15 Of The Best Musicals To Re-Watch Now
Mamma Mia!
Sophie has just one wish to make her wedding perfect: to have her father walk her down the aisle. Now she just must find out who he is. Academy Award-winner Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast, including Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper, in this musical celebration of mothers, daughters and fathers, and true loves lost and new ones found. Based on the Broadway smash-hit and filled with the Abba songs everyone knows and loves, this is the ultimate feel-good film.
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Les Misérables
This 2012 adaptation of Les Misérables is an epic historical period musical film directed by Tom Hooper, the man behind The King’s Speech, The Danish Girl and, ahem, Cats. Based on the 1862 French novel name by Victor Hugo and the 1980 musical, the film stars an ensemble cast led by Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Amanda Seyfried, Helena Bonham Carter and Sacha Baron Cohen. The film takes place in France during the early 19th century and tells the story of Jean Valjean who, while being hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert after breaking parole, agrees to care for a factory worker's daughter.
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West Side Story
A 1961 American musical romantic drama based on the Broadway musical of the same name, West Side Story was inspired by William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Lovers Maria and Tony find themselves entangled in the bitter battle between their gangster families, the Sharks and the Jets. Knowing this feud will lead to disastrous consequences, Maria sends Tony to end the fight – with tragic consequences. Perfect for getting even more excited for Steven Spielberg’s remake, starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, which is set for release at the end of 2020.
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Mary Poppins
This 1964 film, which combines live-action and animation, stars Julie Andrews in her feature film debut as Mary Poppins, who visits a dysfunctional family in London and employs her unique lifestyle to improve the family's dynamic. Alongside Dick Van Dyke, David Tomlinson and Glynis Johns, Andrews shines in this musical based on the books by PL Travers.
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Grease
1950s-set Grease is an American rom-com based on the 1971 musical of the same name. The film depicts the lives of popular jock Danny Zuko (John Travolta) and Australian transfer student Sandy Olsson (Olivia Newton-John), who – having spent a secretive summer of love together – are now back at high school for a new term. Its soundtrack was the second-bestselling album of the year in the US in 1978 – second only to Saturday Night Fever – and with tracks like ‘Tell Me More’ and ‘Summer Lovin’’, we’re not surprised.
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Moulin Rouge!
It’s 1900 and Christian, an English writer, travels to Paris to join the Bohemian revolution. He visits the city's biggest night club, Moulin Rouge, and falls in love with its star performer and courtesan, Satine. Behind the red velvet curtain, the ultimate seduction begins. Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor sing, dance and shine in visionary director Baz Luhrmann’s (Romeo + Juliet, Strictly Ballroom) 2001 hit.
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Hairspray
While we love the 1962 John Waters original, this remake is one of the most joyful films in recent years. Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) is an overweight teenager who is obsessed with the Corny Collins Show. Every day after school, she and her best friend Penny (Amanda Bynes) run home to watch the show and drool over Link Larkin (Zac Efron), much to Tracy's mother Edna's (John Travolta) dismay. With the help of her friend Seaweed (Elijah Kelly), Tracy makes it on the show, before deciding that it's not fair that the black kids can only dance on the show once a month. With the help of Motormouth Maybelle (Queen Latifah), her father (Christopher Walken) and Edna, she decides to take action.
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Dreamgirls
It’s the 1960s, and singers Effie (Jennifer Hudson), Lorrell (Anika Noni Rose) and Deena (Beyoncé Knowles) are about to find out just what it's like to have their dreams come true. Discovering the trio at a local talent show, ambitious manager Curtis Taylor Jr (Jamie Foxx) recognises their talent and endeavours to help them attain stardom. One of the girls becomes infatuated by him, but is heart-broken after he removes her from the band. Worth a watch for the stunning vocal performances and classic Motown tunes.
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Chicago
This ‘Best Picture’ Oscar winner is a crime comedy-drama film based on the musical of the same name, exploring the themes of celebrity, scandal and corruption during the Jazz Age. Chicago centres on Roxie Hart (Renee Zellweger) and Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta-Jones), two murderesses who find themselves in jail together awaiting trial in 1920s Chicago. Roxie, a housewife, and Velma, a vaudevillian, fight for the fame that will keep them from the gallows – with a little help from smooth-talking lawyer Billy Flynn (Richard Gere).
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La La Land
Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone star in this gloriously sunny take on a classic Hollywood musical. American director Damien Chazelle followed his fierce drama Whiplash with this 2016 heart-warming romance, which sees a cynical jazz-lover hoping to open a club in California fall in love with a smart, vulnerable wannabe actress. Set in modern-day LA, La La Land is an original musical about everyday life, exploring the joy and pain of pursuing your dreams.
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Gentlemen Prefer Blondes
This 1950s musical comedy co-stars Marilyn Monroe and Jane Russell. Accompanied by her stage partner and best friend, Dorothy Shaw (Russell), showgirl Lorelei Lee (Monroe) sets sail for Paris, where she plans to meet up with and marry her wealthy beau, Gus (Tommy Noonan). However, Lorelei's love of diamonds threatens to get both girls into a jam as Ernie Malone (Elliott Reid), the private detective hired by Gus’s father (Taylor Holmes) to keep a close eye on his son's bride-to-be, joins them on the ship.
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The Greatest Showman
Inspired by the imagination of circus master PT Barnum, The Greatest Showman celebrates the birth of showbusiness and tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation. Starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya, the musical features nine original songs – most of which have become an ever-present soundtrack since 2017 thanks to the film’s phenomenal success.
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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Based on true events, this darkly comic musical tells the story of London barber Benjamin Barker (Johnny Depp), who’s unjustly sentenced to a prison term in Australia by a judge who covets Barker's wife. When Barker returns to England, he takes up his former profession, using the name Sweeney Todd, and slits the throats of customers who come into his shop. While Sweeney confronts the problem of accumulating corpses, a local businesswoman (Helena Bonham Carter) finds a novel and enterprising use for the bodies.
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The Sound of Music
Rodgers & Hammerstein's cinematic masterpiece The Sound of Music was the winner of five Academy Awards, including ‘Best Picture', when it was released in 1965. In this true-life story, Julie Andrews lights up the screen as Maria, a spirited young Austrian nun who leaves a convent to become a governess for Captain von Trapp's (Christopher Plummer) seven motherless children. Her charm and songs soon win the hearts of the children – and their father. But when Nazi Germany unites with Austria, Maria is forced to attempt a daring escape with her new family.
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A Star Is Born
It seems fitting that Lady Gaga’s first major movie would be a musical – but there’s much more to A Star Is Born than the addictive soundtrack. Joining a line-up of legendary singer-actresses before her, Gaga’s performance in this is remarkable and proved that first-time director Bradley Cooper was a force to be reckoned with. The original, all-American country score was created by Gaga and Cooper – who went on to set tongues wagging when they performed hit song ‘Shallow’ at the 2019 Oscars ceremony.
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