ROUND MIDNIGHT [1986 / 2005] [DVD] [German Release]
Award Winning Film By Director Bertrand Tavernier!
In ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT,’ real-life jazz legend Dexter Gordon brilliantly portrays the fictional tenor sax player Dale Turner [Dexter Gordon], a musician slowly losing the battle with alcoholism, estranged from his family, and hanging on by a thread in the 1950's New York jazz world. Dale Turner gets an offer to play in Paris, where, like many other black American musicians at the time, he enjoys a respect for his humanity that is not based upon the colour of his skin. A Parisian man Francis Borler [François Cluzet] who is obsessed with Dale Turner's music befriends him and attempts to save Turner from himself. Although for Dale Turner the damage is already done, his poignant relationship with the man and his young daughter re-kindles his spirit and his music as the end draws near.
FILM FACT No.1: Awards and Nominations: 1986 Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards: Win: Best Music for Herbie Hancock and Dexter Gordon. Nominated: Best Actor for Dexter Gordon. Nominated: Best Cinematography for Bruno de Keyzer. 1986 National Board of Review, USA: Win: NBR Award for Top Ten Films. 1986 New York Film Critics Circle Awards: Nominated: Best Foreign Language Film. 1986 Venice Film Festival: Win: Pasinetti Award for Best Film for Bertrand Tavernier. Nominated: Golden Lion Award for Bertrand Tavernier. 1987 Academy Awards®: Win: Best Music, Original Score for Herbie Hancock. Nominated: Best Actor in a Leading Role got Dexter Gordon. 1987 BAFTA Awards: Nominated: BAFTA Film Award for Best Score for Herbie Hancock. 1987 César Awards, France: Win: Best Sound (Meilleur son) for Bernard Le Roux, Claude Villand, Michel Desrois amd William Flageollet. Nominated: Best Production Design (Meilleurs décors) for Alexandre Trauner. Nominated: Best Editing (Meilleur montage) for Armand Psenny. 1987 David di Donatello Awards: Win: Best Foreign Actor (Migliore Attore Straniero) for Dexter Gordon. 1987 Golden Globes Awards: Nominated: Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture in a Drama for Dexter Gordon. Nominated: Best Original Score for a Motion Picture for Herbie Hancock. 1987 Image Awards (NAACP): Nominated: Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture for Sandra Reaves-Phillips. Nominated: Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture for Dexter Gordon. 1987 Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists: Win: Silver Ribbon Award for Best Foreign Director (Regista del Miglior Film Straniero) for Bertrand Tavernier. Win: Silver Ribbon Award for Best Foreign Actor (Migliore Attore Straniero) for Dexter Gordon. 1988 Bodil Awards: Win: Best European Film (Bedste europæiske film) for Bertrand Tavernier (director). 1988 Sant Jordi Awards: Win: Best Foreign Actor (Mejor Actor Extranjero) for Dexter Gordon.
FILM FACT No.2: ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ was filmed in Paris and New York City. Director Bertrand Tavernier defied the film studio by insisting that real-life jazz tenor saxophonist Dexter Gordon plays the role of Dale Turner. Dexter Gordon, who himself played with Bud Powell in Paris in the early 1960’s (and earlier in their careers), helped to revise and rewrite the script. The supporting cast is likewise composed of jazz musicians, mainly from the generation which followed Dexter Gordon and Bud Powell, such as Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, John McLaughlin, and Wayne Shorter, among others who perform the music throughout the film. The musicians are joined by actors François Cluzet, Gabrielle Haker, Sandra Reaves-Phillips, Lonette McKee, and Christine Pascal. The score for the film was composed by Herbie Hancock. The soundtrack was in two parts with “Round Midnight” and “The Other Side of Round Midnight” and released under Dexter Gordon's name and featuring his last recordings, although he does not appear on all tracks. Both albums were produced and arranged by Herbie Hancock. Trivia: look for Martin Scorsese in a small role near the end of the film.
Cast: Dexter Gordon, François Cluzet, Gabrielle Haker, Sandra Reaves-Phillips, Lonette McKee, Christine Pascal, Herbie Hancock, Bobby Hutcherson, Pierre Trabaud, Frédérique Meininger, Hart Leroy Bibbs, Liliane Rovère, Ged Marlon, Benoît Régent, Victoria Gabrielle Platt, Arthur French, John Berry, Martin Scorsese, Philippe Noiret, Alain Sarde, Eddy Mitchell (L'ivrogne au bar du Blue Note), Billy Higgins (Drums Blue Note at Davout Studio), Eric Lelann (Trumpet Blue Note), John McLaughlin (Guitar Blue Note), Pierre Michelot (Bass Blue Note), Wayne Shorter (Tenor Saxophone Blue Note), Ron Carter (Bass at Davout Studio, New York), Palle Mikkelborg (Trumpet at Davout Studio, New York), Mads Vinding (Bass at Davout Studio, Lyon), Cheikh Fall (Percussion from Lyon), Michel Pérez (Guitar from Lyon), Tony Williams (Drums from Lyon and New York), Freddie Hubbard (Trumpet from New York), Cedar Walton (Piano from New York), Charles Belonzi (actor), Arno Chevrier (actor), Marpessa Djian (actor), Guy Louret (actor), Patrick Massieu (actor), Philippe Moreau (actor), Jacques Poitrenaud (actor), Luc Sarot (actor), Jimmy Slyde (actor), Pascal Tedes (actor), Pascale Vignal (actor), Noël Simsolo (actor), (actor), Martine Guillaud (actor), Jacky Terrasson (Extra), Marcel Zanini (actor) and Marc-Édouard Nabe (Extra) (uncredited)
Director: Bertrand Tavernier
Producer: Irwin Winkler
Screenplay: Bertrand Tavernier (screenplay), David Rayfiel (screenplay) and Colo Tavernier (French translation)
Composer: Herbie Hancock (composed music, arranged and conducted)
Costume Design: Jacqueline Moreau
Cinematography: Bruno de Keyzer (Director of Photography)
Image Resolution: 1080i
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 (Anamorphic)
Audio: English: 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio
French: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
German: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Italian: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Spanish: 2.0 Dolby Digital Stereo Audio
Subtitles: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and Dutch
Running Time: 126 minutes
Region: PAL
Number of discs: 1
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures / Warner Home Video
Andrew’s DVD Review: ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ [1986] is a story that akes place in Paris in the late 1950’s, as a veteran jazz musician named Dale Turner [Dexter Gordon) who is an aged American jazzman Dale Turner is “dying of everything, except music,” and readies himself for a stint at the Blue Note. Dale Turner is a soulful genius of the tenor sax, but he's far less capable of coaxing beauty from the rest of his life. Dale Turner is (or rather was) one of the greatest jazz musicians, a pioneer who can trace a long history playing with Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Charlie Parker. Dale Turner's also addicted to booze and drugs, and inching his way toward a lonely death in a one-room tenement. Dale Turner can barely manage to make his gigs playing with a combo in a smoky nightclub. But when Dale Turner is on that stage, we hear everything he needs to say in the sublime sounds blowing from somewhere deep inside him.
"Happiness is a nice, wet Rico reed," he says, and that's good because his music is the only happiness he's managed to hold on to. That is, until he asks a young Parisian fan — who is so broke he can't get into the club and so listens to Dale Turner through a window in the rain — to buy him a beer. The young man, Francis Borler [François Cluzet], moves from being Dale Turner’s awestruck admirer to becoming his caretaker. As Francis Borler comes to see Dale Turner's darker side and the toll it's taking, both men are transformed, Dale Turner toward improved health and personal responsibility, Francis Borler toward his own creative inspiration and accountability.
And that's what the film ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ is ultimately about — the power of personal connections through music, surrender, kindness, and inspiration. That's not to say that ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ is just a feel-good romp through descent and redemption. It's more sombrely realistic than that. It's a brooding yet warm elegy, as plaintive as a slow, low-toned ballad in a minor key. Lovingly written and directed by Bertrand Tavernier, ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ evokes a dark, soft-edged ambiance that never feels anything less than authentic, thanks in large part to real-life jazz legend Dexter Gordon's performance as Dale Turner. Sixty-three years old, Gordon's own experiences as an expatriate musician informed his performance, which earned him an Oscar nomination. Given that Dale Gordon was a professional musician, not an actor, this may be one of the more impressive starring turns of the 1980’s. Dale Gordon’s slow smoke-and-whiskey voice is as musically appropriate to ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ as his graceful saxophone.
To deepen the realism further, Bertrand Tavernier had all jazz musician roles played by real jazz musicians, such as Herbie Hancock who deservedly won the Oscar for Best Score. Every combo performance was recorded on the spot, and hearing them you know that they're the real deal. One of the script's virtues is its lack of superfluous dialogue. ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ is less talky than most films we are used to and every line counts in a story where music does so much of the speaking.
‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ is possibly the best jazz film of all time. It defines the genre and reminds me of "But Beautiful" by Geoff Dyer, capturing the essence of the musicians and a brilliant cast and the mood and life of jazz. Dexter Gordon, just being Dexter Gordon, should have won an Oscar. The music is sublime and the storyline heartbreakingly tragic ... but equally beautiful.
‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ is like a private screening invitation into the world of jazz music. Dexter Gordon is flawless and the score will take over your soul. The album “Round Midnight” arranged by Herbie Hancock” is a must have in the jazz lovers collection. This film is soulful and poignant rendition of African American talent gaining some deserved recognition and acclaim in Paris. The music score by Herbie Hancock alone carries an otherwise excellent portrayal of the time and place.
ROUND MIDNIGHT MUSIC TRACK LIST
ROUND MIDNIGHT (Written by Thelonious Monk, Cootie Williams and Bernard Hanighen) [Performed by Bobby McFerrin]
AS TIME GOES BY (Written by Herman Hupfeld)
SOCIETY RED (Written by Dexter Gordon)
FAIRWEATHER (Written by Kenny Dorham) [Performed by Chet Baker]
NOW’S THE TIME (Written by Charlie Parker)
UNA NOCHE CON FRANCES (Written by Bud Powell)
AUTUMN IN NEW YORK (Written by Vernon Duke)
MINUIT AUX CHAMPS ELESSEY (Written by Henri Renaud)
BODY AND SOUL (Written by Edward Heyman, Robert Sour, Frank Eyton and Johnny Green)
I COVER THE WATERFRONT (Written by Edward Heyman and Johnny Green) [Performed by Guy Marchand}
WATERMELON MAN (Written by Herbie Hancock)
THE PEACOCKS (Written by Jimmy Rowles)
IT’S ONLY A PAPER MOON (Written by Billy Rose, E.Y. Harburg and Harold Arlen)
TIVOLI (Written by Dexter Gordon)
HOW LONG HAS THIS BEEN GOING ON? (Written by Ira Gershwin and George Gershwin) [Performed by Lonette McKee and also performed by Jimmy Gourley]
PUT IT RIGHT HERE (Written by Bessie Smith) [Performed by Sandra Reaves-Phillips]
RYYTHM-A-NIMG (Written by Thelonious Monk)
I LOVE PARIS (Music by Cole Porter) [Lyrics by Cole Porter]
I LOVE A PARTY (Written by Herbie Hancock and Chan Parker)
WHAT IS THIS THING CALLED LOVE? (Written by Cole Porter) [Performed by Bobby McFerrin]
CHAN’S SONG ("Never Said") Written by Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder) [Performed by Bobby McFerrin]
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DVD Image Quality – Warner Bros. Pictures presents us the film ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ with a wonderful 1080i image and is truly shown with and awesome 2.35:1 (Anamorphic) aspect ratio. This is a very basic visual experience, but as far as the flick goes, this transfer handles all the details rather well. The colours remain very natural and never too bright, but they look good and never bleed, so no complaints. I found this to be darker than I remembered from a television airing, but that seems to be an improvement, as the visuals seem more refined this way. I did see a couple small flaws, but nothing to be worried about and in the end; this is another superb transfer from Warner Bros. Pictures. Please Note: Playback PAL: This will not play on most Blu-ray players sold in North America, Central America, South America, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Southeast Asia. Learn more about Blu-ray region specifications.
DVD Audio Quality – Warner Bros. Pictures brings us the film ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ with a totally delightful remastered jazz sounds in 5.1 Dolby Digital Audio experiences that has been supervised by Herbie Hancock, and gives the audio a really powerful and flawless soundtrack. This is mainly a music and dialogue fuelled release and as such, it is a really good one, with no real complaints here. Unlike a lot of these remixed tracks, this one sounds very natural and full, never forced in anyway at least. I was very pleased with the music presentation, as it comes off very rich and immersive here, which of course adds a lot to the film’s impact. The dialogue is crisp as well and the sound effects come across very well, but the real focus here is the music, which is terrific in this wonderful audio mix.
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DVD Special Features and Extras:
Special Feature: Cast & Crew: Here we get the basic information about who appeared in the film, composer, screenwriter and director. When you click on each name, you get an in-depth information on their career.
Special Feature: Awards: Here you just a very basic information of the two main awards the film received.
Finally, ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ is of course the music’s and the main aspect of the film, and is also very impressive and with an Oscar for his work here, Herbie Hancock is right on the money with this score. But then again, who better to score a jazz based film than Hancock, who is one of the more famous musicians in the realm. In addition to his work on the musical side of the film, Hancock also appears within it and in truth, his acting holds up well and I was glad to see him here. The cast here also includes Sandra Reeves-Phillips [‘Lean on Me’], Christine Pascal [‘Black Thursday’ and ‘Nothing But Lies’], Francois Cluzet [‘Sweet Idleness’ and ‘Bastard Brood’], Gabrielle Haker, Bobby Hutcherson, and in a unique turn, famed filmmaker Martin Scorsese also appears within ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT.’ The main star here however, is musician Dexter Gordon, who performs well here as both an actor and a musician. ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT’ is a welcome addition to Warner's jazz-related releases, and it's a fitting companion to Warner's Blu-ray edition of ‘Bird.’ Very Highly Recommended!
Andrew C. Miller – Your Ultimate No.1 Film Aficionado
Le Cinema Paradiso
United Kingdom
