The overuse of the "biopic" formula has probably tamed this somewhat, but it's still as vibrant, funny, and devastating as any other movie about celebrities. I still love the vivid performances, the way the direction begins spiraling downward into darkness, and the odd touches, like Sid's peculiar performance of "My Way."
2. A Hard Day's Night (1964, Richard Lester)
What's remarkable about this movie is that it was probably designed as a throwaway, made for a band of teen idols with a limited shelf life. Despite that, the energy, music, and humor therein have not dated one bit. It's still as quick and as exciting as when it was made.
3. Rock 'n' Roll High School (1979, Allan Arkush)
This maybe isn't the greatest movie ever made, but it strikes exactly the right silly tone to deserve the greatest rock band in the world: the Ramones. Among the writers on this are future director Joe Dante, and future SFSU professor Joseph McBride.
4. High Fidelity (2000, Stephen Frears)
This is not about a rock band, but about dedicated music fans, who eat, sleep and breathe music. The merits of great musical recordings are discussed at length, as they pertain to actual, real-life romance. And there's some great music here too.
5. The Last Waltz (1978, Martin Scorsese)
Scorsese was the first to figure out how to film a concert cinematically, for the camera, rather than staging it for an audience and recording it. But more than that, this concert is just magical, bursting with joy and sorrow -- and a little weirdness.
6. The Blues Brothers (1980, John Landis)
Guest stars like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Cab Calloway make it legendary, but it's the deadpan, surreal humor of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, as well as John Landis' pause-laden pacing that makes this a laugh riot after so many decades.
7. This Is Spinal Tap (1984, Rob Reiner)
At one point, in my youth, I declared this a "perfect movie," since its plot-free form allowed for any kind of scenes or jokes, and every scene was a winner. It was flawless. Now I think I've seen it too many damn times and have passed some kind of threshold, but it's still a great movie.
8. Stop Making Sense (1984, Jonathan Demme)
I wonder if the Talking Heads are still viewed as being as innovative as they once were? Even if they're not, there's no denying the energy and excitement of this filmed concert, once again directed for the cameras rather than for the audience. It was once a midnight cult film, but now it's just a collection of great-sounding music.
9. Purple Rain (1984, Albert Magnoli)
Even if the filmmaking and acting is amateurish, it's genuinely heartfelt, undeniably sexy and just a touch on the bizarre side. It also has arguably the greatest collection of rock 'n' roll songs ever recorded for a movie.
10. I'm Not There (2007, Todd Haynes)
This is more of an intellectual essay film than a rebellious rock 'n' roll film, but nothing else I've seen comes quite as close to capturing the elusive spirit of the brilliant Bob Dylan.
11. The Doors (1991, Oliver Stone)
Oliver Stone has always been a little on the loony side, and this is the only film he's made in which he really cuts loose and walks on the wild side. He has no more button-up politics to hide behind. This is guilty-pleasure rock 'n' roll at its guiltiest.
6. The Blues Brothers (1980, John Landis)
Guest stars like Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, and Cab Calloway make it legendary, but it's the deadpan, surreal humor of John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, as well as John Landis' pause-laden pacing that makes this a laugh riot after so many decades.
7. This Is Spinal Tap (1984, Rob Reiner)
At one point, in my youth, I declared this a "perfect movie," since its plot-free form allowed for any kind of scenes or jokes, and every scene was a winner. It was flawless. Now I think I've seen it too many damn times and have passed some kind of threshold, but it's still a great movie.
8. Stop Making Sense (1984, Jonathan Demme)
I wonder if the Talking Heads are still viewed as being as innovative as they once were? Even if they're not, there's no denying the energy and excitement of this filmed concert, once again directed for the cameras rather than for the audience. It was once a midnight cult film, but now it's just a collection of great-sounding music.
9. Purple Rain (1984, Albert Magnoli)
Even if the filmmaking and acting is amateurish, it's genuinely heartfelt, undeniably sexy and just a touch on the bizarre side. It also has arguably the greatest collection of rock 'n' roll songs ever recorded for a movie.
10. I'm Not There (2007, Todd Haynes)
This is more of an intellectual essay film than a rebellious rock 'n' roll film, but nothing else I've seen comes quite as close to capturing the elusive spirit of the brilliant Bob Dylan.
11. The Doors (1991, Oliver Stone)
Oliver Stone has always been a little on the loony side, and this is the only film he's made in which he really cuts loose and walks on the wild side. He has no more button-up politics to hide behind. This is guilty-pleasure rock 'n' roll at its guiltiest.
And, for the hell of it, my 25 favorite albums... at the moment:
- Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols - Sex Pistols (1977)
- Bitches Brew - Miles Davis (1969)
- Murmur - R.E.M. (1983)
- Raw Power (1971) - Iggy & the Stooges
- Double Nickels on the Dime - Minutemen (1984)
- In Utero - Nirvana (1993)
- Rocket to Russia (1977) - Ramones
- Spirit of Eden (1988) - Talk Talk
- Paul's Boutique - Beastie Boys (1989)
- Illmatic (1994) - Nas
- Exile in Guyville (1993) - Liz Phair
- Pet Sounds (1966) - The Beach Boys
- Amnesiac (2001) - Radiohead
- Magical Mystery Tour (1967) - The Beatles
- Give 'Em Enough Rope (1978) - The Clash
- Meaty Beaty Big & Bouncy (1970) - The Who
- Pink Moon (1972) - Nick Drake
- Marquee Moon (1977) - Television
- Surfer Rosa (1988) - Pixies
- What's Going On (1971) - Marvin Gaye
- Loaded (1971) - The Velvet Underground
- Post-Nothing (2009) - Japandroids
- Purple Rain (1984) - Prince & the Revolution
- Tim (1985) - The Replacements
- My Favorite Things (1961) - John Coltrane
No comments:
Post a Comment