Dennis Wilson documentary to premiere in UK on Feb. 26th.

[Jon Stebbins]

A new 60 minute documentary film on the life of Dennis Wilson has been created for the BBC4 Legends series. The film titled Dennis Wilson – The Real Beach Boy will premiere in the UK on Friday, February 26th at 9 p.m.. The documentary features previously unseen footage and rare archival materials. New interview segments with David Marks, Al Jardine, Blondie Chaplin, Michael Wilson, Carl B. Wilson, Gregg Jakobson, Ed Roach, John Hanlon, Jeffrey Foskett, Tom Murphy, Ron Swallow, Jo Ann Marks, Taylor Hawkins, Mike Kowalski, Jon Stebbins and others give the film a fresh perspective on Dennis’ life and legacy. The documentary is produced by Lime Pictures of Liverpool in association with Dusty Slider films and BBC Wales. Matt O’Casey is credited as director and co-producer, executive producers are Tony Wood and Paul Bullock, Jon Stebbins is the film’s U.S. producer, and Howie Edelson is program consultant. The documentary is narrated by noted British DJ Mark Radcliffe who is also a drummer and a longtime fan of Dennis Wilson.

[DonnaK]

FINALLY!!!!!! Yes!!!! Thanks Jon for giving us the head's up on this........now if we can only get it over in the states!!!!!!!!! Am sure this doc will be fantastic !!!!!!

[Ed Roach]

This IS good news, Jon!  Sure as heck wish they were running it on BBC America, too! 
Perhaps everyone 'over here' should start e-mailing the BBC?

[bgas]

Jon; Are you aware of  any plan to make this available on DVD, so the rest of the world will be able to see it?

[Paulos]

This is great news, I cannot wait to see this documentary and there is no way I'm going out that Friday. Roll on Feb 26th!

[grillo]

Well ALRIGHT!!! That happens to be my 36th birthday. Thank you god(S).

[Howie Edelson]

I promise you all -- it's really going to be worth the wait. For once Dennis' story gets to be told -- not just Brian's or the band's. Dennis is finally showcased as an individual artist, with a completely different support system and cast of characters than the Beach Boys. It's pretty awesome. Everybody contributed their best on this. Jakobson -- when has this guy EVER talked??? John Hanlon pulling up tracks in the studio -- and that's not to mention the fact that Dennis' MUSIC is all throughout this. Mix that with Ed Roach's memories and INSANE archives and you get to see Dennis -- not a shriveled mess in '83 -- but alive. Dave Marks in Hawthorne... Tom Murphy... Carl B. & Michael Wilson... BLONDIE!!! When has any of this happened in a documentary before???

[Paulos]

I don't suppose there is any chance that we will hear a snippet of Wouldn't It Be Nice (To Live Again) in the doc?

[c-man]

Congrats, Jon and Howie!  I'm sure it will be awesome.

[Howie Edelson]

Thanks Craig -- you're gonna dig it a lot.

Paulos  -- sorry, no such luck. But the music used, and WHERE it is used, is really spot on and satisfying. Matt did an admirable job on that. 

[Emdeeh]

So, will this eventually wind up as PBS pledge-drive fare in the U.S.? I figure that's our best chance of seeing it here, unless BBC America picks it up...

[Jon Stebbins]

So, will this eventually wind up as PBS pledge-drive fare in the U.S.? I figure that's our best chance of seeing it here, unless BBC America picks it up...

What happens regarding international distribution or DVD rights is undetermined at this point. We're focusing on this BBC premiere, and then hopefully Matt will get it entered into some film festivals in the UK as well. After that it all comes down to additional clearances and rights and negotiations and boring stuff like that...but the hope is that it will live beyond this UK premiere and eventually will be seen more widely.

[DonnaK]

Jon, why wasn't this documentary premiered in the states first? Afterall, he DID live here and the BB were the "American Band".......

[Alex]

Yeah, the Brits are pretty spoiled when it comes to getting BB stuff first.

[Jon Stebbins]

Jon, why wasn't this documentary premiered in the states first? Afterall, he DID live here and the BB were the "American Band".......

A British director pitched the project for years, and finally managed to secure the financial backing from two British production companies and BBC television, who also committed to premiering the film a part of BBC 4's Legends series.

[Howie Edelson]

As crazy as it sounds, despite the long wait for a hard air date, I think having the production based out of the UK ultimately served Dennis in the long run. Not to dismiss the fine U.S.-based Rock documentarians doing great work, but having the doc being made with British "backing" ensured a certain artistic bent that I doubt a U.S. station would permit with the all-consuming "bottom line."

As we've all seen over the years in regards to Dennis, his poor decisions and downfall have taken precedence in the coverage above his work.  While THE REAL BEACH BOY in no way whitewashes his shortcomings/failures, for the first time a team has gathered to explain why he's worthy of such a project. Hopefully this doc will go that one step further to making people equate "Thoughts Of You" with Dennis Wilson more so than with "Tex" Watson.

[Andrew G. Doe]

Yeah, the Brits are pretty spoiled when it comes to getting BB stuff first.

Reason for that - we tend not to holler for "Barbara Ann" or "Kokomo" in the middle of, say, "'Til I Die".

That said, if the Gershwin project premieres anywhere except NYC, I'll be utterly amazed.

[Alex]

Yeah, the Brits are pretty spoiled when it comes to getting BB stuff first.

Reason for that - we tend not to holler for "Barbara Ann" or "Kokomo" in the middle of, say, "'Til I Die".

That said, if the Gershwin project premieres anywhere except NYC, I'll be utterly amazed.

Well, on behalf of all Americans, I apologize for the disrespectful morons who don't actually bother to educate themselves on the full scope of the BBs catalog.

[Paulos]

Here's a preview about the documentary taken from onthebox.com

Legends - Dennis Wilson: The Real Beach Boy

Dennis Wilson, the drummer in the Beach Boys, was the real Beach Boy. In a band of geeks who sang about surfing, cars and girls, Dennis was the only one who surfed, the one who drove hot rod cars in competition and the one who got all the girls. This documentary tells the story of Dennis's life and music, with unseen archive footage and original interviews.

Band of geeks? Charming description, I am really getting excited now, less than two weeks to go!

[Mike's Beard]

Hell yeah!! Fri 26th the whole world is going to be put on hold while I watch this program. For once it doesn't suck to live in the U.K.

[donald]

Hell yeah!! Fri 26th the whole world is going to be put on hold while I watch this program. For once it doesn't suck to live in the U.K.

  Didn't suck at all.
I liked the UK when I visited.  Hope to visit again.

SMiLE (bwps) was there first.   BB fans in the USA take note of the very special Brit appreciation of our band.   

And hanging in England is cool..  The Beatles used to live there as I recall.

[Mike's Beard]

Nice place to visit but you wouldn't want to live there!!!  Seriously our Government are forehead slappingly stupid.

[Nicko]

Seriously our Government are forhead slappingly stupid.

Oh the irony... 

[Exapno Mapcase]

"Dennis was the only one who surfed".  The only Wilson who surfed,  surely?

[Mike's Beard]

I've read that both Bruce and Mike also surfed although not as frequently as Dennis did. Hmmmm... saying that ,shut your eyes and try to picture what Mike must have looked like on a surf board.