Metro Cinema Society: Music Docs

Music Docs

Music Docs is a monthly film series featuring music documentaries, from classic to contemporary. Curated by Tim Rechner, and co-presented with CJSR and Blackbyrd Myoozik.

Music Docs: Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars

Director: D.A. Pennebaker

UK 1973, 91 min, Digital

Sep 4 (2012) @ 9pm

On July 3, 1973, David Bowie played at London’s Hammersmith Odeon Theatre. Director D.A. Pennebaker, best known for the earlier rock films _Don’t Look Back_ and _Monterey Pop_, was on hand to document this legendary concert. Framed by a smattering... view more

Music Docs: Shut Up and Play the Hits w/ Short

Director: Will Lovelace & Dylan Southern

USA 2012, 108 min, Digital

Oct 7 (2012) @ 4:30pm
Oct 8 (2012) @ 7pm

On April 2nd, 2011, LCD Soundsystem played its final show at Madison Square Garden. LCD frontman James Murphy had made the conscious decision to disband one of the most celebrated and influential bands of its generation at the peak of... view more

Music Docs: Stop Making Sense

Director: Jonathan Demme

USA 1984, 88 min, Digital

Nov 6 (2012) @ 9:15pm

The return of the big suit! _Stop Making Sense_ was the first feature-length documentary effort of filmmaker Jonathan Demme. The director’s subject is The Talking Heads, a new-wave/ pop-rock group comprised of David Byrne, Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth and Jerry... view more

Music Docs: The Song Remains the Same

Director: Peter Clifton & Joe Massot

USA 1976, 137 min, Digital

Dec 4 (2012) @ 7pm

_The Song Remains the Same_ is a concert film by the English rock band Led Zeppelin. The recording of the film took place during three nights of concerts at Madison Square Garden in New York City, on the band’s 1973... view more

Music Docs: Joy Division

Director: Grant Gee

UK 2007, 93 min, Digital

Jan 8 @ 7pm

Filmmaker Grant Gee speaks with now-deceased Factory Records founder Tony Wilson; legendary producer Martin Hannett; surviving Joy Division band members Bernard Sumner, Stephen Morris and Peter Hook; along with the late Ian Curtis’s Belgian lover Annik Honoré in order to... view more

Music Docs: Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser

Director: Charlotte Zwerin

USA 1988, 90 min, Digital

Feb 5 @ 7pm

This documentary of the late jazz great Thelonius Monk (1917-1982) uses footage taken from 14 hours of European concert performances filmed in 1967-68 by Christian Blackwood. From his childhood in New York City’s San Juan Hill, Monk grew up to... view more

Music Docs: Patti Smith: Dream of Life

Director: Steven Sebring

USA 2008, 109 min, Digital

Mar 5 @ 7pm

Filmmaker Steven Sebring directs this documentary about legendary musician Patti Smith, surveying her life, her career, and the philosophical and spiritual themes that have remained so potent in her work. Following her through 11 years of work and touring, the... view more

Music Docs: The Devil and Daniel Johnston

Director: Jeff Feuerzeig

USA 2005, 110 min, Digital

Apr 2 @ 7pm

Live band sir ma’am ma’am plays at 6:30PM A decade after wowing critics with his debut feature _Half Japanese: The Band That Would Be King_, director Jeff Feuerzeig finally delivered his sophomore effort -- a documentary about the life and music... view more

Music Docs: Beware of Mr. Baker

Director: Jay Bulger

USA 2012, 92 min, Digital

May 7 @ 7pm

Very few films can say their opening scene involves the main character breaking the director’s nose, but as this film’s title suggests Ginger Baker is a man to approach with caution. A madman and a genius best known for his... view more