Hollywood Singing and Dancing: A Musical History

Narrated by Shirley Jones, Hollywood Singing and Dancing surveys movie musicals from the 1920s through the early 21st century, going beyond its That's Entertainment-style premise to provide cultural context for the films of each era. In the 1920s, Busby Berkeley's spectacles evoked optimism and the hope of prosperity. During the 1930s, Disney's first animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs appeared along with movies featuring young stars (including Shirley Temple, Judy Garland, and Mickey Rooney) in stories about characters putting on elaborate shows. By the 1950s, songs in musicals were becoming integral to the plot, with Broadway musicals being adapted for the screen (at the same time, Gene Kelly was bringing classical dance to a mainstream audience). In the 1960s, innovative musicals such as West Side Story, Sweet Charity, and Oliver! brought a new look to the format, even as some Hollywood studios were closing. The 1970s saw a wide array of traditional (Fiddler on the Roof) and non-traditional musicals (Bob Fosse's Cabaret), as well as popular rock musicals (Jesus Christ Superstar, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tommy, Hair, Grease) and non-musicals about music and dance (Saturday Night Fever, All That Jazz). Movie musicals declined during the 1980s, but the new century has seen a resurgence with films like Moulin Rouge, Chicago, Hairspray, and Dreamgirls. Featuring extended clips of over 40 songs and shorter excerpts from many more, Hollywood Singing and Dancing also includes commentary from film historians, directors, and stars such as Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, Debbie Reynolds, Mickey Rooney, Leslie Caron, and Rita Moreno. DVD extras include unedited interviews, newsreel footage of movie premieres for The King and I and Thoroughly Modern Millie, a promotional short for 1934's Dames, interviews with performers Ruby Keeler and Richard Harris, a 1945 dance number featuring Betty Grable, and “making-of” featurettes for Oliver!, Thoroughly Modern Millie, and Funny Girl. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: C, P. (M. Puffer-Rothenberg)