As the highly anticipated film adaptation of the musical releases later this month, watch these four films to get you in the musical spirit
By AALIYAH ESPAÑOL-RIVAS — arts@theaggie.org
“Hairspray” (2007) dir. Adam Shankman
“Hairspray,” originally debuting on Broadway in 2003 as an adaptation of a 1988 John Waters film, follows 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad (Nikki Blonsky) who dreams of becoming a dancer on the popular variety show, “The Corny Collins Show.” However, Tracy’s weight and political views become a topic of conversation when she gains a spot on the show much to the dismay of the community. With an overarching theme of acceptance, the film brings viewers through the hardships of racial segregation and prejudice in the ‘60s. However, despite the ongoing tensions, Tracy begins to shake up the show with her forward thinking, advocating for racial integration on the show and body positivity.
The film features many catchy songs, such as “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” “Good Morning Baltimore” and “Without Love.” With other big names at the time, the film also features actors Zac Efron (Link Larkin), Amanda Bynes (Penny Pingelton) and Elijah Kelley (Seaweed). The film is vibrant and grand, a fun watch if you’re just getting into Broadway musicals.
“West Side Story” (2021) dir. Steven Spielberg
“West Side Story,” originally debuting on Broadway in 1957 by Stephen Sondhiem, is a modern retelling of the Shakespearean story of “Romeo and Juliet.” However, instead of Capulets and Montagues, there are the Jets, known as the white New Yorkers, and the Sharks, the newly immigrated Puerto Ricans. The film follows Maria (Rachel Zegler), whose family are all Sharks, and Tony (Ansel Elgort), who is a member of the Jets, as they fall in love much to the dismay of their family and friends. As race and turf tensions begin to arise between the two gangs, Maria and Tony have to decide: Is their love worth fighting over?
Despite the popular film adaption of the musical in 1961, director Steven Spielberg aimed to reinvent the story to correct the racist depictions from the original film and musical. Despite the film flopping at the box office due to casting choices for the role of Tony, the film is absolutely breathtaking and enhanced with the vocals from Zegler and Ariana DeBose (Anita). The song sequence of “America” alone perfectly encapsulates Spielberg’s aim to create a powerful and accurate depiction of Puerto Rican immigration in a racially polarized time period of the ‘50s.
“Dreamgirls” (2006) dir. Bill Condon
“Dreamgirls,” originally debuting on Broadway in 1981, tells the semi-fictional story of many Black R&B acts in the time period of the ‘60s and ‘70s. The film follows “The Dreamettes,” loosely based off of the real life group “The Supremes,” as they make their rise in the music industry. They experience problems with the lead singer of the group not appealing to white audiences due to her weight, looks and soulful voice as well as issues with money laundering. The film takes multiple twists and turns to show the barriers Black singers had to overcome in the music industry.
The film is also backed by an impressive all-Black cast, with powerhouse vocals from Jennifer Hudson (Effie), Beyonce (Deena) and Anika Noni Rose (Lorell). Songs such as “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” “Listen” and “One Night Only” are absolutely heart wrenching. The film serves as a vast reminder of the resilience of the Black women who fought for visibility in the music industry and the challenges they had to overcome.
“The Last Five Years” (2014) dir. Richard LaGravenese
“The Last Five Years,” originally debuting off-Broadway in 2002 but now slated for an official Broadway debut in March 2025, is an underrated pick amongst musical movies. Starring Anna Kendrick (Cathy) and Jeremy Jordan (Jamie), the film follows a nonlinear plot to tell the five-year relationship between Cathy and Jamie. For Cathy, the order of songs she sings goes from their divorce to the beginnings of the relationship, whereas Jamie’s songs start from the beginnings of their relationship to its eventual downfall.
The songs such as “I Can Do Better Than That,” “Moving Too Fast” and “See I’m Smiling,” are beautiful songs that encapsulate the harrowing relationship problems the two characters face as they grapple with their past and present. Jordan and Kendrick, two previous Broadway actors, show the two perspectives of a breakup incredibly well, proving there are always two sides to every story.
Written by: AalIyah Español-Rivas — arts@theaggie.org
