Top 10 Musical Numbers Where the Ensemble Went HARD
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Date: 2023-11-21
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Comments and reviews: 30
The
Part of the reason the original West Side Story is better than the remake is that the choreography made sense and the order of the songs made sense and a number of other choices in the original made sense but didn't make sense in the remake. Steven Spielberg had good intentions and those good intentions, like using genuine Puerto Ricans instead of Greeks in bad paint jobs, did improve the remake, but while making those few, slight improvements to the remake, I think Steven forgot everything that was great about the original. In the original America scene, the focus was kept on the gang members and their girlfriends so that the choreography could tell us more about who these people were. In the remake, the focus broadened to such an excessively huge crowd that the choreography was lost, telling us nothing except that they are dancing.
Some other things that the original did better:
Baby John's choreography told us about the character's emotional story arc as he turned from an innocent kid into a hardened criminal and then when he put the cloth on Maria's head, it showed that he wasn't completely lost yet. In the remake, Baby John did a lot of just standing around, barely noticeable as a character.
The song I Feel Pretty came early enough in the movie that Maria was still feeling that silly feeling of infatuation. In the remake, the song came after Tony killed Bernardo and it was just not believable that a grieving, torn up Maria would sing I Feel Pretty. It was like Steven had to include the song somewhere so he just shoved it in some random place in the story.
Gee, Officer Krupke allowed different Jets to display very different characters in the original but all the Jets were the same in the remake.
During One Hand, One Heart Tony and Maria wore wedding attire signifying that they were essentially getting married in the original but not in the remake.
Cool was Ice's song as he took over leadership of the gang. In the remake, Tony sang it to stop Riff from using a gun, but instead of then getting rid of the gun, Tony decided to play a dancing game of keep-away with the gun as plain and simple filler while the long song continued to play. Not only that but it left Ice with no character development at all.
When the Jets accidentally almost dropped Tony's body, it was so obvious that a couple of Sharks needed to grab hold of Tony's body and help carry it. In the remake, Tony flipped his arm out like he was still alive and just sleeping and then two Sharks just grabbed that arm unnecessarily.
Although Rita Moreno's rendition of Somewhere was wonderful in the remake, it wasn't nearly as impactful as Maria singing it to a dying Tony in the original.
Maria's speech was cut short leaving out some of her best lines and Anybody's wasn't even there.
Yea, I needed to vent.
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Part of the reason the original West Side Story is better than the remake is that the choreography made sense and the order of the songs made sense and a number of other choices in the original made sense but didn't make sense in the remake. Steven Spielberg had good intentions and those good intentions, like using genuine Puerto Ricans instead of Greeks in bad paint jobs, did improve the remake, but while making those few, slight improvements to the remake, I think Steven forgot everything that was great about the original. In the original America scene, the focus was kept on the gang members and their girlfriends so that the choreography could tell us more about who these people were. In the remake, the focus broadened to such an excessively huge crowd that the choreography was lost, telling us nothing except that they are dancing.
Some other things that the original did better:
Baby John's choreography told us about the character's emotional story arc as he turned from an innocent kid into a hardened criminal and then when he put the cloth on Maria's head, it showed that he wasn't completely lost yet. In the remake, Baby John did a lot of just standing around, barely noticeable as a character.
The song I Feel Pretty came early enough in the movie that Maria was still feeling that silly feeling of infatuation. In the remake, the song came after Tony killed Bernardo and it was just not believable that a grieving, torn up Maria would sing I Feel Pretty. It was like Steven had to include the song somewhere so he just shoved it in some random place in the story.
Gee, Officer Krupke allowed different Jets to display very different characters in the original but all the Jets were the same in the remake.
During One Hand, One Heart Tony and Maria wore wedding attire signifying that they were essentially getting married in the original but not in the remake.
Cool was Ice's song as he took over leadership of the gang. In the remake, Tony sang it to stop Riff from using a gun, but instead of then getting rid of the gun, Tony decided to play a dancing game of keep-away with the gun as plain and simple filler while the long song continued to play. Not only that but it left Ice with no character development at all.
When the Jets accidentally almost dropped Tony's body, it was so obvious that a couple of Sharks needed to grab hold of Tony's body and help carry it. In the remake, Tony flipped his arm out like he was still alive and just sleeping and then two Sharks just grabbed that arm unnecessarily.
Although Rita Moreno's rendition of Somewhere was wonderful in the remake, it wasn't nearly as impactful as Maria singing it to a dying Tony in the original.
Maria's speech was cut short leaving out some of her best lines and Anybody's wasn't even there.
Yea, I needed to vent.
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Regan
Hmmm. I loved Cool from the original Westside Story movie. I think it's because most huge frenetic numbers from these musicals are joyful.
Whereas, the Jets are trying to decompress after witnessing two tragic deaths from a gang rumble gone wrong. The weight of what happened to them, is interpreted brilliantly in this dance.
And nowadays, most photography of these kinds of scenes, have too fast cutaway, so that you can barely register seeing the movements.
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Hmmm. I loved Cool from the original Westside Story movie. I think it's because most huge frenetic numbers from these musicals are joyful.
Whereas, the Jets are trying to decompress after witnessing two tragic deaths from a gang rumble gone wrong. The weight of what happened to them, is interpreted brilliantly in this dance.
And nowadays, most photography of these kinds of scenes, have too fast cutaway, so that you can barely register seeing the movements.
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ganmerlad
I was watching the Hairspray number and started thinking about the Rocky Horror Timewarp number, and lost it when it was the next example. heh. I would have had a hard time choosing for Sweet Charity. I like the other well-known dance scene from it better because it's so unusual plus the catchy tune and the costumes, called The Rich Man's Frug. I'm a bit surprised I've seen all of these. I'm more into musicals than I realized.
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I was watching the Hairspray number and started thinking about the Rocky Horror Timewarp number, and lost it when it was the next example. heh. I would have had a hard time choosing for Sweet Charity. I like the other well-known dance scene from it better because it's so unusual plus the catchy tune and the costumes, called The Rich Man's Frug. I'm a bit surprised I've seen all of these. I'm more into musicals than I realized.
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Sarah
I'm making a dance mashup of big musical numbers to Brand New Day from the Wiz, I was in the ensemble in high school. I'm white lol but I like Motown and gospel, and I have a bunch of musical group dance scenes I can put in there but I'm thinking of looking up more black musicals. I'd already added the scene from Sister Act II, I'll also put Praise This (recent movie) and Stormy Weather and The Blues Brothers.
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I'm making a dance mashup of big musical numbers to Brand New Day from the Wiz, I was in the ensemble in high school. I'm white lol but I like Motown and gospel, and I have a bunch of musical group dance scenes I can put in there but I'm thinking of looking up more black musicals. I'd already added the scene from Sister Act II, I'll also put Praise This (recent movie) and Stormy Weather and The Blues Brothers.
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Jack
In the movie Annie, the song We got Annie was an ensemble scene with incredible dancing, that made me wonder if being hired at the Warbucks mansion required you to be a classically trained dancer.
Although it was a fairly small ensemble, the cast in Godspell (the movie) did great things in the song, Bless the Lord, My Soul. In fact, in every song, dancing broke out.
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In the movie Annie, the song We got Annie was an ensemble scene with incredible dancing, that made me wonder if being hired at the Warbucks mansion required you to be a classically trained dancer.
Although it was a fairly small ensemble, the cast in Godspell (the movie) did great things in the song, Bless the Lord, My Soul. In fact, in every song, dancing broke out.
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elphbwckd
As someone who has been in three productions of Hairspray and performed that song in nunerous show choirs it is very safe to say that between the choreography and the nonstop lyrics which gove you almost zero room to breath, that is the hardest number ive ever performed. Cant astop to Breath is right. And once it starts. You better be fing ready! Lol
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As someone who has been in three productions of Hairspray and performed that song in nunerous show choirs it is very safe to say that between the choreography and the nonstop lyrics which gove you almost zero room to breath, that is the hardest number ive ever performed. Cant astop to Breath is right. And once it starts. You better be fing ready! Lol
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slywlf
Great collection! No Bad News was, IMO, the best art of that movie! Now I have a feeling I'm going to be rewatching a whole bunch of musicals. poor pitiful me! LOL
I have to agree with other commenters, though - there needs to be a Part 2. maybe a part 3 - so many great ensemble numbers!
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Great collection! No Bad News was, IMO, the best art of that movie! Now I have a feeling I'm going to be rewatching a whole bunch of musicals. poor pitiful me! LOL
I have to agree with other commenters, though - there needs to be a Part 2. maybe a part 3 - so many great ensemble numbers!
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stopthecrazyguy
You never saw Hello Dolly? Luck be a Lady from Guys and Dolls? The best number in West Side Story was the opening where the 2 gangs introduce themselves. 7 brides for 7 brothers? Maybe I got this wrong, you are not talking about choreography but raw energy? Most of these are lame.
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You never saw Hello Dolly? Luck be a Lady from Guys and Dolls? The best number in West Side Story was the opening where the 2 gangs introduce themselves. 7 brides for 7 brothers? Maybe I got this wrong, you are not talking about choreography but raw energy? Most of these are lame.
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Amie
I think it was a made for TV version, but Donny Osmond's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is amazing. There are so many great ensemble songs, like Go Go Go Joseph sung in the jail and everyone is dressed in wild 60's clothes.
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I think it was a made for TV version, but Donny Osmond's Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is amazing. There are so many great ensemble songs, like Go Go Go Joseph sung in the jail and everyone is dressed in wild 60's clothes.
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Benjamin
Sister Act 2: Putting choruses in a uniform/costume is often a requirement in competitions. Many competitions would disqualify them if they took off the uniform. A disqualification would have been quite the ending!
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Sister Act 2: Putting choruses in a uniform/costume is often a requirement in competitions. Many competitions would disqualify them if they took off the uniform. A disqualification would have been quite the ending!
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Winnie
Great List! I am not sure I agree with the order, but I agree with your picks. I thought I had a favorite, but there is no way to compare this eclectic list. I would definitely add I Hope I Get It from Chorus Line.
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Great List! I am not sure I agree with the order, but I agree with your picks. I thought I had a favorite, but there is no way to compare this eclectic list. I would definitely add I Hope I Get It from Chorus Line.
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Brian
Was anyone else OBSESSED with that one red haired ensemble dancer in the yellow dress during You can't stop the beat? When the movie first came out? That chick went HARRRRRD the whole song! She was incredible!
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Was anyone else OBSESSED with that one red haired ensemble dancer in the yellow dress during You can't stop the beat? When the movie first came out? That chick went HARRRRRD the whole song! She was incredible!
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j.
Ok I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see Sister Act 2 on here! But yes, that ending Joyful, Joyful number is a 90s CLASSIC.
And Cell Block Tango, I was gonna be upset if THAT wasnt on here, lol.
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Ok I was VERY pleasantly surprised to see Sister Act 2 on here! But yes, that ending Joyful, Joyful number is a 90s CLASSIC.
And Cell Block Tango, I was gonna be upset if THAT wasnt on here, lol.
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Bob
Thanks for avoiding recency bias as much as you did. Energetic ensemble numbers are nothing new to theater or films. There are plenty more for a sequel to this one, lots in the comments.
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Thanks for avoiding recency bias as much as you did. Energetic ensemble numbers are nothing new to theater or films. There are plenty more for a sequel to this one, lots in the comments.
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Alistair
I love Lay All your Love on Me from Mamma Mia, when the guys come out of the water and start dancing then it segues into the women dancing. Love that scene every time I see it!
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I love Lay All your Love on Me from Mamma Mia, when the guys come out of the water and start dancing then it segues into the women dancing. Love that scene every time I see it!
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Devin
They Both Reached For The Gun is my favorite number from Chicago. The way the chorus just wholly embraces the marionette shtick, complete with wire work, is so much fun to watch
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They Both Reached For The Gun is my favorite number from Chicago. The way the chorus just wholly embraces the marionette shtick, complete with wire work, is so much fun to watch
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Lost
Ah crap. Grease was when I going through puberty. That and Night Fever by the Bee Gees. When ever I see the vids or hear those songs. Ouch, too many memories come rushing back
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Ah crap. Grease was when I going through puberty. That and Night Fever by the Bee Gees. When ever I see the vids or hear those songs. Ouch, too many memories come rushing back
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Tina
Judges seem to have equated energy and nostalgia factor with greatness. I agreed with half the list. My first place choice is the ensemble opening number from La La Land.
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Judges seem to have equated energy and nostalgia factor with greatness. I agreed with half the list. My first place choice is the ensemble opening number from La La Land.
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Knightess
In recent memory, I have to say I loved how hard the ensemble went in The Greatest Show (The Greatest Showman, School Song (Matilda, and Revolting Children (Matilda.
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In recent memory, I have to say I loved how hard the ensemble went in The Greatest Show (The Greatest Showman, School Song (Matilda, and Revolting Children (Matilda.
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Heather
Oliver! has two (Consider Yourself and Who Will Buy, and neither even got an honourable mention? Also, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers barn raising dance.
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Oliver! has two (Consider Yourself and Who Will Buy, and neither even got an honourable mention? Also, Seven Brides For Seven Brothers barn raising dance.
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Curt
A couple of these songs were not even the hardest the casts went in their respective films (Yeah, Im looking at you Fiddler on the Roof and Grease)
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A couple of these songs were not even the hardest the casts went in their respective films (Yeah, Im looking at you Fiddler on the Roof and Grease)
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dorian
Amazed that the barn raising scene from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers wasnt on the list!
Or
This is Me from The Greatest Showman.
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Amazed that the barn raising scene from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers wasnt on the list!
Or
This is Me from The Greatest Showman.
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bellavitagirl4
Another Day of Sun from La La Land should be on this list. Ensemble went SO hard (and the song is ALL ensemble, no leads)
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Another Day of Sun from La La Land should be on this list. Ensemble went SO hard (and the song is ALL ensemble, no leads)
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Sarah
No Newsies? Carrying the Banner or King of New York definitely deserve a mention! Original movie. still won't watch the remake!
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No Newsies? Carrying the Banner or King of New York definitely deserve a mention! Original movie. still won't watch the remake!
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Out
you totally missed 7 BRIDES FOR 7 BROTHERS! the barn raising scene DAMN that was a lot better than the remake of Hair spray!
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you totally missed 7 BRIDES FOR 7 BROTHERS! the barn raising scene DAMN that was a lot better than the remake of Hair spray!
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Merry
I also love the Roxanne Tango and Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge, Who Will Buy? and Consider Yourself from Oliver.
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I also love the Roxanne Tango and Lady Marmalade from Moulin Rouge, Who Will Buy? and Consider Yourself from Oliver.
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Alexys
I would have loved to see Dola Re Dola from Devdas on this list. Maybe do a greatest Bollywood ensemble numbers?
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I would have loved to see Dola Re Dola from Devdas on this list. Maybe do a greatest Bollywood ensemble numbers?
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Vicki
yall are absolutely skipping over every jaw dropping performance from Christina Agulera and Cher in Burlesque
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yall are absolutely skipping over every jaw dropping performance from Christina Agulera and Cher in Burlesque
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Kathy
No Ferris Beuller! Props to the Blues Brothers being remembered. It actually makes me happier than Grease.
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No Ferris Beuller! Props to the Blues Brothers being remembered. It actually makes me happier than Grease.
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Heather
I knew cell block tango would be on this list. My favorite number from Chicago. They're so unrepentant.
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I knew cell block tango would be on this list. My favorite number from Chicago. They're so unrepentant.
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