The life of the legendary beach boys founder is almost too big a story to tell in. The band has recently fired their manager, brians father murry wilson, a domineering man whose abuse of brian when he was a child would have profound effect on him, and who would. Sure, there was a small army of producerswriters and gene landy, but this album sounds like brian wilson through and through. Once known for his iconic falsetto, much of brian s most wellknown work is tinged with.
Watch the official music video for love and mercy by brian wilson originally released on his selftitled album from 1988. The life of brian wilson revisited though imaginative, this beach boys movie cannot shake itself free from the overworked 1960s mythology. Director bill pohlad explains the key decisions he took in bringing beach boy brian wilsons complex life story to the big screen. Brian wilson is the creative soul of the beach boys, but he paid a heavy price for his talent. Its a startling image, and it holds out a twofold promise. The film chronicles his rise to fame in the 1960s and the his decline into mental illness, and his escape from the control of his therapist in the 1980s.
Brian wilson talks mental illness, drugs and beach boys. Jun 04, 2015 a simplified brian wilson in love and mercy played at different stages of his life by paul dano and john cusack, the brian wilson who emerges from this film is a less engaging and complex. Its a warm june afternoon in new york city, and brian. Jun 10, 2015 when the lower east side film festival starts thursday, mike love of the beach boys will be one of six judges. Set against the eradefining catalog of wilsons music, the film intimately examines the personal voyage and ultimate salvation of the icon whose success came at extraordinary personal cost. But longtime producer pohlad brokeback mountain, 12 years a slave, working from a daring script by oren moverman and michael alan lerner, and using two firstrate actors to play wilson at two turning points in his life, lavishes his material with love, attention to detail, and empathetic imagination. Love and mercy star paul dano nails it as brian wilson. Brian wilson love and mercy official music video youtube. Then theres the beach boys brian wilson, one of pop musics great tragic geniuses, who became a rock legend by being. With john cusack, paul dano, elizabeth banks, paul giamatti. Paul dano had to perform for brian wilson before singing.
With the oscar success of films like walk the line, dream girls, and ray, rock music biopics slipped into a comfortable. Jul 09, 2015 director bill pohlad explains the key decisions he took in bringing beach boy brian wilson s complex life story to the big screen. Brian wilson is one of pops purveyors of and dealers in bliss, and theres plenty of it here. Brian douglas wilson was born in inglewood, california, on june 20, 1942. The most heartening surprise about director bill pohlads love and mercy is also to my mind a pretty improbable one. Starring paul dano as young wilson and john cusack as older wilson, love and mercy shifts back and forth between a narrative of wilsons creative ascendency in. The chorus are amazing and there is a harmony part 23rds of the way in that blew me away. Mar 06, 2009 brian wilson love and mercy official music video duration. In the 1980s, he is a broken, confused man under the 24hour watch of shady therapist dr. Brian wilson discusses his new memoir, i am brian wilson, as well as mental illness, drugs, his relationship with mike love and more. The life of the legendary beach boys founder is almost too big a story to tell in one film which is why this biopic uses two. Set against the era defining catalog of wilsons music, the film. Brian douglas wilson born june 20, 1942 in inglewood, california is an american singersongwriter, producer, and musician, best known for being the principal songwriter and colead singer for the beach boys, cofounded with brothers carl and dennis.
Love and mercy, thats what you need tonight so love and mercy to you and your friends tonight i was lying in my room and the news came on tv a lotta people out there hurtin and it really scares me love and mercy, thats what you need tonight love and mercy to you and your friends tonight i was standing in a bar and watching all the people there. Arguably brian wilsons most iconic solo track, love and mercy a feelgood, heartfelt melody about looking for love and happiness when things look rough, was the opening song on his 1988. That is, that its such a good and at times better than good movie. The film can be downloaded and digitally streamed starting tuesday and will be released on bluray. Once known for his iconic falsetto, much of brians most wellknown work is tinged with melancholy and existentialism. Other great songs on the album are melt away, little children a very fun but very 80s sounding song, one for the boys, theres so many, rio grande, and many others. Brian wilsons impressive career was recently toasted on a new compilation titled playback, and in conjunction with the records release, love and mercy has been treated to a new video. That especially shows during his peak artistic years in the 1960s, as his inner demons and obsessions trying to please his abusive father drive him to a mental breakdown that would plague him for years. Love and mercy shows brian wilsons reallife love story. The film derives its title from wilsons 1988 song of the same name, and stars paul dano and john cusack as. A lotta people out there hurtin and it really scares me.
Paul dano plays wilson in the 1960s, and john cusack plays him in the 1980s. Silver linings playbook drama mit jennifer lawrence bradley cooper. Love and mercy is a song written by brian wilson and the opening track to his 1988 debut solo album brian wilson. When the lower east side film festival starts thursday, mike love of the beach boys will be one of six judges. Love and mercy thats what you need tonight so, love and mercy to you and your friends tonight i was lyin in my room and the news came on t.
A simplified brian wilson in love and mercy played at different stages of his life by paul dano and john cusack, the brian wilson who. Love and mercy and melt away are wilson classics that offer up his unique songwriting surrounded by an air of spirituality that feels very personal but pulls you in with an open honesty that is both very touching. Oct 11, 2016 brian wilson discusses his new memoir, i am brian wilson, as well as mental illness, drugs, his relationship with mike love and more. Love and mercy is the story of the beach boys founder brian wilson. In the 1960s, beach boys leader brian wilson struggles with emerging psychosis as he attempts to craft his avantgarde pop masterpiece. Actor paul dano says he was probably 51 percent excited and 49 percent scared at the idea of playing the young brian wilson in director. Apr 17, 2019 brian douglas wilson was born in inglewood, california, on june 20, 1942. The album starts with love and mercy, one of the best songs on the cd. Murry wilson figures in the 60s portion of the film, showing his lack of belief in brian when he plays him god only knows on the pianoa song which paul mccartney would later call the greatest song ever writtenand later in the studio plays brian and his brothers a song by the sunrays, a band still relying on the old mix of surf, cars. It could almost, after all his personal problems back then, have been called free at last.
The song was released as a doublesided single on july 1, 1988 backed with he couldnt get his poor old body to move. The first is the mid1960s, during the height of the beach boys fame. Sep 27, 2017 watch the official music video for love and mercy by brian wilson originally released on his selftitled album from 1988. Wilson is the singersongwritercomposer known, most famously, for helping lead and musically inspire the beach boys through their phenomenal rise in the 1960s. The rise and fall and rise and fall and rise of genius musician brian wilson, a life story that disproves fitzgeralds adage about there being no second acts in america in what seems like the most.
Filmmaker bill pohlad and screenwriters oren moverman and michael lerner dealt with that by narrowly focusing the new movie love. Brian wilson has credited the mid90s renaissance of his personal and professional life to one thing. In the 60s, hes controlled by record labels, his bandmates, and his father. Brian wilson love and mercy official music video duration. In 2017 love and mercy was remastered for the release of playback. The film cuts back and forth between paul dano, who.