Popstar turned into Film Star - When Music Collides with Film

The title maybe confusing but with the release of the new 1D3D film today teenie boppers around the world are giggling in excitement to see their favourite band on the big screen. Now One Direction  aren't the first music stars to buck the Movie Trend. From the Beatles to even Sir Mick Jagger have all taken to the screens for one reason or another.

But when does it become OK for a band or a music star to walk away from the stage and head to the screen instead??


In the past we have seen some of the biggest names in the pop world go in front of the camera to make big scale films to either give us a glimpse into their world, these include not just One Direction but also Katy Perry that earned her over $7million on her opening weekend at the box office and has grossed over $25 million so far.
 Katy also stars as Smurfette in of course The Smurfs seeing her acting career sore off the back of her documentary. This lovely lady is here to stay in film.

Also in the documentary category is the guy who is the marmite of the world of pop... you either love him or hate him either way you can't seen to get away from him... of course i'm talking about Justin Bieber, yes the guy who sang that annoying song with the repeated words of Baby and Oh... you know the one back in 2011 decided to release his debut film, following him around on his world tour Never Say Never earned the Teen over £820,592 in the Uk Box Office on his opening weekend which is just a drop in the ocean on his gross that totals so far at over $73 million in the US.


Moving on from documentaries, we're into the fiction territory excluding This Is Spinal Tap (which is awesome!) namely bands have bucked this trend starting with one of the biggest selling bands in the 1990's and who had us all chanting Girl Power. You might have guessed already and yes it is the Spice Girls. Yes Sporty, Scary, Posh, Baby and Ginger Spice released their first and last i'm sorry to admit film Spice World: The Movie. With cameos from Meatloaf and other music stars this film grossed over $29 million and earned on their opening weekend over $10 million at the Box Office. Not to bad for girl power. Spice World is kinda like This is Spinal Tap with the Moc-Documentary style.

Moving onto another Brit bands actually most of the fiction section about the brit bands, do you remember S Club 7? Back in 2003 (I was 11) they released seeing double their first feature film about them being cloned... yes I know but then this film was a success i think?
Looking at the stats from the box office it only earned the band £338,383 in it's opening weekend and has grossed just over £2million.

Another Brit band haven't just done a film once they did it twice, yes now please please please (clue to who they are!) be kind as I love this band as much as I love Movies!!! Mcfly starred in their first feature film back in 2006 with no other than Chris Pine (aka Captain Kirk from Star Trek) and Lindsey Lohan (Mean Girls, Herbie) with rumours spreading around after the first release that the drummer of the band got it on with Lohan whilst on set Just my Luck didn't do very well. It was supposed to be the next Pretty Women or somewhat like it.. but although the band had only a small role the film only made $5 million in it's opening weekend at the US box office and only a very tiny £579,306 on it's opening weekend at the UK box office (OUCH!) but it has grossed over $17 million in the US!!! Not so good for the British band that write songs for One Direction! Skip forward to 2010... the band have spent millions on a new super site which is revolutionary (they no longer use it!) and to celebrate their return to the charts release their second film, this time a 30 minute short with a fantasy theme No Where Left To Run see's a more mature Mcfly rather than the fresh and baby faced (excluding Dougie the bassist) Mcfly with themes of a sexual nature, moderate violence and Fantasy Themes which earned the film a certificate of 15 by the BBFC. Nowhere Left to Run isn't the best film really made on a lowish budget (It can't be found on IMDB.com) you can tell by the CGI and only to be released on DVD the film is a series of music videos following the narrative of one of the band members (remember the drummer) Harry being a vampire and all hell breaks lose... worth a watch if you're interested? It's ok but i wouldn't call it a masterpiece!

The question is that whatever bands may do is it really worth making a film???