Wonderful Design

<p>As one of the most beloved and beguiling genres of entertainment the film musical wears its style ostentatiously. The genre allows for hyperbolic expression extravagant sonic and visual decor and extremely stylized forms of movement and performance. By staging a glittering spectacle by releasing a current of lush sentiment by unveiling a world of elegance and romance the film musical woos us with patterns textures finesse and sensory display.</p><p>In this book author Lloyd Whitesell asks what exactly makes film musicals so glamorous. As he argues glamour projects an aura of ethereality or sophistication by way of suave deportment sensuous textures elevated styles and aesthetically refined effects. Glamour in other words is what unites "Cheek to Cheek" from Top Hat and the title song from Beauty and the Beast each a sonic evocation of luxury sparkle grace and finesse. Whitesell redirects our attention from visual cues like sequins and evening gloves to explore how glamour resides in the sonic. Discussing dozens of musical numbers analyzing ingenious orchestration and appraising the distinctive styles of favorite musical stars Whitesell illuminates fundamental traits of the genre its aesthetic strategies and cultural ambitions.</p>