Top Movie Soundtracks (Movie Musicals)

Monday, 07 September 2009 04:36

Movie musicals provide delight to those who enjoy singing and dancing interwoven into the story. As such, they usually appeal to music enthusiasts who like to follow the story while listening to the music. This genre evolved from the stage musicals, and indeed many of the best movie musicals are adapted from Broadway and theater musicals. The movie versions are made more grand and spectacular both in the casting and the arrangements, but not always better than the original version.

Movie musicals reached its height of popularity in late 40s to early 50s with Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, Kathryn Grayson, Gordon McRae, and Howard Keel. Most of the music comes from the Tin Pan Alley composers such as Jerome Kern, Irving Berlin, and Richard Rogers.

The popularity suffered in the 70's when movie musicals produced a series of flops. The generation seemed unable to appreciate the unrealistic convention of characters breaking into songs.

Recently, movie musicals appear every now and then, many even proving to be successful in the box office and in album sales. Many modern animated features feature musical numbers usually found in traditional movie musicals.