| The phenomenon of using a popular musician in a | | | | was equal to his golden voice. The Oscar he |
| movie is nothing new. After all, one of the earliest | | | | received for From Here to Eternity was no fluke. |
| sound pictures featured none other than Al Jolson | | | | See this classic on Turner Classic Movies in high |
| as its star in The Jazz Singer. In the subsequent | | | | definition. |
| 80 years or so, directors have been bold enough | | | | 3. Performance. Of all the rock stars who seemed |
| to use stars as unlikely as Art Garfunkel and Tom | | | | like they might be able to do some acting, Mick |
| Waits as the leads in their films. Flipping through | | | | Jagger would have had to top the list in the |
| your satellite TV guide, you are bound to come | | | | 1960s. Nicholas Roeg and Donald Cammell |
| across some of the best marriages of the film | | | | co-directed this highly experimental and influential |
| and music world. Here are five films that shouldn't | | | | film with Jagger and James Fox in the lead roles. |
| be missed. | | | | What resulted was a picture so daring it received |
| 1. Down By Law. Before Jim Jarmusch veered off | | | | an 'X' rating and forced Fox - an established British |
| course with films like Broken Flowers and The | | | | actor - to quit the field for several years to |
| Limits of Control, he was at the forefront of the | | | | grapple with the after-effects. Apparently, the |
| American independent film scene. This early | | | | mind games were not only taking place on-screen. |
| picture cast not one but two musicians in lead | | | | See this landmark picture uncut and in HD on IFC. |
| roles. Tom Waits and John Lurie meet up with the | | | | 4. Body of Evidence. Abel Ferrara's shot at a |
| wild Roberto Benigni (the Italian comedian who | | | | straight studio movie of course went haywire |
| later become famous for La Vita E Bella) in prison | | | | from very early on, but Joe Mantegna and Willem |
| as all three are railroaded on trumped-up charges. | | | | Dafoe played well opposite Madonna, in one of her |
| This fascinating film benefits immensely from | | | | biggest roles. Ferrara's taste for pulp got in the |
| Jarmusch's casting and can be seen on the | | | | way of what could have been a better film, but |
| Independent Film Channel with a satellite TV | | | | this picture is definitely worth a look for the |
| subscription. | | | | Material Girl's solid work. |
| 2. The Man with the Golden Arm. Frank Sinatra | | | | 5. Get Rich or Die Tryin'. 50 Cent's life story was |
| was the undisputed heavyweight champion of the | | | | not really a mystery by the time this film |
| entertainment world by the late 1950s and he | | | | emerged with the artist in the lead role, but his |
| could do just about whatever he wanted. Taking | | | | acting abilities were certainly unknown. Who knew |
| on the role of a heroin addict in this film seemed | | | | that 'Curtis Jackson' could act? Check out this film |
| to be a bit of a gamble to many critics, but | | | | on premium satellite TV network HBO. |
| Sinatra went the distance, proving his acting ability | | | | |