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"
Stay Away, Joe (1968)
4.8/10
Director: Peter Tewksbury
Starring: Elvis Presley, Burgess Meredith, Joan Blondell, Susan Trustman, Quentin Dean
In a change-of-pace role, Elvis plays a Navajo Indian rodeo star trying to get government aid for his tribe's reservation. And he just happens to be m... Read more
Kimberley Jim (1965)
7.3/10
Director: Emil Nofal
Starring: Jim Reeves
AKA 'Strike It Rich' stars country and western singer Jim Reeves in his first (and only) feature film, as a carefree, guitar-strumming con artist from... Read more
Welcome (2007)
6.8/10
Director: Anees Bazmee
Starring: Anil Kapoor, Akshay Kumar, Katrina Kaif, Paresh Rawal, Nana Patekar, Feroz Khan
Writer/director Anees Bazmee says he 'takes comedy seriously' and it shows in this accomplished farce featuring Bollywood's finest. Beautiful Sanjana... Read more
Jailhouse Rock ( Blu-ray ) (1957)
6.5/10
Director: Richard Thorpe
Starring: Elvis Presley, Judy Tyler, Mickey Shaughnessy, Dean Jones, Jennifer Holden
Elvis Presley goes to prison for accidentally killing a man in a bar fight, and is signed to a musical contract following his performance on a TV show... Read more
Little Shop of Horrors: The Director's Cut ( Blu-ray ) (1986)
6.9/10
Director: Frank Oz
Starring: Bill Murray, Christopher Guest, Ellen Greene, James Belushi, John Candy, Rick Mo...
The film of the off-Broadway musical of the horror movie spoof... an hilarious, tuneful story of a nerd and his man-eating plant starring Rick Moranis... Read more
The West Point Story (1950)
6.2/10
Director: Roy Del Ruth
Starring: Doris Day, Gene Nelson, Gordon MacRae, James Cagney, Virginia Mayo
Brassy musical stars James Cagney as a down-on-his-luck stage director who is hired to put on a show at the title military academy. Frustrated by the... Read more
The Perils Of Pauline (1947)
7.1/10
Director: George Marshall
Starring: Betty Hutton, John Lund, Constance Collier
Hold tight for this one! It's one harrowing escape after another. Betty Hutton comes on like fireworks in this witty comedy about the former star of t... Read more
Pot O' Gold (1941)
6/10
Director: George Marshall
Starring: James Stewart, Paulette Goddard, Horace Heidt
James Stewart and Paulette Goddard star in this screwball comedy/musical about a down-and-out music lover who takes a job with a health food company o... Read more
Molly and Me (1945)
7/10
Director: Lewis Seiler
Starring: Gracie Fields, Monty Woolley, Roddy McDowall, Reginald Gardiner, Natalie Schafer
A vivacious actress in need of work becomes a housekeeper for a crusty old politician, and gives his life the good shaking-up that it needs.This music... Read more
The Pirates of Penzance (1983)
7.2/10
Director: Wilford Leach
Starring: Angela Lansbury, Kevin Kline, Linda Ronstadt, Rex Smith, George Rose
Frederic (Rex Smith), who has spent his formative years as a junior pirate, plans to mark his 21st birthday by breaking free from the Pirate King (Kev... Read more