The MoFo Top 100 Musicals Countdown

[dadgumblah]

I love The Nightmare Before Christmas but didn't vote for it.
I've not seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch and didn't vote for it.

Things are happening quickly and I'm losing hope about most of my picks making it but I don't care---it's fun to see what makes it on this eclectic list.

1. On the Town #93 (list proper)
#5. The Blues Brothers #19 (list proper)
#6. Easter Parade #78 (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)
#18. The Muppet Movie #45 (list proper)
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)

[SpelingError]

The Nightmare Before Christmas is very good, but it didn't make my ballot.

I haven't seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch yet.

Actually, I just realized it was #20 on my ballot.

[SpelingError]

1. All That Jazz
2. Dancer in the Dark
4. The Burden
6. Inside Llewyn Davis
7. The Young Girls of Rochefort
8. Top Hat
12. Duck Soup
16. Meet Me in St. Louis
17. The Music Man
20. The Nightmare Before Christmas

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Yeah I'm really wondering what the top 10 will look like now that we're in the top 15.

The Nightmare Before Christmas was a film I considered for my list. It's a childhood favorite and it has a very unique and distinctive style and even though it is sometimes dismissed as a film that's more style than substance and as such a film that's been a foundation of tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars gained in merchandise from every 11-14 year old who has ever stepped into a HotTopic or Spencers, there's a lot to the film. The story is clever and cute and the characters are wildly imaginative and works of art. Even the music is just top notch, which generally for some of these animated films, the music falls flat. Oh and the stop motion animation is wonderful and for any kid that grew up in the 1980s or early 90s we loved to watch the old Rudolph the Reindeer and Frosty stop motion animation features, which seem in part spiritual predecessors to The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Still, while I consider The Nightmare Before Christmas to be a wonderful film I don't necessarily consider it to be a great movie. Yes it's a feast for the eyes and ears and infinitely creative; it just doesn't do a lot for me on either an intellectual or emotional level, nor does it really offer any interesting world view or insight into this life thing.

So I briefly, just briefly considered it, but I couldn't remove anything I had on my list to make room for it and if I'm being honest, I just don't think it belongs in any real serious discussion of the greatest musicals of all time.

I've not seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I'd give it a try, but generally I don't really care for the shock rock opera punk types of films that came into existence in the 1970s like Rocky Horror and the films inspired by them as their successors. They are certainly fun and I appreciate pushing the envelope and challenging cultural norms and mores, but one of my problems with Rocky Horror is that it's a bit of an empty shell and a bit glib where shock value takes center stage and becomes its own reason for existing. The musical equivalent of Brando's response to the question in The Wild One, "What are you rebelling against Johnny? I dunno, whaddya got?? Maybe Hedwig is different in that regard from a gender-bending film like Rocky Horror, and I'd be willing to give it a watch, but I think a lot of people have a world view when it comes to art that there's a direct relationship between pushing boundaries, being shocking, subverting tradition, and being edgy and counterculture with quality and being substantative. It doesn't look like it's streaming anywhere right now... not that I can see on Criterion or Amazon.

Regarding the list on the whole, I'm surprised Mary Poppins or The Sound of Music haven't dropped yet. I wouldn't think they'd be in the top 10, but who knows maybe they will be.

[Omnizoa]

Surprisingly, and unsurprisingly, I am the only MoFo besides Gideon to rate Nightmare Before Christmas rating_5. It was my #1 Musical. Some excerpts from my review:

It may come as a surprise for me to say that I don't actually celebrate any holidays. I don't even LIKE Halloween and Christmas.

But if there were one thing I dug about either holiday it's their festive and thematic qualities and Nightmare Before Christmas indulges purely in that.NBC may be the most difficult thing for me to review fairly because I've watched it so many times and it's so entrenched in my nostalgia that it's a challenge to take off the rose-colored glasses and lay into it like any other movie.A musical certainly isn't anything without it's music though and Danny Elfman really hits it out of the park because I'll be damned if I don't remember every single line of every single song.

I must emphasize though that it's not merely the composition of the songs or the lyrics that progress the story that appeal to me. A big chunk of credit MUST also go Danny Elfman's charismatic delivery as well as to Chris Sarandon (both of which double as hero, Jack Skellington's, voice) and to Ken Page who plays the villain, Oogie Boogie. Their varied emphasis and enunciations are just too much fun NOT to mimic.[Referring to "Jack's Obsession"] It's not the most visually interesting piece and the song itself doesn't really stand out among it's peers, but the concepts that it juggles what with Jack, an avatar of Halloween and fear trying to rationalize what it is that appeals to him about Christmas and cheer just clicks with me, perhaps because this idea of trying to make sense of things and questioning yourself sounds familiar.

I struggle to explain what it is I exactly like about THIS MOVIE.
It's also one of my favorite worlds in Kingdom Hearts so there's that too.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5JBw2UapgY

[PHOENIX74]

16. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - What's this? So, is this a Christmas movie or a Halloween movie? Both? Because I'd watched this partially a while back I decided to put The Nightmare Before Christmas on again this morning so I could finally see the whole thing. Glad to get that one dusted and done! Impressive animation - especially for 1993. Never had stuff like this when I was a kid. Don't think it would have made my ballot.

15. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (2001) - Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a brilliant musical that speaks to the glittery glam rock musical lover in me. I wrote a brief review on Letterboxd after first seeing it - "Inspirational, with infectious music - exciting, beautiful, interesting, intelligent, fun and an all-around great film. It took me far too long to get around to Hedwig and the Angry Inch." The review I wrote in the The Personal Recommendation Hall of Fame V was a lot longer (and perhaps more onerous, who knows) - and that review is right here (https://www.movieforums.com/community/showthread.php?p=2293740#post2293740). There are some movies where you really have to ask yourself "Why didn't I watch this when it first came out?" How did I not take the plunge at some stage in the ensuing 20 years afterwards? It took a compulsory suggestion to hook me up with what from now on will be one of my favourite musicals - up amongst beloved classics. I love, love, love Hedwig and the Angry Inch - it was #4 on my ballot.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seen : 57/86
I'd never even heard of : 11/86
Movies that had been on my radar, but I haven't seen yet : 18/86
Films from my list : 15

#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)

[Hey Fredrick]

Yeah I'm really wondering what the top 10 will look like now that we're in the top 15.

The Nightmare Before Christmas was a film I considered for my list. It's a childhood favorite and it has a very unique and distinctive style and even though it is sometimes dismissed as a film that's more style than substance and as such a film that's been a foundation of tens of millions if not hundreds of millions of dollars gained in merchandise from every 11-14 year old who has ever stepped into a HotTopic or Spencers, there's a lot to the film. The story is clever and cute and the characters are wildly imaginative and works of art. Even the music is just top notch, which generally for some of these animated films, the music falls flat. Oh and the stop motion animation is wonderful and for any kid that grew up in the 1980s or early 90s we loved to watch the old Rudolph the Reindeer and Frosty stop motion animation features, which seem in part spiritual predecessors to The Nightmare Before Christmas.

Still, while I consider The Nightmare Before Christmas to be a wonderful film I don't necessarily consider it to be a great movie. Yes it's a feast for the eyes and ears and infinitely creative; it just doesn't do a lot for me on either an intellectual or emotional level, nor does it really offer any interesting world view or insight into this life thing.

So I briefly, just briefly considered it, but I couldn't remove anything I had on my list to make room for it and if I'm being honest, I just don't think it belongs in any real serious discussion of the greatest musicals of all time.

I've not seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch. I'd give it a try, but generally I don't really care for the shock rock opera punk types of films that came into existence in the 1970s like Rocky Horror and the films inspired by them as their successors. They are certainly fun and I appreciate pushing the envelope and challenging cultural norms and mores, but one of my problems with Rocky Horror is that it's a bit of an empty shell and a bit glib where shock value takes center stage and becomes its own reason for existing. The musical equivalent of Brando's response to the question in The Wild One, "What are you rebelling against Johnny? I dunno, whaddya got?? Maybe Hedwig is different in that regard from a gender-bending film like Rocky Horror, and I'd be willing to give it a watch, but I think a lot of people have a world view when it comes to art that there's a direct relationship between pushing boundaries, being shocking, subverting tradition, and being edgy and counterculture with quality and being substantative. It doesn't look like it's streaming anywhere right now... not that I can see on Criterion or Amazon.

Regarding the list on the whole, I'm surprised Mary Poppins or The Sound of Music haven't dropped yet. I wouldn't think they'd be in the top 10, but who knows maybe they will be.


None of this applies to Hedwig. Something I wrote when after watching it for one of the HoF's: I think the story is something most people would get into but the wrapping, unfortunately, may hold some back from seeing it. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. There was never a doubt about it making my ballot. It ended up squeaking into my top ten at #10.

[Thursday Next]

16lists226pointsThe Rocky Horror Picture Show (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/36685-the-rocky-horror-picture-show.html)Director
Jim Sharman, 1975

Starring
Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, Barry Bostwick, Richard O'Brien

[Thursday Next]

18lists232pointsLa La Land (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/313369-la-la-land.html)Director
Damien Chazelle, 2016

Starring
Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, John Legend, Rosemarie DeWitt

[Allaby]

Two from my list! Rocky Horror Picture Show was my #7. It's fantastic and a lot of fun. Tim Curry is perfect in it and the rest of the cast are great too. I love the songs and costumes. It's a 10/10 from me. La La Land is a wonderful film with great performances and delightful songs. It was 23 on my ballot.

Seen: 86/88

[exiler96]

More like "Hedwig, I'm Angry that I haven't seen this yet!"

As for The Nightmare; while not having as good of a story as Corpse Bride's, t's a childhood favourite of mine... with some real, too-hard-to-rank bangers.

[Miss Vicky]

I watched The Rocky Horror Picture Show once when I was a teenager and didn't like it at all. I rewatched it for the 70s Countdown and thought Tim Curry's performance was absolutely phenomenal, but didn't care for the rest of the movie. That performance was enough to get the movie a place on my 70s ballot, but not enough for this one.

I watched La La Land for this countdown and didn't care for it.

[stillmellow]

I haven't seen La La land. It just feels like a premise that's been done way too many times.


Rocky Horror Picture Show was my #10! A glorious celebration of depravity, absurdism, and excess. All while being a wonderful parody of b-movie Sci fi. Great stuff.

[John-Connor]

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/p3b97mOrjR3iz3eaQIKzbuJyyiw.jpg
To be honest I was a bit late to the La La Land party. Mainly because at first try I couldn't get through the first couple of scenes. However years later after I sat down and gave it a proper chance, I loved it. Gorgeous looking, well made musical with infectious music and amazing editing in the final act. Had it at 18th place on my ballot.

SEEN 40/88
BALLOT 9/25

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/8LDVAMImGuMrNvyUWctvF4qkHwQ.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/fhyun1mja3WwQsYr1a3x1x9BttP.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/yspPkeBWScMxqhjoKdRa4P2Em3v.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/n0qDcs30wAtqUT5dbL6Vhk0ghWR.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/uWRbjdJ0z16yfMDar0dbKaIt8bg.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/wbpOfs3k0VyUH15xwpDORLWz7ZV.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/4KKpea33frDOi9aZC03f5Rpp8U1.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/cvfuYwBlQ2Qap19URTGg7dv9IL8.jpg https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/f9vBcftR3VHJIyKv0u29uvMwEr5.jpg

25. Anastasia (1997)
21. Aladdin (1992)
19. Purple Rain (1984)
18. La La Land (2016)
17. Moana (2016)
12. The Jungle Book (1967)
09. That Thing You Do! (1996)
04. Labyrinth (1986)
03. The Blues Brothers (1980)

https://image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/meGzYSwHzBWNQk9lYVNxdUrFqiC.jpg

[MovieMeditation]

La La Land was my #9.

I don’t love it as much as many seem to do, but I think it was a well made musical that sort of revamped the genre and simultaneously took it into a new era and a new time.

I have not seen Rocky Horror Picture Show but of course know about it and its reputation. I definitely plan on seeing it some time.

[seanc]

Bit of a bummer. La La was my 1, and when me and Rauldc were guessing our collective top 5, I had it at 3. I have loved every moment of it once I got past that first number at the theater. I have even come to appreciate that number on my multiple subsequent viewings. It has become a bit of a tradition to watch it on Christmas Eve for me. It’s such a perfect combination of awesome music and great storytelling. Very funny movie anchored by the two great lead performances. Audition remains my favorite number in the movie, and my favorite musical sequence in any movie this side of the unparalleled Singing In The Rain sequence.

Rocky Horror was one of the few left on my musical watchlist. I definitely would have gotten to it if it would have been on a free streamer. Eventually

[Wooley]

I like A Nightmare Before Christmas a whole lot but it was not eligible for my ballot.

I really like Hedwig And The Angry Inch, responded to it immediately when I first saw it, but in the end it just doesn't have enough standout songs/musical numbers to have beaten out the other films on my ballot. I think it has about four really good songs and the rest needed work.

[Citizen Rules]

What??? I can't believe that La La land and Rocky Horror Picture Show are this low:eek: It's not that I love either of those movies but it seems like a lot of other people do. I thought La La Land might be #1 and Rocky Horror for sure in the top 10. This has been a very unique and ecliptic countdown as I have no idea what will be in the top 10.

[Wooley]

The Rocky Horror Picture Show was my No.1 and is actually also my Number One Movie Of All-Time. Across all genres, decades, what have you.

La La Land was a pretty good effort and ended very well but in the end it felt like a bit of a pale imitation of all the better films it was inspired by so it did not get close to my ballot. I almost (not quite but almost) felt like Barbie actually did it better... until that movie kinda fizzled.

[MovieFan1988]

God dammit I thought La La Land was gonna make it to top 10, so I'm guessing Singin in the rain will be number one then O_O. I thought rocky horror would crack the top 10 also, hopefully there's more surprises to come.

[Robert the List]

La La Land 13?!!
Wow.
I have it my tied (of 3) greatest movie of all time, with classic 2 Japanese masterpieces.
Oh well.

[Torgo]

Nice! I saw Rocky Horror for the first time in a theater a few weeks ago and had a great time. I highly recommend watching it that way if you haven't seen it yet.

Unfortunately, I saw it way after I made my ballot. If only I could time wa... never mind. I would have put it somewhere in the teens.

[KeyserCorleone]

Rocky Horror did a good job parodying the behavior of b and z movies at the time, but its personality outweighed the story.

La La Land was excellent. Its romance story got a little typical at the end, but overall it had constant charm and appeal.

[rauldc14]

Nope nope I won't accept it. La La Land not being top 10 is just pure criminal evil. Shame on you Mofo.

[stillmellow]

What??? I can't believe that La La land and Rocky Horror Picture Show are this low:eek: It's not that I love either of those movies but it seems like a lot of other people do. I thought La La Land might be #1 and Rocky Horror for sure in the top 10. This has been a very unique and ecliptic countdown as I have no idea what will be in the top 10.


It's true, I expected both to be too 5-7 or so. I was actually wondering if Rocky Horror would be an upset #1-3, knocking some of the classics out of the way.

[Holden Pike]

102553
La La Land was #5 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 2010s while The Rocky Horror Picture Show was #46 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 1970s.

[Robert the List]

La La Land[/B] party. Mainly because at first try I couldn't get through the first couple of scenes.

You should be made to watch the whole of Young Girls of Rochefort as a penalty.

Lovely image there btw.

[Little Ash]

I was scratching my head at the predictions of La La Land or a Disney movie making #1 (I guess the latter could still happen!).


When Thursday Next made a comment when the ballots coming and the difference between 1 and 2 was razor thin, I just assumed one of them was either Singin' in the Rain or Cabaret.


Maybe I'm biased because the one time I tried watching La La Land, I made it to... I can't remember which scene. I just didn't find it captivating and I just recall the rare moment of feeling, "I've got better things to do right now. I might come back to this or I might not, but I'm really not going to feel guilty if I never finish this film."
I had seen Whiplash already, felt the worldview it presented was fundamentally flawed, not that interestingly presented (outside the base-level enjoyment of watching JK Simmons be a dick to people), and had heard it was heavily derivative of earlier musical classics (such as The Umbrellas of Cherbourg).
I never returned to it and have never seen it beyond however far I got on that first viewing. Still don't feel bad about that.
I think that movie just isn't for me and whatever it is other people saw in it, I wasn't going to.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

None of this applies to Hedwig. Something I wrote when after watching it for one of the HoF's: I think the story is something most people would get into but the wrapping, unfortunately, may hold some back from seeing it. It wasn't what I was expecting at all. There was never a doubt about it making my ballot. It ended up squeaking into my top ten at #10.

Yeah that makes sense. I really do need to see it.

[LAMb EELYAK]

1. A Star Is Born (2018) - #43
3. La La Land (2016) - #13
7. The Smiling Lieutenant (1931) - #96
8. Into the Woods (2014) - #86
12. West Side Story (2021) - #90
16. Rocketman (2019) - #91
20. Funny Girl (1968) - #77
21. Chicago (2002) - #21
22. A Star Is Born (1954) - #67
25. Commentary! The Musical (2008) - One-pointer

[iluv2viddyfilms]

I haven't seen La La land. It just feels like a premise that's been done way too many times.


Actually, the premise of La La Land is the best thing about it. I love, love, LOVE the premise behind the film... however, some of the pacing, editing, camerawork, writing and direction of the story, worldview, etc... not so much.

First of all a couple things before I get into a couple of my specific criticisms of La La Land... I rate it as a B+ or A- film. I also didn't watch it until a couple years ago and that was primarily because it was so heralded on MoFo and also because I do like Ryan Gosling in many of his roles... his best being Blue Valentine with his best film being a toss up between Drive and Blade Runner 2049. A third reason I watched it was because I had read it was a throwback to old Hollywood musicals and an ode and homage to that era of filmmaking. Cool.

So on paper I loved the idea and concept of La La Land and I think anyone who is a huge movie buff... especially if you're like me and prefer the Golden Age of Hollywood and the old studio system era over present day films, on the whole that is.

I love the fact that La La Land references some of the greatest musicals like The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and An American in Paris as well as directly having nods of the hat to films like Rebel Without a Cause. But all of this felt empty and superficially treated by the story and the direction.

You are right in the premise of La La Land being done several times, but I would agree on the career vs love aspect. Just as every film that chooses to have the "it was all just a dream" owes a debt to The Wizard of Oz, nearly every film that has the woman choosing between her love and her career owes a debt to The Red Shoes.

Aside from some poor blocking and camera movement. Take the "Another Day of Sun" freeway opening. How more of that wasn't done in long shot or mid shot and how it was coreographed more strongly, I'll never know. Yes the center of attention (coat) of the camera moved from person to person, but everything around it looked so sloppily done and if you were to pause the film at any moment during that sequence... the framing/mise en scene wouldn't be balanced... there would be cars half in and half out of frame, some characters would be standing around more others dancing... some in focus some out... no real attempt to follow any rule of thirds or aesthetic framing of the shot. It was just a complete mess, despite being a very cool and clever idea. And I get that we are in a time of constant camera movement and tracking shots, but Hell Scorsese could do that, Paul Thomas Anderson could do that, and even Vincente Minnelli in his musicals had some wonderful tracking shots. From what I see in La La Land, Damien Chazelle is just not that great of a director.

Another scene where this is apparent is his butchering of what could have been a beautifully shot scene or moment when Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are at the Griffith Park Observatory in their breakup scene... which from a writing, pacing, and editing standpoint is just horribly inserted and pops into the film suddenly out of nowhere. In fact I had to rewatch that scene and the several minutes before and after it several times just to make sure I didn't miss anything because it felt like there was a scene missing or something had gotten cut out of the film.

But yeah, if you're a director and grip USE the area and USE the location to its full potential! The fact that we don't really see the beauty of the background and the Hollywood hills and the colors of sky is criminal. Use a deep focus lens and then also place these two wonderful actors where we can get a mid shot of them both in frame so we see both their faces simultaneously rather than over the shoulder close up of one and then the back of the head of another and rinse and repeat. Use some great mid shots, deep focus lens... capture the beauty of these actors, the beauty of the scene, and the beauty of what should be a great scene. Instead we get out of focus, one actor's face at a time, blurry background that essentially looks like a zoom call. Also if you specifically analyze this scene... who the Hell did the movie rushes or screenings of this because on a handful of shots and frames we have tree branches and trunks in the background coming out of Ryan Gosling's head. Anyone who has taken a high school photography class or has done yearbook knows that this is a huge "no, no." Always position the subject of your shot so that they are not frame with light posts, trees, telephone polls, goalposts, etc sticking straight up out of their head that are located behind them.

This is so strange too because the one sequence where they are dancing in the evening on the balcony overlooking L.A. with the sunset (the sequence that is featured in most pictures and posters of the film) is very well done, despite Gosling and Emma Stone not being able to dance well. Ryan Gosling has danced far better on the Mickey Mouse Club and if Debbie Reynolds could learn steps in Singin' in the Rain, Emma Stone could have perhaps done a bit more and if not, maybe she was a bit miscast.

Another big complaint is with the ending. I love the dream sequence and homage there, but how the film suddenly skips five years and she's a big film star... OK, but since the entire premise of the film leading up to this point is that she really REALLY needs to dedicate herself to following her dreams and that somehow means she can't have a relationship with Goslings character... to only five years later find herself married to some rando with a kid? Honestly. What the Hell? It's just silly and poorly done. So if the film is undermining its own premise that she does the right thing in choosing her career over her love for Ryan Gosling and his dream of having his own night club and playing real jazz... why then do we see her married and with a kid five years later. Is it just that her dreams weren't compatible with Ryan Gosling's dreams, but somehow this other dude she's with... that's OK?

I could go on and continue to do a deep dive with how La La Land is such a deeply flawed and mess of a film, one with a brilliant premise that could have been so amazing in the right hands. Oh well.

I will say, a film in a similar vein, at least in so far as being a send up to the Hollywood of the past that IS perfectly executed and amazing and well done is The Artist. So I get what La La Land was going for and it's a good film, but it's a shame it wasn't so much more and was handled by a more proficient team of filmmakers. If ever there was a case for the assembly line of experts, artists, and craftsmen working together to mold a great piece of art, it would be La La Land.

Also, I was totally and completely wrong about my top five, both of which I had predicted La La Land and The Rocky Horror Picture Show would be in. Not too be a complete contrarian, but I am glad neither of these two landed in the top 10. This actually gives me great hope for my number one pick... possibly, just maybe... just perhaps showing up in the top 10 because it truly is the greatest musical of all time and I'll argue that and debate that and fight for that stance until I'm blue in the face and down to my last drop of blood.

Finally moviewise... a youtuber who is by far, who I find to be, the most in depth and analytical film critic and analyst on the interwebs, has broken down several aspects of La La Land too and demonstrates where is has massive shortcoming and in some spots is very amateurish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKx5JEvP5og

[URL="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gu08f15KnMI[/URL]

[Omnizoa]

I didn't care for Rocky Horror Picture Show. Music didn't click, story was instantly forgettable. Felt very overhyped for one of the movies most strongly associated with the phrase "it later developed a cult following".

I'm more of a Premier Cherdenko kind of Tim Curry enjoyer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_U59u69tys

[Wooley]

It's true, I expected both to be too 5-7 or so. I was actually wondering if Rocky Horror would be an upset #1-3, knocking some of the classics out of the way.

I can only say from years on this and other forums where many people here have been that I am actually very surprised to see it this high. I usually get a significant level of incredulity at how much I like it.

[Wooley]

You should be made to watch the whole of Young Girls of Rochefort as a penalty.


That's hardly a penalty.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Here's a deep dive from moviewise on the musical numbers in La La Land and why they don't really live up to the standards of the old MGM and Vincente Minnelli musicals in which the film is paying tribute toward. La La Land was probably one of my biggest disappointment films and let downs going in to it with high expectations. :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlavkQO3ajQ

[Robert the List]

Here's a deep dive from moviewise on the musical numbers in La La Land and why they don't really live up to the standards of the old MGM and Vincente Minnelli musicals in which the film is paying tribute toward. La La Land was probably one of my biggest disappointment films and let downs going in to it with high expectations. :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlavkQO3ajQ
It's just a beautiful love story.

I don't care too much about the songs one way or another, although the audition is very memorable.

But the film just captivates you. I'm not sure if I said it on here, but for me it's the one thing that could make me stop my equivalent of a baby having a crying tantrum, and just instantly forget about that and be mesmerised by this beautiful affair, like I've just been given my bottle or my rattle.
The ending......wow.....there's nothing else like it I've seen in cinema. I find it overhwhelming, time after time.
Some of the scenes look a bit naff, but man I can let that go because this is what the movies were invented for.

I thought its biggest influence btw was Umbrellas of Cherbourg. To me it's essentially a remake.

[SpelingError]

The Rocky Horror Picture Show was #22 on my ballot. It might've made it higher had I rewatched it, but it's very good.

La La Land is fine and I remember enjoying it a lot in the theaters, but I haven't felt an urge to rewatch it. It's the kind of film which I suspect won't hold up well.

[SpelingError]

1. All That Jazz
2. Dancer in the Dark
4. The Burden
6. Inside Llewyn Davis
7. The Young Girls of Rochefort
8. Top Hat
12. Duck Soup
16. Meet Me in St. Louis
17. The Music Man
20. The Nightmare Before Christmas
22. The Rocky Horror Picture Show

[iluv2viddyfilms]

By the way... to really try to illustrate my criticism of the Griffith Park Observatory scene in La La Land and why it's poor amateurish direction, let's contrast that scene with a different from one from a film that is in my top 10 of all time: Amelie.

Here, and yes it's slightly spliced together for youtube here (showing the gnome bits), but Jean Pierre Jeunet does it right when having two people talk to each other in showing both faces in the conversation simultaneously without relying on cutting back and forth between over the shoulder shots, which is sooo uncreative and lazy.

It's a beautiful scene and especially the outdoor moment where we here the ambient sounds of the wind and the birds chirping... in fact that short 30 second shot or so, is probably one of the closet moments a person could feel to being outside on a beautiful, lazy, breezy, spring or summer day.

Amelie is... and pardon my French, and the lame pun, just a ****ing masterpiece in how staging, direction, sound, and shot composition should be done and when compared to a similar outdoor scene of two people talking together in La La Land, it just puts it to shame. In addition, notice how when Amelie walks in to talk to her father we hear the sounds of the interior door opening and shutting, then we see her blurred image through the window pane, then we hear the door hinges creak open and shut all while also hearing the music in the background AND the slight metallic clink/clanking of the father's paintbrush on ceramic paint cup he's using. That's all in five seconds of film.

Folks... this is how it done and that movie is so amazing on a million levels.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJpBDkZFN2k

[Robert the List]

Aside from some poor blocking and camera movement. Take the "Another Day of Sun" freeway opening. How more of that wasn't done in long shot or mid shot and how it was coreographed more strongly, I'll never know. Yes the center of attention (coat) of the camera moved from person to person, but everything around it looked so sloppily done and if you were to pause the film at any moment during that sequence... the framing/mise en scene wouldn't be balanced... there would be cars half in and half out of frame, some characters would be standing around more others dancing... some in focus some out... no real attempt to follow any rule of thirds or aesthetic framing of the shot. It was just a complete mess, despite being a very cool and clever idea. And I get that we are in a time of constant camera movement and tracking shots, but Hell Scorsese could do that, Paul Thomas Anderson could do that, and even Vincente Minnelli in his musicals had some wonderful tracking shots. From what I see in La La Land, Damien Chazelle is just not that great of a director.

Another scene where this is apparent is his butchering of what could have been a beautifully shot scene or moment when Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are at the Griffith Park Observatory in their breakup scene... which from a writing, pacing, and editing standpoint is just horribly inserted and pops into the film suddenly out of nowhere. In fact I had to rewatch that scene and the several minutes before and after it several times just to make sure I didn't miss anything because it felt like there was a scene missing or something had gotten cut out of the film.

But yeah, if you're a director and grip USE the area and USE the location to its full potential! The fact that we don't really see the beauty of the background and the Hollywood hills and the colors of sky is criminal. Use a deep focus lens and then also place these two wonderful actors where we can get a mid shot of them both in frame so we see both their faces simultaneously rather than over the shoulder close up of one and then the back of the head of another and rinse and repeat. Use some great mid shots, deep focus lens... capture the beauty of these actors, the beauty of the scene, and the beauty of what should be a great scene. Instead we get out of focus, one actor's face at a time, blurry background that essentially looks like a zoom call. Also if you specifically analyze this scene... who the Hell did the movie rushes or screenings of this because on a handful of shots and frames we have tree branches and trunks in the background coming out of Ryan Gosling's head. Anyone who has taken a high school photography class or has done yearbook knows that this is a huge "no, no." Always position the subject of your shot so that they are not frame with light posts, trees, telephone polls, goalposts, etc sticking straight up out of their head that are located behind them.

This is so strange too because the one sequence where they are dancing in the evening on the balcony overlooking L.A. with the sunset (the sequence that is featured in most pictures and posters of the film) is very well done, despite Gosling and Emma Stone not being able to dance well. Ryan Gosling has danced far better on the Mickey Mouse Club and if Debbie Reynolds could learn steps in Singin' in the Rain, Emma Stone could have perhaps done a bit more and if not, maybe she was a bit miscast.

Another big complaint is with the ending. I love the dream sequence and homage there, but how the film suddenly skips five years and she's a big film star... OK, but since the entire premise of the film leading up to this point is that she really REALLY needs to dedicate herself to following her dreams and that somehow means she can't have a relationship with Goslings character... to only five years later find herself married to some rando with a kid? Honestly. What the Hell? It's just silly and poorly done. So if the film is undermining its own premise that she does the right thing in choosing her career over her love for Ryan Gosling and his dream of having his own night club and playing real jazz... why then do we see her married and with a kid five years later. Is it just that her dreams weren't compatible with Ryan Gosling's dreams, but somehow this other dude she's with... that's OK?

I could go on and continue to do a deep dive with how La La Land is such a deeply flawed and mess of a film, one with a brilliant premise that could have been so amazing in the right hands. Oh well.

I will say, a film in a similar vein, at least in so far as being a send up to the Hollywood of the past that IS perfectly executed and amazing and well done is The Artist. So I get what La La Land was going for and it's a good film, but it's a shame it wasn't so much more and was handled by a more proficient team of filmmakers. If ever there was a case for the assembly line of experts, artists, and craftsmen working together to mold a great piece of art, it would be La La Land.

Also, I was totally and completely wrong about my top five, both of which I had predicted La La Land and The Rocky Horror Picture Show would be in. Not too be a complete contrarian, but I am glad neither of these two landed in the top 10. This actually gives me great hope for my number one pick... possibly, just maybe... just perhaps showing up in the top 10 because it truly is the greatest musical of all time and I'll argue that and debate that and fight for that stance until I'm blue in the face and down to my last drop of blood.

Finally moviewise... a youtuber who is by far, who I find to be, the most in depth and analytical film critic and analyst on the interwebs, has broken down several aspects of La La Land too and demonstrates where is has massive shortcoming and in some spots is very amateurish.


All of this is genuinely insightful and an education, but this is not a film that you watch for its technical prowess.
With some saving graces, it's generally a pile of crap technically. I know next to nothing next to you, but I can see that.
But, aside from Stone's I think exceptional performance, the film is about the heart. That's it. If you are going to fully appreciate it, you don't watch it, you certainly don't analytically critique it. You feel it. And then it will knock you out/blow you away, or whatever you go to the movies to be done to you.


But I also respect your deeply considered and informed opinion.

[Takoma11]

I haven't seen La La land. It just feels like a premise that's been done way too many times.

I know some people really love La La Land, but to me it was a pretty soulless experience. And I'm a huge fan of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, and specifically I find them together really likable. (If you haven't seen the clip of them dying of laughter at Emma's story about her panic attack when Gosling picked her up for a dance move in Crazy Stupid Love, please see below and you're welcome.)

There is basically no character development, nor any compelling development of the central relationship. The plot is stringing together musical numbers . . . but the musical numbers shine in some technical aspects but are kind of hollow. I'd still generally recommend the film, but it didn't come anywhere near making my list.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lXzXexojT4&ab_channel=TheGrahamNortonShow

[cricket]

I considered voting for Rocky Horror but it didn't quite make it. Back in the 90's when I worked at the airport, I made a spare set of keys for the van I used to drive out around the planes and would steal it on the weekends. It had a flashing light on the top and I would pick up a bunch of friends, get a keg, and park right in front of the cinema for the midnight showing in Harvard Square. We'd be among the first in line and we would feed everyone who joined us cups of beer. Sometimes we would get thrown out or chased around by the police, but we would always come back. It's just that for as much fun as I had due to the audience participation, I thought of it as a bad movie. I've seen bits and pieces on TV but never really gave the film a fair shot. Curry and a couple of those songs are great though no doubt.

My wife and I really enjoyed La La Land, but for some reason I have since developed these negative feelings towards it that I can't explain. Probably unfair so I shat it on to the tail end of my ballot.

1. The Blues Brothers (#19)
5. Charlotte's Web (#79)
7. Stingray Sam (#46)
9. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (#15)
10. The Lure (#51)
11. Yankee Doodle Dandy (#32)
13. Dancer in the Dark (#20)
14. A Star is Born 2018 (#43)
15. Sing Street (#40)
16. Once (#25)
17. Calamity Jane (#84)
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)

[WHITBISSELL!]

Still haven't seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show and I tried watching La La Land but didn't make it past the 10 minute mark. Those ten minutes convinced me to avoid Babylon. I did like Whiplash for the most part.

[Takoma11]

And Rocky Horror was my #3. I have so much affection for it as a film, I love the music, and like many people, it's a movie I've experienced in wonderful crowd settings two different times in addition to just at-home viewings.

[exiler96]

Yeah, don't get the lasting impact of La La Land. It was like the best movie in the world while you're watching it, but once it's over, it's over for you too. Great movies are the opposite... Brief Encounter from 70+ years prior kicks it's butt btw... hell, I even prefer the less celebrated, but livelier Crazy Stupid Love which Takoma11 mentioned.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

My wife and I really enjoyed La La Land, but for some reason I have since developed these negative feelings towards it that I can't explain. Probably unfair so I shat it on to the tail end of my ballot.


I know I felt similarly. I think because it was sooo built up, part of it was just a bit of a let down for reasons I went into previously today in this thread. My initial thought was to give it an A- rating, but really it may be a B+ Not that's there's any kind of rubric I'm using outside of just loosely and tentatively going through aspects of it in my head. I thought about also putting it low on my list like around 23, 24, or 25, but then I realized IF I did put it on my list I wouldn't be honest with myself, and felt more pressure to do so because I wanted a "well rounded" list in terms of having films represent multiple decades and to get something in there more modern. After all, the most recent film I had on my list in Dancer in the Dark from 2000. But I didn't include it because, it just isn't as great as I would have liked to it have been and I don't think it's a serious contender for a list of top 10 or even 25 greatest musicals of all time... especially considering some of what I would have had to cut to include it just for the sake of having something "new" on my list.

[Gideon58]

My review of La La Land:

https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/1640052-la_la_land.html

[iluv2viddyfilms]

I'm guessing Singin in the rain will be number one then

Nah, I still say it will be the Disney big cat thing. I hope you're right though!

[rauldc14]

4 of the last 12 will be from my list. I really hope all 4 make the top 10.

[seanc]

Nah, I still say it will be the Disney big cat thing. I hope you're right though!

I think Singing as well, and don’t think the big cat thing will even be top Disney

[iluv2viddyfilms]

I think Singing as well, and don’t think the big cat thing will even be top Disney

Do you think it will be Beauty and the Beast? I hope so. It was the only other animated film I came very close to including.

[MovieFan1988]

Nah, I still say it will be the Disney big cat thing. I hope you're right though!

Lion King and Beauty and the Beast #1 and #2 would be awesome, I hope this happens, probably not. Another movie that I don't mind making it to 1 or 2 is Wizard of OZ

[rauldc14]

La La Land was my #2 anyways, but very well could have been #1.

Here's my review:

https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/1625870-la_la_land.html

[mrblond]

I had La La Land at #21 on my ballot.
Saw it for the awards season back then. It is a Colorful movie. Anyway, I'm surprised how its popularity went so high.

[seanc]

Do you think it will be Beauty and the Beast? I hope so. It was the only other animated film I came very close to including.

Yeah, just a gut thing. Feel like it has that more classical broad appeal. We shall see.

[Little Ash]

Oh, and despite my comments about Rocky Horror Picture Show when talking about how I preferred Phantom of the Paradise, I still enjoyed RHPS, even though I haven't revisited it in decades, I ended up putting it at #6 on my ballot. Hey, it is fun.

And I forgot to say, if a Disney film does make it #1, don't look at me. The Nightmare Before Christmas was the only Disney (adjacent) animated feature on my ballot. Though I probably would have included Alice in Wonderland if I had thought of it or remembered the amount of singing in it.

[cricket]

I just totally assumed when this started that it'd be Singin' in the Rain or The Wizard of Oz for the win.

[seanc]

I just totally assumed when this started that it'd be Singin' in the Rain or The Wizard of Oz for the win.

That’s my guess for 1, 2 in that order

[PHOENIX74]

14. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Man, this feels like the end of the countdown. Nine out of my top ten picks have already appeared, and we haven't gotten to the top ten yet! The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a film I briefly became obsessed by in my teenage years. I'd watch it over and over again and apply different interpretations to what it all meant, all the while enjoying the music and hypersexualized action. I remember studying for exams with the film playing in the background. I'd seen it before that, and not cared for it all that much - but that had all changed. My obsessive passion died down a bit over the ensuing years, but not my love for the film. I've seen it on the big screen, with all the theatrics that engenders. If you put aside the 20 or so times I watched it during that very intense period, I've probably seen it another 15 or so times over the years - if there's any movie that has rewatch appeal it's Rocky Horror. I had it at #3 on my ballot.

13. La La Land (2016) - I really like La La Land, and if I had of been submitting a Top 50 ballot no doubt it would have made the grade. As it is, it simply got pushed out by other musicals I liked more. I felt a little resistance to it before I saw it, but the music is simply too delightful to not become absorbed by. The film looks beautiful, and the duo of Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone really shine. I've seen it a couple of times, and I'm absolutely not averse to seeing it again. Who knows, another few goes and it might creep up the rankings. I don't have much more to say about it though.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seen : 59/88
I'd never even heard of : 11/88
Movies that had been on my radar, but I haven't seen yet : 18/88
Films from my list : 16

#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)

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Man, this feels like the end of the countdown. Nine out of my top ten picks have already appeared, and we haven't gotten to the top ten yet!

I kind of feel a bit of the opposite, meaning only now are a good number of mine going to drop... I would imagine anyway. So far only 11, yes ONLY 11 of my top 25 musicals have shown up. This means with 12 left to go on the countdown, and I still have 14 left to show, that two will automatically not even appear.

I think we're in for at least one or two surprising or shocking picks for the top 10 of this list, especially since La La Land and Rocky Horror showed up today - two films I was sure would make the top 10. If anything this list has been unpredictable and a few films I was pleasantly surprised made the list that I was pulling for, which I wasn't sure would make it... 42nd Street and The Smiling Lieutenant. One film... a true masterpiece in every sense of the word, I think it's a shame how low it placed, An American in Paris. A few films that I find wildly overrated and would never come anywhere near my list, but I understand why they made it, Sing Street, The Blues Brothers, Walk the Line, Moulin Rouge!, and a film I wanted to love - La La Land. And a couple films which seem fair and to be placed just about right, Fiddler on the Roof, Labyrinth, and Duck Soup. And even some pleasant surprises I'm glad made it as high as they did, Gentleman Prefer Blondes, 1776, and Duck Soup.

Where it gets interesting and surprising is looking at the rankings... for example can anyone objectively say that Stringray Sam or The Muppets Christmas Carol are better musicals than say Easter Parade, On the Town, or even Gigi? This is why these lists are exciting, interesting, and fun and surprising even if they are, at times, a bit ridiculous... I mean An American in Paris the 42nd greatest musical of all time? What? It's OK, I'll live and survive somehow.

But if my number one doesn't make it on the countdown... I'm moving to Canada!

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Moreover if I were to play the 25th spot being an exclusive one-pointer pick instead of using my 25th spot for a legit pick, I probably would have gone with the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Road to Bali (1952). Interesting that there will likely be no Elvis or Bob Hope films on the list.

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

[Citizen Rules]

Moreover if I were to play the 25th spot being an exclusive one-pointer pick instead of using my 25th spot for a legit pick, I probably would have gone with the Bob Hope and Bing Crosby Road to Bali (1952). Interesting that there will likely be no Elvis or Bob Hope films on the list.
At this point I think I can say I voted for two Elvis movies.

[PHOENIX74]

I've got 4 more that I'm expecting will show, but most of them lower down on my ballot of preferences. There are a couple of big ones that were late omissions which I keep thinking are on my ballot, but I had to go with films I love more than simply admire but are less likely to enjoy watching. The old excuse of "didn't need my help anyway" keeps coming to mind regarding those choices that had to make way for some favourites I couldn't leave out. One of them I expect to be vying for top spot (but with this countdown who knows, it might show tomorrow.)

My ballot so far

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. Expected
10. Chicago (2002) - #21
11. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) - #24
12. 60% chance still
13. Oliver! (1968) - #44
14. Hair (1979) - #47
15. A Hard Day's Night (1964) - #23
16. Missed
17. Expected
18. 30% chance still
19. Missed
20. Missed
21. Expected
22. Yellow Submarine (1968) - #72
23. Annie (1982) - #60
24. Missed
25. Shock Treatment (1981) - 1-pointer

[dadgumblah]

I saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show on video because I’m not down with audience participation type of entertainment unless it was singing along at a concert in my faded youth. That said, I liked RHPS quite a bit but have not seen it since that first viewing.

I liked La La Land the one time I saw it and can see why it’s well-liked. Also, at the time I thought Emma Stone could do no wrong. Then I saw that other Best Actress role she did and I lost all respect for her. But La La Land is good stuff. I voted for neither film today.

1. On the Town #93 (list proper)
#5. The Blues Brothers #19 (list proper)
#6. Easter Parade #78 (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)
#18. The Muppet Movie #45 (list proper)
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)

[Hey Fredrick]

Had a few more from my ballot make an appearance:

Aladdin was my number 7. I saw it in the theater and it's a night that's etched into my memory for more than just the movie. What I remember most from that first viewing is the Cave of Wonders sequence. I don't think I had ever seen an animated movie to that point with such an exhilarating scene.

Chicago I had at 6. The songs...they're so good. Also, CZJ was a real surprise. I knew her as an actress. I had no idea she had the kind of dancing chops that she has. Cell Block Tango is one of my favorite songs in any musical.

Little Shop of Horrors - #22. Hadn't watched it in awhile but I had a chance to revisit it recently and it was good. Not as good as I remember but good enough to make my ballot. The Bill Murray scene still cracks me up.

Hedwig and the Angry Inch was 10. Great story, funny, music is great. A real shocker for me.

The Rocky Horror Picture Show is kind of a toughie. I don't think it's a great movie but I really like parts of it. Tim Curry is fantastic and the songs, for the most part, are a hit with me. I had it at 19. Plus it's a movie that features a dance I can actually do without ending up in the ER.

I mentioned earlier that there were two films I had wanted to see but didn't get to before ballots were due - A Star is Born (1954) was the first and Dancer in the Dark is the other. It wasn't streaming anywhere. Now, it's streaming everywhere (figures) and I still haven't seen it.

All That Jazz is a top ten movie of the 70's for me. Not including it on my ballot is a big miss.

[honeykid]

It's been a week and I've only seen a few of those revealed, or part if we including the evil which is Pinocchio, but there's only one which I liked. Hedwig was my #1. I'm really pleased to see it so high and a few years ago I think it'd have done well to be top 50-60 at best. I was starting to hope for top 10, but I'm not disappointed with where its landed It's such a good film and I disagree with anyone who says there's not a real banger among the songs. There's some great songs there, but Angry Inch is a stone cold banger. The bitterness and anger John Cameron Mitchell spits out while singing the lyrics is visceral as well as mirrored in the actions of the scene.

I remember the excitement on the Independent circuit when this was being released and I got myself a copy as quickly as I could. I loved it and I've loved and recommended it ever since.

[kgaard]

I have an odd relationship with The Rocky Horror Picture Show. The first time I saw it I was on a date and my date went to sit with someone else during the movie. Not great! Obviously this has nothing to do with the movie itself but you can understand the negative feelings associated with it. I went a few more times in college and never really enjoyed the audience participation aspect, just not my thing, so that also colored my feelings about the film (also on one these outings my friend who was driving us back to the dorm was going too fast on a cloverleaf and we went off the road, fortunately not hitting anything on the way. This is what I remember about the movie). On the other hand, some years later I went to a showing of Rocky Horror at my then-girlfriend's college--she was playing Columbia and I went in drag. This was when I met my now-wife, who was playing Eddie: she was, quite rightly, mad at how good my legs looked in fishnets. It makes a good story to tell when people ask how we met.

Anyway, the upshot is I've still never seen Rocky Horror just as a movie separate from its accumulated trappings, and it's such a mixed bag for me emotionally that I don't really know how to rate it. I didn't vote for it, but I've at least come around to being glad that it's out there.

La La Land, like The Blues Brothers, is not for me.

[Wooley]

Here's a deep dive from moviewise on the musical numbers in La La Land and why they don't really live up to the standards of the old MGM and Vincente Minnelli musicals in which the film is paying tribute toward. La La Land was probably one of my biggest disappointment films and let downs going in to it with high expectations. :(

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlavkQO3ajQ

I wasn't as disappointed as you, probably because I didn't have my expectations nearly that high, but I agree with the sentiment of the video (and you if that's yours too). That's pretty much how I felt about the film.
La La Land was a nice enough attempt for 2016 and maybe it flashed some of the old magic to audiences less immersed in the Musical tradition, but Chazelle (who I like) is no Demy or Minelli, Stone is no Garland, and Gosling is so far below a Kelley he's a bit like an anvil in this film.
The movie is like if a bunch of very talented people who really liked Classic Musicals but were far-removed from them had no special ability in that genre, decided to try to revive them.
Which it is.

[Wooley]

14. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Man, this feels like the end of the countdown. Nine out of my top ten picks have already appeared, and we haven't gotten to the top ten yet! The Rocky Horror Picture Show is a film I briefly became obsessed by in my teenage years. I'd watch it over and over again and apply different interpretations to what it all meant, all the while enjoying the music and hypersexualized action. I remember studying for exams with the film playing in the background. I'd seen it before that, and not cared for it all that much - but that had all changed. My obsessive passion died down a bit over the ensuing years, but not my love for the film. I've seen it on the big screen, with all the theatrics that engenders. If you put aside the 20 or so times I watched it during that very intense period, I've probably seen it another 15 or so times over the years - if there's any movie that has rewatch appeal it's Rocky Horror. I had it at #3 on my ballot.



Obviously we are of similar minds on Rocky Horror.
Next time you watch it, think about it this way going in:
It's the best musical ever made about how a Malignant Narcissist destroys everyone around them until someone puts a stop to it.

[Thursday Next]

I see people sad that their movies aren't higher, but I feel that everything at this point is pretty high! Look carefully at the points totals over the next couple of days - these movies are so close! Today's #12 has only 1 more point than yesterday's #13. #10 only has 2 points more than #11. So one person putting a movie two places higher or lower on their list would have affected which movies made the top 10.The big points jumps happen when we hit the top 3.

[Thursday Next]

14lists233pointsBeauty and the Beast (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/10020-beauty-and-the-beast.html)Director
Kirk Wise, 1991

Starring
Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach

[Thursday Next]

19lists234pointsThe Umbrellas of Cherbourg (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/5967-the-umbrellas-of-cherbourg.html)Director
Jacques Demy, 1964

Starring
Catherine Deneuve, Nino Castelnuovo, Anne Vernon, Mireille Perrey

[Thursday Next]

Another twofer today for me.

Beauty and the Beast was my #12 while Umbrellas of Cherbourg was my #3.

[Miss Vicky]

While the animation is beautiful, I've never been a fan of the story of Beauty and the Beast. Plus I've always favored animated movies about animals over ones about people. I've seen the movie several times in both childhood and adulthood and it just isn't my kind of movie.

I watched The Umbrellas for Cherbourg for this countdown. I thought it was beautiful but boring and I hated the singing.

[MovieMeditation]

Beauty and the Beast was my #10.

On an afterthought, I should probably have had it higher. Either way, I’m very surprised it didn’t crack the top ten…

One of Disney’s best for sure. And it’s one of those that had a better balance between the fun and goofy with the more serious and dramatic. Great songs, stunning visuals and a good story. One of my favorites of the classics.

I have seen Umbrellas of Cherbourg and thought it was beautiful but didn’t care to much for it otherwise.

[MovieFan1988]

My predictions for top 10

1. The Wizard of Oz - This deserves the #1 spot imo.
2. Singin in the Rain - This will be either 1 or 2, I would love to see The Lion King take the #2 spot.
3. Grease
4. West Side Story
5. The Lion King
6. The Sound of Music
7. Mary Poppins
8. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
9. Cabaret
10. Footloose or My Fair Lady

[Gideon58]

Not sure why, but I don’t see Willie Wonka making the top ten.

[Miss Vicky]

Not sure why, but I don’t see Willie Wonka making the top ten.

Which seems more likely, that Willy Wonka is in the top ten or that a movie as popular and with as much nostalgic value as it has failed to get more points than a made for TV version of Cinderella?

[Citizen Rules]

Yes! So glad that The Umbrellas of Cherbourg made it! It was my #15. It's a movie that when I watched it, it resonated with me like very few movies ever have.

I wrote this:
https://www.movieforums.com/community/attachment.php?attachmentid=43484&stc=1&d=1522888817

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964)


That photo breaks my heart, so many scenes did...and if you've watched this and don't know what I mean, then there's nothing else I can say about this wonderful film that will reach you.

Jacques Demy effortlessly combines the classic French 'Cinéma de Qualité' with French New wave realism to create one unique film, with all the dialogue being sung. But that's mainly of interest to film scholars.

What counts to me is that this is one of the most heartfelt, emotionally honest films dealing with young love that I've ever seen. And let me tell ya folks, Citizen Rules was once young and while I wasn't shipped off to war in Algiers, a lot of this story rang so true for me. Been there and experienced it...When you're young and in love for the first time, it's like us against the world and nothing in the universe can stop that love, say for one thing...time...And I've always had one saying that rings true, 'time kills all deals'.

Catherine Deneuve-Geneviève is very special here. Either you get her emotional fragility and exuberance over her love, or you don't. And yet the story is crafted so wonderfully sincere that it's easy to see how her one true love, Guy (Nino Castelnuovo), can in the end shift gears and still find happiness with another. And yes he ended up where he needed to be, and Geneviève lands where time took her to. Oh and the gas station scene, powerful stuff! So metered and so real and yes I've experienced that too.

[WHITBISSELL!]

I haven't seen the animated Beauty and the Beast but have watched La Belle et la Bête (1946). Have never watched The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. 1 for 10 with these last few with only The Blues Brothers to show for it. But that was my #2 pick. Have only watched 25 of 90, which is embarassing (but understandable).

1. A Hard Day's Night (1964)
2. The Blues Brothers
3. Odds on favorite
4. Likely
5. Cinderella (1965)
6. Nah
7. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
8. Inside Llewyn Davis (2013)
9. Purple Rain (1984)
10. No dice
11. Maybe
12. Probably
13. South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut (1999)
14. No room for a second entry from these guys
15. Tommy (1975)
16. No chance
17. Gigi (1958)
18. There's a good chance this one will show up
19. Snowball's chance in hell
20. Alice in Wonderland (1951)
21. Probably no room for a second entry from these guys
22. No chance
23. Ditto
24. Corpse Bride (2005)
25. No way

[Citizen Rules]

I never seen and not interested in Disney's Beauty and the Beast. I have watched the French film, La Belle et la Bête (1946) and thought it was really good.

[KeyserCorleone]

I saw Umbrellas for the countdown but it didn't quite make my ballot. It's a cute story, but nothing about it graces the artistic prowess of the director's wife, Agnes Varda.

Beauty and the Beast is my number 1 Disney movie and my number 3 on the ballot. It took the revival of Disney tyraditions a step furether than The Little Mermaid with higher quality music and a much more interesting prince / girl / villain dynamic.

[Allaby]

Beauty and the Beast is a wonderful film with great characters and fantastic songs, but I didn't have room on my ballot for it. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is excellent and was my number 10.

Seen: 88/90

[Holden Pike]

102571

Beauty and the Beast was #12 on the MoFo Top 100 Animated Films and #97 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 1990s. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg was #36 on both the MoFo Top 100 of the 1960s and the MoFo Top 100 Foreign Films.

[Little Ash]

My predictions for top 10

1. The Wizard of Oz - This deserves the #1 spot imo.
2. Singin in the Rain - This will be either 1 or 2, I would love to see The Lion King take the #2 spot.
3. Grease
4. West Side Story
5. The Lion King
6. The Sound of Music
7. Mary Poppins
8. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
9. Cabaret
10. Footloose or My Fair Lady


Do you think Fosse's All That Jazz made #17 on the list, but his much more widely known and widely seen, Cabaret missed the countdown altogether?

[Gideon58]

I’ll be furious if Cabaret is not in the top ten

[cricket]

I watched Umbrellas of Cherbourg via jiraffejustin for a movie swap or something. I put it on and said haha wtf they are singing the dialogue, you got me good jiraffe. I thought it was a joke, but then quickly I was completely entranced by it. It could vie for my top spot if nostalgia wasn't a thing.

I didn't like Beauty and the Beast but that 40's film is fantastic.

1. The Blues Brothers (#19)
3. Umbrellas of Cherbourg (#11)
5. Charlotte's Web (#79)
7. Stingray Sam (#46)
9. Hedwig and the Angry Inch (#15)
10. The Lure (#51)
11. Yankee Doodle Dandy (#32)
13. Dancer in the Dark (#20)
14. A Star is Born 2018 (#43)
15. Sing Street (#40)
16. Once (#25)
17. Calamity Jane (#84)
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)

[iluv2viddyfilms]

I damn near came soooo close to voting for Beauty and the Beast. I think it's Disney's absolute best musical and though I would need to do a hard close look at a list of every Disney film, it could be Disney's best film period.

The messaging is fine without it being too preachy or anything, but still staying true to human characteristics and tendencies and it's just true to life if you breakdown the psychology of it and the archetypes. Each character has something of a psychosis or huge flaw.

Belle's father is withdrawn in his work and basically completely aloof and a man out of time and step with society.

Belle herself refuses to conform to society, albeit in a different way than her father, and she's idealistic in her shunning of traditional female roles, I guess maybe you could say a feminist of that Middle Ages France setting, or as close as one could get. What's truly great about her character, despite also having "bad boy" syndrome is that the film doesn't either condemn or glorify any of this AND if you really read into Beauty and the Beast and explore its heavy themes, she's every bit as "tamed" and "civilized" as the Beast is albeit in a different way. Where the beast learns manners, patience, love, understanding, temperance and forgiveness, Belle learns acceptance, conformity to institutions that aren't necessarily inherently bad, prudence over her arrogance, humility, gratitude, and love.

The other characters are just treasure troves of hilarity, entertainment, and just plain dynamic with distinct personalities too. The Candlestick... Lumiere (sp?) I think is a complete trickster and coy when he needs to be and rebellious otherwise. The Clock... Codsworth maybe... is a HUGE pushover and a "yes man" and an utter coward and unfortunately we see so many people like him in middle management in real life. Mrs. Potts or Angela Lansbury's character is just so delightful and kind and warm and motherly and she's worth the price of admission alone and probably gives the best voice acting performance in the entire film.

There's just so much to it all. Perhaps my favorite character just in terms of looking at him from an archetypal point of view and his neurosis is Gaston who is beyond vain and narcissistic. The Gaston song is deliciously wonderful in just how out of touch Gaston is and to play the main villain for over the top comedy is something truly meme worthy and satirical. It reminds me of the old The Onion joke article declaring Kim Jong Un "the world's sexiest man" and how Kim Jong Un is his unbridled and so out of touch arrogance ran with it and published it in North Korean media as a legit thing. Actually in this screwed and messed up post internet social media world of everyone and their dog whoring themselves out on the interwebs... a world of OF, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, and a gazillion other apps to degrade and diminish the human race that has turned massive amounts of the population into self idolizing zombies or consumer zombies of self idolization (near 2/3 of the male population 30 years old and under is single and we wonder why), the character of Gaston resonates so much and was, sadly, decades ahead of its time, now that we have outlets and platforms for the ego and the whoring out of the worship of self. Yeah the Gaston character is so great because he was a sign of things to come in a society of millions and millions of people who could never love anyone else even half as much as they love themselves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30PVdigjbFY

So yeah, the characters, story, writing, the themes, the message, the archetypes, animation, music, voice acting, etc of Beauty and the Beast is all so wonderful. If I didn't make a rule for myself about only including one animated film, Beauty and the Beast would definitely be on there.

And Umbrellas of Cherbourg... more later but it is amazing and brilliant and was my number eight pick. It's an A+ film.

Also me wonders will the Triplets of Belleville make this list? Or does it qualify? I'm surprised it hasn't shown up if it did qualify and it's another animated film that could have easily made my list.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

I’ll be furious if Cabaret is not in the top ten

Don't worry. You won't be furious. It WILL make the top 10 and SHOULD make the top 10.

[stillmellow]

My predictions for top 10

1. The Wizard of Oz - This deserves the #1 spot imo.
2. Singin in the Rain - This will be either 1 or 2, I would love to see The Lion King take the #2 spot.
3. Grease
4. West Side Story
5. The Lion King
6. The Sound of Music
7. Mary Poppins
8. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
9. Cabaret
10. Footloose or My Fair Lady



It'll be interesting to see which of these eleven movies didn't make the list at all. My money is on Footloose. No offense to it, but it does seem like the weakest of the group.


Beauty and the Beast was my number 3! The animation and beauty of the songs is unparalleled... which makes me a little sad it didn't rank higher than the Lion King.


Yes, The story has some Stockholm syndrome elements, but it's a classic fairy tale. You have to give it some leeway.


I've never seen Umbrellas of Cherbourg. I'm not even sure if I've ever heard of it.

[MovieFan1988]

Do you think Fosse's All That Jazz made #17 on the list, but his much more widely known and widely seen, Cabaret missed the countdown altogether?

No, I still think Cabaret will make it, I don't see it crack the top 5 though.

[MovieFan1988]

It'll be interesting to see which of these eleven movies didn't make the list at all. My money is on Footloose. No offense to it, but it does seem like the weakest of the group.


Beauty and the Beast was my number 3! The animation and beauty of the songs is unparalleled... which makes me a little sad it didn't rank higher than the Lion King.


Yes, The story has some Stockholm syndrome elements, but it's a classic fairy tale. You have to give it some leeway.


I've never seen Umbrellas of Cherbourg. I'm not even sure if I've ever heard of it.

No offense taken, I think footloose will miss it also but it's worth a shot at guessing since it's one of those popular movies with music in it. It's going to be an interesting couple of days while the top 10 is being revealed.

[mrblond]

I saw Umbrellas of Cherbourg specially for the countdown. Loved its visual style, colours, photography but I think, the music and singing spoiled the otherwise good film. No vote from me.

[cricket]

Forget about Footloose

[mrblond]

Isn't it time for revealing 101-120? :yup:

[Miss Vicky]

Is there even singing in Footloose? I've never seen it but always thought it was a dancing movie.

[Miss Vicky]

Do you think Fosse's All That Jazz made #17 on the list, but his much more widely known and widely seen, Cabaret missed the countdown altogether?

He has Cabaret listed right there at #9.

[Little Ash]

He has Cabaret listed right there at #9.

Damn. I'm just blind sometimes. I swore it wasn't on their list.

My apologies, MovieFan1988

[MovieFan1988]

Damn. I'm just blind sometimes. I swore it wasn't on their list.

My apologies, MovieFan1988

No problem

[Little Ash]

Haven't seen Beauty and the Beast (1991), no great desire to. I have seen Panna a Netvor (1978, Czech) and would recommend it if someone wants a dark fantasy tone of the old fairytale. Still need to see La Belle et la Bête (1946).

Umbrellas of Cherbourg was #16 (of 18) on my ballot. I know it's a classic, but for the most part I wasn't taken by it, but the ending scene was solid, which I guess was enough to make it onto my ballot.

[Omnizoa]

Beauty and the Beast was one of the only movies I managed to squeeze in a rewatch of in the 2-3 days I had after learning about the countdown. I ultimately placed it at #5, though I probably would have rated it lower if I had more time.

Having said that, I think Beauty and the Beast is kind of underrated in the big picture of Disney movies. Our "Princess" Belle, unlike many others, is just a content main character without any status or privilege, a nerd even, she's just loves books, has a good relationship with her dad, and that's pretty much the beginning and end of any conflict up until Gaston inserts himself into things and her dad fumbles his way into Beast's Castle.

Beast's rationale for keeping Belle imprisoned is pretty contrived from the outset, but her natural fearlessness combined with Beast actually being somewhat of a pushover helps redeem his character, which is ultimately the entire point of the story. All of the songs, I would argue, other than "Be Our Guest" and "Human Again" are all solid, mainly because those two just fixate so heavily on the sidecast of furniture characters which exist almost entirely for comedy relief.

Basically, the worst part of any Disney movie is the forced insertion of quirky comedy relief characters.

Much as they've tried to repeatedly recreate the stereotypically hateable chauvinist character, Gaston really just is the best they've ever made. He's played as straight as he possibly can be without judgment and he's just such a gloriously selfish *******. Disney would never be able to do this character justice nowadays, and I'm confident that I don't have to see the Live-Action/CG remake to make that claim.

Overall, it's a solid movie.

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

[Takoma11]

Haven't seen Beauty and the Beast (1991), no great desire to. I have seen Panna a Netvor (1978, Czech) and would recommend it if someone wants a dark fantasy tone of the old fairytale. Still need to see La Belle et la Bête (1946).

I think it's worth seeing all three of the versions you list, if only to see just how differently the same story can be interpreted.

[Takoma11]

Apparently, Beauty and the Beast and Umbrellas of Cherbourg were nestled together at #16 and #17 on my list. (I do have to keep going back to check, because I went back and forth on my general criteria for listing).

With Beauty and the Beast, the animation is just really gorgeous and I'm a fan of the songs and the vocal performances. I'm not the biggest fan of "kidnap victim falls in love with captor" storylines, but Belle volunteering to take her father's place and the fact that she holds onto her sense of self through the film gets it a pass on that front.

There's also something kind of funny about Belle singing in the very first song that she's too good for her basic (sorry, "provincial") town and . . . she's right! Bow down to your new queen, people who were rude about the library thing!

Umbrellas of Cherbourg is just a very special, fantastically beautiful film. Here's a little excerpt of what I wrote in my review after watching it:
If I could sum up the vibe I get from Demy's work so far, it would be "Yeah, sometimes that's how it is." Sometimes you love someone who doesn't love you back. Sometimes there's something negative about a person that is beyond their power or desire to change. Sometimes you miss a chance and you don't get a second one. Sometimes you have to make the best of what you have. And if it seems like this is a little bleak, I think that what Demy actually manages to capture is that it isn't bleak. It can be a little sad, yes, but life can still find a way to be full of joy. My favorite line might be when Guy asks Madeline, "Are you happy?" and she responds, "I'm not unhappy.".

[rauldc14]

Beauty and the Beast was number 1 on my wife's list. If she had a list. I should post her "list".

[Wooley]

I assumed Umbrellas was a shoe-in for my list... except that YGoRochefort passed it for me a few years ago and then when I made the final list Umbrellas fell off the end. If I hadn't done a one-pointer or if I wasn' such a big fan of the Classic Hollywood Musical, there probably would have been room.
I have a feeling if I made the list 100 times Umbrellas would be on it 70 times but this was one of the 30.

[Wooley]

Also, there is no way - No WAY - that Cabin In The Sky got less than 35 points from this esteemed convention. And since it hasn't appeared thus far it would seem to be clear that it will be found, where it belongs, in the Top 10.

[SpelingError]

Beauty and the Beast is pretty good, but it didn't make my ballot.

Umbrellas of Cherbourg was #23 on my ballot. It came close to getting kicked off my ballot, but I still found room for it. I prefer The Young Girls of Rochefort by a decent margin, but it's still very good. If I remake my ballot in a couple years though, it might be booted off though. Who knows. Yeah, I'm sounding too negative right now. TLDR: Very good film.

[SpelingError]

1. All That Jazz
2. Dancer in the Dark
4. The Burden
6. Inside Llewyn Davis
7. The Young Girls of Rochefort
8. Top Hat
12. Duck Soup
16. Meet Me in St. Louis
17. The Music Man
20. The Nightmare Before Christmas
22. The Rocky Horror Picture Show
23. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg
25. Little Shop of Horrors

[SpelingError]

Also, I just realized Little Shop of Horrors did make my ballot at the very end. I think it shows how difficult it was to pick the final several films on my ballot.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

So far with ten to go. 12 have shown up. I predict five more are locks. I predict seven have a snowball's chance. I predict my number one... might show up.

1. (Maybe)
2. (Yes)
3. (Yes)
4. (Yes)
5. (Yes)
6. Dancer in the Dark (20)
7. (No)
8. Umbrellas of Cherbourg (11)
9. Pennies From Heaven (56)
10. (No)
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. (No)
16. Nashville (39)
17. (No)
18. (Yes)
19. A Star is Born (1954) (67)
20. (No).
21. Easter Parade (78)
22. 42nd Street (76)
23. (No)
24. (No)
25. The Smiling Lieutenant (1931, Ernst Lubitsch) (96)

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Patton Oswalt's introduction to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg for The Criterion Channel.

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

[Wooley]

1. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)
2. The Music Man (1962)
3. Coming Soon...
4. Coming Soon...
5. Is It Possible This "Aged Badly" Enough To Cost It A TOP-10 Spot?
6. Oliver! (1968)
7. Coming Soon...
8. Coming Soon...
9. If This Isn't Even Top 100 My Mind Will Explode
10. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
11. Coming Soon...
12. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
13. The Blues Brothers (1980)
14. Yikes! What A Bummer
15. Meet Me in St. Louis (1944)
16. The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)
17. Not Yet?
18. Oklahoma! (1955)
19. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)
20. White Christmas (1954)
21. Screwed Up And Named The Wrong Movie
22. Fiddler on the Roof (1971)
23. Top Hat (1935)
24. Literally SHOCKED This Is Not Gonna Make A List Of A HUNDRED
25. Rock & Rule (one-pointer, only animated film I allowed)

[Holden Pike]

The Near-Misses list should be forthcoming. That may eliminate a few stray possibilities.

[Little Ash]

I think it's worth seeing all three of the versions you list, if only to see just how differently the same story can be interpreted.


I've seen a couple of the 90's Disney Renaissance movies when I was young and I don't think they're for me. I am interested in the classic Cocteau version. But if there was a 90's Disney animated musical rendition of Dracula, I would, nearly equally be disinterested. Though if there's a Guy Maddin adaptation of Beauty and the Beast I'm unaware of, let me know.

[rauldc14]

My top 10 prediction

1. Wizard of Oz
2. Singin in the Rain
3. West Side Story
4. Cabaret
5. Grease
6. Willy Wonka
7. Lion King
8. Mary Poppins
9. Sound of Music
10. My Fair Lady

[stillmellow]

My top 10 prediction

1. Wizard of Oz
2. Singin in the Rain
3. West Side Story
4. Cabaret
5. Grease
6. Willy Wonka
7. Lion King
8. Mary Poppins
9. Sound of Music
10. My Fair Lady



I think Grease will beat Cabaret and West Side Story, but otherwise I think you have it.

[Wyldesyde19]

Didn’t like Hedwig and the Angry Inch at all. Not surprised it made it this high, however.
Stoked La La Land is here, but thought it would have been top ten easily. Oh well. Nice critique of the Hollywood culture, with some nice dance scenes mixed in.

I think it was my #3

[dadgumblah]

I love Beauty and the Beast and think it's a dang near-perfect Disney animated feature. All the musical numbers (the title song, "Be Our Guest") are spot-on and the animation is wonderous (particulalry during "Be Our Guest" and the dance between Belle and the Beast). Such great characters, but the supporting character are my favorite, especially Mrs. Potts, Cogsworth, and Lumiere. I never knew until this film that Jerry Orbach (such a tough guy on film and tv) could sing or had anything to do with Broadway. The man was uber-talented! Didn't vote for it.

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a film I first heard about on this site but I've yet to see it. Looks great.

1. On the Town #93 (list proper)
#5. The Blues Brothers #19 (list proper)
#6. Easter Parade #78 (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)
#18. The Muppet Movie #45 (list proper)
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)

[Thief]

Stats: Pit Stop #9
https://i.imgur.com/gsyznMd.gif

-

Now that we've hit the ninth pit stop (10), here are some stats:

Decade Breakdown


1920s = 0
1930s = 6
1940s = 6
1950s = 12
1960s = 9
1970s = 11
1980s = 11
1990s = 9
2000s = 11
2010s = 13
2020s = 2


Another batch with no new entries for the 1950s, and one for the 2010s allowing it to take the lead. Also, solid batch for the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, each with 2 entries.


Recurring Directors


Vincente Minnelli = 4
Ben Sharpsteen = 4*
Wilfred Jackson = 4*
John Carney = 3
John Musker & Ron Clements = 3
Hamilton Luske = 3*
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*


Jacques Demy is the only director to join the club in this batch after placing The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (#11) and The Young Girls of Rochefort (#36). Other than that, Vincente Minnelli remains at the top with four (4) entries.

* Continuing with Disney's trend and logistics, Ben Sharpsteen and Wilfred Jackson got up to 4 entries where they worked, Hamilton Luske got up to 3, while Bill Roberts, Norman Ferguson, and T. Hee got 2 each.

** Tim Burton shared directing credits of Corpse Bride with Mike Johnson.

Two (2) more animated entries with Beautyt and the Beast and The Nightmare Before Christmas to bring the total up to 17.

[rauldc14]

Anyways, I know we have 10 left but I really have like the unpredictability of this list order. Even if La La was upset and didn't make the top 10.

I have to be the first guy to bring this up but I usually am, what we thinking next? A 90s redux? Sports? Films not on any lists?

[Thief]

Been out of the loop for a couple of days, so catching up a bit...

The Nightmare Before Christmas is a lot of fun. Even though I came to see it late in life, I still had a lot of fun with it. Songs are catchy, the story is inventive, and the animation is superb. I should've included it on my list, but just didn't.

La La Land is a delightful and poignant musical. Starts with a lot of energy and ends in a very solemn note. That look at the choices we make and how they affect the rest of our lives was certainly more than I was expecting. Gosling and Stone are superb, the musical numbers all range from colorful and vibrant to more emotional and touching. I love it, and had it at #5.

Beauty and the Beast was another one of Disney's that I cut, primarily because I already had a bunch of Disney animated films on my list. But it could've easily made it, only on the strength of the titular musical number. Not sure if it was mentioned, but it was recorded by an ill Angela Lansbury in one take, which is impressive.

I haven't seen Hedwig and the Angry Inch, but it's been recommended for years. Not sure why I haven't taken the jump. Also haven't seen Rocky Horror Picture Show or The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.


Anyway, here's where I stand...

SEEN: 31/90
MY BALLOT: 13/25


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.
10.
11.
12. Inside Llewyn Davis (#53)
13. Moana (#68)
14. Sing Street (#40)
15.
16.
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
18. Chicago (#21)
19.
20.
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22.
23.
24.
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)

[seanc]

The classic musicals are the only real musicals crowd has to be pretty pleased with the top 10.

[kgaard]

Beauty and the Beast is pretty good though I've never been enamored of the ending. Once again I find the Simpsons version preferable:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyWVaZsUQjc

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg just snuck onto my list at #23.

[Thief]

Updating my predictions before the Top 10 drops...

1. Moulin Rouge! (#30)
2. 100%
3. 100%
4. Once (#25)
5. La La Land (#13)
6. Aladdin (#22)
7. An American in Paris (#42)
8. 100%
9. 0%
10. 5%
11. 100%
12. Inside Llewyn Davis (#53)
13. Moana (#68)
14. Sing Street (#40)
15. 5%
16. 70%
17. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (#66)
18. Chicago (#21)
19. 100%
20. 80%
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22. 0%
23. 0%
24. 0%
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)

[Wooley]

The classic musicals are the only real musicals crowd has to be pretty pleased with the top 10.

Well, they're called classics for a reason. ;)

[Wooley]

Also, I realized last night that, if I had gone with the more progressive rules allowed by this exercise, Streets Of Fire would have been in at least my Top-20.

[Thursday Next]

The Near Misses

This took a while to sort out because it's all ties, but here are 101-110, ordered in the same way as the list proper (number of ballots, highest placement):

#101 Hearts Beat Loud (2018)
34 points, 3 ballots

#102 A Woman Is A Woman (1961)
34 points, 2 ballots

#103 Cabin In the Sky (1943)
34 points, 2 ballots

#104 Annette (2021)
33 points, 4 ballots

#105 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
33 points, 3 ballots

#106 Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
32 points, 3 ballots

#107 The Commitments (1991)
32 points, 3 ballots

#108 Evita (1996)
32 points, 3 ballots

#109 Holiday Inn (1942)
32 points, 2 ballots

#110 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
32 points, 2 ballots

[Thursday Next]

And to prove that I did not abuse my powers as host in any way, two of these near misses were on my ballot. I had Repo! on my list at #21 and Evita at #17. Repo is nuts and it's probably either your cup of tea or it isn't. Evita I feel has always been somewhat underrated. I think it's very well done, visually and musically. Madonna is well cast as Eva and it's got Antonio Banderas and the song High Flying Adored. Oh well, I should have had it higher.

[Thursday Next]

Last chance now to guess the order of the top 10 before I post #10.

To put an end to the speculation, I can confirm that Footloose received zero points from being on zero lists.

[stillmellow]

Holy cow, Repo! almost made the top 100. I did not expect that.


I like the movie, especially since a lot of the characters are based on real historical figures (The Borgias) but it's top 50, not top 25.

[LAMb EELYAK]

I don't know about the rest, but I'm betting Trap and The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes take the top two spots.

[MovieFan1988]

Last chance now to guess the order of the top 10 before I post #10.

To put an end to the speculation, I can confirm that Footloose received zero points from being on zero lists.

Well, that puts my speculation to rest lol, I pick My Fair Lady as #10 then

[LAMb EELYAK]

To put an end to the speculation, I can confirm that Footloose received zero points from being on zero lists.


Star-Lord missed the voting window.

[Miss Vicky]

I’ve seen Hearts Beat Loud, Repo!, and The Commitments. I might have also seen Winnie the Pooh but not sure. No votes.

[MovieFan1988]

Anyways, I know we have 10 left but I really have like the unpredictability of this list order. Even if La La was upset and didn't make the top 10.

I have to be the first guy to bring this up but I usually am, what we thinking next? A 90s redux? Sports? Films not on any lists?

90's Redux should be next, I say

[John W Constantine]

Guess I'm the only vote for The Pick of Destiny.

[Holden Pike]

My Top Ten guesses...

1. The Wizard of Oz
2. Singin' in the Rain
3. The Lion King
4. The Sound of Music
5. Cabaret
6. West Side Story (1961)
7. Grease
8. Mary Poppins
9. My Fair Lady
10. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

[Thursday Next]

Guess I'm the only vote for The Pick of Destiny.

Actually no, it received one other vote.

[rauldc14]

Just seen Pooh, Annette, and Buster Scruggs of the near misses. Winnie is the only that I liked really of the 3 and that's all childhood nostalgia.

[rauldc14]

Alright, let us see #10 then

[MovieMeditation]

My guesses…

1. Singin' in the Rain
2. The Wizard of Oz
3. The Lion King
4. The Sound of Music
5. Grease
6. Mary Poppins
7. Cabaret
8. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate*factory
9. West Side*Story (1961)
10. My Fair Lady

[Thursday Next]

19lists236pointsMy Fair Lady (https://www.movieforums.com/movies/11113-my-fair-lady.html)Director
George Cukor, 1964

Starring
Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway, Wilfrid Hyde-White

[Thursday Next]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hA9bEKKxTNU

[Torgo]

Nice to see that The Commitments came so close to making the cut. The was my favorite movie for many years.

I wasn't sure if it's actually a musical, so I didn't put it on my ballot. It very well could have made the cut if I had done so...(wipes tear). At least those other Irish quasi-musicals did so well (Sing Street and Once, my #10 and #18 picks).

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Oh goodness! My top 10 would be so off I'm sure since I already missed the boat with The Rocky Horror Picture Show and La La Land, both of which I was sure would make the top five... again, I'm not displeased about that as neither made my ballot, but I'm horrible at guessing apparently.

Instead of being ambitious for the top 10, I will just guess the top three:

1. The Lion King
2. The Wizard of Oz
3. Singin' in the Rain

[Thursday Next]

My Fair Lady was my #22

[KeyserCorleone]

The male lead just infuriated me to the point where I had to watch the movie in half hour increments. But it's a good story with a nicely vague ending. Didn't make my ballot, and certainly not Cukor's best, but kudos to the guy for making at least two entries on our list.

[MovieMeditation]

10. My Fair Lady
Let’s go!

[iluv2viddyfilms]

YEEEEAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH BUDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!

My Fair Lady made the top 10!! That's what I was hoping for. Good work MoFo. It was my number one and honestly, it's not even close for me. It's not even a photo finish or neck and neck. It's a whole lap of the track first place finish. My Fair Lady leaves every other musical in the dust and it's such a perfect, beautiful, intelligent, and audience demanding musical that's so thematically and philosophically rich and every single bit of music is just gorgeous and lively and so well written. Lerner and Loewe absolutely eat Rodgers and Hammerstein for breakfast. It's just loverly and damn perfect is all.

More later when I get time to do a proper writeup. If there is any other movie that has challenged my Top 10 of All Time films, period, list it's My Fair Lady and my love for it only grows each new time I see it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5fW7sERw7I

[Miss Vicky]

I have an odd history with My Fair Lady. I randomly watched it on TV with a friend many years ago and weirdly liked it. I bought the DVD, watched it again, and still liked it. Then a few years ago I rewatched it, absolutely hated it, and gave away the DVD.

I considered rewatching it for this countdown but then I saw that it is almost 3 hours long and said "Nope."

[iluv2viddyfilms]

The male lead just infuriated me to the point where I had to watch the movie in half hour increments.

Yeah, Rex Harrison is perfect as Professor Higgins and the fact that he is so unlikable and incorrigible, and is such an arrogant and uncaring cad is the entire point. I mean, certainly, the film and musical wouldn't want you to walk out on it, but if the actor in that role, isn't eliciting those emotions in the audience, then he's doing something wrong.

[kgaard]

My Fair Lady, a loverly and entertaining adaptation of Shaw's Pygmalion, was my #12.

[beelzebubble]

I finally have a minute, so Let me look at some stats of my own.
This is my BALLOT OF THE FAT THUMB. I wanted to play with it but sent it before I could perfect it or finish it.
1.Who knows?
2. Oklahoma! (1955) #50
3. Gigi (1958) #85
4. Definitely
5. South Pacific (1958) #54
6. Cinderella (1965) #100
7. Possibility
8. Frozen (2013) #77
9. Maybe
10. Hair (1979) #47
11. Funny Girl (1968) #77
12. West Side Story (1961) #90
13. NO!
14. No
15. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) #24
16. All That Jazz (1979) #17
17. Probably not
18. Definitely
19. Definitely
Of the nineteen on my ballot only seven are not on the list. My oldest film is from 1949 and my newest is from 2013.
I meant to pick a film for each of the American musical greats, focusing on performers: Judy Garland, Fred Astaire, Gene Kelly, The Beatles and Barbra Streisand. Of those performers, I only have a Barbra Streisand musical on my list.
I have seen 87 of the movies on this list. Of those I haven’t seen most are newer movies geared toward children. I don’t have any kids so I wasn’t exposed to these movies.

[KeyserCorleone]

Yeah, Rex Harrison is perfect as Professor Higgins and the fact that he is so unlikable and incorrigible, and is such an arrogant and uncaring cad is the entire point. I mean, certainly, the film and musical wouldn't want you to walk out on it, but if the actor in that role, isn't eliciting those emotions in the audience, then he's doing something wrong.


It's really not the actor's fault. It's the writer. Like, you don't want them to be together at all by the vague ending. You really just want her to walk out after coming back in and to potentially see her slap Higgins.

[beelzebubble]

THIS JUST IN: My #4 was My Fair Lady which might have the cleverest source material of any musical going, George Bernard Shaw's Pygamalion. There is a beautiiful film adaptation of the play starring Wendy Hiller and Leslie Howard.which is wonderful.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Also, if Mary Poppins is number nine, just edging out My Fair Lady, I'm going to shit myself because that would be bitterly appropriate considering the infamous Audrey Hepburn 1965 Oscars snub and Julie Andrews winning the award for best actress allegedly thanking Jack Warner with the statement being a middle finger to him for casting Audrey Hepburn, a well established movie star and film actress over the, as of the time, untested on film, but stage actress who originated the role on Broadway, Julie Andrews.

I have mixed thoughts on it, and I have watched some of the clips found on youtube and various places on the interwebs of Julie Andrews in the role of Eliza Doolittle and her singing, and my general thought is this... and I completely concede that I am bias and that Audrey Hepburn is my favorite actress outside of Jean Seberg.

While Julie Andrews knows how to command a live audience stage and can sing far better than Audrey (yes I've even watched some of the clips of Audrey's original voice in the role before being dubbed), what Julie Andrews isn't as good at is showing smaller and more subtle emotions and mannerisms in character and she doesn't quite have the dancing and physicality chops as Audrey does because of Audrey's background in dance of course. Andrews also lacks a lot of the vulnerability that Hepburn is able to emote so well in her films.

Yeah I'm completely bias, but I think Jack Warner made the right choice in going with Audrey and not compromising on the star, and I think he was wrong in not wanting to cast the Broadway performers of Rex Harrison and Stanley Holloway... so truly when it came to casting, it was a perfect recipe of Warner getting what he wanted and didn't want which perfectly translated to the screen. I think I read someplace years ago that Warner has originally wanted Cary Grant as Professor Higgins and another actor as Alfred P. Doolittle... or maybe I have that flipped. I just can't remember.

But it matters not to me that Marni Nixon dubbed the singing for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady, just as it doesn't take anything away from Natalie Wood in West Side Story, that she dubbed the singing for her as well.

[Allaby]

I like My Fair Lady, but it was never in contention for my ballot. I expect 5 more from my ballot to show up.

Seen: 89/91

[iluv2viddyfilms]

It's really not the actor's fault. It's the writer. Like, you don't want them to be together at all by the vague ending. You really just want her to walk out after coming back in and to potentially see her slap Higgins.

See, I'm in the opposite camp. I think it's wonderful that Eliza came back and Higgins asked her to fetch his slippers. I think it's an incredibly mature and real ending that truly evokes what a lot of relationships are and honestly SHOULD be in that they are not purely transactional, nor are they something wherein they only exist for the strengths of the person, but not the weaknesses. I think they are a commitment and both sides need to make concessions. Heaven knows, my wife and partner since 2006... holy Hell... 18 years! egads! She has put up with a lot from me, nothing near the Higgins level of course, and God knows there's been times she has tried my patience as well, but I think there's so much value to My Fair Lady and the messaging and you genuinely see Higgins come to terms and learn and also to set his massive Mt. Everest size ego aside and begin to chip away by the end of the film. If Eliza did walk out and slap him in the face, I think it would undermine the entire musical and diminish everything it has built up.

Most people have My Fair Lady completely turned around... which is why it's so brilliant and there's so much depth to it all. Most people see My Fair Lady as a transformation of Eliza, and while there's a lot of surface level, institutional, and appearance and conduct transformation, the real transformative character in the play is actually Higgins as he's learning far more from Eliza about himself and about other people than Eliza could ever get from his phonetics lessons. "I've grown accustomed to her face," is probably one of the most true, and pure confessions of love and opening one's self up to the vulnerabilities of love, ever committed on screen. Especially considering the context when Higgins does the "Let a Woman in Your Life" number weighed against Eliza's "Just you wait Henry Higgins, just you wait!" song. It's all so perfectly written and it absolutely throws every musical cliché' and contrivance into a giant trash heap. It's a great love story that hates every love story expectation and shows love develop through a battle of wills, verbal sparing, debating, and a mutual respect and love that is so huge and admirable that it even can crack through the adamantine armor of the biggest egos, pride, and personalities anyone could find.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CPhsR0T_cjA

[stillmellow]

I haven't seen My Fair Lady since I was very young. I need to watch it again in order to form any form opinion on it.

[KeyserCorleone]

See, I'm in the opposite camp. I think it's wonderful that Eliza came back and Higgins asked her to fetch his slippers. I think it's an incredibly mature and real ending that truly evokes what a lot of relationships are and honestly SHOULD be in that they are not purely transactional, nor are they something wherein they only exist for the strengths of the person, but not the weaknesses. I think they are a commitment and both sides need to make concessions. Heaven knows, my wife and partner since 2006... holy Hell... 18 years! egads! She has put up with a lot from me, nothing near the Higgins level of course, and God knows there's been times she has tried my patience as well, but I think there's so much value to My Fair Lady and the messaging and you genuinely see Higgins come to terms and learn and also to set his massive Mt. Everest size ego aside and begin to chip away by the end of the film. If Eliza did walk out and slap him in the face, I think it would undermine the entire musical and diminish everything it has built up.


See, that bolded spot is the clincher.

[stillmellow]

Going by my guesses for the top 10, The next should be a different Julie Andrews film: The Sound of Music.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

https://moviecrashcourse.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/image-21.png?w=800

Also some of you may have read over the years online reviews by long-time film critic James Berardinelli and he has called My Fair Lady the greatest of all musicals and lists it at number 24 in his all time 100 list. He is an amateur (I believe) critic who does it as a pure hobby and he has been writing stuff online, which I've been reading at least since the late 1990s or early 2000s. Anyone who has likely posted on film message boards before the era of youtube and social media I'm sure will recognized and have read his reviews and he does great work.

Also, another critic, who I know divides people, but he has earned his reputation and chops in the film universe over the decades is the late Roger Ebert and he has also called My Fair Lady the best musical too.

Obviously some of my reasons for doing the same in rating My Fair Lady as the GOAT overlap some of their reasons too and some of their stuff overlaps each other (whether knowingly or completely inconsequentially), but what I think is truly fascinating is how My Fair Lady is able to tap into so many avenues of each viewer's own personal life experiences, philosophies, and world views in a fashion that other films might not quite achieve that it truly becomes something special and dear for unique and exclusive reasons connected to our own lives for those of us who champion it.

So while my heart tells me that Singin' in the Rain is the greatest musical of all time. My mind and my soul tell me it's My Fair Lady.

https://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/my-fair-lady

https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/my-fair-lady-1994

[WHITBISSELL!]

Guess I'm the only vote for The Pick of Destiny.


https://media1.tenor.com/m/SpPUh3E58AoAAAAd/guilty.gif

[iluv2viddyfilms]

See, that bolded spot is the clincher.

Keep in mind however... I might be a bit bias and not exactly totally objective when it comes to assessing my own behavior.

[Wooley]

The Near Misses

#103 Cabin In the Sky (1943)
34 points, 2 ballots



Well, color me dumbfounded.

[Wooley]

MFL was my No.5.

[WHITBISSELL!]

I was 0 for 10 in the near misses. Miss early, miss often. That's my motto.

https://media1.tenor.com/m/_WmMVPosXv0AAAAd/gun-cross-eyed.gif

[Takoma11]

I've seen a couple of the 90's Disney Renaissance movies when I was young and I don't think they're for me. I am interested in the classic Cocteau version. But if there was a 90's Disney animated musical rendition of Dracula, I would, nearly equally be disinterested. Though if there's a Guy Maddin adaptation of Beauty and the Beast I'm unaware of, let me know.

If there was a 90s Disney animated musical of Dracula, that would get me in the theater ASAP, but point taken.

It's really not the actor's fault. It's the writer. Like, you don't want them to be together at all by the vague ending. You really just want her to walk out after coming back in and to potentially see her slap Higgins.

BIG SPOILER In the play she DOES walk out on him, noting that it was Pickering's kindness that showed her nobility and how to be a lady, not Higgins insulting her.

Both movie adaptations totally chicken out on this ending, which is such a betrayal of the whole point of Eliza's character development. "Being a lady" has two sides: the superficial (ie presentation/speech) and heart. Higgins is arrogant and cruel. He lacks heart. Once she can present herself properly, Eliza has both. She's better than him, and she knows it.

Too bad Hollywood is too scared to give us something that looks like a romantic comedy but doesn't end like one..

[MovieMeditation]

There’s still hope for A Clockwork Orange!!!

[stillmellow]

There’s still hope for A Clockwork Orange!!!



I wouldn't call that "hope".

[Allaby]

My predictions:

1. Singin' in the Rain
2. The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
3. The Lion King
4. Cats
5. It's a Bikini World
6. Mary Poppins
7. Sergeant Dead Head
8. Dr. Seuss' the Lorax
9. West Side Story (1961)

[Thief]

The Near Misses

This took a while to sort out because it's all ties, but here are 101-110, ordered in the same way as the list proper (number of ballots, highest placement):

#101 Hearts Beat Loud (2018)
34 points, 3 ballots

#102 A Woman Is A Woman (1961)
34 points, 2 ballots

#103 Cabin In the Sky (1943)
34 points, 2 ballots

#104 Annette (2021)
33 points, 4 ballots

#105 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
33 points, 3 ballots

#106 Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
32 points, 3 ballots

#107 The Commitments (1991)
32 points, 3 ballots

#108 Evita (1996)
32 points, 3 ballots

#109 Holiday Inn (1942)
32 points, 2 ballots

#110 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
32 points, 2 ballots

Two of mine in there...

Cabin in the Sky was my #9. It was a pleasant surprise when I took an online course on musicals several years ago. I have a review written that I might transfer here, but overall, it has a funny and inventive story, some charming performances, and some delightful musical numbers.

On the other hand, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a film I've been exposed to since I was a kid. We had a Disney LP that we listened to often and I fell in love instantly with all the characters and the songs, which I still sing often. You can read a recent review here (https://www.movieforums.com/reviews/2283533-the_many_adventures_of_winnie_the_pooh.html). It was my #10.

[stillmellow]

I'm resigned to the fact that a Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum didn't make the list, but there are three movies that didn't seem to make the list that surprised me:


Encanto


Coco


Guys and Dolls


I'm especially surprised that the Sinatra/Brando Guys and Dolls didn't make it. I thought it was a standard.


https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFx4kJeYg6q6TttW8f1nMqjju25es8g0633w&s

[Thief]

I found My Fair Lady to be an interesting mixture of fun, charm, but also an interesting insight as far as as toxic relationships and co-dependencies go. Neatly staged and choreographed with some solid performances from both Hepburn and Harrison. I had it at #16.


Anyway, here's where I stand...

SEEN: 32/91
MY BALLOT: 14/25


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.
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.
20.
21. The Band Wagon (#80)
22.
23.
24.
25. Hallelujah (One-pointer)

[Torgo]

My predictions:

1. Singin' in the Rain
2. The Ghost in the Invisible Bikini
3. The Lion King
4. Cats
5. It's a Bikini World
6. Mary Poppins
7. Sergeant Dead Head
8. Dr. Seuss' the Lorax
9. West Side Story (1961)Added to my watchlist...
...for historical purposes only, of course.

[Thief]

CABIN IN THE SKY
(1943, Minnelli)

https://i.imgur.com/cLMoOc0.jpeg


"Oh, Lord. Please forgive me for backsliding. But sometimes when you fight the devil, you got to jab him with his own pitchfork."



In Christian belief, temptation can come in many ways and take many forms. It all depends on what the devil sees as your weaknesses, whether it's alcohol, drugs, women, gambling, porn, or whatever, it is believed that the devil will use that as his "weapon" to lure you. And although Christians believe in the power of prayer to fight temptation, some people believe you have to fight "fire with fire" to win the battle. That is the premise of this Vincente Minnelli musical.

My fourth musical for #TCMusicals, Cabin in the Sky, follows Petunia (Ethel Waters), a loving low-class wife, who's trying to keep her gambling husband, "Little Joe" Jackson (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson), out of trouble and into church. When Joe is dragged out of church by his friends, he ends up in a shootout over a gambling debt. This sparks a competition between God's envoy, "The General" (Kenneth Spencer), and the Devil's son, Lucifer Jr. (Rex Ingram), as they both try to win Joe's soul. Meanwhile, Petunia tries to keep her husband out of the fire, first with prayers and then with the Devil's "own pitchfork".

Although the above description might sound a bit too preachy, I hope non-Christians aren't turned off by it. Truth of the matter is that Cabin in the Sky is a very, very entertaining film. Most of the fun comes from Anderson's performance and the interactions between Lucifer, Jr. and his minions, but Waters is a joy to watch as Petunia. She owns the role with her earnest performance and wide smile, as well as her flawless singing. Anderson, who is more of a comedian, also has a hilarious song that highlights his comedic timing. Lena Horne plays Georgia Brown, a beautiful young woman that tries to seduce Joe, but I wasn't that impressed by her.

The other highlight of the film is Minnelli's great direction. Despite being his first film, the director who shows a unique talent with the camera. Cabin in the Sky might still lack the polish of future musicals, but it's worth the watch for its solid lead performers, some great singing, its fun and inventive dialogue, and Minnelli's direction.

Grade: 3.5

[Thief]

^That's what I rated it back when I saw it in 2018. I would probably bump that rating to 4 now, I think.

[Miss Vicky]

Encanto
Coco
Guys and Dolls


Of these, I've only seen the two animated films. I didn't care for Encanto at all. I don't love Coco but I do like it and voted for it.

[rauldc14]

Well I got Sound of Music predicted for the nine spot, but I'm worried it could be Lion King or Mary Poppins

[Hey Fredrick]

Also, I realized last night that, if I had gone with the more progressive rules allowed by this exercise, Streets Of Fire would have been in at least my Top-20.


If I were bending my qualifications it would have been number 1. Greatest ending of any "musical"

[mrblond]

Out of the near misses, I've seen only:
#105. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (2018)
I like it very much. I'm a big fan of short story collections like this. As I remember, there is a musical number only in the first segment so I didn't think about it for the countdown otherwise it would surely make my top 20.

[Hey Fredrick]

Also me wonders will the Triplets of Belleville make this list? Or does it qualify? I'm surprised it hasn't shown up if it did qualify and it's another animated film that could have easily made my list.


I love that movie. I thought about voting for it but in the end I didn't think it had enough music.

[exiler96]

Hepburn is always a charm and the costumes are nice... That's all the positive things I can say about My Fair Lady. One of the most overrated films of it's era. Jesus, it felt like it'd never end...

EDIT: shoosh, sorry iluv2viddyfilms :laugh:

[cricket]

Like most classical musicals, I didn't like My Fair Lady. However, it was one that I remember thinking I should try again with an open mind. I liked Pygmalion quite a bit.

[Citizen Rules]

#103 Cabin In the Sky (1943)...Enjoyed this one and had considered it, but didn't have room.

#109 Holiday Inn (1942)....My #18, love this one.

[Citizen Rules]

When this countdown was announced My Fair Lady was a lock on my ballot. It was my #15 on my ballot for the MoFo Top 100 1960s countdown.

But then I rewatched My Fair Lady right before sending in my ballot for this countdown and had a different reaction:

My Fair Lady (1964)...Second time watching this and as much as I adore Audrey Hepburn this was a chore to get through at almost 3 hours. There are some great songs and Rex Harrison is good as the annoyingly self important and always right Professor Higgins...but if they trimmed some of the less important songs and did away with the sub story about Eliza's father the movie would've been 45 minutes shorter and perhaps a favorite of mine. rating_3_5


It's still deserving of making the countdown.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

I'm especially surprised that the Sinatra/Brando Guys and Dolls didn't make it. I thought it was a standard.
]

Part of me is, but part of me isn't surprised that Guys and Dolls didn't make it. It's a solid musical and if ever it was on TV or anything, rest assured I'm going to stop changing channels (do people still do that?) and pick it up where ever it's at. However, it's really not a film I go back to often and I'm huge Brando fan and I also love Frank Sinatra and I think Jean Simmons might be one of the greatest actresses who is largely forgotten today from that era of late 1940s into the 60s and who isn't a "household" name among contemporaries like Audrey Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor. Despite all that the film doesn't click as well as might be expected for whatever reasons. I do think Brando is horribly cast in it and had Gene Kelly been it it, as originally planned, we'd be looking at an entirely different product and I imagine it would be near the top of the great standard musicals. I just can't put my finger on it and I'd have to sit down and really do a close-viewing of it with the aim of evaluating the film, but something about it just doesn't seem to work quite right. I know that's hardly a suitable or thorough explanation, but it's the best I can come up with off the top of my head at the moment.

It was however on my short list of musicals to include, because like I said, I do enjoy it, but it didn't really have any true shot or consideration for my final cut.

So it makes sense it wasn't included in the countdown because people like me, who lean in more heavily toward the older musicals, probably and rightfully considered it to be a "lesser" of the great post-Busby Berkey and pre fall of the studio system musicals from the 1940s into the 1960s. And for those members who tended to lean toward more modern showings such as Rocky Horror, La La Land, Hedwig, Sing Street, and Moulin Rouge! it certainly wasn't going to show up on their lists. The same could be said for those too whose tastes run more conventional that had at least half a dozen Disney features on their list.

So Guys and Dolls probably fell into that no-man's land void where it just didn't quite fit or belong anywhere... wandering between the winds, drifting without a home in the world of best of lists. It doesn't measure up for the classicists and it's probably largely forgotten or met with apathy by those who prefer modern sensibilities in their musicals and for those who love singing Disney princesses and animals... not a chance.

Poor, poor, poor Guys and Dolls. :(

[iluv2viddyfilms]

When this countdown was announced My Fair Lady was a lock on my ballot. It was my #15 on my ballot for the MoFo Top 100 1960s countdown.

But then I rewatched My Fair Lady right before sending in my ballot for this countdown and had a different reaction:
It's still deserving of making the countdown.



And it means to go on being... DESERVING!

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Hepburn is always a charm and the costumes are nice... That's all the positive things I can say about My Fair Lady. One of the most overrated films of it's era. Jesus, it felt like it'd never end...

EDIT: shoosh, sorry iluv2viddyfilms :laugh:

It's OK, no hard feelings. I got the truth on my side!

I understand how people feel it's long, but I don't know which film critic it was who always said no good movie is too long and no bad movie is too short.

To me what stands out is how the musical numbers perfectly compliment the action and the motives and personalities of the characters and I couldn't imagine trimming a single second from it. It's perfectly constructed and you have to just completely let yourself go into that world and be absorbed by it. The dialogue and interactions and slow build is all part of the charm. My Fair Lady is very "front heavy" in that the scenes at the Professor Higgins house do take their time and there's a lot of verbal sparring and interactions too. Some of the best moments in the film are the moments with Stanley Holloway in his bickering with Higgins and others in the film. But to me, the slower pace, especially in the first half is just seeing the fun of the repartee and contrasting styles and the beauty of the English language, while also building and defining the characters and the story as well as the Edwardian London mood and atmosphere.

Nope, it's all so perfect and I wouldn't dare cut out a single second.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Jesus, it felt like it'd never end...

EDIT: shoosh, sorry iluv2viddyfilms :laugh:

Oh and since you brought him up, I'm sure he'll forgive you for a lot of things... but raggin' on My Fair Lady... artistic and musical perfection... hrmmm, I'm not sure if that's in his wheelhouse or in his abilities.

[exiler96]

It's OK, no hard feelings. I got the truth on my side!

Nope, it's all so perfect and I wouldn't dare cut out a single second.

You write so passionately it almost convinces me that I'm entirely wrong, lmao.

I will watch it again someday, when I'm completely out of new movies to check out... which probably never comes, lmao... maybe I'm pissed that it beat Dr. Strangelove at the Oscars that year, or I should've struggled with the old-fashioned attitude of it (Rex being so sexist as I remember, and he still gets her at the end!)... I liked An American in Paris. Now that's charming, besides effortlessly sexy.

[dadgumblah]

Out of the Near Misses, I was one of two (thanks, Citizen Rules!) who voted for Holiday Inn and I had it in my #2 slot. Love that movie. It was the basic story (albeit with some changes---WWII for instance) that White Christmas did later. But I prefer this one. You've got Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire together. You've got a great Irving Berlin score, including the introduction of a great new song called White Christmas! There's also the well-known Christmas classic Happy Holiday. And there's this other song that got made into a movie, Easter Parade. Just a few of the great tunes. You've got lots of comedy as Bing tries to keep Fred away from his gal (played by the beautiful Marjorie Reynolds), with Fred's nosy manager (played by the hilarious Walter Abel). So much fun. I love White Christmas but the misunderstandings between Crosby and Rosemary Clooney, and the concern for the boys' former General (Dean Jagger) put too much drama into the fun for me. I'll take the earlier one any time.

My Fair Lady is a great movie that I've seen several times, including last year. Yeah, Rex Harrison plays a total jerk but we get to see who the really classy person is (Audrey Hepburn of course), even though she starts as a low-level flower girl. Her rise above his level IMO, is what makes this movie. And I love Audrey Hepburn in anything. There was just something magical about her that I can't describe. I almost put MFL on my ballot but I was stupid, stupid, stupid! Therefore I left if off for one that I don't even watch as much as this classic. I wish I had voted for it, but luckily, 19 MoFos voted it in.


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)
#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)
#18. The Muppet Movie #45 (list proper)
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)

[iluv2viddyfilms]

The Near Misses



#102 A Woman Is A Woman (1961)
34 points, 2 ballots



I had A Woman is a Woman in my number 10 spot... which is, 15 points? I think? So does that mean someone else had it as their number six spot?

I love Godard and that film is so funny and off beat and even though there's only I think two direct songs or musical numbers in it, I love how it plays with dialogue and music so even though there's not songs in the traditional sense... like most everything Godard, he turns that completely around and sets music in a very MGM Hollywood style against spoken dialogue where it becomes more than just a "music score" or background music.

It's all very strange and odd and subverts while also embracing and celebrating the genre, in similar fashion to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, albeit in an entirely different approach. It could be called into question whether or not A Woman is a Woman even qualifies as a musical, but I think the general consensus among critics and film historians is that it is a musical, and as such I had to have it in my top 10 as I love the works of Godard so much and what he does with film. And Anna Karina is so great and infectiously charming in it too.

But yeah, whoever else voted for it... the single other culprit, come clean and show yourself!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yMAPP4AX4I

[Holden Pike]

102619

My Fair Lady was #40 on the MoFo Top 100 of the 1960s.

[Wooley]

Two of mine in there...

Cabin in the Sky was my #9. It was a pleasant surprise when I took an online course on musicals several years ago. I have a review written that I might transfer here, but overall, it has a funny and inventive story, some charming performances, and some delightful musical numbers.


Yeah, this one really has me perplexed. I truly, genuinely thought it was more likely that it was in the Top-10 than that it missed the list. I had originally had it pegged for somewhere between like 50 and 30 but I have seen lists where it is Top-10 or Top-25 online and I hear it discussed enough that... it just didn't cross my mind whether it would make the list or not, it was just a matter of how high.
So this is the one, out of everything I've seen in this experience, that has baffled me the most.

[Wooley]

I'm resigned to the fact that a Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum didn't make the list, but there are three movies that didn't seem to make the list that surprised me:


Guys and Dolls


I'm especially surprised that the Sinatra/Brando Guys and Dolls didn't make it. I thought it was a standard.


https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSFx4kJeYg6q6TttW8f1nMqjju25es8g0633w&s

Holy crap, I hadn't realized it yet but this really shocks me too. I feel like that is on the Quintessentials list. It probably only didn't make mine because it's been a long time since I'e seen it.

[Little Ash]

From the near misses, Annette was #10 (of 18) on my ballot. I think I was trying to come up with a ballot of musicals for people who generally don't like musicals.

I didn't even realize A Woman is a Woman was a musical (it's an unseen).

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs doesn't register as a musical in my mind after the first segment, even though there's at least three or four diegetic singing bits I can think of (Tom Waits singing coming in and leaving in his segment. The Molly song starting off The Mortal Remains, as well as Gleeson's rendition of The Unfortunate Lad). It seems unfair given something I did put on my ballot, but that movie I did put, just doesn't make sense in my mind if I don't view it partially as a musical (maybe it has something to do with the convention of the musical number in westerns vs that not being a common practice in horror movies).

My Fair Lady - ....I don't know if I've seen My Fair Lady. But if I had it would have been when I was fairly young, which, if I don't even remember if I've seen it at this point, would make it indistinguishable from I haven't.

I expect to still have two movies from my ballot appear in the top 10.

[SpelingError]

My Fair Lady was #15 on my ballot.

[Wooley]

CABIN IN THE SKY
(1943, Minnelli)

https://i.imgur.com/cLMoOc0.jpeg




In Christian belief, temptation can come in many ways and take many forms. It all depends on what the devil sees as your weaknesses, whether it's alcohol, drugs, women, gambling, porn, or whatever, it is believed that the devil will use that as his "weapon" to lure you. And although Christians believe in the power of prayer to fight temptation, some people believe you have to fight "fire with fire" to win the battle. That is the premise of this Vincente Minnelli musical.

My fourth musical for #TCMusicals, Cabin in the Sky, follows Petunia (Ethel Waters), a loving low-class wife, who's trying to keep her gambling husband, "Little Joe" Jackson (Eddie "Rochester" Anderson), out of trouble and into church. When Joe is dragged out of church by his friends, he ends up in a shootout over a gambling debt. This sparks a competition between God's envoy, "The General" (Kenneth Spencer), and the Devil's son, Lucifer Jr. (Rex Ingram), as they both try to win Joe's soul. Meanwhile, Petunia tries to keep her husband out of the fire, first with prayers and then with the Devil's "own pitchfork".

Although the above description might sound a bit too preachy, I hope non-Christians aren't turned off by it. Truth of the matter is that Cabin in the Sky is a very, very entertaining film. Most of the fun comes from Anderson's performance and the interactions between Lucifer, Jr. and his minions, but Waters is a joy to watch as Petunia. She owns the role with her earnest performance and wide smile, as well as her flawless singing. Anderson, who is more of a comedian, also has a hilarious song that highlights his comedic timing. Lena Horne plays Georgia Brown, a beautiful young woman that tries to seduce Joe, but I wasn't that impressed by her.

The other highlight of the film is Minnelli's great direction. Despite being his first film, the director who shows a unique talent with the camera. Cabin in the Sky might still lack the polish of future musicals, but it's worth the watch for its solid lead performers, some great singing, its fun and inventive dialogue, and Minnelli's direction.

Grade: 3.5

Yeah, all very well put.
And as a very-non non-Christian I was not bothered by it anymore than if it had been set in Greek mythology, the story works. One understands what's going on and what's at stake and I actually liked some of the imagery used for the angels and such.
And Lena Horne is such a treat. Though honestly, I loved Little Joe the most.
I've seen this three times and each time I like it just as much as the time before if not a little more.
I think I went straight to four stars on it.
And again, I'm just in shock that it's not on this list.

[SpelingError]

1. All That Jazz
2. Dancer in the Dark
4. The Burden
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
20. The Nightmare Before Christmas
22. The Rocky Horror Picture Show

[Wooley]

If I were bending my qualifications it would have been number 1. Greatest ending of any "musical"

Cheers.

[Little Ash]

There’s still hope for A Clockwork Orange!!!

Hey, it's not like the song, Singin' in the Rain, was an original song for Singin' in the Rain.*

*: I honestly can't remember which musical it appears in earlier, but I just remember Buster Keaton is there, singing it.

[Wooley]

When this countdown was announced My Fair Lady was a lock on my ballot. It was my #15 on my ballot for the MoFo Top 100 1960s countdown.

But then I rewatched My Fair Lady right before sending in my ballot for this countdown and had a different reaction:
It's still deserving of making the countdown.



Gasp. Eliza's father is one of the best things about the movie and his big number "I'm Gettin' Married In The Morning" is probably the best number in the film.

[Omnizoa]

My predictions:
4. Cats
6. Mary Poppins
8. Dr. Seuss' the LoraxHello police? I'd like to report a troll.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/36/c6/35/36c635e80426a646f035325a8501dca1.gif

Not sure why, but I don’t see Willie Wonka making the top ten.What are you, a movie reviewer or something?

I wanna see Wonka hit that TOP 5.

[Omnizoa]

No one's mentioned it even once in this entire thread.

Maybe Thursday or Yoda got to you, but I won't be silenced.

So I guess I'll be the one to say what everyone's already thinking:

















Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was robbed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUr7fu-LXj4

[kgaard]

Yeah, this one really has me perplexed. I truly, genuinely thought it was more likely that it was in the Top-10 than that it missed the list. I had originally had it pegged for somewhere between like 50 and 30 but I have seen lists where it is Top-10 or Top-25 online and I hear it discussed enough that... it just didn't cross my mind whether it would make the list or not, it was just a matter of how high.
So this is the one, out of everything I've seen in this experience, that has baffled me the most.

I think most people just haven’t seen it. It’s got like 3500 votes on IMDb (compare with, say, My Fair Lady at 103,000 votes). This countdown is the first I’ve heard of it. Which, for me, is one of the big benefits of this exercise, the championing of underseen films.

[Takoma11]

I think most people just haven’t seen it. It’s got like 3500 votes on IMDb (compare with, say, My Fair Lady at 103,000 votes). This countdown is the first I’ve heard of it. Which, for me, is one of the big benefits of this exercise, the championing of underseen films.

Agreed. I haven't seen it, and it's not a film I've heard of before. (Or maybe I have, but it didn't stick).

[Holden Pike]

Been busy. So, catching up on revealed titles from my list.

102624
La La Land was all the way up at number two. It’s tone, visuals, attitudes, and the two central performances enchant the Hell outta me. It is my most favorite movie of the past dozen or so years. I saw it seven times, theatrically, during its initial months in the cinema. The music, the cinematography (by Oscar-winner Linus Sandgren), and the general vibe make me laugh, smile, and cry over and over again. And in an era where Romantic Comedies have largely fallen by the wayside, it is also one of my favorite RomComs in many a moon. I am beyond giving two stinky dumps who doesn’t like it. I lurve La La Land to pieces and suspect I always will.


102625
La La Land is surely one of the best looking Musicals ever made, and THE best may well be Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg! Jean Rabier was somehow unnominated for his cinematography, but the splashy Technicolor world he, Demy, production designer Bernard Evein (The 400 Blows, Cléo from 5 to 7), and costume designer Jacqueline Moreau (The Young Girls of Rochefort, ‘Round Midnight) bring to life is a visual tour de force. Catherine Deneuve is one of the all-time screen beauties, and this may actually be her at her most impossibly and stunningly perfect. Generally, I am definitely not a fan of recitative, non-rhyming, operetta dialogue, but with Cherbourg's myriad of other strengths it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. That the story itself is a rather unromantic tale of two lovers who do not connect for very long, that real-word edginess juxtaposed as the filling in these bright and beautiful movie macarons brings it all together for me. I had it at number eight on my ballot.


102626
While the 1950s may be the golden era of the Hollywood Musical, it was the 1960s that saw them transform into gigantic prestige productions that won Best Picture Oscars. Nine Musicals in the 1960s were nominated for Best Picture. Funny Girl (#77), The Music Man (#29), and Oliver! (#44) have already shown on the countdown. Four of the eight won, the last being Oliver!. All four will make it, as will one other non-winner that is practically perfect in every way. Of course the other Best Picture winner was…

My Fair Lady. I had it at the bottom of my ballot, only two points from me as my number twenty-four. But no more was needed from me to propel it into the Top Ten. The Pygmalion story is so strong, making Lerner & Lowe’s wonderful wordplay and melodies the perfect compliment. Yes, I am well aware like everyone that the loverly Audrey Hepburn was not allowed to do her own singing, but her Eliza Doolittle is delightful all the same. Couldn’t leave it off my ballot.


That makes seventeen of my choices, and I only have one more coming in the collective 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)
11. This is Spın̈al Tap (#55)
13. A Star is Born (#43)
14. Hair (#47)
15. Sing Street (#40)
17. Amadeus (#97)
18. Once (#25)
21. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (#69)
22. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
24. My Fair Lady (#10)
25. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (#74)

[Miss Vicky]

I think most people just haven’t seen it. It’s got like 3500 votes on IMDb (compare with, say, My Fair Lady at 103,000 votes). This countdown is the first I’ve heard of it. Which, for me, is one of the big benefits of this exercise, the championing of underseen films.

I also hadn’t heard of Cabin in the Sky until now.

[stillmellow]

I also hadn’t heard of Cabin in the Sky until now.



Me either.

[Holden Pike]

Two more of mine were revealed on the Near-Misses list.

102627
Honestly, I am still shocked that Once and Sing Street made the cut but somehow The Commitments did not?!? I had all three on my ballot, but I thought The Commitments was the surest bet. Alan Parker (Angel Heart, Mississippi Burning, Fame, Pink Floyd – The Wall, Bugsy Malone) perfectly adapts Roddy Doyle’s rousing, funny novel. We were treated to the first film-stealing performance of Colm Meaney as Jimmy Rabbitte Sr., but it is the ‘60s American Soul and R&B music and the unknown ensemble that make this film an irresistible winner, following a bunch of reckless kids who briefly form a horn band in the alleyways, living rooms, and bars of Dublin. It was tenth on my ballot.


102628
Hearts Beat Loud is another charmer and bigtime favorite of mine. Had I known it was that close to cracking the Top100 I would have happily moved it up several spots on my ballot. I had it twelfth, fourteen points. Just a lovely little tale about a melancholy widower, played perfectly by Nick Offerman, and his teenaged daughter (Kiersey Clemons) who sort of accidentally release a minor hit record just before she is set to leave for college across the country. He owns and runs a vintage vinyl record store in Brooklyn that is failing, financially, and the supporting cast also includes Toni Collette, Ted Danson, and Blythe Danner. A simple, smile-inducing story about moving on and the special power of music, well directed by Brett Haley (The Hero, I’ll See You in My Dreams). Two other MoFos loved it enough to vote for it. Truly, worth a look. Even if it is too late to make the MoFo List.


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)
17. Amadeus (#97)
18. Once (#25)
21. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (#69)
22. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
24. My Fair Lady (#10)
25. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (#74)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPZSBJ5UEco
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KWPfZktZhk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnQdk_r1Kz0
https://youtu.be/G6HJtEDBHIU?si=J0WLsG8sMRUrZfK4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUfgJRFKX48

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Hey, it's not like the song, Singin' in the Rain, was an original song for Singin' in the Rain.*

*: I honestly can't remember which musical it appears in earlier, but I just remember Buster Keaton is there, singing it.


Also the drunk under the overpass sings "Molly Malone," Find one more song in A Clockwork Orange and we're set. Does that "Lighthouse keeper" song count? What about Wendy Carlos synthesized version of Beethoven's ninth? Do the characters need to be singing the song? Well, anyway, we got two solid songs in A Clockwork Orange anyways.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Agreed. I haven't seen it, and it's not a film I've heard of before. (Or maybe I have, but it didn't stick).

Same - in reference to Cabin in the Sky. Looks like it'd be worth checking out though.

[iluv2viddyfilms]

Generally, I am definitely not a fan of recitative, non-rhyming, operetta dialogue, but with Cherbourg's myriad of other strengths it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. That the story itself is a rather unromantic tale of two lovers who do not connect for very long, that real-word edginess juxtaposed as the filling in these bright and beautiful movie macarons brings it all together for me. I had it at number eight on my ballot.



That's generally my feelings too on both points. The juxtaposition of the bitter sweet reality that no matter how hard we fall, not all relationships end up working, against a backdrop of such colorful visuals where the entire screen is a canvas along with the beautiful music works so well for me too. The dialogue being sung in full took me a bit to get acquainted with, but then it kind of just wormed its way in and I loved it and almost forgot that each line was delivered musically. I also love what Demy did with the Young Girls of Rochefort, but it doesn't seem quite as concise or groundbreaking as Umbrellas, a film that I locked in at my number eight spot as well.

My ballot so far:

1. My Fair Lady (10)
6. Dancer in the Dark (20)
8. Umbrellas of Cherbourg (11)
9. Pennies From Heaven (56)
10. A Woman is a Woman (1961, Godard) - (near miss 102)
11. An American in Paris (42)
12. Fiddler on the Roof (1971, Norman Jewison) (24)
13. Yankee Doodle Dandy (32)
14. Duck Soup (65)
16. Nashville (39)
19. A Star is Born (1954) (67)
21. Easter Parade (78)
22. 42nd Street (76)
25. The Smiling Lieutenant (1931, Ernst Lubitsch) (96)

[Robert the List]

Two more of mine were revealed on the Near-Misses list.

102627
Honestly, I am still shocked that Once and Sing Street made the cut but somehow The Commitments did not?!? I had all three on my ballot, but I thought The Commitments was the surest bet. Alan Parker (Angel Heart, Mississippi Burning, Fame, Pink Floyd – The Wall, Bugsy Malone) perfectly adapts Roddy Doyle’s rousing, funny novel. We were treated to the first film-stealing performance of Colm Meaney as Jimmy Rabbitte Sr., but it is the ‘60s American Soul and R&B music and the unknown ensemble that make this film an irresistible winner, following a bunch of reckless kids who briefly form a horn band in the alleyways, living rooms, and bars of Dublin. It was tenth on my ballot.


I didn't know The Commitments was eligible, otherwise it would have been in my top 4.

[Robert the List]

I'm staggered Cherbourg hasn't made the top 10.

34 people out of 53 did not include it in their list at all!!!

[PHOENIX74]

12. Beauty and the Beast (1991) - I was impressed with Beauty and the Beast when I saw it. I wrote on Letterboxd : "...it's very nice looking, has beautiful music and has that emotionally authentic Disney appeal that shows up pretenders and their knock-offs. Actually, it's better than "nice looking" - what am I saying? It's a magnificent combination of traditional Disney animation and computer animation production systems - giving life to scenes by computerizing backgrounds and making the result cinematic - a composite where movement gives the impression of a dollying camera. The tried and true music gets through the toughest of defenses as well - and although I was never a big fairy tale kid growing up (I went straight from Dick and Jane to Stephen King novels) it's nice seeing a variant of this old French story. A classic - one that I'd hope kids still watch today." Glad I got my thoughts on it written down. Not on my ballot though.

11. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) - I actually didn't know if this was going to show or not! Now that it has, I'm really happy with it's high placing. All I wrote on Letterboxd after watching The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is "My heart ached after this..." What more can you say after admitting that? It encapsulates my feelings about the movie as a whole, but the music and colour during the time I sat and viewed it made my spirit soar and I felt like a kid on Christmas morning. There's so much that's wonderful about this movie, and I really ought to get around to watching The Young Girls of Rochefort. I had this beauty at #12 on my ballot, and anyone who hasn't seen it yet ought to put some work into amending that.

108. Evita (1996) - This was a near-miss for me. I think I've listened to the soundtrack album for this film over 100 times, and although I've only seen the film perhaps 3 or maybe 4 times I still have to include it as one of my favourite musicals, and the '96 incarnation as worthy on making my ballot at #16

10. My Fair Lady (1964) - I'm not so sure about My Fair Lady, which makes it an onimous start to the Top 10. I'm sure the reveals from this point on will improve, but my personal top 10 happened during the 20 to 11 period methinks. The music and the costumes are very nice though - I had a lot of praise for that part of this film.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seen : 59/88
I'd never even heard of : 11/88
Movies that had been on my radar, but I haven't seen yet : 18/88
Films from my list : 17 + 1

#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)

[Little Ash]

I haven't seen Cabin in the Sky (looking through my movie collection, it looks like I did buy it off of iTunes sometime during the pandemic. Presumably while it was on sale). It is the first title that comes to mind when naming a Minnelli film. I couldn't tell you what it's about other than, "Duke Ellington's in it, isn't he?"


On the list of Minnelli films that I forget are Minnelli:
The Bad and the Beautiful - the only Minnelli film I've seen (not a musical). It's not terrible, but it felt like a de-fanged version of other more cynical films.


I know An American in Paris as one of the celebrated American musicals (that people also say might not be that good) - off the top of my head, I go, "it won an Oscar, didn't it?" But I'll only remember to associate it with Minnelli half the time.


Minnelli is an odd director for me where these days I know he's famous, but he always exists in the periphery of my cognizance.



Which is to say, I was actually surprised to see other people had never even heard of Cabin in the Sky, since I'm super-weak on Minnelli and for some reason that title is at least somewhere in my brain. I'll attribute that to the whole real life rng of accumulation of vague knowledge.

ETA: looking it up, I'm realizing I know the title, Cabin in the Sky is a film podcast I listen to did a Minnelli marathon some years ago, and it was the first movie they covered. (I didn't follow along for that marathon, I'd say that's why I don't remember any knowledge about the plot, but I forget the plot of a lot of movies I do watch).

[Gideon58]

Also the drunk under the overpass sings "Molly Malone," Find one more song in A Clockwork Orange and we're set. Does that "Lighthouse keeper" song count? What about Wendy Carlos synthesized version of Beethoven's ninth? Do the characters need to be singing the song? Well, anyway, we got two solid songs in A Clockwork Orange anyways.

Pretty sure none of the songs in Singin in the Rain were written for that film

[Gideon58]

I didn't know The Commitments was eligible, otherwise it would have been in my top 4.

LOVED The Commitments

[Robert the List]

My mistake re eligibility btw. Not a complaint!
I should have paid more attention. Never mind.

[Wooley]

No one's mentioned it even once in this entire thread.

Maybe Thursday or Yoda got to you, but I won't be silenced.

So I guess I'll be the one to say what everyone's already thinking:


Chitty Chitty Bang Bang was robbed.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SUr7fu-LXj4

Yeah, I'll give you that one. A hundred spots and we couldn't find room for Cabin In The Sky or Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Another weird list. (And yes, I understand it's just the mechanics of the process.)

[Wooley]

I think most people just haven’t seen it. It’s got like 3500 votes on IMDb (compare with, say, My Fair Lady at 103,000 votes). This countdown is the first I’ve heard of it. Which, for me, is one of the big benefits of this exercise, the championing of underseen films.

I started to consider that. It used to be on TCM all the time, I actually caught parts of it on several occasions in addition to actually watching it three times and I've seen it talked about a lot in the last few years so I really assumed that this was a movie most people knew. Didn't occur to me until I saw that it was only on two ballots that maybe it was just luck on my part that it has come across my sphere so many times.

[Wooley]

Agreed. I haven't seen it, and it's not a film I've heard of before. (Or maybe I have, but it didn't stick).
Ok, well, this makes me feel a little better. Like I said above, it must just be a weird quirk of chance that I've seen it more times than probably all but three or four on my list over the last five years. Maybe more than anything but Rocky Horror.

[Wooley]

Been busy. So, catching up on revealed titles from my list.

102624
La La Land was all the way up at number two. It’s tone, visuals, attitudes, and the two central performances enchant the Hell outta me. It is my most favorite movie of the past dozen or so years. I saw it seven times, theatrically, during its initial months in the cinema. The music, the cinematography (by Oscar-winner Linus Sandgren), and the general vibe make me laugh, smile, and cry over and over again. And in an era where Romantic Comedies have largely fallen by the wayside, it is also one of my favorite RomComs in many a moon. I am beyond giving two stinky dumps who doesn’t like it. I lurve La La Land to pieces and suspect I always will.


102625
La La Land is surely one of the best looking Musicals ever made, and THE best may well be Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg! Jean Rabier was somehow unnominated for his cinematography, but the splashy Technicolor world he, Demy, production designer Bernard Evein (The 400 Blows, Cléo from 5 to 7), and costume designer Jacqueline Moreau (The Young Girls of Rochefort, ‘Round Midnight) bring to life is a visual tour de force. Catherine Deneuve is one of the all-time screen beauties, and this may actually be her at her most impossibly and stunningly perfect. Generally, I am definitely not a fan of recitative, non-rhyming, operetta dialogue, but with Cherbourg's myriad of other strengths it doesn’t bother me in the slightest. That the story itself is a rather unromantic tale of two lovers who do not connect for very long, that real-word edginess juxtaposed as the filling in these bright and beautiful movie macarons brings it all together for me. I had it at number eight on my ballot.


102626
While the 1950s may be the golden era of the Hollywood Musical, it was the 1960s that saw them transform into gigantic prestige productions that won Best Picture Oscars. Nine Musicals in the 1960s were nominated for Best Picture. Funny Girl (#77), The Music Man (#29), and Oliver! (#44) have already shown on the countdown. Four of the eight won, the last being Oliver!. All four will make it, as will one other non-winner that is practically perfect in every way. Of course the other Best Picture winner was…

My Fair Lady. I had it at the bottom of my ballot, only two points from me as my number twenty-four. But no more was needed from me to propel it into the Top Ten. The Pygmalion story is so strong, making Lerner & Lowe’s wonderful wordplay and melodies the perfect compliment. Yes, I am well aware like everyone that the loverly Audrey Hepburn was not allowed to do her own singing, but her Eliza Doolittle is delightful all the same. Couldn’t leave it off my ballot.


That makes seventeen of my choices, and I only have one more coming in the collective 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)
11. This is Spın̈al Tap (#55)
13. A Star is Born (#43)
14. Hair (#47)
15. Sing Street (#40)
17. Amadeus (#97)
18. Once (#25)
21. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (#69)
22. Little Shop of Horrors (#18)
24. My Fair Lady (#10)
25. Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story (#74)

Ya know, sometimes there is an art to posting itself and I think you have hit it here. Not that it's your only time but you've chosen great images for the film that actually look really good with the effect you like to use on them, your descriptions are excellent and informative and the practically perfect reference is a coup de grace.
I don't normally comment on this but, nicely done.

[Wooley]

Also the drunk under the overpass sings "Molly Malone," Find one more song in A Clockwork Orange and we're set. Does that "Lighthouse keeper" song count? What about Wendy Carlos synthesized version of Beethoven's ninth? Do the characters need to be singing the song? Well, anyway, we got two solid songs in A Clockwork Orange anyways.

Given that we have basically been accepting the presence of any music in any way as a qualification, the playing of the William Tell Overture during the menage-a-trois scene should get us over the hump (so to speak) for it to qualify.

[Wooley]

I'm staggered Cherbourg hasn't made the top 10.

34 people out of 53 did not include it in their list at all!!!

As I mentioned before, it actually got bumped off mine by The Young Girls Of Rochefort, which I have just come to get great joy out of. Not that they both couldn't make it but with only 24 real spots to use, and me a big fan of the genre, they didn't both make it.

[Yoda]

To me what stands out is how the musical numbers perfectly compliment the action and the motives and personalities of the characters and I couldn't imagine trimming a single second from it.
Exactly this, for me. My Fair Lady was my #1, and this is why.

Great music is a given, but the best musicals are the ones where the music is not a break from the story or character development, but an inextricable part of it. Or the ones where a song is not merely catchy or clever/funny, but both. "Why Can't a Woman Be More Like A Man?" does all three. It shows us who the character is, it's undeniably funny, and it sticks in your head.

There are stories that are told over and over in different guises, like The Odyssey or, in this case, Pygmalion, and in most cases there's a sort of "why bother?" or "what's the hook this time?" But I think those kinds of stories are actually ideal for great musicals, since the hook is a literal hook, and built right in to the retelling. It creates a lovely little pocket from which to experiment within the familiar and the well-tread that I think works wonders when in the right hands, and these are the right hands.

I won't argue about the pace, none of the criticisms there are wrong. It is slow. But it's a deliberate choice and one that compliments the story. That these silly people are bored and finding things to entertain them is, after all, kind of the whole premise. And obviously it's pretty binary, in that if you find the characters charming, you're happy to watch them move around and talk and just exist for hours on end.

[kgaard]

I started to consider that. It used to be on TCM all the time, I actually caught parts of it on several occasions in addition to actually watching it three times and I've seen it talked about a lot in the last few years so I really assumed that this was a movie most people knew. Didn't occur to me until I saw that it was only on two ballots that maybe it was just luck on my part that it has come across my sphere so many times.

I'm interested now! And it does have the advantage of being a breezy 98 minutes, unlike some of your more epic musicals (looking at you, The Sound of Music).

[honeykid]

I don't think I've even seen any of the films revealed since my last visit and I have no plans to change that in the future.

I did have Repo on my list at #11. I saw it a couple of times a long time ago and enjoyed it a lot both times. More than I thought I would, actually.

As people have started with those from their lists that won't make it, I have to ask, who also had The Wicker Man (1973) on their list? It was the first time I've ever done the 1 point thing and I did it specifically for that film. But it wasn't in the 1 pointer list, so someone else must've had it. Who are you, you wonderful, likeminded genius?

[Wooley]

Here's another from my list, No.24, that I am really, really surprised to see not make the Top 100.

102640

It was the second-highest grossing film of 1951 and The New York Times called it, "so magnificent in so many ways".
I'm chalking this up to, like Cabin In The Sky, maybe people somehow just haven't seen it (?) but when I was young every household had a copy of the soundtrack (on vinyl, of course) and it was on TV frequently and everybody alive knew this song:

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

(The quality of the videos of this on YouTube lend credence to my theory that maybe this film has just fallen into the cracks of History.)

Might be an interesting watch for fans of Classical Musicals (as we seem to be calling them in this thread).

[Wooley]

As people have started with those from their lists that won't make it, I have to ask, who also had The Wicker Man (1973) on their list? It was the first time I've ever done the 1 point thing and I did it specifically for that film. But it wasn't in the 1 pointer list, so someone else must've had it. Who are you, you wonderful, likeminded genius?

I love The Wicker Man it just never would have occurred to me in my wildest dreams that it would be thought of as a Musical?

[John W Constantine]

I'll just assume Top Secret! is #1 and we all did the right thing.

[Torgo]

I'll just assume Top Secret! is #1 and we all did the right thing.You know what, this may actually qualify as a musical. You've got...

-Skeet Surfing
-Val Kilmer's rendition of Tutti Frutti
-The East German national anthem
-Straighten Out the Rug

...and many more. Yet another one I regret not putting on my ballot.

[stillmellow]

You know what, this may actually qualify as a musical. You've got...

-Skeet Surfing
- Val Kilmer's rendition of Tutti Frutti
-The East German national anthem
-Straighten Out the Rug

...and many more. Yet another one I regret not putting on my ballot.



Thanks to another thread, it's already the MoFo's clear choice for "most underrated movie of all time". Why not best musical as well? 😀

[Thief]

Cabin in the Sky is full of great musical numbers, but this is probably my favorite...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8ZXkoRTI3Q

[Thief]

I love The Wicker Man it just never would have occurred to me in my wildest dreams that it would be thought of as a Musical?

Same here.

[Robert the List]

one comment. only one. please don't reply to this comment.
just putting it here because it is about music(als).
please please please check out the clip i posted in the actors and actresses forum today. it's literally 10 seconds, and thinking about it literally sheds a tear from my eye in what I can only describe as wonder.
from someone who could not possibly be astonished again, I am astonished, in fact listening to it again I am literally shocked. do take a moment to listen.

[Citizen Rules]

Let me guess more Whitney stuff?

[Miss Vicky]

Am I the only one who finds this Whitney obsession disturbing?

[John W Constantine]

You know what, this may actually qualify as a musical. You've got...

-Skeet Surfing
-Val Kilmer's rendition of Tutti Frutti
-The East German national anthem
-Straighten Out the Rug

...and many more. Yet another one I regret not putting on my ballot.
Spend This Night with Me really ties the movie together.

[John W Constantine]

Let me guess more Whitney stuff?
How will I know.

[Little Ash]

As people have started with those from their lists that won't make it, I have to ask, who also had The Wicker Man (1973) on their list? It was the first time I've ever done the 1 point thing and I did it specifically for that film. But it wasn't in the 1 pointer list, so someone else must've had it. Who are you, you wonderful, likeminded genius?

The Ballad of Buster Scruggs doesn't register as a musical in my mind after the first segment, even though there's at least three or four diegetic singing bits I can think of (Tom Waits singing coming in and leaving in his segment. The Molly song starting off The Mortal Remains, as well as Gleeson's rendition of The Unfortunate Lad). It seems unfair given something I did put on my ballot, but that movie I did put, just doesn't make sense in my mind if I don't view it partially as a musical (maybe it has something to do with the convention of the musical number in westerns vs that not being a common practice in horror movies).

*cough*
#11 of 18. on my ballot

https://youtu.be/cxRq0KzjxZI?si=ne6ArkagCAB-ZzrP

I'd say, if you tell someone The Wicker Man is a musical going in, and they're hoping for a musical, they'll probably be disappointed. But going in, not realizing it could be classified for a musical, it really threw me for a loop in terms of the tone that was going on. Just so much singing. If it was only of the very normal, diegetic type, such as, the Landlord's Daughter in the pub, one wouldn't think much of it beyond scene setting. But then you have Britt Eckland singing Willow's Song in a non-diegetic fashion, and things just go off in my brain. Throw in the framing of the performer of Summerisle (the Maypole Song), which centers on the singer for so much of the song. It's somewhat conventional in classic hollywood where they're trying to show off a female lead. Or acting as a guest star musical performer (which maybe this was as well), but it shifts the focus of the film away from the usual narrative to the performer in the way a musical does.

https://youtu.be/cYLRRrfPJ1s?si=m3ufUwQnfbatVlW_

And, like I said, my brain just needs to accept that the movie is part-musical. Some of this might be due to expected conventions of the genre, since, say, Rio Bravo or Three Amigos, you expect usually about a single song where reality breaks for a musical interlude. But here were getting multiple cases of either non-diegetic or non-diegetic feeling musical performances (technically, the Maypole Song would be considered non-diegetic, but feels framed non-diegetically).

Throw in the establishing song scene, Fire Leap

https://youtu.be/9jAJQsq4ZOU?si=k19rWyoyRb82NB_N
Probably comparable to the intercutting of performances in Cabaret between the nightclub musical pieces and the scene occurring outside the music club.

That's just too many to write off as something other than a musical (the one caveat in Fire Leap and The Maypole Song is the song isn't taken to completion, as they continue on in the background of the following scene).

I could also include the song at the end, but that's just too diegetic, and audibly isn't the focus of the scene.

Oh, and so, with the other songs, it's hard not to then retro-actively include The Landlord's Daughter as musical performances:

https://youtu.be/xx70L_wBZB8?si=hPnIIundyTWR8OyI&t=57

[kgaard]

I don't think I've even seen any of the films revealed since my last visit and I have no plans to change that in the future.

I did have Repo on my list at #11. I saw it a couple of times a long time ago and enjoyed it a lot both times. More than I thought I would, actually.

As people have started with those from their lists that won't make it, I have to ask, who also had The Wicker Man (1973) on their list? It was the first time I've ever done the 1 point thing and I did it specifically for that film. But it wasn't in the 1 pointer list, so someone else must've had it. Who are you, you wonderful, likeminded genius?

I've always thought of The Wicker Man as a musical (and so did its director, if Wikipedia is to be believed) but of course also horror/mystery/thriller (and a little comic). I think that one of the ways in which the movie is so effectively creepy is the interpolation of these local folk songs into what is essentially a horror/mystery/thriller, because the songs themselves sound typically charming and, well, folksy, but of course if you listen closely the songs tell you more unconventional and even sinister things about the island and its people. So yeah, musical, but subordinated to horror and mystery.

I did strongly consider putting it on my list, but couldn't decide where to put it (as a movie it's top 5, as a musical maybe 20-25?) and ultimately left it off altogether.

[Wooley]

Cabin in the Sky is full of great musical numbers, but this is probably my favorite...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8ZXkoRTI3Q

I gotta go with Lena. She just stuns me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qs_4nqCfNwM

[Gideon58]

I'm not surprised that Cabin in the Sky made the countdown but I didn't expect it to rank this high.

[Little Ash]

I'm not surprised that Cabin in the Sky made the countdown but I didn't expect it to rank this high.

It missed the top 100. It was in the near misses.

[Gideon58]

I thought it was just rated because someone was commenting about it and posted clips.

[Thief]

The Near Misses

#103 Cabin In the Sky (1943)
34 points, 2 ballots

#110 The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
32 points, 2 ballots

BTW, to whoever else had these two in their ballot...

https://c.tenor.com/beUu3Fm2wmYAAAAd/tenor.gif

[LAMb EELYAK]

Yesterday marked at least the fourth entry with a prior non-musical version I preferred. Next list could be top movies remade into musicals.