Les Miserables
This upcoming re-imagining of the classic is sure to pull on your heart strings. Unlike most Broadway films, there is no pre-recorded soundtrack. All of the songs are performed live for amazing emotional impact. The movie stars Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, and Russell Crowe. Check it out this December!
The Sound of Music
Possibly the best known musical of all-time, The Sound of Music is a fictional retelling of the life of the Trapp Family Singers. Its Broadway performances brought numerous awards, but it was the Oscar winning film starring Julie Andrews that made it a cultural phenomenon to be enjoyed again and again.
Fiddler on the Roof
The Fiddler on the Roof is the first musical on Broadway to reach over 3,000 performances, and it deserved a movie that captured it perfectly. The 1971 film stuck close to the play’s plot, telling the story of a Jewish family trying to keep their religious traditions alive and well. It’s still a unique story today.
Oklahoma
This movie was 12 years in the making, and given its historical significance it was well worth the wait! Rodgers and Hammerstein oversaw the making of the movie, which was coincidentally not filmed in the title state. The movie brought home two academy awards and numerous hearts.
The Wiz
The Wiz is the classic retelling of the Wizard of Oz, known for its upbeat music and all African-American cast. The movie adaptation starred mega celebrities like Michael Jackson in one of his few roles, and it became a late-‘70s classic.
West Side Story
Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim penned the lyrics for major success West Side Story, and it was his musical debut. The story of two rival street gangs based on Romeo and Juliet spawned a number of Broadway runs and an engaging 1961 movie that took home the best picture prize at the Oscars.
The Music Man
This 1962 musical film was based on one of the best loved Broadway musicals and the first to win a Grammy, so really it had no choice but to be good. And good it was, turning in career defining roles for Robert Preston and Shirley Jones. Interestingly, Morton DaCosta directed both the play and the film, and Preston performed in both as well!
Annie
Who hasn’t heard “It’s a Hard Knock Life”? The story of the spunky, curly haired redhead has been a classic since it’s debut in 1977. Many people’s initiation to the musical came in the form of the 1982 movie, which was panned by critics but loved by audiences. It and the musical spawned the well-known Little Orphan Annie comic strip.
Dreamgirls
Dreamgirls gets a lot of play at our house because of the wonderful music, excellent performances, and the mere presence of Eddie Murphy. The movie stays pretty close to the source material, offering up an engaging human drama along with the huge tunes that come along with it.
