This
Months | Previous
antiGUY gives his
top 5 list of music stuff. Could be songs, people, a stupid trend... nothing
is sacred to antiGUY
Top
5 Music Films.
When you consider the amount of movies
released every year it is surprising that there isn’t more movies based
on music to chose from. Sure there are a quite a collection of “b” movies
that revolve around a music theme collecting dust at your local video store,
but what I am talking about is great movies. So this month I thought we
could look at five films that involve a music theme. Here are my
top 5 favorites but you can share yours in the fan speak below. Before
anyone says it, I just couldn’t bring myself to put Tommy on the list,
sorry but there are better films to chose from. Maybe it was the Elton
John “Pin Ball Wizard” sequence that turned me off? C’est la vie… here
is the list.
Top 5 Music Films.
5) Help! – Say what you want
about the Beatles and “Beatlemania” but the fab four managed to create
a quirky comedy that included some of their most memorable songs. While
this film wasn’t nearly as good as “A Hard Days Night” as far as the plot
goes, the direction and cinematography was really ahead of it’s time in
the way they mixed film and music, if anything “Help!” became a precursor
to music video. Also I have to mention, “Imagine” – The producers
of this film did an excellent job of piecing together rare behind the scenes
footage of John Lennon captured during the recording of the “Imagine” album
as well as material from his entire career.
4) The Rose – The heartbreaking
story of a rock stars struggles with fame and the rock n roll lifestyle
based loosely on the life of Janis Joplin. A powerful performance by Bette
Midler really helped make this one of the best rock movies ever made.
3) Pink Floyd The Wall –
Despite being one of the darkest and strangest films ever released, the
Wall really did an admirable job of visualizing Pink Floyd’s psychedelic
music and taking us into the twisted imagination of the band.
2) This is Spinal Tap – A
true cult classic. Sure Rob Reiner is a meathead but he did manage to make
one great film in his career. This spoof of a mediocre 80’s metal band
has become one of the best testaments to how screwed up the music business
can be, and it’s funnier than hell to boot!
And
the number one Music Film
is
Almost Famous – Cameron
Crowe’s semi-autobiographical film took us behind the scenes of what it
was really like to be in a struggling rock band in the early 70’s as well
as the fine line some journalist have to draw between friendship and professionalism.
Like most Crowe films, the movie contained a well-balanced plot that was
dramatic, romantic, funny and just an all around great film. For
those who loved the theatrical release, check out the special “bootleg”
DVD version with over 30 extra minutes added.
Honorable Mentions: “Sid and Nancy”,
“The Blues Brothers”, "Still Crazy", “Velvet Goldmine”, “Amadeus”, “What's
Love Got to Do with it?”, “Purple Rain”, “The Temptations” (mini
series), “Rock Around the World” (pioneering rock n roll film), “La Bamba”
and “Lady Sings the Blues”, “Bird”, “The Buddy Holly Story”, “The Idol
Maker”, “Eddie and the Cruisers” and “Grace of My Heart”.
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