Risky Roadz: 0121

Falco - Muss ich denn sterben, um zu leben?

December 2011 •German

Out of the Loop

August 1997 •English

A feature-length documentary on the 1990s Chicago rock scene.

You Can Be Happy

Invalid date •English

A touching, funny and intense insight into the workings of a modern day renaissance project. Featuring rare interviews with Chris Corner, producer Jim Abiss, the live band members, and Sneaker Pimps co-founder Liam Howe, plus special footage of live performances and backstage madness.

Hitsville: The Making of Motown

August 2019 •English

The remarkable story of the legendary Motown Records is told through exclusive interviews with the label’s visionary founder, Berry Gordy, and many of its superstar artists and creative figures, as well as rare performances and behind-the-scenes footage unearthed from Motown’s vaults and Gordy’s personal archives.

Reconstruction of Hill Street Birmingham

February 1949 •English

An engineering feat: Second city civil engineers complete a new bridge to carry traffic over New Street's tangled railway intersections.

Midland Journey

August 1947 •English

Tourist promo film extolling the delights of Birmingham and the Midlands, with a sprinkling of arch one-liners.

King of the Hill: A 70th Anniversary Retrospective of Cincinnati’s King Records

August 2014 •English

James Brown was the jewel in the crown, but the throne of Cincinnati’s King Records always belonged to its irascible founder, Syd Nathan. This is the 70th anniversary of the legendary record label and studio. It closed shop nearly 40 years ago, in a now long-neglected warehouse on the neighborhood border of Evanston and Walnut Hills, but its impact still reverberates across today’s music.

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

Sharon Osbourne Presents Rock 'n' Roll's Dodgiest Deals

May 2017 •English

Sharon Osbourne presents the story of pop deals through the decades. She looks at some memorably bad and good deals offered to a range of musicians from Little Richard to NWA.

Brian Epstein: Inside the Fifth Beatle

January 2004 •English

Get to know the mastermind behind The Beatles’ worldwide domination, from an unknown Liverpool band to uncontested modern musical icons.

Welcome to Death Row

September 2001 •English

The record label Death Row Records has, since its creation in 1993, been synonymous with the American hip-hop climate. Formed by ex-bodyguard Suge Knight, the label has released seminal rap albums from luminaries including Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg, and the famous hip-hop martyr Tupac Shakur. WELCOME TO DEATH ROW is a fascinating, well-researched documentary which explores the history of this intriguing and incredibly significant company.

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

September 2002 •English

In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. gathered the best musicians from Detroit's thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company. Over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on every hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis and the Beatles combined - which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. They called themselves the Funk Brothers. Forty-one years after they played their first note on a Motown record and three decades since they were all together, the Funk Brothers reunited back in Detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story, with the help of archival footage, still photos, narration, interviews, re-creation scenes, 20 Motown master tracks, and twelve new live performances of Motown classics with the Brothers backing up contemporary performers.

Slave Trade: How Prince Remade the Music Business

July 2014 •English

In the mid-1990s reports emerged that Prince had fallen into dispute with his record company. Having signed what was ostensibly a new, 100 million dollar contract just a couple of years before, Prince was now demanding - not unreasonably to most commentators - control of his masters and the freedom to release what he wanted when he wanted. After a bitter war of words, during which the star scrawled Slave across his cheek whenever he appeared in public and routinely dissed his label, the parties finally settled and Prince henceforth was free to take full control of his music and the way it was sold to consumers. Prince approached this task with devastating foresight as he routinely created new marketing concepts which, with time, became the norm across the music world.

On the Record

January 2020 •English

The haunting story of music executive Drew Dixon as she grapples with her decision to become one of the first women of color, in the wake of #MeToo, to come forward and publicly accuse hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons of sexual misconduct. A gripping and profound examination of race, gender, intersectionality, and the toll sexual abuse takes on survivors and on society at large.

The Definitive Elvis: Elvis and the Colonel

March 2002 •English

One of the dominating figures in Elvis Presley's life was his manager, who was known as the "Colonel". No other relationship in Elvis' life was as controversial and misunderstood as the one he had with Colonel Tom Parker. The truth about their unique friendship is revealed in this documentary.

The Workshop of the World: Birmingham

January 1930 •

Spellbinding images of Birmingham between the wars.

La corte de Ana

March 2020 •Spanish

She appeared when Spain was waking up from a long post-war period and crying with melodramas starring children, a child prodigy unlike any other; a girl who, in time, would become a symbol of freedom and a total artist. Actress, singer, friend, lover. This is the story of Ana Belén.

Paradise Lost: History in the Un-Making

September 2021 •English

When filmmaker Andy Howlett set out with his camera to document the final days of Birmingham's Brutalist Central Library complex, little did he know the rabbit hole he was stumbling into. Decried by the Council as an eyesore, but hailed by Historic England as an exemplar of postwar design, the story of John Madin's concrete colossus and the fight to save it is a curious one. In this psychogeographic detective story, Howlett weaves together archive footage with on-the-ground explorations in an attempt to figure out why we lost Paradise and how it might be regained.

The Ballad of Judas Priest

Invalid date •English

Witness the 50-year story of Judas Priest. From forging Heavy Metal in the British Steel industry to their rise to Metal Gods.

A & E: When Patients Attack

January 2015 •English

Hospital staff are reporting more violence and anti-social behaviour than ever before. In 2015, 8 staff were assaulted every hour – a new record high. At The Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham – one of the UK’s biggest hospitals – they think they have the answer. Here a private security force of 46 uniformed guards, and a sophisticated CCTV system, keep staff and patients safe. A colourful mixture of characters ranging from ex-soldiers, to bouncers, to former elite sportsmen, it’s the security team’s job to keep the hospital running smoothly. With more than 2 million visitors they have to deal with all aspects of crime and anti-social behaviour. All against a back drop of life changing and life saving procedures.