Musicals
As soon as sound was introduced to the movies, the movie musical was born. The musical was one of the most popular movie entertainments from the 1930s through to the 50s, before falling out of favour at the end of the 60s for audiences now being weened on Vietnam, race riots, political assassinations, flower power and psychedelia. The musical still continued onwards, albeit in a different form, with various efforts such as "Cabaret", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Grease", "Hair", "All That Jazz" and "The Blues Brothers" appearing over the next decade. More recently, "Moulin Rouge" and particularly "Chicago" hark back to the glory days of the musical.
Right: Liza Minnelli does "Cabaret"
You, The Living (2007)
7.5/10
Director: Roy Andersson
Starring: Jessika Lundberg, Elisabeth Helander, Bjorn Englund, Leif Larsson
A tragi-comic panorama of the human condition, Swedish director Roy Andersson ('Songs from the Second Floor') has stitiched together 50 short scenes o... Read more
Evita (1996)
6.3/10
Director: Alan Parker
Starring: Madonna , Jonathan Pryce, Antonio Banderas
Based on the opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice detailing the brief but dynamic life of Eva Peron (Madonna) who, as the wife of Argentinean Pre... Read more
New York, New York (1977)
6.7/10
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Robert De Niro, Liza Minnelli, Lionel Stander
An extravagant and unusual musical drama set in the Big Band Era, starring Robert DeNiro as a jazz musician who falls for Liza Minnelli during a V-J d... Read more
A Star Is Born (Garland) (1954)
7.8/10
Director: George Cukor
Starring: Judy Garland, James Mason, Charles Bickford
The restored version of this masterpiece. Directed by George Cukor this classic musical drama about the doomed marriage of an entertainer whose career... Read more
Dreamgirls (2006)
6.5/10
Director: Bill Condon
Starring: Beyonce Knowles, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy, Danny Glover, Jennifer Hudson, Anika...
Discovered in a local talent quest by ambitious manager Curtis Taylor (Jaime Foxx), three soul-singing friends (played by Beyonce Knowles, 'American I... Read more
The Girl Can't Help It (1956)
6.9/10
Director: Frank Tashlin
Starring: Jayne Mansfield, Tom Ewell, Edmond O'Brien
A gangster prevails upon a theatrical agent to groom the former's dumb girlfriend for stardom. Featuring wild sight gags, a great comedic turn by Jayn... Read more
Cadillac Records (2008)
7/10
Director: Darnell Martin
Starring: Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Gabrielle Union, Columbus Short, Cedric The Entert...
The compelling true story of the Chicago record label that brought the world such legendary artists as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter and C... Read more
Daffodils (2019)
7.5/10
Director: David Stubbs
Starring: Rose McIver, George Mason
A bittersweet love story told through enchanting re-imaginings of popular and iconic New Zealand songs. Read more
King Creole (1958)
7/10
Director: Michael Curtiz
Starring: Elvis Presley, Carolyn Jones, Walter Matthau
Elvis Presley stars as a young New Orleans night-club singer who is eventually dragged into the criminal underworld. This was the King's own personal... Read more
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny (2006)
6.8/10
Director: Liam Lynch
Starring: Jack Black, Kyle Gass, Jason Reed, Ronnie James Dio, Troy Gentile
The self-proclaimed 'greatest band in the world' attempt to convince the rest of the world of their superstar status, embarking on a rock-musical odys... Read more