Tommy Lee Movies
American rock music icon
Tommy Lee made media headlines on two counts: as the drummer of the hair metal/heavy metal ensemble
Mötley Crüe from 1981 through 1999, and for his offstage role as the onetime husband of controversial actress, Playboy playmate, and media darling
Pamela Anderson. Born Thomas Lee Bass in Athens, Greece, as the son of a U.S. Army serviceman and a Greek beauty pageant queen,
Lee received a drum set at the age of four, but reportedly didn't begin arduous practice until his teenage years, coincident with his discovery of the heavy metal acts
Deep Purple,
KISS, and
Led Zeppelin. He formed the heavy metal ensemble Suite 19 in his late teens and began securing gigs at Los Angeles-area clubs, but fate lent a helping hand by introducing him to
Nikki Sixx, a bassist initially interested in forming a rock band guided by a sense of theatricality. When combined with the involvement of rockers
Vince Neil and
Mick Mars (and, years later, John Corabi, brought in to replace
Neil), the young men formed
Mötley Crüe, which sold millions of records and became one of the defining rock acts of the 1980s, a status capped by the issue of such albums as Theater of Pain (1985), Girls, Girls, Girls (1987), and Dr. Feelgood (1989).
Lee remained with
Crüe through 1999; in the meantime he became involved with -- and wed -- two high-profile women: actress
Heather Locklear (
Melrose Place) and
Anderson, with whom he weathered a particularly stormy relationship that included a sex tape scandal, an incident where
Lee got incarcerated for allegedly hitting
Anderson in front of their children, and all sorts of other mayhem including multiple separations.
In 1999,
Lee left
Crüe to pursue a series of unrelated musical projects, including the formation of the rap metal act
Methods of Mayhem, guest appearances on albums by artists including
Rob Zombie and
Nine Inch Nails, and various recordings that foregrounded
Lee and his musical stylings.
Lee enjoyed a second act in his career -- in a much different venue -- with the rise of reality television during the mid- to late 2000s. He produced and starred in two major reality series: NBC's 2005 effort
Tommy Lee Goes to College, which witnessed him enrolling in university courses, as well as joining a marching band, and the 2006
Rock Star: Supernova, a competition-themed reality program in which
Lee and other rockers auditioned musicians to play as a new member of their band. The rocker also participated in the 2004 celebrity video Playboy: Hot Shots (which found
Lee and others photographing Playboy magazine pictorials) and the 2005
Comedy Central Roast of Pamela Anderson, opposite
Anderson,
Jimmy Kimmel,
Andy Dick, and others. In 2008,
Lee signed on as executive producer of The Dirt, a biopic of
Crüe set to star
Christopher Walken and
Val Kilmer, and directed by
Borat and
Seinfeld alum
Larry Charles. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi

- 2009
-
The West Coast pop-punk quartet Jack's Mannequin experienced a sad and difficult day in 2005, when frontman Andrew McMahon - then only 23 years old - received a diagnosis from his physician that he had contracted cancer. In response, McMahon began shooting a deeply personal, self-reflexive video diary of the days in between that initial diagnosis (which coincided with the first Jack's Mannequin album, Everything in Transit) and the onset of his treatment; that footage appears in this intimate release. The material also interpolates footage from McMahon's childhood in the 1980s and 1990s, and behind-the-scenes material documenting the production of Everything in Transit. Former Mötley Crue drummer Tommy Lee narrates. ~ Nathan Southern, Rovi
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- Starring:
- Tommy Lee

- 2008
-
This documentary captures the antics that went on during Crue Fest 2008, a worldwide tour featuring a number of rock band, but headlined by Motley Crue. In addition to the headliners, the filmmakers include footage from other bands such as Buckcherry, Papa Roach, and Trapt. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
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- 2006
-
This CBS reality-competition series was a sequel to the same network's Rock Star, in which a talented newcomer was selected from a huge field of aspirants to perform with the prestigious rock band INXS. In this case, the winner was invited to join a brand-new musical aggregation called Supernova, comprised of several immensely talented veterans: Tommy Lee of Mötley Crüe, Jason Newsted of Metallica, and Gilby Clarke of Guns N' Roses. The 15 finalists lived together in a large Hollywood Hills home, performing their singing and instrumental specialties before Supernova each week. Star potential was judged on the basis of originality as well as the ability to successfully imitate the styles of other artists. Hosted by Dave Navarro and Brooke Burke, Rock Star: Supernova premiered July 6, 2006. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
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- 2006
- R
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A man is forced to go against his family and his principles in the name of serving his country in this drama inspired by actual events. Tommy Santoro (James Marsden) was just a boy when his father was murdered, and young Tommy quickly discovered his dad was a high-ranking member of the Philadelphia Mafia. Tommy grew up determined to stay on the right side of the law, but his brother Vincent (Brad Renfro) and cousin Joey (Giovanni Ribisi) had other ideas and ended up joining "the family business." Tommy enlisted in the Army and served in Operation Desert Storm, but when he impulsively stole a jeep, he was arrested by the military police. However, Tommy finds he's not questioned by MP's, but by Horvath (Brian Dennehy), an FBI agent who knows all about his past and family history. Horvath has learned that Sicilian mobsters have been taking over the Philly rackets, and persuades Tommy to join up with Vincent and Joey in order to infiltrate the Mafia and serve as an informant to the FBI. Tommy grudgingly agrees, but he's uneasy about betraying his family and following the path that killed his father -- especially when he discovers his actions have put Vincent and Joey in grave danger. Also starring Dennis Hopper, Piper Perabo, and Lesley Ann Warren, 10th & Wolf was the directorial debut for Bobby Moresco, who won an Academy Award for his screenplay for Crash. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
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- Starring:
- James Marsden, Giovanni Ribisi, (more)

- 2002
- PG13
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Former Prada model and Road Trip co-star D.J. Qualls makes a bid for leading man status in this nerd-makeover comedy. Qualls stars as Dizzy, a dorky but delinquent high school student who's determined to get expelled from his hellish high school -- but ends up landing in jail instead. There he meets the intimidating, street-smart Luther (Eddie Griffin), himself a former geek, who takes Dizzy under his wing to teach him the art of being cool. Soon Luther and his pals have broken Dizzy of his meek, maladroit ways, and Dizzy is ready to start a new life at a new high school under a new name: Gil Harris. When Gil arrives at East Highland High -- his former inmate reputation known to all -- he quickly ingratiates himself with the cool kids and lays to waste any jocks who stand in his way. He even manages to date the school's most coveted girl, Danielle (Eliza Dushku). But when a face from his past shows up, it seems that his facade as the big man on campus may be about to crumble. The New Guy also stars Zooey Deschanel and Lyle Lovett, and features cameos from rockers Henry Rollins, Gene Simmons, and Tommy Lee. ~ Michael Hastings, Rovi
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- Starring:
- D.J. Qualls, Eliza Dushku, (more)

- 2001
-
Doug Bruckner hosts this collection of paparazzi footage "Ripped From the Headlines!" Hollywood personalities and stars photographed, filmed as they go out on the town and to motion picture premieres, include Nicolas Cage, Alec Baldwin, Madonna, Dennis Rodman, Sean Penn, Jack Nicholson, Heather Locklear, Charlie Sheen, Leonardo Di Caprio, Tommy Lee, Julia Roberts, Sylvester Stallone, and Matthew Perry. ~ Steve Blackburn, Rovi
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- 2000
- PG13
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A pair of sewage-truck drivers attempt to rescue the tarnished reputation of their favorite pro wrestler in this comedy from Varsity Blues director Brian Robbins. Gordie Boggs (David Arquette) and Sean Dawkins (Scott Caan) live vicariously through superstar grappler Jimmy King (Oliver Platt). But when King's manager (Joe Pantoliano), in a fit of ego, arranges to have his client dethroned to make way for the next hot property, the guys hatch a plan to force a rematch. The only problem is, their no-good hero has sunk into a black hole of self-pity and liquor. Enlisting the help of old-time trainer Sal (Martin Landau) to whip "The King" into shape, Gordie and Sean run afoul of Gordie's father, who wants his son to settle down and become a cop like him. Meanwhile, curvaceous Sasha (Rose McGowan) moves in on Gordie, but has ulterior motives. So does The King's son (Tait Smith), who's willing to put his girth to good use in order to exact revenge on his dad for abandoning him. Ready to Rumble features a large cast of real-life WCW wrestlers portraying themselves. McGowan and Arquette previously appeared together in Wes Craven's Scream. Lewis Arquette, the star's father, also appears alongside his son as he did in Scream 2. ~ Brian J. Dillard, Rovi
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- Starring:
- David Arquette, Oliver Platt, (more)