anyone think this idea would make a good movie

[dwtherealbb]

it could be called "California Saga" and would be sort of a beach boys equivalent of "Across the Universe." It could be set in the same time period as the Beach Boys eleven year run. The movie could sort of show the changes Southern California went through during that time period also. It could be about a boyfriend and girlfriend in high school in early 1960s SoCal where life revolves around football, going to the carhop, drive in movie etc like Grease or American Graffitti and going surfing during the weekends. The songs then of course would be "Surfin Safari" "Be True To Your School" etc. As the decade wears on they become less interested in the car surf culture and the boyfriend goes to UCLA to study art or film (like Morrison did). It could be there that he starts experimenting with acid and the songs start changing to things like "Caroline No" or "I Know There's An Answer". Then there would be the more dramatic scenes sort of like the protest scenes in across the universe. The equivalent to that I guess would be the scenes that show things like the Watts Riots, Chicano Moratorium or the male character hanging out with Manson. Although the beach boys don't have a lot of songs that are as heavy sounding as "She's So Heavy" or "Helter Skelter" but "All I Want to Do" from 20/20 might be a good one.

Just some food for thought. I'm not a movie producer but does anyone here think it might make a good movie (as long as it wasn't blatantly ripping off ATU)? I would hope Mike would allow the songs to be used.

[stack-o-tracks]

absolutely not.

[Cabinessenceking]

It is in concept a great idea imo. The porblem is these american people who made Across The Universe did a really crappy job, and americans cant sing Beatle songs for 5 bucks. I guess I have a problem with the american inferior accent... Maybe it would work out better on Beach Boys. I fear it would be a Glee type of production (cmon, it's inevitable right...)

[Exapno Mapcase]

No.  A better movie would be one about a Ross Macdonald detective hired by a family desperate for the return of the cash cow, trying to free a 60s rock/pop genius from the clutches of a an evil, manipulative psychiatrist.

[OneEar/OneEye]

I absolutely loathed Across The Universe.  It's even worse than the Peter Frampton/Bee Gees Sgt. Peppers movie, which was awful. 

[I. Spaceman]

I guess I have a problem with the american inferior accent... 

Funny.

[Bicyclerider]

When the male lead experiments with acid, he has a good trip ( Good Vibrations) and then a bad trip (Fire music).  He tries to put his head together and joins a cult (never Learn Not to Love).  After the cult commits some horrific murders he goes to Hawaii to chill out (little Pad).  You get the idea.

[EgoHanger1966]

No. As an obsessive Beach Boys fan, I probably couldn't stop myself from going to see it, but I would probably end up thinking it was worse than Summer Dreams, and we know how bad thing is.

I really dislike Across The Universe (the movie), for what that's worth.

[Dunderhead]

Tasso, Tasso, Tasso. If you're writing or planning a Beach Boy's movie Goethe's Tasso is the ideal model, it's almost too perfect to not use it as the structure and inspiration of a film or drama about Brian Wilson.

[BergenWhitesMoustache]

Nah, what's good about the Beach Boys is their records from '61-79, and live perfomances til a little after that

No more embarrassing footnotes! If you need more musical thrills check out other bands. Skaldowie?

[dwtherealbb]

What about 3-2 old chums for the leading characters?

That sounds like a better idea and makes it less a ripoff of "Across The Universe".

[dwtherealbb]

well the problem with ATU was that it seemed like they wrote the songs first and then added in the story. This movie would write in a plot first and then add in songs to fit the appropriate era/mood. The movie plot would be about the lives and exploits of two or three high school chums from 1962-1972 (ie coinciding from Surfin Safari through Holland). It would be about how there was a lot of optimism at the beginning of the movie and that LA was the embodiment of the American Dream with new homes, new malls etc. The movie starts out when they're in high school and the kids are mischevious but in the wholesome way whose life revolves around going to the beach, hanging out in cars, going to the carhop or drive in movie etc (cue in stuff like FFF, SG, BTTYS etc) The kids have an idealistic streak in them and talk about wanting to change the world etc and joining the peace corps. But as the movie wears on they become increasingly cynical and nihilistic and begin to do drugs. They begin to think of the things they used to do for fun as being a supplier of what they see as a "white christian racist machine." A good song to fit in there would be "Surf's Up". As the movie goes on, the original culture of Southern California starts to change (this would be a take on the movie Pleasantville). Smog, riots and protests begin to occur in Los Angeles and the original movie, which was in black and white, starts turning into color. The movie would end in 1972 when they go to their high school reunion and see their friends from high school. The movie would end with "Its automatic when I talk with old friends".

[Aegir]

well the problem with ATU was that it seemed like they wrote the songs first and then added in the story.

well, obviously.