Stevie Movie in Pre-Production/Lohan to Play Stevie

[val721]

well johnny cash is way more of a legend but i kind of think stevie is a little more heard of... just cause she is still doing stuff.... but i dont know maybe im just unaware... (im not being sarcastic)

either way i think a movie on stevie would be cool in a sense but at the same time if its not done well then it'll just kind of be a big mistake and lets just say not benefit her

[johndoe]

Originally Posted by trackaghost

Sometimes it's like banging your head against a brick wall isn't it?

Tell me about it...

Originally Posted by ELIUD

Yes I got that. And I'm telling you it's the marketing not how well-known your subject is.

They marketed Beta-Max pretty heavily, didn't they?

[ELIUD]

Originally Posted by johndoe

They marketed Beta-Max pretty heavily, didn't they?

That's a weak argument and an ill-conceived comparison. I bet if Johnny were alive he'd go see a movie about Stevie even if he had to fight the throngs of rabid Johnny Cash fans protesting the necessity of such a film.

"NO! SHE'S NOT AS FAMOUS AS JOHNNY!!!"
"DON'T GO IN THERE!!! PEOPLE IN LONDON DON'T KNOW WHO SHE IS!!!" "WHAAAAA!!"

[David]

Originally Posted by ELIUD

The legendary life of Johnny Cash was not a motivator in my renting the DVD "Ring of Fire".

I think you & Shar are talking about different things. Sharon said that Cash is the bigger cultural icon & has by far the bigger influence in the music world, which I think Stevie herself would be the first to admit is totally true.

but I think what you're saying--that it isn't necessarily that edge on the cultural landscape that brought that Cash movie its huge audience--is valid, & I think Sharon would agree with that too. The reasons that movies catch the public's attention are vast & varied.

People go to movies for lots of reasons but mostly because of the publicity and the marketing - and I do mean MOSTLY. There's a lot of material to work with regarding Stevie and Fleetwood Mac that would provide a depiction of really hedonistic people's lives being built up and torn down.

This is what's going to be fun for me. This movie will be another in a long line of hundreds of biopic movies about stars & star****ing, from Carroll Baker in "The Jean Harlow Story" to Faye Dunaway in "Mommie Dearest" to that one about Sid Vicious & his girlfriend to Diana Ross in "Lady Sings the Blues" to ... my gosh ... every single VH1 Behind The Music ever produced & broadcast. Of course that stuff is popular. People love it. People lap it up. A tabloid treatment of Stevie Nicks would get lapped up, too (although I don't think we're talking about the level of "Ray" or "Walk the Line" or "Coal Miner's Daughter" here, obviously).

But I wonder what Stevie's fans would think of it all, when it all comes down to it: such a movie is unlikely to delve deeply into Stevie's artistry, & the whole thing will probably feel like a 90-minute Behind The Music episode. Now I'm okay with that--in fact, I think that's exciting just to see all the little factoids that are implanted in my consciousness for the last thirty years acted out onscreen. But will Stevie's real fans like that ultimately? Or will they feel she has been cheapened? Any time you treat a figure like that sensationalistically--arousing superficial emotional responses out of melodramatic means--you cheapen him or her.

I mean, many of Stevie's fans have said over the years that they won't read Mick's book because they find it too tawdry & sensationalistic, or they won't read a biography of Stevie that is unauthorized, or even that of all the books that anyone could potentially write about Stevie in whatever style & with whatever means at hand, they would prefer to read Stevie's own "autobiography." Now, maybe that's all talk & bluster--there's certainly a lot of self-righteous priggishness & prudery in the fan community--but maybe it isn't. Just what do Stevie fans want to see onscreen? Dirt? or artistic treatment of Stevie's lyrics in an attempt to understand the "real artist"?

[goldustsongbird]

Originally Posted by BlackWidow

You are so funny...
I actually respect the work of Johnny Cash. His work does not speak to me though. Look at June Carter Cash. She rode on the coat tails of a famous man. Was no big deal. And yet in the right hands that role lead another no talent like Reese Witherspoon to an Oscar for Best Actress. See how mediocrity is valued and rewarded? I think Nicks life story is much more compelling!

Reese, no talent? Really? Why do you say that? (I'm really asking)
She's one of the few current actresses I actually like.

[BlackWidow]

Originally Posted by johndoe

Her story has nothing on that of Johnny Cash. The story was about him, not June. Reese won because she played June Carter Cash with an amazing ability. Not because her character was interesting. In the story of Johnny Cash, her role mattered because Walk the Line outlined a realtionship who could in a weird way only find a moment alone when they were on stage. Drugs/Sex/Rock n Roll isn't exciting material, or Oscar winning material.

Remember, YOU are not the movie going public. You are a Stevie Nicks fan. Naturally the story will be interesting to you. But a large majority of the world are not Stevie Nicks fans, and won't find it interesting.

YOU are the one who has turned this into a pissing contest not I.
You are only stating YOUR opinion and we do not have to agree with YOU.
I thought this was The Ledge...not Johnny Cash Central....
I love your passion for your subject. I share the same for my heroes and will not be convinced otherwise. Some people could not give 2 ****s about Johnny Cash. I'm glad YOU do.

[BlackWidow]

Originally Posted by ELIUD

Maybe in your movie the ghosts of Johnny Cash, Janis Joplin and Elvis Presley could help Stevie along on her road to fame. God forbid they should make a movie about anybody less famous than Johnny.

Is there ANYONE more famous than Johnny Cash?

[David]

Originally Posted by goldustsongbird

Reese, no talent? Really? Why do you say that? (I'm really asking)
She's one of the few current actresses I actually like.

I just saw her in "Vanity Fair." I thought she was utterly vacuous. I thought she was a hole in the screen. She's a lightweight. She's a girl you might pass at the mall. She was lashed about by the tremendous role of Becky like a kitten with a tigress by the tail.

Also, her French pronunciation is bad.

I did not see her performance in the Cash movie. But I saw her in that movie a few years back that takes place in Texas or somewhere, & her ex-husband wants her back & she's about to marry some rich, effete snob. She was good in that--again, the kind of girl you'd see at the mall, shopping for shoes.

[Johnny Stew]

I never really get into biopics, whether I'm a fan of the subject or not. Something just always seems "off" to me about condensing someone's life into a two-hour highlights reel. I won't lie and say I'd never watch a movie about Stevie's life, but I honestly couldn't care less if one is ever made.

For some strange reason though, I liked 'Coal Miner's Daughter' when I was a kid. Go figure.

[goldustsongbird]

Originally Posted by David

I just saw her in "Vanity Fair." I thought she was utterly vacuous. I thought she was a hole in the screen. She's a lightweight. She's a girl you might pass at the mall. She was lashed about by the tremendous role of Becky like a kitten with a tigress by the tail.

Also, her French pronunciation is bad.

I did not see her performance in the Cash movie. But I saw her in that movie a few years back that takes place in Texas or somewhere, & her ex-husband wants her back & she's about to marry some rich, effete snob. She was good in that--again, the kind of girl you'd see at the mall, shopping for shoes.

Don't hold back now, tell us how you really feel!

I haven't seen Vanity Fair, so I can't comment on it (or her French pronounciation), nor have I seen the other movie you're talking about. It doesn't even sound that familiar to me. But I'd say, however terrible she might've been in those other films, and even in Legally Blonde - now THERE is a lightweight of a movie, but I think she was good in WTL. I think maybe that role challenged her a bit more, with the singing, and fitting into the June Carter mold. *shrug*

Aside from that, she comes across as being genuine and levelheaded, as opposed to that ditzy girlie BS that Hollywood chicks are so wont to pull these days. Mind you, she is older, but y'know.

[ELIUD]

Originally Posted by David

I think you & Shar are talking about different things. Sharon said that Cash is the bigger cultural icon & has by far the bigger influence in the music world, which I think Stevie herself would be the first to admit is totally true.

but I think what you're saying--that it isn't necessarily that edge on the cultural landscape that brought that Cash movie its huge audience--is valid, & I think Sharon would agree with that too. The reasons that movies catch the public's attention are vast & varied.

All I was saying was that a person doesn't have to be as famous as Johnny Cash to validate making a movie about them and with the right script and marketing/ad campaign, a movie about Stevie could be huge.

And I would WHOLEY recommend "Freeway" and "Election" to see the true talent of Reese Witherspoon. Both performances were outstanding.

[Serrart]

Originally Posted by David

I just saw her in "Vanity Fair." I thought she was utterly vacuous. I thought she was a hole in the screen. She's a lightweight. She's a girl you might pass at the mall. She was lashed about by the tremendous role of Becky like a kitten with a tigress by the tail.

Also, her French pronunciation is bad.

I did not see her performance in the Cash movie. But I saw her in that movie a few years back that takes place in Texas or somewhere, & her ex-husband wants her back & she's about to marry some rich, effete snob. She was good in that--again, the kind of girl you'd see at the mall, shopping for shoes.

You've seen the wrong movie David, to treat Thackeray as Mira Nair did should be a crime. She's a great director, but the project was clearly on assignment, and Witherspoon couldn't do much there. As Eliud said, you should try Election, or even Pleasantville, SFW, Cruel Intentions. She's extremely instinctive, surprising, intense and very generous as an actress, able to work with the smallest things and gestures.

Romy

[catinthedark]

Originally Posted by Angel69

Stevie is legendary to many people. She has led a wild and colorful life. Experienced great highs and lows.

yes... but so have many other rock stars. there are rock stars, and then there are the beatles. tina turner. johnny cash. they are in a different realm.

i think to have mass appeal, there needs to be something more. fleetwood mac was huge in the 70s, yes. stevie was huge in her own right. but neither is huge anymore (sorry again). they both still have a following (all of us) - but despite what someone wrote at some point in this thread (too lazy to go find it to quote), stevie nicks will NOT be on the cover of Time when she dies. she may make the cover of Rolling Stone.

[Angel69]

Originally Posted by catinthedark

yes... but so have many other rock stars. there are rock stars, and then there are the beatles. tina turner. johnny cash. they are in a different realm.

i think to have mass appeal, there needs to be something more. fleetwood mac was huge in the 70s, yes. stevie was huge in her own right. but neither is huge anymore (sorry again). they both still have a following (all of us) - but despite what someone wrote at some point in this thread (too lazy to go find it to quote), stevie nicks will NOT be on the cover of Time when she dies. she may make the cover of Rolling Stone.

But the thread is about a Stevie Nicks movie not some other rock stars movie so I brought out a few points for Stevie. Johnny Cash did not have mass appeal by any means. I have some of his albums and I also have a die hard fan of his for a friend so I have plenty of his music from her. Stevie has just as much appeal as Johnny in terms of content for a movie. Tina Turner had the battered woman/come out on top appeal. Stevie may not have been a battered woman but we all know we almost lost her to drugs twice, first with the coke then with the klonopin, and she has come out a survivor. The Beatles are The Beatles and almost everyone loves them. Someone who has been in the public spotlight as Stevie has for thirty years and has been dissected, scruitinized, lauded and berated, may be worthy of a film.. Stevie is not just a rock star. REO Speedwagon, Supertramp, The Go-Go's are just rock stars. Stevie is an Icon plain and simple.

[gypsysoul]

You can't get a bigger rock icon than Elvis or Lennon. However, there has yet to be a definitive film about either. All attempts so far (plus the stage musical Lennon which bombed) have been either too sentimental or plain awful.

So, level of fame/iconic status has nothing to do with whether your story will make a good film. Johnny Cash meant nothing to many people who went to see Walk the Line. They went to see it because of the way the film was marketed, the story, the actors in it and the whole Oscar buzz.

Film like A Beautiful Mind, Erin Brokovitch or Rush were biopics of people who hardly anyone knew but they were a huge success because of other factors.

I have many friends in the film business including people who finance films and I can tell you that simply having led a wild rock star life is not enough to sell a project.
One friend has a great script about Freddie Mercury's life - hugely colourful character, gay, originally from India, died of aids, sang at Live Aid etc etc. What a great story.
But there is no emotional heart that an average non fan could relate to.

That's why i go back to my original post - a film about the Buckinghamnicks love affair, in the right hands could be a great project. And i don't mean a cheesy made for tv type film.

People love a good love story and this one has all the other elements too, drugs, breakups, reconcilaitions, music and phenomenal success which made neither particularly happy.

Throw in Stevie's fashion sense, a thumping soundtrack and all the great Rolling Stone photoshoots and you have a marketing person's dream. Women would snap up Stevie type clothes, the songs are heartbreaking and beautiful and both, especially Stevie could work up a storm with chat show appearances pre release about all the gossip we don't know.

Give this to Cameron Crowe to direct, get Scarlett johannson and a great actor to play the lead roles, follow the story from teenage sweethearts to the Dance reunion, market the music and fashion like crazy and I honestly think you could have a great production.

A good film can create icons just as much as capture their life.

In fact, I'll just go mention it to one of my buddies now......