Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool

2019

1h 55m

Documentary

Music

List

91%

Tomatometer

57 Reviews

82%

Audience Score

100+ Ratings

An exploration of the musician's archival photos and home movies.

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Critics Consensus

Entertaining for longtime fans as well as casually interested viewers, Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool burnishes the legacy of a brilliant artist.

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Verne Gay

Newsday

Davis is demystified and deconstructed in this corrective - and excellent - portrait.

Rated: 3/4

Feb 24, 2020

Full Review

Ben Sachs

Chicago Reader

Like many music documentaries, this profile of groundbreaking trumpet player and bandleader Miles Davis feels constrained by its conventional length, and devotes too little time to too many subjects.

Feb 21, 2020

Full Review

Tom Long

Detroit News

A well-made account of both the man's achievements and his jerkiness.

Rated: B+

Oct 23, 2019

Full Review

Erick Estrada

Cinegarage

A linear documentary cocooned in mind-blowing archival footage... [Full review in Spanish]

Oct 13, 2022

Full Review

Kelechi Ehenulo

Confessions From A Geek Mind

Miles Davis was a complex, 'larger than life' personality, and the documentary makes an admirable effort to summarise his life, it just deserved more than this footnote summary.

Rated: 2.5/5

Sep 3, 2020

Full Review

Andrew Gaudion

THN

A very well-crafted account of the life, influence, and persona of Miles Davis that should please fanatics and new fans alike.

Rated: 4/5

Aug 28, 2020

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Audience Member

Miles Davis: Birth of Cool (2019), directed by Stanley Nelson, is a documentary about the life, career and times of one of America's greatest musicians - jazz trumpeter, bandleader, and composer, Miles Davis. Nelson has created a powerful visual memoir of Miles Davis' life and the importance of his music and composition to jazz and 20th century music. He weaves archival footage spanning Davis' life, narration, first person interviews with former band members and colleagues, his family including his son Erin Davis, daughter Cheryl Davis and nephew Vince Wilburn, childhood friends, his former loves from Juliette Greco to Frances Taylor Davis to Marguerite Cantu, third persons interviews, and still photography to create a riveting documentary set to his music. The words of Miles Davis are voiced by American actor Carl Lumbly which are based on taped interviews that formed the basis of the Davis autobiography. The film follows a linear narrative from his childhood in East St. Louis, Illinois to his final performance at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1991 to the retelling of his last moments. One of the most powerful images in the film is seeing a still photograph of a bloody Miles Davis whose physical injuries were inflicted by New York Police Officers. One of the most moving interviews was with French singer/actor Juliette Greco recounting her love affair with Miles Davis whom I sensed never stopped loving him. Nelson has crafted an insightful documentary where his musical genius and the dark side of his personality meet fame in racist America set against the significant events of the last half of the 20th century. The film awes, inspires and offers up a candid and uncensored look at one of America's greatest musicians and composers. Nelson has succeeded in creating an intimate portrait of the man and his music and the importance of his music and composition not only to the development of jazz but to 20th century music. Do see it for you won't be disappointed for it's an excellent documentary that is well-crafted, beautifully shot and edited, and tells the story of an American master. Fans of his music will be enthralled as I was.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I appreciate biographical docs, like this one, that take a more balanced and honest look at their subjects as opposed to the more celebratory style, which tend to gloss over the negative aapects and shortcomings.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

01/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A must watch for any Miles Davis or jazz fan,

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/29/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Como músico fue un genio sin fondo, la cantidad de cosas que creo y con las que experimentó fueron asombrosas. Su vida dejó mucho que desear pero su genialidad como artista es indescriptible. Grandioso documental que deja ver gran parte de la vida de este genio.

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars

01/24/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Extraordinary. Even icons can't escape.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

Full Review

william k

Good, informative documentary gives a thorough overview of the artist's life and work, complete with some fascinating archival material; however, as so often with this kind of musical biography, the music is cut too short.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

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Stanley Nelson

Director

Michael Kantor

Executive Producer

Geoff Kempin

Executive Producer

Terry Shand

Executive Producer

Nicole London

Producer

Henry Adebonojo

Cinematographer

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Synopsis

An exploration of the musician's archival photos and home movies.

Director: Stanley Nelson
Producer: Michael Kantor, Geoff Kempin, Terry Shand
Genre: Documentary, Music
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 10, 2020
Box Office (Gross USA): $614.1K
Runtime: 1h 55m

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