Recent movie musicals rant
There have been four recent big-screen musicals (and The Producers are soon to hit the screen): Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Phantom of the Opera and Rent. Ironically, the one I like least (Chicago) is the one with, by far, the most acclaim and $$$. I don't like Chicago because it has little emotional relevance, which is OK, but also has little intelligent to say. OMG, the justice system is corrupt and media is hype crazy? Who could have thought! It might have been more novel in the era it initially came out, but now, the concept is far from fresh. Nor are there interesting or rounded characters, or a clever concept.
But what it does have, and what the other three notably lack, is a cynical detachment. Forget wearing your heart on your sleeve. Chicago has no heart, it's all about shallow and glitter. Which is why it got as far as it did I think. Musicals are often about letting go of your emotion, suspendinging your cynical side and your sense of disbelief: come on, random people singing in unison on the street? People belting out their deepest secrets at the top of their lungs? Neo-realism it is not. Moulin Rouge, which was quite emotional, got as far as it did because it was the "first" recent big screen musical and because it was quite post-modern in its concept. Musicals are just "not cool." Their whole concept is completely against the current movie trends. At least what are considered prestigious, Oscarbation movies: quasi-realistic, grim.
Why this little rant? Some reviews I've been reading. I have no problem with people not liking either Phantom or Rent or MR or any other musical as movies. If you think the movie is bad because the directing is bad, the acting sucks, whatever, it's your right and it's quite understandable (though I might disagree with your opinion, depending on the movie). But there were a lot of reviews that didn't care for them because they don't like the musical genre: because it's constant singing (and people singing on the streets, how realistic is that? Imagine.) and because all that emotion is silly. One review that didn't like Rent said (paraphrasing) "how can you like a movie where people sing almost non-stop?" Ummm, because it's a musical. It also said all that singing wasn't realistic. I repeat, musical. It's like criticizing a horror movie because it has murders in it. All the reviews that bashed Phantom because it's full of Andrew Lloyd Webber music made me go...huuuuuuuh? It's an adaptation of ALW musical, what other music is it going to have? And then of course there are people who have a problem with the concept: musicals are by their nature are going to be somewhat more in your face and "simplistic" because they are about emotion. They are not about witty film noir repartee. I wouldn't expect beautiful music and an emotional connection from a gritty drama. Why expect vice versa?
Oh, so this won't all be a rant, here are my Top 10 little moments from Rent:
1. Angel introducing himself to Collins.
2. Roger's scream over Mimi's body
3. The way Maureen takes off her jacket at the engagement party and crawls on the billiard table.
4. The fact that Mimi's "sexy" outfit has a little rip in the arm.
5. Angel buying Collins a coat from the street vendor.
6. The way Roger sings "I should tell you, I'm disaster."
7. Roger telling Mimi he's never been to Times Square for New Year's.
8. Collins handing Angel her purse after she busts the door open and someone (Mark) remarking "This is a full service woman."
9. Mimi sitting on Roger's lap during Joanne and Maureen's engagement.
10. Roger holding Mimi as she has the shakes.
But what it does have, and what the other three notably lack, is a cynical detachment. Forget wearing your heart on your sleeve. Chicago has no heart, it's all about shallow and glitter. Which is why it got as far as it did I think. Musicals are often about letting go of your emotion, suspendinging your cynical side and your sense of disbelief: come on, random people singing in unison on the street? People belting out their deepest secrets at the top of their lungs? Neo-realism it is not. Moulin Rouge, which was quite emotional, got as far as it did because it was the "first" recent big screen musical and because it was quite post-modern in its concept. Musicals are just "not cool." Their whole concept is completely against the current movie trends. At least what are considered prestigious, Oscarbation movies: quasi-realistic, grim.
Why this little rant? Some reviews I've been reading. I have no problem with people not liking either Phantom or Rent or MR or any other musical as movies. If you think the movie is bad because the directing is bad, the acting sucks, whatever, it's your right and it's quite understandable (though I might disagree with your opinion, depending on the movie). But there were a lot of reviews that didn't care for them because they don't like the musical genre: because it's constant singing (and people singing on the streets, how realistic is that? Imagine.) and because all that emotion is silly. One review that didn't like Rent said (paraphrasing) "how can you like a movie where people sing almost non-stop?" Ummm, because it's a musical. It also said all that singing wasn't realistic. I repeat, musical. It's like criticizing a horror movie because it has murders in it. All the reviews that bashed Phantom because it's full of Andrew Lloyd Webber music made me go...huuuuuuuh? It's an adaptation of ALW musical, what other music is it going to have? And then of course there are people who have a problem with the concept: musicals are by their nature are going to be somewhat more in your face and "simplistic" because they are about emotion. They are not about witty film noir repartee. I wouldn't expect beautiful music and an emotional connection from a gritty drama. Why expect vice versa?
Oh, so this won't all be a rant, here are my Top 10 little moments from Rent:
1. Angel introducing himself to Collins.
2. Roger's scream over Mimi's body
3. The way Maureen takes off her jacket at the engagement party and crawls on the billiard table.
4. The fact that Mimi's "sexy" outfit has a little rip in the arm.
5. Angel buying Collins a coat from the street vendor.
6. The way Roger sings "I should tell you, I'm disaster."
7. Roger telling Mimi he's never been to Times Square for New Year's.
8. Collins handing Angel her purse after she busts the door open and someone (Mark) remarking "This is a full service woman."
9. Mimi sitting on Roger's lap during Joanne and Maureen's engagement.
10. Roger holding Mimi as she has the shakes.