The film singin in the rain focuses on the transition from silent to talking films, demonstrating how the technical development of a sound system created possibilities that gave rise to a new cinematic genre and required the invention of a new language. The film, starring gene kelly and debbie reynolds, was. Don tells the crowd all about his cultured, utterly refined upbringing, while flashbacks reveal that hes lying his pants off. It address the conflict between television and film industry. Singin in the rain essays are academic essays for citation. Debbie reynolds real story behind singing in the rain. The real meaning behind the creation of singin in the rain. It offers a comic depiction of hollywood, and its transition from silent films to talking films.
Singin in the rain is a satire in which musical numbers not only are wedded smoothly to the plot but also further the theme. We learned yesterday that the incredible star of singin in the rain and other fantastic films has passed away less than twentyfour hours after daughter carrie fishers death. Tcm couldnt have foreseen the death of actress debbie reynolds when they scheduled singin in the rain to kick off their 2017 fathom events series. The song is known today as the centerpiece of the musical film singin in the rain 1952, in which gene kelly memorably danced to the song while splashing through puddles during a rainstorm.
I am a sucker for anything with elaborate tap dancing numbers, and while gene kelly is no fred astaire, he holds his own in this film along with donald oconnor and debbie reynolds. Film streams is a 501c3 nonprofit organization in omaha, nebraska. Gene kellys singin in the rain is musical perfection. Watching singin in the rain is an exuberant, magical experience a journey deep into the heart of feelgood territory. A close reading of an iconic scene in singin in the rain.
Well see if, in 60 years, anyones fondly looking back. Singin in the rain original film soundtrack by gene. Voice and sound in singin in the rain ufilm analysis blog. Singing in the rain is one of my favorite musical films. Gene kelley center in the broadway ballet extravaganza. The three starsgene kelly, donald oconnor and 19yearold debbie reynoldsmust have rehearsed endlessly for their dance numbers, which involve alarming acrobatics, but in performance theyre giddy with joy. That title number, singin in the rain, illustrates the art of the movie.
Singin in the rain screens as part of a year of musicals. Dont let the fact that singin in the rain is a bright and shiny musical fool you. Check out singin in the rain original film soundtrack by gene kelly on amazon music. On the strength of the plot alone, concocted by the matchless writing team of betty comden and adolph green, singin in the rain is a delight. I know i first saw singin in the rain during the pbs fundraiser on my local pa channel, along with the band wagon, approximately 19801981. Patricia ward kelly wants to set the record straight. Starring the effervescent gene kelly, debbie reynolds and donald oconnor and a host of classic, catchy songs, mgms loveletter to the. Our mission is to enhance the cultural environment of the omahacouncil bluffs metropolitan area through the.
Film historian ron haver, who does the scenebyscene commentary on an alternate sound track of the laserdisc, points out that singin in the rain was not immediately hailed for its greatness. This sublime 1952 movie musical, in cinemas again, puts the artistry of gene kelly, debbie reynolds and co on full, joyful display. The song is also performed during the opening credits of the film, and. Singing in the rain singin in the rain 68 movie clip 1952 hd. On march 27, 1952, mgm hosted the premiere for singin in the rain at radio city music hall in new york. There is no movie musical more fun than singin in the rain, and. For those who have seen the movie, the reason for this is not difficult to understand. It was made directly for film, and was not a broadway adaptation. Singing in the rain singing in the rain performed by gene kelly hd 720p widescreen upscaled and cropped. In the 30s, film had just recently aquired sound and the studios used these talkies to showcase the musical and acting talents of their stars. It is a film of enormous artistic achievement, brilliant on every level. It did well at the box office, but won no academy awards and was on no critics yearend lists of best films. Singin in the rain emerged as a classic, considered by many to be the greatest hollywood musical ever made.
By the 1940s, freed now head of his own mgm unit wanted to create a musical from his own back catalogue. But with the addition of mgms catalog of arthur freednacio herb brown songs you were meant for me, you are my lucky star, the broadway melody, and of course the title song the film becomes. Singin in the rain, american musical comedy film, released in 1952, that was a reunion project for the american in paris directorial team of stanley donen and gene kelly, who was also the films star. Studio system cinema film thoughts from a film major. The movie is set in the 1920s when films, originally silent moving pictures with live musical soundtracks, turned into talkies and actors could be heard as well as seen. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile. Watching the film knowing reynolds is gone was a bittersweet experience but made all the better by the raucous joy the film inspires to this day. During singin in the rain, when cosmo describes his idea for reworking the seventeenthcentury france setting of the dueling cavalier by adding a modern storyline, the plot he describes is very similar to the popular cole porter broadway musical dubarry was a lady, which was turned into a 1943 mgm film starring red skelton, lucille ball and. The film was a smash hit upon its release, sweeping the oscars and the box office that year. Singin in the rain is a 1952 american musical romantic comedy film directed and choreographed by gene kelly. Also, another threat to the film industry was the greater highculture pretensions posed to films that were just for entertaining.
Kellys soakingwet singin in the rain dance number is the single most memorable dance number on film, peter wollen wrote in a. Singin in the rain shows that hollywood and show business are built on illusions. Thats why singin in the rain, which wasnt even nominated for an oscar in the 1952 race, remains one of the mostloved films of all time. The voices in both the movie and the film being made during the movie were very important because they gave insight on the characters personality and role in the grand scheme of things. In the movies, this film seems to say, anything is possibleand almost none of it is true. Singin in the rain emerged in the early 1950s, when the industry had achieved a mature distance from its silent origins, and its possible this film helped promote the idea that with. Widely considered to be the best musical ever made, singin in the rain is an exuberant tribute to hollywood. The internet is clogged with myths about her late husband gene kellys iconic movie singin in the rain and very few of them are true. Mgm producer arthur freed spent the 20s as a lyricist, scoring talkies with nacio herb brown, and their song singin in the rain appeared in the hollywood revue of 1929. Singin in the rain starts off at the 1927 premiere of the new monumental pictures film the royal rascal. Singin in the rain 1952 is one of the mostloved and celebrated film musicals of all time from mgm, before a mass exodus to filmed adaptations of broadway plays emerged as a standard pattern. Within the classic hollywood musical, singin in the rain, there are many historical references associated with the birth of the talkies. For our music critic kitty empire, it was hearing kiss at the age of.
The joyous film, codirected by stanley donen and acrobatic dancerstarchoreographer gene kelly, is a charming, upbeat, graceful and. Robert van deering timothy robinson eng 2300 september 26, 20 there are several reasons why the film, singin in the rain was created when it was. The films story began more than twenty years before its release. A silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound. It is also a very important part of american cultural history. An absolute masterpiece, and easily, easily 5 stars. Singin in the rain is considered by many people to be among the best hollywood musicals of all time. Media in category singin in the rain film the following 10 files are in this category, out of 10 total. An excellent portrayal of this is actually the movie singin in the rain which depicts life for actors and actresses as the talkies became more prevalent. One of my favorite things about singing in the rain is the elaborate miseenscene, which contributes to the film within a film or world. Film essay singin in the rain by lorne graham, national affiliate program manager, nemc as a professional musician and film lover, i will offer recommendations to visitors to the website on musicbased films that are inspiring, joyous, artistic, and exhibit fine filmmaking. Singing in the rain is an american comedy musical film starring gene kelly, debbie reynolds, donald oconnor and jean hagen, and directed by gene kelly and stanley donen.
Singin in the rain, american musical comedy film, released in 1952, that was a reunion project for the american in paris directorial team of. With gene kelly, donald oconnor, debbie reynolds, jean hagen. Peter wollens remarkable treatment of singin in the rain approaches the film from many different angles. When observer film critic philip french first saw singin in the rain in 1952, he realised cinema was his lifelong passion. No musicals season would be complete without the delightful musical comedy, singin in the rain. In 1927 hollywood, a silent film production company and cast make a difficult transition to sound. Set during the advent of talkies, don lockwood has risen to stardom during hollywoods silentmovie era paired with the beautiful, jealous and dumb lina. Gene kellys singin in the rain is musical perfection the atlantic. Listen to your favorite songs from singin in the rain original film soundtrack by gene kelly now. Sitting through the films 102 minutes is like ingesting a moodaltering drug. Singin in the rain is one of the greatest movie musicals ever made. Wollen sees the movie as an important contribution to the history of modern dance, a representative example of the 1950s musical, a significant comment on american mccarthyist policies, and a work that is at once a collaborative effort and the product of gene kellys creative genius.
It stars don lockwood and lina lamont, two of the brightest silent film stars in hollywood. Singing in the rain singing in the rain gene kelly hd. The 1952 film exemplifies the key elements of a beloved hollywood. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of singin in the rain by gene kelly.
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