Movie musicals: ranked
Nobody asked, but in my — albeit limited — 20-some-odd-years of experience and exposure (both voluntary and not) to movie musicals, there is a clear divide between ones worth viewing and ones … not. So, this list was born.
Here is a definitive list of the essential movie musicals for a well-rounded viewing. Probably the most applicable to people who have no or very little exposure.
1. “Singin’ in the Rain”: an absolute classic featuring global favorites such as “Good Morning,” “Make ‘Em Laugh,” and the titular track “Singin’ in the Rain.” Debbie Reynolds is so sweet she just makes your teeth ache, and Gene Kelly is at the top of his game.
2. “White Christmas”: another classic, this time with Bing Crosby. Incredible music, endearing characters, plus Vera-Ellen and Danny Kaye performing one of the most beautiful dance numbers I’ve ever seen in my life. And not solely restricted to December either! Christmas is an attitude — a lifestyle if you will — not just a season.
3. Disney’s “Hercules”: closely tied with Disney’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” for the best-animated musical. While they might be overshadowed by other, more famous musicals such as “Aladdin” or “The Little Mermaid,” “Hunchback” and “Hercules” especially feature the least whiny and most likable characters. Witty and heartfelt without being too cheesy, “Hercules” consistently offers an enjoyable viewing.
4. Rodger and Hammerstein’s 1997 “Cinderella”: This musical features an absolutely stellar and diverse cast including Brandy, Whitney Houston, Bernadette Peters, Whoopi Goldberg and Victor Garber, making for the best Cinderella story ever committed to film.
5. “West Side Story”: Everything I have to say about this movie cannot possibly be written down in a quickly consumed fashion — this “Romeo and Juliet” story of star-crossed-lovers tackles numerous issues involving class and race in the Upper West Side of Manhattan in the 1950s. “America” is probably the best number in the show, but the widely loved “I Feel Pretty” and the heartbreaking “Maria” are also indisputable highlights.
6. “La La Land”: If you can overlook that this story jazz has two white main characters, it is such an enjoyable film. Definitely better than “The Greatest Showman.”
7. “Hello, Dolly!”: see also “Funny Girl,” or (even though it’s not technically a musical) “What’s Up Doc,” or really anything Barbara Streisand stars in. Barb just can’t ever lead you wrong.
8. “The Rocky Horror Picture Show”: A cult classic definitely not for the faint of heart or the uptight. Pretty funny and makes for the best viewing at Halloween when everybody is yelling at Tim Curry. (The Utah Theatre hosts the film every year!)
9. “High School Musical 2”: Inarguably the best of the “HSM” trilogy, but don’t overlook the hidden Disney Channel original movie gems such as “Lemonade Mouth,” “Teen Beach Movie,” “Let It Shine,” and “Camp Rock” 1 and 2.
10.“Mamma Mia!”: There are just some musicals that are better as movies. Prepare to suspend your belief as you try to follow its, at times, convoluted plotline, but ABBA is always a blast and Meryl Streep is as charming as ever.
Honorable mentions include “Cabaret,” “The Lion King,” “Fame,” “Moulin Rouge,” “Chicago,” “Tangled,” “The Sound of Music,” “My Fair Lady,” “Mary Poppins,” “Grease” and “Fiddler on the Roof.”
Sage Souza is a junior studying political science and Spanish. In her free time, she enjoys long walks on the beach, making too many playlists on Spotify, and retweeting Karl Marx fancams.
—sage.souza@usu.edu
@sageksouza