Saturday, April 09, 2005
Netflix means I'm seeing quite a few more movies than I normally do, and except for the fact that I really don't like to watch a lot of tv, it's been pretty cool. I have had a chance to catch up with things that I've wanted to see for a long time, and it is much better to update my queue when I think of something I'd like to see than it is to stand in the stupid video store thinking, "Maybe 'Desperately Seeking Susan' again". Video store vapor lock is a topic for another day, perhaps, or perhaps I will never experience it again. Over last weekend I caught up with "Round Midnight", something I've wanted to see for years. It drove everyone else from the room, of course, but wow, what an amazing movie. Dexter Gordon has always been one of those guys that I liked well enough, but never developed an enthusiasm for-- now I'm a fan. Actually, the way to watch the movie is to just play the musical sets-- Herbie Hancock won an Oscar for the soundtrack, and the various bands are killer. Hancock, Gordon, John McLaughlin, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, Tony Williams, Freddie Hubbard, Cedar Walton.... This may be some of the best jazz footage I've ever seen.
The actual story would break your heart-- it's Bud Powell's story, almost completely. (The only real departure from Powell's life that I caught was that in the movie the beating that damages the Powell character occurred in the Army, rather than at the hands of the New York police.) What is really amazing, though, is Gordon's performance-- guys win Academy Awards for this sort of turn. Oh, and did I mention that it is a gorgeous looking film? Great stuff.
The actual story would break your heart-- it's Bud Powell's story, almost completely. (The only real departure from Powell's life that I caught was that in the movie the beating that damages the Powell character occurred in the Army, rather than at the hands of the New York police.) What is really amazing, though, is Gordon's performance-- guys win Academy Awards for this sort of turn. Oh, and did I mention that it is a gorgeous looking film? Great stuff.
// posted by Bill @ 11:29 AM 
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