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Top 20 Movie Musicals of the Last 50 Years

How will 'Les Miserables' compare to these classics?

By Chris Eggertsen, Gregory Ellwood, Dan Fienberg, Dave Lewis, Drew McWeenyMonday, Dec 24, 2012 12:45 AM

With "Les Miserables" hitting theaters this week, HitFix staffers thought it was time to pick the top 20 movie musicals of the last 50 years. Bound to stir up debate, we've picked both some obvious choices ("The Sound of Music") and more off-beat fare ("The Phantom of the Paradise").

Check out our list below. Agree? Disagree? Sound off in the comments section.

Top 20 Movie Musicals of the Last 50 Years from 'Cabaret' to 'Grease' to 'Dreamgirls'

Launch Gallery ►

Parker

"Rick Moranis and Audrey Greene both give all-time great performances"

That's Ellen Greene as Audrey.
December 24, 2012 at 2:47AM EST Reply to Comment
- dan Parker - Yup! Fixed... Thanks...
  
  -Daniel
  December 24, 2012 at 2:56AM EST
Samantha

I love that you included phantom of the paradise! It's such a great movie! There's so many on this list I still need to see. Really wonderful list :)
December 24, 2012 at 3:00AM EST Reply to Comment
zmanoc@yahoo.com

I nominate "Xanadu" for #21.
December 24, 2012 at 3:02AM EST Reply to Comment
Joyeful

The only glaring omission I can think of is the Lion King. Awesome movie, amazing music by Tim Rice and Elton John, killed at the box office AND Broadway.
Oh, and South Park was a pleasant surprise!
December 24, 2012 at 3:03AM EST Reply to Comment
John

Yikes, no Jacques Demy musicals.
December 24, 2012 at 3:12AM EST Reply to Comment
- Fireflame94 I feel stupid now for missing your comment, but I said something similar a few comments down.
  December 24, 2012 at 5:17PM EST
henry

sweeney todd?

December 24, 2012 at 3:58AM EST Reply to Comment
Fred

Write a comment...Ummmmm Well, First of all how did cartoon or I maybe I should use the correct PC term animated films get on the list as musicals yet Seet Charity, Chicago, Annie, and granted though it had it's premire in December 1961 it wasn't released fully till 1962 making it 50 years is West Side Story. Didnt make the list?
December 24, 2012 at 7:58AM EST Reply to Comment
- jonathan Annie is kinda twee and dated these days. Chicago is a great musical, but the film version was a bit messy (for my money better than Moulin Rouge and Dreamgirls any day though!)
  
  Would be nice to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch or Hairspray (remake) here though.
  December 24, 2012 at 10:03AM EST
- dan Fred - As you say, "West Side Story" isn't there because it premiered in 1961. End of story. As for the others you suggested, they were all there and got a couple votes, but didn't make the list. So it goes.
  
  And Jonathan... Hedwig is in there.
  
  -Daniel
  December 24, 2012 at 12:26PM EST
chaburchak

I can't take your list seriouly without 1776 on it. Still as powerful as when I first saw it in high school...
December 24, 2012 at 11:26AM EST Reply to Comment
Intellectual Ninja

I'm very happy to see that Chicago didn't make the cut.

Extremely overrated film.

I love Little Shop, but my number 1 vote would've gone to South Park for sure.

As far as the Disney musicals, I love Aladdin. I would've put Aladdin on there in The Little Mermaid's spot.

Arabian Nights, One Step Ahead, Friend Like Me, Prince Ali, Whole New World.

That's some heavy ammunition in your can, you know what I'm saying?

I'll never understand why Aladdin gets short shrift of that era of Disney Animated Musicals. Great music and great performances by Robin Williams, Jonathan Freeman, and Gilbert Gottfried.

And come to think of it, The Lion King probably deserves a place up there to.

I mean, Jeremy Irons sinking his teeth into Scar and his performance of Be Prepared might the best single song of that whole era of Disney music. Yes, even better than Angela Lansbury singing Beauty and the Beast.

Check it out if you've forgotten. Jeremy Irons is the man, er, the lion!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkU23m6yX04
December 24, 2012 at 4:38PM EST Reply to Comment
Fireflame94

Where are the Jacques Demy films? I would have imagined that Umbrellas of Cherbourg must have picked up a few votes.
December 24, 2012 at 5:15PM EST Reply to Comment
prettok

Krush Groove? The Who's Tommy? Oh Brother, Where art thou? The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas? (Charles Durning RIP)
December 26, 2012 at 1:50AM EST Reply to Comment
Vegastim35

In a list that includes Hedwig, Little Shop, and Phantom of the Paradise, I find it disturbing and even a bit insulting that 'Rocky Horror' didn't even get an honorable mention!
December 28, 2012 at 1:28AM EST Reply to Comment

Top 20 Movie Musicals of the Last 50 Years

Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Parker "Rick Moranis and Audrey Greene both give all-time great performances"That's Ellen Greene as Audrey.

dan Parker - Yup! Fixed... Thanks...-Daniel

Samantha I love that you included phantom of the paradise! It's such a great movie! There's so many on this list I still need to see. Really wonderful list :)

zmanoc@yahoo.com I nominate "Xanadu" for #21.

Joyeful The only glaring omission I can think of is the Lion King. Awesome movie, amazing music by Tim Rice and Elton John, killed at the box office AND Broadway.Oh, and South Park was a pleasant surprise!

John Yikes, no Jacques Demy musicals.

Fireflame94 I feel stupid now for missing your comment, but I said something similar a few comments down.

henry sweeney todd?

jonathan Annie is kinda twee and dated these days. Chicago is a great musical, but the film version was a bit messy (for my money better than Moulin Rouge and Dreamgirls any day though!)Would be nice to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch or Hairspray (remake) here though.

dan Fred - As you say, "West Side Story" isn't there because it premiered in 1961. End of story. As for the others you suggested, they were all there and got a couple votes, but didn't make the list. So it goes. And Jonathan... Hedwig is in there.-Daniel

chaburchak I can't take your list seriouly without 1776 on it. Still as powerful as when I first saw it in high school...

Fireflame94 Where are the Jacques Demy films? I would have imagined that Umbrellas of Cherbourg must have picked up a few votes.

prettok Krush Groove? The Who's Tommy? Oh Brother, Where art thou? The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas? (Charles Durning RIP)

Vegastim35 In a list that includes Hedwig, Little Shop, and Phantom of the Paradise, I find it disturbing and even a bit insulting that 'Rocky Horror' didn't even get an honorable mention!

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Parker

"Rick Moranis and Audrey Greene both give all-time great performances"

That's Ellen Greene as Audrey.

dan Parker - Yup! Fixed... Thanks...

-Daniel

Samantha

I love that you included phantom of the paradise! It's such a great movie! There's so many on this list I still need to see. Really wonderful list :)

zmanoc@yahoo.com

I nominate "Xanadu" for #21.

Joyeful

The only glaring omission I can think of is the Lion King. Awesome movie, amazing music by Tim Rice and Elton John, killed at the box office AND Broadway.
Oh, and South Park was a pleasant surprise!

John

Yikes, no Jacques Demy musicals.

henry

sweeney todd?

jonathan Annie is kinda twee and dated these days. Chicago is a great musical, but the film version was a bit messy (for my money better than Moulin Rouge and Dreamgirls any day though!)

Would be nice to see Hedwig and the Angry Inch or Hairspray (remake) here though.

dan Fred - As you say, "West Side Story" isn't there because it premiered in 1961. End of story. As for the others you suggested, they were all there and got a couple votes, but didn't make the list. So it goes.

And Jonathan... Hedwig is in there.

-Daniel

chaburchak

I can't take your list seriouly without 1776 on it. Still as powerful as when I first saw it in high school...

Fireflame94

Where are the Jacques Demy films? I would have imagined that Umbrellas of Cherbourg must have picked up a few votes.

prettok

Krush Groove? The Who's Tommy? Oh Brother, Where art thou? The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas? (Charles Durning RIP)

Vegastim35

In a list that includes Hedwig, Little Shop, and Phantom of the Paradise, I find it disturbing and even a bit insulting that 'Rocky Horror' didn't even get an honorable mention!

Be the first to know - sign up now to get an instant e-mail alert
whenever something big happens in Movies, TV or Music