Spotlight
Wondering which films to watch? Spotlight presents thematically grouped, must see films, hand-picked by Fandor's curators.
B.B. King: The Life of Riley
Brian Eno: The Man Who Fell to Earth
Kurt and Courtney
Bob and the Monster
Patti Smith: Dream of Life
Biggie and Tupac
Jobriath A.D.
Ne change rien
Sing Your Song
The Past is a Grotesque Animal
Welcome to the Terrordome
Deep Cuts
For "Doctober", Fandor honors musical legends with a collection of biographical documentaries and rockumentaries. Go behind the music with artists from almost every genre; from hip-hop to grunge, rock to classical.
Celebrate the contributions these musicians have made not only to music, but to the world.
Selected Films
-
Brian Eno: The Man Who Fell to Earth
Brian Eno: musician, composer, producer, music theorist, singer and visual artist. Probably best known for his early work with Roxy Music, his production duties for U2 and Coldplay and as one of the principal innovators of ambient music. This first-ever documentary film about...Watch Movie
-
B.B. King: The Life of Riley
B.B. King opens his heart and tells the story of how an oppressed and orphaned young man came to influence and earn the unmitigated praise of the music industry and its following, to carry the title: "King of the Blues." Filmed on location all over America and the United...Watch Movie
-
Ornette: Made in America
ORNETTE: MADE IN AMERICA captures Ornette Coleman's evolution over three decades. Returning home to Fort Worth, Texas, in 1983 as a famed performer and composer, documentary footage, dramatic scenes and some of the first music video-style segments ever made chronicle his...Watch Movie
-
Ne change rien
One of the most important figures in contemporary cinema, Pedro Costa's celebrated music documentary is a mesmerizing portrait of French actress-turned-singer Jeanne Balibar, a transfixing, cigarette-smoking chanteuse with an intense devotion to her craft. Photographed in shimmering...Watch Movie
-
Sing Your Song
Told with a remarkable sense of intimacy, visual style and musical panache, Susanne Rostock’s inspiring biographical documentary SING YOUR SONG surveys the life and times of singer/actor/activist Harry Belafonte. From his rise to fame as a singer and his experiences touring a segregated country...Watch Movie
-
Bob and the Monster
This award winning documentary follows outspoken indie-rock hero Bob Forrest, through his life-threatening struggle with addiction, to his transformation into one of the most influential and controversial drug counselors in the US today, appearing alongside Dr. Drew Pinsky on...Watch Movie
-
Hey! Is Dee Dee Home?
Lech Kowalski's documentary feature is about the life and times of Ramones bassist and all-star burn out, Dee Dee Ramone (1952-2002). Dee Dee's life is a fascinating character study of a punk rock legend who never grew up. Listen to Dee Dee's account with director Lech...Watch Movie
-
Welcome to the Terrordome
Public Enemy's twenty year career has had a monumental impact on the music world. This film chronicles their legacy and history, while revealing what icons of the music world say about their profound influence. Two decades later, the most controversial rap group of the 1980s...Watch Movie
-
Don't Follow Me (I'm Lost)
An intimate "fly on the wall" documentary about iconoclastic rocker Bobby Bare Jr., son of country music legend Bobby Bare, and his struggles dealing with the repercussions of a perpetual life on the road, the constant separation and the disconnect from loved ones back home....Watch Movie
-
Rush: The Rise of Kings
The most successful band to emerge from the Canadian rock explosion of the early 1970s, Rush would go on to become one of that nation's biggest entertainment exports. A trio of musical polymaths who cut a fiercely independent, sometimes controversial path through various...Watch Movie
-
The Past is a Grotesque Animal
THE PAST IS A GROTESQUE ANIMAL is a personal, accessible look at an artist (Kevin Barnes, frontman of the endlessly versatile indie pop band of Montreal) whose pursuit to make transcendent music at all costs drives him to value art over human relationships. As he struggles...Watch Movie
-
I am Not a Rock Star
Labelled a child prodigy, Marika Bournaki is catapulted into a world of concerts, competitions and media coverage at a very young age. Made over the course of eight years, I AM NOT A ROCK STAR follows Markia during her rise to fame between the ages of twelve and twenty. The...Watch Movie
-
Jobriath A.D.
Seventies glam rock musician Jobriath was known as the "American Bowie," "True Fairy of Rock and Roll" and "Hype of the Year." The first openly gay rock star, Jobriath's reign was brief, lasting less than two years and two albums. Done in by a over‐hyped publicity machine, shunned by the gay...Watch Movie
-
Who is Harry Nilsson (and Why is Everybody Talkin' About Him)?
WHO IS HARRY NILSSON…?, a wildly entertaining, star studded documentary tells the story of one of the most talented and versatile singer songwriters in pop music history and the man the Beatles dubbed their favorite American musician. The Grammy® Award winners “Everybody’s...Watch Movie
-
Biggie and Tupac
BIGGIE AND TUPAC is a no holds barred investigation into the unsolved murders of two of the biggest superstars rap has ever produced, Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur. Nick Broomfield hits the streets, putting his life at risk as he uncovers sensational new evidence that points...Watch Movie
-
Kurt and Courtney
This controversial documentary, directed by acclaimed filmmaker Nick Broomfield, begins as an observation of the music of Kurt Cobain and his Seattle/Portland contemporaries. KURT AND COURTNEY takes a different turn when Courtney Love intervenes. What emerges is a powerful...Watch Movie
-
Komeda: A Soundtrack for a Life
An invaluable introduction to a largely unknown creative talent (outside of Poland), KOMEDA: A SOUNDTRACK FOR LIFE introduces viewers to Krzysztof Komeda, a Polish jazz musician best-known for his score for Roman Polanski’s ROSEMARY'S BABY. Komeda, who died prematurely in 1969...Watch Movie
