Not as bad as I thought it would be - The Beach Boys: An American Family (2000) Discussion

[–] sethcohenslover 18 years ago

It was really good. There were lots of hott guys in it too ie, the actors who played, Dennis Wilson, Carl Wilson, and Bruce Johnston. I liked the movie itself alot though. It gave me a new respect for the beach boys. I am only 22, but I have heard their music growing up through my mom. I never knew anything personally about them and now I do.

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[–] rehiii76 18 years ago

Yeah, I agree, this was a very outstanding production that told the life and times of the Beach Boys. Very impressive work, indeed! Matt Laschter (sp?) as Mike Love was uncanny-- seemed like the real Mike almost. Great job by the entire cast. The actors who portrayed Brian and Dennis seemed to caputre their personas-- Brian the unsure stumbling musical prodidgy and Dennis the rebel. The guy who played Carl was a tad too thin-- Carl was a bit pudgy most of his life. Al Jardine and Dave Marks played well as were the Wilson parents. Also outstanding is the man who played Nik Venet.

I think my favorite scene in the whole movie is when the guys play "Surfin' USA" at the autumn fair. That scene was out of this world and really captured the esscene of the band for those who have seen their live performances back in the day. Mike dancing around and Denny pounding the hell out of his drums. Love it!

I also really like how they incorporated The Wrecking Crew, Jan and Dean, and Specter into the film. Priceless stuff.

A few mistakes or misrepresentations that I noticed in the movie were----

- showing Mike surfing. To the best of my knowledge, Dennis is the only one of the BB who actually ever surfed. It was kind of suprising to see Mike and Dennis hanging out together as friends even since I don' think they got along overly well.

- Dean Torrance was depicted as way too short. I think that both Jan and Dean had decent height about them IIRC.

- When they said that Brian broke Al's leg in a football game, actually little Al broke Brian's leg. They did play on the same team in high school. I want to say that Brian played QB-- which makes sense since he was 6-3. Al was only 5-6 or so.

Anybody notice any more?

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[–] coolref19-1 18 years ago

I have quite a few books about the Beach Boys, and one thing I read was that Dave Marks was actually a friend of Dennis, not Carl, as depicted in the movie. One other small misrepresentation that I noticed was Dave's height: if you look at actual photos of the band, he was one of the tallest members, in the movie he was the shortest (I think Dublin James did a great job, though)!

I love this movie, and I think Matt Letscher did an amazing job as Mike Love!

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[–] suryafernandez 18 years ago

Not sure if it is an "error" but when Brian starts experimenting with marijuana and other drugs, the other band members are always shown just staring at him as he wanders around but in reality the others were dabbling in it as well. Just listen to Smiley Smile, especially "She's Goin' Bald" for proof. No way those are
"natural" giggles heard in the song!!!!

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[–] andrewlaplante 17 years ago

There is a hell of a lot more to the story too. I love this movie, probably one of the best music bio film but there is a lot more story after their mid 70s comeback. Brian got help but what into a even more screwed up period and weighed 340 pounds in the early 80s, Dennis' death in '83, being banned to play at the Capitol. My only gripe is it doesn't show any of the Beach Boys as villains, Mike Love is generally seen as a bad guy in the Beach Boys world and especially to fans of Brian Wilson..Maybe this could be due to the fact that John Stamos was an executive producer to this film and toured with Mike's Beach Boys back in the day..
oh well.. good flick, love it, but I don't think we'll ever get the "real story" of the group.

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[–] rehiii76 17 years ago

I agree with your comments. Mike Love is definetly seen as a "villian" type by many who have followed the career of the BB. But in fairness to him----I can't say that I blame him one bit for "losing it" at times with his eccentric mates. Certainly Al Jardine was a pretty straight and narrow guy, but some of the antics of the other bandmates left a lot to be desired.

All of Brian's problems with drugs and foolishness, his signing over the publishing rights of Sea of Tunes (which is worth something like $75 million today-- and Mike did help write many of those lyrics, though he wasn't credited with some of them), and Brian's "f#cking with the formula" and bringing in such flakes like Van Dyke Parks into the fold to take the music in a completly different direction post-Pet Sounds. Dennis was mixed up in drugs, Charles Manson and all the trimmings of a decadant and excessive lifestyle. Carl had a major coke problem as well if I recall correctly.

I certainly love all the BBs, but in retrospect---had the group listened to Mike more they likely would have been a heck of a lot better off. So I tend to cut Mike Love a good deal of slack since I am in his camp on a lot of issues.

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[–] PublicDomain 17 years ago

"I certainly love all the BBs, but in retrospect---had the group listened to Mike more they likely would have been a heck of a lot better off. So I tend to cut Mike Love a good deal of slack since I am in his camp on a lot of issues."

Wow, are you serious? If they had listened to Mike they would have still been doing albums like Shut Down vol.2 in the late 60s/70s! How on earth is Van Dyke Parks a flake? He is a musical genius, and has 1000 times more talent in one of his ass hairs than Mike Love will ever have. This movie has terrible portrayals of Brian and Van Dyke, do not form your opinions on them based on this stupid series!

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[–] Captain_film 17 years ago

Sama, I agree with you. Love is such a piece of trash. If the Beach Boys had followed his lead in the 60's they would have faded away like any other genaric sixties surf band.

Van Dyke Parks is also treated unfairly in this movie, as he is represented as a sneaky wierdo troll when in fact he was considered very hip in the L.A music scene. Also the movie didn't really expand on the joyfull period of Smile when Brian was the happiest, which is my biggest gripe with the movie No tent? No tumbling mats? The iconic photo at the airport? At least they had the sandbox.

Correcting what someone said above, Mike Love did surf. This is a fact and can be checked out on other websites.

I love this movie and watch it over and over again. My favorite scene is where they record "Add Some Music" when the bloated Brian busts through the secret sliding bookshelf into the studio, surprising everyone inside. Its also cool to see who sang what part. Thanks to John Stamos, who put the money into this movie and did it right. Mostly.

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[–] rehiii76 17 years ago

I certainly concede that Parks did have talent, BUT c'mon here---he was no match at all for the Beach Boys. No way in heck! Mike Love was right to call some of this stuff (post Pet Sounds) as "acid illitaration." That's what it is. Have you guys ever listened to Smiley Smile? Total crap album and one that I took back to the music store the following day after purchasing it. "Heroes and Villians" was a lousy song as well for the BB that came from that album with some degree of fanfare.

As for Mike and surfing....OK, perhaps he did go out on a board a time or two, but he was never reffered to as a sufer. Only Dennis was. An example with this----I rode a dirt bike around when I was young but I am not at all considered a biker by anyone. Same deal with Mike to the best of my knowledge on the subject. I wonder if he and Dennis really did ever surf together like the movie purports. Perhaps. I know they hated each other's guts later in life.

I like how you mention about Brian coming into the recording studio in his robe when they are singing "Add some music." That is a great scene. I love it when they ask Brian what he thinks and he simply replies "About what?" Classic!

Any of you guys getting the new "Warmth of the Sun" BB release? I'm thinking about it.

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[–] Captain_film 17 years ago

I'm passing on Warmth of the Sun simply because I already have all those songs. I like the album art though, and I have listened to some of the new stereo remixes and they sound pretty cool though.

What are some other of your favorite parts of the movie? I enjoy the Jan and Dean sessions, the meetings with nick, and the charley manson meetings. One thing I thought was corny and pretty funny was when Dennis was watching Charley in the house doing that weird ritual stuff. Charley yells at Dennis "You cant leave the family!" It seems that he would have coaxed Dennis into the house rather than yell at him and scare him away.
This movie was watered down for television. I really want to know all about the Brian Wilson movie coming out soon.

Licensed to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations.

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[–] rehiii76 17 years ago

I got a copy of "The Warmth of the Sun" last week and at first I wanted to kick myself because like you--- I already have all the songs on it. But I do like some of the remixes on there. Good stuff. Songs like "Please Let Me Wonder" and "Kiss Me Baby" are so nice it's hard to believe that they didn't make more of a splash, at least IMHO.

Some of my favorite scenes are from the early parts of the movie when we get to see the younger BB. I love that scene when they are playing at the fair (Surfin' USA, I believe). Also some other good stuff in there. I like Brian faking like he's puking with his milkshake when he spots Alan at the burger joint. I guess that was one of Brian's favorite gags. LOL. I just thought it was such a great overall production that it let me have some degree of peace on who these guys were and how they made such great music together. For me the guys who played Mike, Murry, and Nik Venet really hit a grand slam homerun in capturing the esscence of their parts. But everyone did a fine job. Kudos to John Stamos and gang for this gem!

New movie on Brian? That sounds interesting. Just hope it focuses more on his brilliant music than his personal problems.

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[–] Captain_film 17 years ago

Yeah, Kevin Dunn, the guy who played Murry, was really the star of the movie. When I first got the movie I made my friends watch it and although they could appreciate it they refused to watch it over and over like I did. Something about Dunn being the star made it unwatchable for them. Oh well.
Do you like the Beatles too? I just bought the video anthology, a 9 hour long epic. I am also reading the book The Beatles by John Spitz. After reading "Catch a Wave," and "Heroes and Villans" and watching "American Family" I decided that I know all there is to know about the Beach Boys and chose to move on to learn about the Beatles. Licensed to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations.

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[–] rehiii76 17 years ago

I agree that Kevin Dunn as Murry was brilliant. Is the "Catch a Wave" book any good? I read the "Heroes and Villians" one by Gaines. Decent book but too much like a soap opera with their personal lives. I'd rather hear about their music and how they came about it.

My thoughts on the Beatles is that while they were certainly a very good band----I can't help to think that they were so hopelessly overrated in every way. I seem them more as a cultural phenemon (sp)than the best band ever. IMHO, the Beach Boys actually were a much better band and had more talent. Plus, Brian Wilson did everything practically himself from a musical and production standpoint. Not the case with the Beatles who had George Martin as producer.

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[–] Captain_film 17 years ago

I would definitley pick up Catch a Wave. It is really well written and its up to date, written recently as opposed to "Heroes." It has alot of facsinating stuff about Dr. Landy and his involvement Brian, and alot of stuff about Smile, the birth, death and rebirth. The book is written by a big fan of Brian, so it's not surprising that Mike is painted in an unfavorable light, even more so than "Heroes" After reading CAW, you will really hate mike.
By the way I do agree that the Beach Boys are a better band, at least in the mid to late sixties. Their voices are so much better.

By the way have you heard the acapella versions of California Girls and Add Some music? They are really outstanding. Here's California Girls if you are interested. The quality kind of sucks but oh well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZFUOsMZZa0

Licensed to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations.

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[–] rehiii76 17 years ago

Thanks for that. I probably have some big doubts (as do many BB fans) about Landy and his treatment of Brian. The big thing here is that there seems to be a modern consenus that Brian's main problem was that he suffered from paranoid schzophernia (sp). That is to say that he had a serious medical problem and all the counseling, coaxing, and talking in the world wasn't going to do a bit of good. I would say that the main reason that Brian is living a productive life today is that he has been properly treated with medicines. I don't think those types of medicines even existed in the late '60s when he fell off the earth (I could be wrong on that). Landy's rep is likely that of a quack with many BB fans. But certainly he did do some things for Brian but he also likely took advantage of him at the same time. For instance, Brian's "autobiography" entiteld "Wouldn't It Be Nice" is completely out of print and distribuiton because it was revealed that it was mostly Landy's version of things.

Yes, I agree that Mike Love has been widely villified and panned by many BB fans over the years. But I do have to cut him some slack in many areas. While Brian was certainly the impetus of the BB's, Mike was pretty important in the old days as well. He penned many superb lyrics, handled much of the early songs from a lead vocal standpoint, and was the de facto leader of the group and MC at concerts----something that introverted Brian couldn't do. Mike was very important to the group. Sounds like he had his own set of problems as well--- but he had to put up with a lot, IMHO.

As for Smile--- believe it or not I have yet to listen to the version that Brian finished a few years ago (it's on my list of intentions to do so). I can say adamantly that I am not a big fan of the lyrics that Van Dyke Parks wrote. Sounds like Surfs Up and Heroes and Villians that get a lot of mention confound me and don't let me relate to the music like some of Brian's other collaboraters such as Mike, Tony Asher, Gary Usher, and Roger Christian. I rarely listen and enjoy anything that came from Parks. I did buy the two for one CD Smiley Smile/Wild Honey a few years ago and was so disgusted with it that I took it back to the music store the next day for a cash credit. Just awful stuff. I assume that the original Smile project must have been better than that----but as I said, Parks just was no kind of fit for Brian to be writing songs with. Mike knew that right away and he was absolutely correct (though Mike was off base to say the same things about Pet Sounds).

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[–] Captain_film 17 years ago

I too have put off listening to Smile. After listening to the Beach Boys greatest hits for so many years I sort of knew that Smile: the so-called greatest album ever made was going to be a let-down, and to a certain extent it was: The only song I was familair with was good vibrations and to a lesser extent Heroes and Villans, which I considered weak to begin with. However, Smile could not have come at a better time in my life. I was going through some weird things in my life and was kind of depressed, so the first time I listened to Smile I kind of thought, oh nice harmonies. The lyics were weird, and I didn't understand them, but in a way that is the cool part of Van Dykes trippy lyics. They are whatever you want them to be. In one Smile documentary I watched, some guy said that he descovered clairavoyant messages in Smile, prophesizing all sorts of horrible events which would unfold in the sixties. Weird!

So anyway I knew the CD wasn't the greatest I ever heard, but I popped it in my cd player and listened to it wherever I went, often skipping through to hear Good Vibrations or another song I liked. After a while though the songs really began to grow on me, as is the case with alot of post 60's Beach Boy material.
Speaking of which, are you familiar with the song, "Wake the World?" Here is the video from 68.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2SoSi_Uzoh4

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[–] rehiii76 17 years ago

Thanks. I like the youtube thing---- I went to the same college as Youtube co-founder Chad Hurley. Looks like he's a major player these days.

I sort of found Pet Sounds to be my lost and searching album (I probably have a lot of company there). I'll have to get to Smile and give it a listen. I didn't move with much urgency to get it in 2004 after my Smiley Smile experience. I like Good Vibrations but hate Heroes and Villians. I can't relate anything to it.

The BB's actually were all but done after 1966 as far as the sound that cemented their legend. But there are other intriguing works they did that are worth listening to. I am now listening to the Sunflower/Surf's Up CD. Decent stuff. I also like MIU/LA (Light Album) from the late 70s. Kind of different but shows where the band was at in relation to the times. I still need to get such albums as Carl and the Passions--So Tough/Holland and 2020/Friends and several others.

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[–] Captain_film 17 years ago

Cementing their legend, yes, they were finished by 66. But some of what I find to be their most intriguing personal history happens after that, as I'm sure you well know from "American Family."

It's funny that you should mention MIU/LA. Just before a trip with my family to Cancun Mexico I downloaded that twofer and found it extremely enjoyable. Many people consider MIU to be their worst album, but I found Tomboy-Matchpoint-Winds of change to be pretty fun songs. I also like Kona Coast, which was a perfect song to listen to on the beach. I actually bought Light Album a year before on vinyl from a record shop near my college campus, and listened to that and thought, "Man, what a strange record!" I bought it to hear "Good Timin," but there are those sad songs by Dennis, plus Here Comes the Night discostyle which I liked, but then Shortnin Bread?! What a strange song to put on a BB's record. It really rocked though. I also found Sumahama strangley compelling. By the way did you know those Japanese lyics that Mike sang on that makes no sense according to Japanese people? How funny!
I listened to Carl and the Passions but found it sort of dull. But I would say check it out anyway, its the Beach Boys, after all!!!!
Licensed to kill gophers by the government of the United Nations.

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[–] rehiii76 17 years ago

I have to agree all the way with your comments on MIU/LA. Truth be told, those albums are a bit of a delight. People wanting to hear the songs of the old days of surfing and fast cars or of Brian's magical sound from Pet Sounds and Good Vibrations may not take to it----BUT it is just superb stuff to see and hear where the BBs where at in the late 70s. Yes they had changed with the times, for better or for worse---they had no choice but to do it (like the rest of us).

I really love some of the songs off of those albums. Kona Coast, Matchpoint, and Winds of Change you mentioned. But I think my two favorites is Carl singing Sweet Sunday (what beautiful voice he had)and Al Jardine singing Lady Lynda on LA. What a nice song in tribute to his wife. Al could sing wonderfully too when given the chance (like Help me Rhonda).

LOL on Mike getting panned by the Japs. on Sumahama. I guess they don't like him either.

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[–] Hopealways 17 years ago

Just watched this for the first time today, and thought that it was pretty good.
Some parts were really sad.
Can anyone tell me what the 'controversial' therapy was that Brian had- they mentioned at the end

Thanks

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[–] rehiii76 17 years ago

UK- Lisa--- to the best of my knowledge, the "controversial" therapy would have been Brian's treatment by Dr. Eugene Landy, who was a physcoligist (sp) to the stars. Landy, who died last year, treated Brian at two different intervals. I belive the first was around 1976 and the second and more intensive and longer term would have been from around late 1982 to some time in the early '90s.

While there is no doubt that Landy did do some things to help Brian in '76 and did in fact save his life in '82-83, he is mostly vilified for his unethical treatment of Brian the second time around. He needlessly and incorrectly drugged Brian with medications and basicaly entwined himself around Brian's career and money. That was a no no. In the last analysis---he took over Brian's complete life (which is some ways good)but overdid it with the wrong medications and basically hijacking the talents/efforts of the musical prodidgy.

I believe that the Barenaked Ladies song "Brian Wilson" mentions Landy.

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[–] Hopealways 17 years ago

Thanks for answering - appreciate it
Lisa
x

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[–] podwilliams 15 years ago

Revisiting the film after reading Wilson's autobiography The Beach Boys: An American Family seems to tick most of the right boxes, except for the 'Murray Wilson and Mike Love were even nastier pieces of work than you might've imagined' ones. Grade A wankers the pair of 'em. Diverting enough, though.

The lion and the calf shall lie down together, but the calf won't get much sleep.

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[–] Mat-37 14 years ago

It didn't bother me that an indulgent light was shone on Mike Love in this flick. There are so many stories about him being an ass (or just watch his speech at the R'n'R HoF induction, painfully embarrassing stuff!), it's good to see his side of the story: He was the lead singer, yet was in the shadow of Brian. He did get sortof fired by Brian when Van dyke Parks came into the picture, and the Parks-penned songs did sell less than his. He lost all his money when he lost the rights to the chart-toppers that he did co-write, because Brian was too weak when he signed that contract with Murry; he wouldn't have let that happen if he could have done anything about it. That's reason enough to become sour. I don't think he was a bad guy, maybe he just became one eventually.

- A point in every direction is the same as no point at all.

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[–] jefgg 9 years ago

I concur.

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