Few genres seem to be as divisive as the musical. This might be baffling or frustrating to those who are fans of the genre, but by taking a step or two back, it's somewhat easy to see where some musical naysayers may be coming from. At least as far as traditional musicals go, it can take some time to get used to people breaking into song. A bunch of older musicals are also very long, and may prove tiring to watch. And for those who aren't crazy about period settings or stories focused on romance, those are things that often get tied to old-school musicals.
But that hasn't stopped people from wanting to give the genre a chance, even if their gut reaction to some musicals hasn't inspired much initial hope. It's why there are various threads to be found (especially on Reddit) where people who admittedly aren't musical fans seek guidance on how best to get acquainted with the genre. For those who've tried the classics and haven't been crazy about them, it might be that these less conventional and wilder musical movies end up doing the trick.
10 'South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut' (1999)
Given South Park is well-known and appreciated for its timeliness and surprisingly good predictions, some might be turned off from watching a part of the franchise that's 20+ years old. Yet those same people would be missing out on one of the best animated musical movies of all time: 1999's South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut.
Its story revolves around a near-world-ending war, largely started because the kids of the titular town snuck into a profanity-filled Canadian movie. For anyone who liked The Book of Mormon, the South Park movie has a similar mix of satire, crude humor, and surprisingly catchy songs, with its profanity (and animation) making it stand out from most musicals.
9 'Sing Street' (2016)
Those who don't like romantic comedies or musicals might find themselves doubly put off Sing Street. It's essentially a coming-of-age story about a young boy who wants to do all he can to impress a girl he likes, which ends up including starting a band, even if it's not something he'd had a great deal of experience with before.
It was one of the most frequently cited movies in the previously mentioned Reddit thread, and it's clear to see why. It's a relatively modern-feeling movie, it's fast-paced, contains plenty of humor, and is also set during the 1980s, with that decade proving popular to explore in pop culture recently. It's a great movie with great music, and something of a modern classic.
8 'Phantom of the Paradise' (1974)
A strange, unsettling, goofy, and messy fantastical horror movie that also happens to be a musical, calling Phantom of the Paradise weird would be an understatement. It's sort of like a rock opera take on Faust, The Picture of Dorian Gray, and The Phantom of the Opera all at once, which makes it a lot to handle.
But that's how Brian De Palma movies often are, and things were especially that way during the director's early years. Phantom of the Paradise is an assault on the senses, but it's mesmerizing if watched in the right mood, and entirely unlike any other genre-busting musical out there.
7 'The Happiness of the Katakuris' (2001)
Takashi Miike is one of the greatest Japanese filmmakers working today, and has a career packed with strange movies. Some are very disturbing, some are a great deal of fun, and some even manage to be kind of disturbing but also kind of (morbidly) entertaining at the same time.
Despite featuring zombies, The Happiness of the Katakuris is one of Miike's mildest movies, and also one of his least violent. The plot revolves around an unlucky family who opens up a guest house in the mountains, only to find their patrons continually die under mysterious circumstances, and keep returning from the grave in undead form. In between all the dark comedy and zombie shenanigans, it also finds time to be a musical and parody The Sound of Music. It's unusual stuff, but in a good way.
6 'West Side Story' (1961)
Of all the well-known musicals that were released during the 1950s and 1960s, West Side Story holds up as one of the easiest to watch, thanks to its high-stakes storyline. It loosely adapts Romeo & Juliet, though in this case, the story follows two street gangs who are at war, and the doomed romance that develops between two people from opposite sides of the conflict.
The 1961 adaptation was a huge Oscar winner, though some discussions on Reddit suggest the updated 2021 adaptation (directed by Steven Spielberg) is even better. Either way, the songs are iconic, and the story is gripping enough that anyone can find something to get invested in here, even for those who don't usually like singing and dancing in their movies.
5 'Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog' (2008)
The best thing about Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog for those who aren't musical fans is the fact that it's much shorter than most musicals. This 2008 internet miniseries/short film only goes for about three-quarters of an hour, and follows a wannabe super-villain and a super-hero battling over the same woman.
It's silly and lightweight, but not without some more serious moments, and its low-budget feel, brisk pace, and goofy comedic beats make it easy to watch. It was written and directed by Joss Whedon, whose other musical work - the season 6 episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer called "Once More, With Feeling" - was also praised on Reddit.
4 'Little Shop of Horrors' (1986)
As the title would imply, Little Shop of Horrors is at least partly a horror film, telling a story about a person-eating plant with plenty of humor and musical numbers. It's a quirky blend of genres that ends up feeling surprisingly well-balanced, making it easily one of the best musicals released in the 1980s.
Fans of B-movies who don't tend to enjoy musicals might find Little Shop of Horrors to their liking, given the musical version of the film was based on the Roger Corman low-budget horror movie of the same name. Watching both films back-to-back, it's clear that songs add a great deal to the narrative and how well it all comes together (and admittedly, the much-improved special effects - courtesy of a larger budget - also help).
3 'Once' (2007)
Once is a film directed by John Carney, who was also behind 2016's Sing Street. This one's less comedic overall, and focuses on older characters: here, it's two aspiring singer-songwriters who meet and begin collaborating, finding it brings success that's naturally made a little more complex by the fact that they also begin to develop romantic feelings for each other.
It got a similar amount of appreciation on Reddit to Sing Street, with it standing out for its emotional storyline and the fact the songs were sung live. It's a simple and very effective movie, crafting a grounded and believable romance with music that doesn't come about from people breaking into song in a fantastical way, making the songs easier to appreciate for people who don't like musicals that do that.
2 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' (2000)
Though O Brother, Where Art Thou? isn't entirely a musical, it still got mentioned on Reddit as one that those who don't like musicals might like. It's a movie directed by the Coen Brothers that takes place during the 1930s, following three escaped convicts who go on a hunt for hidden treasure, all the while being pursued by the law.
It also stands as an unusual, updated take on Homer’s Odyssey, giving the film a mythical feel despite being set in (somewhat) modern times. Like any Coen Brothers movie, it's visually pleasing to look at throughout, and is particularly well-remembered for its Grammy Award-winning music.
1 'Repo! The Genetic Opera' (2008)
Repo! The Genetic Opera is another cult classic musical that stands out for having some extreme content and graphic violence. It takes place in the middle of the 21st century, and has a plot concerning a society that's dependent on organ transplants and a violent corporation that repossesses organs that aren't properly paid for.
It's uncompromising stuff, and for some - regardless of their stance on musicals - it could prove to be a bit too much. But others who like their musicals with a little more bite than expected could also find a good deal to be entertained by with Repo! The Genetic Opera. And for horror fans curious about musicals, it has a chance of bridging the gap between the two (ordinarily) very different genres.