back to article Eleven - if you will - rocktastic music movies

11 November 2011 - 11/11/11 - is Nigel Tufnel Day, a day to celebrate pushing the envelope as far as it can possibly be pushed - and then pushing it one step beyond that. As Spinal Tap's lead guitarist would say: "An 'undred years ago, a great war - the greatest since the Romans - came to an end. It was all quiet on the Y …

COMMENTS

This topic is closed for new posts.

Page:

  1. JimmyPage Silver badge
    Thumb Up

    How about

    "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones ?

  2. Admiral Grace Hopper

    s/School Of Rock/Slade In Flame/

    1. Tony Smith, Editor, Reg Hardware (Written by Reg staff)

      Re:

      Crikey, Slade's "Flame". I'd completely forgotten about that.

      This is getting dangerously close to "From Russia with Elton" territory...

      1. luxor
        Flame

        The best of them all.

        Indeed Tony How could you forget Slade in Flame.

        The best one of them all.

        Flame icon because it seemed apt ;)

      2. Goat Jam
        Pint

        Another Glaring Omission

        Anvil: The Story Of Anvil

        You start off thinking it is all bit of a joke as the 50 something members of the legendary 80's heavy metal band are shown delivering meals to school kids and other dreary day jobs while keeping the dream alive on the weekends, still trying to get that "big break" and reclaim their former glory.

        Think a rock and roll version of "The Wrestler", only with real blokes .

        By the end of the movie you are rooting for them to make it!

        A true masterpiece.

        http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1157605/

        1. introiboad
          Thumb Up

          this

          Big thumbs up for you. Anvil is an exceptional film.

    2. Marvin the Martian
      Facepalm

      RE: s/School of Rock/Slade in Flame

      Article sez "Black in one of his most memorable roles to date". That's technically true, but it's still an eminently forgettable role and movie.

      You can have BOTH SoR+TenD in exchange for SiF. And I don't even like Slade.

  3. Dave 126 Silver badge

    Still Crazy

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0149151/

    Timothy Spall, Billy Connolly, Nill Nighy, Jimmy Nail, Phil Daniels, Bruce Robinson, about an aging rock band, getting together for one more gig.

    And whilst not exactly about a band, Wayne's World is a love letter to Rock and Roll, and Wayne's World 2 shamelessly taking Danny The Dealer from Bruce Robinson's Withnail and making him a roadie. Classic.

    1. Annihilator

      By the same token as Wayne's World

      I submit Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure for consideration...

  4. Mick Stranahan
    Thumb Up

    Excellent feature

    'nuff said.

  5. Mage Silver badge
    Coat

    Not exactly just Rock

    But Shirley the "blues Bros" should get a mention in passing at least?

    Mines the one stuffed with DVDs.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Black Helicopters

      My thoughts exactly.

      If one can count the country and blues stylings of Johnny Cash in a list of 'Rock' movies (excellent biopic btw), then the only reason I can see for missing off The Blues Brothers is because it would eclipse Spinal Tap itself. Hell, I'd rather watch Blues Brothers 2000 again than the first eight of that list. At least John Goodman could actually (surprisingly) sing. I mean, Jack Black, really?

      1. Tony Smith, Editor, Reg Hardware (Written by Reg staff)

        Re: My thoughts exactly.

        Nah. Blues Brothers is only funny if you're off your head. And then *anything's* funny.

        If you too went to university in the mid-1980s and got rapidly sick of students constantly saying they're on a mission from God, you'd know what I mean.

        1. Anonymous Coward
          Boffin

          Haha - I didn't say it was especially hilarious (it's totally not Bill & Ted dude).

          But it does feature some legendary musicians. Conversely, many of them credit that film with making them household names. And the music is amazing, and of course has both types -

          Rhythm, and blues.

          1. ThomH

            And, you know, if Jack Black's on the list...

            ... then being funny isn't a requirement. Since he appears twice, you could even argue that being unapologetically unfunny was an advantage.

            I vote for Tommy. Killing Bono was also as good as some of the films already on the list. But I guess Hedwig and the Angry Inch is an acquired taste?

            1. Marvin the Martian

              "Hedwig"'s not rock. And definitely acquired [after]taste.

              Even the Rocky Horror Picture Show's more rock.

              1. ThomH

                @Marvin

                Per wikipedia, it's "a rock musical about a fictional rock and roll band". Similarly, IMDB describe it as being the story of a "transexual punk rock girl from East Berlin [who] tours the US with her rock band".

        2. ChrisC Silver badge

          "...and got rapidly sick of students constantly saying ..."

          Perhaps they all just thought you needed help playing Starglider 2...

  6. Dave 126 Silver badge
    Happy

    Del Preston revise

    "...This might be the reason why Keith Richards cannot be killed by conventional weapons."

    1. Annihilator
      Happy

      :-D

      "Sri Lanka! Formerly Ceylon, looking for one thousand brown M&Ms to fill a brandy glass or Ozzy wouldn't go on stage that night"

      I'm off to dig out the DVD and bore the arse of my fiancee, I'll pass on her thanks in advance.

  7. Craig "Spuddleziz" Smith
    Thumb Up

    What about...

    ....The Last Waltz: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077838/

    .. i mean it comes up in big letters at the start "THIS SHOULD BE PLAYED VERY LOUD". Superb!

    1. TeeCee Gold badge
      Happy

      One of the great things about that film was that it didn't matter where you went to see it, there would always be a doddery old pensioner couple sat somewhere in the theatre. Who would leave as soon as the film started.....

      I've no idea if that was deliberate, but it was bloody funny.

  8. Mondo the Magnificent
    Thumb Up

    Missing?

    Walk The Line is an excellent choice, to be honest I believe Joaquin Phoenix was convinced he was Johnny Cash and Reece Witherspoon's brillaint performance as June Carter got her a well deserved Oscar.

    Thanks for the great review El Reg, there are some I need to add to my "must watch" list.

    I'll get my oar in and add two rock movies I thought worth mentioning are:

    That Thing You Do (1996)

    A Tom Hanks production and starring Mr. Gump himself, but it shows the typical 60's rock/pop era and follows a one hit wonder band on their short lived journey to stardom. Notable performances from Liv Tyler, Steve Zahn and Tom Everett Scott.

    Rock Star (2001)

    Starring Marky Mark Wahlberg as a tribute metal band front man singer who's dreams come true when he's invited to join "Steel Dragon" the band he's been idolising.

    The wild parties, groupies and lifestyle doesn't quite cut it for the new front man and yes, he opts out, but in style..

    1. Jedit Silver badge
      Megaphone

      Rock Star is based on a true story

      To be exact, it's a highly fictionalised version of events surrounding Judas Priest.

      I'm going to second the nomination for The Blues Brothers - particularly in its extended cut that contains the full rendition of "Boom Boom" by John Lee Hooker - and question the omission of Anvil! The Story of Anvil, the Lemmy movie, and anything Scorsese has directed about music.

  9. bob_walker99

    Bad News?

    and More Bad News. Yes, I know - Bad New is to Spinal Tap as Mr Jolly is to Withnail. But still.

    1. Neil 30

      Mr Jolly Lives next door has to be one of the best films of all time. "Nicolas bloody Parsons!"

  10. Tim Jenkins

    TOWIE

    You missed 'That'll Be the Day' (1973) and its sequel 'Stardust' (1974). Great Brit-flicks to counter all that merkin tosh. Keith Moon, Billy Fury, Adam Faith, Marty Wilde, Ringo as character actors and even David Essex is quite bearable in the lead role. Shame so few people know about these; I mean, 'School of Rock', really?....

    1. GrahamT
      Thumb Up

      I still have the (vinyl) double albums of both films. Shame the fourth side of the latter is all David Essex.

  11. Stefing
    Thumb Up

    Also

    A good list but I would also have included Anvil - much like This is Spinal Tap but THEY'RE REAL.

    Also: the ending had me in tears.

    1. Graham Marsden
      Happy

      Don't forget...

      ... that several prominent rock musicians (eg Ozzy Osborne to name just one) thought that This is Spinal Tap was real because they had had events like getting lost backstage actually happen to them!

      1. Field Marshal Von Krakenfart

        I've seen Alice Cooper comment that Tap had to be written by somebody in the biz, he also said that he managed to get lost in a stadium on the way to the stage once!!!

  12. Captain Hogwash

    Pink Floyd's 1980 album...

    ...was actually released in 1979 here in their native UK and spawned the Christmas number one in that year's singles chart. Replace the country music nonsense with Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii and you've got yourself a list.

    1. Jedit Silver badge

      No dice

      This is a list of films about music and musicians. Live at Pompeii is (technically) a live concert movie, so I'm not sure if it counts.

      1. Captain Hogwash

        Hmmmm

        In the full version there are bits of interview and pie eating and stuff, so not just a live concert movie. But even so, why wouldn't it count? Anything Pink Floyd related seems more appropriate than anything country music related in a list of "rocktastic music movies".

        1. Jedit Silver badge

          It's Johnny Cash, though

          He covered Nine Inch Nails and did it better than Trent Reznor managed in the first place, so he qualifies.

          Seriously, a lot of Cash's stuff is quite rocky. When The Man Comes Around springs immediately to mind.

          1. Mr Brush

            ^This, in spades

            The first time I heard his version of 'Hurt', I cried like a baby.

  13. Natalie Gritpants

    You can't beat Flashdance

    The post is required, and must contain letters.

    1. Efros

      Yeah ye can

      You just need to find the director and a big enough stick.

      What about Tommy?

      1. Tony Smith, Editor, Reg Hardware (Written by Reg staff)

        Re: Yeah ye can

        We ruled out Tommy because it's a musical and not actually about musicians.

        1. GrahamT
          Boffin

          A Musical...

          Doesn't that also apply to "The Wall"?

          At least in Tommy you see musicians performing most of the way through. (Elton, Tina Turner, etc.)

    2. TeeCee Gold badge
      Mushroom

      Give me a big enough bloody stick with nails in it and I'd be prepared to have a go.

  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    wot? no Flight 666 ?

  15. Aldous

    Bad News

    No mention of the comic strip's bad news/more bad news? meh

  16. Joe Carter

    Anvil

    Anvil! The Story of Anvil http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1157605/

    Superb documentary. Could have been Spinal Tap lite but instead is genuinely fascinating. You really feel something for the band.

  17. gazlaz
    Meh

    What??? No 'It Couldn't Happen Here'?

    OK not rock, but still - if you want a movie about musicians that is, frankly, shit and baffling then it's the ONLY choice, for the sight of Babs Windsor getting covered in a fry up alone!

    .

    1. Soruk

      Not quite how I'd have described it...

      Yes, it's baffling and, quite frankly, it makes absolutely no sense at all, but I quite enjoyed it (the existentialist dummy, putting a print of brickwork on a billboard - on a brick wall, and of course Joss "Bucky Goldstien" Ackland), shame it was never re-issued on DVD.

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Tap rule

    Anyone that thinks Americans cant do real humor should see Spinal Tap.

    Im sure it pricked some over inflated rock ego's .Tufnel and his violin/guitar virtuosity is my fave bit.

    1. Jedit Silver badge
      FAIL

      So...

      ... that would be Americans like Christopher Guest, AKA the 5th Baron Haden-Guest?

  19. wim

    shounen merikensak / brass knickle boys

    Japanese movie about a punk band.

    It is one of the funniest movies I have seen this year.

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1313146/

  20. edge_e
    FAIL

    How on earth can you mention rock without lemmy?

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1236472/

Page:

This topic is closed for new posts.