Lee Gambin on the Decade that Redefined Movie Musicals

This interview with film historian Lee Gambin sheds some light on the changes that occurred in the 1970s with the movie musical.

For many years, I’ve seen film critics claim that movie musicals started to go out of vogue in the 1960s, or even the late 1950s. But some of the most commercially successful musicals were released in the 1970s. Why do the critics seem to forget about the decade’s musicals?

Many critics tend to speak in absolutes and this kind of thinking can be completely damaging to the reputation of a genre and completely untrue. The idea that musicals “went out of fashion” come the sixties is completely bogus. I mean “West Side Story,” “Mary Poppins” and “The Sound of Music” are three obvious incredible examples of classic cinema. They were not only box office successes but the epitome of iconography. And the decade gave us bizarre innovative musicals such as “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg” as well, that played with the genre.

Of course, the duds, the ones that lost studios money, were the ones that stood out in the minds of folk like Pauline Kael and so forth, such as “Dr. Dolittle” and “Hello, Dolly!,” but there is always this weird ignorance that permeates – I mean, hello, “Oliver!” happened!

But yes, the ’70s delivered extremely successful musicals that were all extremely diverse! I mean if you look at the golden age of movie musicals (the thirties and forties) there are many similar styles and narrative elements (look at the brilliant but very set-in-their-way musicals of Arthur Freed) but in the ’70s you had insanely different musicals and many of them, as you say, major successes.

“Fiddler on the Roof” is incredibly different to “Cabaret” and yet both were major hits. The influence of rock ‘n’ roll also helped resurrect or generate a new interest in the movie musical, but many critics completely overlooked these films because they were possibly too interested in non-genre specified films that were starting to surface during an era of anti-glamour.

Film Threat | Read the Full Article

Lee Gambin on the Decade that Redefined Movie Musicals

Film Threat | Read the Full Article

Trending Articles

Practice Sheet of Right form of verbs for HSC Students

Download: FK ft Shenky – Nakuyewa ”Prod by: Shenky”

How to win at Markstrat (Markstrat Tips and Tricks) – Vodites

Ominde Commission Report and Recommendations – Ominde Report of 1964

Bureau of Internal Revenue: Regional Offices (Directory)

GO 53 on Enhancement of Ex-gratia upto 5 Lakhs Toddy Tappers in Telangana

Cakewalk CA-2A Leveling Amplifier v2.0.1.97 WiN, v2.0.1.96 OSX Incl Keygen

Mp3 Download: Mdu - Kunjenjenjena

How the kill the job , when DTP request running for long hours.

Microsoft Intune から展開しているアプリのアップデートについて

18-year-old girl was beaten for half an hour by two Northampton men in 'an...

Car crash in Dunton Bassett leaves driver in critical condition

Macky 2, Two Others In Road Accident

Application log 00000000000000089514: Could not convert queue DLVST90CLNT

Detroit mafia: D’Anna Brothers agree to plea deal

Delivery block field greyed out using VA02

Muloraki Au

【個人撮影】スマホのプライベート映像♪「中に出さないで///」カラオケ屋での生ハメ撮りが流出ｗ【リベンジポルノ】＠PornHub

BREAKING NEWS: Diamond Platnumz Is Reported Dead After Ghastly Car Accident

FIAT 500 B0111 B0112