PODCAST:Today, Explained
TITLE:Hollywood’s secret musicals
DATE:2024-01-12 00:00:00
URL:
MODEL:gpt-4-gizmo
The "Today Explained" episode titled "Hollywood’s Secret Musicals" delves into the recent trend of Hollywood producing movie musicals without explicitly marketing them as such. The episode, hosted by a senior editor at the Ringer, discusses several recent films that were secretly musicals, including adaptations of "Mean Girls," "Wonka," and "The Color Purple." These films have trailers that conspicuously omit any indication of them being musicals, surprising many viewers who discover this only upon watching the movie.
The discussion explores possible reasons behind this trend, suggesting that Hollywood might be responding to a perceived general audience disinterest in musicals. This theory is supported by recent box office performances, where many movie musicals have not done well financially or in terms of audience reception. The episode highlights that this trend isn't entirely new, tracing its origins back to 2007 with movies like "Sweeney Todd."
The podcast also touches on broader cultural perceptions of musicals, discussing how they've historically been associated with certain demographics and have often been seen as niche or specific to certain groups. This perception could be influencing Hollywood's decision to downplay the musical aspect of these films.
In conclusion, the episode presents an intriguing analysis of current trends in movie marketing and production, specifically focusing on the unique case of movie musicals and the industry's cautious approach to promoting them.
