50 Great Music Scenes

They say music soothes the savage beast, but it seems to us that the best musically-driven movie scenes do just the opposite: They get our toes tapping, our hands clapping and our rumps shaking. When executed the right way, scenes that heavily involve music -- such as the 'Tiny Dancer' sing-along in Cameron Crowe's 'Almost Famous' -- can leave unforgettable impressions for decades to come.

Just how near and dear to cinephiles' hearts are such scenes? Well, take it from us: They are very important. As we set about to determine our list of the 50 all-time best music scenes in film history, the arguments that erupted around the Moviefone office as we whittled down our list were more contentious than a Rabbit vs. Papa Doc rap battle.

Yet even with our impassioned back-and-forths, we're sure our list omits some cinematic contenders that you love. We encourage you to argue along with us in the comments section. Before we begin the countdown, however, let's discuss the two rules that guided us as we shaped our list:

No musicals allowed!
As much as we like 'The Sound of Music' and 'An American in Paris,' the musical numbers in those films are a completely different breed of animal than, say, the parade scene from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' Both have their places, but this list is all about the latter.

No "scored" scenes!
We love a good soundtrack as much as anyone, but for this list we considered only those scenes in which the music -- whether emanating from an onscreen band, a boombox, a disco's sound system, the mouths of the characters, etc. -- is part of the action. (Film nerds refer to scenes like this as being "diegetic." Non-nerds, you just learned something.) This explains, for instance, the absence of movies with killer, primarily non-diegetic soundtracks, such as 'Rushmore' and 'The Graduate.'

Got it? Then click on the buttons below to enjoy our countdown of the 50 best music scenes from movies.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Baz Luhrmann's Great Gatsby Starting in August

After finally settling on the adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald‘s “The Great Gatsby” as his next project, Baz Luhrmann is now set to take the production to his hometown of Sydney, Australia, where lensing in 3D (yes, 3D!) will begin this August.

ABC reports that Luhrmann has “brushed off” the novel’s iconic New York setting as a shooting location and will bring the production to Fox Studios in Sydney, the same facilities which have housed such major films as “The Matrix” trilogy, the “Star Wars” prequels and, of course, Luhrmann’s own “Moulin Rouge!” and “Australia.” Furthermore, after earlier workshopping in the stereoscopic format, ‘Gatsby’ will also evidently find Luhrmann leading the first ever live-action 3D film made in the state of New South Wales, trumping George Miller‘s new “Mad Max” film which was presumably set to take that mantle before it was significantly delayed—both are being backed by Warner Bros.

The deal to bring ‘Gatsby’ to Australia’s Harbour City was reportedly secured by the state’s film investment fund as well as unnamed incentives which was no doubt a major attraction compared to typical through-the-roof taxes on New York productions. “This comes at a good time for the film industry,” NSW premier Kristina Kenneally told THR. “Australia was thought to be losing international filmmaking due to the strong Aussie dollar – put simply, this is a big win.”

Adapted for the screen by Luhrmann and Craig Pearce (”Romeo + Juliet,” “Moulin Rouge!”), the film will star Tobey Maguire as protagonist/narrator Nick Carraway, Carey Mulligan as Daisy Buchanan and Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby for the iconic Fitzgerald tale—which itself has been adapted several times before including a Jack Clayton version starring Robert Redford, Mia Farrow and Sam Waterston as the leading trio.

A no doubt extensive pre-production will kick off next month in preparation for lensing which is set to begin this August for 17 weeks. The 30 weeks after that, though, will be dedicated to post-production, bringing things well into 2012.

I think Tobey is the perfect casting choice, while Topher would be good as well, but I think Tobey is better for more serious roles. I think it’ll be great film. How can it not be with a cast like that?

Upsetting to say the least, the worry of 3D too is that it won’t just be gratuitious, it may be a feature that Baz wants to implement in the undoubtedly cheesy, melodramatic style to tell the story i.e really OTT visually.
Romeo and Juliet is his only decent film as it was a great modern twist on Shakespeare, but I do not believe he will do the novel justice to how one pictures it when reading and how it should be (classy, beautiful, heartbreaking).
The only thing that does give me a dash of hope is the screenshot of Carey above, which looks right on the money, with just that in my mind forgetting Baz and the 3D woes I would be really excited.

@BradZuhl, only if the characters were cats ... So we purr on, paws against the best post, borne back ceaselessly into the past ...

But seriously, Tobey? What a horrible casting decision. Someone like Topher would fill the part ... and he has talent.

Are people going to really pay 18 or 20 bucks for a 3D Gatsby? This will be an interesting test to see if 3D is relevant for anything other than superhero’s, animation and video game adaptations.

Looks like the video game was just the beginning…

http://greatgatsbygame.com/

Tobey? No, thanks, I don’t care is Leo’s bff.

Based on the novel, it’s assumed Daisy Buchanan and Jay Gatsby are about the same age. It seems like miscasting to posit Mulligan as the love interest for DiCaprio. Add to that Luhrmann’s history of melodrama, this looks like a bust. The Great Gatsby would seem like great fodder for a great film, but thus far no great film has been made of it and Luhrmann’s production seems half-baked at best.

Sounds like a pleasant curiosity.  I’ve enjoyed all the Luhrmann films I’ve seen so far but I never saw Australia. 

... Though it will be odd knowing The Great Gatsby 2012 won’t have actually been shot on Long Island.

oh god, I agree wholeheartedly Baz can’t stop himself.  All his films are over-the-top circus shows ,  and it feels like someone hit me   over my   head with a sledgehammer .  Luhrman doesn’t know subtlety if it slapped him in his face.

Sorry, but this feels like Baz is putting together a high school production of a classic novel , with a cast sharing no chemistry.

“Gatsby’ will also evidently find Luhrmann leading the first ever live-action 3D film made in Australia”

Um…Sanctum?

Sam Waterson played Nick in the earlier film, not Bruce Dern (Tom Buchanon).

Fuuck yeah dude. Everything about this sounds awesome, except for Tobey Maguire being in it. He totally takes me out of movies now. But Baz Luhrmann adapting my favorite book in 3D is the best movie news of the year

Pfft to you guys… this actually sounds pretty awesome.

Can’t wait to see how Luhrman is going to eff up this classic with his frenetic camera moves, quick ADD edits, OTT direction and actors overacting.  Poor F. Scott must be rolling over right now.

*sigh*

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

The Great Gatsby 3D will be filmed in Australia

Posted by Rodneyon 21. 02. 2011in News Chat

News has come out that Leonardo DiCaprio’s adaptation of the literary classic The Great Gatsby has revealed that it will be filmed in South Wales Australia, but more perplexing is that it is confirmed to be filming in 3D.

Huffington Post reports:

The Sunday Telegraph of Australia broke the news on Sunday that the director’s new film version of the F. Scott Fitzgerald novel had chosen New South Wales, Australia as his filming location, signing a deal with the government on Friday.

As previously announced, Leonardo DiCaprio will take on the role of Jay Gatsby, the mysterious millionaire, while Carey Mulligan will take on Daisy Buchanan and Tobey Maguire will play Nick Carraway, the book’s narrator and protagonist.

Now as much as I am looking forward to an adaptation of The Great Gatsby, and the cast looks pretty solid… I have but one concern.

Why is this in 3D?

Of course the answer to that is money. Its always money. But while I am often a proponent for the 3D effect, I am not a zealot and can see flaws where they lie. A period piece set in 1915 hardly has any staggering visual elements that scream to be seen in 3D.

This is pure abuse of the effect and why some people are calling it a gimmick. In this case it looks like it is a gimmick. Unless they are setting this in a Blade Runner type setting, I honestly see no reason for it to be 3D.

3D is a great effect when used right (like any effect) but I don’t see a reason for that here.

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Mila Kunis Getting Wicked for Oz, the Great and Powerful

Mila Kunis Melts for Role of Wicked Witch of the West in Sam Raimi’s Oz, the Great and Powerful -- Vulturevar canonicalUrl = "http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2011/02/mila_kunis_melts_for_role_of_w.html"; Vulture Skip to content, or skip to search.

Movies TV Music etc… Hot Topics: The Oscars Lady Gaga Gossip Girl Glee James Franco Jersey Shore NYMag.com Vulture Daily Intel The Cut Grub St Sports Log-In Register Welcome, Log Out NYMag & Vulture Vulture initVultureHeader(); Aaron Sorkin’s Fictional Keith Olbermann Is Quite the Ladies’ ManVulture MainPreview the Songs From Glee’s ‘Blame It on the Alcohol’ EpisodeexclusiveMila Kunis Melts for Role of Wicked Witch of the West in Sam Raimi’s Oz, the Great and Powerful2/17/11 at 5:00 PM Comment 1Comment CommentsPhoto: Valerie Macon/AFP/Getty Images

The Hughes brothers' loss appears to be Sam Raimi’s gain: Vulture hears that Mila Kunis is walking away from Warner Bros.' live-action remake of Katsuhiro Otomo’s 1988 manga epic Akira and instead intends to star opposite James Franco in Raimi's Oz, The Great and Powerful, the prequel to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz.

The closely guarded Oz script, reimagined most recently by playwright turned screenwriter David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole; Inkheart), tells the story of the origins of the Wizard, and of Oz's infamous witches like Glinda, who becomes the Good Witch of the North, and Evanorah, who becomes the Wicked Witch of the East (though best remembered as the new, ruby-slippered sub-basement of Dorothy’s farmhouse).

After a recent meeting with Raimi and Wizard James Franco, all agreed that Kunis would be perfect for the part of Theodorah, the younger sister of Evanorah who goes on to become the Wicked Witch of the West and, of course, to cackle iconic lines like, “I’ll get you, my pretty ? and your little dog, too!” With her involvement assured, we're told that Franco finally agreed to do the picture.

Still, you can’t blame the Hughes Bros. for a lack of trying to land the star of Black Swan. We’re told by knowledgeable insiders that director Albert Hughes had been pleading with Warner Bros. senior management to let him cast the best possible actors, regardless of their worldwide profiles — or lack of them. But Akira is such an expensive movie, the studio is insisting on a massive star to anchor the film. So much so that earlier in the week, Warner Bros. president Jeff Robinov phoned up Brad Pitt himself and offered him the lead role of Kaneda. Because the studio didn’t allow Hughes to cast whomever he wanted to in the lead role, we’re told Robinov relented and allowed Hughes to make the offer to Kunis to play Kei, the gorgeous young revolutionary with whom Kaneda becomes enamored on his quest to find his disappeared best friend.

But when Pitt passed on Akira two days ago, it threw the immediate future of the Hughes' project into disarray. Because it’s not yet clear which Big Movie Star would be both right for the Kaneda part and available to play it, just when Akira might fire up production remains unclear. And in that state of uncertainty, we hear Kunis is committing to starring in Oz instead: Shooting is set to begin this July at the Walt Disney Studios.

“Oh, what a world! What a world!” indeed.

By: Claude Brodesser-AknerFiled Under: exclusive, james franco, mila kunis, movies, oz the great and powerful, sam raimi, the industryShare this story...FacebookTwitterDiggShareThis CounterEmailPrint TVAaron Sorkin’s Fictional Keith Olbermann Is Quite the Ladies’ ManVulture
MainClickablesPreview the Songs From Glee’s ‘Blame It on the Alcohol’ EpisodeTop StoriesHappy Friday: Radiohead Drops The King of Limbs a Day EarlyBritney Spears Fights Herself in the ‘Hold It Against Me’ VideoDrinking on TV Is Everywhere, But Who Gets It Right?Mila Kunis Melts for Role of Wicked Witch of the West in Sam Raimi’s Oz, the Great and PowerfulMovie Review: Another Thrill Ride for Liam Neeson in UnknownOff the Map Is Addicted to Tragic BackstoriesAdvertisingMost CommentedDaily IntelVultureGrub StreetThe CutDaily IntelLast 72 Hours1. NYU Professor Resigns Over Tweets Critical to Lara Logan2982. Really? None of You Had Sex on Valentine’s Day?1773. Breaking: Americans Like Drinking Beer974. Scott Brown Reveals That He Was Sexually Abused by a Camp Counselor735. CBS's Lara Logan 'Suffered a Brutal and Sustained Sexual Assault and Beating' in Egypt61VultureLast 72 Hours1. Rolling Stone Fudged Justin Bieber’s Abortion Quote452. Sarah Jessica Parker Wants Sex and the City 3, Not a Prequel293. Outrage: Lady Gaga Doesn’t Have Madonna’s E-mail Support274. See the Condom-Inspired Dress Lady Gaga Wore on Good Morning America225. Drinking on TV Is Everywhere, But Who Gets It Right?16Grub StreetLast 72 Hours1. Top Chef Recap: Elmo Said My Cookie Looks Like Sh-t212. Hearth Chef Marco Canora Squashes Chips Into His Sandwiches, Can’t Get Enough Toast83. Jesus Nunez on Lawsuit: ‘I Didn’t Know Graffiti Existed When I Created Graffit’54. Tom Potter on Why Brooklyn Brewery Is Still Relevant in Its Home Borough55. Manhattan Diner Is Doomed; Resto Leon Is For Sale?5The CutLast 72 Hours1. So This 42-Year-Old Dallas Mother Saw a Gold Balmain Dress on the Runway — and She Just HAD to Have It!312. Video Interview: Crystal Renn Would Like More Body Diversity on Runways253. Lady Gaga Wore Her Horns on Good Morning America214. Sean Ono Lennon Responds to The Cut’s Commenters205. The Fug Girls: Evan Lysacek Contemplates Returning to Competition at Vera Wang16Recent NewsAll BlogsVultureVulture
Community Recap: Set Phasers to LevarDaily Intel
Little Dogs Don’t Know They’re LittleThe Sports Section
Don’t Worry, Knicks Fans: Jim Dolan’s GOT THISVulture
Devo Made Saturday Night Live’s Fred Armisen Want to Be on TVVulture
Watch Emma Roberts Spoil Part of Scream 4The Cut
Video: Lea T’s Nude French Vogue Photo Shocks Oprah’s AudienceDaily Intel
Jamie Dimon Got an $11.6 Million Raise Last YearGrub Street New York
Mono + Mono Midtown Will Indeed CloseVulture
Watch Dr. Seuss’s Oh the Places You’ll Actually GoDaily Intel
The World’s Most Powerful Man Meets President ObamaVulture
Rosie O’Donnell Now Knows Who Arcade Fire IsVulture
The Office Recap: Wake Us Up When It’s OverThe Cut
YSL’s CEO Departs; Domenico Dolce Loves Justin BieberGrub Street New York
Some Park Slope Coop-ers Are Just Sending the Help to Cover Their ShiftsVulture
Lone Star Lead James Wolk Heads to ABC’s GeorgetownDaily Intel
Larry King Wouldn’t Exactly Call Piers Morgan ‘Dangerous’Vulture
See Serene Branson Explain Her Alarming Post-Grammys ReportThe Sports Section
To Paraphrase Their Coach, the Rangers Demonstrate Their Testicular FortitudeDaily Intel
Gibberish-Talking Grammy Reporter Hoped She Wouldn’t Be on YouTubeVulture
Parks and Recreation Recap: The Spirit of MelancholyGrub Street New York
Have a Shot of Horse Semen; Some College Dining Halls Forgo TraysVulture
Happy Friday: Radiohead Drops The King of Limbs a Day EarlyVulture
Watch the Trailer for Future Cult Classic I Am Here ? NowDaily Intel
Facebook Adds More Options for ‘Relationship Status’Vulture
Fox, Ice Age Director Bullish on The Story of FerdinandVulture
Community Recap: Set Phasers to LevarVulture
Devo Made Saturday Night Live’s Fred Armisen Want to Be on TVVulture
Watch Emma Roberts Spoil Part of Scream 4Vulture
Watch Dr. Seuss’s Oh the Places You’ll Actually GoVulture
Rosie O’Donnell Now Knows Who Arcade Fire IsVulture
The Office Recap: Wake Us Up When It’s OverVulture
Lone Star Lead James Wolk Heads to ABC’s GeorgetownVulture
See Serene Branson Explain Her Alarming Post-Grammys ReportVulture
Parks and Recreation Recap: The Spirit of MelancholyVulture
Happy Friday: Radiohead Drops The King of Limbs a Day EarlyVulture
Watch the Trailer for Future Cult Classic I Am Here ? NowVulture
Fox, Ice Age Director Bullish on The Story of FerdinandVulture
MGM Reboots With Hansel and GretelVulture
Eric Roberts Breaks the Celebrity Rehab CycleVulture
Kiefer Sutherland Signs On to TouchVulture
Britney Spears Fights Herself in the ‘Hold It Against Me’ VideoVulture
See a Blond Sofia Vergara Work Out in a 1998 CommercialVulture
Stage Dive: The Sound and the Fury of Mandy PatinkinVulture
See the New Thor Trailer, This Time With Way More Natalie PortmanVulture
Something Borrowed Trailer: Kate Hudson Enlists Ginnifer Goodwin and John Krasinski in Her Bride WarsVulture
Read Madonna's 1994 Letter to David Letterman After Her Controversial Late Show AppearanceVulture
Watch Another Intense Clip From Kid-Assassin Movie HannaVulture
There Is Going to Be a Broadway Play About Larry Bird and Magic Johnson’s RelationshipVulture
Iron Man 3 Sets Shane Black to DirectVulture
Drinking on TV Is Everywhere, But Who Gets It Right?E-mail the EditorsGet the RSS feed Get the ‘Vulture’ newsletter For your daily dose of TV, entertainment and culture news. From Our PartnersDanielle Staub to Release Rock AlbumWill Kathie Lee Buy Joan Rivers' $25 Million ApartmentLindsay Lohan Back Together with Samantha?'Lotus Flower' Video Hits, Thom Yorke DancesCeline Dion: Ready to Return to the Stage?Reporter Serene Branson Suffered 'Migraine Aura,' Not a StrokeKiefer Sutherland Eyes Return to TV Drama With 'Touch''Jersey Shore' Season 3, Episode 8 Recap'The Big Bang Theory' Season 4, Episode 16 RecapWilliam H. Macy Used to Babysit 'Shameless' Co-Star Joan Cusack and Brother John Cusack (VIDEO)Kardashians make $65M in 2010; Prankster makes off with Paris Hilton's birthday cakeVideo: Paris Hilton shares her life plans with David LettermanBritney Spears debuts 'Hold It Against Me' video/infomercialFeatured AdvertiserSarah Jessica Parker can't help but wonder why anyone wants to make a 'Sex and the City' prequel PJ Harvey Addresses Britain’s History of War Community Recap: Set Phasers to Levar Devo Made Saturday Night Live’s Fred Armisen Want to Be on TV Watch Emma Roberts Spoil Part of Scream 4 Grace Gummer’s Unique Path to Acting What Are the Limits of Child-Abuse Memoirs? Art Review: Cezanne’s Card Players at the Met

Copyright © , New York Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.

New York MagazineContact UsSite MapMedia KitPrivacy PolicyTermsMagazine Customer ServiceNewsletters RSS FeedsApps
This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.