Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988)

A documentary film about the life of pianist and jazz great Thelonious Monk. Features live performances by Monk and his band, and interviews with friends and family about the offbeat genius.

Director:

Charlotte Zwerin

Stars:

Jimmy Cleveland, Harry Colomby, John Coltrane

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Jimmy Cleveland	...	Himself (trombonist, Thelonious Monk Octet)
Harry Colomby	...	Himself (personal manager)
John Coltrane	...	Himself
Ray Copeland	...	Himself (Thelonious Monk Octet: trumpet) (archive footage)
Nica De Koenigswarter	...	Herself
Tommy Flanagan	...	Himself (duo, piano performance)
Larry Gales	...	Himself (Thelonius Monk Quartet / Thelonious Monk Octet, bass player)
Johnny Griffin	...	Himself (Thelonious Monk Octet, tenor sax)
Barry Harris	...	Himself (duo, piano performance)
Bob Jones	...	Himself (road manager)
Teo Macero	...	Himself (Columbia Records producer)
Thelonious Monk Jr.	...	Himself
Nellie Monk	...	Herself
Thelonious Monk	...	Himself (archive footage)
Frank Paccione	...	Himself-Vocalist (singing voice)

Storyline

A documentary film about the life of pianist and jazz great Thelonious Monk. Features live performances by Monk and his band, and interviews with friends and family about the offbeat genius.

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Plot Keywords:

genius | pianist | jazz | interview | europe | 

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Genres:

Documentary | Biography | Music

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

31 October 1990 (France)

Also Known As:

Straight, No Chaser

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$518,918 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Malpaso Productions, Michael Blackwood Productions, Monk Film Project

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Black and White Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

One of three 1988 Clint Eastwood movies. The films are Bird, The Dead Pool and Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser.

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Quotes

Thelonious Monk: [scribbles something on a piece of paper] Can you read that?
Nica De Koenigswarter: A beautiful message.
Thelonious Monk: If somebody can decipher that for you, you know, and say what it means, get what it means, it'll upset you. You'll flip, I mean flip for real!

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Connections

Referenced in The Usual Suspects (1995)

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Soundtracks

"On The Bean"
Written by Walter Thomas
Performed by Coleman Hawkins and Thelonious Monk
Courtesy of Prestige/Fantasy Inc.

User Reviews

THE BEST MOVIE OF THE JAZZ GENIUS

Thelonious Monk is the most important musician ever produced by this country. He is the greatest composer and the most influential musician of the jazz era. This movie is so incredible because I had not been lucky enough to have seen him before he died, and when I saw the movie I was moved to tears. No one in the movie actually admits he was schizophrenic, but it seems pretty obvious and to me, makes him even more of a genius--that he could write and perform despite his disability. It shows the deep devotion of his wife Nellie, and others who helped him, and finally, how he sank into his illness before he died. Thank you so much, Charlotte Zwerin, for making this paean to Monk. When people are still listening to him hundreds of years from now, they can see him in your wonderful movie.