Obviously the "Hong Kong inspired" movie fad isn't gonna last so where should commercial American filmakers turn to for "inspiration"? Bollywood I say!

Based in Bombay, India (hence the name) Bollywood movies are highly melodramatic films that feature song and dance numbers not unlike those of classic musicals. These are somewhat strange and consist of the stars singing along to a pop song while twenty well-dressed backup dancers appear from nowhere and groove along. Reviewers at Stomp Tokyo also determined that in India the pinnacle of musical film was "Beat It" and "Material Girl". They are also exceptionally long, but in this case they don't have to be.

One interesting thing is, movies feature these eleborate musical numbers regardless of genre, and I've seen both superhero and action movies containing them!

Now, in a Hollywood film, rather than filling up screen time with actors trying to act and advance the plot, these can be replaced with these surreal musical sequences that are both interesting and possibly unintentionally funny.

"Yes, I'll marry you. We have our whole lives ahead..." Cue number.

"Wow, winning the lottery, I could do anything!" Cue number.

"The first rule of Fight Club is..." Cue number.

"Who is Keyser Soze?!" Cue number.

"I'm gonna gut you like a fish." Cue number.

The fact that most Bollywood sequences are lip synched clears up the "so & so can't sing" problem. And you've probably seen Christopher Walken gyrate in that Fatboy Slim video.

Plus this whole musical element also allows creative people from the music industry to cross over into films. Unfortunately this means I have to put up with people like Geri Halliwell more often.

However, I would love to see Terminator 4 featuring an intro with Arnie grooving in his leather jacket explaining why Skynet must be stopped while a troupe of soldiers and endoskeltons breakdance behind him.
-- mrkillboy, Jun 06 2001

Review of "Jung"@Stomp Tokyo http://www.stomptok.../movies/j/jung.html
An Indian film that also happens to rip off Face/Off. The site also contains other reviews including one of an Indian version of Superman! [mrkillboy, Jun 06 2001, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Your Own Dancers http://www.halfbake...our_20own_20dancers
An idea to recreate that authentic Boolywood feel. [Aristotle, Jun 06 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Distributed Backup Dancers http://www.halfbake..._20backup_20dancers
Recreating crazy musicals is a shared responsibility we should all embrace apparently ... [Aristotle, Jun 06 2001, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Two words for ya there killboy: Cop Rock.

An altogether unsightly attempt to do what you are talking about on a weekly TV police drama from the early nineties. If you don't know about it, for the love of God, don't ask.
-- globaltourniquet, Jun 06 2001


how about moulin rouge or oh brother where art thou? i haven't seen either film yet, but i believe they both meet your criteria. besides, wasn't the '60's the decade of the grand musical? sound of music, my fair lady, etc.
-- mihali, Jun 06 2001


Moulin Rouge definitely has surreal musical sequences that are interesting and funny, so it does meat at least some of the criteria. <off-topic, unsolicited movie review>I also thought it was a great movie... very well done, with extremely detailed, visually sublime sets and costumes.</off-topic, unsolicited movie review>

O Brother, Where Art Thou had some musical numbers, but they were definitely part of the plot; I don't recall that movie really fitting these criteria. It certainly didn't seem to be a musical. <otumr>I thought it was a great movie also, BTW</otumr>

So really what this idea is saying is make every movie a musical, right?
-- PotatoStew, Jun 06 2001


The only problem is that indian movies ( at least the ones I have inadvertendly stumbled upon)tend to be , well , sort of....crap Yes , I know I will get some flak for saying that , but it's true... cue......end credits
-- havenman, Jun 06 2001


Yeah, crap. Unlike our intelligent, provocative, sensitive, artful Hollywood movies such as "A Knight's Tale" and "Pearl Harbor," just to name a couple of the newest and greatest Western films yet...
-- snarfyguy, Jun 06 2001


Why this idea hasn't notched up any croissants before mine, I don't know. Hasn't anyone else experienced the wonders of Bollywood movies like "Muquaddar ka Sikandar", "Hum", or "Amir, Akbar, Anthony" [sp?] with their random plot generators ("oh no, it's a snake" "a branch just fell on mother's head" "dad just drove his car over a cliff", etc.), their half-hour long pre-credit sequences, their heart-breaking oaths-to-dying-mothers, their groovy dance numbers and fight scenes (sometimes combined)?

So, [havenman], the quality may not be great, but "feel the quantity"! And I'd rather sit through three hours of this stuff than three hours of some interminable Kevin Costner *epic*. Hollywood could learn from these guys, I say. One garlic nan for mrkillboy.
-- Guy Fox, Aug 07 2001


It just so happens that I'm a big fan of Bollywood and surreal musicals in general. Indian soap operas based on the Marabaritah also make excellent viewing.
-- Aristotle, Aug 07 2001


Whats wrong with copying from a producer of low-quality films? (note: I`m not suggesting that Bollywood films ARE crap, btw)

I thought the idea was to compete with the Americans? If its good films you`re after, your probably better off copying the French.
-- Pallex, Aug 07 2001


I'm croissanting it because if Hollywood does even ONE Bollywood rip-off, and it's at all authentic, I'll finally get to see what the hell they're all singing about.
-- Matty, Jun 21 2002


[Guy Fox] Amar Akbar Anthony is my favorite Hindi Movie of all TIME !!! Croissant (and more if I could) to you, MrKillBoy!!)
-- mahatma, May 05 2003



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