Singin' In The Rain

How can you go wrong spending £3 on Singin' In The Rain.

It is a classic definitely worth having. Any DVD collection, whether it mainly action, romance, or horror oriented, needs a bit of musical to shake it up a bit, and this is the perfect musical.

I'd say it was also worth getting the sound track ^_^.

Perhaps the most famous musical in motion picture history, "Singin' in the Rain" is a shot of pure cinematic joy, a beautiful paean to the movies, their stars, the trials and tribulations of a turbulent time in Hollywood history and a subtle satire on the whole silly affair. It's a movie everyone has ever heard of, from its iconic title to the legendary centrepiece dance sequence. The hype is to be believed. The dancing and choreography are astounding; each number carries an immense and intense energy, exuberance and creative dynamic so that each piece stands alone as a breathtaking culmination of the scene's theme. Particularly outstanding is the extended 'Broadway Melody' sequence, a fantastic, wordless 15-minute scene that looks like Busby Berkley by way of German Expressionism, and pausing for a second to deliver a double blow saying that, even in the modern (1950s) movie world, words aren't the only way of communicating emotion. Even more impressive is the fact that what you see on screen is what you get: no special effects or editing, just the sheer genius of physical manipulation; contrast this with the current cycle of 'dance movies' and their efforts to impress through styling of clothes and music, rather than inventiveness of location or weather (I'm talking to you, unnecessarily rain-soaked finale of 'Step Up 2').Although "Singin' in the Rain" is built upon existing songs and melodies already seen onscreen, it's the execution and the detail in how they are reworked into something basically similar but contextually different and that is what makes them just as special this time around and shows that, more than 50 years on, "Singin' in the Rain" has such a cultural influence that homages, inspirations and rip-offs have become something of a cliche themselves. Of course, the original is always best and even half a century on nothing can detract from its overwhelming impact. Gene Kelly is the star here, acting and dancing in his own superbly choreographed numbers and ultimately directing the whole show, his performance and input are what makes the film so whimsical and emotional. Excellent support comes from the rest of the cast, particularly Donald O'Connor's irrepressible 'Cosmo' and his hyperactive jollity.
With some brilliantly wicked satires on the conventions and processes of early talkie Hollywood, the film seems to have everything in spades what any musical tries to do best. If there are any qualms, the nastiness of Jean Hagen's 'Lina Lamont' seems a little ill thought out, coming on a smidge too late in the film to really convince. But overall, it's a true work of art, a sublime experience and something to put a smile on the face of anyone watching. If you don't like musicals or have never seen one before, this will instantly change your mind about them. Who can resist singin' along? Do de do do, do de, do de do do, do de....