Charles MingusFilmography

Art City, Vol. 2: Simplicity

Crew: Featured Music

Actors: Richard Tuttle, Agnes Martin, John Baldessari, Amy Adler, Robert Williams

Synopsis: Art City, Vol. 2: Simplicity documents the studios and work habits of numerous modern artists including Robert Williams, Joan Snyder, and Richard Tuttle. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide Read More

Art City, Vol. 3: A Ruling Passion

Crew: Featured Music

Actors: Dave Hickey, Marcia Tucker, David Alan Grier

Synopsis: The makers of Art City, Vol. 3: A Ruling Passion features interviews with modern artists talking about their inspirations and the motifs present throughout their bodies of work. The filmmakers sit down with artists as diverse as Ed Ruscha, Louise Bourgeois, and Michael Ray Charles. ~ Perry Read More

Thranes Metode

Crew: Featured Music

Actors: Björn Sundquist, Petronella Barker, Nils Ole Oftebro, Kai Remlov, Hege Schoyen

Synopsis: Based on a short story by noted Norwegian writer Oystein Lonn, Thranes Metode/Thrane's Method concerns the slowly developing attraction between two people living in the same apartment building. Thrane (Bjorn Sundquist) has money but no job, and has spent much of his life drifting from one place to Read More

Dizzy Gillespie/Charlie Mingus: Concert and Jam Sessions on Video

Charles Mingus: Triumph of the Underdog

Actors: Charles Mingus, Gunther Schuller, Sue Mingus, Celia Mingus Zaentz, John Handy, Dannie Richmond

Synopsis: The focus of filmmaker Don McGlynn's fourth documentary on a musical figure is arguably one of the greatest composers of the 20th century, Charles Mingus. The mad/genius, poet/musician forever changed American popular music and jazz with his classical influence, devotion to Duke Ellington, and Read More

A Great Day in Harlem

Actors: Milt Hinton, Dizzy Gillespie, Sonny Rollins

Synopsis: A Great Day in Harlem is a wonderful documentary about a seemingly ho-hum subject -- the taking of a photograph. Even when the photograph in question involves some of the greatest jazz musicians who ever lived, building a film around a static subject like a photograph is not an easy task. Jean Bach Read More

On the Road with Jack Kerouac: King of the Beats

Crew: Featured Music

Synopsis: Jack Kerouac penned such books as On the Road and The Dharma Bums, which captured the essence of the bohemian life that he came to personify. This documentary follows him on the road from the life of a beatnik in New York City, and across the country to California, as he set out to find America Read More

Americans in Europe, Vol. 1

Masters of American Music: The Story of Jazz

Crew: Musical Performer

Synopsis: This video documents the evolution of jazz. It began in 19th century New Orleans, where the slaves first introduced the rhythms of African music. Story of Jazz follows the developement of jazz music from the blending together of African rhythms, European and American folk, and classical styles. Read More

Mo' Better Blues

Crew: Featured Music

Actors: Denzel Washington, Spike Lee, Wesley Snipes, Joie Lee, Cynda Williams

Synopsis: Spike Lee's 1990 directing effort is a jazz film, the story of a fictional trumpeter named Bleek Gilliam (Denzel Washington). He leads a quintet at the Beneath the Underground club with a flashy saxophonist named Shadow Henderson (Wesley Snipes). Though Shadow takes a few too many solos Read More

Charles Mingus: Epitaph

Crew: Composer (Music Score)

Synopsis: This concert program features a one-time-only performance by a group of over 30 jazz musicians, performing in tribute to legendary bassist Charles Mingus in honor of the 30th anniversary of his death. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide Read More

Schlaflose Nachte

Crew: Featured Music

Actors: Rudolf Nadler, Anne Knaak, Cordula Stepanek, Andreas Herder, Matthias Tiefenbacher

Synopsis: A group of young, wealthy and well-employed young Berliners finds themselves without deep or intimate relationships, despite constant attempts to initiate them. The problem seems to be an inability to know themselves deeply enough. The main story concerns the frustrations of a young assistant film Read More

No Picnic

Crew: Featured Music

Actors: David Brisbin

Synopsis: In this small, independent production by a first-time director and the co-owner of a New York city music club named The Great Jones Cafe, a young man attempts to make his way in the music business and in the midst of his struggles becomes acquainted with all sorts of would-be musicians, great Read More

Absolute Beginners

Crew: Featured Music

Actors: Eddie O'Connell, Patsy Kensit, David Bowie, James Fox, Ray Davies

Synopsis: The rise of teen culture in 1950s Britain provides the backdrop for Julien Temple's unconventional rock musical Absolute Beginners. The film centers on Colin, an 18-year-old with a talent for photography and a fondness for the neon nightlife of British jazz clubs. He also is in love with Crepe Read More

Stations of the Elevated

Crew: Featured Music

Synopsis: This impressionistic documentary is presented by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Director Manfred Kirchheimer has created a study in motion of the graffiti tattooing New York subway trains, set to the jazz of the legendary Charles Mingus. The program approaches graffiti not as vandalism, but Read More

All You Need is Love: The Story of Popular Music: Jungle Music (Jazz)

Actors: Charles Mingus, Charlie "Bird" Parker, Chick Corea, Count Basie, Dave Brubeck

Synopsis: This documentary about the history of popular music in America focuses on the evolution of jazz music that took place throughout the South, taking a look at the broader musical principles that first set the style of music apart. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide Read More

Charles Mingus: Live at Montreux 1975

Actors: Charles Mingus

Synopsis: Charles Mingus, one of the legendary figures in jazz history, performs on this concert film that documents his 1975 appearance at the Montreux Jazz Festival. The set list consists of six songs: "For Harry Carney," "Devil Blues," "Free Cell Block F," "Sue's Changes," "Goodbye Pork Pie Hat," and Read More

Bill Evans Trio/Charles Mingus: European Nights 1964-71

Actors: Bill Evans, Charles Mingus

Synopsis: This title presents live performances by various jazz combos that featured with Bill Evans or Charles Mingus. Among the songs featured are "Pithecantropus Erectus," "How Deep Is the Ocean," and "My Foolish Heart." ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide Read More

Mingus (Charlie Mingus)

Crew: Composer (Music Score)

Synopsis: This revealing documentary of the progressive jazz bassist Charles Mingus follows the musician for several days. The film opens up with Mingus and his young daughter getting evicted from his New York apartment loft for non-payment of rent. The camera follows him to the outskirts of Boston for a Read More

Jazz Icons: Charles Mingus - Live in '64

Actors: Charles Mingus, Jaki Byard, Dannie Richmond, Johnny Coles, Clifford Jordan

Charles Mingus: Orange Was the Colour of Her Dress

Actors: Charles Mingus

Synopsis: This title serves up four songs performed live by various combos all featuring the legendary Charles Mingus. Culled from three different live appearances, the setlist includes "I'll Remember," "Meditations," and "Orange Was the Colour of Her Dress." ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide Read More

All Night Long

Actors: Charles Mingus, Dave Brubeck, Patrick McGoohan, Marti Stevens, Betsy Blair

Synopsis: The British All Night Long is Othello to a jazz beat. Paul Harris is the Othello counterpart, a bandleader happily married to "Desdemona" Marti Stevens. Patrick McGoohan plays the film's funky Iago character, who covets Harris' job. McGoohan hopes to unnerve Harris by spreading rumors that Stevens Read More

Shadows

Crew: Composer (Music Score)

Actors: Lelia Goldoni, Ben Carruthers, Anthony Ray, Hugh Hurd, Rupert Crosse

Synopsis: Shadows was John Cassavetes' first directorial effort. Like his later critically acclaimed films Faces and Husbands, Cassavetes fills the screen with probing, unflattering closeups. Unlike his other films, however, Shadows zips along at 87 minutes, avoiding the pitfall of putting the director's Read More