Define "musical"

[Kenneth Morgan]

Nothing earth-shattering, just something I've been wondering about.

A while back, I treated my Mom & Dad to a revival showing of "Buck Privates", the classic comedy with Abbott & Costello. The unusual thing is that the showing was part of a weekend of movie musicals. Now, you normally wouldn't consider "Buck Privates" a musical, but, by my count, there are seven actual musical numbers in the movie, with two performed by major characters as part of the plot.

So, in your opinion, what exactly qualifies a movie to be considered a "musical"?

[mavrach]

I'm not familiar with your movie, but I'd define a musical as being any movie where the characters regularly burst into song instead of speaking normally. So anything like Moulin Rouge or most Disney animations would qualify.

Some people would suggest that musicals include movies where music figures prominently or as part of the plot, usually movies about performers, like The Bodyguard and such. I don't agree with this because these still take place in plain reality.

Or you could go with VH1's definition and suddenly anything with a decent soundtrack is a musical. So Flash Gordon is a musical.

[Kenneth Morgan]

I'm not familiar with your movie, but I'd define a musical as being any movie where the characters regularly burst into song instead of speaking normally. So anything like Moulin Rouge or most Disney animations would qualify.

Some people would suggest that musicals include movies where music figures prominently or as part of the plot, usually movies about performers, like The Bodyguard and such. I don't agree with this because these still take place in plain reality.

Or you could go with VH1's definition and suddenly anything with a decent soundtrack is a musical. So Flash Gordon is a musical.

You've never seen "Buck Privates"?

May I respectfully suggest that you go to the most convenient video outlet, be it DVDs or online streaming, and get this movie right away. It was A&C's first starring role and is very funny. And the music is good, too.

[mavrach]

I'll have to check it out, thanks for the recommendation. Actually I'm not very well versed in Abbott & Costello at all, one of those empty spaces for me.

[hoytereden]

Pretty much what mavrach said. Something like Buck Privates would be a Comedy with musical numbers. A film like Yankee Doodle Dandy would be a Biopic not a musical. Same with Love Me or Leave Me. I'd call The Bodyguard a Drama, not a musical.

[Steve T Power]

Musical - somethin with songin' instead of talkin'.

[stypee]

Menahaim Globas brilliant direction and creation for:

The Apple

All you need to define a musical is all in that film.

Nuff' said!