The Miles Davis Movie: Herbie Hancock To Score Miles Davis Biopic

Directly below this post we noted a recent interview that Erin Davis (Miles’ son) and Vince Wilburn Jr. (Miles’ nephew) did with YRB Magazine; Wilburn Jr. noted that a new writer, Steven Baigelman, is collaborating with Don Cheadle on an updated draft of the script.

Big news for followers (me) of the Miles Davis Biopic.

But in the very same interview, Wilburn Jr. also points out that Herbie Hancock is planning to score the movie. Wow. That’s kind of big news, in my opinion.

Here’s Wilburn Jr.’s exact quote: Yeah, Herbie Hancock’s going to score it and Don Cheadle’s directing and starring.

We’ve long known about Cheadle, but Hancock definitely adds some spice to the project.

((This post also appears on Miles Davis Online)

Don Cheadle Inks TV Deal With NBC; ‘Miles Davis’ The TV series Sounds Like A Great Idea!

According to Variety, Crescendo, the production company Cheadle launched with former managers Kay Liberman and Lenore Zerman, has sealed a first-look TV deal at NBC.

Seriously – a TV series based on the life and times of Miles Davis? How is that not appointment television? A mini-series might not be too terrible either.

In truth, I don’t think the deal means Cheadle is going to start acting on TV (although he was awesome in a guest spot on “ER” and has appeared on a bunch of series in the past), but at least it’s nice to know someone with his talent will be developing projects for the little screen.

Don Cheadle Talks Miles Davis Movie at Comic-Con

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.

—

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.

Miles Davis, 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)

Sinatra Biopic In The Works; No Doubt Will Arrive Before Miles Davis Movie

Deadline Hollywood Daily is reporting that Universal has acquired a project based on the life of Frank Sinatra from Mandalay Pictures.

Phil Alden Robinson is writing the screenplay, and Marty Scorsese will direct.

Writes Nikki Finke: “The Sinatra family gave its permission, which is not easy to get, and youngest daughter Tina Sinatra will be an executive producer along with Robinson and Garry LeMel, the former president of Warner Bros music division and himself a musician. The producers will be Peter Guber and his movie exec Cathy Schulman.”

This is great news because it looks like all the pieces are falling into place for what could potentially be a solid film about the legendary Fran Sinatra. No guarantees, just like the Miles Davis biopic. Sometimes it’s just tough to capture that kind of genius and cultural significance – in any medium.

Of course I read news like this, and I wonder what the status is for the Miles Davis movie. Don Cheadle as star still makes a ton of sense, but one has to wonder if a director like Scorsese was involved if the project would not be farther along in its development.

The Sinatra project appears to be a BIG, Hollywood movie, so with it the requisite hype, but we don’t know where the Miles Davis biopic stands; indie-flick, tier-2 Big Hollywood movie, etc…

If anything, the news of a Sinatra biopic only makes the anticipation for a film about Miles Davis that much more heightened.

The Miles Davis Movie: What the “Iron Man 2″ start date means for the Miles Davis biopic

It means Don Cheadle will have his hands full playing Col. James ‘Rhodey’ Rhodes for the foreseeable future and not Miles Davis.

Marvel confirmed this week the early April start date for Iron Man 2.

Cheadle also has The Avengers down the line, among other projects, so it’s difficult to know when he’d rev up shooting the Miles Davis movie. I’m sure the script is being tweaked and ideas are being discussed, but I cannot foresee any production of the Miles Davis biopic happening until 2010. Maybe, just maybe at the end of this year, but 2010 is the safer bet. Sadly.

Wesley Snipes: Once set to play Miles Davis, now ready for the Godfather of Soul

Back in July I wrote about Wesley Snipes, the star of such films like “New Jack City,” “White Men Can’t Jump” and “Mo Better Blues,” who at various times throughout the ’90s was very close to adding the story of Miles Davis story to his acting resume.

Alas, it never panned out. Whether or not that’s a good or bad thing we shall never know. I’ll say that were the Snipes project (with Antoine Fuqua attached to direct at some point, I believe) ever to get the green light it would have definitely been a traditional narrative.

But Wesley Snipes and biopics are back in the news. The Playlist has an update on a James Brown biopic brewing from director Spike Lee with the star of “Blade” and “Major League” set for the lead role. There have been delays in the project, but it looks like a ‘go’ according to Lee: “We’re doing it together – it’s going to happen.”

The news of the biopic actually is a few years old, but today’s item focuses on Spike Lee planning to use the authentic voice of James Brown dubbed in for the musical sequences. “I want to hear James Brown’s voice,” the director said. “That’s just my personal taste.”

I love James Brown and a thorough biopic is definitely called for; it will be as daunting a task as “Ray” to nail the complete portrayal, but they pulled it off and I believe Spike Lee and Wesley Snipes will give the Hardest Working Man in Show Business the full, cinematic workup.

And hey – why not?

In other (cool) biopic news…

The news of a Steve McQueen biopic is exciting for any number of reasons, but mostly because it allows me a perfect opportunity to post an awesome photo of Miles Davis and Steve McQueen – backstage at the Monterey Jazz festival, 1963.

A cooler twosome you shall not find.

The Miles Davis Movie: Biopic news not about Miles Davis

Add another music biopic to the development file. This time it’s Bon Scott, onetime lead singer of the legendary rock band AC/DC who died at 33, right about the time the band was on the verge of hitting it big.

Film-maker Eddie Martin is working on the movie. Here’s a quote from the story a supporter of the perpetually upcoming Miles Davis biopic can surely appreciate: “It will be a number of years before we see the Bon Scott movie on the big screen. ‘We’d love to be shooting in 12-18 months,’ Eddie says.”

The Miles Davis Movie: Better as linear or nonlinear narrative? or: Deconstructing the ‘deconstructed biopic’

Get comfortable with the term ‘deconstructed biopic’ because you’ll be reading a lot about that phrase now that Darryl Porter (Miles Davis Properties) propagated it to describe the Miles Davis film.

I linked to a Variety article Monday about the state of music biopics, which featured a section on the Miles Davis project, and that’s where Porter commented on the narrative style being utilized for the movie.

He also said, “Our goal is to have a very broad audience and bring in a whole new demographic of Miles fans,” so a deconstructed narrative style is perhaps part of the strategy in trying to achieve that goal with the Miles Davis biopic.

Of course I’d love to know ‘how’ they plan to attract a broad audience to the movie and bring in that new demographic of fans. How the film is structured might have some impact, but casual moviegoers might need more than flashy cinema tricks.

The filmmakers could forgo a “Ray” like blueprint and follow something a bit more non-traditional like Todd Haynes’ “I’m Not There,” the 2007 biography of Bob Dylan where six actors portrayed different facets of Dylan’s personality.

Porter noted that one idea being considered is to promote the film “…through posthumous collaborations between Davis and hip-hop artists…”

There’s a connection between Miles Davis and hip-hop (see: “Doo-Bop“), I agree, but is it enough to hang a film on? There’s a connection between Davis and musicians of all genres; he was that influential.

But the relationship between hip hop and Miles Davis, which I admit to not fully understanding on a purely academic level, is something I can imagine the producers trying to harness in trying to attract that broad audience they’re gunning for.

By that I mean tapping popular music (rap, pop, etc.) and the artists/celebrities associated with it to somehow cast an updated glow of pop culture importance on a film about a musician most people only know due to a ubiquitous name associated with nostalgic significance and a legacy of being ‘cool.’

Where linear and nonlinear is concerned, personally I see the Miles Davis movie succeeding in either option. The question of which storyline technique is best suited for a film about Miles Davis is certainly debatable.

I’m an admirer of films like The Usual Suspects, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Kill Bill, Short Cuts, In the Mood for Love, Annie Hall, The Conformist, 8 ½ and Out of Sight – each a product of a creative, nonlinear structure.

The Miles Davis movie could very well start with Miles Davis on his deathbed and work back to various stages of his life. Or the movie commences by dropping in on Miles Davis during the Kind of Blue sessions and alternate between past and future.

We’re not dealing with an intricately plotted crime drama like “The Usual Suspects,” so there’s no reason to make any biopic of Miles Davis a complicated experience for the audience.

It all depends how ‘creative’ Don Cheadle wants to be in telling the story. A Miles Davis biopic doesn’t need a lot of fancy narrative structure. There’s enough inherit drama and personal conflict to have a well-designed linear story that can thrive on powerful, affecting performances and the music, which, it can be argued, will be the second most important component to the film besides Cheadle’s portrayal of Miles Davis.

I like that Porter and Cheadle want to appeal to non-jazz fans as well. I’ve already said you don’t need to be an aficionado of jazz or Miles Davis to appreciate and enjoy the story of Miles Davis. I didn’t know much about Mozart when I watched Amadeus, but I loved the movie – because it stands alone as a slice of entertainment, and it’s a wonderful story.

Film is about adventure, mostly, as the audience commits to exploring a world (real/fantasy) they might know zero about, but are willing to find out.

I think a broad demographic will want to find out about Miles Davis; how the film achieves this remains a mystery – could be through clever marketing, critical-acclaim, hyper buzz or a combination of each.

Part of me is apprehensive about a deconstructed biopic. A nonlinear structure I have no problem with, but deconstructed worries me. I’d hate to think about the project trying to be too clever; you can start this thing at the beginning, roll camera right up to the end, and we’d have one heck of a biopic to experience.

So while all this stuff about hip hop, marketing and kooky narratives give me pause, at least we know the wheels are in motion. And with Thanksgiving around the corner that is definitely something to be thankful about.

*A brief word on the photographs: Google opened an online photo gallery this week that features millions of images from Life magazine’s archives that have never been seen by the public before. Needless to say there are some wonderful images of Miles Davis included.