Poll on Musicals

Norm has a new Normblog Poll.

The poll is for favourite musicals. I'm inviting you to send me your top five. You can rank them one to five, and I'll award points (5 through 1) accordingly. If you don't want to rank, no worries - I'll distribute the points across your five choices (3 apiece).
Loose definition of the field: operas not included; but your musicals can be either stage or screen (so Singin' in the Rain is allowed); where the musical exists in both categories (My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls), it counts as just a single entity for voting purposes.

Being a rock fan I'm haven't voted for any traditional-style "Show Tune" musicals; they represent a style of popular music that belongs to the generation before mine, I'm afraid.

This Is Spinal Tap. "Stonehenge! Where the Demons dwell!". It's the same sort of rock-band-on-tour genre as "Still Crazy" or "Almost Famous", with the songs appearing in context. Ironically, it's the spoof about a has-been band that was never supposed to have been any good that has the memorable songs, even if those songs themselves are wickedly accurate parodies of rock clichés.

Tommy. Although classed as a 'rock opera', I think this is closer to a musical in form than anything else. Certainly the late 1990s West End stage production looks and sounds like a musical, as does Ken Russell's rather incoherent 1970s film version.

The Wall. If you can count Tommy, you can count this; both the stage production with all those polystyrene bricks (which I saw at Earls Court in 1981), and Alan Parker's film starring Bob Geldof. It's reputation has suffered because it came out just at the wrong time; at the height of New Wave when the three-minute three-chord pop song was the ultimate in musical expression.

The Return of Captain Invincible. You have to wonder what they were thinking. "Let's make a spoof of Superman. And let's make it a musical!". And it's got Christopher Lee in it! Perhaps Australians are just weird...

Posted by TimHall at October 07, 2006 05:08 PM

Comments

"The Wall" was described as "the most expensive student film ever made" by Alan Parker. I'm waiting for a book about the production on the order of "The Battle of Brazil."

Posted by: Serdar on October 7, 2006 08:35 PM

The film *was* a bit self-indulgent in places, and I wonder quite what people who weren't Pink Floyd fans made of the storyline (though it still makes more sense than 'Tommy').

But the stage show was great spectacle. And although the critics have always hated it, I think the actual music still stands up very well 25 years later.

Posted by: Tim Hall on October 7, 2006 08:45 PM


Go to Where Worlds Collide Front Page Previous Entry « Ouch! Next Entry Terrorists Amongst Us » Categories Games Memes Miscellaneous Music News Photos Railways SF Recent Entries As Others See Us Terrorists Amongst Us Poll on Musicals Ouch! Your Ideal RPG Group? Torture Manchester Show 2006 Live Review: Porcupine Tree, Manchester Academy, 30 Sep 2006 Story vs. Experience Banger Blue on TV Full text feed for the Music category Summary aggreate feed for the whole site Powered by 2.661	Poll on Musicals Norm has a new Normblog Poll. The poll is for favourite musicals. I'm inviting you to send me your top five. You can rank them one to five, and I'll award points (5 through 1) accordingly. If you don't want to rank, no worries - I'll distribute the points across your five choices (3 apiece). Loose definition of the field: operas not included; but your musicals can be either stage or screen (so Singin' in the Rain is allowed); where the musical exists in both categories (My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls), it counts as just a single entity for voting purposes. Being a rock fan I'm haven't voted for any traditional-style "Show Tune" musicals; they represent a style of popular music that belongs to the generation before mine, I'm afraid. This Is Spinal Tap. "Stonehenge! Where the Demons dwell!". It's the same sort of rock-band-on-tour genre as "Still Crazy" or "Almost Famous", with the songs appearing in context. Ironically, it's the spoof about a has-been band that was never supposed to have been any good that has the memorable songs, even if those songs themselves are wickedly accurate parodies of rock clichés. Tommy. Although classed as a 'rock opera', I think this is closer to a musical in form than anything else. Certainly the late 1990s West End stage production looks and sounds like a musical, as does Ken Russell's rather incoherent 1970s film version. The Wall. If you can count Tommy, you can count this; both the stage production with all those polystyrene bricks (which I saw at Earls Court in 1981), and Alan Parker's film starring Bob Geldof. It's reputation has suffered because it came out just at the wrong time; at the height of New Wave when the three-minute three-chord pop song was the ultimate in musical expression. The Return of Captain Invincible. You have to wonder what they were thinking. "Let's make a spoof of Superman. And let's make it a musical!". And it's got Christopher Lee in it! Perhaps Australians are just weird... Posted by TimHall at October 07, 2006 05:08 PM Comments "The Wall" was described as "the most expensive student film ever made" by Alan Parker. I'm waiting for a book about the production on the order of "The Battle of Brazil." Posted by: Serdar on October 7, 2006 08:35 PM The film was a bit self-indulgent in places, and I wonder quite what people who weren't Pink Floyd fans made of the storyline (though it still makes more sense than 'Tommy'). But the stage show was great spectacle. And although the critics have always hated it, I think the actual music still stands up very well 25 years later. Posted by: Tim Hall on October 7, 2006 08:45 PM Post a comment Name: Email Address: URL: Comments: Remember info?	Links of the day 10 Most Overrated Albums From BBC 6 Music. Coldplay! The Smiths! Oasis! Pete Knobhead Docherty! Who am I to disagree? More Ghost Reveries The Ministry of Information has another review of Opeth's new album. Everything Sounds Like Coldplay Now Mitch Benn's paean to formulaic glum rock for bedwetters is shortly to be released as a single! And there's an album and tour to follow. Scott on Railroad Earth Scott recommends some Railroad Earth MP3s. I'll have to catch this lot if they ever play live on my side of the Atlantic. Farewell, Dr Moog The man who gave the world the Mini Moog, Dr Robert Moog has died aged 71. "The sound defined progressive music as we know it," said Keith Emerson.