Deadman's Curve | |
---|---|
Genre | Biography Drama |
Based on | magazine article by Paul Morantz |
Written by | Dalene Young |
Directed by | Richard Compton |
Starring | Richard Hatch Bruce Davison Wolfman Jack Susan Sullivan Dick Clark Jan Berry |
Theme music composer | Fred Karlin |
Country of origin | United States |
Original language | English |
Production | |
Executive producers | Roger Gimbel Tony Converse |
Producer | Pat Rooney |
Production locations | Tiny Naylor's Drive-In, La Brea Avenue & Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California Villa Alámbra - 1966 Outpost Circle, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California |
Cinematography | William Cronjager |
Editor | Aaron Stell |
Running time | 100 min |
Production companies | Roger Gimbel Productions EMI Television |
Original release | |
Network | CBS |
Release | February 3, 1978 |
Deadman's Curve is a 1978 American made-for-television biographical film based on the musical careers of Jan Berry and Dean Torrence. The film was developed from a 1974 article published in Rolling Stone by Paul Morantz, who also helped write the screenplay. [1]
As Jan and Dean rise to the top of the music industry, a horrible car accident leaves Jan incapacitated and their dreams shattered. With the help of Dean and others, Jan slowly recovers, learning again to walk and talk. A comeback to the music industry is seen as a slim chance, but with Jan willing to try, and with Dean right by his side, the duo aim for another shot.
Dick Clark and Beach Boys Mike Love and Bruce Johnston make cameo appearances, and Berry himself and his parents appear in the audience at the end of the movie.
In May 1977 CBS announced they would make the film. [2]
"Doing the film was a chance to let the world know there was a reason Jan was no longer making records," said Dean. "He had gotten tired of hearing 'I thought you'd just retired from the business and faded into obscurity'." [3]
The film ends with Jan and Dean singing again triumphantly after the audience boos at them for lip synching. In reality, they attempted to perform in 1972 but were booed for lip synching. They did perform again in 1974. The film makes it seem like this happened on the same night. [4]
The Los Angeles Times called it "shallow entertainment". [5] The New York Times said the film was made "efficiently, if not imaginatively" with an "outstanding" performance from Davison. [6]
Paul Mavis, of Drunk TV, reviewing Deadman's Curve after the death of Richard Hatch, wrote that although the made-for-TV movie skipped quite a few facts, and did little with Dean Torrence's character, the Jan & Dean music was still there, along with Richard Hatch's fine performance: "Cocky and exuberant at first, and then cold, sneering and manipulative as a domineering rock star, Hatch surprised me with the nasty edge he summoned up.... It’s a beautiful turn by Hatch in the classic biopic form: confidence, talent, and drive lead to success, but the ego needed to climb to the top proves to be an Achilles heel, leading to abuse of friends, loved ones, and self, and then to the inexorable downfall, before a painful but enlightening personal redemption." [7]
The movie was the 40th highest rating show of the week. [8]
All songs featured are the original recordings, except where indicated
Jan and Dean's latter-day back-up band, Papa Doo Run Run (featuring Dean Torrence), went into the studio to record some additional songs for the soundtrack. Songs included "Pipeline," "Wipe Out," "I Only Have Eyes for You," "Get a Job", "A Teenager in Love," and "One Summer Night", all of which can be heard playing in the background as incidental music.
"Deadman's Curve: The Jan and Dean Story" was released on VHS Format by Interglobal Home Video. [9]
Franklin James Schaffner was an American film, television, and stage director. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for Patton (1970), and is known for the films Planet of the Apes (1968), Nicholas and Alexandra (1971), Papillon (1973), and The Boys from Brazil (1978). He served as president of the Directors Guild of America between 1987 and 1989.
Jan and Dean were an American rock duo consisting of William Jan Berry and Dean Ormsby Torrence. In the early 1960s, they were pioneers of the California Sound and vocal surf music styles popularized by the Beach Boys.
Surf music is a genre of rock music associated with surf culture, particularly as found in Southern California. It was especially popular from 1958 to 1964 in two major forms. The first is instrumental surf, distinguished by reverb-heavy electric guitars played to evoke the sound of crashing waves, largely pioneered by Dick Dale and the Del-Tones. The second is vocal surf, which took elements of the original surf sound and added vocal harmonies, a movement led by the Beach Boys.
Richard Lawrence Hatch was an American actor, writer, and producer. Hatch began his career as a stage actor before moving on to television work in the 1970s. Hatch is best known for his role as Captain Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica television series. He is also widely known for his role as Tom Zarek in the reimagined Battlestar Galactica.
Bruce Allen Davison is an American actor, who has appeared in over 270 film, television and stage productions since his debut in 1968. His breakthrough role was as Willard Stiles in the 1971 cult horror film Willard. He was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor, and won a Golden Globe Award and an Independent Spirit Award, for his performance in Longtime Companion (1989).
Jill Gibson is an American singer, songwriter, photographer, painter and sculptor. She is mostly known for her collaboration work with Jan & Dean and for having briefly been a member of the successful 1960s rock group the Mamas and the Papas. She was also one of the main photographers at the historic Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
"Linda" is a popular song written, taking its name from then-one-year-old Linda McCartney. It was written by Jack Lawrence and published in 1946.
Papa Doo Run Run is a band from Cupertino, California, United States, that specializes in covers of songs from the heyday of surf music in the 1960s.
"Surf City" is a 1963 song recorded by American music duo Jan and Dean about a fictitious surf spot where there are "two girls for every boy". Written by Brian Wilson, Jan Berry and Dean Torrence, it was the first surf song to become a national number-one hit.
"Dead Man's Curve" is a 1964 hit song by Jan and Dean whose lyrics detail a teen street race gone awry. It reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart and number 39 in Canada. The song was written and composed by Brian Wilson, Artie Kornfeld, Roger Christian, and Jan Berry at Wilson's mother's house in Santa Monica. It was part of the teenage tragedy song phenomenon of that period, and one of the most popular such selections of all time. "Dead Man's Curve" was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2008.
Paul Robert Morantz was an American attorney and investigative journalist. He was known for taking legal cases alleging brainwashing by cults and self-help groups and for sexual misconduct by psychotherapists. His successful prosecution of Synanon led to an attempt against his life by means of a rattlesnake placed in his mailbox.
Miss Susie Slagle's is a 1946 American drama film directed by John Berry. It was based on the popular novel by Augusta Tucker. The film was Berry's directorial debut and first starring role for Joan Caulfield.
"Sidewalk Surfin'" is a song with music by Brian Wilson and lyrics by Roger Christian, which was recorded by 1960s American pop singers Jan and Dean. The song was recorded as a single and then appeared on the 1964 album Ride the Wild Surf, and later on the Little Old Lady from Pasadena album. The B-side of the single is "When It's Over." "Sidewalk Surfin'" reached number 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 on October 31, 1964, which was Jan and Dean's lowest-charting single in a year and a half since the release of their number one hit single "Surf City." Jan and Dean were known for their music of the 1960s surf era with songs like "Dead Man's Curve," "Drag City," and "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena."
"The New Girl in School" is a song written by Jan Berry, Roger Christian, Brian Wilson, and Bob Norberg for the American rock duet Jan and Dean. It was the B-side of their hit single "Dead Man's Curve". Both songs were released on their album Dead Man's Curve / The New Girl In School. "The New Girl From School" charted at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100. In Canada the song was co-charted with "Dead Man's Curve" and they reached number 39.
This is the discography for American rock duo Jan and Dean.
"Jennie Lee" is a song whose music was composed and written by Jan Berry and Arnie Ginsburg, which was recorded by Jan and Arnie. Jan & Arnie were the precursor to Jan & Dean. The song was recorded and released as the band's first single in April, 1958. The B-side of the single is "Gotta Getta Date". "Jennie Lee" reached No. 3 on the Cash Box charts on June 21, 1958, and No. 8 on the Billboard charts on June 30, 1958. This is generally regarded as the earliest example of elements that would become instrumental in the famous California sound of surf pop in the '60s.
Cruise Into Terror is a 1978 American made-for-television horror film directed by Bruce Kessler. The film originally premiered February 3, 1978 on ABC. The all-star supporting cast features Dirk Benedict, Frank Converse, John Forsythe, Christopher George, Lynda Day George, Lee Meriwether, Ray Milland, Hugh O'Brian, Stella Stevens, Roger E. Mosley, and Marshall Thompson.
Forever is a 1978 American made-for-television romantic drama film starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Dean Butler. It is based on the Judy Blume novel Forever... and premiered on CBS on January 6, 1978.
"Surfin' U.S.A." is a song by the American rock band the Beach Boys, credited to Chuck Berry and Brian Wilson. It is a rewritten version of Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen" set to new lyrics written by Wilson and an uncredited Mike Love. The song was released as a single on March 4, 1963, backed with "Shut Down". It was then placed as the opening track on their album of the same name.