Characters breaking into song

[Stumpy Pepys]

In TV shows and films that aren't musicals.

Dennis Potter did a lot of this, but the bit in The Singing Detective where Michael Gambon hallucinates all the hospital staff singing Dem Bones by The Four Lads packs quite a punch.

Similarly, in the second series of American Horror Story, when Jessica Lange's character does Shirley Ellis's The Name Game in the mental hospital.

Malcolm McDowell singing Singin' in the Rain in A Clockwork Orange is also arresting; also in the closing credits, which play to Gene Kelly's version.

[via vicaria]

Characters breaking into song

Do musical episodes count? Like, say, Once More With Feeling from Buffy? Or are we just talking one-off songs?

The end of Brazil, where Sam sings to himself after having been utterly broken, is quite haunting.

[Various Artist]

Characters breaking into song

You beat me to it with the Buffy example via, although I too was wondering if whole-episode musical efforts like 'Once More With Feeling' count for the purposes of this.

Does Dean Stockwell singing In Dreams to Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet count? It's doesn't pretend to be anything other than lip-synching to the Roy Orbison song, but it's still famously freaky.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Characters breaking into song

There are different forms of this. There's the almost-a-musical-but-not-quite. Here a non-singing actor, in a non-musical film, sings an arranged, and possibly orchestrated number. One of my favourites is Audrey Hepburn singing Moon River in Breakfast at Tiffanys.

Then there's actor/cast break into "spontaneous" song without accompaniment. One of my favourites is Susan Sarandon and John Cassavetes singing Why Do Fools Fall in Love? at the end of Paul Mazursky's Tempest. (Sadly I can't find a clip.) And also the Mickey Mouse Club song, from Full Metal Jacket.

Next Kevin Spacey, does American Woman in American Beauty prompted by the song on the radio.

Finally the crew bus in Almost Famous are prompted into Tiny Dancer by Elton on the movie's own soundtrack.

Each works, but carries a different quality I think.

[Stumpy Pepys]

Characters breaking into song

I was thinking more musical routines in non-musical films and TV.

But then I invalidated that by listing A Clockwork Orange, where he's really just singing to himself.

[Amor de Cosmos]

Characters breaking into song

That would be Audrey then. Also Marilyn Monroe in Bus Stop (at about 6:20 in the clip)

[Kevin S]

Characters breaking into song

Well, sir, there's nothing on earth Like a genuine, Bona fide, Electrified, Six-car Monorail! What'd I say? ...

[Haddock]

Characters breaking into song

Bert Cooper's The Best Things in Life are Free, together with soft shoe shuffle, in the closing moments of the final episode of the last half season of Mad Men
Also, Always Look on the Bright Side of Life

[sw2borshch]

Characters breaking into song

Plus stuff like 'House of Fools' where characters enter the show in song.

[Gangster Octopus]

Characters breaking into song

The ending of The Deer Hunter.

[Giggler]

Characters breaking into song

Are we counting BBC1's Blackpool as a musical? Strictly speaking, I don't think it was. But it included David Tennant doing The Boy With The Thorn In His Side.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=e8tY8zElvRw

[Elvis Wilbury takes a turn]

Characters breaking into song

Bob Hoskins broke out with a soft shoe routine to the song Smile, Darn You, Smile in Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

[VTTBoscombe]

Characters breaking into song

I quite liked Steve Carrell breaking into "The Age of Aquarius" at the end of "40 year old Virgin"; but then it got very silly.

[Gilles de Rais]

Characters breaking into song

'Afternoon Delight' in Anchorman.

[hobbes]

Characters breaking into song

"You've Lost That Loving Feeling" in Top Gun, anyone?

[Toby Gymshorts]

Characters breaking into song

The guy who thinks he's Ethel Merman in Airplane! bursting into a rendition of 'Everything's Coming Up Roses'.

[Max Payne]

Characters breaking into song

I might be alone here but I hate it when they sing. I can't stand musicals. Or opera. Or the bit when stand up comedians do their funny songs. It makes me really fucking cringe.

[Patrick Thistle]

Characters breaking into song

There's a massive musical number in the 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother when Barney has to choose between girls or suits.

[multipleman78]

Characters breaking into song

The sing off at the start of Blazing Saddles, doo dah, doo dah.

The three blokes singing Goodnight Sweetheart in Three Men and a Baby.

Paul Giamatti and Andre Braugher in Duets. That is about karaoke singers so not sure it counts.

[Patrick Thistle]

Characters breaking into song

multipleman78 wrote:
Paul Giamatti and Andre Braugher in Duets. That is about karaoke singers so not sure it counts.

That is a surprisingly good film, though. I'd forgotten about that.