In Praise of the BW A & E Biography

[PS]

I've been recently digitizing my old VHS tapes and came upon the A&E Brian Biography (it's on You Tube as well, btw http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krCDi2OA6kI) - which I've always thought might be the very best and certainly most concise "telling of the tale" of them all - and my memories were confirmed by taking a new look at this gem for a series that has now really turned into a schlocky string of Bios/PR for Everyone. While each of the major (non-fictional) bios of Brian and The Beach Boys (An American Band ((1985 - I saw this in a movie theater when it came out)) , Endless Harmony (2000), IJWMFTT (1995), Beautiful Dreamer (2004), Brian Wilson: Songwriter vols 1 and 2) has it's strengths and weaknesses (which might be interesting to note in this thread), the A & E stands above for:

1. The Narration Track: Having Beau Bridges do the voice-over is perfect. If we can't have his brother play Brian, then Beau's Cali-drawl is the next best thing to being there. It is subtly sympathetic, it changes temper with the changing story (the Landy tale practically sinks your heart all over again, yet is counter-balanced by what Marilyn and others testify about the worse alternative) and the narration text is terrific - plainspoken, not filled with hyperbole, economical, efficient, and just about right for this California tale. Makes you understand and ponder the relationship between the Brothers Bridges and Wilsons, who grew up at around the same time and within miles of each other. Beau knows brothers, and he also knows envy, jealousy, rivalry and fraternal love. A terrific voice over track, the best of them all.

2. The Home Movies and casual snapshots. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the A & E doc sets the bar for the sheer amount of the Murray, Audree, Rovells, and Brian Wilson/Beach Boys 8mm and super-8mm archive and slides/stills available to them. The home movie footage (and footage of Hawthorne, Laurel Way, Bellagio, etc.) is plentiful and stunning - this kind of footage is the very best possible documentary material for a bio (see my friend Penny Lane's recent "Our Nixon", for example). While some of this material has shown up in the others docs, much of it hasn't. Gives you a real sense of their childhood and adolescence - gives us the very best sense of YOU ARE THERE.

3. The Music - Using some canned music for the archival Cali stuff early on, and then uses careful sound bridges to musical or performing passages and some tasteful Beach Boy "pads" - but also allows for blessed silences. No outside sentimental score per se. No faux BB music (as far as I can remember). The music editing and the sound cutting (particularly the graceful mix of the v/o in and out of the mix) is excellent throughout.

4. The usual suspects are at their best and most efficient: Marilyn at her most moving, Van Dyke at his least flowery, Danny Hutton at his least goofy, Ginger Blake has one of the most powerful and revealing moments in the entire piece. Brian (and some of the Beach Boys, management and adjuncts) are all okay, and the cutting, once again, tells the tale so efficiently, with Beau holding the story all together. Everyone who is anyone shows up, including Stephen Desper, Steve Kalinich, Hal, Carole, Melinda, Carnie and Wendy, David Anderle and his painting, etc.

I think this is the best doc of them all, if not perhaps the deepest or most penetrating about the music per se (like the UK Songwriter discs) or about the other members of the Boys (like An American Band and Endless Harmony). It feels like it culls materials from previous docs (American Band or IJWMFTT?), but I can't remember exactly. Perhaps the the oher docs (most came later) pinched material from this one. But, pound for pound, I'll take this one over all the rest. As I say, I think it set the bar on all the criteria for docs - narration, text, witnesses, archival, alternative points of view, etc. But especially in its efficiency to hitting ALL the points in the tale we know so well, and getting it all done in 60 minutes.

It ends on a positive note, and we here in 2013 know the rest of the story - it leads us right into the BW we all know and love and, yes, take for granted here in the 21st century. Watching this again will give you some perspective on just what a miracle ending to the tale we are (still) currently still witnessing.

A great piece, probably one of the best A & E Bios too. This one well deserved, not like the idiots they cover now. Justin Bieber: A & E Biography, etc.

What say you?

(Forgive me if this has been discussed as a thread once before - I couldn't find it. Would actually hope for a discussion on all the docs we now have available, and possible ratings and reasons)

[metal flake paint]

Great points PS, one of my favourite Brian Wilson documentaries.
Took me awhile to source a VHS copy as A&E didn't sell directly to Australia. BTW, Jeff Bridges provides the narration.

[guitarfool2002]

I agree, this was a terrific project and one I watch every so often just to pick out the highlights.

The home movies are in some cases stunning and revealing, because quite a few were ones I had not seen before (like the ones of Brian (with sound) clowning around the swimming pool. I had hopes this might have been the one where the vault archivists *finally* had found some of those Smile-era Sony PortaPak videotapes of Brian and the Smile gang, but alas I've all but given up hope that those survived. The only description that mentioned specifics of these videos besides general recollections of Brian videotaping some antics was when they did a Johnny Carson-style interview featuring Brian interviewing Van Dyke and Durrie describing how to roll a spliff, and that came from Michael Vosse I believe.

I can't add much more to your post, other than I agree with nearly every point and it is one I'd call a "must see" for any fan who likes the more rare and obscure material versus the usual rehashings of the same American Band performances.


Now an aside...forgive my ignorance of this, but is your friend "Penny Lane" one who is a board member here? Offhand I just can't recall...

...but I just watched the "Our Nixon" project this week and it was great. The home movies were quite revealing because they had been sealed away for 4 decades, and they showed these names we history buffs all know in a different, more personal light. And the fact that some key figures were younger at the time they were in the White House than I am now put a very fresh perspective on the oft-told tales. And I loved the way they used some very key songs during the program to set up some neat emotional moments where the films interacted just righ with the song being played underneath.

Just a terrific documentary, I was riveted as I watched it unfold. It left me wanting to see more.

Was "Penny Lane" one of the filmmakers?

[PS]

"Great points PS, one of my favourite Brian Wilson documentaries.
Took me awhile to source a VHS copy as A&E didn't sell directly to Australia. BTW, Jeff Bridges provides the narration."



My dear Metal Flake Paint

Sorry, wrong. I'm looking right at the A & E box credits right now. And I will also claim some authority in this area as a film professor who is well versed in the voices of The Bridges Brothers. Beau it is, although Jeff does sound more and more like him as he gets older...

[PongHit]

BTW, Jeff Bridges provides the narration.

Not according to The Internet: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363486/fullcredits

[PS]

The home movies are in some cases stunning and revealing, because quite a few were ones I had not seen before (like the ones of Brian (with sound) clowning around the swimming pool. I had hopes this might have been the one where the vault archivists *finally* had found some of those Smile-era Sony PortaPak videotapes of Brian and the Smile gang, but alas I've all but given up hope that those survived. The only description that mentioned specifics of these videos besides general recollections of Brian videotaping some antics was when they did a Johnny Carson-style interview featuring Brian interviewing Van Dyke and Durrie describing how to roll a spliff, and that came from Michael Vosse I believe.

Yes! Apparently, Brian, clearly a home movie enthusiast in those days, had what appears to be one of the first super-8 sound sound cameras! (that footage is film, not video!). Most likely a SYNCHRONEX, the first (Japanese) double system sound (you had a cassette recorder that was linked to the camera and recorded electronic pulses). I used to work for this company in NY, and my job was to sync up the magnetic striped super-8's (we striped them in-house - later Kodak sold them striped for single system cameras) to the cassettes - a VERY difficult job unless you did LONG TAKES. Well, rest assured, I never synched BW's home movies. But I know the look - THAT IS DOUBLE SYSTEM SUPER-8 SOUND. Again, I wonder how many reels we are not seeing, and where are they now???

[metal flake paint]

"Great points PS, one of my favourite Brian Wilson documentaries.
Took me awhile to source a VHS copy as A&E didn't sell directly to Australia. BTW, Jeff Bridges provides the narration."



My dear Metal Flake Paint

Sorry, wrong. I'm looking right at the A & E box credits right now. And I will also claim some authority in this area as a film professor who is well versed in the voices of The Bridges Brothers. Beau it is, although Jeff does sound more and more like him as he gets older...

You're quite right PS, my bad As it says on the VHS box and the end credits, Beau Bridges. For some reason, I thought it was Jeff. It was the photo of Brian and Jeff in one of Brian's tour programs that put the thought in my mind!

[Rocky Raccoon]

Jeff does also appear briefly in the Beautiful Dreamer documentary.

[PS]

Now an aside...forgive my ignorance of this, but is your friend "Penny Lane" one who is a board member here? Offhand I just can't recall...

...but I just watched the "Our Nixon" project this week and it was great. The home movies were quite revealing because they had been sealed away for 4 decades, and they showed these names we history buffs all know in a different, more personal light. And the fact that some key figures were younger at the time they were in the White House than I am now put a very fresh perspective on the oft-told tales. And I loved the way they used some very key songs during the program to set up some neat emotional moments where the films interacted just righ with the song being played underneath.

My friend, Penny Lane, along with her ex,  Brian Frye, are avid members of the international experimental film community (as am I ) and are very well versed in using archival materials/found footage in interesting and creative ways (as I do in my own work, too). This is a breakout film for them, as CNN recently picked it up and broadcst it to a huge audience. It will soon open in theaters. Highly recommended. Penny is not on this list, as far as I know. But is a very active FACEBOOK personality. And, yes, that is her REAL name...

[guitarfool2002]

Yes! Apparently, Brian, clearly a home movie enthusiast in those days, had what appears to be one of the first super-8 sound sound cameras! (that footage is film, not video!). Most likely a SYNCHRONEX, the first (Japanese) double system sound (you had a cassette recorded that was linked to the camera by electronic pulses). I used to work for this company in NY, and my job was to sync up the magnetic striped super-8's (we striped them in-house - later Kodak sold them striped for single system cameras) to the cassettes - a VERY difficult job untless you did LONG TAKES. Well, rest assured, I never synched BW's home movies. But I know the look - THAT IS SUPER-8 SOUND. Again, I wonder how many reels we are not seeing, and where are they???

Very cool! Brian does seem to have been a home movie enthusiast, having both the Super 8 with sound and the original PortaPak...you wonder where all that footage went?

I remember when that first aired on A&E, I brought up the topic of those lost Sony PortaPak video reels, and as someone at the time suggested a few had been featured - but I knew that wasn't correct for those reasons you mentioned. Great info. Those super-8's with sound have that specific "Super 8" look about them, just like those old Sony PortaPak videotapes had a very unique and specific look (not to mention they were black-and-white).

Brian also had what was the first Sony PortaPak video system too - the dates range from him getting it just before Christmas 1966 to Christmas 1966 to early 1967, which solidly dates those if they should ever surface. They were toys for the wealthy and rich and rock stars, and from what I've heard the way Brian got his was as a gift from Capitol at the end of '66.

Two points, one minor but interesting, one a little more dark in nature:

When the A&E doc premiered, I had a short online exchange with Bob Hanes about those A&E film clips, and it was mentioned that those cool Hawaiian shirts Brian is wearing in a few of them were shirts he had custom tailored, going back to when you see him in various Smile studio shots wearing similar Hawaiian patterns. Very exclusive, very unique shirts that he'd have made for him and not bought from a store rack. I thought that was pretty cool after wondering where could we buy such a shirt?  

If the topic of the Manson saga is offensive, don't read further...but there are letters Manson wrote after his conviction where he specifically mentions a very deep underground pornography ring, international and among some famous musicians and actors, that would film and exchange/sell various types of porn after they got their own Sony PortaPak rigs.

Take Manson's word for what it is, and believe it or not as necessary, but some very familiar names were mentioned as those who also had Sony PortaPaks and who were part of or at least knew about this underground video ring in the late 60's. I guess for obvious reasons there is little to no information beyond Manson himself about this stuff. But it ties in to the fact that the Sony Portapak setup around '67 was the first time a consumer could record on videotape both audio and video and play it back. And only the rich could afford it, naturally.

But if anyone should find that account somewhere online, and read the names, judge the accuracy coming from a guy like Manson for yourself.

[guitarfool2002]

Now an aside...forgive my ignorance of this, but is your friend "Penny Lane" one who is a board member here? Offhand I just can't recall...

...but I just watched the "Our Nixon" project this week and it was great. The home movies were quite revealing because they had been sealed away for 4 decades, and they showed these names we history buffs all know in a different, more personal light. And the fact that some key figures were younger at the time they were in the White House than I am now put a very fresh perspective on the oft-told tales. And I loved the way they used some very key songs during the program to set up some neat emotional moments where the films interacted just righ with the song being played underneath.

My friend, Penny Lane, along with her ex,  Brian Frye, are avid members of the international experimental film community (as am I ) and are very well versed in using archival materials/found footage in interesting and creative ways (as I do in my own work, too). This is a breakout film for them, as CNN recently picked it up and broadcst it to a huge audience. It will soon open in theaters. Highly recommended. Penny is not on this list, as far as I know. But is a very active FACEBOOK personality. And, yes, that is her REAL name...

That's very cool, I'll also have to look them up on Facebook! If you correspond with them, please pass on my highest compliments, that is one of the better documentaries I've seen in recent years, and to be honest I'm still kind of amazed that CNN aired it as they did - kudos all around for presenting such a unique project to a wide audience.

Again forgive my memory, but was it you who had a conversation with me on this board about Gary Weis some time ago?

[PS]

If the topic of the Manson saga is offensive, don't read further...but there are letters Manson wrote after his conviction where he specifically mentions a very deep underground pornography ring, international and among some famous musicians and actors, that would film and exchange/sell various types of porn after they got their own Sony PortaPak rigs.

Take Manson's word for what it is, and believe it or not as necessary, but some very familiar names were mentioned as those who also had Sony PortaPaks and who were part of or at least knew about this underground video ring in the late 60's. I guess for obvious reasons there is little to no information beyond Manson himself about this stuff. But it ties in to the fact that the Sony Portapak setup around '67 was the first time a consumer could record on videotape both audio and video and play it back. And only the rich could afford it, naturally.

But if anyone should find that account somewhere online, and read the names, judge the accuracy coming from a guy like Manson for yourself.

Billy Hinsche's pieces (whose DVD's are, regretfully, rather amateurishly put together, if certainly touching in their own way -  with some tantalizingly rare glimpses of the inner circle that are ultimately pretty mundane for the most part) feature some early PortaPak footage of touring and inside Carl and Annie's house, etc.

re: the Portapak and Home Made Porno. Of course. EVERY technology immediately turns to its sexual possibilities first. And couldn't you just imagine Dennis making tapes with and without Charlie? The Golden Penetrators Club (Dennis and Melcher) probably kept an archive...but these kinds of things mostly really never see the light of day until the Paris Hilton era

[PS]

That's very cool, I'll also have to look them up on Facebook! If you correspond with them, please pass on my highest compliments, that is one of the better documentaries I've seen in recent years, and to be honest I'm still kind of amazed that CNN aired it as they did - kudos all around for presenting such a unique project to a wide audience.

Again forgive my memory, but was it you who had a conversation with me on this board about Gary Weis some time ago?

re: FACEBOOK. I do and I will.

re: Gary Weis - 'twasn't me. Don't know who that is.

(my Wikipedia page has lots of links about my work, website, etc. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Solomon_(filmmaker))

I've written here before about (unofficially) working behind the scenes on the SMILE live DVD, with lots of backstage footage posted and made available on my Vimeo page:

https://vimeo.com/24394172, plus more if you look around.

[guitarfool2002]

If the topic of the Manson saga is offensive, don't read further...but there are letters Manson wrote after his conviction where he specifically mentions a very deep underground pornography ring, international and among some famous musicians and actors, that would film and exchange/sell various types of porn after they got their own Sony PortaPak rigs.

Take Manson's word for what it is, and believe it or not as necessary, but some very familiar names were mentioned as those who also had Sony PortaPaks and who were part of or at least knew about this underground video ring in the late 60's. I guess for obvious reasons there is little to no information beyond Manson himself about this stuff. But it ties in to the fact that the Sony Portapak setup around '67 was the first time a consumer could record on videotape both audio and video and play it back. And only the rich could afford it, naturally.

But if anyone should find that account somewhere online, and read the names, judge the accuracy coming from a guy like Manson for yourself.

Billy Hinsche's pieces (whose DVD's are, regretfully, rather amateurishly put together, if certainly touching in their own way -  with some tantalizingly rare glimpses of the inner circle that are ultimately pretty mundane for the most part) feature some early PortaPak footage of touring and inside Carl and Annie's house, etc.

re: the Portapak and Home Made Porno. Of course. EVERY technology immediately turns to its sexual possibilities first. And couldn't you just imagine Dennis making tapes with and without Charlie? The Golden Penetrators Club (Dennis and Melcher) probably kept an archive...but these kinds of things mostly really never see the light of day until the Paris Hilton era

Just for the record, Manson has said that it was Dennis who gave him the Sony PortaPak. Again, take it with a grain of salt considering it's Manson and everything he has said through the years.

The only time I think I've actually seen any mention of similar videotapes was in the Bob Crane case. I think there may have been some brief views of some PortaPak reels that were part of the case being made against who they thought had killed Crane, and who got into Crane's inner circle by getting Crane his own videotape system so he could record his exploits. But I don't believe that had anything to do with the ring Manson had written about.

[bgas]

The home movies are in some cases stunning and revealing, because quite a few were ones I had not seen before (like the ones of Brian (with sound) clowning around the swimming pool. I had hopes this might have been the one where the vault archivists *finally* had found some of those Smile-era Sony PortaPak videotapes of Brian and the Smile gang, but alas I've all but given up hope that those survived. The only description that mentioned specifics of these videos besides general recollections of Brian videotaping some antics was when they did a Johnny Carson-style interview featuring Brian interviewing Van Dyke and Durrie describing how to roll a spliff, and that came from Michael Vosse I believe.

Yes! Apparently, Brian, clearly a home movie enthusiast in those days, had what appears to be one of the first super-8 sound sound cameras! (that footage is film, not video!). Most likely a SYNCHRONEX, the first (Japanese) double system sound (you had a cassette recorder that was linked to the camera and recorded electronic pulses). I used to work for this company in NY, and my job was to sync up the magnetic striped super-8's (we striped them in-house - later Kodak sold them striped for single system cameras) to the cassettes - a VERY difficult job unless you did LONG TAKES. Well, rest assured, I never synched BW's home movies. But I know the look - THAT IS DOUBLE SYSTEM SUPER-8 SOUND. Again, I wonder how many reels we are not seeing, and where are they now???

Wish I had the $$ to buy David Marks' home movies....

[PS]

Wish I had the $$ to buy David Marks' home movies....

Can you elaborate? Are these for sale? Or just speculation?

[Rich Panteluk]

Just wanted to chime in and say great post PS!  You articulated very well why I believe this is one of the very best pieces on Brian.  I still have two vhs copies and really wish it were available / reissued on dvd or blu-ray format.  Bad quality youtube just doesn't do it for me.

[Mikie]

Thanks for the review, PS. Agree that the documentary was well done.

The David Marks home movies that I think Bgas is referring to are the ones Elmer Marks took back in the early 60's. Clips have been shown on various BB docs, including the one on the beach in Hawaii in 1963 with all of The Boys minus Brian. There is at least one clip that hasn't been shown publicly (with exception to a Beach Boys convention or two) of David inside in a living room joking around and jumping over a couch and hiding, and I think he had a gun/and or army fatigues on or whatever it was. Jon knows what's out there, but I know these wouldn't be for sale. David or his Mom probably has them.

[KittyKat]

Custom Hawaiian shirts can still be bought even now, at relatively cheap prices if you place a large enough order. There are artists that will render your idea to create your own unique print. I'm sure such places were more common back in the '60s, when garment and textile manufacturing was extensive in the US.

[Dudd]

Just had a watch. Very bleak. I'm depressed now

[southbay]

Yeah it is well done. Anybody remember the Beach Boys E True Hollywood Story? I have always been pretty partial to that one because it features a five second close up of me and Brian.  Can't figure out how they used my image without a signed release.

[joshferrell]

has it ever been released on dvd?? if not it should be, I would buy it...

[guitarfool2002]

The home movies are in some cases stunning and revealing, because quite a few were ones I had not seen before (like the ones of Brian (with sound) clowning around the swimming pool. I had hopes this might have been the one where the vault archivists *finally* had found some of those Smile-era Sony PortaPak videotapes of Brian and the Smile gang, but alas I've all but given up hope that those survived. The only description that mentioned specifics of these videos besides general recollections of Brian videotaping some antics was when they did a Johnny Carson-style interview featuring Brian interviewing Van Dyke and Durrie describing how to roll a spliff, and that came from Michael Vosse I believe.

Yes! Apparently, Brian, clearly a home movie enthusiast in those days, had what appears to be one of the first super-8 sound sound cameras! (that footage is film, not video!). Most likely a SYNCHRONEX, the first (Japanese) double system sound (you had a cassette recorder that was linked to the camera and recorded electronic pulses). I used to work for this company in NY, and my job was to sync up the magnetic striped super-8's (we striped them in-house - later Kodak sold them striped for single system cameras) to the cassettes - a VERY difficult job unless you did LONG TAKES. Well, rest assured, I never synched BW's home movies. But I know the look - THAT IS DOUBLE SYSTEM SUPER-8 SOUND. Again, I wonder how many reels we are not seeing, and where are they now???

Wish I had the $$ to buy David Marks' home movies....

This jolted me with a shock of reality concerning items like the lost Sony videotapes from the 60's, which we know existed. Having a bit of film with a young David Marks jumping over a couch is lightyears away from having a piece of videotape showing Brian and company rolling a joint or other less-than-flattering imagery.

So the reality that hit me is that even if someone were to find a Holy Grail-like stash of the kind of videos described from the Smile era, most likely none of the families or estates would ever want that kind of imagery going public. Some things are best left to the honor code where you just don't talk about certain things.

[bgas]

Wish I had the $$ to buy David Marks' home movies....

Can you elaborate? Are these for sale? Or just speculation?

Thanks for the review, PS. Agree that the documentary was well done.

The David Marks home movies that I think Bgas is referring to are the ones Elmer Marks took back in the early 60's. Clips have been shown on various BB docs, including the one on the beach in Hawaii in 1963 with all of The Boys minus Brian. There is at least one clip that hasn't been shown publicly (with exception to a Beach Boys convention or two) of David inside in a living room joking around and jumping over a couch and hiding, and I think he had a gun/and or army fatigues on or whatever it was. Jon knows what's out there, but I know these wouldn't be for sale. David or his Mom probably has them.

I imagine Jon is most likely aware of what's out there; and to some degree, these are the clips that have been shown on various BB-docs. 
BUT, this past week in Southern CA, I spoke to the person that bought the movies( and David's Pendfleton), so, NO, they're not in the possession of the Marks family. >>David sold them almost 30 years ago, when presumably, $$ wasn't as easy to come by. I'm only guessing as to why they were sold, as I wasn't party to the transaction(s)  <<

 I was told that there are some that have never seen broadcast or shared. Again, this is what I was told, and I personally haven't seen them

[Chocolate Shake Man]

This bio was really the beginning of the Beach Boys renaissance both in the cultural world and my own. It happened to coincide with me starting to delve further into the Beach Boys catalogue after years of loving the Endless Summer hits and Pet Sounds. In my late teens I had begun to listen to PS more and more and decided to finally get the next CD. I purchased the SS/WH two-fer, became lured in by the Smile info within, and then the Brian Wilson A&E Bio appeared. Everything seemed to magically fall into place. It wasn't long before I joined the Cabinessence board and the rest is history...