Movie Mondays: Musicals/Dance

Creatively inspirational movies

I think the most appealing part of watching movie musicals and dance movies is the bright and lavish motifs that are seldom found is every day films. A lot more creative license and liberty is given to the artistic teams that create these works of art. So there were a lot to choose from but I managed to narrow them down to five that I think are exemplary.

The Red Shoes

This is another film by Michael Powell and once again bright red pops among all the all the saturated colors of this film. The Heroine literal dances in and out of reality where painted sets become three dimensional as moves where the red shoes take here. Later on her life off stage begins to mimic the ballet she dances.

My Fair Lady

This musical has some of the best costuming of all the movie musicals from the 1950s. Every piece that Audrey Hepburn wore has become iconic both the black most notably the white lace mermaid dress for the seen at Ascot and the exquisitely beaded gown from the royal ball. It’s the stuff that fashion dreams are made of.

An American in Paris

On of the greatest movie musicals of all time Directed by Vincente Minnelli. There were a lot a amazing musicals to come out of hollywood during this era but this one takes the cake for it’s beautifully rendered sets in the 17 minute dances number at the end of the movie. Each one was modeled after the works of French impressionist painters Raoul Dufy, Edouard Manet, Maurice Utrillo, Vincent Van Gogh, Henri Rousseau and, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec.

Tommy

Literally an acid trip turned into a movie musical by the legendary band The Who. This film took the family oriented medium, dominated by traditional values and turned it into an otherworldly over the top rock opera. The sets, costumes and, soundtrack come together in the epitome of this era of rock and roll.

Rocky Horror

Another film that defies the early conventions of movie musicals as well as societal convention about gender and sexual orientation. Cult classic isn’t as lavish as the other film on my list. I would even go so far to say that some of the sets and costumes seem homemade but this just lends itself to the rebellious spirit of the film and its characters.