Walk the Line

Well, Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, I am impressed with your lives. I am impressed with your connection and I am more impressed with your music after seeing this movie with Ms. Witherspoon and Mr. Phoenix portraying your life.

In keeping with La Bamba, we see an idealized version of the early days of music where anyone with gumption and some kind of zeal could grab the attention of a producer and be on their way to stardom with a little coaching.

Mr. Cash, you went through some of minor versions of hell and you were contemporaries with people who went through hell with you. Interesting to see you and Elvis Presley as contemporaries and to see you do stupid things that some thrill seekers do.

I wonder if it's the fate of all musical talent to try to expand themselves through pills, drugs or drink. We saw it with Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Kurt Cobain. We've seen it in countless others, too.

I wonder if Tito Puente had a history of substance abuse? Or Celia Cruz. Does Rachid Taha have a known drug issue? What aboout Cyndi Lauper? Erykah Badu?

And, yeah, unpopular among the northern california crown, but I DO, in fact, count marijuana as a drug.

ANYWAY

I appreciate that music's acoustical roots are portrayed in the film, that poor farmers are portrayed and that the tight bond of friendship is portrayed.

I would have liked to have seen more of June Carter-Cash balancing the mothering with the music business and her development as a songwriter and performer. She was the love interest, although she held her own. She took her sh!t, but her held her own.

From interviews on Fresh Air on NPR,, I have heard Terry Gross speak with both of these American artists and have been impressed. Since Donnie and Marie I've been a little bit country, and a little bit rock and roll. I have loved Buck Owens picking his banjo on Hee Haw and I used to watch Dolly Parton during her variety show in the 70s as well. She was the woman who originally sang I Will Always Love You (before Whitney Houston sang it in that ridiculous film and I was fascinated that she would come onto the stage from a swing that dropped down from the ceiling. Very much like the Disney Country Bear Jamboree chick. For me it was magic.

Anyway, Cross the Line was a great movie for those music fans who like to see the story put down. I have yet to see Sid and Nancy, but I would imagine I would enjoy it, too. In case I don't get around to reading all the portrayals of how some of my signature artists came to be, including in their personhood, I'll continue to watch some of the films, and hopefully not be disappointed.

I wonder if a movie version of how the TV-manufactured Monkees came to be is in the works? I'd love for Johnny Depp to play The Monkees's Mike Nesmith. I always loved his green hat from the earlier days. And he was a brilliant songwriter and I loved the twang in his guitar-playin'. I'm just sayin'...He's kinda like the John Lennon of the group for me.

In other news... the Panthers bit it...BIG TIME. So it looks like a Steelers/Seahawks Superbowl matchup. What the hell happened to my little kitties? Dammit!