If you, the Hollywood Elsewhere community, were in charge of Martin Scorsese‘s just-announced Grateful Dead biopic, which period in the band’s history would you focus on?
Speaking as chief executive in charge of creative affairs for all of Hollywood and lands beyond, I would split the narrative between the band’s Palo Alto + Haight Ashbury beginnings (’65 to ’67) and the last year or so before legendary lead guitarist and guru-like leader Jerry Garcia (to be played by none other than Jonah Hill) succumbed to a heart attack caused by drug abuse (heroin), smoking, bad eating habits, etc. The first two-thirds in the ’60s, the last third in the mid ’90s.
It might be better to extend Part One to early ’69, which would allow for an extended sequence in which the band records “Live Dead” at the Fillmore West and Avalon Ballroom. To me “Live Dead” is the Mount Everest of Dead albums — it was also the first live rock album to use 16-track recording.
HE’s own Larry Karaszewski and Scott Alexander are penning the script. Don’t hold back on the “horse”, guys…keep it real.
HE congratulations letter to Jonah Hill: An excellent notion, you and Marty and Scott and Larry teaming on a Grateful Dead pic. Congrats!
I’m presuming you already play guitar. But have you ever done smack? Kidding.
I’m trying to imagine you with curly twirly Garcia Hair, ’60s-style. Recreating Haight-Ashbury so it looks like it did in the mid to late ’60s will be costly. My all-time favorite album is “Live Dead,” followed by “Workingman’s Dead.” Yours?
I’ll be at tonight’s Don’t Look Up screening. Oscar nom-wise, I’m hearing your performance as Meryl Streep‘s idiot son is the stand-out (i.e., Best Supporting Actor).