From Jeremy Allen White’s upcoming Bruce Springsteen film, to Timothée Chalamet showing off his Bob Dylan-like vocals in A Complete Unknown, music biopics appear to be in every single place.
Yet, these flicks aren’t a brand new phenomenon. Movies centered across the lives of music icons have been charming audiences for a long time, from 1980’s Coal Miner’s Daughter, in regards to the lifetime of country icon Loretta Lynn, to 2005’s Johnny Money biopic, Walk the Line.
James Mangold, the author and director behind each Walk the Line and Chalamet’s upcoming film, describes A Complete Unknown as a departure from the standard music biopic format.
“I didn’t need to turn Bob Dylan into an easy character with an easy thing to unlock that then makes you go, ‘Ah, now I get him.’ I don’t think that’s possible, having gotten to know him,” Mangold, 60, told Rolling Stone earlier this 12 months. “So then my role as a dramatist becomes, if I’m not going to do this… which in a way I did do in Walk the Line. It’s a difference.”
He continued: “Johnny Money is defined by his upbringing, the lack of his brother, the shame he’s carried in life, and an addiction that was driven by the sorrows of his childhood. It lines up very clearly. And his music being about, type of, imprisonment and darkness — it’s all in incredible, dramatic harmony with these psychological observations about him. None of that will be that easy with Bob.”
While a music biopic has a concentrate on one character particularly, Mangold says the story will also be about an entire ensemble of characters, and most significantly, how the story makes audiences feel.
“Considered one of the things that is actually hard to define and positively I believe hard to define on film — and one in every of the good questions of life — is what’s talent and the way is someone born special,” Mangold said. “As an alternative of me attempting to answer that query, which I really consider is unanswerable, I believe that we try to reply — after we come across someone like that, who’s got some type of artistic tiger by the tail and seems on a type of rocket ship in comparison with us mortals — [is] how does it affect us and our feelings about existence, our own validity? Jealousy, worship, idolatry, obsession, love — all these items could be the results of this type of superpower that a personality can have.”
Keep scrolling for Us Weekly’s picks of the very best music biopics of all time:
‘Coal Miner’s Daughter’ (1980)
Following the lifetime of country music icon Loretta Lynn from her upbringing in poverty in Kentucky to her marriage at 15 years old and her eventual rise to fame, Coal Miner’s Daughter is titled after the singer’s 1970 hit song of the identical name and garnered praise from each the critics and the box office.
Based on George Vecsey’s 1976 biography of the musician, the film became the seventh highest grossing film of 1980. Lynn hand-picked Sissy Spacek to play her within the film, and Spacek went on to win the Academy Award for Best Actress for her powerful performance (the film was nominated for seven Oscars total).
‘Amadeus’ (1984)
Adapted from the 1979 stage play of the identical name, Amadeus tells a fictionalized story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with a specific concentrate on his rivalry with composer Antonio Salieri. The positive critical reception for the film is evidenced by eight Academy Award wins, including Best Picture, Best Director (Miloš Forman) and Best Actor (F. Murray Abraham).
A period piece marked by its intensity, creativity and robust performances from its leads, Amadeus is an inventive and entertaining have a look at the legendary composer’s life.
‘La Bamba’ (1987)
Titled after Ritchie Valens’ rock and roll adaptation of the Mexican folk song of the identical name, La Bamba follows the Chicano star’s short-lived rise and fall within the music industry. Called “the definitive Eighties music biopic” by The Times, the Luis Valdez-helmed film is marked by powerful music, family conflict, prejudice and a tragic ending made much more poignant by the very fact it relies on a real story.
‘Selena’ (1997)
Jennifer Lopez’s breakthrough performance as Selena Quintanilla-Pérez on this 1997 biopic made her the primary Latina actress to earn $1 million and shot the rising star into unprecedented levels of fame.
Beyond Lopez’s commanding performance because the Tejano music star, whose life was tragically cut short at age 23, Selena boasts a robust soundtrack and a tear-jerking story written and directed by Gregory Nava.
‘8 Mile’ (2002)
Starring Eminem in his film debut, with strong performances from Brittany Murphy, Kim Basinger and Mekhi Phifer, 8 Mile is a fictionalized version of Eminem’s upbringing and fledgling rap profession in his home city of Detroit.
An enormous box office success, the gritty and emotional film also earned praise from critics, including an Academy Award for Best Original Song for “Lose Yourself.”
‘Ray’ (2004)
Ray is a movie spanning three a long time of the lifetime of Ray Charles, during which Jamie Foxx gives an Oscar-winning performance because the soul musician. With support from Kerry Washington, Regina King and Clifton Powell, the movie explores the complexity of Charles’ life while paying homage to his legendary profession.
‘Walk the Line’ (2005)
Based on two biographies of Johnny Money, Walk the Line follows the singer-songer’s formative years, including his relationship with June Carter (played by Reese Witherspoon) and his issues with addiction. Joaquin Phoenix gives a riveting performance as Money, and Witherspoon took home her first and only Academy Award for her portrayal of Carter.
‘La Vie en Rose’ (2007)
Titled after her signature song, La Vie en Rose recounts the lifetime of French singer Édith Piaf in a non-linear structure. From a childhood spent in a brothel in Normandy to grappling with grief, addiction and health issues later in life, Marion Cotillard portrays the singer’s life with a grace and fortitude that earned her the primary Academy Award given to a French-language role.
‘Straight Outta Compton’ (2015)
Starring Ice Cube and Dr. Dre (who were former members of the group NWA and likewise producers of the film), Straight Outta Compton depicts the rise and fall of the Compton-based hip hop group. The film won the NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture and inspired Dr. Dre’s successful 2015 album, Compton.
‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (2018)
Centered on Freddie Mercury’s life, from the formation of Queen to the band’s famous 1985 Live Aid performance, Bohemian Rhapsody was produced by Queen manager Jim Beach, with band members Brian May and Roger Taylor serving as consultants on the film. Rami Malek’s riveting portrayal of Mercury earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor, and the film also took home Oscars for Film Editing, Sound Editing and Mixing.
‘Rocketman’ (2019)
Based on the lifetime of Elton John, Rocketman differs from lots of its biopic predecessors in that it’s a jukebox musical drama told completely through John’s discography. Traversing the highs and lows of the enduring singer’s profession, Taron Egerton’s performance because the singer earned praise from audiences and critics alike. The film was pioneering in that it was one the primary from a serious studio to incorporate a gay male sex scene.
‘Elvis’ (2022)
An unrecognizable Austin Butler transforms into Elvis Presley for this colourful retelling of the King of Rock and Roll’s life. With Baz Luhrmann’s eclectic style, including modern-day takes on classic Elvis songs, the film tells the story of Presley’s childhood, profession, rise, fall and eventual death, recounting romances, addiction issues and relationship troubles along the best way. Tom Hanks gives a haunting performance as Colonel Tom Parker, Presley’s manager who serves as an antagonist within the film.
