Let's Get Lost
Director: Bruce Weber
Year Released: 1988
Rating: 3.0
Stark documentary about one of the greatest trumpet players to ever live, Chet Baker, and how his addiction to drugs and ever-rambling lifestyle took its toll on his body and artistry. Fashion photographer Weber commendably makes no attempt to paint Baker as an admirable human being - his ex-wives and lovers are in there to make sure of that - and the images he provides of Baker, in his late 50's with a sunken face (not unlike Pasolini), show the toll his lifestyle took on his face and body (he would die, sadly, in 1988 after falling out of the window of his hotel room ... drugs were of course present). Despite the ponderous nature (a little more judicious editing might have been in order), this is an alarming (and indispensable) document of a great talent who could not shake his demons and died before reaching 60 ... though, to be honest, I'm pretty sure Baker himself was shocked he made it that far.
