Scarecrow suggests | Like "Every Little Step"? Find more backstage intrigue on DVD

"Every Little Step," a part-retrospective, part behind-the-scenes look at the phenomenon of "A Chorus Line" got us to thinking just how many excellent films and television shows there are that explore the politics and personalities behind the creation of a play, or a record, or a film. Why do we as movie fans love to watch movies about people making movies? And why do people who make movies make so many movies about people who make movies? Are they born out of a genuine love of the medium, or is it mere sycophancy, or a bit of both? Whatever the motivations behind them, here are a few of our favorites:

On our list are two essentials of cinema: Stanley Donen's "Singin' In The Rain" (1952) and Joseph L. Mankiewicz's "All About Eve" (1950). If you've somehow missed these quintessential films over your movie-watching career, we highly encourage you not to put off watching them any longer. If you're worried about hype, don't be. They more than hold up to all the praise and acclaim. There are several copies of each on our shelves right now for your viewing pleasure.

Other early cinematic glimpses into backstage life include "Stage Door," a 1937 film about a boardinghouse full of struggling stage actresses starring Katharine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers, plus Lucille Ball (in one of her earlier supporting roles) and a then 14-year-old Ann Miller (who lied about her age to get a part in the film); Vincente Minnelli's "The Band Wagon," (1953) with Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse as bickering stars of a Broadway musical and "The Bad and The Beautiful" (1952) featuring Kirk Douglas as a ruthless studio head and Dick Powell, Barry Sullivan, Walter Pigeon and Lana Turner as victims of his corruption; and one of the great screwball comedies, Howard Hawks' "Twentieth Century" (1934), starring Carole Lombard as a hot young star who finds herself stuck on a train with her former manager (John Barrymore) who's desperate for her to save him from ruin by starring in his latest production.

In more modern times, director Robert Altman left us ingenious behind-the-scenes look into several genres: Hollywood in 1992's "The Player," ballet with "The Company" (2003), radio in 2006's "A Prairie Home Companion" (his final film), and five days in the life of country music in the true American classic "Nashville" (1975).

New York's avant-garde film scene of the late'60s shaped "Symbiopsychotaxiplasm" (1968), which the experts at The Criterion Collection summarize this way: "In his one-of-a-kind fiction/documentary hybrid...director William Greaves presides over a beleaguered film crew in New York's Central Park, leaving them to try to figure out what kind of movie they're making. A couple enacts a break-up scenario over and over, a documentary crew films a crew filming the crew, locals wander casually into the frame: the project defies easy description."

Tom DiCillo turned his experiences writing and directing "Johnny Suede" (an early Brad Pitt vehicle from 1991) into "Living in Oblivion," a comedy about an indie director (Steve Buscemi) suffering the pitfalls of production of a day on the set of his latest film while dealing with a highly temperamental starlet (Catherine Keener) and a vaguely Pitt-like leading man (James LeGros).

We've got plenty more recommendations on our website at www.scarecrow.com.

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