The best Joni Mitchell’s movies
If you love cinema, you will share this ranking of the best Joni Mitchell’s movies, although you may have ordered them differently. In any case, we hope you love it and with a little luck discovering a movie that you still don’t know about Joni Mitchell.
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
7.6/10
Part documentary, part concert film, part fever dream, this film captures the troubled spirit of America in 1975 and the joyous music that Dylan performed during the fall of that year.
The Last Waltz
8.1/10
Martin Scorsese's documentary intertwines footage from "The Band's" incredible farewell tour with probing backstage interviews and featured performances by Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison, and other rock legends.
Love
5.5/10
A unique anthology of six short vignettes on the subject of love, all of them written, directed and produced by women.
Jaco
7.6/10
The story of Jaco Pastorius, a self-taught, larger-than-life musician who single-handedly changed the course of modern music by redefining the sound and the role of the electric bass guitar. Never-before-seen 8mm film, photographs, and audio recordings unveil the true story behind the legend of Jaco’s life, his music, and his heartbreaking end.
The Work of Director Anton Corbijn
7.6/10
Legendary photographer and director Anton Corbijn is responsible for many of the most indelible and important images of the past two and a half decades. His recently released book U2 & I is a photographic retrospective of his 25 year collaboration with U2. Later this year, Anton will direct his first feature film, Control, based on the life of the late Joy Division lead singer Ian Curtis.
Roger Waters: The Wall - Live in Berlin
8.5/10
A global television broadcast of the event in which former Pink Floyd leader singer and composer Roger Waters led an all-star cast in a mammoth benefit performance of his acclaimed concept album, The Wall. Set in Berlin, Germany less than a year after the destruction of the hated Berlin Wall, Waters was accompanied by disparate talents such as Cyndi Lauper, James Galway, Joni Mitchell and Albert Finney in the classic dark musical tale of a rock star's descent into madness and back.
Acoustic At The BBC
A journey through some of the finest moments of acoustic guitar performances from the BBC archives, from Jimmy Page's television debut in 1958 to Noel Gallagher and Biffy Clyro.
Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration
7.5/10
Filmed over two nights at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, Joni 75: A Birthday Celebration brings together a big-name lineup of performers to pay tribute to the legendary singer-songwriter. Seal, James Taylor, Norah Jones, Diana Krall, Kris Kristofferson, Graham Nash and more perform songs from Mitchell’s extensive catalog of 19 studio albums. The celebration culminates with all of the stars performing Big Yellow Taxi and presenting a birthday cake to Joni on stage.
The Mama Cass Television Program
7.8/10
"Mama" Cass Elliott of 1960s vocal group The Mamas and the Papas stars in this television variety special, performing comic sketches with Buddy Hackett and other Hollywood stars and singing solo versions of hit songs such as "California Dreamin'." Filmed in 1969 as a pilot for a series that never came to pass, this groovy, fun-filled show also features performances from other '60s music icons: Joni Mitchell, Mary Travers and John Sebastian.
David Crosby: Remember My Name
7.5/10
You thought you knew him. Meet David Crosby now in this portrait of a man with everything but an easy retirement on his mind. With unflinching honesty, self-examination, regret, fear, exuberance and an unshakable belief in family and the transformative nature of music, Crosby shares his often challenging journey.
Johnny Cash - Live On Air
Renaldo and Clara
6.6/10
Filmed in the autumn of 1975 prior to and during Bob Dylan's Rolling Thunder Revue tour – featuring appearances and performances by Ronee Blakley, T-Bone Burnett, Jack Elliott, Allen Ginsberg, Arlo Guthrie, Ronnie Hawkins, Roger McGuinn, Joni Mitchell, Mick Ronson, Arlen Roth, Sam Shepard, and Harry Dean Stanton – the film incorporates three distinct film genres: concert footage, documentary interviews, and dramatic fictional vignettes reflective of Dylan's song lyrics and life.
Celebration at Big Sur
6/10
Star-studded show recorded at the Big Sur Folk Festival, Big Sur, California, September 13th and 14th, 1969. Joan Baez, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Joni Mitchell, John Sebastian, and others. This film captures a remarkable moment in folk, rock, and pop history - the famous folk festival that brought traditional acts like Dorothy Morrison & The Combs Sisters and Carol Ann Cisneros together with the psychedelic rockers of the day who were most deeply rooted in the folk revival. Older songs like ‘Oh Happy Day,’ ‘Rise And Shine,’ ‘All God’s Children,’ and ‘Swing Down, Sweet Chariot’ meet Joni Mitchell’s ‘Woodstock,’ Joan Baez’s ‘Sweet Sir Galahad,’ ‘Bob Dylan’s ‘I Shall Be Released,’ CSNY’s ‘Down By The River,’ and many more of the now-classic songs of what was then called the ‘new rock.’ The scene is notably intimate and - aside from one fan’s dustup with Stephen Stills - mellow, with many rare, close-up moments with the stars.
Miles Electric - A Different Kind Of Blue
7.8/10
Documentary about Miles Davis' legendary gig at the Isle of Wight Festival, August 1970. Includes full live footage and recent interviews with band mates and others.
Message to Love: The Isle of Wight Festival
7.6/10
In August 1970, 600,000 fans flocked to the Isle of Wight to witness the third and final festival to be held on the island. Besides the music, they also got a look at the greed, cynicism and corruption that would plague the music industry for years to come. They also witnessed the final, drugged out performance of Jimi Hendrix in England just two weeks before he would meet a tragic death. When it all was over, the fans view of rock and roll was never the same.
Tears Are Not Enough
8.4/10
On 10 February 1985, fifty-three of Canada's top performers gathered together to record the song Tears Are Not Enough in an effort to generate aid to famine victims in Africa. This is a behind-the-scenes look at that historic session, filled with moments of excitement, pathos, humor and magic.
Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young - Live in Wembley 1974
2-DVD set of Classic CSN&Y, at London's Wembley Stadium, on September 14, 1974. This pro-shot performance is excellent quality, considering its 30+ years vintage.
Joni Mitchell: Woman of Heart and Mind
7.9/10
Joni Mitchell's career as a singer-songwriter and painter is extensively profiled in this in-depth documentary, which originally aired as part of the PBS American Masters series. Take a look at this prolific artist as she reflects on a career that spans decades and includes some of the most influential music of that era.
Buffy Sainte-Marie: A Multimedia Life
7.9/10
Buffy Sainte-Marie is best known for her protest songs (Universal Soldier) and her love songs (Up Where We Belong). This one-hour documentary chronicles her remarkable career as she rises to prominence in the 1960s Greenwich Village folk music scene and blazes a groundbreaking path as an Aboriginal-rights advocate, digital artist and Oscar-winning songwriter.
Shakin All Over: Canadian Pop Music in the 1960s
A joyful look at Canadian music from the 60s, that traces the evolution of a young industry with stories from such artists as Buffy Sainte-Marie, Lighthouse, Steppenwolf and the Guess Who, in harmony with a younger generation of stars.
