Includes bibliographical references, filmography and index.

Introduction
Part one. Form and feel
'What should I say?'
milestones and innovations
'We'll try for a groove'
music making and the careers of musicians
Part two. Politics and place
'Secret black technologies'
black music
'Wherever we are, we are'
place
'I just have to deal with it'
women
Part three. Performativity and performance
'Fuck continuity'
truth and myth
'Walk on stage and fucking 'ave it'
concert and tour films

In Music Films, Neil Fox considers a broad range of music documentaries, delving into their cinematic style, political undertones, racial dynamics, and gender representations, in order to assess their role in the cultivation of myth. Combining historical and critical analyses, and drawing on film and music criticism, Fox examines renowned music films such as A Hard Day's Night (1964), Dig! (2004), and Amazing Grace (2006), critically lauded works like Milford Graves Full Mantis (2018) and Mistaken for Strangers (2013), and lesser-studied films including Jazz on a Summer's Day (1959) and Ornette: Made in America (1985). In doing so, he offers a comprehensive overview of the genre, situating these films within their wider cultural contexts and highlighting their formal and thematic innovations. Discussions in the book span topics from concert filmmaking to music production, the music industry, touring, and filmic representations of authenticity and truth. Overall, Music Films traces the evolution of the genre, highlighting its cultural significance and connection to broader societal phenomena"--Publisher's description