Steven Spielberg's Possible Leonard Bernstein Biopic

[geom_00 15]

I am not sure if I should start a new topic here, or put this under Upcoming Movie, but here goes:

 

Bradley Cooper is staring in and directing a film about Leonard Bernstein.  

 

Steven Spielberg is a producer.  This film, *I* feel at least NEEDS to have Williams do some composing for it.

 

Considering how close the two were, who do you think could play Williams?

 

Here is a synopsis according to IMDB:

The complex love of Leonard and Felicia, from the time they met in 1946 at a party and continuing through two engagements, a 25 year marriage, and three children.

[Jay 34,935]

I think the chances of Williams composing anything for this are pretty slim

[TheUlyssesian 2,447]

Me too. A composer biopic is going to be scored with the composer's music through and through. There simply isn't place for a score. See Amadeus. 

[bruce marshall 1,284]

The failure of WSS doesn't bode well for this one.

But, I'm excited for it.

Hope it is good but Cooper doesn't inspire confidence.

On 21/05/2018 at 8:32 AM, Thor said:

How is Bernstein's life more exciting?

Are you joking?😗

 

Toby Jones is starring on one of the versions.

😄😅😜😛😊

[Jay 34,935]

Bradley Cooper Confirms ‘Maestro’ Starts Filming in May

[Disco Stu 15,483]

On 12/01/2022 at 11:48 AM, geom_00 said:

 

Considering how close the two were, who do you think could play Williams?

 

I think they had a nice professional relationship, but I've never read anything to suggest they were especially close on a personal level.  Happy to be proven wrong on that, though.

 

The real question for me obviously is: who will play Copland?!  Inarguably Copland was one of the most important and consequential relationships of Bernstein's life, both personally and professionally.

[bruce marshall 1,284]

The press materials state the focus is on his marriage.

Don't know if his homosexual affairs will be dramatized

[Disco Stu 15,483]

4 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:

The press materials state the focus is on his marriage.

Don't know if his homosexual affairs will be dramatized

 

Obviously Copland doesn't have to be a character in it, but he and Bernstein's relationship was far more than just a homosexual affair, a fling.  That was just one aspect of their relationship, and even that for a very brief period of their 50 year friendship.

[Jurassic Shark 11,039]

16 minutes ago, Disco Stu said:

Inarguably Copland was one of the most important and consequential relationships of Bernstein's life, both personally and professionally.

 

I didn't know that. 

[bruce marshall 1,284]

Two Gay Jews😉

[Edmilson 6,105]

 

[Romão 2,241]

Wow, Cooper really does look just like Bernstein. Amazing work from the crew

[JNHFan2000 2,325]

That looks very good. That last picture of Cooper as Bernstein is insane. The hair/make-up department did an excellent job. I had to look really hard to some of Cooper in there. It's his eyes that finally gave it away, but that is just truly fantastic make-up

[Disco Stu 15,483]

Lit

On 25/01/2022 at 2:25 PM, Stu said:

The real question for me obviously is: who will play Copland?! 

 

Oh maaaaaan, if they're going this all-out with the makeup/prosthetics now I really wanna know if Copland will be a character or not, even if only a minor one.

[Bespin 7,868]

Not another movie with gay characters on Netflix... com'on...

[mrbellamy 5,990]

Another of Cooper as old Lenny

 

 

When I saw these at first glance I really thought someone was just posting pictures of Bernstein. Will be interesting to hear his voice work. 

[Naïve Old Fart 9,097]

On 12/01/2022 at 7:46 PM, bruce marshall said:

Toby Jones is starring on one of the versions.

😄😅😜😛😊

Agreed. He's just about the best British actor alive. In fact, I can't think of a better one.

[A24 4,171]

Not Generation Z. Will flop. People didn't even want to see West Side Story. Netflix is throwing away money.

[Bespin 7,868]

A gay man who lived a married life with a wife and kids - I’m interested in this because it was more common than we might think.

 

My grandfather on my dad's side had a respectable job in government and was a gay man. He was married for over 50 years to the same wife, with whom he had 4 children.

 

During a time when people lived to "maintain appearances," they might have been preserving appearances outwardly, but at what personal cost? My grandmother once asked my father to hide her husband’s shoes so he wouldn't go out at night. Sometimes he would return home drunk and accompanied – it was a challenging childhood.

 

Certainly, Leonard Bernstein was far more multifaceted than merely being a gay man who got married.

 

In any case, it's an intriguing topic, and I hope that today, people are able to live their lives authentically without concealing their true selves or resorting to deception with their loved ones.

[bruce marshall 1,284]

From what I know, he did enjoy sexual relations with women in his youth.

As he got older , samesex relations became exclusive.

With some men, it's the opposite.

Doesn't mean you can categorize them as closeted gay men.

Artistic souls, lacking socially imposed inhibitions,  often fool around with anybody

[Drew 588]

I don't like Lenny. He said some bizarre things, like apparently how European classical/romantic music is bad and that American classical movements should move away from it.

[Disco Stu 15,483]

That’s a gross simplification and misinterpretation of his views.  Goodness knows he championed so much European music over his career, most notably he nearly single-handedly forced Mahler symphonies into the accepted canon.

[Drew 588]

There's also a video of him taking an opera symphony way too fast on purpose, to the detriment of the singer.

[Bespin 7,868]

9 minutes ago, Drew said:

There's also a video of him taking an opera symphony way too fast on purpose, to the detriment of the singer.

 

Ah yes that's with the great Christa Ludwig.

 

This video is very funny, but not intended to be.

[Drew 588]

American classical music needs a personality like Lenny who will lift modern classical music out of its current unlistenable avant-garde experimental hell.

[bruce marshall 1,284]

14 minutes ago, Drew said:

American classical music needs a personality like Lenny who will lift modern classical music out of its current unlistenable avant-garde experimental hell.

Modern classical is still " unlistenable, avant!- garde...hell"?

 

I think you've been away for awhile😅

27 minutes ago, Stu said:

That’s a gross simplification and misinterpretation of his views.  Goodness knows he championed so much European music over his career, most notably he nearly single-handedly forced Mahler symphonies into the accepted canon.

Plus he was correct in encouraging American composers to find their own voice.

Practically every nation had the same philosophy.

Drew is " misinformed"

[Drew 588]

10 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:

Modern classical is still " unlistenable, avant!- garde...hell"?

 

I think you've been away for awhile😅

 

Just look up which classical composers are winning awards here and there. I dislike much of the music I hear.

[bruce marshall 1,284]

I know nothing about awards.

But, the unlistenable drek that used to pollute our concert halls is pretty much history.

[Bespin 7,868]

A question for those who know Leonard Bernstein well.

 

What will be the angle, the message of this series about his life?

 

What is important to emphasize about his life in such a biopic?

[bruce marshall 1,284]

11 minutes ago, Bespin said:

A question for those who know Leonard Bernstein well.

 

What will be the angle, the message of this series about his life?

 

What is important to emphasize about his life in such a biopic?

Well....

he was not only the last of his kind but one of a kind.

 

He revolutionized theater with WSS and He was a huge celebrity who used his fame to advance the art of concert music.

He also transcended the classical and popular worlds like no other musician  of the twentieth century , e.g. he championed rock music as worthy of serious discussion.

 

[Disco Stu 15,483]

Copland and Lenny

 

[Bespin 7,868]

© Ruth Orkin, Tanglewood, MA, 1949; (Left to right) Olivier Messiaen, Serge Koussevitzky, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Lukas Foss

[bruce marshall 1,284]

1 hour ago, Bespin said:

© Ruth Orkin, Tanglewood, MA, 1949; (Left to right) Olivier Messiaen, Serge Koussevitzky, Aaron Copland, Leonard Bernstein, Lukas Foss

All Jews!😄

[Bespin 7,868]

On 05/06/2022 at 10:08 PM, Bespin said:

A question for those who know Leonard Bernstein well.

 

What will be the angle, the message of this series about his life?

 

What is important to emphasize about his life in such a biopic?

 

No Leonard Bernstein expert on the forum?

 

OK, then, some music while waiting for an expert to show.

 

[bruce marshall 1,284]

Did you not read my reply , Bes?!😡

[Disco Stu 15,483]

You didn't answer his question.  My guess is the movie will emphasize the complicated family dynamic that Jamie Bernstein wrote a memoir about.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Famous-Father-Girl-Growing-Bernstein/dp/0062641352

[bruce marshall 1,284]

I answered his question about why he is important.

How would anyone know what the film will emphasize until it comes out?

9 minutes ago, Stu said:

You didn't answer his question.

My GUESS is the movie will emphasize the complicated family dynamic that Jamie Bernstein wrote a memoir about.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Famous-Father-Girl-Growing-Bernstein/dp/0062641352

That sounds like a boring film to me.

😒

Like that biopic about Mussolini which focused on.HIS family!😵

[Disco Stu 15,483]

2 minutes ago, bruce marshall said:

That sounds like a boring film to me.😒

 

Oh I've never once entertained the notion that this movie will be good. 

[bruce marshall 1,284]

I just watched NIGHTMARE ALLEY which starred Cooper.

Believe it or not, I think this is the first film I've seen with him ( at least in a lead role)!

 

Facially he looks enough.like him to be convincing.

However, he's much taller.

Then again, Phillip Hoffman was much taller than Truman Capote and that turned out well.

[Naïve Old Fart 9,097]

On 06/06/2022 at 6:02 AM, bruce marshall said:

All Jews!😄

Don't think so.

Olivier Messiaen was a Roman Catholic, which is about as far away from Judaism, as you can get.

TRANSFIGURATION DE NOTRE SEIGNEUR JÉSUS-CHRIST.

You won't find that in the Talmud.

[Luke Skywalker 1,668]

5 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Don't think so.

Olivier Messiaen was a Roman Catholic, which is about as far away from Judaism, as you can get.

Well, calling it THAT far…. Half our bible is shared, you know.

[Bespin 7,868]

Ok stop this now before this thread is closed.

 

I think we wanted to highlight the fact that Bernstein done much to democratize classical music in America.

[Alex 2,721]

My favourite Bernstein moments are all in that West Side Story album recording session with Jose Carreras, when he becomes more and more exasperated with Carreras’ inability to sing the correct rhythm.

[bruce marshall 1,284]

8 hours ago, Naïve Old Fart said:

Don't think so.

Olivier Messiaen was a Roman Catholic, which is about as far away from Judaism, as you can get.

TRANSFIGURATION DE NOTRE SEIGNEUR JÉSUS-CHRIST.

You won't find that in the Talmud.

Yeah.

I always confuse him with Darius Milhaud, Jew!😄

2 hours ago, Alex said:

My favourite Bernstein moments are all in that West Side Story album recording session with Jose Carreras, when he becomes more and more exasperated with Carreras’ inability to sing the correct rhythm.

Opera singers don't do Salsa!😄

[Edmilson 6,105]

11 hours ago, bruce marshall said:

I just watched NIGHTMARE ALLEY which starred Cooper.

Believe it or not, I think this is the first film I've seen with him ( at least in a lead role)!

 

So the first movie you watched with him as a protagonist was also the first that he shows his dick on screen. 

[bruce marshall 1,284]

6 minutes ago, Edmilson said:

So the first movie you watched with him as a protagonist was also the first that he shows his dick on screen. 

Partial butt, no phallus

[JNHFan2000 2,325]

This looks great!

 

 

[Marian Schedenig 7,491]

I don't understand why they cast Bradley Cooper as Bernstein for half of the film and apparently Bernstein himself for the other half.

[Tallguy 2,550]

Good heavens, that's Sally Sparrow from Doctor Who!

[Naïve Old Fart 9,097]

12 minutes ago, Tallguy said:

Good heavens, that's Sally Sparrow from Doctor Who!

 

So that's where she ended up!