A Future Nightmare?

I started a post planning to write about all the comments attached to YouTube Music Videos by the under-25  generation worldwide.  Many of them watch old videos & listen to music by big bands and jazz musicians from the 1930s, 40s, and 50s. Then they comment on how great the music is, how talented the artists are, and how the era is depicted, which makes them wish they could have been born then.  I think that is great... but I hope they also know a lot of people died in war during the same time period,  and many families struggled during the Depression & War years.  But I also realize they are seeing the quality of the performance, in contrast to... Yo, Yo,  I can't play an instrument or read music, Mr. Rapper Dogg  &  American Idol.

That's what I started out writing about... the good old days.

Part of that was about Artie Shaw and his role in shaping American music, inspiring respect and admiration for his contributions during the Great Depression. All the musicians, through their radio, movie & dance club performances, along with records, gave the people hope to keep getting up in the morning.

Now our World is stumbling around, trying to find the ability to move forward, and I think maybe the past might help.  Then all those thoughts kind of rolled into one when I read the following press release.

On August 3rd, 2010, Sunn Classic Pictures, Inc., based in Palm Springs, California, announced that it had acquired all rights related to the motion picture, television, and all other ancillary rights related to the life story of bandleader and composer Artie Shaw, which was negotiated with Shaw’s estate entertainment attorney A. Edward Ezor.


Sunn also secured the rights to use Artie Shaw’s musical library, which includes hundreds of his digitally remastered songs. Hugh Kelley and Lang Elliott will write the screenplay, which will go into development immediately. The story will focus primarily on the nostalgic years of Hollywood, the glamour stars, the period music, WWII, and the influence that Artie Shaw’s music had on later contemporary artists such as Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, The Righteous Brothers, The Beatles, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Stevie Wonder, Bobby Darin, Four Tops, The Isley Brothers, Smokey Robinson, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, and many others.

They had me up to the influences on later contemporary artists; I guess that's how they are going to tie in Mr. Shaw's life after 1960.

My high-tech marketing study would tell the experts to focus on the years before 1970, with much of the attention on the 1930s & 40s. This story offers all of us Baby Boomers, and those who followed, insight into a past era most know little about.  Show the sights & sounds of the era. And make it believable by balancing fact with creative storytelling. Tell the truth, good & bad... about Artie, about the business of movies & music... about the life of the era, ensuring viewers get an authentic yet engaging experience.

Over at the Scabvendor website this past week, Jonathan Shaw wrote about how many on this planet have elevated CRAP to the level of worshipped discipleship.  Given our world's overflowing excess of rectal material, it was suggested we take this matter out to the desert and bury it.  Then an enterprising individual would dig it up, package it in colorful boxes, and resell it to the original owners.

That is exactly what would piss off Artie Shaw: replaying the same song over & over until it no longer resembled the art it was originally.  Or putting together some fluff that doesn't even resemble what Mr. Shaw knew as his truth.  Rest assured, Mr. Shaw won't be happy with any film about him if it distorts his character or omits his human weaknesses. But he never got used to an audience seeing who he really was.  Including these honest portrayals may win him over to a new audience, help them relate to his internal struggles and complexities, and make the story more genuine and impactful.

Again, I offer a colorful, entertaining picture...yet Mr. Shaw's personal image comes through intact because we all have friends & family members who got older. Dinner with Artie Shaw, painted by Jonathan Shaw.

In 1939, Billie Holiday gave an interview with some thoughts on Artie Shaw. She said Artie and a few guys in the band traveled to a gig with her in the same car. Billie says they were driving down the road and having a casual conversation. They pass a bearded man on the side of the road, and Billie asks Artie if he has ever had a beard. Artie responds, "Oh yeah, he had had a beard back in the days when he had a farm." Billie asks, "So how did you look?" Artie replies, " Like a Young Jesus Christ." "All those in the car roared with laughter, all but Artie. Artie looked mad, because he had been serious. So I said, 'We'll just call you Jesus Christ, King of the Clarinet, and his Band."

"Now here's the payoff--the story got out around Boston and even today, we hear a lot of the musicians refer to Artie as 'Jesus Christ and his Clarinet'."

Two scenes with light-hearted humor let Artie come through without self-destructing. I would start the film with the images & story Jonathan created of the roller coaster ride in the dark of night, with the underlying sound of Artie's theme song, Nightmare, along with some of the opening credits. Then, as Artie's cane pops Jonathan in the head, the viewer is blasted into solarizing sunshine and a young Artie with his own father.  At this point, the audience will want to pet the sleepy cocker spaniel, giving the filmmaker a hook to tell his story.

When I first read about the rights finally being sold for Shaw's Life, I hoped they'd end up in capable hands, first because I like great movies and second because I believe a great movie can be made from Artie Shaw's Life.  Eleven years ago, a film was discussed with Robert Altman writing & directing, and Johnny Depp in the role of Artie Shaw.  It wouldn't have hurt to have Jonathan Shaw along as a co-writer & advisor.    So... now we have this new group. I checked them out.  I read about the people behind the company. One is listed as the founder and President of Tri-Star Pictures; their website mentions plans for a new movie studio and theme park... The principals planned a $2 billion investment over 12 months a couple of years ago.  That's a great start, if real dollars make it into a real bank account.  I won't say too much about their film library. You look them up. But hey... the head guy is listed as the founder & president of Tri-Star Pictures... you know, Pegasus, the flying white horse logo. They made some really good pictures; The Natural, with Robert Redford, was TriStar's first picture.

All this is going on in my head, and I start thinking about the 1986 documentary Time Is All You've Got by Brigitte Berman... Except for special showings, that Academy Award-winning film has been locked away from public eyes.  I looked up Ms. Berman and saw that in late July she started promoting her newly released documentary on Hugh Hefner; it seems Mr. Hefner opened the doors to his life for her to document.  It appears he won't be taking all the credit for her work and wants control over it. In the interview I am reading about her, Ms. Berman is asked about her next project and says she can't talk about it at present, but she does say it's going to be a full-length motion picture.

Humm... I say,  you think these guys from Sunn are going to bring her in to pull all the Artie Shaw stuff together.... Nah... she probably spit for years trying to get the bad taste from the last Shaw project out of her mouth.

But then the final little piece of information rolls across my computer screen, from all places... a story in Forbes Magazine by Seth Lubove, published November 25, 2002. Now I came across this story because I went looking for information on a guy who was the founder & president of Tri-Star Pictures. I figured I'd find all kinds of information on his Wikipedia Biography, all the references to Tri-Star. Still, I found little beyond plans for this great new magical studio & theme park in the desert near Palm Springs.

Tri-Star Pictures (sorry, spelling before 1991). TriStar Pictures came about in 1982 when Columbia Pictures (then a subsidiary of Coca-Cola), HBO, and CBS (who, despite their former full name - Columbia Broadcasting System - was unrelated to Columbia Pictures, although the film studio did produce some series for CBS) decided to pool resources to split the ever-growing costs of making movies, creating Nova Pictures as a joint venture. Later, Columbia Pictures bought out HBO & CBS. Then Sony bought control of all of Coca-Cola's entertainment holdings.

Back to the Forbes article... now we find the individual who claims he founded Tri-Star, listed with lots of other details. And another Film company named Ameri-Dreaming, which planned to build a movie studio and theme park in the desert outside Palm Springs in 2002. Wow... It's like they had the same idea years earlier, on a few occasions with different company names.   Maybe you'd best just read the original article.   At least before you pull out your wallet to invest more than the ticket price.

All I can say now is I hope this isn't Artie working from the grave to put all the access out of reach and prevent any film from ever being made.  Should it ever find a script & the ability of a true storytelling filmmaker, like a Martin Scorsese.  It should entertain while offering a believable historical view of the past through the Life of Artie Shaw.  A bigger and better version of the era than... "The Aviator," which was a good movie.  They turned to Artie Shaw to supply the music for Nightmare.  Maybe something with the feel of Howard Hughes riding Seabiscuit while he plays the Clarinet for his riding partner Ava Gardner while Frank Sinatra cries in the corner. Anyway you look at it, doing it right will be a challenge.

Johnny Depp would have been great in the role 11 years ago;  I still vote for him today...   But he, probably like Artie Shaw, is at another stage in his life journey.  If he answers their calls, they'd best be ready to make it happen this time, and not even think of asking Mr. Depp to put on a cheap suit.

An audience from the past gets smaller every day, and an audience from the future needs a connection to the past today for insight into the future.  Otherwise... Hollywood should just continue making Doomsday Pictures wrapped in pretty paper smelling like... Well, you know.  Apparently there is always another buyer for that.

UPDATE: Aug 9th -  Appears Shaw's longtime lawyer who handled the deal with Sunn Classic Pictures was an Associate Producer for this group's "Blockbuster Hit",  CAGE  in 1989.  I can hear a flushing sound in the background...  must be a new batch of pretty gift boxes.

What a Nightmare.

Update:  Sept 26th  Part II "A Future Nightmare"    **scroll down and read comments first.**
 

A response to a comment below, at the bottom of the comment section.

To Anonymous:

Yes...the above post was an opinion & collection of thoughts. Based on more research than your PROFESSIONAL Media types do. Many of them come to this website, including a couple of LA investment analysts and financial managers looking for facts... that is why I am posting your Anonymous comment, because I feel it deserves attention.

    For... "when Anonymous speaks... investors listen".

But I will start by saying even the "so-called professional" will start their search with the information in Sunn Classic Pictures' own press release; Judy Garland, in her release, included a link to the company's website. I believe those truths and falsehoods in Internet media should have been set straight on the company website. I have given credit and links so readers can form their own opinion. Researching the founder of Tri-Star basically starts with finding the founder's name in the film credits and documents on the INTERNET.  Not much is written connecting him to the big Corporation it is part of today; I will make sure to send them a letter asking why not.

I am sorry to say, even with its faults, the Net is the best tool for getting information out to the masses, and a good starting point for further research. This site is a couple of months old, and Google has already spread its content far and wide. If Sunn & its principals were truly concerned that the World knew of their accomplishments & abilities, it wouldn't be a difficult task for a good press agent to make happen.  In 24 to 48 hours, Google will eat it up and share it with the world.

This would also give people who form opinions a more balanced supply of information from different sources. I ask... shouldn't the average person give a little weight to the Forbes Magazine article, which wasn't just an Internet blurb? I know many investors want basic information about where they are putting their money. I should add... in 2002, that detailed Forbes article described an image of the company that closely resembles the image still presented on Sunn's website today, 8 years later, same impression, along with a lot of other details gained from a personal interview with the principals at their offices in the desert. I'm pretty sure Forbes Magazine has folks in suits who specialize in telling them whether it's okay to publish their stories.

Wikipedia's listing of Tri-Star (TriStar) on the Internet can be edited to include the facts, which I don't find hard to believe, as stated by the organization you write about. So why not update & address these issues... which I believe was again a shortcoming of the press agent in presenting a good image of the company. I do know the films which TriStar Pictures is truly noted for producing came after this original organization.  I'll personally note the film productions before "The Natural," which was produced under new ownership.

So what opinion was I left to come to... and believe me, my "marketing study" will sell you some tickets if I was involved in getting Artie Shaw & the Era to the screen.

I truly want to see this story of Mr. Shaw become a successful film project.  Then John Bartee will finally get a royalty check for using one of his Latin compositions.  At least one, which any depiction of the 1949 band during the popular Latin Jazz Era will need... He then will be able to afford a tombstone for his grave.  But the image presented of those behind the venture makes me wonder...If he will have to be content a  little longer with his cardboard marker.

I wish them all the luck and fortune with this picture. But if you want the World to know the facts, don't bury them under a rock.  Print Tri-Star's history, along with the other information in the founder's bio, on your company website. On that same site, there is a link for investment opportunities.  I would present the key facts on that website so potential investors don't have to beat around the bush to dig up information on their own.

I do know who Anonymous is, given the Google searches you did to get to this site. And AOL has terrible proxy servers, and it's not that hard to get over the rainbow to find Toto on Facebook.  I am actually pretty good at research if you had bothered to read what this blog was primarily about.   Believe me, the above post, A Future Nightmare? really wasn't about your interest; it was about mine...  Artie Shaw, The Music, and quality movies.  If those you represent focus on those facts, rather than worrying about some blogger like me, they might have a chance to create something worth watching.  I hope this exercise prepares you for the real Movie Industry critics.

Now if... all those involved with Sunn Classic Pictures get this picture produced and it shows some level of quality & integrity,  I will be the first to write a glowing review of the film & the production company's Artistic abilities.     I will give you a full page on this site starting today, should you want me to report on its progress & promotions.  Again, take note... even the Miles Davis film project is now sitting on the shelf because of the economy;  if 100-150 million of that 2 billion is still around, Sunn could hire the people to make the project work. Maybe pull in an initial 200 million Worldwide with a good film, on a good day.

Until then, I remain a skeptic, given the 20 years that have passed since you produced the films you mention. Along with the amateurish image on the website, which in no way reflects a $ 2 billion film company (again, not my claim... but from Sunn's press releases 2 years ago). But then I refer that back to your press agent.  Maybe... all the money is in the bank, and they see no need to waste it on a superficial corporate image. 

The Artistry that will be needed to make the film regarding the life of Artie Shaw and the Glamour of Hollywood & the Big Band Era is no way in the same league with producing videos... of Dorf, an original storybook for kids idea into a video about a modern-day Pinocchio who lives in the Hood, which has been in pre-production since 2006, and Martial Arts & FIGHT pictures which make lots of money.

 I think you would agree Martin Scorsese made a "fight picture" which appealed to a wide audience; it also had a believable storyline: it was "Gangs of New York". This is a film in a league that "Nightmare" will need to be produced to be considered an Artistic success to the viewing public.  I am sure if your focus is straight to video & cable, you will probably find a way to see it as a profitable venture, yet a disappointment to those actually interested in seeing a memorable, quality film.

A quote from your comments:
"You refer to Sunn's "CAGE" movie as though it amounted to nothing in terms of viewer acceptance. It was an action-adventure genre movie, which led to a sequel, is still paying royalties around the world, and was and is the "Father" of today's mixed martial arts sports fights, which are making billions of dollars."    In my original post, I refer to the film as a Blockbuster, and any assumption beyond that is your own.  As for financial success, I won't dispute your claims... as my original post clearly states, this society has a strong market for things wrapped in pretty boxes.  I just don't happen to be in that market's demographics.  And the more power goes to those who are successful at marketing that type of product, the more it sells, but that doesn't make it smell & look like a field of beautiful flowers.

Please forward any documented information regarding my "Blatant Errors," as you failed to point them out clearly in your comment; most of it was about my lack of research, although you did see fit to cut  & paste what I did note about Tri-Star's history in your own comments.  Also, I am not sure if you know that my original post includes links that highlight red when clicked, linking to documents & articles others have written and published that inform my opinion.  Isn't it their lack of research if their words aren't true?  Should I get their address or phone number for you? I look forward to your email, and I will be happy to post the corrections.  First, I am going to jump right into researching the 3 films you mentioned.  Where should I look for factual information about them?  As you surely know, the internet isn't to be trusted.

Also... I am a registered Editor on Wikipedia and would be happy to update the public data on the true creation of Tri-Star and its History. Or you could register yourself; you'll need a name and email, since they don't allow anonymous submissions.

I truly do like the guy's name you mentioned... Cool name,  Lang Elliott.   That will look real good on the Movie Poster... as long as it's not drawn in crayon.