Rufus Thomas
Actor · 1917 – 2001 · Cayce, Mississippi, USA
Rufus Thomas, Jr. (March 27, 1917 – December 15, 2001) was an American rhythm and blues, funk and soul singer and comedian from Memphis, Tennessee, who recorded on Sun Records in the 1950s and on Stax Records in the 1960s and 1970s. He was the father of soul singer Carla Thomas and keyboard player Marvell Thomas. A third child, Vaneese, a former French teacher, has a recording studio in upstate New York and sings for television commercials.
Movies9
Movie7.3ComedyIn Memphis, Tennessee, over the course of a single night, the Arcade Hotel, run by an eccentric night clerk and a clueless bellboy, is visited by a young Japanese couple traveling in search of the roots of rock; an Italian woman in mourning who stumbles upon a fleeing charlatan girl; and a comical trio of accidental thieves looking for a place to hide.
Mystery Train
1989 · 535 votes
Movie6.4ComedyDramaConflict arises in the small town of Holly Springs when an old woman's death causes a variety of reactions among family and friends.
Cookie's Fortune
1999 · 198 votes
Movie6.3DramaHistoryThe story of Jerry Lee Lewis, arguably the greatest and certainly one of the wildest musicians of the 1950s. His arrogance, remarkable talent, and unconventional lifestyle often brought him into conflict with others in the industry, and even earned him the scorn and condemnation of the public.
Great Balls of Fire!
1989 · 351 votes
Movie6.6ComedyDramaEarl Pilcher Jr. runs an equipment rental outfit in Arkansas, lives with his wife and kids and parents, and rarely takes off his gimme cap. His mother dies, leaving a letter explaining he's not her natural son, but the son of a Black woman who died in childbirth; plus, he has a half brother Ray, in Chicago, she wants him to visit. Earl makes the trip, initially receiving a cold welcome from Ray and Ray's son, Virgil. His birth mother's sister, Aunt T., an aged and blind matriarch, takes Earl in tow and insists that the family open up to him.
A Family Thing
1996 · 78 votes
Movie6.7MusicDocumentaryA documentary film about the Afro-American Woodstock concert held in Los Angeles seven years after the Watts riots. Director Mel Stuart mixes footage from the concert with footage of the living conditions in the current-day Watts neighborhood.
Wattstax
1973 · 20 votes
Movie7.0DocumentaryMusicA film featuring the veteran soul music artists and music of Stax Records. It tells the story of soul, a musical genre that was to have a major influence on other styles of music for decades. Ten legends of soul talk about the beginnings and still show at their concerts today that, despite their advanced age, they have lost none of the energy and joie de vivre that defines this music.
Only the Strong Survive
2002 · 5 votes
Movie9.5MusicDocumentaryA look into the birth of the soul music scene on Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. Chronicles the rise of soul music, the creation of many iconic songs, and the effect that the genre would have on generations to come. Featuring interviews with B.B. King, Isaac Hayes, Steve Copper, and many other legendary artists.
Sounds of Memphis
2002 · 2 votes
MovieDocumentaryMusicBlues legends B.B. King and Rufus Thomas, plus Evelyn Young, Gatemouth Moore, Fred Ford, Honeymoon Garner, Booker T. Laury, and others play jam sessions & tell stories about Memphis' Beale Street. Filmed in Memphis in the late 80's, the award-winning documentary has been lovingly remastered and restored from the original 16mm film and audio tape. A personal look at a neighborhood where the music lasted "all day and all night". It's a must-see for any music fan.
MovieDocumentaryMusicIt’s the Summer of 1969. The temperature hovers around 105 degrees on a humid weekend in Memphis, Tennessee. It’s only been a year since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. But on this particular weekend, everyone in town, all races, creeds and colors have come out for the Fourth Annual Memphis Country Blues Festival. The lineup is the most ambitious in years, welcoming blues masters like Bukka White, Sleepy John Estes, Furry Lewis and the 106 year-old Nathan Beauregard, coupled with more notable headliners like Rufus Thomas & The Bar-Kays, John Fahey and rocker Johnny Winter. One attendee that year was Gene Rosenthal, who brought along a couple of cameras, a small crew and left with 40,000 feet of color film that was left untouched for nearly 50 years….until now. ‘Memphis 69’ is a time capsule. If you’re a blues enthusiast, watching this film feels like you’ve opened up a treasure chest and discovered that you’ve hit the motherload.
Memphis '69
2019
Series2
TV7.0Action & AdventureCrimeDetective Cheng is commissioned by Interpol to destroy the Empire of Chaiba, a worldwide criminal organization based in Southeast Asia. He initiates an undercover operation to infiltrate the organization.
Police Story
1973 · 20 votes
TV7.5DocumentaryThe Blues (2003) is a seven-part documentary series produced by Martin Scorsese that explores the history and influence of blues music. Each episode, directed by a different filmmaker, traces a unique aspect of the genre’s evolution—from its African roots to its global impact. Originally airing on PBS, the series includes Scorsese’s Feel Like Going Home, Wim Wenders’ The Soul of a Man, Richard Pearce’s The Road to Memphis, Charles Burnett’s Warming by the Devil’s Fire, Marc Levin’s Godfathers and Sons, Mike Figgis’ Red, White and Blues, and Clint Eastwood’s Piano Blues.
The Blues
2003 · 21 votes