Nov 13 2008
Nine Movies with Singing Throughout That are OK to Like if You’re a Dude
Real men don’t like movies with singing in them, right? Well, not necessarily. There’s a bunch of movies out there with singing throughout that are actually pretty cool. I’m not sure if they are considered “musicals” or not, but there’s no need to deal with semantics. Maybe the concept of the movie itself is great, or maybe there’s a tune or two that you can’t help but sing along to (privately, of course), but in any case, here are nine movies with singing throughout that it’s okay to like if you’re a dude:
1. Crybaby (1990)
Why It’s Cool: Johnny Depp plays a rebellious Drape, shocking and offending the Squares that live in Baltimore. It’s always fun to see a crew of rebel bad asses terrifying the uptight masses.
Best Scene: Pretty much anytime Drapes kiss each other, flailing their tongues around in each other’s mouths.
Best Song: “King Cry-Baby” - Johnny Depp channels Elvis and rocks out with a big rebel flag displayed behind him, effectively moistening various va-jay-jays in the audeience.
2. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
Why It’s Cool: An insane barber, played by Depp, hacks and slashes his customers with a razor and turns their remains into meat pies with the help of Ms. Lovett, played by Tim Burton regular Helena Bonham Carter. Sacha Baron Cohen also appears and steals every scene he is in.
Best Scene: Todd’s murder of the corrupt Judge Turpin, played by Alan Rickman. Nice and bloody, just how I like it.
Best Song: “The Worst Pies in London” - Johnny Depp is great, but he’s not a terrific singer by any stretch. Helena Bonham Carter, though, is pretty good, and she delivers this tune quite well.
3. The Wizard of Oz (1939)
Why It’s Cool: Judy Garland teams up with a brainless scarecrow, a heartless tin man, and a cowardly lion in a quest to find the Wizard of Oz. Along the way, they encounter a city of Munchkins, flying monkeys, and a wicked witch. Groovy.
Best Scene: When the Wicked Witch of the West sends off her gang of flying monkeys. Those things are awesome.
Best Song: “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” is the most famous and memorable, but for me, nothing beats the Scarecrow spazzing to “If I Only Had a Brain.”
4. South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut (1999)
Why It’s Cool: Come on, it’s South Park. The boys try to stop the execution of Canadian stars Terrance and Phillip so that Satan (and Saddam) don’t take over the world. Also, lots of cursing.
Best Scene: Probably anytime Saddam objectifies Satan and treats him like nothing more than a big red cum dumpster.
Best Song: There’s a lot to choose from, but “Uncle Fucka” by Terrance and Phillip takes the cake.
5. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Why It’s Cool: This movie is Gene Wilder at his best. As Wonka, he gives a tour of his legendary chocolate factory to children who were lucky enough to find a golden ticket in the wrapper of a Wonka Bar. All the children, except for Charlie, meet horrible fates, and Wonka doesn’t really seem to give a F.
Best Scene: The terrifying ferry ride through the tunnel in Wonka’s factory.
Best Song: Spoiled Veruca Salt’s rendition of “I Want it Now.” The little bitch thinks she’s entitled to anything and everything. The Oompa-Loompas are good, but they can’t touch Veruca.
6. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
Why It’s Cool: Monsters, skeletons, ghouls, and the like are brought to life via stop-motion photography, creating the surreal, creepy world of Halloween Town.
Best Scene: Jack Skellington’s climactic rescue of Sally and Santa from the evil Oogie Boogie, a charcter just slightly more offensive to blacks than Jar-Jar Binks.
Best Song: “What’s This?” which is sung by composer Danny Elfman. Talented dude, that Elfman.
7. Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
Why It’s Cool: Seymour Krelborn, in exchange for money, fame, and a chance at Audrey, feeds people to his talking, singing plant. Plants eating people = rule.
Best Scene: When masochist Arthur Denton, played by Bill Murray, reaches orgasm as a result of Orin Scrivello drilling his teeth. “You are something special! You are something special!”
Best Song: I love Steve Martin’s “Dentist,” but the recently departed Levi Stubbs’ performance of “Feed Me” is filled with soul and sets the tone for the rest of the movie.
8. The Lion King (1994)
Why It’s Cool: This movie is Disney at its finest, with great animation, voice acting, music, and even action throughout.
Best Scene: The last scene of the movie, where the mandrill Rafiki presents Simba’s newborn cub to the Pride Land for all to see.
Best Song: “Hakuna Matata,” an anthem for those who stop giving a sh*t and just want to live in the moment.
9. Grease (1978)
Why It’s Cool: High schoolers racing cars, dancing, and trying to get laid during their senior year — what’s not to like about that?
Best Scene: When Danny Zuko reunites with Sandy at a night time school event and - because he’s hanging with his boys - acts like a total dick and pretends he doesn’t really care.
Best Song: Danny and Sandy’s duet of “Summer Nights,” setting up years and years of drunk couples belting out the lyrics at Karaoke bars.
I love musicals! Check me out in the Puma shirt!
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how could you forget the greatest movie of them all, in the spirit of ‘oklahoma’ and friday the 13th; “Cannibal: the musical”!
You forgot Blues Brothers.
indeed, I agree with synack. Where is Blues Brothers? Where is Rocky Horror Picture Show? this is just a list, has nothing to do with being a “dude”.
The comments regarding the exclusion of Blues Brothers & Cannibal are extremely correct. You also forgot Tenacious D In The Pick of Destiny. All of these movies trump Grease.
@KG
Extremely correct? Or just mildly correct?
Anyway, the list isn’t all-inclusive. Blue Brothers was an oversight; that movie is pretty sweet. Rocky Horror? Ehhh.
I am a Tenacious D fan but the movie wasn’t very good.
And none of the ones you mentioned trump Grease. Come on.
Grease = Nope
Hedwig and the Angry Inch = Yep
[…] against musicals, but this story of an uptight phonetics professor teaching Eliza Doolittle (played by Audrey […]
Grease shouldn’t be on the list because it isn’t manly at all. That is why just about every girl has seen it (hyperbole).
Instead, maybe ‘Paint Your Wagon’
It even has Clint Eastwood in it. You would be hard pressed to find a more manly musical.
No… no and more no. Grease has nothing to do with manliness. Nothing at all. Even the guys (aka badasses) in the movie come across effeminate. And they’re trying to emulate greasers.
Pretty big failure on that one.
I’d say Evil Dead: The Musical is about as manly as you can get, but this list appears to be dedicated to manly musicals that made it to the big screen.
The wizard of friggin Oz? There’s a reason that Somewhere over the rainbow was seized by gay men all over north american to be used as an anthem. And men they may be, but ‘manly’ they are (most often) not. There’s a reason the word effeminate exists.
Want a musical men can tolerate that is on the big screen, then maybe Phantom of the opera.. maybe… and only because of the sword duals and horrific disfiguring scars. Or Rent for the whores and skanks but even that’s a stretch.
‘Manliness’ is subjective, y’know. You can be the nastiest dude on the block and still dig a musical here and there.
I applaud your inclusion of Little Shop and South Park, but I agree with the other guys here, too.
- Rocky Horror
What, a bunch of dudes in lingerie is too sissy for a MAN LIST? Real men are comfortable in their masculinity, and would put on a bra and tights in a second to prove it (REAL MEN). Tellin’ ya, if it weren’t for the midnight shows I went to when I was seventeen, I would’ve had to wait a bit to finally get laid. And lay I did. Thanks, ROCKY.
- Cannibal: The Musical
Would’ve preferred this in place of South Park, now that I think of it.
- West Side Story
It’s West Side Story.
Where’s Hair on this list? Or Jesus Christ Superstar?
Hello…Team America! Because Freedom isn’t free.
What about The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas? last I checked men still enjoyed looking at titties!
What about Dr Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog?
Neil Patrick Harris, Nathan Fillon, and Felicia Day in a hilarious musical based on an aspiring supervillain. Its free to watch on Hulu, and is both manly and awesome.
@ Scruffy
I saw it after I had written this article. It’s incredible and definitely would have made the cut. Whedon is a telnted guy and NPH is great, but I’ve always been a big fan of Nate. I hope he gets some big roles in the future…
ummm, can we say rocky horror picture show?
I like the list, but I have to agree that Westside Story is pretty fuckin’ manly. You get to see Tony kill a Puerto Rican. Everyone hates Puerto Ricans.
High Society
Seven Brides For Seven Brothers
The old ones are the best!
No list of musicals- manly or not- is complete without Singing in the Rain. It just cannot be done.
Where’s Repo! The Genetic Opera?
Umm… The Producers? Mel Brooks, gotta love that one! Will Ferrell and his pigeons freakin’ priceless… lol
reefer madness anyone?
Grease is never okay to like, dude or dudette.
I have to agree drop Grease and add Rocky Horror, Dr. Horrible, The Blues Brothers and I also enjoyed The Producers
Nightmare Before Christmas, South Park, Team America, Blues Brothers..Yes. Grease? Jesus, man. Come on. If having a penis is the only criteria for being a “dude” I guess there are plenty of metrosexuals that would call this list “fabulous!” over a mojito.
Is that Britney Snow in the pink jacket on the left side of the Puma picture? What show is that?
Definitely Repo! and the Producers.
Rocky Horror Picture Show? I’d put that over Grease.
Avenue Q is a definite for the list. The originator of the song “The Internet is For Porn” among other similar songs.
Les Miserables is just an overall good play.
Jesus Christ Superstar kicks your ass.
Oh, and MOTHERFUCKING Hair! C’mon, Sex, Drugs and Quality Music!
where is School of rock? Pick of destiny was not as great as this film! I agree about Blues brothers. and maybe to add BB 2000
I would say Avenue Q but as far as I know its only a play. Definitely Rocky Horror Picture Show and Repo! the Genetic Opera. Repo probably wasn’t out when this list was made, but it is incredible and includes Repomen repossessing organs. School of Rock didn’t really having singing throughout though its a great movie.
Grease sucks.
Ok. Helena Bonham Carter cannot sing for beans. She’s breathy and has absolutely no range whatsoever. By far the worst singer in the film.
See the filmed stage version starring George Hearn and Angela Lansbury, and then get back to me. It’s a trillion times better than that disaster of a film.
The only reason Bonham Carter is even in Sweeney Todd is because she’s Tim Burton’s wife and has been in everyone one of his movies in some role big or small since they’ve been married.
Also, School of Rock isn’t a musical. It’s a movie about music, but the characters never break into song or anything like that.
And generally, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with being a man who enjoys musicals in general. Plenty of them have good music anyways. Sure, there’s loads of crap. But then again there’s loads of crap action movies and loads of crap metal albums.
To add to the list some more:
Across the Universe - Some good writing with mostly good renditions of Beatles songs and some pretty trippy segments.
Most Animated Disney Movies
Bat-Boy: The Musical
The stage rendition of Frank Zappa’s “Joe’s Garage” rock opera. Featuring tracks such as “Catholic Girls”, “Fembot in a Wet T-Shirt” and “Why Does It Hurt When I Pee?”
Reefer Madness, The Musical
A lot of Andrew Lloyd Webber stuff
The Sound of Music
The Wall, Tommy and all other movies based off of Rock Operas.
The Producers
The Buddy Holly Story
#8 is wrong. Men do not like the Lion King. The correct answer is The Jungle Book.
well, you certainly left out the movie that is where slashers and musicals first joined forces: Cannibal! The Musical.
Sweeney Todd was on Broadway long before Cannibal: the Musical came around. Not to mention the character itself dates back to the 1800s with a non-musical movie made in the mid 1930s.
WHAT’S WRONG WITH YOU?!!??!?
“THE WIZARD OF OZ”?!?!??! “THE LION KING”!?!?!?? You automatically lose your testicles the second you sit down and watch these muthicals!
I wholeheartedly agree with “The Blues Brothers” being a guy musical, and to a point “The Blues Brothers 2000.” I know it was a sucky movie and a blatant rip-off to John Belushi, but you can’t beat the music. The concert at the end of the climax of the movie is worth fast forwarding it to that part.
Oh, and “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” showed that guys can dance and not lose their manhood also.
[…] Musicals are at the top of the list as as far as things I hate. But I guess there are some movies that have singing that are okay… […]
Where the hell is Joe’s Apartment?
Let me fix your list . . .
1. Reefer Madness
2. Evil Dead: The Musical
3. Repo: The Genetic Opera
4. Cannibal: The Musical
5. Young Frankenstein
6. Rocky Horror Picture Show
7. The Producers
8. Avenue Q
9. Blues Brothers
Granted not all of these are out on video yet but still . . .Grease? Wizard of Oz?
what about tenacious d and the pick of destiny?
[…] during the same scene (the little bird that flies around Audrey), but Little Shop of Horrors is a great, great musical and because I can, I’m including it. Family Guy spoofed this clip, also - and it was pretty […]
Phantom of the Opera, coz it starred King Leonidas! Can’t get any manlier than that.
Dude. Fuckin’ Phantom of the Paradise. Tommy. American Pop. The Tune.
Why isn’t Repo! A Genetic Opera on this list? It’s done by the guy who did Hostel, and is filled with organs and bones being ripped from live bodies, semi- and barely-dressed women, and a guy who is wearing someone else’s face on top of his own.
Also, Team America. Fuck yeah.
…. jesus christ I just looked at the comments and saw another Elle who suggested Repo!. This is the second time something like this has happened.
WHO ARE YOU AND WHY ARE YOU STEALING MY FAC- uhh.. NAME.
Sweeney Todd and Grease are my favorites on this list
The Rocky Horror Picture Show and The Blues Brothers belong on every list relating to “Great Musicals”
other “Manly Musicals” to consider:
Les Miserables — Our lead character is an ex-con who spends his time cavorting with a prostitute. Then, he moves on up to the big-league fun of a bloody revolutionary battle. Sure, they’re still up there pirouetting, but they’re pirouetting with a rifle. Yes, they’re singing, but they’re singing about popping caps in fools’ proverbial asses. When you get right down to it, Les Mis (and surely your manliness can withstand even the most mincing of colloquialisms) is really just a war movie that can carry a tune.
Hair — If this play were a dude, it would be the troubled loner who can’t seem to stay out of harms way: Purveyors of the show’ early runs dealt with bomb threats, legal hassling and suspicious fatal arson, all of which earn Hair a fair share of street cred. Also, Live on-stage nudity.
West Side Story — Romeo and Juliet is actually a damn bloody play, and West Side Story really ups the ante. The whole production is rife with resisting authority, knife fights, and even an old-fashioned shooting. At the end of the day, West Side Story has a higher body count than your average Sopranos episode (and we’re talking the first two seasons here).
Newsies — Look closely. That’ right. That’ Christian Fucking “Batman” Bale. While it’ true that men are not prone to cheering for lead characters who insist on long dance numbers while wearing a cowboy costume, nor to lead characters who often reminisce emotionally about the hardships their life, or their dreams and aspirations, Jack Kelly has something extra on his side that allows some leeway. He grew up to be Batman. If you’re trying to tell us that there’ something manly enough for Batman, but not manly enough for you, then we’re not even speaking the same language.
1776 — First of all, it holds the record for being the musical that goes the longest without playing a single note of music. It’ like the William Munny of musicals, only playing its hand when absolutely necessary. Beyond that though, the play is manly because these are our founding fathers, who cobbled this nation together using tar from their lungs and the limbs of dismembered Englishmen. If you listened to the music, you’d realize that they’re singing about gunpowder, rum, and how hard they want to plow their wives. Replace their wives with your wife, and that’ a pretty apt description of a Lynyrd Skynyrd show. Hell, at one point, the Declaration of Independence is put on hold while Thomas Jefferson decides to nail his wife in the middle of the afternoon. You might pick up a violin and sing too if you’d just taken a break from creating a nation for some afternoon delight.
I’d change the wizard of oz with The Wiz… with Michael Jackson back when he was still black playing the scarecrow.. 8^)
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078504/
@ LocoMan
The Wiz could have definitely made it. Great flick, good call.
Where
The
Fuck
Is
The Wall?????
Where the Fuck is Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life???
Half assed list at best
Riiiiight, Lion King is there but no Blues Brothers? Surely Blues Brothers should be no1, and Wizard of Oz deserves no place here either, replace that with Rocky Horror, or at very least Cannibal: The Musical or Team America.
LSofH FTW. Any movie that can present a character like Orrin Scrivello without implicit moral judgment wins its man card automatically. He’s the Anton Chigurh of musical comedy.
I’d say it’s a pretty good list, although I haven’t seen Sweeney Todd or Grease. I’ve heard good things about Sweeney Todd and I do intend on watching it at some point. As for Grease, something tells me that I will never watch it, maybe I’m not man enough. Who knows? Good list though!
The only movies that I would have liked to see on the list:
1. Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?
2. Spinal Tap
3. The Wall
4. Team America: World Police
I’m sure there are more that I’m just not thinking of, but those stick out the most to me.
Seeing this list definitely makes me want to go out and buy some DVD’s.
Bye the way, this site is quickly becoming one of my favorites.
Then again, I don’t think I should have put Spinal Tap. It’s not really a musical.
@ Metallimetal
You’ve never seen Grease? Wow. A lot of guys, it seems, dislike it, but I have no idea why. I think it’s great. A classic, really.
As for your additions, I don’t know if I’d count O’ Brother…there’s singing, sure, but it’s not like there is singing in place of dialogue, or as dialogue, which is more along the lines of what I’m getting at. GREAT movie though.
Same can be said for The Wall…also great.
Team America, on the other hand, is a glaring omission on my end. I nearly bust a gut laughng when I saw that in the theater..good call on your end.
Thanks for reading!
Nope, never seen Grease. I think maybe because I look at it as if it was made purely for women or young girls. Not knocking the movie by any means, I just might have a hard time trying to make myself actually sit down and watch it. Love Crybaby though, so maybe I could end up watching it. One never knows.
After thinking about it again, I could see why The Wall wouldn’t be on the list. However, I still think that O’ Brother, Where Art Thou?, though it may not be a traditional musical, it could still be seen as one. When you consider that all of the singing comes from characters that you come across throughout the movie, I would say that it might count. But I could be wrong.
Keep up the good work! Great site!
actually watching sweeny todd is not OK if you’re a dude
No love for Monty Python’s Spamalot?
Also agree on Blue’s Brothers, Evil Dead: The Musical
The Producers (either version), Blues Brothers, Pirates of Penzance (Kline and Rondstat…classic nostalgia).
I’d add those and remove the Lion King (Aladin was much more entertaining), Grease…come on…really…manly??? Cry-Baby? Does somebody have a man crush on Depp?
Willy Wonka has one of the best lines ever…”Candy is dandy, but liquor is quicker.”
@ Janson
Blue Brothers for sure. I should have included that one.
Aladdin was good, but Lion King is the shit. Sorry, that stays. Grease isn’t manly, but it’s pretty cool. It’s not girlie. And how can you not like Depp?
Wonka never gets old for me. Never.
Thanks for reading.