Hollywood Musical Genre What is genre Narrative vs
- Slides: 9
Hollywood Musical Genre • • • What is genre? Narrative vs. Musical Realities Musical Forms The Astaire-Rogers Musical Integrated Musical and Ideology
Musical as a Genre • What is genre? – Nature of each film as independent product – Plots and characters – Audience expectations
Narrative vs. Musical Realities • Narrative reality within the film – Not simple reality but a style created • Musical reality ruptures narrative reality • Shifts in registers • Creation of pleasure
The Backstage Musical • Tension between narrative and musical numbers – When musicals try to cohere the two, the narrative must resolve the “problem” of the musical numbers • Busby Berkley – http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=UJOj. TNuu. EVw (“We’re in the money” from Gold Digger of 1933) – http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=k. IO 9 y 1 x. MPIA (“The words are in my heart” from Gold Digger of 1935) • Show people
The Cakewalk Musical • Fluidity of the transformation from narrative to song – Actors are performers and actors as audiences – Use of props – Who are they performing for? – http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=BQ 2 Q 8_P_ msg (“Under the bamboo tree” from Meet Me in St. Louis)
The Operetta • Unmotivated musical numbers • Fantasy settings • Shift in registers marked by dialogue
The Astaire-Rogers Musical • Perfect exemplification of “genre” – Subgenre of “screwball musical” • Sexual desire is displaced into song and dance • Musical numbers function as extensions of the characters and reflect stages in their developing relationship – Solve obstacles thrown out by narrative – In-class activity: http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=mx. Pgpl. Muj z. Q (Dance Studio Number from Swing Time)
The Integrated Musical • MGM and Arthur Freed (1939 -1960) • Blurs the boundaries of narrative and performance spaces • Singin’ in the Rain – http: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=D 1 ZYh. Vpd Xb. Q
The Musical and Ideology • Escapism at its best • Creates utopian version of capitalist society where there is boundless cheer and energy and everyone who deserves it ends up happy • Remember what “We’re in the money” says about the Depression?
