Best movies based on a music album

[celedhring]

It's been a while since I posted a movie poll. Inspired by me seeing both Roger Waters and The Who live in the past few months.

Source material must be a rock/pop music album. So adaptations from musicals, operas, etc... don't count (Jesus Christ Superstar is a gray area because it was an album first, then a musical, then a movie). Neither do concert films (i.e. Stop Making Sense, The Last Waltz).

Many of the Beatles movies are not strictly adaptations of existing albums, since both film/album came out simultaneously, but heck, let's have them. They're The Beatles. The only valid choice is A Hard Day's Night, anyway.

Anyway, for me the top pick is Quadrophenia. One of the few on the list that would be genuinely good movies even without the music element. It feels a lot like a proper 1970s British gritty realist movie, except that The Who makes the soundtrack - which is awesome. True Stories is a close second, and if you like David Byrne/Talking Heads you owe it to yourself to watch it, since it's a rather obscure film.

Third picks goes to The Wall for having the best/trippier visuals.

[The Brain]

Jesus Christ Superstar is an awesome movie, period.

[Oexmelin]

Since we have the Beatles, Yellow Submarine.

[Josephus]

What did you think of Waters? Jooz giving him lots of grief

[celedhring]

What did you think of Waters? Jooz giving him lots of grief

I enjoyed the show. The long rants/vagaries were even midly entertaining - and he had a few good stories, a touching one was him talking about himself and Barrett riding on the train after a concert and dreaming about having their own band. Anyway, the music is just too good.

[Admiral Yi]

I did not know that about Jesus Christ Superstar.  Counterintuitive.

[Sheilbh]

Quadrophenia and Jesus Christ Superstar for the reasons mentioned.

And Tommy - what Ken Russell probably considered one of his more restrained efforts (it was, from what I understand, almost a warm up act to his film on Liszt ). Extraordinarily lavish visuals, great music and an absolutely incredible cast: Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed, Elton John, Tina Turner, Jack Nicholson

[Admiral Yi]

I liked quadrophenia much more than Tommy.  I thought Tommy was a mess.

[Savonarola]

Under the Cherry Moon; I can watch that over an over and still find something new.

 

I haven't seen all of the movies on this list.  I really like "Hard Day's Night," especially Wilfrid Brambell's take on Paul McCartney's rabble rousing grandfather (I bet you're a great swimmer).  Ringo and John do a commendable job throughout as well (though George was wise to stick with playing the guitar.)

[celedhring]

I liked quadrophenia much more than Tommy.  I thought Tommy was a mess.

Tommy (the movie) is not great but it's fun and over the top. I mean, it's a Ken Russell film 

The plot of the album is very ridiculous, and it works in the album because it's very allegorical and you fill in the blanks. The movie adapts the story extremely literaly (with some changes) and it looks very silly on screen.

As Sheilbh points out, though, the cast is incredible. Ann Margret  And Reed is so cartoonishly sleazy, too.

Has Nicholson ever sang in a movie besides Tommy?

[Admiral Yi]

Who Nicholson?  I'm pretty foggy on details.

[celedhring]

Who Nicholson?  I'm pretty foggy on details.

Jack Nicholson. He plays the doctor in Tommy.

[Admiral Yi]

Gotcha

[Pedrito]

Other: The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

It stands the test of time much better than JCS or Tommy, and the music and cast are absolutely excellent.

Of those listed, Quadrophenia.

L.

[The Brain]

Other: The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

L.

Is it based on a music album?