Walk The Line

[Kingman]

I just got a chance to watch Walk The Line. I have to say this movie suprised me. Hopefully the actors will win some awards on this one. I think the man in black would be proud.

[Merlin Orr]

At the top of my short list.

[Beethoven]

That was one of the best movies I have seen in a long time. My only complaint was not with the movie...but the children at it. There was about 15 13 year-olds there yelling and jumping over the seats for the 1st 1/2 of the flick, but it was a very good movie.

Edited November 21, 2005 by Beethoven

[3quartertime]

I don't have a link for it, but I read a story about the pic before it opened. In it they stated that Cash was very involved with the movie even personally picked Phoenix to play him. Not sure if they started shooting before he died so maybe he wouldn't have appoved of the final production, but I imagine he saw the story line. Also they planned to dub Cash's vocals over the film, but they thought Phoenix captured enough of the character that his version of the songs worked.

BTW,,,I haven't seen the movie. Probably will wait for the DVD to come out. Interesting for me was that Phoenix learned to play guitar when he found he had been chosen for the role. I guess he's really intense in preparing for movie parts so he bought a git and basically taught himself to play simple chords and stuff so he wouldn't look too stupid on screen. Then he was sent to a teacher to learn more. It seems Cash had a very distinctive method for playing that he cooked up along the way. So Phoenix had to relearn to play. In my experience learning to play guitar is a very humbling task. It's a complicated never ending process. It blows my mind that he taught himself the basics, had to forget that and relearn them, then do it all in front of the world!!!

[3quartertime]

Reese W. gets the oscar for playing June C. in the flick...

Just happened to see this movie. I didn't watch the oscar's but saw that Reese had won.

She was pretty good, but Pheonix was incredible as Cash. As usual I love the special features and watch them all. The director's commentary tells the tale of the interaction of the players and the directions of the Cash's.

Now that I've seen this one I can offer a comment.

As a youth I remember John and June as artist on the old songs and TV shows my father loved. To me Johnny Cash was boring. June Cash was there but not really noticible. The old man would tell about the Carter family and stuff, but I didn't understand. As I grew older I started to enjoy more of Cash's music and his burden though I found a disconnect with his tremedous faith. But I never got the story of why he had that overt need to express his faith.

The movie showed me the parts of the story I never knew. Like most of the legends that we charish of our favorite genre, we never see the darker side. This film explores that side and celebrates the experiences of the players. The time and era that Cash started in the music industry are expressed very nicely. I had no idea that he was a touring artist with Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee, Elvis and others. And that some of the times he was the headliner!!! Imagine what it must have been like during those early days. Imagine the stories he could tell. The one that the director tells of his meetings with Cash and his guitars sticks in my mind. He relates the first time he and his partners meet John and June at thier house. The Cash's had already decided to allow this portrait of thier lives to be reproduced so they knew that the unsaviory parts would be seen. They were big enough to deal with that.

The one thing that Johnny wanted the director to know was how he handled a guitar. Johnny walks over to one of the probably many guitars in his house and grabs it by the neck. Swings it around the room and tells the director to make sure he lets the people know that he never treated a guitar as a jewel, but as an instrument. The director reflects correctly that many of the guitars that Cash would have lying about would be items of praise by many collectors. Many people could have walked thru that same room and held one of those guitars that Cash so easily swung about with priceless reverence. I can certainly relate to that. Very nice guitars are impressive, and I know people that will only own a guitar if it is pristine. I tend to treat my guitars as parts of me. The sound and feel of it is why I own it. I recently found a serious ding on the top of my Taylor. ( btw,,,the top of a well made acoustic is where all the sound starts ) It was thru the finish which is not good. I knew I didn't do it so I asked my girls. They of course denyed everything. I told them that this guitar is ours. It's sound is ours to protect. The looks will fade, but the sound must survive. I think that's what Cash was thinking. It's the sound not the beauty.

That story tells volumes about John and June Cash. It took them many, many years to understand that a life apart was easier to live, but together they were a beautifully used instrument.

A fun, eye-opening movie to me. The music was good, but not over-bearing. Lots of descrete history for the tasting.

Good flick...

[XRe]

It's sound is ours to protect. The looks will fade, but the sound must survive. I think that's what Cash was thinking. It's the sound not the beauty.

I haven't seen the movie yet, but am going to. Kudos to Reese

Slight drift on the topic above - like any instrument made of wood, a guitar sounds better the more it's played (assuming a quality instrument). It gains it's character. It's gonna get dinged along the way, so don't baby it. But... you must respect it, too, or it'll be trashed. I think that's what you're getting at Play 'em, don't break 'em. But play 'em, and don't let 'em sit, too...

Drums are the same way

[George]

Drums are the same way

Rifles too ;-)

[JakeMartens]

I just watched it Friday night and liked it as a movie about Johnny Cash. But would not consider it to be documentary of his life. So if you are going to watch it and expect it to be a documentary I think you will be dissappointed with it.

I found it to be very interesting and was only a little aware of his connection to the early rocker and rollers. I am not a huge Cash fan, but knew that he was early on considered rockabilly instead of country. My wife who grew up listening to country and being a fan of his was unaware of his early connections to Elvis, Jerry Lee etc and found that to be very interesting. Really didn't know about the drug addiction or the arrest either. All in all I thought it pretty entertaining.

As for guitars, all you have to do is watch Stevie Ray Vaughan, Live at the El Macambo (recorded 1983 I think right after his first album, http://www.sonymusic.com/artists/StevieRayVaughan/ ) to understand what someone means by using it, not treating it like a jewel.

Towards the end of the show during his rendition of Jimi Hendrix's Third Stone from the Sun he takes his beloved #1 Strat and starts doing some incredible neck bends on it by standing on the body of it pulling it up under his weight by the neck and slamming it back down to create some out there sounds. He truely trashes the instrument, bashes it, grinds the tremelo bars and bridge into complete submission and ends it dancing it across the stage by the tremelo bar....He ends this assualt by raking his foot accros the strings tearing most of them off and leaves it for dead as he and the band leaves the stage.

They return to complete the set with an encore (an absolutely incredible version of "Lenny") with a different strat.

During this performance his guitar tech must be in the back putting #1 back together because for the last song of the night, #1 is back, all put together and being played like only he could.

[Nolan]

I liked the movie even though I can't stand Phoenix. He did manage to capture Cash's torment over the death of his brother and his relationship with his father. Unfortunately he fell way short of capturing the Johnny Cash sound. I loved Witherspoon as June Carter.

Nolan

[et45]

I think Robert Patrick should have gotten a Supporting Actor nomination for his role as Cash's father.

[3quartertime]

Just happened upon a link to this video.

Hurt

Thought it would a nice tie-in to this thread. I think I remember watching it before, but I wasn't a big fan so it didn't hit me. Knowing a bit more about the life of the Cash's the song really has some teeth. Interesting in one of the reviews it says that the writer, Trent Reznor ( who is a pretty odd cat himself) upon seeing the video said that the song belongs to Cash now. Thats pretty cool if he actually did say that...