Films are made based on various categories and music films are one of most lover categories for the music lovers. Let’s find some movies to embrace your music taste.
Whether it is a biopic, a documentary, or a feature film with commercial purposes; movies that are purely based on music and real music artists always seem to be more captivating than the rest. Starting from Freddy Mercury, and John Elton to Bob Dylan; there are plenty of new movies being made on these legendary artists and this tradition has been going on for a long. These movies offer the perfect blend of music and cinema that is both captivating and enjoyable at the same time. If you are looking for amazing movies, here are the top 20 among them.
- Walk the Line (James Mangold, 2005)
This amazing movie shows the early life and career of Johnny Cash along with a refreshing depiction of country music in the countryside of the country. Young Joaquin Phoenix offered remarkable acting and the film also portrays the musical culture in the classic times. Starting from watching Elvis backstage to hanging out with the famous singer, Johnny has an amazing life that includes both, ups and downs. It is an amazing movie that also shows the emotional changes of a personality who cultivates music.
- Amy (Asif Kapadia, 2015)
This movie is devastatingly beautiful and capable of stirring the deeper emotions of the audiences. The film is based on legendary Amy Winehouse who has inspired many of the stars these days. The film depicts Amy’s raw talent and unbridled energy that she carried from a young age. She witnessed a meteoric rise in her musical career where she went up and up until she crashed. When it comes to female artists, directors only want to show their emotional turmoil but Kapadia did a good job of showcasing her amazing musical craft as well.
- The Doors (Oliver Stone, 1991)
The Doors is the name of Jim Morrison’s band that literally opened the doors for different dimensions for music lovers and fans. The movie has a typical psychedelic vibe to it which can feel a little wired at times but the surreal essence only shows how Morrison had seen the world. He was more of a poet than a singer and more of a crazy performer than a drug addict. The movie has beautifully depicted his shameless expression of sexuality along with his dedication to his craft.
- Whiplash (Damien Chazelle, 2014)
Well, this film is not made based on any music artist but more like a student who lives the same strict passion for music just as his teacher does. The character of Andrew is played by Miles Teller and he is critically acclaimed for playing that character that shows the indomitable spirit of a drummer. While the relationship between Andrew and his teacher is very extreme and abusive, the movie also shows how it is not easy to become one in a million when you do not have the hunger for it. This movie is about passion and going to any extent to pursue it.
- The Young Ones (Sidney J Furie, 1961)
This is a classic music movie where the story mainly revolves around Cliff Richard and a group of teenagers. They all rally together to stop the demolition of a theater and they succeed by putting up a show there. This film is gorgeously optimistic, rebellion and shows the true power of pop music among the young folks. This movie from the sixties can still inspire your kids to cultivate music and theater.
- Hedwig and the Angry Inch (John Cameron Mitchell, 2001)
This is more of a controversial music film based on an East German singer. They went through a sex-change operation and were left with an “angry inch” of flesh which Hedwig never liked. She then moves to the USA and gets robbed by another musician who steals her music and becomes famous instead of her. She ends up performing in a chain of seafood restaurants called Bilgewater’s. The movie has a comedic touch with intriguing messages along with exploring the sides of gender identity and Greek Mythology. All of the songs from the movie are great as well.
- Cracked Actor (Alan Yentob, 1975)
This is another critically acclaimed music Documentary that is based on the life and musical craft of David Bowie. This documentary was made by BBC after two years Bowie announced that he was quitting music. The documentary shows his raw and vulnerable side that he was never afraid to disclose. Staring from his glorious outfits to his daily life craziness; this film can offer you everything. If you are a Bowie fan, this movie is must must-watch for you among all the other documentaries made on him.
- Song of Summer (Ken Russell, 1968)
This music drama was one of the greatest projects by BBC and is based on a young composer from Yorkshire named Eric Fenby who used to play back in the 1920’s. There is also another old character named composer Delius who also belongs to Yorkshire but has become blind which left him with a lot of unfinished compositions. Fendy helped the man finish his last musical job before he had to leave Earth. This movie brings a lot of poignancy to the plate by depicting the struggle of creating new music as well as new life.
- The Wrecking Crew (Denny Tedesco, 2008)
There are numerous session artists around the world who play, sing, and perform for other artists and bands do not receive any exposure in exchange other than a nominal payment. The Wrecking Crew pays tribute to session artists who have dynamic musical talents and yet no popularity. The movie focuses on the charming, unegotistical group of LA session musicians who used to perform almost all kinds of musical genres back in the ‘60s and ‘70s. The movie also revealed how many of the famous music projects are created with the help of these artists yet they do not receive any proper credit for their contributions that could engage global audiences.
- 20,000 Days on Earth ( Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard, 2014)
This Documentary Film is based on Australian musician, writer and actor Nick Cave. He is best known for his baritone voice and this film offers a lot more than his captivating vocal skills. Each of the scenes and the story is carefully crafted and curated especially for Nick, focusing on every detail of the artists and the things he likes. You will also enjoy the friendship between him and Warren Ellis and when they talk about Nina Simone.
- What Happened, Miss Simone? (Liz Garbus, 2015)
This Documentary is based on Music Legend Nina Simone who has inspired multiple generations of music artists. She was an incredible woman who did not care about the stereotypes and was never afraid to embrace her true self. With Simone’s contributions, female singers gradually found more confidence in representing their craft as they wanted to without following others’ orders. She actively spoke about politics and was uncompromising when it came to her personality and integrity. Make sure to watch this masterpiece.
- Little Voice (Mark Herman, 1998)
This is an absolute life-changing movie that shows how dreams cannot be achieved by mere manifestations but a true seal and hunger for it. The film shows the perspective of a music artist who really want to perform and showcase their craft in front of the world. Although music is the main ingredient for this film, other themes of self-exploration, working hard for dreams and overcoming personal struggles. The movie is well crafted and shows the attitude of a woman who actually knows what she wants from life.
- Scott Walker: 30 Century Man (Stephen Kijak, 2006)
While a lot of people do not have any idea who Scott walker is, this documentary film can still captivate the music lovers. The film was released at Walker’s prime time in music when he dropped the album project ‘The Drift’. He shaped his musical career the way he wanted and it shows the transformation from his early years to later years in the solo musical journey. If you enjoy good percussion, give this movie a watch; you will not be disappointed.
- Vox Lux (Brady Corbet, 2018)
This musical drama is based on a young teenage pop artist named Celeste and the character is played by Natalie Portman. Celeste creates a successful pop music career after surviving a school shooting but her traumas never seem to fade away. The movie portrays the madness of the pop industry where people often get lost in the glamour, fame, and money. The film shows how much of an emotional turmoil it is for pop artists to navigate through their careers. It is about keeping your head high and humble.
- Pink Floyd: Live At Pompeii ( Adrian Maben, 1972)
Psychedelic rock band Pink Floyd has performed all around the world at the prime of their career and they also offered a captivating performance at Pompeii. This Documentary focuses on this live performance and works like a concert movie which offers exclusive clippings from their performances. It is a well-crafted movie that showcases the diversity and unity among the members of the Band. This movie will blow your mind by showing Dave Gilmour’s creative psyche along with an amazing set list for the show. It is a kind of film that can attract music lovers of all ages.
- Cocksucker Blues (Robert Frank, 1972)
Well, this documentary film is based on the musical contributions by Rolling Stone but it is never released, perhaps because of its outrageous title. But now, you can easily find it online. This film shows the crazy rockstar life that each of the band members had, especially the front men of the bands. It is amazing to witness how these artists complete change onstage while do drugs in the hotels. The documentary shows how they lived music rather than making it.
- Woodstock ( Michael Wadleigh, 1970)
It is one of the most famous documentary films that showcased the Golden era of music at the Woodstock music festival grounds. While you might think that there will be only hippies and Jimi Hendrix on the stage, the film has a lot more to offer. It showcases the classic legends like Who, Joan Baez, Joe Cocker and shows how people back then really invested themselves in music without the requirement of anything fancy for it.
- The Kids Are Alright (Jeff Stein, 1979)
This documentary music film is based on the band The Who which offered numerous captivating tracks from music artists all around the world. The amazing storytelling of the film along with the representation of the bonding among the members, especially Pete Townshend and Keith Moon will definitely captivate you. The warm essence of the movie will also take you back to your college dream when you wanted to establish a band with your friends.
- Control (Anton Corbijn, 2007)
This musical drama is based on the life of Ian Curtis, the frontman of the band Joy Division who died at a very young age. It is an incredibly bold portrayal of the singer and the songwriter who often had suicidal thoughts due to his damaged mental health and well-being. The illness of domestic existence, Curtis’ wife along with the monochromatic approach really churns out the dark theme of the movie. Joy Division is one of the greatest young grunge bands that inspired many and this film shows the struggle of being a music artist and a human at the same time.
- Latcho Drom ( 1993, Tony Gatlif)
Latcho Drom means ‘Safe Journey’ this documentary shows the journey and evolution of flamenco music since its origin. It shows the origin story of flamenco that started from India and came to Egypt the eastern and western parts of Europe. There are no narrators for the movie as the whole story is shared through songs and subtitles. The film offers an immersive experience for all kinds of music lovers.
Stay tuned and find out more about music films that can inspire you.
