Music History Events: Movies
June 1, 2001 The movie Moulin Rouge!, directed by Baz Luhrmann, opens in theaters. There's lots of music in the film, including covers of "Nature Boy" by David Bowie, "Diamond Dogs" by Beck, and "Lady Marmalade" by Missy Elliott, Christina Aguilera, Lil' Kim, Mya, and Pink, which goes to #1 in America. Kylie Minogue makes an appearance as the Green Fairy.
May 18, 2001 The movie Shrek is released, reviving the songs "Hallelujah" (sung on the soundtrack by Rufus Wainwright) and "I'm a Believer" (performed by Smash Mouth in the rave-up at the end of the film).
November 17, 2000 Nickelodeon releases the film Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, an event significant in the music world because its soundtrack includes "Who Let The Dogs Out" by Baha Men. The song becomes a worldwide hit, charting in the Top 10 in Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK. It even becomes the unofficial anthem for New Year's Eve parties going into 2001.
September 11, 2000 Huey Lewis and Gwyneth Paltrow release a cover of Smokey Robinson's "Cruisin'" as a duet. The single reaches #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart for a week and also appears in the 2000 film Duets, which stars the pair.
September 9, 2000 Duets, starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Huey Lewis, is released at the Toronto Film Festival. The film is a critical and box-office flop, but Paltrow and Lewis's duet cover of "Cruisin'" reaches #1 on the Adult Contemporary chart.
August 4, 2000 Coyote Ugly, about an aspiring singer-songwriter (Piper Perabo) who takes a job at a bawdy bar, opens in theaters. LeAnn Rimes, who appears in the film, anchors the soundtrack with four new songs, including the theme, "Can't Fight The Moonlight." It's one of the best-selling soundtracks of the '00s.More
November 12, 1999 Kevin Smith's fantasy comedy Dogma premieres, featuring Alanis Morissette as God. She also performs the song "Still" for the movie's soundtrack.
March 31, 1999 The Matrix opens in theaters with a soundtrack featuring Marilyn Manson, Ministry, The Prodigy and Rob Zombie. It establishes industrial music as the sound of simulation theory.
November 30, 1998 Grant Gee's documentary Meeting People Is Easy, which follows Radiohead on their OK Computer tour, is released. The title is an ironic reference to the misanthropic nature of the band.
November 2, 1998 Viewers tune in for part two of The Temptations miniseries on NBC. Based on the autobiography of group founder Otis Williams, the film is a ratings success and is nominated for five Emmys.
November 1, 1998 NBC airs part one of the four-hour miniseries The Temptations based on Otis Williams' autobiography Temptations. Williams, portrayed by Charles Malik Whitfield, is the last surviving member of the group's original line-up, and takes a lot of heat from his former bandmates' families for his version of events.
August 28, 1998 The movie Studio 54, about the legendary New York Disco, opens starring Ryan Phillippe and Mike Myers as the club's owners.
April 10, 1998 The romantic drama City of Angels premieres in theaters, starring Nicolas Cage as an angel who gives up eternal life to be with a mortal woman (Meg Ryan). The soundtrack features Alanis Morissette's "Uninvited" and the Goo Goo Dolls' "Iris." Both songs were written specifically for the film.
November 2, 1997 Brandy becomes the first black Disney princess when she plays Cinderella in the ABC TV movie. Whitney Houston plays her Fairy Godmother.
November 15, 1996 The movie Space Jam, starring Michael Jordan and Bugs Bunny, opens in theaters. The soundtrack sells over 6 million copies, thanks mainly to the opening song, "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly. Other contributors to the soundtrack include Seal, Monica, and Coolio.
August 23, 1996 The movie She's The One, with a soundtrack by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, opens in theaters. Jennifer Aniston and Edward Burns, who star in the film, appear in the video for "Walls."
July 17, 1996 The song "Key To My Heart" by the R&B trio Choice appears in the movie Kazaam, starring Shaquille O'Neal as a 5,000-year-old genie. Choice quickly disbands but its stand-out singer, Alecia Moore, goes on to greatness as Pink.
May 22, 1996 Mission: Impossible, starring Tom Cruise as superspy Ethan Hunt, debuts in theaters. A reboot of the classic '60s TV series, it features a hit electronic reimagining of Lalo Schifrin's iconic "Burning Fuse" theme from U2's Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen.
February 17, 1995 25 years after agreeing to sing at Marcia Brady's prom, Davy Jones reunites with the Bradys... sort of. Jones and fellow Monkees Peter Tork and Micky Dolenz appear in the spoof The Brady Bunch Movie. Jones performs at the prom again, singing a grungy rendition of "Girl," the same song he sang on the TV show.
October 14, 1994 Pulp Fiction opens in theaters, reviving classic '60s songs such as "Misirlou," "Son Of A Preacher Man" and "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon."
July 6, 1994 The light-hearted drama Forrest Gump hits theaters. Aside from becoming the top-grossing film of the year in North America and winning multiple Academy Awards, the movie spawns a hit soundtrack with songs from Elvis Presley, Three Dog Night, The Doors, The Byrds, The Mamas & the Papas, Buffalo Springfield, and more.More
June 3, 1994 Mark Wahlberg of Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch makes his film debut in the comedy Renaissance Man as an army private who is teased by his fellow recruits for having no rhythm.
November 13, 1993 Kate Bush debuts her musical short film The Line, The Cross & The Curve at the London Film Festival. The short, starring actress Miranda Richardson as a ballet dancer cursed by magic slippers, is an extended music video featuring songs from Bush's album The Red Shoes.
October 29, 1993 Tim Burton's animated musical The Nightmare Before Christmas hits US theaters. The film features music composed by Danny Elfman of Oingo Boingo; Elfman also sings the vocal parts of protagonist Jack Skellington.
August 13, 1993 The fantasy-comedy movie Heart and Souls premieres in US theaters. Star Robert Downey Jr. sings the US national anthem in the film, backed by B.B. King on guitar. King also performs his classic "The Thrill is Gone."
July 23, 1993 Poetic Justice, starring Janet Jackson (in braids) and Tupac Shakur, opens in theaters. Jackson has been acting on TV since she was a kid, appearing regularly on Good Times and Diff'rent Strokes, but the film marks her big-screen debut.
May 28, 1993 The action comedy Super Mario Bros., a live adaptation of the popular Nintendo game starring Bob Hoskins as Mario and John Leguizamo as Luigi, debuts in US theaters. The movie flops, but the soundtrack's lead single, "Almost Unreal" by Roxette, is a top 10 hit in the UK.
May 21, 1993 Sliver, starring Sharon Stone and William Baldwin, is released in the US. The movie is panned by critics, but its prominent use of UB40's cover of the Elvis Presley original "Can't Help Falling in Love" helps give the band their second #1 hit in the States. The song was originally released as the first single from their 1993 album, Promises and Lies.
August 14, 1991 The Commitments opens in limited release in the US. The film features all four Corrs in small parts, including the youngest, Andrea, in a speaking role as Sharon Rabbitte. While auditioning for the film, The Corrs connect with future manager John Hughes who helps the group hone their sound and eventually sign a deal with Atlantic Records for their debut album, Forgiven, Not Forgotten.
July 2, 1991 In his first acting role, Ice Cube stars alongside Cuba Gooding Jr. in the acclaimed drama Boyz N the Hood. Writer/director John Singleton wrote the role of troubled gangster Darrin "Doughboy" Baker specifically for the ex-N.W.A rapper.More
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