BY MIKEY MIGO
As of late I've been thinking about how music relates to movies and productions. Music is that extra "oomph" that gets a emotion across to the audience. In sports, there's tons of music hidden behind the box scores and plays of the day. In television we've gotten to hear some very memorable music. Music in movies is very important for many reasons. I may be showing my music nerd-ness, but I've seen movies purely based on the music in it. But where music really shines in a movie is in a "musical". There's an entire genre of movies with the actual word "music" in it. Let's explore that.
Growing up I was blessed with a mother who didn't watch musicals. I wasn't force fed "Grease" or anything like it. I was raised in the 80's and will always have that era in my heart. I love cheesy movies, teenage comedies, and all the 80's clichés that one would expect. There are some exceptions though. I love "The Blues Brothers", I enjoyed "The Wiz" as a kid, and if you don't enjoy the work in "Little Shop of Horrors" then you're inhumane. Yet, I'm still not a Broadway type of person, which is sorta surprising because I love over the top characters, tongue-in-cheek humor, and glam.
Yet, there's two rock musicals that I really want to look into today. One is one of the most re-enacted rock musicals of all time and the other is a lesser known musical that I think is better than the latter.
 The Rocky Horror Picture Show
By: Richard O'Brien
Release: 1975
The Movie
This 1975 musical comedy film parodies horror flicks with a huge amount of sexuality mixed in for good measure. The screenplay written by Richard O'Brien and Jim Sharman is still in limited release well after 30 years of its initial release. The movie tells the story of a newly engaged couple (Susan Sarandon and Barry Bostwick), who get stranded at a very peculiar mansion. Here they meet an ensemble of very peculiar and cartoonish characters. Dr. Frank-N-Furter (Tim Curry) and his servants Riff Raff (Richard O'Brien) and Magenta (Patricia Quinn) pretty much run the homestead, but there are a slew of other characters. Columbia; the groupie, Eddie (Meatloaf); the "bad boy", and of course Frank-N-Furter's Frankenstein "Rocky Horror" all are just important to this movie as the rest of them. One of the main complaints many critics have had about this movie is the lack of plot, but to me it's more of an experimental scripted movie. What you're seeing is "Brad" and Janet" in a bizarre world and see how their characters develop into their own inner cartoonish/freak persona. The other characters have their own conflicts and upon watching this movie a few dozen times you see past the surface. I think that's what makes this movie so rewatchable and a cult classic.
The Music
Realistically, the music is what makes this movie. There was a time period in my life where I'd join a few friends and attend Rocky almost on a weekly basis. From Tim Curry's opening of "Sweet Transvestite" you get a vague idea of what you're in for. The tune that EVERYONE knows and (should) love is "Time Warp". It's a Halloween staple now at most parties and there's a good reason why. It's an insanely catchy tune with easy dance steps. So easy that even in the actual song they spell out the steps for you. A friend and I used to dread having to participate in this and would use pro wrestling poses instead of the traditional moves. The ones I remember using were Edge and Christian's "Five Second Pose", Goldust's "torso rub", and of course the "crotch chop". Yeah, that might date when we were regulars. Anyways, it's a fun time and great for a crowd. To me the song that really "makes" the movie is "Rose Tint My World". It's hokey. Sure. But the emotion and talents of Tim Curry in this song still gives me goose bumps. "Don't Dream It, Be It" is quite possibly the best and truest line of any movie I've ever seen.
The Verdict
If you're of legal age and have not seen The Rocky Horror Picture Show then I believe you might be a shut in. Well, a shut in with no access to television. Maybe you've spent the majority of your life in a coma or something. I don't know. This is a very entertaining movie and a cult classic for a reason. What we get is a weird science fiction-ish type of musical with pretty addicting songs and what I consider Tim Curry's best performance. If you have a re-enactment at your local theatre go check it out and MAKE SURE you let them know you're a "virgin" so they can take care of you. If you survive that night, then you should be good to go.
 Hedwig and the Angry Inch
By: John Cameron Mitchell
Release: 2001
The Movie
Nearly thirty years after The Rocky Horror Picture Show was released, we were bitch slapped with a musical so "out there" and "bizarre" that many of my friends get uncomfortable watching it. It's their loss as Hedwig and the Angry Inch is a movie that can only be summed up in one word "amazing".
This off Broadway production premiered in 1998 and follows the life of a transgender East German rockstar, Hedwig. The script was written by John Cameron Mitchell and the songs were by Stephen Trask. The 2001 release would go on to kick ass in all the independent festivals like Sundance and got proper respect at the Golden Globes. Yet, in my mind this movie is still much underappreciated.
The Music
This is what gets me. As many consider this movie over the top and bizarre to the point they can't see past that, this movie has some great music. The harder glam/punk "Tear Me Down" is used when talking about Hansel (young Hedwig) and at the same time the Berlin Wall. To be allowed to marry a US Solider, Hedwig must get a sex change. The sex change operation goes very wrong resulting in the tune "The Angry Inch". This song is a bit disturbing, but the tongue-in-cheek lyrics of "six inches forward, five inches back, I got a… I got an angry inch!" is something so catchy that I've sang it in public. We don't discuss the weird looks I received from the clergy that week. Other tunes like "Wig in a Box" and "Sugar Daddy" are just as catchy and impactful to the movie, but "Origin of Love" is what sealed it up with me. The song "Origin of Love" is a beautiful song/story taken from the speech given by the playwright Aristophanes. I could go into detail explaining what it was about, but I'll let you formulate your own opinions on it.
The Verdict
If you're open minded and can see past sexual preference, "bizarre nature", and things being "out there" as many people I know have described this movie; then you should check this movie out. When it comes down to it, in my opinion, this musical is about finding one's self, love, and going that extra distance to remain true to yourself. Being a huge fan of the movie, I'd love to see this live. If anyone knows of any Hedwig performances in the Chicagoland area, drop me a line! Either way, check this out on IFC or Sundance, DVD, or if there's a live production close by, go check it out. If you enjoy it, the music will remain in your head for a very long time.
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