I've mentioned my love for "Cabaret" here, even at this exact thread. Of course, I only hinted at why it's so good. But I would have to say that you have to start with the music and songs. I never saw "Cabaret" on stage, but obviously Bob Fosse knew it backwards and forwards, so I'll always be happy that he directed the film version. I guess that John Kander, Fred Ebb and Fosse were a perfect match.

Fred Ebb would periodically have a song featured in some other early Liza Minnelli or Barbra Streisand films, but his most-lasting film legacy will be the lyrics to "Chicago" and especially "Cabaret." Yeah, I know, I do find it hard to believe that his and Kander's "New York, New York" was written in the 1970s. (I also find it unusual that Frank Sinatra sang a different-but-equally-famous song called "New York, New York" in 1948's "On the Town."

As usual, I'm being a bag of hot air. I'm going to go watch "Cabaret" ASAP.

For the music alone, I think the musical that has the best is "West Side Story", it's amazing, upbeat, and beautiful tunes will stay in your head days afterward.

Storywise and thematically "My Fair Lady" might be the best because it is very mature in avoiding so many of the traps of musicals. They don't fall instantly in love, it's no melodramatic and the characters are so human and fleshed out.

Overall probably "Cabaret" is my favorite of all time. Great music, great story, great setting, great characters. The reason I like it is because all the musical numbers except for one take place on the stage. So there's no one really bursting out in song, except for "Tommorrow Belongs to Us" which really if you think about it, is horrifying. It's also a very dark and pessimistic film, but it brought sexuality in musicals to a whole new level.

"Chicago" I enjoy a whole bunch but wouldn't put it in the greatest of the genre. "Moulin Rouge" was a complete waste of time and a hack of a movie. Boring, and just ughhh.

My guilty pleasure musical is "Paint Your Wagon" I just love it to death. Lee Marvin is hilarious and the humor I appreciate. Of course Jean Seberg having her shirt ripped off by Marvin is a hoot! The scene I like most is when Marvin is kicked out of his house and starts singing "Wanderin' Star" bellowing his way through it. It's meloncholy to the nth degree and the photography during that bit is amazing. Every now and then I just give it a spin just to watch that one musical number.

I understand why you love Jean Seberg (R.I.P.), viddy, and I even enjoy "Paint Your Wagon" with the off-key singing and all. What about "Singin' in the Rain" and "The Wizard of Oz"? Those might be as good as the ripped shirt. Don't sweat it, I'm only jokin'!

Is the Nightmare before Christmas considered a musical? If so, that's one of my favorites.

Yes the Wizard of Oz I love, but when it comes to musicals I think it deserves it's own category that really transcends the genre. Besides I tend to think of it more as a fantasy flick that a musical. Even though I know it is a musical.

I've seen most of "Singin' in the Rain" - it's one of them movies that falls into the category that I've seen bits and pieces of at different times. But I liked it quite a bit. And who was the woman with the famous leg scene in that big dance sequence.

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"Moulin Rouge" was a complete waste of time and a hack of a movie. Boring, and just ughhh.

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I actually really liked Moulin Rouge. I know a bunch of people who thought it was a joke movie but I liked the music a lot.

I dislike how he used pop culture songs and what he did with them.

That's just one of the many things I didn't like about the movie.

To respond to everyone, in order. First off, Elijah, I'm going to have to get used to your new handle, but "A Nightmare Before Christmas" is most definitely a musical! Most (but not all) of the Disney cartoons are musicals too. I especially love the songs in "Pinocchio" and "Dumbo"( and "Nightmare".)

Viddy, that leg monster is Cyd Charisse, and that's another one you need to watch straight through because besides having an almost innumerable number of great song-and-dance numbers, it's the best satire about Hollywood ever, and one of the most-technically innovative films too.

As far as the debate about "Moulin Rouge!" goes. When it started, I kept thinking that Baz & Co. shouldn't have taken so much speed, but eventually I got used to it, especially when Nicole and Ewan hooked up. I also really liked Jim Broadbent, but then I always do. I seem to remember someone here saying they liked all the songs except for "Like a Virgin". I was on the floor during that whole song. Anyway, I'm sure I like it a lot less than LT, but I'm closer to him than saying it's a horrible movie made by a hack. Hey, that's what makes sharing opinions a GOOD thing. We all have our own opinion, and nobody's comments can take that away (at least in a "free" society.)

My favorites are:

Cabaret
Dancer in the Dark
Grease

and the amazing, and little-known: PENNIES FROM HEAVEN! a must! absolutely my favorite movie of all time

I'm guessing you're referring to Herbert Ross' 1981 Pennies From Heaven based on Dennis Potter's work and starrring Steve Martin and Bernadette Peters, Casey?

Good call. Very, very good call.

I haven't thought about that film in years. Now, I'm going to have to go out and track down a copy. As I recall, it tanked at the box office and even then I was amazed it was made in the first place, but glad. Very, very glad.

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I saw "Pennies From Heaven" recently for the first time and I loved it. I thought it was clever how they used songs from old times musicals. Also how the musical numbers were done only in Steve Martin's mind as fantasys kinda like what they did in "Chicago" and "Dancer in the Dark". I think that's a cool way to show them.

Also Christopher Walkens amazing tap dance number. The dark depression era setting with visuals right out of an Edward Hopper painting. Great great stuff.

Holden recommended it me and glad he did. And for some reason I've always had a thing about movies set during the American Great Depression. Probably because "Bonnie and Clyde" was one of the movies that really got me interested in them, beyond just entertainment value.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by LinnTate:
As I recall, it tanked at the box office and even then I was amazed it was made in the first place, but glad. Very, very glad.

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I think it did too. And Ebert wrote a pretty harsh review on it. It's at his website now that he has all of them archieved. That is unless you think he's the devil... which he very well may be.

However feminist film reviewer Pauline Kael, called it one of the greatest musicals of all time. Haven't read her review though. Probably should.

I don't like musicals, but I did like "New York, New York", and "A hard days night" for the way the music is naturally incorperated into the action, not someone spontaniously bursting into song backed by an invisable orchestra. This has always made me cringe, and I don't like cringing.

A Hard Days Night - good call!

I think a lot of times I tend to like musicals better if I grew up on the music. Like for me, I loved Grease and Fiddler on the Roof growing up because we always played the music.

I fucking Hate musicals. i find it EXTREMELY annoying when the cast of a film burst into song, because i think it lowers the tone of the film and that it is such an implauseable and VILE way to entertain the musical-going morons.

I would like to add, after having read the comment of'Burning man', that A Hard Days Night is a very good film and i completely aggree with everything else.

Although a very big fan of Scorsese, I have never bothered to see 'New York, New York' because I heard it was a musical, but after these Revelations, i will make every effort to see it.

Ozzie, why do you think it's more realistic to talk smack, shoot guns, swear, act like a little kid, or be completely selfish than to express yourself through a song? I don't understand why all that other stuff is "normal" and "singing" is BS!?! You don't think movies are ENTERTAINMENT?

Maybe you and others need to watch Cabaret. There's nothing "fake" about it, but I love Broadway musicals anyway, at least the older, better, ones!

I'm kind of partial to The Rocky Horror Picture Show myself. Why don't the newer musicals impress me? I look back at Singin in the Rain and I see three AMAZING talents and I think, 'Why the hell was Richard Gere cast for Chicago. It felt like he just stood there and waved his arms around.

I really want to see the movie of Hedwig...The Rent movie comes out in Nov and I was a little disappointed in Phantom...I thought the Phantom SUCKED! Could be that I was spoiled by Michael Crawford though.

1. The Sound of Music
2. Mary Poppins
3. The Wicker Man (if that can count)
4. Oliver
5. Jesus Christ Superstar

1 and 2 I haven't seen for awhile, but they were childhood favorites.