The Music Biopic Hall of Fame With Sean Fennessey
Summary
Host Yasi Salik and guest Sean Fennessey curate a Canon of the top ten music biopics, debating criteria like camp, theatricality, and narrative focus. They review films from *Yankee Doodle Dandy* to *The Buddy Holly Story*, discussing why rock and roll subjects often yield better cinema than classical composers. The episode also touches on the history of the genre, the challenges of depicting artistic creation, and the merits of fictionalized musical dramas like *Velvet Goldmine*.
Topics discussed
Intro and Comcast Business ad
Defining the Music Biopic Hall of Fame
Criteria: Genre, Canon, and Camp
Early Biopics: The Great Gatsby and Elvis
Cole Porter and the 1960s Drought
Woodstock, Ken Russell, and Bound for Glory
Stand by Me, Sid and Nancy, and Karaoke
O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Mamma Mia
Sid and Nancy, DTF St. Louis, and My Left Foot
Jazz Biopics and The Doors
Glenn Gould, Selena, and Estate Involvement
Topsy-Turvy, 8 Mile, and Ray
Beyond the Sea, Control, and I'm Not There
El Cantante, Notorious, and Hip Hop Personas
Public Domain, The Runaways, and Sex & Drugs
Mint Mobile Ad, Get On Up, and Split Structure
Florence Foster Jenkins and Morrissey Casting
Bohemian Rhapsody and The Last of the Mohicans
Elvis, The Last Duel, and Maestro
Milli Vanilli, A Complete Unknown, and Maria
A Complete Unknown, Upcoming Beatles Films, and Outro
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