The Smiley Smile Message Board

So they are finally making a movie of Dennis's life, as I'm sure everyone on this thread already is well aware.

I personally am worried...I've been encouraged by what I've read so far. Vera Farmiga as Christine McVie sounds good. And the fact it's based on Steven Gaines informative, warts-and-all book Heroes And Villains is also a step in the right direction.

But what about this: who will play Dennis? It's the make-or-break question for me.

Here's a petition to the producers of the film asking for Canadian actor Scott Speedman. I think he looks identical and would play the role perfectly. But perhaps it's a Canadian bias – like the actor, I'm also from Toronto.

https://campaign.to/ScottSpeedmanForDennisWilsonBiopic/petition/11/ (https://campaign.to/ScottSpeedmanForDennisWilsonBiopic/petition/11/)

Wow, he does look strikingly similar. If his voice sounds even somewhat close to Dennis's, he'd be a great choice.

I thought it was going to Harvey Dent?

First things first: why open another thread for a question which concerns a topic that has been dealt with in other threads? CLICK (http://smileysmile.net/board/index.php/topic,11284.0.html). (...)


Aaron Eckhart has been attached to it for quite a while but recently left the project for reasons unknown. Which is a shame - Eckhart would have nailed it, I think.

(http://nerdvision.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/aaron-eckhart-dennis-wilson.jpg)


Various other casting announcements have been made a while ago.

It really, really isn't. Even were the Gaines book not extremely inaccurate in all sorts of ways, just remember the last time someone tried to film it, we got Summer Dreams...

In describing Dennis' last months it is pretty accurate, though.

I imagine quite a bit of cash left the project when Eckhart dropped. This is the sort of project that probably won't get made unless another 'big' name is brought into the fold.

That's funny, my son is also named Bort!  ;D

In all seriousness, though, this blows. I had assumed that they were near completion on The Drummer, and now we're back to the drawing board?

I have no idea how good the script is. I'm just dying to hear all that unreleased DW music they were supposed to include on the soundtrack.

It won't be pretty, but I hope it's good. Gaines' book has many problems but it's still has solid (if unsavory) info on Dennis' later years

I'm a big supporter of the Gaines book. It has it's share of factual errors in regards to the chronology of the group's music, but it's only book in which you'll get something approximating the true story of The Beach Boys, warts 'n' all.

I wish he'd release an updated version honestly.

Err ...  because Eckhart's left so the role is open again? Or the fact that Speedman is the absolute spit of Dennis Wilson? Both viable reason's to start a new topic as far as I can tell.

I've thought a new version would be cool too but there is one problem. Very few people were happy with what he did with their info or how he spun it.  I doubt he would get much from anyone on the post Dennis years. That said a rewrite with corrections on the music would be very welcome.

Am I the only one who doesn't want to see this film come to fruition? I feel like I would get really annoyed by the inevitable inaccuracies and its impact on general society's understanding of Dennis.

I can live without it. It is just a story that is soooo asking to be cheapened in the telling IMO.

Would I rather it focus on his life through early 1968? Of course. No Manson, no hard drugs, drinking not ruining his life yet etc. It could be how he inspired the early Beach Boys, moved into how fame changed his life, and then showed the blossoming of his songwriting talent. Sadly dirt sells but I think Dennis' early story is a lot more inspiring.

Well no, because the topic is still The Drummer (for which we have already have a thread).  ;) Ah well...

Fair enough, but as the OP has a low post count, maybe he missed that thread.

scott speedman is not near the caliber of actor Eckhart was, or the rest of the cast for that matter.

Where have you read that this film is based on the Gaines book?

No, you're not. I'm afraid having big name movie people attached to it will only get the hype up for us all to be disappointed by the actual film in the end. I was kind of glad to see Eckhart drop out, not that I don't think he could play a good Dennis, but with the reports that they aren't consulting with some of the major players in Dennis' life and the preservation of his legacy gives me cause for concern. I know that any exposure to Dennis and his story will help spread his music, which is great, but I just don't have good feelings about this project.

If the movie is good I'll take the quality as tribute to Dennis.

The prospect of unreleased DW music (as the producers claimed would make up part of the soundtrack) isn't enough to garner your support?

I would've sworn it was going to be based on some obscure, little-heard-of, book on Denny written by some guy who I think also worked on some sort of documentary about Dennis (oh, what was it called?), and also wrote a book about some guitar player named Dave Marks, or so I heard...and may have posted here on this board once or twice a few years back...not sure of what his name was, though.   :lol :lol :lol :lol

That would be excellent, but the thought of actors re-recording some of Dennis and Christine's demos that was also reported...not so much.

If that were the case I'd be the last to know. :shrug

Well, according to "Fifty Sides Of The Beach Boys", Guercio hopes to release another DW collection called "Tornado" (a working title for "Bambu", which was evidently kept in reserve for Dennis' planned third solo album).  I know the exact word Mark uses in the book is in the past tense, but I hope that's just a writing convention (as in, "at the date of writing, he hoped to").