Miles Davis Movies
The feature-film debut of famed director Louis Malle is an interesting, modern film noir with the classic theme of lovers plotting to kill the husband and make it look like suicide (reminiscent of The Postman Always Rings Twice). Jeanne Moreau, as Florence Carala, gives an astonishing performance, perverse but naive as she leads her young lover down a path that can only lead to doom for both of them. Malle and his cinematographer Henri Decae make extensive use of Paris at night, giving the film the feel of claustrophobia and desperation reminiscent of the classic noir films. The excellent score by Miles Davis adds to the entire effect of this mystery thriller. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jeanne Moreau, Maurice Ronet, (more)
- 1959
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When it comes to jazz, there's no name as instantly recognizable as legendary trumpet man Miles Davis. Recorded in 1959 and newly re-mastered to take advantage of the high quality made possible by the DVD format, this performance captures the master of jazz in his prime -- bringing the performance into your home as never before thought possible. Songs include "So What," "The Duke," "Blues for Pablo," and "New Rhumba." ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- 1959
Miles and friends get together and play some tunes. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1967
This Miles Davis-headlined performance film combines footage from two separate concerts with Davis on trumpet, Herbie Hancock on piano, Wayne Shorter on tenor sax, Tony Williams on drums and Ron Carter on bass. One was mounted and filmed at Stathalle, Karlsruhe, Germany, in November of '67, and the other at the Konserthuset in Stockholm, Sweden in October of '67. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- 1968
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This odd film was shot in 1967 but wasn't released until 1991. The reality of the production is quite amazing. The director, who up until then had only filmed documentaries, decided that he wanted to provoke his actors and crew beyond their level of tolerance so that they would in some fashion hijack his production. Ostensibly, they are filming an arty story called "Over the Cliff," which shows the same scene of a split between husband and wife as played by five different couples from a variety of different angles. Eventually the (secretly anticipated) revolt does happen, and the cast and crew film their late-night sessions in which they discuss what can be done to save the movie. Their uncensored and quite intelligent comments were then included in the completed film along with the footage of the continuing saga of the endlessly filmed marital break-up. While the set-up is nothing like that of the contemporaneous television show Candid Camera, reviewers professed discomfort in viewing the cold manipulations which led to the desired result. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Patricia Ree Gilbert, Don Fellows, (more)
- 1971
Brock Peters narrates and Miles Davis provides the musical score of the feature-length documentary Jack Johnson. Using stills, rare film clips and the occasional interview, director William Cayton fashions a commanding, poignant portrait of the black boxing champion who held the heavyweight title from 1908 and 1915. Also examined are the efforts by the racist press of the period to promote a "white hope" who would topple the "uppity" Johnson from his throne. Though Johnson's white tormentors are depicted as the knuckle-draggers that they were, the film is careful to point out that Johnson was often his own worst enemy. Jack Johnson would make an excellent companion piece with the 1970 film a clef based on Johnson's career, The Great White Hope. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1981
This 1981 episode of Saturday Night Live is hosted by George Kennedy and features musical guest Miles Davis. ~ Skyler Miller, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- George Kennedy, Miles Davis, (more)
Jazz legend Miles Davis is captured performing in Montreal on this video. The man performs a half dozen songs including "One Phone Call", "Human Nature", "Something's on Your Mind", "Time After Time", "Code M.D.", and "Jean Pierre". The DVD release of the concert includes a biographical timeline of the artist's life. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miles Davis
The rise of teen culture in 1950s Britain provides the backdrop for Julien Temple's unconventional rock musical Absolute Beginners. The film centers on Colin, an 18-year-old with a talent for photography and a fondness for the neon nightlife of British jazz clubs. He also is in love with Crepe Suzette, an impulsive, ambitious young beauty who abandons him after attracting the attention of a powerful fashion designer. Depressed and aimless, Colin turns for help to a flashy ad executive (David Bowie) who promises to make him a star photographer. The former lovers take parallel paths to success, capitalizing on the youth mania gripping the nation. The film's nostalgic yet gently satirical look at teen culture is tempered by a recognition of the era's social tension, particularly a disturbing rise in racism. Despite these serious undertones, however, the film tells its story with a colorful vibrancy reminiscent of both MTV and old Hollywood musicals, filled with such show-stopping numbers as a memorable sequence in which Bowie dances on a giant typewriter. Critical reception was mixed, with some hailing the film's spectacular cinematography and ambitious scope, while others found the mixture of tones and style too inconsistent. The film also drew lukewarm response at the box office, with the memorable soundtrack receiving more attention than the film itself. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Eddie O'Connell, Patsy Kensit, (more)
- 1986
"Masters of American Music" brings you three decades of music from Miles Davis. Features film of his performances and his work with musicians including Gil Evans, John Coltrane, Tony Williams and Herbie Hancock. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1987
This concert program by legendary jazzman Miles Davis captures a live performance by the horn player, recorded in Munich in 1987, as well as interview footage with the artist. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miles Davis, Kenny Garrett, (more)
- 1987
- R
Sky diver Clare (Ellen Barkin) wakes up disheveled and almost naked in Spain. She has left her husband Del (Martin Sheen) in Death Valley in order to find her former lover Augustine (Gabriel Byrne). She may have committed a murder, or it may all be fantasy. This film, directed by Mary Lambert is odd, confusing and sometimes downright laughable, full of preposterous plot twists and ridiculous symbolism. The plot makes little sense, and Lambert, while showing great visual style, has little concern for character or plot. It is never clear whether the mysterious visions that Claire experiences are memories or simply plot devices, and Clare's continued pursuit by a taxi driver with rusty teeth who keeps trying to rape her is ludicrous. Good performances by Barkin and Byrne, and a nice musical score by Miles Davis do nothing to save this pretentious, silly film. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ellen Barkin, Gabriel Byrne, (more)
Jonathan Fisher (Christopher Reeve) is a newspaper reporter who becomes a celebrity when he writes a fictitious exposé on prostitution. The story of the high-living pimp is too close a resemblance to real-life flesh pedlar Fast Black (Morgan Freeman), and Jonathan is jailed when he refuses to turn his papers over to the local district attorney. In jail for suspicion of murder, Black tries to silence the reporter who created the sensational fabrication. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christopher Reeve, Morgan Freeman, (more)
A darkly comic and surreal contemporization of Charles Dickens's A Christmas Carol, this effects-heavy Bill Murray holiday vehicle from 1988 sees the former SNL funnyman assuming the role of television executive Frank Cross, the meanest and most depraved man on earth. Cross will stoop to unheard of levels to increase his network's ratings -- even if it means mounting outrageous programs to retain an audience, such as "Robert Goulet's Cajun Christmas" and Lee Majors in "The Night the Reindeer Died," with an AK-47-toting Santa. Cross plots his foulest move, however, for the Christmas holiday, when he will force his office staff to mount a live production of A Christmas Carol on national television -- and thus work through Christmas Eve. Cross's life is turned upside down with visits from three ghosts: a craggy-faced cabbie known as The Ghost of Christmas Past (David Johansen); the sugar-plum fairy Ghost of Christmas Present (Carol Kane) (who gets her jollies by bonking Frank across the face with a toaster oven); and, eventually, the caped, headless Ghost of Christmas Future, who will send Frank sliding into a crematory oven -- just before he gives the sleazoid one last chance to redeem himself. Along the way, the spirits carry Frank to scenes from his past, present, and future (per Scrooge) and impart a glimpse of how he became so thoroughly rotten. The radiant Karen Allen co-stars as Frank's girlfriend, Claire Phillips, and the film packs in cameos from countless celebrities -- among them, Mary Lou Retton, John Houseman, Jamie Farr, and, in a truly grisly and tasteless bit, John Forsythe. Richard Donner directs, from a script credited to the late Michael O'Donoghue and Mitch Glazer. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bill Murray, Karen Allen, (more)
One of the single most influential figures in the history of modern jazz, Miles Davis was an artist who staked out his own sonic territory from the first note he played to the last moment of his life, and this video finds Miles and his group in stellar form during a 1988 visit to Europe. Miles Davis: Live In Munich features Miles and his septet performing sixteen songs, including "Tutu", "Human Nature", "Time After Time", "Perfect Way", "Don't Stop Me Now", "Carnival Time", and "Portia". ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Miles Davis
Spike Lee's 1990 directing effort is a jazz film, the story of a fictional trumpeter named Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington). He leads a quintet at the Beneath the Underground club with a flashy saxophonist named Shadow Henderson (Wesley Snipes). Though Shadow takes a few too many solos, everything seems fine in Bleek's life. Trouble soon arises, however, and he is forced to make decisions regarding both his best friend Giant (Spike Lee), and his relationships with two women. Giant, his manager and old pal, is addicted to gambling and often gets roughed up by thugs looking for pay back. Bleek is the only member of the quintet who wants to keep him as manager. The trumpeter's woman problems concern trying to decide between two girlfriends who both love him: a schoolteacher (Joie Lee) and a singer (Cynda Williams). Spike's father Bill Lee scored the film, with contributions from Branford Marsalis, Terence Blanchard, Abbey Lincoln and Ruben Blades (who plays Giant's bookie). ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, (more)
Miles Davis was not only one of the most innovative and influential artists in the history of jazz, he was a forward-thinking musician who continued performing right up to the final days of his life. Davis was in fine form in November 1989 (less than two years before his death) when he performed with his group in Paris, and thankfully a video crew was on hand to record the proceedings. This video release captures Miles and his septet performing some of his best late-period material, including "Tutu," "Human Nature," "Hannibal," "Wrinkle," and "Mr. Pastorius." ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
This performance video covers some great television jazz programs that include Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Ben Webster, Ahmad Jamal and others. ~ All Movie Guide
- 1991
- PG13
The extraordinary life of Quincy Jones -- one of the 20th century's most influential and talented composers, musicians and music producers -- provides the basis of this offbeat, free-form documentary tribute. With little regard for formal timelines and traditional documentary biography methods, the film is an amazing patchwork of personal insights featuring a constellation of music stars including his long-time friend Ray Charles, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Herbie Hancock, Ella Fitzgerald, Michael Jackson, Aretha Franklin, Dizzy Gillespie and rappers Big Daddy Kane and Flavor Flav, as well as politicians, filmmakers and other important people. Some of the most moving scenes involve Jones returning to his childhood home in Chicago and recounting honest and painful memories from his childhood. Jones does not shy from discussing everything -- from his mother's mental illness, to his marital problems, to his serious health conditions. He also looks frankly at his career. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Quincy Jones, Frank Sinatra, (more)
- 1991
Miles Davis was a restless musical innovator who had little use for revisiting the music he had made in the past, but in the summer of 1991, Miles made an exception. Teaming up with Quincy Jones, Miles Davis appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival with Jones directing the Gil Evans Orchestra, the George Gruntz Concert Jazz Band, and a handful of top soloists (including Benny Bailey and Grady Tate) as Miles and Quincy re-created Evans' striking arrangements for the albums Miles Ahead, Sketches of Spain, and Porgy and Bess. Miles & Quincy: Live at Montreux is a record of this historic concert, which proved to be Davis' last great triumph on-stage; less than three months later, Miles would be dead at the age of 65. Selections include "Boplicity," "Blues for Pablo," "Summertime," "Solea," and nine others. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- 1991
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This video documents the evolution of jazz. It began in 19th century New Orleans, where the slaves first introduced the rhythms of African music. Story of Jazz follows the developement of jazz music from the blending together of African rhythms, European and American folk, and classical styles. Included are performances by: Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Charlie Parker, Willie "the Lion" Smith, Dizzy Gillespie, Jimmie Lunceford, Louis Armstrong, Charles Mingus, Count Bassie, Billie Holiday, Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane, Gil Evans, and Sara Vaughan. Rare film clips, vintage footage, and photo's complete this indepth look at Jazz. ~ Beth Deki, All Movie Guide
