Rock n’ Roll Musicals

  • Frank Oz – Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

    Frank Oz1981-1990ComedyMusicalRock n' Roll MusicalsUSA
    Little Shop of Horrors (1986)
    Little Shop of Horrors (1986)

    Seymour Krelborn is a nerdy orphan working at Mushnik’s, a flower shop in urban Skid Row. He harbors a crush on fellow co-worker Audrey Fulquard, and is berated by Mr. Mushnik daily. One day as Seymour is seeking a new mysterious plant, he finds a very mysterious unidentified plant which he calls Audrey II. The plant seems to have a craving for blood and soon begins to sing for his supper. Soon enough, Seymour feeds Audrey’s sadistic dentist boyfriend to the plant and later, Mushnik for witnessing the death of Audrey’s ex. Will Audrey II take over the world or will Seymour and Audrey defeat it?Read More »

  • Julien Temple – Absolute Beginners (1986)

    1981-1990Julien TempleMusicalRock n' Roll MusicalsUSA

    Quote:
    A musical adaptation of Colin MacInnes’ novel about life in late 1950s London. Nineteen-year-old photographer Colin is hopelessly in love with model Crepe Suzette, but her relationships are strictly connected with her progress in the fashion world. So Colin gets involved with a pop promoter and tries to crack the big time. Meanwhile, racial tension is brewing in Colin’s Notting Hill housing estate…Read More »

  • Lance Mungia – Six-String Samurai (1998)

    1991-2000ActionComedyLance MungiaRock n' Roll MusicalsUSA

    In the post-apocalyptic world of 1960s Nevada, a rock ‘n’ roll samurai on his way to Lost Vegas takes a young orphan boy under his protection as Death and his metalhead Horsemen chase after them.Read More »

  • Larry Peerce – The Big T.N.T. Show (1966)

    1961-1970Larry PeerceMusicalPerformanceRock n' Roll MusicalsUSA

    Synopsis:
    Originally billed as “The T.A.M.I. Show II” in preview hype, this concert sequel produced by Phil Spector (who also appears) and filmed at the Moulin Rouge Theater in Hollywood, CA features performances by Joan Baez, The Byrds, Ray Charles, Petula Clark, Bo Diddley, Donovan, The Lovin’ Spoonful, David McCallum, Roger Miller, The Modern Folk Quartet, The Ronettes, Sky Saxon of the Seeds and Ike and Tina Turner.Read More »

  • Richard Lester – Help! (1965)

    1961-1970ComedyMusicalRichard LesterRock n' Roll MusicalsUnited Kingdom

    Synopsis:
    An Eastern cult discovers that the sacrificial ring is missing. Sir Ringo Starr, drummer of The Beatles has it; sent by the girl (who’s to be sacrificed) as a gift. Clang, Ahme, Bhuta, and several cult members leave for London to retrieve the ring. After several failed attempts to steal the ring, they confront him in an Indian restaurant. Ringo learns that if he does not return the ring soon, he will become the next sacrifice. Ringo then discovers that the ring is stuck on his finger. Its a race against time; John Lennon, Sir Paul McCartney, and George Harrison try to protect their friend while they’re all being chased not only by Clang and his minions, but also by two mad scientists and the Chief Inspector of Scotland yard. Will Ringo be saved, or will he be sacrificed?Read More »

  • Richard Rush – Psych-Out (1968)

    1961-1970DramaMusicalRichard RushRock n' Roll MusicalsUSA

    Quote:
    Jennie (Susan Strasberg) travels to San Francisco to locate her hippie brother Steve (Bruce Dern). She meets Stoney (Jack Nicholson) in a coffeehouse and he helps her look for Steve, who Stoney has seen in his various attempts to start a rock & roll band. Stoney and his pals transform the square girl into a swinging hippie chick, complete with a mod miniskirt. Along with their buddy Dave (Dean Stockwell), they search for Steve amidst the psychedelic splendor of the Haight-Ashbury hippie haunts. Dave is killed by a car when he wanders around in an STP-induced stupor.Read More »

  • Norman Jewison – Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

    1971-1980ClassicsMusicalNorman JewisonRock n' Roll MusicalsUSA

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    Quote:
    The second Biblical epic to be turned into a musical by composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice, this box-office disappointment recounts the last week in the life of Jesus Christ in rock-opera format and from the surprising point of view of Christ’s betrayer, Judas Iscariot. Carl Anderson stars as Judas, who has begun to believe that Jesus (Ted Neeley) has sold out and started buying into the mythology that’s quickly springing up around him. Particularly disturbing to Judas is the relationship between Jesus and his friend Mary Magdalene (Yvonne Elliman), a prostitute. When Jesus throws a temper tantrum at the moneylenders in a temple, Judas determines to work with the Pharisees who want to put Jesus on trial as a false prophet. Following his success with the adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof (1971), director Norman Jewison experimented with a hippie-influenced sensibility on Jesus Christ Superstar (1973). Among such touches are depictions of the cast arriving via bus to mount the show, modern high-tech weaponry in the hands of the ancient Romans, and on-location filming in Israel.
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  • Bob Rafelson – Head (1968)

    1961-1970Bob RafelsonCultMusicalRock n' Roll MusicalsUSA

    29f7c043f76a2bde437fd0d52a185152

    Running in from seemingly nowhere, Micky Dolenz, Davy Jones, Michael Nesmith & Peter Tork – better known collectively as The Monkees – disrupt a bridge opening ceremony. From where and why did they come to disrupt the proceedings? They were filming a series of vignettes in several different genres, including a wild west sequence, a desert war sequence, a Confederate war sequence, and a science fiction sequence. They disagree with much of what is happening around them, and try to figure out how to escape the oppression they feel – symbolized by a big black box in which they are seemingly imprisoned – by the forces around. That oppression is often shown in the form of “The Big Victor Mature”.Read More »

  • Stanley A. Long – Bread [+Extras] (1971)

    1971-1980MusicalRock n' Roll MusicalsStanley A. LongUnited Kingdom

    29f7c043f76a2bde437fd0d52a185152

    Five hippies pitch their tent in the grounds of a young aristocrat’s estate. He befriends the group and accepts their offer to paint his house while he is away. To make money the group use the grounds to stage a pop festival.
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