PERSONALLY, I think there seems to be an uptrend waiting to take off in Hollywood: Films that revolve around the story of musicians and their music.
Surely, the fact hasn’t escaped me that music has never left the tables of entertainment ever since the radio was invented. Disney brought in the cash with its musical animated films that ushered in a renaissance for the brand in the ‘90s. Reruns of “School of Rock” and “Drumline” on cable television never fail to entertain people bumming out on their sofas. Cult classics like “Almost Famous” (or “School of Rock”—again) leave an imprint on their viewers. “Begin Again” and “Once,” and maybe “August Rush,” leave hopeless romantics still hoping by the credits. And of course, who can forget “High School Musical?”
In the age of social media, “Whiplash” (2014) started churning out memes and quickly found itself in the discussion among cinema-exploring millennials. Youth could easily relate with terror teachers, and “Whiplash” sold that to a tee. Damien Chazelle, who directed “Whiplash,” went on to write and direct the hit “La La Land.” Insert personal opinion here: “La La Land” was a fantastic breath of fresh air right in the middle of towering senseless blockbusters and puddles of, sometimes pretentious, minimalist or moralist films.
On to the next: “The Greatest Showman” hit theaters and took the formula of blockbusters and Billboard hits and applied it to a full-length audiovisual experience in local cinemas. People couldn’t get enough of the Zac Efron, Zendaya, Hugh Jackman movie and kept singing to the songs even long after they’d left the theaters. Fun fact: “The Greatest Showman” lyric writers Benj Pasek and Justin Paul were also the duo who crafted the songs for “La La Land.”
Christian film “I Can Only Imagine” (based on the MercyMe hit of the same title) had its fair share of exposure. Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga’s “A Star Is Born” was a tour de force; inspired work that draws from the cinematic approach of the ‘80s but explores current social themes through music. There’s the Queen biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody” which has been years in the making already (and understandably so, seeing the trailer with the painstakingly recreated “Live Aid” gig which was a milestone not only for the band but for the history of musical performances in general as well), and the Elton John biopic “Rocketman.”
Where do we go from here is anybody’s guess. It seems great to see though, business investing in biopics of ‘80s rockstars. There’s a sense of tribute and a display of respect for good, solid songwriting.
What “music films” have you seen yourself and find special?