No. Sorry. I got nothing.

My friend Nick was telling me the other day that he knows a chap who won't watch any sci-fi or anything with any supernatural or futuristic content on the grounds that it's not "real". He watches Corrie, though, so presumably he thinks that's a documentary.

Some people just have no imagination, and I don't think there's anything you can do about it. Have you asked her to justify why she thinks fiction is a waste of time? It's an opinion which should be pretty vulnerable to complete annihilation with about two minutes of reasoned argument! (Not least that most biopics are largely fiction in any case.)

Give her Spinal Tap and tell her it's a doc. Or, actually - if documentaries are acceptable to her - the Metallica film "Some Kind Of Monster", which is completely brilliant regardless of your opinion of the band.

...Control. We are kind of the opposite to your friend. Not really big on musical bio-pics,prefer to get it straight from the horses mouth so to speak.

is good

The film was called October Sky;

but it's based on the book Rocket Boys;

Both are fabulous; the book more complex and richer of course, and the film treatment, though it takes a few dramatic liberties, is a treat to watch.

then there truth and fact. Anyway good biographical films "the glen miller story" does contains bits of war possibly. I liked the Elvis one with Kurt Russel I was only 11 when I saw it but seemed enjoyable. How about slade in flames or that'll be the day/stardust oh hang on they are fiction same goes for almsot famous I imagine. what's the serge gainsbourg film like although scenes of a fantastical nature same goes for the peter sellars biopic. There's twenty four party people which is good but that's got god in it though could be problematic depending on what you believe.

Diana Ross as Billie Holliday. She was actually quite good.

70s trailer alert

to your friend that Goodfellas actually IS a bio-pic. It's based very faithfully on Henry Hills memoirs.

More like Hysterical when you see the car journey around the desert roads of Northern England where Rick Allen crashes his sportscar.

The Tina Turner story. It's okay, there's a happy ending.

Obviously there's the Madness biopic Take It Or Leave It in which they play themselves, but that's more for the casual fan of amateur dramatics and Super 8 cineastes.

not seen it what's it like?

Rock And Roll
(Ian Dury Bio-pic)

Deadpan and daft Russian band seek fortunes in US, band member dies on the way.

They were a fictional band in the film but are now a real band. Does that count?

Otherwise Shine and the Edith Piaf one, which is on telly this week.

It's a lovely film, for all that it's hopelessly romanticised about the music business. It's very loosely based on the career of Carole King, and is stuffed full of terrific songs and performances, written by such as Joni Mitchell (Man From Mars, just about the last decent song she wrote), Shawn Colvin, Elvis C/Burt B, Jill Sobule etc etc. A film with a lot of heart and soul, featuring the ever wonderful Illeanna Douglas as the CK figure, with Kristen Vigard's gorgeous, throaty voice providing her vocals.

2 1/2 hour biopic of them from their meeting to his death.

Ft. Malcolm Tucker as George Harrison and Macca is just bizarre.

Personally, I enjoyed 'The Linda McCartney Story', off True Movies 2. I always thought of the Doctor lady off Lost as closely resembling Heather Mills McCartney, so I was particularly delighted to see it was her playing the 'lovely' Linda. Also of note was the Lennon in that one, especially after he's chucked a brick through Macca's front window and appears to be doing a particularly hammy impersonation of Rumpelstiltskin. Same 'Paul' as in Backbeat in that one.

I really like this sort of crap. The Jackson 5 Story is another personal favourite of mine. The Karen Carpenter Story is another.

is good fun. Once you get over the difference between Gary Busey's physique and Holly's you'll be fine. The music is good and the plot fairly accurate.

I loved Cadillac Records. Appalling liberties taken with the facts but the portrayals of, in particular, Howling Wolf and Chuck Berry are superb. Great soundtrack.
Beyonce bears no resemblance to Etta James whatever but dear God I thought my eyes were going to spontaneously combust!

The Doors Movie always comes in for a lot of flak. Not being too precious about Jim et al I just let myself enjoy it. Don't know what that injun was all about, though...

The Glenn Miller Story

playing Patsy Cline in a movie called Sweet Dreams..good flick

This only occurred to me after I posted but I know now I asked a pretty stupid question as I've seen or at least know about all of these films. The reason being we read the same magazines!

For what it's worth I gave her 24 Hour Party People once and she never finished it. She handed back Control the same minute I gave it to her after I explained who it was about.

Re Cadillac Records I want to endorse what Fatmanjez says above, not a great film but some of the individual performaces are fantastic.

This is Howlin' Wolf in the film