Filmmaking / Directing : Favorite Music Biopic? by Nick Phillips

Nick Phillips

Favorite Music Biopic?

With One Love opening strong this weekend, it felt like a good time ask: what's everyone's favorite music biopic? There are so many for me, but my standout would probably be Oliver Stone's The Doors.

https://variety.com/2024/film/box-office/box-office-bob-marley-biopic-be...

Linwood Bell

So many…’Round Midnight and Bird come to mind. Crazy was interesting to me because I didn’t know too much about Hank Garland’s story.

Rutger Oosterhoff

I had to think about this. There isn't a music biopic that I really like But I love the film "Whiplash".

Tucker Teague

I'm really looking forward to ONE LOVE. My past faves, probably AMADEUS, ROUND MIDNIGHT, and BIRD. But there's so many more that are great and even more I have yet to see.

Ian Cahill

I don’t think I could honestly answer this. my favorite is always the last one I watched. which was Whiplash. The ending with Andrew and Fletcher on that stage really grabbed me. As a musician of 30 years now. It reminded me of the moment I was ostracized by a middle school band teacher and told to consider another hobby. Rather then never play another note I traded my saxophone for an electric guitar. to go on and develop my career as a music producer and composer.

Rutger Oosterhoff

Oh, shoot, yes, I liked the film "Amadeus"(1884). How could I have forgotten?!

M LaVoie

Control (2007) was incredible. A shame nobody in the states really saw this. Went way under the radar. But Sam Riley should have been huge after this... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p15-hIIACvY

Nick Phillips

Yes, Amadeus crossed my mind as well! and Control is a great one M LaVoie!

Rutger Oosterhoff

Don't know if I saw "Controle", have to check that out.

Maurice Vaughan

I haven't seen many music biopics, Nick Phillips. Probably not enough to have a favorite. I've seen the poster for "Amadeus," but I didn't know it was a music biopic. I added "The Doors" and the music biopics in the comments to my watchlist. I really wanna watch "Whiplash."

Richard "RB" Botto

I'll second THE DOORS, Nick. Also agree on AMADEUS. I thought LOVE AND MERCY, although perhaps not top tier, was exceptionally well realized. And I be remiss if I didn't mention the one that skewered them all, WALK HARD.

Art Arutyunyan

Bohemian Rhapsody was great!

John Perrier

Here’s a few more if anyone is looking for suggestions.

Bohemian rhapsody

Walk the line

Ray

Straight outta Compton

Rocket man

Aretha

Love and Mercy(Brian Wilson BB)

8 mile

The doors

Sid and Nancy

I’m not there (Bob Dylan)

The Runaways

Limited Series music biopics

Pistol

Dirt

Pam and Tommy

*The beach boys - an American family

Daisy Jones and the sixth

Richard "RB" Botto

Some good ones in there, John Perrier

Tasha McLemore

Purple Rain! Not labeled a music biopic, but I think it falls under the category since it was based on their time in Minneapolis before they became famous.

Ashley Renée Smith

I love Walk the Line and Rocketman! Those are probably at the top of my list, Nick Phillips.

Nick Phillips

So many great movies in these comments. Well done, everybody!

Pat Alexander

For me, it's always been Clint Eastwood's Jersey Boys

Xochi Blymyer

That's a great list John Perrier - so tough to choose a favorite. But I did see the trailer for One Love this weekend and looking forward to seeing it! Good question Nick Phillips

Maya Table

What's Love Got To Do With It and the new Elvis movie.

Nick Phillips

Great answer Maya Table! Both Angela Bassett and Laurence Fishburne were nominated for Oscars for What's Love Got To Do With It, and deservedly so, they're both amazing. And I loved the Elvis movie as well! My teenage daughter and I saw it twice together!

Ashley Renée Smith

Not technically a biopic, but one of my all-time favorite movies is Almost Famous. Due to the fact that it's based on experiences that Cameron Crowe had as a teenage journalist working for Rolling Stone magazine, it feels so authentic. I love that movie.

Sam Sokolow

Amadeus is too good not to agree with. Always liked La Bamba. But one film I get sucked into immediately if it's on is Coal Miner's Daughter - the performances are through the ceiling.

Nick Phillips

Ha, yeah close enough with Almost Famous Ashley Renée Smith. Great movie, and it is based on true people and events as you mentioned, i'll take it!

Nick Phillips

Yesss Sam Sokolow La Bamba and Coal Miner's are excellent choices.

Amanda Toney

Not exactly a biopic, but I love the documentary on the greatest night of pop about the making of "We are the World"

Nick Phillips

Just watched it a couple weeks ago Amanda Toney, SO GOOD!

John Perrier

Just when I thought I’d watched them all… some good suggestions in here to continue filling out my list.

John Perrier

By the way, fellow lovers of music biopics, my current project under development is, of course, a music biopic. It’s about one of the greatest bands the world has seen, yet their remarkable story has somehow not yet been committed to film.

Ashley Renée Smith

It was great, Amanda Toney! I was humming the song for two days after. Lol!

John Ceperich

We want to make a movie about Jim Morrison's son, Cliff that is better than Stone's DOORS movie. Floyd Bocox from Stage 32 recently put out this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3sApKx3oGQ

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