Jerry Garcia Biopic in the works

Jerry Garcia Biopic in the works
Posted by wildcoyote on 13 Nov, 2008 15:08
Quote
Veteran producers Albert Berger, Ron Yerxa and Eric Eisner are going truckin\'.

The trio have signed on to produce a biopic about Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia that will aim to offer a revealing look at the roots of the counterculture icon.

The untitled project will focus primarily on Garcia\'s early life in the Bay Area before he joined the band that would become the Grateful Dead -- a period that includes a stint in the military, a life-changing car accident and his first creative encounters with members of the Northern California music scene including future Dead bassist Phil Lesh.

Producers have acquired rights to Robert Greenfield\'s book "Dark Star," an oral history of Garcia from dozens of people who knew him, including musicians, relatives and artist friends like Ken Kesey. The project will feature music from the early part of Garcia\'s career, primarily bluegrass titles that are in the public domain.

Topper Lilien, who penned Universal\'s Paul Newman-starring drama "Where the Money Is," has been attached to write the screenplay.

Berger and Yerxa have collaborated on some of the biggest indie hits of the past decade, including "Election" and "Little Miss Sunshine," while Eisner produced the Sundance hit "Hamlet 2" with Berger and Yerxa and is attached to produce "Bait," a remake of Betrand Tavenier\'s mid-\'90s French thriller.

The Dead has been the subject of number of documentaries -- including 1977\'s "The Grateful Dead Movie," a concert film Garcia directed -- but the story of Garcia\'s life has never been told on the big screen

So who plays Jerry?

#1 Reply
Posted by SlimPickens on 13 Nov, 2008 15:30
some sites are saying Justin Berfield (from Malcolm in the Middle) will play the young Jer Bear.

I\'m not crazy about that rumor. But maybe this kid has deeper acting chops then were displayed on MitM.

I don\'t know what this kids skills are, but IMO there\'s nothing worse then a music biopic when the actor can\'t play the instrument. Although finding a young Jer look alike, with acting skills that can also do a good job faking a guitar, banjo piano man... might be a tall order.

I say they get Jamie Foxx to play it!!

#2 Reply
Posted by wildcoyote on 13 Nov, 2008 15:39
Jack Black?

#3 Reply
Posted by NickNels on 13 Nov, 2008 15:42
Seth Rogan

#4 Reply
Posted by oldnewbie on 13 Nov, 2008 15:50
not for this...but i always said that david bromberg should play jerry in a movie

#5 Reply
Posted by ChrisF on 13 Nov, 2008 16:04
Quote from: SlimPickens;210957
some sites are saying Justin Berfield (from Malcolm in the Middle) will play the young Jer Bear.

I\'m not crazy about that rumor. But maybe this kid has deeper acting chops then were displayed on MitM.

i don\'t think he will play jerry, but his production company was supposed to produce the film. and according to imdb he has never been an actor in anything he has produced.

#6 Reply
Posted by SlimPickens on 13 Nov, 2008 16:45
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The untitled project will focus primarily on Garcia\'s early life in the Bay Area before he joined the band

While I think Seth Rogan and Jack Black maybe have the look and feel for Jer, I don\'t think they are young enough.

#7 Reply
Posted by tyzack on 24 Nov, 2008 15:38
If either Seth Rogan and Jack Black played Jerry that would be the worst thing to ever happen.

It would be the final shovel of dirt to cover up the counter-cultures grave.

Get some professional actor who hasn\'t done anything that anyone would know him for to play Jerry.

#8 Reply
Posted by siflandollie on 24 Nov, 2008 15:59
I hope after I die consumer driven **** don\'t make a movie about my life. If there was really going to be a movie about jerry it should come from inside the GD camp IMO. this is lame.

#9 Reply
Posted by wildcoyote on 24 Nov, 2008 16:05
I\'d be all about consumer driven **** making a movie about my life.

#10 Reply
Posted by tyzack on 24 Nov, 2008 16:07
Quote from: siflandollie;211933
I hope after I die consumer driven **** don\'t make a movie about my life. If there was really going to be a movie about jerry it should come from inside the GD camp IMO. this is lame.

I agree

Quote from: wildcoyote;211934
I\'d be all about consumer driven **** making a movie about my life.

You are a consumer driver douchbebag

#11 Reply
Posted by kindm's on 24 Nov, 2008 17:51
I don\'t know how I feel about a "bio-pic"

I liked walk the line but I always find they cheapen everything to make these kind of movies.

Jerry made beautiful music. end of story.

Let the guy RIP and have what is left of his mark on this world left in tact. We don\'t need to relive the limo speedball busts or any of the nonsense that made Jerry all to human. His life was definitely interesting tho and the characters that wove in and out of his life certainly makes compelling story telling.

#12 Reply
Posted by boombox on 24 Nov, 2008 17:59
Quote from: oldnewbie;210961
not for this...but i always said that david bromberg should play jerry in a movie

He could definitely play the sort of stuff being touted for this movie, but even if he were young enough, I love Bromberg too much for me to be able to suspend disbelief enough for him to play Jerry.

Quote from: kindm\'s;211951
Jerry made beautiful music. end of story.

Let the guy RIP and have what is left of his mark on this world left in tact.

Succinctly put. I still kinda love the mystery behind having one\'s favourite guitar player of all time being one who is almost completely unknown beyond the jamband community.

#13 Reply
Posted by ChrisF on 24 Nov, 2008 18:29
Quote from: siflandollie;211933
I hope after I die consumer driven **** don\'t make a movie about my life. If there was really going to be a movie about jerry it should come from inside the GD camp IMO. this is lame.

Quote from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Berfield
It was reported in 2006 by the Daily Variety that the company and Berfield are producing a feature film based on the life of Grateful Dead frontman and 1960s icon, Jerry Garcia. The project is in partnership with Garcia\'s partner of 25 years, Carolyn "Mountain Girl" Garcia and was initiated after Berfield read a Garc?a biography titled Captain Trips

^ there you go