Rating: 
Summary: A technical problem
Review: I liked the first half and the rest does not play on my Grundig machine.
Rating: 
Summary: The Greatest Movie on Jazz
Review: I state unequivocally that this is the greatest movie on Jazz ever made. It has the depth of that music and illustrates the internal drama of an artist, and thus succeeds far better than other attempts (such as "Bird" by Clint Eastwood, even "Mo' Better Blues" by Spike Lee). Perhaps that's because Tavernier, instead of applying pre-conceived (if not racist) ideas on the music and the musicians, just let Dexter Gordon talk freely about what he knows, jazz music. Perhaps it's because, at least in respect to jazz, Europeans have been in the past more respectful and have consistently applied the highest musicological criteria and critical metholodology.The plot is patterned on a true story, the friendshpid between the French jazz lover Francis Paudras and Bud Powell - perhaps the greatest pianist of the 40's - who suffered from artistic and personal lapses and was living in Paris. There are also some aspects of saxophonist Dale Turner (Dexter Gordon) borrowed from the tragic destiny of Lester Young, who died in New York at the age of 49. The recreation of the "Blue Note", a jazz club in Paris, is great, and some of the ancient ones (Pierre Michelot, a bass player who was member of the rhythm section with Bud Powell and Kenny Clarke) can be seen and heard. Also the scenes in New York, e.g. the hotel on Times Square (Lester for instance spent years at a window of a room like that drinking gin) are above criticism. The only criticism is with some scenes that have little relevance: Francis' invitation of the jazzman to his parents' place in Lyon (Tavernier's home town), and their excursion on a beach in Northern France. This is perhaps a fantasy of the movie director, some interjection of his own life in something that has to do with jazz, a weakness that ought to be forgiven. Therefore this is a great movie for jazz lovers, as well as an accurate rendition that music for the general public, especially that which does not suspect its depth. As Dexter says, Monet, etc., it's all be bop. Yes, I have been with a woman, he answers the shrink, and he caresses his woman, his tenor sax. Touchy moments in the development of that friendship. A movie which, in spite of its focus on jazz, should appeal to everybody.
Rating: 
Summary: Jazz in slow motion
Review: I'm a huge jazz fan, but this film was so absolutely boring that I turned it off about halfway through. I couldn't bear to hear Dexter Gordon slowly mumble one more line. Very dissapointed in this purchase.
Rating:
Summary: Come and celebrate the music!
Review: If you've ever been in a small, smoke filled club, oh, 'round about midnight, when the beauty of the jazz being played brings absolute tears to your eyes, well, you'll know why this film is so special. Jazz itself swims in the river of risk, and director Bertrand Tavernier jumps in feet first. Instead of using regular actors to play the parts of these creative people, he does it one better and uses the musicians themselves to tell the story. Starring the remarkable late tenorman Dexter Gordon, we follow the story of a 1950's american jazzman in Paris who is on the slow decline to destruction until he his befriended by a local fan, played wonderfully by Francois Cluzet. Dexter was not the only musician to grace the screen. Others such as Bobby Hutcherson, Herbie Hancock, Billy Higgins, Wayne Shorter, Ron Carter, and several others not only provided the music in the film but many played pivotal roles as well. This use of musician that have been there, done that brings a special "realness" that could never have come across by using regular actors. On a side note, this film was unique in quite another way. Almost all of the music that you see being performed in the movie was actually being played and recorded right on the stage. In nearly every other movie the music is rerecorded at a later date in order to take out any "mistakes". This just shows the lengths that director Tavernier was willing to go to bring the true spirit of jazz to the screen. In ending, this film, like jazz itself, will probably not be for everyone. However, if you pass up the chance to see this film you will miss the chance to add two hours of magic to your life!
Rating:
Summary: 'Round Midnight
Review: It's been more than 18 years since I watched this film and I've not come across a better jazz singer than Lonette McKee ever since! Her performance of Gershwin's 'How Long Has This Been Going On' alone is worth everything and more. It is hauntingly beautiful.
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Summary: Great Jazz Movie!!
Review: Let's face it, I'm a fan of jazz music. This film just re-enforces my love for the genre. The movie is an enbodiement of the life that jazz musicians in the 40's and 50's struggled with. Shunned in their homeland, reviered in France and other areas of Europe who appreciated the music. Dexter Gordon really was the title character. His acting was real. He spent time in Europe where he was appreciated and loved. Many people in the United States never heard of him until this movie was released. To me, Gordon should have won the Academy Award (Unfortunately, Paul Newman won it for a role that should have been given to him in 1961 for "The Hustler".). The characters in the movie were also real. Herbie Hancock, Oscar winner for the movie's soundtrack acts in the film as well as musicians that included Wayne Shorter, Freddie Hubbard and Ron Carter. Director Martin Scorsese also gives a good performance. This film makes me appreciate how wonderful jazz music is and how fortunate I lived in a time that the music was discovered.
Rating:
Summary: This film is boring and insipid!
Review: Maybe I'm not as articulate as the usual film critic, or self-indulgent for that matter, but after viewing 'Round Midnight I thought it proper to tell the persons in the jazz populace not watch the film! That is,unless you want to over-serenaded with ballads and blues oriented chord progressions! Francis' obsession with Dale Turner is what one might call "icky". Dale Turner himself, is a garbling fool whose speech patterns simply annoy the viewer. The friendship that the Parisian and the ailing be-bop musician form is anything but inspiring. It is riddled with montages and various rescue missions. That is, Francis coming to the aid of Dale, drunk in the alley, thrown in the police wagon, captured at the hospital. Francis, get a life. Oh well, jazzers send me your hate mail, tell me how I don't understand the deep deep beauty and ambience of the film-please, I'm waiting!
Rating:
Summary: Moving, Jazzy, Great Film
Review: Sensitive Tavernier crafted a picture which only a fan could have made. Based on pianist Bud Powell real life story. Oscar winner musician Dexter Gordon acts and plays smartly. A beautifully real and sad story for all jazz and non-jazz fans. Music by Herbie Hancock with Dexter Gordon. Great!
Rating: 
Summary: One of the great jazz movies
Review: Set in 1959 Paris and based on the life of the great jazz pianist Bud Powell this outstanding labour of love tells the story of the relationship between a great but self -destructive jazz musician , Dale Turner ,and a young French devotee who tries in vain to save him from his own worst excesses .
The brilliant saxophonist Dexter Gordon plays Turner and while obviously not a trained actor turns this to his ,and the movie's advantage ,with a performance which sees him inhabit the role rather than merely playing it .A shambling bear like man Turner come as across as one for whom music is his life and his mistress ,and as a man prepared to pay the ultimate price for his devotion to his muse
This is Tavernier's tribute to jazz and its geniuses .Over half the movie is given over to the music which is always at the very least good , at at times positively Olympian .It is also a wonderful evocation of the life of a bye-gone era and a moving human drama
In all conscience I am unable to recommend this movie to non jazz fans as they will probably find it too slow and self -indulgent for their tastes .To jazz lovers -and those willing to give the slighly left-field movie a go ,prepare to be intrigued ,moved and absorbed .
Simply wonderful but maybe a tad specialised for some tastes
Rating:
Summary: Happiness is a nice, wet, Rico reed.
Review: Some movies are meant to entertain, others are meant to be thoughtful. Yes, this movie moves slow, but I think that it's meant to mimic the pace of our own daily experiences. Dale and Francois are meant to be, perhaps, uncomfortably real, hence they each have their disturbing flaws. (Incidently, I don't count Dexter Gordon's voice as a flaw... it came with the great musician. Get over it.) Still, I found myself endeared to both. Lots of metaphores thorughout the movie between music, music making and living. The music is great, if not something of an anachronism. There are many scenes that seem unecessary, but I think they are unexplained elements that are, perhaps, meant for us to interpret for ourselves. This move is constructed differently than most, so I urge you not to apply the same criteria you would other movies. It's like looking at a painting for a long time and coming away with your own meaning. Probably the most artistic movie in my collection to date.
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