Musicians Who've Made Films

Musicians Who've Attempted Films

The Dylan Masked & Anon thread got me to thinking about musicians who've made films. I'm not talking about cameo roles but attempts to make complete films and how those films are preceived. A few are obvious like the Beatles success in A Hard Days' Night but I think most music stars flop when they attempt to make movies. A few that come to mind are:

Dylan - Renaldo & Carlo
Madonna - Any film
McCartney - Give My Regards to Broadstreet

Can you name a few others and whether they were critically acclaimed or panned?

mud-

 

Pavarotti....Yes Georgio!

 

Widescreen version, I'll assume!



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Sting - "Lock stock and two smoking barrels."


~Mikhail

 

I really want to see that Human Highway movie Neil Young did. I'm not sure, but I don't think it was very well recieved.

 

Here's one for you:

"Two Lane Blacktop" (1971) with James Taylor & Dennis Wilson. James is a wonderful singer/songwriter but one look at this film will clue you in as to why he didn't do any more movies after this one. I don't recall how Dennis Wilson's performance was. The film also starred the late great Warren Oates.

 

Anchor Bay put out a nice Limited DVD Edition Tin with a few goodies. I enjoyed Dennis & James performance...I believe the critics felt differently.

 

How about...
80 Steps To Jonah-Wayne Newton.

Butch Patrick had a small part as a blind child...

 

Roy Orbison made a movie. It was forgotten about very quickly. I remember seeing it in a theatre. Even as a young child I could recognize bad acting. I believe the title was "Fastest Guitar Alive"???

 

Steve Mariott made a movie that I caught on TV years ago on a late show. It was quite good as far as I remember. I want to say it was fictional about starting a rock and roll band back in the 60's. Perhaps some of the U.K. members know this movie?

 

Sting played one of the villains in David Lynch's theatrical adaptation of Dune. Sting's did a bunch of movies back in the 80's.

 

I believe John Mellencamp did a film that was critically well received, but not so at the box office. I liked Bob Geldof in Pink Floyd's THE WALL, but that may be considered more music video than narrative film. Roger Water's was gonna be the lead, but ,apparently, it was known soon after he did some screen tests, that wasn't gonna happen.

 

The partial cast list of That'll Be the Day & it's sequel Stardust:

David Essex, Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, Billy Fury, Karl Howman, Adam Faith, Marty Wilde, Paul Nicholas, Dave Edmunds.

 

John Doe, Chris Issak, Dwight Yoakam and Jon Bon Jovi (sp) have all acted in movies to good reviews.

 

Terry, I'd forgotten Ringo. He made two others I know of:

Candy
Caveman

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What about Jagger in Performance or Ned Kelly?

Dylan was in Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid too.

Tina Turner in Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome.

Billy Idol in The Doors

 

Bowie - The Man Who Fell To Earth

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Tom Waits has done several, I really liked him in "Short Cuts" and "Ironweed", though that movie was depressing as hell.

Also, in "Short Cuts" was Lyle Lovett, whom I believe was in other Altman films as well.

And, who could forget the wonderful role of teacher/battle of the band judge in "Back to the Future" by Huey Lewis.

Tom

 

Gene Simmons, namely in Runaway

 

Chris Issak was the recording preacher man in "That Thing You Do"...such a great mood/time period flick!

 

And "Labyrinth". I thought it was a pretty good movie, and he did a decent job of acting.

There was also Sting in "Dune", who did a credible acting job (not sure if someone already mentioned it yet).

 

Pete Townshend!- Tommy and Quadrophenia. Man how did you guys miss this. And there was also The Kids-R-Alright.

A living legend and one of the greatest Ever!

 

That's why I started the thread!

Thanks!

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I remember seeing Chris Issak and David Bowie in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.