Charles Mingus: Triumph of the Underdog

Rating:
Summary: An American Icon or Iconoclast?
Review: Charles Mingus, one of the most creative forces in American 20th Century music, is examined in depth through archive footage and interviews with two former wives and numerous former bandmates. The music of Charles Mingus goes beyond simple categorization. Schooled in classical music, with his early professional exposure in the Los Angeles swing scene, Mingus moved through numerous styles, working with the major innovaters, such as Duke Ellington, Bud Powell, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie, and Eric Dolphy. A volatile personality, his gentle and extreme sides are both in view. My favorite scenes are of Mingus' responses to stupid questions. By the end of this film, even those people who do not appreciate jazz will agree to Charles Mingus' place as one of the finest composers & musicians in American history.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: Definitely ranks up there with "Straight No Chaser" and "A Great Day In Harlem". The interviews with Mingus' sidemen are priceless, as are the discussions with Sue and Celia Mingus. A crucial documentary for serious fans.

Rating:
Summary: Great Mingus Footage, Bad Documentary
Review: Definitely ranks up there with "Straight No Chaser" and "A Great Day In Harlem". The interviews with Mingus' sidemen are priceless, as are the discussions with Sue and Celia Mingus. A crucial documentary for serious fans.

Rating:
Summary: Outstanding!
Review: Definitely ranks up there with "Straight No Chaser" and "A Great Day In Harlem". The interviews with Mingus' sidemen are priceless, as are the discussions with Sue and Celia Mingus. A crucial documentary for serious fans.

Rating:
Summary: Great documentary of a great composer
Review: Here is a very enjoyable and interesting documentary of one of the best composers of the century. He was a colorful character as well. Insightful, funny, and touching stories and observations abound with clips of interviews of Gunther Schuller, Mingus' musicians, Mingus' wives, and the man himself. It's as compelling to watch as any good movie.

Rating:
Summary: Great documentary of a great composer
Review: Here is a very enjoyable and interesting documentary of one of the best composers of the century. He was a colorful character as well. Insightful, funny, and touching stories and observations abound with clips of interviews of Gunther Schuller, Mingus' musicians, Mingus' wives, and the man himself. It's as compelling to watch as any good movie.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I had high hopes for this film, as I am enormous admirer of Charles Mingus, and a passionate collector of his records, but, unfortunately, "Triumph of the Underdog" is a jumbled mess. It's a great example of how important editing is in documentary. When you have a bad editor, or an director who doesn't understand editing, you end up with a film like this. After a meandering introduction, which does little to whet one's appetite for the subject at hand, the rest of the film is loosely structured around the story of Mingus's life. Yet it presents only shards of that life that are incomplete and often unclear, and there are many gaps. For some reason, many of the interview subjects were shot in pairs, so while one person is talking, the other is left to stare at them. For some reason, Gunther Schuller is used a primary interviewee, but he can't hold the film together and he's an odd choice in any case. There is wonderful footage of Mingus performing, but, like the rest of the film, it is not well used, and we often get only bits and pieces of songs that don't add up to anything. There is fascinating footage of Mingus shooting a gun in his apartment and later being evicted (shot by another documentarian in the 60's) but, again, that whole story is not as clear or compelling as it could have been. This is just a huge missed opportunity, as you can see from the footage available and the musicians interviewed that a great film could have been constructed here. After all, we're dealing with one of the most dynamic, exciting musicians and compelling personalities of recent times. For anyone who loves Mingus and loves jazz, only buy this if you can put up with the frustration you will feel at all that could have been. You'll enjoy the bits and pieces, but if you want good filmmaking about jazz, there are much better films: "Straight, No Chaser", "Let's Get Lost", or "Great Day in Harlem" are all worth watching. In the meantime, let's hope that someone with more skills as a filmmaker will get a hold of this footage.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best jazz documentaries
Review: I have seen a lot of the many jazz biographies and this one is probably the best. If this isn't the best, it's right near the top. I found it very involving, dramatic and sometimes quite funny. Mingus was a fascinating personality, and this documentary gets into many aspects of his character. A lot of the press about him emphasizes the violent side of Mingus, but there were many other aspects, which this documentary thankfully explores. There is quite a fascinating array of films clips of Mingus, most of which I haven't seen before. And there many other interviews. Probably the most interesting is when two of his wives are interviewed together. Quite engrossing. Really a great documentary. Don't miss it.

Rating:
Summary: A fascinatin work
Review: I wasn't that familiar with jazz music before I saw this documentary, but I found it fascinating and very moving. The music was involving, and the life story very dramatic. It made me want to explore this music much more. A great documentary.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best jazz documentaries
Review: I would have to say this movie is definately cool. although I wanted more concert footage. It was a good movie. VIVA MINGUS !