From song to dance to colors, this musical kept me tapping my foot the whole time I was watching. This was the first time I had ever watched Singin' in the Rain, and it certainly lived up to everything that I had heard of. While so many aspects of this movie struck me as profound and amazing there are two that I want to focus on: the first is the film technology of the movie and the second is the undeniable comedy this musical is known for.
Singin' in the Rain not only tells the story of the radical change in film technology in the 1920's, but also shows the advancement of film technology in the movie itself. Anyone who watches this movie, will say how the colors of this movie are one of things that strikes a viewer first, and is simply so hard to forget. The movie itself, shows the drastic journey Hollywood was on, when their world was rocked as "talkies" were being introduced. It shows the obstacles that must be faced to make a movie with sound, and soon realized the voicing coaches were needed to make this movie successful. However, this musical is not only known for the technology that was displayed in the story line of the film, but the film itself. Singin' in the Rain was filmed in Technicolor which is what made the colors of the picture pop and really stand out. The directors of this movie went to far lengths to make sure that this film would be shown in the best film technology that it could be in 1952. Not only did the colors of the film make the movie stand out, but so did their costumes, sets, effects and sound. All these aspects were the best of its kind at this point, and each contributed to making this one of the best, if not the best, musical ever.
Another thing that made this movie great was the not only the singing and dancing talent, but the fact that this musical was also a comedy. One of the most impressive things about this film is the fact that it was not based off a Broadway play at first. It was quickly written and turned into a movie, then following a Broadway play. To add to this, the amazing singing and unbelievable dancing, this musical was also funny! The screenwriters Comden and Green found a way to take serious issues of Hollywood in the 20's and turn them into a way to laugh about everything. This script is known for its wittiness and one-liners...one of the funniest scenes is when Lina can never find the microphone in the flowers. This musical would not be where it is without its ability to bring comedy relief to such a stressful time for Hollywood. This musical should not be underestimated, and will continue to be know for its hysterical one-liners, and wittiness between the characters.
This musical brings joy to the heart, a kick to your step and keeps you humming the songs throughout the day. The dancing, singing, comedy and film technology truly make the movie what it is today. Singin' in the Rain has stolen my heart by the sweet and witty script, and is sure to steal yours too!
I like your vivid description of this film, and the fact that you gave two very distinct points of focus: the advancement of technology in the 1920's and the comedic tone running through the film. I agree that it was probably a difficult time, while moviemakers had to make a transition from silence to sound. Some of the talkies were indeed making a leap with the help of speech coaches. Not only was it difficult for the moviemakers, but it was also difficult for the actors and actresses who just couldn't make the cut, such as the fictional character Lina, who unfortunately was born with a high-pitched, unbearable voice. I don't know if there was truly ever a case like this, where someone had to dub their voice over someone else's, but it was definitely an effective way of showing difficulty with technology in the film. As far as the comedic element, I like the fact that you included a scene as an example. During this scene, Lina seems to only be concerned with herself and won't listen to the director when he repeatedly tells her where to speak. Not only is this an example of the comedic element, but it is also an example of the difficulties experienced with technology during this time in history. I think another humorous part is when Cosmo sings, "Make Em Laugh." Not only is he advising actors to make their audiences laugh, but he is also making us, his own audience, laugh by completing stunts while he sings. Overall, I think this is a very well organized review of the film, especially since it is a film about a film, and it may have been trickier to analyze than another, single layered film may have been.
ReplyDeleteI wholeheartedly agree with your statement that the comedic aspect of this movie is another reason that it is so great. I believe that every great movie needs to have a little bit of a humorous kick in order to be considered one of the best. Comedy has this certain tendency to lift the spirits of even the most down-trodden people, and this movie does so perfectly. Between the quick one-liners and the amusing song and dance numbers, “Singin’ In the Rain” has the perfect blend of humorous ingredients that are sure to make anyone laugh at one point in the film or another. The fact that the screenwriters and actors of this movie were able to incorporate such a sense of humor into this film but were able to also keep it serious and under control really helps to illustrate how great of a movie this actually is. A lot of today’s comedies tend to forget to keep their movies under this sort of controlled atmosphere. It seems to me that most of these modern films try to go for a certain shock factor where the characters are involved in some borderline offensive situation, and that is where the majority of their laughs come from. Examples of this type of humor are becoming increasingly prevalent. A good example of this type of comedy would be “The Hangover.” Although I really do enjoy this movie, I can’t help but notice that the majority of its jokes involve strippers, drugs, or a well-placed f-bomb. Maybe it’s just the old man in me, but I certainly found the humor in “Singin’ In the Rain” to be a refreshing change of pace from a simpler time.
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