gwendolyngrace (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
gwendolyngrace) wrote2003-12-30 03:47 pm
gwendolyngrace) wrote2003-12-30 03:47 pm
First things First
Okay, Narcissa/Percy's going to take some thought, so I'll dash this off first. Bolded are things I've seen (on film or stage), Italic I've been involved in productions, and comments are self-explanatory.
100. Let's Make Love (1960)
99. Miss Saigon - I studied this along with a whole bunch of other European/British invasion musicals for my Junior Independent Study. Puccini did it better, gang, and try as I might, I *still* can't figure out why "Song on a Solo Saxophone" and "Movie in my Mind" have such familiar melodies. Pastiche drives me crazy just for that reason.
98. Bright Eyes (1934)
97. The Cotton Club (1984)
96. Lullaby Of Broadway (1951)
95. Breaking Glass (1980)
94. Sholay (1975)
93. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967) - Oh yeah, where Michael J. Fox goes for his own aunt... oh, no, wait. That was "The Secret of My Success." Oops.
92. The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg (1964)
91. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)
90. Cry Baby (1990)
89. A Little Night Music (1977)
88. For Me And My Gal (1942)
87. Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
86. There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
85. Funny Face (1957) - own it on VHS.
84. Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
83. A Star Is Born (Barbara Streisand) (1976)
82. Anything Goes - Has anyone's school *not* done this show (American schools, anyway)
81. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) - Yup, and what's scary is I've also seen Cagney reprise the role of Cohan, in a mid-career Bob Hope vehicle called "The Seven Little Foys." It had been about 15 years since he played the role, and the man could still tap like a fiend. So could Bob Hope.
80. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Love large portions of this musical. Particularly love George Hearn in the title role, but Angela Lansbury rocks. And Christine Baranski wasn't bad in the revival, either.
79. All that Jazz (1979) - Hooray for Fosse choreography. But Roy Scheider? Sadly, I own this one on VHS, too.
78. Hedwig And The Angry Inch (2001)
77. Porgy And Bess (1959) - William Warfield, who sang for Sidney Poitier, was from my home town.
76. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
75. Dil Se (1998)
74. Shall We Dance? (1937) - I think the rollerskating routine ("Isn't it a Lovely Day (to be caught in the rain)?") is over-rated, actually. The scene where Astaire pretends not to be able to dance, now....classic stuff.
73. Half A Sixpence (1967)
72. Godspell (1973) - Film sucked. Stage show, however, was done by my high school...two years before I was in high school. I still helped run lights.
71. Show Boat (1951) - It took me a long time and multiple viewings to appreciate this story. But it's got one of my mother's favourite songs - "Can't Help Lovin' That Man". Which perhaps says a lot about my mother, but it's a fabulous torch song.
70. Gigi (1958) - Love Gigi. Love what Tulip has to say about Gigi in "Preacher" (I think it was Tulip), about how her mother used to make her watch Gigi. Or am I thinking of some other strong heroine in different media? Anyway, the quote has to do with Gigi teaching women self-reliance. I think it has more to do with teaching women how to twist a man into a pretzel, but then I think we should all be able to do that now and then. Anyway, it's good.
69. The Producers (1968) - Ah, I'm glad this is the film, and not the stage version. I much prefer the film. The film is classic - although it does get a tiny bit out of control, like most Mel Brooks films have a habit of doing, before reaching its inevitable (and hilarious) conclusion. Gene Wilder is a God, and Matthew Broderick just can't hold a candle to him.
68. Kiss Me Kate (1953) - Did you know that Kathryn Grayson broke her hand slapping Howard Keel during filming? I played Lilli in a 1998 production. Let me tell you, my shoulders hurt from carrying that show. My leading man was great, if only the music director had lowered some of the keys for him.
67. Doctor Dolittle (1967)
66. Gypsy (1962) - Another musical I love. I've always wanted to play Louise.
65. The Jazz Singer (1927) - Never saw the original (should correct that). Only the drecky one with Neil Diamond and Laurence Olivier.
64. Easter Parade (1948) - gods help me.
63. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
62. Sweet Charity (1969)
61. Scrooge (1970) - You know, I actually really like this musical. It has a lot going for it. But then I bought it on VHS (trust me, it was cheap), and saw the whole thing for the first time. See, I'd only ever seen it on television, and it was cut to shreds then. Watching it, with all its post-modernist weird, trying to be avant-garde film-making pretension, brought it down a notch. That and Alec Guinness just *cannot* sing. Finney at least can fake it.
60. Top Hat (1935) - Classic, classic, classic. Needless to say, own it.
59. Funny Girl (1968)
58. An American In Paris (1951) - Hate the French guy, love Gene Kelley. Actually own this on VHS and DVD. VHS will go in garage sale this spring. Famous as well for the longest ballet sequence in a non-ballet film in its time.
57. Paint Your Wagon (1969) - Who can resist Clint Eastwood singing?
56. Meet me in St Louis (1944) - Hooray for Judy in one of her best roles ever. Also gets an honorary three hankie award for the most tear-jerking moments in a musical.
55. Hair (1979)
54. On The Town (1949) - I love this musical, but wish that they had not cut so many of the numbers when filming. I mean shredded. What a hack job.
53. Cinderella (1950) - Played a stepsister in a very scaled-down cabaret version of this when I was... 13 or so.
52. Carmen Jones
51. Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
50. Hello Dolly (1969) - That Jerry Herman. I love the extra song he wrote for Streisand: "Love is Only Love." I'm not sure it's possible for Jerry Herman to write a bad song. I wasn't exactly in any productions of Dolly, but I did play Dolly in some scenes from "The Matchmaker" in high school.
49. Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) - I'm with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
heidi8 - why this and not The Muppet Movie? I'm glad something of Henson's made it on the list, though. Henson was a genius and this should be reflected in many places.
48. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
47. Summer Holiday (1963) - ?
46. A Chorus Line (1985) - Saw it on my birthday, in fact. I was seven and my mother's co-workers were scandalized that she'd take me to something with that kind of "language". The only thing I didn't understand in the whole show was what gonorrhea was. Ahem. Anyway, I had a great and t00by fascination with this show, as did most of my generation in school. Lost track of how many bloody times we sang "What I did for Love" and I also got to sing "Nothing" and do Cassie's "Music and the Mirror" at concerts once. Oy, what a swotty thing I was.
45. A Star Is Born (Judy Garland) (1954) - Not ever all the way through, no, and I should really fix that.
44. Tommy (1975) - I was a little too young for the Who when this was really popular. Then it wasn't my kind of music... and then there was the weird, but true, story. I'm getting there.
43. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937) - And I've got this on VHS. Haven't bothered with the DVD yet.
42. Starlight Express - This was another of those "British Invasion" musicals I had to study for my Jr. I.S. Stinky show. Really awful. I mean. But I guess it's on here because the staging broke some boundaries. I do remember bursting out in laughter at one of the songs - the country one, I think.
41. Carousel (1956) - Another one that every American high school has done at one time or another...except my stupid school. Thanks.
40. 8 Mile (2002) - Excuse me? This is a joke, right?
39. South Pacific (1958) - Whoo. Yes, always hire an Italian to play a Frenchman. Still. Rogers and Hammerstein had balls. They really did. And Bali H'ai has got to be one of the most beautiful songs ever.
38. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - Saw it, loved it, own it on DVD (since my VHS tape died). Brilliant. Did you know that the entire score uses 8 tonic elements and there's only about 3 major chords in the whole thing? Brilliant.
37. White Christmas (1954) - Yeah, really sappy. But better than Holiday Inn.
36. Guys and Dolls (1955)
35. Oklahoma (1955) - Yet *another* one every high school attempts. My mother saw this in the original production on Broadway, with John Raitt. She saw it like 20 times, on Broadway. Little did she know that we would be forced to endure it time and again in school auditoriums everywhere.
34. High Society (1956) - Absolutely. Have this one, too. What I love about this film is the symbolic way Bing Crosby hands the keys to the kingdom to Frank Sinatra. It really captures the shift from one generation's idol to the next one's.
33. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) - Topol was no Zero. That's all I'm saying.
32. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
31. Blood Brothers - Ack! No! Horrible show.
30. Cats (1981-2002) - Okay, I admit it. I've seen this either three or four times. The first time was a permanent mount - I wasn't going to waste my time on a touring company where the set wouldn't be as good. Went up to Toronto for it. The other times were times when I was given tickets or invited at the last minute to tours. Sang "Memory" in school concerts a couple times, damn song followed me all over the fucking place. Yes, it's t00by. Eh. But I will admit that I really liked the show for a variety of reasons, mainly the athleticism of the dancers and their supreme ability to sing and dance, and the amazing choreography. I still have the bits of a "Mister Mistofelees" costume that I've used more than once, and my former cat (a girl, black except for one white spot at her throat) was named "Miss Tofflees". Sue me, I was 16. One thing I never got was why no one saw that there really *was* a plot, but I could get even more boring if I got into that, and there's 29 to go.
29. Fame (1980) - Oh, yeah. Another icon of my generation. And the TV show (Debbie Allen is a goddess). And then we got our *own* School of the Arts in town and everyone who went there was a complete asshole. No, thanks.
28. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) - The movie is a bit wacked, but I love the music. And the fair shot Pilate gets.
27. Jungle Book (1967) - Okay, Phil Harris is amazing as Baloo and Louis Armstrong did his thang, and who can resist Sebastian Cabot. It was the heyday of Disney animated features, but... why this one and not, say, Robin Hood or Pete's Dragon?
26. Annie (1982) - Saw this one in Buffalo when I was about 8. Back when every aspiring child actress wanted to *be* Annie (except I wanted to be Miss Hannigan). The movie version sucked sweaty balls, despite the talent, but the recent Disney version with Victor Garber was not too bad.
25. Calamity Jane (1953)
24. The Blues Brothers (1980) - The Band... we'll put back together the Band! We're on a mission from God. How much for the women? Oh, so quotable. Great music, too. And Belushi and Ackroyd do their own singing.
23. The King And I (1956) - Again, the film was visually stunning, but they butchered the musical numbers all to hell and back. "Something Wonderful" always makes me cry, though, dammit. Sniff. Yul Brynner - got to see him in the role, actually, on tour, in Buffalo.
22. Evita (1996) - I really thought this was a credible job. I loved seeing Pryce (who played Che in London) be able to change roles with maturity and play Peron. And Antonio... Madonna wasn't even half bad. No Patty Lupone, though.
21. Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) - Words cannot express my love for this show.
20. Phantom Of The Opera - It was a very short-lived phase, but I *never* cared for Sarah fucking Brightman. It was all about Crawford.
19. Bugsy Malone (1976) - To my horror, I have seen this. But why the heck is it here? More importantly, why is it #19?
18. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
17. Cabaret (1972) - Never seen the film, though I should correct that. Used to sing "Maybe This Time" and really would have liked to have seen Alan Cumming in the revival.
16. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971 - Wonkatize! Possibly Gene Wilder's best role ever. I played Charlie's mother in 6th grade - and was devastated to learn after being cast that it was a non-musical version of the show.
15. Les Miserables - I waited 12 years to see this show, for a time when I could see it with Colm Wilkinson as Valjean. He did a final tour in 1998, that came through Toronto, and I bought tickets without giving it a second thought. It was worth it. I probably won't ever see it again, because without him, it's just not the same.
14. The Lion King (1994)
13. Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Once More With Feeling - So give me something to sing about!
12. My Fair Lady (1964) - Was not cast in a production of this back in 1999, which was just as well because that's when the bastard and the whore screwed (literally) our lives up to Hell and back. But it's a regret, and I'll always appreciate John, who was cast as Higgins, saying to me at an audition the following spring, 'Where the heck were you? I needed a real leading lady opposite me!' Oh, well. Another one for someday.
11. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) - Okay, must tell story about this one. This was the first feature-length film I ever saw in the movies. I was 18 months old. My mother didn't realise it was 2 1/2 hours long, and instantly worried that I'd get fussy and we'd have to leave. No worries, Mom. I was riveted. She also thought I wouldn't remember. Hah. The theatre was on the corner about three blocks from our house (where it still stands), and for *years* every time we went past it, little Gwen piped up, "That's where we saw "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, isn't it, Mom?" Ah, kids.
10. Moulin Rouge (2001) - Saw it twice. Liked it, but not to excess. Was most impressed by the Roxanne passo doble and the creative use of Queen. Still would like to see the original, too.
9. Oliver! (1968)
8. Chicago (2002) - I do have this on DVD, mostly because I liked the treatment. No, it's not Fosse. But then, no one can do Fosse but Fosse, and I respect Marshall's decision to move away from the legend's choreography in order to create something very new and different. I thought the lighting was especially great, particularly in the Cell Block Tango and I Can't Do it Alone.
7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Of course. Let's do the Time Warp. The first time I ever went to see this (I'm talking VIRGIN, here), I narrowly escaped being cast as Janet. Thank the gods for small favours.
6. Singin' In The Rain (1952) - Only number 6? One of the best movie musicals ever made. I also got to see the stage version of this.
5. Mary Poppins (1964)
4. West Side Story (1961)
3. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
2. The Sound Of Music (1965) - They cut my favourite number.
1. Grease (1978)
Hm. Lots missing. Sunday in the Park with George, Follies, Mame. I think this list is skewed, but can't figure out how it got there. Anyone have information on who actually put the special together? Maybe it's like "AFI" where they have a heavy tendency to favour films by their member studios?
100. Let's Make Love (1960)
99. Miss Saigon - I studied this along with a whole bunch of other European/British invasion musicals for my Junior Independent Study. Puccini did it better, gang, and try as I might, I *still* can't figure out why "Song on a Solo Saxophone" and "Movie in my Mind" have such familiar melodies. Pastiche drives me crazy just for that reason.
98. Bright Eyes (1934)
97. The Cotton Club (1984)
96. Lullaby Of Broadway (1951)
95. Breaking Glass (1980)
94. Sholay (1975)
93. How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1967) - Oh yeah, where Michael J. Fox goes for his own aunt... oh, no, wait. That was "The Secret of My Success." Oops.
92. The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg (1964)
91. Everyone Says I Love You (1996)
90. Cry Baby (1990)
89. A Little Night Music (1977)
88. For Me And My Gal (1942)
87. Million Dollar Mermaid (1952)
86. There's No Business Like Show Business (1954)
85. Funny Face (1957) - own it on VHS.
84. Ziegfeld Follies (1946)
83. A Star Is Born (Barbara Streisand) (1976)
82. Anything Goes - Has anyone's school *not* done this show (American schools, anyway)
81. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) - Yup, and what's scary is I've also seen Cagney reprise the role of Cohan, in a mid-career Bob Hope vehicle called "The Seven Little Foys." It had been about 15 years since he played the role, and the man could still tap like a fiend. So could Bob Hope.
80. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Love large portions of this musical. Particularly love George Hearn in the title role, but Angela Lansbury rocks. And Christine Baranski wasn't bad in the revival, either.
79. All that Jazz (1979) - Hooray for Fosse choreography. But Roy Scheider? Sadly, I own this one on VHS, too.
78. Hedwig And The Angry Inch (2001)
77. Porgy And Bess (1959) - William Warfield, who sang for Sidney Poitier, was from my home town.
76. Dancer in the Dark (2000)
75. Dil Se (1998)
74. Shall We Dance? (1937) - I think the rollerskating routine ("Isn't it a Lovely Day (to be caught in the rain)?") is over-rated, actually. The scene where Astaire pretends not to be able to dance, now....classic stuff.
73. Half A Sixpence (1967)
72. Godspell (1973) - Film sucked. Stage show, however, was done by my high school...two years before I was in high school. I still helped run lights.
71. Show Boat (1951) - It took me a long time and multiple viewings to appreciate this story. But it's got one of my mother's favourite songs - "Can't Help Lovin' That Man". Which perhaps says a lot about my mother, but it's a fabulous torch song.
70. Gigi (1958) - Love Gigi. Love what Tulip has to say about Gigi in "Preacher" (I think it was Tulip), about how her mother used to make her watch Gigi. Or am I thinking of some other strong heroine in different media? Anyway, the quote has to do with Gigi teaching women self-reliance. I think it has more to do with teaching women how to twist a man into a pretzel, but then I think we should all be able to do that now and then. Anyway, it's good.
69. The Producers (1968) - Ah, I'm glad this is the film, and not the stage version. I much prefer the film. The film is classic - although it does get a tiny bit out of control, like most Mel Brooks films have a habit of doing, before reaching its inevitable (and hilarious) conclusion. Gene Wilder is a God, and Matthew Broderick just can't hold a candle to him.
68. Kiss Me Kate (1953) - Did you know that Kathryn Grayson broke her hand slapping Howard Keel during filming? I played Lilli in a 1998 production. Let me tell you, my shoulders hurt from carrying that show. My leading man was great, if only the music director had lowered some of the keys for him.
67. Doctor Dolittle (1967)
66. Gypsy (1962) - Another musical I love. I've always wanted to play Louise.
65. The Jazz Singer (1927) - Never saw the original (should correct that). Only the drecky one with Neil Diamond and Laurence Olivier.
64. Easter Parade (1948) - gods help me.
63. Jailhouse Rock (1957)
62. Sweet Charity (1969)
61. Scrooge (1970) - You know, I actually really like this musical. It has a lot going for it. But then I bought it on VHS (trust me, it was cheap), and saw the whole thing for the first time. See, I'd only ever seen it on television, and it was cut to shreds then. Watching it, with all its post-modernist weird, trying to be avant-garde film-making pretension, brought it down a notch. That and Alec Guinness just *cannot* sing. Finney at least can fake it.
60. Top Hat (1935) - Classic, classic, classic. Needless to say, own it.
59. Funny Girl (1968)
58. An American In Paris (1951) - Hate the French guy, love Gene Kelley. Actually own this on VHS and DVD. VHS will go in garage sale this spring. Famous as well for the longest ballet sequence in a non-ballet film in its time.
57. Paint Your Wagon (1969) - Who can resist Clint Eastwood singing?
56. Meet me in St Louis (1944) - Hooray for Judy in one of her best roles ever. Also gets an honorary three hankie award for the most tear-jerking moments in a musical.
55. Hair (1979)
54. On The Town (1949) - I love this musical, but wish that they had not cut so many of the numbers when filming. I mean shredded. What a hack job.
53. Cinderella (1950) - Played a stepsister in a very scaled-down cabaret version of this when I was... 13 or so.
52. Carmen Jones
51. Thoroughly Modern Millie (1967)
50. Hello Dolly (1969) - That Jerry Herman. I love the extra song he wrote for Streisand: "Love is Only Love." I'm not sure it's possible for Jerry Herman to write a bad song. I wasn't exactly in any productions of Dolly, but I did play Dolly in some scenes from "The Matchmaker" in high school.
49. Muppets Take Manhattan (1984) - I'm with
heidi8 - why this and not The Muppet Movie? I'm glad something of Henson's made it on the list, though. Henson was a genius and this should be reflected in many places.48. Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953)
47. Summer Holiday (1963) - ?
46. A Chorus Line (1985) - Saw it on my birthday, in fact. I was seven and my mother's co-workers were scandalized that she'd take me to something with that kind of "language". The only thing I didn't understand in the whole show was what gonorrhea was. Ahem. Anyway, I had a great and t00by fascination with this show, as did most of my generation in school. Lost track of how many bloody times we sang "What I did for Love" and I also got to sing "Nothing" and do Cassie's "Music and the Mirror" at concerts once. Oy, what a swotty thing I was.
45. A Star Is Born (Judy Garland) (1954) - Not ever all the way through, no, and I should really fix that.
44. Tommy (1975) - I was a little too young for the Who when this was really popular. Then it wasn't my kind of music... and then there was the weird, but true, story. I'm getting there.
43. Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937) - And I've got this on VHS. Haven't bothered with the DVD yet.
42. Starlight Express - This was another of those "British Invasion" musicals I had to study for my Jr. I.S. Stinky show. Really awful. I mean. But I guess it's on here because the staging broke some boundaries. I do remember bursting out in laughter at one of the songs - the country one, I think.
41. Carousel (1956) - Another one that every American high school has done at one time or another...except my stupid school. Thanks.
40. 8 Mile (2002) - Excuse me? This is a joke, right?
39. South Pacific (1958) - Whoo. Yes, always hire an Italian to play a Frenchman. Still. Rogers and Hammerstein had balls. They really did. And Bali H'ai has got to be one of the most beautiful songs ever.
38. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) - Saw it, loved it, own it on DVD (since my VHS tape died). Brilliant. Did you know that the entire score uses 8 tonic elements and there's only about 3 major chords in the whole thing? Brilliant.
37. White Christmas (1954) - Yeah, really sappy. But better than Holiday Inn.
36. Guys and Dolls (1955)
35. Oklahoma (1955) - Yet *another* one every high school attempts. My mother saw this in the original production on Broadway, with John Raitt. She saw it like 20 times, on Broadway. Little did she know that we would be forced to endure it time and again in school auditoriums everywhere.
34. High Society (1956) - Absolutely. Have this one, too. What I love about this film is the symbolic way Bing Crosby hands the keys to the kingdom to Frank Sinatra. It really captures the shift from one generation's idol to the next one's.
33. Fiddler on the Roof (1971) - Topol was no Zero. That's all I'm saying.
32. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)
31. Blood Brothers - Ack! No! Horrible show.
30. Cats (1981-2002) - Okay, I admit it. I've seen this either three or four times. The first time was a permanent mount - I wasn't going to waste my time on a touring company where the set wouldn't be as good. Went up to Toronto for it. The other times were times when I was given tickets or invited at the last minute to tours. Sang "Memory" in school concerts a couple times, damn song followed me all over the fucking place. Yes, it's t00by. Eh. But I will admit that I really liked the show for a variety of reasons, mainly the athleticism of the dancers and their supreme ability to sing and dance, and the amazing choreography. I still have the bits of a "Mister Mistofelees" costume that I've used more than once, and my former cat (a girl, black except for one white spot at her throat) was named "Miss Tofflees". Sue me, I was 16. One thing I never got was why no one saw that there really *was* a plot, but I could get even more boring if I got into that, and there's 29 to go.
29. Fame (1980) - Oh, yeah. Another icon of my generation. And the TV show (Debbie Allen is a goddess). And then we got our *own* School of the Arts in town and everyone who went there was a complete asshole. No, thanks.
28. Jesus Christ Superstar (1973) - The movie is a bit wacked, but I love the music. And the fair shot Pilate gets.
27. Jungle Book (1967) - Okay, Phil Harris is amazing as Baloo and Louis Armstrong did his thang, and who can resist Sebastian Cabot. It was the heyday of Disney animated features, but... why this one and not, say, Robin Hood or Pete's Dragon?
26. Annie (1982) - Saw this one in Buffalo when I was about 8. Back when every aspiring child actress wanted to *be* Annie (except I wanted to be Miss Hannigan). The movie version sucked sweaty balls, despite the talent, but the recent Disney version with Victor Garber was not too bad.
25. Calamity Jane (1953)
24. The Blues Brothers (1980) - The Band... we'll put back together the Band! We're on a mission from God. How much for the women? Oh, so quotable. Great music, too. And Belushi and Ackroyd do their own singing.
23. The King And I (1956) - Again, the film was visually stunning, but they butchered the musical numbers all to hell and back. "Something Wonderful" always makes me cry, though, dammit. Sniff. Yul Brynner - got to see him in the role, actually, on tour, in Buffalo.
22. Evita (1996) - I really thought this was a credible job. I loved seeing Pryce (who played Che in London) be able to change roles with maturity and play Peron. And Antonio... Madonna wasn't even half bad. No Patty Lupone, though.
21. Little Shop Of Horrors (1986) - Words cannot express my love for this show.
20. Phantom Of The Opera - It was a very short-lived phase, but I *never* cared for Sarah fucking Brightman. It was all about Crawford.
19. Bugsy Malone (1976) - To my horror, I have seen this. But why the heck is it here? More importantly, why is it #19?
18. Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat
17. Cabaret (1972) - Never seen the film, though I should correct that. Used to sing "Maybe This Time" and really would have liked to have seen Alan Cumming in the revival.
16. Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971 - Wonkatize! Possibly Gene Wilder's best role ever. I played Charlie's mother in 6th grade - and was devastated to learn after being cast that it was a non-musical version of the show.
15. Les Miserables - I waited 12 years to see this show, for a time when I could see it with Colm Wilkinson as Valjean. He did a final tour in 1998, that came through Toronto, and I bought tickets without giving it a second thought. It was worth it. I probably won't ever see it again, because without him, it's just not the same.
14. The Lion King (1994)
13. Buffy The Vampire Slayer - Once More With Feeling - So give me something to sing about!
12. My Fair Lady (1964) - Was not cast in a production of this back in 1999, which was just as well because that's when the bastard and the whore screwed (literally) our lives up to Hell and back. But it's a regret, and I'll always appreciate John, who was cast as Higgins, saying to me at an audition the following spring, 'Where the heck were you? I needed a real leading lady opposite me!' Oh, well. Another one for someday.
11. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) - Okay, must tell story about this one. This was the first feature-length film I ever saw in the movies. I was 18 months old. My mother didn't realise it was 2 1/2 hours long, and instantly worried that I'd get fussy and we'd have to leave. No worries, Mom. I was riveted. She also thought I wouldn't remember. Hah. The theatre was on the corner about three blocks from our house (where it still stands), and for *years* every time we went past it, little Gwen piped up, "That's where we saw "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, isn't it, Mom?" Ah, kids.
10. Moulin Rouge (2001) - Saw it twice. Liked it, but not to excess. Was most impressed by the Roxanne passo doble and the creative use of Queen. Still would like to see the original, too.
9. Oliver! (1968)
8. Chicago (2002) - I do have this on DVD, mostly because I liked the treatment. No, it's not Fosse. But then, no one can do Fosse but Fosse, and I respect Marshall's decision to move away from the legend's choreography in order to create something very new and different. I thought the lighting was especially great, particularly in the Cell Block Tango and I Can't Do it Alone.
7. The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) - Of course. Let's do the Time Warp. The first time I ever went to see this (I'm talking VIRGIN, here), I narrowly escaped being cast as Janet. Thank the gods for small favours.
6. Singin' In The Rain (1952) - Only number 6? One of the best movie musicals ever made. I also got to see the stage version of this.
5. Mary Poppins (1964)
4. West Side Story (1961)
3. The Wizard Of Oz (1939)
2. The Sound Of Music (1965) - They cut my favourite number.
1. Grease (1978)
Hm. Lots missing. Sunday in the Park with George, Follies, Mame. I think this list is skewed, but can't figure out how it got there. Anyone have information on who actually put the special together? Maybe it's like "AFI" where they have a heavy tendency to favour films by their member studios?
no subject
Channel 4 here in the UK; the nominations and order are apparently due to The Great British Public. God bless us every one.