In an interview with Ed Potton in the Times of London, Don Cheadle not only mentions his plans to direct and star in the Miles Davis Biopic, but he also reinforces his decision to produce a film that does not follow the ‘Hollywood’ blueprint for biopics.
His pet project is a biopic of his childhood hero Miles Davis (see lists), which he plans to both direct and star in.“I didn’t want to do anything that resembled the biopics I’d seen. I want it to be relevant today, not a history lesson.”
I was unaware that Miles Davis was a childhood hero of Cheadle’s, or really just how much he cared about the jazz legend.
Asked about some of his favorite musicians, Cheadle had this to say about Davis:
I’ve loved him since fifth grade, when I started playing saxophone and my parents had his Porgy & Bess album. Very young I was just taken with the music. I was a student of it very early, and that’s just sort of never waned. A lot of people think they know a lot about Miles but they only know the name and the image, the iconography. You say: “Miles Davis” to most people and they go: “Yeah, jazz! He played sax or he played something, right?”
They don’t really know, and that’s fine. I wanted to make a movie for the people who didn’t know about Miles Davis, so they could just enjoy the movie and the music.
A movie for people who don’t know about Miles Davis. I can appreciate that. But do those people want experimental cinema, or do they want “Ray,” but instead of Ray Charles it’s the story of Miles Davis?
His comment brings up an interesting point about how best to show the life and times of Miles Davis in a feature film. To just ‘enjoy the movie and the music’ sounds to me like a recipe for traditional storytelling, yet we have heard the term deconstructed biopic associated with this project so it remains fuzzy which way Cheadle will take the narrative.
He could very well break the story into chapters, which weave in and out of Davis’ life. But without the proper context I’m not sure how someone who knows little or nothing about Davis can appreciate the scope of his life and music with this style of movie-making.
Although a script has been written – and rewritten – there isn’t any hard proof of where Cheadle is steering this project other than the comments he’s made this past year; mostly just reiterating his desire for something different than a traditional, cradle-to-grave storyline.
I’m on record as being fine either way, but I do think a traditional narrative might equal greater success with an audience not that familiar with Miles Davis. So much is still unknown about the scope of this biopic that all we really have is conjecture; whether or not the Miles Movie is a big studio deal, or an indie offering will go a long way in determining just how the story gets told.
I’m just glad he mentioned the movie. With all the Cheadle news these days centering on Iron Man 2 and his poker exploits, it’s mighty nice to see the Miles Davis Biopic get some pub. It remains a project in no hurry to get in front of cameras, but at least Cheadle is thinking about it, mulling over which way to take this very special movie project.
So even a brief goes a long way here and at Miles Davis Online. For now all we can do is speculate and continue asking the big questions – like who is going to play John Coltrane?
Don Cheadle Talks Miles Davis Movie at Comic-Con
August 8, 2009
I stumbled on this interesting interview with Don Cheadle during his press rounds at Comic-Con.
The back-and-forth questioning is brought to us via Paul Fischer and Moviehole (many thanks):
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Question: What are you doing next? Do you want to do a smaller film next?
Cheadle: I’ve gotta get this Miles Davis project off, so that’s going to take my time.
Question: How’s that going?
Cheadle: It’s going good. We have a script that we’re working on. We’ve just gotta beat the bushes.
Question: Do you want to direct it?
Cheadle: If it doesn’t kill me, yes.
Question: What timeline of his life are you covering?
Cheadle: It’s not a cradle to grave story at all, but it touches a lot of parts of his life. It’s not a biopic.
Question: Which is your favorite of Miles’ groups?
Cheadle: I don’t have a favorite. There’s so many.
Question: What inspired your passion for his music and this project?
Cheadle: My heroin addiction. [Laughs] No. That’s probably not the best answer.
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Wow. The acknowledgment alone is stunning. If they make the 2011 release I will be surprised. But it’s still ‘on.’ It is still… happening.
I’m surprised he doesn’t call it a ‘biopic.’ We already knew it was going to be ‘deconstructed’ and not utilize the usual Hollywood blueprint for a biopic (see: “Ray”). Sounds like he could be persuaded to give up the directors’ chair.
We have already touched on the issue of what happens if a new director were brought in to guide the project, allowing Cheadle to focus on playing Miles.
In the end it’s nice to know the biopic/not-biopic was brought up and Cheadle addressed it.
Raise your hand if you feel as it I perhaps started this Blog about two years too soon! Oh well. It’s been awesome all along, and the journey continues… Onward and upward!
No stoppin’ until this bad boy is cast, shot, cut, marketed and playing down the street at my local AMC theatres.
Deadline Hollywood Daily has a nice play-by-play of the ‘Iron Man 2′ panel at Comic-Con Saturday. The whole gang was there (Favreau, Downey Jr., Rockwell) including War Machine himself, Don Cheadle.
No, I didn’t ask Cheadle about the Miles Davis film b/c I stayed up in LA this weekend, but had I traveled down to the big event I totally would have asked him about the biopic. Would it have been out of order when he’s there to hype they already super-hyped Iron Man sequel? Perhaps. Would Iron Man fans have yelled at me for bringing up non Marvel Comics related items? Maybe.
But inquiring Miles Davis minds would like to know what’s up.
Today In Miles Davis Movie News…
July 21, 2009
Thankfully Ovation TV aired The Miles Davis Story a few times last week. It’s definitely a documentary worth seeing whether you know nothing or everything about Miles Davis. Ian Carr is great. The old footage, and focus on the early years, is really good. It’s not a perfect doc on the life of Miles Davis, but we’ll take what we can get.
I still contend that if this movie never makes it Ken Burns should do a 5-part series for PBS.
There is The Miles Davis Documentary, directed by Miles Davis biopic screenwriter Christopher Wilkinson, but we have no idea when it’s debuting and on what channel – though cable (HBO) makes the most sense.
As for poker superstar Don Cheadle, well, there are 6 projects listed as In Development via imdb – Untitled Miles Davis Biopic is one of them. It has a 2011 date with it, so perhaps all my carrying on about no news is silly …because it’s only 2009!
We shall see.
What Will Happen First: Don Cheadle Wins the World Series of Poker, or Don Cheadle Releases His Miles Davis Biopic?
July 9, 2009
Does this look like a man concerned with filming the life and times of Miles Davis?
On a non-cynical note, congratulations to Don Cheadle and everyone associated with last week’s “Ante Up For Africa” poker fundraiser in Las Vegas. The charity event raised funds for the humanitarian relief effort benefiting the victims of strife in war-torn Darfur.
But seriously, Don. Let’s get this thing moving forward.
The Miles Davis Movie Blog Celebrates One-Year Anniversary; Actual Miles Davis Movie Nowhere To Be Found
June 18, 2009
On June 17th 2008 I wrote a quick post about the official Miles Davis website and how I thought it could be much better. The original idea for this wordpress Blog was to be like what you are seeing now over at Miles Davis Online – basically a hub for All Things Miles Davis.
But then I decided to embark on chronicling every minute detail about the Miles Davis Biopic, a project with a long and frustrating history of trying to get produced for the silver screen.
One year later I could not be happier that I took on the endeavor.
Different from say tracking the news and opinions about a film you know is in production and will eventually go through the usual casting-shooting-marketing-hype gauntlet prior to release, following the Miles Davis Movie has been more difficult because, well, there’s really not been a lot of news.
A few quotes from Cheadle here, a comment from one of the producers there, but essentially the project, as far as I know, is on a slow burn. Yep, Don Cheadle is still on board to star and direct, and a script is out there somewhere, but finding a steady stream of news to post is problematic.
So, like Miles Davis himself, we improvised. And out of that is where I have had the most fun so far.
There have been posts upon posts about what the movie poster should look like; who should be cast to play important roles; when the movie should open; what the social media strategy might be; what songs must be featured; what scenes have to be included in the movie; is it better off as an HBO miniseries; what are the expectations…
You get the picture.
In a sense we’ve explored a movie where this isn’t one – yet.
But that’s been part of the great fun. People are generally interested in this project. It’s a movie most folks believe should be made, a story that has all the makings of a phenomenal cinema experience. Does it have the broad, commercial appeal of “Dark Knight?” No, but if you like music biopics like “Ray,” “Amadeus” and “Walk the Line,” (among many other good ones) then a movie about jazz legend Miles Davis fits the bill.
The comments, opinions and thoughts about everything and anything related to the Miles Davis Biopic have been terrific to read, and I truly appreciate everyone who has chimed in over the past year.
If you follow the Blog you probably started to see more non-movie content about Miles Davis, which is why I finally launched Miles Davis Online. But even though I’m happy about the new website, I remain faithfully committed to tracking the Miles Davis Movie until the day I am seated in a movie theatre watching the damn thing on screen.
Between jumbo, Hollywood blockbusters and a poker addiction hobby taking up all of Don Cheadle’s time, I don’t know how long it’s going to take for the Miles Davis Movie to get revved up in front of cameras, but we’ll get there.
To borrow and badly manipulate one of my favorite lines of dialogue from Apocalypse Now, as delivered by Robert Duvall as Lieutenant Colonel Bill Kilgore:
“Someday this Miles Davis movie is gonna get made …”
Thanks to everyone who has stopped by the Miles Davis Movie Blog this past year to say hello, or just share thoughts about the biopic. I am very appreciative of the support and kind words.
We covered a lot of ground in Year 1, and believe me I have plenty more to say about what the movie poster should look like! But here’s hoping in year two we get lots of good news about the Miles Davis Movie.
Thanks!
Sincerely,
Jeffrey D. Hyatt
Today In Miles Davis Movie News…
June 6, 2009
Miles Davis, 2009
May 26, 2009
(This post also appears on St. Louis Jazz Notes)
Eighteen years after his passing and a generation or two removed from when his songs were considered ‘popular music,’ Miles Davis’ place in our cultural and musical foundation remains secure. And in this wired age, the discovery and experience of Miles Davis, one of the most influential musicians in jazz history, is as immediate and exciting as ever.
There are only a handful of entertainers that transcend art, those titanic names whose mythology becomes more absorbing with each passing year. In time, the lies and truths may blur, but the artistry is forever genuine.
Think Sinatra. Elvis. Perhaps James Dean and Marilyn Monroe, or The Beatles, James Brown and Louis Armstrong. Miles Davis is definitely on the list of the most important pop culture figures of the 20th century; those timeless icons that mystify and delight.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue this year, the tribute concerts, magazine articles and countless Internet posts reflect not only an artistic triumph much-deserved of such commemoration, but also that in 2009, there’s still an active, healthy interest in listening to, writing about and appreciating the legacy of Miles Davis.
If anything, the Kind of Blue anniversary has generated a cottage industry around its recognition, providing a wealth of great commentary and multimedia.
Perhaps the best way to gauge the popularity of Miles Davis these days is by simply speaking with those not interested in jazz. They might not listen to Miles Davis’ music, but they know “Miles Davis.” Perhaps for most people nothing springs to mind quicker when hearing “Miles Davis” than the word ‘cool,’ a multi-functional expression almost exclusively associated with Miles Davis in popular culture.
There’s that funny line of dialogue in the comedy “Billy Madison” that ends with the oft-repeated phrase, “….consider me Miles Davis.” That, perhaps, cemented the ‘cool’ association to the general public, even though the relationship between musician and descriptor run back 60 years.
‘Cool’ as Miles Davis might be (or has always been), how does a music legend long since passed exist in the media landscape today when the zeitgeist seems to shift with each new episode of American Idol ?
It’s hard out here for a jazz legend. Of course nostalgia never hurts. Great music, just like movies and literature, never tire and receive more heaping praise every year.
That’s fine for entertainment preference, but let’s give praise to how well ‘Miles Davis,’ the brand, the business, has converged with today’s frenetic digital culture; it’s a testament to everyone involved, from fans and writers to the musicians and businessmen, that Miles Davis continues to be a viable part of art, commerce and pop culture.
No denying the brand thrives – someone is buying all those CDs, books and posters. A new generation is discovering the music via the web, the great conduit for stumbling upon an MP3 of “If I Were A Bell.”
It’s cliché to repeat the adage that Kind of Blue is the one jazz CD even non-jazz fans own, but it makes a strong point about pop culture and being part of something ’special.’
Miles Davis fits that bill. He brings the mythology to the party, and we are compelled to take notice. People care and people are interested. Technology is our means to tap the source and engage Miles Davis from all angles.
His story and music are a click away. The web is packed with vintage images shot through the lens of famous photographers, and admirers can peruse thousands of random and creative photos on Flickr. Blogs track every reference and detail, and Web sites are dedicated portals of fandom, built on the ideas and opinions of likeminded admirers.
There are books, waves of critical analysis, skateboard designs, theatre productions and gallery retrospectives. YouTube is invaluable (thanks to the content owners) in presenting classic footage.
Consuming Miles. It can be quite…consuming, but oh-so enjoyable.
Miles Davis would be celebrating his 83rd birthday today. And while he is no longer with us, ‘Miles Davis’ is truly alive and well in 2009.
(This post also appears on St. Louis Jazz Notes)
The Miles Davis Movie: A Cannes Premier One Day?
May 20, 2009
Last year I wondered whether the Miles Davis Biopic will/should premier at Cannes. It’s Festival de Cannes once again, so I thought I’d revisit the topic. Actually, I’m watching this YouTube clip of the Inglorious Basterds press conference, via Hollywood-Elsewhere, and thinking how nice it would be to see Don Cheadle surrounded by the cast of the Miles Davis Biopic after a screening. Oh, the joy of it all. I can’t imagine a biopic about the jazz legend debuting in France not being a big deal, especially in France.
The official website for Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Basterds” is up and running. I mention this because here is yet another piece of the Miles Davis Biopic that remains missing.
I know, there’s not even a studio behind it, or a marketing team to deal with all the multimedia fun. But still, how about a single page with a ‘Coming Soon’ logo?
It’s when you’ve been writing about a biopic for a year and realize the project is trapped in an endless, development limbo that you start wishing for the smallest of media pleasures — like a simple web page.
Considering Don Cheadle’s role in the next 15 Marvel film projects and his ongoing poker addiction hobby, it’s easy to see the Miles Movie being stuck in neutral for the foreseeable future. I hope I’m wrong.
The Miles Davis Movie
