A documentary featuring archive footage to celebrate the 100th birth of jazz legend Louis Armstrong.
Social & External
The people behind it
Louis Armstrong
Himself (archive footage)
Paula Kelly
Host
Aired as part of BBC's 'Nationwide' programming, this documentary captures the leadup to 'The Tour of Life'.
Transformer was universally praised for its well-constructed anatomy of a touchstone album. Now expanded to interweave the original broadcast version with the bonus features on the original disc, the story appropriately begins with Reed remembering his days with the Velvet Underground and the importance of Andy Warhol in making them a New York-based phenomenon. These discussions provide more than the historical context for Transformer. Live at Montreux 2000 is a concert, released in 2005 by Eagle Vision. Reed performed eight songs from the Album Ecstasy plus a few older ones. From his days in the sixties as the main singer and songwriter of the Velvet Underground and through his mercurial solo career he has kept his audience and the critics on their toes with dramatic changes of musical direction from album to album. Underpinning everything however has been his unquestionable ability as a songwriter and performer of the highest class.
"It Is What It Is" is the story behind the band The Breathing Light. Recorded over various periods in it's short period of 5 years, it gives viewers insight into the personalities and ideals that make up the band.
Frank Sinatra, the greatest entertainer of the 20th century, is remembered by some of the brightest stars in Hollywood in this television memorial which celebrates his life and mourns his passing. Exclusive flashback interviews with Sinatra, his friends and his family, reveal little known facts about his overwhelming generosity and the sensationalized image created by the press. * In-depth interviews with those who knew him best... Ed McMahon, Tommy Sands, Shecky Green, Phyllis McGuire, Quincy Jones, & Betty Garrett, among others. * See highlights from some of Sinatra’s last films and farewell perfomances.
Yellow Magic Orchestra playing songs from the album Service in the Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, Japan in the 22 Dec. 1983
Talented teen musicians from around the USA spend a week working with Grammy nominated professionals
Bay Area rapper Mac Dre began his career at 18 and quickly became an influential force in early west coast hip-hop. In 1992 he was convicted of conspiracy to commit bank robbery when his lyrics were used against him in court. He left prison with a new lease on life, founded an independent record company, and then was murdered just when he began to emerge as a star. For the first time ever, his mother Wanda reveals the true experiences of a hip-hop legend.
Retrospective documentary about the British rock band "Queen", from the 1970s till the death of Freddie Mercury, victim of AIDS. Includes interviews with the band members, friends and fans, behind the scenes material, the making of music videos, concerts and lots of music.
Documentary short showcasing the genius of jazz greats Coleman Hawkins, Roy Eldridge, Cozy Cole, and Milt Hinton, among others.
During a decade rife with paranoia, in the middle of the McCarthy era, Music Inn was a bold experiment. Halfway between the Second World War and The Civil Rights Movement, Phil and Stephanie Barber created an oasis in the Berkshire Hills in Western Massachusetts where aspiring musicians came to learn from the very best. Students and faculty, young and old, rich and poor, white, black, and brown convened together and learned from each other. Defying the surrounding environment, Music Inn harbored a racial and cultural harmony where music was all that mattered.
The point of departure for this film is the 1981 composition De Tijd by Dutch composer Louis Andriessen. Van der Keuken leaves the music undisturbed as an autonomous soundtrack and has the images engage in a sort of battle with it. These images are associations, fragments of events, scenes and situations. The film is preceded by a text by Bert Schierbeek.
The passionate advocates of the ‘Cigar Box Guitar Revolution’ express their love of making unique instruments and the democratic, re-cycling ethos of the movement. Many are from the UK’s northern, post-industrial towns, recreating self-identity through hand-made guitars. Their emotional connection with their instruments creates a unique sound which is quite magical. A cinematic short, subsequently commissioned by the BBC as Cigar Box Blues. Festivals include: Woodstock, Nashville, Albuquerque (Honourable Mention)
Self-effacing Hungarian pianist, József, has a unique talent for fusing contemporary jazz with traditional Roma music. This new sound catches the attention of the acclaimed saxophonist Tim Ries and the two begin performing together. József dreams of escaping his humdrum life and making it big in the home of jazz: America. Along the way, he conquers his demons and learns that when shooting for the stars, success is not the destination, but the journey itself.
When people think of Appalachian music they often think of the banjo and classify it as bluegrass, but the music in the region is more diverse than that. This film focuses on the different styles, from old-time to punk music, that is played and often overlooked here in the mountains.
Everyone mentions her when asked who the 1st generation of jazz musicians is in Korea, adding that jazz wouldn't have been continued in Korea if not for her. It's Park Seong-yeon, the musician who ran Korea's first jazz club - Club Janus - and she provided it for other musicians to perform. Diva Janus follows the late Park's footsteps through her past and interviews by her peer musicians.
Between East and West, between bloody wars and blooming gardens, between nostalgic music of duduk and modern jazz, one of the most ancient cities is situated. The name of this is city is Yerevan. Surviving after all the difficulties of the 20th century, it lives to its own rhythm, style and music. Six musicians, including four-times Grammy Laureate Arto Tuncboyaciyan and world-wide famous “duduk-voice” Jivan Gasparyan, are the “genius loci” of Yerevan; they talk and sing about their city, discovering its hidden pain and beauty.
Drop out of school to ride with the Merry Pranksters. Form America’s most enduring jam band. Become a family man and father. Never stop chasing the muse. Bob Weir took his own path to and through superstardom as rhythm guitarist for The Grateful Dead. Mike Fleiss re-imagines the whole wild journey in this magnetic rock doc and concert film, with memorable input from bandmates, contemporaries, followers, family, and, of course, the inimitable Bob Weir himself.
A string of threatening emails escalates into a revenge plot involving a newly married US marshal and his ex-girlfriend.
A documentary chronicling Queen and Lambert's incredible journey since they first shared the stage together on "American Idol" in 2009.
Ariana Grande takes the stage in London for her Sweetener World Tour and shares a behind-the-scenes look at her life in rehearsal and on the road.
An inside look at one of the most anticipated movie sequels ever with James Cameron and cast.
Live Aid was held on 13 July 1985, simultaneously in Wembley Stadium in London, England, and the John F. Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, United States. It was one of the largest scale satellite link-ups and television broadcasts of all time: watched live by an estimated global audience of 1.9 billion, across 150 nations. "It's twelve noon in London, seven AM in Philadelphia, and around the world it's time for Live Aid...!"
Through deeply personal interviews with her siblings and an examination of the photographs, letters, and belongings left behind, Mariska assembles a new portrait of her mother Jayne Mansfield, an extraordinary and complex woman.
After years in the limelight, Selena Gomez achieves unimaginable stardom. But just as she reaches a new peak, an unexpected turn pulls her into darkness. This uniquely raw and intimate documentary spans her six-year journey into a new light.
This revealing documentary honors the legendary Sidney Poitier—iconic actor, filmmaker, and civil rights activist. Featuring interviews with Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Halle Berry, and more.
The incomparable Bruce Springsteen performs his critically acclaimed latest album and muses on life, rock, and the American dream, in this intimate and personal concert film co-directed by Thom Zimny and Springsteen himself.
Behind-the-scenes documentary about how Lionel Messi succeeded in lifting the World Cup – the only trophy to have eluded him in an incredible career.
Al Pacino's deeply-felt rumination on Shakespeare's significance and relevance to the modern world through interviews and an in-depth analysis of "Richard III."
Daniel Craig candidly reflects on his 15 year adventure as James Bond. Including never-before-seen archival footage from Casino Royale to the upcoming 25th film No Time To Die, Craig shares his personal memories in conversation with 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli.
Over 35 years after Bob Lazar's revelations, this documentary exposes secrets of a facility the government still denies. Featuring Lazar's testimony, recreations, and new evidence, it reopens a case that continues to spark global curiosity
With unprecedented access to the official archives and intimate recollections from the band, both current and past, Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition invites fans to experience one of the most iconic journeys in music history. Spanning five decades, this electrifying documentary charts the band’s rise from the pubs of East London to the world’s biggest stadiums. Featuring exclusive interviews with band members and contributors such as Javier Bardem, Lars Ulrich and Chuck D, as well as all-new animated sequences of the band's legendary mascot, Eddie, the film offers a rare and intimate look at Iron Maiden’s uncompromising vision and unwavering connection with their truly global army of fans.
Those who knew iconic funnyman John Candy best share his story, in their own words, through never-before-seen archival footage, imagery, and interviews.
Long-lost footage from Elvis Presley's legendary Las Vegas residency in the 1970s woven together with rare 16mm footage from Elvis on Tour, and 8mm from the Graceland archive, plus recordings of Elvis telling "his side of the story" rediscovered during Baz Luhrmann's research for his 2022 film, Elvis.
In 1997, rap superstars Tupac Shakur and Christopher Wallace (aka Biggie Smalls, The Notorious B.I.G.) were gunned down in separate incidents, the apparent victims of hip hop's infamous east-west rivalry. Nick Broomfield's film introduces Russell Poole, an ex-cop with damning evidence that suggests the LAPD deliberately fumbled the case to conceal connections between the police, LA gangs and Death Row Records, the label run by feared rap mogul Marion "Suge" Knight.
The life and career of one of comedy's most inimitable modern voices, Mr. Gilbert Gottfried.
Christopher Wallace, AKA The Notorious B.I.G., remains one of Hip-Hop’s icons, renowned for his distinctive flow and autobiographical lyrics. This documentary celebrates his life via rare behind-the-scenes footage and the testimonies of his closest friends and family.
A night of drunken chaos rocks a quiet Dutch town in this shocking documentary about a teen's birthday invite that accidentally went viral on Facebook.