History of Rock & Roll Movies & TV

History of Rock & Roll Movies & TV

The History of Rock and Roll (1995)

Yes, five DVDs and ten full hours of musical performances, interviews with artists, historical footage, and "behind-the-music" stories about the many stages of development in rock and roll. Go get some popcorn, and a lot of it.

Berkeley in the Sixties (1990)

Ever wonder what the phrase "the '60s" really means? This documentary offers a vivid explanation, and all told through original film footage, photographs, and the words of those who lived it, many as teens and young adults in high school and college during the Free Speech Movement, the Anti-War Movement, the rise of Black Power, and the Summer of Love.

This Is Spinal Tap (1984)

This is a classic—and hilarious—mockumentary about the imaginary British heavy metal group Spinal Tap, the world's loudest band. It pokes fun at the heavy metal rock scene and all its excesses: the elaborate stage shows, the hair, the groupies, and the arrogance.

Purple Rain (1984)

Not the best romantic film ever made, but a classic from the '80s featuring a young Prince as "The Kid," a reclusive musician struggling to save a turbulent romance, keep his band together, confront his abusive father, and make it big in the music industry. And of course, the soundtrack's A+.

Pink Floyd: The Wall (1982)

Following the release of their 1979 album, The Wall, Pink Floyd hired director Alan Parker to create a film version of the record. Using just the songs from the album to narrate the storyline, Parker delivers what feels, at times, like a freakishly animated nightmare with allusions to fascism, flesh-eating monsters, and—wait for it—talking buttocks.

Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music (1970)

The director's cut version of this documentary features nearly four hours of footage from the three-day Woodstock music festival, including performances by the Who, Jefferson Airplane, Santana, Sly and the Family Stone, Janis Joplin, and Jimi Hendrix.

The Complete Monterey Pop Festival (1967)

This documentary features incredible footage of both performers and audiences at this pre-Woodstock music event, which launched the careers of artists like Jimi Hendrix and Janis Joplin.

A Hard Day's Night (1964)

The Beatles play themselves in this semi-fictional, mockumentary-style film about a band experiencing their first moments of extreme fame. When the mop-top quartet runs into mobs of screaming fans, hilariousness ensues.

Jailhouse Rock (1957)

Elvis Presley stars as Vince Everett, a prison inmate serving a sentence for manslaughter. Young Everett's cellmate, a country singer, inspires him to pursue a career in music once released from prison. He finds, however, that the music business is full of low-down dirty rotten folks anxious to exploit him to make a buck.