The Not-Jimi Hendrix Story

[The Curmudgeon]

So you may have heard there's a Jimi Hendrix biopic currently being filmed, starring Andre 3000 as the man himself. I'm not sure of his acting credentials, but he could be an inspired, original choice and may be able to pull it off. I don't know much about Hendrix the person (I don't think I've ever even seen him talk) so I don't have much to base Andre's take on the guy. But, yeah, I'd watch it.

Except for one little tiny problem, and you would THINK it would be a problem they would have ironed out before, y'know, funding and casting the fucking thing.

They're not allowed to use any Hendrix songs in the film.

Not one. So a film about the man and his music will have... no music from the man. And this isn't even a "Walk the Line" kinda deal where Andre re-records the songs. They have been refused the rights to any songs written by Jimi Hendrix.

What this means now? We WILL get to see Hendrix play, but the only songs he'll sing in the movie are All Along the Watchtower (Dylan) and that famous Hendrix classic, erm.. Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Great.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Space Turtles aside, has there ever been a previously promising film that you've wanted to sink so badly before it even came out?

[trashcanman]

Why.


Fucking.


Bother.


Seriously, Hollywood? You couldn't spring for the rights to some of the greatest rock songs ever written for what could have been one of the coolest biopics out there? I know Experience Hendrix is one of the greedier music estates out there, but what the fucking fuck. I want to see Andre 3000 rock Foxy Lady like you don't even know on the big screen. Apparently, they didn't even approach EH for the rights and always planned on making it a film about Hendrix playing other people's music. Thus I come full circle and return to my original point: why fucking bother?

[The Curmudgeon]

I don't understand why the Hendrix, er, Corporation or whatever wouldn't want the film to have the rights to the songs. Think of what Walk the Line must have done for the sales of Cash's back catalogue.. you would think they would want some of that green for Hendrix. Weird.

Unless they had major problems with the cast/script or something like that and pulled the rights to the music. Who knows?

[trashcanman]

Experience Hendrix says that they were never even approached for the rights to Hendrix's music. It was apparently the plan from the start to make a Hendrix movie with no Hendrix music. Unbelievable.