By Wally DuChateau

Last week I offered a capsule summary of early Hollywood musicals, from 1929 through the ‘60s. In 1969, Hollywood enticed Bob Fosse, perhaps the most innovative director and choreographer in Broadway history, to try his brilliance in cinema.

Hollywood musicals have never been the same.

Fosse was given a relatively free hand to direct and produce anything he wanted. His first effort was “Sweet Charity.” It turned studio faces red, was a box-office smash and blew away the censors and the film rating system of its day. It was one of the most original, innovative musicals to ever come down the pike.

But neither the public nor Hollywood had seen anything yet. In 1972, he created “Cabaret” and, in 1979, a liberal portrayal of his own life, “All That Jazz.” Talk about pushing the envelope! In these films, nudity and blatant sexuality became commonplace. Yet, despite such excess, each of them won the coveted Oscar for Best Picture for their respective years. It wasn’t the sexuality that proved to be box-office gold – though that certainly didn’t hurt; rather, it was the wonderful music, which is, of course, what musicals are finally all about. Audiences were still humming the songs at work a week later.

Upon Fosse’s death, other innovative directors were there to pick up his torch. First out of the gate was Pink Floyd’s soundtrack in “The Wall,” a very strange, sometimes incomprehensible collection of stark images, creative camera work and new film technology. In some respects, this movie was the precursor of modern music videos and, to this day, remains better than many of them.

In 1984, “The Cotton Club” explored the talent and behind-the-scene power struggles surrounding that legendary nightclub. The closing dance routine is quite remarkable. While open war erupts between rival criminal gangs, Gregory Hines delivers a scorchingly hot, rat-a-tat-tat tap dance about the club’s stage without music, his only accompaniment being the rat-a-tat-tat of machine-gun fire in the streets.

Hollywood’s version of Broadway’s smash hit, “Chorus Line” came in 1985. Critics weren’t kind and, in fact, the show lost some of its spontaneity and personal appeal in the transition. But the camera work, choreography and set designs were mind-boggling.

Then, to open the millennium, Tinseltown offered “Moulin Rouge.” Though this movie had a few catchy, little tunes, the music in general wasn’t really that captivating, but it contained the damnedest collection of eye-catching, sexy, flashing images ever assembled in a “respectable” Hollywood film. People had to verify their vision with one another. “Did you see that?”

And finally, in 2002, Rob Marshall – like Fosse, another product of Broadway – created an astounding work of art. I’ve written about “Chicago” in previous columns and there’s no need to repeat myself. Suffice to say I consider it one of the most magnificent motion pictures ever made.

All these movies are available on DVD. Unfortunately, you won’t get their full, dazzling visual effects on TV, unless you have a pretty elaborate and outrageous home theater. They were meant to be seen on a theater screen.

These films are among the finest musicals ever created and, consequently, are also some of Hollywood’s finest in general. But be forewarned: They aren’t recommended for the kids.