Musical

The 1976 version of A Star Is Born marks the third cinematic iteration of a now-legendary Hollywood story—tracing the rise of a young performer as she eclipses the fading star who mentors her. Whereas the 1937 and 1954 versions (starring Janet Gaynor and Judy Garland, respectively) were set in the film industry, this update transposes the drama into the world of the 1970s rock music scene.

Popeye (1980) is one of the most curious cinematic endeavors to emerge from a major studio in the post-Star Wars era, when Hollywood was chasing family-friendly properties with franchise potential. Directed by auteur Robert Altman and starring the late Robin Williams in his first major film role, Popeye adapts the iconic comic strip and cartoon sailor into a live-action musical—a genre hybrid that baffled critics and audiences alike at the time of its release.

The 1936 version of Show Boat is widely regarded as the definitive screen adaptation of the seminal 1927 Broadway musical. A heartfelt and, at times, harrowing portrayal of race, love, loss, and resilience along the Mississippi River, the film is a triumph of performance, music, and direction.

Of all the classic features to emerge from Walt Disney’s golden age of animation, Dumbo is perhaps the most paradoxical. It is at once the studio’s shortest feature and one of its most emotionally expansive. Born of necessity—crafted quickly and economically after the financial disappointment of Fantasia—Dumbo was never intended to be a major artistic statement.

Few animated films have captured the essence of romance, charm, and Americana as completely as Walt Disney’s Lady and the Tramp. Released in 1955, this landmark feature was not only a narrative triumph but also a technical one—it was Disney’s first animated film presented in widescreen Cinemascope, giving an unprecedented sense of scale and intimacy to the studio’s storytelling.

When One Hundred and One Dalmatians premiered in 1961, it marked a decisive departure from the lush, romantic fairy-tale aesthetic that had defined Disney’s animated features up to that point.

When Fantasia premiered in November 1940, it was unlike anything audiences had ever seen—or heard. Equal parts symphony, painting, myth, and fever dream, the film brought together classical music and hand-drawn animation in a visionary cinematic experience. Walt Disney’s third animated feature was also his riskiest, departing entirely from traditional narrative and character-driven storytelling.

When Walt Disney released Pinocchio in 1940, he wasn't simply following up on the unprecedented success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs—he was reinventing what animated cinema could be. More than eight decades later, Pinocchio remains a towering achievement: a film of extraordinary technical beauty, moral clarity, and emotional depth. It isn’t just a classic of animation.

Among the various incarnations of A Star Is Born—a story told across decades of Hollywood history—the 1954 version stands as arguably the most emotionally powerful and artistically accomplished. Directed by George Cukor and starring Judy Garland in a triumphant comeback role opposite James Mason, the film is both a dazzling showbiz musical and a devastating character study about fame, self-destruction, and personal sacrifice.

When Doctor Dolittle premiered in 1967, it aspired to be the next great Hollywood musical extravaganza in the tradition of My Fair Lady and The Sound of Music. With Rex Harrison reprising his unique brand of speak-singing charm, lavish production values, and exotic locales, 20th Century Fox mounted a grand, ambitious adaptation of Hugh Lofting’s beloved children’s books.

Dirty Dancing isn’t just a movie—it’s a cultural milestone. Released quietly in 1987 by a small studio with modest expectations, it exploded into a global sensation. With its blend of sensual dance, social commentary, unforgettable music, and heartfelt romance, the film became an enduring symbol of emotional and sexual awakening.

In an era dominated by Star Wars knock-offs and earnest space operas, Flash Gordon (1980) rocketed into theatres as something completely different: a vibrant, garish, and unabashedly campy throwback to the sci-fi serials of the 1930s. Based on Alex Raymond's legendary comic strip hero, the film is a kaleidoscopic spectacle that’s more comic book than cinema, more operatic than logical—and it wears its absurdity with dazzling confidence.

Annie (1982) is a bold and extravagant big-screen adaptation of the hit 1977 Broadway musical, directed—perhaps surprisingly—by legendary filmmaker John Huston (The Maltese Falcon, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre), in what would be his only musical.

When Fame burst onto screens in 1980, it defied conventional genre expectations. Marketed as a musical, it was something more raw and authentic—a hybrid of cinéma vérité, ensemble drama, and the exuberant power of performance art. Rather than offering a tightly wound plot or typical Broadway-style musical numbers, Fame presented a mosaic of stories centred around the struggles and triumphs of students at New York City’s High School of Performing Arts.

Funny Face (1957) is a visually sumptuous and musically charming romantic comedy-musical directed by Stanley Donen, starring Audrey Hepburn, Fred Astaire, and Kay Thompson. Loosely based on the 1927 stage musical of the same name.

Seven Brides for Seven Brothers is a 1954 Technicolor musical directed by Stanley Donen and choreographed by the legendary Michael Kidd.

Released during the final years of World War II, Going My Way (1944) is a classic example of a film that blends humour, sentimentality, and musicality to create a lasting emotional impact.

Carol Reed’s Oliver! is a sweeping, emotionally resonant musical adaptation of Lionel Bart’s 1960 West End production, which itself reimagines Charles Dickens’ seminal 1838 novel Oliver Twist.

When West Side Story was released in 1961, it was immediately hailed as one of the most ground-breaking and electrifying musicals in cinematic history. Directed by Robert Wise and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, this film adaptation of the Broadway hit set to Leonard Bernstein's iconic music and Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics fused high art with popular entertainment. Its gripping story, vibrant choreography, memorable score, and innovative use of film techniques combined to crea

The Little Mermaid (1989) is not merely an animated film—it is a landmark in cinematic and animation history. Often credited with launching the “Disney Renaissance,” the film resurrected the fortunes of Walt Disney Animation Studios after a period of creative and financial stagnation in the 1970s and early '80s.