Round Midnight DVD

'Round Midnight
A French music lover befriends a once-great American jazz artist and attempts to save him from self-destruction in this moody drama. Saxophonist Dexter Gordon portrays Dale Turner, a fictional musician inspired by a number of famed jazz figures, including Bud Powell and Lester Young. Largely forgotten in his home country, Turner has moved to Paris in search of a more appreciative audience. He finds it in the form of Francis Borler (Francois Cluzet), a bebop aficionado who befriends the expatriate player. Borler soon becomes familiar with Turner's darker side, including his struggles with alcoholism, drug addiction, and depression. Fearing for the musician's life, the fan becomes his caretaker, an arrangement that leads to a brief improvement in Turner's health and fortunes but places great emotional strain upon them both. Director Bertrand Tavernier pays great attention to the visual and aural details of the jazz world, with outstanding musical supervision provided by Herbie Hancock. 'Round Midnight's greatest asset, however, is Gordon's Academy Award-nominated performance, informed by his own life experiences. His naturally fascinating presence combines with the film's obvious love of the music and its milieu to provide what many have hailed as one of the more authentic and affectionate presentations of the jazz world on the silver screen. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide

Cast Dexter Gordon as Dale Turner François Cluzet as Francis Borler Gabrielle Haker as Berangere Christine Pascal as Sylvie Sandra Reaves-Phillips as Buttercup Lonette McKee as Darcey Leigh John Berry as Ben Martin Scorsese as Goodley Herbie Hancock as Eddie Wayne Bobby Hutcherson as Ace Pierre Trabaud as Francis's Father Frederique Meininger as Francis's Mother Ron Carter as Himself (Bass) Billy Higgins as Drums Freddie Hubbard as Trumpet Eric Le Lann as Trumpet Pierre Michelot as Bass Palle Mikkelborg as Trumpet Mads Vinding as Bass Wayne Shorter as Tenor Saxophone (Blue Note), Soprano Saxophone (Davou Cedar Walton as Piano Tony Williams as Drums Liliane Rovere as Madame Queen Ged Marlon as Beau Hart Leroy Bibbs as Hershell Benoit Regent as Psychiatrist Victoria Gabrielle Platt as Chan Arthur French as Booker Alain Sarde as Terzian Philippe Noiret as Redon Eddy Mitchell as A Drunk

Crew Pierre Duquesne - Art Director Jacqueline Moreau - Costume Designer Frederic Bourboulon - First Assistant Director Bertrand Tavernier - Director Armand Psenny - Editor Herbie Hancock - Composer (Music Score) Dexter Gordon - Songwriter Edward Heyman - Songwriter Henri Renaud - Songwriter Bernie Hanighen - Songwriter Herbie Hancock - Songwriter Jimmy Rowles - Songwriter Stevie Wonder - Songwriter Robert Sour - Songwriter Frank Eyton - Songwriter Paul Le Marinel - Makeup Alexandre Trauner - Production Designer Monty Diamond - Production Designer Bruno de Keyzer - Cinematographer Irwin Winkler - Producer Philippe Turlure - Set Designer William Flageollet - Sound/Sound Designer Bertrand Tavernier - Screenwriter David Rayfiel - Screenwriter Cootie Williams - Featured Music Kenny Dorham - Featured Music Vernon Duke - Featured Music Harold Arlen - Featured Music George Gershwin - Featured Music Ira Gershwin - Featured Music Bessie Smith - Featured Music Johnny Green - Featured Music Billy Rose - Featured Music E.Y. "Yip" Harburg - Featured Music Herman Hupfeld - Featured Music Bud Powell - Featured Music Cole Porter - Featured Music Charlie "Bird" Parker - Featured Music Thelonious Monk - Featured Music

'Round Midnight
'Round Midnight, a film inspired by the lives of Bud Powell and Lester Young, is director Bertrand Tavernier's audio-visual lament for the impending death of jazz. Tavernier utilizes a roving camera and be-bop editing to tell this story of the relationship between a self-destructive, emotionally-disintegrating but technically-brilliant jazz legend (Dexter Gordon) living and working in exile in France, and his fawning Gaullic admirer (Francois Cluzet). A subtle chauvinism underlies the story, as America is the land that devours its genius, while France succors it. The startlingly authentic performance of real-life tenor-sax legend and non-actor Dexter Gordon in the lead role is a stroke of genius. His raspy staccato delivery captures the world-weariness of his character perfectly, while he and fellow players' superb musicianship in the key performance passages adds an important element of authenticity and verisimilitude to the proceedings (all performances were filmed live, with no post-production dubbing). Herbie Hancock's Academy Award-winning musical helmsmanship layers the film with a moody melancholia, allowing it to tell its story with jazz riffs as much as words. The story is thinly-plotted, lyrical, and romantic, guided by the spirit of the art form it celebrates. ~ Dan Jardine, All Movie Guide
 

Bernard Le Roux: French Academy of Cinema, Best Sound (winner) Claude Villand: French Academy of Cinema, Best Sound (winner) Dexter Gordon: Academy, Best Actor (nominated) Dexter Gordon: Golden Globe, Best Actor (Drama) (nominated) Dexter Gordon: L.A. Film Critics Association, Best Music Score (winner) Herbie Hancock: Academy, Best Score (winner) Herbie Hancock: British Academy Awards, Best Score (nominated) Herbie Hancock: French Academy of Cinema, Best Music (winner) Herbie Hancock: L.A. Film Critics Association, Best Music Score (winner) Michel Desrois: French Academy of Cinema, Best Sound (winner) William Flageollet: French Academy of Cinema, Best Sound (winner)

National Board of Review, Best Picture (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: English, French, Spanish, Por Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel Additional Features: Soundtrack remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1 Interactive menus Cast director film highlights Theatrical trailer Scene access Subtitles: English, Français, Español, Portuguese DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1: Cinemascope MPAA Rating: R DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 131 min   DVD Chapters: Scene Selections 0. Scene Selections 1. Credits ('Round Midnight). [2:02] 2. No cold eyes. [2:15] 3. Paris 1959. [3:05] 4. As Time Goes By. [5:32] 5. On the outside (Society Red). [3:59] 6. Good like before. [3:56] 7. Buy me a beer (Now's the Time). [3:57] 8. Una Noche con Francis. [3:25] 9. I'll have the same. [2:27] 10. Still Time; bebop and the Army. [3:00] 11. Bad news, sad news. [2:16] 12. Autumn in New York. [3:52] 13. Missing (Berangere's Nightmare). [2:55] 14. An invitation. [3:47] 15. Three for dinner (Minuit aux Champs-Elysses, Berangere's Nightmare). [4:37] 16. Body and Soul. [4:13] 17. His inspiration. [5:24] 18. Checking out. [2:37] 19. The tree inside (The Peacocks). [1:21] 20. Missing again. [2:12] 21. His life and love. [3:39] 22. Don't cry for me. [1:54] 23. Tivoli. [3:03] 24. Art appreciation. [1:57] 25. Some changes made. [4:20] 26. How Long Has This Been Going On? (I). [:37] 27. Keeping company with Darcey. [2:54] 28. How Long Has This Been Going On? (II). [2:12] 29. House party (Put It Right Here). [2:02] 30. Too much fun (Chan's Song). [3:33] 31. The recording studio. [1:37] 32. 'Round Midnight. [3:09] 33. Birthday wishes. [2:04] 34. Manhattan; R.W. Goodley. [3:50] 35. S.o.s. . [3:49] 36. Reunion (Society Red, Chan's Song). [3:47] 37. Booker was here. [3:22] 38. Not enough kindness. [3:19] 39. A telegram. [2:52] 40. In memoriam (Chan's Song). [2:51] 41. End Credits (Chan's Song). [3:45]