Director/Writer: Jay Bulger
Starring: Ginger Baker, Eric Clapton, Charlie Watts, Stewart Copeland, Carlos Santana, John Lydon, Jay Bulger
Plot: A documentary chronicling the life of legendary drummer, Ginger Baker.
Rock and roll documentaries seem
to be flourishing at the moment with recent hit Searching for Sugarman and upcoming films, Jason Becker: Not Dead Yet and Rolling
Stones: Crossfire Hurricane. Now with Beware
of Mr. Baker, there’s even more material to educate and surprise you about
the world of music. Mr. Ginger Baker was the drummer for Cream, Blind Faith,
Masters of Reality and The Graham Bond Organisation (to name a few) and one of
the greatest of his profession. His legend and persona is perhaps only known
with hardcore rock ’n’ roll fans and those born after the 1940s, but this
documentary aims to highlight his legacy and to remind the world of his
influence.
To walk out of this documentary
and eventually forget the image, voice and attitude of Ginger Baker is
near-impossible. Director/writer Jay Bulger prods and picks at Baker and his
history with such determination so as to keep both Baker and his legend alive
and kicking. Often Bulger pokes too hard and the opening sequence of Baker
whacking the interviewer’s nose with his metallic cane informs the audience of
the vivacity of the subject – a well-travelled man with a wealth of stories,
opinions and aversions.
Bulger’s spirited zeal to
chronicle Baker’s life is fantastic for the audience wanting to learn of this
drummer’s life and to allow for a plentiful amount of quips from Baker (his
almost-constant hurl of questions and insults at the young interviewer is
incredibly funny and extends to a separate montage during the end credits). Even
with a lifetime of alcohol and drug-abuse, Baker still has plenty of witty
remarks and a superb memory for his days of superstardom and gradual decline.
The line of questions relating to his young life, his introduction to the drums
and his famous ascent to celebrity status are punctuated expertly with parallel
interviews from Baker’s closest companions (including Eric Clapton, Jack Bruce
and his first wife Liz Finch) and an incredible array of talking heads
including Charlie Watts, Stewart Copeland, Carlos Santana and John Lydon, all
giving their two cents about the great Ginger.
Ginger’s life story is not just
told with the static view of him slouching in his seat, eyes concealed behind
darkly tinted sunglasses, but with animation and colour thanks to David Bell’s
illustrations and the archive footage and photographs. It seems commonplace to
animate old tales with no pictures or video to accompany it (American: The Bill Hicks Story and Searching For Sugarman adopt that style);
Beware of Mr. Baker incorporates a
dynamic tone not only from Baker’s persona and stories but also with those
striking images to compliment Baker’s dialogue.
It is fascinating to see a man’s
sinuous journey through life and admirable for a man who practically achieved
what he wanted to achieve. It’s clear to see how many people Ginger Baker
influenced along his way from the barrage of celebrity praise, and by Bulger’s
own deep-rooted interest into finding out about the loose lunatic. Baker is a
tough man to like by the end of the film – his manner has clearly set him back
socially, financially, and health-wise – but for those willing to look past the
man’s demons, you will find a great deal of talent and an odd charm. Beware
of Mr. Baker is an absorbing, fierce gem of a film that is a must-see for
music fans.
****
By Piers McCarthy. Also posted on LiveforFilms
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