Stopforbud (1963) aka Stop for Bud

Stop for Bud is Jørgen Leth's first film and the first in his long collaboration with Ole John. Having met by chance, together they wanted to "blow up cinematic conventions and invent cinematic language from scratch". The jazz pianist Bud Powell moves around Copenhagen -- through King's Garden, along the quay at Kalkbrænderihavnen, across a waste dump. He enters the frame, he leaves the frame, the camera follows him. We are far away and close. He looks up at us, Bud is alone, accompanied only by his music. The montage is followed by footage from a concert at the Montmartre jazz club, though the sound isn't synchronized. Image and sound are two different things -- that's Leth's and John's principle. Dexter Gordon, the narrator, tells stories about Powell's famous left hand.
In an obituary for Powell, dated 3 August 1966, Leth wrote: "He quite willingly, opr better still, unresistingly, mechanically, let himself be directed. The film attempts to depict his strange duality about his surroundings. His touch on the keys was like he was burning his fingers -- that's what it looked like, and that's how it sounded. But outside his playing, and often right in the middle of it, too, he was simply gone, not there."
From: IMDB
Stop for Bud is an experimental portrait of the American jazz pianist Bud Powell. The film was shot by a sometimes moving camera in contrast-poor black and white, with a slightly dreamy tone as the celebrated pianist proceeded through Copenhagen locations such as Kongens Have (a park), a dockside and a rubbish dump. The picture compositions are often untraditional, such as the introductory tilt that shows the pianist from his feet upwards, an extreme bird's eye view in a factory-like setting or a hand-held travelling shot that follows Powell's legs on a stroll. The editing does not pretend to create a clear thread through the material but may be seen as a loose juxtaposition of a series of images or situations. The film also includes a concert scene from the Montmartre jazz club in which Powell's face and fingers are studied from a series of beautiful, dark angles as he plays, but without synchronous sound. We hear Bud Powell playing on the soundtrack and at the beginning and end of the film Dexter Gordon tells a couple of stories about Powell and his innovative impact on jazz.

[@torontoBluejays87]

The best piano player who ever lived. I guarantee you that I will still be saying that 50 years from now if I'm around.

[@viggosimonsen5870]

The director Jørgen Leth has a special place in my heart - for this film alone.

[@steelydanbowler]

I cannot possibly express in words how grateful I am that you have posted this. I love Bud Powell. Thank you.

[@nicolaserafini8969]

Ti amo Bud

[@onkelmarvin8360]

There`s such an incredibly sad look in Bud Powells eyes. The look of a man, who`s been hurt again and again, and who went through a lot of crap, due to his mental illness, but also because of his color. .......R.I.P........Gentle Spirit

[@user-bu5zl8iv2s]

私は５０年来のパウエルファンですがこのフィルムの存在は知りませんでした。このユーチューブを観て驚くと共に非常に感激しました。アップを本当に有難うございます。❤

[@inkognito8400]

His eyes break my heart everytime I see this video

[@olebirgerpedersen]

He allways looked so sad and he never talked much , but we often happened to have a porter together before Herluf called him to the piano.

[@inkognito8400]

Ole Birger Pedersen Are you related to Niels-Henningen?

[@olebirgerpedersen]

@@inkognito8400 Who the hell is Henningsen ?

[@inkognito8400]

Ole Birger Pedersen
Sorry, I wrote it wrong.I meant Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen

[@olebirgerpedersen]

@@inkognito8400 of couse I knew him. We also made a record together with Kenny Drew, strings and 4 flutes.

[@livingstonmckoy4428]

I truly love this composition played with so much emotions. RIP Bud, you were something special .

[@thomasrpoulsen]

Bud Powell was a genius. Thanks for uploading. And thank you Leth, John and Thorsen.

[@skiddoo-fr9ex]

Nice to see this interesting little film, and great to see so much love for the greatest jazz pianist of all time.

[@terjeaslakaas7302]

Thank you very much for this,,,,,,🤠🤫

[@peterblake3000]

miss you Bud

[@shayannoghrehsaz8699]

Thanks for posting this Valuable and masterpiece video

[@luzrodas519]

Thank you very much for this wonderful treasure!

[@salgoudsamoht]

outstanding music and excellent direction and cinematography. it would be difficult to find images more suitable for the emotions expressed in these introspective pieces from the late Mr. Powell, may he rest in eternal peace. the comments from the late Mr. Gordon, may he rest in perpetual bliss, are inserted tastefully and add an interesting dimension to the superbly constructed tableau of sound and images.

[@thefatha]

beyond genius..

[@davidrichardson306]

Thank you for posting.

[@jazzians]

thank you so much for posting this!

[@IberianInteractive]

Big Ginormous thanks for this one

[@FeiJiba]

Mr. Turek thanks you very much for uploading this great video. I wonder if you have further information on this "I'll Keeping Loving You" in the background. It seems Bud recorded this tune especially for this movie. Do you have any idea whether this has ever been on any release?

[@kasperbolding18]

Genialt

[@frankdambra]

Does anyone know what record that take of Oblivion around 8:30 is from?

[@impeter3719]

yea Id like to know too, cheers

[@michaelredd4642]

Where you going Bud???!!!!!!!

[@voodoosoup]

What is the title of that first tune?

[@benbarritt9761]

I’ll keep loving you.

[@jman12849]

very neat video. is there a name for this style of video?

[@vasaudara7657]

Is that Lars Gullin walkin at the end?

[@kajgenell]

no, he did not look like that man

[@dr.brianjudedelimaphd743]

Bluthner piano...

[@nzazzara3111]

Alan Broadbent was correct. this is the film.

[@TubeSpawn96]

8:58. 9:04

[@jazzians]

thank you so much for posting this!