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What makes a movie a "Musical"?
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantCadetStimpy
Registered: April 7, 2007
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I was recently doing a filtered search for "Musicals", and one of the results was, "The Blues Brothers".  I didn't flag this to be in the Musical category, as it didn't really strike me as a Musical.  Is that because the original person that added it to the Database flagged it as a Musical, or is it from some sort of general consensus?

Also, is there an official definition, and/or set of criteria that defines a movie as a Musical?
Mike
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Quoting CadetStimpy:
Quote:
Also, is there an official definition, and/or set of criteria that defines a movie as a Musical?

Doubtless there are many "official" definitions.  Were i creating the profile it probably wouldn't have occurred to me to categorize The Blues Brothers as a musical but i can understand where others would.

I wouldn't object if i saw it added as a genre.  Which it sounds like someone already did.
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorLostmule
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Registered: December 3, 2008
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First ones that comes to mind:

- Les parapluies de Cherbourg (French)
- Singin in the rain (USA)

Those two movies are sang from start to finish, therefore I would include them into musical for sure...

Others I would be tempted to put in the same category would be things like (even if they are not sang from the first word to the last):

- Blue Brothers (USA)
- The Sound of Music (USA)
- The Magician of OZ (USA)

indeed.. tough.. 'common sense?' ;-)

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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantCalebAndCo
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Registered: October 6, 2008
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I would personally classify a film or play as a musical if songs are used as part of the narrative (in place of dialogue or monologue).  In a musical, the words sung are meant to be considered as if they were spoken.  Musical performances during the movie or a song as background for a scene don't make it a musical.
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorMithi
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Registered: March 13, 2007
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Quoting CalebAndCo:
Quote:
I would personally classify a film or play as a musical if songs are used as part of the narrative (in place of dialogue or monologue).  In a musical, the words sung are meant to be considered as if they were spoken.  Musical performances during the movie or a song as background for a scene don't make it a musical.

My thoughts exactly ... so "Blues Brothers" wouldn't be a musical for me.
Then again, genre is a can of worms anyways.

cya, Mithi
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Aretha Franklin talked and sang her way thru the diner sequence and then there is the scenes with James Brown, at the Pulpit .

of course it is a musical .. 

Now you want a film genre of just Music only .., That would fit the 'genre'  of the concert itself, of Jake and Elwood 's performance's  on stage..
So technically it would be both Music and Musical (and of course comedy .. )
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...and action.  That was a whole bunch of wrecked cop cars. 
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar ContributorLord Of The Sith
Registered: March 17, 2007
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I think there are a lot of valid points here.  I would have to say that when a musical number replaces spoken dialogue would be the best barometer.

The examples I have would be:
Alice In Wonderland
Annie
Cabaret
Chicago
Fiddler On The Roof
Gigi
Hello Dolly
Little Shop Of Horrors
My Fair Lady
The Producers
The Sound Of Music
The King And I
Sweeney Todd
Phantom Of The Opera
The Wizard Of OZ
and almost any Disney cartoon
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantBattling Butler
Registered: March 13, 2007
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Rocky Horror Picture Show ?
DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorwidescreenforever
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Bye Bye Birdie ..  ??  My favourite .. 
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Terry
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Registered: March 13, 2007
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To answer the original question, this is from the official Blues Brothers Movie site (click on the 'The Movie' link):

Quote:
Comedy icons John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star in the outrageously funny musical comedy about Jake and Elwood Blues, two brothers searching for redemption with no money but a briefcase full of soul.


This definition is from Wikipedia:
Quote:
The musical film is a film genre in which several songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative. The songs are used to advance the plot or develop the film's characters. A subgenre of the musical film is the musical comedy, which includes a strong element of humour as well as the usual music, dancing and storyline.
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DVD Profiler Desktop and Mobile RegistrantStar ContributorFunkyLA
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Star Wars.... The Musical??

Oh - you mean films, not theatre 
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DVD Profiler Unlimited RegistrantStar Contributorstevegblair
Registered: March 14, 2007
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Quoting Unicus69:
Quote:
To answer the original question, this is from the official Blues Brothers Movie site (click on the 'The Movie' link):

Quote:
Comedy icons John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd star in the outrageously funny musical comedy about Jake and Elwood Blues, two brothers searching for redemption with no money but a briefcase full of soul.


This definition is from Wikipedia:
Quote:
The musical film is a film genre in which several songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative. The songs are used to advance the plot or develop the film's characters. A subgenre of the musical film is the musical comedy, which includes a strong element of humour as well as the usual music, dancing and storyline.


Also, if I'm not mistaken, the director refers to it as a musical during the special features on the disc...
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