Often maligned yet ever popular, the biopic is surely the most reductive of movie genres. All biographers face the task of wrangling the unruly particulars and generally undramatic shape of a life and a career into a coherent narrative. Writers working on doorstop-size volumes find this hard enough; a two-hour movie wrestles with the same challenges more acutely — and is much more likely to fail.

For as long as I have been writing about the movie, ‘narrative’ remains the biggest issue/talking point, and will surely determine whether or not Don Cheadle’s ‘deconstructed’ style succeeds in telling the story of Miles Davis.

At their worst, biopics indulge the vanity of an actor with an eye on an Oscar nomination. They betray the heavy hand of a screenwriter who has created composites and streamlined events to fit a three-act structure or the familiar arc of rise-fall-rise. When not stretching the facts, they get bogged down in mere data. They diminish their subjects or else succumb to hagiography. More often than not we know how they will end.

Well, Cheadle has already tossed out a doozy of a quote by saying his concept for the movie features “wall-to-wall truth,” but is “not really much concerned about facts.” The ‘facts’ quote certainly raised a few eyebrows; are we headed for something more like Todd Haynes’ “I’m Not There,” a creative mash-up of reality and fiction? Two hours isn’t enough time to tell the whole story, but we hope Cheadle keeps the narrative along the lines of fact, rather than some bizarre story inspired by Miles Davis.

I truly believe the Miles Davis Biopic could vault Cheadle into serious Oscar contention, along with other nominations for the film; I noted that the Miles Davis Biopic might have just enough blend of a really good movie, the Don Cheadle factor and the Academy’s desire to honor the legacy of an entertainment icon to bring home the gold.

But I don’t think Cheadle is going to let the Oscar element influence how he pieces the film together.

And because there is an expectation that biopics will reveal something previously unknown about public figures, they often pin their protagonists to the psychiatric couch, rummaging about in their journals or childhoods in search of the Rosebud — to borrow a term from that veiled biopic “Citizen Kane”— the skeleton key that will explain everything.

Not sure there are any ‘big’ secrets out there. Just getting through Davis’ life that we already know will be hard enough to whittle down to 2 hours.

There is no shortage of botched biopics, but there is an equally long (if less noticed) history of innovations, alternative approaches and avoidance strategies when it comes to screen biographies.

No one is saying Cheadle shouldn’t shake things up. As much as I would love a “Ray”-like version of the Miles Davis Movie, I am not opposed to seeing the jazz icon’s life presented in more creative structures.

Films about artists are a popular biopic subset — both in the Anthology series and in general — which raises the inevitable question of how to depict the creative process and how to calibrate the relationship between the life and the work.

I have hammered home the point that the biopic should show as much performance footage as possible – on stage and in the studio.

Perhaps this is the most profound pleasure a biopic can offer: the sense of one artist being moved by another.

Shouldn’t be a problem considering the variety of artists Davis crossed paths with throughout his life.

The group enjoyed house specialties including the homemade meatballs, made famous by celebrated Chef Steve Martorano. As customary with celebrity diners, each signed the wall hanging with personalized comments for Martorano. (Vegas News)

This is such a nothing story, but I like to think Cheadle was talking to Damon about possibly joining him on the Miles Davis Biopic. For what part I have no clue, but even if Cheadle didn’t ask Damon to be in the movie, I do hope Cheadle at least talked about the project, provided everyone an update between bites of their delicious meatballs.

* when he’s not working on the Miles Davis Biopic

The designation was announced in Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda during the global WED 2010 celebrations, where Mr. Cheadle took part in the traditional Kwita Izina gorilla-naming ceremony. The renowned actor’s trip to Rwanda was especially meaningful given his ties to the country through his Academy Award-nominated role in the 2004 film ‘Hotel Rwanda’.

Mr. Cheadle has a strong record of humanitarian and environmental advocacy, including work on clean energy and active campaigning for genocide victims. In 2009, he appeared in the UN Seal the Deal! campaign’s public service announcement on climate change. In his capacity as UNEP Goodwill Ambassador, Don Cheadle will use the influential voice of the entertainment industry to mobilize the public to embrace more sustainable lifestyles, promote the greening of the entertainment industry and other sectors, and take part in UNEP public outreach initiatives.

Congratulations, Don.

* when he’s not working on the Miles Davis Biopic

* seriously. nothing.

At some point in the last few weeks the release date/year for the Untitled Miles Davis Biopic listing on IMDB was switched from 2011 to 2013. I kicked off the Miles Davis Movie blog back in June 2008, so clearly I was just a touch early to the party. But in reality I could have started the blog even years earlier because this film project about the life of Miles Davis has been bouncing around in one form or another for years and years.

Don Cheadle is certainly not in any rush to hammer this film to completion, especially when he has movies like The Avengers, among other projects, already on his calendar.

These release dates are usually pretty fluid, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the release year was pushed to 2014 – or BEYOND! I just cannot envision the production happening sooner. Cheadle has already lamented the lack of funds for such a film (this ain’t Iron Man, baby!), so it would take quite a jolt to get this project through the development maze and in front of cameras anytime soon. I’m already on record as saying that if Cheadle is fearful the project will ‘end up on the studios’ scrapheap,’ then perhaps another team should pick up the baton and see if they can get the movie produced. Of late, the talented actor has reiterated his desire to play the jazz legend and get the movie made, so it looks like full speed ahead – except that the speed appears to be like 5 mph.

That there’s even an IMDB page with a release date is cause for a party considering this movie project has traveled so far and touched so many hands. I figure it will get done one day. Having just watched the new Doors doc When You’re Strange, I started to think perhaps a first-class, blow-out the budget documentary on the life of Miles Davis might be the better way to go, but there is just something about a feature film that ‘feels’ like it could be a very special motion picture experience.

But we’ll see. In 2013. Or whenever.

I’ve written ad nauseum about the non-existent movie poster for the Miles Davis Biopic. When the poster does finally hit the web it will be all hands-on deck here at Miles Davis headquarters. For the teaser poster I’ve mentioned that a black background with the words ‘Miles Davis’ written across the middle (in white w/ a cool font) might do the understated trick in signaling the forthcoming movie.

Our friend Julien Trédan-Turini recently mocked-up a rather awesome example of a teaser poster for the biopic; clean, modern and really drives home the anticipation.

Here are few teaser posters I liked after a quick search:

The Dark Knight
Kill Bill Vol. 2
Quantum of Solace
Simpsons Movie

I have suggested a riff on the Miles Davis signature. Or even the image on the cover of the Jack Johnson album.

Perhaps just a shot of the eyes, taken from the famous Anton Corbijn photo. Maybe the name is all that’s required. It’s a name that conjures a variety of images and feelings. That might be enough. We’re assuming the name of the Miles Davis Biopic will be called “Miles Davis,” so perhaps it’s okay to stick with it. Look, the movie wasn’t called “Ray Charles,” just “Ray.” And that worked out fine. In this case, I think you need the “Davis” with the “Miles.”

Much of this has to do with how to sell the movie. Fans of Miles Davis are already going to see it. This is about the demographic that are looking for something entertaining, or are intrigued enough about a legendary figure to buy a ticket. The film is still too early in the development stages to worry about that yet (it’s okay, I’ll worry about it now), but eventually it will be a hot topic in some marketing executive’s office somewhere.

The “Ray” movie poster is effective. I wasn’t able to find any teaser poster, but the official poster sort of goes along with my idea. The tagline on the poster nicely lays out the theme of the movie: “The extraordinary life of Ray Charles. A man who fought harder and went farther that anyone thought possible.”

Maybe this is what the Miles Davis Biopic should utilize – a powerful text that sums of the iconic status of Miles Davis.

I’ll run a few taglines up the flag pole, but if anyone has anything to add please do so. *Disclaimer: In no way do I presume any of my tagline ideas will be any good.

“Cool is Forever”
“It’s About that Time”
“We Want Miles”
“The Man, The Music… The Legend”
(maybe use a series of Miles quotes) “I’m always thinking about creating. My future starts when I wake up every morning . . . Every day I find something creative to do with my life.”

This is pure conjecture, but it makes more sense by the minute, especially when you consider the unique relationship between Miles Davis and the country.

Miles Davis’ adventures in France are well documented in books and magazine articles and on various musical recordings, so I won’t delve too deep into the specifics.

I will, however, point out two Miles Davis projects I enjoy, both with a decidedly French twist.

The first being the album “Miles Davis in Europe,” which was recorded live in France at the Festival Mondial, du Jazz Antibes Miles Davis in 1963. Alongside tenor saxophonist George Coleman, pianist Herbie Hancock, bassist Ron Carter and drummer Tony Williams the album is wonderful; my favorite track is the ballad “I Thought About You.”

The second item is film-related. It’s 1957 and Miles Davis has ventured off to France for a tour and recorded the soundtrack for the film “Ascenseur pour l’Echafaud” — otherwise known as “Elevator to the Gallows,” directed by Louis Malle and starring Jeanne Moreau.

In doing some research I happened upon what seems to be an academic study about Miles Davis, Louis Malle and Ascenseur pour l’Echafaud titled “A Jazz Film of Collaborative Integrity.”

Based on the URL it appears to be from Cornell University, but I am unsure of the date. There is a video component so it cannot be too old.

The essay provides some wonderful information about Davis’ involvement with the film, including this snippet of conversation Davis shared with friend Quincy Troupe about his time in France.

Then I went to Paris again to play as a guest soloist for a few weeks. And it was during this trip that I met French filmmaker Louis Malle through Juliette Greco. He Told me he had always loved my music and that he wanted me to write the musical score for his new film, L’Ascenseur pour l’echafaud. I agreed to do it and it was a great learning experience, because I had never written a music score for a film before. I would look at the rushes of the film and get musical ideas to write down. Since it was about a murder and was supposed to be a suspense movie, I used this old, gloomy, dark building where I had the musicians play.

I thought it would give the music atmosphere, and it did. …When I got back to New York in December 1957, I was ready to move forward with my music again. I asked Red to come back, and he did. When I heard Monk’s gig at Five Spot was ending, I called Trane and told him I wanted him back, and he said, “Okay.” Man, when this happened, I knew some real great musical shit was about to go down; I could feel it in my bones. And it happened. It went all the way down. (Troupe, 217-222.)

While researching photos I ran across this image – a statue of Miles Davis by by Niki de Saint-Phalle outside the Hotel Negresco (on the Promenade des Anglais on the Baie des Anges) in Nice, France.

Miles Davis had a special relationship with France and is, no doubt, part of the country’s musical and artistic foundation.

The thought of a Miles Davis Biopic premiering in Cannes feels right. It feels like an event!

I have no idea when the film will be completed, but wouldn’t it be great if the Miles Davis Movie were to debut in the French Riviera at the glitzy Cannes Film Festival?

I think the ol’ jazz legend would get a big thrill out of it….

I’m not sure why the MTV news item about the Biopic not being a cradle-to-grave film should be adorned with an ‘exclusive’ headline. We covered this way back in August on the Biopic Blog.

Oh well.

Still… it’s nice to see Don Cheadle having positive things about the Miles Davis Movie:

“The story is really not… a biopic per se,” Cheadle said. “It’s not attempting to be any cradle-to-grave depiction of [Miles'] life. It’s more my take, as an artist, on what his music has meant. With wall-to-wall truth but not really much concerned about facts.”

He also plays the trumpet, but doesn’t have any intention of trying to fake the master musician’s licks. This, too, already covered! LOL!

“The instrument is a monster,” he said. “We’ve been working with the estate and Columbia… and Sony music [and they've] really been good about… giving us rights to the music. I don’t think I want to try to play if I can use Miles’ playing. But for the authenticity of it and for the reality of it and for me understanding the instrument, it’s great that I have that facility.”

All good stuff. All smiles around here. Let’s get it on!

And when you mention the phrase ‘Birth of the Cool’ you quickly think of Miles Davis, the classic nonet and the legendary recording Birth of the Cool.

The article recalls the days of Gil Evans, Gerry Mulligan, the influential bandleader Claude Thornhill, and a new coolness taking over the jazz scene.

Trumpeter Miles Davis was the nominal leader of this ensemble, but it was the outfit’s arrangers — primarily Gil Evans and Gerry Mulligan — who were the real stars. The devices they drew on had been available for years, hidden in plain hearing within the big band of Claude Thornhill.

There’s probably a movie in itself about the story how the Birth of the Cool album was created, the important figures in jazz history associated with the project and the burgeoning ‘cool jazz’ scene.

So I got to wondering if there would be something in the Miles Davis Biopic representing this moment(s) in both jazz and Miles Davis’ history. Though we now know the biopic will (most likely) veer away from a traditional narrative, it doesn’t mean such a landmark recording and important chapter should be overlooked.

You’d have to think a scene with the nonet playing “Boplicity” or “Deception” would capture the moment nicely – perhaps practicing in Gil Evans’ apartment, or even during a studio session.

Somehow, somewhere Gil Evans is going to have to make an appearance, so here’s a great opportunity.

I think there is going to be a fine line at how much of the film’s story can be directed squarely at jazz aficionados who would love to see all the inner-workings of the making of Davis’ music, and to those moviegoers who are simply looking to grab onto a ‘great’ story that follows the usual ebb and flow of a legendary life.

It can’t be too ‘inside baseball,’ to borrow a phrase. They can deconstruct the biopic all they want, but it still has to be entertaining.

The music and the artists connected with the recording of Birth of the Cool are significant to the story of Miles Davis and the history of jazz… and certainly deserve mention in the biopic.

I believe.