Roy Orbison Movies

Saturday Night Live: Lost and Found - SNL in the '80s documents a turbulent decade for the long-running sketch comedy show. The eighties began without creator Lorne Michales at the helm, but still produced Eddie Murphy. By the middle of the decade Michaels returned, but his first season back was a bumpy one for both fans and critics. This program features famous skits by a number of popular performers including Dana Carvey, Jon Lovitz, and Phil Hartman. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

One of the most instantly recognizable voices in the history of popular music, Roy Orbison moved people with a career that lasted decades. This program collects thirteen live performances from the singer and songwriter that capture him at various points of his career. Included are full performances of such classics as "Only the Lonely," "Crying," "Oh, Pretty Woman," "Blue Bayou," "In Dreams," and a second rendition of "Crying," performed as a duet with the award winning vocalist k.d. lang. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide

This 1987 documentary presents the life story of influential singer, songwriter, and musician Jerry Lee Lewis, whose pioneering brand of country-blues-boogie shook the world of rock & roll. Nicknamed "The Killer," and a cousin of notorious televangelist Jimmy Swaggart, Lewis displayed a prodigious eclectic musical talent, absorbing and reworking blues, gospel, Al Jolson, rockabilly, and Hank Williams. This biography features interviews with Lewis and a lineup of performing artists and celebrities including Chuck Berry, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Roy Orbison, Dick Clark, and Mickey Gilley. Highlights include concert footage of Lewis performing some of his greatest hits, such as "Great Balls of Fire," "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On," "Breathless," and "Crazy Arms." ~ Steve Blackburn, All Movie Guide

This video profiles the life and work of Ricky Nelson through the use of film, interviews and songs focusing on his work on The Ozzie and Harriet Show, singing career and the fatal plane crash in 1986. ~ All Movie Guide

One of the most distinctive vocalists in the history of rock and roll, Roy Orbison was in the midst of a well-deserved comeback in 1987 when he performed this special concert for television, beautifully filmed in black and white and featuring some famous friends helping him out. Orbison is joined onstage by Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, k.d. lang, Jackson Browne, Tom Waits, and T.Bone Burnett as he sings "Oh, Pretty Woman," "Only the Lonely," "It's Over," "Blue Bayou," "Crying," "In Dreams," "Running Scared," and ten other classics. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Director David Lynch crafted this hallucinogenic mystery-thriller that probes beneath the cheerful surface of suburban America to discover sadomasochistic violence, corruption, drug abuse, crime and perversion. Kyle Maclachlan stars as Jeffrey Beaumont, a square-jawed young man who returns to his picture-perfect small town when his father suffers a stroke. Walking through a field near his home, Jeff discovers a severed human ear, which he immediately brings to the police. Their disinterest sparks Jeff's curiosity, and he is soon drawn into a dangerous drama that's being played out by a lounge singer, Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) and the ether-addicted Frank Booth (Dennis Hopper). The sociopathic Booth has kidnapped Dorothy's young son and is using the child as a bargaining chip to repeatedly beat, humiliate and rape Dorothy. Though he's drawn to the virginal, wholesome Sandy Williams (Laura Dern), Jeff is also aroused by Dorothy and in trying to aid her, he discovers his dark side. As the film nears its conclusion, our hero learns that many more indivduals are tacitly involved with Frank, including a suave, lip-synching singer, Ben (Dean Stockwell), who is minding the kidnapped boy. Director Lynch explored many similar themes of the "disease" lying just under the surface of the small town, all-American façade in his later television series Twin Peaks (1990-91). ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide

After the previous week's fiasco, the Sunbright Detergent Company has pulled all its commercials from SCTV, forcing desperate station owner Guy Caballero (Joe Flaherty) to emcee a pledge drive. In an effort to shake the audience from its indifference, P.R. director Maureen Wallace (Catherine O'Hara) conducts a tour of the SCTV studios, which gets off to a bad start when she finds the doors are locked. Ultimately, the tour segues into an extended running gag spoofing the then-current feature film The Elephant Man, with Dave Thomas as the title character. In other highlights, Count Floyd (Joe Flaherty) and Lola Heatherton (Catherine O'Hara) offer a dramatic reading of Neil Simon's The Out-of-Towners; a commercial for Kovak Pictures parodies the movie Ordinary People ("When a vivid memory of it alone won't do"); Billy Sol Hurok (John Candy) and Big Jim McBob (Flaherty) deliver their first review of a movie in which all the characters "blow up reeeeal good"; and the 20th Anniversary telecast of "Mel's Rock Pile" manages to work in a genuine musical number, as guest star Roy Orbison performs "Workin' for the Man." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This exploitation flick chronicles the rise and fall of a country-rock superstar who bears a striking resemblance to the fallen King of Rock and Roll--despite the film's disclaimer that the flashy, pill-poppin performer decked out in his bejeweled polyester jump suits does not represent Elvis. The singer's girlfriend is coincidentally played by Ginger Alden, the last girlfriend of the real Elvis. Songs for the film are done by Roy Orbison. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Country-music legend Johnny Cash is joined on-stage by friends and family for this musical holiday celebration. Along with Christmas favorites performed by the likes of June Carter Cash and The Statler Brothers, The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1977 feature a rendition of "This Train Is Bound for Glory" by The Man in Black with Jerry Lee Lewis, Roy Orbison Carl Perkins in memory of the late Elvis Presley. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

The must-be-seen-to-be-believed Fastest Guitar Alive offers singer Roy Orbison in his one and only movie starring role. Orbison plays Johnny Banner, a Confederate Spy who keeps a rifle hidden in his guitar. While on an espionage mission with partner Steve (Sammy Jackson), Johnny discovers that the war is over, and that now he and Steve are considered outlaws. Their many subsequent adventures include their involvement with dance-hall gals Flo (Maggie Pierce, co-star of the infamous TVer My Mother the Car) and Sue (Joan Freeman). Indicative of the general tone of seriousness in this film is the presence of veteran comedian Ben Lessy as a most urban-looking Indian. Though silly in the extreme, Fastest Guitar Alive is at least superficially better than most of the youth-oriented Sam Katzman productions of the period. And besides, you wouldn't want to pass up an opportunity to see Roy Orbison in his performing prime. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide