Monday, February 17, 2014

Movie of the Week – Singin’ in the Rain

This week’s movie: Singin’ in the Rain (1952).

The musical is about a film production company and cast that have a difficult time transitioning to sound (taking place in the early 1930s).

Singin’ in the Rain is co-directed by Stanley Donen (the Hollywood director, responsible for such films as: On the Town, Funny Face, Charade, and Two for the Road) and Gene Kelly (responsible for the choreography). The directing team worked with composer Lennie Hayton, songwriters Nacio Herb Brown and Arthur Freed, cinematographer Harold Rosson, and art directors Randall Duell and Cedric Gibbons.

The film stars Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor, and Debbie Reynolds, with support from Jean Hagen and Millard Mitchell.

Singin’ in the Rain is probably the best musical in cinema history and one of the best films period of all-time. It marks the career highlight for all three of its stars, boasting brilliant song and dance numbers (O’Connor’s Make Them Laugh is incredible). On top of this being a phenomenal musical, it is also a fantastic look at the transition from silent to sound films, showcasing the extravagant and comedic lengths that production companies had to go through to make the change. It completely destroyed cinema, setting the visual medium back decades (some even believe that we still have not returned to the visual artistry on show during silent cinema’s prime). It also proved to be a massive shake up for actors as well. The film is a must-see for fans of musicals, film history, and those wanting to see all the greatest films of all-time (plus, it is among my personal favorites).


Trailer: Here
Available on: Blu-ray and Video On-Demand

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