When someone mentions "karaoke" and "movies" my first thought is the movie Duets with Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow. The movie is about karaoke. Huey plays a karaoke hustler. (Why did my high school guidance counselor fail to mention that as a potential career?!?!) Contrary to some people's opinions, the father / daughter duet of Cruisin' (sung by Lewis and Paltrow) is great. Well... that's my opinion.
Karaoke is a part of our culture, so it is natural that it has made its way into the movies. I have a list of movies below that contain a karaoke scene. I have include movie clips when I could find them. Please let me know what I have missed!!
(500) Days of Summer - In this movie, the main characters commit many random acts of karaoke. Imagine. Real life characters in a movie singing karaoke as just something they do? And they may be quirky, but they're not nerds. The actors actually sing karaoke, as well. Here Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt talk about karaoke. Here is a sound clip of Gordon-Levitt singing "Here Comes Your Man". Just in case you wanted to know, the karaoke scenes were filmed at a real bar in Los Angeles: the Redwood Bar.
Baby Mama - The game Karaoke Revolution is featured in this movie with Amy Poehler singing the ever-popular karaoke song "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun".
Black Rain - Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia take a break from chasing Japanese mobsters to sing karaoke.
Bridget Jones's Diary - Bridget Jones gets a little tipsy and embarrasses herself singing karaoke at the office Christmas party.
The Cable Guy - Jim Carrey goes over the top as only he can with his karaoke version of Somebody to Love.
Chicken Little - This animated film includes a karaoke rendition of Wannabe by Spice Girls
City of Ghosts - James Caan sings karaoke? In Cambodian? Really?
Coyote Ugly - I have heard this movie has a karaoke scene. I have not been able to find anything about it. Help me out here.
Duets - Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow aren't the only ones who show off their karaoke sings in the movie Duets. Here is a video of Andre Braugher singing "Freebird", Here he teams up with Paul Giamattiwith an awesome version of "Try A Little Tenderness".
Eat Drink Man Woman - The neighbors are incessant karaoke fanatics. Jia-Jen: "Can't they stop that karaoke"? Jia-Chien: "We communicate by eating. They do it by singing." Jia-Jen retaliates against the neighbors by playing stereo wars.
He Was A Quite Man - I found this quote in the Encyclopedia Brittanica: "while cutting loose at a karaoke bar, Venessa ruptures her colostomy bag". Wow. I just added this movie to my Netflix list.
High School Musical - The two main characters meet while singing karaoke. Read this for a dissertation of the role that karaoke plays in this musical.
I Still Know What You Did Last Summer - Jennifer Love Hewitt sings I will Survive. She freaks when the words on the screen reminder her that this is a scary movie.
The Karaoke King - "Finally there is a movie which is true to karaoke." Unfortunately, the movie apparently never made it to theaters, can't be rented from Netflix, and is not available from Amazon. Click here to find out how to correct the grievous injustice.
Karaoke - Malaysian indie film starring Zahiril Adzim. It does not seem to be available in the US, but you can see the trailer.
Keeping the Faith - In this scene, Ken Lueng delivers an absolutely priceless performance as a karaoke gear salesman trying to sell the Audio 2000 to Ben Stiller and Edward Norton. "Is this a good machine?" "Yeah, it's good if you a cheap bastard!" Did I say the performance is priceless?
Jackpot - Ahhhh... A movie about a guy who tries to make it big singing karaoke. There's a good plot! Add in performances by Garrett Morris and Daryl Hannah. Add in a pink Cadillac. Have we got us a movie? The reviewers thought not. Have a look at the trailer.
A Life Less Ordinary - Ewan McGregor kidnaps heiress Cameron Diaz. Naturally, the two wind up singing Somewhere Beyond The Sea in a small karaoke bar.
Lost in Translation - Bill Murray plays an aging actor making a short trip to Japan. In this scene, Bill sings More Than This to a newlywed wife in a karaoke room. For a detailed analysis, see this link.
My Best Friend's Wedding - Cameron Diaz is horrified to be called onto stage to sing "I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself". She starts out weak and nearly gets booed off the stage. Somehow, she keeps her composure and the crowd turns in her favor. I dunno. Between this performance and the one in A life Less Ordinary, I'm thinking that Diaz may not have all that great a singing voice.
No. 3 - Evidently there is a karaoke scene in this Korean black comedy gangster movie.
Opportunity Knocks - Dana Carvey starts out tentative (seems to be a common theme in movie depictions of karaoke) in his version of Born to Be Wild. A crazed man in a neck and arm bracedrushes the stage to attack Carvey, and Carvey responds by amping it up. I guess I'll have to watch the movie to figger out why the guy has a neck brace and why he is out to get Carvey,
Orgazmo - I may have actually seen this movie. Then again maybe not. I'm not going to admit either way. In the movie, G-Fresh, the black wannabe owner of a sushi bar sings karaoke in his establishment. I wish I could find a video of the karaoke scene.
P.S. I Love You - This movie includes a number of karaoke performances. In one scene, Gerard Butler starts with a rocking version of "Ride Sally Ride", and then Hilary Swank is badgered into singing. Finally she agrees on a bet. For $200 she performs Prince's "Get Off". The scene ends with her getting off the stage by falling. In another scene, Swank dedicates "Love You til the End" to her deceased husband.
Rising Sun - This Sean Connery begins with some Japanese men singing "Don't Fence Me In."
Rush Hour 2 - Chris Tucker (Jackie Chan's sidekick) sings a great karaoke version of Michael Jackson's Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough. I mean, it's really good.
Shrek - This has got to be one of the all time best karaoke scenes. What could be better than animated characters rocking out to Just the Way you Are, Like a Virgin, Baby Got Back, Feelings, YMCA, Do You Really Want To Hurt Me, Staying Alive, Who Let the Dogs Out, Dance to the Music, and Happy Together. Watch it. It's great.
Slither - B movie. Thriller. Aliens. A woman singing karaoke off key. Ummm.... Not my kind of movie.
Something About Mary - Ok, so this isn't really a karaoke scene, but it's good. Listen to Build me Up Buttercup from the credits.
True Stories - This movie has some karaoke clips. I just can't find anything about them. Help me out here?
Under Cover Brother - Eddie Griffin and Denise Richards (be still my heart!) sing Ebony and Ivory in this spoof of blaxploitation films.
Up in the Air - Great movie! I loved it. There is a karaoke scene, with Anna Kendrick singing "Time After Time". I don't think she
When Harry Met Sally - Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan visit Sharper Image to find a wedding present. Crystal is distracted by a karaoke machine. He and Ryan perform Surrey with the Fringe On Top.
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