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Bird
1988
Charlie Bird Parker had been a hero of Clint Eastwood's since childhood, and Eastwood, having been disappointed in such jazz biopics as YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN, really wanted to make a true jazz fan's movie about the music. He cast Forest Whitaker as Parker, the legendary alto sax player, and Diane Venora as Chan, Parker's wife. .. Read more
| Starring | Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Michael Zelniker |
|---|---|
| Director | Clint Eastwood |
| Genres | Drama, Music/Musical |
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Bird
Charlie Bird Parker had been a hero of Clint Eastwood's since childhood, and Eastwood, having been disappointed in such jazz biopics as YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN, really wanted to make a true jazz fan's movie about the music. He cast Forest Whitaker as Parker, the legendary alto sax player, and Diane Venora as Chan, Parker's wife. The film shows how Parker, a genius who changed the face of modern music, was hampered and eventually destroyed by his appetite for women, food, and drugs. The two leads do a great job giving a recognizable human face to the characters' complex relationship. With wit and warmth, BIRD tells the story in direct and honest terms, avoiding all sentimentality. Eastwood's love of Parker's music comes across in the tremendous care that he and composer Lennie Niehaus took with reconstructing it, using Parker's original solos. Eastwood and cinematographer Jack N. Green also patterned the dark, moody look of the film after old photos of musicians who used to appear in jazz magazines. Music lovers will be thrilled with the result, and movie lovers will find plenty to engage them in this moving tale of a great man battling his demons.
| Starring | Forest Whitaker, Diane Venora, Michael Zelniker |
|---|---|
| Director | Clint Eastwood |
| Studio | WARNER HOME VIDEO |
| Run time | DVD: 2 hrs 34 mins |
| Certificate |  |
| Genres | Drama, Music/Musical |
| Language | DVD: English |
| Released | Production year: 1988 To Rent: DVD: 21 May 2007 |
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Most helpful member's review
View all members' reviews (15) -
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- 12
- 0
Clint takes a holiday.
How can a man who played Dirty Harry be responsible for directing work of this quality? It beggars belief that we haven't seen more of this sensitive, ... read more »
- 128816
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[Highly rated reviewer]
- Phil King
- Kettering, England
- 29 Jul 2005 at 00:48
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Most recent members' reviews
View all members' reviews (15) -
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- 0
- 0
Bird of a Feather
Heavy going but quite a wonderful film. Charlie 'Bird' Parker was certainly his own legend.
Unless you're into jazz give it a miss. - 1025658
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- Emjay69
- 320 reviews
- Kidlington, Oxford
- 05 Aug 2011 at 15:06
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- 0
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Should have been better
Being a jazz fan I decided to give this film a go. I have to say that I agree with another reviewer who complained about the flashbacks. I found it difficult to... read more »
- 968786
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- Taylor74
- 3 reviews
- Flintshire
- 28 Feb 2011 at 15:38
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- 1
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Sad .. Obvioulsy
I knock off stars here for only one reason - the focus was almost entirely on the sad aspects of life ; it was rather a dark film. There were too many flashback... read more »
- 868804
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- Jimmy223
- 10 reviews
- London
- 04 Mar 2010 at 14:59
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News and features
View all
The Last King of Scotland
- 08 Jan 2007
A big, hulking actor with a lazy eye, Forest Whitaker has always been a very physical actor - when you think of his performances, you think of how he carries himself. The way he seemed to pour himself into the saxophone in Clint Eastwood's Charlie Parker biopic, Bird, for example; or his solitary grace in Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai; or the way he bigs it up to out-hustle Paul Newman in The Color of Money. In The Last King of Scotland Whitaker plays Idi Amin, the former British army... Read more
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Bird
Charlie Bird Parker had been a hero of Clint Eastwood's since childhood, and Eastwood, having been disappointed in such jazz biopics as YOUNG MAN WITH A HORN, really wanted to make a true jazz fan's movie about the music. He cast Forest Whitaker as Parker, the legendary alto sax player, and Diane ...
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