[Emoto]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR111802 ... f=vertfilm

Jerry Garcia's star to shine on bigscreen
Bar-Lev plans to film adaptation for Grateful Dead frontman
By DAVE MCNARY

The late Jerry Garcia is truckin' to the bigscreen.

Amir Bar-Lev, director of the docu "The Tillman Story," has come on to direct a Garcia biopic produced by Eric Eisner and Bona Fide partners Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa ("Little Miss Sunshine").

Topper Lilien has penned the screenplay about the iconic Grateful Dead frontman's early life before joining the band that made him a household name. Film is based on the Robert Greenfield book "Dark Star," an oral history of Garcia from family, friends and colleagues.

While the Grateful Dead has been the subject of previous documentaries, this project will be the first feature-length story about Garcia, who co-founded the band in 1965 and served as its lead guitar player, songwriter and one of its vocalists until his death in August 1995.

Garcia was acclaimed for combining blues, rock and psychedelic elements with a mastery of improvisational guitar. He pointed to a 1961 traffic accident -- in which he was thrown from the car -- as the turning point in his commitment to music.

"Topper Lilien's daring script does justice to Garcia and steadfastly resists cliche," Bar-Lev said.

Bar-Lev's other directing credits include the feature docus "Fighter," "My Kid Could Paint That" and "Trouble the Water."

Berger and Yerxa's producing credits include "Little Children," "Cold Mountain" and "Bee Season."

Eisner, son of former Disney honcho Michael Eisner, founded L+E Pictures in 2006 and produced "Hamlet 2," which was acquired at Sundance in 2008 by Focus Features for $10 millio

[mttourpro]

Should be interesting to see who they cast for JG.

[erock]

Should be interesting to see who they cast for JG.

we were talking about that a work, and I don't think anyone can come up with someone who would work.

though we did think maybe Johnny Depp if it was directed by Tim Burton

[Rusty the Scoob]

Hmmm. I worry about this both as a movie buff and a deadhead.

[tigerstrat]

Last I heard about this was a couple years ago and mentioned the guy who played Reese in Malcolm In The Middle as Jerry



THIS is the most worrisome part: based on the Robert Greenfield book "Dark Star," ... might as well base it on VH1's Behind The Music.

[Emoto]

Last I heard about this was a couple years ago and mentioned the guy who played Reese in Malcolm In The Middle as Jerry



THIS is the most worrisome part: based on the Robert Greenfield book "Dark Star," ... might as well base it on VH1's Behind The Music.

I've not read that book. What can you tell us about it?

[caspersvapors]

Last I heard about this was a couple years ago and mentioned the guy who played Reese in Malcolm In The Middle as Jerry



THIS is the most worrisome part: based on the Robert Greenfield book "Dark Star," ... might as well base it on VH1's Behind The Music.

that kid was never set to play jerry, his company just owned the rights to make a biopic


i personally hope this project never gets off the ground, i dont think jerry wouldve wanted a movie about him

[Maybeck09]

I'm not too pumped about this development. Some things just work better in reality or the imagination-not what someone else thinks. The Val Kilmer rendition of Jim Morrison still sux and ruined Danny Sugarman's otherwise awesome portrait of the guy. I've read several Garcia bios (not the one mentioned for screenplay) and enjoy real stories from real friends etc. I can see them in my mind's eye- and its better than it can ever be when acted out by some duffuss trying to be the man on screen. I don't want to see the car wreck, the army stint, Tiff cutting off his finger, his Dad going down the river. Its well preserved in history and legend- that will always continue. These movies tend to make things that I care about a lot and turn them into cartoons.

[jackr]

I am not crazy about the idea of a Garcia movie. I would rather there just be legend forever. I am afraid it wont do Jerry justice and portray him as just some very talented troubled junkie.

But if I was a movie producer I couldn't think of a more interesting character.

[bodiddley]

Haven't they been trying to make this thing for years? Seriously, who would see it besides hard core Heads? Hell, I'm one and I don't know if I want to even see this.

[rkubik]

Right off the top of my head would be Jeff bridges. I thought he did a great job in Crazy Heart and I think if you look at Big Lobowski he could for sure pull off the beard.

[strumminsix]

Napoleon Dynamite as Jerry Garcia!

[jdsmodulus]

Well I thought about this and being that is docu based, I dont think there will be a "Jerry" at all. Im thinking stock footage from interviews and possibly concert footage. That book reads like a box of letters, we might see alot of old "family" being interviewed. There is a couple of other movie projects that are in the works though that may try to use an actor as Jerry. The closest I have seen was the E true hollywood story about Jerry where they showed a guy near the end that was supposed to be Jerry. I myself love the idea of new films about him but really would prefer not seeing a "fake" Jerry...we have plenty of those already!

[tigerstrat]

Jeff Bridges would be perfection if the role had come up 20 years ago, or if it was all about Jerry from about 83 to 95, but how could he play 22-yr old Jerry in 1964? Realistically, it has to be a young actor.

[Samson]

+1 Jeff Bridges.... alas...