The next great musical I discovered was West Side Story after I saw a High School production when I was in 9th grade. That was the first of two Best Picture winning musicals I saw that year. Chicago premiered late in 2002 and would go on to win the top prize at that year's Academy Awards. Along with Moulin Rouge! the previous year, which was also a Best Picture nominee, Chicago represented a 21st century renaissance for the movie musical, which, excluding the Disney renaissance, had almost completely disappeared in the 80s and 90s. Before Chicago's Best Picture win, the last musical to take the top prize was Oliver! in 1968, the 4th musical to win Best Picture in that decade. Certainly, times have changed.
But here we are in 2016, possibly looking at another renaissance for the movie musical. We already got Sing Street, the 3rd and possibly best movie from writer/director John Carney(Once, Begin Again). And in the winter we'll get 2 movies that could become instant classics in the musical genre. Up first, in November, it's Moana, continuing Walt Disney Animation's new musical renaissance after The Princess and the Frog, Tangled, and Frozen. Moana is directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, the same duo behind The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, with The Lion King and Tarzan composer Mark Mancina working alongside the hottest lyricist of the moment and certified genius Lin-Manuel Miranda, so the question really is: Exactly how HUGE will this picture be for Disney? I can't wait to find out!
Then in December, we get Damien Chazelle's follow-up to the Oscar-winning Whiplash, La La Land. It's gotten nothing but rave reviews coming out of the film festival circuit of Venice, Telluride, and Toronto, and it's looking like an early Oscars frontrunner as the race starts to heat up. I already mentioned the history of Best Picture winning musicals(10 in total), so it wouldn't surprise me if La La Land joins those ranks. We already know that Oscars voters love Chazelle's work(Whiplash won 3 Oscars). Now, I didn't love Whiplash as much as those Oscars voters and many others, but I definitely recognized Chazelle's potential in what was a very enjoyable film. From everything I've seen and read about La La Land so far, I absolutely can't wait to see it as well!
In Moana and La La Land, we have 2 very different genres within the musical genre: Animation/Family and Romantic Drama. With Sing Street we got Coming-of-Age. Do you like High School movies? There's Hairspray and Grease, among others. Do you like Nazis? Probably not, unless you're a Trump supporter, but if you like dramas featuring Nazis then you probably enjoy The Sound of Music and Cabaret. Do you like movies about show business? Then you'd probably enjoy Funny Girl, The Band Wagon, and Singin' in the Rain. Do you like Audrey Hepburn? Who doesn't, right? Then you've probably already seen Funny Face and My Fair Lady.
There really is something for everyone in the musical genre. Even Horror movie fans can enjoy some blood and gore in films like Sweeney Todd. Now, Sweeney Todd didn't make my list, but my Top 30 list does feature a movie with "Nightmare" in the title, plus 2 others that actually include the word "Horror" in their respective titles. Not coincidentally, that's where we're gonna start this countdown.
Before we do that, I've prepared a list of my 100 Greatest Music Moments in Movies as a perfect companion to this countdown. So just click on that link in the previous sentence before or after you read the 30 Best Movie Musicals countdown to see where I ranked most of the moments that I mention here, with video clips included. Enjoy!
30) The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975) (dir. Jim Sharman)
Known For: An homage to classic Sci-Fi/Horror films. The cult following. The midnight screenings. Riff Raff. Rocky Horror. Tim Curry in drag in his first feature film role. One of Susan Sarandon's earliest roles.
Best Music Moments: "Science Fiction/Double Feature" , "Time Warp" , "Dammit Janet" , "Sweet Transvestite" , "Touch-a Touch-a Touch Me"
29) Sing Street (2016) (dir. John Carney)
Known For: Writer/director John Carney's 3rd musical. Being one of my Favorite Movies of 2016 So Far. The mid 80s Dublin setting, complete with wardrobe and music of the era. The brotherly love storyline. The anti-establishment/religion theme. The coming-of-age love story. "Happy-Sad"
Best Music Moments: "Up" , "Drive it Like You Stole It" , "Brown Shoes" , "Go Now" , "Beautiful Sea"
28) Cabaret (1972) (dir. Bob Fosse)
Known For: Liza! Who won the Oscar her mother(Judy Garland) never got(more on that later) for playing Ms. Sally Bowles. Fosse! Who I love(more from him coming up), but who definitely didn't deserve to win Best Director ahead of Francis Ford Coppola for The Godfather. Grey! Who's great as the Master of Ceremonies, but who definitely didn't deserve to win Best Supporting Actor ahead of James Caan in The Godfather, or Robert Duvall in The Godfather, or Al Pacino in The Godfather, who should've won Best Actor that year but was erroneously nominated in the Supporting category. In all, Cabaret won 8 Oscars that year, 5 more than The Godfather got. Cabaret is still good, it's just not The Godfather, is all I'm trying to say.
Best Music Moments: "Wilkommen" , "Tomorrow Belongs to Me" , "Maybe This Time" , "Money, Money" , "Mein Herr" , "Cabaret"
27) The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) (dir. Henry Selick)
Known For: Everyone thinking Tim Burton directed it(He co-wrote and co-produced it from his original idea). Everyone forgetting this is a Disney movie. Oscar nominated for Best Visual Effects. Golden Globe nominated for Best Original Score. The only movie I know that's perfect to watch on Halloween and Christmas. The cult following. Jack Skellington. Jack Skellington T-Shirts. He's basically the Bob Marley/Che Guevara of the emo/goth crowd.
Best Music Moments: "This is Halloween" , "Jack's Lament" , "What's This?" , "Jack's Obsession" , "Oogie Boogie's Song"
Best Music Moments: "This is Halloween" , "Jack's Lament" , "What's This?" , "Jack's Obsession" , "Oogie Boogie's Song"
26) Funny Girl (1968) (dir. William Wyler)
Known For: Barbra's Oscar win(tied with Katharine Hepburn), coming in her feature film debut. "Hello, Gorgeous". Best Picture nominee. Based on the real life story of Fanny Brice. The upside down "funny girl" on the poster.
Best Music Moments: "Don't Rain on My Parade" , "If a Girl Isn't Pretty" , "I'm the Greatest Star" , "His Love Makes Me Beautiful" , "People" , "Funny Girl"
25) The Band Wagon (1953) (dir. Vincente Minnelli)
Known For: Fred Astaire dancing with Cyd Charisse. The great behind the scenes look at theater life. "That's Entertainment!". Nominated for 3 Oscars.
Best Music Moments: "By Myself" , "A Shine on Your Shoes" , "That's Entertainment" , "Dancing in the Dark" , "You and the Night and the Music" , "The Girl Hunt"
24) Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (dir. Frank Oz)
Known For: Non-Disney Ashman & Menken collaboration adapted from their off-Broadway stage play. The greek chorus. Audrey II, the big green thing on the poster. Oscar nominee for Best Visual Effects because of Audrey II. Levi Stubbs's great voice work as Audrey II. Speaking of voices, Ellen Greene's peculiar voice as Audrey. Cameos from: Christopher Guest, Jim Belushi, Frank Oz, John Candy, Steve Martin, and Bill Murray.
Best Music Moments: "Prologue(Little Shop of Horrors)" , "Skid Row(Downtown)" , "Da-Doo" , "Somewhere That's Green" , "Feed Me(Git it)" , "Suddenly, Seymour" , "Mean Green Mother From Outer Space"
23) Funny Face (1957) (dir. Stanley Donen)
Known For: Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire, need I say more? The Oscar nominated costume design by the legendary Edith Head. Audrey Hepburn's now iconic crazy dance in her all black attire. The "frumpy to fabulous" storyline, as seen in Hepburn's other famous musical, My Fair Lady. The Paris setting.
Best Music Moments: "Think Pink!" , "Funny Face" , "Bonjour, Paris" , "'S Wonderful" , "How Long Has This Been Going On?" , "On How To Be Lovely" , "Clap Yo' Hands"
22) A Goofy Movie (1995) (dir. Kevin Lima)
Known For: Being the most underrated movie in the Disney Animation canon. The movie where Goofy has a teenage son. Being a very solid High School movie, Coming-of-Age movie, Father & Son movie, and Road Trip movie, not to mention a very solid musical. "Powerline", the James Brown/Michael Jackson/Prince video in animated character form.
Best Music Moments: "After Today" , "Stand Out" , "On the Open Road" , "Nobody Else But You" , "I 2 I"
21) Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971) (dir. Mel Stuart)
Known For: Gene Wilder's(RIP) iconic performance as Willy Wonka. Entering the chocolate factory. The Oompa-Loompas. Roald Dahl adapting his own classic book, becoming a classic children's film in the process. The totally unnecessary and inferior Tim Burton/Johnny Depp remake. "You get nothing! You lose! Good day, sir!".
Best Music Moments: "Pure Imagination" , "(I've Got a) Golden Ticket", "Oompa-Loompa-Doompa-De-Do" , "Cheer Up, Charlie" , "The Candy Man" , "I Want it Now!" , "Wondrous Boat Ride"
20) My Fair Lady (1964) (dir. George Cukor)
Known For: Adaptation of the classic Broadway musical. Won 8 Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, out of a total 12 nominations, but no nomination for Audrey Hepburn. "Move your bloomin' arse!". Most of Audrey Hepburn's singing being dubbed by Marni Nixon.
Best Music Moments: "Wouldn't it Be Loverly" , "With a Little Bit of Luck" , "Just You Wait" , "The Rain in Spain" , "I Could've Danced All Night" , "Get Me To The Church On Time"
19) Once (2007) (dir. John Carney)
Known For: John Carney's first feature film. The unnamed protagonists, played by real life musicians Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova. The "not-so-happy" happy ending. Oscar winner for Best Original Song. The extremely low production budget. The film's success led to a Broadway adaptation.
Best Music Moments: "Falling Slowly" , "When Your Mind's Made Up" , "Say it To Me Now" , "If You Want Me" , "Lies"
18) South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (1999) (dir. Trey Parker)
Known For: Trey Parker and Matt Stone's adaptation of their animated television series. Getting around the censors to keep an R rating. A lot of f-words. The double entendre they managed to get past the censors in the title. War against Canada. Satan and Saddam Hussein, when he was still alive, in a same sex relationship in hell. Oscar nominee for Best Original Song.
Best Music Moments: "Blame Canada" , "Kyle's Mom's a Bitch" , "What Would Brian Boitano Do?" , "Mountain Town" , "Uncle Fucka" , "Up There" , "La Resistance"
17) Hairspray (2007) (dir. Adam Shankman)
Known For: Remake of the 1988 original. The outstanding ensemble cast, which was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Best Ensemble Cast award, and actually won that same award from the Broadcast Film Critics. John Travolta as Edna Turnblad. The racial equality storyline.
Best Music Moments: "You Can't Stop the Beat" , "Good Morning, Baltimore" , "Welcome to the 60s" , "Run and Tell That", "Ladies' Choice" , "The Nicest Kids in Town" , "Without Love"
16) Aladdin (1992) (dir. Ron Clements and John Musker)
Known For: Robin Williams's iconic Genie, for which he was recognized with a special Golden Globe award. Robin Williams, for better or worse, starting the trend of having A-Listers do voice over work in animated movies. Winner of 2 Academy Awards for Best Original Song("A Whole New World") and Best Original Score. Contains Howard Ashman's last completed songs which include "Arabian Nights", "Prince Ali", and "Friend Like Me".
Best Music Moments: "Arabian Nights" , "Friend Like Me" , "One Jump Ahead" , "A Whole New World" , "Prince Ali"
15) An American in Paris (1951) (dir. Vincente Minnelli)
Known For: Winner of 6 Oscars, including Best Picture. Gene Kelly dancing, and also directing some scenes. The 17 minute ballet that closes the film, inspired by the ballet in The Red Shoes. Leslie Caron's first film role.
Best Music Moments: "Our Love is Here To Stay" , "By Strauss" , "I Got Rhythm" , "'S Wonderful", "Tra-La-La(This Time It's Really Love)"
14) The Little Mermaid (1989) (dir. Ron Clements and John Musker)
Known For: Kickstarting the Disney Animation renaissance that produced a string of All-Time classics in the genre. Bringing in Howard Ashman and Alan Menken who realized that musical theater and animation were a perfect mix. Ariel representing a new brand of strong-willed and independent Disney princesses. Sebastian, the Jamaican conductor crab, who's also aide to King Triton. The villain Ursula, famously based on drag performer Divine. Winner of 2 Oscars for Best Original Song("Under the Sea") and Best Original Score.
Best Music Moments: "Under the Sea" , "Part of Your World" , "Kiss the Girl" , "Poor Unfortunate Souls"
13) La La Land (2016) (dir. Damien Chazelle)
Known For: Winning, and then losing, Best Picture in the biggest Oscars screw-up ever. Aside from that, winning 6 Oscars, including Best Director for Damien Chazelle, making him the youngest winner ever in that category at the Academy Awards. Being a modern tribute to the classic musicals from Hollywood's Golden Age. The show(and traffic)stopping opening number. That guy jumping into the pool in the "Someone in the Crowd" party scene. The Astaire/Rogers homage at magic hour(as seen on the poster above). The planetarium dance amongst the stars. The "It's a Wonderful Life"-style ending, but in reverse, where "Mia"(Emma Stone) and "Sebastian"(Ryan Gosling) experience what their relationship could've been like if they had done everything right in real life.
Best Music Moments: "Another Day of Sun" , "Someone in the Crowd" , "A Lovely Night" , "City of Stars" , "Audition(The Fools Who Dream)"
12) Frozen (2013) (dir. Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee)
Known For: Being the biggest Box Office hit in Disney's history. Won 2 Oscars for Best Original Song("Let it Go") and Best Animated Feature, Walt Disney Animation's first win in the category since it was created in 2001. The sisterly love storyline between Anna and Elsa. The Ice Palace. Olaf, the talking snowman who loves summer.
Best Music Moments: "Let it Go" , Do You Want To Build a Snowman?" , "For the First Time in Forever" , "In Summer" , "Fixer Upper"
11) Chicago (2002) (dir. Rob Marshall)
Known For: Won 6 Oscars, including Best Picture, out of 13 total nominations. Screen adaptation of the broadway musical created by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb. Great ensemble cast, with 4 actors, Renee Zellweger, John C. Reilly, Queen Latifah, and Catherine Zeta-Jones(who won), receiving Oscar nominations.
Best Music Moments: "All That Jazz" , "Cell Block Tango" , "Funny Honey" , "We Both Reached For the Gun" , "Roxie" , "Mr. Cellophane" , "Razzle Dazzle"
10) The Sound of Music (1965) (dir. Robert Wise)
Known For: Won 5 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Julie Andrews as Maria. The Von Trapp Family Singers. Nazis. "The Hills Are Alive". "Do Re Mi" teaching kids to sing since 1965.
Best Music Moments: "The Sound of Music" , "Do Re Mi" , "Sixteen Going on Seventeen" , "Edelweiss" , "Climb Ev'ry Mountain" , "So Long, Farewell" , "Maria" , "My Favorite Things"
9) Grease (1978) (Randal Kleiser)
Known For: Screen adaptation of the hit Broadway musical. The T-Birds. The Pink Ladies. Oscar nominee for Best Original Song("Hopelessly Devoted To You"). The dance contest. Zuko, Rizzo, Sandy, Kenickie, Frenchy, all played by actors in their late 20s/early 30s. The highest grossing movie at the Box Office in 1978.
Best Music Moments: "Grease" , "Summer Nights" , "Hopelessly Devoted To You" , "Look At Me I'm Sandra Dee" , "Beauty School Drop Out" , "Greased Lightning" , "You're The One That I Want"
8) All That Jazz (1979) (dir. Bob Fosse)
Known For: Received 9 total Oscar nominations, including for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor, winning 4 for Best Editing, Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Song Score. Roy Scheider's excellent performance as Joe Gideon, who's basically Fosse but with a different name. Jessica Lange as "Angelique". "It's Showtime". One of many films inspired by Fellini's 8 1/2. One of the best movies about death. One of the best movies about Broadway.
Best Music Moments: "On Broadway" , "Take Off With Us" , "Bye Bye Life" , "After You've Gone" , "You Better Change Your Ways" , "Who's Sorry Now?" , "Some of These Days"
7) Moulin Rouge! (2001) (dir. Baz Luhrmann)
Known For: Nominated for 8 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Actress, winning 2 for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration and Best Costume Design. Breathed new life into the musical genre after it had been almost dormant for the previous 20 years. The eclectic mix of pop music covers, without which Glee never exists. The dizzying atmosphere created by Luhrmann inside and outside the Moulin Rouge. Nicole Kidman's excellent performance as Satine. Ewan McGregor singing "Your Song"(Me and my wife's wedding song because of this performance).
Best Music Moments: "Your Song" , "Elephant Love Medley" , "Come What May" , "Sparkling Diamonds" , "One Day I'll Fly Away" , "Roxanne" , "The Show Must Go On"
6) West Side Story (1961) (dir. Jerome Robbins and Robert Wise)
Known For: Won 10 Oscars, out of 11 total nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director(One of only two films ever to win the award for a directing duo). The choreography. The Jets. The Sharks. The Romeo and Juliet retelling. The rumble. Rita Moreno's Oscar winning performance as Anita. Natalie Wood's singing dubbed by Marnie Nixon.
Best Music Moments: "Jet Song" , "Maria" , "I Feel Pretty" , "America" , "Tonight" , "Somewhere" , "Cool" , "A Boy Like That"
5) Top Hat (1935) (dir. Mark Sandrich)
Known For: Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, in their 4th movie together. Nominated for 4 Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Song("Cheek to Cheek"). The classic mistaken identity storyline. "You see, every once in a while, I suddenly find myself ... dancing".
Best Music Moments: "No Strings(I'm Fancy Free)" , "Isn't This a Lovely Day(To Be Caught in the Rain)" , "Cheek to Cheek" , "Top Hat, White Tie, and Tails" , "The Piccolino"
4) Beauty and the Beast (1991) (dir. Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise)
Known For: The first animated feature ever nominated for Best Picture. Won 2 Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song("Beauty and the Beast"). Jerry Orbach as Lumiere. Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts. Belle, who's never actually a princess at any point during the movie. The Beast, with great voice work by Robby Benson. The Ballroom dance scene. The opening scene.
Best Music Moments: "Belle" , "Be Our Guest" , "Gaston" , "Something There" , "Beauty and the Beast" , "The Mob Song"
3) The Wizard of Oz (1939) (dir. Victor Fleming)
Known For: Probably the most iconic children's movie of all time. The Tin Man. The Scarecrow. The Cowardly Lion. The Wicked Witch of the West. Judy Garland as Dorothy. The Ruby Slippers. The twister. "Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore". "I'll get you my pretty, and your little dog too". Munchkinland. Emerald City. Glinda the Good Witch. The Great and Powerful Oz. "Pay no attention to that man behind the curtains". Flying Monkeys. "There's no place like home".Nominated for 6 Oscars, including Best Picture, winning 2 for Best Original Score and Best Original Song("Over the Rainbow").
Best Music Moments: "Over the Rainbow" , "Munchkinland Medley" , "Follow the Yellow Brick Road" , "If I Only Had A Brain" , "We're Off To See The Wizard" , "The Merry Old Land of Oz"
2) The Lion King (1994) (dir. Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff)
Known For: The moment the Disney renaissance hit its peak. Won 2 Oscars for Best Original Score and Best Original Song("Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"). Also nominated for "Circle of Life" and "Hakuna Matata". This was my favorite Disney soundtrack when I was a kid. James Earl Jones as Mufasa is in the running for greatest movie dad ever. Mufasa's death scene is one of the saddest scenes in film history for me. Jeremy Irons as Scar is one of the greatest movie villains ever. Matthew Broderick as Simba. Nathan Lane as Timon. The "Circle of Life" scene is one of the greatest opening scenes in a movie ever. In conclusion, this is one of the greatest movies I've ever seen.
Best Music Moments: "Circle of Life" , "I Just Can't Wait To Be King" , "Be Prepared" , "Hakuna Matata" , "Can You Feel The Love Tonight?"
1) Singin' in the Rain (1952) (dir. Stanley Donen and Gene Kelly)
Known For: Gene Kelly, again. Gene Kelly singing and dancing in the rain, in what is my favorite movie scene of all time. My ultimate feel good movie. I love the behind the scenes look at Hollywood during the transition from silent pictures to talkies. I love Debbie Reynolds as Kathy Selden. I love Donald O'Connor and his rubber face as Cosmo Brown. I love Jean Hagen as Lina Lamont("And I can't stand 'im"), the only one of the main cast to receive an Oscar nomination. In fact, the film, widely regarded as the greatest musical ever made(I'm with the consensus on this one), only received 2 Oscar nominations.
Best Music Moments: "Fit as a Fiddle" , "All I Do Is Dream of You" , "Make 'em Laugh" , "You Were Meant For Me" , "Moses Supposes" , "Good Morning" , "Singin' in the Rain", "You Are My Lucky Star"
