LFF 2012 - Beware Of Mr Baker

It's almost ironic that Beware Of Mr Baker is introduced by Johnny Rotten, one of rock's most infamous and unwelcoming characters, only for us to be thrust into the life of the biggest monster in the history of rock, and most specifically, drumming. Director Jay Bulger gains access to Ginger Baker after initially posing as a Rolling Stone magazine writer, only for his initial article on the ragged-edged character to actually be published in the magazine.

Furthering his contact with Baker, Bulger then takes the decision to delve through the life story of one of music's most colourful and controversial characters and, despite some reluctance, the former star agrees. What begins is a journey through an ultimately rock-and-roll lifestyle as we encounter the highs and lows of possibly the world's best ever drummer and hear his thoughts on the life he led as well as the opinions of some of music's most influential figures.

Beginning with his roots in his youth where jazz took precedence, Baker explains how he suddenly became immersed into drumming following his insistence at school to play tunes on his desk only to be egged on by his classmates. Little did they know that it would be the start of a career that saw him rise to mega stardom and see him collaborating with the legends of music in today's world.

Tracking its way through archived footage of the genius that was Baker when handed with his drum sticks and sat behind the kit, Beware Of Mr Baker goes from his days as part of Cream, with Eric Clapton and long-term opposer Jack Bruce, to his days in Blind Faith. We then follow his path as he tracks from country to country eventually ending up in present day where he currently resides in South Africa.

Proving to be an utterly satisfying and astoundingly interesting documentary, Beware Of Mr Baker is a superb look into a life of a man who truly embraced the lifestyle of a musician in the era of sex, drugs and rock and roll, and took it to the next level. Director Jay Bulger proves to be a brave man as he spends much time with the man, who nowadays lives without contact with his former cohorts, and remains a somewhat bitterly aging man affected hugely by the level of drugs he took whilst in his heyday.

Bulger's editing is pin-perfect, with clippings of Baker's genius at work really representing a man at the top of the music game, whilst mixing with intriguing interviews with music's greatest figures and those closest to Baker. His use of interestingly artistic animations also provide a great link between events unfolding and often help to accentuate the true character of the man.

The star power and talent of Baker is never understated, nor too is his true personality. Often providing the most humour-worthy of moments, Baker's tirades of verbal abuse toward the filmmaker keep the rock-and-roll antics alive and our man behind the film even falls victim to a walking aid assault as we witness the fight still inside a man who lived life to the full.

Beware Of Mr Baker won at SXSW for Best Documentary at the festival and it is easy to see why. Expertly edited providing a neat flow in chronological events, it is a truly remarkable look into the life of a man who can only be referred to as a living legend. A monster of rock in every sense of the word, Ginger Baker is a man who has clearly been consumed by fame and is now living having made the most of his situation and finding himself on the bitter end of it all.

This is perfectly represented in the life story of the man, and in Jay Bulger we have a director who is clearly passionate about his subject and is keen on educating viewers on the life and times of the exceptional drummer. Hilarious, intriguing and ultimately satisfying, Beware Of Mr Baker offers a stunning look at how fame in the music business isn't always a smooth path.