Movie Musicals made quite an impression this Summer at the Palm Springs Cultural Center, where audiences were encouraged to sing along with all their favorite musicals while watching them in all their technicolor glory on the BIG screen. As the Summer came to a close, more than one attendee came up to say, “We want more!”
Well, Summer may be over, but the musicals are definitely not! The Musical Magic continues at the Palm Springs Cultural Center with even more great movie musicals curated by our very own group of movie musical super fans. The fun (and the music) begins on Saturday, November 4th at 3pm when we present the classic musical SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS! This high energy musical first danced and sang its way into the hearts of audiences in 1954! It’s the classic tale of newlyweds and their in-laws – except this time the in-laws come in the form of six single brothers who are all looking for wives!
Next up on November 4th (screening at 6pm), is ALL THAT JAZZ, the 1979 semi-autobiographical musical drama written and directed by dancer, choreographer and director Bob Fosse. ALL THAT JAZZ won the Palme d’Or at the 1980 Cannes Film Festival, and at the 52nd Academy Awards it was nominated for nine Oscars, winning four: Best Original Score, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, and Best Film Editing.
THE BAND WAGON sets the scene for our next trip down the musical yellow brick road on Saturday, November 18th at 3pm. With its all-star cast featuring Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Oscar Levant, Nanette Fabray and Jack Buchanan, THE BAND WAGON gave birth to new additions to the Great American Songbook like “That’s Entertainment, and new life to others like “Dancing in the Dark” and “A Shine on Your Shoes.” Directed by Vincente Minnelli, the film is regarded as one of the finest Metro-Goldwin-Meyer musicals ever made!
The 6pm musical on November 18 features yet another Minelli – this time Liza – in another Bob Fosse film, CABARET. This 1972 memorable musical chronicles the ups and downs of bohemian life during the collapse of the uber liberal Weimar Republic and the rise of the Nazi party. CABARET holds the record for most Oscars earned by a film not honored as Best Picture. It opened to glowing reviews and a strong box office, eventually taking in more than $40 million. In addition to the eight Oscars it did win, it won Best Picture citations from the National Board of Review and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and took Best Supporting Actor honors for Grey from the National Board of Review, the Hollywood Foreign Press, and the National Society of Film Critics.
42nd Street, the amazing 1933 American pre-Code musical film directed by Lloyd Bacon is the next great musical on the list, and screens on November 25th at 3pm. 42nd Street was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture at the 6th Academy Awards. In 1998, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant”. In 2006, it ranked 13th on the American Film Institute’s list of best musicals.
Funny Girl, the film that made Barbra Streisand a household name (and won her an Oscar) hits the BIG screen on Saturday, December 16th at 3pm. Based loosely on the life of Broadway and Film Star Fanny Brice, Funny Girl is considered one of the greatest musical films ever made.
Following Funny Girl on December 16th (at 6pm) is A Muppet Christmas Carol – the now classic Muppet adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale. Featuring Kermit the Frog as Bob Cratchit, the put-upon clerk of stingy Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine), and with cameos of other Muppet favorites – Miss Piggy, Gonzo, Fozzie Bear and Sam the Eagle
December 23rd (3pm) brings Funny Lady – Funny Girl’s popular sequel – to the BIG screen. Fanny Brice is now a big star on Broadway but has taken a financial hit in the Great Depression. She meets and marries Billy Rose (James Caan). The two collaborate on a show, but with the show’s success comes trouble in the form of Fanny’s Ex-Husband Nick (Omar Sharif).
The final two musicals in this series screen on Saturday, December 30th. The first, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, is a high-flying fantasy involving romance and reincarnation. Directed by Vincente Minnelli, the film stars Barbra Streisand (as Daisy Gamble) and Yves Montand (as Dr. Marc Chabot). She’s a crazy clairvoyant who wants to quit smoking. He’s a psychiatrist who tries to help her. Trouble is, once she’s under hypnosis, a whole new character emerges – her former self, a 19th-century seductress named Lady Melinda Winifred Waine Tentrees. Trouble follows.
The second film of the day on December 30th is the 1962 classic, Gypsy! Starring Rosalind Russell and Natalie Wood, the film chronicles the life of burlesque performer Gypsy Rose Lee and her relationship with her overbearing mother Rose. Gypsy is a powerhouse of a musical, and a fitting wrap to our series of famous films.
Tickets and additional information: www.eventbrite.com/cc/musical-magic-2715929
All films screen at the Historic Camelot Theatre, which is located inside the Palm Springs Cultural Center at 2300 East Baristo Road, Palm Springs, CA 92262
