Imagine the Sound
{{Infobox film
| name = Imagine the Sound
| image = Imagine_the_Sound.jpg
| caption =
| director = Ron Mann
| producer = Ron Mann
Bill Smith
| writer =
| narrator =
| starring = Paul Bley
Bill Dixon
Archie Shepp
Cecil Taylor
| music =
| cinematography = Robert Fresco
| editing = Sonya Polonsky
| distributor =
| released = {{Film date|1981}}
| runtime = 90 minutes
| country = Canada
| language = English
| budget =
| gross =
}}
Imagine the Sound is a 1981 Canadian documentary film about the once-controversial genre of free jazz, directed by Ron Mann.{{Cite web|title=IMAGINE THE SOUND {{!}} The Clinton Street Theater|url=https://cstpdx.com/show/imagine-sound|access-date=2021-05-26|website=cstpdx.com}} It serves as Mann's feature film directorial debut.{{Cite web|title=Canadian Film Encyclopedia - Ron Mann|url=https://cfe.tiff.net/canadianfilmencyclopedia/content/bios/ron-mann|access-date=2021-05-26|website=cfe.tiff.net}}
Background
Imagine the Sound marks Mann's feature film directorial debut; he made the film while he was still in his early twenties. The film deals with the once-controversial genre of free jazz.{{Cite web|title=Documentary Screening: Imagine The Sound (1981) - Gardiner Museum|url=https://www.gardinermuseum.on.ca/event/documentary-screening-imagine-sound-1981/|access-date=2021-05-26|website=www.gardinermuseum.on.ca}}{{Cite web|title=IMAGINE THE SOUND|url=https://www.austinfilm.org/films/imagine-the-sound/|access-date=2021-05-26|website=Austin Film Society|language=en}}
Shot entirely in Toronto, the film features interviews with and musical and dramatic performances by pianist Cecil Taylor, saxophonist Archie Shepp, trumpeter Bill Dixon, and pianist Paul Bley.{{Cite news|last=Jazz|first=All About|title=Paul Bley/Archie Shepp/Bill Dixon/Cecil Taylor: Imagine the Sound article @ All About Jazz|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/paul-bley-archie-shepp-bill-dixon-cecil-taylor-imagine-the-sound-paul-bley-by-greg-camphire.php|access-date=2021-05-26|website=All About Jazz|date=20 October 2007 |language=en}} Bill Smith features as the interviewer of the film's subjects.{{cite web |title=Imagine The Sound |work=Sphinx Productions |url=http://www.sphinxproductions.com/films/2016/2/1/imagine-the-sound |accessdate=7 July 2020}}
Availability
The film has been digitally restored and was released on DVD in 2007.{{Cite web |url=http://www.sphinxproductions.com/films/imagine/ |title=Sphinx Productions |access-date=2012-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103131749/http://sphinxproductions.com/films/imagine/ |archive-date=2012-11-03 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web|title=KQEK DVD Review: Imagine the Sound (1981)|url=https://www.kqek.com/dvd_reviews/i/3237_ImagineSound1981.htm|access-date=2021-05-26|website=www.kqek.com}}
Reception
Critic and film historian Jonathan Rosenbaum has said that Imagine the Sound “may be the best documentary on free jazz that we have.”{{Citation|title=Imagine the Sound (1981) - Film Affinity|url=https://www.filmaffinity.com/en/film904665.html|publication-place=|language=en|access-date=2021-05-26}}
See also
- Toronto New Wave-the film movement Ron Mann was part of in 1980s Canada
- Ornette: Made in America- the 1985 Shirley Clarke documentary film about free jazz pioneer Ornette Coleman
- Poetry in Motion-a 1982 documentary film also by Mann
{{Ron Mann}}
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
- {{official website|http://www.sphinxproductions.com/films/2016/2/1/imagine-the-sound|Imagine the Sound}}
- {{IMDb title|id=0082550|title=Imagine the Sound}}
- [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/imagine-the-sound-v24401 Imagine the Sound on AllMovie]
Category:English-language Canadian films
Category:Canadian documentary films
Category:Films directed by Ron Mann
Category:Documentary films about jazz music and musicians
Category:1981 documentary films