The Revival of the Musical - page 2

08-07-2008 13:48

However the musical did remain in cinemas in some shape or form in the Walt Disney movies which still included the traditional musical numbers.

But Baz Luhrmann's 2001 film Moulin Rouge, which follows poet/writer Christian who falls in love with cabaret actress and courtesan Satine, which introduced a younger audience to the musical genre.

Despite the success of Moulin Rouge it was Chicago's Best Picture OScar win in 2002 that really cemented the musical as a genre that could do well both at the box office and with the critics.

The film was the first musical film to win the Best Picture Oscar since Oliver! (1968) and is the second highest grossing musical behind Grease.

Since Chicago a spate of musicals have graced the big screen, including Rent, Romance and Cigarettes and Across the Universe, to name but a few.

But there have been a select handful that have dominated the box office. 2006 brought Grease for a new generation when High School Musical hit television screens, making stars of it's young cast, the third movie will be getting a theatrical release.

Another surprise success came in 2007 when the little known Hairspray held it's own at the box office against the big summer blockbusters The Bourne Ultimatum and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End.

With an all star cast of John Travolta, Michelle Pfeiffer and introducing Nikki Blonsky the film was set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, the film follows a "pleasantly plump" teen named Tracy Turnblad as she simultaneously pursues stardom as a dancer on a local TV show and rallies against racial segregation and was an adaptation of the hit stage musical.

The genre's last success came earlier this year when Johnny Depp became Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street in a musical take on the story, directed by Tim Burton.

For his performance Depp won a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Musical or Comedy and was nominated for Best Actor at the Oscars, losing out to Daniel Day Lewis.

And there seems no end in sight as Repo! The Genetic Opera and High School Musical 3: Senior Year are set to be released later this year. And in 2010 a remake of Footloose and a musical version of Jekyll and Hyde will be released.

FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw

Mamma Mia is released 11th July