Comments on: On The Road – The Movie http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/ A poetry, short story and art showcase. Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:04:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: lu lu http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-97772 lu lu Sat, 21 Aug 2010 23:37:13 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-97772 you all have voiced my exact concerns. lo and behold the book is now being filmed in quebec, canada! i am not satisfied with the choice of actors, number one. i am not satisfied with the choice of screen writers, number two. i am convinced the powers that be totally mis read the young american of today, and the film ,good or bad , will not be understood.it will go right over their heads. they will not " get it ". the choice of actors was bad. too young. too hollywood "in" crowd ( with a following of multi teen fans).all of which will not do justice to kerouacs work nor to the character of the book. sad but true. and yes i would have liked to see depp in the flick! you all have voiced my exact concerns. lo and behold the book is now being filmed in quebec, canada!

i am not satisfied with the choice of actors, number one.

i am not satisfied with the choice of screen writers, number two.

i am convinced the powers that be totally mis read the young american of today, and the film ,good or bad , will not be understood.it will go right over their heads. they will not ” get it “.

the choice of actors was bad. too young. too hollywood “in” crowd ( with a following of multi teen fans).all of which will not do justice to kerouacs work nor to the character of the book.
sad but true. and yes i would have liked to see depp in the flick!

]]> By: Beat Nick http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-47635 Beat Nick Mon, 12 Jan 2009 03:32:53 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-47635 Like many posters, I too am nervous about such a perfectly crafted work of literature being Hollywoodized. Though I have the utmost respect for Coppola I am terribly frustrated with idea of this book becoming a film... partly because, as a massive fan of all beat literature, I will ultimately have nothing to do with its production. As for this Jim Chaffee character... he seems to be old blowhard who just loves to hear himself speak. Someone with such an air of authority on Kerouac and post-war American culture should really pay more attention to what he's talking about. Kerouac did not have a broken nose! Kerouac was never a hooker in Denver! That was Neil Cassady, or as On The Road readers might know him, Dean Moriarty. When On The Road was published in 1957 Kerouac shot to instant super-stardom. Many readers, and critics alike, misinterpreted his novel (and his persona), labeling Kerouac as his own protagonist. People wanted to believe that it was Kerouac himself who had such a wild and unrestrained personality. Kerouac hated this misrepresentation. He constantly corrected fans an followers explaining that he was, in fact, not Dean but Sal Paradise. He was a quiet observer. A solitary catholic mystic, to put it in his terms. And though he was, in many ways, in love with Neal Cassady and his rebellious hedonism, he was not that kind of person. On The Road is a book about post-war America and the falsities of the American dream. But it is told through a character study of Neal Cassady, a man Kerouac believed to be the embodiment of the burning American spirit... one he knew would inevitably be consumed by its own selfishness. I'm all for people commenting on who-should-play-who or how-it-should-be-shot but if you're going to really claim that you know what this book (or the Beat Generation) is about, and I'm looking at you Jim, you should have some idea as to what you're talking about. Do a bit of research on Kerouac, his writing and the entire Beat movement. Movie or not this stuff is really fascinating. It's some of the most important stuff in American culture to date and, given the problems facing contemporary American society, its as relevant now as it ever was. P.s. I would love to see Depp in there somewhere! Like many posters, I too am nervous about such a perfectly crafted work of literature being Hollywoodized. Though I have the utmost respect for Coppola I am terribly frustrated with idea of this book becoming a film… partly because, as a massive fan of all beat literature, I will ultimately have nothing to do with its production.

As for this Jim Chaffee character… he seems to be old blowhard who just loves to hear himself speak. Someone with such an air of authority on Kerouac and post-war American culture should really pay more attention to what he’s talking about. Kerouac did not have a broken nose! Kerouac was never a hooker in Denver! That was Neil Cassady, or as On The Road readers might know him, Dean Moriarty.

When On The Road was published in 1957 Kerouac shot to instant super-stardom. Many readers, and critics alike, misinterpreted his novel (and his persona), labeling Kerouac as his own protagonist. People wanted to believe that it was Kerouac himself who had such a wild and unrestrained personality. Kerouac hated this misrepresentation. He constantly corrected fans an followers explaining that he was, in fact, not Dean but Sal Paradise. He was a quiet observer. A solitary catholic mystic, to put it in his terms. And though he was, in many ways, in love with Neal Cassady and his rebellious hedonism, he was not that kind of person.

On The Road is a book about post-war America and the falsities of the American dream. But it is told through a character study of Neal Cassady, a man Kerouac believed to be the embodiment of the burning American spirit… one he knew would inevitably be consumed by its own selfishness.

I’m all for people commenting on who-should-play-who or how-it-should-be-shot but if you’re going to really claim that you know what this book (or the Beat Generation) is about, and I’m looking at you Jim, you should have some idea as to what you’re talking about.

Do a bit of research on Kerouac, his writing and the entire Beat movement. Movie or not this stuff is really fascinating. It’s some of the most important stuff in American culture to date and, given the problems facing contemporary American society, its as relevant now as it ever was.

P.s. I would love to see Depp in there somewhere!

]]> By: Jane Sawyer http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-32484 Jane Sawyer Tue, 29 Jan 2008 17:17:23 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-32484 All i can say after having seen and heard how Johnny Depp reads Kerouac is that he's the one and only for Moriarty's role. As for Paradise, it could be anyone, still the lead is already too perfect. All i can say after having seen and heard how Johnny Depp reads Kerouac is that he’s the one and only for Moriarty’s role. As for Paradise, it could be anyone, still the lead is already too perfect.

]]> By: Jet http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-21668 Jet Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:29:19 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-21668 On the road is a youthful novel... about the only GOOD novel Kerouac completed... though his prose and discriptions can be amazing and vibrant, stories tend to fell apart after that.... But since it's a youtful novel, these guys are in thier twenties at the time it takes place, why is it that the leads considereda re in thier forties.... Even Matt Dillion is like, 35 now. I don't want to watch is whored for a block buster. Agree with Daniel Power about. You'd have to, like Jack, think outside the box and FEEL america, as it was.. which, frankly, most writers and directors have long since swarn off, being too "TRUMAN" for all that "hick road house" stuff.... Sad, but true. Easy Rider fails as a story, but is a brilliant picture of contrast, hypocrisy open faced honesty and denile in 1969 America. But that's beacuse people writing SAW and FELT it. Now days, writing takes place in cold A-sexual offices where peoples thoughts seem bent on money for starbucks.... Start with Jack in all the hyteria of the sixites, which he grew to hate, then back to the purity of the landscape, a car on the horizon, "i first met Dean-", etc. Thats the way to go. Clean Swift. Vibrant. On the road is a youthful novel… about the only GOOD novel Kerouac completed… though his prose and discriptions can be amazing and vibrant, stories tend to fell apart after that…. But since it’s a youtful novel, these guys are in thier twenties at the time it takes place, why is it that the leads considereda re in thier forties….
Even Matt Dillion is like, 35 now. I don’t want to watch is whored for a block buster. Agree with Daniel Power about. You’d have to, like Jack, think outside the box and FEEL america, as it was.. which, frankly, most writers and directors have long since swarn off, being too “TRUMAN” for all that “hick road house” stuff…. Sad, but true. Easy Rider fails as a story, but is a brilliant picture of contrast, hypocrisy open faced honesty and denile in 1969 America. But that’s beacuse people writing SAW and FELT it. Now days, writing takes place in cold A-sexual offices where peoples thoughts seem bent on money for starbucks….
Start with Jack in all the hyteria of the sixites, which he grew to hate, then back to the purity of the landscape, a car on the horizon, “i first met Dean-”, etc. Thats the way to go. Clean Swift. Vibrant.

]]> By: Daniel Power http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-21667 Daniel Power Mon, 11 Jun 2007 23:15:30 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-21667 To do this right, you'd have to take time with the shots, and by that I don't mean let them drag, and hum, bleakly, like the indepedants do. You'd have to really undertstand the feeling or roadside America, and let the feeling sink in like Bonie and Clyde, Cool HAND LUKE, Paper Moon.... really, to make a NEW old movie... would take the guttsy music, the big face close ups, the inhabbition to use black and white, or re-discover technicolor, the angles of the camera... I bet they'll get a 6 or 8 and leave it in the memory so that anyone who later wanted to do it right will say, wait, didn't they already do that.... You'd needf life in this to do it right. Not that COplaa hasn't done it before. But as time gos on, and the old masters set aside gut for homosexual nerd gooroo technique, it seems that stories are more and more typical... independant or not.... To do this right, you’d have to take time with the shots, and by that I don’t mean let them drag, and hum, bleakly, like the indepedants do. You’d have to really undertstand the feeling or roadside America, and let the feeling sink in like Bonie and Clyde, Cool HAND LUKE, Paper Moon…. really, to make a NEW old movie… would take the guttsy music, the big face close ups, the inhabbition to use black and white, or re-discover technicolor, the angles of the camera… I bet they’ll get a 6 or 8 and leave it in the memory so that anyone who later wanted to do it right will say, wait, didn’t they already do that….
You’d needf life in this to do it right. Not that COplaa hasn’t done it before. But as time gos on, and the old masters set aside gut for homosexual nerd gooroo technique, it seems that stories are more and more typical… independant or not….

]]> By: Jim Chaffee http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-3480 Jim Chaffee Mon, 30 Oct 2006 08:04:22 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-3480 Just read all the comments and will add to what I said, retracting none of it. I am glad a young guy read the book. Unfortunately, he is a minority in the US: fully 70% of US COLLEGE graduates cannot read what is called difficult prose (that is, a high school science book) with comprehension. (When I went to college in the early 70s, after returning from Vietnam, it was 30% who couldn't read; worse, of that 70%, fully 20% can't understand the damned newspaper.) Coppola is not the guy to direct this. Maybe Jarmuch, but for my money it ought to be John Houston, who had a great knack for turning literature into film true to the literature. See his version of Under the Volcano, a damned difficult book. We need to bring him back from the dead for one last film. However, the film will not come out anywhere near the novel, since if it did it would not make it to the screen. As for playing Kerouac, the actor needs to be good looking and have his nose broken, and work as a hustler (ie, male hooker) in Denver for a month or so first. You know, method acting. Besides, I prefered The Dharma Bums. And I don't go to movies any more. Got so I couldn't tell film from television, and I hate television. Just read all the comments and will add to what I said, retracting none of it.

I am glad a young guy read the book. Unfortunately, he is a minority in the US: fully 70% of US COLLEGE graduates cannot read what is called difficult prose (that is, a high school science book) with comprehension. (When I went to college in the early 70s, after returning from Vietnam, it was 30% who couldn’t read; worse, of that 70%, fully 20% can’t understand the damned newspaper.)

Coppola is not the guy to direct this. Maybe Jarmuch, but for my money it ought to be John Houston, who had a great knack for turning literature into film true to the literature. See his version of Under the Volcano, a damned difficult book. We need to bring him back from the dead for one last film.

However, the film will not come out anywhere near the novel, since if it did it would not make it to the screen. As for playing Kerouac, the actor needs to be good looking and have his nose broken, and work as a hustler (ie, male hooker) in Denver for a month or so first. You know, method acting.

Besides, I prefered The Dharma Bums. And I don’t go to movies any more. Got so I couldn’t tell film from television, and I hate television.

]]> By: eallison http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-1126 eallison Thu, 29 Jun 2006 12:15:58 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-1126 Very Very nice information here... Thanks Very Very nice information here… Thanks

]]> By: nomadirish27 http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-150 nomadirish27 Sun, 20 Nov 2005 07:26:24 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-150 All I need to say is Billy Crudup for Paradise Val Kilmer for Moriarty All I need to say is Billy Crudup for Paradise
Val Kilmer for Moriarty

]]> By: Rachel http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-125 Rachel Fri, 02 Sep 2005 16:33:33 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-125 Personally, films have done little more than dilute the senses of the book. I'm worried what a movie would do to the generations that may possibly read this book in the future. As for the fear of American youth, it's well founded. We are once again assuming a state of pretention akin to the pre-beat era. Even though nonconformity is prominant in many areas, it is often simply for the sake of self-preservation, which wasn't the case (wholly) with the Beat Revolution. But being a youth in America, literally (14), motives addressed in On The Road are becoming back-burnered at the expense of lesser media and fad life. but i suppose it's inevitable now, the film I mean. Billy Crudup will do an amazing job, in his previous work he has infiltrated the characters with a prowess that rivals many others. but Colin? Indeed, WHY? {rachel} Personally, films have done little more than dilute the senses of the book. I’m worried what a movie would do to the generations that may possibly read this book in the future. As for the fear of American youth, it’s well founded. We are once again assuming a state of pretention akin to the pre-beat era. Even though nonconformity is prominant in many areas, it is often simply for the sake of self-preservation, which wasn’t the case (wholly) with the Beat Revolution. But being a youth in America, literally (14), motives addressed in On The Road are becoming back-burnered at the expense of lesser media and fad life.
but i suppose it’s inevitable now, the film I mean. Billy Crudup will do an amazing job, in his previous work he has infiltrated the characters with a prowess that rivals many others. but Colin? Indeed, WHY?
{rachel}

]]> By: Rob http://the-beat.co.uk/on-the-road-the-movie/comment-page-1/#comment-116 Rob Wed, 03 Aug 2005 07:33:18 +0000 http://the-beat.co.uk/%e2%80%9con-the-road%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%93-the-movie/#comment-116 There's an article about this in today's Daily Telegraph in the UK: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/03/wkero03.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/08/03/ixnewstop.html The details seem to be coming together. Script will be by Waleter Salles (of Motorcycle Diaries fame), Billy Cudrup will play Sal, and it's possible that Colin Farrell will play Dean Moriarty (why oh why?!) Rob There’s an article about this in today’s Daily Telegraph in the UK:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/08/03/wkero03.xml&sSheet=/news/2005/08/03/ixnewstop.html

The details seem to be coming together. Script will be by Waleter Salles (of Motorcycle Diaries fame), Billy Cudrup will play Sal, and it’s possible that Colin Farrell will play Dean Moriarty (why oh why?!)

Rob

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