Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2017 February 17

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February 17

La La land

What relation does the opening sequence (with everyone junping on their cars and dancing and fooling about) have to the rest of the film? I nearly walked out during this waste of time before the film got started properly! --31.92.250.145 (talk) 02:29, 17 February 2017 (UTC)

It's a musical, right? ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 04:34, 17 February 2017 (UTC)

You either understand what the film is about, or you don't. Sadly, if you don't it cannot be explained, as you could not understand the explanation either. Wymspen (talk) 08:42, 17 February 2017 (UTC)

You might be interested in reading "Crowd Song" and "Spontaneous Choreography" at TV Tropes. ---Sluzzelin talk 09:28, 17 February 2017 (UTC)

It appears the OP is unfamiliar with Musical film or its close relative Musical theatre. Both have a long tradition in both Western cinema and theatre (see, for example, Busby Berkeley and Broadway Musical and West End theatre) and eastern Cinema especially (see Bollywood). La La Land comes from that long tradition. --Jayron32 15:43, 17 February 2017 (UTC)

Yes, the problem with most musicals is that they challenge our suspension of disbelief. That is, how can we believe that people will, at random times, drop whatever they are doing and engage in a song and dance routine ? In some rare cases they are able to better integrate those numbers with the plot, such as if the characters are actually dancers and singers. They still wouldn't be likely to jump on top of cars in a traffic jam (as in the opening to Fame (1982 TV series)) and start dancing (at least not if they value their safety), but you could at least expect lots of singing and dancing in such a movie, whether their final performances, auditions, practice sessions, or just singing in the shower. For non-artists, there could still be some singing and dancing, such as singing a lullaby, work songs, and dancing at actual dances or talent shows. If watching a movie about chess, I want to see actual chess moves, not random, illegal moves, and while watching a musical I don't want to see random, illegal dancing on cars either. StuRat (talk) 15:52, 20 February 2017 (UTC)

31.92.250.145 If I am reading your initial question correctly, you are not asking why do people sing / dance in a musical (movie musical); rather you are questioning the reason for the inclusion of the opening number in relation to the rest of the film. Which is actually a very astute question in regards to musicals; especially this one. Most (re)viewers who are "pro" La La Land question "how" this opening sequence was filmed -- because they are so impressed by its sheer magnitude; but not the more important: "why" was it filmed. However, some theatre critics reference the more scene setting opening sequences of musicals that preface what is to come for the audience or set the mood of the piece in general: "A Chorus Line", "Little Shop of Horrors", "42nd Street", "Sweeney Todd", etc, etc, etc -- and of course, the one that started them all: "Oklahoma" -- from the man who first asked: "why is this person singing here?" (Oscar Hammerstein II) The opening sequence for La La Land was almost not put into the film; and certain critics have pointed out that while the lyrics (that set the scene with appropriate words by the characters who speak them -- setting the scene in a rather despondent tone) fits the situation they find themselves; yet the upbeat music and over-the-top dancing do not. So your question is not that far-fetched. That being said: the director himself was quoted saying he drew from Busby Berkeley: the master of large musical numbers that had nothing to do with the plot line or furthered the story in any way. I think there's your answer, and perhaps the reason why you (and others) felt the need to walk out after the opening sequence. IMHO Maineartists (talk) 22:35, 19 February 2017 (UTC)