Buddy Bolden Movie Hits Theaters in May

Bolden—the movie about the ill-fated New Orleans cornetist Charles “Buddy” Bolden, who pioneered jazz circa 1900—was originally scheduled for release in 2008. Six years later, the film lost its titular star and had to recast that primary role and reshoot countless scenes. In 2010, director Dan Pritzker hoped to have the flick in theaters in 2011. But Bolden!, as it was then known remained mired in post-production for more than a decade.Along the way, the fledgling film director—an heir to the family fortunes of the Pritzker clan, which owns Hyatt Hotels—released a 70-minute black-and-white silent short called Louis in which young Anthony Coleman plays Louis Armstrong as a child growing up on the outskirts of Storyville.The atmospheric period piece, which was released nine years ago, is considered a companion piece to Bolden. Louis stars several actors, such as Jackie Earle Haley as a corrupt politician, and Shanti Lowry as a prostitute, in the same roles they play in the feature-length Bolden.Louis premiered in Chicago August 25, 2010, with live musical accompaniment by Wynton Marsalis, pianist Cecile Licad, and a 10-piece orchestra. That summer, the musicians traveled with the black-and-white film to Detroit, Bethesda, N.Y., and Glenside, Pennsylvania.Now Bolden is finally scheduled for its theatrical release on May 3. It will be distributed by Abramorama.Shooting for bot