Watashi Questions His Sexuality or: His Top 50 Favorite Musical Numbers in Film

[Watashi]

Remember when I said I wasn't going to do any more lists? I lied.

I've been on a recent musical kick of late and even though I'm not too keen on some of the early 30's/40's musical fare, I get enjoyment out of the individual numbers over the big picture. There's no real criteria from how I'm selecting these musical performances. I'm not a musician or a choreographer. If it looks cool, sounds cool, and doesn't make the movie come to a screeching halt, it's on the list. Just one thing, there has to be some actual recognition or performance to the music going on for it to be qualified.

Oh yeah, only one musical number per film. That makes it so I don't clutter up the list with only a few films.

To make this list fair and balanced: I promise I will keep this list as Tevin Campbell free as possible.*

*promise may or may not be broken

[Watashi]

- 50 -

HAPPY ENDINGS

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New York, New York

New York, New York is one of Scorsese's most underrated films and I don't think it deserves the mediocrity it's been given. "Happy Endings" was actually cut out from the initial release to trim down the run-time but was added in later in the rerelease. I'm glad because it's the best part of the movie. Who says Scorsese make a musical? The song is a short film in itself about a theater usher (always a plus for me) who dreams big and gets her moment of fame. It's sung beautifully by Liza Minnelli whose family tree is just bleeding with musical talent. It's also one of the rare cases where I can find myself sexually attracted to Liza.

[Spinal]

Sounds good! Looking forward to it.

[Watashi]

- 49 -

ONE MORE SLEEP 'TIL CHRISTMAS

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Muppet Christmas Carol

Bow to this shit. You are not worthy. The Muppet Christmas Carol has always been my favorite adaptation of the Dickens classic because Michael Caine kicks joyful ass as his turn as Scrooge. This is much better than the recent Disney adaptation. The muppets make any movie better. This song is sung by Kermit as Bob Cratchit as he leaves work and heads home to remind us that Christmas is just one sleep away. It's awesome. I love the ice-skating penguins. That final shot of Kermit looking up to the moon always brings a tear to my eye.

[Russ]

It's also one of the rare cases where I can find myself sexually attracted to Liza.
Ah. Hence, the thread title, yes?

Nevermind. Looking forward to another stellar Watashi list. And remember: I may offer no further comments, but I will definitely read (and enjoy). Proceed!

[Watashi]

- 48 -

ONCE UPON A DECEMBER

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Anastasia

This is a great song in a rather forgettable Don Bluth film (I still like it though). Anastasia is struggling to remember who she is and visions a Russian ball where she is still part of royalty. I like the song a lot because it's beautifully sung and the lyrics aren't ham-fisted to understand. The animation is epic and adds a real punch of emotion. To think of it, a lot of this film's songs were really damn good. It's a shame the filler stuff and the comic-relief bat (?) had to be so bland.

[angrycinephile]

Awesome.

[Watashi]

- 47 -

WIG IN A BOX

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Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Hedwig and the Angry Inch is another musical where I love the songs.... not so much the actual film. This sequence is a bit too music video-y for me, but Mitchell's singing is terrific and love the sing-a-long towards the end. I think the "Origin of Love" may be the better overall song, but I love the trailer setting and 80's rock performance. Out of all the songs, "Wig in a Box" is the one to stick in your head the longest.

[Watashi]

- 46 -

YA GOT TROUBLE

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The Music Man

Ah, our first classic American musical. This song, sung by Robert Preston, is about how River City kids will lead on a slippery slope of sin and vice after being seduced by a pool table. Preston preaches to the choir about trouble in a free-style Hollywood rap kind of way. It's fast and frantic and I like how Preston is just conning the townspeople with every lyric.

[Watashi]

I plan to finish this list by tomorrow. No delays on this one.

[Watashi]

- 45 -

TEQUILA

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Pee Wee's Big Adventure

This scene rules. It's so cliche yet so amazing because it's Pee-Wee freakin' Herman dancing to Tequila in a biker bar. I love how everyone is confused at first but when Pee-Wee starts breaking glasses everyone gets into it. The shoes are amazing. Burton and his dark sense of humor work well with musical numbers (the Day-O scene from Beetlejuice would be an honorable mention) and since Pee-Wee has resurfaced and gained popularity, they need to reunite once again.

[Russ]

Have you seen Cory McAbee's The American Astronaut?

[Watashi]

- 44 -

HEFFALUMPS AND WOOZLES

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The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

"Heffalumps and Woozles" is seen as a poor man's "Pink Elephants on Parade". I've always preferred the Winnie the Pooh song because the Seussian lyrics fit the psychedelic imagery better. Both sequences are total acid trips. This dream/hallucination by Pooh always disturbed me as a kid especially that laughing honey pot. The best bit is the dance by the two heffalumps in a pool of honey. Their soulless stares still haunt my nightmares.

[Watashi]

Have you seen Cory McAbee's The American Astronaut?
No. I have never heard of it.

Don't expect a lot of obscure musicals on here. I'm the Disney fanatic, remember?

[Ezee E]

Hmm... Tough to predict a #1, and anything can come up in these lists.

Good idea.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice portion of Fantasia would do it for me. Although that's what 9-11 minutes long?

[Russ]

OK.

But for the purposes of this thread, watch the musical portion of this clip. For some reason, I'm thinking you'd really like this.


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[Watashi]

- 43 -

THE TROLLEY SONG

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Meet Me in St. Louis

When hearing a lot of these songs first time in their featured film, I have a strong sense of deja-vu of "oh, so that's where that song is from". I've always associated "The Trolley Song" with the song that Martin Prince sings in the Simpsons episode Burns' Heir. Anyway, the song in full is so damn catchy I don't care how cheesy it is. I don't even like this movie. That damn Tootie annoys the hell out of me. Judy Garland has a wonderful voice as she's proven countless times before and she's the real key to making this song work. I mean... they're singing about a trolley for god's sake!

[Watashi]

Hmm... Tough to predict a #1, and anything can come up in these lists.

Good idea.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice portion of Fantasia would do it for me. Although that's what 9-11 minutes long?
Yeah, I'm not including Fantasia segments on the list. They're not really "numbers" but almost short films in themselves.

I would definitely include "Rhapsody in Blue" if I allowed it.

[Philosophe_rouge]

I loved Once Upon a December as a kid, one of my favourite songs. It's still extremely memorable, a beautiful moment in an okay film.

[Watashi]

OK.

But for the purposes of this thread, watch the musical portion of this clip. For some reason, I'm thinking you'd really like this.

That was... interesting.

Seems like a bizarre film for sure. I'll check it out.

[Watashi]

- 42 -

MOONCHILD

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Buffalo '66

This tap-dancing number is such a hypnotic scene because it comes out of nowhere. The film centers around how horrible Vincent Gallo and his family are and suddenly at a night out in a bowling alley, Christina Ricci takes all the focus away from this mess for one small magical moment. It's simple in execution but the payoff is huge and is really the highlight of the entire film.

[Watashi]

- 41 -

DELIVER US

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The Prince of Egypt

This powerful opening number wouldn't be the same without the incredible animation backing it. The Prince of Egypt is full of excellent songs and an equally excellent score by Hans Zimmer. The set-up to this biblical retelling reveals the cries and prayers of Moses's eventual people in song form that showcases how fucking epic this film will be.

[Watashi]

- 40 -

WORTHLESS

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The Brave Little Toaster

This melancholy song happens to say more about a car's struggles and rusty workmanship than the entire runtime of Cars. It is really a difficult song to wrap around, especially for a child, but lyricist Van Dyke Parks delivers a dark and poignant tale about an assortment of vehicles reciting their last memory of being driven around at the top of their game. It's a relatively deep song about how possessions are treated once they become broken down, no matter what the year or model... they all end of being worthless.

[Watashi]

- 39 -

KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE

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Monty Python and the Holy Grail

This is good ole' random Python goodness. It's quite an elaborate number for such little importance and small time frame. The castle setting is great and the Python crew don't hold back. It's a goofy jig of a jingle that even spawned off a Lego version (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjUoaOiErFo&feature=related) of the song. The quick second cut to the prisoner clapping his hands is pure Python.

[Spaceman Spiff]

Love the last 4 choices (minus Prince of Egypt which is whatever).

[Watashi]

- 38 -

THE DIVA OPERA

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The Fifth Element

What a cool fucking scene. Once again, this is another case where the highlight of the film comes to us in a musical sequence (though all of The Fifth Element is awesome). The opera performed by the diva Plavalaguna experiences an abrupt shift in tone from classical to a trance-like style. Fight choreography replaces dancing as Leeloo fights her way through guards that is crosscut to the diva's performance in a diegetic fashion. The faster the tempo in the music, the more intense the fight comes. It's such an awesome visual and musical relationship.

[Watashi]

- 37 -

WE BOTH REACHED FOR THE GUN

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Chicago

It's an overrated film for sure, but I always liked this one piece. The "Cell Block Tango" is the more popular choice, but I find that "We Both Reached for the Gun" captures the classic musical choreography of the 30's and 40's. The use of reporters as string puppets is a clever visual motif and I love the tempo changes with Gere ultimately being the head puppeteer. Also, Renee Zellwegger is completely believable as an inanimate object.

[Watashi]

- 36 -

A PAIR OF TWINS

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The Young Girls of Rochefort

This is a hard film to single out just one song because the melody flows together so well as an entire film. A Pair of Twins is the most recognizable tune of the lot and serves as the climax of the score as the sequence shows a montage of all the characters' soon-to-be-resolved conflicts. The main performance comes from the titular twins as they sing and dance using various instruments. The musical bit (and all the other songs) owe a lot to the standout colors of the various clothing being worn. Demy sure knew how to direct a musical number. Also a shout out to a then 52-year old Gene Kelly who even in a different country can still dance like a badass motherfucker.

[Adam]

Oooh, great idea and a great list so far and a great call on Buffalo 66

A personal favorite I hope shows up that probably won't...

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[Mara]

Great idea for a thread. I like that you're including musical moments in non-musicals, because they are sometimes lots of fun.

I have a weakness for this one (spoilered in case it's on your list):

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But I love a good, old-fashioned, all-out musical.

[Fezzik]

Damn it, Wats! You stole an idea I'd been percolating.

No matter. Great idea for a list and I heartily approve of most I've seen so far.

Massive rep for Once Upon a December / Deliver Us love.

[hey it's ethan]

http://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/index.jsp?cid=280556

[Watashi]

- 35 -

ONCE UPON A DREAM

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Sleeping Beauty

This Tchaikovsky-adapted ballad is a quintessential Disney classic. The music is light and playfully through some weird animal roleplay mechanisms that retains the dream-like encounter of love at first sight. This song wouldn't be a classic without the incredible technirama widescreen visuals. Sleeping Beauty is a gorgeous film to watch and the poetic artistry that goes into each frame is unbelievable. This is one of those few times where you can say, "they just don't make them like they used to".

[Watashi]

- 34 -

THE KING WHO COULDN'T DANCE

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Anchors Aweigh

Apparently this scene became famous again after it was parodied on Family Guy (a show I don't watch anymore). The original still can't be topped. It's amazing this musical dance-off came out in 1944 because it's still incredible how seamless it all is. Of course there's Gene Kelly doing his typical Gene Kelly wonders. What I love about these early musicals is that it's all on the dancers' pure talent and not on any editing trickery. Most of Kelly's show-stopping performances are done in long continuous takes.

[Watashi]

- 33 -

PRETTY WOMEN

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Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

While Burton's singing ensemble had its fair share of criticisms when it came to matching Sondheim's lyrics note by note, I thought Depp and Rickman perfectly nailed their rendition of "Pretty Women". This musical number has always been my favorite (though I do enjoy Carter's turn at "By the Sea") because it's basically about two wicked men singing about two different women using the same lyrics. It's a rather tense scene even it's just one dude shaving another because you know how long Todd has waited for this moment of revenge.

[Watashi]

- 32 -

BE PREPARED

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The Lion King

To say that "Be Prepared" is the highlight song of The Lion King is an understatement. It's pretty much the only good song in the entire film. I can't stand the Elton John material or that damn Hakuna Matata song. "Be Prepared" works because it's just an awesome villain song even is it draws comparisons to the Third Reich in the most unsubtle ways (it's still a damn cool shot). Scar is a flamboyant Machiavellian figure who sings about the death of the king and his rightful place on the throne as Lion Hitler. While it's quick to assume that all of it is Jeremy Irons's singing voice, about one-third of the song was sung by voice-acting guru Jim Cummings. The transition between voices is absolutely seamless.

[Watashi]

- 31 -

LLORANDO

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Mulholland Dr.

This choice helps a lot since Roy Orbison's "Crying" is one of my all-time favorite songs. David Lynch's Spanish take on the song is incredibly moving while still keeping that Lynchian atmosphere intact. The singer's booming and sorrowful voice takes Oribson's original melody into a whole new dimension. Even though the lyrics are foreign, it still has this mesmerizing effect to move you and take control over your emotions. It's the perfect scene to sum up the entire movie.

[Watashi]

- 30 -

ALWAYS LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE OF LIFE

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The Life of Brian

This ironic little ditty is an answer song to all the recent Disney jingles and can be seen as a cheeky jab at organized religion, but it's a perfect and relevant Python song to end the film on. It's bouncy and catchy that juxtaposes nicely with the crucified chorus that joins in the whistled hook between verses. It's just a fun song that has some surprisingly well-shot camera angles and production values. Again, the Python crew doesn't cut corners when conducting up a song-and-dance performance.

[Watashi]

- 29 -

SKID ROW (DOWNTOWN)

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Little Shop of Horrors

There's a lot of great musical numbers to choose here, but the soulful tune of "Skid Row" is an awesome song that introduces us to our two main leads, Seymour and Audrey. The song is all about the poverty of living on Skid Row in New York City where the "cabs don't stop" and "the food is slop". It's a great opening tune despite the depressing lyrics with some well-rounded singing by Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and the rest of the Skid Row chorus.

[Watashi]

- 28 -

I GOT RHYTHM

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An American in Paris

This is a cute number of George Gershwin's famous tune with Gene Kelly teaching the kids of Paris an English learning game. It's just Gene being Gene. It doesn't matter how much he does it, it never gets old.

[Watashi]

- 27 -

I LIKE MYSELF

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It's Always Fair Weather

What Gene Kelly is capable of doing is some awe-inspiring shit. He makes everything look so simple. "I Like Myself" is an okay song by itself, but Gene ups it a notch and does an entire tap-dance routine on rollerskates. All of it is done in a few takes. This was considered his last great dance solo of his career and while people may instantly associate Gene in the rain singing his heart out, I'll remember him on roller skates.

[Wryan]

Some great stuff so far, tho if O Brother isn't on here somewhere, I'll be fit to be tied.

[lovejuice]

inspiring choices so far. though i'm more a fred man than a gene man.

[ledfloyd]

getting into the good stuff.

[B-side]

This choice helps a lot since Roy Orbison's "Crying" is one of my all-time favorite songs.

:)

[Watashi]

- 26 -

RUN AND TELL THAT

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Hairspray

I remember I vowed to never see Hairspray upon its initial release. Well, that vow was broken and I ended up liking it a lot even though any scene featuring John Travolta in drag makes me choke on my own vomit. The film itself was harmless, but the musical numbers were great especially this one. It may suffer from being too "High School Musical"-ish with its set-up, but this chocolate power song is owned by Elijah Kelley. I mean goddamn. The jump he makes at 2:32 is the stuff of legends. Sooner or later the title of this thread will all make sense.

[Spinal]

Hooray for Little Shop!

[Russ]

I remember I vowed to never see Hairspray upon its initial release. Well, that vow was broken and I ended up liking it a lot even though any scene featuring John Travolta in drag makes me choke on my own vomit. The film itself was harmless, but the musical numbers were great especially this one. It may suffer from being too "High School Musical"-ish with its set-up, but this chocolate power song is owned by Elijah Kelley. I mean goddamn. The jump he makes at 2:32 is the stuff of legends. Sooner or later the title of this thread will all make sense.
I remember that vow. Hey Wats, Kelley's jump was pretty awesome, but if you want to see one of the most incredible dance sequences ever captured on film, I urge you to check out this brief clip from the 1941 film, Hellzapoppin'. The whole bit blows my mind, but especially Frankie Manning and his partners' impeccably-timed moves at the 1:24 mark. Amazing.


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[number8]

He broke the vow in my house. :)

[number8]

Also, I know what #1 is, I think...

[[ETM]]

Also, I know what #1 is, I think...

It's not rocket science.:lol:

[Dead & Messed Up]

In my dream of this thread, you'd include "Legal Assassin" from Repo, "Gethsemane" from Jesus Christ Superstar, and "Pippin's Song" from Lord of the Rings.

As it is, I'm very impressed so far. I should see more of this "Gene Kelly" fellow you mention.

[Watashi]

I don't think my #1 is obvious.

[Watashi]

- 25 -

MEIN HERR

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Cabaret

"Mein Herr" is Liza at her best and she gives a lot of great performances within this film. She sings about being a prostitute who hustles gentlemen across Germany and moves on when it becomes too close. It's a fun song, but Minnelli performs it with such a fiery seductive flair in her black get-up and bowler hat.

[Watashi]

- 24 -

EL TANGO DE ROXANNE

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Moulin Rouge!

Hey whaddya know... another Cabaret-esque song about being a prostitute. It seems to be a popular subject. I have a love-hate relationship with Moulin Rouge!. Some parts annoy me (I'm looking at you Leguizamo!) and other parts like "Tango De Roxanne" floor me. This musical tango is uncontrollably intense and the editing and gorgeous art direction allows this sequence to stand out from the rest of the other numbers. The choreography is surreal and sexy and it's performed vocally with such booming command by Jacek Koman, the Narcoleptic Argentinian.

[[ETM]]

Speaking of music numbers, Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog is now on Netflix Instant Watch.

[Watashi]

- 23 -

KISS THE GIRL

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The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid has probably the best slate of songs in the Disney canon. "Part of Your World", "Under the Sea", and "Poor Unfortunate Souls" are all terrific songs that could have easily replace this one. Yet, "Kiss the Girl" remains my favorite because it's a unique love song because it's all about Sebastian's intentions of keeping Ursula away from Ariel and not so much about Ariel finding true love. It's kind of a cynical song because Sebastian has to "create the mood" for this romantic kiss instead of the two lovers find it on their own. What is that telling our kids? That you can't find love unless a singing crustacean is there to back you up? Oh well, it's still an iconic song with wonderful animation and supporting cast.

[Watashi]

- 22 -

WHY DON'T YOU DO RIGHT

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Who Framed Roger Rabbit

It's easy jump on me and say this selection was guided by supposed animated fetish, but Jessica Rabbit never really did anything to me (too human for my tastes), so her introduction number is more about her performance and her interactions and less of her... animation. Jessica Rabbit steals the spotlight and marks a real triumph in movie-making where she becomes a part of the human universe so seamlessly and it's easy to see why men are jaw-dropped by the sight of her. The music is sexy, but the way she interacts with the audience of men is sexier. It's terrific direction by Zemeckis.

[Wryan]

Great call on "Run and Tell That," one helluva damn song knocked way out of the park.

I'm surprised that, if you were going to pick something from Cabaret, you didn't give "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" some due.

[Spaceman Spiff]

It's easy jump on me and say this selection was guided by supposed animated fetish, but Jessica Rabbit never really did anything to me (too human for my tastes)

She's no Nala, that's for sure.

[Watashi]

- 21 -

THE WORLD'S GREATEST CRIMINAL MIND

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The Great Mouse Detective

Goddamn I love this movie. It's so fucking underrated it hurts my liver. "The World's Greatest Criminal Mind" is masterfully done by Vincent Price who does his own singing. It's a classic villain song in all areas and you just love how damn evil this guy really his. His cronies sing about him drowning orphans and widows. This is probably the only Disney song or movie that features a character actually drunk. Poor Bartholomew. The break in chorus to see this poor mouse's fate is a testimony of Ratigan's wickedness. Then the petrified chorus starts up again and Ratigan's is rightfully crowned as one of the greatest villains ever.

[Watashi]

- 20 -

A WALTZ FOR A NIGHT

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Before Sunset

This is a beautiful song that's sung by the ridiculously sexy and uber-talented Julie Delpy and wrote the lyrics and the music. What seems like Jesse and Celine's last moment together, Celine strums on her guitar a waltz that reveals the moments of their relationship in the first film. She mentions that while it may have been a one-night stand, it meant so much more to her. This is a trigger towards Jessie who knows for a fact that this can't be the last he sees her.

[Llopin]

Yay! Celine! Excellent pick.

[Fezzik]

Great call on "Run and Tell That," one helluva damn song knocked way out of the park.

Indeed. That number seems to be almost forgotten from the film, but its by far my favorite. It made me think Elijah Kelley would be a star someday.

Where's he been?

[number8]

Indeed. That number seems to be almost forgotten from the film, but its by far my favorite. It made me think Elijah Kelley would be a star someday.

Where's he been?

Filming Hairspray 2.

[Watashi]

- 19 -

SPRINGTIME FOR HITLER

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The Producers

Yeah, it's hard to make a list without including "Springtime for Hitler". The Producer's Fuhrer-saluting performance is masterfully done that drips with golden irony. No controversial subject is off-limits if its comes in the form of song and dance. The sieg heil-chorus line of hot Nazi stormtroopers forming into a Bubsy Berkley-swastika is the icing on the cake of all its awesomeness.. Not to mention the song itself is actually quite great.

[Watashi]

- 18 -

OOGIE BOOGIE'S SONG

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The Nightmare Before Christmas

Whether Tim Burton pairs his demented visual wonders with instrumental rock and roll, Stephen Sondheim, or his go-to man Danny Elfman, he can always whip up a terrific musical sequence. The "Oogie Boogie Song" is Burton and Elfman emulating Cab Calloway, particularly "Minnie the Moocher". It's different than all the other catalog of songs found in Nightmare Before Christmas because it has such a distinct style and use fluorescent colors to create the mood. I love the roulette wheel device and the use of Oogie's gambling habit to perform the song around. It's a crazy, sleazy song about wanting to kill Santa Claus. I like it.

[Watashi]

- 17 -

JOHNNY B. GOODE

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Back to the Future

For some unknown reason, the only YouTube video of this performance is in Hungarian (song is in English) yet somehow it makes the scene even better. The "Johnny B. Goode" sequence is one of the more recognizable and memorable scenes in Back to the Future. Chuck Berry's guitar-licking tune gets new origins when Marty McFly busts loose during a high school dance in one of the film's many past-present mishaps. The kids are loving it at the start, but once Marty becomes possessed and performs all crazy maneuvers, people start quieting down and stop dead once Marty is awakened into reality once the song is finished. It's fun while being silly and clever winking at the time-shift in generation gap of pop culture.

[Ezee E]

Great one for #17.

[Bosco B Thug]

I haven't seen many of these, but I did watch the The Trolley Song clip on the strength of the tune (from its use, twice, in 'Simpsons' episodes), and that is a wonderful musical number. It made me happy. I should watch the actual movie.

I watched a little of the "The Young Girls of Rochefort" one... have to admit, I kinda lost interest. That'll put me off the movie for a while (unfortunately?).

Good list. I'd watch the "Skid Row" scene just by itself sometimes when I was a kid. Good Nightmare Before Christmas choice, as it's a nice, relatively stage/space-enclosed number from the film.

[Watashi]

- 16 -

WHEN YOUR MIND'S MADE UP

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Once

The entire soundtrack of Once is amazing. Each song crosses a range of emotions from the tender "Falling Slowly" sung by Glen and Marketa about love at first sight to breaking away from a former lover in "Leave". The key song "When Your Mind's Made Up" is a rather simple song lyric-wise, but it's a passionate song for Glen as it's his big ticket to the top. The recording studio becomes a temple for Glen to let out all his hard efforts and love into one mike and what is initially scoffed at by a studio exec is later blown away. We understand his flip-flop because the music is really that fucking brilliant.

[dreamdead]

Love the inclusion of Before Sunset! Good thread, and I'm excited to sit down and listen to all of these (revisits and otherwise) at some point next week.

[Watashi]

- 15 -

I'VE SEEN IT ALL

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Dancer in the Dark

Bjork and I don't jive well together, but her eccentric behavior is stripped to the bone by Lars Von Trier in making Dancer in the Dark. The dude may be a sexist and have gotten Bjork to vow to never act again, but he can pull out amazing performances by his female stars. "I've Seen It All" is an Oscar-nominated song in which Selma doesn't care what she hasn't seen as long as her son doesn't suffer from the same disease. It's beautifully tragic and Trier's hand-held approach doesn't over stylize the power of the music.

[Watashi]

- 14 -

LUCY IN THE SKY WITH DIAMONDS

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Yellow Submarine

Ah, the joys of acid. I have to imagine that every animator working on this film was eating shrooms and snorting pixie stix. Every musical sequence in Yellow Submarine is pure Beatles bliss. The "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" segment just warps the brain with its psychedelic awesomeness. The song has always been one of my favorite Beatles songs (next to Across the Universe) and being converted into a coloring book from hell format brings out the nonsensical insanity from the music.

[Watashi]

- 13 -

I WANNA BE LIKE YOU

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The Jungle Book

"I Wanna Be Like You" is a swingin' daisy finger snappin' shindig that is lead with the voice power of Louis Prima. King Louie is the classic misunderstood Disney villain. He isn't necessarily evil. All he wants to know is what it's like to feel human. In the song, Bagheera and Baloo attempt to rescue Mowlgi from Louie's grasps, but Baloo has a weakness to a jazzy toe-tappin' beat and aborts the mission to join the party or as he would say it "I'm gone, man, solid gone". This leads into the famous "dance-off" between a scarcely disguised Baloo and the King which is the song's best bit before everything comes tumbling down (literally).

[monolith94]

With this much of an animation-heavy list, can we expect to see anything from The Point!?

[Watashi]

- 12 -

PUTTIN' ON THE RITZ

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Blue Skies

Now we're getting into the good shit. Fred Astaire is one of my many man-crushes. He must have sold his soul to the Devil, because no human feet are capable of moving the way that Fred's do. This musical extraordinaire is an illusion of editing and visual tricks but the dancing is all pure talent. What's better than one Fred Astaire dancing? How about 10 Fred Astaires dancing! The climatic timing of multiple Freds dancing in sync is one of the best scenes ever.

[Raiders]

I prefer the Young Frankenstein version personally.

[Watashi]

- 11 -

BELLE

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Beauty and the Beast

It was a given that this film was going to pop up soon, but well-deserved. There's so many great songs to choose from. I love them all, but the intro song "Belle" is hard to top. What I love most about this song isn't just the elaborate set-up and good rhythm, but it manages to completely characterize who Belle is and what she wants. Some films take the entire run time to flesh out their characters and sometimes we still have no idea who they really are. Within 5 minutes, we already know Belle. She's the quirky bookworm girl next door who escapes into fairy tales yet still remains her smarts in what she wants in a man. It doesn't have the pizazz of some of the later numbers like "Gaston" or "Be Our Guest", but it does what a good song should do and develop the story, not pause it.

[Watashi]

I prefer the Young Frankenstein version personally.
Meh. I don't care for the film to begin with.

[Watashi]

- 10 -

IT DON'T WORRY ME

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Nashville

The closing minutes of Nashville are perfect. After chaos and murder has erupted, the musical-failure Barbara Harris is forced to sing a song to keep the crowd under control. It's her opportunity to shine and she sings the first song that comes to her head, "It Don't Worry Me". The song is both optimistic and tragic that's bittersweet on the surface yet a stinging ironic jolt in the back reminding us how Americans forget so easily and never learn from past mistakes. Also, despite being a fleeting presence early on, Barbara Harris gives it her best and emphasizes her passion for music in every lyric sung.

[Watashi]

- 9 -

HEAVEN'S LIGHT / HELLFIRE

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The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Yeah, yeah, yeah, more Disney, whatever. I'll kill you! The differences between Quasimodo's "Heaven's Light" and Judge Frollo's "Hellfire" goes beyond the cute title references and into how both tortured men sing about the same woman; one with hope and sadness, the other with jealousy and selfish lust. Quasimodo stares into the settling night about the one time in his life someone cared about him and completely forget about his disfigured appearance. He envisions it as an angel removing the curse of his back with a simple kiss on the cheek that he does not gain any deep pleasure from it. Down in the cathedral in Frollo's lair, the tone is quite the reversal. Frollo's disfigurement lies within his heart as he it torments him to feel sexual thoughts and fiery passion for Esmeralda. The entire scene of "Hellfire" is animated tremendously as Frollo begs out to Mother Mary to destroy the one he fetishes over unless she will conform to his pleasings. Reds and blacks swarm the screen in the shapes of the eternally damned taunting and vexing Frollo with shame. The closing moments of the scene is Disney at their darkest as Frollo gasps on final plea onto God at an eruptive fireplace to let Esmeralda be his or burn at the pyre. Fun for the whole family!

[Ivan Drago]

It doesn't have the pizazz of some of the later numbers like "Gaston" or "Be Our Guest", but it does what a good song should do and develop the story, not pause it.

But no one's slick as Gaston, no one's quick as Gaston, no one's neck is as incredibly thick as Gaston's!

[Watashi]

- 8 -

PURE IMAGINATION

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Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

The sets are dated now but just imagine yourself upon the film's release and seeing this edible chocolate-candy paradise with fresh eyes. It's a dream come true. The song gives you an inside-glimpse at Wonka's genius and what kind of character he really is. He is deranged, odd, and funny, but in his heart, he enjoys bringing joy into the world. The music and lyrics are amazing, but the scene belongs to Gene Wilder. He settles into the Wonka character like it's his normal routine and the role he was meant to play.

[Fezzik]

Heaven's Light / Hellfire


Damn you, Wats. I'm going to run out of Rep soon. This is absolutely one of my favorite scenes in any movie. I remember, at the time, it was incredibly controversial, but I love the unbridled passions turned into obsession that it outlines.

[Watashi]

- 7 -

TINY DANCER

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Almost Famous

I like Almost Famous and would probably regard it as underrated around these parts because Crowe really fell off the map after this one. The "Tiny Dancer" sequence is the what makes the film so great because it emphasizes the power and importance of music. In the characters' worst moments, music can bring them back together and remind them why they are musicians in the first place. I love how Elton John's song is just playing in the background acting as part of the film's soundtrack but one by one each member joins in chorus and sings together. Music back then was all about unity and sharing one common voice and Crowe managed to nail that in this amazing bus ride back home.

[Watashi]

- 6 -

NOT IN NOTTINGHAM

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Robin Hood

Yay! Another Disney song! Don't you just love how predictable my lists are? This is sadly the last Disney song on my list, but it's by far the best one they've done so far. I love every fucking second of Robin Hood. The "Not in Nottingham" number is the main reason why I love this film so dearly. In the midst of all this swashbuckling adventure, it hits you with this powerhouse song performed pitch-perfect from Roger Miller. What makes me sold on this moment is in the sudden tonal shift from one of the most comedic scenes in the film (Hiss and the Sheriff of Nottingham singing their rendition of "Phony King of England") to one of the bleakest. The key here is really Roger Miller. His distinctive voice and lyrics takes Nottingham and puts its townspeople in a state of political crisis. As Alan-A-Dale is chained up along with the rest of the townspeople (seeing women and children chained up and starved was pretty dark back in those days), the scene shifts towards the church with Friar Tuck and the two doormice. The Sheriff of Nottingham strolls in and takes the last farthing coin in the poor box for "poor ole Prince John". The outraged Tuck bellows him out of the holy sanctuary into a rain-soaked scuffle that tragically ends with the Friar's neck in chains. Then Roger Miller's reprise hits back up and the scene closes and I'm still amazed at the wonderful execution.

[Watashi]

I'll finish this now because I can see that you are all eager to know what the Top 5 is.

[Watashi]

- 5 -

MAKE EM LAUGH

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Singin' in the Rain

As cheesy as it sounds, this musical skit makes me laugh. Singin' in the Rain has always been remembered as Gene Kelly swaying from a lamppost in the rain, but Donald O'Conner's performance as Cosmo is just as, if not better, than Gene. His facial expressions and comic timing is one of a kind in which he uses musical slapstick to his advantage. There's so many great moments in this number from him wrestling with a headless mannequin to his famous "you-it's-coming" breaking through the wall. This type of musical genius is a dying art and the stars with genuine talent like Gene Kelly and Donald O'Conner don't come by often.

[BuffaloWilder]

Man, if the roller-skates number from It's Always Fair Weather isn't included, somebody's gonna get their ears boxed.

[Watashi]

Man, if the roller-skates number from It's Always Fair Weather isn't included, somebody's gonna get their ears boxed.
It's #27.

[Watashi]

- 4 -

BOOGIE WONDERLAND

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Happy Feet

Damn... I'm still surprised how much I love this movie. The "Boogie Wonderland" sequence is a celebration of pure joy through song and dance. It gives me a rush of happiness every time I view it. Mumble fails to court the ever desirable Gloria through lip-syncing, but his toe-tapping beats get the best of her rhythm and wins her over in an epic dance sequence set to Earth, Wind, and Fire. The animation, the beat, the synchronizing and choreography of everything is just perfect. It's a proper use of pop songs in an animated film (damn you Shrek) where each note and lyric speak to the joy and love each penguin is feeling. Special shout out has to go to the late Brittany Murphy who really puts the wonders in Boogie Wonderland.

[Watashi]

- 3 -

SMOOTH CRIMINAL

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Moonwalker

Holy fuck. Is this entire scene overflowing with total badassery or what? The cueball scene... the cueball... my God! It's so full of epic awesomeness that I would even say it's better than "Thriller". Too bad the rest of the movie is just hilariously bad. This one scene is the saving grace. This entire sequence is a homage to Fred Astaire's final number in The Band Wagon. Michael Jackson does what he does best and what he should be remembered for. His ridiculous dancing moves are insane and those gravity-bending leans still amaze me. Even though it's more of a music video than anything really serving as a plot towards the movie, it's a self-contained masterpiece of pop that only the king of pop could ever perform.

[monolith94]

For your consideration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36JEg_nSb6E

[Watashi]

- 2 -

TOP HAT, WHITE TIE, AND TAILS

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Top Hat

I have no idea why the beginning is in German, but it's the only video of this amazing performance. I find myself singing and humming this song almost on a daily basis. I just love it. Fred Astaire could sing just as good as he could dance. Just look at that look he gives at the camera at 2:07. Holy shit! He knows he's the greatest. He's the fucking shit and he enjoys every second of it. This may not be the most difficult number or flashiest, but it contains everything I love about Fred. He has charm, class, moves, and knows how to have fun. The entire final sequence with him shooting his dancers with his cane is badass. There's no imitators. There's only one.

[Watashi]

For your consideration:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36JEg_nSb6E
Yeah, that was one of the many films I wanted to see before I compiled this list, but never got around to.

[Derek]

My guess for #1:

http://cultivatedpages.files.wordpres s.com/2008/12/john-denver.jpg

[monolith94]

Yeah, that was one of the many films I wanted to see before I compiled this list, but never got around to.
The film as a whole hangs together a bit shabbily; it doesn't really work as well as it should. But the individual musical numbers are, in my opinion, stunning.

Also, a little OTT, but a sentimental favorite of mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKU9wCW1zMw&feature=related

[Watashi]

- 1 -

BYE BYE LIFE

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All That Jazz

It's the moment you've all been waiting for. You're holding your comments for this one, correct? "Bye Bye Life" is number one and it's not even close. What a finale. What a fucking ending. It's an incredibly beautiful and tragic swan song of regret and loneliness. Bob Fosse crafted one hell of a musical number to end his film and Roy Schneider gives one hell of a performance to bring it to life. It's a song that everyone will eventually sing and it's executed so perfectly, we can relate to this man's fortunes and misfortunes. This is the real musical version of 8½. Not that horrible Rob Marshall misfire. This song about a great artist accepting that death is the only reality in his life. The editing, performances, direction, and overall singing is magnificent. It grows and grows and grows leading to a gut-wrenching finale. It's not only the best musical scenes ever. It's one of the best moments in cinema period.

[Watashi]

Derek, Country Roads was off-limits for me. Like "I 2 I", listing it would be pointless.

[Watashi]

I think I would still place Bye Bye Life over Country Roads though.

[ledfloyd]

i can't argue with this.

[Spinal]

#1 is the correct answer.

[Rowland]

Alright Wats, I'll admit that I hum/sing the Pure Imagination song at random times once every few days just because I can, and because it's awesome. Is that because I grew up considering the movie one of my very favorites? I dunno, but it holds a special place for me, more so than the remainder of the songs from the film, or most musicals that I didn't watch until I was already well into my cinephile phase.

[number8]

Derek, Country Roads was off-limits for me. Like "I 2 I", listing it would be pointless.

Why was it off-limits?

[Mara]

Great list. Really.

My number one would be the famous "barn dance" routine from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which is totally a kitchy favorite of mine.

This isn't even a song, just an increasingly complex and fascinating dance scene that shows our guys (in the colors!) slowly stealing women away from teh other guys (in grays.)

You have the watch the whole thing. THE WHOLE THING. Just carve six minutes out of your busy day and watch it. Don't give me that look. I DO STUFF FOR YOU GUYS ALL THE TIME.

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EDIT: Sorry the (minimal) dialogue is dubbed in Italian. It's the most complete version I found.

[Mara]

By the way, I've seen that film about seven hundred times in my life, and the moment at around 4:15 when the guys slide under the board was very... developmentally significant for me when I started liking boys that way.

That was twenty-odd years ago. It's still hot.

[dreamdead]

I love the Fosse pick for #1 so much that I'm willing to gloss over the excess of animation here. ;)

I'm sure I've seen Top Hat at some formative time in my life, but that one's in desperate need of a revisit.

[Mara]

My all-time favorite Astaire routine is in the deeply mediocre film Royal Wedding.

If you want to skip the intro and somewhat forgettable song part, you can jump right in at 2:30.

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WITHOUT COMPUTERS, BITCHES.

[[ETM]]

WITHOUT COMPUTERS, BITCHES.

That would have been harder to do on a computer, I think.:lol:

[Ezee E]

;245861']That would have been harder to do on a computer, I think.:lol:
I love revolving setpieces. Like that Metallica music video.

[Mara]

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Another great Muppet production number.

[Watashi]

Why was it off-limits?
It's what everyone expects.

I didn't want to overflow the list with "me" selections.

[number8]

It's what everyone expects.

I didn't want to overflow the list with "me" selections.

:|

[Ezee E]

I'd like to mention that I've probably watched and/or listened to that All That Jazz scene at least 5 times since it was posted.

Can't find a MP3 of that.

[Spinal]

But seriously, did we ever answer the question of Watashi's sexuality? If not, I want a refund.

[StanleyK]

I've seen almost none of the films in this list, but I want to compliment you on It Don't Worry Me from Nashville. Great choice, and I completely agree with your description.

[Mara]

I was thinking about this thread this weekend and realized it didn't have any Fiddler on the Roof, which is unacceptable. It's such a great musical (and a wonderful film in its own right, very cinematic with some powerful themes) that I had trouble narrowing down what my favorite song actually was. I had to narrow it down from a list of nine... that's impressive.

But I'm going to be traditional and go with "If I Were A Rich Man." Because it's awesome.

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The Short List:
Tradition
Matchmaker
Sabbath Prayer
To Life (Lechaim)
Miracle of Miracles
Sunrise, Sunset
Do You Love Me?
Far From the Home I Love

[Mara]

Derek, Country Roads was off-limits for me. Like "I 2 I", listing it would be pointless.

I'm familiar with this song, but not as part of a musical or musical moment. Help?

[Raiders]

I'm familiar with this song, but not as part of a musical or musical moment. Help?

Whisper of the Heart (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpJ_SFm3UbY)

[Mara]

Whisper of the Heart (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cpJ_SFm3UbY)

:lol:

No joke, I purged this off my Netflix queue yesterday because I couldn't remember why I wanted to see it. Wats probably shilled it at some point.

Perhaps it shall be added again.

[Raiders]

:lol:

No joke, I purged this off my Netflix queue yesterday because I couldn't remember why I wanted to see it. Wats probably shilled it at some point.

Perhaps it shall be added again.

It's marvelous (as good as anything Miyazaki directed-- though he did write it). You should definitely see it.

[Mara]

Okay, back on. Also "All That Jazz" because I am baffled by that final number, and I suspect it's because I lack context.

Also, at 7:30 in that number (Bye Bye Life), the main character touches the face of a woman who looks EXACTLY like Allison Janney, except Allison Janney isn't apparently in the film. Which is disconcerting.

[ledfloyd]

Okay, back on. Also "All That Jazz" because I am baffled by that final number, and I suspect it's because I lack context.
you won't be disappointed. i just watched it a week ago. though i think much of the pleasure derived from the final sequence was because i didn't realize it was coming and thinking 'wow, they're really doing this'. still, it's fantastic.