Mo 'Better Blues
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | Mo 'Better Blues |
| Original title | Mo 'Better Blues |
| Country of production | United States |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1990 |
| length | 129 minutes |
| Rod | |
| Director | Spike Lee |
| script | Spike Lee |
| production | Spike Lee |
| music | Bill Lee |
| camera | Ernest R. Dickerson |
| cut | Samuel D. Pollard |
| occupation | |
| |
Mo 'Better Blues is a 1990 American drama film directed by Spike Lee . The film is assigned to the so-called New Black Cinema .
action
The film opens in New York district of Brooklyn in 1969. A group of boys want to play with her boyfriend Bleek Gilliam. The mother forbids that. Bleek has to finish his trumpet lessons first. The father is afraid that Bleek will grow into a sissy, but the mother gets her way.
Then the film makes a leap in time of 20 years: Bleek plays jazz in nightclubs and directs The Bleek Quintet. Giant is a childhood friend and he manages Bleek. Bleek is in a relationship with Indigo Downes. However, he is not a food lover and seduces other women or is seduced by others. Bleek has trouble with his wives on the one hand, and his manager and the band members on the other, who on the one hand demand more money and on the other hand demand more influence.
Bleek and Giant are also at odds, as Bleek accuses the indebted Giant of failing as a manager. Bleek breaks up with him. Bleek fires Shadow because he has started a liaison with his ex-girlfriend. The interest sharks who are after Giant hit Bleek and injure his lip.
Bleek can no longer play the trumpet. Shadow, Bleek and Giant get along again. Indigo takes Bleek back. They both get married and the film shows in one montage how they both get married and start a family. At the end you see a scene similar to the one at the beginning. Bleek lets his son take trumpet lessons, but leaves it up to him whether he practices or not.
Soundtrack
The soundtrack was recorded by the Branford Marsalis Quartet and Terence Blanchard . In 1991 the soundtrack ( Music from Mo 'Better Blues , Columbia CK46792) was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for "Best Jazz Album".
- Harlem Blues ( WC Handy ; vocals: Cynda Williams ) 4:50
- Say Hey (Branford Marsalis) 3:18
- Knocked Out the Box (Branford Marsalis) 1:35
- Again, Never ( Bill Lee ) 3:54
- Mo 'Better Blues (Bill Lee) 3:40
- Pop Top 40 (Spike Lee / Branford Marsalis; vocals: Denzel Washington , Wesley Snipes) 5:40
- Beneath the Underdog (Branford Marsalis) 5:07
- Jazz Thing ( Keith Elam / Lolis Eric Elie / Branford Marsalis / Chris E. Martin; Rap: Gang Starr ) 4:48
- Harlem Blues (Acapulco Version) (WC Handy; vocals: Cynda Williams) 4:46
Other musicians involved in the soundtrack were Kenny Kirkland (p), Robert Hurst (b), Jeff Tain Watts (dr), Clare Fischer (arr) Gang Starr (vcl), Cinda Williams (vcl), Denzel Washington, Wesley Snipes (vcl) , Mark Ledford, Tawatha Agee, B. David Whitworth (backing vcl) and the Brooklyn Crooks Choir (Tommy Hill, Sweet D., G-Mann, Born True, Kiwi) Scott Yanow wrote in Allmusic : “Although the Spike Lee film Mon 'Better Blues had a somewhat absurd ending, its depiction of the jazz life had its accurate moments and the music was generally quite rewarding. A few of the selections on this soundtrack CD are throwaways or filler, but there is also some fine playing by a modern hard bop quintet [...]. "
criticism
Representatives of Jewish organizations accused the film of anti-Semitism . Lee rejected this criticism.
Web links
- Mo 'Better Blues in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- Photos from the film on telegraph.co.uk
Individual evidence
- ↑ Sheila Benson: MOVIE REVIEW: 'Blues' Trumpets Lee's Strengths, Weaknesses . In: The Los Angeles Times . August 3, 1990. Retrieved November 21, 2010.
- ↑ Tom Lord : The Jazz Discography (online, accessed November 28, 2014)
- ^ Review of the album Music from Mo 'Better Blues by Scott Yanow at Allmusic . Retrieved November 29, 2014.
- ↑ Article in the New York Times