AFI's 25 GREATEST MOVIE MUSICALS OF ALL TIME

[ziggy6708a]

[Dargo]

Yeah, sure, I pretty much agree with this list.

(...EXCEPT for 'The Music Man' being conspicuous by its absence on it, anyway)

[Hibi]

NO FUNNY FACE????? EPIC FAIL. And where's the 25th one??? I'd omit 14 and 20 from that list...I've never seen Beauty and the Beast so can't comment on that one, but the score isn't that great (except for the title tune). I'd also omit 25 (was hidden until you clicked on it).

[KayFrancis]

What is 25? I agree with Hibi, definitely Funny Face instead of Beauty and the Beast. I'd change some of the order

[LostHorizons]

Les Miserables came out after this list was compiled but I’d add that. I know foreign language films are excluded but Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Hyppolit the Butler and Pabst’s Threepenny Opera are personal favorites.

[HoldenIsHere]

GREASE ---- YUCK!!!! That one should not be on the list

I would put WEST SIDE STORY (1961) much lower especially after having seen the more recent Steven Spielberg adaptation.

I'd replace BEAUTY AND THE BEAST with ALADDIN (if they need an aminated movie).

THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT should be on the list

I wouldn't put MY FAIR LADY in the top ten.

[kingrat]

All in all, this is the best list from AFT I've ever seen. Sure, it's not mine, but it's not heavily weighted toward recent films, and it includes some essential films.

[Dargo]

All in all, this is the best list from AFT I've ever seen. Sure, it's not mine, but it's not heavily weighted toward recent films, and it includes some essential films.

Actually KR, I've noticed over the years that all the various categories of the AFI "Best Lists" tend not to be heavily weighted toward more recent films. This is probably due to the idea that they've been compiled by an older demographic that has a vaster knowledge of older films and more so than the general American public whose average age is now approximately 38 years old.

(...and btw, THIS member of said "older demographic" here--me--STILL says that 'The Music Man' should've been somewhere on this list as well)

[ziggy6708a]

What is 25? I agree with Hibi, definitely Funny Face instead of Beauty and the Beast. I'd change some of the order

#25 MOULIN ROUGE (2001)

[KayFrancis]

What is 25? I agree with Hibi, definitely Funny Face instead of Beauty and the Beast. I'd change some of the order

#25 MOULIN ROUGE (2001)

Thanks Ziggy

[jamesjazzguitar]

All in all, this is the best list from AFT I've ever seen. Sure, it's not mine, but it's not heavily weighted toward recent films, and it includes some essential films.

I also was surprised that there were less than a handful of post-studio-era films on this list. While musical is my least favorite film genre, as you note, what I also call the essential films were on the list (i.e. my favorite musicals). A little light with regards to Fred and Ginger but that is because of my own biases.

[jimimac71]

All in all, this is the best list from AFT I've ever seen. Sure, it's not mine, but it's not heavily weighted toward recent films, and it includes some essential films.

Actually KR, I've noticed over the years that all the various categories of the AFI "Best Lists" tend not to be heavily weighted toward more recent films. This is probably due to the idea that they've been compiled by an older demographic that has a vaster knowledge of older films and more so than the general American public whose average age is now approximately 38 years old.

(...and btw, THIS member of said "older demographic" here--me--STILL says that 'The Music Man' should've been somewhere on this list as well)

Grease was a good film to watch a few times. I don't see it as an all-time favorite.
The Music Man is a film to watch over and over again.
Victor/Victoria is my favorite film and should be on the AFI list somewhere.
I would be surprised if someone called this the perfect list. Where's The Muppet Movie <grin> and what about Doris Day?

[LostHorizons]

GREASE ---- YUCK!!!! That one should not be on the list

I would put WEST SIDE STORY (1961) much lower especially after having seen the more recent Steven Spielberg adaptation.

I'd replace BEAUTY AND THE BEAST with ALADDIN (if they need an aminated movie).

THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT should be on the list

I wouldn't put MY FAIR LADY in the top ten.

Afi stands for American film institute. Young Girls of Rochefort isn’t included because it isn’t an American film.

[CinemaInternational]

All in all, this is the best list from AFT I've ever seen. Sure, it's not mine, but it's not heavily weighted toward recent films, and it includes some essential films.

I also was surprised that there were less than a handful of post-studio-era films on this list. While musical is my least favorite film genre, as you note, what I also call the essential films were on the list (i.e. my favorite musicals). A little light with regards to Fred and Ginger but that is because of my own biases.

It's been a little while since this list was made (it was sometime in the 2000s....just checked, 2006), but it isn't too surprising that the only post-1970 titles here are Cabaret, Grease, All That Jazz, Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, and Moulin Rouge. After the big failure of many large musicals in the late 60s/early 70s, the genre became quite rare in Hollywood, with only a few pings of life along the way (a bit more of them after the hits of Star is born/Saturday night Fever/Grease in the late 70s and early 80s, Disney's 90s animated titles, Broadway hits getting filmed post 2000). Now, they are so polarizing that studios are trying to hide that they are actually making musicals by hiding music in the trailers. So, its no surprise that this list is heavy on classic era titles.

[ziggy6708a]

pretty good list, nice variety...
(even w/o OLIVER! & FIDDLER ON THE ROOF)