Over at @WeAreMel, I wrote about how the '80s were a perfect storm of weird movie musicals. I hit the big guys (The , Can't Stop the ) & some more obscure picks, but there are more worthwhile '80s movie musicals than I could mention. Yes, it's a . https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/the-1980s-were-the-golden-age-of-the-weird-movie-musical

First there's Gillian Armstrong's debut feature, Starstruck (1982), an Aussie musical about an aspiring singer & her wannabe manager teenage cousin. Not a "weird" musical, per se - just good!

In Starstruck, a woman starts off New Wave-y and gets pushed to go more straight pop. In Breaking Glass (1980), a woman starts out rock and is pushed to go New Wave. An absolutely killer soundtrack. (And an early Jonathan Pryce appearance.)

We had an '80s Dolly Parton musical double feature with The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas ('82) and Rhinestone ('84), which got Sly Stallone his first Razzie nom. He adopts the world's worst Southern twang and sings a song called "Drinkenstein."

Forbidden Zone (1980), directed by Richard Elfman of Oingo Boingo, will make you absolutely worship Susan Tyrrell (Queen Doris of the Sixth Dimension) if you don't already.

Streets of Fire (1984), a "rock n roll fable" by The Warriors director Walter Hill: Kind of a quasi-musical. Diane Lane plays a rock star, and she has a few numbers. But oh, what a rock star she is.

Also, Willem Dafoe wears... PVC waders? And Rick Moranis is miscast as Diane Lane's asshole manager.

Victor/Victoria is just plain good, and we should all be watching Le Jazz Hot at all times.

Fran Rubel Kuzui's Tokyo Pop (1988) joins Starstruck and Breaking Glass in the "80s indie gems about women trying to make it big as music stars and butting up against an unfriendly industry" trilogy. (Carol Burnett's daughter Carrie Hamilton stars.)

Staying Alive (1983): Like its predecessor more a dance movie than a musical. But fascinating as a failed attempt to take the realism, grit, and borderline hopelessness of Saturday Night Fever and give it the shiny sequel treatment.

Coppola's One From the Heart—heavily built around a soundtrack from Crystal Gayle & Tom Waits, if not actually a musical. There's a Raul Julia/Terri Garri Fred & Ginger-inspired dance number that's unfortunately not on YT. Raul Julia QUITE swoony in this.

I end this thread on weird '80s movie musicals with The Apple, which is discussed in the piece. But let's be real. You always gotta end with The Apple.