the show. Taken from us too soon.

[John W Constantine]

I feel like you guys could have considered The Aristocats, especially you animal lovers. I had it #20 and despite being historically a dog person (I was allergic to cats as an infant) it's classic Phil Harris and other voice characters in vintage Disney shenanigans.

[Thief]

I want to ask what you meant by the boded part? I did just read what you said about your objections to brown face, so no need to explain that part of your objection but is there something else?

Mostly that it's not a genuine representation of the Puerto Rican diaspora in the 1950s, or Puerto Rican culture and heritage overall. It's an appropriation from white American playwrights and writers who found a way to adapt Romeo and Juliet with a twist. No Puerto Rican was involved in the writing of the play, or the main tiers of the filmmaking process. It's just white people looking around and thinking "Yeah, this feels 'Puerto Rican'" or "looks 'Puerto Rican'", which kinda ties to the previous discussion about "brownface", but it's not excluded to that. Despite being heralded by many as a beacon of our heritage, it leans heavily to the American/white POV, reduces us to violent gang members, and never really addresses the struggle of the Puerto Rican diaspora at the time, or the reasons for them being in the US in the first place. Again, it's just a generic story packaged and marketed by white Americans to what they think is the "Puerto Rican experience".

And to be clear, there's nothing inherently wrong with that. Anybody can write about anything, and anybody can like it, love it, whatever. Just don't sell it as if it was a genuine Puerto Rican product or some "peak representation".

[Wooley]

I feel like you guys could have considered The Aristocats, especially you animal lovers. I had it #20 and despite being historically a dog person (I was allergic to cats as an infant) it's classic Phil Harris and other voice characters in vintage Disney shenanigans.

Well, I do have The Aristocats above The Lion King in Disney Musicals I just wasn't going to include any Disney Musicals.

[Thief]

I agree that Moreno and Chakiris stole the show. I completely distinguish the blackface of the old minstrel shows which portrayed blacks as the "Y'sir massa!" spouting and bumbling idiots of an old Al Jolson skits or a golliwog doll. We have to look at intent and the discrimination that led to blackface. Those old portrayals were meant to demean, disservice, and undermine an entire group of people AND many times blackface was used because of segregation and Jim Crow laws that prevent blacks from performing or even setting foot into those venues.

So to compare the makeup that was done in West Side Story to blackface is a bit of a stretch and a violation of Hanlon's razor to fit within a more progressive and post-modern view than it does to speaking the reality of the situation. Oh, and I should add, Mickey Rooney's imfamous presentation of a Japanese man in Breakfast at Tiffany's, which came out the same time as West Side Story, IS meant to be slightly demeaning and again something like that shouldn't be compared to West Side Story. Certainly West Side Story and Chikaris playing a Puerto Rican as a Greek doesn't detract from the film any more than Orson Welles' accent and pretending to be Irish in The Lady of Shanghai does for me.

Orson Welles also did blackface in his brilliant take on Othello, and although it's not politically correct, anyone who says that Welles' was being disrespectful, evil, and/or just an awful human being, either isn't being honest with themselves, can't see past the myopic vision of their progressive politics, or just plain hasn't watched the film.

Not only does comparing West Side Story to blackface discredit the motives of the filmmakers while amplifying imagined wrongs, but it also undermines the cruelty that was real blackface of the 1800s and early 1900s.

Hell, I'm Irish, but Heaven knows if I were ever cast in a film where I had to be on a beach or go shirtless, God forbid, they'd definitely want to do some tanning work on me, which who cares. And part of that could be just from a practical standpoint too of what shows on film vs what doesn't show up on film. The fact that we live in a society that gets it panties so worked up over race and such, I'll never understand. I think we truly do have to look at intent.


I never made a direct comparison between the "brownface" in West Side Story and the classic "blackface". I said the former is "based" on the latter and has the same principle of reducing an entire community – black, Arab, Puerto Rican, etc. – to one simple "look" and one simple template. Ironically that mostly doesn't apply to the lead "Puerto Rican" character, which was played by a white American woman, while the actual Puerto Rican actress, Rita Moreno, was forced to wear "brownface", so the film's actual message of "love across races" feels a bit muddled by the execution.

I understand the historical implications of this practices and how it evolved, or the different ways it can be used. I have also seen numerous films with actors in "blackface" and I tend to judge them accordingly. Even with West Side Story, I feel like I gave my fair judgment on it without factoring "race", and have only brought all this up when asked, so I don't feel like I'm getting my "panties worked up". To pull it back to my main issues, the main romance is weak, the main characters are boring.

[Citizen Rules]

Mostly that it's not a genuine representation of the Puerto Rican diaspora in the 1950s, or Puerto Rican culture and heritage overall. It's an appropriation from white American playwrights and writers who found a way to adapt Romeo and Juliet with a twist. No Puerto Rican was involved in the writing of the play, or the main tiers of the filmmaking process. It's just white people looking around and thinking "Yeah, this feels 'Puerto Rican'" or "looks 'Puerto Rican'", which kinda ties to the previous discussion about "brownface", but it's not excluded to that. Despite being heralded by many as a beacon of our heritage, it leans heavily to the American/white POV, reduces us to violent gang members, and never really addresses the struggle of the Puerto Rican diaspora at the time, or the reasons for them being in the US in the first place. Again, it's just a generic story packaged and marketed by white Americans to what they think is the "Puerto Rican experience".

And to be clear, there's nothing inherently wrong with that. Anybody can write about anything, and anybody can like it, love it, whatever. Just don't sell it as if it was a genuine Puerto Rican product or some "peak representation".OK, I see thanks for explaining.

[John W Constantine]

Well, I do have The Aristocats above The Lion King in Disney Musicals I just wasn't going to include any Disney Musicals.
You gotta do what you gotta do.

[Wooley]

You gotta do what you gotta do.

Sorry, no Disney animated Musicals. I did vote for Mary Poppins.

[Thursday Next]

29lists425pointsThe Sound of Music (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/15121-the-sound-of-music.html)Director
Robert Wise, 1965

Starring
Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer, Eleanor Parker, Richard Haydn

[Thursday Next]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6f0T6UV-HiI

[Thursday Next]

Top 3 time! 29 people had The Sound of Music as one of their favourite things, giving it 425 points - a huge 101 point jump from #4.

[Holden Pike]

102903

The Sound of Music was #37 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 1960s.

[Miss Vicky]

I know I saw The Sound of Music a few times as a kid and I think I liked it okay, but I hadn't seen it since then. I decided to rewatch it for this countdown and somehow managed to make it through all of it (nearly 3 hours!) without hating it. I definitely don't love it, I didn't vote for it, and I doubt I'll ever watch it again, but I'm not mad at its placement.

[MovieFan1988]

Prediction on the final 2 reveals
1. Wizard of Oz
2. Singin in the Rain

What does everyone else got?

[iluv2viddyfilms]

The Sound of Music has never really affected me or touched me the way it has so many others, but full transparency, I have only watched it once and that was waaay back in 2008, so I'd be perfectly open to giving it another chance.

One thing I will say is "My Favorite Things" is an absolute banger and just wonderful... the lyrics are so-so but appropriate for what they are, however the musical qualities are great. And yeah I'm bias because I first learned to love that tune, not through The Sound of Music, and not through all the Christmas renditions that are played often for whatever reasons in shopping malls and retail stores over the loudspeakers, but rather due to Bjork's amazing rendition in Dancer in the Dark.

However, what really... really sold me is this (posted below linked from youtube)... which for that alone, I'm glad The Sound of Music exists even though it didn't come within 100 yards of my ballot... if you haven't listened to John Coltrane's version of "My Favorite Things" good Heavens, why? It's one of my absolute most favorite pieces of music ever ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWG2dsXV5HI

[Wooley]

The Sound of Music has never really affected me or touched me the way it has so many others, but full transparency, I have only watched it once and that was waaay back in 2008, so I'd be perfectly open to giving it another chance.

One thing I will say is "My Favorite Things" is an absolute banger and just wonderful... the lyrics are so-so but appropriate, but the musical qualities are great. And yeah I'm bias because I first learned to love that tune, not through The Sound of Music, and not through all the Christmas renditions that are played often for whatever reasons in shopping malls and retail stores over the loudspeakers, but rather due to Bjork's amazing rendition in Dancer in the Dark.

However, what really... really sold me is this (posted below linked from youtube)... which for that alone, I'm glad The Sound of Music exists even though it didn't come within 100 yards of my ballot... if you haven't listened to John Contrane's version of "My Favorite Things" good Heavens, why? It's one of my absolute most favorite pieces of music ever ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWG2dsXV5HI

Tony Bennett does a great "holiday" version of it as well.

[Thursday Next]

I feel like The Sound of Music was on TV every year at New Year when I was a child and for many years I dismissed it in my mind as a twee kids' film. But I watched it again as an adult and completely re-evaluated it. It's exceptionally well-made and the story and characters are more interesting than I had given them credit for. The romantic drama is good and there's a real sense of threat by the end. The songs are varied and memorable. Julie Andrews is excellent - between this and Mary Poppins she really is the ideal singing nanny/governess!

[Torgo]

The Sound of Music is #6 on my list. Not ashamed to admit that watching it during the holidays is a yearly tradition.

Speaking of covers, not to take away from Christopher Plummer's rendition of "Edelweiss," but this choral version made it one of my favorite songs:

https://youtu.be/6JMHXbxZYf4?si=fBd4CrTVQTaaQo7L

[Torgo]

Prediction on the final 2 reveals
1. Wizard of Oz
2. Singin in the Rain

What does everyone else got?Same here. Not sure what the order will be, though.

[seanc]

Man, 29 lists seems like a lot for Sound Of Music I am really interested in seeing all the folks who voted for it. Not upset about it at all, just really surprised at its popularity here. I didn’t vote for it, but besides Grease it just might be the musical I have seen the most and know the songs the best. One of my mom and sisters favorite ls, so it was on at my house a ton as a teenager.

[KeyserCorleone]

One of multiple choices that deserve the number 1 spot.

[WHITBISSELL!]

As far as sitting down and watching it from the opening credits all the way through to the closing credits I haven't watched The Sound of Music. But I used to look after my little niece and she was obsessed with it. Watched it constantly and almost wore out the VHS tape. She called it the Maria show which also happens to be her name. I think I watched maybe a third of it over that time.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Soooo.... I don't think there's going to be any surprise here, and happily can I say that two films, which both are very very high on my list will undoubtedly be our top pick and second place pick for this list.

Let's go ahead and make predictions for the number one MoFo musical of all time... will it be...

The Wizard of Oz?

or will it be...

Singin' in the Rain?

What camp are you in and what do you think it will be? I predict number one will be The Wizard of Oz, but I want it to be Singin' in the Rain.

[Holden Pike]

The hills were not alive for me, but another true story is my final no-show…

102905
Hal Ashby’s Bound for Glory (1976) is the Biopic of folk singing legend Woody Guthrie. Musically and spiritually Guthrie inspired generations of artists including Bob Dylan, Johnny Cash, and Bruce Springsteen. The film, adapted from his autobiography, traces his path from Oklahoma to California during the Great Depression and how it fueled his songwriting and political activism. Riding the boxcars as a hobo and living in the homeless camps of the California desert lead him to become involved with labor unions, and when he meets an organizer named Ozark Bule his music finds its way to radio play. Sort of Grapes of Wrath with a guitar.

David Carradine stars as Guthrie. If you only know him from Kill Bill and ”Kung Fu” and from his infamous manner of death, it probably seems like an odd choice. Jack Nicholson, Dusty Hoffman, and Kris Kristofferson all turned the role down, and Ashby was going to make it with real-life ‘60s Folk Singer Tim Buckley, which might have been perfect, but he died of a heroin overdose before that could happen. Carradine, though much taller than Woody, proved to be a good choice. He was a competent enough guitarist to pull off the musical scenes and his laconic persona fit well for the beaten-down but resilient survivor. Ronny Cox plays Ozark Bule, Melinda Dillon Woody’s first wife, and Randy Quaid as one of the migrants.

The depiction of the Dust Bowl is very powerful, including a giant dust storm before he leaves Texas and Ashby’s sympathetic sensibility and humanism shine throughout. Though sadly too often overlooked today, even in Ashby’s rightly celebrated filmography, Bound for Glory was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture and it won two: Best Score for composer Leonard Rosenman (he had just won the year before for Barry Lyndon) and Best Cinematography for the legendary Haskell Wexler (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, In the Heat of the Night, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Matewan). Bound for Glory was also the first feature film to use the Steadycam, in a sequence operated by its inventor Garrett Brown.

I had Bound for Glory ninth on my ballot, seventeen points thrown into the cinematic dust.

HOLDEN’S BALLOT
2. La La Land (#13)
3. Pennies from Heaven (#56)
4. Dancer in the Dark (#20)
5. A Hard Day’s Night (#23)
6. The Blues Brothers (#19)
7. That Thing You Do! (#31)
8. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (#11)
9. Bound for Glory (#DNP)
10. The Commitments (#107)
11. This is Spın̈al Tap (#55)
12. Hearts Beat Loud (#101)
13. A Star is Born (#43)
14. Hair (#47)
15. Sing Street (#40)
16. Xanadu (#DNP)
17. Amadeus (#97)
18. Once (#25)
19. The Muppets (#DNP)
20. Bye Bye Birdie (#DNP)
21. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (#69)
22. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
23. King Creole (#DNP)
24. My Fair Lady (#10)
25. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (#74)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N938hAHUF_E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCAwPSQQIDg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbebBmsYUMw

[SpelingError]

It's been too long since I've seen The Sound of Music to say anything about it, but it looks like I gave it a 7/10 for whatever that's worth.

[kgaard]

There's clearly a holy trinity of musicals, at least here, and no surprise. The Sound of Music was my #8.

[MovieMeditation]

The Sound of Music was my #6. Absolute class.

I’ve only seen it once but remember it quite vividly. It could perhaps have been higher on my list with a rewatch. But an all around classic musical in the most classic sense. Got the feel just right.

[rauldc14]

The Sound of Music was my last cut. I decided to put another recent watch in its place at 24. Still though I have mad respect for the movie

[Allaby]

The Sound of Music was my #4. It’s a fantastic film and one of the greatest musicals ever.

Seen: 96/98

[cricket]

Watched The Sound of Music for its decade countdown and it was torturous. Only seen it the once though.

[mrblond]

#3. The Sound of Music (1965) was my #23.

Finally I saw it in its entirety for this countdown. That's a gorgeous filmmaking. What a great cinematography, superb panoramas everywhere and valuable nice views of the great city of Salzburg. On top of everything is that so cute Julie Andrews.
Well, first of all, I noticed that the songs are way too extended. Couple of times I even opened the daily newspaper while waiting the movie to continue. Anyway, the big disappointment was in the second half where it became clear that this film and all this beauty are just made to serve these mean political regimes which actually ruined the European civilization couple of decades before the film events and now making a tricky move using these nice actors. How pity... Andrews and Plummer serving the cartels to secure their careers. :tsk:
That's why, I downgraded it at the bottom slots of my ballot. At some point, I've even considered to kick it out.

102907

[Yoda]

I've removed several posts arguing about West Side Story.

I say this a lot, but apparently not enough: if someone is violating the No Politics rule, report it, don't reply to argue with it. The fact that you feel compelled to argue with it is exactly why I have to remove it in the first place. Please do not indulge that compulsion. Best case scenario your righteous objection is up for an hour or two until someone does report it (or I stumble across it myself) in which case I wipe everything out, which is exactly what happened here.

You're all free to PM me if you have any concerns or questions about this, but I can say that at least several people (all of whom are longtime members who I think are familiar with how things work here) clearly clocked things as political and/or contentious, and chose to respond rather than bring it to anyone's attention.

[SpelingError]

Anyways, to bring the discussion back, what film do you guys predict to win? My money's on Singin' in the Rain.

[Miss Vicky]

Anyways, to bring the discussion back, what film do you guys predict to win? My money's on Singin' in the Rain.

I think it's going to be Oz just for the childhood nostalgia factor and the black and white to color transition. I hope I'm wrong though. I'd rather see Singin' in the Rain take it even if I didn't really care for it.

[Takoma11]

Sound of Music was my #14. I like all of the songs in it, and I think it looks great.

[stillmellow]

I missed a banned argument? I hope society hasn't devolved to the point where saying "N*zi's are bad" is considered 'a political statement', and we're urged to respect both sides of the argument. I might have to go if that's the case.


Anyway, this was my #22. It's way too long, but the songs are some of the best in a movie, ever. Not entirely accurate, but great (the real Maria had a bad temper).


Also, Julie Andrews is God. That is all.

[Wyldesyde19]

PHOENIX74 - Happiness of the Katakuris
I saw this about 20 years ago and if asked, I would have remembered there were a couple musical numbers in it, but it completely slipped my mind that it was a musical (and a bit that it existed). If I had remembered, I think I probably would have made time for a rewatch and see how it held up. I remember being a bit let down by it, but I don't remember disliking it (it currently passes the, "I would watch again now," test. (I'm using this test, I think, to test, "do I actually like this movie or do other people tell me it's great, so I should also say it's great," which I'm more cognizant of when dealing with movies that are often interested in things cinematically that I'm generally not usually interested in. e.g. I think most dance choreography)).


I know I did watch Seijun Suzuki's Princess Raccoon for this countdown (yeah. Suzuki made a musical. It was his final film). It was a bummer back then because it was the only Suzuki movie I recall watching that I just didn't care for, and it seemed odd after I really liked Pistol Opera at the time (and it was pulling from the same theatrical visual pallet). Re-watching it... It had moments here and there, but I honestly couldn't say that I liked it. Which now makes it a bummer that he went out on a movie I didn't like after a career of movies that liked to loved.
Repping because I, too, liked Happiness of the Katakuris.

[Allaby]

Anyways, to bring the discussion back, what film do you guys predict to win? My money's on Singin' in the Rain.

I’m guessing The Wizard of Oz to be #1.

[Wooley]

Ya know, I've been a big Signin' In The Rain guy for a long time, I've even taken friends who don't get why anyone would like musicals to see it in a theater, including kids and teenagers (it's been in the theater down here several times over the last couple decades)... but about a year ago I watched The Wizard Of Oz (which I saw at least a dozen times as a child/teenager/younger adult) for the first time in twenty years and I was blown away. Blown Away.
Assuming that these two end up 1 and 2 it will be interesting for me to consider how and why they ended up where they did on my ballot, assuming that either or both made my ballot.

[Takoma11]

Just for my own sake of suspense, I'm neither checking if Wizard of Oz or Singin' in the Rain are on my ballot (okay, I know one of them is for sure), nor where they are positioned overall.

I feel like Wizard of Oz has a huge nostalgia/cultural heft to it and incredibly iconic music. But Singin' in the Rain feels like more of a "grown-up" movie and might have been seen more recently by voters, plus it's a movie about movies, and we movie nerds love that stuff.

I'm a little sad (but not shocked) about a few of my choices that didn't make it and clearly now don't stand a chance.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (very funny and silly)
The Great Muppet Caper (my favorite Muppet film, tied with Christmas Carol)
On-Gaku: Our Sound (a recent favorite)
Hairspray (I actually voted for the 2007 version, which I slightly prefer!)
The American Astronaut (but at least Stingray Sam made it)
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (a mix of a sports movie and a musical, I should not love it, yet I do!)
Annette (not that shocked, but I thought a few other people might have been more moved by just how different this film is)

[stillmellow]

Wasn't it neat when Chicago appeared on the list? 😅

[Takoma11]

Wasn't it neat when Chicago appeared on the list? 😅

I remember it like it was last week.

[Citizen Rules]

The Sound of Music...I did NOT grow up watching this, so I have no fond nostalgic feelings for it. BUT I did watch it a couple of times as an adult and once right before the countdown and I was impressed! That's all I got as apparently I've never reviewed it here at MoFo.

[exiler96]

The last hour shift of tone in The Sound of Music might be the weirdest thing I've ever seen in a musical tbh.

[stillmellow]

The last hour shift of tone in The Sound of Music might be the weirdest thing I've ever seen in a musical tbh.


*cough Into the Woods cough*

[Yoda]

I missed a banned argument? I hope society hasn't devolved to the point where saying "N*zi's are bad" is considered 'a political statement', and we're urged to respect both sides of the argument. I might have to go if that's the case.
It wasn't about The Sound of Music, so nothing like that. And a "political statement" in the context of our rules is a value-neutral term that means anything that tends to cause arguments or invariably escalates.

[Little Ash]

I think I realized at some point in my life, I have not seen The Sound of Music.


Um, I like the rendition of Some of my Favorite Things in Dancer in the Dark as well, and well, Dancer in the Dark was on my ballot.


My current impression of the movie is one that doesn't interest me. Maybe something will come along that'll change my interest in it at some point in my life, but that's where it currently resides.

[Thief]

Haven't seen The Sound of Music. Big blind spot for me.


Here's where I stand...

SEEN: 36/98
MY BALLOT: 17/25


1. Moulin Rouge! (#30)
2. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
3.
4. Once (#25)
5. La La Land (#13)
6. Aladdin (#22)
7. An American in Paris (#42)
8.
9. Cabin in the Sky (#103)
10. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (#110)
11. The Lion King (#6)
12. Inside Llewyn Davis (#53)
13. Moana (#68)
14. Sing Street (#40)
15.
16. My Fair Lady (#10)
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
18. Chicago (#21)
19. Mary Poppins (#8)
20. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (#5)
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22.
23.
24.
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)

[iluv2viddyfilms]

I missed a banned argument? I hope society hasn't devolved to the point where saying "N*zi's are bad" is considered 'a political statement', and we're urged to respect both sides of the argument. I might have to go if that's the case.


We were debating whether or not the Nazis truly did dress real snazzy and were true fashionistas! Also whether or not the hills being alive only was true in the springtime and if that included Germany too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60FM9WjkXtA&t=178s

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Haven't seen The Sound of Music. Big blind spot for me.



I should and probably do consider it a blind spot too as I've only seen it once and that was back in 2008. Maybe it was the uncertainty or tone that did it for me, or my inability to see it as a something of a light hearted kids film vs a drama about Nazi occupation. It's due for a rewatch that's for sure that way I could give it a fair evaluation.

[gbgoodies]

No West Side Story para mí, so another of my no-shows…

102891

Bye Bye Birdie is a fun tale about jealously and celebrity with some really good songs, including “Put on a Happy Face” and Lynde’s show-stopper “Kids”, elevated by the stellar cast. I had I on my ballot at number twenty, six points. And that reveals all but two of mine. One of which is coming in the Top Three, one of which most certainly is not. Both were in my Top Ten.



I love Bye Bye Birdie. It was #10 on my list.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

The last hour shift of tone in The Sound of Music might be the weirdest thing I've ever seen in a musical tbh.

Going back and reading several of these posts... honestly, yeah, from what I remember of something feeling off about the film, that might have been it. It's just been so long ago.

[Omnizoa]

Seen West Side Story, I think? Don't remember it.
Started The Sound of Music. Never finished it.

I know they're the defacto musical classics, but they just haven't appealed to me.

[gbgoodies]

I love the songs in The Sound of Music, but the movie is just okay for me. It's one of the few musicals that I would prefer to listen to the soundtrack over actually watching the movie.

[dadgumblah]

Sweet Charity, Popeye, and Bye Bye Birdie were three films that at the beginning I was sure would make the Top 100. I still think they got stiffed. But because I thought they'd make it, I selfishly voted for my own films that didn't make it. Because the Top 2 will be released next, I might as well show the part of my list that, again, didn't place. The following are those:

#11. The Court Jester (DNP). I love this film as a comedy as much, maybe more than a musical. But I voted for anyway. I can watch this one anytime and be happy, filmwise.
#13. Kiss Me Kate (DNP) Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel are fine as the leads in this musical retelling (sort of) of "The Taming of the Shrew." But I like the supporting cast including Ann Miller and especially Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore as two gangster types hanging around who break into my favorite song in the movie, "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." Bob Fosse, Bobby Van, and Tommy Rall do a fun dance including Ann Miller. Lots of good stuff.
#19. Words and Music (DNP) Film about the real-life songwriting partners Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, played by Tom Drake and Mickey Rooney, respectively. Their songs are played out in musical segments by an all-star cast. My favorite bit is the song, "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue," played out by Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen (who is as slinky and sexy as I've ever seen her in a movie!). Lots of familiar songs done up well by the great cast.
#20. The Pirate (DNP) First of two Gene Kelly/Judy Garland pair-ups that I listed. A fun adventure-musical with Kelly at his acrobatic best as he poses as the title pirate to win over Judy. Wonderful music and eye-popping color.
#21. Swing Time (DNP) I couldn't pick which favorite among the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers pairings so I flipped a coin. But this one really has lots of great music and some outstanding set design. It's also got the dance where Fred is swinging Ginger over some low-level office railing.
#22 In the Good Old Summertime (DNP) This is a musical remake of The Shop Around the Corner with Judy Garland and Van Johnson working in the same music shop and romancing each other unknowingly (just like the original movie and the other remake You've Got Mail). The ending has a baby Liza Minnelli being held by Judy.
#23. Silk Stockings (DNP) Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse are awesome in this remake of Ninotchka, especially Charisse as the Russian woman who is an ice maiden who is slowly wooed by Astaire's charms. Great Cole Porter songs including "I've Got You Under My Skin."
#24. Summer Stock (DNP) My second Judy Garland/Gene Kelly musical (I liked them together, what can I say) where Judy owns a farm that gets overrun by a musical trouple practicing their next show on the farm, having been invited by Judy's sister. Lots of fun, and it features one of Judy's most famous and iconic song and dances, "Get Happy," where she has the hat tipped below one of her eyes and she's wearing a coat and stockings and not much else. Great stuff.

The Sound of Music made my list at #16. Love it and know practically every song by heart. Another musical soundtrack that my 6th grade music teacher played over and over for the whole class. I thought I'd be sick of it and never want to see it but when the chance arrived, I started and I was hooked by the music I knew. I could now see the songs set to film scenes and it was great! Julie Andrews was a powerhouse in this and it's a great movie.

#1. On the Town #93 (list proper)
#2. Holiday Inn #109 (NEAR MISS)
#5. The Blues Brothers #19 (list proper)
#6. Easter Parade #78 (list proper)
#7. Grease #9 (list proper)
#8. Meet Me in St. Louis #33 (list proper)
#9 Yankee Doodle Dandy #32 (list proper)
#10. Gigi #85 (list proper)
#11. The Court Jester (DNP)
#12. Calamity Jane #84 (list proper)
#13. Kiss Me Kate (DNP)
#14. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers #71 (list proper)
#15. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory #5 (list proper)
#16. The Sound of Music #3 (list proper)
#17. Mary Poppins #8 (list proper)
#18. The Muppet Movie #45 (list proper)
#19. Words and Music (DNP)
#20. The Pirate (DNP)
#21. Swing Time (DNP)
#22. In the Good Old Summertime (DNP)
#23. Silk Stockings (DNP)
#24. Summer Stock (DNP)
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)

[PHOENIX74]

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (very funny and silly)


Been on my "must watch" list for quite a while now - I've heard a few of the songs and seen some clips. It might have had some help from me if I'd finally seen it.

[PHOENIX74]

3. The Sound of Music (1965) - This is the movie that was on my ballot for the longest time before falling off at the very last second. I needed spots for musicals I didn't want to leave out, and The Sound of Music was always going to be up there so I left it to everyone else. I was with my Dad a few weeks ago and The Sound of Music started to play on television - it's surprisingly quiet and eerie as the camera swoops over desolate crags and we were wondering what it was. It looked so eerie! Sounded like a horror movie. He said "I think this is The Sound of Music" and I started saying "Oh, I guarantee you, this isn't The Sound of Music." I kept on going on about how it couldn't be. And then Julie Andrews ran through some grass and started singing "The hills are alive..." and I was left red-faced - my normal ability to guess movies every time having been exposed as completely fallible! Anyway - the songs in this one are perhaps some of the best ever used in service to a story and cinema. Amazing movie. It nearly had to be on my list, but it was easy to leave off because I knew everyone else would vote for it.

Seen : 68/98

My #18 was Help! - Yep, I voted for three Beatles films. After Yellow Submarine made it, I thought Help! had a real chance. Then A Hard Day's Night showed, and I knew that was generally considered to be the superior one of their live-action movies. Still...I hoped and clung to that hope until late in the game...

https://i.postimg.cc/3wSsSMwz/help.jpg

You can't fault the music, and while the plot is cartoon stuff John, Paul, George and Ringo still have charm enough to carry this silly movie easily. I love it.

[Little Ash]

I'm a little sad (but not shocked) about a few of my choices that didn't make it and clearly now don't stand a chance.

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (very funny and silly)
The Great Muppet Caper (my favorite Muppet film, tied with Christmas Carol)
On-Gaku: Our Sound (a recent favorite)
Hairspray (I actually voted for the 2007 version, which I slightly prefer!)
The American Astronaut (but at least Stingray Sam made it)
Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India (a mix of a sports movie and a musical, I should not love it, yet I do!)
Annette (not that shocked, but I thought a few other people might have been more moved by just how different this film is)


Annette was #10 of 18 on my ballot. It didn't quite fully land for me, but was interesting.


Popstar - didn't cross my mind as a musical. Still not sure it does. Granted, a couple of months later, I am now going, "yeah, I should have included Inside Llewyn Davis on my ballot."

[Miss Vicky]

I'm a little sad (but not shocked) about a few of my choices that didn't make it and clearly now don't stand a chance.

The Great Muppet Caper (my favorite Muppet film, tied with Christmas Carol)
Hairspray (I actually voted for the 2007 version, which I slightly prefer!)
The American Astronaut (but at least Stingray Sam made it)


I technically voted for a Muppet movie, but mine stars characters that live on a certain street featured on PBS.

I wasn’t particularly fond of either version of Hairspray, but I maintain that the original is not a musical.

I considered voting for The American Astronaut, but there were too many qualifying movies that I liked more. If I had voted for it, it would have been towards the end and I don’t think it would have made a difference. I’m still a bit surprised that Stingray Sam made the top 50. I never imagined that would happen.

I haven’t seen the other movies you mentioned.

[SpelingError]

Here's the highest ranked film on my ballot which won't make the final list:

3) Le Million (1931, René Clair)
99016

[SpelingError]

1. All That Jazz
2. Dancer in the Dark
3. Le Million
4. The Burden
5. Cabaret
6. Inside Llewyn Davis
7. The Young Girls of Rochefort
8. Top Hat
12. Duck Soup
15. My Fair Lady
16. Meet Me in St. Louis
17. The Music Man
18. Mary Poppins
20. The Nightmare Before Christmas
22. The Rocky Horror Picture Show

[Miss Vicky]

My number 3 - The Broken Circle Breakdown - was also my highest placed movie that didn't make the cut. I kind of knew it wouldn't, but I'm still sad it didn't place. On my last rewatch, I actually rated it higher than my number 2 movie (Charlotte's Web), but placed it lower because it's not an easy watch and I wanted to give my childhood favorite the extra point.

Still, The Broken Circle Breakdown is a beautiful and devastating movie. If and when I eventually redo my personal top 100, it will certainly place high on it.

Here's my recent review of it:
100328

The Broken Circle Breakdown
(Felix van Groeningen, 2012)

This was my third viewing of this movie and although I have come to absolutely love it, this is a very tough watch. It's about two very different people who come together and fall in love, only to endure extreme heartache that tears them apart. It is at times uplifting and even funny and at other times bleak and devastating. And the gorgeous bluegrass music that runs through it echoes and amplifies those feelings.

This is by no means a traditional musical, but music is an integral part of its story and themes and Veerle Baetens and Johan Heldenbergh give incredibly powerful performances in both the acting and singing aspects. Indeed this movie's soundtrack is among my favorites with the covers of "Wayfaring Stranger" and "If I Needed You" being particular standouts, though there isn't a weak song in the bunch.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CkpDDngb1Ew

When it was announced that films like this would be eligible, I never had any doubt that The Broken Circle Breakdown would be very high on my ballot and after tonight's watch there is still not a shred of doubt.

5

[Little Ash]

My number 3 is Miklós Jancsó's The Confrontation, a movie that is... surprisingly hard to get good clips of with English subtitles.

https://arneadolfsen.wordpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/fc3a9nyes-szelek-005.jpg

https://youtu.be/7IbEHxBJpWc?si=KSEYXrX6C9PnsQW5

I was going to say, "if you're familiar with Jancsó's other films, such as The Red and The White," but then I went back and checked and saw that didn't make the top 100 War Movies Countdown (granted, I'm also tried to find a youtube video of its famous, long, opening scene, and only got a very abbreviated clip of it, often at low quality. All this technology and I can't get that). His movies have long takes as the camera, often shifting from who it follows in a given moment, emphasizing a shift in power dynamics, switching what loyalties the viewer might have with a viewer. The Red and The White and The Round-Up are his well known films that are generally bleak (and in black and white).

The Confrontation has a much more light-hearted veneer to it. Students (or possibly just young people) are staging a singing protest against... stuff. Some government, military-aligned figures that they want to join their protest, that shifts to a seminary school, where they want to convert people more over to religion. As the students at the school resist, the protestors shift tactics, internal divisions and politics shifts power dynamics amongst them, questionable tact is used (threats of physical coercion and ostracization), all accompanied by singing and dancing that is more folk dancing in nature than Hollywood choreography (which goes down easier for me). As stated, the veneer of being more light-hearted, as a lot of the power-dynamic themes that are present in The Red and The White also feel present here, despite the claims for unity, and the movie has darkly comic moments undercutting this.

And if my summary was incorrect, my apologies, I watched it in early 2023. I meant to rewatch it again before giving my write up here, but I've been busy with other things, such as getting more film noir in for this November season. Plus the holidays and all.

[Little Ash]

The past few posts makes it seem like #3 is the cursed spot on people's ballots.

[SpelingError]

The past few posts makes it seem like #3 is the cursed spot on people's ballots.

Imagine if the #3 film on the countdown somehow didn't make anyone's ballots.

[exiler96]

Yeah, the past few posts make me question who DID vote for all these movies to end up in the top 5 :laugh:

[honeykid]

The reason to see West Side Story is the incredible contemporary dance numbers to a pretty contemporary Jazz score from Leonard Bernstein.
In that case, there's no point. :D Dance is even worse and, depending on the musical, the worst part of a musical. And then the music is jazz. :facepalm:

That said, and for reasons I'll never understand, the first time I saw WSS I liked it. Quite a bit, actually. Of course the dance was too much and the jazz, but some of the songs were really good. Then I watched it again a couple of years later and couldn't get too far into it. Another year passed and I tried again and.... No. I don't know what it was about that first time, but I've not captured it again and, tbh, have little intention of trying again. But, if I happened upon it and had nothing else to do, I would try again just because I was really caught off guard that first time by liking it.

Also agree that "America" is the best song.


What is it that leads you to conclude you have no interest in even giving West Side Story a try? You're posting in this thread so I imagine you have some moderate or mild interest in musicals at least..
I don't think you have any idea just how off base you are here. I'm sure there are quite a few people who have little to no interest in musicals (which is one of the reasons why I voted for it because those who do have been campaigning for it for years and I wanted them to get their countdown) and I think this also contributes to how you feel about the list and the comments made. This isn't a list made by or for musical lovers. This is a list made by and for movie lovers and many, (I'd venture most?) of them are neutral to musicals at best?

This is a community list and so, the community post. That includes those like yourself who genuinely love and adore this stuff and have some of these films among your best and most loved films and those of us who hate them. For whom just hearing something is a musical is usually enough for it not to be seen, before we even get to who's in it or the story. But, I'd guess, most are in between. Who don't really love musicals, but do like some and are willing to give some/most a go unless there's another reason for not watching it. This is why there's so much Disney (along with the ages of the voters) and why most of the classics are here but not necessarily where a musical lovers list would probably have them.



Well, it finally appeared and as so, I have to make the joke about The Sound Of Music and how sad that ending is..... When the Nazis don't catch that annoying, warbling family. :D Didn't like the film, don't like Julie Andrews, don't like the songs, I just don't the film.

Hoping for Singin In The Rain to nab the #1 spot, but childhood nostalgia seems to be very strong with this list and so that Wizard may well take the top spot and I hate that film too. :D

By the end 8 of my top 10 will have appeared on this list. I'm not sure if I approve of that or not. :D

[kgaard]

My #3 will definitely show up today.

[MovieMeditation]

It’s actually quite exciting which one will be first place. I feel like it could be both.

[Wooley]

In that case, there's no point. :D Dance is even worse and, depending on the musical, the worst part of a musical. And then the music is jazz. :facepalm:

That said, and for reasons I'll never understand, the first time I saw WSS I liked it. Quite a bit, actually. Of course the dance was too much and the jazz, but some of the songs were really good.

Ah. I am a big fan of both Dance and Jazz. As well as Jazz Dance. And the last one may actually be because of West Side Story.

[Miss Vicky]

In that case, there's no point. :D Dance is even worse and, depending on the musical, the worst part of a musical.

My sentiments as well.

That said, and for reasons I'll never understand, the first time I saw WSS I liked it. Quite a bit, actually... Then I watched it again a couple of years later and couldn't get too far into it. Another year passed and I tried again and.... No. I don't know what it was about that first time, but I've not captured it again and, tbh, have little intention of trying again.

This sounds a lot like my experience with My Fair Lady.

This is a community list and so, the community post. That includes those like yourself who genuinely love and adore this stuff and have some of these films among your best and most loved films and those of us who hate them.
http://www.angelfire.com/music6/walteregan/smileys/wavey.gif

Firmly in that second category over here, despite being one of the voters and this being my 110th post in this thread. Not that Viddy will see this since I got put on ignore for rightly pointing out that he misread your post about 17 minute dance sequences. :laugh:

[iluv2viddyfilms]

What is it that leads you to conclude you have no interest in even giving West Side Story a try? You're posting in this thread so I imagine you have some moderate or mild interest in musicals at least..






I don't think you have any idea just how off base you are here. I'm sure there are quite a few people who have little to no interest in musicals (which is one of the reasons why I voted for it because those who do have been campaigning for it for years and I wanted them to get their countdown) and I think this also contributes to how you feel about the list and the comments made. This isn't a list made by or for musical lovers. This is a list made by and for movie lovers and many, (I'd venture most?) of them are neutral to musicals at best?

This is a community list and so, the community post. That includes those like yourself who genuinely love and adore this stuff and have some of these films among your best and most loved films and those of us who hate them. For whom just hearing something is a musical is usually enough for it not to be seen, before we even get to who's in it or the story. But, I'd guess, most are in between. Who don't really love musicals, but do like some and are willing to give some/most a go unless there's another reason for not watching it. This is why there's so much Disney (along with the ages of the voters) and why most of the classics are here but not necessarily where a musical lovers list would probably have them.

That's (your last couple of sentences) is what I was predicting when I saw how many Disney musicals were showing up by the time we were mid way through the list. Also I wouldn't call a clarifying question, in a discussion board of all places, off base because I was genuinely curious why you weren't interested in West Side Story since you participated in the countdown. I was curious if your lack of interest was similar to mine because initially I had no interest in a silly premise of two gangs battling it out through song and dance, but gave it a chance and somehow loved it because it worked so well.

But yeah, that makes sense that people participate in things where they are neutral or have little interest or would participate just to get the numbers up in the level of interest for a countdown. As I've stated, when looking at this list I'm only looking at it through the lens of film musicals, not stage musicals. What I mean by that is that I am perfectly confident to participate in a film musicals discussion/countdown, but wouldn't know the slightest if we were to talk stage musicals, as my interest is really primarily film.

That being said, do you like the genre of film musicals in general or would you include yourself in the category you named of those who hate them or just neutral? As for myself I don't particularly have a special affinity for musicals, but I do for great films... many of which happen to be musicals.

[Thursday Next]

OK, here we go...

[seanc]

My #3 will be 1 or 2. I won’t give it away, but it will certainly have me over the rainbow

[Thursday Next]

36lists576pointsThe Wizard of Oz (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/630-the-wizard-of-oz.html)Director
Victor Fleming, 1939

Starring
Judy Garland, Frank Morgan, Ray Bolger, Bert Lahr

[Thursday Next]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mm3ypbAbLJ8

[Thursday Next]

34lists601pointsSingin' in the Rain (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/872-singin-in-the-rain.html)Director
Gene Kelly, 1952

Starring
Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Jean Hagen

[Thursday Next]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swloMVFALXw

[Holden Pike]

102939

Singin’ in the Rain was #10 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 1950s, #50 on the MoFo Top 100 Comedies, #52 on the original MoFo Top 100, and #64 on the Top 100 Refresh. The Wizard of Oz was #1 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 1930s and #36 on the MoFo Top 100 Refresh.

[Citizen Rules]

I'm crying that these fine musicals from my ballot didn't make it.


My #2. The Pajama Game (1957)
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.JZbpA-NaBgHy9ZODVb09IQHaEK%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=68f854e22fe2f3e3672319d7c9549adb7d30a920f8208c2ab5de46093358d908&ipo=images
I'm a big fan of musicals with big splashy choreographed numbers and it doesn't get any better than the legendary choreographer Bob Fosse. His unique style drives the movie and is especially prominent in the numbers Steam Heat and Hernando's Hideaway. The art direction (sets, lights, costumes) are just fantastic.


My #11. King Creole (1958)
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.w58qaRXrgksflVORftEg2AHaEo%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=5d9f3687eb6c15fd7560c715ca1bf234446e89ca7287aa0b4caf3206b8eb1f95&ipo=images
I love the opening duet Crawfish that Elvis does with a street vendor, Kitty White. Trouble is my favorite song from the movie, Elvis opened his '68 Comeback Special with that song. Best of all, this is Elvis at the top of his game and in a noir directed by Michael Curtiz.


My #12. Guys and Dolls (1955)
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.LVLz71ggpKeV1KY214UafAAAAA%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=4de541568672a81b4805f96f936a8753312f0d188740800095f58dadd6d73974&ipo=images
A riotously colorfully musical starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons. Loved the slang tone of speaking by the gangsters and gamblers. That style of speech has been emulated ever since. Loved the story and musical numbers.


My #13. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
102934
Lots of great songs presented in what could be called an early music video style. Solid story line too. Elvis rocks this!


My #18. Holiday Inn (1942)
102937
I love the storyline here between Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby with their love interest getting in the way. Lots of great numbers and dance.


My #24. Beyond the Sea (2004)
https://madeinatlantis.com/movies_central/2004/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/beyond-the-sea-450x306.jpg
I knew this wouldn't make it but still I had to vote for it...Beyond The Sea, A story told in flashbacks as an older Bobby Darin whose health is failing, looks back on his early days as a singer, actor and his marriage to Sandra Dee.


My #25. Kiss Me Kate (1953)
102938
Kiss Me Kate is based on the stage play, go figure, which in turn is based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Howard Keel plays a likeable actor who has a high opinion of himself. His divorced wife, Kathryn Grayson is an actress who had enough of him and is now divorced. Keel wants her back but she's about to get married. Keel has a plan to convince his ex wife to appear on stage with him in a production of, get ready, The Taming of the Shrew.

[seanc]

Maybe the only prediction I got right the whole countdown comes on the last day.

One has the greatest sequence ever for a musical, the other has the best song every written for a musical. Both are delightful throughout.

Great job with the countdown Thursday

[Thursday Next]

If you would like to see the list of the top 100, it is on the second post of this thread here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2492943#post2492943).

[Thursday Next]

The Pajama Game and Guys and Dolls finished on 31 points, just outside the top 110.

[SpelingError]

The Wizard of Oz was #24 on my ballot. I like it, but I don't love it.

The Wizard of Oz (1939) - 4

I hadn't seen this film since I was a kid, so I was looking forward to rewatching it for this thread. I was curious whether I had outgrown it, but fortunately, I enjoyed it quite a lot. Even though it's a family film, it's packed with all kinds of unintentionally and intentionally scary set pieces. From the tornado, Miss Gulch's transformation into the witch, the introduction to the munchkins, the living trees, the introduction to the wizard, and the climax at the witches castle, it has a whole lot to offer. If you watch the film in the right state of mind, you'd find that it's a great balance of wonder and horror. I imagine that another viewing would get me to appreciate the scary parts even more, in fact. The film is also technically outstanding. While the tornado and the switch from sepia to color in the first act are the most famous technical set pieces, the film has plenty to offer in the Land of Oz as well. Yes, most of the backdrops in the film look obviously fake and the warmth of the poppy field scene had me wishing that more of the sets looked realistic, but the various towns, cities, and wooded areas in the film are richly detailed and have a massive level of craft. There's a lot to love about this film and, while I wouldn't call it a favorite yet, it may grow on me some more in the future.

It's been too long since I've seen Singin' in the Rain, so it didn't make my ballot. I may revisit it someday though.

[SpelingError]

1. All That Jazz (1979)
2. Dancer in the Dark
3. Le Million
4. The Burden (2017)
5. Cabaret
6. Inside Llewyn Davis
7. The Young Girls of Rochefort
8. Top Hat (1935)
9. Some Like it Hot
10. Dumbo
11. The Blue Angel
12. Duck Soup (1933)
13. Hellzapoppin' (1941)
14. Woodstock
15. My Fair Lady (1964)
16. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
17. The Music Man (1962)
18. Mary Poppins
19. Annette
20. The Nightmare Before Christmas
21. OPAL
22. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
23. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
24. The Wizard of Oz
25. Little Shop of Horrors

[Allaby]

The Wizard of Oz was my #1 and Singin' in The Rain was My #2. Two of my all time favourite films, both classics and masterpieces and not just great musicals, but great films. Great countdown everyone! Excellent job hosting Thursday.

Seen: 98/100

[SpelingError]

Also, excellent job hosting, Thursday!

[SpelingError]

Were the near misses posted yet, btw? I might've missed them.

[Allaby]

My ballot:

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
2. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
3. Frozen (2013)
4. The Sound of Music (1965)
5. The Lure (2015)
6. Into the Woods (2014)
7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
8. Doctor Dolittle (1967)
9. West Side Story (1961)
10. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
11. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
12. The Little Mermaid (1989)
13. Aladdin (1992)
14. The Lion King (1994)
15. Pinocchio (1940)
16. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
17. Annie (1982)
18. Curly Top (1935)
19. Bugsy Malone (1976)
20. Bright Eyes (1934)
21. Little Miss Broadway (1938)
22. Dear Evan Hansen (2021)
23. La La Land (2016)
24. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
25. A Week Away (2021)

[Thursday Next]

Were the near misses posted yet, btw? I might've missed them.

Yes, here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2508730#post2508730)

[SpelingError]

Yes, here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2508730#post2508730)

Aye, thanks. I'm sad Annette just missed out on the countdown, but hopefully some more people will check it out now.

[Thursday Next]

Aye, thanks. I'm sad Annette just missed out on the countdown, but hopefully some more people will check it out now.

Annette was on my watchlist, I just didn't get round to it in time.

I've linked the near misses on the second post now so people can find them more easily.

[seanc]

102941

I have seen 86/100

If we count the one pointer all 25 of mine made the list, because I remain now and forever a cinematic fraud.

[Miss Vicky]

The Wizard of Oz: In which an idiotic teenager lets her little dog bite the neighbor, then flees to a far away land where she murders a woman, steals her shoes, then takes up with three strange men, gets high on opiates, and also kills the dead woman’s sister.

If Dorothy only had a brain. :rolleyes:

Yeah, I REALLY don't like The Wizard of Oz. It's not my least favorite musical, but it's not that far off either. I watched Singin' In the Rain for this countdown. I respected some aspects of it but it's just not my kind of movie. I am happy to see it took the top position over Oz, though.

A big thank you to Thursday and Yoda for making this happen. Musicals are still definitely my least favorite movie genre, but I enjoyed this process far more than I thought I would.

Seen: 58/100
My Full Ballot:
1. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (#15)
2. Charlotte's Web (#79)
3. The Broken Circle Breakdown
4. Stingray Sam (#46)
5. Black Snake Moan
6. Walk the Line (#95)
7. Death to Smoochy
8. The Nightmare Before Christmas (#16)
9. Follow That Bird
10. A Mighty Wind
11. Les Misérables (#34)
12. Corpse Bride (#61)
13. Chicago (#21)
14. Dancer in the Dark (#20)
15. The Jungle Book (#63)
16. Enchanted
17. Crazy Heart
18. Coco
19. Love & Mercy
20. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
21. Alice in Wonderland (#48)
22. All Dogs Go to Heaven
23. Sing Street (#40)
24. Almost Famous
25. Joe's Apartment (One Pointer)

[MovieFan1988]

As I think of it now I could have at least got a 10 movies list going, oh well I still liked seeing how this countdown folds.

My list would probably be like this:

1. Anna and the Apocalypse (2017)
2. South Park: Bigger, Longer and Uncut (1999)
3. Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)
4. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
5. Lion King (1994)
6. School of Rock (2003)
7. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
8. Willy Wonka (1971)
9. Aladdin (1992)
10. Alvin and the Chipmunks (2007)

Thursday and Yoda did well putting this countdown together, hopefully the next countdown we get a 90's redo, I'm looking forward to it.

[Holden Pike]

This may be my worst ballot ever, in terms of number of films placed on the collective, with seven misses (I usually have only three or four). But at least my number one choice matched the rest of MoFo. And how could it have been anything else?

102942
Singin’ in the Rain is one of the most delightful, funny, rewatchable motion pictures Hollywood ever produced, Musical or otherwise. With 34 out of 52 of us voting for it, there’s no need to go into much detail. Gene Kelly is almost superhuman the way he moves, graceful and powerful, each muscle working to perfection with every sway and leap and spin, yet as athletic and precise as it is it seems almost effortless on screen. He was never more charming or bigger than life than here. Kelly's next picture, An American in Paris, would get all of the Academy Awards attention, but I will take this one over any and every Musical, including the post-modern ones that more suit my cinematic sensibility and worldview. Singin' in the Rain began with a cold business decision to utilize a catalogue of songs. That the resulting movie is so endlessly witty and timelessly fun must be Hollywood magic mixed with exactly the right craftsmen being assembled at exactly the right time, similar to Casablanca in that regard, that it almost accidentally turned into priceless film gold via alchemy. Peerless and immortal. "What am I, dumb or somethin'?"

HOLDEN’S COMPLETE BALLOT
1. Singin’ in the Rain (#1)
2. La La Land (#13)
3. Pennies from Heaven (#56)
4. Dancer in the Dark (#20)
5. A Hard Day’s Night (#23)
6. The Blues Brothers (#19)
7. That Thing You Do! (#31)
8. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (#11)
9. Bound for Glory (#DNP)
10. The Commitments (#107)
11. This is Spın̈al Tap (#55)
12. Hearts Beat Loud (#101)
13. A Star is Born (#43)
14. Hair (#47)
15. Sing Street (#40)
16. Xanadu (#DNP)
17. Amadeus (#97)
18. Once (#25)
19. The Muppets (#DNP)
20. Bye Bye Birdie (#DNP)
21. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (#69)
22. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
23. King Creole (#DNP)
24. My Fair Lady (#10)
25. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (#74)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeqgGeZVt1g

[Thursday Next]

Close but no cigar...

Both Funny Face and Sweet Charity were on four ballots, but not high enough to give them enough points to make the list. Funny Face got to around #127 with 26 points, while Sweet Charity made approximately #119 with 29.

[stillmellow]

1. All That Jazz (1979)
2. Dancer in the Dark
3. Le Million
4. The Burden (2017)
5. Cabaret
6. Inside Llewyn Davis
7. The Young Girls of Rochefort
8. Top Hat (1935)
9. Some Like it Hot
10. Dumbo
11. The Blue Angel
12. Duck Soup (1933)
13. Hellzapoppin' (1941)
14. Woodstock
15. My Fair Lady (1964)
16. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
17. The Music Man (1962)
18. Mary Poppins
19. Annette
20. The Nightmare Before Christmas
21. OPAL
22. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
23. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
24. The Wizard of Oz
25. Little Shop of Horrors



I see you. I see you Opal.

[Daniel M]

The right film won for me, I'm a big fan of The Wizard of Oz but Singin' in the Rain is THE musical.

I had it at number three behind Cherbourg and One From The Heart, so I'm glad that it topped the list. I have found the placement of some of these films very odd so I'm glad that this won. What a wonderful film.

[stillmellow]

1. Labyrinth (1986)
2. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
3. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
4. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
5. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
6. A Star Is Born (1954)
7. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
8. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
9. Yellow Submarine (1968)
10. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
11. The Lion King (1994)
12. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
13. Encanto (2021)
14. Mary Poppins (1964)
15. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
16. Coco (2017)
17. Chicago (2002)
18. The Muppet Movie (1979)
19. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
20. A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (1966)
21. Frozen (2013)
22. The Sound of Music (1965)
23. Guys and Dolls (1955)
24. The Little Mermaid (1989
25. Muppet Treasure Island (1996)


All in all, more of my movies made it than I expected. Most of the ones that didn't were Disney or Muppets. I'm still shocked Guys and Dolls didn't crack the top 100. I expected that to be top 50.

[John W Constantine]

MoFo Musicals (18 selections)

01* The Lion King (#6)
02* The Blues Brothers (#19)
03* Grease (#9)
04* The Jungle Book (#63)
05* Pink Floyd - The Wall (#41)

06* Aladdin (#22)
07 Dirty Dancing
08* A Hard Day's Night (#23)
09 Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
10 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

11* Beauty and the Beast (#12)
12* That Thing You Do! (#31)
13* Fantasia (#35)
14* Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
15* Phantom of the Paradise (#37)

16* Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (#5)
17* South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (#27)
18* My Fair Lady (#10)
19* The Little Mermaid (#49)
20 The Aristocats

21* Charlotte's Web (#79)
22 Top Secret!
23 Pocahontas
24* The Muppet Movie (#45)
25 Paint Your Wagon

Apparently Elvis is a blind spot for me cinema/wise.

[Citizen Rules]

A great 1,2,3 finish with The Sound of Music, The Wizard of Oz and Singin' in the Rain. I like them all! But didn't vote for any of them, though they deserve their top spots in the countdown. Congrats to everyone who did vote for them!

[Citizen Rules]

A BIG thanks to Thursday Next for hosting this! She did an amazing job, she didn't miss a beat and got a large turnout! Thanks so much for doing this for the MoFo Community!


And a BIG thanks to @Yoda (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=1) for all his hard work behind the scenes that's totally required to make these MoFo Countdowns happen. Much appreciated!


And one more thank you, and that's to all the MoFos who participated. You all rock, so take a bow:)

[John W Constantine]

The Wizard of Oz: In which an idiotic teenager lets her little dog bite the neighbor, then flees to a far away land where she murders a woman, steals her shoes, then takes up with three strange men, gets high on opiates, and also kills the dead woman’s sister.

If Dorothy only had a brain. :rolleyes:

If only it sync'd up with Dark Side of the Moon.

[MovieFan1988]

A BIG thanks to Thursday Next for hosting this! She did an amazing job, she didn't miss a beat and got a large turnout! Thanks so much for doing this for the MoFo Community!


And a BIG thanks to @Yoda (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=1) for all his hard work behind the scenes that's totally required to make these MoFo Countdowns happen. Much appreciated!


And one more thank you, and that's to all the MoFos who participated. You all rock, so take a bow:)

Now what about the ones that didn't participate but was here until the end without a complaint just sucked it up and went with it, damn I feel left out :D:D lol

[Citizen Rules]

Now what about the ones that didn't participate but was here until the end without a complaint just sucked it up and went with it, damn I feel left out :D:D lolThey get honorable mention:D

[MovieFan1988]

They get honorable mention:D

Sounds fair :D:D

[iluv2viddyfilms]

https://storage.googleapis.com/onmilwaukee-article-images/variants/giahp8kq4uurr3qnvc1aa208opzx/44487ed8fba0f2b82d9d5c8e9a98ed4b9d67f7c75e21d8b1a6cda1869e8697fd

Glad to see Singin' in the Rain at number one and The Wizard of Oz at number two. Both are universal and have survived the test of time and reach out to musical fans as well as non-musical fans. Moreover both have really transcended the form and medium of film to become something more as cultural touchstones and a part of the Americana canon.

What I find particularity interesting, speaking to Singin' in the Rain placing number one, is how initially An American in Paris was generally regarded as the definitive Kelly musical and over the years that has shifted. This list here in the tiny corner of the interwebs at MoFo also reflects that trend as An American in Paris is all the way down on the list at 42 as Singin' in the Rain placed number one. I don't know why that switch happened culturally, other than perhaps Singin' in the Rain has a more positive tone to it whereas An American in Paris has a darker undercurrent despite being a musical with generally upbeat song and dance numbers with a dark underbelly. Of course An American in Paris was released in 1950, only five years removed from World War II and featured a character who was a GI that fought in the war and stayed in Europe and hasn't exactly acclimated well to a post war environment and could very possibly even have PTSD. Of course the subject of PTSD wasn't explored as heavily as it is today or it was written off as being "shell shocked." There were some films, The Best Years of a Our Lives perhaps being the most prominent one to touch on that issue. I imagine as we moved further away in time down the decades from WWII and being as how An American in Paris handling of that topic is more subtext and less blatant/straight forward than a modern direct WWII film like Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List, it's just kind of been forgotten about over the years and considered less essential viewing.

I put Singin' in the Rain at number three because I weighed two particular things heavily in my decision for its placement ahead of An American in Paris: 1. The fact it is such a cultural touchstone and essential viewing and 2. I knew there was no chance for An American in Paris to be in the top spot, and didn't think my number one My Fair Lady would get the top spot, so if there was any film that I really advocated for which did have a chance at number one it was Singin' in the Rain.

But if you were to do the "gun to the head" test and ask me which is the better musical and if I had to justify my answer, I would without hesitation say An American in Paris.

One last thing, which I'll likely get into more later, but The Pirate is a brilliant film which far too few people have seen or even know about. It's the best of the Gene Kelly and Judy Garland pairings and with Vincente Minnelli you have the best musical actor, the best musical actress, and the best musical director of all time working to create a great piece of art. The Cole Porter music is spectacular and the Carribean setting of the film just makes the technicolor pop beautifully. Oh, and Singin' in the Rain redid the "Be a Clown" number into "Make em' Laugh." The Pirate is also in my top 100 films of all time too. It's a film that takes a minute or two to lay the groundwork, but once it does, it takes off at an insane breakneck pace. The "Nina" song is hilarious and soooo cool and Garland's "Mack the Black" is pure frantic energy and the premise of it that her character is doing this completely unaware and under hypnosis is just wild and out of this world. The Pirate ballet musical number features Gene Kelly at perhaps his most acrobatic and athletic best in his career on film and the "Be a Clown" bit he does with the Nicholas Brothers is so wonderful too. Just a fun film and Gene Kelly is completely satirizing, but in a humorous and reverent fashion the old swashbuckling epics and yarns of Douglas Fairbanks and Errol Flynn.

https://www.highdefdigest.com/uploads/jb/The-Pirate-Judy-Garland-Gene-Kelly.jpg

It's too bad so few people have seen The Pirate and it didn't make the list, but even at the time of its release it wasn't a hit either.

So by my count it looks like seven didn't appear on the list. All Dogs Go to Heaven was the only animated pick I had on my list, as I'll take ex-Disney album Don Bluth over the Mouse company any day of the week as his films (The Secret of Nimh, An American Tail, The Land Before Time, All Dogs Go to Heaven) seem more honest and less naive in how they present tragedy, death, etc in children's films than compared to Disney. They didn't have nearly the money, cultural clout, and resources that Disney had, but I think they're a better product. All Dogs Go to Heaven I figured would make the list, but perhaps very low on it. Sad to see it not show up.

Also I'm a big champion of Paint Your Wagon and Camelot, two Lerner and Loewe film musicals that don't get near the appreciation they deserve.

I understand the Red Shoes could be debated whether or not it counts as a musical, which I get, but I still had to put it on my list if there was even a chance it qualified as such, which I think it does.

Oh and Funny Face. I've already discussed it in this thread, but that Bohemian club jazz dance number thing Audrey does and the back and forth debating with Fred Astaire that leads up to it is about the best seven minutes or so of film you'll ever see. So there was no way I wasn't going to leave Funny Face off my list!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQQSbrMuPmM

My ballot:

1. My Fair Lady (10)
2. Cabaret (7)
3. Singin’ in the Rain (1)
4. The Wizard of Oz (2)
5. West Side Story (1961, Robert Wise) (4)
6. Dancer in the Dark (20)
7. The Pirate (1948, Vincente Minnelli) - DNP
8. Umbrellas of Cherbourg (11)
9. Pennies From Heaven (56)
10. A Woman is a Woman (1961, Godard) - (near miss 102) - DNP
11. An American in Paris (42)
12. Fiddler on the Roof (1971, Norman Jewison) (24)
13. Yankee Doodle Dandy (32)
14. Duck Soup (65)
15. The Red Shoes - DNP
16. Nashville (39)
17. All Dogs Go to Heaven - DNP
18. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971, Mel Stuart) (5)
19. A Star is Born (1954) (67)
20. Paint Your Wagon - DNP
21. Easter Parade (78)
22. 42nd Street (76)
23. Camelot - DNP
24. Funny Face - DNP
25. The Smiling Lieutenant (1931, Ernst Lubitsch) (96)

[Holden Pike]

Were the near misses posted yet, btw? I might've missed them.
Traditionally posted after #12 and #11 are revealed in the countdown, before we get to the Top Ten. Clicky HERE (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?anchor=1&p=2508730#post2508730).

[MovieFan1988]

So, I guess a 90's redo is next??

From the look of the May 2024 poll, 90's refresh was in 2nd place on the poll, while Musicals was the winner.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

102943

Oh and yeah, I have been known to routinely, but also randomly, jump up on to light posts and do the Singin' in the Rain pose, as in the picture here from a couple years ago in Kansas City.

[John W Constantine]

Maybe it should be open for discussion.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

So, I guess a 90's redo is next??

From the look of the May 2024 poll, 90's refresh was in 2nd place on the poll, while Musicals was the winner.

I'm good for whichever list we want to do. Has MoFo done a silent movies list or a sports movies list? I'm just trying to think of what ground maybe hasn't been covered.

[Little Ash]

At some point in my life I realized I had never seen The Wizard of Oz, which is one of those, somehow you know the plot without ever having seen it (probably due to all the parodies in children's cartoons or other renditions of the story. I mean, I've seen Wild at Heart). It didn't really even register in my head as a musical so it didn't even cross my mind it'd be in the countdown until people started making #1 predictions, back, halfway through.

It is currently in a weird spot of interest being - well, it sounds like it could be gonzo, some people love it, some people think it's mediocre, it seems to show up on a number of greatest films of all times list - it's #108 on the S&S critcs' 2022 poll. But I have also heard one person say, you have not truly seen it, until you've seen it on the big screen, for that transition to color. So, I'm kind of reserving watching it to, if there's an off chance it's showing at a repertory screening near me, I'll go to it with active curiosity, but also the knowledge I might actually hate it. I doubt I'll love it, but if one were to describe Singin' in the Rain, I'd also probably guess I wouldn't care for that.

However... if one were to think of what doesn't peak my interest in musicals, Singin' in the Rain seem to check all the boxes... and yet. It's fun, I like it, I enjoy. It's a romantic comedy, which I generally hate (there are some notable exceptions). It's got big musical performances. And yet... I laugh. It made me laugh (thinking about the romantic comedies I do like, it's the ones where I actually think the comedy lands for me). That's my best explanation. I think Stanley Donen might just have the right sense of humor for me, at least some of the time (I remember also enjoying his movie, Charade. I probably should have given Funny Face a shot). I think the montage of the rise of musicals was also Donen making of musicals of the previous era might be a sign of it (in an interview from much later in life, Donen said, he was immature at the time and felt they were silly movies and didn't give them much mind, but came to appreciate their artistry later in life. Maybe some day I'll become like that. But maybe not). So while I penalized it heavily on my ballot since I was trying to get musicals that people who normally don't like musicals might like (and also because I knew it wasn't going to need the love), there was no way it wasn't going to be on my ballot.


All That Jazz (1979) (#17)
Cabaret (1972) (#7)
The Confrontation (1969)
Phantom of the Paradise (1974) (#37)
The Lure (2015) (#51)
The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (#14)
Dancer in the Dark (2000) (#20)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) (#16)
Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (#18)
Annette (2021)
The Wicker Man (1973)
Tommy (1975) (#92)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) (#15)
Singin' in the Rain (1952) (#1)
Once (2007) (#25)
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) (#11)
Sweet Charity (1969)
Red Psalm (1972)


I would say the traditional musicals on my ballot were: The Nightmare Before Christmas, Little Shop of Horrors, Singin' in the Rain, and Sweet Charity (especially the latter half).

This might be recency bias, but I feel like this is the most my ballot has overlapped with the final countdown despite (or maybe because of) sending in only a partial ballot. Especially when factoring in how much of my ballot was in the top 25.

[exiler96]

I love parts in Singin' in the Rain... I'm not crazy about the whole of it.

MY BALLOT:

1. Once (2007) - :indifferent: :indifferent:
2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
3. The Lion King (1994)
4. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
5. Corpse Bride (2005)
6. Anastasia (1997)
7. The Blues Brothers (1980)
8. Nashville (1975)
9. Velvet Goldmine (1998)
10. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
12. West Side Story (1961)
13. An American in Paris (1951)
14. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
15. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
16. I'm Not There. (2007)
17. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
18. Pink Floyd - The Wall (1982)
19. Hamilton (2020)
20. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
21. All That Jazz (1979)
22. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
23. Chicago (2002)
24. The Producers (1967)
25. The Boy Friend (1971) - @ those who watched it based on my rec, hope you enjoyed it for what it was!

And thanks to Thursday Next for doing this and everyone who contributed... this was a fun project to follow! :beatty:

[Gideon58]

I love parts in Singin' in the Rain... I'm not crazy about the whole of it.

MY BALLOT:

1. Once (2007) - :indifferent: :indifferent:
2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
3. The Lion King (1994)
4. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
5. Corpse Bride (2005)
6. Anastasia (1997)
7. The Blues Brothers (1980)
8. Nashville (1975)
9. Velvet Goldmine (1998)
10. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
11. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
12. West Side Story (1961)
13. An American in Paris (1951)
14. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
15. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (2007)
16. I'm Not There. (2007)
17. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
18. Pink Floyd - The Wall (1982)
19. Hamilton (2020)
20. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
21. All That Jazz (1979)
22. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
23. Chicago (2002)
24. The Producers (1967)
25. The Boy Friend (1971) - @ those who watched it based on my rec, hope you enjoyed it for what it was!

And thanks to Thursday Next for doing this and everyone who contributed... this was a fun project to follow! :beatty:

Once at #1? Seriously? That movie bored me to death.

[MovieFan1988]

I'm good for whichever list we want to do. Has MoFo done a silent movies list or a sports movies list? I'm just trying to think of what ground maybe hasn't been covered.

No, they haven't done either of those, I don't think

[stillmellow]

102943

Oh and yeah, I have been known to routinely, but also randomly, jump up on to light posts and do the Singin' in the Rain pose, as in the picture here from a couple years ago in Kansas City.




Showoff

[Thief]

I love The Wizard of Oz. I recently revisited it with my kids and wrote something about it (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2509577-the-wizard-of-oz.html). Bottom line, it is a magical film full of great characters and wonderful songs. I had it at #3.

As for Singin' in the Rain, I like it a lot too. I do think the film feels like a set of vignettes and bits tied together, but they're all really fun vignettes and bits. The cast is great, the titular song is iconic, and the rest of the songs are catchy and fun. I had it at #8.

Here's where I stand...

SEEN: 38/100
MY BALLOT: 19/25


1. Moulin Rouge! (#30)
2. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
3. The Wizard of Oz (#2)
4. Once (#25)
5. La La Land (#13)
6. Aladdin (#22)
7. An American in Paris (#42)
8. Singin' in the Rain (#1)
9. Cabin in the Sky (#103)
10. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (#110)
11. The Lion King (#6)
12. Inside Llewyn Davis (#53)
13. Moana (#68)
14. Sing Street (#40)
15.
16. My Fair Lady (#10)
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
18. Chicago (#21)
19. Mary Poppins (#8)
20. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (#5)
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22.
23.
24.
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)


Will share the ones that didn't make it from my list later tonight.

[Thief]

I will echo any gratitude and nice words said to Thursday Next for a great work. And, as usual, to Yoda for always keeping things running smoothly.

[Thief]

This is my favorite musical number from Singin' in the Rain. Also, can I say that, as great as Gene Kelly is, Donald O'Connor is just amazing here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tciT9bmCMq8

[KeyserCorleone]

I would switch the two winners. Singin' in the Rain has a couple glaring continuity errors that put it at 99 instead of 100. But there's something else that Wizard has over Singin'. See, Singin' is timeless in the sense that it's an early piece of cinema that you go back on as a basic film buff. Wizard of Oz not only has music that holds up by today's standards, but special effects that use its dated charm as a modern cartoon revolution. That's a totally different level of timeless.

[MovieMeditation]

F*ck yes! The order I had guessed for and hoped for!

I also had Singin’ in the Rain at #1. Of course. Seen it many times and it’s only gotten better each time for me.

Gene Kelly was a genius and the film is just the perfect musical basically. Great and fun story paired with good songs and breathtaking dancing and choreography!

As for Wizard of Oz, it was my my #3. Another really great musical where the feel is just right. I do feel like Singin’ in the Rain is the stronger musical though, while this one is more a great family film with adventurous fun.

Overall, the perfect closing to another MoFo Top 100. Well done, Thursday Next!

[Wooley]

For what it's worth...

1. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
2. The Music Man (1962)
3. West Side Story (1961)
4. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
5. My Fair Lady (1964)
6. Oliver! (1968)
7. Grease (1978)
8. Cabaret (1972)
9. Cabin in the Sky (1943)
10. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
11. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
12. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
13. The Blues Brothers (1980)
14. Camelot (1967)
15. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
16. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
17. Mary Poppins (1964)
18. Oklahoma! (1955)
19. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
20. White Christmas (1954)
21. Boys Town (1938)
22. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
23. Top Hat (1935)
24. Show Boat (1951)
25. Rock & Rule (1983)

Boys Town was a mistake it was supposed to be Going' My Way but I got the titles confused.
I chose between Top Hat and Swing Time and in retrospect I think I would have chosen Swing Time.

And thank you very, very much, Thursday Next.

[Citizen Rules]

I'm good for whichever list we want to do. Has MoFo done a silent movies list or a sports movies list? I'm just trying to think of what ground maybe hasn't been covered.All that work I did...your answer is here:https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2179163#post2179163

[Citizen Rules]

My ballot.
*made it.
- didn't make it

*1. The Music Man (1962).......#29
-2. The Pajama Game (1957)
*3. South Pacific (1958)...#54
*4. Calamity Jane (1953)...#84
*5. Oklahoma! (1955)....#50
*6. Fiddler on the Roof (1971).....#24
*7. Stingray Sam (2009)........#46
*8. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)...#71
*9. White Christmas (1954)...#82
*10. Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933)...#88
-11. King Creole (1958)
-12. Guys and Dolls (1955)
-13. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
*14. Top Hat (1935)...................#58
*15. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)....#11
*16. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)......#33
*17. The Sound of Music (1965)........#3
-18. Holiday Inn (1942)
*19. All That Jazz (1979)..........#17
* 20. Pennies from Heaven (1981)...#75
* 21. Funny Girl (1968)...#77
*22. A Star Is Born (1954)...#67
*23. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)...#69
-24. Beyond the Sea (2004)
-25. Kiss Me Kate (1953)

[Thief]

I'm good for whichever list we want to do. Has MoFo done a silent movies list or a sports movies list? I'm just trying to think of what ground maybe hasn't been covered.

We did. We just don't talk about it.


https://i.makeagif.com/media/1-30-2023/rtmm0E.gif

[Miss Vicky]

We did. We just don't talk about it.


https://i.makeagif.com/media/1-30-2023/rtmm0E.gif

We did a Pre-1930s List in 2019. (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?t=60190) I'm not familiar enough with them to know if any are talkies but I'm sure most are not.

[kgaard]

I've seen a lot of scary movies, but The Wizard of Oz is the only movie that's ever given me nightmares. Of course, like a lot of people, I watched it for the first time when I was a kid (probably 5 or 6?) and Mrs. Gulch transforming into the witch terrified me. So I avoided watching it again for a long time, well past the point when I rationally knew it was not a scary movie. But about 15(?) years ago it was being shown on a big screen nearby, so I finally went to see it again. Of course it was no longer scary and (unlike like my childhood memory) it was not quite the lengthy epic I had remembered. And while it isn't in my pantheon of top movies, it is certainly good enough to make my list here, at #18.

Singin' in the Rain is, as previously hinted, my #3. Only personal, sentimental favorites (Hedwig and The Muppet Movie) could keep this immensely enjoyable film from the #1 spot. Not at all surprised to see it atop the overall list.

A big thank you for all of your work on this to Thursday Next!

Only one movie from my list did not make it onto the top 100, the (admittedly marginally musical) Dietrich-starrer The Blue Angel, at #22. Here is my complete list:

1. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) (#15)
2. The Muppet Movie (1979) (#45)
3. Singin' in the Rain (1952) (#1)
4. Moana (2016) (#68)
5. Cabaret (1972) (#7)
6. Chicago (2002) (#21)
7. A Hard Day's Night (1964) (#23)
8. The Sound of Music (1965) (#3)
9. Pinocchio (1940) (#26)
10. Mary Poppins (1964) (#8)
11. The Music Man (1962) (#29)
12. My Fair Lady (1964) (#10)
13. Once (2007) (#25)
14. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999) (#27)
15. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) (#24)
16. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) (#38)
17. Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (#18)
18. The Wizard of Oz (1939) (#2)
19. West Side Story (1961) (#4)
20. Labyrinth (1986) (#28)
21. Phantom of the Paradise (1974) (#37)
22. The Blue Angel (1930)
23. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) (#11)
24. Nashville (1975) (#39)
25. The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) (#52)

Interestingly, 7 from my list made the top 10, 10 made the top 20, and a whopping 18 made the top 30.

[Takoma11]

Been on my "must watch" list for quite a while now - I've heard a few of the songs and seen some clips. It might have had some help from me if I'd finally seen it.

It's very silly, and maybe not "weighty" enough to get votes. I hope you like it. It has one part that makes me laugh out loud just thinking about it.

I considered voting for The American Astronaut, but there were too many qualifying movies that I liked more. If I had voted for it, it would have been towards the end and I don’t think it would have made a difference. I’m still a bit surprised that Stingray Sam made the top 50. I never imagined that would happen..

I have a lot of affection for American Astronaut because it's a film I've watched off and on for almost 15 years. I'll be interested to see how I compare it to Stingray Sam when the recency bias fades a bit.

One of the movies on my ballot that didn't make it was Starstruck, which I know you didn't love, but I appreciate you watching in your thread!

[Takoma11]

My number 3 - The Broken Circle Breakdown - was also my highest placed movie that didn't make the cut. I kind of knew it wouldn't, but I'm still sad it didn't place. On my last rewatch, I actually rated it higher than my number 2 movie (Charlotte's Web), but placed it lower because it's not an easy watch and I wanted to give my childhood favorite the extra point.

While it wasn't on my list, I know it is very well liked around here, and I thought it might place somewhere in the #100-75 range.

[exiler96]

Once at #1? Seriously? That movie bored me to death.

Thanks for letting me know my favorite musical bored you so much Gideon :laugh:

[LAMb EELYAK]

We did. We just don't talk about it.


https://i.makeagif.com/media/1-30-2023/rtmm0E.gif


https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Flookaside.fbsbx.com%2Flookaside%2Fcrawler%2Fmedia%2F%3Fmedia_id%3D950546403745024&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=5d1e9b8c9c367c515b4a861f1d12172145f9a70dfcd778ec796d10e4aab79258&ipo=images

[LAMb EELYAK]

I've seen a lot of scary movies, but The Wizard of Oz is the only movie that's ever given me nightmares.


We moved around the time I turned four. Sometime later, I dreamed my mom took me back to the old house and the Wicked Witch of the West was sitting on the lawn in a rocking chair, knitting.

[WHITBISSELL!]

Today's finishing picks deserve their respective spots. The SURRENDER DOROTHY scene from The Wizard of Oz traumatized me as a kid :p and Singin' in the Rain is what anyone should think of whenever the word "musical" is mentioned. Thank you to Thursday Next and Yoda for making this happen. This was almost as much fun as the Top 100 Noir countdown which is saying a lot.

Ended up watching only 32 of the 100. Almost a third. I'll take it. 16 of my 25 picks made the Top 100.

1. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
2. The Blues Brothers
3. Singin' in the Rain
4. The Wizard of Oz
5. Cinderella (1965)
6. The Unsinkable Molly Brown
7. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
8. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
9. Purple Rain (1984)
10. Robin and the 7 Hoods
11.Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory
12.Mary Poppins
13. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
14. Help!
15. Tommy (1975)
16. The Bob's Burgers Movie
17. Gigi (1958)
18. Cabaret
19. Li'l Abner
20. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
21. A Night at the Opera
22. The American Astronaut
23. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
24. Corpse Bride (2005)
25. Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny

[LAMb EELYAK]

Seen 61/100.


1. A Star Is Born (2018) - #43
2. The Lion King (1994) - #6
3. La La Land (2016) - #13
4. Yesterday (2019)
5. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)
6. Mary Poppins (1964) - #8
7. The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) - #96
8. Into the Woods (2014) - #86
9. Mulan (1998)
10. Singin' in the Rain (1952) - #1
11. Newsies (1992)
12. West Side Story (2021) - #90
13. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
14. Elvis (2022)
15. Vox Lux (2018)
16. Rocketman (2019) - #91
17. Spirited (2022)
18. One Hour with You (1932)
19. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - #2
20. Funny Girl (1968) - #77
21. Chicago (2002) - #21
22. A Star Is Born (1954) - #67
23. Peter Pan (1953)
24. Pocahontas (1995)
25. Commentary! The Musical (2008) - One-pointer

[Gideon58]

Seen 61/100.


1. A Star Is Born (2018) - #43
2. The Lion King (1994) - #6
3. La La Land (2016) - #13
4. Yesterday (2019)
5. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)
6. Mary Poppins (1964) - #8
7. The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) - #96
8. Into the Woods (2014) - #86
9. Mulan (1998)
10. Singin' in the Rain (1952) - #1
11. Newsies (1992)
12. West Side Story (2021) - #90
13. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
14. Elvis (2022)
15. Vox Lux (2018)
16. Rocketman (2019) - #91
17. Spirited (2022)
18. One Hour with You (1932)
19. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - #2
20. Funny Girl (1968) - #77
21. Chicago (2002) - #21
22. A Star Is Born (1954) - #67
23. Peter Pan (1953)
24. Pocahontas (1995)
25. Commentary! The Musical (2008) - One-pointer

I’ve never heard of four of the movies on this list

[Thief]

Ok, here is my full list...



1. Moulin Rouge! (#30)
2. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
3. The Wizard of Oz (#2)
4. Once (#25)
5. La La Land (#13)
6. Aladdin (#22)
7. An American in Paris (#42)
8. Singin' in the Rain (#1)
9. Cabin in the Sky (#103)
10. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (#110)
11. The Lion King (#6)
12. Inside Llewyn Davis (#53)
13. Moana (#68)
14. Sing Street (#40)
15. 8 Mile (DNP)
16. My Fair Lady (#10)
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
18. Chicago (#21)
19. Mary Poppins (#8)
20. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (#5)
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22. Rudderless (DNP)
23. Anna and the Apocalypse (DNP)
24. Rock Star (DNP)
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)


My #15 was 8 Mile, which I came to see last year I think. I really enjoyed watching what Eminem brought to the table as an actor, and he really had some great singing moments. You can read my review here (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2328247-8_mile.html).

My #22 was Rudderless, which if I'm not mistaken was brought by Citizen Rules? to a Hall of Fame or something? Anyway, it has its flaws, but I really enjoyed the music and spent a good couple of weeks with the soundtrack in regular rotation. You can read my review here (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2169219-rudderless.html).

By this point, I was already scrambling for what to include, but that shouldn't be seen as a slight on the next two. My #23 was Anna and the Apocalypse. When I read the synopsis, I had high expectations for it and, although it really didn't blow my mind, I still credit it for its creative premise, some really fun moments, and solid songs.

Finally, my #24 was a really nostalgic pick, and one that I haven't seen in decades. I went with Mark Wahlberg's Rock Star. Arguably not a good film, but at the time I saw it, it checked most of the boxes in terms of what I listen(ed), which is mostly 80s rock. I bought the soundtrack and wore it out at the time.

Like I said through the course of the countdown, on hindsight, there were a couple of ones that I missed, either consciously or not, that would've probably been more deserving of those last 2 or 3 spots; most notably South Park and maybe Nightmare Before Christmas... but for the most part, I'm happy with how my ballot ended.

[mrblond]

My #4 was L'homme orchestre [The One Man Band] (1970)

A brilliant comedy with musical numbers and dances, featuring the one and only Louis de Funès as the strict manager of a female dancing troupe. I've seen this film dozen of times and the famous introductory scene with the cars hundreds of times.

102956
102957

[LAMb EELYAK]

I’ve never heard of four of the movies on this list


Which ones?

[Citizen Rules]

Ok, here is my full list...



1. Moulin Rouge! (#30)
2. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
3. The Wizard of Oz (#2)
4. Once (#25)
5. La La Land (#13)
6. Aladdin (#22)
7. An American in Paris (#42)
8. Singin' in the Rain (#1)
9. Cabin in the Sky (#103)
10. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (#110)
11. The Lion King (#6)
12. Inside Llewyn Davis (#53)
13. Moana (#68)
14. Sing Street (#40)
15. 8 Mile (DNP)
16. My Fair Lady (#10)
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
18. Chicago (#21)
19. Mary Poppins (#8)
20. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (#5)
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22. Rudderless (DNP)
23. Anna and the Apocalypse (DNP)
24. Rock Star (DNP)
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)


My #22 was Rudderless, which if I'm not mistaken was brought by @Citizen Rules (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=84637)? to a Hall of Fame or something? Anyway, it has its flaws, but I really enjoyed the music and spent a good couple of weeks with the soundtrack in regular rotation. You can read my review here (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2169219-rudderless.html).Nope not me, it must have been UsualSuspect in the 24th HoF, you were in that HoF too. I forgot about that movie, but in reading my review apparently I like it!

[cricket]

1. The Blues Brothers (#19)
2. The Wizard of Oz (#2)
3. Umbrellas of Cherbourg (#11)
4. Singin' in the Rain (#1)
5. Charlotte's Web (#79)
6. Across the Universe (2007)
https://31.media.tumblr.com/f1a8304636f244e276222eef554ce61e/tumblr_mgppzbwOZF1r3la89o1_1280.gif
7. Stingray Sam (#46)
8. Grease (#9)
9. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (#15)
10. The Lure (#51)
11. Yankee Doodle Dandy (#32)
12. Bugsy Malone (1976)
https://i.gifer.com/1I4R.gif
13. Dancer in the Dark (#20)
14. A Star is Born 2018 (#43)
15. Sing Street (#40)
16. Once (#25)
17. Calamity Jane (#84)
18. Porgy and Bess (1959)
https://a.ltrbxd.com/resized/sm/upload/my/6r/wf/dw/h7XT87IrWzQ5TjBwk7VZeaP4hRh-1200-1200-675-675-crop-000000.jpg?v=3d447a2ffb
19. The Lion King (#6)
20. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
21. A Star is Born 1954 (#67)
22. La La Land (#13)
23. Pink Floyd - The Wall (#41)
24. The Young Girls of Rochefort (#36)
25. 42nd Street (#76)

Thank you for all of your work Thursday Next!

[mrblond]

-----
My Ballot
▽
1. All That Jazz (1979) [#17]
2. Pink Floyd - The Wall (1982) [#41]
3. Mary Poppins (1964) [#8]
4. L'homme orchestre [The One Man Band] (1970)
5. Everyone Says I Love You (1996) [#73]
6. Billy Elliot (2000)
7. Monty Python's The Meaning of Life (1983) [#99]
8. The Rose (1979)
9. Amadeus (1984) [#97]
10. Hair (1979) [#47]
11. Flashdance (1983)
12. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) [#59]
13. Dancer in the Dark (2000) [#20]
14. The Muppet Movie (1979) [#45]
15. Cabaret (1972) [#7]
16. Rocketman (2019) [#91]
17. Kidnapping, Caucasian Style (1967)
18. Oliver! (1968) [#44]
19. The Pokrovsky Gates (1982)
20. The Snow Queen (1957)
21. La La Land (2016) [#13]
22. Funny Face (1957) [#127]
23. The Sound of Music (1965) [#3]
24. Singin' in the Rain (1952) [#1]
25. The Gypsy Camp Vanishes Into the Blue (1975) [one pointer]

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/9rfMZtBy6cJbkWR2rY8CxLZZd3S.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/jshxdvf8A7oQqBAH3GFwXRwDyCX.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/ei8hhYCMfURfPOXKBnyl61be2iV.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/b6IYXmSNkWPSrDG8wyUisEP0c8n.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/Mn1eql8AHHo2MTiwF7VwiHfoOu.jpg

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/rwvOu8fHQt8LoI3TkFgQ2IZ2evj.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/81Po3VN1Bc0xNeTULKTUUlpq7ur.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/w1QqD3yb23KVGbFYmqIs1jyMCzr.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/tsqcwBp1jYZdcceXXoVEby0dZkt.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/qrZIlVCL9UyEBsgOGbisNzuWjX.jpg

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/yqacP0KZHd5FcurxKFpg3WZjuFk.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/vFgAKNdJdQp4LExhwSqFYxPa4XT.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/tjWa4JBdxomtoojZr7dPIgJZgiX.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/g4xw8UUdpvmMg0kKbhD1dJvHqDH.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/1RmUfX3LcS897GhUWrWp5nRADo4.jpg

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/f4FF18ia7yTvHf2izNrHqBmgH8U.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/orp7Ec8fDDHXFYnAjOPWsuF0Dhe.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/1PdONz8NKpEVRJU9Lkcmg7F8aAQ.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/fVFIKUnNpfZjjLhbw7O70eoJnDf.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/ptCK2qAyGEmQBys3cImY6o6qAyp.jpg

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/q0dsNZOuSKzAdZod9ohPXJ4GQUs.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/1CW8Wn2itBQ7wACBQHpOyIbPpmD.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/5qQTu2iGTiQ2UvyGp0beQAZ2rKx.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/w03EiJVHP8Un77boQeE7hg9DVdU.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w154/1AIhyecxthQuvJNvPC4cKxTxCRp.jpg

-----

[iluv2viddyfilms]

All that work I did...your answer is here:https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2179163#post2179163

Not for nothing, I've used it before. It's a great resource and it's how I went back and looked at some of the other lists like westerns which I missed the countdown. I just didn't see Silent or Sports movies anywhere, but thought I could have easily missed it.

[Citizen Rules]

Not for nothing, I've used it before. It's a great resource and it's how I went back and looked at some of the other lists like westerns which I missed the countdown. I just didn't see Silent or Sports movies anywhere, but thought I could have easily missed it.Yeah that makes sense. Technically we didn't do a Silent countdown as it was Pre 30s which included a few talkies. We haven't done a sports countdown.

The general buzz was that a 90s redux countdown was highly favored. Now if we could agree by a straw poll show of hands that we still favor doing the 1990s next, maybe we could get it starter sooner than later.

Who's for doing the 90s countdown next???

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Showoff

I was showing off what great walkway and infrastructure maintenance Kansas City has!

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Who's for doing the 90s countdown next???

Viddy - Aye

COUNT:
So far that's:

1 aye
0 nays

[Citizen Rules]

1990s Redux Countdown next?

Citizen votes: aye

Count:
2 ayes
0 nays

[MovieFan1988]

Yeah that makes sense. Technically we didn't do a Silent countdown as it was Pre 30s which included a few talkies. We haven't done a sports countdown.

The general buzz was that a 90s redux countdown was highly favored. Now if we could agree by a straw poll show of hands that we still favor doing the 1990s next, maybe we could get it starter sooner than later.

Who's for doing the 90s countdown next???

I'm 100% in with doing 90's next, all I need is the greenlight that were doing it, and I'll start doing 90s rewatches and watching new movies that I haven't seen from that decade:)

Moviefan votes: aye

Count:
3 ayes
0 nays

[SpelingError]

We should do a 2030s countdown next.

[MovieFan1988]

We should do a 2030s countdown next.

2020s you mean

[SpelingError]

2020s you mean

No, I meant 2030s as I was joking with my post.

[MovieFan1988]

No, I meant 2030s as I was joking with my post.

oh ok lol

[beelzebubble]

Everyone seems to be posting their lists, so here goes...
1. The Sound of Music (1965)
2. Oklahoma! (1955)
3. Gigi (1958)
4. My Fair Lady (1964)
5. South Pacific (1958)
6. Cinderella (1965)
7. Pitch Perfect (2012)
8. Frozen (2013)
9. Godspell: A Musical Based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew (1973)
10. Hair (1979)
11. Funny Girl (1968)
12. West Side Story (1961)
13. Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)
14. In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
15. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
16. All That Jazz (1979)
17. De-Lovely (2004)
18. Cabaret (1972)
19. The Phantom of the Opera (2004)


This is not what I would have chosen for my list, but again I submitted before I completed it.
I have only one thing to say that may be controversial.
I hate La La Land. I found it to be a huge let down.


The only movie that hasn't been on the top 100 list that I wish I had added to me list was Velvet Goldmine.
Also Delovely is wonderful. It stars Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd with the music and life storu of the great Cole Porter.

[SpelingError]

Anyways, I'm cool with a 90's countdown next.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

We should do a 2030s countdown next.

Let me know how Disney films or MCU films did in back the 2030's so I can go ahead and buy stock Disney stock now!

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Everyone seems to be posting their lists, so here goes...

4. My Fair Lady (1964)

I hate La La Land. I found it to be a huge let down.




Thanks for voting up My Fair Lady and helping it clinch a top 10 spot which it barely snuck in.

Just curious what your issues were with La La Land. I know I've mentioned it before, but while I don't hate it, I thought it was a let down giving the amazing premise and story and for what it could have been. It's a film that I wanted to like a lot more than I actually do.

So I don't hate it, I'd give it a B+ or A- as a fair objective rating, but I do remember around the time it came out in 2016 or early 2017 or so it was being heralded as the greatest film musical since Vincente Minnelli walked the Earth and it wasn't.

[PHOENIX74]

Who's for doing the 90s countdown next???

Yes! That makes 6 I think

https://media3.giphy.com/media/EoCPvzEv8Ha0g/200w.gif?cid=6c09b952zaqp0ofsm4d8l7q10p5isx29ujvmazun8uoekf6o&ep=v1_gifs_search&rid=200w.gif&ct=g

[PHOENIX74]

2. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - The only pre-1960s film to make it onto my ballot, which goes to show how amazing it is. Do classic films come any bigger? Does a montage devoted to the history of film ever leave it out? This has been enchanting movie lovers for nearly a century and will go on doing that for another. There's something intrinsic to it's magic that can't be recaptured by technology or the largesse films allow themselves these days. One of the very first full-length reviews I wrote here was for The Wizard of Oz, you can find it here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2241200#post2241200). I had it at #17 on my ballot.

1. Singing in the Rain (1952) - If I'd watched Singing in the Rain again before this countdown it may have forced it's way onto my ballot - but like with The Sound of Music, I did sacrifice a few of the films that didn't need my help so I could promote musicals that had a special place in my heart but wouldn't have had room for inclusion if I'd gone with them. Singing in the Rain has the stamina to still top lists like this one over 70 years since it's release - which is something I find amazing.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seen : 70/100
I'd never even heard of : 11/100
Movies that had been on my radar, but I haven't seen yet : 19/100
Films from my list : 20 + 1

#2 - My #17 - The Wizard of Oz (1939)
#4 - My #21 - West Side Story (1961)
#9 - My #9 - Grease (1978)
#11 - My #12 - The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
#14 - My #3 - The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
#15 - My #4 - Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
#20 - My #2 - Dancer in the Dark (2000)
#21 - My #10 - Chicago (2002)
#23 - My #15 - A Hard Day's Night (1964)
#24 - My #11 - Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
#28 - My #7 - Labyrinth (1986)
#37 - My #1 - Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
#41 - My #6 - Pink Floyd - The Wall (1982)
#44 - My #13 - Oliver! (1968)
#47 - My #14 - Hair (1979)
#59 - My #5 - Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)
#60 - My #23 - Annie (1982)
#72 - My #22 - Yellow Submarine (1968)
#92 - My #8 - Tommy (1975)
One-pointer - My #25 - Shock Treatment (1981)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
#108 - My #16 - Evita (1996)

[Omnizoa]

I haven't seen Singin' in the Rain. I know it's popular, I've just never been persuaded to watch it.

I did, however, manage to squeeze in a rewatch of The Wizard of Oz before this countdown, though I didn't review it.

I hadn't seen it in honestly forever, so I was a little surprised by some of the munchkin dialog, which I feel like I could always remember the melody of, but their voices were so chipmunked that I never knew what the **** they were saying, particularly with regard to the "Munchkin Coroner", which, as a concept, I assume just flew over my head the last time I saw it.


The Lion's costume aged terribly (by which I mean it's always looked bad), but otherwise I think the movie holds up pretty well, even though I think I have an overall preference for Return to Oz, which is not a musical, and feels closer to the darker reimagining of Alice in Wonderland I mentioned.

I put The Wizard of Oz at #12.

Had I seen Wicked prior to my list, I'd have probably placed it just under The Wizard of Oz, though it could have surpassed it had they not cut the play in half and artificially padded it out to make a 2 and a half hour ****ing runtime. It could have been so much better than it was.


My incomplete list was:

1. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) [16]
2. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) [5]
3. Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
4. The Prince of Egypt (1998) [94]
5. Beauty and the Beast (1991) [12]
6. The Lion King (1994) [6]
7. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968)
8. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
9. Annie (1982) [60]
10. Aladdin (1992) [22]
11. The Little Mermaid (1989) [49]
12. The Wizard of Oz (1939) [2]
13. The Producers (2005)
14. James and the Giant Peach (1996)


I am of course the most disappointed that Repo! did not make it. I think it's a very fun catchy musical, several very sing-able songs, and I love Graverobber's voice.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_l_3VuZMt4

[PHOENIX74]

My list in full :

1. Phantom of the Paradise (1974) - #37
2. Dancer in the Dark (2000) - #20
3. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - #14
4. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) - #15
5. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) - #59
6. Pink Floyd - The Wall (1982) - #41
7. Labyrinth (1986) - #28
8. Tommy (1975) - #92
9. Grease (1978) - #9
10. Chicago (2002) - #21
11. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) - #24
12. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) - #11
13. Oliver! (1968) - #44
14. Hair (1979) - #47
15. A Hard Day's Night (1964) - #23
16. Evita (1996) - #108
17. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - #2
18. Help! (1965) - DNP
19. Popeye (1980) - DNP
20. Sweet Charity (1969) - DNP
21. West Side Story (1961) - #4
22. Yellow Submarine (1968) - #72
23. Annie (1982) - #60
24. The Happiness of the Katakuris (2001) - DNP
25. Shock Treatment (1981) - 1-pointer

[Omnizoa]

Who's for doing the 90s countdown next???I can definitely contribute more to that one.

[Miss Vicky]

I am of course the most disappointed that Repo! did not make it. I think it's a very fun catchy musical, several very sing-able songs, and I love Graverobber's voice.


I considered Repo! because I really liked the concept, but I really didn't like the songs - especially "Seventeen" which I thought was downright awful.

[Little Ash]

I'm indifferent to if we do a 90s redux, but I did just do a shortlist and ended up at 37 movies, so, it'd probably feel like a lot less homework for that one.

[kgaard]

I could almost manage a top 25 just from 1999 alone.

[gbgoodies]

Sweet Charity, Popeye, and Bye Bye Birdie were three films that at the beginning I was sure would make the Top 100. I still think they got stiffed. But because I thought they'd make it, I selfishly voted for my own films that didn't make it. Because the Top 2 will be released next, I might as well show the part of my list that, again, didn't place. The following are those:

#11. The Court Jester (DNP). I love this film as a comedy as much, maybe more than a musical. But I voted for anyway. I can watch this one anytime and be happy, filmwise.
#13. Kiss Me Kate (DNP) Kathryn Grayson and Howard Keel are fine as the leads in this musical retelling (sort of) of "The Taming of the Shrew." But I like the supporting cast including Ann Miller and especially Keenan Wynn and James Whitmore as two gangster types hanging around who break into my favorite song in the movie, "Brush Up Your Shakespeare." Bob Fosse, Bobby Van, and Tommy Rall do a fun dance including Ann Miller. Lots of good stuff.
#19. Words and Music (DNP) Film about the real-life songwriting partners Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart, played by Tom Drake and Mickey Rooney, respectively. Their songs are played out in musical segments by an all-star cast. My favorite bit is the song, "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue," played out by Gene Kelly and Vera-Ellen (who is as slinky and sexy as I've ever seen her in a movie!). Lots of familiar songs done up well by the great cast.
#20. The Pirate (DNP) First of two Gene Kelly/Judy Garland pair-ups that I listed. A fun adventure-musical with Kelly at his acrobatic best as he poses as the title pirate to win over Judy. Wonderful music and eye-popping color.
#21. Swing Time (DNP) I couldn't pick which favorite among the Fred Astaire/Ginger Rogers pairings so I flipped a coin. But this one really has lots of great music and some outstanding set design. It's also got the dance where Fred is swinging Ginger over some low-level office railing.
#22 In the Good Old Summertime (DNP) This is a musical remake of The Shop Around the Corner with Judy Garland and Van Johnson working in the same music shop and romancing each other unknowingly (just like the original movie and the other remake You've Got Mail). The ending has a baby Liza Minnelli being held by Judy.
#23. Silk Stockings (DNP) Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse are awesome in this remake of Ninotchka, especially Charisse as the Russian woman who is an ice maiden who is slowly wooed by Astaire's charms. Great Cole Porter songs including "I've Got You Under My Skin."
#24. Summer Stock (DNP) My second Judy Garland/Gene Kelly musical (I liked them together, what can I say) where Judy owns a farm that gets overrun by a musical trouple practicing their next show on the farm, having been invited by Judy's sister. Lots of fun, and it features one of Judy's most famous and iconic song and dances, "Get Happy," where she has the hat tipped below one of her eyes and she's wearing a coat and stockings and not much else. Great stuff.

The Sound of Music made my list at #16. Love it and know practically every song by heart. Another musical soundtrack that my 6th grade music teacher played over and over for the whole class. I thought I'd be sick of it and never want to see it but when the chance arrived, I started and I was hooked by the music I knew. I could now see the songs set to film scenes and it was great! Julie Andrews was a powerhouse in this and it's a great movie.

#1. On the Town #93 (list proper)
#2. Holiday Inn #109 (NEAR MISS)
#5. The Blues Brothers #19 (list proper)
#6. Easter Parade #78 (list proper)
#7. Grease #9 (list proper)
#8. Meet Me in St. Louis #33 (list proper)
#9 Yankee Doodle Dandy #32 (list proper)
#10. Gigi #85 (list proper)
#11. The Court Jester (DNP)
#12. Calamity Jane #84 (list proper)
#13. Kiss Me Kate (DNP)
#14. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers #71 (list proper)
#15. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory #5 (list proper)
#16. The Sound of Music #3 (list proper)
#17. Mary Poppins #8 (list proper)
#18. The Muppet Movie #45 (list proper)
#19. Words and Music (DNP)
#20. The Pirate (DNP)
#21. Swing Time (DNP)
#22. In the Good Old Summertime (DNP)
#23. Silk Stockings (DNP)
#24. Summer Stock (DNP)
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)


This is a great list of musicals. Even your picks that didn't make the countdown are among my favorite musicals, especially Summer Stock and In the Good Old Summertime.

[gbgoodies]

The past few posts makes it seem like #3 is the cursed spot on people's ballots.


I can add to the #3 cursed spot, but I would have been shocked if my #3 made the countdown. I'll be surprised if anyone else even had it on their list.

My #3 movie was The Jazz Singer (1980). I was practically dragged to the theater to see this movie by a friend who wanted to see it. I thought it was a religious movie about a cantor, so I had no interest in seeing it. I didn't even know who Neil Diamond was at that time, but I loved the movie and his voice so much that I immediately went to the mall and bought the soundtrack and several of his albums as soon as the movie ended, and now he's one of my all-time favorite singers. And it all started with the movie The Jazz Singer (1980).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hj6DH69r1zg

[gbgoodies]

I'm crying that these fine musicals from my ballot didn't make it.


My #2. The Pajama Game (1957)
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse2.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.JZbpA-NaBgHy9ZODVb09IQHaEK%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=68f854e22fe2f3e3672319d7c9549adb7d30a920f8208c2ab5de46093358d908&ipo=images
I'm a big fan of musicals with big splashy choreographed numbers and it doesn't get any better than the legendary choreographer Bob Fosse. His unique style drives the movie and is especially prominent in the numbers Steam Heat and Hernando's Hideaway. The art direction (sets, lights, costumes) are just fantastic.


My #11. King Creole (1958)
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.w58qaRXrgksflVORftEg2AHaEo%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=5d9f3687eb6c15fd7560c715ca1bf234446e89ca7287aa0b4caf3206b8eb1f95&ipo=images
I love the opening duet Crawfish that Elvis does with a street vendor, Kitty White. Trouble is my favorite song from the movie, Elvis opened his '68 Comeback Special with that song. Best of all, this is Elvis at the top of his game and in a noir directed by Michael Curtiz.


My #12. Guys and Dolls (1955)
https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse4.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.LVLz71ggpKeV1KY214UafAAAAA%26pid%3DApi&f=1&ipt=4de541568672a81b4805f96f936a8753312f0d188740800095f58dadd6d73974&ipo=images
A riotously colorfully musical starring Marlon Brando, Frank Sinatra and Jean Simmons. Loved the slang tone of speaking by the gangsters and gamblers. That style of speech has been emulated ever since. Loved the story and musical numbers.


My #13. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
102934
Lots of great songs presented in what could be called an early music video style. Solid story line too. Elvis rocks this!


My #18. Holiday Inn (1942)
102937
I love the storyline here between Fred Astaire and Bing Crosby with their love interest getting in the way. Lots of great numbers and dance.


My #24. Beyond the Sea (2004)
https://madeinatlantis.com/movies_central/2004/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/beyond-the-sea-450x306.jpg
I knew this wouldn't make it but still I had to vote for it...Beyond The Sea, A story told in flashbacks as an older Bobby Darin whose health is failing, looks back on his early days as a singer, actor and his marriage to Sandra Dee.


My #25. Kiss Me Kate (1953)
102938
Kiss Me Kate is based on the stage play, go figure, which in turn is based on Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. Howard Keel plays a likeable actor who has a high opinion of himself. His divorced wife, Kathryn Grayson is an actress who had enough of him and is now divorced. Keel wants her back but she's about to get married. Keel has a plan to convince his ex wife to appear on stage with him in a production of, get ready, The Taming of the Shrew.


These are all great movies. The Pajama Game (1957) was the only one of these that made my list, (#19 on my list), but I tried to include Holiday Inn (1942) and Beyond the Sea (2004) on my list, but I just couldn't find room for them.

[gbgoodies]

My ballot:

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
2. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
3. Frozen (2013)
4. The Sound of Music (1965)
5. The Lure (2015)
6. Into the Woods (2014)
7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
8. Doctor Dolittle (1967)
9. West Side Story (1961)
10. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
11. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
12. The Little Mermaid (1989)
13. Aladdin (1992)
14. The Lion King (1994)
15. Pinocchio (1940)
16. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
17. Annie (1982)
18. Curly Top (1935)
19. Bugsy Malone (1976)
20. Bright Eyes (1934)
21. Little Miss Broadway (1938)
22. Dear Evan Hansen (2021)
23. La La Land (2016)
24. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
25. A Week Away (2021)


Dear Evan Hansen (2021) was #20 on my list. I loved it so much that I watched it twice in the last few days just before completing my list to see where to place it on my list.

[gbgoodies]

The Wizard of Oz: In which an idiotic teenager lets her little dog bite the neighbor, then flees to a far away land where she murders a woman, steals her shoes, then takes up with three strange men, gets high on opiates, and also kills the dead woman’s sister.

If Dorothy only had a brain. :rolleyes:

Yeah, I REALLY don't like The Wizard of Oz. It's not my least favorite musical, but it's not that far off either.


102968

[gbgoodies]

16. Enchanted
17. Crazy Heart
18. Coco



I love these three movies. I considered Crazy Heart and Coco for my list, but I just didn't have room for them. Coco was one of my last few cuts.

[gbgoodies]

10. Robin and the 7 Hoods



I'm glad to see someone else is a fan of Robin and the 7 Hoods. I couldn't fit it on my list, but it's such a fun movie with great songs and a fantastic cast.

[gbgoodies]

Seen 61/100.


1. A Star Is Born (2018) - #43
2. The Lion King (1994) - #6
3. La La Land (2016) - #13
4. Yesterday (2019)
5. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008)
6. Mary Poppins (1964) - #8
7. The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) - #96
8. Into the Woods (2014) - #86
9. Mulan (1998)
10. Singin' in the Rain (1952) - #1
11. Newsies (1992)
12. West Side Story (2021) - #90
13. Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (2022)
14. Elvis (2022)
15. Vox Lux (2018)
16. Rocketman (2019) - #91
17. Spirited (2022)
18. One Hour with You (1932)
19. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - #2
20. Funny Girl (1968) - #77
21. Chicago (2002) - #21
22. A Star Is Born (1954) - #67
23. Peter Pan (1953)
24. Pocahontas (1995)
25. Commentary! The Musical (2008) - One-pointer


I didn't think Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog (2008) was eligible for this countdown because it's not really a movie, but it's a lot of fun to watch.

I usually don't like Will Ferrell's movies, but I loved Spirited (2022). I tried to include it on my list, but I just didn't have room for it.

[gbgoodies]

Everyone seems to be posting their lists, so here goes...
1. The Sound of Music (1965)
2. Oklahoma! (1955)
3. Gigi (1958)
4. My Fair Lady (1964)
5. South Pacific (1958)
6. Cinderella (1965)
7. Pitch Perfect (2012)
8. Frozen (2013)
9. Godspell: A Musical Based on the Gospel According to St. Matthew (1973)
10. Hair (1979)
11. Funny Girl (1968)
12. West Side Story (1961)
13. Eddie and the Cruisers (1983)
14. In the Good Old Summertime (1949)
15. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
16. All That Jazz (1979)
17. De-Lovely (2004)
18. Cabaret (1972)
19. The Phantom of the Opera (2004)


This is not what I would have chosen for my list, but again I submitted before I completed it.
I have only one thing to say that may be controversial.
I hate La La Land. I found it to be a huge let down.


The only movie that hasn't been on the top 100 list that I wish I had added to me list was Velvet Goldmine.
Also Delovely is wonderful. It stars Kevin Kline and Ashley Judd with the music and life story of the great Cole Porter.


Eddie and the Cruisers (1983) has some great songs. I thought they did a great job of matching Michael Paré's speaking voice with John Cafferty's singing voice as Eddie Wilson.

De-Lovely (2004) is a very underrated movie. It's the movie where I first heard John Barrowman sing, and I fell in love with his voice.

I would have considered The Phantom of the Opera (2004) for my list, but I don't care for Gerard Butler's voice. There used to be a video on YouTube where someone used the complete original London Cast recording and merged it with the 2004 movie, so when you watched the movie, you would hear Michael Crawford's voice as the Phantom. That version would have made my list if it was an official movie.

[gbgoodies]

I think I have watched The Wizard of Oz (1939) at least once a year since I was a little kid. Back when I was a kid, the flying monkeys scared the he!! out of me, but now that I'm an adult, they still scare the he!! out of me. :eek: But the movie has so many great songs, an exciting and scary adventure, and a bunch of fun characters. It was #14 on my list.


My mother first showed my the movie Singin' in the Rain (1952) when I was a little kid, and I loved it. I have seen it probably well over 100 times, and it just gets better every time. I love Gene Kelly, and I don't think Donald O'Connor gets enough credit. He was overshadowed by Kelly, but he was also a fantastic dancer, and he made the movie so much fun. It was #11 on my list.



The movies on my list that made the countdown:
1. West Side Story (1961)
2. The Music Man (1962)
5. Oklahoma! (1955)
8. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
9. 1776 (1972)
11. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
12. The Greatest Showman (2017)
13. My Fair Lady (1964)
14. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
15. Les Misérables (2012)
16. Oliver! (1968)
17. Anastasia (1997)
18. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
22. Mary Poppins (1964)
24. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
25. Frozen (2013)

[gbgoodies]

This was my full list with the movies that didn't make the countdown in RED:

1. West Side Story (1961)
2. The Music Man (1962)
3. The Jazz Singer (1980)
4. Pure Country (1992)
5. Oklahoma! (1955)
6. Damn Yankees (1958)
7. Brigadoon (1954)
8. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
9. 1776 (1972)
10. Bye Bye Birdie (1963)
11. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
12. The Greatest Showman (2017)
13. My Fair Lady (1964)
14. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
15. Les Misérables (2012)
16. Oliver! (1968)
17. Anastasia (1997)
18. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
19. The Pajama Game (1957)
20. Dear Evan Hansen (2021)
21. Xanadu (1980)
22. Mary Poppins (1964)
23. Mamma Mia! (2008)
24. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
25. Frozen (2013)

[iluv2viddyfilms]

He was never more charming or bigger than life than here. Kelly's next picture, An American in Paris, would get all of the Academy Awards attention, but I will take this one over any and every Musical, including the post-modern ones that more suit my cinematic sensibility and worldview.

Since you also mentioned it, I'm genuinely curious and want to pick your brain (and anyone else who wants to weigh in) as to the whole Singin' in the Rain vs An American in Paris discussion/debate. I weighed in with a couple of my thoughts too, but why do you think Singin' in the Rain has endured so much more while An American in Paris, while hardly obscure, pales in comparison for most viewers whether they be casual moviegoers or hardcore cinephiles? Singin' in the Rain has 266,000 or so votes on IMDB while An American in Paris only has near 38,000 votes. That's an insane discrepancy.

And to me the Singin' in the Rain vs An American in Paris debate is almost as interesting as the one around Casablanca vs Citizen Kane or the Godfather vs Godfather Part II discussion.

There's something there to it, especially since An American in Paris, which came out a year or so before Singin' in the Rain won a lot of awards and was pretty well regarded during its time while it took Singin' in the Rain longer to catch on and has since become canon even among the general public who maybe have seen only a dozen or two films before the 1980s while An American in Paris is generally reserved for those who want to dig deeper into older films.

[gbgoodies]

Thursday Next, Great job! :up:

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Yoda, for all the hard work you do behind the scenes,

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[gbgoodies]

To everyone who sent in a list and participated in the countdown:

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[iluv2viddyfilms]

Sweet Charity, Popeye, and Bye Bye Birdie were three films that at the beginning I was sure would make the Top 100. I still think they got stiffed.
#20. The Pirate (DNP) First of two Gene Kelly/Judy Garland pair-ups that I listed. A fun adventure-musical with Kelly at his acrobatic best as he poses as the title pirate to win over Judy. Wonderful music and eye-popping color.



Cool to see someone else loves and voted for The Pirate. I wonder if you and I are the only two who did vote for it.

Also, I watched Sweet Charity for this countdown and while it didn't make my list, if I was doing a list of greatest musical numbers or sequences, then yes the Rich Man's Frug would certainly be there.

[Daniel M]

1. One from the Heart (1982)
2. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)
3. Singin' in the Rain (1952)
4. The Band Wagon (1953)
5. Sleeping Beauty (1959)
6. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
7. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
8. An American in Paris (1951)
9. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
10. Fantasia (1940)
11. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
12. Cabaret (1972)
13. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
14. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
15. The Sound of Music (1965)
16. Pinocchio (2022)
17. The Meaning of Life (1983)
18. The Blues Brothers (1980)
19. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
20. On the Town (1949)
21. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
22. Yellow Submarine (1968)
23. Pinocchio (1940)
24. West Side Story (1961)
25. A Night at the Opera (1935)

Outside of the top 15 it was tough to choose and rank the films. The Sound of Music is something I rewatched again last year and was surprised how much I liked it. I always dismissed it growing up as "something my mum liked" and I think the subject matter meant I wasn't quick to revisit it alone, but watching it again I was very impressed by the direction and cinematography.

[dadgumblah]

I was a kid when I first saw The Wizard of Oz on television and it was aired yearly in the Spring, so I had to watch it every...single...time. One year, my brat sister dared to suggest we watch something else and that was the beginning of trouble with us that has not been resolved to this day (only not just over the movie). I got to have my Wizard! When my wife and I first met, I learned that The Wizard of Oz was her favorite, all-time movie and I knew we were going to get along famously! We went to see it in re-release at the cinema and that was a blast!

Singin' In the Rain is not only a great musical but a great movie about movies, with the comedy factor way high. A top-notch cast (Donald O'Connor is my favorite) with Jean Hagen nearly stealing the show as a nasally-voiced diva who is afraid of not making the transition from silents to sound pictures. That she uses and blackmails others makes her character hateful, but Hagen makes her funny as all get-out. Favorite line from her: "I can't stan 'em!" :D

Huge thanks to Thursday Next for running a great countdown! Also to Yoda for his usual excellent "Man Behind the Curtain" work. Special Mention to Thief for his always interesting Pit Stop stats. This was fun!


#1. On the Town #93 (list proper)
#2. Holiday Inn #109 (NEAR MISS)
#3. The Wizard of Oz #2 (list proper)
#4. Singin' In the Rain #1 (list proper)
#5. The Blues Brothers #19 (list proper)
#6. Easter Parade #78 (list proper)
#7. Grease #9 (list proper)
#8. Meet Me in St. Louis #33 (list proper)
#9 Yankee Doodle Dandy #32 (list proper)
#10. Gigi #85 (list proper)
#11. The Court Jester (DNP)
#12. Calamity Jane #84 (list proper)
#13. Kiss Me Kate (DNP)
#14. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers #71 (list proper)
#15. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory #5 (list proper)
#16. The Sound of Music #3 (list proper)
#17. Mary Poppins #8 (list proper)
#18. The Muppet Movie #45 (list proper)
#19. Words and Music (DNP)
#20. The Pirate (DNP)
#21. Swing Time (DNP)
#22. In the Good Old Summertime (DNP)
#23. Silk Stockings (DNP)
#24. Summer Stock (DNP)
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)

[beelzebubble]

Thanks for voting up My Fair Lady and helping it clinch a top 10 spot which it barely snuck in.

Just curious what your issues were with La La Land. I know I've mentioned it before, but while I don't hate it, I thought it was a let down giving the amazing premise and story and for what it could have been. It's a film that I wanted to like a lot more than I actually do.

So I don't hate it, I'd give it a B+ or A- as a fair objective rating, but I do remember around the time it came out in 2016 or early 2017 or so it was being heralded as the greatest film musical since Vincente Minnelli walked the Earth and it wasn't.
Not living up to the hype may have had something to do with it.
BUT....
There are no professional dancers or singers in the leads.
Just because a lot of people are in a scene doesn't make it a great dance scene.
Doesn't the filmmaker know any choreographer
The romantic dance scene is very awkward.
The music...I don't remember the music.
How can you can make a movie with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone be lame?
Have them sing and dance.

I was so mad when I left the theater after seeing La La Land. I felt cheated.

[Wooley]

Not living up to the hype may have had something to do with it.
BUT....
There are no professional dancers or singers in the leads.
Just because a lot of people are in a scene doesn't make it a great dance scene.
Doesn't the filmmaker know any choreographer
The romantic dance scene is very awkward.
The music...I don't remember the music.
How can you can make a movie with Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone be lame?
Have them sing and dance.

I was so mad when I left the theater after seeing La La Land. I felt cheated.

I didn't have as negative a reaction as you felt but I do agree with every point you make in what was a ah, "Eh, I guess they tried," movie for me.

[Little Ash]

There's something there to it, especially since An American in Paris, which came out a year or so before Singin' in the Rain won a lot of awards and was pretty well regarded during its time while it took Singin' in the Rain longer to catch on and has since become canon even among the general public who maybe have seen only a dozen or two films before the 1980s while An American in Paris is generally reserved for those who want to dig deeper into older films.


Would that make the comparison more apt between Citizen Kane and How Green Was My Valley? I've seen neither An American in Paris nor How Green Was My Valley, so clearly that analogy must hold.

[rauldc14]

Raul's Ballot

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
2. La La Land (2016)
3. Begin Again (2013)
4. tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
5. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
6. The Lion King (1994)
7. Sing Street (2016)
8. Les Misérables (2012)
9. Pinocchio (1940)
10. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
11. Aladdin (1992)
12. Moana (2016)
13. A Star Is Born (2018)
14. West Side Story (2021)
15. Once (2007)
16. Grease (1978)
17. 42nd Street (1933)
18. In The Heights (2021)
19. Brigadoon (1954)
20. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
21. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
22. The Broken Circle Breakdown (2012)
23. Beyond the Sea (2004)
24. Chicago (2002)
25. The Brave Little Toaster (1987)

[pahaK]

Oh, it's over already. I didn't vote and think I've seen a whopping 13/100 (+ couple of big maybies as a child). I'm not really into musicals (on stage they're fine but not on screen).

[Omnizoa]

I considered Repo! because I really liked the concept, but I really didn't like the songs - especially "Seventeen" which I thought was downright awful.
That's definitely one of the weaker songs in my opinion.

[Gideon58]

Very pleased to see La La Land and Tick Tick Boom rated so high

[Thief]

Now that it's over, and to complement my "Finish Line" stats, here are some other countdown stats...

-

There were 19 ties through the countdown, 14 of them in the first half. Thirteen (13) of those were two-way ties, four (4) of them 3-way ties, and two (2) of them 4-way ties. Only 33 entries were not tied with others.

The two biggest point gaps were in the Top 5. The biggest one was 151, between #3 The Sound of Music (425) and #2 The Wizard of Oz (576). The second one was 101, between #4 West Side Story (324) and #3 [i]The Sound of Music (425).

https://i.imgur.com/wQ7JfFN.jpeg

Like Thursday Next said, the film that was present in most ballots was #2 The Wizard of Oz, which was present in 36 ballots. Not that far from #1, which was in 34 ballots, though.

-

The five (5) films with the highest RT scores are:
- #1: Singin' in the Rain (1952) - 100%
- #26: Pinocchio (1940) - 100%
- #33: Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) - 96%
- #58: Top Hat (1935) - 100%
- #88: Gold Diggers of 1933 (1933) - 100%

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/w03EiJVHP8Un77boQeE7hg9DVdU.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/bnZJrLRnoQHpzEJdka1KYfsAF3N.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/ekVeUvG81pidsv2LMtWf5yYcNbq.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/qoPBiN6PBs2NsP7BNOJGCnmwruG.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/sXsUJsW9fcVT15hfBu9LyU22qmG.jpg

Interestingly, all of them from the "classic" period of the 1930s and 1940s.

The only films with the a "Rotten" RT score so far are:
- #57: The Greatest Showman (2017) - 57%
- #59: Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) - 50%
- #60: Annie (1982) - 50%

-

On the side of IMDb, these are the Top "5" with the highest rating:
- #6: The Lion King (1994) - 8.5
- #97: Amadeus (1984) - 8.4
- #1: Singin' in the Rain (1952) - 8.3
- #2: The Wizard of Oz (1939) - 8.1
- #3: The Sound of Music (1965) - 8.1

While the ones with the lowest IMDb rating are:
- #56: Pennies from Heaven (1981) - 6.5
- #81: Purple Rain (1984) - 6.5
- #51: The Lure (2015) - 6.3
- #52: The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) - 6.3
- #86: Into the Woods (2014) - 5.9

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/7dlangnB2vOcviHEwWy1IRGHLtk.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/vkQmzaSuDj8QyXmwNhCceCAmwUe.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/mxdssWM8WyzBFq6pYwBHeTIJK1A.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/ssrV29QSVVJuemBHho0Qx7pFYak.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/w600_and_h900_bestv2/pf0TdnITu380Zp8DMQx0jcwDsAS.jpg

I think thhe fact that our #1 and #2 are among the ones with the highest RT score and/or the highest IMDb rating, and also the two that were present in most ballots, means that our selection was more or less within the expected norm.


To that matter, I might ask... what was your biggest surprise from the countdown? meaning a film you thought wouldn't make it but did... or a film you were sure would make it, but didn't.

[MovieGal]

I didn't vote because I'm not a big musical fan. But I do enjoy some.

They are not in any order:

Xanadu
Hans Christian Andersen
Brigadoon
Fame
Tommy
The Wall
Singing In The Rain
Head
Across The Universe
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Phantom Of The Opera (with Gerard Butler)
Bohemian Rhapsody

Everyone who knows me knows A Clockwork Orange and The Wicker Man are my favorite films. They may be musicals but I don't consider them musicals

[Yoda]

My sincere thank you to Thursday Next for hosting and doing such a wonderful job, and of course, to everyone who participated, either through conversation/sharing their love of their favorites or, especially, submitting a ballot to help make this possible. Thank you all! :)

<3

[Thief]

Didn't I post my "Finish Line"?? I could've swore I posted the "Finish Line" stats last night, but it seems I fell asleep halfway through :laugh:

[Yoda]

As for what's next (since every countdown thread eventually becomes a thread about the next countdown ;)), last time we decided that it would speed things along to take the top two vote-getters and do them in that order, rather than go through the month-plus-long process of voting (since it usually takes multiple votes and multiple weeks per vote). I think we should probably hold to that.

I said at the time that we could have this simply be the default, but that if there was clearly a lot of push for a switch, we could then have another vote instead to effectively "jump the line." My sense so far is that there's not overwhelming desire for this, which means the 90s refresh would be next. I'll go bump the relevant thread and we'll see about finding a host.

[Yoda]

The Wizard of Oz: In which an idiotic teenager lets her little dog bite the neighbor, then flees to a far away land where she murders a woman, steals her shoes, then takes up with three strange men, gets high on opiates, and also kills the dead woman’s sister.
Reminds me of this classic:

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[Thief]

Stats: Finish Line
https://i.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExa21uMTB1MDF5d2d2b2VkMDdvbDE1c2ZoOGlxeHBkYXA1ZTBuamZqaCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfY nlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/0YD2XkGOxUasyvBk1C/giphy.gif

-

Now that we've finally reached the finish line, here are some stats:

Decade Breakdown


1920s = 0
1930s = 7
1940s = 6
1950s = 13
1960s = 13
1970s = 14
1980s = 11
1990s = 10
2000s = 11
2010s = 13
2020s = 2


What an ending! Imagine having the 1950s and the 2010s trading leads all through the countdown, only to have the 1970s run past them just on the last couple of batches and win with a total of 14. The 1950s, 1960s, and 2010s weren't far behind, though, with 13 each. Overall, a very balanced spread across all decades.



Recurring Directors


Vincente Minnelli = 4
Ben Sharpsteen = 4*
Wilfred Jackson = 4*
Stanley Donen = 3**
John Carney = 3
John Musker & Ron Clements = 3
Hamilton Luske = 3*
Robert Wise = 2
Bob Fosse = 2
George Cukor = 2
Jacques Demy = 2
Rob Marshall = 2
Norman Jewison = 2
Michael Curtiz = 2
Bill Roberts = 2*
David Hand = 2*
Milos Forman = 2
Stanley Donen = 2
Tim Burton = 2**
Coen Brothers = 2
Norman Ferguson = 2*
T. Hee = 2*


As was expected, I guess, Vincente Minnelli remained at the top of the list with four (4) entries: Meet Me in St. Louis (#33), An American in Paris (#42), The Band Wagon (#80), and Gigi (#85). Stanley Donen, who co-directed Singin' in the Rain with Gene Kelly, ended with three (3), and Robert Wise had a nice two-fer with two (2) entries back-to-back to join the group.

* Re: Disney's animators and directors, there was no change from the last batches. Ben Sharpsteen and Wilfred Jackson remain at the top with their work in 4 films, Hamilton Luske with 3, and Bill Roberts, Norman Ferguson, and T. Hee with 2 each.

** Both Tim Burton and Stanley Donen shared directing credits on Corpse Bride and Singin' in the Rain respectively, with Mike Johnson and Gene Kelly each.

No changes in animation in the Top 5, so we ended up with eighteenth (18) animated film in the countdown; or 18.5, if you wanna give Mary Poppins half a point for its animated sequences.

[rauldc14]

90s it is!

[Torgo]

Thanks, Thursday Next. You're the host with the most.

Musicals aren't precisely my cup of tea as the many animated Disney movies on my ballot indicate, so I didn't participate as much as I would have liked. Anyway, here's my ballot. The Wizard of Oz is a no-brainer for #1, so I'm glad it did so well. I'm ashamed I haven't seen Singin' in the Rain yet, but I definitely will. I bolded the ones that didn't make the top 100.

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
3. The Lion King (1994)
4. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
5. Fantasia (1940)
6. The Sound of Music (1965)
7. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
8. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
9. Pinocchio (1940)
10. Sing Street (2016)
11. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
12. RRR (2022)
13. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
14. Mary Poppins (1964)
15. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
16. The Little Mermaid (1989)
17. West Side Story (1961)
18. Once (2007)
19. Aladdin (1992)
20. The Muppet Movie (1979)
21. The Jungle Book (1967)
22. In The Heights (2021)
23. Tokyo Tribe (2014)
24. Pink Floyd - The Wall (1982)
25. Dumbo (1941)

[Holden Pike]

...why do you think Singin' in the Rain has endured so much more while An American in Paris, while hardly obscure, pales in comparison for most viewers?
Singin' in the Rain is a billion times funnier and more fun.

The end.

[exiler96]

Thanks, Thursday Next. You're the host with the most.

Musicals aren't precisely my cup of tea as the many animated Disney movies on my ballot indicate, so I didn't participate as much as I would have liked. The '90s, however...I am so on top of that!

Anyway, here's my ballot. The Wizard of Oz is a no-brainer for #1, so I'm glad it did so well. I'm ashamed I haven't seen Singin' in the Rain yet, but I definitely will. I bolded the ones that didn't make the top 100.

1. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937)
3. The Lion King (1994)
4. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
5. Fantasia (1940)
6. The Sound of Music (1965)
7. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
8. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001)
9. Pinocchio (1940)
10. Sing Street (2016)
11. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
12. RRR (2022)
13. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
14. Mary Poppins (1964)
15. Phantom of the Paradise (1974)
16. The Little Mermaid (1989)
17. West Side Story (1961)
18. Once (2007)
19. Aladdin (1992)
20. The Muppet Movie (1979)
21. The Jungle Book (1967)
22. In The Heights (2021)
23. Tokyo Tribe (2014)
24. Pink Floyd - The Wall (1982)
25. Dumbo (1941)

Nice to see Snow White so high.

[Torgo]

Nice to see Snow White so high.I think it will remain my favorite Disney animated movie. I'm a Stan for the dwarves and all their songs from "Hi Ho" to the "Silly Song" and anything that parodies them (the seven Duffs in The Simpsons, Rammstein's "Sonne" music video, etc.)

[Citizen Rules]

Forgot to say Thanks @Thief (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=109353) for all of his work on those cool stats that he post! I think we all enjoy those.

And Thanks to @Holden Pike (http://www.movieforums.com/community/member.php?u=401) for posting his past countdown info and pics.

Oh and thanks to the person who helped to get this Musical Countdown rolling, otherwise we'd probably never had done a musical countdown.

[Sedai]

I didn't vote because I'm not a big musical fan. But I do enjoy some.

They are not in any order:

Xanadu
Hans Christian Andersen
Brigadoon
Fame
Tommy
The Wall
Singing In The Rain
Head
Across The Universe
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Phantom Of The Opera (with Gerard Butler)
Bohemian Rhapsody

Everyone who knows me knows A Clockwork Orange and The Wicker Man are my favorite films. They may be musicals but I don't consider them musicals

Xanadu not making it can be directly attributed to you and I not getting lists in in time. Will Holden ever forgive us? ;)

[MovieGal]

Xanadu not making it can be directly attributed to you and I not getting lists in in time. Will Holden ever forgive us? ;)

I'm surprised that ppl haven't heard of Head from 1968. I know about it and I was born in 1967. Of course, I saw it years after. Probably in the 80's

And any film I watch is DAMN GREAT!