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“Top 5 Biopics” is a part of an ongoing series, The B-Roll, written by Alex Reid
The biopic is an art form that has faded from popularity in the past ten years. A biographical film usually focuses on a single important figure and by sticking to a documentary style of using archive footage and interviews, or fully recreating events with professional actors. When done right, a biopic can suck you into the world of this figure, perhaps exposing you to a whole new school of thought. With Straight Outta Compton coming soon, focusing on N.W.A in the late 80’s, I thought I’d share the Top 5 Biopics Of All Time.
5. The King’s Speech
The King’s Speech was an absolute smash hit in 2010, and for very good reason. Focusing on a little known struggle of a very public figure, director Tom Hooper shows us the more personal side of King George VI as he tries to muster the courage to deliver a nationwide speech to rouse the people of Great Britain and lift their spirits as they head into war. With understated cinematography and a script that reeks simplicity but style, the King’s Speech will be one to remember for years to come.
4. Frost/Nixon
You might wonder how you could possibly make a full feature length film about a single interview, but director Ron Howard presents the raw tension and pressure put upon David Frost as he broke the exclusive interview that would shake American politics to the core and end a presidency. The film is primarily composed of riveting conversations, thickly layered with underlying subtext, and as each question is asked, the stakes raise higher and higher.
3. Downfall
It’s an unhealthy trend that in the cinematic universe those who focus upon major world events tend to focus on the winning side, “History is told by the victors”. Not the case with the German film, “Downfall” which focuses solely upon Hitler’s last hours in his bunker. After the first half an hour the film rarely strays from the claustrophobic bunker as the sanity of those that were so convinced their regime would succeed gently edge towards suicide. Remarkable in that it refuses to demonize a man so often demonized, Downfall is one to watch, simply so that you can understand an alternative perspective.
2. The Elephant Man
David Lynch, better known for his mind bending visuals and disturbing imagery took on the task of portraying the tortured John Merrick and the woes in which he partook. An unrelenting and cynical look at how society would rather mock than care for someone who is disadvantaged, David Lynch makes excellent use of his creepy imagery to exacerbate the pain of these tortured souls.
1. The Social Network
It doesn’t get much better than David Fincher. The man exudes style and tone in such an exorbitant way that it seems strange that he would take on a biopic about the controversial character of the Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, but through a pulsing score by the ever talented Trent Reznor and a performance that will never be forgotten by Jesse Eisenberg, David Fincher managed to achieve a well measured an objective look at what sudden wealth and fame can do to someone who never expected it.
By Alex Reid
