Zeppelin Movie, anyone?

[hats]

I have thought about this idea for several years now. At first I was skeptical about the fact it's all too much. Then Ray came out. I said yes it could be done. My view is this: For me it's not all the tight spots the guys got themselves into but the enormity of it all. It would have to be 12 hours long. Four movies each 3 hours long. The first starts with W.W.II the beginning. Then on to discover that there is such a thing as music and that they needed to persue it. The movie would end with Led Zeppelin I out and on the shelves.

The second , Led Zeppelin II, II, and IV. the movie ending with the full scale glory of the costumes the symbols on stage Stairway, then on the Plane.

The third takes you through Houses of the Holy to the death. This would be the hardest and funkiest part because of all the rumours, wardrobes, political moves, misteps and Halloween parties. At the end ,you still have to be in love with them as you were at the start. That can only happen if all of the distractions were quite rightly so places they were driven to, Where it becomes even more of a challenge you can't produce mellowdrame or, this is most impotant leave out the humor.

The last installment would be the death up to as most present as you could get. For me this would be the most interesting and mysterious because it the part that is least documented on a day to day basis.

The bonus of doing this story is some might say its liability. As soon you may sense it will become predictable someone gets either a guitar stolen, or money stollen, a car accident, meeting Elvis, motorcycles. It is not a boring life.

To make it more tasty and a huge incentive to buy the movie on DVD rather than to steal it. It would have either things you had to leave out for the theatre and or a special made documentary that would fill in the gaps. Sort of meanwhile while all this is goig on... This would be heavily focused on the fans, the hotel managers, Frank Zappa , bootlegers, but most important the people that made them who they are The Fans.

People waiting in lines, people having sex to II, The neverending discussions at parties about strings, amps, The Three Musketeers as we call them ( Jimmy, Jeff,and Eric), eye color how much pot do you smoke when listening to II as opposed to III, Do you watch Monty Python before you listen to Led Zeppelin IV or the other way around. etc... The process you went through when you actually bought Led Zeppelin IV. You had to call the store, wash your jeans, call your friend who had the responsibility of bringing the pot, yours was to have gas in the car, who are you going to the store with, who's house are you going to afterword to listen to it. It was mine my dad was a musician so we had the really good Hi-Fi. I promise you I am not making this up or embellishing.

That part would have to be accomplished by actors. You can't have 48 year old people pretending to be 16.

Then disc 3 on each DVD set : interviews with album designers, music lessons, and finally a poster. Or.

A documentary from a fans point of view. I can't decide I like both ideas. What is your view?

I haven't thought too seriously about who would be in it. At one time I thought Jeffery Rush would make a good Jimmy at some point in his life. I thought he reminded me of Jimmy when he did The Shinning but I don't know. I know one thing I know two things: First if it was up to me I would get the casting director of the movie 13 Days that casting was spot on. Then Roman Polanski (I hope that's right). It has to be a director like that. Or the man who directed Downfall. Absolutely brilliant. Secondly If you don't do it somebody else will. Ray Charles was a part of the movie making process. I think that's why it came out so well. If it won't get made untill after they die what a mess. Although you've got Amadeaus. It would be nice if The Guys at least contributed things you can't get from anyone else. I'm sure they don't want their children to be bothered forever with ... "I have no idea what kind of beer he was drinking when Keith Moon and he were in the bar that night."

I have a question that someone might be able to answer for me. Does anyone know if the charity concert that was held in New York in the 80's for a Yardbird's player whos name escapes me is available on DVD. The concert had Jimmy, Jeff and Eric playing together. I want it. That is all

[Cactus]

4 movies is way too much - you don't understand dramatics. Jamming in every documented event for a 12 hour marathon is not going to make an interesting film.

Having a fan's perspective is an OK idea except that it would be very difficult. See Whole Lotta Led for example. It sells itself as a 'personal journey' but the stories of the individuals are not particularly interesting at all.

There are threads, as I see it, which are suitable for the big screen. The enormity of the band, how good that life was. Every guitar-playing teenager's dream, with booze and parties and woment etc. But this is balanced by the human tragedy story of the Plant family. Remember that the cinema is not about facts - it is about humanity. Find the human story, not the history.

The film will never be made without the blessing of the band, because without the music, it would be pointless.

[*I*LOVE*JIMMY!!]

The only way it would be any good is it the guys played them selves and that's not going to happen. I think a movie written by the remaining members, material they already have. There's lots of video out there. A long documentery would be wonderful, a story told by the guys in there own words. Now that would be something to see!!

[Fresh Garbage]

...wasn't he the only one so far to use more than one of Zep's songs in a movie?

I trust him to do a good job.

I heard that 'Lords Of Dogtown" had a couple Zeppelin tunes in it?...Achilles Last Stand and Hot's On For Nowhere....

I am having my Niece bring me the movie, and I am going to watch it tonight...I think Heath Ledger is in this one as well?

R.I.P Heath Ledger

[FireOpal]

It would be awful.

Agreed! It would be a dreadful cheesefest, like Oliver Stone's Doors movie.

Besides, they'd never find an actor good-looking enough to portray Jimmy

[aen27]

Maybe James McAvoy, but not even he comes close to Jimmy. The person to play Jimmy has to be so perfect.

[Stargroves Tangie]

I have a question that someone might be able to answer for me. Does anyone know if the charity concert that was held in New York in the 80's for a Yardbird's player whos name escapes me is available on DVD. The concert had Jimmy, Jeff and Eric playing together. I want it. That is all

Are you thinking of the ARMS concert that was held in NY in December 1984? It was for Ronnie Lane, a member of the Faces who had MS. I don't think that was ever released even on VHS. The London ARMS benefit concert was released on VHS but I never saw it available on DVD.

[hats]

To Cactus Post#77 : First of all I want to appologize. I meant

to say Shine when I said The Shinning. Second I realize the technical difficulties of having a director who is not allowed to be in the U.S. to take on such a thing. I was thinking about the artistic sensibilities of Roman. There is more than one way to skin a cat. You can say so much without saying anything, he did that so brilliantly with The Pianist.

As for the lenght, Titanic was three hours long and it zooms right by. Not that I liked it but it did zoom right by. Peter Jackson was probably given some grief in Australia before you even knew who he was for taking on what he did. The length gives you that space to demonstrate as I said before the sticky parts were PLACES THEY WERE DRIVEN TO.

As I have also said the movie would start at the beginning. How was music first introduced to all of them, what kind of music, what were their parents listening to. The atmosphere, the cloths the attitude of the times. People smarter than I have all said the music you are exposed to before the age of 10 I believe, has the greatest impact on you your whole life. All of that I find interesting, maybe I'm in the minority. As I have also said the first movie would end with Led Zeppelin I. That gives you tons of time to establish tone, character, motivation the shot heard round the world- Elvis, Chuck Berry, Little Richard.

That was important, very important. That was, hey there is another way around to the road. I don't have to be a victim of circumstance. Fated to the salt mines. I feel so passionatly about this that I can, and will sacrafice all I have and all you have just to be a part of it. After W.W.II you could not swing a cat anywhere in England or Brittain without running into someone with a musical intrument. I know that could be said for the U.S. as well but we didn't have our cities bombed by Nazis. I can explain why that is significant but I won't.

Three hours would go by in no time. And you would want more. As for other concerns, did you see Rome? If you did were you bored? Did you say I'm not watching the episode about Cleopatra. I watched it 3 times I think. Rome was a massive undetaking. And if I may be allowed to say , it was done. Maybe the answer is not a movie but a series like that.

As for assuming the movie I suggest would be a cavalcade of facts streaming by with a cool as Hell soundtrack. The movie Flight 93 was expertly crafted. When you watched it didn't you cry when the two actors said The Lords Prayer? I did and I didn't feel manipulated in the least. I did say you still have to be in love with them at the end of the movie as much as you were at the start. It's that kind of attention to script, environment, direction and energy that would make a movie about Led Zeppelin something to see. Present a whole package of people who defined an era: the group, the families, the record industry,peers,fans, butchers, bakers, and candlestick makers.

I know quite alot about the guys and guess what? I love them, just as much now as I did when I saw all four of them together for the first time on the back cover of Led Zeppelin I. Standing there in the street on a very, very, cold winter day in Chicago along with 4 or 5 other girls just starring at the cover absorbing the whole package debating who the sexiest one was FOR 20 MINUTES thank you very much. I AM A HUGE FAN, I PROMISE.

The best part is, Led Zeppelin is just as mysterious now as it ever was. An enigma wrapped in a guitar chord surrounded by chaos I know Jimmy likes it that way, it's much more practical. As long as you sacrafice yourself on that cross it makes your job as a director much easier.

And I'm so, so,so sorry if it bothers you that we as Led Zeppelin fans had fun. Our rituals our own do's and don'ts about things but we did. I should think it was refreshing to hear someone admit it proudly with gusto. I was hoping you were a bit charmed by the album buying story. It was true, and there are millions of stories like that. I find them all wonderful, I guess I'm weird. But didn't you even like my poster idea?

Does anyone have any information about the concert I asked about?

[hats]

Thank you Stargroves that was the concert I was thinking of. It is availiable? I will have to get it and give you a full report.

[Suz]

An animated movie with a ton of cool imagery would work for me. Just have the songs playing through the whole thing. No plot, just different imagery for the different songs.

[Laughter]

They guy who played Gimli for Bonham.

[FireOpal]

Are you thinking of the ARMS concert that was held in NY in December 1984? It was for Ronnie Lane, a member of the Faces who had MS. I don't think that was ever released even on VHS. The London ARMS benefit concert was released on VHS but I never saw it available on DVD.

I bought the DVD recently -- it's available on Amazon, made by a Brazilian company. The titles and whatnot are in Portuguese but don't let that put you off. It's very nicely done.

[Stargroves Tangie]

I bought the DVD recently -- it's available on Amazon, made by a Brazilian company. The titles and whatnot are in Portuguese but don't let that put you off. It's very nicely done.

Is it for region 1 (US) ? I have the VHS of part 2 only & I'd love to get it on DVD!

[SteveAJones]

Is it for region 1 (US) ? I have the VHS of part 2 only & I'd love to get it on DVD!

The ARMS Concert - Part I (Rhino Home Video RNVD 2421) (120 mins) VHS 1991

The ARMS Concert - Part II (Rhino Home Video RNVD 1446) (60 mins) VHS 1991

The performances are from September 20th 1983 at Royal Albert Hall in London. This

was the first ARMS Benefit Concert which led to six tour dates in the US in Dec 1983.

The New York Concerts were December 8 & 9 1983 at Madison Square Garden. I have

posted a photo of Jimmy Page approaching the mic stand in the photo forum (Jimmy

Page with The Butterfly Coat & Scarf).

I believe Rhino has re-released the original VHS titles on dvd and a simple search of

Amazon.com or Ebay should confirm their current availability.

[Stargroves Tangie]

The ARMS Concert - Part I (Rhino Home Video RNVD 2421) (120 mins) VHS 1991

The ARMS Concert - Part II (Rhino Home Video RNVD 1446) (60 mins) VHS 1991

The performances are from September 20th 1983 at Royal Albert Hall in London. This

was the first ARMS Benefit Concert which led to six tour dates in the US in Dec 1983.

The New York Concerts were December 8 & 9 1983 at Madison Square Garden. I have

posted a photo of Jimmy Page approaching the mic stand in the photo forum (Jimmy

Page with The Butterfly Coat & Scarf).

I believe Rhino has re-released the original VHS titles on dvd and a simple search of

Amazon.com or Ebay should confirm their current availability.

Yes, Amazon has it, with the menu in Portuguese like FireOpal said- for under $20.

And thanks Steve for correcting the year for me (I had put 1984 instead of 1983).

I was not one of the lucky ones to see the shows at MSG- couldn't get tix. I kept entering a radio station contest (I was one of the callers who won a CHANCE to win the tickets) but didn't win.