Walk The Line

[Fenster]

I just don't get the point. Why have actors play Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra or Janis Joplin? There is plenty of film and TV footage of the real persons. Why would anyone want to watch a more-or-less good imitation when you can see the original?

In that footage you don't get to see the behind-the-scenes stuff, that's why. You're also not going to see the parts of their lives from before they were famous, because no one was filming them then.

 

[Justin91]

Originally Posted by beer good
I just don't get the point. Why have actors play Johnny Cash, Frank Sinatra or Janis Joplin? There is plenty of film and TV footage of the real persons. Why would anyone want to watch a more-or-less good imitation when you can see the original?

Does your philosophy also the same with non-musician biography movies such as Patton? There is plenty of war footage of Patton...mostly staged and posed for raising moral back at home.
Even though I consider Walk The Line a one timer, (I will watch it only once), I liked this movie…simply for entertainment value.

 

[beer good]

In that footage you don't get to see the behind-the-scenes stuff, that's why. You're also not going to see the parts of their lives from before they were famous, because no one was filming them then.

Well, true to a certain extent. But then again, what interests me about a musician - no matter how interesting his/her life may be - is first and foremost the music. Take that away, as you inevitably do when you have some actor record covers of the songs, and you're taking away 90% of my interest. I've read Johnny Cash's autobiography (with "Live At Folsom Prison" on the stereo) and it's a great read; I just don't see the point of having Joaquin Phoenix re-enact that, especially if I don't get to hear Johnny sing. (And don't get me started on Pink as Janis Joplin. What's next - Justin Timberlake as Frank Sinatra? Hilary Duff as Joni Mitchell? Val Kilmer as Jim Morrison? Oh, wait...)

Come to think of it, I have a similar gripe with a lot of written biographies: they focus on the "behind the scenes" stuff and forget what made people famous in the first place. I was very underwhelmed by Howard Sounes' biography of Bob Dylan and hated Victor Bockris's biography of Patti Smith; I care about these people because of the music they made, not because of who they slept with or what drugs they took. That's always going to be secondary - not irrelevant, but also not the main point.

Does your philosophy also the same with non-musician biography movies such as Patton?

Good question. I haven't seen "Patton". Generally speaking, in order for a biopic to interest me - as "Good Night And Good Luck" did, for instance - there has to be some sort of universal theme to it. Use a character to tell a story, to say something relevant, not just to squeeze one single famous person's life into a 2-hour movie.

Anyways, sorry for butting in with this. I probably should have stayed out of this thread since I haven't actually seen the movie. I think I posted my original comment around the time that the soundtrack for "Walk The Line" made it onto the charts over here; that REALLY bugged me.

 

[Libre]

I'm not a big fan of biographies. I'm always put on edge by the attempts to make an actor look and sound like somebody so legendary that their looks and voice are trademarks. I thought this movie was pretty good though. The only thing that REALLY put me on edge was listening to Phoenix sing. He's not bad, but he's not Johnny Cash. Nobody is. JC's voice is so unmistakeable. Everytime Phoenix opened up his mouth, I winced.
Loved Reese though. June Carter Cash's sound is less trademark, so it didn't bother me so much.

 

[kirsty]

This was a very good film IMO. Resse Wetherspoon's finest performance. She always seemed so suited to the 'Legally blonde' type character, but really proved herself as a good actress in this film. There wasn't really any scenes that I didn't enjoy. I watched it twice at the cinema - the first time I've ever done that.

 

[JimMorrison]

A very good film indeed. I love how they showed what a dark person Cash really was and how his childhood deeply affected him.

Witherspoon and Phoenix alike were amazing together.

Ive seen the actual footage of him playing at the prison and the movie portrayed that perfectly. From the crowd to the actual performance.

Highly recommended.

8/10