

Standing in the Shadows of Motown
The soul behind the sound.
Genres
Overview
In 1959, Berry Gordy Jr. gathered the best musicians from Detroit's thriving jazz and blues scene to begin cutting songs for his new record company. Over a fourteen year period they were the heartbeat on every hit from Motown's Detroit era. By the end of their phenomenal run, this unheralded group of musicians had played on more number ones hits than the Beach Boys, the Rolling Stones, Elvis and the Beatles combined - which makes them the greatest hit machine in the history of popular music. They called themselves the Funk Brothers. Forty-one years after they played their first note on a Motown record and three decades since they were all together, the Funk Brothers reunited back in Detroit to play their music and tell their unforgettable story, with the help of archival footage, still photos, narration, interviews, re-creation scenes, 20 Motown master tracks, and twelve new live performances of Motown classics with the Brothers backing up contemporary performers.
Details
Budget
$0
Revenue
$0
Runtime
116 min
Release Date
2002-09-11
Status
Released
Original Language
English
Vote Count
45
Vote Average
6.889
Richard 'Pistol' Allen
Himself
Jack Ashford
Himself
Bob Babbitt
Himself
Benny 'Papa Zita' Benjamin
Himself (archive footage)
Eddie 'Bongo' Brown
Himself (archive footage)
Bootsy Collins
Himself
Johnny Griffith
Himself
Ben Harper
Himself
Joe Hunter
Himself
James Jamerson
Himself (archive footage)
Uriel Jones
Himself
Montell Jordan
Himself
Chaka Khan
Herself
Gerald Levert
Himself
Joe Messina
Himself
Meshell Ndegeocello
Herself
Joan Osborne
Herself
Rudy Robinson
Himself
James Jamerson Jr.
Himself
Paul Riser
Himself
Andre Braugher
Narrator
Gary Bosek
Young Bob Babbitt
6.0
The Wild Blue Yonder
An alien narrates the story of his dying planet, his and his people's visitations to Earth and Earth's self-made demise, while human astronauts in space are attempting to find an alternate planet for surviving humans to live on.
2005-09-05 | en
1.0
War Baby
Meet Duewand Collier Jr.-Male, 68 years old, American Citizen, a child conceived in the backdrop of the Philippines-American Mutual Defense Treaty, born and raised with Catholic guilt. He has made peace with his past and now tells his story-a story of love.
2019-06-22 | en
4.0
Taking On Taylor Swift
As Taylor Swift’s record-breaking Eras Tour expands around the globe and onto the silver screen, CNN’s investigation into the copyright lawsuit brought by songwriters Sean Hall and Nathan Butler against Swift for her hit song “Shake it Off.”
2022-12-23 | en
5.0
Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance
Razzle Dazzle follows the eager members of "Mr. Jonathon's Dance Academy" who, with their unique dance routines, compete for Grand Final success at Australia's most prestigious competition. Amidst parental politics, petty rivalry, creative controversy and the hysterics of pushy stage mothers, the film takes you behind the glamor and the glitter to a world where, sometimes, winning is everything!
2007-03-15 | en
7.4
Man on Wire
On August 7th 1974, French tightrope walker Philippe Petit stepped out on a high wire, illegally rigged between New York's World Trade Center twin towers, then the world's tallest buildings. After nearly an hour of performing on the wire, 1,350 feet above the sidewalks of Manhattan, he was arrested. This fun and spellbinding documentary chronicles Philippe Petit's "highest" achievement.
2008-08-01 | en
6.7
The U.S. vs. John Lennon
A documentary on the life of John Lennon, with a focus on the time in his life when he transformed from a musician into an antiwar activist.
2006-09-15 | en
5.0
No Man to Marry
1959-12-18 | de
6.6
ABBA: The Movie
A radio DJ in pursuit of an exclusive interview follows ABBA during their mega-successful tour of Australia.
1977-12-15 | en
6.0
Young at Heart
The lives and romances of three sisters in a musical family; the youngest daughter's life is complicated by the subsequent arrival of a charming composer and a cynical music arranger.
1954-12-01 | en
5.5
Gumby: The Movie
On the brink of a big deal with mogul Lucky Claybert, Gumby and his band The Clayboys must do battle with the villainous Blockheads, who have kidnapped their loyal canine Lowbelly.
1995-10-04 | en
7.3
Big Time
Bringing his unique sense of humor to this bizarre and original piece of moviemaking, Tom Waits takes the audience through a musical journey with his jazzy, quirky, bluesy tunes presented as you would never, ever, ever expect.
1988-12-30 | en
0.0
Pearl Jam: See No Evil, Hear No Evil
Over 20 years into a career that has seen them go from everyone's second favourite Seattle group to one of the world's very finest rock bands, Pearl Jam's longevity has little to do with fashionable trends, celebrity status or looking over their shoulders. Instead the ongoing success of this mighty collective is based on raw undiluted talent, a knack for composing penetrating and gloriously anthemic music and the kind of common decency and fairness that music fans appreciate. This documentary film celebrates the music and career of Pearl Jam as it traces their journey to the top and beyond. With the aid of rare footage, archive interviews, contributions from their closest collaborators, and comment from the finest rock writers, this programme is all set to become the standard work on a band who remain torchbearers for the great American rock tradition.
2013-11-19 | en
3.8
This Movie Is Broken
Bruno wakes up in bed next to Caroline, his long time crush. But tomorrow she's off for school in France, and maybe she only granted this miracle as a parting gift for her long time friend. So tonight is Bruno's last chance. And tonight, as it happens, Broken Social Scene, her favourite band, is throwing a big outdoor bash. Maybe if Bruno, with the help of his best pal Blake, can score tickets and give Caroline a night to remember, he can keep this miracle alive.
2010-06-25 | en
7.5
Woodstock
An intimate look at the Woodstock Music & Art Festival held in Bethel, NY in 1969, from preparation through cleanup, with historic access to insiders, blistering concert footage, and portraits of the concertgoers; negative and positive aspects are shown, from drug use by performers to naked fans sliding in the mud, from the collapse of the fences by the unexpected hordes to the surreal arrival of National Guard helicopters with food and medical assistance for the impromptu city of 500,000.
1970-03-26 | en
7.3
Now and Then - The Last Beatles Song
The story of The Beatles' last song featuring exclusive footage and commentary.
2023-12-13 | en
7.0
Into Great Silence
An intimate portrayal of the everyday lives of Carthusian monks of the Grande Chartreuse, high in the French Alps (Chartreuse Mountains). The idea for the film was proposed to the monks in 1984, but the Carthusians said they wanted time to think about it. The Carthusians finally contacted Gröning 16 years later to say they were now willing to permit Gröning to shoot the movie, if he was still interested.
2005-09-04 | de
3.0
Home Alone da Riber
Rudolf is imprisoned for a crime he did not commit. He attempted to escape many times but was unsuccessfull, he realizes that he is in for the long haul and decides that his wife Sandra should remarry for the sake of their children Melody and Mark who have been made to believe anyway that he is already dead. Many years has been passed he was informed that the real culprit has been caught and he is being released. However, instead of being happy, he is saddened by the fact that he cannot go back to his family anymore. Nevertheless he pretends to be a piano tuner so that he can visit his children.
2002-12-25 | tl
7.3
Miley Cyrus: Something Beautiful
A one of a kind pop opera fueled by fantasy, featuring thirteen original new songs from the visual album Something Beautiful by Miley Cyrus.
2025-06-12 | en
0.0
Jimmy McGary: The Best Jazz You Never Heard
Tenor saxophonist Jimmy McGary was a major presence in the Cincinnati music scene from the 1950s until his death in the early ’90s. With music rooted in Bebop with a progressive slant, the Jazz legend was a session player for King Records and released his first album as a bandleader — The First Time (with a quartet that included pianist Pat Kelly) — in 1979. McGary’s spirit and legacy have lived on well after his passing and well beyond Cincinnati, as evidenced in this new documentary film.
2019-02-01 | en
8.5
Queen Live at Wembley Stadium 1986
One of the world's biggest bands returns to the scene of their Live Aid triumph (one year earlier in 1985) to play all their greatest hits in front of a packed Wembley Stadium.
1986-07-12 | en