Michael Darvell reports. Between October 2019 and January 2020, the British Film Institute is holding its biggest ever season of film musicals. The musical film genre was popular right from the beginning of talking pictures in the late 1920s but eventually slowed down over the following 50 years and went out of favour from the 1980s.
Recently there has been a revival of interest in the genre with the success of La La Land, Mamma Mia!: Here We Go Again, The Greatest Showman, Bohemian Rhapsody, Rocketman and yet another version of A Star is Born, so maybe now is the time to look back at the film musical in order to see it at the height of its popularity and recall many of the great singers and dancers who have graced our screens over the past 90 years.
Launching the season at London’s National Film Theatre, Robin Baker, head curator of the BFI National Archive, revealed that the season would not only be confined to London, but will be spread out nationwide with re-releases of such modern musical classics as Ken Russell’s rock opera Tommy by The Who; Jacques Demy’s groundbreaking all-singing love story, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg; and Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain, as part of a touring programme of 12 musicals presented by the Independent Cinema Office.
Other special events programmed in conjunction with the BFI Film Audience Network include The Wizard of Oz in Belfast Cathedral, Brigadoon in Edinburgh, a season of aquatic musicals in and around Belfast Harbour, a programme of Russian musicals in London, Bristol and Nottingham, and a film tour called Reframing Streisand, celebrating the work of the actor-singer-director. There will also be re-releases for home viewing of the musicals Hair, Yentl and Les Demoiselles de Rochefort.
In his introduction to the BFI Musicals season, Baker said: “Welcome to the new Golden Age of the movie musical. Audiences flock to musicals in troubled times – from Busby Berkeley’s spectacular routines during the Depression to the masterpieces of MGM’s Arthur Freed Unit during the Second World War, so it’s no surprise that the big screen musical is currently enjoying a major revival.
“We’re delighted to be bringing back both classic musicals and rarities to cinemas across the UK in Britain’s biggest ever celebration of the musical. So, time to leave your woes behind and immerse yourself in the emotional, hairs-on-the-back-of your-arms-raising joy brought to you on the big screen by Barbra Streisand, Gene Kelly, Doris Day, Bob Fosse, Judy Garland, Beyoncé and an all-singing, all-dancing cast of thousands.”
There will be various strands to follow including:
Films with Socio-Political themes such as Show Boat, West Side Story, 42nd Street, Gold Diggers of 1933.
The British Musical including Gracie Fields in Queen of Hearts, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Jesus Christ Superstar, Tommy, Goodbye Mr Chips, Sunshine on Leith and Oliver!
Diversity of the Film Musical: Spike Lee’s School Daze, Dreamgirls, Black and Tan, Cabin in the Sky, Singin’ in the Rain, The Band Wagon, Meet Me in St Louis, Fiddler On the Roof, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Rent and Our Gay Wedding.
International Musicals: Singing Lovebirds (Japan), The Legend of the Stardust Brothers (Japan), Princess Raccoon (Japan), Pakeezah (India), Mughal-ed-Azam (India); Cossacks of the Kuban (Russia), Cheryomushki (Russia), Carnival Night (Russia), Hipsters (Russia).
Technicolor Rarities: Doris Day in It’s Magic, Debbie Reynolds in I Love Melvin, Fred Astaire in The Belle of New York.
Singalong Films: Calamity Jane, La La Land, Oliver!, Grease. West Side Story, The Little Mermaid, The Greatest Showman, My Fair Lady, Guys and Dolls.
Family Films: Mary Poppins, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Bugsy Malone, Disney’s Aladdin, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Muppet Christmas Carol.
The BFI Player Collection will feature many musical titles including Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, An American in Paris, The Boy Friend, Meet Me in St Louis, Summer Stock, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Little Shop of Horrors and Million Dollar Mermaid.
BFI Mediatheque Collection: The BFI Southbank facility will feature TV documentaries and stage musical productions including Cabaret, Jesus Christ Superstar, Gypsy, Company, Evita, Guys and Dolls, Miss Saigon, Les Misḗrables, Oklahoma!, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Absolute Beginners.
Special guests will be taking part during the season including Imelda Staunton, Patricia Ward Kelly (widow and biographer of Gene Kelly), Clarke Peters, Kerry Ellis and Rock Follies writer Howard Schuman.
For further information visit www.bfi.org.uk/musicals
And for the full UK listings see www.bfimusicals.co.uk
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