The United States Service Bands

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.

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.

The Red Elvis

February 2007 •German

A documentary on the late American entertainer Dean Reed, who became a huge star in East Germany after settling there in 1973.

La magia de los Parchís

August 1982 •Spanish

Noise Matters

March 2013 •English

A satire on the relationship between fame and integrity in the life of eccentric characters exploring the "art" of making noise using trash and everyday objects.

You, the Living

September 2007 •Swedish

In the Swedish city of Lethe, people from different walks of life take part in a series of short, deadpan vignettes that rush past. Some are just seconds long, none longer than a couple of minutes. A young woman remembers a fantasy honeymoon with a rock guitarist. A man awakes from a dream about bomber planes. A businessman boasts about success while being robbed by a pickpocket, and so on. The absurdist collection is accompanied by Dixieland jazz and similar music.

Once

March 2007 •English

A vacuum repairman moonlights as a street musician and hopes for his big break. One day a Czech immigrant, who earns a living selling flowers, approaches him with the news that she is also an aspiring singer-songwriter. The pair decide to collaborate, and the songs that they compose reflect the story of their blossoming love.

Leningrad Cowboys Go America

March 1989 •Finnish

The Leningrad Cowboys, a group of Siberian musicians, and their manager, travel to America seeking fame and fortune. As they cross the country, trying to get to a wedding in Mexico, they are followed by the village idiot, who wishes to join the band.

Bandits

July 1997 •German

Four female cons who have formed a band in prison get a chance to play at a police ball outside the walls. They take the chance to escape. Being on the run from the law they even make it to sell their music and become famous outlaws.

Metallica: Some Kind of Monster

June 2004 •English

After bassist Jason Newsted quits the band in 2001, heavy metal superstars Metallica realize that they need an intervention. In this revealing documentary, filmmakers follow the three rock stars as they hire a group therapist and grapple with 20 years of repressed anger and aggression. Between searching for a replacement bass player, creating a new album and confronting their personal demons, the band learns to open up in ways they never thought possible.

That Thing You Do!

October 1996 •English

A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager.

Wasted Youth

July 2003 •German

The year is 1981, the German New Wave is at the peak. Harry, otherwise Sparkasse trainee, wants to make it big as a manager of the band of his friends, Apollo Schwabing. He has booked the band as the opening act for a concert where the group DAF are the headliners.

Bamseom Pirates Seoul Inferno

August 2017 •Korean

Grindcore punks Bamseom Pirates make music suitable for a sick society.

This Is Spinal Tap

March 1984 •English

"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.

Interstella 5555: The 5tory of the 5ecret 5tar 5ystem

May 2003 •English

Four talented alien musicians are kidnapped by a record producer who disguises them as humans. Shep, a space pilot in love with bass player Stella, follows them to Earth. Reprogrammed to forget their real identities and renamed The Crescendolls, the group quickly becomes a huge success playing soulless corporate pop. At a concert, Shep manages to free all the musicians except Stella, and the band sets out to rediscover who they really are — and to rescue Stella.

A Pentatonix Christmas Special

December 2016 •English

Celebrating the holiday season with a one-hour television event where viewers can enjoy the Grammy Award-winning musical phenomenon Pentatonix performing an array of classic holiday tracks as well as modern favorites.

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.

Frances Carroll & 'The Coquettes'

February 1940 •English

Bandleader Frances Carroll leads The Coquettes, an all-female band, in several swing tunes.

The Ghosts of Jeju

August 2013 •English

Documentary about the struggle of the people of Jeju Island, South Korea. Set in the context of the U.S. presence in Korea after World War II, the film reveals horrible atrocities at the hands of the U.S. Military Government of Korea.

American Satan

October 2017 •English

A young rock band, half from England and half from the US, drop out of college and move to the Sunset Strip to chase their dreams.