Mad Ramblings of a Movie Geek 03.12.09: Rock Biopics

Posted by Jordan Bruns on 03.12.2009

Rock Biopics: Week 1...

Welcome to this week's Mad Ramblings of a Movie Geek! Last week's column on Embodying the Subject made me think about revisiting an idea I've had but have long since discarded. I have always wanted to write a series of articles about musical biopics, since I've always found a fusion of music and cinema to be one of the most central aspects of filmmaking. I've always loved biopics, especially musical ones. When a musician has a film made about him or her, it's sure to make for interesting storytelling, even if historical accuracy has to take a back seat to the narrative. I'll probably do about two or three of these because there are so many movies I want to discuss. Some are Hollywood productions, some are made for TV movies, and some are documentaries. I have chosen for this week to discuss two biopics of early rock idols, and one that explores the early years of the most popular rock band ever.

Here now are my ramblings on three Rock Biopics…






My Mad Ramblings
Forget about how crazy he is now, this role made Gary Busey a star, even if he was soon relegated to character actor status. Despite being 33 while playing Buddy Holly from ages 19 to 22, Busey still managed to deliver a likable and commanding performance. From the start, the audience becomes endeared to this good old boy from Texas, and we cheer him on as he overcomes the various hurdles in his way and questions the status quo of the music business. We also watch him fall in love with a young Puerto Rican woman named Maria Elena Santiago, whom he marries after only one date, despite the taboo of interracial relationships at the time. Busey also does his own singing and guitar playing, and since video footage of actual Holly performances is scarce, he was able to make the character his own, which is probably for the best, since this film is not to be mistaken for a documentary. In fact about 75 percent of the film is fictionalized. One such example is that in the film The Crickets are a trio, when in reality there were four of them. However, we must remember that this is Hollywood and in Hollywood the myth and legend are always more important than the facts. As a film The Buddy Holly Story is almost flawless… as a film. Those who wish to know the true story of Buddy's life should check out an obscure 1985 documentary produced and hosted by Paul McCartney, appropriately titled The Real Buddy Holly Story.





My Mad Ramblings
Ritchie Valens' name will be forever linked to that of Buddy Holly due to a tragic accident, but nine years after Holly's life got the big screen treatment, Valens got a biopic of his own. La Bamba was the film debut of Lou Diamond Phillips, who shines as 16-year-old Richard Valenzuela, a poor Hispanic kid from the San Fernando valley with dreams of being a rock and roll star. Ritchie's muse is his girlfriend Donna, who inspires his biggest hit song ("Donna" was the A-side of "La Bamba", so it got more airplay at the time). Along the way he must also deal with his jealous, alcoholic, ex-convict half brother Bob (an equally impressive Esai Morales) as well as recurring premonitions of an early death. He must also deal with a stage name he doesn't like, since Valenzuela was too Latino sounding to be commercially viable in the 1950's. Having Los Lobos cover Valens' music gives the film a distinct 1980's feel, which, instead of hurting the film's credibility, actually succeeded in bringing his music to a whole new audience. La Bamba is less a biography than it is a celebration of a life cut short, but it still hits all the right notes, and the ending provides an emotional wallop often lacking in such stories.





My Mad Ramblings
A Hollywood biopic about The Beatles would be a risky move at best, and almost destined for failure. Why? Because the band is so iconic, that no four actors, no matter how talented they are, could as appealing as the Fab Four themselves. Backbeat finds a way around this, focusing on the friendship of John Lennon and Stu Sutcliffe during the group's formative years. College roommates and best pals John and Stu venture to Hamburg with the rest of The Beatles, where they rock the German nightclubs, bang groupies, and eat speed like candy. Backbeat shows what The Beatles were like before they became famous. Instead of the mop top haircuts, clean cut purple suits, and wholesome public image, they wear leather jackets, swear at the audience, and get into fights. The toughest of this lot if Ian Hart as John Lennon, a young man so bitter and angry at the world that it's hard to believe he's the same guy who wrote "Imagine" a decade later. Stephen Dorff counters Hart with his portrayal of the ill-fated Sutcliffe, out of place as a beatnik and painter among these raucous musicians. Sheryl Lee plays Stu's love interest Astrid Kircherr, who quickly finds herself driving a wedge between the once inseparable pair. What really hurts this film is the so-called "Backbeat Band", which included David Pirner of Soul Asylum on vocals and Dave Grohl on drums. They sound nothing like The Beatles, which de-emphasizes the raw power and energy of their early stage act. The film itself is decent enough for even a non-Beatles fan to enjoy, and although it gives tremendous insight into what made John Lennon tick, the rest of the band are seen as mere supporting players, and given no character development. The film itself even goes so far as to suggest that Lennon and Paul McCartney could barely stand each other, which may have been true in the band's later days, but was far from the case when they were just starting out.

That's it for this week's Mad Ramblings. Next week's selections will include a made for TV movie about a legendary soul group and a documentary about a very influential quartet from Queens.

Until next time…