I dream-cast movies in my head all the time. It's even
better when I get to dream cast for real (as I am now, with an upcoming film
project on famous surrealist and avant-garde painters), but only just.
Whether it's for something tangible, or something I just wish I could see, I am forever
casting roles in my mind and frolicking in the fantasy of it. My imagination is
immense.
There have been so friggin' many movies about The Beatles
(too many!) and variations of the glam-rock scene. There was the wonderful
Velvet Goldmine, in which only the names of Bowie and Iggy were changed. The
Runaways story wasn't that well-cast, IMO (except for Michael Shannon as Kim
Fowley). When it comes to punk, Sid and Nancy was right on the money. I'm Not
There, the fanciful Bob Dylan bio-pic, had the best casting, ever. So smart and
inventive. There are some other rock 'n roll icon movies, but nothing yet on
The Rolling Stones or my favorite, Led Zeppelin.
Having just seen the Fathom Event "Celebration
Day" at the AMC on Universal City Walk last night (more on that, a little
further down the scroll), I was thinking about The Mighty Zep in their heyday
and at the height of their power. Absolutely astounding men, full of vitality,
talent, magnetism, style, romance, and raw sexuality.
Suppose the Led Zeppelin story were green-lit today… who
would I cast in their roles? Drum roll (bashing-Bonzo style, please….)
Alexander Skarsgard as Robert Plant
Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Jimmy Page
Robert Pattinson as John Paul Jones
Zach Galifianakis as John "Bonzo" Bonham
So, Celebration Day, the movie. It's great! I liked how
there was no pre-amble, no back-story, no behind the scenes interviews, just
the concert. Magnificently shot and wonderfully presented, it is, as a fan of
the group, truly heartwarming to see they've still "got it". Plant's
voice was mighty as ever, Jimmy Page rocks all, Jonesy is steady yet sparkles,
and Jason Bonham channels his late father beautifully but has his own twist. (I
loved the moment in the film when he reveals his Bonham-symbol tattoo.) The
audience was so into it, too: applause, comments, cheers, and even some tears (definitely
from the guy sitting to my right — a regular, middle-aged, masculine looking
dude in a baseball cap… I love that the music moved him, so much. That's so neat).
When it comes to the critic side of me, the professional
writer and evaluator, I cannot fault the film… but I didn't love it as much as the
Live At The Royal Albert Hall (1969) film, which I saw at The Egyptian Theater.
Nor The Song Remains The Same, which is hoary, cheesy and dated now, but was
the midnight movie of my youth (I still have all 150+ ticket stubs!). Band docs
in general, such as It Might Get Loud (for which I interviewed Jimmy Page), and
The White Stripes Under Great White North Lights (which I saw on the big
screen, and also own on Blu-ray), and of course the classics, like Rust Never
Sleeps or The Last Waltz, still stand head and shoulders above the rest. But
when it comes to straight-ahead, no-bs, no cinematic riff-raff, Celebration Day
does indeed rock.
Here is a review on Celebration Day, from USA Today, which
says it better than I can right now… CLICK HERE
My dates for the evening were two of the biggest Led
Zeppelin fans I know (and love) Darren Smith and Terrence Kelsey. All in all,
it was a fun night and I highly recommend the Fathom Events experience.
The "Celebration Day" film set, in order
1."Good Times Bad Times"
2."Ramble On"
3."Black Dog"
4."In My Time of Dying"/"Honey Bee"
5."For Your Life"
6."Trampled Under Foot"
7."Nobody's Fault but Mine"
8."No Quarter"
9."Since I've Been Loving You"
10."Dazed and Confused"
11."Stairway to Heaven"
12."The Song Remains the Same"
13."Misty Mountain Hop"
14."Kashmir"
15."Whole Lotta Love"
16."Rock and Roll"
Links to my Zeppy Stuff:
