DVD of the Week

#1 - Let's Get Lost (Bruce Weber, 1988)

A spellbinding portrait of the jazz musician Chet Baker, shot in freeform style by former fashion photographer Weber. The film was made in the last year of the musician's life (he died after falling from a hotel window in Amsterdam), by which time the smouldering, sweet-voiced upstart of the '50s had morphed into a hollow-cheeked, broken down, toothless junkie.

Though there are some valuable talking head contributions - including memorable interviews with several of Baker's lovers (most of whom are still besotted with him) - the film is at its best when it's at its least conventional. Incredible archive footage, culled from Italian B-Movies and TV spots, is mixed with Weber-shot passages of the 57-year-old Baker smoking, recording, moaning, or just wandering around.

And while the director is clearly in love with his subject, he still asks the tough questions: of Baker, of his third wife (who is extraordinarily level-headed and ordinary... except in devotion to Chet) and of his mother. "Would you say he has been a disappointment as a son?" Weber asks. "Yes," she replies, softly.

Sumptuous monochrome photography and Baker's timeless music only add to the overall impact of the film, which shows the brilliant, seductive, appalling maestro in all his glory. This is a must for jazz fans, documentary buffs or anyone in search of something a little different to watch this bank holiday weekend.

Let's Get Lost is available on Region 2 DVD (which work on standard UK players), priced around £8.99.