Beijing Into Songs

The Red Elvis

2007

A documentary on the late American entertainer Dean Reed, who became a huge star in East Germany after settling there in 1973.

I Never Promised You a Rose Garden: A Portrait of David Toop Through His Records Collection

2010

British musician and writer David Toop leads viewers through a tour of his voluminous record collection, reflecting on perception, the limits of music and the connections between seemingly disparate performers. This unusual documentary from filmmakers Guy Marc Hinant and Dominique Lohlé also captures Toop's progression from engagement to near exhaustion as he methodically combs through tens of thousands of records.

Johnny Mercer: The Dream's on Me

2009

Commemorating the centennial of Mercer's birth, this documentary is part biography, part archive, and part recontextualization, taking Mercer's tunes and putting them in the hands of modern singers like Jamie Cullum and Dr. John to show they are still relevant today. Host Clint Eastwood also interviews artists who collaborated with Mercer or performed his songs, including composer John Williams, Blake Edwards, Andre Previn, Tony Bennett, and Julie Andrews.

Act Your Age: The Kids of Widney High Story

2010

Follows the world-famous Kids of Widney High, a group of young adults with developmental disabilities who write, record, and perform their own unique brand of rock music. Based out of Los Angeles, the band grows and becomes involved in other creative endeavors including films, writing, painting, and clothing design. This documentary chronicles Kids' rise to underground cult fame over a ten year period, and incorporates the Kids' recent West Coast tour.

Cincinnati's Rock 'N Roll Legends

1995

An excellent comprehensive look at all the music that came out of Cincinnati, Ohio. Cincinnati "Rock Legends" "James Brown" "King Records" "Pure Prairie League" "Lemon Pipers" "Syd Nathan" WEBN "Bootsy Collins" "Lonnie Mack" "The Who concert 1979" "Rick Derringer"

Britney Spears: Workin' It

2014

With the release of her eighth studio album, Britney is back and she's workin' it! This documentary chronicles the career of international superstar from her more innocent years with the release of "Baby One more Time" to being the highest paid judge on US X Factor and collaborating with Will.i.am on her latest album. She is worldwide a pop icon, who continues to grow and deliver to her fans. This is her inside story.

Björk: Minuscule

2002

This documentary offers a behind-the-scenes look at Björk and her touring entourage for the 2001 Vespertine tour. It includes interviews with harpist Zeena Parkins, the Inuit choir from Greenland, electronic duo Matmos, and an ongoing conversation with Björk herself about her recordings and her tours. The documentary is interspersed with live footage of songs from the tour shot by Ragnheidur Gestsdóttir, which themselves correspond to the performances chosen for the Vespertine Live album.

A Conversational Exploration of Sonic Practice

2017

Frequently after talking to another artist, Todd Anderson-Kunert found himself thinking of another question he would have liked to have asked them, but didn’t. This film is about what happened if he did ask those questions. Between 2014 and 2017, in and around Melbourne, Australia, he conversed with a selection of 31 sonic artists, each time for 30 minutes. These conversations were edited down, each time finding a new question he wished he had of asked. This question was used as the starting point for the next conversation with a completely different artist. This documentary film follows that process. The conversation engages with a variety of themes, including temporality, performance, fragility, recording, artistic development, and creative process. It also offers an insight into some of the experimental sound communities operating within Melbourne, Australia.

Louis Armstrong: 100th Anniversary 1901-2001

2001

A documentary featuring archive footage to celebrate the 100th birth of jazz legend Louis Armstrong.

Funk Brazil

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The Distortion of Sound

2014

The last two decades have seen a striking decline in the quality of sound and listening experience. Compressed music, MP3s and streaming, have diminished the quality and flattened the emotion. Marketing gimmicks and convenience now take the place of excellence. The Distortion of Sound is an eye-opening exposé of the current state of sound starring Linkin Park, Slash, Quincy Jones and more. This documentary will open your ears and inspire you to reach for richer, more soul-stirring musical experiences.

Noseland

2014

A humorous ode to the world of classical music and some of its star musicians.

Quiet Riot: Well Now You're Here, There's No Way Back

2014

An inspiring documentary chronicling the rise, fall and resurrection of '80s metal band Quiet Riot. The career of Frankie Banali, the band's drummer, reached a serious crossroads when his best friend and bandmate died in 2007. Years later, Banali realizes he must forge ahead and make a new life for himself and his daughter and he goes on a quest to reunite the band and fill the immense void left by his bandmate.

Descent Into the Maelstrom: The Untold Story of Radio Birdman

2017

Documentary that chronicles the career of the legendary Australian punk band Radio Birdman.

Podium

2007