Dennis Wilson documentary on BBC4

Heads up for what looks like a very interesting Dennis Wilson documentary to be shown tomorrow evening (Friday 26th) on BBC4 :-

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00r0t24

...I'm going to give the remastered POB a spin tonight before watching this tomorrow.

Looks like a good evening on BBC4 with a whole bunch of Beach Boys / Californian music related programmes scheduled to follow on after the Dennis Wilson doc.

 

Early review

Legends: Dennis Wilson, The Real Beach Boy

Lime Pictures - BBC

In the summer of 2008, Something akin to a musical miracle took place – the Re-issue of Pacific Ocean Blue, Dennis Wilson’s 1977 masterpiece, in a deluxe edition featuring never-before-heard cuts from his unreleased follow up. While this lavish production was a fitting tribute to his musical legacy, Dennis’ life has never received a full biographical film treatment before. Any film about the history of the Beach Boys has inevitably focused on Brian Wilson’s story, and compelling as it is, it is just one of the rich life stories that emerged from that legendary band.

But with the release of Dennis’ music as a thematic backdrop, the BBC has taken it upon itself to be the first to explore the life story of Dennis Wilson on film, and they have produced an honorable and powerful work. This documentary reveals the life of a complex and captivating American rock icon, laying the foundation for a deeper appreciation of his music. Those unfamiliar with the story of Dennis Wilson will meet the Beach Boys’ drummer who later became the band’s leading composer and the first group member to release a solo album. Those who know the story and love the music will be thrilled by new footage, new photos, new revelations, and most of all, a respectful, honest, intelligent assessment of Dennis’ life, and the influence he has had, both on those who knew him intimately, and on the music world.

The documentary begins, fittingly, with the sound of waves. A bearded Dennis Wilson circa 1977 steps into the frame. ” Hi. My name is Dennis Wilson. I make rock and roll records.” And we are immediately off into act one, which explores the Southern California hothouse that shaped the young Wilson.

The producers mercifully spare us from the tedious amounts of surf/sand/bikini stock footage, getting the obligatory shots out of the way quickly and getting us into the story first-hand, through the warm, inviting narration of founding Beach Boy member (and first to leave the group) David Marks. Marks proves to be a truly articulate Beach Boy, and serves as our guide through not only the recollections of those early years, but literally though their neighborhood. (or one very close by – Marks quickly explains how the site of their actual childhood homes rests under the banks of dirt that support the freeway later built through their hometown of Hawthorne, a suburb of LA. “Can’t go home…nothin’ there…pile of dirt” he states with a wry, ironic lilt in his voice.

Through Marks, we are introduced to his mother Joanne Marks who has one of the best cameos of the film, getting irritated on screen after all these years as she listens to her son recount the episodes of physical abuse meted out on him and Dennis by the Wilson patriarch, Murry Wilson. The tales of manhandling under taskmaster Murry establish the theme of dysfunction that is a recurring motif in any story of the Wilson brothers. But it’s clear through the stories that Marks recalls that Dennis, even at that young age, didn’t make it easy on himself.

“There was always something happening with Dennis and the Police” says Marks.

By this time the viewer is completely into the story. Not three minutes into the film, and we are already hearing new material presented in a fresh, personal, and very intimate way. This becomes a clear template for the film, as we are invited into the story by old friends, former touring band members, collaborators, sons(!), and those in the inner circle of Dennis life. In addition to Marks, Beach Boys Al Jardine and Brian Wilson himself (from earlier interviews) make appearances.

The saving grace of this documentary is its focus on the music. With all the sensational fodder offered by the common narrative of Dennis’ life, it is a pleasure to see and hear Wilson’s music discussed with such intelligence and passion.

Biographer (and co-producer on the film) Jon Stebbins sets the tone early on as he elegantly and enthusiastically considers the ingredients that made the Beach Boys signature early sound so effective and culturally significant. Making the point that it was Dennis that authored and shaped that now-immediately recognizable surf beat, Stebbins gets off one of the best lines in the film, describing Dennis’ unmistakable drumming style as the “Starting Pistol of the Sixties”.

As the history of the band unfolds, one of the supreme ironies of Dennis life becomes apparent. As the band begins to decline, and his brother and band leader Brian retreats further and further into himself, Dennis begins to blossom as a creative force to be reckoned with in the band. The film takes us on a trip from the innocent early years of the 60s into the more complex times of the late 60s and early 70s, and we are confronted with that troubling moment in Dennis life – his association with Charles Manson. Close friends Gregg Jakobson and Ed Roach are our guides through this second act, and we hear what it was like to be around Dennis and his circle of friends directly from their own mouths. Thankfully, the producers resist the obvious temptation, and don’t get bogged down in Manson stories – they keep their eyes on the music, and crisp narration from Stebbins and Jakobson keeps the story on track. Ed Roach’s enthusiasm is infectious as he vividly recalls Dennis’ blossoming creativity, and the music continues to take center stage as we meet Beach Boys recording engineer and friend John Hanlon. Hanlon becomes a key player in the narrative, as he reveals the process of recording with Dennis – efforts that soon lead to his first and only released solo album, Pacific Ocean Blue. Hanlon takes us into the studio for what will be one of the most thrilling passages of the film for Dennis Wilson fans. As Hanlon works the boards, and we hear the swelling sounds of Dennis’ compositions, we feel privileged to hear him discuss the process of recording with Dennis so intimately, and we share in his joy and amazement as he tries to explain what it was like to work on those tapes again in 2008, and to hear songs again that he hadn’t heard in over 30 years.

This is the greatest success of this film: The emotional power of the music itself begins to supplant the attention usually focused on the circumstances of Dennis life and death. This emotional content becomes almost palpable as his sons Michael and Carl B. talk intimately about re-discovering their father’s music, and mining the emotional depths of the work as adults, and artists in their own right.

As this final chapter ebbs to a close, we become witnesses - through the eyes of those who knew him best - to the heartbreaking dissolution of Dennis’ life in his last years: the loss of his loves, his studio, his beloved boat, his voice, his self control. While some may see this decline as the train wreck one can’t look away from, those who have heard the music created at the end of his music-making period can’t help but feel a profound longing for what might have been.

Friends Marks, Jakobson, and Roach betray this heartbreak and sense of loss as they recall Wilson’s final days. As we walk with Ed Roach to the boat slip where Dennis died, having been so skillfully escorted through the story of his life, we participate in that same sense of loss.

But the story doesn’t end there. The triumphant tale of the completion of the tracks for Dennis’ unreleased follow up, Bambu, is the real end of this story, and one that can, at long last, be told. It is to this film’s credit that we are left with a feeling of joy, knowing that the musical legacy of Dennis Wilson has finally been given its due, and is now a documented part of musical history.

Dan Addington

 

I hope this is going to be on BBC America. I'm going to look for it thanks for the heads up.

 

Reminder: It's on in 10 mins

 

Great review. Is this Dan posting? You should post more often around here.

 

Looks like it might be Ed Roach who is featured in the documentary

 

The Real Beach Boy

Guilty as charged... And it's photographer & film maker Ed Roach, by the way. A lot of the material in the show was shot by me. How did you like it, by the way? I'm a little prejudice, of course...

 

It was wonderful, thank you! I thought it gave a very balanced portrait, and was really quite moving. Hopefully people new to Dennis's music will want to check it out after watching the film - I think they will.

Tom

 

Is this going to be available on DVD?

 

interesting yet perplexing doco
RnR excess and Californian burn out again
Christine McVie and FM aspect worrying .
BUT Charles Manson darkens and defeats creative life as ever a deranged bully can.
Overall a depressing take on sybaritic lifestyle....
What ever the talent of Dennis and the Wilsons

 

Yeah, that's what I'm hoping. The 60 minute Ronnie Lane - Legends documentary was later released on DVD clocking in at 90 mins with loads of extras. Let's hope they do the same for Dennis. Nice work Ed, It was a great show which seemed to capture Dennis' spirit.

 

A good rounded look at Dennis contribution as a Beach Boy, his solo work and how he was a part of the LA scene that may assist in his reevaluation as a musician.
One moment among many of interest was the explication for why it was he had reversed hand positions for snares - no prior experience just Murry saying like 'Here's a drum kit, now drum!'

 

Legends DVD

That's what we're hoping, too! Of course, clearing things for the BBC is a heck of a lot easier than clearing for DVD. There are many more 'talking heads' that didn't make this cut, and obviously it would be great to go into the tracks in much greater detail. So, fingers crossed...

 

So this did air on BBC America?

 

...no this a new BBC programme shown only in Britain so far (on Friday night).

It was a very good watch but very sad to see the decline in Dennis over the last few years. I also enjoyed the detailed BBC documentary that followed about Californian music. Fantastic interviews with David Crosby and Graham Nash - a good overview of CSN's history amongst other acts.

...hopefully BBC America will show these on your side of the pond soon!

 

Don't bet on it - BBC America is generally useless when it comes to music documentaries or any unique British programming.

 

Missed it, is there a re-run?

 

Available on iPlayer until 5 March.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00r0t24/Legends_Dennis_Wilson_The_Real_Beach_Boy/

and repeated on BBC Four on 6 March.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007j8zf/episodes/upcoming

 

Many thks.

 

I saw that documentary purely by chance. Excellent. I went and listened to Pacific Ocean Blue straight after, in a new light. I'm glad to see that the programme is repeated next Saturday (6th March)

 

Someone had written me that Pacific Ocean Blue had shot up to #41 on Amazon the day after the initial screening! That's exactly what I was hoping for, although unless I don't know how to read Amazon's listings, it doesn't look that way to me any longer...

 

Amazon

A-ha! It's Amazon UK where it's doing well - again!
Label: Sony BMG
ASIN: B001B1ZYNK

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 78 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)
Popular in these categories:

#1 in Music > Bargain CDs > Budget
#28 in Music > Rock
#66 in Music > Pop

 

Just watched the documentary.

Just ordered "Pacific Ocean Blue"!

 

Does anyone know why the programme after the Dennis Wilson doc. was switched from Yentobs documentary on "Smile" (which was originally scheduled) to Brians "Pet Sounds"?