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Internationally renowned photographer/filmmaker Bruce Weber created a stunning feature with Let's Get Lost, his Academy Award nominated film about the late jazz great Chet Baker. Following the elusive and digressive nature of the star, Weber and crew went on the road with Baker from the West Coast to the East Coast to Continental Europe, during what turned out to be the last year of the musician's life. Wever captures some of Baker's last recording sessions; weaves in excerpts from Italian B movies starring the handsome young Chet, as well as rare performance footage; pauses for candid interviews with Baker, musicians, friends, battling ex-wives and children and adds an extra visual dimension that is becoming the filmmaker's personal stamp.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Bruce Weber's photography turns the drug and alcohol ravaged face of Chet Baker into a landscape to be explored, and then shows you him as a beautiful young James Dean lookalike.
The music is extraordinary, and carries the film through what might have been its more self indulgent moments. It is cleverly set into context by the commentary from all the talking heads.
Some of the speakers are knowledgeable and insightful, but there is plenty of pleasure is to be gained from listening to his various lovers and wives bitching about each other, which certainly ensures that this is no hagiography.
Perhaps the best bits are when Bruce shows Chet getting angry - when questioned by young fans comparing him unfavourably to Miles Davies, or when being asked to play over the conversation of clubbers.
In the end, you get an extraordinary picture of the man and his work.
The music is extraordinary, and carries the film through what might have been its more self indulgent moments. It is cleverly set into context by the commentary from all the talking heads.
Some of the speakers are knowledgeable and insightful, but there is plenty of pleasure is to be gained from listening to his various lovers and wives bitching about each other, which certainly ensures that this is no hagiography.
Perhaps the best bits are when Bruce shows Chet getting angry - when questioned by young fans comparing him unfavourably to Miles Davies, or when being asked to play over the conversation of clubbers.
In the end, you get an extraordinary picture of the man and his work.
41 of 44 people found the following review helpful
At last - my prayers have been answered. I have had this on VHS since it came out in '88. Alot of fans have been waiting for the DVD release (not bootleg) to appreciate both the documentary and music qualities. For anyone with the slightest interest in modern music or cinematography, this is a must for your collection. It must have been very hard for Bruce Weber to portray one of his music idols in such an honest way. But it works and allows an underlying story of the effects of heroin addiction to come through ( I won't say any more and let you find out yourself).
They should put a portrait of Chet aged 56 in all schools. If that does put them off hard drugs, nothing will.
Order this now, before the rest of the 5 stars convince you.
They should put a portrait of Chet aged 56 in all schools. If that does put them off hard drugs, nothing will.
Order this now, before the rest of the 5 stars convince you.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
I saw this film on its theatrical release, way back in '88/89, as a part of a run of late night movies on jazz themes, screened at the Cambridge Arts Cinema, as it was then known. I was completely enthralled and enchanted. Some films are intensely and self-consciously didactic, or analytical, or escapist, romantic, challenging, soothing or whatever... This film seems to be a wonderfully un-self-conscious mixture of biography, homage, celebration, voyeurism and more besides, all delivered with a dream like whimsy, and an artistic eye for bleak, melancholy beauty. The music is fabulous, both old and new, the performance footage revealing and entertaining, and the panoply of talking heads have a lot of interesting things to say.
I finally got to own this great film on video, some years later, and have watched and enjoyed it again a number of times. Since the advent of DVD I've seen it once more at the new Arts Picture House (Cambridge - complete with after screening video link chat with Bruce Weber himself!), and generally hankered after seeing it released on DVD. I've not got it yet... but I'm excited, as I suspect my partner has it on my xmas wishlist. I just hope they've put some good extras on the disc! So, whilst I can't advise on the DVD benefits, I can heartily recommend the film as a dreamy work of beauty, that almost magically captures the tragic beauty of Baker's life and music.
This movie - my introduction to Chet Baker - made a fan out of me. The film draws more on his vocal work, rather than his trumpet playing, an imbalance I grew to appreciate as I got more familiar with his recorded legacy. But in terms of great cinema, as opposed to a more scholarly form of balanced and historically accurate biography, the fact Weber leans on the vocal numbers is no real problem, if anything it simply helps strengthen the 'vibey-ness' of the film. Weber's penchant for hanging out with beautiful bozos, as well as the more articulate characters that litter the movie, which might irritate some, also helps create the dream-like aspect of this strange piece of art. Essays could easily be written on multifarious aspects of this picture, but ultimately it's a movie for the senses: so, regardless of whether you'd personally prefer a speed-ball or just a nice cup of tea, sit back, relax, and enjoy it!
I finally got to own this great film on video, some years later, and have watched and enjoyed it again a number of times. Since the advent of DVD I've seen it once more at the new Arts Picture House (Cambridge - complete with after screening video link chat with Bruce Weber himself!), and generally hankered after seeing it released on DVD. I've not got it yet... but I'm excited, as I suspect my partner has it on my xmas wishlist. I just hope they've put some good extras on the disc! So, whilst I can't advise on the DVD benefits, I can heartily recommend the film as a dreamy work of beauty, that almost magically captures the tragic beauty of Baker's life and music.
This movie - my introduction to Chet Baker - made a fan out of me. The film draws more on his vocal work, rather than his trumpet playing, an imbalance I grew to appreciate as I got more familiar with his recorded legacy. But in terms of great cinema, as opposed to a more scholarly form of balanced and historically accurate biography, the fact Weber leans on the vocal numbers is no real problem, if anything it simply helps strengthen the 'vibey-ness' of the film. Weber's penchant for hanging out with beautiful bozos, as well as the more articulate characters that litter the movie, which might irritate some, also helps create the dream-like aspect of this strange piece of art. Essays could easily be written on multifarious aspects of this picture, but ultimately it's a movie for the senses: so, regardless of whether you'd personally prefer a speed-ball or just a nice cup of tea, sit back, relax, and enjoy it!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Trumpet player extraordinary!
They said Chet Baker couldn't read. How can this be? As Jack Sheldon laments, how easy he makes it sound, a natural musician. Read more
Published 2 months ago by ian henderson
Even for non Jazz buffs
Fantastic documentary and not being a Jazz fan came to it completely cold and really not expecting much. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Stephen Lewis
The great Chet Baker
A great film ,I would recommend it to Jazz fans and also those who love a good true to life story..Sad but brilliant..
Published 14 months ago by John F. kavanagh
MAGNIFICENT film
This is a BEAUTIFUL FILM; ingeniously shot and beautifully edited...
You get to see glimpses of Chet's charismatic youth and the sad and moving images of his final years. Read more
You get to see glimpses of Chet's charismatic youth and the sad and moving images of his final years. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Nikica Gilic
remembering Chet
I was especially delighted with this. I'd been to see Chet baker perform three times.
The last was in 1986 when he was playing at Ronnie Scott's. Read more
The last was in 1986 when he was playing at Ronnie Scott's. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Mr. B. Bendel
About the DVD..!
If you are into 1950s cool.. the jazz, the beats, etc.. you will like this documentary on the life of trumpeter Chet Baker. Read more
Published 23 months ago by SeaWasp
Modern Jazz West Coast
Thoroughly enjoyed the DVD. Shocked, stunned and delighted are the descriptive words that apply. A pure genius, sadly wasted and sadly missed. Read more
Published 23 months ago by John M. Lovatt
Requiem for a junkie
Bruce Webber has done a fantastic job here capturing the last dying gasp of a great talent's life. It could only have been made in black and white to give an authentic feel for... Read more
Published on 9 May 2009 by Alexander Bryce
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