Let's Get Lost (Bruce Weber, 1988)
- Fletch F. Fletch
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:54 pm
- Location: Provo, Utah
Let's Get Lost (Bruce Weber, 1988)
Bruce Weber's fascinating portrait of legendary jazz trumpeter Chet Baker, Let's Get Lost is going to be enjoying a rare run at the Film Forum in New York City from June 8-28th with a newly restored 35mm print. Best of all, in a recent Austin Chronicle interview with Weber, he revealed that it his doc will finally be released on DVD in December of this year. Now, I can finally throw away my old beat-up VHS copy that I taped off TV with commercials.
Anyone else seen this doc? It's shot in gorgeous b&w and is an unabashed love letter to the man but it doesn't shy away from his many faults and the several wives and busted up marriages he left in his wake. What always struck me about Baker is how this guy who had gobs of natural talent and James Dean looks, pissed it all away with drugs. Talk about your self-destructive streaks. At any rate, it's great to see this doc finally enjoying a revival.
Anyone else seen this doc? It's shot in gorgeous b&w and is an unabashed love letter to the man but it doesn't shy away from his many faults and the several wives and busted up marriages he left in his wake. What always struck me about Baker is how this guy who had gobs of natural talent and James Dean looks, pissed it all away with drugs. Talk about your self-destructive streaks. At any rate, it's great to see this doc finally enjoying a revival.
-
- Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:30 pm
- Contact:
It's really something. Far and away Weber's best work to date. The interview with one of Baker's old girlfriends is fascinating, but the real jaw-dropper is Baker describing his favorite high -- a "speedball."
The DVD release was held up due to the fact that Weber hadn't coughed up payment for the music rights.
The DVD release was held up due to the fact that Weber hadn't coughed up payment for the music rights.
- Awesome Welles
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:02 am
- Location: London
-
- Joined: Thu Apr 14, 2005 3:59 pm
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Contact:
- Ovader
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 1:56 am
- Location: Canada
Director Bruce Weber and Director of Photography Jeff Preiss were interviewed at The Speakeasy yesterday about this documentary.
- ogygia avenue
- Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2005 4:51 pm
I saw this a few months ago and after hearing about it for years found it a little disappointing.
The film came off as a curio for Baker fans only. I had barely heard anything by him going into the theatre, and while his music sounded good in the film, I didn't find him a particularly compelling character. Flea and Chris Isaak and Baker's many wives told us, the audience, why he was so important, but the interviews with him were not particularly engaging or illuminating. I wasn't given much reason to care about this very talented man who fucked up his own and others' lives. Weber seemed to use the same techniques/shots over and over again -- the camera panning lovingly over contact sheets or record covers, or shots of Baker cruising through Los Angeles in a convertible with two women.
Maybe this would have resonated more with me if I'd seen it on its initial release (then again, I was in elementary school when it came out), or if I was a big Chet Baker fan, or (paradoxically) if I'd known nothing about it going in.
The film came off as a curio for Baker fans only. I had barely heard anything by him going into the theatre, and while his music sounded good in the film, I didn't find him a particularly compelling character. Flea and Chris Isaak and Baker's many wives told us, the audience, why he was so important, but the interviews with him were not particularly engaging or illuminating. I wasn't given much reason to care about this very talented man who fucked up his own and others' lives. Weber seemed to use the same techniques/shots over and over again -- the camera panning lovingly over contact sheets or record covers, or shots of Baker cruising through Los Angeles in a convertible with two women.
Maybe this would have resonated more with me if I'd seen it on its initial release (then again, I was in elementary school when it came out), or if I was a big Chet Baker fan, or (paradoxically) if I'd known nothing about it going in.
- Awesome Welles
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:02 am
- Location: London
- gubbelsj
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2006 2:44 pm
- Location: San Diego
Not sure, but it is still playing in theaters. In fact, Gregory, it's showing here in San Diego this week (ending tomorrow night at The Ken), so perhaps the dvd release will still be forthcoming once the limited run is over. Weber's website notes that a few other additional cities have also scored prints for showings this month.Gregory wrote:Whatever happened to the DVD release of this?
- Fletch F. Fletch
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:54 pm
- Location: Provo, Utah
For me, this repetition creates an almost hypnotic effect, coupled with Baker's dreamy vocal stylings. This doc was actually my intro into Baker's music. What I found so compelling about the Weber's film is the contrast between his obvious nostalgic love letter to this man (withe gorgeous B&W cinematography, shots of records, etc.) and Baker's refusal to come across as sympathetic or look back at his life with any kind of fondness. Weber gives him every opportunity and Baker denies him which I always found fascinating about the film. Weber has said in interviews that they tried to their best to look after him and try to keep him out of trouble but Baker wasn't interested.ogygia avenue wrote:I saw this a few months ago and after hearing about it for years found it a little disappointing.
The film came off as a curio for Baker fans only. I had barely heard anything by him going into the theatre, and while his music sounded good in the film, I didn't find him a particularly compelling character. Flea and Chris Isaak and Baker's many wives told us, the audience, why he was so important, but the interviews with him were not particularly engaging or illuminating. I wasn't given much reason to care about this very talented man who fucked up his own and others' lives. Weber seemed to use the same techniques/shots over and over again -- the camera panning lovingly over contact sheets or record covers, or shots of Baker cruising through Los Angeles in a convertible with two women.
I also think that the interviews with his friends and family paint a fascinating portrait of this guy who screwed over his loved ones and was pretty unreliable and yet still loved by people who dug his music.
- Fletch F. Fletch
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:54 pm
- Location: Provo, Utah
A nice little interview with Weber about the film in the last ish of Sight and Sound.
-
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 10:38 am
-
- Joined: Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:30 pm
- Contact:
- Cold Bishop
- Joined: Tue May 30, 2006 9:45 pm
- Location: Portland, OR
- foggy eyes
- Joined: Fri Sep 01, 2006 9:58 am
- Location: UK
- Fletch F. Fletch
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:54 pm
- Location: Provo, Utah
Re: Lets Get Lost on DVD
Hopefully this means a Region 1 version is not far behind.mark102 wrote:I thought you guys might like to know that the film 'LET'S GET LOST' (directed by Bruce Weber) is finally coming out on DVD on July 28th! It looks amazing! You can pre-order it at Amazon.uk or Play.com
- Awesome Welles
- Joined: Fri Apr 27, 2007 6:02 am
- Location: London
On DVD Let's Get Lost will be followed by Chop Suey Club (August 8th), A Letter to True (September 12) and a Weber boxset featuring all three plus Broken Noses and all his short films. Weber is working closely with Metrodome, having designed all the artwork and made a new 25 minute feature about the experience of making Let's Get Lost called Looking for Chet Baker in all the Familiar Places, other features include a kodachrome reel of footage shot by DP Jess Preiss, two unseen music videos of Baker songs shot and edited by Weber, a short film by Weber called The Teddy Boys of the Edwardian Draoe Society; booklet of photos, postcards and trailers. Packed to say the least!
- Matt
- Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 12:58 pm
- Lowry_Sam
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2010 3:35 pm
- Location: San Francisco, CA
Re: Let's Get Lost (Weber, 1988)
Looks like this is just the same as the UK box.....anything new on it?Matt wrote:Bruce Weber: The Film Collection - 1987-2008 (US R1 DVD)
Edit: I take that back, looks like it's missing the bonus 5th disc of extras.