My Top 15 Music Movies

Posted by Orlin Topalov

A soundtrack is the spirit of a movie. In many cases it is the movie itself - musicals, romantic stories, biographical movies of bands (songwriters), fantasy trips with magical tunes or any other visual hallucinations under the influence of music. The music movies I adore are listed (or reviewed) in ascending order.

01 August Rush (2007)

“August Rush” is not just the best music movie I have seen. It is also the best fairy tale I know. I followed a formalist approach on the examination of the movie and the results are unequivocal. It contains almost all thirty-one functions that Vladimir Propp used to determine the typology of a narrative structure in fairy tale.

It is the story of a musical prodigy, called Evan, conceived in a magical “one night of love” - when Lyla, a prominent and angelic cellist, meets Louis, a frontmen of a rock band, by chance, going after sound of music. Lyla’s heart is supressed by her father, who does not allow her to see Louis and after the birth of Evan he abandons the child and tells her that the boy is dead.

Eleven years later the poor Evan digs his way out from the streets of New York to the Julliard School of Arts. Because of his extraordinary talent, he is granted the opportunity to perform in Central Park. While performing his “August Rhapsody in C major” the dots of the past get connected - Lyla, Loius and Evan reunite and live happily ever after.

02 Across the Universe (2007)

This fictional love story is fascinating for two reasons. First, it takes place in the turmoil of the 1960’s - the years of anti-war protests, movements for free speech, fights for civil rights and the sexual revolution. In the second place, it is inspired by and dressed in the music of “The Beatles” that undoubtedly defines the counterculture of the sixties.

It is truly imaginative and original. The plot is unobtrusive, but messy at times. Nevertheless this is not a reason to dislike it. As Stephen Holden writes in a review for New York Times, “I realized that falling in love with a movie is like falling in love with another person. Imperfections, however glaring, become endearing quirks once you’ve tumbled.” The rendition of the original Beatles songs is crowning. I really like the voices of Jim Sturgess, Evan Rachel Wood and T.V. Carpio.

03 Pink Floyd The Wall (1982)

Several years ago I watched The Wall for the first time. Although I understood nothing, I thought it was really cool. It had an perception changing impact on me - I am a Pink Floyd fan ever since. Recently I watched the film again and now I see clearly some of the important issues it addresses.

The protagonist Pink, a rock superstar, is in an isolation mode for many years. The loss of his father in the Second World War, the fears and uncertainty his mother projected onto him, the indifference and coldness of the people, the sarcastic attitude of the teachers in school, the infidelity of his wife, the blinded adulation of his fans - these are the building blocks of the wall against his Orwellian dystopia.

Although the movie is a reaction against the social and political reality of the sixties, it can also be applied to the problems of the day - brainwashing, homophobia and religious intolerance.

04 Hair (1979)

Hair is taken from the 1960’s Broadway show to the screen by Milos Forman. But you should never judge a movie by its stage roots (people often make that mistake and then sprinkle ashes on it). Measure its worth independently.

Hippies! This is the first thing that comes to my mind when someone mentions Hair. The story starts with Claude Bukowski - a young man from Oklahoma, who is drafted into the army for service in Vietnam. In New York City he meets a group of hippies, who make efforts to convince him to abandon his military intentions. Eventually, he is enrolled in the basic training program and most regretful for his decision. The hippies steal a car and take on a journey across the USA to visit Claude.

Energetic and colourfull hippies dancing on “Aquarius” sequence still echo in my memory. The optimistic message for a world of love without war is explicitly sealed with “Let the Sunshine In”.

05 Les chansons d’amour (2007)

Paris has always been the Stage for love stories. The aberrant outlook on love and life of its citizens is an inspiration for great works in cinema and art. The romantic climate of the city cannot be affected by the Zeitgeist - the spirit of the age. It is these unorthodox morals and ambience that were presented in Bertolucci’s The Dreamers.

Characterized as a dark comedy, the movie unveils the story of a threesome - Ismael, Julie (his girlfriend) and Alice (a colleague of his), sharing time, food, feelings and a bed. The absurd death of Julie breaks the harmonic love triangle and a consequent Almodovarian twist tangles the storyline up. An exemplification of French cinema!

My Top 15 Music Movies (06 - 15)

• 06 Grease (1978)
• 07 The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
• 08 The Visitor (2007)
• 09 Once (2006)
• 10 What We Do Is Secret (2007)
• 11 The Soloist (2009)
• 12 A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
• 13 La vie en rose (2007)
• 14 All That Jazz (1979)
• 15 Immortal Beloved (1994)