Early on in “Ella Fitzgerald: Just One of Those Things,” singer Patti Austin tells the story of how Fitzgerald — traveling with a big band in the 1930s and apparently the only one on the bus with no interest in getting high — would sit in the back with her coat over her head to act as her “own personal filtration system.” That’s good for a laugh, and it’s also good for a sense of relief, in being reminded that this will be the rare film about a 20th century jazz giant that doesn’t have to worry about when to start in on the tragic foreshadowing. Living to a ripe old age, in this genre of documentary, is not just one of those things.
It’s suggested in director Leslie Woodhead’s film that Fitzgerald lived a fairly lonely life when she was off the road — but it’s...
It’s suggested in director Leslie Woodhead’s film that Fitzgerald lived a fairly lonely life when she was off the road — but it’s...
- 6/27/2020
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Jammin’ the Blues by Gjon Mili. Completed in 1944.
Gjon Mili is primarily known for his work as a photographer, particularly his portraits and experimental use of strobe lighting, much of which appeared in Life magazine.
In the book Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice, author Tad Hershorn goes into great detail in the making and release of the film. After building a career as a photographer in New York City, Mili was flown to Los Angeles by Warner Bros. to see if he would be a good motion picture director. Mili proposed a jazz film to producer Gordon Hollingshead, which the studio moved forward on. Granz, the subject of Hershorn’s book, is listed as the Technical Director of the film in the opening credits (see below).
Jammin’ the Blues was filmed over four days in September 1944, and released that December. There was some controversy surrounding...
Gjon Mili is primarily known for his work as a photographer, particularly his portraits and experimental use of strobe lighting, much of which appeared in Life magazine.
In the book Norman Granz: The Man Who Used Jazz for Justice, author Tad Hershorn goes into great detail in the making and release of the film. After building a career as a photographer in New York City, Mili was flown to Los Angeles by Warner Bros. to see if he would be a good motion picture director. Mili proposed a jazz film to producer Gordon Hollingshead, which the studio moved forward on. Granz, the subject of Hershorn’s book, is listed as the Technical Director of the film in the opening credits (see below).
Jammin’ the Blues was filmed over four days in September 1944, and released that December. There was some controversy surrounding...
- 7/16/2017
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Buddy Bregman, an arranger and composer who scored and/or orchestrated such films as The Pajama Game, The Wild Party and Born Reckless, died Sunday evening in Los Angeles after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He was 86. Bregman’s death was confirmed by his daughter, The Young and the Restless actress Tracey Bregman. Before his film work, Bregman got his start, at age 25, as the head of A&R at Norman Granz's Verve Records. While there, he worked as an arranger with…...
- 1/10/2017
- Deadline
Oscar-winning film producer behind One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus and The English Patient
The career of the film producer Saul Zaentz, who has died aged 92, was marked not only by his independence (his productions were often largely self-funded) but also by his dedication to each individual film. Unlike most producers, who have numerous projects on the go, Zaentz worked on just one at a time. This resulted in a relatively short CV but one with a high share of Oscars, including three best picture winners: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Amadeus (1984) and The English Patient (1996).
Zaentz was born in Passaic, New Jersey, the youngest of five children of Russian-Polish Jewish parents, Morris and Goldie. An avid reader and a fan of pop music, movies and sport, he ran away from home as a teenager to work at the St Louis Cardinals baseball team's training camp, then rode...
The career of the film producer Saul Zaentz, who has died aged 92, was marked not only by his independence (his productions were often largely self-funded) but also by his dedication to each individual film. Unlike most producers, who have numerous projects on the go, Zaentz worked on just one at a time. This resulted in a relatively short CV but one with a high share of Oscars, including three best picture winners: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (1975), Amadeus (1984) and The English Patient (1996).
Zaentz was born in Passaic, New Jersey, the youngest of five children of Russian-Polish Jewish parents, Morris and Goldie. An avid reader and a fan of pop music, movies and sport, he ran away from home as a teenager to work at the St Louis Cardinals baseball team's training camp, then rode...
- 1/5/2014
- by Sheila Whitaker
- The Guardian - Film News
An esteemed member of the Oscar family was lost when Saul Zaentz died of Alzheimer's at age 92 on Friday. Three times he'd won statuettes for producing Best Pictures: "The English Patient" (1985), "Amadeus" (1985) and "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (1975). Zaentz, originally hailing from Passaic, New Jersey, first broke into show business working for jazz record mogul Norman Granz. This eventually led to him purchasing Fantasy Records in 1967. The label's big act was Creedence Clearwater Revival. However, the relationship between Zaentz and the band quickly turned sour with several legal battles between the two related to bad investments, plagiarism and character defamation. Zaentz broke into the motion picture business after he saw a stage production of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" in San Francisco. He decided to produce a film adaptation along with Michael Douglas, whose father Kirk Douglas had held the mo...
- 1/4/2014
- Gold Derby
Saul Zaentz, a music producer whose second career as a filmmaker brought him Best Picture Academy Awards for One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Amadeus and The English Patient, has died. He was 92. Zaentz died Friday at his San Francisco apartment after suffering from Alzheimer's disease, Paul Zaentz, the producer's nephew and longtime business partner, told the Associated Press. Zaentz was never a prolific movie producer, but he took on classy productions, specializing in complex literary adaptations that Hollywood studios generally find too intricate to put on film. Since moving into film at age 50 with 1972's low-budget country-music drama Payday,...
- 1/4/2014
- by Associated Press
- PEOPLE.com
Single tickets for Pittsburgh Public Theater's big season-opener, Ella, go on sale Tues., Aug. 4 at 10 am. This hit bio-musical about the life and songs of Ella Fitzgerald runs Oct. 1 through Nov. 1 at the O'Reilly Theater. Directed by Rob Ruggiero, Ella will be played by Tina Fabrique. Joining her onstage are Harold Dixon as manager Norman Granz and an ensemble of actor/musicians. Single tickets are $40 to $60.
- 7/24/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
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