I am a casual fan of Johnny Cash, there are songs of his that I enjoy but have never really considered buying a CD or record of his. I can also say the same about Ray Charles maybe I could say that I enjoy Charles a little more. Anyway last year's Ray for me was a "must see" and this year's Johnny Cash film Walk The Line was also.I just did not enjoy Walk The Line as much as I thought that I would. Critics were correct in saying that Joquinn Phoenix nailed Johnny Cash and Reese Witherspoon also turned in an Oscar worthy performance as June Carter, but the Johnny portrayed is not the one that I remember. I remember Johnny Cash in the late 60s as the stern brooding man of the hardscrabble life and the larger than life stage appearance. The movie portray an early Cash as Good time pill popping, womanizing, pass out on stage drunk who was in the midst of screwing up a promising career and the chance to get the love of his life June Carter. In that vain it was an adequate, if long movie and there were indeed some uplifting moments.
I was a little disappointed that they did not doIf I Were A Carpenter which is probably the best known of their duets.
Apparently your love of all things Cash came as a DJ at cowboy KTEL in Walla Walla. I remeber Cash Top 10 hits on KNEW and KSPO in Spokane as a teen. Walk the Line sounds much like Ray, with emphasis on whoring around, boozing, partying. Still I like Juaquin and will see it. For more music biopics see De-Lovely (Cole Porter) and Beyond the Sea (Bobby Darin). Both are super.
ReplyDeleteI did see "Beyond The Sea". Question is who will they do next? I'm betting on Dusty Springfield.
ReplyDeleteDusty would be a natural for a biopic because their is a lot of tragedy and condlict regarding her sexual preferences and early death. YOu can see that Hollywood is running out of ideas with more biopics and more remakes every year.
ReplyDeleteYes Eric Burden really screwed up his career by staying alive.
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