Being a jazz musician and enthusiast, I was really excited to see this movie. However, it ended up being a dreary and disappointing film that dragged on and on.
The story line, as haphazardly arranged as it is, revolves mostly (and justly so) around Parker's debilitating drug addiction, but also around his marriage to Chan. However, it never mentioned his first wife, Doris. The film also tended to dwell (perhaps unjustly so) on his musical relationship with the white trumpeter, Red Rodney. It was surprising how little of it involved Parker's best-known musical partner, Dizzy Gillespie. Miles Davis, who collaborated with Parker a lot during '48 and '49, receives only a quick glimpse in the background during a recording session.
I would have liked to see much more about Parker's development and childhood. Also, I felt that the movie could have used a bit more humor, seeing as Parker was one of the first truly interesting characters in jazz, even though that was, sadly, because of his drug addiction.
"Bird" tends to drag on and on, with the best parts being when Parker plays on camera. I felt that the best scene was the performance at a Jewish wedding. That cracked me up, seeing Bird play a regular Klezmer song and then break into a wildly brilliant bebop improvisation. I don't know if that really happened, but it was fun all the same.
"Ray" is a movie from the same vein as "Bird," but far better.
The story line, as haphazardly arranged as it is, revolves mostly (and justly so) around Parker's debilitating drug addiction, but also around his marriage to Chan. However, it never mentioned his first wife, Doris. The film also tended to dwell (perhaps unjustly so) on his musical relationship with the white trumpeter, Red Rodney. It was surprising how little of it involved Parker's best-known musical partner, Dizzy Gillespie. Miles Davis, who collaborated with Parker a lot during '48 and '49, receives only a quick glimpse in the background during a recording session.
I would have liked to see much more about Parker's development and childhood. Also, I felt that the movie could have used a bit more humor, seeing as Parker was one of the first truly interesting characters in jazz, even though that was, sadly, because of his drug addiction.
"Bird" tends to drag on and on, with the best parts being when Parker plays on camera. I felt that the best scene was the performance at a Jewish wedding. That cracked me up, seeing Bird play a regular Klezmer song and then break into a wildly brilliant bebop improvisation. I don't know if that really happened, but it was fun all the same.
"Ray" is a movie from the same vein as "Bird," but far better.