GrimPrecise I'll tell you why so serious

XoWizIama Excellent adaptation.

Comwayon A Disappointing Continuation

FirstWitch A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

Horst in Translation (filmreviews@web.de) This is a quote from "Beware of Mr. Baker" which very well describes the character this documentary is about. It's the first directorial effort from Jay Bulger and as he gets beaten with a cane by his protagonist, it certainly wasn't an easy effort. Cream and Ginger Baker's great years were way before my time, so I went into this one knowing almost nothing about it. But it's always nice to know about new things and I wasn't disappointed with the outcome. Ginger Baker, the infamous drummer, is as interesting as it gets and certainly deserves his own documentary tribute, even if he's way into his 70s now that this was made. The crass, almost horror-like animation used in the film nicely emphasized how it's a fine line between genius and insanity, a description that is probably hardly more accurate for anybody than Mr. Baker. Also I wouldn't mind watching a film about his life that is completely animated in the style it was used here. And I didn't need to know much about playing the drums to see this man's incredible talent.However, there's always another approach to this character and the perfect counterpart to his insanity is also something that I liked the way it was depicted here: his love to animals, especially horses. It was very sweet to see his weaker, more vulnerable site and how he truly adored these animals that probably became the center of his life at some point and a bit of a haven for him to compensate for his wild side. Also, I thought the ending was very well done, to see Ginger Baker back from his isolation in South Africa to the stage doing what he always did best, playing the drums and having a great time doing so, especially after saying earlier in the film that his motivation and health when it comes to music are almost completely gone.I had admittedly one big "what-the-hell"-moment when I saw him writing an ad for a newspaper to look for a band. Really can't believe a man with his talent, considered by many as one of the greatest to have ever played the drums, could sink so low that he'd have to take drastic measures like these to do what he loved. It was shocking to see how he basically made not much money at all despite being possibly the great creative force behind Cream as he wasn't the one who wrote the songs. It made me happy to see he reached great commercial and critical success afterward again though. Another thing I quite enjoyed was to see him in Africa during his younger years. He always seemed to have had a special connection to the Black continent (going until today with South Africa and his marriage to a local being possibly the last chapter of this life) and it was great to witness how local tribes and their approach to music clearly inspired him in his work."Beware of Mr. Baker" is a film I'd recommend. It's probably even a must-see for music lovers of the 1960s and 1970s as you see many artists (Clapton, Santana...) telling about how they perceived Baker back in the day and today. And for people like me, it's perfect to broaden their horizons and find out about artists from back in the day that we may not have been familiar with before. Admittedly, Baker is such a colorful character, who accosts and swears like a pirate, but is also sensitive, and I'm a bit surprised I never came across him earlier. I wouldn't say this film was an eye-opener and that I keep listening to his music all the time now, but it was still nice to get to know him and I applaud Bulger for making this documentary.

dromasca Ginger Baker is not only one of the greatest drummers ever but also a character who waits for a movie to be made about him. One day maybe a fiction movie will be made, until them we have 'Beware of Mr. Baker' - the documentary made by Jay Bulger. Rock documentaries are now quite 'en vogue' and there is a good reason for this. The big rock stars of the 60s and 70s, well, the ones who survived are now at the age of writing or telling on screen their memories. The younger generations may have heard little about 'Cream' or 'Blind Faith' but they do have an opportunity not only to watch part of their concerts (luckily filmed concerts technology developed just in time to catch much of their sounds, moves and the atmosphere of their live shows) but also to hear fist hand their version of the history of rock. And fans like me are definitely delighted.'Beware of Mr. Baker' is centered around the interview reluctantly given by Baker at his ranch in South-Africa. He is one of those anti-social partners of discussion that you sometimes pity the interviewers about. He certainly loves to complain about his family, other musicians, life and fate in general - one of these guys who seem to love themselves much less than the world lives and admires them. We learn much more about his life from interviews with members of his family (his first wife seems still to have a crush on him, his son's best memory is having made music with his father) and with other musicians. It's the story of a life damaged by drugs abuse and a pattern of behavior that preempted Baker from establishing good working relations with any of his colleague musicians and eventually led to the early breaking of all bands he played in. Yet, it is also doubtful if in the absence of this temper and even of the use of drugs his music would have been the same. And music is what is left at the end from such personalities. Great music in the case of Mr. Baker.

tomgillespie2002 Ginger Baker, that fire-haired, heroin-addicted, mentally unstable drummer of Cream and Blind Faith fame, is given a much deserved documentary here at the hands of Rolling Stone journalist Jay Bulger. For all his notorious genius - the guy single-handedly invented the drum solo and heavy metal owes a significant debt - the man is repulsively anti-social and, well, mad. We learn this from the opening scene, as Baker yells at Bulger, who is off-camera, that he doesn't want his friends and colleagues interviewed for the film, while Bulger protests. Cue a pause, then Baker stabs at Bulger with his cane, leaving the film- maker with a bloodied nose.For the rest of the film, Baker is somewhat subdued, slumped in his reclining chair, never without a cigarette and his sunglasses, giving a reluctant commentary on his life and his career. It is Baker's discomfort at being an interviewee that slightly damages the film, as we never really get beneath those red locks and mad eyes of his to the soul (or lack of) beneath. So, Beware of Mr. Baker (the title comes from a warning sign outside Baker's South African ranch), becomes a mere birth- to-present biography of his career. It's still fascinating stuff, and Bulger has unearthed some excellent archive footage and photographs.His colleague and family provide the more personal information on Baker, such as his estranged son, who recollects that he was briefly happy with his father, even drumming alongside him on-stage, before Baker verbally attacked him and sent him on his way. Baker, in simple terms, is a horrible man, but (as the annoying sell-out Johnny Rotten tells us), he is the type of man that true genius often produces. His affection for polo and heroin are not explored enough, and the real focus here is the music. The footage shown is outstanding, ranging from his superstar- creating time with Cream through to some mind-bending footage of drumming 'battles' with his peers and heroes. Yet Baker himself still remains a mystery, and perhaps it should stay that way.www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com

asc85 If you're a fan of the history of rock'n roll music, this film really is a must. I had heard of Ginger Baker of course, but I'm about 5-7 years too young to have remembered his Cream and Blind Faith years. I didn't realize how fantastic a drummer he was, and as said in the movie, really was one of the pioneers of hard rock. One of my favorite parts of the movie is when the interviewer (I believe it was Jay Bulger) asks Ginger Baker what he thinks of comparisons to John Bonham of Led Zeppelin and Keith Moon of The Who, and he scoffs at the comparison, which wasn't much of a surprise when you see what kind of person Baker is. But then they ask the same question of Eric Clapton, and Clapton thinks it's such a ridiculous comment that he doesn't even let Bulger finish the question! Ginger Baker was a great drummer, but an extremely flawed individual in almost every other regard, which makes him an interesting subject for a film such as this. The critical acclaim has been deservedly high, which is why I had decided to see it in the first place.