The Blues Under the Skin

Dziadowski's Blues Non Camera, ie Legs Forward

August 1978 •Polish

An animated film made without the use of a camera using the technique of drawing and painting directly on a film strip, illustrating a grandfather's ballad, the protagonist of which seeks an explanation for the cruel phenomena of the world around him. Rockets thrown to the ground and bombs exploding, a car falling off a cliff, a driver driving a man on the street or a policeman firing a gun at an opponent - images of this type of catastrophic behavior are intertwined with the recurring image of a man running somewhere.

Ghost World

July 2001 •English

Two quirky, cynical teenaged girls try to figure out what to do with their lives after high school graduation. After they play a prank on an eccentric, middle aged record collector, one of them befriends him, which causes a rift in the girls’ friendship.

Head Rag Hop

June 1970 •English

A proto-music video: three minutes of experimental animation set to the tune of Romeo Nelson's 'Head Rag Hop'.

Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

December 2007 •English

Following a childhood tragedy, Dewey Cox follows a long and winding road to music stardom. Dewey perseveres through changing musical styles, an addiction to nearly every drug known and bouts of uncontrollable rage.

Black Snake Moan

December 2006 •English

A God-fearing bluesman takes to a wild young woman who, as a victim of childhood sexual abuse, is looking everywhere for love, but never quite finding it.

The Blues Brothers

June 1980 •English

Jake Blues, just released from prison, puts his old band back together to save the Catholic home where he and his brother Elwood were raised.

Ma Rainey's Black Bottom

November 2020 •English

Tensions rise when the trailblazing Mother of the Blues and her band gather at a Chicago recording studio in 1927. Adapted from August Wilson's play.

Shake 'Em On Down

September 2016 •English

Shake ‘Em On Down is a one-hour documentary film which aims to tell the story of Fred McDowell, who was first recorded by Alan Lomax in 1959, traveled to Europe with the Rolling Stones in the mid-1960s, mentored Bonnie Raitt, and served as the cornerstone of the unique and enduring North Mississippi- style of blues music.

Heaven Stood Still: The Incarnations of Willy DeVille

October 2024 •English

The life and times of the most original American singer/ songwriter of the last 50 years.

Crossroads

March 1986 •English

A wanna-be blues guitar virtuoso seeks a long-lost song by legendary musician, Robert Johnson.

Blues Brothers 2000

February 1998 •English

Finally released from prison, Elwood Blues is once again enlisted by Sister Mary Stigmata in her latest crusade to raise funds for a children's hospital. Hitting the road to re-unite the band and win the big prize at the New Orleans Battle of the Bands, Elwood is pursued cross-country by the cops.

Storyville - Live at Antone's

March 2008 •English

Recorded live at the storied Antone's in January 2006, this special package delivers a powerful set that reunites this Austin-based supergroup from the prior decade. Storyville is led by the soulful vocals of Malford Milligan, with masterful guitarwork from David Grissom and David Holt, and all driven by the Double Trouble rhythms of Chris Layton and Tommy Shannon.

Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story

September 2008 •English

Boogie Man is a comprehensive look at political strategist, racist, and former Republican National Convention Committee chairman, Lee Atwater, who reinvigorated the Republican Party’s Southern Strategy to increase political support among white voters in the South by appealing to racism against African Americans. He mentored Karl Rove and George W. Bush and played a key role in the elections of Reagan and George H.W. Bush.

Bluesman

October 2019 •Czech

Blues in the Night

November 1941 •English

A struggling band find themselves attached to a fugitive and drawn into a series of old feuds and love affairs, as they try to stay together and find musical success.

Howlin' Wolf in Concert

November 1970 •English

This shows Howlin' Wolf prowling on stage at the first Washington D.C. Blues Festival in November 1970, supported by his top-notch band. Hear him moan his earth-shaking blues and watch his unforgettable stage antics and you'll see why Sam Phillips - who also discovered Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Jerry lee Lewis - called Howlin' Wolf his greatest discovery.

American Folk-Blues Festival: The Blues and Gospel Train

August 1964 •English

A 16 minute short comprising 2 acts of a 1964 event where an innovative group of musicians performed on a real railroad track. The audience on one side of the tracks and the musicians on the station side.

T'Ain't Nobody's Bizness: Queer Blues Divas of the 1920s

January 2013 •English

The 1920s saw a revolution in technology, the advent of the recording industry, that created the first class of African-American women to sing their way to fame and fortune. Blues divas such as Bessie Smith, Ma Rainey, and Alberta Hunter created and promoted a working-class vision of blues life that provided an alternative to the Victorian gentility of middle-class manners. In their lives and music, blues women presented themselves as strong, independent women who lived hard lives and were unapologetic about their unconventional choices in clothes, recreational activities, and bed partners. Blues singers disseminated a Black feminism that celebrated emotional resilience and sexual pleasure, no matter the source.

Lady Sings the Blues

October 1972 •English

Chronicles the rise and fall of legendary blues singer Billie Holiday, beginning with her traumatic youth. The story depicts her early attempts at a singing career and her eventual rise to stardom, as well as her difficult relationship with Louis McKay, her boyfriend and manager. Casting a shadow over even Holiday's brightest moments is the vocalist's severe drug addiction, which threatens to end both her career and her life.

Killer Diller

January 2004 •English

A guitar playing car thief meets an autistic savant piano player, and together they transform a group of reluctant halfway house convicts into The Killer Diller Blues Band.