I don't get Musicals.
On some level I understand the need for inner expression through various emotional mechanisms. I enjoy the theater and last year I went to my first Ballet "Giselle". I watched Moulin Rouge and kept waiting for dialgoue to come up, even though I thought the editing and the music choice was some of the best married sound and image I had ever seen. As a close friend usually describes his disinterests "It just didn't do anything for me."
Throughout my time watching Disney films I was only able to challenge my expectations with Sleeping Beauty where in the woods a bunch of animals dance with the princess until a prince happens to walk by and capture her heart (unfortunately not literally). Out of all the silly nonsensical musical scenes I've watched, this confounded me... because I liked it. I felt like dancing with some beautiful woman and knew for the first time what it felt like to be in love... Yes of course, I knew ALL of this at the tender age of 6. Actually I think I just enjoyed the movie so much I accepted the musical. I'd often just be opposed to anything that warped the narrative in some kind of cruel music stasis lock. The effect has always been annoying and made the film less enjoyable. But not that time.
People don't understand why I feel this way. And it wasn't until my friend truly made me understand that I don't "prefer" musicals. There are plenty of musicals I really like. So it's more like I tolerate some. No, wait. I like them.
I realized this when I first saw Once More with Feeling a Buffy episode where an especially well dressed demon uses his Michael Jackson moves to hipnotise the town into dancing and singing everywhere all the time. Amazing? Hilarious? Oh yes. But it's Buffy. And Buffy never did anything wrong... Except Inca Mummy Girl and that episode where Xander and his crew become Hyenas. But I digress, It started to become apparent. Musicals aren't all bad.
I wrote a paper on Meet Me in St. Louis in my first year of university. It was about turn of the century technology and it's integration into the nuclear household. The breaks in songs didn't even bother me. I loved Judy Garland, but I think it was the setting and the integration of many themes that just made the film more satisfying.
It seems odd then, given what I've mentioned above that I would actually be opposed to musicals. Yet I am. I'm passionate about it. And I think all of this disdain was collected by a series of convincing feelings I felt as a child. I go out of my way to describe this dissatisfaction well aware of the offense and shock it can produce. In recent months, I've been subject to much criticism for trying and not liking Glee... But I'll get to that later.
I don't really like Aladdin. I love the jokes and the songs are cute, but as a general story it doesn't intrigue me. And I really got annoyed at how often the characters would just break out into song. I could see the writers mulling over their work:
"Al, we've got another character to introduce. What's the best way of describing their philosophy? How do we portray narcissistic talking animals?"
"Get them to sing a jingle, Fred."
And on and on this formula goes.
This was confusing during my youth and I wanted to understand why my friends were so "Holy shit, best thing since chocolate milk!" And dammit, they are probably right. I think I have some kind of "fun" defect in this department, but I've come to embrace it. Musicals, like life, are silly. They seem like clever distractions for every moment its creators feel as though the infant beside them (I'm specifically talking about Disney) is getting too overwhelmed. Let's sing about nothing or lets sing about everything we've already described to you! And for the love of money, make sure that soundtrack sells!
There's a moment in Top Hat where Fred Astaire whisks away his sweetheart and talks about dancing with her cheek to cheek to express his love to be near her. It's established well before when he's dancing (magnificently) in the room above hers in some exceptionally nice hotel. But still, celebratory nonsense. It doesn't make sense to just freeze the plot and be patronized under the guise of talented actors.
Yes, I'm sure it's quite something to hear anyone from Generation X say "Yeah, I don't really like Disney." But that's not what I'm saying. I don't like most of Disney. I think it's a more ethical question in some ways. Because, really, I'm also talking about how this impacts the pysche of a child. You take something like Snow White and put it up against Up and you have yourself an interesting comparison. Can you imagine my relief when Pixar came along and did everything I wanted Disney to do? But more to the point this directs focus on important aspects of the story instead of detracting from them. There are no breaks in Up, or Wall-E, and barely in Toy Story (with the exception of one sequence). These films have heart and take leaps no Disney film will ever be able to replicate (Yeah, Yeah. Disney bought Pixar, but screw that nonsense). And that is for a lot of reasons, but it's also because there isn't a single musical number in them.
Now. What is Glee? How is Glee? How can Glee be?
Does it have a decent social commentary about teenage angst? Yeah, kind of. It's Glee. It's story is as bubbly as it's musical numbers. There's of course witty dialogue and every stereotypical conundrum you've heard about the modern teen generation. And it's musical relevance is completely legitimate within the realm of it's world. No one suddenly breaks into song. It's all planned and often the singing accurately and amazingly drives the storyline or assists it.
So... What the frak? What's wrong with this show?
They're all too fucking happy but more importantly they all sing perfectly well. They're young students. Infants. And they can scarcely contain their glee. I hate to dampen the mood, but the story barely provides me enough character incentive but much less is this consistent barrage of happiness flocking teens in the midst of a flawless ensemble. When they aren't happy they seem to be just perfecting their voices as they explain again and again their plight with the world. I don't get it. I tried. I'm pretty sure it's one of the most superficial portrayals of teen culture, but that's okay. It's Glee. That's what it's aiming for. I just don't like it. It doesn't do anything for me... But maybe make me bored.
I felt like ending this traditionally. But I want to leave it as I'm uncertain whether this genre has really earned my dissatisfaction. I recently saw the sexiest most beautiful film in a while:
Nine.
What? Gosh! Shock! The film bombed at the box office, critics were less than sympathetic. But dammit, it's a really beautiful movie. Sure, the plot does nothing but weakly tap into the wonderful mind of Fellini. But that didn't matter. All of the actors were incredibly convincing in their roles. Women are pretty fucking objectified, but i think theres a conscious effort to dissuade Daniel Day-Lewis' greedy and eccentric lifestyle by showing the amazing loss and betrayal that is burdened by Marion Cotillard. On top of that I felt like the women were telling the story about Fellini. I do wonder how well received this was by female audiences.
There is just a powerful punch from these performances that just captivated my imagination. My God, is that Judy Dench in feathers? Nicole Kidman, you're actually proving again that you can be transformed! Penelope Cruz... Well shit. She's wonderfully terrifying. The cast is as spectacular as the cinematography, but it's so much more enjoyable because it's a dreamy wonder about a socially disconnected brilliant man. It's definitely not that best movie I've ever seen, but, got to me.
So I may not get musicals, but they may not get me. Like a wild passionate relationship: one minute I say one thing and the next I say another that contradicts it. Maybe they all have to have sex appeal and Daniel Day-Lewis, but maybe, just maybe they have to have genuine focus and let the music fall where it works best. (or just suits me the most) Nine had a song for all the woman Day-Lewis' character loved. Meet Me In St. Louis described technology and technology is awesome. Buffy made fun of musicals by embracing the musical. Disney just didn't seem that clever.
Sorry Gleeks, this man is not convinced.
