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Sonic: Music in Movies
Personal, powerful and lyrical, this is where music and film collide, a meeting place for rock biopics, probing documentaries, groundbreakers and old stagers.
Inspired by the hugely popular Sonic Cinema strand from the BFI London Film Festival and BFI Southbank.
The KLF: 23 Seconds to EternityThe KLF: 23 Seconds to Eternity
Anthology2023121 minsDirector: Bill Butt
Journey through the collected films of The KLF, one of the most successful, enigmatic and outrageous electronic bands of the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Getting It Back: The Story of CymandeGetting It Back: The Story of Cymande
Documentary202290 minsDirector: Tim MacKenzie-Smith
The incredible story of a band you may never have heard of but whose sound has influenced generations with their irresistible rhythms and message of peace.
I've Been Trying to Tell YouI've Been Trying to Tell You
Narrative music video202145 minsDirector: Alasdair McLellan
Saint Etienne present a beautiful and enveloping nostalgia trip through 1990s Britain.
Dance CrazeDance Craze
Documentary198189 minsDirector: Joe Massot
Legendary concert film that brilliantly captures the cultural phenomenon that was the 2 Tone movement, and showcases the very best of the British Ska revival.
Radio OnRadio On
Road movie1979100 minsDirector: Chris Petit
Chris Petit's cult classic is one of the most striking feature debuts in British cinema – a haunting blend of edgy mystery story and existential road movie.
Christiane F.Christiane F.
Drama1981131 minsDirector: Uli Edel
David Bowie’s image and music gives brooding energy to this tale of a junkie sex-worker in 70s Berlin.
Out of the BlueOut of the Blue
Drama198096 minsDirector: Dennis Hopper
Directed by Dennis Hopper (Easy Rider) this story of a blue-collar family coming apart features an astonishing performance from Linda Manz (Days of Heaven).
Being Frank: The Chris Sievey StoryBeing Frank: The Chris Sievey Story
Biopic2018101 minsDirector: Steve Sullivan
Frank Sidebottom was a pillar of alternative comedy of the late 80s/early 90s, and this charming documentary remembers the man behind the papier-mâché head.
The ScoreThe Score
Musical2021100 minsDirector: Malachi Smyth
A British heist musical with an unsettling edge, starring Naomi Ackie, Johnny Flynn and Will Poulter.
Lawrence of BelgraviaLawrence of Belgravia
Documentary201285 minsDirector: Paul Kelly
Paul Kelly's stirring and acclaimed character study of enigmatic musician Lawrence (Felt, Denim and Go-Kart Mozart).
Rebel DreadRebel Dread
Biopic202183 minsDirector: William E. Badgley
This is the story of the iconic Don Letts, the coolest cultural polymath – narrated by the man himself.
Last and First MenLast and First Men
Animation & Artists Moving Image202070 minsDirector: Jóhann Jóhannsson
Two billion years ahead of us, a future race of humans finds itself on the verge of extinction. Tilda Swinton narrates this visually stunning lament for humanity by acclaimed composer Jóhann Jóhannsson (Sicario, Arrival).
I Am WeekenderI Am Weekender
Anthology202372 minsDirector: Wiz and Chloé Raunet
Groundbreaking 1992 music film Weekender, coupled with Chloé Raunet’s documentary about the making of the film and its enduring impact, offering a unique insight into the heart of acid house.
JubileeJubilee
Drama1978106 minsDirector: Derek Jarman
The mythological past and a soon-to-be bleak future converge on the sparse, grey streets of London in Jarman’s personal vision of the punk movement.
The Valley (Obscured by Clouds)The Valley (Obscured by Clouds)
Drama1972105 minsDirector: Barbet Schroeder
Different worlds collide when a chic young diplomat's wife meets an intriguing adventurer and his hippy friends in Barbet Schroeder's striking second feature.
The Story of Lover's RockThe Story of Lover's Rock
Documentary2011100 minsDirector: Menelik Shabazz
Menelik Shabazz (Burning an Illusion) shines a light on the music genre often dubbed ‘romantic reggae’; a uniquely black British sound that developed in the late 70s and 80s against a backdrop of riots, racial tension and sound systems.
Black OrpheusBlack Orpheus
Romance1959107 minsDirector: Marcel Camus
Academy Award and Palme d'Or-winning adaption of the Orpheus myth, incorporating the music, costume and dance of Brazil’s Rio Festival.
You and the NightYou and the Night
Drama201389 minsDirector: Yann Gonzalez
Eric Cantona and Beatrice Dalle star in an outrageous erotic fever dream about a couple who invite four diverse guests to their midnight orgy.
MoreMore
Drama1969116 minsDirector: Barbet Schroeder
The first feature by Barbet Schroeder (Maîtresse, The Valley), More created a sensation when it was released in 1969, quickly becoming a cult classic and famed for its Pink Floyd soundtrack.
More music films in our Rentals collection: Sonic.