In celebration (or not, as the case may be) of the new 2009 remake of the 1980s classic Fame on general release last Friday, it seems fitting to take a look at my top 7 films of the ‘musicals’ genre. A perennial opinion divider, musicals seem to be an acquired taste that repel as many people as they attract.I myself however, am a fan of the musical genre despite my awareness of their ‘uncool’ reputation. I do feel that some people dislike musicals just for this reason, something which is arguably ignorant and unfair as some titles in the genre really have a lot to offer in terms of narrative power, characterisation and sheer epic scale. More fool those out there who are narrow-minded enough not to watch a film just because it’s a musical – you really are missing out.

My top 7 musicals are:

7. Hairspray

(2007) Dir- Adam Shankman

The 2007 remake of Hairspray is a slice of knowing, intelligent but ultimately kitsch bubblegum-pop, telling the story of the rotund young Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore who dreams of being a featured performer on the Corny Collins TV show – however the road to stardom is fraught with social and economic problems, with some teenage love thrown in to complicate things. The songs are excellent, the characters are likeable (even John Travolta hamming it up as Tracy’s mother) and there are some serious messages about segregation and civil rights. Not to be missed.

6. Dreamgirls

(2006) Dir – Bill Condon

A film version of the 1981 Broadway show, Dreamgirls tells the story of an all-girl African American singing group the Dreamettes, a trio of sisters who want to make it big in 1960s America (essentially the story of Diana Ross and the Supremes). Pop music darling Beyoncé Knowles stars in the Diana Ross role, playing Deena Jones, who eventually becomes the frontwoman for the group’s new incarnation, the Dreams. Knowles is excellent, proving she has some real acting credentials as well as being a singing/dancing sensation. It is her on-screen sister however who is the biggest revelation – Jennifer Hudson, winner of American Idol, is fantastic as the strong, charismatic Effy – a role which subsequently won Hudson a Best Supporting Actress Oscar in 2007. Aside from great performances and toe-tappingly good R’n'B tunes, Dreamgirls boasts an engaging and entertaining narrative with elements of social history and commentary that turn it into not just a great musical, but a great movie.

5. Once

(2006) Dir – John Carney

Where other musicals may make you nod your head, tap your toes and have you bursting into song, non-musical Once will melt your heart. Set in contemporary Dublin, the film explores the relationship between two ‘nameless’ people, Guy and Girl, and can hardly be called a ‘musical’ – there are no musical numbers in the sense of the phrase, but more scenes in which the characters sing. These diagetic songs are a product of both Guy and Girl being aspiring singer-songwriters and are some of the best written and truly honest songs you will find in any film of the musical genre. Once is definitely a musical for people who “don’t like musicals”, hardly being a musical at all…
An intimate, poignant tale of contemporary love in the Irish capital, just lovely.

4. The Phantom of the Opera

(2004) Dir – Joel Schumacher

For those unable to see Phantom performed live onstage, Joel Schumacher’s 2004 version is a great way to see the spectacle of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s uber-musical. Starring Emmy Rossum as Christine and leading man du jour Gerard Butler as the eponymous Phantom, the film rests on two actors not necessarily known for their singing talent. However these assumptions are unfounded in the face of solid singing work from both leads. Rossum may not be able to hit the top notes a la Sarah Brightman (but then again, who can??) but does well as the distressed damsel. For those put off by the stigma that Lloyd Webber vehicles seem to attract, the film is worth a look for the production value and art direction alone. And let’s face it, no London theatre will ever be able to create such a spectacular chandelier crash as you can see here.

3. The Prince of Egypt

(1998) Dir – Brenda Chapman, Steve Hickner

Perhaps an unlikely choice in the face of other more famous musicals (West Side Story, The Sound of Music), The Prince of Egypt boasts some of the best songs, art work and voice talent seen in the genre (Val Kilmer, Ralph Fiennes, Sandra Bullock, Patrick Stewart, Michelle Pfeiffer). Forget the famous duet between Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston of “When You Believe”, the true gems are to be found here. From the overture and opening “Deliver Us” to the stirring “Let My People Go”, The Prince of Egypt should not be overlooked on the basis of being an animated film, it has tunes and lyrics to rival even the most famous live-action musicals. The film tells the story of Moses and his struggle to free the Hebrew people from enslavement in Egypt, and reportedly sent shockwaves through the animated-feature community at Disney, as the film was of such high quality that executives were in fear of Dreamworks now staking a claim to the 2D format. They were right to revere the efforts of Dreamworks – the moment where Moses parts the Red Sea is still as hair up-ending as it was on the first viewing.

2. Moulin Rouge

(2001) Dir – Baz Luhrmann

Baz Luhrmann (William Shakespeare’ s Romeo + Juliet)’s epic romance Moulin Rouge is crying out for a full stage production, and is simply the perfect example of the genre – a believable and convincing couple (Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor has superb chemistry), an evil villain (Richard Roxburgh) and a series of show-stopping songs – Moulin Rouge has all the elements of a great musical in spades, and what’s more, is an original story and not an adaptation of a Broadway/West End hit. What also makes Moulin Rouge somewhat more appealing is that all the featured songs are contemporary and modern pop songs, including the likes of Nirvana, Elton John, Madonna and Sting, all revamped and orchestrated to fit the film’s unique tone and sound. An original, fresh and ultimately superb effort.

1. The Lion King

(1994) Dir – Roger Allers, Rob Minkoff

Arguably one of the greatest animated films of all time, The Lion King also ranks as my number one musical. For me, no other film or show can match The Lion King for narrative power, artistic majesty or soaring music with intelligent and often witty lyrics. Elton John and Tim Rice created some of cinema’s greatest tunes, known the world over and sung by many a school choir. Not many other titles in the musical genre can match “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” or “Circle of Life” or the loveable characters of Simba, Nala, Timon or Pumbaa. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll watch it again and again – this is the only film in my whole collection that I bought a DVD of to replace my worn out VHS copy, and when Blu-Ray in turn finally outsells DVD in years to come, I won’t think twice before buying it yet again.