Best Biographical Movies - Part 14
Posted on 1 Jan 00:00
Presented here is another seven of the best biographical movies ever produced.
1. Metal: A Headbanger’s Journey (2005)
Plot: This film is about 31-year-old Canadian anthropologist, Sam Dunn. In addition to his anthropological career, Sam is a great lover of rock music, especially heavy metal. In the film, he demonstrates his love for heavy rock by discussing the various facets of this musical genre. He discussed how heavy metal evolved. Dunn also explores the mixed opinions that people have about heavy metal. His love of this genre of music spans more than twenty years beginning when he was twelve.
Director: Sam Dunn with help from Scot McFadyen and Jessica Wise.
Main Cast: Sam Dunn. Sam interviews many prominent heavy metal musicians.
Commercial Performance: Unknown.
Awards and Nominations: This film was critically acclaimed. Many critics praised it. It won the Gemini Award for Best Writing in a Documentary Program or Series.
2. Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991)
Plot: 'Madonna: Truth or Dare' focuses on superstar, Madonna. Director, Alek Keshishian, features Madonna as she moves through the 1990 Blond Ambition Tour. The shooting starts on the day the tour ends, where Alek films scenes of Madonna at the hotel relating how the tour’s end will impact her life. The film chronicles all that happens during the tour. It includes low moments, when Madonna and her crew dress lightly, and the weather turns extremely cold much to their discomfort. It also features a moment when Madonna was almost arrested for indecent exposure (dressing provocatively). At one point, her show was almost stopped when Pope John Paul threatened to order it banned. Luckily, the tour was completed.
Director: Alek Keshishian.
Main Cast: Madonna.
Commercial Performance: This film is one of the most successful documentaries ever produced. In making the film, the production team spent $4.5 million. After its premiere, the movie grossed $29 million.
Awards and Nominations: This film was a worldwide success and critics praised the film. Upon its premiere, many critics immediately fell in love with how the movie featured new and exotic fashions. During the Pollstar Concert Industry Awards, the film was awarded the Most Fashionable Production award.
3. A Brief History of Time (1991)
Plot: Director, Errol Morris, focuses on the life of Stephen Hawking, the famous physicist. He names the movie after Hawking's bestselling book called 'A Brief History of Time'. Although the book's central focus is cosmology, the movie goes a long way to discuss other aspects of Hawking's life. It also includes interview sessions of Stephen Hawking with his family, relatives, friends, and colleagues. Errol also depicts how he conducts his life with ALS.
Director: Errol Morris.
Main Cast: Stephen Hawking.
Commercial Performance: The film grossed $2.3 million, a considerable sum for documentary films. The budget is unknown.
Awards and Nominations: The films was critically acclaimed. It received the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize - U.S. Documentary.
Plot: 'The Wings of the Eagles' is about Frank ‘Spig’ Wead. a U.S. Navy aviator who helped promote United States Naval aviation from its inception through WWII. The film was shot ten years after his death in 1947 when Frank was fifty-two years old. Director, John Ford, produced the film to pay tribute to the late aviator. In 1944,
Director: John Ford.
Main Cast: This movie had a big cast. The principal cast includes John Wayne (as Frank ‘Spig’ Wead), Dan Dailey (as ‘Jughead’ Carson), Maureen O'Hara (as Min Wead), Ward Bond (as John Dodge), and Ken Curtis (as John Dale Price).
Commercial Performance: This films budget was $2,644,000 and it grossed $3,650,000. For the time a decent return on investment.
Awards and Nominations: This film was well-received by most critics who praised it for its remarkable style. Rotten Tomatoes gave the movie an 85% approval rating. Records reveal no awards or nominations for the film.
Plot: In this film, Director, Cameron Crowe, charts Pearl Jam Band’s history (Pearl Jam - an American rock band formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990). He begins by addressing the demise of 'Mother Love Bone', the predecessor band to Pearl Jam, and progresses to Pearl Jam band’s struggle against Ticketmaster. Crowe also touches on the tragic scenes of the band during the Roskilde Festival tragedy, which occurred in 2000 when a crush (stampede) occurred resulting in the death of 9 people and 26 people injured. The movie includes rare footage and interviews, which are merged to make an excellent compilation.
Director: Cameron Crowe.
Main Cast: Eddie Vedder), Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Mike McCready , and Matt Cameron.
Commercial Performance: Unknown.
Awards and Nominations: This film was nominated for three awards but did not win. During the Miami Film Festival, Cameron Crowe was nominated for the Grand Jury at the Knight Dox Competition. The movie also received the nomination for Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing - Sound Effects, Foley, Dialogue, ADR and Music in a Feature Documentary during the Motion Picture Sound Editors Festival in the USA in 2011.
6. American: The Bill Hicks Story (2009)
Plot: Tis film features the life of one of American's great comedians, Bill Hicks. The movie uses a blend of archival footage and interviews of friends and relatives to create a good compilation of Bill's life and career.
Director: Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas
Main Cast: Various friends and relatives of Bill Hicks.
Commercial Performance: Unknown.
Awards and Nominations: This film was a critically acclaimed. In 2010, the film was nominated for the Grierson British Documentary Award for the "Most Entertaining Documentary. During the 2011 Eye Cinema, it was nominated for the Best Animation and Graphics Award. The movie won three awards; The Dallas Film Festivals Texas Filmmaker Award, the Lancia Award, and Best Documentary at the Downtown LA Film Festival, and the Little Rock The Oxford American's Best Southern Film Award.
Plot: This movie is about crossword puzzle constructors and solvers. It features them as they compete for a $4,000 prize at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament. The film is one of the most incredible documentaries and one of the most game-reviewed films. It brings a large amount attention to the activity of crossword puzzle.
Director: Patrick Creadon.
Main Cast: Ellen Ripstein, Jon Delfin, Trip Payne and Tyler Hinman.
Commercial Performance: This film grossed $3,127,000. The budget is unknown.
Awards and Nominations: This film did well financially and was well recieved by critics. It won one award and seven nominations. It won the National Board of Reviews Award for the Best Documentary. During the Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, the film won the Critics’ Choice Award for Best Documentary Film.
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