The Contemporary Musical Transformed: The Influence of ‘La La Land’
When La La Land premiered in 2016, it captured the world’s imagination with vibrant color, infectious jazz, and bittersweet romance. While its nostalgia for Hollywood’s golden era was apparent, the film also made a substantial contribution to the evolution of the modern musical. Beyond aesthetic flourishes and star power, La La Land introduced bold structural, thematic, and technical innovations that impacted both filmmakers and audiences.
Bringing Back the Song-and-Dance Heritage
Musicals had gradually retreated from mainstream cinema, with few breaking through between the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. La La Land reignited public appetite for the genre by embracing classic tropes—spontaneous street performances, fantasy sequences, and ensemble numbers. The film’s opening, “Another Day of Sun,” immediately conjured memories of earlier musical spectacles with its sweeping camera movement across a Los Angeles freeway. However, director Damien Chazelle modernized the form with single-take choreography, integrating the bustle of contemporary city life rather than confining action to sound stages. This urban realism, tied intricately to the music, made song-and-dance central not merely as spectacle but as a language for character expression.
A Different Type of Musical Storytelling
Instead of adhering strictly to a cheerful storyline, La La Land delves into themes of aspiration, sacrifice, and the poignant price of pursuing dreams. The plot defies conventional routes: while it offers instances of sheer happiness, the movie ends with a sequence showcasing a potential alternate reality, confronting the sorrow of unfulfilled possibilities. Through this approach, Chazelle pushed back against the neat conclusions of traditional musicals, adding layers of modern emotional depth. Both reviewers and viewers observed how songs like “City of Stars” or “Audition (The Fools Who Dream)” enrich the story, integrating music with the narrative both emotionally and conceptually.
Narration through Imagery and Filmic Methods
La La Land elevated its storytelling through distinctive visual language. Cinematographer Linus Sandgren employed bold primary colors reminiscent of Technicolor films, but harnessed digital technology and innovative lighting to evoke mood and memory. The film’s use of long takes in dance sequences, practical sets on location, and homage-laden visual cues expanded the musical idiom for a new generation. For instance, the planetarium dance is both a tribute to the fantasy ballets of Vincente Minnelli and a contemporary expression of limitless aspiration. Such sequences benefit from digital effects not as spectacle, but as tools to heighten emotion.
The Role of Music and Sound in Character Development
Composer Justin Hurwitz, along with lyricists Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, created a musical experience that honors jazz and classic show tunes while also integrating modern musical influences. The music in the film often blurs the lines between diegetic and non-diegetic elements: characters perform for audiences within the story and for their own personal expression, providing insight into their mental states. An example is Mia’s audition song, which shifts from a narrative element to a source of personal release, giving the audience a glimpse into her internal struggles. Sebastian’s deep engagement with jazz illustrates the balance between maintaining tradition and embracing new ideas, mirroring the film’s own blend of genres.
Social and Cultural Impact
La La Land resonated with audiences beyond film enthusiasts, becoming a worldwide cultural icon. Its box office success—grossing over $440 million internationally—and its dominance in awards, winning six Academy Awards, marked a resurgence for original musicals within the mainstream. Set in the diverse city of Los Angeles, featuring a globally varied supporting cast and highlighting immigrant aspirations, it emerged as a universal narrative while portraying distinctly American dreams. In educational and community theater, the film’s impact is visible in the increasing array of modern musicals with original soundtracks, movement-focused staging, and lifelike character development.
Legacy: Inspiring a Fresh Creative Surge
Since La La Land, a series of musicals have emerged aiming for similar levels of artistry and commercial appeal, such as The Greatest Showman, Mary Poppins Returns, and In the Heights. Streaming platforms have also invested in musical content, while major awards bodies became more receptive to the genre. Scholars and critics note that the film’s willingness to blend nostalgia with reinvention set a precedent, demonstrating that musicals can be commercially successful without sacrificing artistic ambition or contemporary relevance.
A Reflective Synthesis
La La Land made a significant impact on the language and heritage of contemporary musicals. Its technical brilliance, genuine emotion, and openness to merging the classic with the contemporary established it as a standard for creativity in a genre historically characterized by tradition. Instead of simply honoring bygone eras, the movie broadened the musical’s lexicon for an evolving media environment—encouraging both creators and viewers to explore once again the enchantment and significance of narratives conveyed through music and dance.