SING YOUR HEART OUT WITH THESE MUSIC FILMS IN SELF-ISOLATION

The hills come alive with the sound of music! 

Sing along to this classic favourite – the kids will love it. The film is an adaptation of the 1959 stage musical, the film is about a young Austrian postulant in Salzburg, Austria in 1938, who is sent to the villa of a retired navel officer and widower to be governess to his seven  children. After bringing love and music into the lives of the family, she marries the officer and together with the children find a way to survive the loss of their homeland to the Nazis.

Starring: Julie Andrews

It’s astounding, time is fleeting
Madness takes its toll…

Sounds about right at the moment. Let’s do the Time Warp again! Written by Richard O´Brian, the story follows newly engaged couple Janet and Brad who, after breaking down with their car in an isolated area, seek shelter at the bizarre residence of Dr. Frank-n-Furter. This movie is the definition of a cult classic, featuring songs like “ Sweet transvestite” and “ Time wrap”.

Starring: Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon

You’re the one that I want…

Oh – who doesn’t love the romantic hits from this classic? This romantic comedy film is based on the 1971 musical of the same name and reflects on the lives of Danny Zuko and Australian transfer student Sandy Olsson who develop an attraction for each other. Wonderful songs such as “ Sandy”, “Summer Nights”,  “ You are the One that I Want”  and “ Hopelessly Devoted to You”  were often the secretly sung melodies when I was young.

Starring: Olivia Newton-John, John travolta, Stockard Chenning

FAME! I’m going to live forever…

If you don’t know the theme song, you’re to young to be reading this blog (just kidding). The lives of students at New York City’s High School of the Performing Arts is chronicled in this teen meets musical movie. From auditions to their freshman, sophomore, junior and senior years, the movie showed the different struggles and successes of the students.

Starring: Eddie Barth, Irene Cara, Lee Curreri

Papa can you hear me?

Such a beautiful film – with the beautiful voice of Barbra Streisand. After her father dies, a young Jewish girl disguises herself as a boy to get into Yeshiva, religious study school. Things get difficult when she falls in love with her classmate, who then asks her to do him a massive favour that could jeopardise everything. Unforgettable songs like “ Papa can you hear me” or “ A piece of the sky” have reached international fame.

Starring: Barbra Streisand, Mandy Patinkin

I hope I get it…

Believe it or not, but we’ve not actually seen this one.  It’s going on the next movie night list now. This Broadway musical ran 6,137 performances, becoming the longest-running production in Broadway history until surpassed by CATS in 1997. Its success made it the perfect musical drama film directed by Richard Attenborough. 

A group of dancers congregate o the stage of a Broadway theatre to audition for a new musical production and after the initial eliminations, sixteen hopefuls remain. As the film unfolds, the very different backstory of each of the dancers is revealed, but they all have one thing in common: the passion for dance.

Starring: Michael Douglas, Alyson Reed, Terrence Mann

All that jazz…

This movie earned 13 Oscar nominations and won six trophies, including best picture.

Nightclub sensation Velma kills her philandering husband. Chicago’s adroit lawyer Bill Flynn is set to become her defence lawyer, who also defends Roxy, who is responsible for murder. A musical crime comedy- drama film, it explores  the themes of celebrity, scandal and corruption in Chicago during the Jazz age.

Sing once again with me our strange duet...

We love to sing along to this – although the high notes are pretty hard to hit! Andrew Lloyd Webber put the French novel by Gaston Leroux on stage in 1986 and the musical was a huge success in the whole world. The film is an adaptation of the original plot and showcases a disfigured musical genius, hidden away in the Paris Opera house, who terrorises the opera company for the unwitting benefit of a young protege whom he is in love with.

Starring: Gerard Butler, Emmy Rossum, Patrick Wilson

Don’t cry for me Argentina

This incredible movie focuses on the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of Argentine President Juan Perón. The story follows Evita’s early life, rise to power, charity work and eventual death. Another one of our old-time favourite with songs such as;  “Don’t cry for me Argentina”, “On this night of a thousand stars”, “You must love me” or “I’d be surprisingly good for you. “What a performance by Madonna!

Starring: Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Pryce

Steppin to the bad side…

The Dreamettes, a 60`s girls group, while rising to stardom, compromises must be made and achieving success in a music industry run by white executives is harder than they ever bargained for. It features songs from the original film (1981)  such as “And I am telling you”, “Steppin to the bad side” and “ One night only” but the inclusion of new songs such as “Listen”, “ Love you I do” and “Patience” really brought the Oscar win to actress Jennifer Hudson.

Starring: Beyoncé, Jennifer Hudson, Anika Noni Rose, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy

When I kissed the teacher…

Featuring a movie entirely of ABBA tunes, the story follows Sophie, who is about to get married and desperately wants her father to walk her down the aisle- only she does not know who her father is. Based on her mother Donna’s diary entries, Sophie sends invitations to the three possible dads. When each of them arrive in Greece at Donna’s hotel, emotions run high and things get a little wild with the help of Donna’s two dearest friends. With songs such as: “ Dancing Queen”, “Honey Honey” and “ Voulez Vous.”

Starring: Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Piecre Brosnan, Colin Firth

I dreamed a dream of time gone by…

This is one of our top family favourites. Everyone has a favourite song and we must have watched it over 20 times. Based on the French Revolution novel by Victor Hugo, this is the story of Jean Valijean, the escaped convict chased across France by Inspector Javert. It intertwines with the struggle of Fantine to provide for her child and his rescue of Cosette. A real love triangle and a battle for freedom. Les Mis won three Oscars and returned to Broadway in 2014.

Starring: Hugh Hackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Ammanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne

Hello, little girl…

A take on the darker classic fairy tales of Cinderella, Little Re Riding, Jack and the Beanstalk and more, the musical spills over with beautiful melodies and poignant lessons. A baker and his wife wish to have a child but cannot do so as a witch curses them. To lift the curse, the couple has to get her four objects that she desperately needs.

Starring: Meryl Streep, Anna Kendrick, Emily Blunt

The sun will come out tomorrow…

Seems appropriate in our times! Such a sweet movie and songs we know off by heart.(…giving away our age). Based on The Little Orphan Annie comic strip, the musical debuted on Broadway in 1977 and was first made into a movie in 1982. 

Annie is an orphan dreaming of one day when her parents will find her and save her from the grasps of Miss Hannigan, who runs the orphanage. When millionaire Oliver Warbucks decides to have a photo op hosting an orphan for the day, his assistant Grace brings Annie.

Starring: Jamie Foxx, Rose Byrne, Bobby Cannavale, Cameron Diaz

City of stars. Are you shining just for me?

Conceived, written and directed by Damien Chazelle, the original musical presents a contemporary take on old Hollywood musical and So lovely – and can’t get enough of Ryan Gosling.

Fred and Ginger films. Struggling actor meets struggling jazz pianist- but can their fledging relationship rather the ups and downs of becoming an artist and making a living doing it? Best Original Song  “ City of Stars” won an Oscar.

Starring: Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling

I’m not a stranger to the dark…

This wonderful biographical movie captures the story of P.T. Barnum and the beginning of the circus that would become “ The Greatest Show on Earth”. The movie became an ode to individuality, celebrating the differences of circus performers and is a heartwarming film about family, the promises we make to one another, and how we come back from our mistakes. With songs like “ This is Me” and “ The Greatest Showman”, is movie is our old-time favourite to show with the family.

Starring: Hugh Jackman, Michelle Williams, Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya

Has the moon lost her memory?

This movie is about ….. CATS! The 1982 musical from Andrew Lloyd Webber never had a plot; it was the musicalisation of T.S. Elliot poems from Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.

The magic of the feline choreography, the amazing costumes and make-up is brought back to the screen and transports the audience into another world, even though there is nothing better then the stage musical.

Starring: James Corden, Judi Dench, Taylor Swift, Rebel Wilson, Idris Elba, Robert Fairchild, Jennifer Hudson, Ian McKellen