30 April, 2009

Whatever happened to the "Dream Sequence?"

So, while reading Ken Jennings' Blog (he had some pics of Gene Kelly's famous dance scene with Jerry, from Tom and Jerry) I was remembering my childhood of loving musicals, but generally fast-forwarding through those awkward/long/confusing Dream Sequences.

I understand (now) that those scenes were generally made to show off the dancing talent of the cast. It was also common to have lookalikes take the place of the principles (which always confused me SO much in Oklahoma!).



Then again, maybe they accidentally wrote a song/scene that didn't fit anywhere in the story, so they just made someone sniff a love potion!


I know (now) that those crazy sequences had metaphorical significance that I wasn't picking up, so perhaps I should go back and watch, what do you think?


Let's see what I can remember:

"Dream Ballet" from Oklahoma!
"Broadway Melody" from Singing in the Rain
Gene Kelly and Jerry the Mouse from Anchor's Away
The Dream Scene from Fiddler on the Roof

EDIT: Ha! I knew there was one in The Pirate (start at 4:00)


What do you consider the best/worst musical Dream Sequences?

7 comments:

Ms. Liz said...

The one from Carousel sticks out in my head pretty loudly. That random part where she becomes part of that gothic carousel with all the lady dancers dressed like used Saloon whores and they make those disturbing macabre shapes and the men lift them up and make a carousel out of them... That's pretty dang heavy for a 12 year old.

Mary P said...

No wonder my Mom didn't like Carousel. I've still never seen it....

I never finished Xanadu....but I'm pretty sure the whole thing was one loooong dream sequence.

TyroErudition said...

"Broadway Melody" isn't really a dream sequence, is it? It's more like a vision.

I don't think I've ever seen a musical with a dream sequence. I can think of plays (A Midsummer Night's Dream, obviously) and movies (the new Pride and Prejudice), but no musicals. I guess the Music Man kind of has one (I'm thinking of the movie) where Harold Hill is daydreaming about conducting the boys' band while he waits for Marion on the bridge. I need to watch Fiddler on the Roof again; I don't remember one in that at all!

Just so you know, your post gave me the urge to watch Singing in the Rain again. Such a good movie/musical!

Wendster said...

The best / worst musical dream sequence ...

Do I REMEMBER ANY musical dream sequences?

Any dream sequences? Oh! Let's make one up! Harry Potter is dreaming that Ron's dad is being attacked by a snake ... but instead of striking, Nagini is ... sliding, rising up in the air doing tumbles in the air to elevator music of a sort that turns to Footloose

... maybe not. LOL!

That WOULD be the worst musical.

Did Christine do any dreaming in Phantom? Seems like her style, but I sure don't remember one.

Sorry I have been such a bad blog visitor! My badness.

Becky said...

the kite scene and random green lady with smoke coming out of her nose in Singing in the Rain... need I say more.... :)

Becky said...

oh, and there is a doozy in West Side Story, the stage musical, not the movie... I am with you, I have never understood the significance, but it was a time period to show off dancing

Mary P said...

The movie had a sequence of sort....the "wedding" in the dress shop.