The MoFo Top 100 Musicals Countdown

Charlotte's Web JUST missed my list. #26

If you didn't emotionally react to Charlotte's last song before dying, then I don't care to know you.

Spoiler alert, sister.

And sorry, I didn't know we were avoiding spoilers for 50+ year old films.

80. The Band Wagon (1953) - Not really familiar with this one at all. I'll have to check it out one day.

79. Charlotte's Web (1973) - I'm familiar with this one - I've seen it half a dozen times or so I'd reckon, but the last time would have been long, long ago. Still, I can remember most of it pretty well. Am I too old now to break down in tears when Charlotte (SPOILERS!) dies? I do not know. Would it make me think twice about squishing that spider in the house? Depends. If I'm having a shower and a spider decides to try and share that intimate moment, it's getting squished and it's remains are going down the drain - otherwise, I might collect it and usher it outside. But back to the movie. Great animated musical, and a classic when I was a child - I probably saw it for the first time at school, and after that on video. I'm now old enough and well versed enough in pop culture to recognize the voice of Paul Lynde without having to be told it's him playing the part of rat Templeton. This didn't make my ballot. There's simply too many other musicals I love today for it to find a place, but if I were a young boy again, it would be getting votes from me.

Seen : 14/22

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


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.

The Band Wagon is my favorite MGM musical, I was hoping it would rank a little higher than it did.

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

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.

Would love to see both Tommy and Rocketman make this list.