CHEWER'S 250 GREATEST MUSICAL NUMBERS IN CINEMATIC HISTORY - Page 4

Yes, but Kubrick clearly had intent. That's the difference.

105. "Hey Pachuco!" - The Mask (1994)

 

 

 

Total blindside from about 3 different directions - in those grunge-laden days, the music was something COMPLETELY different - for my money, this scene moreso than anything in Swingers is what kickstarted the swing/jump-blues revival in the mid-90s; second, Cameron Diaz at this point was very much a "who the hell is that, where did she come from, and can we have more of them?" phase of her career; third, though the dancing goes hand-in-hand with the music, it was, again, something way different than anyone had seen for about 40 years at that point. 

 

 

Plus it's a total blast. 

Okay, to be honest, that scene probably also led to Dancing with the Stars. 

106. Dr. No - Under the Mango Tree

 

Once you get past the obvious dubbing of Ursula Andress and the sight of her in a bikini, this is one of Connery's best scenes as Bond. That guy is smooth.

 

 

Also eligible for Chewer's 100 Greatest Dresses in Cinematic History.

 

 

The suit's gotta be up there too. 

107. Down With Love "Here's To Love" (2003)

 

 

It's always wise to wear underwear when watching this flick cuz it'll charm the pants offa you.

 

Here it be: (Click to show)

....aaaannnd my 10,000th post was me giving props to a yellow zoot suit. Fitting, as I'd love to be able to pull off the green mask/canary yellow suit combo. 

This page has managed to find the one moment in time that Cameron Diaz was attractive AND the same for Zellweger.

 

 

 

Any movie with this moment in it:

 

 

 

....is obviously worth your time. 

 

 

Yeah, the first shot of Diaz in The Mask was a jaw-dropper. 

 

 

Though I'd defend Ms Zellweger by saying she was pretty smokin' hot in Empire Records also. 

108.  "Put On Your Sunday Clothes"  -- WALL-E by way of HELLO DOLLY (2008)

 

This might be stretching it, but WALL-E does attempt to "perform" this song to Eve on their first date.  The way Pixar resurrected a semi-forgotten song from a much-maligned musical and transformed it into a symbol of WALL-E's loneliness is magical.  It kind of becomes the movie's anthem.  It manages to be catchy as hell AND incredibly wistful and melancholy.  

108. "Why Don't You Do Right?" - Who Framed Roger Rabbit

 

 

My girlfriend has a theory that this scene single-handedly hardwired my entire generation to genitally prepare for the coming of Christina Hendricks. Might be something to that, but even without that factor, a mainstream cartoon, and this song, has a room full of very real men eating out of the palm of her hand. If that isn't screen magic (on top of some fantastic acting, since all these guys are reacting to NOTHING), i dont know what is.

 

109. "Edelweiss", The Sound of Music (1965)

 

 

 

 

Performed several times in the movie, but the final scene with the Austrian crowd singing their national song and making the pro-German (and actual German) contingent present unhappy is the best. 

110 Ella Enchanted Somebody to Love. Its one of my favorite Queen songs and Anne Hathaway is hot!

Hypocrisy alert- this ain't a musical, but at least it was partially influenced by old Hollywood musicals.

 

111. Mulholland Dr.- Club Silencio

 

 

Betty and Rita, the great screen couple of 2001, and Roy Orbison in Spanish.

 

Special Bonus Selection 112. The opening dance number, which plays a bit like Ralph Bakshi crossed with someone's death throes.

 

 

 

 

"Why would I want to see that movie?"

"It's got Agent Smith, Ed Exley, and General Zod as drag queens....WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO SEE IT?!?!"

112. "Waltz For A Night" - Before Sunset

 

Spending the whole movie dodging obvious, naked statements about their time together because they think they've grown too cynical, and then Celine picks up a guitar, and its all on the table. Beautiful, simple way to put a cap on the whole movie, the last two, really, and Linklater's/Delpy's/Hawke's complete lack of cynicism comes out.

 

I wanna rep that so hard.

Delpy?  Me too.

113. "Whipoorwill" - Rio Bravo

 

Partly in order to drown out the Death Song wafting across the street and partly because they're too cool to care, Dude, Colorado and Stumpy settle down and sing a cowboy tune on the eve of a big gunfight. Sheriff John T. Chance sits this one out, 'cause a man's gotta know his limitations.

 

When Delpy says "You're gonna miss that flight" I melt
 

114. "Gondola No Uta", Ikiru (1952)

 

 

 

 

Wanted to make sure I got this one on here - performed twice in the movie, one time it's a soul-crusher, the other time it is utterly uplifting.

 

I might watch some more stuff by this Ku-ro-was-a dude, his movies are OK, be even better without all the subtitles. SPEAK ENGLISH JAPANESE PEOPLE. 

 

 

Rio Bravo was the Duke's response to High Noon, which he felt was "the most un-American thing he'd ever seen." 

115.  WAYNE'S WORLD - 'Bohemian Rhapsody'

 

It's quite simply the best scene in the film and the only moment that really holds up to any sort of scrutiny.  I think Freddie would have gotten a real kick out of this.

 

In truth, it's the crew in the back seat that makes this segment work.

 

It's fine and all, but I will never forgive that scene for spawning all the unfunny imitators.

 

Yeah, the pinnacle for me is at 1:24, where the wasted dude in the back basically comes around and jumps right in mid-song. 

I could seriously just keep going with musical interludes from Howard Hawks films.

 

116. "Drum Boogie" - Ball of Fire

 

 

Jessica Rabbit clearly learned a thing or two about entrances from Sugarpuss O'Shea. Sheltered English professor Gary Cooper has realized his slang dictionary is out-of-date, and is on a quest for the vernacular. And boy does he find it. Meantime, dig Gene Krupa at somewhere near the height of his powers, and stick around for the encore.

 

I forgive it for the simple reason that it made Queen popular in America again.  That trumps anything bad that may have come because of it.

Okay, last one, I promise: 

 

 

117. "Echoes (Part 1)", Live at Pompeii

 

 

 

 

 

Not to put too fine a point on it, but Pink Floyd's Live at Pompeii is pretty much the best "concert" film ever (concert is in quotes because they played to an empty coliseum in a dead city, as a counterpoint to Woodstock). And this is the best song in it. 

 

 

Oh, come on - that's like blaming Led Zeppelin for White Lion. 

 

...okay, it's not really all that much like that, but still.....

118.  INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM - 'Anything Goes'

 

HERE is how you open a film.  I'm with Richard, Spielberg needs to do a musical. 

 

Already picked.

118.  "School of Rock"  -- SCHOOL OF ROCK (2003)

 

 

 

This utterly charming film had no right being as entertaining as it was, and this climactic number exemplifies this.  The whole movie builds to this number where all the formerly-doubting parents are wowed by their children rocking the fuck out.  I'm a sucker for a come-from-behind performance, whether it's a sports movie or a music competition.  It's such a fun little tune for a fun little movie.  

119. American Graffiti - "At the Hop"

 

I may have been born in '69, but every time I hear this I'm transported back to '62. I don't know how Lucas did it, but the music in this movie had such a full, live sound to it.

 

120. "Leaning" - Night of the Hunter

Night of the Hunter is dripping with religious imagery and subtext. A lot of the film points out that Mitchum's convict posing as a Preacher is essentially the devil masquerading as an angel, and if there were any doubt to this religious subtext there is this scene in which Mitchum apparently begins to sing a hymn while staking out the house where the children are. But this Hymn is a false one, and we soon find this out when the children's protector, the first adult to immediately see past Mitchum's lies, played by Lillian Gish, joins in singing the hymn and we see how the Preacher has twisted the original song. A Chilling moment and in the background, before he vanishes, it is almost like the devil himself has made an appearance.


Edited by Tim K - 6/13/12 at 5:50pm

121. "The Whale who Wanted to Sing at the Met" (1946)

 

I caught this as a kid, and it has always stayed with me.   Like "Peter and the Wolf" (1946), Disney was on fire with these attempts to bring music with cartoons. It hits all the high points of opera, using the same voice actor for all the parts. It both pokes fun at the seriousness of opera while celebrating its beauty.  The final song is uplifting considering the darkness moments before. And all of this in less than 15 minutes!

 

 

121. "What's Opera, Doc" (1957)

 

Another cartoon classic, Elmer Fudd continues to hunt Bugs Bunny, but set to a mixed stirring of Wagner's Ring Cycle. A classic of cartoons, it reaches an absurd beauty as it nears its end. Amazing!

 

Also, I just realized that all three things I have posted to this thread have had a Brynhildr component. I like strong women.

 

122. "Helpless" - The Last Waltz

 

I wanted to choose something from The Last Waltz and ultimately I opted for Neil Young, The Band, and Joni Mitchell singing one of Neil's best songs. Not the only song from the film worth considering.
 

123. Schubert's Unfinished Symphony - One Wonderful Sunday (1947)

 

That Kurosawa dude knew how to shoot a film or two. In this one, like in Before Sunrise, he follows a couple spending the day together in post-war Tokyo and the crushing difficulties of post-war inflation, unemployment, etc. Ultimately they end up at a band shell and after a fourth wall breaking bit of encouragement for the man, which doesn't work, he finds the self confidence to conduct one of their favorite pieces of music. Which only they and the audience can hear.

 

And Kurosawa directs the hell out of the scene. Especially considering it's two people, an empty band shell, and some leaves blowing around in the wind. Ultimately it's about dreams, hopes, and imagination overcoming the difficulties of the present. And it works like gangbusters.

 

 

124. "That's How You Know"- Enchanted (2007)

 

Amy Adams is so infectious here. All sunshine and smiles. The lyrics are catchy as well.

 

125. "Hoist The Colors" - Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End

 

For the first 5 minutes of this thing, with a galley of condemned criminals finding their last goosepimple inducing bit of sung defiance at the noose, it feels like something haunting, dark, sorrowful, bloody, and epic is going to unfold.  And then it so fucking doesn't.

 

126. "Try a Little Tenderness," The Commitments

Like the movie, this number starts slowly and quietly -- then gradually escalates into this climatic piece that shows off Andrew Strong's magnificent (and 16-year-old) pipes. The 2:30 mark, when the backing vocalists and rest of the band kick in, is electric. Intercut with the piece is manager Jimmy Rabbitte's futile wait for Wilson Pickett to come by; he knows (as do viewers) that the band members' intense personalities are breaking The Commitments apart and this could very well be the bands' last set.

 

127. "Grand Central Waltz," The Fisher King (1991)

I don't care what anyone says, this is a dance sequence. And a f*cking beautiful one at that. I've crowed about it before on another thread, and now I'm throwing it over here too.

Already picked.

Erg. Whoops.

128. "Cut You Up With A Linoleum Knife" - Aqua Teen Hunger Force Colon Movie Film For Theaters

 

Speaking of shit that goes nowhere after 5 minutes. I still firmly believe this needs to play before every mainstream R-rated film. Just this bit. The film afterward is shit. But this is truly inspired, hilarious stuff.

 

That, plus, there's just a dearth of performed metal musical moments in this thread, and in general.

 

128. Dancer in the Dark- I've Seen it All

 

I know there was already a song from the film picked; but, in terms of musicals sequences, this is really the showstopping number in the film.  The one it will be remembered for, I think.

 

Plus, it kind of allows you to imagine what a Gaear Grimsrud musical might look like.

 

 

And, since Dancer just puts everyone in such a good mood-

 

129. They Shoot Horses, Don't They- Second Derby Sequence

 

 

Mesmerizing, poetic, and horrifying.  (And how long until reality tv starts these up again?)

130. "The Sorceree's Apprentice" in Walt Disney's Fantasia

 

A part of film over 100 years in the making,.  Undoubtedly the most famous segment from the film, the story is set to the symphonic poem written by Dukas, who based his music off of the original poem written by Goethe.  It also launched the redesign of Mickey, and his design hasn't really change much since then.  Everything about this short is excellent, from the music itself to the iconic shots of the brooms marching to even the hat Mickey wears throughout.  While Fantasia is a brilliant piece of filmmaking, without "The Sorcerer's Apprentice, it would merely be a footnote in Disney's record.  Not many films get a sequel nearly 60 years later and feature the exact same scene again.