BFI to release classic MGM musicals on the big screen

The British Film Institute are releasing a slate of hugely popular MGM musicals back where they belong - on the big screen. This rare opportunity to see some of America's most vibrant contributions to cinema is highlighted perfectly by the season's centrepiece film title - Vincente Minnelli's 'An American in Paris'. More details here:

Making a big song'n'dance out of something was what golden age Hollywood did very often and very well. Every studio made musicals. Warner Brothers harnessed the urban tone of its gangster hits and delivered them with clout; the sophisticates at Paramount did them with class; but the biggest hitter was MGM. As illustrated by this two-month season (the first in a three-year BFI series dedicated to musicals), this studio not only most fully understood and nurtured the form, it made music, magic and money out of sheer star wattage.

Standing at the centre of the re-release slate, which the BFI is running from 28 October - 30 December, is Vincente Minnelli's timeless 'An American in Paris':

Gotta sing! Gotta dance!! Gotta paint!!!  This winter the BFI Southbank plays host to a season of dazzling MGM musicals throughout November and December with the centrepiece being the BFI's forthcoming release, An American in Paris.  60 years after it swept the Oscars, Minnelli's spectacular dance extravaganza returns to the screen with a new digitally restored print.  

Gene Kelly is at his toe-tapping best as Jerry Mulligan, a former GI who dreams of finding success as an artist. A chance encounter with shopgirl Lise (Leslie Caron), however, throws his life into a whirlwind of romantic roundabouts. Featuring the uplifting number, 'I Got Rhythm', and a spectacular ballet finale played out to Gershwin's titular score, An American in Paris remains one of the finest examples of the musical form. 

Foot tapping yet? If so, head on over to the BFI site for more details of their MGM musicals season and 'An American in Paris'.

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