Musicals
As soon as sound was introduced to the movies, the movie musical was born. The musical was one of the most popular movie entertainments from the 1930s through to the 50s, before falling out of favour at the end of the 60s for audiences now being weened on Vietnam, race riots, political assassinations, flower power and psychedelia. The musical still continued onwards, albeit in a different form, with various efforts such as "Cabaret", "The Rocky Horror Picture Show", "Grease", "Hair", "All That Jazz" and "The Blues Brothers" appearing over the next decade. More recently, "Moulin Rouge" and particularly "Chicago" hark back to the glory days of the musical.
Right: Liza Minnelli does "Cabaret"
Ray (Blu-ray) (2004)
7.7/10
Director: Taylor Hackford
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Clifton Powell, Harry Lennix, Terrence Howard, Lar...
Jamie Foxx stars as the one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who overcame impossible odds to become a music legend. "Ray" is the triumphant and remarkable... Read more
Rembetiko (1983)
8.2/10
Director: Costas Ferris
Starring: Sotiria Leonardou, Nikos Kalogeropoulos, Michalis Maniatis, Themis Bazaka
A fictionalized biopic that uniquely chronicles the story of Greece from 1917 to 1956, as it overlaps it with the tragic personal story of Marika Nino... Read more
Rent (2005)
7/10
Director: Chris Columbus
Starring: Anthony Rapp, Adam Pascal, Rosario Dawson, Jesse L Martin, Wilson Jermaine Hered...
This film adaptation of the Pulitzer and Tony Award winning Broadway musical stars many of the original stage cast, and follows the lives of seven fri... Read more
Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008)
6.7/10
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman
Starring: Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Anthony Head, Sarah Brightman, Paris Hilton, Bill Mose...
A uniquely bizarre, gory, sci-fi, musical horror, and pet project of 'Saw' sequels director Darren Lynn Bousman. The year is 2056, and following an ep... Read more
Return To Waterloo / Come Dancing With The Kinks (1985)
Director: Julien Temple, Ray Davies
Starring: Kenneth Colley, Ray Davies
Ray Davies of the Kinks, well-respected as one of rock's best storytellers, makes his filmmaking debut in 'Return to Waterloo' starring Kenneth Colley... Read more
Rhythm on the Range / Rhythm on the River (1936)
Director: Norman Taurog, Victor Schertzinger
Starring: Bing Crosby, Frances Farmer, Martha Raye, Mary Martin, Basil Rathbone, Oscar Lev...
A Bing Crosby Double Bill. 'Rhythm on the Range' (1936) sees the crooner playing a casual cowpoke opposite feisty love interest Frances Farmer. In '... Read more
Road to Rio (1947) / Road To Bali (1953) / Road To Morocco (1942) / Road To Utopia (1946) / Road To Zanzibar (1941) / Road To Singapore (1940)
Director: David Butler, Hal Walker, Norman Z McLeod, Victor Schertzinger
Starring: Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour
Six of the best 'Road To...' films starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. 'Road To Singapore' - The one that started it all has Hope and... Read more
Road To Singapore / Road To Zanzibar / Road To Morocco / Road To Utopia (1946)
Director: David Butler, Hal Walker, Victor Schertzinger
Starring: Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Dorothy Lamour
A deluxe box set featuring four of the best 'Road To...' films starring Bob Hope, Bing Crosby and Dorothy Lamour. "Road To Singapore" (1940) The firs... Read more
Roberta (1935)
7.1/10
Director: William A Seiter
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Irene Dunne, Lucille Ball, Randolph Scott
The lively dancing of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers highlights this Jerome Kern-Otto Harbach musical, set in 1920s Paris and featuring Irene Dunne an... Read more
Robin And The 7 Hoods (1964)
6.5/10
Director: Gordon Douglas
Starring: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Peter Falk, Sammy Davis Jr
The last of the "Rat Pack " films is set in Roaring Twenties Chicago, and Sinatra and crew play garrulous gangsters who rob from the rich and give to... Read more