tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post3752401253779113724..comments2023-11-03T06:02:02.128-07:00Comments on By Ken Levine: Walk Hard: the Dewey Cox StoryBy Ken Levinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17305293821975250420noreply@blogger.comBlogger72125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61625296638182554602008-08-04T14:00:00.000-07:002008-08-04T14:00:00.000-07:00Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - Original Motion P...Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story - Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the soundtrack to the 2007 film Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.<BR/><BR/> Production<BR/> It was almost like a Manhattan Project for songwriters,” says Bern. “It was the most fun thing I’ve ever done.<BR/> Dan Bern, 2007<BR/><BR/> The cast and crew recorded 40 original songs;[2] 33 are featured in the movie.[3] Singer-songwriter Dan Bern and Mike Viola (of the Candy Butchers) wrote most of the film’s songs, including “There’s a Change a Happenin’”, “Mulatto” and “Hole in My Pants”. Marshall Crenshaw wrote the title tune and Van Dyke Parks penned one of the 1960-styled psychedelic jams, “Black Sheep”.<BR/><BR/> Track listing<BR/><BR/> iTunes exclusive extended edition<BR/><BR/> 1. “Take My Hand”<BR/> 2. “Jump Little Children”<BR/> 3. “(Mama) You Got to Love Your Negro Man”<BR/> 4. “That’s Amore”<BR/> 5. “Walk Hard”<BR/> 6. “A Life Without You (Is No Life At All)”<BR/> 7. “(I Hate You) Big Daddy”<BR/> 8. “Walk Hard (Punk Version)”<BR/> 9. “Let’s Duet”<BR/> 10. “Darling”<BR/> 11. “Guilty As Charged”<BR/> 12. “There’s a Change A’ Happening (I Can Feel It)”<BR/> 13. “Dear Mr. President”<BR/> 14. “Hey Mr. Old Guy”<BR/> 15. “Ladies First”<BR/> 16. “The Mulatto Song”<BR/> 17. “Let Me Hold You (Little Man)”<BR/> 18. “Hole In My Pants”<BR/> 19. “Royal Jelly”<BR/> 20. “Farmer Glickstein”<BR/> 21. “Black Sheep”<BR/> 22. “Walk Hard (70’s TV Show Theme)”<BR/> 23. “Who Wants to Party”<BR/> 24. “Weeping On the Inside”<BR/> 25. “Billy, Don’t Be a Hero”<BR/> 26. “Walk Hard (All-Star Version)”<BR/> 27. “Beautiful Ride”<BR/> 28. “(Have You Heard the News) Dewey Cox Died”<BR/> 29. “Cut My Brother In Half Blues”<BR/> 30. “(You Make Me So) Hard”<BR/><BR/> http://rapidshare.com/files/134813355/Walk_Hard-_The_Dewey_Cox_Story__Extended_Edition___2007_.rarAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-71349080312244169182008-01-09T11:45:00.000-08:002008-01-09T11:45:00.000-08:00it just wasn't that funny.it just wasn't that funny.CC News Feedshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07909530435247010794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-84245439377527042542008-01-07T01:51:00.000-08:002008-01-07T01:51:00.000-08:00tcinla: Um, "Spinal Tap" was a mock-doc; "Walk Har...tcinla: Um, "Spinal Tap" was a mock-doc; "Walk Hard" is a parody of musical biopics. The major "reality" Apatow and company have to be concerned with is that which is presented in said biopics. They aren't "pointing and sniffing" at the reality of the musical legends being parodied, but of the Hollywoodization of same.<BR/><BR/>And if audiences are so great at detecting "bullshitting," how is everyone getting rich off of underestimating their intelligence? :) That's rhetorical; I know these things aren't mutually exclusive, and I'm a big fan of Mencken's quote.<BR/><BR/>But even with "Walk Hard" excepted, how can you say Apatow knows nothing of life as it is lived by actual human beings? Allowing for comic exaggeration, there's oodles of recognizable human behavior in "The 40 Year Old Virgin," "Knocked Up" and "Superbad," however overrated you may find them. But I guess I'm just one of those "idiots" who "thinks" they're good (too bad I don't quite reach that level of "moron stupidity" required to run Hollywood).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-35872153770482704082008-01-06T21:06:00.000-08:002008-01-06T21:06:00.000-08:00Saw this this afternoon, on SWMBO's request. Both...Saw this this afternoon, on SWMBO's request. Both of us old enough to know the scene being parodied.<BR/><BR/>Sorry - it wasn't knowledgeable enough. The thing about "Spinal Tap" is that it <I>is</I> real (in an unreal way). I remember hearing Tom Petty go on and on once about how seeing the guys lost under the stage reminded him of getting lost under the stage of the Hammersmith Odeon during the Heartbreakers' first European tour - listening to him, you could tell the movie "got it." That was because the people who made "Spinal Tap" knew the milieu and loved it.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately, Judd Apatow and a gaggle of Gen-Xers whose closest connection to the reality of what they are trying to parody is that they have seen some biopics, doesn't cut it. I was around a lot of the music and events and the milieu they are trying to send up, and they weren't within a kilometer (let alone a mile) of "getting it."<BR/><BR/>And the interesting thing is you don't have to know this stuff - as I do - to know they don't "get it," just like you don't have to have been lost under the stage of the Hammersmith Odeon to know that the ST guys do "get it." <BR/><BR/>The audience can detect <I>bullshitting</I> (which is not the same thing as bullshit), and this movie is just a bunch of third-rate bullshitting by a bunch of dorks who aren't as hip as everyone tells them they are. They think "ironic detachment" from what they don't know allows them to point at it and sniff in the kind of way that makes me want to take that kind of pseudo-hip (but really a lame loser) person when I meet them out to a dark alley behind the joint and give them a Serious Lesson in "the real deal."<BR/><BR/>I guess this is probably why I think everything else this overrated schmuck does is, well, overrated. But given the level of moron stupidity running Hollywood these days, those idiots think it's good, and Apatow does (mostly) prove with his career that Mencken was right: "Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people." <BR/><BR/>All these little putzes know is sitting in the dark watching movies, and nothing about life as lived by actual human beings - the main failing of most "film brats" and the reason 98% of what gets made today isn't worth the cost of the raw film stock. <BR/><BR/>Although I did like "Anchorman."TCinLAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10019943818456775718noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-88419033936690344282008-01-05T11:36:00.000-08:002008-01-05T11:36:00.000-08:00This is definitely a hard movie to pull clips from...This is definitely a hard movie to pull clips from so watching the first 10 minutes free is another marketing nightmare. One of the few clips that work is when Reilly is first getting it on with Jenna Fischer and his wife walks in. "It's not what it looks like." After that it's a real toss up, just doesn't clip well.TheMusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14998915480907756078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-43139251384713109322008-01-05T10:10:00.000-08:002008-01-05T10:10:00.000-08:00Premise is the word "Cox" repeated endlessly. Not...Premise is the word "Cox" repeated endlessly. Not a premise for a successful movie.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-38569750905338257142008-01-04T13:10:00.001-08:002008-01-04T13:10:00.001-08:00The NFL also promoted the movie - I think on Monda...The NFL also promoted the movie - I think on Monday Night Football - with Reilly singing an opening promo sequence of "Block Hard" to open the game. It didn't really work in that spot - didn't get the adrenaline flowing for the upcoming game, seemed kinda flat, and probably made a lot of viewers wonder "what's going on here?". So I'm going to go with the poor marketing crowd.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09681272552237917173noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-61215390895007417502008-01-04T13:10:00.000-08:002008-01-04T13:10:00.000-08:00The marketing was a disaster. It mostly confused m...The marketing was a disaster. It mostly confused me, making me think it was, at first, some kind of high brow comedy. Later after learning Apatow was involved, I got it, but still was confused.Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08466991423411721535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-72124766004711153782008-01-04T11:55:00.000-08:002008-01-04T11:55:00.000-08:00blogward: Since "Walk Hard" is not a mock-document...blogward: Since "Walk Hard" is not a mock-documentary a la "Spinal Tap," of course no one would mistake it for a real documentary, any more than they did with "Walk the Line" (I hope!).<BR/><BR/>d. mcewan: Despite being born and raised in Kentucky, I'm not much of a country fan either, but always made an exception for Johnny Cash, who unlike a lot of country artists was always accepted by the rock crowd (friend of Dylan and all that). Diff'rent strokes, of course, but I heartily disagree that "A Boy Named Sue" is a stupid song. It's a novelty song, yes, but a pretty funny piece of songwriting by the great Shel Silverstein.<BR/><BR/>We can definitely agree on Groucho, though. He's been a hero of mine since at least my teens.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-6766264811360533422008-01-04T10:02:00.000-08:002008-01-04T10:02:00.000-08:00We saw "Walk Hard" last week (it was a tossup betw...We saw "Walk Hard" last week (it was a tossup between that and "Charlie Wilson's War"). Went in knowing not much about it and left thoroughly entertained. We haven't seen "Walk the Line," but did see "Ray," and it was funny anyway. I thought the narrative really helped the movie--if it'd just been a parody, it would've stalled partway through. But there was a story in there behind the comedy, which is what I think Apatow does so well usually.<BR/><BR/>Funny, Ken, that you felt it was long. We all thought it felt short, but ended up being just about the right length. And we all liked the songs (I was just this morning listening to the soundtrack)--they do hold up, as ajmilner said.<BR/><BR/>Why didn't it do well? I tend to agree with the "poorly marketed" angle (certainly it wasn't a commercial or trailer that made me want to see it). I think it should've been tied more closely to "Ray" and "Walk the Line" without necessarily coming off as a parody of them, because it really kind of works as a funny biopic in its own right, even if a lot of the gags are takeoffs of those two movies. <BR/><BR/>Tim Meadows was perfect and hysterical in his supporting role. And John C. Reilly is great, definitely a lead actor in my book. Though I will say that just given the cast and tone of the movie, I expected to see Will Ferrell in it at some point...Tim Susmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02354987680992285327noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-85620190320085980872008-01-04T08:46:00.000-08:002008-01-04T08:46:00.000-08:00I didn't mean to imply that Reilly was not a talen...I didn't mean to imply that Reilly was not a talented actor. I loved him in Chicago.<BR/><BR/>But I just don't think of him as a lead. He's more of a supporting guy in my mind, that's the only way I ever meant to imply that he's like Rob Schneider. They're both supporting guys, not leads.<BR/><BR/>Reilly is infinitely more talented in that capacity.Emily Blakehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02163221455899041141noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-22856274089576333862008-01-04T08:20:00.000-08:002008-01-04T08:20:00.000-08:00I don't understand the comments that music biopics...I don't understand the comments that music biopics weren't ripe for parody. "Walk the Line" and "Ray" are essentially the same movie (same plot, different characters). And those are just two recent movies in a long line of formulaic "based on reality" biopics. "Walk Hard" went even further than just parodying specific movies, to parodying genres of music and even events in musicians' lives not depicted in movies.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-18407053544996087922008-01-04T06:45:00.000-08:002008-01-04T06:45:00.000-08:00d. mcewan, your analysis of the Columbo episode (m...d. mcewan, your analysis of the Columbo episode (maybe Ida jumped out of the plane to get away from that song) had me laughing so hard I started crying. I also only knew Cash through that role. He was terrific as an actor, but it didn't make me any more interested in hearing him sing.<BR/><BR/>As for the movie? Saw lots about it, had no interest. Had no idea that Apatow was associated, although that wouldn't have done much for me (his TV shows seemed a lot more mature than his movies). And John C. Reilly is not going to open a movie, ever.<BR/><BR/>Seems like the kind of music geek who would really get it would be too mature/sophisticated for the Will Ferrell-type raunchy "comedy". Lots of other interesting theories here, too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32526367402956137932008-01-04T02:20:00.000-08:002008-01-04T02:20:00.000-08:00'Walk Hard' started off as a slavish pastiche of '...'Walk Hard' started off as a slavish pastiche of 'Walk the Line' - but it wasn't a Johnny Cash spoof. In fact, it's hard to tell what it was a spoof of. People who have never been near a rock band still think 'Spinal Tap' was a documentary; there's no way you could make this mistake with 'Walk Hard' - which is why it comes over as such a bad spoof of the genre. Anyway, if you like Johnny Cash's deadpan 'acting', find 'Murder in Coweta County'.blogwardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07362291687463326731noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-26098652455448081922008-01-03T23:30:00.000-08:002008-01-03T23:30:00.000-08:00"I thought EVERYBODY loved Johnny Cash, or at leas..."I thought EVERYBODY loved Johnny Cash, or at least respected him. Even people who hate country music seem to love the Man in Black."<BR/><BR/>I don't disrespect him. He was not on my radar at all. What I saw on the rare occassions when I glimpsed him on TV before changing the channel, was a man with silly hair wearing affected clothes, growling a stupid song about a man named Sue. This didn't inspire respect. This particular people who hates country music doesn't encounter it much, and it's purveyors seldom cross my path.<BR/><BR/>He was good in the COLUMBO episode, though by halfway through it I was sick to death of that aweful "I Saw The Li-ight" song they played over and over and over and over. I began to think maybe Ida had jumped out of the plane, to get away from that song.<BR/><BR/>I've not seen or read his bios or biopic, as I was not interested in him, so his saga isn't part of my folklore.<BR/><BR/>So nothing against him, but very little in his favor either, for me.<BR/><BR/>On the other hand, I know every arcane bit of Marx Brothers biographical trivia imaginable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-53291347214596843072008-01-03T19:40:00.000-08:002008-01-03T19:40:00.000-08:00They allowed you to see the first 10 minutes onlin...They allowed you to see the first 10 minutes online. I watched it there first. It sucked. The problem is that those 10 minutes were horrible. It didn't get good (or to a semblance of good) until after he smoked marijuana.<BR/><BR/>Perhaps people caught it online because they couldn't catch it on a talk show and were turned off by it?SoNSo1https://www.blogger.com/profile/05861827365570036712noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-48064372676935041002008-01-03T18:16:00.000-08:002008-01-03T18:16:00.000-08:00Apatow's other films were "real" in that they deal...Apatow's other films were "real" in that they dealt with real people getting into real problems in a funny and absurd way. This was a prolonged Saturday Night Live sketch. It was funny but not consistently so. And before I saw it, I read Ken's remarks that it was too long at 90 minutes. I thought Ken couldn't possibly be right, but he was. It's way too long. <BR/><BR/>It's a shame. It really is funny in places. John C. Reily is great. And many of the songs work well. It's just not as good as it should be.<BR/><BR/>As for why people avoided it from day 1 after only hearing good reviews, I blame the marketing campaign and that awful poster. I get that it's a parody poster, but it looked awful. Also, I think it's just plane hard to see what is a parody and not a funny story about people.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-79970758718463174352008-01-03T18:04:00.000-08:002008-01-03T18:04:00.000-08:00I saw WALK HARD over the weekend. For the very fir...I saw WALK HARD over the weekend. For the very first time in my moviegoing career, I was the only person in the theater.<BR/><BR/>It's actually a pretty funny sendup of inspirational biopics, with decent running gags, and it's even funnier if you get the musical references. I've never seen THE OFFICE before, so I was surprised how cute Jenna Fischer is.<BR/><BR/>I've, um, acquired the soundtrack (choosing my language carefully to avoid the RIAA's wrath), and the WALK HARD songs, like those in SPINAL TAP and THE RUTLES, are still funny on the 2nd and 3rd listen. I think this film will do surprisngly well on DVD. As to why it's tanking now, who knows? THE RIGHT STUFF had a great cast, great screenplay, great direction, got great reviews... and it died in the theaters. Same with NASHVILLE.ajmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13290036970774359522noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-21524647176991447162008-01-03T17:55:00.000-08:002008-01-03T17:55:00.000-08:00Another thing....it took me forever to see 40 Year...Another thing....it took me forever to see 40 Year Old Virgin because I hated the billboard. When I finally saw it I was amazed how good it was.<BR/>Apatow really knows how to do comedy with heart in a way no one else does.<BR/>Am I an obsessed fan? YES!TheMusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14998915480907756078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-14378340506856561102008-01-03T17:52:00.000-08:002008-01-03T17:52:00.000-08:00Ken, the movie title, ad campaign and billboard ki...Ken, the movie title, ad campaign and billboard killed this movie. I LOVED IT and saw it twice. The first time at a producers guild screening where people were shouting "MORE" at the end. I felt it flew by and laughed my head off. Regarding the time period, my daughter and 20 of her friends saw it and also loved it. I can't believe word of mouth has not sold this film.<BR/>True, John C. Reilly is not an Apatow staple but he was awesome, as always.<BR/>Also the feast of top notch creative from the production of the film through the music was something many comedies never get near possessing. I think it will have a great life on DVD. I did my own word of mouth and viral campaign for this movie. It's a must see.TheMusehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14998915480907756078noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-57185757729482396792008-01-03T17:10:00.000-08:002008-01-03T17:10:00.000-08:00I think as soon as Johnny Cash made Johnny Cash-ma...I think as soon as Johnny Cash made Johnny Cash-machine commercials, it was open season on him.Tim W.https://www.blogger.com/profile/16860726607106078491noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-37338112955347130822008-01-03T16:20:00.000-08:002008-01-03T16:20:00.000-08:00I don't think Johnny Cash is above parody, or mayb...I don't think Johnny Cash is above parody, or maybe I wouldn't have enjoyed "Walk Hard." But he was one fantastic mofo. I thought EVERYBODY loved Johnny Cash, or at least respected him. Even people who hate country music seem to love the Man in Black.<BR/><BR/>He was a good actor, too, the few times he tried it (love that Columbo episode).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-73159876307046667862008-01-03T16:08:00.000-08:002008-01-03T16:08:00.000-08:00"I like John C. Reilly, but he is Will Farrell's s..."I like John C. Reilly, but he is Will Farrell's sidekick, not a lead."<BR/><BR/>Emily, what planet are you from? Will Farrell isn't worthy to lace Reilly's boots. I missed Will Farrell in BOOGIE NIGHTS, just who did he play in that?<BR/><BR/>As for it not being a good idea to release R-Rated movies during the holidays; SWEENEY TODD is doing all right. Those of us who are blessedly child-free need a movie or two we can go to where we are not forced to endure your shrieking spawn and cell-phone addicted teenyboppers.<BR/><BR/>I must confess, it was news to me that Johnny Cash is a hero to some. I never cared for his style of music (Country music? No thanks. Which is why I enjoy it being lambasted.), so I've encountered little of him. Mostly, to me, he's the guy who shoved Ida Lupino out of a plane on COLUMBO. Nor have I ever understood Elvis worship. Elvis and Groucho Marx died two days apart. I couldn't understand then and still don't understand now why people seemed more upset by this obese hillbilly junkie's inevitable overdose than by the loss of Groucho Marx, a man who was GOD to me.<BR/><BR/>So seeing the overly-revered satirized works for me just as well as Dr. Strangelove daring to portray the President as a buffoon, just two months after President Kennedy's assasination.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-47611985866162316672008-01-03T15:57:00.000-08:002008-01-03T15:57:00.000-08:00shoot, did "the big lebowski" print money? "office...shoot, did "the big lebowski" print money? "office space"?<BR/><BR/>I can't go a week without hearing a quote from either one of those. I don't know if I'll be hearing "walk hard" quoted in the future or not. I do know that I'm glad the movies that print money aren't the only ones I have to choose from.Cage Free Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06499309035198340074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19336675.post-32640775944411012602008-01-03T14:54:00.000-08:002008-01-03T14:54:00.000-08:00Well, I laughed. A lot. But after hearing the expa...Well, I laughed. A lot. But after hearing the expanded soundtrack, with a mess of songs that didn't make the final cut, I'm thinking the DVD is going to be more flat-out funny. The movie suffered from (and this is a strange thing to say) too much narrative; it wasn't wild and random and unpredictable enough, and I think that's because Kasdan and Apatow felt compelled to structure it in a conventional way. I agree that the marketing was hurt, a lot, by the writers strike. Without Letterman, The Daily Show, Conan around to spread the word, and the cast (including Jenna) making the rounds, it was hard for the word to get out about Dewey Cox.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com