Comments on: Film Junk Poll: What is the Best Musical Biopic?

By: Maureen W.

Maureen W. — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 01:34:00 +0000

I would argue all biopics are historical revisionism, period. In this list, 24 Hour Party People and the Doors play around with the truth quite a bit, probably just as much as I’m Not There and Amadeus.

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 21:06:00 +0000

It fictionalizes things and uses each of the actors to represent different facets of his life and personality.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 19:53:00 +0000

My mistake. I apologise.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 19:53:00 +0000

I haven’t seen that film. But if you’re referring to the variation of actors playing Dylan, I don’t see how that should have any relevance to the legitimacy of the story.

Amadeus, on the other hand, is historical revisionism (except the fact that the film clearly doesn’t take itself that seriously).

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 19:51:00 +0000

None of those are MUSICAL biopics. Except maybe The Pianist.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 19:45:00 +0000

That being said, this list is scandalous. I’ve already mentioned two good films that never made the list. But there are even more important films, all of them masterpieces that would completely blow away any competition that exists on your list, that were completely overlooked:

The Elephant Man (1980), Downfall, Gandhi, Lawrence of Arabia, The Pianist, Raging Bull,

You also got films like Hunger, Coco Before Chanel, Malcolm X, The Aviator, Nixon, Erin Brockovich, A Beautiful Mind, Donnie Brasco, Chaplin and Capote (of which the late Philip Seymour Hoffman won his only oscar).

How about you tear down the list you have made (with the exception of La Vie en Rose), and make a new one with the above mentioned ones?

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 19:35:00 +0000

I guess it depends how important you think adhering to the truth is. I’m Not There is a pretty unconventional biopic too.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 19:30:00 +0000

1. The film is about Salieri’s relationship with Mozart — a story that is more or less fabricated (like the fact that he “assasinated” Mozart). Large portions of the story is false and completely made up.

2. The film is extremely ironic and satirical, and not to be taken seriously.

A biographical film is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people, and differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story historically correct.

Ed Wood is a biopic. Man on the Moon is a biopic. Amadeus, however, is a half-serious, half-satirical film based on a stage play — which again is “based on a true story”.

By: Sean

Sean — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:54:00 +0000

How is it not?

By: Lisa

Lisa — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 17:19:00 +0000

Amadeus, a biopic? Are you a fucking retard?

By: Steve Kroodsma

Steve Kroodsma — Sun, 22 Jun 2014 16:55:00 +0000

Can’t agree more. It also does an nice job of getting you through fifty years of musical history. Barring that movie, my vote goes to I’m Not There. Sean, you gotta re-watch that bad-boy. It’s awesome.

By: Sam

Sam — Sat, 21 Jun 2014 16:00:00 +0000

8 Mile might be pulling off an upset