Brian Wilson biopic: Love and Mercy

Thanks.

 

One of the tunes in the background at the dealership was from Heart's 1985 self-titled record - I think it was "These Dreams." I always associate that song with 1986 (getting a lot of airplay during the VH1 Monkees reruns), though. It wasn't a single until 1986, either.

 

My ex wife used to always say I was the number two in her life, as well. Not sure if they meant the same thing....

 

Cool pic here, pretty sure I've read that more SMiLE scenes were filmed, maybe they'll show up as deleted scenes on the Blu-Ray.

(pray)

 

I'd always considered the anonymous woman seen speaking out against Landy in that Primetime Live feature as Melinda, who was posing as a former employee to cover her tracks and try destroying the so-called "Surf Nazis" from within. If that really was Alexandra Morgan (who was Landy's common-law wife right up until his death, from what I have read), I find it odd that she did not experience any personal repercussions of this action. Also, credit should be given to Gloria Ramos, who is Brian's long term housekeeper and another figure who was instrumental in providing his brother Carl with inside information that helped legally force Landy out of the picture once and for all.

 

Tom Nolan' 1971 insightful and expansive profile of Brian and the Beach Boys is fascinating, capturing them on the brink of their resurgence.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beach-boys-a-california-saga-19711028

Nolan seems to have a good BS detector and an ability to wryly describe the BB's kookiness. Although at that point it seems like Brian's tenuous mental health and strange behavior (like slamming the door on his young daughter) are rationalized away as part of his 'genius'. You can tell Nolan seems to think somethings amiss, but doesn't quite know what... and he gives Murry plenty of rope to construct his own noose. Basically he or the editor just let him talk....

Interesting little anecdote about Dennis "Fourth of July" too. I wish the film has spent some time in this era. When they were fighting their way back....

 

So...I just came back from seeing it....
I had just seen "Get On Up" for the first time a few days ago... so.. what a 'one-two' punch of music 'biopics'!
Talk about to opposite ends of the 'genius' spectrum!
While the part where he hears the voices in his head, I was reminded of an old "Primetime Live" from the early '90's, in which a woman tried to make a tape of what it sounded like in her head. Super creepy. Anybody else remember that?

 

Saw it today at a Laemmle "art house" theater senior $5.00 day showing. Film was great & am still digesting it & 28 SH pages. The irony of a senior rate to see a Beach Boy movie.... House was about 1/4 full. Will for sure see it again.
I think Elizabeth Banks hair should get an award. It was a bit distractingly perfect.

 

This is very good!

I'm glad Melinda made Brian quit smoking. That wilderness period for Brian between Landy's exit and Melinda cracking the whip wasnt his healthiest time. I remember seeing him around the premiere of the Was doc and he was absolutely enormous!

Her presence really brings out a better interview from Brian.

 

Thanks for posting this. Kind of funny Brian had never heard that story about "Yesterday" coming to Paul McCartney in a dream.

 

For years I have been telling my wife Brian is a genius and all the good music and she loves the music and in fact saw Brian about 15 years ago when he was touring Petsounds. But tonite after watching the movie she says she loved it and gets it now why I listen to Petsounds sessions or Smile and sessions and where it all came from and means. She is a visual person and reading about him wasn't her thing.

 

Is Carol still doing that thing where she never mentions the word "Fender" - because of an endorsement deal?

 

How many had the 'Pet Sounds' CD from 1990 with Landy's name in the credits? I got rid of mine a long time ago.

 

I would think when Leonard Bernstein was doing that documentary about the new modern music movement with Brian singing Surfs up, I would think the camera man would have panned down and said what's up with you playing in a sandbox Brian? or something like that but they don't.

 

The inference from the absence of any sandbox talk or view is that the sandbox had already been removed by the time that Surf's Up was filmed, in December 1966. Hopefully someone can interview Marilyn more definitively about exactly how long the sandbox existed.

 

Yeah hopefully they can talk to her. I read somewhere that the dogs had used it for the potty or possibly a cat.

 

Wellllllllll.....we do have her contact information:

http://marilynwilsonrutherford.com/contact-me

....though I think this is only if you are interested in buying a new home.

I'll try to get a hold of her through Facebook and not sound like the obsessive fan I am.

The lack of photo evidence seems to indicate the sandbox was gone by December '66. It had to have been there from around April til at least September '66, when Van Dyke and Brian were doing the writing. Trying to remember if any interviews at the time mentioned the sand box being at the house. We can try to formulate a timeline that way.

 

God that's sickening.

 

Here’s a rather descriptive quote regarding the sandbox from the former Mrs. Wilson:

Well, we certainly don’t have anything resembling that in any known photographs.

 

I thought that Elizabeth Banks did a terrific job of depicting that Melinda truly accepted & loved Brian purely for who & what he truly is. During the recent interview with Brian & Melinda posted above, she says that he is the best person she knows. Great stuff.

 

An SNL skit featuring Tim Robbins as Brian Wilson during the Landy era.
https://screen.yahoo.com/dana-carvey-snl-skits/larry-king-live-brian-wilson-000000302.html

 

I have mine still. I never noticed that before today.

 

Exactly. If Brian or the Beach Boys were known more as engaging live performers, like Ray Charles or James Brown, then yes I could see including more "performance" scenes, as was done in their respective biopics. But Brian's known primarily as a composer and a genius in the studio - so that's what the focus was on.

 

According to BoxOfficeMojo, LOVE & MERCY is now playing in 792 theaters. That's up from roughly 580 theaters last week (and 480 the first week).

 

My local one pulled it after 2 weeks. Guess I can't go back again.