It is no secret that Damien Chazelle, the director of La La Land, is a big fan of musicals. In a recent interview on NPR's podcast Fresh Air, the 32-year-old discussed the public's take on musicals and declared his desire to turn cynics into lovers: "You hear a lot, especially when you're making a musical today, how much distaste for musicals exists in the world and how many skeptics there are, so [...] it was important to me to reach out to the skeptics, to have this movie not just play for a little coterie of musical die-hards, of which I would include myself."
It is undeniable that classic musicals have left an indelible mark on Chazelle's work, especially on his recent Oscar-nominated (14 nods!) production. From Singin' in the Rain to Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, Grease, West Side Story and Boogie Nights, La La Land pays tribute to some of the greatest films of the past.
To grasp the depth of Chazelle's tribute to past works, check out the video below, which showcases La La Land scenes and their references side-by-side.