Films can ‘rock around the clock,’ too

Bill Knight column for Nov. 15, 16 or 17, 2018

With the acclaimed “Star is Born” remake and the new “Bohemian Rhapsody” about Queen and singer Freddie Mercury, it’s a great time to reconsider rock movies.

Historically, of course, Hollywood has rarely gotten rock ‘n’ roll right. In rock music’s early years, most filmmakers were unfamiliar with the new and raucous music and its subculture, so they just clumsily tacked on songs or scenes to try to appeal to young fans. As time passed – and rock changed – directors increasingly had less difficulty making rock ‘n’ roll and also making movies.

On the music side, emotions generally don’t have to be explained, just expressed, and that doesn’t comfortably fit with movies. Eventually, younger filmmakers began working – people who’d grown up with rock as the soundtrack to their lives.

In their book “Rock on Film,” Bill Reed and David Ehrenstein define eight periods of rock movies: The start (when 1954’s “Wild One” showed the exciting fringes of America’s new music – assaulting the Eisenhower Era), youth exploitation movies, beach movies, the Beatles’ movie gems, soundtrack-dominated movies, documentaries, bio pics, and modernized musicals.

Besides the 10 solid films below, others too numerous to list are “bubbling under,” as the rock charts once said. Arguably, they include “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Catch Us If You Can,” “The Commitments,” “Don’t Look Back,” “The Doors,” “Eddie and The Cruisers,” “Get on Up,” “Gimme Shelter,” “The Harder They Come,” “I Wanna Hold Your Hand,” “Janis,” “Light of Day,” “Love & Mercy,” “The Kids Are Alright,” “Let It Be,” “Medicine Ball Caravan,” “Monterey Pop,” “Rainbow Bridge,” “Rock Around The Clock,” “The Runaways,” “Selena,” “Sid and Nancy,” “Sympathy For The Devil,” “The T.A.M.I. Show,” “Tommy,” “Wattstax” and “Woodstock.”

For now, search online, Red Box, etc. for these beauts:

“Absolute Beginners” (1986). Julien Temple directed this adaptation of Colin MacInne’s book about life in London in the ’50s, with love and race as the backdrop. Eddie O’Connell stars as a rock wannabe, supported by David Bowie.

“Almost Famous” (2000) This was a box-office and critical success, blending a fictionalized version of the misadventures of writer Cameron Crowe (who directs), and his career as an adolescent contributor to Rolling Stone magazine. Patrick Fugit stars as the 15-year-old who falls in with the subculture of rock bands and rock magazines. Co-starring Jason Lee, Frances McDormand, Kate Hudson and a small, stellar part by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, the film adviser was Peter Frampton.

“The Buddy Holly Story” (1978). Gary Busey gave the performance of his career in this screen biography of rock legend Holly, from humble Texas beginning to a tragic death in an airplane crash, from “Peggy Sue” to Clear Lake, Iowa. Featured are Charles Martin Smith and Don Stroud.

“Great Balls of Fire” (1989). Dennis Quaid is outstanding as Jerry Lee Lewis in this high-energy biography of the early rock ‘n’ roller. Winona Ryder is his love-interest cousin and Alec Baldwin is excellent as another cousin, Jimmy Swaggart.

“A Hard Day’s Night” (1964). Richard Lester changed music movies with his Fab Four chronicle. Rock emerged out of exploitation-only to dramatic and artistic.

“Head” (1968). This cult favorite is hilarious, bizarre, insightful and a strong argument for sobriety during creativity. The Monkees star in Bob Rafaelson’s romp exploiting cinema and psychedelic drugs. Besides the band, appearing in this silliness are Frank Zappa and Teri Garr, plus Annette Funicello, Dennis Hopper, Victor Mature, Sonny Liston and Jack Nicholson. (!)

“King Creole” (1958). A favorite from Elvis’s wide-ranging filmography, this drama – with music – was directed by Michael Curtiz, whose cast included Dean Jagger, Walter Matthau, Vic Morrow and Carolyn Jones. Based on a Harold Robbins novel, this is set in New Orleans, where Elvis is a singing busboy hired by mobbed-up Matthau to star in a nightclub owned by organized crime.

“LaBamba” (1987). Lou Diamond Phillips stars in the rags-to-riches tale of Ritchie Valens, born in poverty and destined for rock stardom – and an untimely death. Elizabeth Pena, Esai Morales, Marshall Crenshaw and Rick Dees co-star.

“200 Motels” (1971). The late Frank Zappa was a genius and here he and his band, the Mothers of Invention, are touring; that excuse for a plot is intercut with moments that are essentially comedy bits and weird gags. Also featured are Keith Moon and Ringo Starr.

“What’s Love Got to Do with It?” (1993). Laurence Fishburne and Angela Bassett star as Ike and Tina Turner in this unsentimental look at the R&B duo’s early years. From a troubled childhood through an abusive relationship with her husband to a dramatic comeback, Tina’s inspiring story is one of survival.