Elevator to the Gallows

Special screenings of world cinema classics – Elevator to the Gallows pay tribute to the greatest jazz artist in history – Miles Davis – on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Elevator to the Gallows (1958) by Louis Malle not only paved the way for the French New Wave, but also combined cinema and jazz in an unprecedented way. This stylish film noir has achieved immortality for many reasons, and one of them is undoubtedly the mesmerizing soundtrack composed by the jazz genius himself—Miles Davis, whose 100th birthday falls exactly on May 26, 2026.

The music in this film is not merely background. Davis’s trumpet becomes almost an inner voice for the characters, emphasizing their loneliness and the growing fatalism of their situation. Its creation is also linked to one of the most beautiful legends in the history of music. Davis, who happened to be in Paris at the time, composed the score in just one night. The recording session was based entirely on improvisation—the band watched looped film clips and reacted live to what was happening on screen. The lack of preparation gave rise to a raw, melancholic sound that is now shrouded in legend and has been delighting music lovers for decades.

The music from Elevator to the Gallows has long been considered one of the best soundtracks in history.