Here’s the News: The Movie Musical Is <i> Not</i> Dead
Regarding Diane Haithman’s excellent article about the movie musical (“With a Song in Its Heart,” April 26):
All the conjecture in the world about why today’s audiences do not flock to movie musicals is wasted. A great musical would change everyone’s feelings: audience, studios, producers and creative artists. Disney’s “Newsies” is simply not a good film. The story is weak, the leading players uncharismatic and the direction and choreography unfocused.
As the movie industry flounders for successful “formulas,” “Dances With Wolves” brings back the Western, “Thelma & Louise” offers strong roles for women, and “The Little Mermaid” reinstates Disney animation at the box office. They were simply all good films. The movie musical is not dead, it is merely in intensive care.
The industry simply needs a wonderful product that would allow contemporary audiences to widely accept a movie musical. It can be done. And not by adding break-dancing to turn-of-the-century newsboys.
LARRY BILLMAN
Brea
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