This Sing-Along's not so Horrible

I'm not a fan of musicals. Musicals, as a whole, are corny and although fictions just as most movies are, seem exceedingly fictitious in their overall verisimilitude. Often, the plots and stories of musicals are undermined by the ridiculousness of the overall framework and construction, but mainly the way in which the dialogue is presented - in song.

Although fiction presents to the audience a sequence of events that have never occurred and are make believe, in all realms of possibility, the sequence of events could, possibly, occur in the real-world (science fiction and fantasy aside). Here, the audience can connect with the film and believe the actions on screen are in some way real. But in the real-world no one sings to one another - dialogue is simply carried out through speech. The verisimilitude of the musical is severely hampered by the unbelievability of the story through song.

Yet, I make an exception. Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is, yes, a musical. It is a musical set within a fictitious world of fiction. What I mean is that the film knows itself to be fiction - it does not don an air of reality and thus the audience all ready knows, from the outset, the film is not to be regarded, on the surface, as a  catalyst for commentary of the real-world. The audience expects something different of the verisimilitude.

Another reason I enjoy this musical lies within the overall production of the film. Penned and filmed during the WGA (Writer's Guild of America) writer's strike, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog was originally released in a series of episodes released online and filmed on the small budget of $200,000. There were very little constraints placed on the production as the film was viewed as a web show and no big studios were involved. And the quirky mise-en-scene (the overall look of the film) lends itself to the indie, pseudo-superhero film that it is. The props, costumes, and chiaroscuro are consistent to the overall plot and story, as well as production and feel of the film.

 And that is another reason the film is great - it's about superheroes and villains that aren't so "super" or "villainy."  The characterization is surprisingly rounded considering the film is a mere 42 minutes in length and the shift of the villain as the antagonist to the villain as the protagonist throughout is quite intriguing.Moreover, the sing-along parts reflect the absurdity and comedy of the film making the film, overall, much more cohesive than if the dialogue and song had been of a more serious nature.


 Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog is a short film that doesn't take itself seriously and thus allows the audience to accept it as a musical and a superhero comedy, an unlikely combination of genres.