With Blinded By the Light opening this past weekend, we on The Paul Castronovo Show got to talking about the best rock movies ever made. Not concert films, but movies where the main focus was the music and the people that made it. Biopics and things like that. Or even fictional characters with good rock soundtracks. And they had to lean toward the rock genre. I say that upfront because while Ray was a crazy good movie and Jamie Foxx WAS Ray Charles, that’s not a ROCK movie. Also, neither is Walk The Line, with Joaquin Phoenix becoming the great Johnny Cash. So, argue if you will, but here are my top ten rock movies:
- The Blues Brothers: Belushi, Akroyd, James Brown! Carrie Fisher as a gun toting jilted lover, and the band….great story, great music, and Illinois Nazi’s. What’s not to love?
- That Thing You Do: Tom Hanks produced story about a one hit wonder band is simple, sweet, funny and sad. More bands have this career than make it.
- The Doors: Val Kilmer is spectacular as Jim Morrison, it’s the best performance of his career, and yes that includes Top Gun
- Almost Famous: Based on Cameron Crowe’s real life experience as a teenager reporter for Rolling Stone.
- Rocketman: Elton John’s life story knocked it out of the park with his epic biopic. It had to be great, I hate musicals and loved this.
- Bohemian Rhapsody: I think the acting was better than the movie, because Rami Malik became Freddie Mercury more than any actor ever became their subject
- This Is Spinal Tap: A comedy rock movie from the people that brought you Best in Show. Turn it on and turn it up…to 11.
- School of Rock: How can you not like Jack Black? Funny, family movie about a bunch of high school kids who get turned into rockers by their “just kicked out of his bar band substitute teacher”.
- The Buddy Holly Story: Every once in a while this pops up on AMC or something, but it’s Gary Busey before he lost his mind, and man is he good.
- Yesterday: The story of a world without the Beatles. I really loved the film, and not just because of the music. There’s a great twist and if nothing else you come out feeling great and you realize the world is a better place with The Beatles in it.
Let us know what your favorite is! And who knows? Maybe we'll have a few more to talk about in a couple years!