The Rock & Roll Film Encyclopedia

by John Kenneth Muir

(Applause Books). "One great rock show can change the world" says Jack Black's character Dewey Finn in the 2003 Richard Linklater comedy The School of Rock . This exhaustive, highly-detailed, yet... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1557836930
• ISBN13: 9781557836939
• Release Date: April 2007
• Publisher: Applause Theatre & Cinema Book Publishers
• Length: 358 Pages
• Weight: 2.00 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 7.5" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

wow

i am thrilled with the "used" condition of this book. while it does not have some of the info i was looking for it will be a handy addition to my library

An excellent reference.

Fifty years of rock n roll film history is considered in a reader perfect not just for film libraries but for general-interest collections where either film or modern music is of interest. General-interest audiences receive a reference packing in over two hundred reader-friendly A-Z entries which include synopses, cast listings, ratings, DVD availability and more. Also included are biographical entries of the stars and 'best and worst' lists. An excellent reference.

The gentle voice of a rock-film lover

Rock and Roll, barely 50 years old as a developed genre, has had its effects on many aspects of American culture. And why not film? John Kenneth Muir brings the gentle voice of the aficionado to this compilation of movies that somehow or other involve the world of rock. Muir's book is a collection of short movie reviews and other very short essays on rock-movie-related topics. One of his best qualities is his evident love for the genre -- even for those films that are quite weak. He is not at all caustic, and has little of the edge one might expect from a work such as this. His ever-so-gentle critiques of the films of Elvis Presley, for instance, while lamenting their poor music and negligible plots, note the best of the lot (King Creole and Kid Galahad), actually made me want to watch them. Never once does Muir lay a hand on the King himself, whose talent and authentic charisma Muir feels were rarely put to use. Not that Muir avoids naming names and pointing fingers when he has to. His review of Rick Springfield's "Hard to Hold' makes it clear that he has no use for the film's plot or the mugging of its star. Muir is not above steering fans away from unfortunate sequels, from Saturday Night Fever II to Grease II. But he is most often generous in his critiques, finding something positive to say about nearly every film. It would have been easy to slam the Beach Blanket movies of the early 1960s, or the rancorous punk films of the 1980s, but Muir treats them with reverence and respect not often encountered in critiques of the genre. Along the way, you will refresh your memory about some of rock film's classics (A Hard Day's Night; Woodstock) and learn of little known, but well-considered, rock films ("Eddie and the Cruisers") that are worth digging up. You will also be reminded of the conventions of rock and roll films -- the press conference; the battle of the bands; the breakup; anti-authority stance; Billboard magazine as a way to track a band's rise and fall. Muir's asides bring a level of fun to the book that break up the otherwise-endless list of movie reviews. Muir does make the rare flub. His list of Beatles films inexplicably omits "Magical Mystery Tour." But misses aside, RRFE provides a fascinating and attractive glimpse of a culture that in a few years managed to permeate and transform the musical landscape of the nation and the world. Read along, and learn a bit about rock's legends, goats, little-known treasures and unexpected students (Hairspray's John Waters, anyone?). And most helpful, at the back of the book, Muir provides his lists of his top movies in various genres: overall, documentary, musical, etc. The Rock and Roll Film Encyclopedia is a thoroughly charming and easy-to-read romp through films and characters that are weird, wacky, pretentious, dismissible, important, challenging, self-destructive and joyful. Hard to put down.

rock films

With over 200 entries, this book includes rock 'n roll movies that we can't forget and some that we'd probably like to forget. It was really fun to read about some of the movies, their stars, and even their soundtracks! It's in an easy-to-read format. One of my favorite parts of the book is the "Tops and Bottoms of the Rock Film Genre". It was interesting to see where movies ended up!