Soul Connected Films - Cream Of The Crop List...

[Mike]

a youtube stumble upon revisit, which led to a thought

The Five Heartbeats - Official Movie Trailer

 

 

a great film, for me one of the (if not 'the') best soul connected films 

so how about a bit of begining of the week listing (trailers most welcome) post

a list of cream of the crop  soul connected film nominations 

any noms...

 

[Kenb]

Three Degrees-The French Connection. slight topic drift

https://intothemild.com/2015/01/20/the-french-connection/

 

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Kenb

[Mike]

15 minutes ago, Kenb said:

Three Degrees-The French Connection. slight topic drift

https://intothemild.com/2015/01/20/the-french-connection/

 

 

Come on Ken, what ya trying to do to us, we're talking complete films here,  thought it was fairly obvious

Cream of the crop soul connected films, is what the topic is about

1 nomination so far ... can we get to a top ten?

 

 

 

[Kenb]

2 hours ago, Source said:

Come on Ken, what ya trying to do to us, we're talking complete films here,  thought it was fairly obvious

Cream of the crop soul connected films, is what the topic is about

1 nomination so far ... can we get to a top ten?

 

 

 

Doh…

I can be a bit thick, and a bit stupid, but not usually both together.

[Mike]

2 minutes ago, Kenb said:

Doh…

I can be a bit thick, and a bit stupid, but not usually both together.

no worries, what be your nomination?

[Roburt]

There was the Temptations TV movie, which screened in the US when we were over on the 1998 Soul Trip to Vegas.

It was on TV there a day after this event which was staged for us by Nancy Yahiro in Long Beech ... so mid Feb 98 then (see attached flyer).

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkGtMGs-k3Q

After that, it came out on video & you used to be able to pick up copies of the video version over here for around a quid (I have 3 or 4 copies of it here somewhere).

There have been projects started to film versions of the lives of Otis Redding (Billy Ocean was tipped to play Otis at one stage) and the finished articles on Ike & Tina Turner, the Supremes (disguised under another group name & titled DREAM GIRLS), James Brown, etc.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2pdkjTB040

Also documentary type efforts about Reffa, the Funk Brothers, the Wrecking Crew, Nina Simone, etc. 

Lots of short clips of soul acts included in films about other subjects, topics (Mary Love being one to get featured in DOLOMITE, along with Arthur Wright's Soul Rebellion Orch). >>  //www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYM0XJT28V0

Mary Love from the movie soundtrack (think she's featured singing it live on a club's stage in the actual movie) ..  //www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jBf3jl6aNw

Soul stars have appeared in many films in playing fictional roles as A.N.Other (Whitney, Beyonce, etc.). 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Roburt

[Mike]

13 minutes ago, Roburt said:

There was the Temptations TV movie, which screened in the US when we were over on the 1998 Soul Trip to Vegas.

It was on TV there a few days from this event which was staged for us by Nancy Yahiro in Long Beech ... so mid Feb 98 then (see attached flyer).

After that, it came out on video & you used to be able to pick up copies of the video version over here for around a quid (I have 3 or 4 copies of it here somewhere).

There have been projects started to film versions of the lives of Otis Redding (Billy Ocean was tipped to play Otis at one stage) and the finished articles on Ike & Tina Turner, the Supremes (disguised under another group name & titled DREAM GIRLS), James Brown, etc.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2pdkjTB040

Also documentary type efforts about Reffa, the Funk Brothers, the Wrecking Crew, Nina Simone, etc. 

Would I be right in saying 'The Temptations TV movie' be your nomination John?

If so then thats 2  members nominations in,  8 more to go....

[Kenb]

19 minutes ago, Source said:

no worries, what be your nomination?

Get on Up ( James brown story)

[Roburt]

Yep, I'll nominate the Temptations movie.

BTW, ahead of us heading out to Vegas, I'd contacted the Motown Cafe there to see if we could have an extended 'backroom' tour of the place. Our proposed visit was just a few days before the TV movie was to be screened.

An LA TV news team, doing a feature on the upcoming TV movie (it must have been due to screen on their channel -- on the coming Sunday night if my memory ain't playing tricks on me).,They sent a camera team over to the Vegas Motown Cafe to do a news piece on this 'strange group of Brit soul / Motown fans' over in Vegas to see & stage some live shows. We were interviewed & then filmed up on stage at the venue, singing along & dancing with the Cafe's own versions of the Temptations and Supremes. 

Dave Leedham was one of our group & he was going off after our time together ended to see a mate over in California. He'd told that mate about the TV news piece on us & his mate video'd it. Dave got copies of the piece and gave me a copy. Got that somewhere here too.  

 

Edited May 16, 2023 by Roburt

[Chalky]

Not really a movie but a documentary but nonetheless well worth watching.  It is about Miami's Deep City label, including the great Helene Smith, the finest vocalist out of Miami IMHO.

 

[Happy Feet]

"Cadillac Records "  2009 I think , the story of Leonard Chess a Jewish immigrant from Poland who sets up the Chess/ Checker labels , good movie I thought .

"Soul Men " 2008 , Samuel L Jackson , Bernie Mac & Isaac Hayes, a good comedy based I believe on the story of Sam & Dave , still makes me laugh 

[Mike]

3 minutes ago, Happy Feet said:

"Cadillac Records "  2009 I think , the story of Leonard Chess a Jewish immigrant from Poland who sets up the Chess/ Checker labels , good movie I thought .

"Soul Men " 2008 , Samuel L Jackson , Bernie Mac & Isaac Hayes, a good comedy based I believe on the story of Sam & Dave , still makes me laugh 

which one are ya nominating Dave?

[Happy Feet]

Just now, Source said:

which one are ya nominating Dave?

" Soul Men " for that midweek pick me up feeling ,,,

[Britishbarry]

How about Detroit. 

[Mike]

12 minutes ago, Britishbarry said:

How about Detroit. 

good shout 

thats 6 now 

thumbs up

more to come... ?

[Roburt]

Of course, the Blues Brothers film both starred many soul acts (all playing semi fictional roles) ...

can't nominate either film though, already made my pick ...

REFFA HERE ...  //www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTXszRHc0qs

Then there's all the decent blaxploitation films with great soundtracks ... SUPERFLY, SHAFT, THE MACK, FOXY BROWN and the 'not so good ones' ... the 3 Dolomite films for instance.

Also, Barbara McNair starred in many good movies, but not in singing roles.

Edited May 16, 2023 by Roburt

[Benji]

Maybe I just didn't get it, but you're not talking about biopics are you?

[Mike]

26 minutes ago, Benji said:

Maybe I just didn't get it, but you're not talking about biopics are you?

just after a knockabout list of the 'best' films with a strong soul connection

fiction, non-fiction, biopic etc etc all welcome

 

[Mickey Finn]

On the non-fiction tip, I thought this was particularly good:

 

[Kev Cane]

19 hours ago, Roburt said:

There was the Temptations TV movie, which screened in the US when we were over on the 1998 Soul Trip to Vegas.

It was on TV there a day after this event which was staged for us by Nancy Yahiro in Long Beech ... so mid Feb 98 then (see attached flyer).

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkGtMGs-k3Q

After that, it came out on video & you used to be able to pick up copies of the video version over here for around a quid (I have 3 or 4 copies of it here somewhere).

There have been projects started to film versions of the lives of Otis Redding (Billy Ocean was tipped to play Otis at one stage) and the finished articles on Ike & Tina Turner, the Supremes (disguised under another group name & titled DREAM GIRLS), James Brown, etc.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=i2pdkjTB040

Also documentary type efforts about Reffa, the Funk Brothers, the Wrecking Crew, Nina Simone, etc. 

Lots of short clips of soul acts included in films about other subjects, topics (Mary Love being one to get featured in DOLOMITE, along with Arthur Wright's Soul Rebellion Orch). >>  //www.youtube.com/watch?v=wYM0XJT28V0

Mary Love from the movie soundtrack (think she's featured singing it live on a club's stage in the actual movie) ..  //www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jBf3jl6aNw

Soul stars have appeared in many films in playing fictional roles as A.N.Other (Whitney, Beyonce, etc.). 

Yes Roburt, remember The Temptations dramatisation, it was on a channel called Hallmark over here, the guy who played David Ruffin looked more like Ruffin than Ruffin himself  

Kev

[Wilxy]

Wattstax, from mid 70's.......

[Mike]

19 hours ago, Benji said:

 

 

3 hours ago, Kev Cane said:

 

Benji, Kev any nominations?

 

Tthink we are on about 7 now ish

Will give it another day or so , then just for some fun and that will knock up a poll of the nominations

 

[Kev Cane]

2 hours ago, Source said:

 

Benji, Kev any nominations?

 

Tthink we are on about 7 now ish

Will give it another day or so , then just for some fun and that will knock up a poll of the nominations

 

Don't know if this qualifies, but, The Dramatics were heavily involved in the fact based "Detroit" gripping, and disturbing at the same time

Kev

[Mickey Finn]

If I'm allowed 2 more:

Standing in the Shadows of Motown

 

[Mickey Finn]

Listen Up: The Lives of Quincy Jones (made in 1990)

 

[Chalky]

The Black Godfather....

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10289996/

 

[Benji]

4 hours ago, Source said:

 

Benji, Kev any nominations?

 

Tthink we are on about 7 now ish

Will give it another day or so , then just for some fun and that will knock up a poll of the nominations

 

Not from me i'm afraid, I'm not that much of a movie fan apart from Star Wars (excl. episodes 1-3). But I'm going to try and watch some of the movies that have been nominated so far.

[Godzilla]

Maybe not soul music connected enough for this thread, but I enjoyed "Dolemite Is My Name"  - the Rudy Ray Moore biopic. He made a few cracking soul/funk/R&B records amongst all the blue material though!

 

[Mike]

9 hours ago, Mickey Finn said:

If I'm allowed 2 more:

 

nope, thinking is that if we go for an one nomination per member, it would allow more to take part and avoid one or two members just flooding the topic and ending the discussion, so just gonna take ya first one as your nomination

8 hours ago, Benji said:

Not from me i'm afraid, I'm not that much of a movie fan apart from Star Wars (excl. episodes 1-3). But I'm going to try and watch some of the movies that have been nominated so far.

no probs, let us know what you think of any you catch

10 hours ago, Kev Cane said:

Don't know if this qualifies, but, The Dramatics were heavily involved in the fact based "Detroit" gripping, and disturbing at the same time

Kev

already been nominated Kev , have you got another?

12 hours ago, Source said:

think we are on about 7 now ish

Will give it another day or so , then just for some fun and that will knock up a poll of the nominations

 

 

what about the 2 northern connected films ? any of them worthy additions?

also surprised that a big recent Oscar winner ain't been added yet, anyone going to...?

 

[Amsterdam Russ]

My nomination is the Dionne Warwick documentary - Don't make me over. As well as being good in its own right, a bonus is that among the many talking heads there is Chuck Jackson. He pops up to provide comment a number of times.

 

[Seano]

6 hours ago, Source said:

 

also surprised that a big recent Oscar winner ain't been added yet, anyone going to...?

 

Guessing that's the Questlove Summer of Soul? Even if not, I'll nominate that if it counts.

[Benji]

Oh yes. Summer of soul. How could I forget it. Excellent choice.

I nominate the Nina Simone documentary from 2015 "what happend Miss Simone"

[purist]

My tip would be Searching for Sugarman. A fantastic and very moving story.

(would you consider Car Wash ? Commitments ?  People always used to mention something Wednesday, possibly Big Wednesday, but I've never seen it?  Then there's Coast to Coast, with better casting it could have been another Blues Brothers)
 

 

[Britishbarry]

If we are including Jazz/Funk then I nominate Young Soul Rebels. 

[Mike]

On 16/05/2023 at 20:54, Britishbarry said:

How about Detroit. 

 

22 minutes ago, Britishbarry said:

If we are including Jazz/Funk then I nominate Young Soul Rebels. 

as said somewhere above, going for just the one nomination per member, so taking Detroit as yours

thumbs up

[Roburt]

On 17/05/2023 at 23:01, Godzilla said:

Maybe not soul music connected enough for this thread, but I enjoyed "Dolemite Is My Name"  - the Rudy Ray Moore biopic. He made a few cracking soul/funk/R&B records amongst all the blue material though!

 

A film made about the 70's Dolomite films (one of which starred Mary love).

[Kev Cane]

I'm going for Shaft, tell me a more Soulful scene than when Richard Rowntree is walking around Harlem looking for "oh, that Ben Beauford " to the Isaac Hayes masterclass, "Soulsville"

Kev

[likealaff]

They call me Mr Tibbs. Absolutely the best soundtrack ever .

[Geeselad]

On 16/05/2023 at 19:42, Kenb said:

Get on Up ( James brown story)

Sorry I was so disappointed with this, worse than 'Ray', how do make his life boring? 

[Twoshoes]

Most of the obvious already mentioned, I'd nominate Green Book if not for the music for the social aspect ,saw an episode of the American Pickers where they picked from a hotel that was in the actual Green Book.

[Bunderthollox]

Been looking for a thread on this so my nomination is Sheba Baby I loved a lot of the music in that,  Mine is Sheba Baby Monk Higgins Alex Brown funky as you'd guess.  Bought the album, tatty cover but all things Buddah

[Roburt]

This new one up on Amazon looks very promising ... 

Edited August 1, 2023 by Roburt

[Kevin Jones]

I would like to nominate The Five Heartbeats. A great movie and some brilliant songs and dance moves. Possibly based around The Temptations. 

[Seano]

22 hours ago, Roburt said:

This new one up on Amazon looks very promising ... 

Missed this at the time and sadly not available on Amazon at the moment.

[Soul Shrews]

9 hours ago, Kevin Jones said:

I would like to nominate The Five Heartbeats. A great movie and some brilliant songs and dance moves. Possibly based around The Temptations. 

Dells wasn't it ?

Cheers Paul

[Soul Shrews]

Clarence Avant story was/is great. On Netflix.

Thats my nomination.

Cheers Paul

[Tlscapital]

32 minutes ago, Soul Shrews said:

Dells wasn't it ?

Cheers Paul

Initially written for a Temptations-a-like fit but that was prior Berry Gordy Diva's threat to sue and so they swapped it for the Dells. Good God I didn't know that before looking into it. Both of you are right and wrong. But this is the 'bottom' of it.

[Pigeon Thing]

...does Questlove's "Summer of soul" count?, its an out and out documentary but amazing non the less?..

 

 

...sozz...just noticed its in there? hah...

[Seano]

On 18/05/2023 at 14:38, purist said:

My tip would be Searching for Sugarman. A fantastic and very moving story.

(would you consider Car Wash ? Commitments ?  People always used to mention something Wednesday, possibly Big Wednesday, but I've never seen it?  Then there's Coast to Coast, with better casting it could have been another Blues Brothers)
 

 

Sad news in today's Guardian:

https://www.theguardian.com/film/2023/aug/09/searching-for-sugar-man-singer-rodriguez-dies