The only musical I find remotely tolerable - the costumes are lovely.

I cannot bear people getting up and singing and dancing in the choreographed way of the 1960s musicals. Or any other musical.

Well, in fact, I like 'Once', which could be called a musical, but it brings the music in in a way that makes it 'realistic'.

I'm fairly sure I hate everything Andrew Lloyd Weber has been involved in. I say that on the basis of 10% exposure and 90% prejudice.

Um...well...to each his own (re favorite song).

Everybody loves Audrey Hepburn. And I meant to say to Grumpy, or anyone who just really can't handle musicals, that the 1938 film of Pygmalion is excellent. Just the play.

Funny how one memorizes things almost effortlessly when young.

Fiddler is another one I can enjoy, though it's the music more than the play. Some truly classic songs there.

I love the old musicals and generally hate any newer ones, except I do really love Once and think I even own the soundtrack on CD, but it is different than these oldie goldies.

I'm partial to anything with Audrey Hepburn, Gene Kelly, Bing Crosby, et al, and although the idea of folks walking down the street and then breaking into song might seem nice, can they all sing as well and be as good looking as the stars? Otherwise it would just be a hopefully short Monty Python skit!

Fiddler on the Roof is also terrific; and I love 1776!! Many of these are due to my parents owning and playing the records albums when I was a kid.

Stu, My parents used to have those albums too, and we listened to them all the time: The King and I, My Fair Lady, Gypsy, Sound of Music, Oklahoma. I can sing all those songs.

AMDG

I want to do Birdman - Mac, do you have an upcoming schedule?

Re: Once -- I didn't like the film all that much, but the music is great. Then again I was a Frames fan long before the movie came out. (In case you didn't know the male lead in the film, Glen Hansard, is the leader of the Irish band The Frames.)

"I'm having a hard time deciding on which movie to write about for my swan song."

Me too. I have it narrowed down to two or three, but I can't decide.

Well, actually I sing my whole life and I dance while I do housework. ;-)

My son posted a Facebook update once that said something like, "Why do all the women in my life sing all the time?"

AMDG

I've seen Once two or three times. It might be a bit of a woman's film - a romantic comedy. I also liked a more recent movie by the same director - Begin Again.

I have not seen this one called Sing Street, but from the title it might not be my cup of tea!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Carney_(director)

Another one (West Side) with great music but the story and other paraphernalia don't appeal to me that much. Or at least didn't when I saw it in my teens.

I agree that the name Sing Street is definitely unpromising.

No, I don't have a schedule, Stu. Whatever, whenever at this point. I can pretty easily fill in on short notice now, so let's say that if I haven't received anything by say 5pm Monday (USA Central Time) I'll write something, and if anything shows up between then and Wednesday morning it will be for the following week.

Interesting point about the wiring, Marianne. I would have said I have it but apparently it can be overridden.

Good. Thank you.

If I remember correctly, you don't care for fantasy in literature, either. Seems like you have a definite preference for the naturalistic. I agree about the cartoonlike movies. Not so much because I can't empathize with the characters, exactly, as that all the tension is destroyed, though I guess that's closely related to empathy with the characters. And I sort of agree about singing and dancing, but sometimes the reservation is overcome if the music is good enough and so forth.

I really like the bits in the Marx Bros movies where Chico and/or Harpo display their virtuosity. But the conventional musical numbers like the one in Night At the Opera where lovers sing love songs and such are tiresome at best.

Well, having thought about the musicals I like for a while, I realized that it's not the plays or movies that I like, it's the music. I knew the songs for years before I ever saw a movie of any of them, and while I liked some, and didn't like others, it's the music that I like the best.

I've also been thinking about why MFL works better than some and it's partly because the singing and dancing is, for the most part, in appropriate places. For instance, some of the songs are just sung soliloquies--more like arias in a popular style. Then, the singing and dancing is in places where one might sing and dance--The Rain in Spain--because they are celebrating a hard and tiring accomplishment. I'm Gettin' Married... because they are living it up in a pub. And then the Ascot Races--what a great send up of British reserve. It's just funny. This is the exact opposite of Oklahoma where you have that weird dream ballet. (I hope my sister doesn't read this.)

AMDG

My favourite musical is probably the old animated Jungle Book, with "Bare Necessities" and a few other good songs. I regret to say I'm not very familiar with the old Rodgers/Hammerstein musicals. I like The Sound of Music.

I did see the Sing Street film. As Rob said, it's about a group of Irish teenagers who form a band. They want to be like Duran Duran, if you can believe it. It's a decent movie, not one to get too excited about, but, gosh, the music is dreadful. It sounds just like music did at the time.

Question: has anybody here heard that hit "hip-hop musical" Hamilton? I listened to it a few times, trying to stifle my reflexive dislike of the music. In the end I'd say that it does have some good things going for it, but I don't understand why it's been heaped with praise as it has. Unless there's a political angle, which there might be.

I agree, Stu, Topsy Turvy is wonderful.

She's 28. Not a teenager.

AMDG

I saw the movie version of Carousel as a teenager, and mostly what I remember is the gorgeous voice of Gordon MacRae, especially doing "If I Loved You". Here's a video clip of that scene. It's a duet with Shirley Jones, and there's some of that usual awkward interweaving of talking and singing, but the song really delivers, I think, and so makes up for it.

Not necessarily. I think there are only three definite commitments, and seven more weeks. I was going to fill in any gaps myself, but if you would like to write something(s), by all means do.

The only reason I'm not stunned by that price is that I had already heard similar stories about Broadway ticket prices. I am unable to imagine paying that much money to see any kind of performance.

Believe it or not, I had thought about writing about that one earlier, but I would have had to watch it again and never got around to it.

AMDG

Maybe we should all sign up for dates? With holidays here I could very easily do nothing. I need a deadline. It looks like there are six more with the next being tomorrow. I don't mind watching About a Boy this Thanksgiving weekend and writing about it for the November 30 date, Mac. There, I've given myself a deadline.

I got three (!) pieces yesterday--from Janet, Paul, and Craig, in that order, which is the order in which I'll post them. So we are set through the 7th. That leaves three more Wednesdays in Dec: 14, 21, 28. And I think I calculated that that ends up with only 51 posts, so I'll need to throw in another one at the end. I'll check that again. Hope that doesn't ruin your strategy, Stu.

Did we talk about Drive before, Rob? I can't remember. But I saw it sometime within the past year and pretty much shared your opinion.

I'm only going to write it if it will be posted, the Wednesday does not matter, but I am happy to do so!

"Did we talk about Drive before, Rob? I can't remember. But I saw it sometime within the past year and pretty much shared your opinion."

We may have, but I can't remember either. I really like it, and I've watched it three or four times because I've found the quality and "feel" so compelling. But a couple of those scenes are just over the top.

I did check it before I said it above.

You must have gotten off-track somewhere.

aMDG

No, I mean that should be 52.

AMDG

We do seem to miscommunicate a lot lately. What I meant was... never mind, it's too complicated. :-). Two 36s--yeah, something like that's what I was afraid of. Grrr. Well at least I can number correctly from here. Thanks.

Stu, Yes, that would be really nice if you think you could.

AMDG

I was wondering why it jumped from 45 to 47!

Did anyone happen to see that there is a new musical coming out soon called La La Land? I saw the trailer for it the other night when I went to see Arrival. Does not look like my cuppa at all, but the early reviews are apparently quite positive. It definitely has the look, at least superficially, of the old 40s/50s musicals.

Yes, you definitely would.

Of the trailers I saw the films that to me looked most promising are The Great Wall, Manchester by the Sea, and Fences.

Watched My Fair Lady tonight. It's still very good.