[lbo-talk] 25 Best Musicals

Dennis Perrin dperrin at comcast.net
Tue Sep 5 18:50:14 PDT 2006



> 1. Singin' in the Rain, (1952), MGM
> 2. West Side Story, (1961), United Artists

They got the top two right, just in the wrong order.


> 5. Cabaret, (1972), Allied Artists

Top 5 - yes.


> 6. Mary Poppins, (1964), Disney

Interesting choice. A little stiff for my taste, and Dick Van Dyke's Cockney accent is so bad that it's classic. But there are some nice tunes here, though a little dated for today's kids, I fear.


> 9. An American In Paris, (1951), MGM

I would place this above "Mary Poppins."


> 14. All That Jazz, (2002), Miramax

This would be in my Top 10. Easily. But didn't this come out in '79?


> 18. Yankee Doodle Dandy, (1942), Warner Bros.

Dopey flick, but some great dancing. One of the best lines the late Gene Siskel got off was when this film was being colorized by Ted Turner for TV (and I paraphrase), "Finally, we get to see the American flag in color."

> 19. On the Town, (1949), MiraMGM

Dumb, but irresitable. Hey, it's Gene fucking Kelly.


> 20. Grease, (1978), Paramount

The wife and I knew the choreographer for this film, so we got a lot of backstage gossip. A few decent tunes, but 20's about right.


> 25. Moulin Rouge!, (2001), 20th Century Fox

My daughter loves this film. I was put off by it the first time -- all that anachronistic music. But I've since settled down, and have enjoyed it for what it is -- a mystical ode to Absinthe!

Dennis



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