Recent greats: The cuts to Roxie and Fred throughout "All That Jazz" in
Chicago are exciting. A lot of moments in
Moulin Rouge...I think I'll go with the part when "Your Song" really picks up and they go into the fantasy "Eiffel Tower" sequence. And something always makes me laugh when I see that little snippet in the first dance hall scene after Satine has been carried off unconcious and Zidler starts the "Hunkadola".
As for some less-adored movie musicals of recent years...the "post-prologue" opening numbers of both
The Phantom of the Opera and
Rent (the Overture and "Rent", respectively) were just explosive and awesome (the true meaning of that word) on the big screen. Many other moments in those two were just beautiful to look at, if nothing else. In
Phantom, I love the curtain flying open behind the iron gate in the lake sequence of the title song, and in
Rent there are just countless looks and gestures the cast give each other that make you know they're really old friends.
Classics: I love the opening "red carpet" sequence of
Singin' in the Rain, as well as the moment Debbie Reynolds pops out of the giant cake and sees Gene Kelly. Tons in
West Side Story, especially Rita Moreno's skirt swish in "America" and a few quick, exciting shots near the end of the prologue where the Sharks and the Jets all descend on the playground.
My current favorite is the entire Central Park "Be-In" in
Hair. The song "Initials", and the moments that follow leading up to the exciting beginning of "Electric Blues", are brilliant scene-setters. I especially love the spastic woman in white and the group that dances as if they are suspended from balloons.
"If there is going to be a restoration fee, there should also be a Renaissance fee, a Middle Ages fee and a Dark Ages fee. Someone must have men in the back room making up names, euphemisms for profit."
(Emanuel Azenberg)
