By Don Kaye
Special to MSN Movies

The anarchic and rebellious nature of rock 'n' roll at its very best would seem almost impossible to tame for the more formal requirements of narrative film, but numerous attempts have been made through the years with varying degrees of success. The latest offering, "Across the Universe," finds director Julie Taymor ("Frida," "Titus") attempting to tell a story set in the cultural revolution of the '60s almost entirely through the use of Beatles songs. This kind of "jukebox" musical -- creating a story around previously existing but unrelated songs by an artist or group of artists -- has been tried before with the Fab Four to disastrous results, in the form of 1978's "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (see below). With Taymor and studio head Joe Roth publicly feuding over the film's final version, it remains to be seen whether "Universe" will erase the memories of that earlier catastrophe or emerge as another ambitious failure.

Other rock musicals, especially those based on stage productions or recorded "rock operas," have fared better than the ill-fated "Pepper." 1973's "Jesus Christ Superstar" is now regarded as better than its pretentious original Broadway production, while "Tommy," from the classic Who album, was one of the biggest hits of 1975. Indeed, the rock musical seemed to reach its peak in the '70s, concurrent perhaps with a creative peak for rock music itself, with fewer produced during the last 30 years. A recent resurgence of rock-based films has yielded mixed results in the likes of "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and "Rent" (both sourced from plays), even while traditional musicals such as "Chicago" and "Hairspray" have prospered on the screen again.

Many rock musicals, with their dramatic musical cues, striking and/or surreal visuals and frequent breaking of the fourth wall, can strike up the same kind of excitement as an actual rock concert itself. Some are star-driven, some feature relative unknowns who become icons to the movie's fans and some showcase previously hidden talents of both actors and musicians. But just about all are one-of-a-kind curios of cinema history, worthy of repeated spins. Here's a quick run through the rock musical playlist (which, by the way, goes to 11):

"Godspell" (1973)
Rock musicals first hit the big screen in 1973 and, oddly enough, the first two both told the story of Christ. "Godspell" was based on the off-Broadway (later Broadway) hit based on the Gospel according to St. Matthew. The story was set on the streets of an eerily deserted New York, with Jesus (Victor Garber of "Alias" in his screen debut) and the disciples dressed as clowns and street performers. The score is not as memorable as that of "Jesus Christ Superstar" save for its sole hit, the gorgeous "Day by Day," but the actors are energetic and the New York locations are used to beautiful effect. One dizzying and now heartbreaking sequence takes place atop a nearly finished World Trade Center -- done long before CGI.

"Jesus Christ Superstar" (1973)
This early work by lyricist Tim Rice and composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (which some still consider his best) was an album before making the jump to Broadway and then film. But whereas the Broadway show was bizarre and overblown, director Norman Jewison shot the movie in the Holy Land, giving it a gritty, you-are-there feel disrupted only by some anachronistic modern touches. Ted Neeley is a bit histrionic in the title role, but the late Carl Anderson is electrifying as Judas, with original Broadway cast members Barry Dennen and Yvonne Elliman solid as well. Somber where "Godspell" is light, "Superstar" has endured as a fan favorite.

"Tommy" (1975)
"Tommy" was the rock musical of the '70s, embodying the excess of the genre while providing an intense visualization of one of rock's greatest albums. British director Ken Russell, known for his extravagance, spared nothing for his vision of the Who's 1969 album: Elton John parading in 3-foot-tall boots as the Pinball Wizard and a fleshy Ann-Margret (nominated for a Best Actress Oscar) writhing in gallons of baked beans that explode from her TV set are just two of the movie's hallucinatory set pieces. Who singer Roger Daltrey is surprisingly good as the deaf, dumb and blind kid who "sure plays a mean pinball," while Ann-Margret, Oliver Reed and a galaxy of rock stars (including Tina Turner's blistering cameo as the Acid Queen) are a blast. Many who saw it in their formative years (this writer included) were never the same.

"The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (1975)
A flop upon its initial release, "Rocky Horror" went on to become the biggest cult movie of all time, spawning the "midnight movie" phenomenon and becoming the first audience participation film. Its horror-spoof plot falls apart halfway through and the direction by Jim Sharman (who also helmed the original London stage version) occasionally feels leaden, but Tim Curry in his first movie gives an absolutely smashing performance as alien transvestite mad Dr. Frank-N-Furter, reprising the role he developed on stage. Richard O'Brien's score is also superb, a seamless blend of '50s pop and '70s hard rock. It's far from perfect, but utterly unique.

"Grease" (1978)
The longest-running show in Broadway history until it was eclipsed by "A Chorus Line," "Grease" -- believe it or not -- examined teen sexuality, gang violence and class conflict, all set to the emerging rock music of the era. The movie more or less disposed of much of the show's subtext, focusing mainly on the romance between gang leader Danny (John Travolta, who had also appeared in the stage version) and innocent exchange student Sandy (Olivia Newton-John). Both, along with most of the cast, are clearly too old for their roles, but the movie's kind of irresistible anyway, thanks mostly to Travolta's terrific dancing and singing. The movie has utterly overshadowed the stage show, with songs written for the film such as "You're the One That I Want" becoming its biggest hits.

Next: Beatles, alien plants and more