Saxophone Colossus (1986) User Reviews

A colossus of jazz, bestriding the world

[macduff50 · 13 November 2003]

This movie isn't a filmed rendition of Rollins' classic album, but rather a documentary that delves into the man and his work, and features as its centerpiece a 1986 performance of his "Concerto for Saxophone and Orchestra," a stunning work, which as far as I know, is currently available nowhere else. Directed by Robert Mugge, who's known for his insightful music documentaries (on blues, on Robert Johnson, Hawaiian music, zydeco and bluegrass), this is a classic work that allows the man to explain himself, and has inserts from critics that help you to gain a greater insight into what you're seeing on the screen. Impressive, and (dare I say it) educational. We get good a fully rounded portrait of one of jazz's greatest players ever, a man who pursued spirit as much as he pursued music.

Not a concert of Saxophone Colossus!

[echurch · 5/10 · 20 May 2002]

I rented this expecting a live concert featuring some or most of the songs from Sonny's classic album of the same name. It is instead a 1986 mixed bag of stuff simply borrowing on the title.