TOP 10: Movies about Composers/Musicians

Earlier today, I tweeted that I was watching Amadeus - a movie I haven't watched from start to finish in many a year. It's a great movie - if you haven't seen it then you really should. It won a ton of awards including 8 Oscars (though not for Original soundtrack!).

It may, or may not, be factually accurate - we simply do not know. Peter Shaffer's script is adapted from his own play of the same name which uses, as it's primary sources, a miniature play by Pushkin and a   one-act opera by Rimsky-Korsakov!

Several others agreed what a great movie it is fantastic - though, apparently, there is a Director's Cut that extends it beyond its 2 hours 40 minutes!

Whoever edited the following YouTube clip sems to think 2 hours 40 minutes is too long:



Anyhow, I loved it - despite having a bizarre (and I presume early?) DVD that required me to turn it over half way through!

Then @ppmw challenged me, to come up with a Top 10 Movies about Composer and Musicians.

This list is based on the movie - not the music!

Here's my list:

1. Amadeus - Tom Hulce plays the precocious genius Mozart

2. August Rush - I just love this movie - the ending always makes me cry!



3. Walk the Line- in which Joaquin Phoenix plays Johnny Cash

4. Immortal Beloved - Gary Oldman gives a tremendous performance as Beethoven.



5. 24 Hour Party People Steve Coogan plays Tony Wilson in 80s Manchester.

6. The Pianist - Roman Polanski's movie about Wladyslaw Szpilman


7. Testimony - in which Ben Kingsley brings to life the memoirs of Shostakovich, his struggles under the Soviet regime and his battles with Stalin.

8. Bird - Clint Eastwood's biopic of saxophonist Charlie 'Bird" Parker



9. The Glenn Miller Story - maybe not one of the greatest movies but I have fond memories of watching James Stewart play Glenn Miller on many a rainy Sunday afternoon.

10. Music and Lyrics - yes, yes, I know - an awful chick-flick with a cheese-tastic performance from High Grant as a fading 80s pop star. Two things: (1) this is MY list not yours and (2) can any movie be wrong when it includes a classic spoof such as this!

I'm sure I've missed several great ones (do let me know) and I realise that some on this list aren't classics but, well, I remember enjoying them!