Happy that the band is getting the recognition. To me, Scott Freeman's book was just excerpts from existing articles and interviews. 

Time will tell. Wish they would include Alan Paul and Galadrielle who both wrote wonderful books on Duane and the ABB respectively. 

@steved 

I wouldn't judge the project just because it cites Scott Freeman's book as a basis - often that's just the blueprint for the screenwriter and a way to obtain some rights to the story for the producers, especially if they or the estate are still alive.

I'm not a big fan of music biopics, and I find the more those who were present are involved in the movie, the more it becomes a hagiography.

Also, just because this was announced doesn't mean it will necessarily get produced. We'll see...

@porkchopbob If it gets made and released in a couple of years at the latest, it probably will do well at the B.O.  But a decade from now may be too late for it to have a decent run. 

Alec Baldwin perhaps could be Phil Walden or better yet Twiggs. Well he is too old for the story if it focuses on 1968 through 1972. And those ARE the crucial years as it was those years that is responsible for what success that came later. 

I have no idea who could play the original six and all the others involved. I'm not up on the young actors today. 

Posted by: @robertdee

the story if it focuses on 1968 through 1972. And those ARE the crucial years as it was those years that is responsible for what success that came later. 

This is certainly true and there's no disputing it.  But if it's based on Midnight Riders...that book came out in the mid-1990s.  If this is a biopic on the band's history, it misses entirely 1/3 of it and a handful of bandmembers that came later.  I don't know, based on the description, perhaps it will be more about Duane & Gregg and the band is somewhat secondary to the brothers' story.

If it happens, I hope they look to some other sources for other perspectives, like steved mentions above.  And also don't forget Gregg's book as well.

Posted by: @porkchopbob

@steved 

I wouldn't judge the project just because it cites Scott Freeman's book as a basis - often that's just the blueprint for the screenwriter and a way to obtain some rights to the story for the producers, especially if they or the estate are still alive.

I'm not a big fan of music biopics, and I find the more those who were present are involved in the movie, the more it becomes a hagiography.

Also, just because this was announced doesn't mean it will necessarily get produced. We'll see...

Not very clear what's being made. Biopics have been popular lately (Tina, Queen, Aretha, Billie Holliday, Judy) & I can't imagine who would be cast as anyone in this project. I'd rather see a documentary - it's all rehashed stories we know anyway. If Gregg's short marriage to Cher is the hook, I'll pass if & when it ever gets made & released.

I nominate Woody Harrelson to play Gregg.

How you ever wrap up 50+ years into 2 hours is beyond me.

It'll never happen, but my dream is for an 8-12 episode series on one of the streaming services. 

Get the main characters in the band and those that surrounded them, the music, and the general timeline right and then take some liberties with all the rest to keep things interesting and appeal broadly enough to attract the more casual viewers. Heroes, villains, love, tragedy, race, politics, etc.

Historical music fiction --- There are many bands that you could do this with, of course, but as we all know this band has quite the body of material to build on.

@islalala That sounds fantastic for a real ABB fan. 8 to 10 episodes that covers 1969 to 2014. 

But what I'm reading it will focus on Gregg and Duane. Probably begin with them living with Mama A in Daytona Beach and Gregg getting his first guitar and his brother becoming so interested in Gregg's guitar that Duane goes full bore into the guitar and blows by Gregg. Probably their first band and the Allman Joys then The Hourglass and finally Duane putting the ABB together. The second half will cover the band becoming famous and playing all over the country and suddenly Duane gets killed. That probably is close to the end of the film. Maybe Ramblin'Man will play over the closing credits as the band is shown playing before sold out coliseum shows as the most popular band in America. It may touch briefly on Berry getting killed. 

Hope I'm wrong but I doubt we will get up to Cher and the Scooter Herring drug mess and the break up. Likely it will cover 1966 or 67 to about 1972 or 73. 

Posted by: @cyclone88

 

 I'd rather see a documentary

Me too. I would rather see a well done professional documentary with interviews from remaining members(and archived), back stories,other related artist,key players, old performances  and  etc .  I just think cramming a whole career into 2-3 hrs is kinda......eh.  I know its been done. You have a beginning and ending, and you just take the highs and lows and mix in some drama. More to them than that. Not sure that is a good representation of a band. Is there  much public demand for an ABB movie, besides us and the hard cores out there? There is a story there I guess.

I might get torched for saying the following.Not trying to diminish the Brothers by any means.

I hate this word and its used way to loosely, but not sure if the ABB left that much of an all around societal  "legacy" compared to others to demand this(biopic) in the grand scheme of the music world. Don't get me wrong I think the ABB have left there mark on the music community no doubt. No other band like them and never will be, beyond compare. They're influences on other artists speaks volumes. I am not saying they are not worthy of a major motion picture, but when you compare them to others who had movies made about them and they're peers , I just dont see it personally. I dont see the public clamoring for a movie made about them. Like I said earlier, there is a story there, but I would rather see it in a high quality documentary. That would mean more to me than a biopic.

I would prefer a series based on the band's history, but I'll try not to judge this and I'll give it a try, if it's ever made. I find with biopics the stories are hit and miss, but usually the actors help make it interesting.(Like Bohemian Rapsody) 

@missuny1969 The old biopics on Turner Classic Movies that pop up from time to time, Glen Miller, Tommy Dorsey, Frank Sinatra etc, spend the first third focusing on their early life and how they got into music and met their first wife and the struggles of getting their big break etc etc then it rushes through the success years and with Miller the plane crash during WW2 where the great band leader lost his life or Tommy Dorsey dying at 51 in 1956 in a way not that different than Jimmy Hendrix. Buddy Rich told Larry King on CNN that Dorsey had tremendous breath control. Rich said he saw Tommy play a 16 bar Trombone solo and he never took a breath and Rich never saw his coat move. 

If this movie is made that way, lots of focus on Duane and Gregg's early years with Mama A and their early bands to the success for Duane at Muscle Shoals to getting the ABB together then the bike crash will be close to the end of it. 

But I'll go see it. I would be interested too in how Gregg got from LA to Jacksonville, Fla to joined the ABB as the last member. Will Gregg hitchhike across the country with a bass player who had a car or will he catch a jet at LAX?  

Mr. SMOOTH!!! 

Posted by: @jszfunk

Posted by: @cyclone88

 

 I'd rather see a documentary

Me too. I would rather see a well done professional documentary with interviews from remaining members(and archived), back stories,other related artist,key players, old performances  and  etc .  I just think cramming a whole career into 2-3 hrs is kinda......eh.  I know its been done. You have a beginning and ending, and you just take the highs and lows and mix in some drama. More to them than that. Not sure that is a good representation of a band. Is there  much public demand for an ABB movie, besides us and the hard cores out there? There is a story there I guess.

I might get torched for saying the following.Not trying to diminish the Brothers by any means.

I hate this word and its used way to loosely, but not sure if the ABB left that much of an all around societal  "legacy" compared to others to demand this(biopic) in the grand scheme of the music world. Don't get me wrong I think the ABB have left there mark on the music community no doubt. No other band like them and never will be, beyond compare. They're influences on other artists speaks volumes. I am not saying they are not worthy of a major motion picture, but when you compare them to others who had movies made about them and they're peers , I just dont see it personally. I dont see the public clamoring for a movie made about them. Like I said earlier, there is a story there, but I would rather see it in a high quality documentary. That would mean more to me than a biopic.

I agree with your thoughts funk. I love ABB but they were never really a singles band to build up that following like Queen or even the Doors. I am not sure there is enough interest these days, other than us hard-core fans, for someone to invest that much money and time into a real in-depth biopic.

I mean, other than Rambling Man or Midnight Rider, do they even have the catalog that advertisers would want to use in commercials that would give them some exposure to the new generation of music lovers?

I am with you in that I would rather see a multi-episode well-done documentary that covers their whole career like was done for the Eagles. Even that may be a challenge as there are not too many of the original members and others associated with the band left to interview. 

Posted by: @cyclone88

Posted by: @porkchopbob

@steved 

I wouldn't judge the project just because it cites Scott Freeman's book as a basis - often that's just the blueprint for the screenwriter and a way to obtain some rights to the story for the producers, especially if they or the estate are still alive.

I'm not a big fan of music biopics, and I find the more those who were present are involved in the movie, the more it becomes a hagiography

Not very clear what's being made. Biopics have been popular lately (Tina, Queen, Aretha, Billie Holliday, Judy) & I can't imagine who would be cast as anyone in this project. I'd rather see a documentary - it's all rehashed stories we know anyway

The new Let It Be documentary seems good - there’s also a docu being made about Brian Epstein

the one I really want to see is the new Velvet Underground docu - love the VU

never understood the dis Midnight Riders gets, that it’s just patched-together newspaper articles etc - it’s not - it’s practically all Freeman’s writing - his description of Blue Sky is spot on - it’s a great book about the ABB

Posted by: @stephen

never understood the dis Midnight Riders gets, that it’s just patched-together newspaper articles etc - it’s not - it’s practically all Freeman’s writing - his description of Blue Sky is spot on - it’s a great book about the ABB

It gets pooed on because the band disliked it. There's nothing bad about the content, it's a pretty straight-forward account of the band's history and music. I think the band was just upset it existed without their control. Ever since the 1971 Rolling Stone article, the band was suspicious of journalists and I got the feeling they weren't happy Freeman turned his interviews into a book.

Here's a discussion between Freeman and Paul: https://www.artsatl.org/alan-paul-scott-freeman-allman-brothers-band/

I feel the same way about biopics, I'd rather watch a documentary. I always compare When We Were Kings with Ali; the former is enlightening, the latter just recreates familiar beats. Like a cover song. Coincidentally, When We Were Kings was actually directed by Taylor Hackford, who also directed RAY - a film that had to invent conflict for its 3rd act. Some musicians just don't have that much story to tell. Did anyone really enjoy watching Johnny Cash drunkenly driving his tractor?

The best biopics aren't linear Walk Hard templates that humanize its subject, rather, lean into the legends. I'm Not There is a great example. The Doors gets a lot of flack for inaccuracy, but I love that it celebrates the myth. Backbeat had a story to tell rather than attempt to cram 7 years of touring and feuding. I think that's why Almost Famous is so successful, by telling the story through Cameron Crowe's eyes. Might be the best Allman Brothers movie we ever get.

Posted by: @porkchopbob

Posted by: @stephen

never understood the dis Midnight Riders gets, that it’s just patched-together newspaper articles etc - it’s not - it’s practically all Freeman’s writing - his description of Blue Sky is spot on - it’s a great book about the ABB

It gets pooed on because the band disliked it. There's nothing bad about the content, it's a pretty straight-forward account of the band's history and music. I think the band was just upset it existed without their control. Ever since the 1971 Rolling Stone article, the band was suspicious of journalists and I got the feeling they weren't happy Freeman turned his interviews into a book.

Here's a discussion between Freeman and Paul: https://www.artsatl.org/alan-paul-scott-freeman-allman-brothers-band/

I don't think Freeman's is a bad book and I never understood the disdain for it here. So what if the band didn't like it. I don't think it said anything that wasn't true.

I remember when I got it. I think I had seen the ABB twice and other than a couple of radio hits I didn't know much about them but I liked the concerts I saw. I got the book in a mall bookstore at the discount table for like $4.99 or something. It actually made money for The ABB because I read it, got interested and spent thousands of dollars on their music, merchandise and of course an awful lot of concerts. 😀 

Was the book secondary and not primary research? Of course, but there is nothing wrong with that. Not illegal. I've done a lot of secondary research. In fact, my graduate school encouraged it for my thesis. Plus there were people Freeman couldn't have talked to if he wanted to. I think he did a good job of compiling the information that was out there and the book is well written.

@lee I think some fans heard the band didn't like it and sided with them out of some kind of perceived loyalty. I remember reading the band's official response on the old site and it was pretty weak. The book was published in 1995, and we now know not everyone in the band was happy so they probably were butthurt about having a spotlight on their dirty laundry.

I remember I read in the paper that the book was coming out. I went right to the store and bought a copy, read it and used it as a reference - the discography in the back was invaluable in discovering a bunch of amazing, related music. I loaned it to someone and never got it back, never bothered getting another copy.

You know PCBob I read what you wrote and it made me change my mind about Midnight Riders. I did enjoy reading it. I had forgotten about how Scott dissected the songs and how cool that was to read. My comment was off the cuff and off the mark as well. 

Thanks for making me think! No matter what gets made I'll be there to see it. 

Thanks PC Bob!

Posted by: @jszfunk

Posted by: @cyclone88

 

 I'd rather see a documentary

Me too. I would rather see a well done professional documentary with interviews from remaining members(and archived), back stories,other related artist,key players, old performances  and  etc .  I just think cramming a whole career into 2-3 hrs is kinda......eh.  I know its been done. You have a beginning and ending, and you just take the highs and lows and mix in some drama. More to them than that. Not sure that is a good representation of a band. Is there  much public demand for an ABB movie, besides us and the hard cores out there? There is a story there I guess.

I might get torched for saying the following.Not trying to diminish the Brothers by any means.

I hate this word and its used way to loosely, but not sure if the ABB left that much of an all around societal  "legacy" compared to others to demand this(biopic) in the grand scheme of the music world. Don't get me wrong I think the ABB have left there mark on the music community no doubt. No other band like them and never will be, beyond compare. They're influences on other artists speaks volumes. I am not saying they are not worthy of a major motion picture, but when you compare them to others who had movies made about them and they're peers , I just dont see it personally. I dont see the public clamoring for a movie made about them. Like I said earlier, there is a story there, but I would rather see it in a high quality documentary. That would mean more to me than a biopic.

Don't think you'll get torched for pointing out that filmmakers - who are in the business of making money - may not have enough "legacy" music for a film. What stood out to me in the article is that the biopic was drifting into the territory of Gregg's marriage to Cher & ABB's contributions to Jimmy Carter's election. I don't think Cher is "Hollywood Royalty" by today's standards & I doubt a lot of people even recall Carter's one term presidency so that's not going to fill seats in theatres. As you said, "not a lot of people are clamoring" for an ABB biopic.

I'd like to see a documentary, but time is short.

@cyclone88:  You bring up some huge obstacles to this film being successful at the box office.  I think those obstacles COULD be overcome if the film was really, really well done a la Bohemian Rhapsody or Walk The Line both of which I enjoyed.  Then I think the word might get out there "Hey this is worth seeing" and maybe it'll catch on.  But the young audience will be a tough sell and aren't they the core of the movie-going crowd?  I think The Allman Brothers name is out there with the younger music freaks though and that will help spread the word IF the film is really good.  Including a great script and some great acting.  I don't know much about Director Nick Cassavettes but he's John Cassavettes's son so that gets my interest up.

All I'm saying is that the film would have to be really, really good.  From my angle, whoever is cast as Gregg will be very central to the film's success because other than Jaimoe and Butch he's the only one who was there from beginning to end.  (Yes I know Jaimoe was absent for a short time).  Gregg wrote most of the tunes on their first record so was HUGELY influential in getting them off the ground.  He's the singer.  He was central to a lot of the band drama (addiction, Scooter Herring, Cher).  Whoever is chosen to play Duane and Dickey will have very important acting roles as well.  Hopefully they can find some guys who are musicians who can act as well and resemble Gregg, Duane and Dickey at least a little.  That's a tough task!

Posted by: @robslob

@cyclone88:  You bring up some huge obstacles to this film being successful at the box office.  I think those obstacles COULD be overcome if the film was really, really well done a la Bohemian Rhapsody or Walk The Line both of which I enjoyed.  Then I think the word might get out there "Hey this is worth seeing" and maybe it'll catch on.  But the young audience will be a tough sell and aren't they the core of the movie-going crowd?  I think The Allman Brothers name is out there with the younger music freaks though and that will help spread the word IF the film is really good.  Including a great script and some great acting.  I don't know much about Director Nick Cassavettes but he's John Cassavettes's son so that gets my interest up.

All I'm saying is that the film would have to be really, really good.  From my angle, whoever is cast as Gregg will be very central to the film's success because other than Jaimoe and Butch he's the only one who was there from beginning to end.  (Yes I know Jaimoe was absent for a short time).  Gregg wrote most of the tunes on their first record so was HUGELY influential in getting them off the ground.  He's the singer.  He was central to a lot of the band drama (addiction, Scooter Herring, Cher).  Whoever is chosen to play Duane and Dickey will have very important acting roles as well.  Hopefully they can find some guys who are musicians who can act as well and resemble Gregg, Duane and Dickey at least a little.  That's a tough task!

Agreed. Who would have thought Rami Malek would've won an Academy Award for a musical biopic that was one of the top grossing movies of the year? Joaquin Phoenix was nominated for Walk The Line - an unexpected casting choice that worked well. I guess the biggest casting problem for Duane/Gregg is that they were sooooooo young when they started. 

I would hold out little hope that a biopic of the band would be worthwhile. I base this on movies like Bohemian Rhapsody and Miles Ahead as examples. Rhapsody has so many blatant inaccuracies and falsehoods in it to "Hollywoodize" the story line while Miles Ahead completely fictionalizes a main story plot line about a stolen studio tape including Miles being shot in a gun battle retrieving it. Simply truthfully telling Miles Davis' life story would make a helluva movie instead of the fairy tale made up piece of garbage that Miles Ahead is. Trouble is, people watch the movie and believe all/most of it as actual truth about the subject when hardly any of it has a shred of truth involved. My guess is half or more of the movie would be about Gregg/Cher when that has so little to do with the story of the Allman Brothers Band. 

@oldcoot  You are probably right Oldcoot. Gregg and Duane growing up in Daytona Beach, Gregg getting his first guitar, Duane quits school and woodsheds with the guitar, they put together The Escorts, Allman Joys, Hourglass the The ABB.  10 minutes playing to a full house at the Fillmore, the tragic motorcycle crash and on to this for the bulk of the movie!!!!

I've seen most of the spate of biopics in recent years and they mostly make the mistake (to me) of trying to compress someone's life from childhood to stardom. ..the fall from stardom into addiction... then redemption....

I liked the Elton John one because it was stylish and made no apology for getting things out of chronological order.

As for Respect, I got some quizical looks from audience members for laughing out loud at "Jerry Wexler"!

I would much prefer something like the Judy Garland one which concentrated on a particular phase of the artist's career. This allows for character development instead of a whirlwind journey where the writer and director attempt not to leave anything out while leaving the viewer bewildered.

As for the ABB, nothing until the formation of the band in Jacksonville is particularly remarkable, so it could cover the period from there to Duane's death, or the split in 1976.

Nothing after that is especially interesting to the casual viewer.

If it was me, I'd start with Duane's funeral, or Gregg's deathbed, and tell the story in flashbacks.

Or follow the band on the road in the week leading up to the recording of AFE, and really develop the characters and their inter-relationships just before they were about to break through.

A good, well written screenplay which explores characters is is more appealing to me than something which is accurate and complete in the narrative.

@shavian 

Think we all pretty much agree that a biopic that is going to cover what is described in the topic article - the brothers from their early music education, JAX, rise to stardom, Cher, Jimmy Carter, & R&R Hall of Fame - is unlikely to happen or be satisfying to purists. I'm not counting on it happening any time soon.

Posted by: @shavian

I've seen most of the spate of biopics in recent years and they mostly make the mistake (to me) of trying to compress someone's life from childhood to stardom. ..the fall from stardom into addiction... then redemption....

I liked the Elton John one because it was stylish and made no apology for getting things out of chronological order.

As for Respect, I got some quizical looks from audience members for laughing out loud at "Jerry Wexler"!

I would much prefer something like the Judy Garland one which concentrated on a particular phase of the artist's career. This allows for character development instead of a whirlwind journey where the writer and director attempt not to leave anything out while leaving the viewer bewildered.

As for the ABB, nothing until the formation of the band in Jacksonville is particularly remarkable, so it could cover the period from there to Duane's death, or the split in 1976.

Nothing after that is especially interesting to the casual viewer.

If it was me, I'd start with Duane's funeral, or Gregg's deathbed, and tell the story in flashbacks.

Or follow the band on the road in the week leading up to the recording of AFE, and really develop the characters and their inter-relationships just before they were about to break through.

A good, well written screenplay which explores characters is is more appealing to me than something which is accurate and complete in the narrative.

Excellent,excellent post and totally down with your logic about a movie "if" they do it. I still don't think it would appeal to the casual viewer though.

Still, in my mind. a well produced,directed, deep documentary would be the way to go for the ABB with my reasoning stated in my prior post.