The Guitar in the World Filmography

Whatever the type of guitar, classical, folk, electric, the guitar takes the stage and with it, takes the spectator by storm. It is surely the instrument that has most influenced the cinema, the one that moves you to tears, that makes the hearts melt, the one that is full of clichés, that makes you laugh, the most glamorous and sexy. The emblematic instrument of the rock'n'roll attitude.

The Guitar Makes a Movie

The guitar is a special instrument in world cinema and has fascinated this industry seemingly forever. Stars such as Elvis Presley and Prince, to name but a few, are featured in musical films. These films are not only biopics retracing the lives of great musicians, but also fictional work recounting the stories of ordinary heroes.Let's discover these films, some of which have become great classics and have often marked generations of spectators.

Blake Edwards' Diamonds on a Couch

Adapted from a novel by Truman Capote, this film has become a classic of American cinema. Masterfully interpreted by Audrey Hepburn who gives her character a bewitching charm, dramatic and comical aspects, it is with guitar in hand that the actress delivers a moving moment of the film.

Fight at Michael Curtiz's King Creole

He is undoubtedly the guitarist who has made the most films. Icon of rock'n'roll, Elvis Presley, who decidedly never leaves his instrument, offers a tasty musical film considered to be one of the best of the actor.

Cadillac Records by Darnell Martin

With an incredible cast (Adrien Brody, Beyoncé, Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def) it's the story of a music label created by Leonard Chess and Phil Chess in Chicago in the late 1940s. It features some of the biggest names in blues music such as Etta James, Muddy Waters and Chuck Berry. This is a cult film for fans of this music.

Purple Rain by Albert Magnoli

This 1984 film influenced a whole generation. A semi-autobiographical work, Prince, one of the greatest guitarists of all time, guest star of the film, shows, once again, the extent of his talent.

Walk the Line by James Mangold

It is the masterful actor Joaquim Phoenix who plays the country musician Johnny Cash alongside the sublime and endearing Reese Witherspoon. Even if you are not a fan of this musical style, Walk the Line is in the vein of those biopics that have marked the cinema by their authenticity and realism.

Luis Valdez's Bamba

A biographical film about the singer Ritchie Valens, La Bamba is another musical film that affected a whole generation. When the film was released, the song written in 1958, which has been covered many times, was once again a worldwide hit.

Rock Academy by Richard Linklater

Tender and full of humor, this film is surely the one where you will have the most masterful guitar lesson in the history of cinema!

Bob Dylan: Martin Scorsese's No Direction Home

This is a documentary film based on historical fact that tells the story of the rise of one of the greatest figures in folk music.

Swing by Tony Gatlif

In his film, the director pays a vibrant tribute to gypsy music and its entire community. It is a touching work that takes the viewer into a musical whirlwind.