MUSICALS
Born with the coming of sound, the film musical had its base in vaudeville and in opera. With its brazen blending of fantasy and reality, the musical provided audiences with an accessible and immediate escape from the life in the Great Depression, and then beyond. This genre presents a reality in which characters sing and dance their stories.
What to Watch: 42 Street (1933), The Merry Widow (1934), Singin’ in the Rain (1952), West Side Story (1961), Cabaret (1972), Oliver! (1968), Evita (1996), Chicago (2002), The Producers (2005), Moulin Rouge (2001), Rent (2005), Happy Feet (2006); Across the Universe (2007)