Music on Film
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- StarsOliver NorthMusic from a particular year is played and seen against clips of news and events of the time.
- DirectorFrank ZappaStarsPhyllis Smith AltenhausDick BarberAdrian BelewIn a little over an hour, 'VIDEO FROM HELL' provides a preview of current and projected Honker releases, including 'BABY SNAKES', 'THE TRUE STORY OF 200 MOTELS' and 'UNCLE MEAT' (all 1987 releases) along with segments of 1988 shows still in preparation ('YOU CAN'T DO THAT ON STAGE ANYMORE'- which will be released after the multi-CD package, 'I NEED YOUR LOVE' - the homespun philosophy of Al Malkin, and 'AN AMERICAN DISSIDENT' - the homespun philosophy of Frank Zappa).
- DirectorFrank ZappaStarsPhyllis Smith AltenhausDick BarberBBC Symphony OrchestraThe bizarre story behind the creation of Frank Zappa and Tony Palmer's film 200 Motels (1971).
- DirectorSpike JonzeLance BangsRoman CoppolaStarsMark GonzalesLauren CurryRico BuenoThe music videos, documentaries and short stories of director and actor Spike Jonze.
- DirectorFrank ZappaStarsFrank ZappaRay WhiteIke WillisFrank Zappa and his band in a digitally recorded live performance at "The Pier" in New York, NY on August 26, 1984.
- DirectorJoe ReesStarsThe CrampsBryan GregoryLux InteriorThe psychobilly rock group The Cramps perform a free concert for the patients at a state mental hospital in Napa, California.
- DirectorSerge BeckerPeter ChristophersonEric GoodeStarsTrent ReznorJames DuvalBob FlanaganTrent Reznor presents his dark vision of the EP 'Broken' by telling the story of a man kidnapped and forced to watch Nine Inch Nails videos, disturbing in their own right, while being tortured.
- DirectorTed BafaloukosToni BasilJim BlashfieldStarsDavid ByrneTalking HeadsTina WeymouthStorytelling Giant was a 1988 compilation of ten music videos produced by Talking Heads during the 1980s. The videos are linked by apparently real people (not actors) telling stories from their lives. The stories have no logical connection to the videos.
- DirectorJonathan GlazerNick CaveStarsMilo AddicaJean-Claude CarrièreNick CaveThis DVD is a collection of the work of director Jonathan Glazer and includes his music videos, commercials, short films, excerpts from his feature films, as well as commentaries and interviews with the actors, musicians, and other collaborators. New original content includes TRAMP and ARTSHOLE, both starring Jonathan and Paul Kaye, and a documentary about Jonathan's work.
- StarsMobyFrom the Grammy-Award-winning Radiohead music producer Nigel Godrich and Dilly Gent, Producer of the original 'From the Basement' series comes the third season of 'From the Basement' in 3D. Filmed on the historic Charlie Chaplin Stage in Hollywood, the hugely popular music programme captures intimate performances from some of today's finest artists including Foster the People, Scissor Sisters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Moby. Viewers will also be introduced to an exciting array of new talent including Thundercat, Shearwater, and Delta Spirit. From the Basement started as a life podcast before making the leap to television and now, for the first time, to 3D. With no audience or host, it allows the artist to take centre stage and perform in intimate surroundings and without distraction. From the Basement allows music fans to enjoy their favorite artists with no interruptions and has been hailed as a modern take on the The Old Grey Whistle Test and Peel Sessions.
- StarsHarry BelafonteDesi ArnazRubén BladesA three-part historical survey of the African musical roots of Latin Jazz, Salsa, and popular genres. Featuring narration by Harry Belafonte, this documentary traces the evolution of Latin Music from Africa itself into the twentieth century with the advent of Afro-Cuban Jazz (or Latin Jazz) and later the advent of Latin pop sounds by such artists as Gloria Estefan. A musical journey for historians, musicians, and music lovers alike.
- StarsB.B. KingIke TurnerPinetop PerkinsA documentary series about the origin and history of The Blues.
- DirectorMalik BendjelloulStarsRodriguezStephen 'Sugar' SegermanDennis CoffeyTwo South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.
- DirectorDeedle LacourMatt RiggleStarsBill StevensonMilo AukermanKarl AlvarezLong before punk inflicted its puncture wound on the mainstream, the Descendents were in a van brewing a potent concoction of pop, angst, love and coffee.
- DirectorMichael RapaportStarsQ-TipPhife DawgAli Shaheed MuhammadMichael Rapaport documents the inner workings and behind the scenes drama that follows this innovative and influential band to this day.
- DirectorDenis Henry HennellyCasey SuchanStarsChali 2naD.J. AbilitiesBabuAn inside look at what it took to bring the Wu-Tang Clan together for their final performance at the Rock the Bells Hip-Hop festival.
- DirectorGordon MasonStarsDJ AlfredoDave BeerMr. CThe late 1980s in the UK saw the birth of a new culture, they called it Acid House. Driven by a media hate campaign, the British Government acted against it by pushing a bill through Parliament that would outlaw the illegal Acid House parties and by spending millions funding a special Police unit whose sole purpose was to crush this new movement. Featuring unique archive film from the time and interviews with the world's top DJs.
- DirectorGordon MasonStarsDJ AlfredoDave BeerMr. CThe late 1980s in the UK saw the birth of a new culture, they called it Acid House. Driven by a media hate campaign, the British Government acted against it by pushing a bill through Parliament that would outlaw the illegal Acid House parties and by spending millions funding a special Police unit whose sole purpose was to crush this new movement. Featuring unique archive film from the time and interviews with the world's top DJs.
- DirectorD.A. PennebakerStarsBob DylanAlbert GrossmanBob NeuwirthDocumentary covering Bob Dylan's 1965 tour of England, which includes appearances by Joan Baez and Donovan.
- DirectorChris HegedusD.A. PennebakerStarsJimi HendrixNoel ReddingMitch MitchellJimi Hendrix's landmark concert in Monterey County Fairgrounds in California in which he plays signature songs like "Purple Haze," "Foxy Lady," and "Wild Thing."
- DirectorD.A. PennebakerStarsOtis ReddingJimi HendrixRavi ShankarA film about the greatest pre-Woodstock rock music festival.
- DirectorKevin MacdonaldStarsBob MarleyZiggy MarleyRita MarleyA documentary on the life, music, and legacy of Bob Marley.
- DirectorDoug PrayStarsThe AlliesA-TrakCrazeThe story of the hip-hop DJ from the birth of hip-hop to the invention of scratching and "beat-juggling" vinyl, to the more recent "turntablism" movement. Underdogs and virtuosos who have radically changed the way we hear and create music.
- DirectorJulien TempleStarsWilko JohnsonRoger DaltreyCharlie ChanTells the extraordinary story of legendary musician Wilko Johnson who, diagnosed with incurable pancreatic cancer and given a few months to live, managed to accept his fate with uplifting positivity and defy the death sentence handed down to him.
- DirectorMartin ScorseseStarsRobbie RobertsonMuddy WatersNeil YoungA film account and presentation of the final concert of The Band.
- DirectorMartin SharpStarsTiny TimMartin SharpDon LaneLuna Park is an aged amusement park located in an area of prime real estate in Sydney Australia. Tiny Tim, at the time of this documentary, was an aged entertainer, who mined all of popular songwriting history for his performances. Both of them came together in 1979 for Tim's first attempt to set a world record for non-stop singing. Without attempting to comment on the eccentric singer's life or seek a deeper meaning in it, this documentary screens moments from his entire career as a celebrity, going back to his marriage to "Miss Vicky" on the Johnny Carson show. Tiny Tim was a curiously charismatic, gawky, beak-nosed man who played a ukulele, sang in a falsetto voice, and had extremely long, wavy hair. He was also an unparalleled scholar of popular music going back to the mid-nineteenth century, with a repertoire of tens of thousands of songs. In fact, so extensive was his knowledge that he was much sought-after by scholars and musicologists around the world. Despite the limitations of his persona and performance technique which would normally have resulted in his being only a novelty act, he had an astonishingly long and successful performing career. The other focus of this documentary is Luna Park, which was for Sydney residents what Coney Island is for New Yorkers. At one point it was closed as a result of a series of well-publicized fatal accidents, probably caused by sabotage arranged by unscrupulous developers who coveted the land it was on
- DirectorSarah KernochanStarsS.K. ThothRobert JanoffElayne JonesThoth is a street performer currently in New York. Thoth is an individual with a complicated life and background. Thoth plays on opera with a violin in a loincloth in Central Park. Thoth is.
- DirectorLee HirschStarsAbdullah IbrahimDuma Ka NdlovuVusi MahlaselaInterviews, archival footage, and filmed performances highlight the role of music in the South African struggle against apartheid.
- DirectorFrank ZappaStarsFrank ZappaAdrian BelewTommy MarsRock artist Frank Zappa hosts a concert in New York City. This movie contains tons of on-stage footage, off-stage footage, and animation.
- DirectorPaul W. TaylorStarsLorraine BraccoAlicia KeysMbaliTells the moving and inspiring story of 12 year old Slindile and her remarkable friends at the Agape orphanage in South Africa.
- DirectorDean DeBloisStarsAmiinaHildur ArsaelsdottirJon Thor BirgissonIn the summer of 2006, Sigur Rós returned home to play a series of free, unannounced concerts for the people of Iceland.
- DirectorLes BlankCece ConwayAlice GerrardStarsTommy JarrellJulie Jarrell LyonsTogie McGeeA documentary about Tommy Jarrell, a fiddler from North Carolina. This films shows a bit of his current life and those around him and includes a lot of his Appalachian Old-Time music.
- DirectorMark Christopher CovinoJeff HowlettStarsBobby HackneyDavid HackneyDannis HackneyA documentary on the 1970s punk trio Death, and their new-found popularity decades after they disbanded.
- DirectorMarcelo MachadoStarsGilberto GilCaetano VelosoSet against the turbulent atmosphere of the 1960s, Tropicália is a feature length documentary exploring the Brazilian artistic movement known as tropicália, and the struggle its artists endured to protect their right to freely express revolutionary thought against the traditional brazilian music of that time.
- DirectorTony SilverStarsDemonKase 2Eric HazeA documentary that exposes the rich growing subculture of hip-hop that was developing in New York City in the late '70s and early '80s, specifically focusing on graffiti art and breakdancing.
- DirectorLes BlankStarsLeon RussellEric AndersenRichard V. ArmstrongLes Blank's first feature-length documentary captures music and other events at Leon Russell's Oklahoma recording studio during a three-year period (1972-1974).
- DirectorLes BlankSkip GersonStarsLightnin HopkinsBilly BizorMance LipscombA portrait of the great Texas bluesman, 'Lightnin' Hopkins. The film includes interviews and a performance by Hopkins.
- DirectorLes BlankStarsDick PillarWalter SzczypulaJimmy Sturr & His OrchestraA portrait of the life, culture and food surrounding the lovers of Polka music. The title is taken from an old Polka standard. Stars of the Polka world are highlighted.
- DirectorLes BlankSkip GersonStarsMance LipscombElnora LipscombHattie FranklinA deeply moving tribute to the Texas songster, Mance Lipscomb, considered by many to be the greatest guitarist of all time.
- DirectorPaul KerrStarsGerry BronJack BruceRob Dickins
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsDavid ByrneBernie WorrellAlex WeirConsidered by critics as the greatest concert film of all time, the live performance was shot over the course of three nights at Hollywood's Pantages Theater in December of 1983 and features Talking Heads' most memorable songs.
- DirectorDavid LeafJohn ScheinfeldStarsJohn LennonYoko OnoStew AlbertA documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.
- DirectorJonathan DemmeStarsNeil YoungEmmylou HarrisPegi YoungA film shot over during a two-night performance by Neil Young at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium.
- DirectorRokhsareh GhaemmaghamiStarsSonita AlizadehLatifah AlizadehFadia AlizadehAfter her family attempts to sell her into marriage, a young Afghan refugee in Iran channels her frustrations and seizes her destiny through music. Grabbing the mic, she spits fiery rhymes in the face of oppressive traditions.
- DirectorAndrew DominikStarsNick CaveWarren EllisJim SclavunosExplores the creative process of Nick Cave and his band as the singer struggles with an unspoken personal tragedy.
- DirectorDavid DworskyVictor KöhlerStarsApparatÓlafur ArnaldsScott BelskyA documentary that explores how the digital revolution of the last decade has unleashed creativity and talent of people in an unprecedented way.
- DirectorRon MannStarsCholly AtkinsHank BallardBetty BeggThe history of post-World War II popular dance up to the mid-sixties is explored with the focus being on the Twist.
- DirectorRenaud BarretFlorent de La TullayeStarsLeon LikabuRoger LanduCoco NgambaliKinshasa, DRCongo, 2005: Benda Bilili, poor paraplegic street musicians, get noticed by a French film team. Studio recordings get their music out on album and 2009, they have concerts in Europe.
- DirectorKen RussellBased on the famous Gustav Holst musical suite, this musical film takes watchers on a magnificent journey of the planets of the Solar System.
- DirectorHavana MarkingStarsRafi NaabzadaLima SaharHameed SakhizadaA documentary about the simultaneously unifying and divisive effects of Afghanistan's version of the TV talent show format on its society. It focuses on "Afghan Star" which airs on the Tolo TV channel in Afghanistan.
- DirectorAdam SmallPeter StuartStarsM. Otis BeardDennis DanellBrent LilesA documentary following the 1982 tour of punk bands Youth Brigade and Social Distortion.
- DirectorRon MannStarsRick KellyCindy HulejDorothy KellyFive days in the life of fabled Greenwich Village guitar store Carmine Street Guitars.
- DirectorBruce WeberStarsChet BakerCarol BakerVera BakerDocumentary on the life of jazz trumpeter and drug addict Chet Baker. Fascinating series of interviews with friends, family, associates and lovers, interspersed with film from Baker's earlier life and some modern-day performances.
- DirectorAsif KapadiaStarsAmy WinehouseMitch WinehouseMark RonsonArchival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of the life and career of British singer/songwriter Amy Winehouse.
- DirectorRon HowardStarsThe BeatlesJohn LennonGeorge HarrisonA compilation of found footage featuring music, interviews, and stories of The Beatles' 250 concerts from 1963 to 1966.
- DirectorEthan HawkeStarsSeymour BernsteinEthan HawkeSam BachelderMeet Seymour Bernstein: a beloved pianist, teacher and true inspiration who shares eye-opening insights from an amazing life. Ethan Hawke helms this poignant guide to life.
- DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsFleaKeith MorrisEyeballThe Decline of Western Civilization III is a 1998 documentary film that follows the gutter punk lifestyle of homeless teenagers.
- DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsEugene TatuAlice Bag BandBlack FlagA look into the Los Angeles punk rock scene, that was largely ignored by the rock music press of the time.
- DirectorPenelope SpheerisStarsJoe PerrySteven TylerGene SimmonsDocumentary showcase, what life was like for the music artists living during the Los Angeles Heavy Metal scene in the mid and late 1980s.
- DirectorStephen KijakStarsSara KestelmanArnie PottsJarvis CockerA documentary on the influential musician Scott Walker.
- DirectorJohn SheppardStarsMalcolm McDowellSteve AbramsPeter BergAn examination of the classic rock album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and the year of its debut, 1967.
- DirectorBruno NatalStarsVictor AxelrodHowie B.Lloyd BarnesThrough interviews with over 40 key names on the history of dub, electronic music and hip hop, "Dub Echoes" connects the dots between of the otherwise fragmented relation between all this genres.
- DirectorJean-Pierre DutilleuxStarsStewart CopelandLorne BlairTisch RayeA musical oddessy through the heart of Africa in search of the roots of Rock & Roll.
- DirectorDon McGlynnStarsLouis PrimaSam ButeraRon Cannatella
- DirectorStephen WalkerSally GeorgeStarsJoe BenoitHelen BostonLouise CanadyA documentary on a chorus of senior citizens from Massachusetts who cover songs by Jimi Hendrix, Coldplay, Sonic Youth, and other unexpected musicians.
- DirectorIain ForsythJane PollardStarsNick CaveSusie BickWarren EllisWriter and musician Nick Cave marks his 20,000th day on the planet Earth.
- DirectorDenny TedescoStarsBrian WilsonDick ClarkCherA celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew", a band that provided back-up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Bing Crosby.
- DirectorIsmail Fahmi LubishStarsJahamDewi KiranaUki MarzukiAs a traditional music, Tarling Dangdut is very much loved as well as denounced for being obscene. The film tells a story of a Tarling Dangdut songwriter who loves being promiscuous but trying to serve an order to write religious Tarling dangdut song. TARLING IS DARLING is a musical documentary film that was treated as an entertaining feature film. It was shot with a very intimate approach to all of its characters, using a single-shot-cinema technique. The audience will be brought to the most riveting and indecorous private events of its characters.
- DirectorSini AndersonStarsKathleen HannaCarrie BrownsteinKim GordonA look at the life of activist, musician, and cultural icon Kathleen Hanna, who formed the punk band Bikini Kill and pioneered the "riot grrrl" movement of the 1990s.
- DirectorLeanne PooleyStarsJools ToppPaul HoranJean ToppFun, disarming and musically provocative, the Topp Twins are New Zealand's finest lesbian country and western singers and the country's greatest export since rack of lamb and the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
- DirectorBill GuttentagDan SturmanStarsThe RootsJohn LegendWyclef JeanA fresh and exhilarating take on one of the most important social movements in American history, Soundtrack for a Revolution explores the civil rights struggle through the powerful and stirring songs that inspired a generation.
- DirectorNgawang ChoephelA look at the life and struggles of the Tibetan people and their culture told through music.
- DirectorAengus JamesStarsGreg ClancyPatrick ClaypoolEric DalbeyEvery year thousands compete in the world's greatest singing competition - that you've never heard of. AMERICAN HARMONY journeys deep into the ultra-obsessive, zany, and heartfelt world of competitive barbershop singing, where passion is equaled only by raw talent, and the reward is not fame or fortune, but simply victory. The film focuses on four quartets vying to win the International Championships of Barbershop Singing, in what turns out to be the closest and most controversial victory in its 70 year history. Max Q is the heavy favorite - a superstar quartet comprised of former Champions. Looking to upset them is OC Times (The Heart-Throbs), Vocal Spectrum (The Rookies) and Reveille, an aging foursome who that has been together for 30 years. In total, fifty quartets duke it out for the coveted gold medal, while facing the pressures of quartet life - from big egos to brain cancer and everything in between.
- DirectorMichael WadleighStarsJoan BaezRichie HavensRoger DaltreyOscar-winning musical chronicle that brilliantly captures the three-day rock concert and celebration of peace and love that became a capstone for the Sixties.
- StarsKeith DavidWynton MarsalisGary GiddinsA survey of the musical form's history and major talents.
- DirectorAndreas HartmannKyaw Kyaw pursues the dream of seeing the punk scene take off in Myanmar, while raising awareness about persistent violations of human rights. His philosophy: A symbiosis of Buddhism and punk that rejects religious and political dogma.
- StarsStevie NicksBonoDr. Dre"The Defiant Ones" examines the partnership between Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre - one the son of a Brooklyn longshoreman, the other straight out of Compton - and their leading roles in a chain of transformative events in contemporary culture.
- DirectorAmir Bar-LevStarsJohn Perry BarlowTom ConstantenSam CutlerA look at the 30-year career of The Grateful Dead.
- DirectorCatherine BainbridgeAlfonso MaioranaStarsGeorge ClintonRobbie RobertsonGary GiddinsA documentary about the role of Native Americans in popular music history.
- DirectorKasper CollinStarsLee MorganHelen MorganWayne ShorterAn exploration of the relationship between jazz trumpeter Lee Morgan and his common-law wife Helen, who was implicated in his murder in 1972.
- DirectorAlbert MayslesDavid MayslesCharlotte ZwerinStarsMick JaggerKeith RichardsMick TaylorWhen three hundred thousand members of the Love Generation collided with a few dozen Hells Angels at San Francisco's Altamont Speedway, the bloody slash that transformed a decade's dreams into disillusionment was immortalized on this film.
- DirectorStefan AvalosStarsDaniel HouckRazvan StoicaDavid CampbellA young hillbilly from Ohio meets a famous European concert violinist over the internet and convinces him that he can make a perfect copy of the most famous violin that ever existed - even though he has no formal training in violin making and has never even seen the actual violin. Fighting time, poverty and himself, he attempts to deliver on his brash promise in time for an important concert.
- DirectorCatherine GundDaresha KyiStarsEugenia LeónJesusa RodríguezTania LibertadThe life of pioneering singer Chavela Vargas, from her birth in Costa Rica in 1919 to her death in Mexico in 2012.
- DirectorJonathan OlshefskiStarsChristopher RaineyChristine'a RaineyP.J. RaineyA husband and wife live in an impoverished neighborhood in north Philadelphia while they raise their daughter and run a recording studio in their basement.
- DirectorRoko BelicStarsRichard FeynmanB.B. KingKongar-ol OndarSan Francisco bluesman and composer, Paul Peña makes a musical pilgrimage to the land of Tuva.
- DirectorJim BrownStarsLee HaysPete SeegerRonnie GilbertDocumentary about the blacklisted folk group, "The Weavers," and the events leading up to their triumphant return to Carnegie Hall.
- DirectorGeorge T. NierenbergStarsWillie Mae Ford SmithThomas A. DorseySallie MartinDocumentary about the American gospel music scene, focusing on two of the movement's pioneering forces, Thomas A. Dorsey and Willie May Ford Smith.
- 1985– 3h 28mNot Rated8.4 (12K)TV EpisodeDirectorMartin ScorseseStarsBob DylanB.J. RolfzenDick KangasA chronicle of Bob Dylan's strange evolution between 1961 and 1966 from folk singer to protest singer to "voice of a generation" to rock star.
- DirectorJim BrownStarsJoan BaezJohnny CashBill ClintonInterviews, archival footage and home movies are used to illustrate a social history of folk artist and activist Pete Seeger.
- DirectorLiz GarbusStarsNina SimoneLisa Simone KellyRoger NupieA documentary about the life and legend Nina Simone, an American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist labeled the "High Priestess of Soul."
- DirectorMurray LernerStarsIsaac SternDavid GolubDelun LiIsaac Stern's cultural tour of China is seen, with the master violinist performing and mentoring young Chinese musicians. He visits rehearsals of the Peking Opera, meeting with their musicians who use traditional Chinese instruments, and also visits a sports academy and other venues. The lingering effects of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), which opposed any western influences and oppressed those who introduced western approaches, are evident in the lack of skill development among many of the young musicians and the emphasis on technical skill rather than artistic interpretation.
- DirectorMurray LernerStarsJoan BaezHorton BarkerFiddler BeersBlack and white footage of performances, interviews, and conversations at the Newport Folk Festival from 1963 to 1966. The headliners are Peter, Paul and Mary, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger, and Bob Dylan, who's acoustic and electric. Son House and Mike Bloomfield talk about the blues; John Hurt, Howlin' Wolf, and Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee show their range. The Osborne Brothers perform bluegrass. Donovan, Johnny Cash, Judy Collins, Mimi and Richard Fariña, and others less well-known also perform. Several talk musical philosophy, and there's a running commentary about the nature and appeal of folk music.
- DirectorJean BachStarsDizzy GillespieMilt HintonMarian McPartlandThe documentary compiles interviews of all the top jazz musicians in NYC in the year 1958, for a piece in Esquire magazine.
- DirectorRon MannStarsPaul BleyBill DixonArchie SheppAn examination, shown through both interviews and performances, of the avant-garde free jazz movement which reigned during the 1960s.