Building an integrated history of musical numbers in Brazilian chanchadas

Abstract

This article discusses industrial and aesthetical aspects of the musical numbers in 1950s Brazilian chanchadas. The chanchadas were a body of films made between the 1930s and 60s, that combined a mixed style derived from domestic influences of radio and popular music routines and from local forms of comic theatrical revues. I propose an examination of the entertainment industry’s influence on the musical numbers chosen for these 1950s chanchadas. This intermedial approach is based on the strong links between cinema and other cultural practices. I will argue the need to take into account not only theatrical practices, but also the routines of carnival culture, as well as the music industry and radio performances, in order to reconsider longstanding historical accounts based on the specificity of film media.

Keywords

• intermediality
• performance
• brazilian cinema
• brazilian music
• musical film