Scenery and Costumes
70s musicals were statement makers and had a definite 70s mark. Even though the musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, is about the life of Jesus, taking place thousands of years ago, it is evident that it was made when it was. Objects from the 70s, such as busses, tanks, and planes are seen, in addition to the updated costumes. The bright costumes echo the disco outfits of the age. Judas wore red bell bottoms while singing about Jesus’s downfall, which could be an allusion to his possession by the Devil. The “Roman” soldiers escorting Jesus wore purple tank tops and camouflage pants. Afros, perms and natural hair abounded, not only in JCS, but in the other movie musicals from the decade. Grease highlighted the scene where Sandy’s straight hair is transformed into a curly style. The character Tommy, of the musical by the same name, had full, shoulder length curls. Style was more androgynous and it became acceptable for men to have long hair. The biggest boundary pusher, costume-wise, was definitely Rocky Horror Picture Show. The campy makeup, big hair, and outrageous costumes worn by the cast reflected a growing scene. Dr. Frank N. Furter was a transvestite and went all out with drag costumes and makeup. The set is equally ridiculous and portrays a kooky, creepy castle/mansion.
Languages and Songs
The 70s brought along many new musical styles, including disco and reinvented rock. The musical Tommy is based on the album of the same name by the Who. The music is of the rock genre, which was quite popular at the time. The Who were also a popular and important band in British rock history. Jesus Christ Superstar also went with a rock-themed musical score. The introductory guitar strum at the beginning of Superstar has a distinctly 70s sound to it, recalling the sound of Lynyrd Skynyrd and other musical pioneers of the day. It then blends into an almost gospel-like chorus that is more similar to traditional show tunes. The music of Fiddler on the Roof is more traditional sounding, closer to classical orchestral music combined with Broadway-esque singing. Grease showcases some great 50s-style rockabilly songs that added edge to a great soundtrack. It also had great examples of slang and “greaser talk”. Rocky Horror Picture Show brings a lot of straight-up rock. It was made half way through the 70s and started to hint towards 80s glam rock.
Pop Culture References
Many aspects of the 1970s showed through in movie musicals of the era. One example of this was Jesus Christ Superstar.To start, the topic of Jesus demonstrates the popular idea of peace from the time period. The story of Jesus Christ probably appealed to many during the 70s because young people related to the rebellion. Jesus stood for standing up to authority. There were many peaceful protests and some aggressive riots going on as the 70s were a time of change. It was also a time of acceptance. Fiddler on the Roof was about the acceptance of different kinds of love as well as ending the persecution of religions. Rocky Horror Picture Show portrayed the acceptance of sexuality and the LBGTQ community. Tommy raised awareness about drugs, abuse and cults, which were somewhat overshadowed by the horde of celebrities in the film. It included icons of the time such as Tina Turner, Elton John, Ann-Margaret and The Who.