Acting
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Documentary about the use of 3-D technology in Inferno (1953) and the advent of CinemaScope, in 1953 in the film The Robe (1953).
Jazz pianist Mary Lou Williams was a genius ahead of her time. From child prodigy to "Boogie-Woogie Queen" to groundbreaking composer to mentoring some of the greatest musicians of all time, she never ceased to astound those who heard her play. But for a Black woman in the early 1900s, life as a star did not come easy.
A documentary on the making of the 1936 film Swing Time, featuring interviews with jazz and film critic Gary Giddens, dance critic Brian Seibert, and Dorothy Fields biographer Deborah Grace Winer. This is an all-encompassing feature covering the evolution of the Hollywood musical, Astaire's and Rogers' work, and the film's music, written by Jerome Kern and Dorothy Fields.
Documentary on the making of Gigi
Brief overview of the two actors at the Fox Studio.
In 2006, jazz trumpeter Jon Faddis and critic Gary Giddins discuss the iconic Miles Davis and the critical time in his career when the score for ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS was recorded.
Bing Crosby was, without a doubt, the most popular and influential multi-media star of the first half of the twentieth century, pulling audiences in with his intimate, laid-back voice and innate charm. Narrated by Stanley Tucci and directed by Robert Trachtenberg, this film explores the life and legend of this iconic performer, revealing a personality far more complex than the image the public had only thought they'd known.
What is the influence of Jazz on Brazilian music and the influence of Brazilian music on Jazz? The documentary Zuza Homem de Jazz draws a parallel between the two universes, featuring the renowned Brazilian musicologist Zuza Homem de Mello as the protagonist. It offers an intimate look at the writer and music journalist and highlights his long connection with Jazz, that dates back to the 1950’s, when Zuza was a student at the Julliard School of Music. The film was also shot in New York, where Zuza meets old friends in the jazz circuit and revisits memorable stories.
This recently produced behind-the-scenes documentary digs into Gershwin's original work, the genesis of the cinematic adaptation, casting, the shoot, and the eventual reception of the film.
Tenor saxophone master Sonny Rollins has long been hailed as one of the most important artists in jazz history, and still, today, he is viewed as the greatest living jazz improviser. In 1986, filmmaker Robert Mugge produced Saxophone Colossus, a feature-length portrait of Rollins, named after one of his most celebrated albums.
A documentary about the legendary Jazz player Charlie (Bird) Parker.
Satchmo. There are few people in this country - or around the world - who will not recognize that name. Louis Armstrong embodied 20th-century American culture. He revolutionized the world of music and became one of the nation's most influential entertainers. No other performer of his era has such a profound effect as a singer as well as an instrumentalist.