CHEWER'S 250 GREATEST MUSICAL NUMBERS IN CINEMATIC HISTORY - Page 2

I'm out of reps, but I agree with everything you wrote.

38. Woody Allen's Everyone Says I Love You "I'm Through With Love" (1996)

 

 

While the film - Allen's one-off full-on musical - doesn't really work, it does end with a stunner of a number. Seemingly ripped from a textbook called "How To Create Movie Magic", Allen orchestrates a majestic scene where Goldie Hawn sings a tune & dances weightless in the air. It's a helluva moment from a "meh" movie.

 

Here it be: (Click to show)

39.  AIRPLANE! - 'Stayin' Alive'

 

Disco the way it's meant to be.  Here's another one of those 'gee, I wasn't expecting THAT to be in here' moments, but it totally works as a spoof of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER.

 

40. Romance and Cigarettes Christopher Walken sings Delilah. Shakespeare couldn't find the words to describe this clip. The best I can do is to write its Walken at his most Walken.

Lets bring in some Opera

41. "Nessun Dorma" - Serenade (1956)

Sometimes all you need for a great musical number is a immortal piece of music and a great voice. Cue Mario Lanza singing Nessun Dorma from Puccini's "Turandot" with such emotion that it is hard not to tear up. I feel like I should do a longer writeup, but I all I want to do is close my eyes and hit play.

42.  SPACEBALLS - 'Hello My Baby'

 

ALIEN + LOONEY TUNES = one of the biggest laughs in the entire film.  This brought down the house when I saw this in the movie theaters.  It's one of those perfect moments.

 

43. Pulp Fiction "You Never Can Tell" (1994)

 

 

With an iconic flash, a dead career is resurrected and jaws drop at ridiculous wealth of untouchable "cool" encapsulated in a 2 minute shimmy n' shake to an old Chuck Berry song.

 

Here it be: (Click to show)

44.  THE FIFTH ELEMENT - Whatever it is that the blue squid chick sings

 

I HATE this film with a passion.  HATE it.  HATE HATE HATE it.  But the song that the blue squid chick sings is really beautiful and has tremendous range to it.  Only a really talented singer could pull off this song, and I have to recognize the talent that went into this vocal performance.

 

45. The Red Shoes, 1948

This sequence, an impressionistic masterpiece directed by Michael Powell, has influenced everyone from Scorsese to Stanley Donen to Kubrick. Powell was a visual and stylistic innovator, and Moira 
Shearer is gorgeous. One of my all-time favourite movies.

 

For the life of me, I can't believe that "Glee" hasn't been all over this song.  

 

This should have been in the Top 5. We ALL dropped the ball on that one.

46. Beetlejuice, Day-O

Just when I thought this movie couldn't get any better, along came this scene and upped the ante. Burton's single finest moment as a film-maker, as far as I'm concerned, a moment of manic inventiveness in the middle of a film that is thick with them. This song has never been the same.

47. The Fisher King "Lydia, The Tattooed Lady" (1991)

 

 

Robin Williams quietly sings a song to his dorky date. An endearingly tender, & lovely, sweet moment in a movie that only gets better with age.

 

Here it be: (Click to show)

48. Wilkommen from Cabaret (1972)

The incomparable (and never better) Joel Grey sets the tone for the sad, sick and silly movie to follow with this beautiful sequence. Hopefully this will be the first of a flood of Bob Fosse entries on this list. 

 

 

Even the orchestra is beautiful!

Apogies for posting that in the wrong thread.

Edited by Chaz - 6/4/12 at 7:40pm

Wrong thread, friend.

 

49. The Life Of Brian "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" (1979)

 

 

How this - fucking THIS - missed the Top 3 is a mystery for the ages.

 

Classic. Genius. Hilarious. Iconic.

 

Here it be: (Click to show)

50. The Three Amigos "My Little Buttercup" 1986

 

Why? 'Cause it's funny!

 

51. If I Only Had a Brain, The Wizard of Oz, 1939

One of a few movies that changed my life, I still know the words to this, and most of the other songs. Funny and smart, sweet and silly. Ray Bolger absolutely kills it.

 

As you can maybe tell, I'm having a blast with this thread. Cheers, Mr. Dickson, nice one.

 

52. Belleville Rendezvous, The Triplet of Belleville, 2003.

This was stuck in my head for weeks. A great tune and sequence from one of my favourite animated features ever, harkening back to the finest Looney Tunes or Disney had to offer.

 

 Can't get the clip to attach, but it's on Youtube if you're curious.

As you can maybe tell, I'm having a blast with this thread. Cheers, Mr. Dickson, nice one.

 

52. Belleville Rendezvous, The Triplet of Belleville, 2003.

This was stuck in my head for weeks. A great tune and sequence from one of my favourite animated features ever, harkening back to the finest Looney Tunes or Disney had to offer.

 

 Can't get the clip to attach, but it's on Youtube if you're curious.

damn my eyes, double post

53. Almost Famous "Tiny Dancer"

 

A good song can bring us all together.

 

"I need to go home." 

"You are home."

 

54. Dueling Banjos, Delliverance, 1972.

Creeping dread infuses this weird little scene from one of the weirdest movies of the seventies, courtesy of one of the weirdest directors in mainstream cinema and a book by my favourite American poet.

Great stuff, often imitated, never matched.

The line 'Give him a couple of bucks' is, in my opinion, the beginning of their demise.

55.  "Bye, Bye Life"  -- ALL THAT JAZZ (1979)

 

 

 

The show-stopping end to a show-stopping life.  Joe Gideon has a death wish throughout the entire movie, and this final fantasy number is his fitting end.  How else should a lavish Broadway producer go out but with a splashy rock number for all of your friends and family?   Having Ben Vereen as your duet partner with Death Jessica Lange waiting for you is just icing on the cake.  Roy Scheider kills it here.  Such a fantastic, life-affirming death song.  

56. The Big Lebowski- "Just Dropped In"

 

In what has to be the coolest song Kenny Rogers ever did (step aside "Gambler"), Lebowski's fragile sense of being has been assaulted, his rug miterated on, his body drugged by a pornographer, and his caucasian ruined by a lack of half and half. All the pieces of the story come into play with Brunhilde, bowling, and the Dude as the plumber.

 

http://vimeo.com/10823603

 

 

In a movie filled with great music (the soundtrack gets constant play by me), this scene takes it one step farther. Jeff Bridges's eyes as he turns, the sensual movements of his body...

#57 Life is Beautiful

 

The opera scene.  All he has eyes for is the object of his affection.  Beautiful.

 

My wife loved this film and scene so much that she walked down the aisle to Barcarolle when we got married.

 

#58 Shawshank Redeption

Andy Dusfresne gives the inmates of Shawshank a brief moment of escape.

 

It's great that Dufresne's rebellion (apart from the escape) is to play Mozart to the rest of the inmates, even though he's going to get a fierce beating from Clancy Brown.  

 

Great scene from a great movie,

 

Great choice.

#59 "Anything Goes" - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.


I think Kate Capshaw is largely unlikable, but in the opening musical number she excels. The Cole Porter song actually sounds better in mandarin, and it's such a cool, flashy and unexpected way to open the sequel to Raiders of the Lost Ark. John Williams opening orchestration used in the transition from the Paramount logo to the the silver toned stylized mountaintop depicted on the Club Obi Wan gong helps transport the viewer and set them up for the unknown.

Right after reading your Life is Beautiful post, I thought of this.

 

For those of you who want to see "Anything Goes" Indy style, click below!

 

Indy Jones and Anything Goes (Click to show)
Edited by MrTyres - 6/4/12 at 1:23am

60. Chicago "Cell Block Tango"

 

Great story telling, great choreography, great at showing us that Roxy Heart is not unique. Exposition was never so lovely. Say what you will about Oscars, it is still a damn fine musical number.

 

 

But truly, I only posted that so I could post this:

 

 

Amazing!

62. Perfect Day- Lou Reed (Train Spotting)

 

Here is a young man who should be getting married and living his perfect day with a loved one. Yet no he is feeling his heart slow down and stop beating because he took a hot dose of heroin. Just to see that camera in the POV shot looking up from a coffin is chilling

Shame, both Singing In The Rain and Falling Slowly are taken. I honestly can't watch either of these scenes without crying like a little girl. For different reasons of course but still, both these scenes get to my emotions in such a way even thinking about them makes my heart race. I remember the first time I watched them exactly and I don't think I will forget until I die.

 

I can't think of any musical sequence in a film that touches them, personally. So I have nothing for this list.

63. "Wise Up" - Magnolia

 

Like any good musical, it takes characters being at their absolute best or worst to break out in song. In this case, its 9 characters, scattered throughout the city, all in completely separate little hells by now. And then the song starts. And the song cuts like a fucking knife through every single one of these stories. It should be high camp. Instead, along with Earl's monologue and Cruise breaking down at his bedside later, it's the most affecting part of the film, and spectacular use of a song that, up until Community stole it back, was a surefire way to reduce me to tears.

 

Sure, I'll twist the knife a bit more.

 

64. "The Next To Last Song" - Dancer In The Dark

 

All apologies to Dickson, I kinda have no words for this. Brilliant, but gut wrenching in its execution, and Jesus Christ that's the worst choice of words ever, and I am sorry.

 

And now we need a pick me up.

 

65. "Don't Stop Me Now" - Shaun of the Dead

 

It'd be an amazing, bizarre idea to begin with, scoring a zombie attack to Queen, but the balls to sync EVERY ASPECT OF THE SCENE to it is the work of mad geniuses.

 

66. Anchorman - Afternoon Delight

 

One of the few times I'll enjoy a capella. 

 

 

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/f5ab70baec/anchorman-afternoon-delight-from-ron-burgundy

 

Man, all I can say, Justin is  A)  great choice and B) FUCK YOU!!!!!      Such a brutal film.

67. The Band Wagon- The Girl Hunt

 

 

 From Michael Jackson to Stephen Chow, you can see how this left an impression on culture.  The iconic red dress/long gloves look familiar?  Cyd Charrise' s legs should have been made a national monument, btw.

If we're now opening up the Disney floodgates, I'll go deep cut:

 

68.  "Mine, Mine, Mine"  -  Pocahontas (1995)

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6SrZ-6cGVA

 

The one bright spot in this mostly bland film is this lively villain song about greed and deforestation.  Surprisingly pointed and ironic considering this came out around the time Disney's ill-fated attempt to buy up Civil War battle sites for theme parks.  This whole sequence is a lot of fun (love the bulldog) and almost makes you root for the villain (esp. since Pocahontas herself is dull as dirt).  Points off for the Mel Gibson interruption midway through, but the rest of the song is aces.

70. Meet Me in St. Louis- The Trolley Song (1944)

 

I guess I'll happily be the guy reppin' for Minnelli.

 

71. "Gethsemane" - Jesus Christ Superstar

 

Aside from Last Temptation of Christ, these five minutes are the single greatest representation of Jesus on film, as a conflicted soon-to-be-martyr having a direct conversation with God. On top of that, the song itself is powerful as all hell, flying through an incredible range of emotions, and culminating in swelling, bittersweet surrender. One of the pieces of music that, as a kid, made me just plain love music, period.

 

 

 

Bonus: Talk about Ian Gillian all you want, Ted Neeley only got BETTER at this with age.

 

72. Hedwig and the Angry Inch- Midnight Radio

 

The last part of the movie doesn't work for everybody, but I love this song, and its message.  That the only one who can make you whole is yourself.  And tying that feeling of wholeness to the music that could temporarily fill in those gaps until you were able to fill them in yourself.  Paying tribute to your icons, and then putting yourself among them.  Beautiful.

 

73. "Layla" - Goodfellas

 

The aftermath of the Lufthansa heist. Never has mass murder been so exciting and strangely beautiful.

 

Edited by EvilTwin - 6/4/12 at 10:48am

74.  "Everybody Wants Some!"  -- Better Off Dead (1985)

 

Best use of Van Halen in a movie?  Yes!

 

BETTER OFF DEAD is often lumped in with the 80's John Hughes-type teen films, but it's more of a Zucker Brothers/Looney Tunes, anything-for-a-gag comedy.  No scene exemplifies this better than this animated fantasy sequence that occurs when Cusack's character takes a shitty, demeaning job at a burger joint.  That they actually spent the long Claymation hours and licensing bucks for this throwaway joke is something I'll always respect.   

You might be right, but I was drawing on The Shawshank Redemption and Trainspotting submissions as precedence.

75. "La Marsellaise" - Casablanca

 

It's already a beautiful film example of music as a weapon, and there's a vast wealth of character development in the space of maybe a minute there, but I think about how this had to play on release, right in the middle of World War II, and I don't stop smiling for an hour.