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During the 1950s, musical masterpieces that have yet to be equaled were produced in Cinemascope with stereophonic sound. These two episodes explore how more
During the 1950s, musical masterpieces that have yet to be equaled were produced in Cinemascope with stereophonic sound. These two episodes explore how the post-war years were alive with bold experimentation in musical film. Later in the decade, Rock & Roll became the musical choice of the younger generation and movie musicals followed suit. Highlights of this 2-part program include: Films based on smash Broadway musicals become the rage. A pretty starlet with no musical training named Marilyn Monroe takes the country by storm in "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes." With favorites from the previous decade continue to delight audiences: Rock & Roll films, songs and musical numbers. close
When Marvin Hamlisch passed away in August 2012 the worlds of music, theatre and cinema lost a talent the likes of which we may never see again. Seemingly more
When Marvin Hamlisch passed away in August 2012 the worlds of music, theatre and cinema lost a talent the likes of which we may never see again. Seemingly destined for greatness, Hamlisch was accepted into New York’s Juilliard School as a 6-year-old musical prodigy and rapidly developed into a phenomenon. With instantly classic hits ‘The Way We Were’ and ‘Nobody Does It Better’ and scores for Hollywood films such as The Swimmer, The Sting and Sophie’s Choice and the Broadway juggernaut A Chorus Line; Hamlisch became the go-to composer for film and Broadway producers and a prominent presence on the international Concert Hall circuit. His streak was staggering, vast, unprecedented and glorious, by the age of 31 Hamlisch had won 4 Grammys, an Emmy, 3 Oscars, a Tony and a Pulitzer prize: success that burned so bright, it proved impossible to match. close
After inhabiting dozens of comical alter-egos over the course of her award-winning career, Tracey Ullman finally "takes on" the one role that spawned all of her characters — herself.
After inhabiting dozens of comical alter-egos over the course of her award-winning career, Tracey Ullman finally "takes on" the one role that spawned all of her characters — herself. close
On October 9th, 1972 an exhibition of John Lennon/Yoko Ono's art, designed by the Master of the Fluxus movement, George Maciunas, opened at the Syracuse more
On October 9th, 1972 an exhibition of John Lennon/Yoko Ono's art, designed by the Master of the Fluxus movement, George Maciunas, opened at the Syracuse Museum of Art, in New York. On the same day an unusual group of John's and Yoko's friends, including Ringo, Allen Ginsberg, Paul Krasner, and many others, gathered to celebrate John's birthday. This film is a visual and audio record of that event. close
Sean Connors Films, Ltd. Presents a Frozen Pictures production of The Seventh Python, a nonfiction musical feature film based on the life, work and unplanned more
Sean Connors Films, Ltd. Presents a Frozen Pictures production of The Seventh Python, a nonfiction musical feature film based on the life, work and unplanned career of musical satirist Neil Innes. The Seventh Python traces one man’s winding path of whimsy as he flirts with destiny at the edge of fame with incredibly influential and unusually lasting work that keeps one foot each planted in the worlds of comedy and rock ‘n’ roll. From the Bonzo Dog Doo Dah Band to Monty Python's Flying Circus and The Rutles, to his Ego Warrior campaign and his insistence on wearing a plastic duck on his head, Neil Innes has proven to be the greatest musical comedy satirist of the past fifty years. close
Not since Paganini had there been such a magician on the violin. Jascha Heifetz was the first truly modern virtuoso, a man about whom Itzhak Perlman said, more
Not since Paganini had there been such a magician on the violin. Jascha Heifetz was the first truly modern virtuoso, a man about whom Itzhak Perlman said, 'When I spoke with him, I can't believe, I'm talking to God'. Heifetz was a legendary but mysterious figure whose story embodies the dual nature of artistic genius. The paradox of how a mortal man lives with immortal gifts - gifts he must honor, but which extract a life-long price. Is the man and the artist the same person? What is the price each pays? And who was the man behind the music? close
A few months spent by the international research team of the Dolphin Embassy in the sea with free dolphins led to a unique result: direct contact between more
A few months spent by the international research team of the Dolphin Embassy in the sea with free dolphins led to a unique result: direct contact between two minds is possible. And this contact reverses the usual representations of not only about the dolphins, but also about the possibilities and purpose of a person. close
An intimate report from Israel's periphery. A group of young dancers, whose members are immigrants, is trying to compete in the break-dancing World Championship more
An intimate report from Israel's periphery. A group of young dancers, whose members are immigrants, is trying to compete in the break-dancing World Championship in Germany. The competition is the highlight of their dreams as dancers, but as we watch them prepare, we encounter a world of crisis and alienation. Mixer, 27, is supporting his family and trying to help his younger brothers, who still live with their alcoholic mom. Potter, 21, is in the army now; he still dreams of dancing, but has no one to help him care for his mother, who is ill. And yet, despite the hardships, these bold dancers confront reality head-on, because desperation is a luxury that they can hardly afford. close
Director Janos Xantus was in the middle of making a video about Hungarian rock star Tamas Pajor when his subject suddenly became a convert to born-again more
Director Janos Xantus was in the middle of making a video about Hungarian rock star Tamas Pajor when his subject suddenly became a convert to born-again Christianity. As a result, Xantus was able to record the startling transition. Pajor had been a hell-bent rocker, heavily into drugs, and known for a violent temper. We see him become a clean-living, clean-cut youth who sings about Jesus. Xantus had captured pre-conversion tape of Pajor trashing a hotel room and punching his hand through a plate glass window. In one of this film's most effective scenes, the new Pajor, hand heavily bandaged, quietly watches this footage. Rock Terito also has some dramatic recreations, but these add little to our understanding of Pajor. The transfer from video to film was generally effective, but some scenes are murkily lit. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi close
Sleepwalking Through the Mekong follows Los Angeles based band Dengue Fever on their recent journey to Cambodia to perform 60s and 70s Cambodian rock more
Sleepwalking Through the Mekong follows Los Angeles based band Dengue Fever on their recent journey to Cambodia to perform 60s and 70s Cambodian rock n' roll in the country where it was created and very nearly destroyed. The odyssey is a homecoming for singer Chhom Nimol and a transformation for the rest of the band as they perform with master musicians and record new songs along the way. More than a rockumentary, the film serves up a portrait of modern Cambodia as the band tours through Phnom Penh and beyond, crossing a great cultural chasm with the same spirit of Cambodia's original rock pioneers. close
Documentary looking at the history of Hollywood musicals in the 1960s. This decade saw independent film companies becoming more prominent as the bigger more
Documentary looking at the history of Hollywood musicals in the 1960s. This decade saw independent film companies becoming more prominent as the bigger Hollywood studios, who produced the mainstream musicals, experienced a decline. This brought the emergence of more realistic story lines and the use of contemporary music like rock 'n' roll. This programme features songs from the musicals 'West Side Story' (1961), 'The Music Man' (1962), 'Mary Poppins' (1964), 'The Umbrellas of Cherbourg' (1964), 'Funny Girl' (1968), 'Oliver!' (1968) and 'Sweet Charity' (1969). close
China's top drama academy stages the American musical "Fame," China's first official collaboration with Broadway, as the graduation showcase for its senior more
China's top drama academy stages the American musical "Fame," China's first official collaboration with Broadway, as the graduation showcase for its senior class. During the eight-month rehearsal, five students compete for roles, struggle with pressure from family and authority, and prepare to graduate into China's corrupt entertainment industry. close
An interview with the production team behind the hit Broadway musical as they discuss the conception and development of Les Miserables as a pop-culture phenomenon.
An interview with the production team behind the hit Broadway musical as they discuss the conception and development of Les Miserables as a pop-culture phenomenon. close
In order to rescue his father's ramshackle grill restaurant, filmmaker and vegetarian Dario Aguirre is traveling back to his homeland Ecuador. What starts more
In order to rescue his father's ramshackle grill restaurant, filmmaker and vegetarian Dario Aguirre is traveling back to his homeland Ecuador. What starts out as a strange debate about opening times, chips and Excel spread sheets, develops into a moving family drama. close
An Electro World Voyage is a documentary on the Electro music experience told by artists from the old school to the new school. The film aims to recognize more
An Electro World Voyage is a documentary on the Electro music experience told by artists from the old school to the new school. The film aims to recognize this form of music and expose the passion it takes by the artists, D.J.'s and small communities around the world to create and preserve it. This documentary expands on the past, present and future uses of technology and its influence that have defined the sounds of groundbreaking acts and future generations of producers. From the underground raves to the continuous use of sampling in today's popular music, machines such as Roland TR808, MPC60, & Moogs are shown as staples of creating the captivating beats of Electro. While visually stimulating your eyes and ears, Darkbeat invites you to take a seat into a futuristic spaceship traveling through time and space. close
Live concert footage of the Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper and Relentless7 and Gogol Bordello, shot at the three-day Austin City Limits festival in October 2009.
Live concert footage of the Dave Matthews Band, Ben Harper and Relentless7 and Gogol Bordello, shot at the three-day Austin City Limits festival in October 2009. close
Through winter and summer, across endlessly varied landscapes in search of perfection... not just for the rush, but to unlock the philosophy of The Edge. more
Through winter and summer, across endlessly varied landscapes in search of perfection... not just for the rush, but to unlock the philosophy of The Edge. Against these unadulterated backdrops, the athletes look more animal than human. Like a gecko clinging to a wall, Klem Loskot moves sinuously up a sheer rock cliff. Jerome Ruby leaps from a lonely, lofty sandstone spire to swoop towards the desert below, more falcon than man. David Arnaud descends raging mountain rivers as fluidly and powerfully as the fish that call it home. Australia, Canada, Madagascar, Morocco, New Zealand, Norway, the United States, and Vietnam are just some of the locations that provide the organic arenas for their high performance antics. close
Senegalese pop sensation Youssou Ndour has spent the last 20 years in the spotlight as a world-renowned musician and the iconic representative "voice more
Senegalese pop sensation Youssou Ndour has spent the last 20 years in the spotlight as a world-renowned musician and the iconic representative "voice of Africa." At the height of his career, Youssou became frustrated by the negative perception of his Muslim faith and composed Egypt, a deeply spiritual album dedicated to a more tolerant view of Islam. The album's brave musical message was wholeheartedly embraced by Western audiences but ignited serious religious controversy in his homeland of Senegal. The film chronicles the difficult journey Youssou must undertake to assume his true calling. close
In 1976, Canadian stuntman Ken Carter declared his intention to jump a mile over the St. Lawrence Seaway in a rocket powered car. In 2008, Canadian musician more
In 1976, Canadian stuntman Ken Carter declared his intention to jump a mile over the St. Lawrence Seaway in a rocket powered car. In 2008, Canadian musician Mark Haney declared his intention to pay tribute to Ken Carter in the form of a concept album for solo double bass. In 2011, Canadian filmmaker John Bolton declared his intention to make a "musical docudrama" about both men. Aim for the Roses is a one-of-a-kind film, about a one-of-a-kind album, about a one-of-a-kind stunt, all three of which could only happen in Canada. close
In the 1980s we got our MTV but seemed to have lost much of the musical film in the process. But the genre is resilient. A handful of masterpieces along more
In the 1980s we got our MTV but seemed to have lost much of the musical film in the process. But the genre is resilient. A handful of masterpieces along with a few cult classics emerged from this decade. In the 1990s the Hollywood musical was largely animated, rather than live action. However, television had a surprising number of musical offerings, including “Gypsy” with Bette Midler and “Annie” which launched director Rob Marshall. In the 2000s musicals came back starting with “Moulin Rouge” and carrying on with “Chicago,” “Dreamgirls” and “Hairspray.” There are movies based on Broadway triumphs and once again there are teens singing and dancing. close
In May 2009, 29 young contestants came from all over the world to compete in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth Texas, the more
In May 2009, 29 young contestants came from all over the world to compete in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in Fort Worth Texas, the most prestigious prize in the music world. This is the story of one of them, a 20 year old from Tokyo, Nobuyuki Tsujii, blind from birth. close
Documentary film Estudiar en primavera by Spanish director Amparo Fortuni, created with the participation of Mikel Iribarren (Solsticio). Habitar ), devoted more
Documentary film Estudiar en primavera by Spanish director Amparo Fortuni, created with the participation of Mikel Iribarren (Solsticio). close
Pierre Schaeffer, the father of musique concrete, whose greatest legacy is electronic music, invited us to consider music in terms of sounds rather than more
Pierre Schaeffer, the father of musique concrete, whose greatest legacy is electronic music, invited us to consider music in terms of sounds rather than notes. Today, every sound can be recorded, hijacked, manipulated and reinvented into an original musical creation. SOUNDHUNTERS - a musical expedition - traces the adventure of KIZ, two new coming musicians, into the world of Soundhunters. From Paris to Malmo, from London to Baltimore, the film follows their encounters with exceptional musicians (Matthew Herbert, Chassol, Matmos, Jean Michel Jarre, Blixa Bargeld or Cosmo Sheldrake) from very different backgrounds and genres. Integrating the sounds from their journey into exciting musical scenes, KIZ playfully show us how the world can be turned into a limitless music instrument. close
Silvio Rodríguez learned to play guitar secretly during his military service. After 45 years of career, he's still in full musical activity and maintains more
Silvio Rodríguez learned to play guitar secretly during his military service. After 45 years of career, he's still in full musical activity and maintains his commitment to culture through their studio, Ojalá, and initiatives such as "La gira por los barrios", in which Silvio, barely advertised, performs in the most disadvantaged neighborhoods of Havana. close
How can emotion come to light on the opera set? Does it come from singing, acting or music? How can someone become the incarnation of Verdi's masterpiece? more
How can emotion come to light on the opera set? Does it come from singing, acting or music? How can someone become the incarnation of Verdi's masterpiece? Following world famous French soprano Natalie Dessay from the first repetitions until the premiere under the direction of Jean-François Sivadier, we meet a very special woman, a piece of art, a myth: LA TRAVIATA. close