Mötley Crüe co-founder and drummer Tommy Lee is one of the most notorious characters in rock music, even today. Whether he’s dating women like Pamela Anderson or Brittany Furlan or sharing images of his private parts on social media (by accident, he’s said), Lee is a whirlwind of activity.
And because of his wild reputation, Lee has often been portrayed in films, highlighting his wild behavior and at times-sordid musical past. We wanted to share three movies that display Lee’s life that every Mötley Crüe fan should see.
Videos by American Songwriter
[RELATED: 5 Songs You Didn’t Know Tommy Lee Co-Wrote for Motley Crue]
1. The Dirt (2019)
This movie is all about the Hollywood-born glam rock band Mötley Crüe. Released in 2019, the movie was directed by Jeff Tremaine and written by Rich Wilkes and Amanda Adelson. It also stars Colson Baker (aka the rapper-turned-pop-punk rocker Machine Gun Kelly) as drummer Tommy Lee. The movie begins with Nikki Sixx moving from Seattle to L.A., eventually befriending Lee and forming a band. Madness then ensues. Check out the trailer for the movie here below.
2. Pam & Tommy (2022)
While not a movie, per se, this prestige television show from Hulu sure looks and feels like a film, even though it is broken up into a handful of episodes. The movie is all about the relationship between drummer Tommy Lee and actress and model Pamela Anderson. Of course, the couple’s history is inseparable from the story of their sex tape being stolen and distributed all over the world without their consent. In the series, we see the fallout from that event. (And a good double-feature with this series is the Pamela Anderson doc, Pamela, a Love Story.) In the Hulu series, Lee is played by actor Sebastian Stan. Check out the trailer below.
3. The Retaliators (2021)
This 2021 horror movie has nothing really to do with music or Mötley Crüe. Instead, it merely features Tommy Lee in a cameo, with the drummer playing a Strip Club DJ. Perfect casting! Also, the theme song for the movie, “The Retaliators (21 Bullets),” was written by Nikki Sixx and features Mötley Crüe. Check out the trailer for the violent film below.
Photo by Kevin Mazur/Getty Images
More Features
-
Photo by David Redfern/Redferns -
Musician Bob Seger performs at the Alpine Valley Music Theater, East Troy, Wisconsin, July 13, 1977. (Photo by Paul Natkin/Getty Images) -
Photo by Steve Woods/Mirrorpix via Getty Images -
From left, Paul McCartney (playing a Hofner 500/1 violin bass guitar) and John Lennon (playing a Gibson J-160E acoustic guitar) of English rock and pop group The Beatles perform on stage for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC) music television show 'Shindig!' at Granville Studios in Fulham, London on 3rd October 1964. The band would play three songs on the show, Kansas City/hey-Hey-Hey!, I'm a Loser and Boys. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) -
English singers, musicians, and songwriters Mick Jagger (at microphone), Keith Richards and Bill Wyman (far right) of the rock band 'The Rolling Stones,' perform on stage at Madison Square Garden, November 28, 1969. Jagger stands with his hands on his hips, eyes closed, and lips pursed together as he sings. (Photo by David Fenton/Getty Images) -
LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM – APRIL 01: Rex Allen, Jr. performs on stage at the Country Music Festival held at Wembley Arena, London in April 1986. (Photo by David Redfern/Redferns) -
Don Henley on 7/3/85 in Chicago, Il. (Photo by Paul Natkin/WireImage) -
SANTA BARBARA, CALIFORNIA – APRIL 15: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musician Lindsey Buckingham, former member of Fleetwood Mac, performs onstage at the Lobero Theatre on April 15, 2022 in Santa Barbara, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)