Movie: Brian Wilson, Love & Mercy

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys spent many years in the 1980's living in Kona under the "treatment" of Eugene Landy. Based on the trailer for "Love & Mercy" it doesn't appear his time in Hawaii will be included in this new movie opening this weekend. But it is the link between his early Beach Boys days and his return to a normal, productive life after meeting his future wife at a Cadillac dealership in California, both of which are major components in the film.

Therapist Eugene Landy is rightfully portrayed as the villain in the movie. He brought Brian to Kona in order to wrestle control of his life away from the Wilson family and musician friends in Southern California. Landy does deserve some credit though, as he was able to get Brian to work on his music again, reduce his weight from 300 pounds, and get back out in public. I had a friend who was at a movie theater in Kona when Brian also was there. Apparently Brian talked to the characters in the film, and would warn them on occasion... "he's got a gun, look out!"

He's come a long way in the intervening years.
http://www.underthegunreview.net/2015/06...15-so-far/

[snorkle]

It's amazing that he could overcome all those early problems, grow a beard and become a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball.

[HereOnThePrimalEdge]

Yes, it's a cautionary tale, but in the end a story of redemption to anyone who has had to deal with drug addiction, or a drinking problem. Their lives can become disconnected from reality, disoriented to a point where they're no longer able to follow even a simple train of thought, confusing names and places, eventually finding themselves at a point where they're unable to answer even the most basic, straightforward question. Then the sad, final stage where they just spout comments into the ether, unrelated to anything, under the guise of humor.

Fortunately for them, when they're out in public in 2015 people just assume they're talking on a cell phone.

[PunaMauka2]

lol

the described dysfunctional behavioral pattern sounds so very ironically familiar to our very own PW village clown. now that you put it that way, some degree of sympathy may be in order.

edit: understood oink. scuze.

[oink]

A big like to the last two posts. They were both good for a big laugh.
Edit: Well, the previous two before PM2. PM2 snuck in there on me.

Pua`a
S. FL
Big Islander to be.

[Kelena]

From what I know, Brian Wilson is the Beach Boys. The Beach Boys (aka Brian Wilson) made great music because Brian Wilson was not quite sane. Harsh for him; great for us. Take an artist, add torture --often the result is a great artist.

Had Prozac been around, Vincent Van Gogh would probably have been a happier person --or at least a nicely sedated one. But then no Starry Night and no powerful and disturbing self-portraits worth millions.

"Brash fields, crude crows
In a scary sky ...
In a golden frame
Roped off
Tourists guided by ...
Tourists talking about the madhouse
Talking about the ear
The madman hangs in fancy homes
They wouldn't let him near!
He'd piss in their fireplace!
He'd drag them through Turbulent Indigo"

--Joni Mitchell

God only knows what Brian Wilson would have been if he had been mentally healthy and had achieved a state of equalibrium sooner. Librium. Sooner.

Without his insanity, Brian Wilaon would not have Brian Wilson. He would have been Joe Schmoe. And he would not have produced some of the most complex and beautiful pop music of the last century.

I am glad he emerged alive and healthy from that dark place and that love (not that charlatan Landy) is what pulled him through. But I am also glad --for the rest of the world-- that he was there, in his room, in that dark place, asking Rhonda to help him get her out of his heart.

If I did want someone to remain crazy while I siphoned off their cash, I would DEFINITELY take them to Kona, though. To push them over the edge I would take then to Bubba Gump's at noon on a hot day in June.

https://youtu.be/XqLTe8h0-jo

[PunaMauka2]

"Take an artist, add torture --often the result is a great artist."

that really is one of those popular myths.