As a cinema aficionado (or movie freak, if you will), I'm pretty anal retentive regarding my DVD library. I've got alphabetical shelves, a Spielberg shelf, a Hitchcock shelf, a Stephen King shelf, Cameron, Carpenter, DePalma, etc ...

I also have a section devoted to Hollywood biopics -- a genre of which I am a huge fan. When done right (Ray, Walk The Line), biographical pictures are a wonder to behold. When done badly (Wired, Elvis and The Beauty Queen), they are an embarrassment to all. I own over a dozen of the good ones, many of which you may never have seen. They include:

BACKBEAT ~ (1993) regarding the early days of The Beatles, especially the relationship between John Lennon and Stuart Sutcliff.

BEYOND THE SEA ~ (2004) Kevin Spacey IS Bobby Darin - I called for this pairing years before the fact.

COAL MINER'S DAUGHTER ~ (1980) Sissy Spacek earns well deserved Oscar for channeling Loretta Lynn.

THE DOORS ~ (1991) Oliver Stone's take on Jim Morrison. Disavowed by the band - though Val Kilmer is incredible.

ELVIS ~ (1979) John Carpenter and Kurt Russell team up for the first time in this incredible telling of Presley's rise and fall (click here for much more on this film).

GLEASON ~ (2002) Brad Garrett as Jackie Gleason. How sweeeeeet it is!

GREAT BALLS OF FIRE ~ (1989) Dennis Quaid as Jerry Lee Lewis, Winona Ryder as his teenage wife, Myra, and Alec Baldwin as cousin Jimmy Swaggart. Some hate this cartoonish film - I love it.

JAMES DEAN ~ (2001) James Franco (Spider Man) shines as the ever youthful icon.

LENNY ~ (1974) Director Bob Fosse and star Dustin Hoffman brilliantly capture the sadly short life of comedian Lenny Bruce.

THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PETER SELLERS ~ (2004) Oscar winner Geoffrey Rush plays countless roles in this brilliant portrait of the chameleon-like comic actor (who was something of a shit in real life).

LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND - ME AND MY SHADOWS ~ (2001) Judy Davis and Tammy Blanchard both won Emmys for their portrayals of the younger and older Judys in this stunning TV movie - a must see.

LA BAMBA ~ (1987) Lou Diamond Phillips does Ritchie Valens.

THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE ~ (2006) Gretchen Mol sizzles as 1950's underground pin-up queen Betty Page - arguably as much of an icon as Monroe, Presley, and Dean.

RAY (2005) ~ Jamie Foxx does Ray Charles, wins Oscar. Quite simply the most amazing transformation of an actor into another human being I have ever seen - if you have never seen this, stop what you are doing and go rent it.

WALK THE LINE ~ (2006) Joaquin Phoenix as Johnny Cash, and Reese Witherspoon as June Carter (Best Actress Oscar). Wonderful - one of my favorites.

There is another biopic I would like to add to my collection, but cannot: The Mystery of Natalie Wood (2004). Director Peter Bogdanovich cast Justine Waddell as the lovely late actress in a TV film which combines dramatic re-enactments with interviews by those who knew her best. A winner. Unfortunately, this film is only available on DVD in Europe - what's up with that?

I have yet to see La Vie En Rose -- although Marion Cotillard picked up 2008's Best Actress Oscar for her performance as French chanteuse Edith Piaf.

I realize I have left out films like The Buddy Holly Story and What's Love Got To Do With It? But only because I don't own them. I do own The Aviator - with Leonardo DiCaprio as Howard Hughes - but that is on my Scorsese shelf. LOL.

This genre was ripe for spoofing, and last year's Walk Hard - The Dewey Cox Story is soon to be released on DVD. I haven't seen it yet, but I will put up a review when I do.

Have I missed any gems? Please post a comment and let me know.

I am posting clips from some of the lesser known films. Enjoy.


LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME AND MY SHADOWS trailer




JAMES FRANCO IN JAMES DEAN (sorry - poor video quality)




THE NOTORIOUS BETTIE PAGE ~ trailer