The MoFo Top 100 Musicals Countdown

Registered User

2 days ago

Originally Posted by Thief

Stats: Pit Stop #2

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.

Another movie I�ve never heard of

2 days ago

4lists48points

The Band Wagon

Director

Vincente Minnelli, 1953

Starring

Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray

2 days ago

3lists50points

Charlotte's Web

Director

Charles A. Nichols, 1973

Starring

Debbie Reynolds, Henry Gibson, Danny Bonaduce, Agnes Moorehead

rauldc14

2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ

2 days ago

Charlotte's Web is a good movie. And honestly it could have made the backend of my list. Glad to see it here

Allaby

I love musicals!

2 days ago

I liked both The Band Wagon and Charlotte's Web, but neither were in contention for my ballot.

Seen: 21/22

rauldc14

2022 Mofo Fantasy Football Champ

2 days ago

Oh and I disliked The Band Wagon, for the most part.

MovieMeditation

Friendo.

2 days ago

Seen neither

Citizen Rules

Trouble with a capital "T"

2 days ago

It's been eight years since I last watched The Band Wagon, in the 1950s HoF Part 2. I had planned on a rewatch before sending in my ballot but never got around to it. Glad it made the countdown

The Band Wagon (Vincente Minnelli, 1953)

As soon as the title credits rolled in The Band Wagon and I seen that top hat, cane and white gloves, I knew what that meant! I got a big kick out of it when those accouterments were being auctioned as belonging to a 'once famous' but forgotten hoofer, played by Fred Astaire. Oh, the irony!....I loved the fictitious film reference of Swinging Down to Panama, which is a nod to the first film Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers ever made together, Flying Down to Rio. The film that made him a star. Fred is the greatest dancer to ever grace the movie screen. His early 1930s and 1940s films are the stuff of legends.

Musicals are about the 'numbers'. And I loved the night dance in the park. Louisiana Hayride was a splashy fun number belted out by stage great Nanette Fabray...And the Triplet number was one of funniest routines ever put to music.

But the creme de la creme, was the sublime Girl Hunt number. That was sheer genius! The dance was done in a modern Bob Fosse style and very different than the traditional soft shoe and ballroom dancing that was done in the rest of the film. Director Vincent Minnelli's auteur stamp is all over the set design and costumes of this musical number. The Girl Hunt number makes this movie! But so do many of the other fine musical numbers.

Thief

Master of None

2 days ago

The Band Wagon is the first from my ballot to make it. I had it at #21. It's a film I saw recently and I really liked Fred Astaire in the lead role. I really enjoyed the musical numbers, especially the "Shine on Your Shoes" and "That's Entertainment". I do think the film went a bit too long, but I still enjoyed it (here's my review)

I haven't seen Charlotte's Web.

SEEN: 5/22
MY BALLOT: 1/25

My ballot

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John W Constantine

Alias: John Utah

2 days ago

24 from my list are still in contention.

Thief

Master of None

2 days ago

The Band Wagon gives Vincente Minnelli our first "duplicate director" spot. He had Gigi at #85, and will certainly have a couple more down the list.

It also becomes the film with the second highest RT score at 95%, which means a high likability for the film across the board.

Charlotte's Web becomes the fourth animated film to make it on the list.

exiler96

Registered User

2 days ago

I wish I liked The Band Wagon more tbh. I wish it had stronger characters and motivations, or a more engaging plot.

It was like Singin' in the Rain in that regard, except with less memorable and funny numbers.

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kgaard

Registered User

2 days ago

I haven't seen The Band Wagon, and I don't think I've seen Charlotte's Web since I was a kid, so I have only the vaguest remaining impression of it. No votes from me.

KeyserCorleone

Registered User

2 days ago

Charlotte's Web is a cute one with quality songs and a good story. Didn't quite make my ballot.

Miss Vicky

MoFo's Resident Bitch

2 days ago

Templeton is my spirit animal, I've always loved Charlotte's Web, and it was #2 on my ballot.

Here's what I wrote about it when I rewatched it for the countdown:

Originally Posted by Miss Vicky

Charlotte's Web
(Charles A. Nichols and Iwao Takamoto, 1973)

I've never been a fan of musicals, even as a child I wasn't much one for the genre but this particular movie has always stood out to me and I think it's a shame that I don't often hear people talk about it. I get that it doesn't have that same crisp, polished look as the offerings of Disney, nor are its colors as vibrant as those films, but I think it's immensely charming just the same.

I've always really liked the character designs, particularly those of Templeton the rat and Charlotte the spider, and I think the animators did a wonderful job of bringing E.B. White's classic children's novel to the screen. But what really stands out to me is the voice work. The casting is absolutely perfect and most surprising of all is that I truly love all of its songs. I don't think there's really a weak one in the bunch, though of course the show stopper for me has always been and will forever be Templeton's rendition of "Veritable Smorgasbord" (with the rat/goose duet version of the song being a close second) and really Templeton totally steals the show in every scene where he appears. I do like Wilbur the pig, but that self-centered, sarcastic rat is hilarious and is totally my spirit animal. The character is also partly responsible for my near lifelong love of pet rats, though I no longer keep them.

While I acknowledge that much of my love for this movie is based in nostalgia, I do think it's a genuinely wonderful movie and I really, really hope it sneaks onto the countdown.

I haven't seen The Band Wagon.

My Ballot:
2. Charlotte's Web (#79)
6. Walk the Line (#95)
25. Joe's Apartment (One Pointer)

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Last edited by Miss Vicky; 2 days ago at 05:19 PM.

Citizen Rules

Trouble with a capital "T"

2 days ago

I watched Charlotte's Web in the Musical Group Watch...(more of you should've joined in!)...Glad it made the countdown

Charlotte's Web (1973)

I really enjoyed watching this one. It's such a heart felt story with lots of positivity. Yes, it's also bittersweet with Charlotte...and her story is handled so well that it's like a life lesson. People often talk about being moved by a movie and yet the same movie doesn't emotionally reach me at all. However Charlotte's Web did emotionally reach me and I was indeed moved by the story. During the movie I paused it to take a break and my wife tells me there's a bug in the closet. I look and see it's a little, light brownish spider, not unlike Charlotte. So I get a piece of paper and let the spider crawl onto the paper and I escort it outside, as I never kill spiders. Call me silly but that coincidences felt just a little bit magical to me and that's thanks to the movie...Great choice.

kgaard

Registered User

2 days ago

Originally Posted by Miss Vicky

Templeton is my spirit animal, I've always loved Charlotte's Web, and it was #2 on my ballot.

Although I don't recall the movie well enough to have voted for it, I did once have a cat (RIP) who I named Templeton after the rat from Charlotte's Web. Great cat, that one: handsome devil, and dumb as a post.

Omnizoa