The MoFo Top 100 Musicals Countdown

I haven't seen either film.

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I've been a Purple Rain fan since it came out when I was 13 and I can remember my Apollonia poster. I put it on my preliminary list but it was among those that I eliminated early because I don't quite view it as a musical.

Don't think I've seen White Christmas.

Seen neither.

I have the Purple Rain shirt. The albums wonderful, but both movies are only pretty good to me. White Christmas seemed a bit slow for my liking, and Purple Rain's story only occasionally hit hard.

Purple Rain is one of my guilty pleasures lost track of how many times I’ve watched. Also, I can’t go to sleep on Christmas Eve until I watch White Christmas.

Just had a giggle to myself remembering SC's top ten theory based off the opening graphics for a countdown... can't remember which one it was, didn't turn out to be correct

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Doris Day and Bing Crosby both probably in the top 20 biggest entertainment stars of the century.

Yeah, got nothing with these two either.


SEEN: 4/18
MY BALLOT: 0/25

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White Christmas was my #9. You might think I grew up watching this classic but no...we didn't watch old movies when I was a kid. It wasn't until after I joined MoFo that I watched White Christmas for the first time. Love that movie, it's my favorite Vera-Ellen film. Such great songs, stars and dance numbers all with a perfect theme for Christmas.

Purple Rain...I seen this once when it came out and I thought it was pretty cool and liked the music too. But I haven't seen it 40 years! Glad it made the countdown.

Purple Rain certainly has its shortcomings as a movie. Musically however, it’s an undeniable classic. So based on that and the soundtrack’s cultural impact, I had it at #19. White Christmas didn't make my ballot but is definitely in my top 100 Musicals and Christmas movies lists.

SEEN 7/20
BALLOT 2/25



25. Anastasia (1997)
19. Purple Rain (1984)

Have watched 7 of the 20 with 4 on my ballot

Purple Rain (my #9)
White Christmas
The Burden (watched the video Takoma posted but I'm still counting it)
Gigi (#17)
Tommy (#15)
Amadeus
Cinderella (#5)

Seen both Purple Rain and White Christmas. White Christmas is enjoyable, but not a favourite. I’m not a big fan of Purple Rain.

Seen: 19/20

I’m going to guess Bugsy Malone and Curly Top for tomorrow’s movies.

I'm guessing tomorrow's movies will be musicals.

Seen 7, none from my ballot so far.

White Christmas was a bit to goody-goody for my tastes. Not a Bing Crosby fan either, aside from some of his road movies.


I really like Purple Rain, although I agree it's not a top tier movie. It just missed my ballot. It probably would've been in my top 30.


Seen: 11 of 20
List: 0
Should've Been in List: 1 (the Burden)

I saw Tommy many years ago, but I don't remember much about it except that I didn't like it. However my parents had the Captain Fantastic pinball machine with Elton John on the backglass, (but we sold it after my mom passed away a few years ago).




I'm not much of an Elton John fan, but I watched Rocketman for the Group Watch and I liked it more than I thought I would, but not enough to consider it for my list.


I liked the 2021 version of West Side Story enough to consider it for my list, but ultimately, it didn't make the final cuts.

The first time I watched Begin Again, I thought it was just okay. I rewatched it for this countdown because a couple of people were recommending it, and I liked it a lot more on the second watch. It didn't make my list, but I'm glad that I gave it another chance.


I like Gold Diggers of 1933, and I considered it for my list, but with over 100 movies on my first draft list for this countdown, it was one of the early cuts. But I'm glad to see that it made the list without my help.

Anastasia is the first movie from my list to make the countdown. I love everything about it, especially the songs. I even have a little plush doll of Bartok the Bat that hangs upside-down. This is one of my favorite animated movies. It was #17 on my list.


I went with my mom to see Into the Woods on Broadway during its original theatrical run, and I loved it. I didn't know anything about it before seeing it. At the end of the first half, I thought it was great, but I also thought it was over. But then my mom reminded me that that was only the first half. The second half was much darker than the first half, but it was twisted and fun.

However after seeing the Broadway show, the movie just didn't live up to it. The movie was good, but it paled in comparison to the show. I don't think it would have made my list even if I hadn't seen the Broadway show, but having seen it, the movie just didn't stand a chance.

For anyone who wants to see the Broadway version, it aired on PBS, and it's available on DVD. It's also on YouTube:




Gigi is one of those movies where the music is better than the movie. I love the soundtrack, but the movie is only okay.


Calamity Jane is one of the movies that was a difficult cut from my list. I'm a big fan of Doris Day, I love the movie and the music, but I just couldn't find room for it on my list. It was Warner Bros. answer to MGM's movie Annie Get Your Gun, (which I also love). I really wanted to include it on my list, but I just didn't have room for it. I'm very happy to see that it made the list without my help.

I didn't think I had ever heard of The Burden, but I watched the video that someone posted earlier in this thread and I realized that I've seen it. I probably watched it for something here on MoFo, but I don't remember what. All I remember is thinking that it was a very strange short.


White Christmas is another movie that I love, but it was a difficult cut from my list. When we started this countdown, I was pretty sure that it would make my list, but somehow I just couldn't find room for it. I'm glad to see it made the list, but I'm very surprised to see it this low.

I saw Purple Rain many years ago, and I like a few of the songs on the soundtrack, but I'm not a fan of the movie.

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If I answer a game thread correctly, just skip my turn and continue with the game.
OPEN FLOOR.

White Christmas is a fine movie, and a feel-good musical. And yes, CR, Vera-Ellen is super in it. She was far superior to Rosemary Clooney, IMO. Great, eye-popping color, and that last sequence, with the opening of the back doors to reveal the snow coming down, was spectacular. But I put one similar to this on my list and now I have no hope that it will make it because I think WC is much more popular than it. Oh well.

I really like Purple Rain but didn't include it. I was prepared to despise Prince for the rest of my life because I didn't like the title song...at first. But my wife is a huge Prince fan and she guaranteed me that I'd like the movie, knowing my tastes. And she was right. And it put the song in perspective for me and I reconsidered it. I like "When Doves Cry" but it's all good.

I put neither on my list.

So far:
#1. On the Town
#10. Gigi
#12. Calamity Jane
#25. Neptune's Daughter (one-pointer)

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"Miss Jean Louise, Mr. Arthur Radley."

82. White Christmas (1954) - I've seen White Christmas and the song "Sisters" gets stuck in my head every now and then (quite often soon after I see it). It's a really pleasant musical, and one that I'll stop and watch if I happen to come across it. I don't have much more to say about it except I really hate eavesdroppers who mishear things and wreck people's lives! Don't be an eavesdropping meddler. Not on my list, but it popped into my mind during considerations.

81. Purple Rain (1984) - I've got this on DVD and I really ought to watch it! Still haven't seen Purple Rain, but I will one day soon.

Seen : 13/20

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Now that we've hit the second pit stop (80), here are some stats:

Decade Breakdown

• 1920s = 0
• 1930s = 2
• 1940s = 1
• 1950s = 3
• 1960s = 1
• 1970s = 1
• 1980s = 3
• 1990s = 2
• 2000s = 1
• 2010s = 4
• 2020s = 2

After going blank in the first batch, the 1950s came rolling on this one to tie for second place with the 1980s, both with 3 entries. The 2010s also had a strong showing to end up at the top with 4 entries.

Still no repeated directors, but on another note, it's worth mentioning that we've had 3 animated films so far.