The Cotton Club - Encore (1984) ***1/2

The Cotton Club (1984) is one of those films that, perhaps intentionally, doesn't have a whole lot going on narratively, instead favoring imagery and set pieces. It's one of those glorious messes of a movie—over budget, a box office failure, and doesn't quite work overall, and yet a fascinating film that captures a time, a place, and a mood (late 1920s–early 1930s/NYC/jazz and swing + gangsters). This was the first time I'd seen the film and I watched the "Encore" cut (which adds 11 minutes of restored footage), so I can't speak to how greatly it differs from the theatrical release.

The Encore version on Blu-ray is a feast for the eyes and ears and there's a lot to appreciate—incredible song and dance numbers (in particular the Hines brothers' tap routines), gorgeous costumes, sumptuous cinematography, and an impressive cast (though some actors are severely underutilized). The characters are never fully fleshed out, the issue of racism never gets satisfyingly explored, the conflicts never feel too dangerous, and there's only one real tragedy to speak of (with no emotional weight attached at all), but The Cotton Club is still an extremely entertaining picture from a producer/director who always takes risks and cares deeply about the art and craft of cinema.

You can find my Francis Ford Coppola Feature Films Ranked list here.