Music For The Movies 

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Shapiro: At the time of its release, Forman's film was considered too close to the era it nostalgically celebrated -- which explains, perhaps, its so-so reception at the box office. Well, what a difference another 28 years can make. This is the rare musical that delivers character complexity, and its Vietnam-haunted finale is devastating.

7. ROCK 'N' ROLL HIGH SCHOOL (1979; Allan Arkush)

A Ramones fan (P.J. Soles) is thrilled when her favorite band helps take down her school's dictatorial (and rock-hating) principal (Mary Woronov).

Herman: Don't know how many times I've seen this. Though The Ramones are (mostly) dead and gone, thanks to this film, they'll never grow old. Killer soundtrack, too; not just The Ramones, but Eno, Velvet Underground, Devo and The MC5.

Shukla: Sure it's a hormonally charged and cheesy comedy, but the cult classic gave a boost to the inimitable Ramones and will forever hold a place in the halls of punk rock history.

Brunson: I don't know what delights me more: Soles' lovable performance or the great line, "Do your parents know you're Ramones?"

8. JAILHOUSE ROCK (1957; Richard Thorpe)

A former convict (Elvis Presley) becomes an unlikely recording star, but will success go to his head?

Shapiro: From 1956 to 1969, Elvis starred in an astounding 31 movies. While none of the other pictures were very astounding, Jailhouse Rock was terrific, unquestionably Elvis' finest Hollywood moment. Pre-Army, shit-kicking, young Presley plays troubled -- and trouble-making -- rock star Vince Everett, who learns his guitar prowess while serving time for manslaughter. The "Jailhouse Rock" dance number in the Big House is the showstopper, but the entire film is great fun.

Grooms: Elvis transcended the clichéd plot with great musical performances of "Treat Me Nice," "Baby I Don't Care," "Young and Beautiful" and, of course, the iconic title song, which revealed his surprising choreographic skills. This is one of the few Elvis films that even hinted at the power of his live performances.

9. WATTSTAX (1973; Mel Stuart)

The Los Angeles Coliseum is the setting for this motion picture focusing on a landmark soul concert held in 1972.

Grooms: A powerful, moving documentary that managed to capture and communicate the black experience in 1972 Los Angeles, seven years after the Watts riots. It's part concert film -- with Isaac Hayes, Albert King, The Staples, Rufus and Carla Thomas and others -- and part collage of conversations with L.A. residents (including a biting, hilarious Richard Pryor).

Shukla: Organized by Stax Records, this fine documentary is a snapshot of black music and the state of black America in the early 1970s. The focal point was the concert, with the appearances of Richard Pryor and Jesse Jackson accentuating the highlights.

Mills: More bounce to the ounce and more towering Afros per capita than would ever be allowable in Bush's Amerika.

10. MONTEREY POP (1968; D.A. Pennebaker)

The 1967 Monterey Pop Festival captures lightning in a bottle with legendary performances by (to name just a few) Janis Joplin, Jim Hendrix, Ravi Shankar, and The Mamas and the Papas.

Farris: Until Woodstock, this concert was easily one of the most historical and memorable events in music. The sight of Jimi Hendrix setting his guitar ablaze is forever etched in our minds ... and it happened at this show ... and this was the movie that took you there.

Mills: Director D.A. Pennebaker arguably set the visual and aesthetic tone for all rock docs that followed (including Woodstock). And the Who, Hendrix, Big Brother and Otis Redding performances are riveting.

11. YELLOW SUBMARINE (1968; George Dunning)

In this animated adventure, The Beatles save Pepperland from the Blue Meanies.

Herman: Must've been high the first time around, as this was psychedelia at its best: incredible colors, songs, dialogue, plot, animation, Blue Meanies. Seen again straight, it was just as much fun. Reality didn't cloud my judgment; it enhanced it.

Grooms: So enthralling that, after leaving the theater, it took me a while to realize we weren't in a cartoon anymore. Hallucinogens may have had something to do with that, but still ...

Brunson: Just how staggering is this film's imagery? Understand that the first two times I saw it -- both as a wee lad -- were on a crummy black-and-white TV set, and even then, the mind-blowing visuals made me realize that I was in the presence of something quite unique.

Mills: Through the eyes of a child -- it turned my son on to The Beatles, still his favorite band.

12. LET IT BE (1970; Michael Lindsay-Hogg)

On the verge of breaking up, the Fab Four come together to create another classic album.

Wicker: Let It Be, according to Beatles historian Mark Lewisohn, was first conceived as a TV show. The final film is an intriguing look at the creative process and the creative differences of one of the world's greatest bands. My favorite part is The Beatles' now legendary rooftop concert (and their last concert appearance), reduced here to about half of the 42 minutes originally recorded. It shows they could put aside their differences and still rock. And annoy the police.