I grew up in a house of music. My parents loved music – my mother opera and my father Broadway musicals. In the second grade I was the Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist. Having heard the soundtrack in the house since birth, I felt I knew the part already!
Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein wrote 9 musicals together of which 5 have become classic smash hits. The songs and score of the Sound of Music are indelibly linked to my childhood and one of my earliest memories is singing “Do Re Mi” with my mother. I still have “tea” associated to “…a drink with jam and bread.” Today is the release of the 40th anniversary DVD
Baz Luhrmann’s astonishing “Moulin Rouge” (2001) is probably the most interesting “musical” in years (and a music supervisor’s nightmare!). They licensed 50 classic amazing tracks for $1.5 million.
I would love to work on a musical movie though it would have to be very very different. No bursting into song mid-sentence. It would have to be cool, dark and contemporary. MTV edits though without the tired rapdog yelling at the camera and crotch-grabbing. Any takers?