So I'm a huge Donald O'Connor fan and my favorite movie musical is Singin' in the Rain. For a few years there have been many musicals made into movies (i.e Rent, Hairspray, Mama Mia, and soon there will be Wicked and Footloose). None of these movie musicals compare to Singin' in the Rain, Wizard of Oz, Sound of Music, Cabaret and so on. The actors in these older movies were triple threats, they could sing, dance and act. The actors in these new movies musicals bother me (besides Rent since they did use the originals from the stage version). Musicals started in live theatre where someone couldn't lip-sync and people came to see these well trained actors use their craft. Today, someone can act, sing or dance... maybe they can do two but it is rare that actors today can do all three.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FW02c5UNGl0
^ Donald O'Connor- Make 'em Laugh form Singin' in the Rain
Well musicals back then WERE THE SHIT. Actors were more disciplined and trained. Now there is just as much more emphasis on the look and marketability as there is on the performance. There are plenty of dancers that can even sing, but not act. There are singers that can act, but can't dance. And then there is Lindsay Lohan...anyway times are just different and it just helps us appreciate true talent nowadays.
ReplyDeleteInteresting post. I think we're kind of seeing a move back to the triple-threat actor...you just don't really see them display all their talents in one forum. Lots of actors spend their downtime on broadway like Hugh Jackman (not a gawd awful actor). I think of people like John C. Reilly, Jamie Foxx, Will Smith, Jackman, Zooey Deschanel, Ewan McGregor, etc...
ReplyDeleteI think there is a lot to be said about actors that went to school for musical theatre or their roots are in musical theatre. Hugh Jackman turned down a role to study performing arts and it sure paid off for him... Catherine Zeta Jones would be considered a triple threat because of her role in Chicago. I had the opportunity to see her perform live in A little Night Music in February and her acting was not so great. She has a beautiful voce and can dance but as someone who has studied acting, some of the acting choices she made were interesting to say the least.
ReplyDeleteJackman has to be the closest thing to a good old fashioned triple threat today compared to others. And who wouldn't want to see Wolverine the Musical?