As reported by Screen Daily via Monika Bartyzel, a new biopic is in the works about the Kinks — the great British Invasion band everyone seems to forget about even as songs like “Lola” and “You Really Got Me” and “A Well Respected Man” rank favorably with anything put out by the Who and the Stones. The director is Julien Temple, whose a filmmaker I have mixed feelings about but who certainly knows how to shoot a musical sequence. Anyhow, the band, which was riven with sibling rivalry between leadsinger/songwriter Ray Davies and lead guitarist brother Dave Davies, seems like a great subject for a movie and I for one am already tired of waiting. (Sorry.)
Anyhow, it’s high time the Kinks were honored by a movie. They’ve honored the movies, after all.
Yes, tourists take note, that’s what the Hollywood fairyland actually looks like.
And how are these for words of show biz wisdom?
Everybody’s a dreamer and everybody’s a star And everybody’s in show biz, it doesn’t matter who you are. And those who are successful, Be always on your guard, Success walks hand in hand with failure Along Hollywood Boulevard.
Bobcat Goldthwait is currently basking in the critical acclaim he’s been receiving for his latest directorial effort, “World’s Greatest Dad,” which he also wrote. So what project does he have his eye on as a follow-up?
Would you believe a musical version of the Kinks’ 1975 album, Schoolboys in Disgrace?
True story. And this isn’t just an idle rumor, either: the Kinks’ main man, Ray Davies, has already taken a meeting with Goldthwait about the concept.
“Oh, man, it was totally ‘The Chris Farley Show,’” Goldthwait said of the conversation. “I was sweating, and I was, like, ‘Remember when you did that album? That was cool.’ And in the middle of it, I even told him that. I said, ‘Did you ever see that sketch with Chris Farley when he meets Paul McCartney?’ And he goes, ‘Yeah.’ ‘Well, that’s what I’m doing right now!’ And he goes, ‘Don’t worry, it’s gonna be okay.’”
It still took Davies a bit of time to warm up to Goldthwait’s pitch, however.
“I think he was confused,” said Goldthwait. “He was asking, ‘Well, who do you think would go see this as a movie?’ And I was, like, ‘All the kids who fucking hate ‘High School Musical.’ And he smiled and kind of went, ‘Okay.’ And then he went and watched ‘World’s Greatest Dad,’ and I got the thumbs up. He said, ‘Tell Bobcat to go ahead and write the script.’”
Which is where the project stands at the moment. In fact, it’s in such early stages that it hasn’t even been added to Goldthwait’s IMDb page…and given how even the slightest rumor of a project generally ends up with its own listing, that’s early. But, of course, that doesn’t mean that we can’t start throwing out casting ideas for “Schoolboys.”
I guess Alan Rickman’s probably too overused in stern authoritarian roles these days to suggest that he play The Headmaster, so I’m putting out left-field requests for Richard Ayoade, of “The I.T. Crowd” or Julian Barratt of “The Mighty Boosh.” As for the various schoolboys, perhaps Skandar Keynes (the “Narnia” films), Mike Bailey (“Skins”), and Simon Bird (“The InBetweeners”)…? And for the female student who’ll make our naughty little schoolboy swoon, I’m throwing my vote to Karen Gillan, otherwise known as the upcoming companion for the new Doctor Who.
Am I wrong…? Feel free to offer up your own suggestions below, and be sure to check out our interview with the illustrious Mr. Goldthwait in full next week on Bullz-Eye.com!
