It's been awhile since you both posted about this movie, but I just saw it for the first time on TCM and it prompted a discussion with a friend (also a big Monk fanatic) about the movie and I thought I'd pass our thoughts along.
For about the first 20 minutes I was disappointed with the movie because it wasn't following the typical formal get-to-know this person format that most documentaries about famous people follow. Then all of the sudden, I found myself enthralled by the movie and in the days that have passed, i can't stop thinking about it.
Today I spoke with a friend about it and he had similar comments to mine, bored and disappointed at first and then fascinated. Then he said something very interesting. He said he was glad they did the documentary the way they did. Monk was an extremely complex person and trying to explain away how he was and wrap that exposition into some neat package with a bow on it would have done a disservice to Monk. He said, the important thing about Monk, was his music, plain and simple.
At first, I disagreed with his reasoning, but the more I thought about it, the more I think he's right. I've read a lot about TM, and Coltrane, and Miles and Bird and many of the jazz giants but no matter how much i've read about Monk, he still seemed like a mystery. In the end, I'm glad Straight, No Chaser did nothing to unravel the mystery. It's not always best to know what's behind the wizards curtain.
This also makes the title appropos. Straight, No Chaser = just the man and the music son, no BS. To me, it was fascinating to see him AS HE WAS without the psychoanalytical nonsense.
Just my .02
reply
share