This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Geneseo chapter.
Venus Martinez:
My ALL-TIME favorite musical movie would have to be Little Shop of Horrors (1986). It is also my favorite movie in general. I can quote the entire movie by heart and Audrey was my very first crush and I will still die for her to this day. Seymore is also the reason I have an attraction to nerdy losers (/hj). I truly could never get tired of that movie and I will give my left lung to see the new live musical with Liz Gillies and Milo Manheim (my loves fr). (Dis)Honorable mention to In The Heights. I think the movie is extremely well made and the actors/dancers did an incredible job, I just have trauma from playing Vanessa in 8th grade and my bully was Usnavi :D. Honorable mention to Rocky Horror Picture Show. I love Tim Curry playing a necrophiliac and a cannibal murder (/j).
Samantha McGinnis:
My favorite musical that later got turned into a movie is Mamma Mia! I have not been able to see the musical, but I have always wished to see it performed live. When this movie was released in 2008, my mom forced four year old me to watch the movie with her and I was immediately obsessed. This was the very beginning of my weird love of Colin Firth, but that’s not what I’m supposed to be talking about right now. Mamma Mia! was the highest grossing movie directed by a woman until 2017. If that’s not iconic of women, I don’t know what is.
The soundtrack of this musical and movie, of course, is also iconic. Catherine Johnson is the woman behind taking the best musical groups of the 70s and turning their discography into one of the best coming-of-age stories of the early 2000s. This was such a genius move that she was even commissioned to write a book based on the musical she wrote. This musical was then later turned into the movie masterpiece featuring Pierce Brosnan, Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, and many other iconic actors and actresses of the early twenty-first century.
Basically, this musical (and the following movie) are one of the best female-created pieces of media to exist in the world and even if you don’t know the lyrics to ABBA’s hit songs like “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” “Does Your Mother Know?” or “Voulez-Vou,” you can still appreciate how upbeat a majority of the songs are and the beautiful story of a young woman finding herself, and her mother finding her true love again. #RightPersonWrongTime 🤷
Wrileigh Bacon:
My favorite movie musical has to be Hairspray (2007). It is somewhat controversial because of its take on segregation and the white savior narrative, however, I enjoy it a lot. I really like how the musical itself is a source of good plus-size representation (i.e. not making their whole personality about liking food) and the romance between Tracey and Link feels somewhat natural. This music is really catchy for the most part and I love Queen Latifah’s performance. John Travolta as Edna was a surprisingly good decision. It’s weird to go from Grease to Hairspray when it comes to John’s filmography but it is something well done. Shoutout to Amanda Bynes as well. Kristen Chenoweth is always a delight to see in any musical.
McKenna Kelly :
I have to say my favorite movie musical is the 1982 version of Annie, and ONLY the 1982 version. I would say my real favorite but Venus stole it and won’t let me do it :(. I grew up on the 1982 Annie and am extremely nostalgic for it. I liked it so much as a kid that my grandma gave me her dvd copy, probably so I would stop watching it on repeat in her living room. The movie has a cast studded with musical theater legends, Carol Burnett, Tim Curry, and Bernadette Peters all play off each other in some hilarious scenes. Carol Burnett was especially iconic as Mrs. Hanagin. I personally think the movie still holds up, at the very least it’s better than the other two Annie movies. It’s a fun, comforting movie with a happy ending perfect for when you’re stuck in bed sick or horribly depressed.
Anna McBride:
My favorite musical movie would be High School Musical because Sharpay is iconic and her brother is even more iconic. High School Musical 2 is the best one.
