The concept of musical biopics has become a mainstay of Hollywood theatrical releases in recent years. Some of the more acclaimed films in this genre focus heavily on icons of the 20th century pop music world. These include the Academy Award nominee Bohemian Rhapsody And Rocketmanbased on Queen and Elton John.
However, filmmakers will likely be faced with a dwindling pool of dynamic subjects in the future. As the market for movies based on pop stars becomes oversaturated, one possible solution for Hollywood studios would be to shift their focus to a bygone era of entertainment in the Golden Age of the movie musical.
specifically, Busby Berkeley would make an ideal subject for a musical biopic. The life story and career work of the director and choreographer are full of ingredients for a dynamic Hollywood film. This type of film could serve as a unique microcosm of a generation of great cinema films from days gone by. And if a version of this Ryan Gosling project is still in development, audiences should prepare for why a Busby Berkeley movie is a worthwhile viewing experience.
Why Busby Berkeley would be a dynamic topic
In defining the major figures of Hollywood’s Golden Age, Busby Berkeley should be at the top of that list. The large-scale dance choreography he implemented on studio soundstages in projects like Footlight Parade And Gold diggers from 1935 continues to be acclaimed in film circles for his innovation in the musical genre. However, as time has progressed in the entertainment landscape, figures like Berkeley have faded from the public consciousness. As we approach a century since the dawn of classic Hollywood cinema, now would be a more pertinent time to produce films about this era. And Busby Berkeley would be an ideal candidate to kick-start this resurgence of retrospectives of Golden Age figures.
While Hollywood should be interested in producing stories of its Golden Age, the world of movie musicals is clearly brimming with dynamic biopic possibilities. The genre’s dominance in theaters was comparable to the Western in the mid-20th century and the superhero films of today. Despite mainstream success in the past, this era has received less positive recognition from mainstream historical media projects. A Busby Berkeley biopic could successfully bring more attention to an entire generation of movies. It would also introduce the audience to more important people from days gone by. To tell the story of Berkeley is to tell the story of most of the names of his generation.
While not only playing Berkeley’s role in the film music genre, the acclaimed director and choreographer has played host to numerous personal scandals. While Busby Berkeley had connections to famous names in Hollywood, one of his most famous relationships was his own controversial feud with Judy Garland. This conflict resulted in his resignation as director of Girl crazy half way through production. Berkeley had six marriages to notable actresses of the generations and was involved in a controversial alienation of affection lawsuit during the heights of his professional success. In addition, the choreographer’s controversial acquittal of an alleged drunk driving loomed heavily on Berkeley’s career. These scandals would fit the turmoil needed to lure audiences past the elaborate dance choreography and into the flawed figure behind it.
How a Busby Berkeley biopic would be unique
The originality of a Busby Berkeley based movie would come from the combination of different kinds of existing Hollywood trends. Ideally, the project would be a hybrid of modern musical biopics alongside an early 20th century period piece. Although like a recent movie Babylon immersed in the wider world of classic Hollywood, the project around the Golden Age director could successfully be a deep dive into the world of musicals of the time. Especially with the high-concept choreography used in Berkeley’s films, the creative team involved would be ready to write a love letter to that generation of movie musicals.
A Busby Berkeley biopic also has the ability to be a uniquely theatrically released film through a visually distinctive style. While recent biopics have provided lavish performances of their subjects’ careers, several songs from Berkeley’s career alone would match the pomp and circumstance of the modern releases. A recreation of Footlight Parade‘s kaleidoscopic dance with more up-to-date filming techniques could become a marvel at the box office and during award season. This type of film would be a dream come true for a visionary director to match the bombastic style Berkeley innovated nearly a century ago. For example, the grandiose scope that Baz Luhrmann implemented Elvis would feel more natural and welcome in a movie based on this generation of movie history.
The hypothetical film would also provide a rare opportunity to accurately capture the spirit of dance on film. In modern movie musicals, dance generally struggles to feel natural to audiences in the non-diegetic setting of their stories. Leaning on the expansive scope of Busby Berkeley’s choreography with modern filmography, this biopic would provide the best opportunity for non-diegetic dance to connect with audiences. And while Hollywood looks for new trends in their major releases, a successful Busby Berkeley biopic could open the door to a new generation of high-concept movie musicals — while pop star-based biopics generally drive public interest in the discography. of the subject, Berkeley’s film. could revive an entire genre if done right.