Brilliant for some, unbearable for others, musicals are generally not unanimous among moviegoers. But if you are ready to swing, 4 monuments of the genre are available on Disney+: West Side Story, Hamilton, Moulin Rouge And The Greatest Showman.
Musicals are always the guarantee of discovering mastered choreography and impressive singing numbers, all wrapped up in often romantic stories. A generally colorful universe, which invites you to get up from your sofa to take part in the show.
The SVOD Disney+ platform thus offers to dive into several classics, with unforgettable melodies. Notice to those with allergies, there are notes on every street corner: this selection may hurt your ears!
But for lovers of the genre, you have the choice between a Romeo and Juliet modern times with West Side Storya hip-hop epic with hamiltona totally heartbreaking love story with red Mill or an ode to the difference with The Greatest Showman.
West Side Story on Disney+, the remake (almost) better than the original
When we talk about musicals, one of the first names that comes to mind is obviously the huge West Side Story. This essential of the genre had already had a cult adaptation to the cinema in 1961 before experiencing a modernization by the great Steven Spielberg in 2021. It is therefore this version which is currently available on Disney + and it fully deserves all the praise it has received. already been able to receive. We happily rediscover the story of Maria and Tony, these New York-style Romeo and Juliet, whose destiny is unfortunately still just as disastrous.
With a filmmaker like Steven Spielberg at the controls, it’s hard to be choosy in front of this absolutely stunning rehabilitation, whose sequence shots still illuminate our retinas. In the guise of Anita, the luminous Ariana DeBose (The Prom) dazzles in every scene and deservedly received the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance. Special mention also to the costumes, absolutely sumptuous, which give the impression that the dancers are simply floating in the air with each movement. ready to sing Tonight Or America ?
- Watch if you liked: West Side Story (the 1961 original); Romeo + Juliet ; grease; La La Land
- Must see if you are looking for: musical comedy ; colorful costumes; impossible love story; (re)discover a classic of the genre in 2021 version; vintage; gang warfare; fight; gold casting; racism ; 1960s; romantic ; sob out ; a sublime opening sequence shot; perspective on your own love life
hamilton on Disney+, the genius of Broadway in your living room
With 11 Tony Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and a Grammy Award, among many other accolades, hamilton has obviously established itself as the best musical on stage for a long time. Written, composed and performed by Lin-Manuel Miranda (Moana, His Dark Materials), hamilton tells the story of this founding father of the United States, often forgotten in the collective narrative. The little twists of this live show are that the music tends towards rap and R’n’B, and that the actors are almost all racialized, to embody white historical figures. This musical is thus an artistic tour de force, over almost 3 hours (all the same), which pushes you to always believe in your dreams, despite political conflicts and personal betrayals.
The version available on Disney+ is a capture of an awesome performance in New York, with the original cast, including Lin-Manuel Miranda himself and Jonathan Groff (mindhunter). Clearly, hamilton was a milestone in the history of musicals and we understand why by still listening to its catchy melodies, more than 8 years after the premiere of the play. When will there be a production of this caliber and this quality in France?
- Watch if you liked: Where we come from (In the Heights); Encanto ; Tick, tick…boom! ; The Get Down
- Must see if you are looking for: musical comedy ; Broadway; hip-hop; History ; humor ; political conflicts; gold casting; hope ; love stories ; brush up on your knowledge of American History; fall in love with Lin-Manuel Miranda; develop an obsession for hamilton for months (tested and approved)
red Mill on Disney +, the guaranteed romantic tears
You thought that West Side Story was the most tragic romance in the history of musicals? You haven’t seen anything yet if you’ve never had the chance to watch red Mill. And even if you have already been able to cry all the tears of your body in front of this creation of Baz Luhrmann (Gatsby the magnificent), you know that this dramatic musical is a safe bet, to which we always come back, despite the announced grief. red Mill tells the story of the great eternal passion that binds Christian, a penniless young poet and Satine, a cabaret star, in the Paris of the Belle Époque.
But since we are in the universe of Baz Luhrmann, everything is obviously synonymous with exaggeration, explosions of color, hallucinated trips, grand declarations of the heart and painful destinies. red Mill is clearly a singular experience, which takes us alongside one of the most glamorous couples of the seventh art: Ewan McGregor (Obi-Wan Kenobi) and Nicole Kidman (Big Little Lies). We will remember their medley of contemporary music in duet, started on the back of an elephant (yes, yes), so much their alchemy bursts the screen. Just plan the handkerchiefs.
- Watch if you liked: Romeo + Juliet; Gatsby the magnificent ; Burlesque; Rent; The Phantom of the Opera ; titanic
- Must see if you are looking for: musical comedy ; tragic love; romantic trio; quirky characters; cabaret; Paris of the Belle Époque; 1890s; covers of recent hits; tragic end; humor ; staggered; gold casting; emotion; disease ; Artist life ; anachronisms; hear the best covers of Like a Virgin And Roxane in the world
- Go your way if: your morale is in your socks; you are coming out of a complicated romantic relationship; you hate eccentric universes
The Greatest Showman on Disney+, the total spectacle
Hugh Jackman (Logan), Michelle Williams (The Fabelmans), Zac Efron (High School Musical), Zendaya (Dunes), Rebecca Ferguson (Silo)…Clearly, the cast of The Greatest Showman gives stars in the eyes and in the ears. Released in early 2018, this musical biography focuses on the inventor of modern circus and large-scale entertainment, PT Barnum. Despite its arrangements with historical reality, which is much less brilliant, The Greatest Showman is a total visual spectacle, mixed with a thundering soundtrack and scenes of emotion tinged with marshmallow, exactly in the right balance.
This gives shimmering colors, lively musical scenes and a superb ode to tolerance, difference and self-acceptance. We gladly marvel at this tale that keeps taking us by the hand to better surprise us, and offer us magnificent songs to add to our current playlist. In sum, The Greatest Showman concentrates everything we love in musicals, with its share of excess, feelings and hits to hum in the shower or in an improvised choreography in the middle of the street.
- Watch if you liked: Wretched ; High School Musical; Dreamgirls; Chocolate ; La La Land
- Must see if you are looking for: musical comedy ; circus; romance; biography ; ode to self-acceptance; dazzling dances; artistic troupe; fight against racism ; gold casting; Zendaya as a talented trapeze artist; sing This is Me whenever you need motivation
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