The MoFo Top 100 Musicals Countdown

→ in
Tools    







94
3lists38points
The Prince of Egypt
Director

Simon Wells, 1998

Starring

Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Michelle Pfeiffer, Sandra Bullock







93
3lists38points
On the Town
Director

Stanley Donen, 1949

Starring

Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller





Trouble with a capital "T"
On the Town (1949) Love this musical and I seriously considered it for my ballot. I've seen it a couple of times and plan on watching it again, heck maybe I'll catch it tonight! I'm a huge fan of all the major stars: Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Betty Garrett, Ann Miller. Especially fond of Betty Garrett because she was on Laverne & Shirley as the landlady. Ann Miller is always fun and a first rate dancer!



Definitely the 90’s are due. We can replace certain movies such as Con Air, Edward Scissorhands, Batman Returns, The Fifth Element and Starship Troopers with more deserving films in my opinion.
If Batman Returns or Starship Troopers don't make a 90's refresh list then there's something very wrong in the state of Mofo.

FWIW, I'd expect all of those to reappear because they all appeal to enough of a different kind of movie fan to be included on multiple lists and, in some cases, quite highly. Although I'd also expect that list to start at quite a high number of votes, too.

As for todays pick? Seen neither, desire to see neither.
__________________
5-time MoFo Award winner.



YES! The Prince of Egypt was my number 6, which means I gave it 20 points, and am directly responsible for over half it's points! I have to confess something here, a while back I feigned ignorance of the film in the worry that someone from a old website I don't want to return to might recognize me... Sorry everyone. But TOoE is a lifelong nostalgia piece that I can never possibly get tired of. It is the perfect Biblical film, and ever song is a banger among bangers. I was four when this came out, and I saw it a million times since. So I am an old school Dreamworker (especially when the prequel and Galaxy Quest are involved.

Seen 2/6, but MUST see that other one for Kelly and Sinatra.



I had pretty similar reactions to both The Prince of Egypt and On the Town--both are charming and sweet but not strong enough to make my list. I watched On the Town long ago with my wife (then-girlfriend) and my main memory of it is that she teased me with the line "You're old, dear, old like gorgonzola" for years afterward (while I was not so old at the time, I'm several years older than her). Oh, and both of us tee-heeing (because we are similar in immaturity) at the plug at the end of the trailer: "Twice as Gay as Anchors Aweigh!"



Hmm, for some reason I didn't think of The Prince of Egypt. Probably because I made a conscious decision not to include too many animated films (although a handful still sneaked into my ballot, mostly because of how catchy the musical numbers are). Regardless of that, The Prince of Egypt is a gorgeously animated film. I revisited a couple of years ago and it held up extremely well. The songs probably didn't stuck with me as much as other films (although I find myself now humming "Playing with the Big Boys"), but I still think it's a great film and I'm glad it made it.

I still haven't seen On the Town, but I've had it on my radar for a while.



SEEN: 2/8
MY BALLOT: 0/25

My ballot  
__________________
Check out my podcast: The Movie Loot!



I'm not one to fret too much about forgetting a film for a ballot...but I think it's safe to say the mental facepalm I just had while realizing I left The Prince of Egypt off my ballot is the biggest I've ever experienced. Oof. Coulda bumped that quite a ways up the list too with one high ranking, and it 100% would've made my top 5 if I'd remembered it. Gahhhhhhhhh.



Yeah that’s not gonna happen. As much as I like animation, I am completely burnt out on musicals and I’m an atheist, so a musical about Moses doesn’t exactly sound appealing.



Yeah that’s not gonna happen. As much as I like animation, I am completely burnt out on musicals and I’m an atheist, so a musical about Moses doesn’t exactly sound appealing.
It's not so much a "worship God" movie as it is a "join Moses on his quest" movie.



It's not so much a "worship God" movie as it is a "join Moses on his quest" movie.
I’ll take your word for it. I won’t be watching anymore musicals for a long time.



It’s A Classic Rope-A-Dope
I have seen both of today’s. Prince Of Egypt was a very long time ago. Don’t remember thinking much of it, but who knows.

On The Town I watched for list prep. Love his dancing, but didn’t love the movie will be a common refrain for all but a couple Kelly movies for me.
__________________
Letterboxd

#JusticeForHamilton



Victim of The Night
Who's the best female dancer in Hollywood movies? I know who I'd say.
I mean, my first instinct is Ginger Rogers and my second instinct is Cyd Charisse and my third is probably Vera-Ellen. After that I'll have to do some thinking.



The Prince of Egypt is probably the very first "religious" film I'd recommend to someone who isn't religious. I have several atheist friends who love it.

I suppose holding the relevant beliefs adds to the resonance, but unlike the films explicitly aimed religious audiences, it doesn't rely on theological or cultural good will to win anyone over, at all.



Victim of The Night
I'm not one to fret too much about forgetting a film for a ballot...but I think it's safe to say the mental facepalm I just had while realizing I left The Prince of Egypt off my ballot is the biggest I've ever experienced. Oof. Coulda bumped that quite a ways up the list too with one high ranking, and it 100% would've made my top 5 if I'd remembered it. Gahhhhhhhhh.
You are not alone. While I don't know Prince Of Egypt I did completely leave one of my favorite musicals of all time off the list. I don't know how. It makes no sense. It is normally one of the very first musicals that jumps to my mind as an all-timer... and yet for two months I never thought of it and didn't put it on the list.
Sigh.

Reply to Topic