Introduction

Until the release of Moulin Rouge! (2001), musicals were divided up into two eras: Classical Sound Era and Post-Classical.

The Classical Era

The Jazz Singer (1927) was a precursor to the rise of the genre, and it ushered Hollywood into the sound era. Musicals began to rise in popularity and prominence, and they became a mainstay along with dramas, comedies and Westerns.

The Classical Sound Era took place during the 1930s, ‘40s and 50s, and many consider this to be the golden age of the musical. Director Busby Berkeley was a prominent figure in the rise of musicals, and he is known for enhancing traditional dance numbers and spectacular choreography. Classic movies from this early part of the era include Top Hat (1935), Swing Time (1936) and Carefree (1938). In addition, movies from other genres (such as comedy and drama), such as those made by the Marx Brothers, began including musical numbers.

As the late ‘40s and early ‘50s arrived, so too did a production unit known as “The Freed Unit.” Led by Arthur Freed, the unit transitioned from repetitive old-fashioned musicals to a newer style. One of the first films produced by this unit was The Wizard of Oz (1939). The unit recruited workers from Broadway and the New York stage to the film medium, and the unit was responsible for films like Meet Me in St. Louis (1944) and Singin’ in the Rain (1952). Also, some of the greatest musical actors of all time developed during this era, including Judy Garland, Gene Kelly, Mickey Rooney and Kathryn Grayson.

The Jazz Singer (1927)	The Wizard of Oz (1939)	Singin’ in the Rain (1952)

Post-Classical Era

Musicals in the 1950s marked a transition into the post-classical era. The popularity of musicals began to decline because of reasons such as the cultural change to rock ‘n’ roll. Musical films of this era, such as Oklahoma! (1955) and The Sound of Music (1965), were straightforward adaptations of stage shows.

After the 1960s, the trend became to avoid musicals and only rely on music in film as background music. The goal of this change was to sell soundtrack albums. The only exception to this was with animated films, such as Disney’s Beauty and the Beast (1991) and The Lion King (1994).

The Sound of Music (1965)	Oklahoma (1955)	Beauty and the Beast (1991)

So, what's next?

However, modern musicals began to make a comeback in the early 2000s with the release of films like Moulin Rouge! (2001), Chicago (2002), The Phantom of the Opera (2004) and Rent (2005).

Works Cited