The Band Wagon
Warner Bros., BD (US import)
Where better to start with a list of must-own musicals than one starring one of the legends of the genre? Made towards the end of his career in 1953, this stars Fred Astaire in self-reflexive mode playing an ageing musical star who hopes for a career comeback on a Broadway show, only for an egotistical director and his prima ballerina co-star to threaten to derail it. A modest success on its original release, The Band Wagon's stature has grown over the decades thanks to its masterful dance numbers, most notably the gangster-chic thrills of the Mickey Spillane-inspired Girl Hunt Ballet in the film's dazzling climax.
The Blues Brothers
Universal, Pictures 4K BDBorn out of a series of sketches performed on US variety show Saturday Night Live, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi's 1980 musical comedy is essentially one big love letter to their favourite blues, soul and R&B singers. A tale of two small-time crooks 'on a mission from God' to put their band back together – and raise the money needed to save the orphanage they grew up in – The Blues Brothers assembles an all-star line-up of musos, including James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin and John Lee Hooker, and lets them all do their thing. In between the musical numbers, director John Landis keeps the film ticking over with great jokes and a car chase around Chicago that still puts the Fast & Furious movies to shame. Equal parts funny and funky, The Blues Brothers is cinematic gold; just ignore the terrible sequel.
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