by Ken Laster
If you have been waiting for this movie to find its way to a theater near you, wait no longer. Bolden is available through your favorite movie streaming service. Click the links to rent or purchase on Apple iTunes or Google Play.
I’ll rate Bolden 3 of 5 stars just for the fact that writer/director Dan Pritzker created a full length motion picture based on the early history of jazz, with a soundtrack by Wynton Marsalis. For those hard-core jazz fans interested in the music, history and culture of the New Oreans jazz age, Bolden is worth seeing.
This movie is an eclectic account of the early years of jazz music in New Orleans, and of Buddy Bolden who many credit as the inventor of jazz. The film’s editing is dizzying and chaotic. Between all the flashbacks and psychotic imagery, it is difficult to follow a coherent story-line. The screenplay and dialog are sparse which also gets in the way of being able to connect with the story’s characters. Perhaps that so little is known of Buddy Bolden, and no recordings of his music exist is the reason for the minimal story line. On the plus side, the film sets, cinematography, soundtrack and dance artistically capture the sounds and culture of New Orleans early jazz years.
If you are looking for an accurate historical account of Buddy Bolden and the “invention” of jazz, you may be disappointed, as was I. What you will get is an artistic experience filled with music, dance and visual delight.
If you have seen Bolden, I’d love to hear your impression of the movie in the comments below.
