It's Music Madness In March On Sony Movie Channel As Music Marathons Take Center Stage

CULVER CITY, Calif., Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Friday nights are taking on a new tune as Sony Movie Channel (SMC) features music-themed blockbuster films each week in March. The network has curated films covering a myriad of musical genres from rock and roll to country, highlighting a diverse set of legendary artists that includes Bill Haley & His Comets; Bob Dylan; The Beach Boys; The Monkees; Willie Nelson and The Who. Billed as the channel's first annual Music Movie Month, the schedule's playlist is packed with hits such as THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY, THAT THING YOU DO!, HEAD, CROSSROADS, GODSPELL and TOMMY, to name a few.

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As an added bonus, SMC is providing a complementary digital experience at sonymoviechannel.com/music that includes music videos, photos and additional information about the featured films.

Friday night is not the only time viewers can enjoy these offerings, as even more classic musically-inspired films air throughout the week of March 25: FINDING GRACELAND is a comedic film about a drifter who believes he is Elvis Presley, airing on Tuesday, March 26; SONGWRITER is a dramatic tale of a musician's path to success, starring Willie Nelson, airing on Wednesday, March 27; and CISCO PIKE is a crime drama involving an ex-recording star, played by Kris Kristofferson, also airing on March 27. The month-long tribute also includes the seldom-seen animated musical films AMERICAN POP and HEAVY METAL, which both air on Thursday, March 28.

The Friday Features Music Movie Month schedule is as follows:

• March 1 – MUSIC MOVIE MONTH, PART 1

ROCK AROUND THE CLOCK - 8:30 PM E - Showcasing some of the best-loved bands and songs of the early rock n' roll era, this film was a sensation with teens when it debuted, and raised quite a few eyebrows from their perplexed parents who just didn't "get it." Alan Freed, The Platters, Bill Haley & His Comets, Frankie Bell and The Bellboys star.

THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY - 10:00 PM E - Based on the life of the late rock singer, Buddy Holly, who died in a plane crash in 1959 at the age of 22. Gary Busey, Charles Martin Smith and Don Stroud star.

THAT THING YOU DO! - 12:00 AM E - A Pennsylvania band scores a hit in 1964 and rides the star-making machinery as long as it can, with lots of help from its manager. Tom Hanks, Liv Tyler and Charlize Theron star.

• March 8 – MUSIC MOVIE MONTH, PART 2

LET THE GOOD TIMES ROLL - 8:15 PM E - This rockumentary traces the development of rock 'n' roll during the 1950's through an incredible compilation of film footage and performances. Bo Diddley, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Chubby Checker, Little Richard, Bill Haley & His Comets are featured.

THE BEACH BOYS: AN AMERICAN FAMILY - 10:00 PM E - The Beach Boys were the quintessential summertime band that eventually came to represent having fun at the beach, surfing, meeting girls and living that laid-back California lifestyle. With hit songs like "Fun, Fun, Fun" and "Good Vibrations," the band sang of a California that was all beaches, parties, and sunshine while their lives were plagued with drugs, mental illness and parental abuse—a startling contrast to their public persona. Still, the band began as a family and survived, and its music continues to play worldwide. This mini-series chronicles the band's decades of performing in the public spotlight. Frederick Weller, Matthew Letscher, Nick Stabile, Ned Vaughn, Ryan Northcott, Dublin James, Amy Van Horne, Jad Mager, Wendy Phillips, Kurt Fuller, Alley Mills and Kevin Dunn star.

• March 15 – MUSIC MOVIE MONTH, PART 3

ROCK CITY - 8:10 PM E - Documentary on British rockers such as The Rolling Stones and The Who. Blind Faith, Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, Jimi Hendrix, Rod Stewart and Otis Redding are also among those featured.

TOMMY: THE WHO - 10:00 PM E - The Who's classic rock opera is brought energetically to life by an outstanding cast including many of music's biggest stars. Roger Daltrey is Tommy and Elton John portrays the Pinball Wizard. Appearances by Tina Turner and Jack Nicholson, among others.

GODSPELL - 12:00 AM E - The long-running '70s stage rock musical - based on the "Gospel According to St. Matthew" - comes to the big screen. David Haskell, Victor Garber, Lynne Thigpen and Katie Hanley star.

• March 22 – MUSIC MOVIE MONTH, PART 4

MASKED AND ANONYMOUS - 8:00 PM E - Bob Dylan is Jack Fate, a singer coerced into making a comeback performance at a shady benefit concert event. Angela Bassett, Jeff Bridges, Penelope Cruz, John Goodman, Jessica Lange and Luke Wilson star. Co-written by Dylan with SEINFELD writer Larry Charles.

FALLING FROM GRACE - 10:00 PM E - Rocker John Mellencamp makes his acting and directing debut in this critically acclaimed story of a country singer who returns to his hometown to celebrate his grandfather's 84th birthday. Caught between the woman he loves and the woman he once loved, Mellencamp must make a decision affecting all of their lives. John Mellencamp, Mariel Hemingway, Claude Akins, Kay Lenz and Dub Taylor star. Written by LONESOME DOVE author Larry McMurtry.

CROSSROADS - 11:45 PM E - One was a living legend, the other was just starting out... for both, the turning point will come at the Crossroads. Ralph Macchio, Joe Seneca, Jami Gertz, Harry Carey and Joe Morton star.

• March 29 – MUSIC MOVIE MONTH, PART 5

RING-A-DING RHYTHM - 8:30 PM E -The pop culture explosion reveals a generation gap in a small English town when the mayor forces a teenage hangout to stop using its TV set and jukebox. A pair of crafty local teens counterattack by trying to put together a festival that will demonstrate the merits of traditional jazz and rock 'n' roll. While trying to enlist disc jockeys for the jazz show, they hear such talents as Del Shannon, The Dukes of Dixieland, Gary (U.S.) Bonds, the inimitable Chubby Checker, Gene Vincent — and many others. Helen Shapiro, Craig Douglas, Felix Felton, Hugh Lloyd, Arthur Mullard and Timothy Bateson star.

HEAD - 10:00 PM E - The Monkees star in a surreal, collage of comedy, music and fantasy. The Monkees, Annette Funicello, Vito Scott and Victor Mature star. Co-written by The Monkees director Bob Rafelson and Jack Nicholson.

SPICE WORLD - 11:40 PM E - The popular music group Spice Girls erupt into London in a dazzling explosion of music, color, clothes, popping flashbulbs, and screaming fans. Victoria Adams, Emma Bunton, Melanie Chisholm, Geri Halliwell, Melanie Brown, Richard E. Grant, Alan Cumming, George Wendt, Mark McKinney and Roger Moore star.

The Music Movie Month concludes with a weekend event starting Friday, March 29 through Sunday morning, March 31. The weekend showcase includes the Friday Features movies and a few others like DON'T KNOCK THE ROCK, TWIST AROUND THE CLOCK and DON'T KNOCK THE TWIST.

In addition to airing these films on the dates noted above, some of the movies mentioned are scheduled for further broadcasts throughout the month. (See listings for further details.)

About Sony Movie Channel
Sony Movie Channel is the first U.S. multi-platform television network from Sony Pictures Television created specifically for the Hollywood movie fan. Offering uncut and theatrical releases in stunning high definition, Sony Movie Channel showcases titles from Sony Pictures' vast library including award-winning features, cult favorites, family comedies and gripping dramas. Programming is selected from more than 3,500 Sony Pictures films, which collectively have received 184 Academy Awards including 12 for Best Picture. Sony Movie Channel is available on DISH Network, DIRECTV and AT&T U-Verse TV on linear as well as on authenticated VOD and online platforms. For more information, visit SonyMovieChannel.com, Facebook and/or Twitter @SonyMovieCh.

SOURCE Sony Movie Channel