From Freddie Mercury to Viktor Tsoi — we present to your attention a selection of screen biographies of famous groups and performers.

In December 2024, the trend for biographical films based on the stories of famous musicians seems to have reached its peak. The film 'The Fifth Beatle' about the manager of the Liverpool Four has already been released in Russian theaters, and at the end of the month, 'Better Man: The Robbie Williams Story' will arrive, where the king of Britpop jumps around the stage in the guise of a chimpanzee. At the same time, 'A Complete Unknown' with Timothée Chalamet as Bob Dylan will reach American cinemas.

We in the 'After Credits' team are very happy about this confluence of circumstances, because we have a weakness for musical biopics, and which ones exactly — read on.

'Cadillac Records' (2008)

The film 'Cadillac Records' is the story of the label Chess Records, which became the cradle of blues and rock 'n' roll, and its artists — a living embodiment of the struggle for recognition in a world where racial prejudices are alive and personal demons are closely intertwined with musical genius.

Producer Leonard Chess (played by Adrien Brody) here acts as a link between such bright personalities as Muddy Waters, Chuck Berry, Etta James (brilliantly played, by the way, by modern music icon Beyoncé) and other legends, but his desire for profit often puts him at odds with their passion for music.

Each character is not just a musician, but a whole universe of emotions: from passion to betrayal, from fame to downfall. The film perfectly conveys the atmosphere of the 50s with their wild nights and furious rhythms, creating the feeling that the viewer themselves becomes part of this musical revolution. At the same time, it is as bluesy in spirit as the music that often plays in its most important and touching episodes.

'Green Book' (2018)

Somewhere, one Spike Lee is indignant... Whatever anyone says, the victory of 'Green Book' at the Oscars is that rare case when the choice of the academy completely coincided with the expectations of the vast majority of viewers. On the one hand, it is an important and touching film about the fight against racism and prejudice, on the other, not too obvious oscar bait, like, for example, 'Moonlight'. Peter Farrelly's film, by all indications, is simply destined to achieve cult status, having passed the test of time. I have no doubt about the latter!

Of course, the music of Don Shirley itself is pushed into the background in the film. But at the same time, it serves as a beautiful accompaniment to what is happening on screen. The scenes where the hero of Mahershala Ali sits down at the piano (necessarily a Steinway brand — this is stipulated in the rider), feel like the ringing of a cowbell in Shostakovich's Seventh Symphony. Simply put, impeccable!

'Ray' (2004)

Jamie Foxx as the jazz legend Ray Charles is truly great here. He himself played the piano on camera and wore special eye prosthetics throughout the entire filming process, due to which he could not see anything. The Oscar and Golden Globe deservedly warm the actor's hands.

This film will appeal not only to fans of Ray Charles' music, but also to those who love strong dramas. Deep, sincere, heartfelt — the film holds from beginning to end, without sagging for a minute, wisely managing its considerable runtime. While watching, you manage to experience the full range of emotions: from disgust at the hero's actions to sympathy and back. And for that, thanks to the creators, you want to return to watching again and again.

'Control' (2007)

If you don't know anything about Joy Division and want to 'see' their music, then 'Control' is perfect for that. The director was Anton Corbijn, who previously did photo shoots for Joy Division and directed videos for Metallica, NIRVANA, and Depeche Mode. 'Control' became his debut work in cinema.

The director savors the frames and immerses you in the atmosphere of post-punk. Long takes, interesting angles, and a rich black-and-white picture. It wouldn't be surprising if a freeze-frame from 'Control' ends up on someone's desktop.

The plot is based on the life of the band's frontman Ian Curtis, who suffered from epilepsy and died at the age of 23. The film does not claim to be meticulously biographical, if only because it was created based on the memoirs of the musician's widow Deborah Curtis. Unsurprisingly, her character acts as the white sheep who got involved with a terrible person. Something similar happened with 'Bohemian Rhapsody', which was created with the involvement of Brian May and Roger Taylor.

'Control' will not provide answers to the reasons for Curtis's suicide and will not show his entire complex life, and it certainly wasn't easy. But it will run through the 'golden' years of the cult post-punk band. By the way, all the songs that sound in the film were re-sung by the lead actor Sam Riley, which gives the film additional charm. The actor did a great job and almost exactly conveyed the musician's behavior on stage. If you see a fragment of 'Control', you could mistake it for a Joy Division live performance, only in good quality.

'Summer' (2018)

Leningrad summer of 1981, almost famous Viktor Tsoi, melancholic Mike Naumenko and other heroes who stood at the origins of Russian rock, in one of the most tender, stylish and beautiful films ever made in the Russian language.

This is not quite a biopic (for which it is often criticized), rather a nostalgic fantasy with elements of reality about people who, thanks to their creativity, have long become immortal symbols, which breathes life back into them in the best sense of the expression. There is so much sincere love, joy of friendship, air and youth in it, and most importantly — music, that in the end this film rises above most timid representatives of the genre. Well, the finale — with the performance of the song 'Tree' — simply breaks your heart.

'Straight Outta Compton' (2015)

Straight Outta Compton is a powerful manifesto about the rise and fall of the group N.W.A., which became a symbol of gangsta rap. The film shows the world of Compton in the 80s, where the streets are full of violence and police brutality. At the center of the plot are three young men: Dr. Dre, Ice Cube, and Eazy-E, who decide not to remain silent about their experiences and record music that reflects the harsh reality of their lives.

The main thing the creators managed to do was to imbue every scene with the energy of the struggle for self-expression and recognition. The heroes' songs were not just hits, they became weapons against social injustice. However, on the path to recognition, the characters faced not only successes but also conflicts — both within the group and with the outside world. The interaction with manager Jerry Heller and internal strife only emphasize the fragility of their union, destined to become legendary for the entire culture.

'The Dirt' (2019)

A biographical film about the legendary group Mötley Crüe, which became an icon of glam metal. The formula of the musical biopic here differs little from its genre counterparts, but this minor misunderstanding is more than compensated for by the hurricane editing and detailed recording of the rock 'n' roll madness of the metalheads on every centimeter of film. Real facts from the book, which was written in turn by Vince Neil, Tommy Lee, Mick Mars, and Nikki Sixx, are mixed with myths and legends that the group has accumulated over its existence.

And it is sometimes extremely difficult to distinguish reality from fiction, given what was happening in the musicians' hotel rooms during their tours. The central place in the film, of course, is occupied by music. Mötley Crüe's tracks sound pungent, loud, and the film's director Jeff Tremaine skillfully lays the corresponding video sequence under them, driving already grown-up and long-since-shorn fans crazy. 'The Dirt' is not just a belated anthem to the partying 80s, it is also a dramatic story of four ordinary American guys who decided to have a good time before ending up on the sidelines of history.

'The Runaways' (2010)

Many have heard the song Cherry Bomb, but didn't know who performed it. So, it was The Runaways! Floria Sigismondi's film about the first successful all-girl rock group in rock music history, based on the autobiographical book by former vocalist Cherie Currie 'Neon Angel'.

The atmosphere of punk and rebellion was sweeping the world at that time, and that is exactly what the film tries to convey. 'The Runaways' shows the spirit of the era, not a dry biography of the group, which, by the way, is inaccurately portrayed in the film. In addition to The Runaways' songs, the film features Sex Pistols, David Bowie, and The Stooges. All those who in the 70s never left the iconic rock scene. All the group's tracks were re-sung by the lead actresses Dakota Fanning and Kristen Stewart. Also, Joan Jett (former guitarist and vocalist of The Runaways) contributed to the filming, coaching Stewart and teaching her to imitate herself. The actress learned to speak like Jett and adopted her mannerisms.

The result is a mind-blowing film about an equally crazy rock group that managed to prove that not only men own the rock stage.

'Bohemian Rhapsody' (2018)

Our list was simply impossible without the 2018 release 'Bohemian Rhapsody', which won popular love and grossed an impressive nearly a billion dollars. Thanks to this film, Rami Malek turned into a real star and won an Oscar, and a new wave of musical biopics began in Hollywood, which clearly includes 'Rocketman' and 'Elvis', and 'A Complete Unknown' with 'Bob Marley' most likely also stem from there.

The wonderful music of the band, the magnificent acting, and the iconic figure of Freddie Mercury made this film a true blockbuster. Hardly anyone expected such colossal box office success and an armful of statuettes from the most important award, but the magic of cinema did its job. A film where no one cared about any propaganda of banned organizations. Everyone simply enjoyed the story of a truly great musician. Perhaps 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is not the finest musical biopic, but at the very least, it is certainly capable of giving you goosebumps.

'Combination' (2024)

The new Wink series 'Combination' about the eponymous 90s group is a product with formal features of their last year's hit 'The Boy's Word'. Everything happens almost in the same time period (instead of Kazan, here it's Saratov). Brisk editing grinds into a pile mustachioed demobilized soldiers, shaven-headed gang members, Nikita Kologrivy (he has a central role), colorful leggings, community center discos, working-class outskirts, and, of course, the songs of 'Combination'.

The main connection between the main heroines is provided by the already proven pattern by Zhora Kryzhovnikov: a friendship that arose from mutual antipathy and different social strata is cemented by a love of music. True, the future pop stars prefer to be inspired not by 'Laskoviy May', but by 'ABBA' and 'Baccara'. But some of the musical tracks illustrating the era still crept in from the set of 'The Boy's Word' and, it seems, at the disco shown in one of the scenes, Vova Adidas is about to appear under the Mirazh song 'New Hero'.

Almost all the episodes in the series, although not particularly original, are quite energetic, assertive, and sometimes funny. You imperceptibly get drawn into the story and want to wait for new episodes. Kologrivy predictably pushes everyone off the screen, but the authors wisely switch to other characters. Fortunately, there is no shortage of them and they are all organic.

'Combination' is another snapshot of the lives of ordinary people who found themselves at the break of two eras and desperately believe in a dream. But unlike other newsreels on the same topic, which have been coming out in batches recently, Nikita Vlasov's series looks much more optimistic and fun. Because Kryzhovnikov can be watched even through torment and suffering. But not everyone is given the ability to repeat such a technique. And is it necessary?