Musical Marathon
2021 has seen some major musical moments. The recent release of Steven Spielberg’s version of West Side Story, the death of Stephen Sondheim, Rogers: The Musical:) So there’s no better time to celebrate stage-to-screen musicals (and in a couple of these cases, screen-to-stage-to-screen). Tonight, we’ll be pitting these five films against each other to see which one has us dancing in the streets.
Into the Heights
Chicago
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Reefer Madness (2005)
Hairspray (2007)
Do any of these films deserve an encore, or will we be throwing rotten tomatoes at the screen? Warm up your vocal cords, put on your tap shoes … and let’s talk about movies!
BRAD’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: Chicago 1920’s Chicago
Best Character: Chicago Billy Flynn
Best Dance Number: Chicago Cell Block Tango
Best Score or Soundtrack: Chicago John Kander, Danny Elfman and Steve Bartek with original songs by various artists
Best Screenplay: Chicago Bill Condon
Best Special Achievement: Heights In the Heights > Spielberg’s West Side Story
Best Scene: TIE Heights & Reefer 96,000 & Listen to Jesus, Jimmy
Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Reefer Kristen Bell
Best Director: TIE Chicago & Reefer Rob Marshall & Andy Fickman
Wildcard: Chicago Best Ensemble Award
WTF: Chicago Michael Jackson first choice to play Billy Flynn?
Worst Picture: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Picture: Chicago
Total after deductions:
Chicago: 8
In the Heights: 2
Reefer Madness: The Musical: 3
Hairspray: 0
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: Negative 1
KYLE’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: Heights Washington Heights
Best Character: TIE Hairspray & Reefer Edna Turnblad & The Narrator
Best Dance Number: Chicago Cell Block Tango
Best Score or Soundtrack: Reefer Dan Studney, David Manning and Nathan Wang with original songs by various artists
Best Screenplay: Chicago Bill Condon
Best Special Achievement: Reefer Recreating a propaganda film
Best Scene: Heights Abuela passes away
Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Heights Anthony Ramos
Best Director: TIE Hairspray & Reefer Adam Shankman & Andy Fickman
Wildcard: Reefer Best Adaptation Award
WTF: Reefer DVD box smells like brownies
Worst Picture: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Picture: Reefer Madness: The Musical
Total after deductions:
Chicago: 2
In the Heights: 3
Reefer Madness: The Musical: 5
Hairspray: 2
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: Negative 1
NATHAN’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: Chicago The city of Chicago
Best Character: Reefer The Lecturer
Best Dance Number: Chicago All That Jazz
Best Score or Soundtrack: Hairspray Marc Shaiman with original songs by various artists
Best Screenplay: Heights Quiara Alegría Hudes
Best Special Achievement: Chicago Best Picture Winner 2002
Best Scene: Reefer The Lecturer sings “Reefer Madness” to the parents at the assembly
Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Sweeney Remembering how much I hate Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Director: Hairspray Adam Shankman
Wildcard: Chicago The Mr. Cellophane Award
WTF: Hairspray Zac Efron won MTV Movie Award’s Best Breakthrough Performance over Nikki Blonsky, 2 years after HSM
Worst Picture: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Best Picture: Hairspray
Total after deductions:
Chicago: 4
In the Heights: 1
Reefer Madness: The Musical: 2
Hairspray: 5
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: 0
APRIL’S GOLDEN IDOLS
Best Location: Hairspray Motormouth Record Store
Best Character: Heights Abuela Claudia
Best Dance Number: Heights 96,000
Best Score or Soundtrack: Chicago John Kander, Danny Elfman and Steve Bartek with original songs by various artists
Best Screenplay: Heights Quiara Alegría Hudes
Best Special Achievement: Hairspray Integrated dancing on TV
Best Scene: Hairspray Motormouth Mama singing “I Know Where I’ve Been”
Defining Moment/Attribute/MVP: Chicago Press Conference
Best Director: Chicago Rob Marshall
Wildcard: Sweeney Best Cast Award
WTF: Reefer Jimmy would strip naked and eat babies if high
Worst Picture: Reefer Madness
Best Picture: Hairspray
Total after deductions:
Chicago: 3
In the Heights: 3
Reefer Madness: The Musical: Negative 1
Hairspray: 6
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: 1