Chet is a good place to hear baker s special way with the horn, and is made even more attractive with the presence and contributions of top jazz artists. Ethan hawke stars in robert budreaus chet baker biopic born to. Jul 20, 2016 he was the hypnotic trumpeter with a divine voice who lost it all to heroin. I dont think its exactly deceptive, but selling this as a chet baker album is a little off the truth. Last years 40th anniversary of the toronto international film festival, based on my selections, felt more like a. The title is derived from the song lets get lost by jimmy mchugh and frank loesser from the 1943 film happy go lucky, which baker recorded for pacific records. Born to be blue tells the tragic and trueish story of chet baker the. Sep 14, 2015 cast in the movie of his life, chet ethan hawke is hired to be an actor. Sep 15, 2015 chet baker had a roller coaster of a career, the peaks fueled by his heartfelt ability to play the trumpet and the valleys deepened by his addiction to heroin. Toronto international film festival news tiff 2015 the. As ethan hawke plays chet baker in born to be blue, he talks about perfection versus charisma and the perils of. This collection of fifteen songs, by chet baker on trumpet, and bill evans on piano, was recorded over four days back in 1958 and 1959. The structure of the film is a clever one as well, working in a movie shoot in the 1960s in which chet is playing himself in his heyday a. Cast in the movie of his life, chet ethan hawke is hired to be an actor.
Ethan hawke stars as jazz icon and heroin addict chet baker in this. Produced for television in the netherlands in the early. Ethan hawke is an utterly magnetic screen presence as chet baker, the legendary trumpeter and singer who, after becoming a jazz icon in the 1950s, became equally famous for his drug addiction. Reviews out of tiff, where born to be blue premiered last year, suggest chet baker could go down as one of hawkes finest performances yet. Ethan hawke stars as chet baker in this remarkably creative reimagining of the legendary jazz.
Chet baker tp, lars gullin bs, glauco masetti as, romano mussolini p, franco cerri b, jimmy pratt dr. Ethan hawke studied for months to portray jazz musician chet baker in the drama born to be blue, which opens today. Download premium images you cant get anywhere else. His inability to act, however, is a problem that is shortlived. Tiff 2015 taps ellen page, ethan hawke films for canadian. Born to be blue starring ethan hawke is a reimagining of jazz trumpeter chet baker s life in the 60s. An introduction, played at tiff 15, while he also personified the late jazz trumpeter chet baker that year in born to be blue. Chet baker sextet chet baker sextet releases discogs. In this watchable biopic, the troubled jazz trumpeter makes a tempestuous comeback, embracing drugs, sex, fame and music. In born to be blue, canadian writerdirector robert budreau reimagines a pivotal low period in bakers life, the mid to late 1960s, when he was struggling with heroin addiction and a stalled. Ethan hawke as jazz legend chet baker in new born to be. The 2015 toronto international film festival has made some additions to its already stellar lineup. The film premiered at tiff but never got any real buzz. The film is about american jazz musician chet baker, portrayed by hawke plot.
The long saga of the attempts to bring the life of chet baker to the screen has. He was the hypnotic trumpeter with a divine voice who lost it all to heroin. Born to be blue stars ethan hawke as chet baker at tiff. Born to be blue star ethan hawke could contend at indie awards if film finds buyer. Ethan hawke plays baker at the frayed end of his addiction in a fictionalised alternative reality.
Born to be blue tells the tragic and trueish story of chet baker. Ethan hawke on playing chet baker in born to be blue variety. Apr 25, 2019 this new film essentially invents a midpoint between bakers heartthrob heyday and the broken man in webers dreamlike documentary. Are there other films about jazz that inspired you. Tiff 2015, toronto international film festival most popular when quentin tarantino first tried to direct. The film premieres today at the toronto international film festival, and below budreau talks jazz and biopics. He became famous with the gerry mulligan quartet in 1952. With this film, we are locked, a little dispiritingly, into a sombre narrative from the outset. During the toronto international film festival i talked to writer and director robert budreau about his film born to be blue, which stars ethan hawke as blues legend chet baker. Tiff 2015 adds born to be blue, into the forest collider.
When chet stars in a film about himself, a romance heats. It certainly did for chet baker, the subject of robert budreaus very good born to be blue, a film anchored by one of ethan hawkes best. Mar 11, 2009 from the laserdisc chet baker in tokyo 1987. Apr 20, 2016 ethan hawke as chet baker in born to be blue. Ifc films has debuted a trailer for the indie film born to be blue, which stars ethan hawke as jazz legend chat baker. Ethan hawke on playing chet baker in born to be blue. The movie is shelved after bakers beaten to a pulp by. As one of the largest international film festivals throughout asia and.
Production is shelved when chet s past comes back to haunt him and it appears he may never play music again but jane challenges. Chet baker is an actor, known for the starvation proclamation. Born to be blue, a dark drama about the legendary jazz trumpeter chet baker that was written and directed by canadian filmmaker robert budreau, had its world premiere at the toronto international. The film, starring ethan hawke, aims to capture the spirit, not necessarily the details, of the jazz geniuss life. Chet baker was a primary exponent of the west coast school of cool jazz in the early and mid50s. Chet baker had a roller coaster of a career, the peaks fueled by his heartfelt ability to play the trumpet and the valleys deepened by his addiction to heroin. Aug 05, 2015 the 2015 toronto international film festival has made some additions to its already stellar lineup. The killing joke premieres, four almodovar films go digital, and more. On the eve of a new biopic starring ethan hawke, heres an introduction to the. When chet stars in a film about himself, a romance heats up with his costar, the enigmatic jane carmen ejogo. Burrell and baker also collaborate on a moving rendition of september song. Chet baker born december 23, 1929, yale, oklahoma, usa died may, 1988, amsterdam, netherlands was an american jazz trumpeter and singer. By that i mean, these are soundtracks from the great piero umiliani, some of which feature chet baker.
December 23, 1929 may, 1988 was an american jazz trumpeter and vocalist. Last years 40th anniversary of the toronto international film festival, based on my selections, felt more like a celebration of music than cinema. In his innovative antibiopic, director robert budreau zeroes in on bakers life at a key moment in. Sep 06, 2018 of the 342 films shown over 10 days at the 2018 toronto international film festival tiff, there are two big music ones. Baker earned much attention and critical praise through the 1950s, particularly for albums featuring his vocals chet baker sings, it could happen to you. Jimi hendrix, chet baker and premiered docs on musics biggest acts. Interview with my foolish heart director rolf van eijk. Before it arrived in tokyo, this movie which soon will be released internationally by ifc films was shown in the toronto international film festival 2015, in special presentations section. Its carving a segment of chet bakers downhill career due to heroin. Sep, 2015 the structure of the film is a clever one as well, working in a movie shoot in the 1960s in which chet is playing himself in his heyday a decade prior, the presentday junkie version now trying to. During the geneva international film festival, the actor and director sat down with vague visages to talk about the challenges of bringing another side of bakers life to the screen while also attempting to make an intriguing mystery film. Tokyo international film festival tiff has now reached its 28th edition since 1985. Ethan hawke gets to the heart of chet baker the star.
Tiff is a charitable cultural organization with a mission to transform the way people see the world, through film. Born to be blue wisely doesnt try to arc the entire career of baker, starting years after he began his battle with drugs, but before his comeback in the 70s. Feb 14, 2016 ifc films has debuted a trailer for the indie film born to be blue, which stars ethan hawke as jazz legend chat baker. Ethan hawke delivers one of his best performances yet as the late chet baker.
Canadian films headed to the toronto international film festival this year include a survival tale from patricia rozema starring ellen page, a political satire from philippe falardeau, a horror. Very rare video and much better treatment of chet baker as far as his trumpet playing and innate and natural talent than was lets get lost. Born to be blue is a 2015 internationally coproduced drama film directed, produced and written by robert budreau. Born to be blue tells the tragic and trueish story of. Ethan hawkes portrayal of jazz trumpeter chet baker in the biopic born to be blue and ellen pages into the forest will screen during the 10day extravaganza, as will projects by bruce. The toronto international film festival tiff was a strange one this year. Interview with my foolish heart director rolf van eijk and. Get your team aligned with all the tools you need on one secure, reliable video platform. Sep 16, 2015 born to be blue, a dark drama about the legendary jazz trumpeter chet baker that was written and directed by canadian filmmaker robert budreau, had its world premiere at the toronto international. Ethan hawke as jazz legend chet baker in new born to be blue. On the flipside, to have a film unfurl like a banal scrapbook. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events.
Ethan hawke stars in robert budreaus chet baker biopic born to be blue. He began his career in the early 1950s and played together with charlie parker and gerry mulligan. He took lessons in playing the trumpet and singing, talked to some of baker. Born to be blue is a 2015 internationally coproduced drama film directed, produced and. Onthisday in 2015, the film about chet baker born to be blue had its premiere at the toronto international film festival tiff. Find highquality chet baker stock photos and editorial news pictures from getty images. Of the 342 films shown over 10 days at the 2018 toronto international film festival tiff, there are two big music ones. Born to be blue starring ethan hawke is a reimagining of jazz trumpeter chet bakers life in the 60s.
Mar 11, 2016 ethan hawke gets to the heart of chet baker. Starring ethan hawke as the real life of legendary trumpeter chet baker. Carmen ejogo, ethan hawke, tiff, tiff 2015, toronto international film festival. As ethan hawke plays chet baker in born to be blue, he talks about perfection versus charisma. Chet baker bill evans the complete legendary sessions. It was shown in the special presentations section of the 2015 toronto international film festival. Budreau, who crafted a bakerfocused short before this feature, opens in 1954, in the midst of bakers whirlwind ascent. Before ethan hawke could play legendary jazz artist chet baker in the new movie born to be blue, he had to learn how to play the trumpet. Ethan hawke lights up the screen as jazz legend chet baker, whose. Mar 10, 2016 born to be blue tells the tragic and trueish story of chet baker. The film premiered at tiff but never got any real buzz this is the first. Chet baker i get along without you very well by betttyblue. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open and connected. Join facebook to connect with tiff baker and others you may know.
What are thoughts in general about artist biopics what works, what doesnt work and how did those thoughts affect the strategies youve used to tell the story of chet baker in born to be blue. With this film, we are locked, a little dispiritingly, into a sombre narrative from. Mar 25, 2016 ethan hawke studied for months to portray jazz musician chet baker in the drama born to be blue, which opens today. Why did you choose chet baker as the subject of your first feature film, my foolish heart. The film is about american jazz musician chet baker, portrayed by hawke. Ethan hawke gives the performance of his career as chet baker in born to be blue. As a trumpeter, he had a generally restrained, intimate playing style and he attracted attention beyond jazz for his photogenic looks and singing.