Movies About The Blues

From Martin Scorsese, starring Robbie Robertson, Muddy Waters, Neil Young, Van Morrison
Rated PG

The Last Waltz is a 1978 documentary film directed by Martin Scorsese that chronicles the final concert performance of The Band, one of the most influential rock groups of the 1960s and 70s. The film features performances by the group, as well as appearances by a variety of musical artists such as Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, and Joni Mitchell. Along with showcasing the music, Scorsese paints a vivid portrait of The Band’s history, featuring interviews with the members and their associates, offering insight into their creative process and the context in which they created some of the most iconic music of the era. The Last Waltz stands as an essential document of a crucial moment in rock music history and a celebration of the lasting impact of The Band.

From John Landis, starring John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Cab Calloway, John Candy
Rated R

The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis and starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from a musical sketch on the NBC variety series Saturday Night Live. The film follows the Blues Brothers as they attempt to save the Catholic orphanage in which they were raised from foreclosure by raising $5,000 to pay back taxes. The brothers are aided in their quest by several characters, including an R&B band, a backup band consisting of ex-convicts, a blues band led by James Brown, and a country and western band. Along the way, they are side-tracked by a mission to reunite their old band and confront a rival white gang, and are pursued by the police and a mysterious group of neo-Nazis. The Blues Brothers was released on June 20, 1980 and received positive reviews, with many praising its energetic musical sequences and its comedic blend of satire, slapstick and surrealism. The film was a success at the box office, grossing over $115 million worldwide and becoming the 25th highest grossing film of 1980.

From Jim Jarmusch, starring Masatoshi Nagase, Yûki Kudô, Screamin' Jay Hawkins, Cinqué Lee
Rated R

Mystery Train is a 1989 comedy-drama film directed by Jim Jarmusch that follows three separate stories of three different people all staying at the same hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. In the first story, a Japanese couple is in town to visit the sites of Elvis Presley. In the second, an Italian widow and her son are on a pilgrimage to visit her husband’s grave. Lastly, a group of Midwestern teens spend the night in the hotel. Through these stories, Mystery Train explores themes of loneliness, cultural identity, and the search for connection. Ultimately, the stories are connected by the dream of the unknowable, mysterious forces of the universe that draw people together.

From Michael Mann, starring James Caan, Tuesday Weld, Willie Nelson, Jim Belushi
Rated R

From Walter Hill, starring Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca, Jami Gertz, Joe Morton
Rated R

From Carl Reiner, starring Steve Martin, Bernadette Peters, Catlin Adams, Mabel King
Rated R

From Darnell Martin, starring Adrien Brody, Jeffrey Wright, Beyoncé, Columbus Short
Rated R

From Craig Brewer, starring Christina Ricci, Samuel L. Jackson, Justin Timberlake, S. Epatha Merkerson
Rated R

From Martin Ritt, starring James Earl Jones, Jane Alexander, Lou Gilbert, Joel Fluellen
Rated PG-13

From John Sayles, starring Danny Glover, LisaGay Hamilton, Yaya DaCosta, Charles S. Dutton
Rated PG-13

From Dennis Hopper, starring Don Johnson, Virginia Madsen, Jennifer Connelly, Charles Martin Smith
Rated R