Trends To Watch: Musicans Turned Film Directors

Subscribe:

Entertainment Weekly recently pointed out that Madonna’s Filth and Wisdom (”Alas, more of the former than the latter”) isn’t the only example of a musical star turning to film direction.

Other examples include Frank Sinatra’s None but the Brave, released in 1965. It’s about some American and Japanese soldiers who are stranded on an island in the Pacific during WW II. They have to temporarily truce in order to survive. It’s told from the POV of an American and a Japanese unit commander, who  must deal with the increasingly mutinous behavior of their men.

It’s pretty good–and similar enough to the opening sequence of ABC series Lost to deserve comment–but Sinatra’s performance in the movie (he also starred) could’ve stood some more depth.

Then there’s was 1978’s Renaldo and Clara, directed by and starring Bob Dylan. EW said it best: “His songs? Epic. His film debut? Just plain long.”

David Byrne: A wacky, surreal story

David Byrne’s 1986 film, True Stories, is the wacky, surreal story of David Byrne visiting a small Texan town on the eve of its ‘sesquicentennial’ celebration, and meeting a bunch of bizarre characters on the way. Something of a cult classic.

Prince’s Graffiti Bridge, from 1990, is somewhat less classic. It’s a tale of the competition between two clubs, and of a hero named the Kid who has lost his spirit, until he falls in love under a bridge and writes the ballad that saves his club…

Yeah. Skip it.

Barbra Streisand’s 1991 film The Prince of Tides should be given an audience no matter what–it’s Barbra Streisand, acting and directing–but this one was nominated for a Best Picture Oscar. Sure, it’s a sappy waterworks movie, and it’s about a man falling in love with a shrink, but you gotta give it a go. It’s Barbra Streisand.

John Mellencamp: semi-autobiography

Falling From Grace is a 1992 semi-autobiographical film from John Mellencamp. He stars in it as well as doing the director thing (like most of these) and it’s surprisingly respectable.

Ice Cube’s 1998 film The Players Club is a little too telling when it comes to his own recreational pursuits. It’s about a stripper trying to make it in the face of opposition from a boss… and other strippers.

Then there was Neil Young’s Greendale, in 2003. Young had a more minor role in the musical small town story, on which critics generally panned.

Rob Zombie: A horror of a movie

Rob Zombie’s Halloween is a horror of a movie. Released last year, it’s the ninth in the Halloween series, and also goes under the working title Hall9ween. It’s quite scary. Also, the White Zombie rocker doesn’t even put a toenail onscreen… showing all the forbearance that Prince should have shown.

Then Fred Durst directed this year’s Longshots, a grimace-inspiring cliché sports movie about an 11-year-old girl playing football for a losing high school football team.

Longshots, Hall9ween, and Filth and Wisdom are the only three movies here that don’t feature the musician/director in at least a supporting role. Here’s to that trend. If they’re going to get into the movies, at least let’s keep them behind the camera.