Jazz Under the Influence delves into raw, unflinching portrayals of jazz musicians navigating the complex landscapes of addiction, race, and the human condition.
In this class, we’ll watch four films and discuss how they explore social and cultural themes, including addiction among jazz musicians, representation of race in the jazz world, in particular, its evolution given the date range of the films. Further, we’ll discuss the filmmaking styles on display, from cinéma vérité to stylized biographical and how each film examines the relationship between artistic genius and personal demons.
Films:
Mon, 4/21: THE CONNECTION (1961, 110 min, dir. Shirley Clarke)
Weds, 5/7: SWEET LOVE, BITTER (1967, 92 min, dir. Herbert Danska)
Weds, 5/14: ROUND MIDNIGHT (1986, 133 min, dir. Bertrand Tavernier)
Weds, 5/21: MILES AHEAD (2015, 100 min, dir. Don Cheadle)
The course is taught by Mike Heilbronner, who served on the Board of Directors of the Hollywood Theatre from 2018-2024 and is the host of the jazz radio show, Jazz Kissa PDX, which airs every other Friday on FreeformPortland.org.
Class size will be limited to 18.
Questions? Email us at education@moviemadness.org
In general, the Hollywood Theatre does not provide content advisories about the subject matter shown in our theatre. Films exhibited don’t necessarily reflect the views of the Hollywood Theatre. Information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on Common Sense Media and DoesTheDogDie.com.