[bladesmith]

YES............!

 

[stlrman]

Every audiophile must see this one!!!!On my rental list!!

[Don_S]

Details (but no spoilers) please.

[bladesmith]

I am not even going to spoil this with one of my reviews.

(Someone else with proper writing skills, please watch this and give it a proper review.)

If you are a true "audiophile", you should watch this. If you like/love "real" jazz, you must see it.

The best movie I have seen in a long time. No explosions, no car chases, just very good. I hope everyone gets to see it and "listen" to it on there best audio system.

[simoon]

Sorry, but I am going to have to disagree on this one.

Not only on whether there is 'real jazz' in the movie (there's not), but the over all portrayal of jazz (or music) instruction.

Not to mention that Buddy Rich is portrayed as the drummer to aspire to. Seriously?


All About Jazz agrees:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/whiplash-buddy-rich-by-tyran-grillo.php?width=1280

"Whiplash wasn't made for musicians or their admirers, but filmgoers seeking visual gratification. On that note, anyone who thinks that jazz is taught and produced only through big band charts in an environment utterly lacking in extracurricular interaction and study, who swallows whole the notion that Buddy Rich is the be-all and end-all of drumming, might very well find the film instructive."

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/whiplash-snidely-damien-chazelle-by-steven-hahn.php?width=1280

Peter Erskine, a drummer to actually aspire to (you know, playing with dynamics, subtlety, feel), has this to say:

http://www.kcet.org/arts/artbound/counties/los-angeles/drummer-peter-erskine-on-whiplash-film.html

Jazztruth has this to say, among other points:

"Young jazz students today look up to Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Stewart, Brian Blade, and bunch of other folks, perhaps in addition to Buddy Rich, but I'm willing to bet money that you will not find a young jazz student who singularly idolizes Buddy Rich. More young students know about Eric Harland and Ari Honeig than Buddy Rich."

http://jazztruth.blogspot.com/2014/12/whiplash-two-thumbs-down.html

[Rob Babcock]

Sorry, but I am going to have to disagree on this one.

Not only on whether there is 'real jazz' in the movie (there's not), but the over all portrayal of jazz (or music) instruction.

Not to mention that Buddy Rich is portrayed as the drummer to aspire to. Seriously?

I think that misses the point.  Is there "real jazz" in the movie?  Depends on what flavor of snob you are.  But it doesn't matter.  Don't go to a film to hear music.  Music is an important part of the film because it's important to the characters- it's not an end to itself.

And the point is not that Buddy Rich is a "great" drummer- Andrew idolizes him and that's all that is necessary.

I have refrained from adding a review because almost anything I about the film would be a spoiler!  You could be on of the 5% of viewers that didn't like this movie but most have loved it.  To me it's worth a Best Picture nomination (although I would say Boyhood deserves to win more).  Simmons will almost certainly win Best Supporting Actor and it will be well deserved.

I feel that Whiplash catches lighting in a bottle.  To me it's a modern parable/fairytale, not a literal representation of the truth.  The last 20 minutes of the movie might be the best 20 minutes of film in the last five years!  I have to give it my highest possible recommendation.

[bladesmith]

Sorry, but I am going to have to disagree on this one.

Not only on whether there is 'real jazz' in the movie (there's not), but the over all portrayal of jazz (or music) instruction.

Not to mention that Buddy Rich is portrayed as the drummer to aspire to. Seriously?


All About Jazz agrees:

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/whiplash-buddy-rich-by-tyran-grillo.php?width=1280

"Whiplash wasn't made for musicians or their admirers, but filmgoers seeking visual gratification. On that note, anyone who thinks that jazz is taught and produced only through big band charts in an environment utterly lacking in extracurricular interaction and study, who swallows whole the notion that Buddy Rich is the be-all and end-all of drumming, might very well find the film instructive."

http://www.allaboutjazz.com/whiplash-snidely-damien-chazelle-by-steven-hahn.php?width=1280

Peter Erskine, a drummer to actually aspire to (you know, playing with dynamics, subtlety, feel), has this to say:

http://www.kcet.org/arts/artbound/counties/los-angeles/drummer-peter-erskine-on-whiplash-film.html

Jazztruth has this to say, among other points:

"Young jazz students today look up to Elvin Jones, Jack DeJohnette, Bill Stewart, Brian Blade, and bunch of other folks, perhaps in addition to Buddy Rich, but I'm willing to bet money that you will not find a young jazz student who singularly idolizes Buddy Rich. More young students know about Eric Harland and Ari Honeig than Buddy Rich."

http://jazztruth.blogspot.com/2014/12/whiplash-two-thumbs-down.html

So you are saying, "there is no real jazz in the movie "whiplash" ?

(according to the second line of your comment.)

[ajzepp]

I couldn't care less about Jazz to begin with, so I loved the film.

Thumbs up.

Now if I could just find a way to get through Birdman...I've already stopped it twice to watch something else, and I'm trying for the third time now. I haven't been this bored by a film in a LONG time.

[stlrman]

Wife and I both really enjoyed this movie !
4.75 out of 5

[BobM]

I think the film is good, and I really enjoyed watching it. But I don't think there's anything nearly like the teaching method employed in the movie - that is pure BS.

Erskin is right, no real jazz musician would put up with that for long, and there's no love for music shown at all. It's all about technique and competitions. And that drum solo at the end was impressive by Hollywood standards and it made it's point, but in the real world it went on way too long and used too many cliche's.

[ajzepp]

I think the film is good, and I really enjoyed watching it. But I don't think there's anything nearly like the teaching method employed in the movie - that is pure BS.

Erskin is right, no real jazz musician would put up with that for long, and there's no love for music shown at all. It's all about technique and competitions. And that drum solo at the end was impressive by Hollywood standards and it made it's point, but in the real world it went on way too long and used too many cliche's.

JK Simmons was the Jazz version of this guy!

[simoon]

I still say it's a sports movie, not a movie about music, music education, music as art.

The movie could have been exactly the same if the student was a quarterback trying to make the varsity team. Yes, there are good acting performances. But  they could have been equally good (and maybe more subtle) if the music and music education were depicted a little closer to reality.

[ajzepp]

I still say it's a sports movie, not a movie about music, music education, music as art.

The movie could have been exactly the same if the student was a quarterback trying to make the varsity team. Yes, there are good acting performances. But  they could have been equally good (and maybe more subtle) if the music and music education were depicted a little closer to reality.

Yeah, I tend to agree. It wasn't a movie about music, though...music was just the vehicle.

[mcgsxr]

I expect I will enjoy the soundtrack, I thought the music showed promise during the movie.

I did not fall in love with the movie though.  I agree with the comments that the movie felt like it could have been about anything.  There was music in it, but it was more about the development of a person, and the impact teaching can have.

I played for a long time for a variety of people, in orchestra's and ensembles (violin or stand up bass) and I never met a guy like that prof was depicted.

I would not have played for him.  Perhaps that is part of the point of the movie.

I give it a 7/10.

I wish I had known the language was going to be quite so explicit.  I should have done more research before sitting down with my kids to watch this one.

[hi5harry]

Loved it! And just as important is my wife, who is not a jazz fan loved it. Big thumbs up!

[jab]

do a youtube search for Buddy Rich covering Caravan.  The guy was the best!  You see his influences on current/past drummer phenoms.  Was a semi regular on the Carson Show.. Was always mesmerized when he got behind the drum set.

[rockadanny]

What a great movie! Well made, fine acting, engrossing. And great music as well. Terrific!

(And yes, I am always late to the party when it comes to catching flicks. Months, even years after their release.)

[Rob Babcock]

Better late than never! A fine film IMO.

[Folsom]

"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than "good job""

That was the best part of the movie. It was enjoyable, but nothing amazing. The drumming was gun I suppose.

Honestly I like thinking more about the time I made lamb chops for J.K. Simmons; well except that quote, that quote I'm in love with.