Musical: 48

The film New York, New York (1977), directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Earl Mac Rauch and Mardik Martin, features a lively celebration in a NYC nightclub on V-J Day. The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra is supplying the music as smooth-talking saxophonist Jimmy Doyle meets USO singer Francine Evans. Despite Jimmy’s persistence, Francine remains uninterested in him. However, their paths cross again the next morning when they share a cab to an audition. A disagreement with the club owner threatens to ruin the audition, ...

Phantom of the Paradise (1974) is an American rock musical comedy horror film written and directed by Brian De Palma. Up-and-coming singer-songwriter Winslow Leach catches the ear of renowned record producer Swan while performing his original composition following a set by the popular 1950s-style band, the Juicy Fruits, whom Swan manages. Impressed by Winslow’s music, Swan sees it as the perfect fit for the grand opening of The Paradise – his highly anticipated new concert hall. With the guise of producing Winslow, Swan’s right-hand man Arnold Philbin swipes the music for their own use. A month later, ...

The American musical fantasy film, Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971), was directed by Mel Stuart. The screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, based on his novel from 1964 titled Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The protagonist of the story is Charlie Bucket, a poor paperboy who often gazes at the candy shop but lacks the means to make any purchases. One evening, as he’s walking home, he stumbles upon Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. A tinker informs him that no one ever goes in or out of the building. Charlie’s bedridden Grandpa Joe ...

The American Western musical film, Paint Your Wagon (1969), features Lee Marvin, Clint Eastwood, and Jean Seberg. After a wagon crash in a ravine, prospector Ben Rumson discovers two occupants: brothers, one deceased and the other injured. While burying the dead brother, gold dust is found at the site. Ben stakes his claim on the land and takes in the surviving brother as his ‘Pardner’ during his recovery. Pardner hopes to strike it rich in the gold rush and is wary of Ben’s wild ways. However, Ben assures ...

The American musical fantasy film, Finian’s Rainbow (1968), is the creation of Francis Ford Coppola, adapted from E.Y. Harburg and Fred Saidy’s stage production of the same name. It revolves around the arrival of a sly Irish immigrant, Finian McLonergan, in America with his daughter Sharon and a carpetbag full of hidden gold. Their destination is Rainbow Valley, a fictional location in Missitucky where Finian plans to bury his fortune in hopes of it multiplying due to its proximity to Fort Knox. However, they ...

West Side Story (1961) is a film directed by Robert Wise and Jerome Robbins, based on the 1957 Broadway musical of the same name, which was inspired by Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Set in 1957 New York City, it revolves around two teenage gangs vying for power on the Upper West Side. The Jets, led by Riff, engage in fights with the Sharks, led by Bernardo. After a brawl is broken up by Lieutenant Schrank and Officer Krupke, the Jets challenge the Sharks to a rumble following an upcoming dance. Riff wants ...

An animated musical film Alice in Wonderland (1951) was produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. It is based on Lewis Carroll’s novels, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass. In an English park, a young girl named Alice and her cat Dinah are distracted from her sister’s history lesson as she daydreams of a nonsensical world. She sees a White Rabbit hurry past in a waistcoat and follows him down a deep rabbit hole. Upon entering Wonderland, she comes across a small door with a bottle on the table next to it. The bottle’s ...

Dumbo (1941) is an animated fantasy film, produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by RKO Radio Pictures. Based on a story by Helen Aberson and Harold Pearl, the film follows a circus that spends its off-season in Florida’s ‘Winter Grounds’. However, one elephant, Mrs. Jumbo, anxiously awaits the delivery of her baby while scanning the sky. Eventually, a belated stork catches up with the moving train and delivers the long-awaited baby elephant, Jumbo Junior. The other elephants are initially excited until they notice his oversized ears and give ...