For immediate release | June 11, 2013

A guide to the must-see movie musicals of the silver screen

CHICAGO — Musicals adapted to the big screen — from "West Side Story" to "The Phantom of the Opera" — have enjoyed a staggering amount of success since the 1930s, and recent hits like "Nine" and the animated film "Rio" prove that the movie musical is as vital as ever. Former American Libraries editor and publisher Leonard Kniffel explores the best of the genre in “Musicals on the Silver Screen: A Guide to the Must-See Movie Musicals,” a new guide especially tailored to library users looking for help selecting the right flick to watch. This authoritative reference is organized by decade, allowing readers to learn about the nuances of each era of musical movie production, and a description and an explanation of why it is worth viewing accompany each film. Watching musicals and learning their history by way of libraries and archives where such films are preserved and made available is heavily emphasized. Featuring an introduction by award-winning musical theater composer and lyricist Gregg Opelka, the book is published by Huron Street Press, a trade publishing imprint of the American Library Association available through Independent Publishers Group as well as numerous traditional retail outlets in both print and e-book editions.

Kniffel is a writer and librarian living in Chicago and was editor and publisher of American Libraries from 1996 to 2012. A lifelong fan of movie musicals, he is also the author of “Reading with the Stars: A Celebration of Books and Libraries” and “A Polish Son in the Motherland: An American’s Journey Home,” a travel memoir.

In line with ALA’s mission to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all, Huron Street Press, a publishing imprint of the American Library Association, harnesses the expertise of the Association and encourages library use among the public. Huron Street Press is administered through ALA Editions, which publishes resources used worldwide by tens of thousands of library and information professionals to improve programs, build on best practices, develop leadership, and for personal professional development. ALA authors and developers are leaders in their fields, and their content is published in a growing range of print and electronic formats. Contact ALA Editions at (800) 545-2433 ext. 5418 or editionsmarketing@ala.org.

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"Musicals on the Silver Screen: A Guide to the Must-See Movie Musicals"

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