Musicals are often commonly associated with live theater, with the glitz and the glamor of the lights, the sounds, and the spirit of the performance. But musicals have, for decades, also made the transition to film, making the musical accessible to many more people. Today, with a good home theater system, fans of musical films will be able to immerse themselves into the performance, making the experience even more enjoyable! And to help you decide which musicals to enjoy in your home theater, here is our top 5 musical films list!
- Grease (1978) – Grease is the story of a summer love between Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John), that seemingly ends when summer does. However, they soon find themselves going to the same school together, setting the stage for a musical extravaganza of a fairytale reunion, conflict, sadness, and finally love. This movie had produced many iconic songs that have been enjoyed throughout the decades.
- Moulin Rouge! (2001) – Set in the year 1899 in Paris, the movie tells the story of Christian (Ewan McGregor), a young English writer/poet who falls in love with Satine (Nicole Kidman), a cabaret actress and courtesan who just happens to be terminally-ill at the time of the story. The story goes through numerous twists and turns with evil maharajahs, powerful Dukes, and many more, all singing and dancing to memorable songs that all became hits. This movie marks the “official” return of the musical film, being the first film in 22 years to ever be nominated as Best Picture. A definite recommendation!
- The Wizard of Oz (1939) – A musical adaptation of the classic story, the movie centers around Dorothy (Judy Garland), who, after a series of unfortunate events, finds herself inside her house as it is being carried away by a tornado, with her and her faithful companion, Toto, inside! She lands to find herself in a strange village, where she begins her journey to eventually meet the Lion, the TinMan, the Scarecrow, and finally, the Wizard of Oz, in a story we have all known to grow and love. Highly recommended to be watched with the kids!
- Singing in the Rain (1952) – The movie with the same name as the tune we are all uncannily familiar with tells the story of Don Lockwood (Gene Kelly), a popular silent film star, and his simple journey of love, forgiveness, redemption, and finally, love again, all while telling the story about, interestingly enough, the film industry. It is a classic musical film that had spanned many generations, and inspired many of today’s musical talents to take up their art and pursue their dreams.
- The Sound of Music (1965) – This legendary musical is a powerhouse both financially, artistically, and critically, garnering numerous awards and being the third among the highest inflation adjusted earners of all time. This musical is set in Austria near the time of the second World War, and tells the story of Maria (Julie Andrews), who is sent by the nuns to the family of Georg von Trapp (Christopher Plummer) to take care of Georg’s 7 children. Soon, Maria’s role as governess becomes more than just that, in the eyes of the children, and to Georg himself. Their love, however, would have to go through many challenges, including class, politics, and the threat of war. This musical features timeless songs like “Edelweiss”, “So Long, Farewell”, “Climb Ev’ry Mountain”, and more. It is the quintessential musical film that everybody is sure to love, and is best enjoyed with the most advanced home theatre system you can get.
There is no need to go to the opera, or the theater, to enjoy a great musical with the family. Simply get your favorite DVD, pop it in your home theater, and voila!
What are YOUR top 5 Musical picks?
