Hollywood movies and Broadway musicals have a long history with one another, dating back well over half a century. Over the years, it’s been common for successful musicals to be quickly adapted into Hollywood films for a larger audience to enjoy. However, in more recent years, it has sometimes been working out in reverse. Why is there such a connection between the two? As you may suspect, it often comes down to being able to make money as well as having an engaging and adaptable story. Theatrical films and theater productions can both be very expensive to make, so when a screenplay has already proven successful it’s a much surer bet to adapt. In a time when sequels and remakes are at an all-time high, there’s been an influx of cross-over projects between the two worlds.
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The past 20 years have seen a big resurgence in the movie musical industry: Moulin Rouge!, Chicago, Walk the Line, Dreamgirls, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Les Misérables, and La La Land were all Golden Globe Award winners. Mamma Mia!, The Greatest Showman, A Star is Born, Rock of Ages, Enchanted, Pitch Perfect, Rent, Across the Universe, Cats, Annie, and Phantom of the Opera all attracted big-name stars to their productions and were, for the most part, fan favorites as well. Hit movies have likewise turned into musicals like Beetlejuice, Mean Girls, Shrek, Bring it On, School of Rock, Carrie, Legally Blonde, Heathers, 9 to 5, Hairspray, and The Addams Family.
Recently released musical films include In the Heights, Everyone’s Talking About Jamie, The Prom, Tick Tick… Boom!, Dear Evan Hansen, and West Side Story (this time directed by Steven Spielberg) have all garnered a lot of attention. Let’s not forget that television has also had multiple-hit musical shows over the past decade like High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, Glee, Empire, Nashville, and Smash. Disney, Pixar, and other animated film companies have countless movie musicals of their own. If that wasn’t enough, there are a lot more musicals coming to the big screen in the near future as well. To be clear, not all these musicals came from Broadway. However, the success of these projects shows there is certainly a mainstream audience out there who are interested in movie musicals. This success should continue for the foreseeable future. A generation of cinema fans have grown up watching these movie musicals, and it will certainly influence the next generation of filmmakers. How did all this happen? Let’s explore a few of the reasons why people enjoy musical films.
The Spectacle of Musical Numbers on a Big Screen
20th Century Fox
While some might say the magic of live theater is not likely to ever be properly captured in movies, you could also argue that live theater cannot duplicate the spectacle of musical numbers on the big screen. Both offer unique and special experiences. That being said, movies can create more immersive sets, do endless amounts of takes, film from multiple angles (including close-ups), and even use CGI graphics if they want to. They can create larger-than-life worlds that can add depth to stories in ways that can’t be captured in the same way on a live stage. This can sometimes take away from the raw energy and spontaneity of a live performance. However, it also allows for a performance to be captured on camera that may live on in the hearts and minds of its viewers for many years.
Music Provides Deeper Explanation of a Character’s Journey
Songs in movies often connect with an audience because they have relatable messages, memorable vocal hooks, and catchy musical accompaniment. Many times the songs and the lyrics which are part of these theatrical stories become hits in their own right. Songs are a popular device to tell a story in a film. Music can help drive a plot forward, develop character personalities, or express the innermost wishes of either the protagonist or antagonist without them having to explain themselves in a dialogue.
Musicals Offer a Different Emotional Connection with the Viewer
Universal Pictures
Music can be at the forefront of a movie scene or provide a subtle background effect. It can build or dissipate, create a vibe or set an expectation, sometimes all without the use of words. It’s interchangeable. Music can give clues if something scary or dramatic is about to happen, portray the mood of a character, and it can cross all movie genres. Movie musicals can do all this and much more through the use of songs. Music can make us nostalgic, change our mood, or even better connect us to emotions inside ourselves. The same song may even affect us differently depending on when and where we hear it. The same thing goes for movies. A good song can effectively offer emotional context, while also offering a reflection of the cinematic world the characters are part of.
Whatever musicals become the hit movies of the future is still yet to be determined. However, as long as good stories are being told, the partnership between Broadway and Hollywood will likely be a successful one for many years to come.
