What is The Last Movie You Watched?

[Stavros]

Well Stavros....I had a long rambling and babbling answering I was typing out...was well into the fifth or so paragraph..when I hit the wrong key and lost it all. Probably for the best since it may not really have answered your question.

The short answer is: I'm probably not well qualified to answer this question since I really don't enjoy what could be termed as a typical classic style musical. Sure I enjoy a good song and a skilled performance of such, but I much prefer a straightforward story with regular dialogue.

So before I go on, I've got to know: are you asking me which Hollywood adaptation of a Broadway type musical did I enjoy or at least find successful...or do you mean any Hollywood musicals (with the full realization that an awful lot of early American films including comedies had ample musical numbers)?

Fred its up to you, make a list. Here is one:

Best Overall - concept, film, music:
Yankee Doodle Dandy (Michael Curtiz 1942)
-Cagney is awesome in this film which to me is also one of the best films ever made about 'America' and is part of that tradition of America as a land of joy which one finds in Walt Whitman.

Best Original Musical for film: The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)
-based on a book but was a film before it was done on stage.

Best Adapted Musical for Film: South Pacific (195-eight)
I was taken to see this in the days when a band played in the pit before the movie started, but South Pacific not only has a lot of great songs, it was I think the first film made after the Hay's Code was dropped, allowing a 'white man' to kiss a 'non-white woman' on screen...

Eccentric Choice: Mean Streets (Scorsese, 1973) someone I used to know even claimed it was an opera.

Worst Musical ever made: remarkably, the once fashionable French director Alain Resnais made two of the most excruciating musicals ever tossed at the public: Pas sur la Bouche (2003) and On Connait le Chanson (1997) which deserves to sink like a stone to the bottom of the sewer because Jane Birkin is in it (see below)

[fred41]

Fred its up to you, make a list. Here is one:

Best Overall - concept, film, music:
Yankee Doodle Dandy (Michael Curtiz 1942)
-Cagney is awesome in this film which to me is also one of the best films ever made about 'America' and is part of that tradition of America as a land of joy which one finds in Walt Whitman.

Best Original Musical for film: The Wizard of Oz (Victor Fleming, 1939)
-based on a book but was a film before it was done on stage.

Best Adapted Musical for Film: South Pacific (195-eight)
I was taken to see this in the days when a band played in the pit before the movie started, but South Pacific not only has a lot of great songs, it was I think the first film made after the Hay's Code was dropped, allowing a 'white man' to kiss a 'non-white woman' on screen...

Eccentric Choice: Mean Streets (Scorsese, 1973) someone I used to know even claimed it was an opera.

Worst Musical ever made: remarkably, the once fashionable French director Alain Resnais made two of the most excruciating musicals ever tossed at the public: Pas sur la Bouche (2003) and On Connait le Chanson (1997) which deserves to sink like a stone to the bottom of the sewer because Jane Birkin is in it (see below)

Most musicals I've seen where on a black and white tube T.V. as a child...so I'm going to have to mostly go by distant memory here.

First introduction in the musical world for most children are the Disney animated films...I liked most of them and couldn't pick a favorite, but the most memorable song (and one that sort of represents the franchise)would probably have to be "When You Wish Upon A Star"..by Jiminey Cricket (from Pinocchio..one of Disney's darkest animated films..for the tots..lol).

Growing up there were musicals that you watched traditionally...such as the previously mentioned "Wizard of OZ" (at least once a year in our house)...which has stood the test of time as a great musical...with "Over the Rainbow" being a beautiful song sung in a beautiful way by Judy Garland)..Then many a Thanksgiving/ Christmas time we watched "March of the Wooden Soldiers" ..though I'm not sure which of the many renditions of the original (Babes in Toyland) it was...and I wouldn't put it anywhere near the same category as "The Wizard of OZ"...but I liked it as a child...as I like most Laurel and Hardy films even now.

I did enjoy Gene Kelly movies...but can only remember seeing two musicals - "Anchors Aweigh" (also with Frank Sinatra)...and "Singin' in the Rain" (of which I can only remember the signature song).

I will also say that one of my favorite movie musicals had been "The King and I" (1956) starring Yul Brynner with Deborah Kerr playing the part of Anna (previously played by Gertrude Lawrence in the Broadway production). Like you, I also liked "South Pacific" but have only seen it quite recently after watching a 2001 television remake with Glenn Close...inspiring me to watch the original.

My favorite musical comedy would be "Young Frankenstein"by Mel Brooks..(yeah, yeah...I know some people don't like him, but this is a funny movie).

Re Musicals on film. For me there are only a few great ones. My personal favourite is "My Fair Lady" though Audrey Hepburn (who is gorgeous) didn't sing her part. I also loved "Cabaret" Few modern musicials work for me.

I didn't like "My Fair Lady" the first time I saw it in early adolescense...thought it was a bit stuffy,..but appreciated it very much a couple of years later (probably realized how beautiful Miss Hepburn really was) when I saw it again.
"Cabaret" I had a problem with only because I'm not a huge fan of Liza Minnelli...but may watch it again one of these days.

Most modern day musicals on film (whether originating in the theater or not)..I can't even get through, often including critically acclaimed ones such as "Moulin Rouge".

[Prospero]

Moulin Rouge induced nausea. I also hate so-called "jukebox" musicals on film (onstage they're tolerable as a thinly dramatised clutch of hit songs.) I agree with Stavros regading The Wizard of Oz and also think Guys and Dolls one of the finest musicals written but that the film vrsion was somewhat thin.

[Stavros]

Most musicals I've seen where on a black and white tube T.V. as a child...so I'm going to have to mostly go by distant memory here.

First introduction in the musical world for most children are the Disney animated films...I liked most of them and couldn't pick a favorite, but the most memorable song (and one that sort of represents the franchise)would probably have to be "When You Wish Upon A Star"..by Jiminey Cricket (from Pinocchio..one of Disney's darkest animated films..for the tots..lol).

I had forgotten the Disney films, I also now realise they must have been some of my first musical films -Fantasia, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and so on. It wasn't even snobbery on my part, just forgetfulness!!

[Jimmy W]

Just watched LOVELACE with Amanda Seyfreid on dvd. other than the fact that she was naked a lot, which was great, the story was surprisingly dull and predictable which was not great. They also made the mistake of including Eric Roberts in a brief cameo which made me think, shit, STAR 80 was so much better than this.

[RallyCola]

i just saw apollo 18. it was not something i'd recommend or ever watch again.

i also saw the watch the other day. i generally hate ben stiller and really almost always hate vince vaughn but for a stupid concept and as a costco shopper...i found it quite funny.

[Prospero]

"Philomena" a new film directed by Stephen Frears based on a true story by the former journalist and soin doctor matin Sixsmith. it details tehe search by an irish woman for her son, taken for adoption as a toddler by nuns in ireland. Heartbreaking but with a vein of humour that lightens the story. Great performances by Judy Dench and Steve Coogan who goes from strength to strength as a comedic actor.

He was at the screening. Nice guy.

[darkrose2000]

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

Not the best movie you can watch, but a nice for evening watch.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) - IMDb

[rockabilly]

This is the End

[Stavros]

Captain Phillips (Paul Greengrass 2013)
Reliable Greengrass thriller based on true events although some members of the crew dispute the version Phillips has published and are suing. Has come out at the same time as a book on one of the Maersk container ships which may owe more to journalistic licence than even this film (Rose George: Ninety Percent of Everything). In real life more hostages are taken back to Somalia, mostly not Americans, and some pirates have ventured out as far as 800 miles to hijack ships, and it is ugly, but the film does bring out the chaotic nature of the event and manages to make the pirates look pathetic, having claimed they turned to piracy because of over-fishing undermining their traditional way of life, yet making millions from piracy without actually seeing much of the dosh.
Compelling performance from Tom Hanks. Worth seeing.