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"
Scrooge (1970)
7.5/10
Director: Ronald Neame
Starring: Albert Finney, Dame Edith Evans, Kenneth More, Alec Guinness
The spirit of Christmas becomes a musical celebration of life in this rousing adaptation of Charles Dickens' beloved family classic, 'A Christmas Caro... Read more
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (1954)
7.4/10
Director: Stanley Donen
Starring: Howard Keel, Jane Powell, Jeff Richards, Marc Platt
When outdoorsman Howard Keel decides to get married, his 6 younger brothers also get the urge. The musical movie inspiration for the TV series contain... Read more
Sextette (1978)
3.2/10
Director: Ken Hughes
Starring: Mae West, Timothy Dalton, Dom DeLuise, Tony Curtis, Ringo Starr, George Hamilton...
Mae West's swansong is this bizarre musical comedy in which the bleach blonde diva puts her honeymoon (with Timothy Dalton) on hold while she goes off... Read more
Shake, Rattle and Rock! (1956)
5.1/10
Director: Edward L Cahn
Starring: Fats Domino, Sterling Holloway, Touch Connors, Margaret Dumont
The endearingly awful "Shake, Rattle and Rock!" serves as a showcase for four top rock-and-roll talents of the 1950s. Fats Domino heads the cast as "h... Read more
Shall We Dance / Follow the Fleet (1937)
Director: Mark Sandrich
Starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers
A Fred Astaire double feature of 'Shall We Dance' (1937) and 'Follow the Fleet' (1936), both with Astaire's long-time co-star Ginger Rogers. 'Shall We... Read more
Show Boat (1951)
7/10
Director: George Sidney
Starring: Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner, Howard Keel
George Sidney supplies movement and grace to the great Jerome Kern score that colours the lives of misfits and losers in a musical that deftly moves f... Read more
Showbands (2004)
7.1/10
Director: Ian Fitzgibbon
Starring: Liam Cunningham, Kerry Katona, Tina Kellegher, Hugh O'Conor
This four-part made for television drama, steeped in the music, atmosphere and nostalgia of the showband era, is an endearing tale of bar cleaner Deni... Read more
Sing Street (2016)
8/10
Director: John Carney
Starring: Maria Doyle Kennedy, Aidan Gillen, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Kelly Thornton
From director John Carney (ONCE, BEGIN AGAIN), SING STREET takes us back to 1980s Dublin seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy named Conor (Ferdi... Read more
Sing Street ( Blu-ray ) (2016)
8/10
Director: John Carney
Starring: Aidan Gillen, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Lucy Boynton, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Kelly Thorn...
From director John Carney (ONCE, BEGIN AGAIN), SING STREET takes us back to 1980s Dublin seen through the eyes of a 14-year-old boy named Conor (Ferdi... Read more
Singin' in the Rain (1952)
8.3/10
Director: Gene Kelly, Stanley Donen
Starring: Millard Mitchell, Jean Hagen, Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, Debbie Reynolds, Cyd...
Silent movies are giving way to Talking Pictures and a hoofer-turned-matinee idol (Gene Kelly) is caught in that bumpy transition, as well as his budd... Read more