Mantrap (1983)

"If you do that, you will be huge."
Martin Fry is picked as the new singer for a band who are about to tour Europe. But little do they know that the band are being manipulated by their manager in order to do a little bit of espionage.
A long form video, showcasing live renditions of songs from ABC's successful album The Lexicon of Love. As an experiment in concert film, it works, as a spy thriller, it is less successful, though not as bad as some would have you believe.

the great rock n roll swindle (1980)

"It's a swindle!"
A private eye (Steve Jones) tries to track down the Embezzler (Malcolm McLaren) and find out what's happened to the money he took from various record labels, in an attempted biography of the Sex Pistols. But from the start its an incoherent mess.
Worth a watch to see the Sex Pistols at their best, and ignore the philosophising and re-versioning of the story by McLaren, as he tries to wring some more cash out of the money making machine at any costs. An incoherent art-school prank AND a cynical cash in. Cash from chaos indeed!

oil city confidential (2009)

"I remember being in Wilko's room and him snorting a line of speed and then saying, 'Right, I'm going to bed now!'"
Documentary about Dr Feelgood, a pub rock band obsessed with the blues, who emerged from the otherworldly area of Canvey Island in the early 70's, and helped spark the London based punk rock scene.
Film that shows how to produce a documentary, great and inventive use of archive, which is used to illustrate the rise and fall of the band and the influence they had on the London music scene.

earth girls are easy (1988)

"Let's face it, inner beauty is for losers."
Valeria (Geena Davis) is about to get married to Dr. Ted Gallagher (Charles Rocket), but he's a jerk. Only she doesn't seem to know it, that is until she walks in on his latest attempted conquest. Just when she is in turmoil three aliens (Jeff Goldblum, Jim Carrey and Damon Wayans) crash land in her swimming pool, turning her world upside down, as they teach her to lighten up and party!
Having pandered to Malcolm McClaren's wish to create a mythological version of the Sex Pistols in The Great Rock And Roll Swindle, Temple then pitched up in Hollywood and created this ode to 50's B Movies and kitch 80's Americana in this one long MTV music video. It's light and airy, very bright and colourful, and pure uninvolved entertainment, which is just what you need occasionally.