Great films where music is a central theme.


I'm a film lover for as long as I can remember. There's nothing like a film that combines my passion for music and film. I'm going to leave out concert films from this, as there are plenty of threads on that. Lets stick to other films - dramas or documentaries - that use music as a central theme, or have it as a key element in the narrative. Here are a few of my own favorites to get the ball rolling.

As it is in Heaven
The Bands Visit
Schultze Gets the Blues
Troubled Water (the Erik Poppe film)
Sweet and Lowdown
Bird
'Round Midnight
I'm Not Here

Documentaries:

Throw Down Your Heart
The Devil and Daniel Johnston
Lets Get Close (Bruce Weber)
Buena Vista Social Club
Bob Dylan: Don't Look Back
Leonard Cohen: I'm Your Man

So it's really could be split into two threads; Narative films and Documentaries. But lets try leaving it open to both, just no concert films. What are some of your favorites?
jax2

Showing 7 responses by richard_stacy

How about Clyde? I guess it wasn't the central theme but the scenes where he was making his electronic music in the living room were priceless.

Yea Marco, I've been building footers all day and my Carharts are just soaked. Gonna crack open a 40 and kick back to some Nascar. Yup.

Is it just my house or do your wives get all freaked to watch shark week on the Discovery channel? Must be something seriously phallic about those big ass fish.
Ha! I am spaced. I meant Cyrus.

Speaking of soundtracks, I just remembered a whole list of great soundtracks! Great thread Marco! I love soundtracks!

Wait...a great white is breaching on a seal...gotta run...
To piggyback on Marco's comments regarding Von Trier, I would also like to add Beavis and Butthead Do America. I would say that music is central to the theme of the film and also would parallel the Von Trier comments in that it can be polarizing, painfully difficult to watch and disturbing in content. I must admit to being a fan of the film as well as the series and am pleased that they are being revived to educate a new generation.
Yes Marco, very influential and responsible for the Cornholio as a Christ figure subtext. Glad I could further your film education.
http://www.mtv.com/videos/misc/675057/beavis-and-butt-head-sdcc-11-sneak-peek.jhtml#id=1667713

Maybe it's not an actual subtext....