Which biopic* that focuses on the formative years of a real-life musical group rather than a single performer is your favorite musical biopic or documentary? *bands, singing ensembles, musical duos, song-writing teams, etc.
See the partial list of real-life band and musical group biopics and documentaries here: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls040319482/
Poll: https://www.imdb.com/poll/bRA4AIeluJc/
See the partial list of real-life band and musical group biopics and documentaries here: https://www.imdb.com/list/ls040319482/
Poll: https://www.imdb.com/poll/bRA4AIeluJc/
Posted 2 years ago
Honorable Mentions
ISSUE: these movies have a lower vote total and are likely not widely seen biopics
The Jacksons: An American Dream
1992 | TV Series 7.5 (2,700)
Biopic: Jackson Five
The Five Heartbeats
1991 | Movie 7.5 (3,113)
Biopic: The Five Heartbeats
CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story
2013 | TV Movie 7.8 (1,968)
Biopic: TLC
Rembetiko
1983 | Movie 8.2 (2,315)
Biopic: Rembetes
The Harmonists
1997 | Movie 7.2 (2,933)
Biopic: Comedian Harmonists
ISSUE: the movie's musical group is not the focus of biopic
Saving Mr. Banks
2013 | Movie 7.5 (134,231)
Biopic: Robert Sherman & Richard Sherman *song-writing team
ISSUE: these movies have yet to be released wide or to be released at all
Bohemian Rhapsody
2018 | Movie
Biopic: Queen
The Dirt
| Movie
Biopic: Mötley Crüe
Rocketman
2019 | Movie
Biopic: Elton John & Bernie Taupin *song-writing team
ISSUE: I haven't seen the films and I am unsure if the band is enough of a focal part of the story to qualify for poll.
God Bless Ozzy Osbourne
2011 | Movie 7.5 (1,668)
Documentary: Black Sabbath
Control
2007 | Movie 7.7 (56,397)
Biopic: Joy Division
Marley
2012 | Movie 8.0 (12,232)
Documentary: The Wailers
ISSUE: these movie's stories are only quasi-biographical
A Hard Day's Night
1964 | Movie 7.7 (35,659)
Movie: The Beatles *quasi-biographical
Purple Rain
1984 | Movie 6.5 (16,999)
Movie: The Revolution *quasi-biographical
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
2006 | Movie 6.8 (94,426)
Movie: Tenacious D *quasi-biographical
Spice World
1997 | Movie 3.4 (30,484)
Movie: Spice Girls *quasi-biographical
ISSUE: these movies have a lower vote total and are likely not widely seen documentaries
Family Band: The Cowsills Story
2011 | Movie 7.7 (255)
Documentary: The Cowsills *real-life Partridge Family
The New Edition Story
2017 | TV Miniseries 9.0 (2,291)
Documentary: New Edition
Shut Up & Sing
2006 | Movie 7.7 (4,601)
Documentary: Dixie Chicks
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
2010 | Movie 8.5 (3,497)
Documentary: Rush
End of the Century
2003 | Movie 8.0 (3,242)
Documentary: Ramones
A Band Called Death
2012 | Movie 7.5 (3,181)
Documentary: Death
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer
2013 | Movie 7.0 (1,743)
Documentary: Pussy Riot
ISSUE: These movies feature a fictional musical group that became real and performs in real-life
This Is Spinal Tap
1984 | Movie 8.0 (117,010)
Movie: Spinal Tap *fictional group that became real
The Blues Brothers
1980 | Movie 7.9 (162,167)
Movie: The Blue Brothers *fictional group that became real
The Commitments
1991 | Movie 7.6 (29,145)
Movie: The Commitments *fictional group that became real
along with the Brady Bunch and The Monkees TV musical groups
ISSUE: these movies have a lower vote total and are likely not widely seen biopics
The Jacksons: An American Dream
1992 | TV Series 7.5 (2,700)
Biopic: Jackson Five
The Five Heartbeats
1991 | Movie 7.5 (3,113)
Biopic: The Five Heartbeats
CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story
2013 | TV Movie 7.8 (1,968)
Biopic: TLC
Rembetiko
1983 | Movie 8.2 (2,315)
Biopic: Rembetes
The Harmonists
1997 | Movie 7.2 (2,933)
Biopic: Comedian Harmonists
ISSUE: the movie's musical group is not the focus of biopic
Saving Mr. Banks
2013 | Movie 7.5 (134,231)
Biopic: Robert Sherman & Richard Sherman *song-writing team
ISSUE: these movies have yet to be released wide or to be released at all
Bohemian Rhapsody
2018 | Movie
Biopic: Queen
The Dirt
| Movie
Biopic: Mötley Crüe
Rocketman
2019 | Movie
Biopic: Elton John & Bernie Taupin *song-writing team
ISSUE: I haven't seen the films and I am unsure if the band is enough of a focal part of the story to qualify for poll.
God Bless Ozzy Osbourne
2011 | Movie 7.5 (1,668)
Documentary: Black Sabbath
Control
2007 | Movie 7.7 (56,397)
Biopic: Joy Division
Marley
2012 | Movie 8.0 (12,232)
Documentary: The Wailers
ISSUE: these movie's stories are only quasi-biographical
A Hard Day's Night
1964 | Movie 7.7 (35,659)
Movie: The Beatles *quasi-biographical
Purple Rain
1984 | Movie 6.5 (16,999)
Movie: The Revolution *quasi-biographical
Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny
2006 | Movie 6.8 (94,426)
Movie: Tenacious D *quasi-biographical
Spice World
1997 | Movie 3.4 (30,484)
Movie: Spice Girls *quasi-biographical
ISSUE: these movies have a lower vote total and are likely not widely seen documentaries
Family Band: The Cowsills Story
2011 | Movie 7.7 (255)
Documentary: The Cowsills *real-life Partridge Family
The New Edition Story
2017 | TV Miniseries 9.0 (2,291)
Documentary: New Edition
Shut Up & Sing
2006 | Movie 7.7 (4,601)
Documentary: Dixie Chicks
Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage
2010 | Movie 8.5 (3,497)
Documentary: Rush
End of the Century
2003 | Movie 8.0 (3,242)
Documentary: Ramones
A Band Called Death
2012 | Movie 7.5 (3,181)
Documentary: Death
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer
2013 | Movie 7.0 (1,743)
Documentary: Pussy Riot
ISSUE: These movies feature a fictional musical group that became real and performs in real-life
This Is Spinal Tap
1984 | Movie 8.0 (117,010)
Movie: Spinal Tap *fictional group that became real
The Blues Brothers
1980 | Movie 7.9 (162,167)
Movie: The Blue Brothers *fictional group that became real
The Commitments
1991 | Movie 7.6 (29,145)
Movie: The Commitments *fictional group that became real
along with the Brady Bunch and The Monkees TV musical groups
(Edited)
Jen, Champion
I wouldn't include any of the documentaries - those are very different animals than biopics.
As it is literally just opening, you could put Bohemian Rhapsody at the bottom with a notation like "I'll have to see Bohemian Rhapsody before I make my choice.
As it is literally just opening, you could put Bohemian Rhapsody at the bottom with a notation like "I'll have to see Bohemian Rhapsody before I make my choice.
I was on the fence about documentaries as biopics too for the same reason.
I would prefer this poll gets published after Bohemian Rhapsody debuts as it would be more timely. As with many of my recent poll suggestions, I am being forward thinking about films on the horizon and just getting a head start.
IE
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) and A Private War (2018)
Live Poll: Eye Carumba, a Movie Eye Patch Poll
Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)
PS: Funniest Spy Franchise or Comedic Movie
On the Basis of Sex (2018)
PS: Which Movie Best Makes Legal History?
Vice (2018)
PS: Second Bananas: Movie and TV U.S. Vice President Portrayals
I would prefer this poll gets published after Bohemian Rhapsody debuts as it would be more timely. As with many of my recent poll suggestions, I am being forward thinking about films on the horizon and just getting a head start.
IE
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms (2018) and A Private War (2018)
Live Poll: Eye Carumba, a Movie Eye Patch Poll
Johnny English Strikes Again (2018)
PS: Funniest Spy Franchise or Comedic Movie
On the Basis of Sex (2018)
PS: Which Movie Best Makes Legal History?
Vice (2018)
PS: Second Bananas: Movie and TV U.S. Vice President Portrayals
Jen, Champion
Yes, do include Control.
This is a similar poll - https://www.imdb.com/poll/3FiZXCVk04c/
FYC:
What We Do Is Secret - The Germs
What's Love Got to Do with It - Ike and Tina Turner Review/Tina Turner
This is a similar poll - https://www.imdb.com/poll/3FiZXCVk04c/
FYC:
What We Do Is Secret - The Germs
What's Love Got to Do with It - Ike and Tina Turner Review/Tina Turner
Thanks for the insight on Contriol and the suggestions. I was aware of the other poll, but it seems like it focuses, as well as, almost 90% of all music biopics seem to focus on a single performer.
The upcoming Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) along with the past success of the few other band biopics that have been made, makes the sub-genre seem to me a neglected category in the polls. The genre seems to have tons of potential story lines that could be developed, most would have a built in audience and appeal to the general public.Which Classic Rock Band Is Most Overdue For The Biopic Treatment? The fights, the break-ups, the tragic deaths, the wild lifestyle and meteoric rise to stardom seems to provide plenty of fodder for a biopic treatment.
It seems like the few band biopic that do get made, like to find the most notable member of the band and focus on his or her story. Even worse, the ones about the bands themselves studios seem to market the film as a story about its lead member. I picked a few for this suggestion that I felt the band's story seems to get equal treatment. The whole category seems a bit cursed to me with titles like the Allman Brother's Midnight Rider never seeing completion.
Hollywood seems to prefer giving biopics like Brian Wilson's biopic Love & Mercy (2014) the full theatrical treatment, while a Beach Boys' biopic The Beach Boys: An American Family destiny seems to lie as a TV movie.
The upcoming Queen biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) along with the past success of the few other band biopics that have been made, makes the sub-genre seem to me a neglected category in the polls. The genre seems to have tons of potential story lines that could be developed, most would have a built in audience and appeal to the general public.Which Classic Rock Band Is Most Overdue For The Biopic Treatment? The fights, the break-ups, the tragic deaths, the wild lifestyle and meteoric rise to stardom seems to provide plenty of fodder for a biopic treatment.
It seems like the few band biopic that do get made, like to find the most notable member of the band and focus on his or her story. Even worse, the ones about the bands themselves studios seem to market the film as a story about its lead member. I picked a few for this suggestion that I felt the band's story seems to get equal treatment. The whole category seems a bit cursed to me with titles like the Allman Brother's Midnight Rider never seeing completion.
Hollywood seems to prefer giving biopics like Brian Wilson's biopic Love & Mercy (2014) the full theatrical treatment, while a Beach Boys' biopic The Beach Boys: An American Family destiny seems to lie as a TV movie.
Peter, Champion
Dan Dassow, Champion
Rocketman 2019 | Movie
Biopic: Songwriters Elton John and Bernie Taupin
Added
Taron Egerton
...
Elton John 
Jamie Bell
...
Bernie TaupinThe Rocketman (2019) movie seems to focus on the Elton-Bernie songwriting collaboration (music by / lyrics by) more than the Elton John Band members who have performed with him on stage and in the studio since 1970.
Davey Johnstone - Elton John
Nigel Olsson - Elton John
Ray Cooper - Elton John
(Edited)
The Dirt (2019)TV-MA | 107 min | Biography, Comedy, Drama 7.0
Based on the bestselling autobiography from Mötley Crüe, the film is an unflinching tale of success and excess as four misfits rise from the streets of Hollywood to the heights of international fame. Director: Jeff Tremaine | Stars: Douglas Booth, Iwan Rheon, Machine Gun Kelly, Daniel Webber
urbanemovies
The Filth and the Fury
2000 | Movie 7.7 (5,229)
Documentary: The Sex Pistols
Oasis: Supersonic
2016 | Movie 7.9 (7,915)
Documentary: Oasis
Shine a Light
2008 | Movie 7.2 (10,357)
Documentary: Rolling Stones
Buena Vista Social Club
1999 | Movie 7.6 (14,941)
Documentary: Buena Vista Social Club