An award winning film full of baroque splendour. The talented composer Antonio Salieri found himself in competition with Mozart, a genius, and he couldn't understand why God favored such a vulgar creature to be his instrument. Salieri turned into a hate-filled monster, whose aim in life became to ruin his colleague, but he emerges as a tragic and sympathetic character. He alone could appreciate the perfection of Mozart's music and, perhaps, he speaks up for all of us whose talents fall short of
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BILLY BRAGG AND WILCO - MAN IN THE SAND (2001)
CertificationE Our Rating
This excellent documentary follows Billy Bragg as he embarks on a mission to put music to a selection of lyrics penned by folk legend, Woody Guthrie. Billy's love of the People's Troubadour is evident as he visits his home town, tracing Woody's life and influences with the help of his daughter, Nora Guthrie. The music (compiled on two albums, 'Mermaid Avenue' Vol.'s 1 and 2) is excellent and is lifted with the collaboration of Wilco. Jeff Tweedy, lead singer with Wilco, seems particularly inspir
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BOUND FOR GLORY (1976)
CertificationPG Our Rating
A gilded bio of the legendary balladeer, Woody Gutherie, and his hobo existence in 1930s depression-hit America. Beautifully shot and, as you would expect, with an amazing score, Bound For Glory is a loving recreation of Gutherie as an American icon, the people's poet bringing light and hope to the down trodden masses; a gentle, elegiac film far removed from director Hal Ashby's previous work.
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CHAMPAGNE CHARLIE (1944)
CertificationPG Our Rating
Set in the heady days of Vaudeville London, this film (from the director of Went The Day Well? and the underrated horror Dead of Night) follows the career of George Leybourne (alias Champagne Charlie). The atmosphere of gaslit streets and off-stage politics has a brooding realism, while vaudeville veteran Stanley Holloway provides excellent support as The Great Vance. Very theatrical and more luvvies than you can shake a chimney sweeps brush at.
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COPYING BEETHOVEN (2006)
Certification12 Our Rating
A fictionalized version of the last three years of Beethoven's life, beginning with the composition of the Ninth Symphony. Set in 1824 Beethoven is finishing his new symphony, but plagued by deafness, loneliness and personal trauma he struggles to cope. A new copyist, Anna Holtz (Diane Kruger) is engaged to help prepare the score for the first performance, but Beethoven's erratic behaviour proves to be more of a challenge than transcribing the score. Although, at times, dangerously close to paro
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DE-LOVELY (2004)
Certification12 Our Rating
Kline and Judd combine well in this delightful homage to the life and times of Cole and Linda Porter, man and wife, composer and muse, a couple who led a life of glamour and indulged eccentricity. There's no shortage of the man's music, which is unfortunately sometimes murdered by using a series of unsuitable singers; "It's De-Lovely" by Robbie Williams, "Let's Do It (Let's Fall In Love)" by Alanis Morissette, "Begin The Beguine" by Sheryl Crow, "Let's Misbehave" by Elvis Costello, "Be a Clown"
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DELIUS - SONG OF SUMMER (1968)
CertificationPG Our Rating
Based on Eric Fenby's 1936 memoir 'Delius As I Knew Him', we follow the last five years of the composer, by now blind, paralysed, embittered and at war with the world, as Fenby helps him formulate into music the compositions he still has whirling around his mind. 'Delius - Song of Summer' is a powerful and moving story.
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ELGAR (1962)
CertificationU Our Rating
The BFI continues its successful strand of Archive Television releases with Ken Russell's classic documentary Elgar, which was first shown in 1962 as the 100th programme in the BBC's Monitor series. This partly dramatised account of the life of composer Sir Edward Elgar includes footage of Elgar at the Three Choirs Festival and a recording of the opening of Abbey Road Studios when 'Land Of Hope And Glory' was played.
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EROICA (2003)
CertificationE Our Rating
By the time the first public performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 (Eroica) took place in Vienna in 1805, a privileged few had already heard the work at a private play-through at the Lobkowitz Palace. Nick Dear's award-winning period drama, starring Ian Hart as Beethoven, brings to intense life the momentous event that prompted Haydn to remark 'everything is different from today'.
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IMMORTAL BELOVED (2007)
Certification15 Our Rating
The title refers to the legatee of Ludwig Van's worldly goods, and the film is a kind of musical detective story that explores the life and loves of Beethoven, who may have been the 'immortal beloved'. Exhilarating musical set-pieces from the Violin Concerto and the Eroica, amongst others, score persuasive points for classical music.
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