A good movie soundtrack can launch a film into the musical stratosphere of all-time greats, while a poor one can leave an otherwise exceptional movie face down in a pile of its own drug-induced vomit. The five films listed here are great movies that near the intangible realm of perfection with the help of excellent soundtracks and an innovative musical subject matter. From the mischievous antics of four young men in 1960s London to the use of music as a metaphor for relationships in modern-day Chicago, here are the five greatest movies about music, in no particular order.
High Fidelity (2000)
The film adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel is true to its Irvine Welsh-like roots, while still giving a different type of perspective on an intimate story that feels vibrant and full of life, despite our hero's pessimism. John Cusack lends his analytical, self-conscious personality to play Rob Gordon, a record store owner and once-upon-a-time DJ. The music chosen for the movie is brilliant, but what makes the movie feel so real are the characters' flaws and obsessive compulsions towards creating "Top 5s" about different things in their lives, from the top five breakups (in chronological order) to the top five songs to play on a Monday morning.
Almost Famous (2000)
Cameron Crowe's semi-autobiographical tale follows a teenage journalist trying to write a story about an up-and-coming band at the height of rock and roll in the early 1970s. Young William Miller's naivety about the world is left behind as he grows up on the road, all the while falling in love with Penny Lane, played by the beautiful Kate Hudson. The music written for the movie's fictional band, Stillwater, is powerful classic rock with an incendiary sound. However, the true masterpiece in the movie is the timeless bus scene, where the entire group puts aside their differences to sing along to Elton John's "Tiny Dancer." The movie is a fantastic delve into a time where music was rock and social etiquette was rebellion itself.
The Commitments (1991)
There truly are not enough great movies about soul music, but of the few, The Commitments stands alone as the epitome of how soul can shape a group of people and define a generation. Robert Arkins plays Jimmy Rabbitte, the manager of an all-white "blue-eyed soul" band with aspirations of being the biggest soul-singing group in the world. The riveting story of restlessness in Dublin is a powerful example of how the will and determination of a few can create musical greatness and how egos and larger-than-life personalities can ultimately destroy it.
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Set during the height of Beatle-mania, the film takes place shortly after the boys arrive in London in 1964. Feeling confined inside their hotel, they leave for a night out before their performance set for later that night. It is at this time Ringo decides to try and experience life by setting off on his own, stopping off in pubs and exploring the city by himself. During the band's adventures from casinos to theaters, we get to see an intimate, more human portrayal of four men that dominated the world's social and music scenes and are still revered today as one of the greatest bands the world has ever seen.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
The ultimate "mockumentary," This Is Spinal Tap follows the fictional '80s metal band, appropriately called Spinal Tap, and their unorthodox rise to prominence. The hilariously ignorant and uneducated trio tries to market their most recent album, titled Smell the Glove. The movie is a bold comedy that refuses to compromise its integrity, despite its potential offensive nature. The music written for the band which, by the way, was actually performed by the actors, is funny, sexual and full of energy. The movie and its music became so popular that Spinal Tap essentially became a real band, performing on tour and even putting out successful albums. One of the greatest movies about music ever filmed, This Is Spinal Tap is a hilarious adventure that turns up the volume to the proverbial 11.
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