Celebrating 64 years of SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN

So yesterday I celebrated the 64^th anniversary of the premiere of SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN watching this marvellous musical film again.  I have to credit the brilliant @ClassicalCinema Twitter account for reminding me of this glorious anniversary and making me want to re-watch the film to celebrate.

I have to say that I completely adore musicals. I know some people don’t understand the point of watching a film were everyone sings instead of having a normal conversation and that it is unrealistic to do so. In my humble opinion musicals are the way we all wish life could be, it would be so much fun to sing and dance our way through life sometimes instead of having normal conversations every day. Just imagine!

Gene Kelly Singing in the rain scene (One of the most famous musical numbers in film industry history)

While I was watching SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN I thought to myself why on earth Hollywood has given up on these type of musicals with tap dancing numbers on them and easy songs you can sing along to? I have no good answer to this question. Maybe the general public does not appreciate these type of films anymore. Or maybe there are yet to appear musical masterminds like Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Shirley Temple or Donald O’Connor.

https://twitter.com/ClassicalCinema/status/714185807528083456

There have been some very good and successful musical adaptations to cinema in the past years though: Mamma Mia (2008) and Les Misérables (2012) but these adaptations lack the absurd yet elegant humour SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN has (see the short clip @ClassicalCinema shared yesterday of Make ‘Em Laugh were Donald O’Connor makes you laugh in the easiest way possible).

Kelly and O’Connor in one of the most amazing tap dancing numbers of the film

I am not underrating these films, I’m a huge fun of both and I think they both have outstanding performances in them, but I would like Hollywood to bring back joyful musicals and tap dancing numbers to their film projects in the “classic” way.

 

I am probably just a nostalgic person. I can’t help myself. I hope this post makes some of you want to watch for the first time or re-watch for the hundredth time this marvellous film. Just remember that life is better when you smile, dance and sing along to it. Enjoy life and if it rains who cares! If you feel like it, just dance and sing in the rain!

 

REFERENCES

Anon, GIFs Categories – Celebrities, Anime, Sports & More | GIPHY. GIPHY. Available from: http://giphy.com/categories  [Accessed March 28, 2016].

Kelly, G. & Donen, S., 1952. Singin’ in the rain, Prod. MGM.

@ClassicalCinema Twitter account: https://twitter.com/ClassicalCinema?lang=es