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The Dennis Wilson documentary film - The Real Beach Boy will air again tomorrow night on BBC4. This is the 4th airing of the show.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r0t24

Also FYI the DW doc. was nominated for a Royal Television Society Award (Best Documentary, Northern Region). It eventually lost to another documentary.

http://realscreen.com/2010/10/12/rts_northwest-20101012/?word=productions

http://visionandmediatv.com/NewsDetail/Royal_Television_Society_North_West_Awards__Shortlist_Announced/2341/67.aspx

I guess tomorrow in the UK is now. The film is running on BBC4 presently.

You can also download it for viewing: after 30 days it expires. (This is in the UK and, probably, Europe - USA could well be a different matter)

If you've not seen it yet, stop what you're doing now and clear 60 minutes.

I could not download it here in the USA.
But I did find it on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClBfaGPD0mI

I've said it many times before, and I'll say it again: I wish they would release this on DVD. It is too good of a documentary...one of my absolute favourites.

Hi Jon, I loved the show. Any chance of a DVD release with a second disc of interviews, bonus footage of Dennis in the studio etc etc etc?

Pretty sure Jon has mentioned before that a DVD release is highly unlikely, owing to the cost of licensing the music on this side of the Atlantic...  That had a lot to do with all of us getting involved with the BBC for this venture.  That, and the fantastic job we all felt Matt O'Casey did with the earlier documentary we worked with him and the BBC on, called "Wouldn't It Be Nice".

"Dennis Wilson was the drummer in the Beach Boys. And he 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."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00r0t24/Legends_Dennis_Wilson_The_Real_Beach_Boy/

Really good documentary, but do they really have to plug it that way...?

Besides, they may not have been part of the surfing sub-culture like Dennis, but didn't Mike and Al surf? Wouldn't it be less likely that they didn't?  What about David?  Okay, so he wasn't with the Boys at the time, but we know Bruce surfed too - still does, maybe?

Back to the documentary... if you haven't seen it, go to BBC iPlayer or YouTube - you're in for a treat.

Thanks for the nice words. BTW...As they gained fame the Beach Boys promoted themselves that way, saying Dennis was the only surfer. if you go back and look at their press releases and magazine articles from the period, it was always mentioned that Dennis was the only "real" surfer in the group. Bruce was not in the band yet when they were making surfing records and promoting themselves that way, Dave and Al tried it but never got into it, Carl hated the water, Brian..no way, we never heard that Mike was a surfer until the late '60's or early '70's right? Show me something from the BB's "surfing" period that says any of them other than Dennis actively surfed. It doesn't exist. So yeah, the plug is over the top, but really its part of the established lore, and at least somewhat true. To me the revisionist element is the others now saying "but we surfed too".

So you reckon Mike's Do It Again quote was trading on nostalgia the same way the sentiments of the song were?  Interesting. I'd always wondered about that. I guess at that time he was in the business of reinventing himself.  Nothing wrong with that, of course. Dylan did (does) it regularly.

My main objection was the use of the word 'geeks.' You know, in the early 60s, they didn't look like 'geeks.'

Just finished watching it (on YouTube — kinda annoying to see it in 10-minute sections, but...), and loved it — very well done, Jon, and others!

 It's a great documentary. It was cool seeing Dennis waxing up his surfboard in the early 60's, my daughter especially liked that part ...ha
 It's good to put faces and voices to some of the people Dennis worked with and seeing David, Jon and Eddie!
 

Just watched it on youtube (never caught it before), good concise account of Dennis' life and times, very moving

Why is Jon Stebbins wearing sunglasses as he is interviewed inside a building?

Yeah, nobody's ever done that before.  ???

Well at least we know what the "real" Jon Stebbins looks like.  Good documentary.

Yeah, nobody's ever done that before.  ???
[/quote]

This guy did it too:  8)

Jon, next time:  :3d

it's not that hard to make you own....  :)

sorry for bumping an old topic but i saw this doco for the first time last night

i thought it was excellent and gave a great insight into DW's life.

the part where hes singing 'YASB' and his voice is shot is heartbreaking

but definately great viewing

congrats to all involved

You've never seen a guy named Roy Orbison, have you? :)

Jon those two are the most honest films done on the group. I have a region free DVD player so if they ever do come out anywhere I will be the first to buy one!

Or Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles...

It's a very good doc, this. Mark Radcliffe (who is a popular DJ over here in the UK) is a very good narrator. I also recommend to those of you who haven't seen the BBC's doc on Pet Sounds from about 7 or 8 years back. Can't remember the title, but it was presented by Mark Lamarr. Worth seeking out. The BBC rock!

The thing that makes this a great documentary, and the thing that makes it stand out above most, is the honesty of it. Especially the scene where Blondie is talking about seeing Dennis for the last time and not even recognising him. The scene with Ed Roach at the exact location where it happened is heartbreaking.

Art That Shook The World - The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds, 2002.

The Mark Lamarr doc was part of a BBC series called 'Art that Shook the World'. Just rewatched it recently on video (!) after literally dusting off an old video recorder.

I would love to see the Pet Sounds one.

Thanks so much, Jay; broke my heart just being back there...  Spent far too much time on that dock with Dennis to be able to handle even being near that section of the marina without choking up.  When we wrapped up my interview at Chez Jay, and was asked if I'd mind going down there, I wasn't too sure about it.  Now I'm awfully glad I did.

Yeah, Ed, that's definitely the saddest part of the documentary. I just wanted to give you a massive hug afterwards, to be honest.

Tony P, it wasn't on telly I assume? I can't find it on iPlayer.

nah mate - i managed to get my hands on a D/L copy

they have the whole doco on youtube in 6 different parts if you wanna watch it online though

i agree with Jay - the part with Ed down at the Marina was so sad. I loved the honesty of it though. They did well in telling the desperation of Dennis in those final days.