The Miles Davis Movie: Better as A Documentary Film?

I read an article in Variety about the difficult marketplace for music documentaries.

We’ve definitely come a long way from the Oscar-winning “Woodstock” and other classic, music docs like (the awesome) “The Last Waltz” and (equally great) “Stop Making Sense” — there have been plenty of good music films over the years, but the market has changed, how entertainment is consumed keeps evolving and this leaves music projects without proper distribution, or none at all.

As noted in the article, “Much of it has to do with round-the-clock access to popular music via cable and the Net, with sites like YouTube and Wolfgangsvault offering free streaming and downloads of rare and vintage performances that were once the exclusive domain of bootleg collectors, not to mention the increasing audio and video sophistication of home theater systems.”

I discussed awhile back if a biopic about Miles Davis would be better served by a 9-part Ken Burns documentary on PBS. Maybe 9-parts is a personal dream, but I still wonder if it’s a more accommodating venue for telling the complete story as opposed to a 2½-hour film. I even mentioned the idea of a 5-part/10-hour HBO movie event (like “John Adams”) that provides the luxury of time to tell the complete story.

But then there’s a music documentary – like “The Last Waltz.” I can only imagine the wealth of archived footage wherein to find live performance, interviews and who knows what else. Then, of course, you get the appropriate talking heads to give the project its necessary gravitas.

I should add that, according to Miles Davis biopic screenwriter Christopher Wilkinson’s IMDB page, there is a Miles Davis documentary currently in production and, I believe, slated to air on HBO.

Whether or not it’s shaping up to be an updated version of The Miles Davis Story, which came out in 2001, I don’t know, but a new documentary is forthcoming; not sure if it’s just a coincidence that one of the biopic screenwriters is directing the TV doc.

And though I welcome a new TV project about Miles Davis, a theatrical documentary is a different beast. But after reading about the state of new films, featuring big names and classic bands, having a tough go in the marketplace, maybe it’s best to keep the focus on Don Cheadle’s movie version of the Miles Davis story.

Is a music documentary about Miles Davis commercially and financially viable? That all depends how you measure it, but I’ll say the movie would draw crowds worldwide. It’s a project that may require a bigger name in the director’s chair (besides Cheadle), or some Hollywood heft in the supporting roles, and would presumably use the film festival circuit as a launch pad, but overall I think it’s a feasible endeavor.

I’m a fan of musical/non-musical film documentaries, so a project about Miles Davis is right in my wheelhouse, but I’d be lying if I said I’m not more than a little anxious to see what a talent like Don Cheadle can do with the story of the jazz icon.

The Miles Davis story deserves the majesty of cinema and all the Hollywood, hype, fascination and glamour that goes with it.

The Miles Davis Movie: PG-13 or Rated R?

No biopic of Miles Davis, be it traditional narrative or off the wall bizarre, is going to be genuine without a great deal of bad language. The man could turn a phrase, as it were.

Flip through a few pages of his entertaining autobiography (here’s page 65!) and it’s clear Miles Davis had a talent for the profane.

But it was always more than just one “motherf**ker” after another. To categorize Miles as simply a master of dirty words is missing the bigger picture entirely. Amid the obscene language is much wisdom and understanding, a gift for storytelling and a ‘cool,’ linguistic style. Some people just have a way of putting things. Certainly after awhile the expletives can feel like a brick to the head, but there was often ‘truth’ wrapped up with the colorful language.

Nevertheless, Miles Davis could rock the bad words – no way around it. And that was just who he was/is. So for the biopic I wonder how much profanity is already in the script and just how much they will allow in the film. I figure anything under 20 “motherf**kers” and it’s just not cricket.

And here is where the MPAA comes into play, while Don Cheadle and team have to decide whether or not the Miles Davis biopic is going to built for Rated R or PG-13.

Personally I think it can succeed either way; let’s figure not too much violence and sex, but a heavy dose of strong language, alcohol/drug content and the always helpful ‘adult themes.’

I checked IMDB, and for a traditional music biopic like Ray, the MPAA gave it a PG-13 rating for ‘depiction of drug addiction, sexuality and some thematic elements.’ On the flip side, a non-traditional music biopic such as I’m Not There was Rated R for ‘language, some sexuality and nudity.’

You could make the case that an R rating might hurt the film at the box office, but then again The Godfather is Rated R, so that’s about as good a counter-argument as it gets. Perhaps it doesn’t really matter as long as the film is great.

It’s interesting, not too mention frustrating, how the MPAA ratings systems works. There’s a wealth of excellent anti-ratings system material to get a feel for some of the hypocrisy and silliness surrounding the process of putting a rating on a film. Kirby Dick’s This Film Is Not Yet Rated is a fantastic documentary which explores the American movie ratings board.

Now if I could only get my hands on that script I’d have a much better idea of where this Miles Davis biopic ship is headed….

The Miles Davis Movie: Can Obama presidency help the success of a movie about Miles Davis?

(It looks like it’s all about Obama today, so here is a post from Nov. 6)

During the just concluded presidential campaign there was a moment when we learned what kind of music the candidates preferred. It was no surprise that when Barack Obama revealed his iPod playlist there was much (fun) debate and scrutiny.

Of course his music assemblage was greeted with cheers because, well, because his musical taste is just so darn cool and eclectic and perfect for a man tasked with saving the planet. But I digress.

Miles Davis was included in Obama’s compilation, as were other jazz legends like John Coltrane and Charlie Parker. Obama also likes Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, the Rolling Stones, Jay-Z and Stevie Wonder, who he said was his ultimate musical hero during the 70s.

Regardless of your thoughts about Obama the politician, at least he’s a fan of Miles Davis. Whew!

It should be noted that on John McCain’s iPod he has the likes of the Beach Boys, Louis Armstrong, Frank Sinatra and Neil Diamond – not a bad selection.

But no matter if it’s Obama as president or George Washington returned from the grave it’s not going to help move the Miles Davis biopic from development to screen any quicker. We need an act of God!

But does Obama in office, on a purely cultural level, somehow benefit a Miles Davis biopic if and when it debuts?

The word ‘cool’ has been heard a lot in reference to Obama’s style and behavior (that’s good or bad depending on how you view the guy), but there’s going to be numerous articles written about Obama and the cultural change presently underway in Washington.

Can we expect “Kind of Blue” played in the Oval Office?

“He’s a cool cat,” said Christopher Buckley, the political humorist in a NY Times story, “and I think he’s going to bring cool catness back, if it ever existed at the White House.”

Again, ‘cool.’ And when I think of cool Miles Davis comes to mind – always.

Is the Miles Davis biopic a film Obama can get behind? Surely he can speak about the jazz legend’s influence musically and socially. Maybe he even hops aboard Air Force One and joins all his new Hollywood best friends for the premiere.

But if Obama digs the Miles Davis movie, hey, ticket sales may get a boost. Maybe he gives the big endorsement and his broad constituency rushes to the theatres, or even to iTunes to download some tracks off “Porgy and Bess” or “Miles Ahead.”

(I was about to write ‘record store’ instead of iTunes, but I realized they don’t exist anymore.)

This is not a political Blog so I won’t delve into any discourse about Obama as president and whatnot, but while it remains a mystery how an Obama presidency will pan out, if there happens to be a cultural upshot that benefits the Miles Davis movie, well, that would be something to cheer about.

Miles Davis & Movie Marketing

One day someone is going to have to develop a marketing campaign for the Miles Davis biopic; this issue interests me a great deal because the advertising/marketing component of a film, big or small, can be the difference between success and failure – regardless if the movie is any good or not.

So I wanted to link to a Tad Friend report in a recent issue of The New Yorker that goes deep Inside a movie marketer’s playbook. It’s an interesting read and gives a detailed account of the hard work, stress and creativity that goes into getting people to the movie theatre. Not an easy task these days.

The Miles Davis Movie: When is the best time to release the film? (updated)

All the talk lately about the (surprising) release date for Quentin Tarantino’s Inglorious Basterds has me revisiting a post I wrote last summer about the best time of year to release a Miles Davis biopic.

Needless to say the announcement from The Weinstein Company of an August 21, 2009 nationwide release for “Inglorious Basterds” was met with skepticism.

Defamer’s STV noted that August 21 is “…traditionally the place films like Bangkok Dangerous, College and God knows what else go to die before flourishing in the DVD/Flopz™ afterlife.”

The Playlist agrees, adding, “is this counter-programming on the Weinstein’s Company’s part hoping ‘Basterds’ will wipe out the non-existent competition and kids won’t be on a last hurrah vacation before they have to go back to school (presuming they sneak into the sure-to-be R-rated film)?”

It’s an interesting debate considering the early hype for the film, but Lord knows the release date can change quickly.

I go back to a June post where I said the Miles Davis biopic does not scream summer to me. And with the Don Cheadle-as-Miles Davis part of the equation, you can definitely count on the film to hit Oscar’s radar, so a fall release might be ideal.

Defamer mentions a possible Cannes debut for ‘Basterds,’ which I had wondered about for the Miles Davis movie, and says even a Venice and Toronto opening could push the Brad Pitt flick into a “mild, mid-September prestige slot.”

We’re still a long way from discussing release dates for the Miles Davis biopic, but it’s a great topic considering the links between release date and critical/box office/awards success.

The Miles Davis Movie: A few (more) words about the movie poster

If there’s one topic that gets me going it’s talking about what the movie poster for the Miles Davis biopic should look like. Back in June I threw out some ideas for the one-sheet, which remains one of the more popular topics around here.

It’s a terrific subject because we’re so inundated with movie marketing — be it billboards, magazines, newspapers, websites etc. A movie poster provides instant reaction, triggering certain emotions, even at the most fundamental level, that might pique our interest or reinforce indifference.

I, for one, am eager to see what the poster will look like down the road because it will for sure clue us in on the film’s theme, its scale and the direction of the marketing. If it’s a black poster with the words ‘Miles Davis’ positioned in the middle (with the basic info a the bottom) then we know the film is going for that mysterious, indie-flick vibe. I’ll add that I think that style would be a darn good teaser poster.

I always revert back to Saul Bass as a proper template, mainly because I love his work. Speaking of Mr. Bass, when you’re done here shoot over to saulbass.tv, which is loaded with posters, videos and all kinds of Saul Bass goodness.

A good movie poster is like…is like a portal into the film’s soul. Or something like that. Anyway, it’s always obvious when a movie poster ‘works.’ I’m this close to having a contest to design a version of the Miles Davis movie poster. Now I’m thinking collage style might be nice; just a variety of cool images thrown together, like tossing a box of photos on a table.

So… today I’m reading on First Showing about the four new individual posters for “G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra.”

While the Miles Davis movie is not positioned as an ensemble, I still thought it might be interesting (see: cool for me to own) to have a set of individual posters capturing ‘Miles Davis’ at different points of his career – each covered in the film, of course.

You can have young Miles, late 1950s/early 1960s Miles, fusion Miles and late ’80s Miles.

I want now!

The Miles Davis Movie: Filming ‘Kind of Blue’

It’s not just one of the greatest jazz albums of all time, but one of the best albums… period!

It’s the one album most non-jazz fans know about, or even own.

I like to think there’s a part in the minds of music fans who don’t care much for jazz music who feel they should at least have this album in their collection – just because.

Kind of Blue

The tile alone elicits a variety of feelings and thoughts.

Recorded at Columbia’s 30th Street Studio in New York City on March 2 and April 22 of 1959, the seminal recording hit the streets on August 17, 1959.

Another landmark moment for Miles Davis, jazz and music in general.

The players:

Miles Davis – trumpet
Julian “Cannonball” Adderley – alto saxophone
John Coltrane – tenor saxophone
Wynton Kelly – piano
Bill Evans – piano
Paul Chambers – bass
Jimmy Cobb – drums

Stephen Thomas Erlewine’s review for AllMusic.com says it best:

Kind of Blue isn’t merely an artistic highlight for Miles Davis, it’s an album that towers above its peers, a record generally considered as the definitive jazz album, a universally acknowledged standard of excellence.

There are books and essays, radio programs and websites dedicated specifically to “Kind of Blue.”

Philip B. Pape (for allaboutjazz.com) writes:

This album throws away conventional song and chord structure that had been definitive to most jazz artists, welcoming a new structure based on modes. More than a milestone in jazz, Kind of Blue is a defining moment of twentieth century music.

Ashley Kahn’s “Kind of Blue: The Making of the Miles Davis Masterpiece” is a comprehensive account on the making of the album. There’s also a production from NPR about how the album was produced and its endless popularity.

So…let’s discuss the filming of the making of “Kind of Blue.”

Yep, it’ll be in the Miles Davis movie. If we can get scenes that incorporate the entire septet I’ll be quite happy. I think you could make the case that Cheadle, as director, can spend a little extra time with the “Kind of Blue” sessions, as well as goings on outside the studio.

You might also say that the music from “Kind of Blue” is the most recognizable to audience members not entirely immersed in jazz/Miles Davis history, but definitely are aware of those famous, ‘modal’ harmonies associated with tracks like “So What” and “Blue in Green.”

As I’ve mentioned before in other ‘filming’ posts, it’s all about the director’s vision, and to another degree, the cinematographer. And the editor as well…

The aforementioned, legendary pianist Bill Evans also wrote the liner notes for “Kind of Blue,” and in commenting on the challenge of group improvisation notes that:

“Miles conceived these settings only hours before the recording dates and arrived with sketches which indicated to the group what was to be played. Therefore, you will hear something close to pure spontaneity in these performances.”

So right there you can see the movie scene unfolding, with the musicians in the studio, and Davis providing only the basic ideas of what he wants before the band begins recording.

In a film that must cover a lot of important ground in 2-plus hours only so much time can be spent in the studio watching the construction of “Kind of Blue.”

But the “Kind of Blue” chapter is positively an essential one for the film to explore. It also offers the opportunity to hear some of Davis’ more famous songs worked into the movie, sure to elicit happiness from any audience.

The Miles Davis Movie: More box office success in the U.S. or abroad?

While I do think the domestic release of the Miles Davis biopic will bring with it a hefty share of media coverage/hype, critical debate, awards discussion and positive ticket sales (I can only assume), I can foresee the film doing big business abroad — perhaps even better abroad versus in the U.S.

There’s the whole jazz appreciation angle; this isn’t the ‘40s and ‘50s and whatever Wynton Marsalis is doing right now, or whatever Charles Mingus, Miles Davis, Louis Armstrong, etc. did back in the day, does not carry the pop culture/media weight today to battle the mindless candy from Britney, Miley or whichever rap/pop star is hot this second.

Yes, jazz fans are everywhere. Many are longtime devotees; many are just discovering the music. But jazz is definitely on the fringe for better or worse. There is the nostalgic element, with almost mythic figures like Armstrong, Bird, Coltrane and Miles, carrying the torch and deemed too damn cool and too damn important not to know about or listen to, so that helps. That built-in, old school nostalgia might help the Miles Davis biopic as well.

The Ken Burns documentary didn’t hurt either.

I think jazz is more popular in Europe and elsewhere. But I could be wrong. It’s presumption. But I can see the Miles Davis biopic attracting big, ticket sales in Europe and Japan.

Of ‘Mad Men’ and Miles Davis

And now a few words about “Mad Men” – and Miles Davis. The season 2 finale was Sunday; just terrific! I’m already looking ahead to next season. Fans of the series will surely point to the music as an important feature of the show’s nuance from one episode to the next – reinforcing theme and emotion as the appropriate musical selection can perform so wonderfully.

This brings us to Miles Davis or more specifically, the music of Miles Davis and its relation to the show.

Season one (set in 1960) features two Miles Davis tracks: In Episode 5 (5G) we hear “Blue in Green” and Episode 8 (The Hobo Code) is highlighted by “Concierto De Aranjuez (Adagio)”

In two seasons the show has featured some great music, ranging from Chubby Checker and Ella Fitzgerald to Bob Dylan and Johnny Mathis.

Maybe I can persuade show creator Matthew Weiner to get Miles Davis on the show.

The scene: Miles Davis walks into a bar one evening only to encounter Don Draper. They end up talking about life and love and then Miles imparts some heavy advice, which helps Don in whatever disarray he’s likely going to be in.

Now there’s a storyline for you!

The Miles Davis Movie: Tagline or no tagline?

Over at The Playlist is a teaser poster for “Watchmen.” If you aren’t familiar with the Alan Moore-penned graphic novel the film is based on, the significance of the image might be lost.

The text with the picture are the words “Justice is coming to all of us. No matter what we do.” The hype for this movie is building rapidly so no doubt any teaser poster will do the trick to keep the conversation on overdrive.

Of course this got me thinking about taglines and whether or not the teaser poster for the Miles Davis film should have one.

I love teaser posters. I love movie posters in general (the good ones), but something about the poster before the poster gets me riled up about an upcoming movie I want to see. It’s an art, for sure, and the better movie posters are able to strike just the right balance of visual pizzazz and substance – whether it’s over the top, or ever so subtle.

I’ve written ad nauseum about the non-existent movie poster for the Miles Davis biopic. When the poster does finally hit the web it will be all hands-on deck here at Miles Davis Movie headquarters.

For the teaser poster I’ve mentioned that a black background with the words ‘Miles Davis’ written across the middle (in white w/ a cool font) might do the understated trick in signaling the forthcoming movie.

I did a quick search for teaser posters. Here are few that stood out.

The Dark Knight
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Quantum of Solace
Simpsons Movie

Maybe instead of the words “Miles Davis” there’s only the eyes, or maybe a trumpet. Perhaps the words “Miles Davis” above a trumpet.

I did suggest earlier a riff on his signature. Or even the image on the cover of the Jack Johnson album.

Maybe the name is all that’s required. It’s a ‘name’ that conjures a variety of images and feelings. That might be enough. We’re assuming the name of the Miles Davis biopic will be called “Miles Davis,” so perhaps it’s okay to stick with it. Look, the movie wasn’t called “Ray Charles,” just “Ray.” And that worked out fine. In this case, I think you need the “Davis” with the “Miles.”

Much of this has to do with how to sell the movie. Fans of Miles Davis are already going to see it. This is about the demographic that are looking for something entertaining, or are intrigued enough about a legendary figure to buy a ticket. The film is still too early in the development stages to worry about that yet (it’s okay, I’ll worry about it now), but eventually it will be a hot topic in some marketing executive’s office somewhere.

Much of this has to do with how to sell the movie. Fans of Miles Davis are already going to see it. This is about the demographic that are looking for something entertaining, or are intrigued enough about a legendary figure to buy a ticket. The film is still too early in the development stages to worry about that yet (it’s okay, I’ll worry about it now instead), but eventually it will be a hot topic in some marketing executive’s office somewhere.

The “Ray” movie poster is effective. I wasn’t able to find any teaser poster, but the official poster sort of goes along with my idea. The tagline on the poster nicely lays out the theme of the movie: “The extraordinary life of Ray Charles. A man who fought harder and went farther that anyone thought possible.”

Maybe this is what the Miles Davis biopic should utilize – a powerful text that sums of the iconic status of Miles Davis.

I’ll run a few taglines up the flag pole, but if anyone has anything to add please do so. *Disclaimer: In no way do I presume any of my tagline ideas will be any good.

“Cool is Forever”
“It’s About that Time”
“The Man, the Music… the Legend”