Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of 'Smile' - Too heavily subjective??
01-11-06, 02:34 PM
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Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of 'Smile' - Too heavily subjective??
Not sure if this should go in Music, TV, or Movies.
I watched this a couple of days ago and it seems to only look at Brian Wilson's perspective on everything. According to the movie, we are led to believe that:
1. The only reason Smile was never made was because Mike Love didn't like it?
2. If Mike Love didn't like it, then why did they put up his quote where he says that Smile makes Pet Sounds sound like shit?
3. Drugs had no affect whatsoever on Brian Wilson's psychological well-being. They only helped him creatively?
4. What the hell happened in the 25 or so years between Smile and marrying Melinda?
5. Marry Melinda is the only reason he was able to complete Smile?
6. Van Dyke Parks divorced his wife because he had a man-crush on Brian Wilson?
7. The Brian Wilson band did most of the practicing, rehearsing, etc. without Brian Wilson, even though the documentary goes out of its way to show what a control freak Brian Wilson was?
I really liked the film and Brian Wilson is one of my favorite musicians ever, but this documentary could have used some other perspectives besides those that were favorable to Wilson. For instance, why not have any other Beach Boys interviewed?
I watched this a couple of days ago and it seems to only look at Brian Wilson's perspective on everything. According to the movie, we are led to believe that:
1. The only reason Smile was never made was because Mike Love didn't like it?
2. If Mike Love didn't like it, then why did they put up his quote where he says that Smile makes Pet Sounds sound like shit?
3. Drugs had no affect whatsoever on Brian Wilson's psychological well-being. They only helped him creatively?
4. What the hell happened in the 25 or so years between Smile and marrying Melinda?
5. Marry Melinda is the only reason he was able to complete Smile?
6. Van Dyke Parks divorced his wife because he had a man-crush on Brian Wilson?
7. The Brian Wilson band did most of the practicing, rehearsing, etc. without Brian Wilson, even though the documentary goes out of its way to show what a control freak Brian Wilson was?
I really liked the film and Brian Wilson is one of my favorite musicians ever, but this documentary could have used some other perspectives besides those that were favorable to Wilson. For instance, why not have any other Beach Boys interviewed?
01-11-06, 09:27 PM
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I have the DVD and need to watch it. I did watch a taped copy from Showtime but don't remember some of the things you're addressing.
Good questions.
Are you on the Pet Sounds list? They might have some interesting ideas.
Good questions.
Are you on the Pet Sounds list? They might have some interesting ideas.
01-12-06, 12:07 AM
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I can't answer all your questions, but my impression as far as
7. The Brian Wilson band did most of the practicing, rehearsing, etc. without Brian Wilson, even though the documentary goes out of its way to show what a control freak Brian Wilson was?
the emphasis here being what a control freak he was, as in past tense. My impression from watching that was that Wilson is so generally out of it that he couldn't have organized all that if he tried. You can see the main guy from the Wondermints (Darian something?) leading him through a lot of it. My other impression, which could be completely wrong, was that his wife was kinda forcing him to do it in some respects, though maybe she meant well. Oh, and about not interviewing any other Beach Boys, aren't most of them dead aside from Mike Love?
7. The Brian Wilson band did most of the practicing, rehearsing, etc. without Brian Wilson, even though the documentary goes out of its way to show what a control freak Brian Wilson was?
the emphasis here being what a control freak he was, as in past tense. My impression from watching that was that Wilson is so generally out of it that he couldn't have organized all that if he tried. You can see the main guy from the Wondermints (Darian something?) leading him through a lot of it. My other impression, which could be completely wrong, was that his wife was kinda forcing him to do it in some respects, though maybe she meant well. Oh, and about not interviewing any other Beach Boys, aren't most of them dead aside from Mike Love?
01-12-06, 12:15 AM
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Al Jardine and Bruce Johnston are still around.
His wife Melinda obviously has a good motivating factor in his recent output and the backing band has been a good security blanket. Darian Sahanaja and Jeffrey Foskett have been key figures. I've met them both a few times and they're nice guys to boot.
His wife Melinda obviously has a good motivating factor in his recent output and the backing band has been a good security blanket. Darian Sahanaja and Jeffrey Foskett have been key figures. I've met them both a few times and they're nice guys to boot.
01-12-06, 01:21 AM
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Yeah, his backing band is amazing, I had lawn seats at a show, and met the guitarist/trumpet player (bad with names), and he hooked me and my dad up with 11th row tickets. Probably the best show I saw last year, and I saw at least 40 shows.
