Let's Get Lost (1988)

Let’s Get Lost: Directed by Bruce Weber. With Chet Baker, Carol Baker, Vera Baker, Paul Baker. Documentary on the life of jazz trumpeter and drug addict Chet Baker. Fascinating series of interviews with friends, family, associates and lovers, interspersed with film from Baker’s earlier life and some modern-day performances.

“The re-release of Letu0026#39;s Get Lost is simply a gift. Bruce Weber spent six months on the road with Chet Baker in 1987 to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic and ultimately elusive musician. The film noir feel to the documentary is evoked from the beginning with a sublimely beautiful shot of Bakeru0026#39;s old and wizened face while sitting in the back of a convertible, his hair dancing in the wind. Even though he is sitting between two beautiful women, one being his partner at the time; Bakeru0026#39;s melancholy is evident. With every breath Baker exudes the pain and tribulations of his fifty seven years. It is no mistake he found his home in Jazz, the perfect catharsis and sanctuary for someone of his sensibility.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eHis physical beauty as a young man is perfectly juxtaposed with the changed man we meet in the documentary. Yet even with his gaunt appearance and ambling speech, Baker still possesses a charm and charisma that is uniquely his own. It becomes clear as the documentary progresses that Baker left a lot of pain and heartbreak in his wake. Ex-wives and past girlfriends talk unkindly about him in one breath and praise him in the next. His magnetism was a godsend and a curse in the end.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWhatever is said about Baker what is undeniable is his musical prowess. His flair for the trumpet coupled with his beautifully sad voice are an irresistible combination. An appearance at Cannes with Bruce Weber during the opening of one of Weberu0026#39;s documentaries showcases a heartbreaking rendition of u0026#39;Almost Blueu0026#39; at the after party. He silences the baying party goers before beginning and proceeds to close his eyes and expose his soul in front of the audience. It is moments like these that captivate the viewer. Letu0026#39;s Get Lost remains one of the finest musical documentaries ever made, up there with D.A. Pennebakeru0026#39;s u0026#39;Donu0026#39;t Look Backu0026#39;.”