Episode 2: Mike Figgis 

I am joined by the incredible academy award nominated director Mike Figgis who is best known for feature film’ Leaving Las Vegas’ for which Nicolas Cage won the Oscar for best actor while Mike was nominated for both best director and adapted screenplay. He has directed a host of other films and TV shows including an episode of The Sopranos. 

Outside of film he is a passionate music lover with a deep affection for Jazz and has written much of the music for his own films. His selection is broad and exciting take in specific recordings of Billie Holiday and Louis Armstrong as well as a classic album by Joni Mitchell. 

Check out the Spotify playlist for his selection here 

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5XufW3srQmu9UUYTNVeYRY?si=ILevUpjNRTKDVv7lAfWgrw

YouTube links for selections not on Spotify are…

Bridge Over The Congo - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H795dyG1JbQ

Billie Holiday ‘Fine & Mellow’ The Sound of Jazz on CBS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJQiqTZfakQ

Louis Armstrong “Back O’Town Blues’ - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OP9T_76URhk

Discogs Links To Purchase these Songs / Albums:

Bridge Over The Congo - https://www.discogs.com/Various-Bridge-Over-The-Congo/master/1028313

Miles Davis ‘Someday My Prince Will Come’ - https://www.discogs.com/Miles-Davis-Sextet-Someday-My-Prince-Will-Come/master/122262

The Sound of Jazz - https://www.discogs.com/Various-The-Sound-Of-Jazz/release/10054191

Joni Mitchell ‘Blue’ - https://www.discogs.com/Joni-Mitchell-Blue/master/47744

Please like and subscribe to the podcast and follow us on all socials @TheTop5RecordsPodcast 

Mike Figgis is an iconic film director, screenwriter, and composer. Figgis began his career as a musician. Growing up he was exposed to music early as his father was a jazz musician. In the late 60’s he started out playing trumpet and guitar in the People Band and is audible in their first record (produced by Charlie Watts) in 1968. He played keyboard with Bryan Ferry in an R & B band, Gas Board and then moved to London to study music and became involved in the fringe theatre group, before forming his own company, The Mike Figgis Group, in 1980.

After over 20 years as a musician, he got involved in theater including experimental theater and performance art using film rear projection in his presentations. He bought a 16mm film camera and started shooting film and began cultivating his path to become a filmmaker. 

Figgis made his feature film debut with the low budget Stormy Monday in 1988. The film earned him attention as a director who could get interesting performances from established Hollywood actors. His first American film was Internal Affairs, which helped to revive the career of Richard Gere. This was followed by his next Hollywood feature, Mr. Jones, was misunderstood by the studio, who attempted to market the downbeat story as a feelgood film, resulting in a box office flop. Figgis poured his disenchantment with the film industry into Leaving Las Vegas, which starred Nicholas Cage and Elisabeth Shue, which earned Figgis Academy Award nominations for Best Directing and Best Screenplay. He followed this up with the romantic drama One Night Stand and The Loss of Sexual Innocence. 

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ABOUT THE PODCAST

“Conversations with Charlie” is a podcast about the people that make up the film, broadcast and entertainment industry. Actors, directors, cinematographers, producers and other fascinating characters that inhabit this world.

Hosted by CHARLIE HERZFELD a veteran of the film and broadcast industry who has worked on over 100 feature film and broadcast projects with the likes of Martin Scorsese, Darren Aronofsky, Spike Lee, John Turturro and many more.