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Martin Scorsese and the Rolling Stones unite in "Shine A Light," a look at The Rolling Stones." Scorcese filmed the Stones over a two-day period at the intimate Beacon Theater in New York City in fall 2006. Cinematographers capture the raw energy of the legendary band.
Themes: | theatre |
Mood: | archive footagebehind the scenes |
Locations: | london englandhotelnew york city |
Characters: | director on cameraphotographermusiciandancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencekeyboard playerharmonica playercrew on camerafilm camerarock bandtelephone callbenefit concertimax versionguest starspeaker phonerolling stonespreparationcontrol roomblack & white to color β¦equipmentvancouver british columbia canadakeyboardconcert footageharmonicafilm crewplaying pooldrumsdrummerbackstageaudiencerehearsalguitaristrock 'n' rollu.s. presidentmicrophonebandtelephoneguitarrock musiccamerasongthree word titlesingingdancingcigarette smokinginterview (See All) |
The story of John Lennon's childhood and teenage years from 1944 to 1960, his relationship with his aunt Mimi and his mother Julia -the two dominant women in the first part of his life-, his first meeting with Paul McCartney and George Harrison, their friendship, their love for music and the birth o β¦f The Beatles. (Read More)
Characters: | musiciandancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencerock bandtelephone callharmonicadrumsdrummerbackstageaudienceguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandtelephoneguitarrock music β¦songsingingdancingcigarette smoking (See All) |
William Miller is a 15-year-old kid hired by Rolling Stone magazine to tour with and write about Stillwater, an up and coming rock band. This wonderfully witty coming-of-age film follows William as he falls face first to confront life, love, and lingo.
Locations: | hotelnew york city |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | rock bandtelephone calldrumsdrummerguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandtelephoneguitarrock musiccamerasongsingingdancing β¦cigarette smokinginterview (See All) |
A documentary on the life of 'Amy Winehouse' (qv), the immensely talented yet doomed songstress. We see her from her teen years, where she already showed her singing abilities, to her finding success and then her downward spiral into alcoholism and drugs.
Mood: | archive footagebehind the scenes |
Locations: | london englandhotel |
Characters: | photographermusiciansinger |
Story: | telephone callconcert footagebackstageguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandtelephoneguitarcamerasongsingingcigarette smokinginterview |
Down and out rock star Dewey Finn gets fired from his band, and he faces a mountain of debts and depression. He takes a job as a 4th grade substitute teacher at an uptight private school where his attitude and hijinx have a powerful effect on his students. He also meets Zack, a 10-year-old guitar pr β¦odigy, who could help Dewey win a "battle of the bands" competition, which would solve his financial problems and put him back in the spotlight. (Read More)
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | rock bandtelephone callkeyboarddrumsdrummerrehearsalguitaristrock 'n' rollbandguitarrock musicsongsinging |
In 1975, San Fernando Valley teen Joan Larkin reinvents herself as Joan Jett, a guitarist who wants to form an all-girl punk band. She pitches the idea to a sleazy manager, Kim Fowley, who pairs her with a drummer and then searches for a face: he finds Cherie Currie, at age 15, the perfect jailbait β¦image for his purpose; by luck, she can sing. Two others round out the band, The Runaways. Fowley books a tour, signs them to Mercury Records, and packs them off to crowds in Japan. Seeds of conflict sprout early: Fowley puts Cherie front and center in the publicity, she's soon strung out on drugs and vodka, and jealousies arise. Without adult supervision, where can Joan and Cherie end up? (Read More)
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | rock bandtelephone calldrumsdrummerguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandguitarrock musicsongsingingdancing |
The Beatles--the world's most famous rock and roll band--travel from their home town of Liverpool to London to perform in a television broadcast. Along the way they must rescue Paul's unconventional grandfather from various misadventures and drummer Ringo goes missing just before the crucial concert β¦. (Read More)
Mood: | behind the scenes |
Locations: | london englandhotel |
Characters: | musician |
Story: | rock banddrummerbackstagerehearsalguitaristrock 'n' rollbandrock musiccameradancing |
Detroit, the early 1960s. Curtis Taylor, Jr., a car salesman, breaks into the music business with big dreams. He signs a trio of young women, the Dreamettes, gets them a job backing an R&B performer, James "Thunder" Early, establishes his own record label and starts wheeling and dealing. When Early β¦flames out, Curtis makes the Dreamettes into headliners as the Dreams, but not before demoting their hefty big-voiced lead singer, Effie White, and putting the softer-voiced looker, Deena Jones, in front. Soon after, he fires Effie, sends her into a life of proud poverty, and takes Deena and the Dreams to the top. How long can Curtis stay there, and will Effie ever get her due? (Read More)
Themes: | theatre |
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | musiciandancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencetelephone callbackstagerehearsalguitaristmicrophonebandguitarcamerasongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |
Six incarnations of Bob Dylan: an actor, a folk singer, an electrified troubadour, Rimbaud, Billy the Kid, and Woody Guthrie. Put Dylan's music behind their adventures, soliloquies, interviews, marriage, and infidelity. Recreate 1960s documentaries in black and white. Put each at a crossroads, the a β¦rtist becoming someone else. Jack, the son of Ramblin' Jack Elliott, finds Jesus; handsome Robbie falls in love then abandons Claire. Woody, a lad escaped from foster care, hobos the U.S. singing; Billy awakes in a valley threatened by a six-lane highway; Rimbaud talks. Jude, booed at Newport when he goes electric, fences with reporters, pundits, and fans. He won't be classified. (Read More)
Themes: | theatre |
Locations: | london englandnew york city |
Characters: | photographermusiciandancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencetelephone callharmonicaguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandguitarcamerasongthree word titlesingingdancingcigarette smokinginterview |
Bad Blake is a broken-down, hard-living country music singer who's had way too many marriages, far too many years on the road and one too many drinks way too many times. And yet, Bad can't help but reach for salvation with the help of Jean, a journalist who discovers the real man behind the musician β¦. (Read More)
Characters: | photographermusiciandancersinger |
Story: | telephone callbackstageguitaristmicrophonebandguitarcamerasongsingingdancingcigarette smokinginterview |
Locations: | hotelnew york city |
Characters: | photographerdancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencefilm cameratelephone callmicrophonebandtelephonecamerasongsingingdancingcigarette smokinginterview |
The story of a charismatic young Irish guitarist and a sheltered young cellist who have a chance encounter one magical night above New York's Washington Square, but are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York β¦and cared for by a mysterious stranger, August uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth. (Read More)
Themes: | theatre |
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | musiciandancersinger |
Story: | telephone callharmonicaguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandguitarsongsingingdancing |
Aspiring actress serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and jazz musician Sebastian scrapes by playing cocktail-party gigs in dingy bars. But as success mounts, they are faced with decisions that fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain β¦in each other threaten to rip them apart. (Read More)
Themes: | theatre |
Characters: | photographermusiciandancersinger |
Story: | telephone callkeyboarddrumsdrummerbackstageaudiencerehearsalbandtelephonecamerasongthree word titlesingingdancing |
Brian Wilson is the creative soul of the Beach Boys, but he paid a heavy price for his talent. That especially shows during his peak artistic years in the 1960s, as his inner demons and obsessions trying to please his abusive father drive him to a mental breakdown that would plague him for years. In β¦ the 1980s, with Brian barely functional under the domination of the unscrupulous Dr. Landy, Brian meets and falls in love with Melinda Ledbetter. As their relationship grows, she observes Brian's crippling subservience to the abusive psychotherapist with growing alarm. Ultimately, she must take action with a love willing to stand up to oppression she cannot ignore. (Read More)
Mood: | archive footagebehind the scenes |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | film camerarock bandtelephone calldrumsdrummerbackstageguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonetelephoneguitarrock musicsongthree word titlesinging β¦cigarette smoking (See All) |
In the early 1970s, Sixto Rodriguez was a Detroit folksinger who had a short-lived recording career with only two well received but non-selling albums. Unknown to Rodriguez, his musical story continued in South Africa where he became a pop music icon and inspiration for generations. Long rumored the β¦re to be dead by suicide, a few fans in the 1990s decided to seek out the truth of their hero's fate. What follows is a bizarrely heartening story in which they found far more in their quest than they ever hoped, while a Detroit construction laborer discovered that his lost artistic dreams came true after all. (Read More)
Mood: | archive footage |
Locations: | london england |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | telephone callaudiencerehearsalguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandtelephoneguitarsongsinginginterview |
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | musiciandancer |
Story: | rock bandtelephone calldrumsrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandtelephoneguitarrock musicdancingcigarette smoking |
Oliver Stone's homage to 1960s rock group The Doors also doubles as a biography of the group's late singer, the "Electric Poet" Jim Morrison. The movie follows Morrison from his days as a film student in Los Angeles to his death in Paris, France at age 27 in 1971. The movie features a tour-de-force β¦performance by Val Kilmer, who not only looks like Jim Morrison's long-lost twin brother, but also sounds so much like him that he did much of his own singing. It has been written that even the surviving Doors had trouble distinguishing Kilmer's vocals from Morrison's originals. (Read More)
Locations: | hotelnew york city |
Characters: | photographermusiciansinger |
Story: | rock banddrummerbackstageaudiencerehearsalguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonerock musiccamerasingingdancinginterview |
Inspired by a true story, Al Pacino stars as aging 1970s rocker Danny Collins, who can't give up his hard-living ways. But when his manager (Christopher Plummer) uncovers a 40 year-old undelivered letter written to him by John Lennon, he decides to change course and embarks on a heartfelt journey to β¦ rediscover his family, find true love and begin a second act. (Read More)
Locations: | hotelnew york city |
Characters: | photographermusiciansinger |
Story: | telephone callbackstagemicrophonebandtelephonecamerasongsingingcigarette smokinginterview |
Morbid biographical story of Sid Vicious, bassist with British punk group the Sex Pistols, and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen. When the Sex Pistols break up after their fateful US tour, Vicious attempts a solo career while in the grip of heroin addiction. One morning, Nancy is found stabbed to death a β¦nd Sid is arrested for her murder. (Read More)
Locations: | london englandhotelnew york city |
Characters: | photographermusiciandancersinger |
Story: | rock bandrock 'n' rollguitarrock musiccamerasongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |
In 1982 legendary British heavy metal band Spinal Tap attempt an American comeback tour accompanied by a fan who is also a film-maker. The resulting documentary, interspersed with powerful performances of Tap's pivotal music and profound lyrics, candidly follows a rock group heading towards crisis, β¦culminating in the infamous affair of the eighteen-inch-high Stonehenge stage prop. (Read More)
Locations: | hotel |
Story: | telephone calldrummerrock 'n' rollbandtelephoneguitarrock musiccamerasinginginterview |
Manchester 1976: Cambridge educated Tony Wilson, Granada TV presenter, is at a Sex Pistols gig. Totally inspired by this pivotal moment in music history, he and his friends set up a record label, Factory Records, signing first Joy Division (who go on to become New Order) then James and the Happy Mon β¦days, who all become seminal artists of their time. What ensues is a tale of music, sex, drugs, larger-than-life characters, and the birth of one of the most famous dance clubs in the world, The Hacienda - a mecca for clubbers as famous as the likes of Studio 54. Graphically depicting the music and dance heritage of Manchester from the late 70's to the early 90's, this comedy documents the vibrancy that made Mad-chester the place in the world that you would most like to be. (Read More)
Characters: | musiciandancersinger |
Story: | rock banddrummerguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandtelephoneguitarrock musicsongsingingdancingcigarette smokinginterview |
An unnamed guy is a Dublin guitarist/singer/songwriter who makes a living by fixing vacuum cleaners in his Dad's Hoover repair shop by day, and singing and playing for money on the Dublin streets by night. An unnamed girl is a Czech who plays piano when she gets a chance, and does odd jobs by day an β¦d takes care of her Mom and her daughter by night. Guy meets girl and they get to know each other as the girl helps the guy put together a demo disc that he can take to London in hope of landing a music contract. During the same several day period, the guy and the girl work through their past loves, and reveal their budding love for one another, through their songs. (Read More)
Locations: | london england |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | telephone calldrummerguitaristbandguitarsongsingingcigarette smoking |
The story of Ray Charles, music legend. Told in his adult live with flashbacks to his youth we see his humble origins in Florida, his turbulent childhood which included losing his brother and then his sight, his rise as pianist in a touring band, his writing his own songs and running his own band an β¦d then stardom. Also includes his addiction to drugs and its affect on his working life and family life. (Read More)
Locations: | hotel |
Characters: | musiciandancersinger |
Story: | drumsdrummerguitaristmicrophonebandguitarcamerasongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |
In 2005, the only thing hurting Los Angeles Times columnist Steve Lopez more than his face from a recent bike accident was his pressing need for story ideas. That is when he discovers Nathaniel Ayers, a mentally ill, homeless street musician who possesses extraordinary talent, even through his half- β¦broken instruments. Inspired by his story, Lopez writes an acclaimed series of articles about Ayers and attempts to do more to help both him and the rest of the underclass of LA have a better life. However, Lopez's good intentions run headlong in the hard realities of the strength of Ayers' personal demons and the larger social injustices facing the homeless. Regardless, Lopez and Ayers must find a way to conquer their deepest anxieties and frustrations to hope for a brighter future for both of them. (Read More)
Locations: | hotel |
Characters: | musiciandancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencetelephone callspeaker phoneaudiencerehearsalsongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |
Biopic of billionaire 'Howard Hughes (I)' (qv), starting with his early filmmaking years as owner of RKO studios but mostly focusing on his role in designing and promoting new aircraft. Hughes was a risk-taker spending several fortunes on designing experimental aircraft and eventually founding TWA a β¦s a rival to Pan AM airlines owned by his great rival Juan Trippe. When Trippe's politico Senator Ralph 'Owen Brewster (I)' (qv) accuses Hughes of being a war profiteer, it's Hughes who gains the upper hand. Hughes also had many women in his life including a long relationship with actress 'Katharine Hepburn' (qv). From an early age however, Hughes was also germophobic and would have severe bouts of mental illness. (Read More)
Locations: | hotelnew york city |
Characters: | photographerdancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencefilm cameratelephone callmicrophonebandcamerasongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |
Cheery Alex Fletcher lives comfortably in Manhattan off the residuals from his 80's pop success and reprising his hits at school reunions, theme parks, and state fairs. But those gigs are declining, so he jumps at the chance to write a song and record it with reigning teen idol Cora Corman. Trouble β¦is, he's good at melodies but needs a lyricist and has less than a week to finish. Enter Sophie Fisher, subbing for a friend who waters Alex's plants; she's a pretty good poet, quick witted, and could do it, if she'd agree. But there's some sort of shadow over her head that Alex may not be able to charm his way past. And what if they do get a song written, what then? (Read More)
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | telephone callkeyboardbackstagerehearsalbandsongthree word titlesinging |
The Marx Brothers take on high society. Two lovers who are both in opera are prevented from being together by the man's lack of acceptance as an operatic tenor. Pulling several typical Marx Brothers' stunts, they arrange for the normal tenor to be absent so that the young lover can get his chance.
Themes: | theatre |
Locations: | hotel |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | theatre audiencebackstagerehearsalmicrophonesingingdancing |
Follow a week in the life of a young folk singer as he navigates the Greenwich Village folk scene of 1961. Guitar in tow, huddled against the unforgiving New York winter, he is struggling to make it as a musician against seemingly insurmountable obstacles -- some of them of his own making.
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | telephone callguitaristmicrophonetelephoneguitarsongthree word titlesingingcigarette smoking |
Writer Peter Morgan's legendary battle between Richard Nixon, the disgraced president with a legacy to save, and David Frost, a jet-setting television personality with a name to make, in the story of the historic encounter that changed both their lives. For three years after being forced from office β¦, Nixon remained silent. But in summer 1977, the steely, cunning former commander-in-chief agreed to sit for one all-inclusive interview to confront the questions of his time in office and the Watergate scandal that ended his presidency. Nixon surprised everyone in selecting Frost as his televised confessor, intending to easily outfox the breezy British showman and secure a place in the hearts and minds of Americans (as well as a $600,000 fee). Likewise, Frost's team harbored doubts about their boss' ability to hold his own. But as cameras rolled, a charged battle of wits resulted. (Read More)
Mood: | archive footage |
Locations: | london englandhotelnew york city |
Characters: | photographersinger |
Story: | telephone callspeaker phonebackstageu.s. presidentmicrophonetelephonecamerasongsinginginterview |
Aspiring emcee DJay works the angles to get his first record made with help from assorted people in his Memphis 'hood. And when he hears that hip-hop superstar Skinny Black is heading to his area, he throws together a supreme hustle to grab Skinny's attention.
Characters: | musiciandancersinger |
Story: | telephone callkeyboardplaying poolmicrophonesongthree word titlesingingdancingcigarette smoking |
Four members of a high school band called Mystery do everything they can to attend a KISS concert in Detroit. In order to make it to the show they must steal, cheat, strip, deal with an anti-rock mom and generally do whatever it takes to see the band that has inspired them to be musicians.
Characters: | singer |
Story: | rock bandtelephone calldrumsrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandguitarrock musicsongsingingcigarette smoking |
Fred and Mick, two old friends, are on vacation in an elegant hotel at the foot of the Alps. Fred, a composer and conductor, is now retired. Mick, a film director, is still working. They look with curiosity and tenderness on their children's confused lives, Mick's enthusiastic young writers, and the β¦ other hotel guests. While Mick scrambles to finish the screenplay for what he imagines will be his last important film, Fred has no intention of resuming his musical career. But someone wants at all costs to hear him conduct again. (Read More)
Locations: | hotel |
Characters: | photographermusiciandancersinger |
Story: | telephone calldrummerguitaristmicrophonetelephonecamerasongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |
Man on the Moon is a biographical movie on the late comedian 'Andy Kaufman (I)' (qv). Kaufman, along with his role on _"Taxi" (1978)_ (qv), was famous for being the self-declared Intergender Wrestling Champion of the world. After beating women time and time again, 'Jerry Lawler' (qv) (who plays hims β¦elf in the movie), a professional wrestler, got tired of seeing all of this and decided to challenge Kaufman to a match. In most of the matches the two had, Lawler prevailed with the piledriver, which is a move by spiking an opponent head-first into the mat. One of the most famous moments in this feud was in the early 80s when Kaufman threw coffee on Lawler on _"Late Night with David Letterman" (1982)_ (qv), got into fisticuffs with Lawler, and proceeded to sue NBC. (Read More)
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | photographersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencedrummerguitaristmicrophonebandguitarcamerasongsinging |
While growing up in the Great Depression era, Johnny Cash takes an interest in music and eventually moves out of his Arkansas town to join the air force in Germany. While there, he buys his first guitar and writes his own music, and proposes to Vivian. When they got married, they settled in Tennesse β¦e and with a daughter, he supported the family by being a salesman. He discovers a man who can pursue his dreams and ends up getting a record with the boys. Shortly after that, he was on a short tour, promoting his songs, and meets the already famous and beautiful June Carter. Then as they get on the long-term tours with June, the boys, and Jerry Lee Lewis, they have this unspoken relationship that grows. But when June leaves the tour because of his behavior, he was a drug addict. His marriage was also falling apart, and when he sees June years later at an awards show, he forces June to tour with them again, promising June to support her two kids and herself. While the tour goes on, the relationship between June and John grow more,and his marriage to his first wife ends. June finds out about the drugs, and help him overcome it. True love and care helped John eventually stop the drug usage, and finally proposes to her in front of an audience at a show. (Read More)
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | telephone callbackstageaudiencerock 'n' rollmicrophoneguitarthree word titlecigarette smoking |
In late 2007, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost sensed a story unfolding as they began to film the life of Ariel's brother, Nev. They had no idea that their project would lead to the most exhilarating and unsettling months of their lives. A reality thriller that is a shocking product of our β¦times, Catfish is a riveting story of love, deception and grace within a labyrinth of online intrigue. (Read More)
Themes: | theatre |
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | photographermusiciandancersinger |
Story: | telephone callbandtelephoneguitarcamerasongsingingdancing |
Marshall, Texas, described by James Farmer, Jr. as "the last city to surrender after the Civil War," is home to Wiley College, where, in 1935-36, inspired by the Harlem Renaissance and his clandestine work as a union organizer, Professor Melvin Tolson coaches the debate team to a nearly-undefeated s β¦eason that sees the first debate between U.S. students from white and Negro colleges and ends with an invitation to face Harvard University's national champions. The team of four, which includes a female student and a very young James Farmer, is tested in a crucible heated by Jim Crow, sexism, a lynch mob, an arrest and near riot, a love affair, jealousy, and a national radio audience. (Read More)
Locations: | hotelnew york city |
Characters: | dancersinger |
Story: | film cameratelephone callaudiencebandsongthree word titlesingingdancing |
This is the beginning of the eighties and everybody is moving to the beat of Pop music, as the brand-new concept of the music video appears on television for the first time. However, in Dublin, Conor, a teenager with a sensitive heart, is trying to deal with a tense family relationship, reconnect wi β¦th his older brother while dealing with the hostile environment in his new public school. And then one day, he sees her. Tall, with long chestnut hair, a buttery complexion and big, dark eyes; an enigmatically beautiful girl standing in front of his school's gate, indolently observing people passing by. But who is she and how could a boy ever get noticed by such a distant girl? That's easy. He would form a band. Surprisingly, with every lyric Conor writes, the gap narrows and with every song he plays, her heart fills with affection. In the end, before a sea of opportunities lying ahead of them, what will the future hold for a brave love like this? (Read More)
Characters: | dancersinger |
Story: | drumsdrummerguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandsongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |
In rural Tennessee, Lazarus, a former blues musician who survives by truck farming, finds a young girl nearly beaten to death near his home. She's the white-trash town tramp, molded by a life of sexual abuse at the hands of her father and verbal abuse from her mother, who seems to delight in remindi β¦ng Rae of her mistake in not aborting her. Lazarus, who is also facing personal crisis at the dissolution of his marriage, nurses Rae back to health, providing her with gentle, fatherly advice as well as an education in blues music. Rae's boyfriend, Ronnie, goaded by the man who nearly beat Rae to death, misunderstands the relationship between Lazarus and Rae, and vows to kill him. Lazarus, exhibiting a street-smart understanding of violence and its motives, calls Ronnie's bluff, senses that he is as troubled as Rae, and becomes a guiding force in the young couple's resurrection. (Read More)
Mood: | archive footage |
Characters: | musiciandancersinger |
Story: | telephone callguitaristbandguitarsongthree word titlesingingdancingcigarette smoking |
Recounts a fable of a pop rock band formed a year after the Beatles took America by storm in early 1964. Jazz aficionado Guy Patterson, unhappily toiling in the family appliance store, is recruited into the band the Oneders (later renamed the Wonders) after regular drummer Chad breaks his arm. After β¦ Guy injects a four/four rock beat into lead singer Jimmy's ballad, the song's undeniable pop power flings the Wonders into a brief whirlwind of success, telling the tale of many American bands who attempted to grab the brass ring of rock and roll in the wake of the British Invasion. (Read More)
Characters: | singer |
Story: | rock banddrummerbandrock musicsong |
An un-chronological look at the life of the Little Sparrow, Edith Piaf (1915-1963). Her mother is an alcoholic street singer, her father a circus performer, her paternal grandmother a madam. During childhood she lives with each of them. At 20, she's a street singer discovered by a club owner who's s β¦oon murdered, coached by a musician who brings her to concert halls, and then quickly famous. Constant companions are alcohol and heartache. The tragedies of her love affair with Marcel Cerdan and the death of her only child belie the words of one of her signature songs, "Non, je ne regrette rien." The back and forth nature of the narrative suggests the patterns of memory and association. (Read More)
Themes: | theatre |
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | audiencerehearsalmicrophonesongsinginginterview |
Hedwig, born male as Hansel in East Berlin, fell in love with an American G.I. and underwent a Gender Confirmation Surgery in order to marry him and flee to the West. Unfortunately, nothing worked out quite as it was supposed to - years later, Hedwig is leading her rock band on a tour of the U.S., t β¦elling her life story through a series of concerts at Bilgewater Inn seafood restaurants. Her tour dates coincide with those of arena-rock star Tommy Gnosis, a wide-eyed boy who once loved Hedwig - but then left with all her songs. (Read More)
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | rock bandbandsongsinging |
Ian Curtis is a quiet and rather sad lad who works for an employment agency and sings in a band called Warsaw. He meets a girl named Debbie whom he promptly marries and his band, of which the name in the meantime has been changed to Joy Division, gets more and more successful. Even though Debbie and β¦ he become parents, their relationship is going downhill rapidly and Ian starts an affair with Belgium Annik whom he met after one of the gigs and he's almost never at home. Ian also suffers from epilepsy and has no-good medication for it. He doesn't know how to handle the feelings he has for Debbie and Annik and the pressure the popularity of Joy Division and the energy performing costs him. (Read More)
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | rock bandrock 'n' rollbandsongsinging |
England's Prince Albert must ascend the throne as 'King George VI' (qv), but he has a speech impediment. Knowing that the country needs her husband to be able to communicate effectively, Elizabeth hires Lionel Logue, an Australian actor and speech therapist, to help him overcome his stammer. An extr β¦aordinary friendship develops between the two men, as Logue uses unconventional means to teach the monarch how to speak with confidence. (Read More)
Locations: | london england |
Characters: | photographersinger |
Story: | telephone callrehearsalmicrophonetelephonecamerasongthree word titlesingingdancingcigarette smokinginterview |
An anthology film retelling the story of the famous Studio 54, a hot disco hangout for the social elite of New York. The movie follows several characters at once, some of whom are in desperate straits and on the verge of crashing.
Locations: | new york city |
Characters: | photographermusiciandancersinger |
Story: | microphonecamerasongsingingdancinginterview |
A documentary on the life of Amy Winehouse, the immensely talented yet doomed songstress. We see her from her teen years, where she already showed her singing abilities, to her finding success and then her downward spiral into alcoholism and drugs.
Mood: | archive footagebehind the scenes |
Locations: | london englandhotelnew york city |
Characters: | photographermusiciansinger |
Story: | telephone callconcert footagebackstageguitaristrock 'n' rollmicrophonebandtelephoneguitarcamerasongsingingcigarette smokinginterview |
Maria Altman sought to regain a world famous painting of her aunt plundered by the Nazis during World War II. She did so not just to regain what was rightfully hers, but also to obtain some measure of justice for the death, destruction, and massive art theft perpetrated by the Nazis.
Themes: | theatre |
Locations: | hotel |
Characters: | dancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencetelephone calltelephonesongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |
'Antonio Salieri' (qv) believes that 'Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart' (qv)'s music is divine and miraculous. He wishes he was himself as good a musician as Mozart so that he can praise the Lord through composing. He began his career as a devout man who believes his success and talent as a composer are God' β¦s rewards for his piety. He's also content as the respected, financially well-off, court composer of Austrian Emperor Joseph II. But he's shocked to learn that Mozart is such a vulgar creature, and can't understand why God favored Mozart to be his instrument. Salieri's envy has made him an enemy of God whose greatness was evident in Mozart. He is ready to take revenge against God and Mozart for his own musical mediocrity. (Read More)
Themes: | theatre |
Characters: | musiciansinger |
Story: | theatre audiencerehearsalsongsingingdancing |
Using flashbacks from a statement recorded late in life and archival footage for atmosphere, this film traces Harvey Milk's career from his 40th birthday to his death. He leaves the closet and New York, opens a camera shop that becomes the salon for San Francisco's growing gay community, and organiz β¦es gays' purchasing power to build political alliances. He runs for office with lover Scott Smith as his campaign manager. Victory finally comes on the same day Dan White wins in the city's conservative district. The rest of the film sketches Milk's relationship with White and the 1978 fight against a statewide initiative to bar gays and their supporters from public school jobs. (Read More)
Mood: | archive footage |
Characters: | photographerdancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencetelephone callcamerasongsingingdancinginterview |
In the early 1950's, the threat of Communism created an air of paranoia in the United States and exploiting those fears was Senator 'Joseph McCarthy (II)' (qv) of Wisconsin. However, CBS reporter 'Edward R. Murrow' (qv) and his producer 'Fred W. Friendly' (qv) decided to take a stand and challenge M β¦cCarthy and expose him for the fear monger he was. However, their actions took a great personal toll on both men, but they stood by their convictions and helped to bring down one of the most controversial senators in American history. (Read More)
Mood: | archive footage |
Locations: | london englandnew york city |
Characters: | singer |
Story: | film cameratelephone callmicrophonecamerasongsingingcigarette smokinginterview |
This is the story of the last few years of the notorious bank robber John Dillinger. He loved what he did and could imagine little else that would make him happier. Living openly in 1930s Chicago, he had the run of the city with little fear of reprisals from the authorities. It's there that he meets β¦ Billie Frechette with whom he falls deeply in love. In parallel we meet Melvin Purvis, the FBI agent who would eventually track Dillinger down. The FBI was is in its early days and Director J. Edgar Hoover was keen to promote the clean cut image that so dominated the organization through his lifetime. Purvis realizes that if he is going to get Dillinger, he will have to use street tactics and imports appropriate men with police training. Dillinger is eventually betrayed by an acquaintance who tells the authorities just where to find him on a given night. (Read More)
Locations: | hotel |
Characters: | photographerdancersinger |
Story: | theatre audiencetelephone callbandcamerasongsingingdancingcigarette smoking |