Music Documentaries
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23 titles
- DirectorPierre AdidgeStarsJoe CockerLeon RussellChris StaintonJoe Cocker and Leon Russell perform live at the Fillmore East and Santa Monica Civic Auditorium.
- DirectorBarbara KoppleStarsWoody AllenLetty AronsonSoon-Yi PrevinAcademy Award-winner Barbara Kopple directs this documentary portrait of Academy Award and Golden Globe-winner Woody Allen, seen traveling with friends and fellow musicians during their New Orleans jazz band's 1996 European tour. Allen's relationship with his wife Soon-Yi Previn is captured on film here for the first time, and others on the European jaunt include Allen's sister Letty Aronson. Followed by press, paparazzi, and gushing admirers, Allen returns home to face a more realistic critical assessment during "the lunch from hell" with his aged parents.
- DirectorDavid LelandStarsJoe BrownEric ClaptonJools HollandGeorge Harrison's friends, family, and bandmates unite for a tribute concert on the one-year anniversary of his death.
- DirectorBruce WeberStarsChet BakerCarol BakerVera BakerDocumentary on the life of jazz trumpeter and drug addict Chet Baker. Fascinating series of interviews with friends, family, associates and lovers, interspersed with film from Baker's earlier life and some modern-day performances.
- DirectorLian LunsonStarsLeonard CohenBonoRufus WainwrightA documentary on the legendary singer-songwriter, with performances by those musicians he has influenced.
- DirectorMargaret BrownStarsJoe ElyGuy ClarkWillie NelsonBe Here to Love Me - Chronicles the fascinating and often turbulent life of musician Townes van Zandt.
- DirectorJay DuplassStarsCedric BatesMike JasperMobolaji KomolafeKevin Gant was an inspired and beloved Austin musician, but in 1995 he disappeared from the scene. Who is Kevin? What happened to him? And, can he get back what he lost?
- DirectorJim BrownStarsJoan BaezJohnny CashBill ClintonInterviews, archival footage and home movies are used to illustrate a social history of folk artist and activist Pete Seeger.
- DirectorMalik BendjelloulStarsRodriguezStephen 'Sugar' SegermanDennis CoffeyTwo South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez.
- DirectorWim WendersStarsCompay SegundoIbrahim FerrerRubén GonzálezAging Cuban musicians whose talents had been virtually forgotten following Castro's takeover of Cuba, are brought out of retirement by Ry Cooder, who travelled to Havana in order to bring the musicians together, resulting in triumphant performances of extraordinary music, and resurrecting the musicians' careers.
- DirectorBob SmeatonFrank CvitanovichStarsJanis JoplinGrateful DeadThe BandThe filmed account of a large Canadian rock festival train tour boasting major acts like Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead and The Band.
- DirectorCharlotte ZwerinStarsThelonious MonkJohn ColtraneJimmy ClevelandA documentary film about the life of pianist and jazz great Thelonious Sphere Monk. Features live performances by Monk and his band, and interviews with friends and family about the offbeat genius.
- DirectorAndrew ShapterStarsBonnie RaittElvis CostelloLes PaulWith outstanding performances and revealing interviews Before the Music Dies takes a critical look at the homogenization of popular music with commentary by some of the industry's biggest talents like Eric Clapton, Dave Matthews, Elvis Costello, Erykah Badu, Branford Marsalis, Bonnie Raitt and more. Using historic footage the film looks at the evolution of American music and the artists who created it and pulls back the curtain (in a very creative way) to expose the sad truth behind today's "artificial" music stars. "The reality is that superficiality is in," says Marsalis. "And depth and quality is kind of out." Inspired by the death of his brother, director Andrew Shapter and his crew traveled thousands of miles, visiting dozens of cities, speaking with hundreds of fans, journalists, record executives and musicians while searching for "real" American music. What they found were mega-talents without a major label, including one artist Eric Clapton believes is "the real thing."
- DirectorNeil YoungBenjamin JohnsonStarsDavid CrosbyStephen StillsGraham NashThe war in Iraq is the backdrop as the Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young "Freedom of Speech Tour" crisscrosses North America. Echoes of Vietnam-era anti-war sentiment abound as the band connects with today's audiences.
- DirectorJames SzalapskiStarsPeggy BrooksGuy ClarkDavid Allan CoeThe best music and the best whiskey come from the same part of the country.
- DirectorGavin TaylorStarsBob DylanThe BandMary Chapin CarpenterOn October 16, 1992, an impressive and eclectic group of artists gathered at Madison Square Garden in New York City for the purpose of celebrating the music of Bob Dylan on occasion of his 30th anniversary of recording. Bringing together musical greats as far-flung as Johnny Cash and Eddie Vedder, The Clancy Brothers and Lou Reed, the four hour show celebrated a truly remarkable lifetime of songs in front of a sold-out audience of over 18,000. Warmly dubbed the Bobfest by participant Neil Young, the show was broadcast around the world and featured a cast of musical notables performing carefully chosen and often surprising selections from the incomparable Dylan songbook. At evening's end, the man of honor himself appeared on stage and gracefully brought it all back home again. In a world where all-star celebrity gatherings have become commonplace, the Bob Dylan celebration stood out as, first and foremost, a legitimately memorable musical event. Available for the first time in High Definition.
- DirectorJoshua WaletzkyStarsPhilip BoscoElmer BernsteinClaudine BouchéA documentary that explores the work of a composer who created music for over 50 films, collaborating with such diverse directors as Orson Welles, Nicholas Ray, and Martin Scorsese.
- DirectorBrian LockwoodDanny O'BryenStarsEric ClaptonNathan EastAndy Fairweather LowThis film, from the makers of Eric Clapton - The 1960s Review, follows Clapton's bold musical journey through the seventies. Featuring new and archive interviews, rare performance footage, contributions from the likes of Bonnie Bramlett, Bobby Whitlock, The Albert Brothers , George Terry, Willie Perkins, Bill Halverson, Clapton biographer Marc Roberty and others, plus a host of other features.
- DirectorBeth McCarthy-MillerStarsJames TaylorValerie CarterRecorded in support of the 1997 album Hourglass, James Taylor's Live At The Beacon Theatre features the legendary singer-songwriter on a spirited journey through his acclaimed catalog. This set features footage not seen in the original broadcast.
- DirectorWilly SmaxStarsBob DylanGeorge HarrisonJim KeltnerSpring, 1988: George Harrison asks Jeff Lynne, Roy Orbison, and Tom Petty to spend a day in the studio at Bob Dylan's L.A. house. The result is "Handle With Care." He liked the process so much that the five of them, plus Jim Keltner, spend a week in May at Dave Stewart's house, where they write and record a song a day to produce an album. We watch the creative process: group efforts ("Dirty World" is a found poem) and individual ones (Dylan's lyrics for "Congratulations'). Petty calls them "a bunch of friends who happened to be really good at making music." The album, released in October, goes platinum. The rock video for "End of the Line" is a eulogy for Orbison (1936-1988).
- DirectorJacob HatleyStarsLarry CampbellJay CollinsElizabeth DankoA documentary on Levon Helm, a founding member of The Band, at home in Woodstock in the midst of creating his first studio album in 25 years.
- DirectorGarret LinnStarsJohn LurieBilly MartinSteven Bernstein
- DirectorDenny TedescoStarsBrian WilsonDick ClarkCherA celebration of the musical work of a group of session musicians known as "The Wrecking Crew", a band that provided back-up instrumentals to such legendary recording artists as Frank Sinatra, The Beach Boys and Bing Crosby.