This document provides a comparison of the musical movies "The Sound of Music" and "Pitch Perfect" in three main areas: storyline, main characters, and setting. "The Sound of Music" tells the story of a young woman who becomes a governess for a family in Austria and finds love, while "Pitch Perfect" focuses on the love lives and musical competitions of college students. The main characters, Maria and Beca, also differ significantly in their personalities. Additionally, the settings are in very different time periods and locations, with "The Sound of Music" set in Austria in the 1960s and "Pitch Perfect" set in a contemporary American university.

1. FNBE JUL 2012 - ENGL 0205 English 2
‘THE SOUND OF MUSIC’
& ‘PITCH PERFECT’
English 2 (ENGL 0205)
Assignment 2
CHEW WOAN CHYIN (0310797)

2. FNBE JUL 2012 - ENGL 0205 English 2
Pre-Writing
Introduction
- The definition of musical movies
Body
- Contrast the storyline between two movies.
- Contrast the main character between two movies
- Contrast the characters in two movies
- Contrast the setting of two movies
Conclusion
- The reason I love musical movies.

3. FNBE JUL 2012 - ENGL 0205 English 2
Early in the morning, I love listening to music. Music is the best medicine for me
which makes me feel relax. Therefore, I love watching musical movies too. In my
opinion, musical movies are movies utilize popular-style songs and dialogue optional in
order to either tell a story or showcase the talents of the performers. (Encyclopedia
Britannica, 2013) Musical film is a motion picture which consists a plot integrating
musical numbers. The Sound of Music’, which is one of the most beloved movie
musicals of all-time, had making all the makings of a successful film. Another example
is ‘Pitch Perfect’ that is a new movie for the youth generations. Although they bear some
minor similarities, the differences between ‘The Sound of Music’ and ‘Pitch Perfect’ are
remarkable.
First and foremost, ‘The Sound of Music’ is a family story while ‘Pitch Perfect’ is a
love story. As we can see, the film’s characters, such as Maria and Captain are
individuals with credible personal and political struggles, both externally challenged and
internally troubled, for whom the audience comes to care. It is also a movie that reminds
me that all children need a mother. I can feel the love in a family, that is a young woman
who leaves an Austrian convent to become a governess to the seven children of a naval
officer widower and finally she becomes their stepmother. In this movie, I can feel a lot
of love between father to children and stepmother to children. The scene I never forget
is when they whole family are taking part a competition which tells me that a harmony
and unity family is very important. While in ‘Pitch Perfect’, the storyline is totally opposite
to it. ‘Pitch Perfect’ is about a group of teenagers’ love story and college life. They are
really active in participating extra-curricular. They put a lot of efforts on A Capella

4. FNBE JUL 2012 - ENGL 0205 English 2
competition although there is some arguments in the progress. Besides, in it, I cannot
see any love in family. Because of Beca’s parents divorced, Beca does not like her
father and also stepmother. Beca feels lonely sometimes. Luckily, she has new friends
in her college and also an admirer, called Jesse Swanson.
Moreover, another reason for me to say these two movies are totally opposite to
each other is the main characters of the movies, they are Maria and Beca. I can find out
characteristics of Maria from a song they sing in the movie, which named as ‘How Do
You Solve Problem Like Maria’. Maria is studying to become a nun, but her wilful ways
do not go over too well at the convent. The reason for her being chased out is she is
always late for everything including chapel. She is also unpredictable and a riddle.
Everyone in the convent has no idea to solve the problem she brings. However, in my
opinion, I love being Maria is always called as clown. This means she makes people
laugh. Just like an idiom said that, ‘laughter is the best medicine’. Maria is also caring,
especially to the seven children. She ever makes them have a happy and unforgettable
childhood, instead of being whistled by Captain and treated as animals. In the other
side, Beca in ‘Pitch Perfect’ is a very stubborn girl. She aspires to be a famous DJ but
does not get the permission from her father. She is also very cool. Beca does not like
people to disturb her own things and decisions even her father. Thus, Beca’s desire is
somewhat self-reflexive. At the end of the movie, Beca changes her bad attitude to
good. While her dream of moving alone to Los Angeles to make her be brave, she is
willing to try anything new.

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In addition, the clear differences are the characters perform the shows in the
movies. In the movie of ‘The Sound of Music’, the shows are performed by a group of
children and their father with Maria which named as the von Trapp family. They can
easily use the daily conversation to make a song. However, they need a guitar to sing
along. There is not A Capella like ‘Pitch Perfect’. The actors in it can use their voice to
produce music instrument sounds, it all is pure voice. Thus, they are more likely to sing
new generations’ favourite songs. They are also creative, especially Beca mix two
songs together. There are two A Capella society who competitive in the movies. The
girls are in Barden Bellas while boys are in Treblemakers.
Last but not least, the settings in these two movies are not the same. ‘T he
Sound of Music’ is casted Salzburg, Austria. It is authentically breathtaking. I love
watching Maria sings whatever she wants to sing on the mountain with the children. It
gives me a feeling of relaxation and freedom. Besides, this movie is casted in 1965
that is World War II period. Therefore, their clothes are in very traditional type. While
‘Pitch Perfect’ is casted in a university, Lousiana State University, Baton Rouge. This
still is a new movie which is casted in 2012. The actors just wear like recent teenagers.
As a conclusion, musical movies are ultimate feel-good movies, no matter it is
casted in 1960s or 20th
centuries. I love watching and singing along with them. Thus,
musical movies always have a happy ending which I like. I hope musical movies can be
more produced as humanity’s need for an occasional shot in the arm of hope,
happiness and harmony.

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Reference
- musical film. (2013). In Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved
from http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/1102784/musical-
film
- LSU. (2010-2012). In LSU Gold. Retrieved
from http://www.lsu.edu/departments/gold/2012/02/hollywood.shtml
- The Sound Of Music (2010). In Reel Classics. Retrieved
from http://www.reelclassics.com/Musicals/SoundMusic/soundmusic.
htm