The American film musical as dual focus narrative

[gingey158]

what is the American film musical as dual focus narrative by rick Altman about?

i don't understand what it is really talking about and trying to explain and I need it for class...

HELPPP!

[kmhco]

I've only read part of it so far...it's a critical look at the film musical as a serious genre. The dual focus narrative is a convention of the musical. Most films have an a->b->c...x structure while the musical often has an a/a->b/b->c/c...x/x structure (that is how he illustrates it). So, in West Side Story, for example, it has the dual focus narrative of Maria and Riff (I believe)...

[gingey158]

what is a duel focus?

[kmhco]

basically it has 2 plot lines that are parallel to one another.

[torken]

uhhh wtf?

the only musical I'm familiar with is Sweeny Todd. The focus of that one is pretty subtle, but its about the negative aspects of revenge