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Biopics
The last few years have seen a surge of biography movies, more commonly known as biopics. With an exception of a few films, most biopics can be made on a relatively low budget and are often produced and distributed by independent film companies. Putting all of these elements together makes for a perfect indie subgenre that’s the center of this week’s “Indieties”.
The list of biopics is almost endless. Going as far back as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to Mommie Dearest to this year’s Oscar nominees, Milk and Frost/Nixon, biopics have been grabbing audience’s attention for years now, with more on the way. We’ve also seen movies such as Hotel Rwanda, Boys Don’t Cry, Million Dollar Baby, I’m Not There, Walk the Line, Persepolis and Good Night, and Good Luck be nominated, and even sometimes win, Oscars in years past.
Even some of Hollywood’s most well-known filmmakers have a list of biopics under their belts, Oliver Stone being the most celebrated with films such as Nixon, World Trade Center, Born of the Fourth of July, The Doors, Alexander and most recently W. Whether or not you think his biopics are truthful is one story, but there’s no doubt that he has some experience in making them.
While some of the more mainstream biopics are great, I have a soft spot for the indie ones, some of my favorites being Bobby, Party Monster and The Basketball Diaries.
As much as the trailer for Bobby, about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, appealed to me, there was something about it that seemed off. It could have been the mishmash of a cast, which includes everyone from Lindsay Lohan, Nick Cannon, Elijah Wood, William H. Macy and Anthony Hopkins, or the fact that schlocktastic actor Emilio Estevez had written and directed the film. However, much to my dismay, the film was incredible. The pacing was fantastic the script well-written and suspenseful and Estevez showed that he could turn even the most amateur actor into a great, sympathetic character. I can’t wait to see more from him.
Party Monster is on the opposite end of the indie spectrum. The way I found out about the film was completely opposite from the others as well. While channel surfing one day, I came across an interesting story about a former Club Kid (which is essentially a raver) named Michael Alig who had brutally murdered his drug dealer while high to avoid paying him. When I found out there was a fictional depiction of Alig’s story starring Macaulay Culkin (who is a dead ringer for Alig), I watched it and fell sadistically in love. The performances were amazing, especially from Culkin and Seth Green, and it had the perfect balance of elements of the fantastic (with the Club Kid themes) and the realistic (the murder itself).
After watching Leonardo DiCaprio on TV for years, I had an idea that he was going to stick around for a while, but it wasn’t until I watched The Basketball Diaries with my parents in my pre-teen years that I realized how great he was going to be. Based on an autobiographical novel by DiCaprio’s character, Jim Carroll, The Basketball Diaries centers on growing up in New York, having dreams and getting them crushed and growing up way too fast. Watching DiCaprio in especially sensitive scenes, most of when his character is high, is hard to watch (especially at a young age), but it’s effective. This remains to be one of my favorite coming-of-age films.
So, now that I’ve told you all of my favorites, which are yours?
The list of biopics is almost endless. Going as far back as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid to Mommie Dearest to this year’s Oscar nominees, Milk and Frost/Nixon, biopics have been grabbing audience’s attention for years now, with more on the way. We’ve also seen movies such as Hotel Rwanda, Boys Don’t Cry, Million Dollar Baby, I’m Not There, Walk the Line, Persepolis and Good Night, and Good Luck be nominated, and even sometimes win, Oscars in years past.
Even some of Hollywood’s most well-known filmmakers have a list of biopics under their belts, Oliver Stone being the most celebrated with films such as Nixon, World Trade Center, Born of the Fourth of July, The Doors, Alexander and most recently W. Whether or not you think his biopics are truthful is one story, but there’s no doubt that he has some experience in making them.
While some of the more mainstream biopics are great, I have a soft spot for the indie ones, some of my favorites being Bobby, Party Monster and The Basketball Diaries.
As much as the trailer for Bobby, about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, appealed to me, there was something about it that seemed off. It could have been the mishmash of a cast, which includes everyone from Lindsay Lohan, Nick Cannon, Elijah Wood, William H. Macy and Anthony Hopkins, or the fact that schlocktastic actor Emilio Estevez had written and directed the film. However, much to my dismay, the film was incredible. The pacing was fantastic the script well-written and suspenseful and Estevez showed that he could turn even the most amateur actor into a great, sympathetic character. I can’t wait to see more from him.
Party Monster is on the opposite end of the indie spectrum. The way I found out about the film was completely opposite from the others as well. While channel surfing one day, I came across an interesting story about a former Club Kid (which is essentially a raver) named Michael Alig who had brutally murdered his drug dealer while high to avoid paying him. When I found out there was a fictional depiction of Alig’s story starring Macaulay Culkin (who is a dead ringer for Alig), I watched it and fell sadistically in love. The performances were amazing, especially from Culkin and Seth Green, and it had the perfect balance of elements of the fantastic (with the Club Kid themes) and the realistic (the murder itself).
After watching Leonardo DiCaprio on TV for years, I had an idea that he was going to stick around for a while, but it wasn’t until I watched The Basketball Diaries with my parents in my pre-teen years that I realized how great he was going to be. Based on an autobiographical novel by DiCaprio’s character, Jim Carroll, The Basketball Diaries centers on growing up in New York, having dreams and getting them crushed and growing up way too fast. Watching DiCaprio in especially sensitive scenes, most of when his character is high, is hard to watch (especially at a young age), but it’s effective. This remains to be one of my favorite coming-of-age films.
So, now that I’ve told you all of my favorites, which are yours?
Add a Comment
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Comment by Sifat on July 1, 2009 at 1:44pm - am i the only one excited about the upcoming Iggy Pop biopic starring Elijah Wood as the godfather of punk himself?? and while we're on the subject, when are they gonna make a Kurt Cobain biopic??
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Comment by Winner of Red Shirt Survivor on July 1, 2009 at 1:39pm - No mention of Ed Wood? Really?
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Comment by Azteca on July 1, 2009 at 1:18pm - Gawd!!! I just remembered La Bamba too now that movie really made me repeat to myself "Dont cry, dont cry, dont cry.".
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Comment by Azteca on July 1, 2009 at 1:12pm
- Sid & Nancy is always tops on my list as well as Stand and Deliver.
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Comment by TerryFTW on July 1, 2009 at 12:55pm - Dragon the bruce Lee story was awesome, I really do love basketball diaries btw, also check out the Motorcycle Diaries based of the early life of Che Guevera
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Comment by Doctor Lightning on July 1, 2009 at 12:21pm -
Shit, I forgot three more by Scorsese:
GoodFellas, The Aviator and Casino
and one sleeper: Gods and Monsters
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Comment by Doctor Lightning on July 1, 2009 at 12:07pm
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Citizen Kane, I guess, could sort of be considered a bio-pic of Hearst, only it's so loose it's hard to consider it.
others (and I hope this isn't too boring or weird a list, but whatever):
Schindler's List
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Ed Wood
The Muppet Movie! (I kid ;)
Rescue Dawn
I'm Not There
Malcolm X
Stone's Nixon/Born on the Fourth of July
Downfall
Good Night/Good Luck
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Comment by Gangsta Lean on July 1, 2009 at 11:57am - My favourite biopic is Ray
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Comment by Dr. Detfink on July 1, 2009 at 11:49am - Where the Buffalo Roam a pseudo biopic about Hunter S. Thompson with Bill Murray doesn't get enough kudos.
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Comment by Dr. Detfink on July 1, 2009 at 11:32am
- Pollock by Ed Harris. I thought Ed Harris poured his soul into that role and its one of the few biopics that really delved into how an artist work was a reflection of who he was. I loved that comment by Pollock, "I am nature..." and you can see why because all his work feels like a force of nature.
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