Top 10 – Movie Musicals

I am a huge fan of musicals. I love going to see shows at the theatre and have seen shows on the West End and Broadway. So therefore I absoloutly adore movie versions of musicals. I have decided to do a countdown of my current top 10 movie musicals. I have actually found this list very hard to complete, as just having a top 10 was very difficult for me. But I managed to get it sorted in the end, haha. I kept remembering about different movies and probably will realise later that I have missed a favorite out. But never mind, I could always re-do this list in a few months.

10. My Fair Lady

It is the ultimate in musical, love stories and has a kind of you decide ending. As it finishes with “Ive Grown Accustomed to her face” and the last line Henry Higgins asking where his slippers are. I really do enjoy watching this as so many of the songs are well known and so memorable. I think my favorite song from this musical is “I could have danced all night” mainly because I am sure every woman has felt that way at some point about a great night they have had. It is always mentioned how shocked everyone was when Julie Andrews was not Eliza in the movie after doing so well on Broadway. But I think the movie is sitll just fantastic.

9. Grease

It had to be in here somewhere. Everyone loves Grease, its just so full of life and energy. The songs are just great to sing-a-long too and just enjoy over and over again. It is definatly one that I have grown up watching and think its just so full of life. As with most musicals, it can really just put a smile on your face when your not having the best of days. My favorite song from this, will probably come as a suprise as it is one of the more less talked about songs. “Worse things I could do” is my favorite because its just so spot on about how life goes sometimes and how things could always be worse than they actually are, I think it is important to remember this. So take a bow Stockard Channing for your role as Rizzo. Who is just great !!!

8. Annie

Another of my ultimate favorites as a child. I even used to do all of it at dancing. So “never fully dressed . . .” has a special place in my heart as I can pretty much remember all of the moves to the dances we done for it, haha. But this is another one where you cannot help but sing-a-long and just adore. I always did love “Easy Street” because of Tim Curry as Rooster, I just adore Tim he is just brilliant. I guess I have a more obvious favorite song from this one “tomorrow” as its teaching you that tomorrow is another day and its to start a fresh with a new day. I think thats important to remember. Carol Burnett is great as Miss Hanigan as well. She deserves so much credit, she has such a distinctive voice. I always loved Anne Reinkin too, never finding out for years how big she was on broadway and a close friend of Bob Fosse.

7. Evita

This is a difficult one to watch if you are not a big fan of musicals, as they sing all the way through. All of what would be dialouge is sung. I think this makes Evita different and memorable in that way. Madonna was just perfect in the role as she could sing, her acting wasnt too bad either. I have to admit that the first time I watched it I really did cry my eyes out, yes the ending is said clear at the start. But “You Must Love Me” was just WOW and really did break my heart so well done to Madonna for that. I really love how that was a new song for the movie, and it is now in the show. Its such a moving song and my favorite from Evita.

6. Rent

I must admit that it took a few attempts at starting watching this movie before I managed to actually watch it all. I found the start so confusing and had no idea what was going on. But I was so glad when I eventually managed to watch it all of the way through. I think it was great that most of the original cast were in the movie and think it says a lot of how the actors were percieved on Broadway. It really was so well put together and well acted. It was emotional and funny, and had a very serious subject matter of HIV and aids. The music is just brilliant and the whole thing is just incredible. My favorite song from this is “take me or leave me” I love the whole routine and the lyrics in the song. The routine is great, love it when Maureen is on the table and takes off her jacket, its just brilliant. Have to love “seasons of love” as well thats just so lovely. I did cry the first time I watched this, thought it was so sad when Angel died.

5. Moulin Rouge

A new, different take on musicals. Popular songs of the last 50 years placed into a love story . . . who would have thought it would work ?!?!! But it really is spectacular, spectacularwith a great cast. Jim Broadbent as Harlod is hilarious. I never thought Nicole Kidman would be in a musical, but she was very good as Satine. It is the ultimate love story this movie, with a very tragic ending. My favorite song is the only original song in the whole thing and that is “come what may” the secret song. I think its just so romantic and just lovely. Its such a nice song to play at a wedding I reckon. Another movie that had me crying at the end. Yes I am very soft when it comes to sad movies.

4. Mary Poppins

Such a well known nanny, she is the best. Practically perfect in every way. Everyone knows Mary Poppins, and everyone loves Mary Poppins. Who wouldnt want to jump into chalk paintings, ride a merry-go-round horse in a race, different flavored medicine, laugh on the celing and everything else that happens in Mary Poppins. She is just magical. So many great songs in this movie, it really is a family feel good movie. Another musical to cheer you up when you are down. I think my favorite song in this movie is “lets go fly a kite” as its so postivie and Mr Banks eventually spends time with his children and realises what is important in life, all thanks to Mary Poppins. Julie Andrews is just perfect in this role. This was also another of my childhood favorites.

3. Rocky Horror Picture Show

“Give yourself over to absolute pleasure” – that is how this movie is. It really is just soooooo incredibly good and who would think it for at the time it was a B movie but some how became a cult classic and hit and loved by millions. It has a massive following and at my first viewing I had to admit I thought it was very strange. But after a few viewings I adored it and thought it was HOT and brilliant. All thanks to Tim Curry, he is just incredible as Frank N Furter. Susan Sarandon is Janet in what was one of her first roles. It really is a very random concept of a musical but so fantastic. Meat Loaf even makes an appearance too. It is a rock n roll musical = the best.

2. The Sound of Music

What can I possibly say about one of the most loved musicals, movies and stories in the world. Yeah that might be exaggerating it a bit but it really is well loved and I have loved it since I can remember. Loved growing up with Maria and the Von Trapp children. Its funny how as I got older I noticed different things about the movie. Like in more recent times, the deep love story between Maria and the Captain is just perfect. Especially “Something Good” which I probably didnt like too much when I was younger. I think my favorite song from this has to be the title song “the sound of music” because I love the opening in the Austrian mountains and Maria spinning around I think everyone at some point has wanted to do that themselves.

1. Chicago (2002)

This was when my real obsession with musicals started when I watched Chicago for the first time. It was seeing Catherine Zeta Jones as Velma Kelly on the music video on a music channel on TV which encouraged me to watch the movie. I mean “All That Jazz” is just an incredible song . . . and such an incredible opening to a musical. “Come on babe, why don’t we paint the town . . . and ALL THAT JAZZ”. Which is now even one of my favorite ever songs. It also made Catherine become one of my favorite actresses, and just adore her. I love the whole cast and I dont have a song that I dislike in this movie at all. I love it from start to finish, it is pretty close to perfect in my eyes. If only “Class” hadnt been cut, that song is just brilliant. But at least it is on the DVD !!!