Singin’ in the nuclear rain: new films push the musical genre in a darker direction

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Musicals Embrace the Dark Side: A Radical Reinvention of the Genre

In a surprising twist, the movie musical genre is undergoing a profound transformation, moving away from the ebullient nature of Hollywood's golden age and embracing a much darker, more introspective tone. From a murderous psychopath's mournful singing in jail to a family's chorus about the end of the world, these new cinematic musicals are pushing the boundaries of the genre, using song and dance to explore the depths of the human experience.

Unleashing the Darkness: A New Era of Cinematic Musicals

Joker: Folie à Deux - Singing in the Shadows

The highly anticipated sequel to 2019's Joker, Joker: Folie à Deux, sees Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga teaming up to bring a new twist to the iconic DC villain. In a surprising move, the film incorporates musical numbers, with the two leads belting out classic standards like "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" and "That's Entertainment!" Director Todd Phillips explains the decision, noting that the idea of Arthur Fleck, the Joker, having "music in him" was something he and Phoenix discussed extensively during the making of the first film. The inclusion of these musical moments adds a layer of complexity to the character, as the Joker's perverse nature is juxtaposed with the inherent theatricality of the musical genre.

The End - Singing Through the Apocalypse

Pushing the boundaries even further, Joshua Oppenheimer's The End is a genre-bending film that blends the musical format with a harrowing tale of ecological disaster. The story follows a misfit family living in a cavernous shelter, grappling with the emotional weight of their own culpability in the unfolding catastrophe. Oppenheimer, known for his acclaimed documentary The Act of Killing, collaborated with theater director Joshua Schmidt to craft the film's musical numbers, which he describes as the "negative image" of the golden age musicals. The songs, influenced by the work of Rodgers and Hammerstein, serve as a means for the characters to convince themselves that their world is still in order, even as the truth of their situation threatens to break through.

Emilia Pérez - Singing for Transformation

Jacques Audiard's Emilia Pérez further pushes the boundaries of the musical genre, telling the story of a Mexican cartel boss who undergoes a gender reassignment. The film's music and songs, composed by the French team of Clément Ducol and Camille Dalmais, explore a wide range of genres, from lyricism to rage, rock to slam, rap to folk, and pop. The act of singing, according to the composers, symbolizes the emotional rawness of the characters, as they grapple with their own transformations. "It's the story of a character who allows herself to sing, who lets her heart speak," says Dalmais, highlighting the vulnerability and significance of the musical moments.

Embracing the Dark Age of Musicals

While these films may not be entirely unique, as musicals from the 1960s such as Hair and Cabaret have also tackled weighty subject matter, it seems that more and more filmmakers are now turning the form inside out. Upcoming projects like Bill Condon's adaptation of the Tony-winning Broadway musical Kiss of the Spider Woman and the Depression-era tale Girl from the North Country, inspired by the songs of Bob Dylan, further demonstrate the genre's evolution.For composer Clément Ducol, this is just the beginning of a "movie musical revolution." He envisions a future where the boundaries of the genre are pushed even further, with the possibility of all-slam films or movies where the ambient noises themselves become a rhythmic, percussive orchestra. The dark age of musicals, it seems, is not only here but also poised to expand in unexpected and thrilling directions.