ABSTRACT
The musical, whether on stage or screen, is undoubtedly one of the most recognizable musical genres of the twentieth century, but also one of the most difficult to define with any kind of precision. What makes a musical a musical, and not an opera or a play with music? And what about its subgenres-sometimes viewed as synonyms-such as musical comedy, musical play, and operetta? These are terms for which it is impossible to find consistent meanings. The same questions can be asked regarding film musicals. In the film genre, when does a film that includes songs stop being a film with music and become a film musical? Is there a specific percentage of music that distinguishes movie musicals from other types of cinema?
