Best movies like Whatever Happened to Harold Smith?
A unique, carefully handpicked, selection of the best movies like Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? Starring Tom Courtenay, Michael Legge, Laura Fraser, Lulu, and more. If you liked Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? then you may also like: X500, Year of the Horse, blink-182: The Urethra Chronicles, Urgh! A Music War, Vincent N Roxxy and many more popular movies featured on this list. You can further filter the list even more or get a random selection from the list of similar movies, to make your selection even easier.
It's 1976, and Vinny is a confused teenager who can't decide whether he is a disco king or a proto punk rocker.
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Year of the Horse
Indie director Jim Jarmusch lenses a low-tech tribute to protean rocker Neil Young and his long-standing band, Crazy Horse. Stitched together from archival material shot in 1976 and 1986 along with candid scenes of Young and the band kicking back between shows, this rockumentary is as ragged as it is direct.
blink-182: The Urethra Chronicles
Go on the road with punk rockers blink-182 as they travel around the globe, belt out hits to frenzied mosh pits and enjoy provocative antics in this film that's part concert video, part documentary. Included are all the band's videos, interviews and performances from 1995 through 1999. Concert footage, recorded at London's Electric Ballroom, features the songs "Dammit," "Josie" and "All the Small Things."
Urgh! A Music War
Urgh! A Music War is a British film released in 1982 featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980. Among the artists featured in the movie are Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), Magazine, The Go-Go's, Toyah Willcox, The Fleshtones, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, X, XTC, Devo, The Cramps, Oingo Boingo, Dead Kennedys, Gary Numan, Klaus Nomi, Wall of Voodoo, Pere Ubu, Steel Pulse, Surf Punks, 999, UB40, Echo & the Bunnymen and The Police. These were many of the most popular groups on the New Wave scene; in keeping with the spirit of the scene, the film also features several less famous acts, and one completely obscure group, Invisible Sex, in what appears to be their only public performance.
Vincent N Roxxy
A small town loner and a rebellious punk rocker unexpectedly fall in love as they are forced on the run and soon discover violence follows them everywhere.
We Jam Econo: The Story of the Minutemen
A feature-length documentary chronicling early '80s punk rock band the Minutemen, from their beginnings in San Pedro, California, to their demise after the death of singer D. Boon in 1985.
New Year's Evil
During a New Year's Eve celebration, a punk-rock singer gets a phone call saying that when New Year's strikes in each time zone, someone will be murdered--and she will be the last one.
The Other F Word
What happens when a generation's ultimate anti-authoritarians — punk rockers — become society's ultimate authorities — dad's? With a large chorus of Punk Rock's leading men — Blink-182's Mark Hoppus, Red Hot Chili Peppers' Flea, Rise Against's Tim McIlrath — The Other F Word follows Jim Lindberg, 20-year veteran of skate punk band, Pennywise, on his hysterical and moving journey from belting his band's anthem, 'Fuck Authority', to embracing his ultimately pivotal authoritarian role in mid-life, fatherhood.
Rock 'n' Roll High School
A group of rock-music-loving students, with the help of the Ramones, take over their school to combat its newly installed oppressive administration.
Kelly & Cal
Punk-rocker turned suburban mom, Kelly, is nostalgic for a life she can no longer have and uncertain of a future she doesn’t yet fit in. Seventeen-year-old Cal is frustrated at his lack of control over the hand he's been dealt. When the two strike up an unlikely friendship, it's the perfect spark needed to thrust them both back to life.
Knights of the City
A street Gang that is also a rap group tries to get a record contract.
The Blank Generation
The cream of the New York new wave/punk crop, filmed live at CBGB when the scene was just beginning. Includes performances by Patti Smith, Blondie, Television, the Ramones, Talking Heads, the Heartbreakers, the Shirts, Wayne County, the Marbles, the Dolls, Miamis, Harry Toledo, and the Tuff Darts (w/Robert Gordon).
Ladies and Gentlemen, the Fabulous Stains
Corrine Burns retreats far into plans for her band, The Fabulous Stains, after her mother's death.
Desperate Teenage Lovedolls
Two girls rediscover their love for playing rock, find a drummer and begin practicing. When one of their mothers intervenes, they run away from home and are forced to fend for themselves on the streets against gangs and rival bands. Soon they are discovered and taken under the wing of rock manager Johnny Tremaine (played by Steven McDonald) who uses them for sex and his own aspirations of wealth. The Love Dolls set out to get revenge on those who have wronged them, and rise to the top of the rock world.
Dinner in America
An on-the-lam punk rocker and a young woman obsessed with his band go on an unexpected and epic journey together through the decaying suburbs of the American Midwest.
Dudes
Two punks from the big city, traveling across the country in a Volkswagen bug, embrace the western ethos when they must take revenge against a group of rednecks for killing their friend in this lighthearted road movie. Along the way, they enlist the help of a young woman who runs a wrecking service.
Saturday Night Fever
Tony spends his Saturdays at a disco where his stylish moves raise his popularity among the patrons. But his life outside the disco is not easy and things change when he gets attracted to Stephanie.
Disco 9000
Fass Black, an accomplished black man in Los Angeles, is bullied to play another record labels music at his disco club, but continually refuses because it ain't groovy enough.
Summer of Sam
Spike Lee's take on the "Son of Sam" murders in New York City during the summer of 1977 centering on the residents of an Italian-American South Bronx neighborhood who live in fear and distrust of one another.
The Phantom of the Open
Maurice Flitcroft, a dreamer and unrelenting optimist, managed to gain entry to The British Open Golf Championship qualifying in 1976 and subsequently shot the worst round in Open history, becoming a folk hero in the process.
That Was Then... This Is Now
A delinquent teenager's only link to society is the attachment he feels towards an older brother-figure. When the older boy starts spending time with a new girlfriend, the teenager begins to feel even more alienated, and gets involved with drugs and the police.
England Is Mine
A portrait of Steven Patrick Morrissey and his early life in 1970s Manchester before he went on to become lead singer of seminal 1980s band The Smiths.
The Decline of Western Civilization
The Los Angeles punk music scene circa 1980 is the focus of this film. With Alice Bag Band, Black Flag, Catholic Discipline, Circle Jerks, Fear, Germs, and X.
Punk in London
A visual record of London punk life in the late '70s, filled with never-before-seen live concert footage and commentary from the Clash, the Jam, X-Ray Spex and the Electric Chairs.
Liquid Sky
An alien creature invades New York's punk subculture in its search for an opiate released by the brain during an orgasm.
Pussy Riot: A Punk Prayer
In the winter of 2011, after a controversial election, Vladimir Putin was reinstalled as president of Russia. In response, hundreds of thousands of citizens rose up all over the country to challenge the legitimacy of Putin’s rule. Among them were a group of young, radical-feminist punk rockers, better known as Pussy Riot. Wearing colored balaclavas, tights, and summer dresses, they entered Moscow’s most venerated cathedral and dared to sing “Mother Mary, Banish Putin!” Now they have become victims of a “show” trial.
I Will, I Will...For Now
Les Bingham takes umbrage that his ex-wife Katie has a new love in life. What he doesn't know is that her new paramour is lawyer Lou Springer. When Katie's sister Sally arrives and tells the two about her new, hip '70s marriage contract, Les and Katie decide to try to get together again under a more liberal marriage contract, like Katie's sister. But, unfortunately for the couple, the contract is planted with the seeds of self-destruction.
Breaking Glass
Breaking Glass is the story of punk singer Kate and her meteoric rise to stardom. Starting out in the rock pubs of London, Kate, assisted by her manager Danny, becomes a huge star overnight. Once at the top the pressure is immense as Kate's band are squeezed out and she is left to cope alone in the spotlight.
The Fifth Floor
A young woman collapses on the disco dance floor of what's revealed to be strychnine poisoning. Assuming that this is an attempt at suicide, her boyfriend and doctor have her committed to the Fifth Floor, an asylum with obviously crazy inmates and a predatory orderly. The problem is, she's still sane!
Hot T-Shirts
In order to avoid the closure of a bar the owner and some friends organize a wet T-shirt competition to attract new customers and their money.
Terror on Tour
A rock band called "The Clowns" comes under suspicion of murder when several prostitutes are killed by individuals made up like members of the band.
Who Killed Nancy?
On October 12th, 1978, New York Police discovered the lifeless body of a young woman, slumped under the bathroom sink in a hotel room. She was Nancy Spungen, an ex-prostitute, sometimes stripper, heroin addict, and girlfriend of Sex Pistols' bassist Sid Vicious.
Axegrinder 5: Blood Vengeance
The lone survivor of Freddy Palmer's last massacre is blamed for the killings and institutionalized. She soon escapes and after hiding out with an all-female punk rock band, the women team up to hunt down Palmer in his forest killing grounds.
The Family
A family has a hard time tying to stay together, because murder seems to be in their blood, and a their favorite type of gathering is a massacre.
What We Do Is Secret
The true-life story of Darby Crash, who became an L.A. punk icon with his band The Germs. Along with Lorna Doom, Pat Smear, and Don Bolles, Darby Crash completely transformed the L.A. punk scene, while sacrificing everyone he loved, his career, and ultimately his life.
The Runnin' Kind
As next in line to take over his father's law firm, Ohio rich kid Joey's life is all planned out. But a chance encounter with a gorgeous, free-spirited female rock drummer inspires Joey to chuck his plans and move to Los Angeles, where he hooks up with an all-girl rock band and learns the ins and outs of the L.A. music underground.
Scared Straight! 20 Years Later
Adults meet up with the people who changed their lives twenty years ago by confronting them about their lifestyles as teenagers.
Sacrificial Youth
Sacrificial Youth is a Hardcore Punk musical that tells the story of TJ, a teenager caught at the crossroads. When a multi-national corporation hatches an evil plot of biblical proportions to destroy The Scene, TJ is forced to accept his fate as the chosen one to stand up and fight back.
Disco Inferno
A young couple conjures a dark presence that hungers for their unborn baby as they prepare to burn up the dance floor at LA's hottest disco.
If It Ain't Stiff, It Ain't Worth a Fuck
Legendary documentary of the 1977 package tour arranged by David Robinson and Andrew Jakeman ("Kake Riviera") after they founded Stiff Records in London, England for five of their artists, and the bands that they concocted for the tour.
X500
X Quinientos tells the story of Alex, David and Aurora, three people who live in opposite ends of the American continent, but who are connected due to their incapacity to accept mourning and to their need of changing in order to move on with their lives.