This week's MD Poll takes a look at the revitalized movie musical genre and asks, "What is your favorite movie musical of the 21st Century?"Once considered a mostly dead art form (live action-wise, at least), movie musicals were reborn with the unexpected popularity of Moulin Rouge! in 2001. Chicago solidified their comeback the following year, winning the Best Picture Oscar and the hearts of millions. Suddenly, audiences weren't afraid to be "razzle dazzled" by the big screen again.
Musicals are often the go-to punch line when it comes to being gay, but three queer-themed tuners took that conceit to whole new level: Hedwig and the Angry Inch, De-Lovely and Rent. In fact, the latter film (based on the Broadway hit) embraced all aspects of GLBT existence.
Like Rent, more stage adaptations were released (The Phantom of the Opera, The Producers, Dreamgirls) with varying degrees of success, but it was the small screen that saw the biggest blockbusters: Disney's high energy High School Musical and its sequel.
The cross-generational appeal of the HSM franchise carried over to theaters this summer with the hit Hairspray (you've heard of that one, right?) while more "adult" fare like the so-called "realistic" musical Once and the Beatles-centric Across the Universe drew crowds and critical praise. Next on the horizon: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street this holiday movie season.
But before we can attend that particular tale, be sure to cast your vote for your favorite movie musical so far in the new millennium in the sidebar at right, and "tune" in next week to see which one boogies/taps/belts/jazz hands its way to the top spot.
UPDATE: This poll is now closed, click here for the results, and click here to vote in the latest MD Poll.
Links via Imdb.com.
1 comment:
Hedwig and Dreamgirls should have been a bit higher.
Those are my two favorites.
Great blog. :)
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