Beware Of Mr. Baker (2012)
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98% of critics liked it
(47 reviews) -
83% of users liked it
(1,288 ratings)
At home with rock 'n' roll monster Ginger Baker, Cream's legendary scarlet-maned, hell-raising drummer. This no-holds-barred, sad, and hilarious portrait of the man referred to as rock's first great drummer (and perhaps still its best) lets him tell his own story, intercut with… More At home with rock 'n' roll monster Ginger Baker, Cream's legendary scarlet-maned, hell-raising drummer. This no-holds-barred, sad, and hilarious portrait of the man referred to as rock's first great drummer (and perhaps still its best) lets him tell his own story, intercut with footage of his continent-hopping life, from London to L.A., Nigeria, Italy, South Africa, and (way) beyond. Baker may have broken the mold musically, but his violent, dyspeptic mood swings, fueled by a multi-decade heroin addiction, went a long way to making him persona non grata even among the music greats who still revere his work. Eric Clapton, Johnny Rotten, Charlie Watts, and Lars Ulrich, Baker's 4 wives, and 3 grown children all have something to say about him: "He's a force of nature," "he's the greatest drummer any of us had ever heard," "he's mad," and "he's fairly consistently horrible" are just a few of them.
- Directed By
- Jay Bulger
- Genres
- Musical & Performing Arts, Documentary
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Nov 28, 2012 Limited
- Studio
- Independent Films
Critic Reviews
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Dave Calhoun, Time Out
It's refreshing to watch a music doc, especially one with such intimate access to its subject, in which barely anyone is unreservedly polite about the person in question.
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Tom Long, Detroit News
Ginger Baker has been revealed as a major talent, an innovator and an unlikely survivor. And a not very nice guy.
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Charles Cross, Seattle Times
Ginger Baker is, and was, a train wreck. Yet this film, like Baker's onstage playing, is always riveting, and something you can't look away from.
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Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post
"Beware of Mr. Baker" is comprehensive, if somewhat overly glowing.
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Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times
The takeaway: great musician, deficient family man, taxing friend and bandmate, excellent documentary subject.
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