This week, the trailer for the long awaited Everybody’s Talking About Jamie film was released.
The film is based on the hit West End musical following 16-year-old Jamie New – a Sheffield teenager who dreams of becoming a drag queen. While Jamie is uncertain how, he knows he’s going to be a star!
Originally slated for release this month, the film got pushed back for a February 2021 release date due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The film stars Sarah Lancashire, Shobna Gulati, Richard E. Grant, and newcomer Max Harwood in the titular role.
The West End musical in which the film is based is in turn based on a true story – that of Jamie Campbell. The 2011 documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16 thrust Campbell into the media and told the story of how he developed his drag persona and revealed it at his end of school prom. The show opened in November 2017 and has had a successful run, earning five nominations at the 2018 Olivier Awards – including one for Best New Musical.
While we have a long time to wait for the film, we’re lucky enough to have a cast recording of the West End cast to tide us over. If you’re new to the show, I’d highly recommend You Don’t Even Know It and Work of Art to get you into the Everybody’s Talking About Jamie spirit. And, if the soundtrack isn’t enough to satisfy your musical needs, here are five movie musicals you can watch to scratch that itch.
Rent
Written by the late Jonathan Larson, this acclaimed musical tells the story of struggling artists trying to survive and create in Manhattan’s East village during the AIDS crisis. The film stars pre-Frozen Idina Menzel and Broadway greats like Tracie Thoms, Adam Pascal, and Taye Diggs. It’s at once heart-breaking, and heart-warming. It’s also a musical theatre essential!
Sing Street
Set in Ireland during the 1980s, Sing Street is incredibly underrated. It follows a group of boys who set up a band so that the lead singer can impress an aspiring model – played by Lucy Boynton of Bohemian Rhapsody and The Politician fame. The film features many classic 80s songs, mixed with catchy original songs. The stage version of the film is also headed to Broadway – after a successful Off-Broadway run last year.
The Last Five Years
This film starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan is the adaptation of Jason Robert Brown’s hit musical of the same name. This movie musical is interesting as it tells the story of a relationship from start to finish from the perspective of Cathy and Jamie. Cathy’s perspective starts at the end of the relationship and works backwards, whereas Jamie’s goes from start to finish. It makes for an interesting and heart-wrenching watch, to see one person falling in love as the other falls out of love.
Sunshine on Leith
Sunshine on Leith is – while littered with sad moments – fun the whole way through. It follows the lives of best friends Davy and Ally, readjusting to life back home in Edinburgh after serving in Afghanistan. The soundtrack is made up of Proclaimers tracks, which naturally leads to the film ending with an ensemble version of I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles). The film stars George MacKay, Jane Horrocks, and Antonia Thomas. It’s well worth the watch.
Little Shop of Horrors
Little Shop of Horrors is a musical theatre classic, and the 1986 film version is an outstanding adaptation. The film is essentially what the title suggests – a horror film. It follows nerdy florist Seymour who discovers a new breed of plant that ends up having a taste for human blood. Despite being made over 30 years ago; the film holds up. The animatronics of the plant is still impressive.
So, until Everybody’s Talking About Jamie graces our screens next February, you have these top five musical movies to watch in the meantime.
By Robbie Nichols
Feature image: Yahoo