The best movies about music, according to Neil Tennant
Although the cinematic medium had its start with silent masterpieces that still govern many of the image-crafting techniques practised today, it has proven to be a fascinating conduit for music as well. Be it Jacques Demy’s magical musicals or the gritty documentaries about the sociopolitical movements inherent to the art form’s development throughout the 20th century, cinema has been brilliantly used by many practitioners to create unique audiovisual experiences.
One notable figure who is particularly fond of movies about music is Neil Tennant, the man who formed the iconic duo Pet Shop Boys along with Chris Lowe. During a conversation with The Guardian, Tennant joined the likes of Nadine Shah and Anna Calvi to discuss some of the most important cinematic works that have defined the aforementioned subgenre.
Citing some of his favourite films, Tennant began his segment of the interview by putting Sidney J. Furie’s 1961 gem, The Young Ones, at the top of his list. A classic musical comedy contextualised by the battle between the working class and predatory real estate magnates, it’s definitely an emotionally charged cinematic experience.
While discussing the film, Tennant said: “The Young Ones is a gorgeous fantasy, so optimistic and beautiful, about the potential of pop music for young people. It made me want to join a youth theatre, which I did a few years later, and it introduced the six-year-old me to the thrill of both pop music and theatre. They’re still thrilling me today.”
Throughout his career, the Pet Shop Boys vocalist has spoken multiple times about the influence David Bowie had on him. That’s why his inclusion of the 1975 documentary Cracked Actor shouldn’t come as a surprise, with Alan Yentob’s project portraying the icon’s tumultuous mental state during a period in which he was haunted by substance abuse issues.
“As a huge David Bowie fan who was at the last Ziggy Stardust gig – when he said he was quitting, I remember turning round to my friend and saying, ‘As if!’ – this BBC documentary from a couple of years later felt very special,” Tennant revealed. “And very new. It’s the document of Bowie in America and gets you so close. He’s so vulnerable, sniffing – obviously taking cocaine – and looks like an alien, but when talking Alan Yentob through his old tour outfits, he’s still something of a chirpy cockney lad.”
Alongside some of the deeper cuts, Tennant also championed one of the most famous musicals in film history: Bob Fosse’s Cabaret. Often named as one of the prime examples in which the genre reached its glorious apotheosis, it’s simply sublime.
The musician explained: “I think of it as a glam-rock document, really: all those fantastic songs, confined to the stage, plus the brilliant makeup, in this frightening city. The notion of ‘divine decadence’ was very intriguing when you were an 18-year-old student from Newcastle, recently arrived in London. It also had an impact on punk – look at Siouxsie Sioux: obviously influenced by Liza Minnelli.”
With another documentary, The Wrecking Crew! and Ken Russell’s Song of Summer, Tennant’s selections are a great way for Pet Shop Boys fans to understand the artist’s relationship with both movies and music.
Neil Tennant’s favourite movies about music:
- The Young Ones (Sidney J. Furie, 1961)
- Cracked Actor (Alan Yentob, 1975)
- Cabaret (Bob Fosse, 1972)
- Song of Summer (Ken Russell, 1968)
- The Wrecking Crew! (Denny Tedesco, 2008)
