For the next couple of days I am going to talk about movies.
But don’t worry they are movies about music.
Each day I will have a different category and list of movies, and yes
for the first time ever I will present top ten lists. So take a seat get some
popcorn, and go pay off your family video late fees, because you can’t even
find all of these movies on Netflix.
Today I want to discuss movies about real musicians, or
bands. So sadly you will not see any clips from This is Spinal Tap today, but I
promise you will before the week is done. Today I want to focus on the real
things. These are the movies that let us into the worlds or behind the scenes
moments of our favorite musicians, or maybe they introduced us to them. So, hey
why explain it any longer let’s get right into the thick of things.
10. The Doors
So, this film makes the list only because it is about Jim
Morrison. I mean let’s be honest, it is called The Doors, but doesn’t even get
the history of the band correctly and it mainly focuses on Morrison. Another reason why I don’t like this movie is
Val Kilmer; only because he is the shittiest Batman of all time, and I love
Batman. What I like about the film is;
like I said it is a movie about the Doors, and that is a story that needed to
be told. As a child any movie that had
crazy sex scenes in it was a good movie to me, so I may have clung to it for
those reasons as well. Also, I love that the songs were performed and recorded
live, with Kilmer singing, and I will give him this, he does it very well and
convincingly. So the movie is on the list, it is worth watching, but don’t buy
it.
9. What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Again, this is another story that needed to be told. I
think, what really happens is the audience is given more reasons to love Tina
Turner. Although Ike says that almost the whole thing is fabricated, it is
based on her biography. I mean, yes it is loosely based on it, but Ike is just
an asshole, I don’t care how much I love Proud Mary. The casting in this movie is actually done
really well, in fact, I think Larry Fishbourne does a great portrayal of Ike
and steals some of the show. I have to admit that I haven’t seen this movie as
many times as the others on the list, and truthfully I should watch it more,
but it is a good movie worth checking out.
8. The Soloist
You know why this movie made the list? Because, it is a true
story, and I didn’t know it was a true story until after I watched it, and I
was hooked. The movie is based on the
book of the same name, and is about a real man named Nathaniel Ayers. I don’t
want to give too much away because I think you should see this movie, but bring
a box of tissues because this story will play with your emotions. You see Ayers is a beautiful cellist (according
to the movie) but he is homeless and schizophrenic. If that doesn’t have you
interested, does it help to know that the movie stars Robert Downey Junior and
Jamie Foxx? Just watch it, seriously,
watch it.
7. Ray
Another movie starring Jamie Foxx, Ray tells the story of
Ray Charles. In case you have been in a coma for the last 65 years, Ray Charles
is a musical genius who has written and recorded so many great songs. He was
one of the original artists inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. (Two
years before the Beatles even got in!) This movie is a great great biopic and
closely tells the story of Charles’ rise to fame. Never mind the fact that Foxx
won an Oscar for his role. The movie is a little on the long side, but I don’t
know what you would cut. And if all of this isn’t enough to encourage you to go
watch it, how about the fact that Booger from Revenge of the Nerds is in it?
6. A Hard Day’s Night
Ok, so two questions may arise; first, maybe you are
wondering how this movie is on the list when it isn’t really a biopic or
biography. And secondly, how is a Beatles movie not in the top three if not
number one? Well, the first question
answers the second. A Hard Day’s Night
is a hilarious imagining of a day in the life of The Beatles, but it is in no
way a biography. The movie is what made
me want to be a rock star; I just thought these four guys were having so much
fun; playing cards in the cargo room of a train, running amuck in a farmer’s field.
Plus Paul got to bring his grandfather with him. (Not that one, the other one) I
could probably type out the whole script right now, instead, just call me up, I
will loan you my copy.
5. The Buddy Holly Story
Let me clarify something really quickly, in case anyone is
wondering, I thought Buddy Holly was cool as hell long before Rivers Cuomo
name-dropped him in 1994. So the movie,
ok, It stars Gary Busey before he became a crazy nut, Busey was nominated for
an Oscar. Busey did all his own singing
in the movie. And the music and movie are both really great. However it isn’t
even close to being historically accurate. In fact, years later another movie
called “The Real Buddy Holly Story” was released. Again, parts of it add up,
and it has a nice plot, so that is why I like it.
4. Walk The Line
Now this is a movie that I love, in fact, I just double
checked my notes to make sure it really was number 4, but I have my reasons.
The main reason it is not number 1 is mere personal attachment to the other 3
movies. I think Johnny Cash is great. I
think that this movie really does him justice.
Reese Witherspoon won an Oscar for her portrayal of June Carter. And Joaquin
Phoenix was nominated for one. My
favorite portrayal in the movie is Shooter Jennings, who plays his own father
Waylon Jennings. Phoenix and Witherspoon
play and sing their own parts, and they make the story fucking burst off the
screen. The story is told so beautiful
and of course there are a few changes for dramatics, but the movie is based off
the Autobiography that Cash himself wrote. What more could you ask for?
3. The Temptations
Ok, First things first, this was actually a miniseries, but
it is available on DVD now, so I feel like that gives me enough room to call it
a movie for the sake of this list. Also
this is one of 3 movies on this list that I have watched with my dad (who is a
huge fan of The Temptations) which is why it ranks higher. Let me first explain
that this movie is based off of Otis Williams’ book about his group The Temptations. The families of the other members of the
group did file a lawsuit against the producers of the movie for defamation and
inaccurate portrayals. I can honestly
tell you that I do not know what is real and what is false, because, I have
read Williams book, and I have read Ain’t Too proud to Beg, a book about the
Temptations and they are kind of close,
and you have to understand that Williams had his own perspective on everything.
So do I think it was dramatized? For Sure. But I also think that Williams wrote
his story the way that he saw it, and I tell you what, the movie gave me a real
fondness for David Ruffin and his soulful raspy voice, and when he snatches
that microphone. Ooh Damn!
2. La Bamba
It is number 2 because of a few reasons. It is one of the first movies that I can
remember watching. Seriously, I was 5 when it came out, and my dad never
censored what we watched. I remember we rented it on pay per view so we could
tape it, but my uncle borrowed it and accidentally taped over it. I was
devastated. Imagine 5 or 6 year old me being sad and crying because I couldn’t
watch La Bamba, that is so awesome. The
movie is actually pretty historically accurate, I once saw Lou Diamond Phillips,
who plays Ritchie Valens in the movie that Ritchie’s real sister was on the set
the day they filmed the ill fated 3 getting onto the airplane, and Valens
sister grabbed his hand and begged him not to get on the plane. (for the record
my eyes are tearing up as I type this) The movie is so emotional, and you feel
so horrible for everyone in it. I mean it tells the story of Ritchie Valens, a
17 year old boy who had 3 songs go to the hot 100, (Donna ranked the highest at
#2) Ritchie was on his way to becoming a big star when he died in a plane crash
with Buddy Holly and The Big Bopper. His whole story is shown and portrayed
beautifully, Valens songs are re worked by Los Lobos who do excellent work with
it. The movie is just incredible. Seriously go watch it. Now!
1. Beyond The Sea
Kevin Spacey co-wrote, co-produced, directed, and starred in
this movie about the life of Bobby Darin. The idea for a movie about Bobby
Darin’s life began in 1987 and the film was not released until 2004. Spacey was
not paid for any of his roles in the movie. He just really wanted to have this
movie made. I personally think that that is really cool as hell. Spacey sings
in the movie and he does a damn good job. The movie has a fantasy element to it
and blurs the line of reality and fiction. The movie breaks the Fourth wall in
the sense that it shows production of the movie(kind of). Even the fact that
Kevin Spacey is like 45 playing a 19 year old guy is addressed(again kind of)
The movie takes a few liberties with the life of Bobby Darin and got the
blessing of most of the people in Darin’s life. And Kevin Spacey even looks
like Bobby Darin. The love story that is told in the movie is so magical and
manages to make you smile in light of some of the sadder moments. It is number
one on my list because I think that it deserves more credit, Bobby Darin was a
risk taker that made lots of great music and I would love to think of what he
would have done had he lived longer than 37 years. I think Spacey deserves more
praise and accolades for what he did with this film. And seriously guys, chicks
dig this film, so go rent it, watch it with a lady after a nice meal. It’s seriously a good way to spend an evening
So there it is, my top ten list of Biographical movies about musicians, I hope you enjoy them all as much as I did, Did I leave something off? Do you disagree with my order? Let me know what you think, where would you rank them? Stay tuned tomorrow for another list of movies.
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