Behind the beats and the choreography : analysing the portrayal of gender through musicals as a film genre

Abstract

The purpose of this dissertation is to explore the relationship between the developments of the Musical as a film genre with the advancements in gender studies. This is done through a thorough analysis of three musicals: Chicago that represents the 1920s, Grease set in the 1950s and RENT in the late 1980s, which have been chosen due to a thirty year gap between their plot settings. This allows for a considerable amount of change in public perception; and through analysis of the social context and historical factors that existed in the eras presented in the films, one can get a better understanding of the audience response to gender at the time of their first screenings. This is closely related to how the genre itself developed and illustrates how ideologies evolved throughout the years, especially in the twentieth century. Studying three different eras allows for a better understanding of how the development of the musical film genre is reflected in the emerging feminist movement that raised and attempted to approach the issue of the lack of equality for both genders and sexual orientations.