Best biographical movies
Incidentally, this topic has already been addressed here:
http://www.theauteurs.com/topics/50/comments
Lenny (Dustin Hoffman)
(in no particular order)
Isadora
Coal Miner’s Daughter
Raging Bull
The Buddy Holly Story
Bonnie & Clyde
Pollock (at least one of the finest performances – Ed Harris- in a bio film)
a thread that already exists and with value comments…
Hitting the dead horse again, Raging Bull. I’ve never seen a film about a person show to what degree people can sink like Raging Bull, and yet have the audience symphatize with the jake la motta character. True artistry to have people identify with a general unlikable character.
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters is easily the best example. It did an amazing job of visually dissecting Yukio Mishima’s life
They showed Chaplin on German TV last night, Robert Downey Jr. actually reminded me of Lady Gaga
I personally like semi autobiographical stuff, where it´s clear where the inspiration came from; like Mephisto with Klaus Maria Brandauer…
It´s clear he portrays the actor Gustav Gründgens but he is called Henrik Höfgen in the book/movie --
Mishima? It came off to as a misfire for me.
The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach, Straub & Huillet – I like the absolute lack of even an attempt at psychological insight or imposture.
Really?
@ “god forbid they ever make a film that accurately portrays Che for what he was; a thug and a mass murderer. but that don’t sell t-shirts.”
Everyone knows Steven Soderbergh actually makes major motion pictures in support of his lame t-shirt shop in the U-district. And he gave Che a 260 minute runtime because he was trying get tweens to by shirts at Target.
L’Intrus (Johnny Cash)
Thirty Two Short Films About Glenn Gould by François Girard
Also “The Last Place on Earth” about the failed Scott expedition to the South Pole.
“Empodocles” by Straub
Plus a bunch already mentioned.
Mirror
Andrei Rublev
The Colour of Pomegranates
Raging Bull
Lawrence of Arabia
My Childhood (Bill Douglas- this is an impeccable autobiographical Scottish film, with a quiet poetry hewn from coal and granite and the bleakest of circumstances)
The Passion of Joan of Arc
Alexander Nevsky
The Gospel according to St Matthew
Napoleon
El Cid
Schindler’s List
Hope and Glory (WW2 as exciting childhood adventure, would make an interesting double bill with My Childhood)
Goodfellas
Bonnie and Clyde
The Elephant Man
Edvard Munch
The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach
Ed Wood
Of course, they have different levels of veracity or myth-making. I would like to see Stanley Kwan’s highly rated film Actress about the great 1930s Chinese actress Ruan Lingyu, star of classics Goddess and Little Toys
The Elephant Man
Chaplin
Forrest Gump ;) (I kid, I kid)
Im not there
Ed wood
Raging Bull
Che pt 1
Ghandi
These are the ones that I most remember now.. though, this topic probably played a part in sparking that.
“Amadeus” is indeed historical fiction: I wouldn’t even say it comes close to being a true biopic. And yes, the focus is more Salieri. Even then, it isn’t an accurate representation of Antonio Salieri.
I don’t care what anybody says to the contrary, “Raging Bull” is damn briliant and has an astonishingly gritty, realistic feel. Last time I saw it at the cinema, the lady next to me could barely look at the screen during some of the fight sequences. The fact Jake LaMotta was a consultant on this film, one that shows him in a most unflattering light, says it all about its verisimilitude.
“Ed Wood” is obviously fictionalised in some parts, yet mostly sticks to what is known about Edward D. Wood Jr, and it’s such a loving portrait of a true eccentric, I don’t see how anyone could say it’s not a great biographical picture.
“Rudy” is missing from every list until now, and I do think it’s one of the all-time great films, sorely underrated/overlooked by countless non-sports types. And call me corny if you will, but I have a soft spot for another Notre Dame football film, “Knute Rockne, All-American”. Perhaps not one of the best biopics, yet I thought I’d mention it while on the subject of the Fighting Irish.
I do love “Quiz Show”, yet I hesitate to call it a biopic. It’s more like a historical drama, and doesn’t really focus on one person for an especially long period of time; it’s more like a “true story” dramatic comedy but not really a “biopic” the way I think of them. If you’re going to call “Quiz Show” a biopic, then you’d have to start including films like “Eight Men Out” and “Goodnight, and Good Luck.”
Does “Jesus Christ Superstar” not count?
Finally, one really can’t go past “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid”, as portrayed by Paul Newman (right) and Robert Redford…
I loved THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY.
….and I have a soft spot for COAL MINER’S DAUGHTER.
I agree with Alex about Mishima: a Life in Four Chapters. It’s a really ambitious film that fires on all cylinders, which is even more remarkable given the difficult circumstances in making the film.
Raging Bull is also terrific. Does All That Jazz and 8 1/2 count?
rsarao
I’m Not There — not saying its the best biopic, but, as a major Dylan fan for over 25 years, it is a brilliant piece of filmmaking that captures the enigma of the Dylan persona. Blanchette and Ledger shine, and Bale is a riot as the born-again Dylan.