This movie isn't a filmed rendition of Rollins' classic album, but rather a documentary that delves into the man and his work, and features as its centerpiece a 1986 performance of his "Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra," a stunning work, which as far as I know, is currently available nowhere else. Directed by Robert Mugge, who's known for his insightful music documentaries (on blues, on Robert Johnson, Hawaiian music, zydeco and bluegrass), this is a classic work that allows the man to explain himself, and has inserts from critics that help you to gain a greater insight into what you're seeing on the screen. Impressive, and (dare I say it) educational. We get good a fully rounded portrait of one of jazz's greatest players ever, a man who pursued spirit as much as he pursued music.
Review of Saxophone Colossus
