Standing in the Shadows of Motown

Night and Fog

April 1959 •French

Filmmaker Alain Resnais documents the atrocities behind the walls of Hitler's concentration camps.

School of Rock

October 2003 •English

Fired from his band and hard up for cash, guitarist and vocalist Dewey Finn finagles his way into a job as a fifth-grade substitute teacher at a private school, where he secretly begins teaching his students the finer points of rock 'n' roll. The school's hard-nosed principal is rightly suspicious of Finn's activities. But Finn's roommate remains in the dark about what he's doing.

Rockin' at the Red Dog: The Dawn of Psychedelic Rock

July 2005 •English

This documentary pays tribute to the contributions and importance of the title watering hole in the creation of the psychedelic dancehalls that littered the West during the late '60s and helped launch such super groups as The Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and The Quicksilver Messenger Service. Music by Big Brother and the Holding Company, and the Charlatans is also featured. The Red Dog Saloon had its genesis in 1964 when a group of free-thinking, LSD-enhanced Northern California students and young folks had a party and began thinking about starting up a saloon that would evoke the old West. They decided to build their saloon in Virginia City, Nevada, a once prosperous town that was by then nearly empty. The ambience of the saloon blended Old West sensibilities with modern psychedelia, go-go girls and plenty of illegal drugs. The film is comprised of interviews with surviving founders, actual archival footage, and even a performance of some of the musicians who appeared there.

The Sweet: All That Glitters

February 1974 •English

In 1973, Sweet were the subject of a documentary All That Glitters for BBC Schools series Scene. Being intended for “educational purposes,” the program had to pose a relevant topic for debate among its teenage audience—in this case, “Is the music business really that glamorous?” Over a period of two to three days, Scene followed the band members Brian Connolly (vocals), Steve Priest (bass/coals), Andy Scott (guitar) and Mick Tucker (drums) as they rehearsed for a Top of the Pops appearance (which led to an outcry over Priest’s Nazi outfit) and their (now hailed as “legendary”) Christmas show at London’s Rainbow Theater.

Dreamgirls

December 2006 •English

A trio of female soul singers cross over to the pop charts in the early 1960s, facing their own personal struggles along the way.

Dogtown and Z-Boys

May 2002 •English

This award-winning, thrilling story is about a group of discarded kids who revolutionized skateboarding and shaped the attitude and culture of modern day extreme sports. Featuring old skool skating footage, exclusive interviews and a blistering rock soundtrack, DOGTOWN AND Z-BOYS captures the rise of the Zephyr skateboarding team from Venice's Dogtown, a tough "locals only" beach with a legacy of outlaw surfing.

Still Crazy

October 1998 •English

In the 1970s, Strange Fruit were it. They lived the rock lifestyle to the max, groupies, drugs, internal tension and an ex front man dead from an overdose. Even their demise was glamorous; when lightning struck the stage during an outdoor festival. Twenty years on, these former rock gods they have now sunk deep into obscurity when the idea of a reunion tour is lodged in the head of Tony, former keyboard player of the Fruits. Tony sets out to find his former bandmates with the help of former manager Karen to see if they can recapture the magic and give themselves a second chance.

Song

April 2014 •Finnish

Song is a story of the last Finnish rune singer and his pupil, and the comforting power of singing.

Sarong Girl

June 1943 •English

A dancer in a girlie show plots revenge when a judge orders her show closed.

Antes que Me Esqueçam, Meu Nome É Edy Star

January 2019 •Portuguese

This documentary is about the artistic trajectory of Edvaldo Souza, aka Edy star, the flamboyant gay singer, actor, dancer, theatrical producer, performer, visual artist and the last of the Kavernistas alive. The script mixes the memories of artists, friends and Edy himself, meeting in a studio with the singer and composer Zeca Baleiro.

Blue Extra

March 2021 •Turkish

Shine a Light

April 2008 •English

Martin Scorsese and the Rolling Stones unite in "Shine A Light," a look at The Rolling Stones." Scorsese filmed the Stones over a two-day period at the intimate Beacon Theater in New York City in fall 2006. Cinematographers capture the raw energy of the legendary band.

Into Great Silence

September 2005 •German

An intimate portrayal of the everyday lives of Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse, high in the French Alps (Chartreuse Mountains). The idea for the film was proposed to the monks in 1984, but the Carthusians said they wanted time to think about it. The Carthusians finally contacted Gröning 16 years later to say they were now willing to permit Gröning to shoot the movie, if he was still interested.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds - Live at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester

September 2023 •English

Join Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds in unbeatable quality for this exclusive live concert stream. Witness every moment of this highly anticipated homecoming show - featuring a mix of the critically acclaimed new album 'Council Skies' and long-time fan favourites. The entire show is available to watch now, so get ready to relive this historical night or experience the magic for the first time. On Saturday 26 Aug 2023, 30,000 Noel Gallagher fans gathered at Wythenshawe Park, Manchester, for his biggest-ever solo headline show. Whether you couldn't make it on the day or were there in the front row and centre, this isn't one to miss - watch from the comfort of your home today.

Happy on the Ground: 8 Days at Grammy Camp

April 2011 •English

Talented teen musicians from around the USA spend a week working with Grammy nominated professionals

The Wild Blue Yonder

September 2005 •English

An alien narrates the story of his dying planet, his and his people's visitations to Earth and Earth's self-made demise, while human astronauts in space are attempting to find an alternate planet for surviving humans to live on.

Little Voice

November 1998 •English

After the death of her father, Little Voice or LV becomes a virtual recluse, never going out and hardly ever saying a word. She just sits in her bedroom listening to her father's collection of old records of Shirley Bassey, Marilyn Monroe and various other famous female singers. But at night time, LV sings, imitating these great singers with surprising accuracy. One night she is overheard by one of her mother's boyfriends, who happens to be a talent agent. He manages to convince her that her talent is special and arranges for her to perform at the local night club, but several problems arise.

A World Without Beethoven?

September 2020 •English

"What would the world be like without Beethoven?" That’s the provocative question posed by this music documentary from Deutsche Welle. To answer it, the film explores how Ludwig van Beethoven's innovations continue to have an impact far beyond the boundaries of classical music, 250 years after his birth.

Panic! at the Disco: Live in Denver

November 2006 •English

A concert documentary following Panic! at the Disco during their performance in Denver, Colorado for their headline tour after the release of their debut album, 'A Fever You Can't Sweat Out' in 2005.

Stock Aitken Waterman: Legends of Pop

January 2023 •English

Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman were the producers who came, SAW and conquered the UK charts in the 1980s, spinning the music scene right round like a record with their instantly recognisable brand of disco floor-filling pop hits. The trio divided the nation between those who loved their Hi-NRG sound and the singers they transformed into tabloid sensations, and a music press that loathed them for turning record producing into a production line. Today, many of SAW’s most memorable hits are considered classics of their time, and the very best of them are celebrated in this new selection, featuring such artists as Rick Astley, Dead or Alive, Donna Summer, Bananarama, Mel & Kim and, of course, Kylie and Jason