Movies going for a song

The Jazz Singer revolutionised cinema in 1927, as Al Jolson talked and sang his way into movie history. Since then the musical continues as a much loved cinema genre, writes Peter Krausz.

Early synchronised sound may not have been perfect, but it created a whole new way of experiencing cinema, giving it a theatrical edge.

Indeed the earliest sound films emanating from Hollywood were largely musicals shot in large theatres, like Broadway Melody of 1929 and The King of Jazz 1930. However as sound on film developed, and the camera was able to become more mobile, the musical genre became the mainstay of film production, ebbing and flowing in popularity.

Integrating songs into the film narrative had been a style since the stage musical Show Boat in the 1920s, and filmed in 1936 and 1951, presented audiences with a story where the song moved the narrative forward, rather than being a separate part of the film.

Apart from many stage adaptations for film, distinctive musical films were developed which combined the integrated song with the story structure.

Busby Berkeley was an innovative pioneer whose films such as 42nd Street 1933, were shot in bold, massive choreographed styles, highlighting songs that moved the narrative forward. The team of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers provided audiences with a popular musical couple, in films such as Top Hat 1935, which turned the musical into a fully accepted genre. Meanwhile MGM created a large series of musicals, including On the Town 1949, shot on location in New York, and the arguably best musical they made, Singing In the Rain 1952, which delightfully poked fun at the silent cinema turning into the sound revolution it became.

It must be noted that Jacques Demy, a French director who adored the Hollywood musical, made a remarkable, narrated through music drama which is now regarded as the best musical ever made: The Umbrellas of Cherbourg 1963, a brilliant piece of storytelling with a beautiful popular jazz song score by Michel Legrand.

Some other remarkable musicals inlcude: Tiga Dara (Three Sisters) 1956, a musical shot in monochrome, which was a rarity for Indonesian, and indeed Asian, cinema; Dancer in the Dark 2000, Lars von Trier’s working class anti musical shot in a remarkably obtuse fashion, challenging our notions of typical screen musicals; and Moulin Rouge 2001, Baz Luhrmann’s super kinetic anachronistic musical update of the Camille story.

Now we have two films that have re-energised the musical. The six time Oscar winning La La Land 2016, Damien Chazzelle’s homage to the Hollywood and Jacques Demy musicals, which reinvigorated the narrative and provided an excellent jazz music score. The film’s sweeping combination of reality and fantasy in a bittersweet story is a brilliant piece of filmmaking. The Australian film Emo the Musical 2016, is based on Neil Triffett’s own previous short film, about the Romeo and Juliet style love story between an Emo teenage boy and a devout Christian girl. This delightful piece of whimsical storytelling and enjoyable music and songs, indicates the musical genre is alive and well.

Peter Krausz is an IEU member, film critic, film journalist, Q&A host and film festival consultant. He runs a weekly radio program in Melbourne, Movie Metropolis, on Saturday nights on WYN FM, 88.9, and is the former Chair of the Australian Film Critics Association and a member of FIPRESCI, the International Federation of Film Critics. He can be contacted on: krauszpeter8@gmail.com