Bird (1988)
Genre: Biography / Drama
Duration: 161 minuten
Country:
United States
Directed by: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora and Michael Zelniker
IMDb score:
7,1 (14.309)
Releasedate: 1 July 1988
Bird plot
Saxophonist Charlie Parker arrives in New York in 1940. He is quickly noticed by his remarkable playing style. He becomes addicted to drugs but his loving wife Chan tries to help him.
Actors and actresses
Charlie 'Bird' Parker
Chan Parker
Buster Franklin
Young Bird
Red Rodney
Dizzy Gillespie
Brewster
Esteves
Kim
Dr. Heath
Reviews & comments
Film Pegasus (moderator films)
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- 31191 messages
- 5473 votes
Eastwood is good at such films. Strong dramas with an underdog and in this case a large portion of jazz. Or rather be-bop with Charlie Parker. The biopic lasts 161 minutes and that is quite long. I don't know what audience Eastwood wants to reach, although I think he mainly did it for himself. I miss a bit of the convincing role of the director who wants to get his audience excited about the artist in the picture. Don't get me wrong, Charlie Parker is a great musician. But the film will only amuse enthusiasts and will not attract new fans. Which other musical biopics sometimes succeed in doing. And then the long film is too long for what it wants to do, bring a drama about the life of an addicted musician...
Translated from Dutch · View original
scorsese
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- 13232 messages
- 11124 votes
Good film about the life of the famous saxophonist Charlie 'Bird' Parker. Although there is quite a bit of jazz to be heard, this biopic focuses more on the drug addiction with which this talented musician struggles. Enough beautiful scenes, but the film is also a bit long-winded and long. Forest Whitaker plays a fine title role, but Diane Venora as his wife should certainly not go unmentioned.
Translated from Dutch · View original
blurp194
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- 5543 messages
- 4226 votes
I found this new way of extending the chord changes so it was like - a whole new song. And it still fit.
I've never really been able to do anything with Charlie Parker's jazz, but with this explanation I'm at least starting to understand something. Not that I suddenly find it beautiful, that's a big step further. Just the first bit of understanding.
That makes the film a long sit. For that time quite clever and daring that the saxophone you hear are the original recordings of Parker himself with a band mixed underneath. Clearly this film was a labor of love for Clint, a clearer answer than that to the question 'who did Clint make this film for' is not necessary. And perhaps he would be happy to know that the music of his hero has become a little more famous because of this film.
Whitaker is rightly praised for his performance, and all the actors are doing a good job. Clint's direction is also excellent - and as always solid but also unsurprising. And he puts the drama on well, the scene where Bird returns to his old cutting and seeing 'Buster Franklin' play is just downright harrowing.
The closer during the credits, 'Parker's Mood', does get to me though. Nice trick with the beat and the melody - which may bring me back to where I started.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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