Beach Boy's Story Coming to the Big Screen

[Rocker]

Elvis didn't give Cash any pills because he was straight back then etc.

Yep, Cash even said on Larry King that Elvis was clean back then.

"Great balls of fire" was also not truthful . But as long as it hasn't happened, I imagine a beautiful and honest Brian-movie (I probably would have said the same thing about An American Family some years ago, though)

[Swamp Pirate]

Cameron Crowe might be a good choice for director.  He's a fan and he might be able to pull it off and 'do it right.'

[Big Bri]

After seeing the Movie version of the Broadway Musical  RENT,I'd like to see Christopher Columbus direct the Brian Wilson story.
Columbus did an amazing job of adapting RENT from the stage to the big screen.

"One song....Glory
He had the world at his feet...Glory"

Big Bri

[Pretty Funky]

Just a few days after Brian Wilson was inducted into the UK Hall of Fame, the songwriter has made a deal with “Saving Private Ryan” producer Mark Gordon to start work on a feature length biopic about his life.
David Leaf who has known Wilson for 30 years and previously filmed Wilson for the documentary “Beautiful Dreamer” is also on board to help with the new film.

Rights to use Wilson’s song catalogue has been granted and a scriptwriter is soon to be appointed.

Talking to Daily Variety, Wilson said, "I love the idea of there being a movie on my life, and I can't wait to see the script.”

Talking about how the film would tackle some of the hard parts of his life, Wilson said, "It's tough, and when I see the movie I'll be ill at ease at some of the bad parts. But I remember when we made 'Pet Sounds,' and I knew we were up to something spiritual and special. I have that feeling again."

The producers will take the film package to the studios once the script is complete



....now theres a thought. Tom Hanks plays the older Brian and his son, who was in a episode of "Band of Brothers" the younger.   Think Forrest Gump meets Brian Wilson.


edit

Colin Hanks is the man. Here he is in training for the Sloop John B pool video shoot!

http://videodetective.com/photos/578/024295_25.jpg

[Amy B.]

You never know. This could be really good-- although I do think it will be hard to satisfy the diehard fans. But that's a small group. Biopics are never literal. They just can't be. But that doesn't mean they're always bad.

I also think that a good actor could absolutely pull off Brian's mannerisms. Look at Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Capote. Look at Geoffrey Rush in Shine. Look at Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind. Some of those are more literal than others, but none of them come off as charicatures.

I think it would be most interesting if focused on the contradiction between Brian's extraordinary talent and his very human flaws-- kind of like Ray. His inability to overcome Murry, his inability to be an adequate husband for Marilyn (despite his love for her), his oddness and his "new best friend" thing, his addictions, his problems with his daughters...juxtaposed with his prowess in the studio and with songwriting. Brian needs more exposure. A lot of people either don't recognize his name or think he's just some weirdo recluse who wrote a few corny surf songs before he went crazy and was never heard from again.

[Chris Brown]

I like the idea of using a method of storytelling similar to "Ray" Amy.  The best biopics aren't just the same old retelling of the story that people know.  They're supposed to take you deeper, expose a more personal side.  Brian's life lends itself to this perfectly.  As you said, contrasting his brilliant and innovative musical mind with his highly naive social personality and depression would be a really interesting way to go.  This is all assuming, of course, that they can find the perfect actor to bring truth to the role.  I can't imagine playing a character like Brian would be easy. 

[Roger Ryan]

Someone here mentioned "32 Short Films About Glenn Gould" as an example of a way to do Brian's story and I think it needs that kind of fresh approach. I'm also a big fan of the biopic "The Life & Death Of Peter Sellers" which had the novel conceit of making it look like the deceased Sellers was directing the film himself, stopping the action and reworking the script when he thought the depiction was unflattering!

I wholeheartedly agree that Cameron Crowe would be a great choice as director (remember the lingering close-up of the "Pet Sounds" album and the use of "Feel Flows" during the end credits in "Almost Famous"?), but please keep Chris Columbus away from it unless you want pure formula sap.

[Daniel S.]

Why make a movie of Brian's life?

What's the point?

[Pretty Funky]

Music bio's sell. As mentioned Ray, Cash plus Tina a few years ago. Didn't Ike come out looking good in that one!

[Daniel S.]

I understand there is money in making a sensational rock music bio, but why is there a fan interest in seeing Brian's life made into a movie.

[Wilsonista]

You never know. This could be really good-- although I do think it will be hard to satisfy the diehard fans. But that's a small group. Biopics are never literal. They just can't be. But that doesn't mean they're always bad.

I also think that a good actor could absolutely pull off Brian's mannerisms. Look at Phillip Seymour Hoffman in Capote. Look at Geoffrey Rush in Shine. Look at Russell Crowe in A Beautiful Mind. Some of those are more literal than others, but none of them come off as charicatures.

I think it would be most interesting if focused on the contradiction between Brian's extraordinary talent and his very human flaws-- kind of like Ray. His inability to overcome Murry, his inability to be an adequate husband for Marilyn (despite his love for her), his oddness and his "new best friend" thing, his addictions, his problems with his daughters...juxtaposed with his prowess in the studio and with songwriting. Brian needs more exposure. A lot of people either don't recognize his name or think he's just some weirdo recluse who wrote a few corny surf songs before he went crazy and was never heard from again.

That might be the only way that this movie could be good. A screen adaptation of Catch A Wave, if you will.

It's just that with David Leaf involved, some don't think that what you're proposing is going to happen. I'd love to be proven otherwise and I'd definitely pay full price if the movie winds up being what you described.

[Amy B.]

I have my reservations about David Leaf being involved too. That said, I still think it's better to have an overly sympathetic movie than none at all.

The way I see it, most people really have no idea about Brian's life. I was talking to the guy who cuts my hair, and I told him I was going to the BW concert next week. I said, "Do you know who he is?" And he knew the name, but he said, "Wasn't he really messed up on drugs?" And that's really all he knew. He knew Brian was in the Beach Boys and he knew he was really messed up on drugs. Then when I ventured to say that people tend to underestimate the Beach Boys, he said, "Well, they just look like a bunch of boring, clean cut guys." And that's kind of what the general public thinks. Boring, clean cut... surfing music... one of them got messed up on drugs. Not heard from again for years. Then he played the Tonight Show or something last year.
I think Brian deserves better than that.  Hey, "Amadeus" was totally inaccurate, but Mozart became like a pop star for a while there, didn't he? And the movie was pretty entertaining.

[XY]

I understand there is money in making a sensational rock music bio, but why is there a fan interest in seeing Brian's life made into a movie.

I wouldn't be interested if Brian wouldn't be involved. Maybe HE really wants people to learn more about the person behind Brian Wilson. Not a documentary about the Beach Boys and all the public Brian Wilsons.
Maybe it would be a good idea to have a 'today Brian' commentate between scenes, a bit like "Forrest Gump"!

[Peadar 'Big Dinner' O'Driscoll]

I was not a big  fan of the beautiful dreamer doc so would not be overly keen on leaf being involved. cameron crowe would be a good choice for director. how about

sam rockwell as al
billy cruddup as dennis
crispin glover as murry (that would be funny)

matt dillon was good in grace of my heart in a similiar brian role, gotta be jeff bridges for the older brian

[Rocker]

billy cruddup as dennis

That guy from Almost Famous? I always thought he had that Bruce-'71-look about him....

[Shady]

I understand there is money in making a sensational rock music bio, but why is there a fan interest in seeing Brian's life made into a movie.

There are so many moments in Brian's life, where i wish i was standing right there.

Maybe if this movie is done right...It might seem like that.

Now that Brian is involved...People are gonna know the real deal..I guess!!

[Andrew G. Doe]

More from Wilson:
I want the film to be as honest as possible, and these dark sides belong to it."

Not a hope of this happening - should the movie ever come to pass (and i rate the chances of that at maybe 25% - this project is about 2 years too late), I guarantee the following scenes will not even be considered:

Manson recording at Brian's home studio, Brian & Carl behind the board...
Brian's relationship with Diane...
Anything to do with Landy...
Anything to do with Gary Usher...
Almost anything to do with Marilyn...
Brian trying to get his daughters to snort heroin...
What Brian did in Holland...

Brian may want the film to be as honest as possible, but somehow I doubt the proverbial "wife & managers" are of the same mindset. Any BW movie needs an outside POV.

[endofposts]

Anything to do with Gary Usher?  Even the early years?  Have I missed something about Brian and Gary (other than the Landy thing later)?  Although I have a guess.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

I was about to ask the same thing...

[Howdy Doody]

 I believe it probably won't be all that great.  Mainly because DL is involved.  The movie will probably have to focus on a specific area  or two because there is too much to cover.  It will probably be fairly weak. 

[BobMoran]

sounds interesting but personally i think if they span Brian's whole career it wont do it justice like 2 hours isn't enough i think. To make a decent movie about Brian i think they should just concentrate on one particular moment in his life otherwise it just becomes too generalised

[JRauch]

I don't know if it's gonna be good or bad (how could I?), but I think it's certainly gonna be interesting. The combination of "Amadeus" and "A Beautiful Mind" comes to my mind. And yes, they almost have to focus on certain time periods. It's simply impossible to compress 50 years into 2 hours. Let's just hope that the beards are real...

[Joshilyn Hoisington]

I think I should write the movie. 

[Rocker]

I think I should write the movie. 

First you should write the Beach Boys' gear-book... 

[Jonas]

The Beach Boys' story needs to be told on a HBO 15 episode mini-series. There, it can cover enough ground and have the flexibility to tell the real story.