list http://www.spout.com/ Recent community activity around Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt on Spout Copyright 2005-9 Spout, LLC Spout RSS http://www.spout.com/images/SpoutLogoRSS.jpg http://www.spout.com/ 136 30 http://www.spout.com/films/Be_Here_to_Love_Me_A_Film_About_Townes_Van_Zandt/252775/default.aspx Title: Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt
Year: 2005
Director: Margaret Brown
Plot: The celebrated singer and songwriter Steve Earle once said "Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world, and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." Earle was hardly the only artist of note who loved Van Zandt's poetic, elliptical songs of love and dashed hopes -- Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris, Norah Jones, the Cowboy Junkies, and Nanci Griffith are among the many performers who have recorded his work, and he was a key inspiration for much of the Texas singer/songwriter community, including Guy Clark, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, and Lyle Lovett. However, while Van Zandt was greatly admired by his peers and a small cult of passionate admirers, it was other artists who had hits with his songs, not him, and this gifted but troubled man was haunted by drug and alcohol addiction much of his life. Van Zandt also had difficult relationships with his family and three wives, and at the age of 20, he was given shock treatments which wiped out nearly all of his childhood memories. In the 1990s, Van Zandt's public profile began to grow larger, and he was signed to a major record label for the first time in 1996, but as often happened in his songs, fate stepped in, and Van Zandt died following hip surgery on New Year's Day, 1997. Filmmaker Margaret Brown, a longtime fan of Townes Van Zandt, examines both his life and his art in the documentary Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt, which includes interviews with many of his close friends, family members and collaborators, including Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Steve Shelley, Guy Clark, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Times Tagged: 4
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SpoutRating: 4
]]>Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:46:07 GMTBe Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt2005Margaret BrownThe celebrated singer and songwriter Steve Earle once said "Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world, and I'll stand on <a href="/players/P____88557/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Bob Dylan</a>'s coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." Earle was hardly the only artist of note who loved Van Zandt's poetic, elliptical songs of love and dashed hopes -- <a href="/players/P___104264/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Willie Nelson</a>, <a href="/players/P____30616/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Emmylou Harris</a>, Norah Jones, the Cowboy Junkies, and Nanci Griffith are among the many performers who have recorded his work, and he was a key inspiration for much of the Texas singer/songwriter community, including Guy Clark, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Joe Ely, and <a href="/players/P____43473/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Lyle Lovett</a>. However, while Van Zandt was greatly admired by his peers and a small cult of passionate admirers, it was other artists who had hits with his songs, not him, and this gifted but troubled man was haunted by drug and alcohol addiction much of his life. Van Zandt also had difficult relationships with his family and three wives, and at the age of 20, he was given shock treatments which wiped out nearly all of his childhood memories. In the 1990s, Van Zandt's public profile began to grow larger, and he was signed to a major record label for the first time in 1996, but as often happened in his songs, fate stepped in, and Van Zandt died following hip surgery on New Year's Day, 1997. Filmmaker Margaret Brown, a longtime fan of Townes Van Zandt, examines both his life and his art in the documentary Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt, which includes interviews with many of his close friends, family members and collaborators, including <a href="/players/P___104264/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Willie Nelson</a>, <a href="/players/P____98154/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Kris Kristofferson</a>, <a href="/players/P____30616/default.aspx" style='text-decoration:underline'>Emmylou Harris</a>, Steve Shelley, Guy Clark, and many more. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide4Slightly Tagged (1-5)3214http://www.spout.com/ProductImages/t74006itvmv.jpghttp://www.spout.com/films/Be_Here_to_Love_Me_A_Film_About_Townes_Van_Zandt/252775/default.aspxFilm http://www.spout.com/groups/Coming_Soon/Upcoming_Movies_Week_of_8_29/216/34334/1/ShowPost.aspx Post By: SkyPilot
Post To: Coming Soon
Post Date: 8/25/2008 12:46:07 PM
Body: Ah, the back to school season. College students across the nation are so occupied with drinking, packing, traveling, and vomiting that they can't get a movie in edgewise. So with the possibility of a big opening weekend thrown out the window, the studios are unveiling some movies I'd like to throw out a window. These movies made me think of some good films to talk about, though.Babylon A.D. (8-29) -- I've met a few enthusiastic members of the Pitch Black cult, but still haven't seen that or Chronicles of Riddick. Any fans of these movies who are looking forward to Babylon A.D.? I would see this movie more for Michelle Yeoh, who could definitely kick Vin Diesel's ass. Traitor (8-29) -- Is it just me, or does this movie look as generic as those cereals that come in plastic bags? It could surprise me though, starring reliables like Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, and Jeff Daniels. Still, if I'm going to see a thriller about treason I'll watch The Hunt for Red October again. I found the recent Breach (Ryan Philippe, Chris Cooper) only passable, though the ever-excellent Cooper succeeded at making me feel as sordid as his character. Any treason thrillers you guys recommend?If you like the actors in Traitor, get a load of Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress, Guy Pearce in The Proposition, and Jeff Daniels in The Squid and the Whale.Disaster Movie (8-29) -- Even the two-minute trailer to this comedy feels an hour too long. College (8-29) -- (sigh) If you were stuck on a deserted island with only Disaster Movie or College, which one would you pick?Maria Bethania: Music is Perfume (8-29, limited release) -- Huge in Brazil, I haven't heard of the singer until now. Turns out she's released over thirty albums in forty-some years. "Samba is sadness dancing," she says, so if this documentary is as thoughtful and articulate as Maria, fans of Latin and world music might enjoy it. I've realized that the music docs I prefer all include mad men: Dig! follows the feud between The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre; You're Gonna Miss Me shows psych-rock innovator Roky Erickson's sad but winning battle with schizophrenia; and Townes Van Zandt is quietly crazy in the heartbreakingly beautiful Be Here to Love Me. We just have to hang in there until September 12 for the new Coen Brothers movie Burn After Reading. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich in a dark spy-comedy--how could this film go wrong? Though I'm a little worried about Righteous Kill (also Sept. 12). Robert Deniro and Al Pacino doing a bad cop/bad cop routine looks like some supremely macho entertainment, and I'm fine with that. The chemistry between these actors in Heat was tremendous, but I wonder how much of that had to do with director Michael Mann? I'm wary that Righteous Kill director Jon Avnet might blow it, because if his recent team-up with Al Pacino, 88 Minutes, is any indication of how righteous Righteous Kill will be...we're doomed.
]]>Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:46:07 GMTSkyPilotComing Soon8/25/2008 12:46:07 PMAh, the back to school season. College students across the nation are so occupied with drinking, packing, traveling, and vomiting that they can't get a movie in edgewise. So with the possibility of a big opening weekend thrown out the window, the studios are unveiling some movies I'd like to throw out a window. These movies made me think of some good films to talk about, though.Babylon A.D. (8-29) -- I've met a few enthusiastic members of the Pitch Black cult, but still haven't seen that or Chronicles of Riddick. Any fans of these movies who are looking forward to Babylon A.D.? I would see this movie more for Michelle Yeoh, who could definitely kick Vin Diesel's ass. Traitor (8-29) -- Is it just me, or does this movie look as generic as those cereals that come in plastic bags? It could surprise me though, starring reliables like Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, and Jeff Daniels. Still, if I'm going to see a thriller about treason I'll watch The Hunt for Red October again. I found the recent Breach (Ryan Philippe, Chris Cooper) only passable, though the ever-excellent Cooper succeeded at making me feel as sordid as his character. Any treason thrillers you guys recommend?If you like the actors in Traitor, get a load of Cheadle in Devil in a Blue Dress, Guy Pearce in The Proposition, and Jeff Daniels in The Squid and the Whale.Disaster Movie (8-29) -- Even the two-minute trailer to this comedy feels an hour too long. College (8-29) -- (sigh) If you were stuck on a deserted island with only Disaster Movie or College, which one would you pick?Maria Bethania: Music is Perfume (8-29, limited release) -- Huge in Brazil, I haven't heard of the singer until now. Turns out she's released over thirty albums in forty-some years. "Samba is sadness dancing," she says, so if this documentary is as thoughtful and articulate as Maria, fans of Latin and world music might enjoy it. I've realized that the music docs I prefer all include mad men: Dig! follows the feud between The Dandy Warhols and The Brian Jonestown Massacre; You're Gonna Miss Me shows psych-rock innovator Roky Erickson's sad but winning battle with schizophrenia; and Townes Van Zandt is quietly crazy in the heartbreakingly beautiful Be Here to Love Me. We just have to hang in there until September 12 for the new Coen Brothers movie Burn After Reading. Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Frances McDormand and John Malkovich in a dark spy-comedy--how could this film go wrong? Though I'm a little worried about Righteous Kill (also Sept. 12). Robert Deniro and Al Pacino doing a bad cop/bad cop routine looks like some supremely macho entertainment, and I'm fine with that. The chemistry between these actors in Heat was tremendous, but I wonder how much of that had to do with director Michael Mann? I'm wary that Righteous Kill director Jon Avnet might blow it, because if his recent team-up with Al Pacino, 88 Minutes, is any indication of how righteous Righteous Kill will be...we're doomed. http://www.spout.com/blogs/fitzcarraldo/archive/2008/1/1/23390.aspx Post By: fitzcarraldo
Post To: fitzcarraldo Blog
Post Date: 1/1/2008 3:01:07 AM
Body: A compelling life. And I wouldn't want to shortchange the film as a simple narrative of a manic-depressive musical genius.One comment that struck me most from the film was how Townes said he knew he pretty much had to "blow it all off"...family, friends, even life itself to be absolutely great in music. It does seem that ultimately for Van Zandt the music really was all it was about. I'm not a huge fan of the music, but his passion for it was inspiring. My only difficulty with the film was that it was hard to sync with the hero worship that seems to pervade the film, but then again, this film is for and by those who loved the man. It was especially touching to see the impact he had on his children, who despite his shortcomings seemed to want to do right by those he loved. Definitely a great film for the fans, and the narrative style kept me intrigued despite my complete ignorance of his body of work.
]]>Tue, 01 Jan 2008 08:01:07 GMTfitzcarraldofitzcarraldo Blog1/1/2008 3:01:07 AMA compelling life. And I wouldn&#39;t want to shortchange the film as a simple narrative of a manic-depressive musical genius.One comment that struck me most from the film was how Townes said he knew he pretty much had to &quot;blow it all off&quot;...family, friends, even life itself to be absolutely great in music. It does seem that ultimately for Van Zandt the music really was all it was about. I&#39;m not a huge fan of the music, but his passion for it was inspiring. My only difficulty with the film was that it was hard to sync with the hero worship that seems to pervade the film, but then again, this film is for and by those who loved the man. It was especially touching to see the impact he had on his children, who despite his shortcomings seemed to want to do right by those he loved. Definitely a great film for the fans, and the narrative style kept me intrigued despite my complete ignorance of his body of work. http://www.spout.com/blogs/bbennett712/archive/2006/8/29/2763.aspx Post By: bbennett712
Post To: bbennett712 Blog
Post Date: 8/29/2006 12:49:00 PM
Body: While growing up in Texas, I knew who Townes Van Zandt was, but I never really gave him or his work much thought. I knew he had written a lot of songs, but never really cared much who recorded them. That was until I watched this film. For those of you who have never heard of Van Zandt, he's the genius behind hits like "Poncho and Lefty" by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard and "If You Needed Me" by Don Williams and Emmylou Harris. His songs have been recorded by the likes of Mudhoney, Steve Earle, Robert Earl Keen, Lyle Lovett, Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, and many more. So in the grand scheme of things, Van Zandt is a singer/songwriter legend...especially in the great state of Texas. I knew that he died at a fairly young age (early 50s), but I never knew how or why, or more importantly, the obsessive self destructive behavior that he seemed to exhibit from his early 20s on. I suppose his hard living and resulting early death shouldn't have come as much of a surprise considering one of his first songs was titles "Waiting Round to Die". Whatever the case, this documentary takes a hard look at Townes and shows us the good and the often times very bad. There's a ton of interviews with some of Townes' best friends (Guy Clark, Steve Earle, etc) and many of the artists that had hits with his songs. There's also some incredible concert footage and family videos that I've never seen before. In the end, it gave me a much greater appreciation of the man as a songwriter, and made me sad for the hard life that he lived. Even if you're not a fan of folk or country music, you should give Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt a try. I think you'll find yourself searching the extras for more bonus footage much like I did.
]]>Tue, 29 Aug 2006 16:49:00 GMTbbennett712bbennett712 Blog8/29/2006 12:49:00 PMWhile growing up in Texas, I knew who Townes Van Zandt was, but I never really gave him or his work much thought. I knew he had written a lot of songs, but never really cared much who recorded them. That was until I watched this film. For those of you who have never heard of Van Zandt, he's the genius behind hits like "Poncho and Lefty" by Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard and "If You Needed Me" by Don Williams and Emmylou Harris. His songs have been recorded by the likes of Mudhoney, Steve Earle, Robert Earl Keen, Lyle Lovett, Norah Jones, Bob Dylan, and many more. So in the grand scheme of things, Van Zandt is a singer/songwriter legend...especially in the great state of Texas. I knew that he died at a fairly young age (early 50s), but I never knew how or why, or more importantly, the obsessive self destructive behavior that he seemed to exhibit from his early 20s on. I suppose his hard living and resulting early death shouldn't have come as much of a surprise considering one of his first songs was titles "Waiting Round to Die". Whatever the case, this documentary takes a hard look at Townes and shows us the good and the often times very bad. There's a ton of interviews with some of Townes' best friends (Guy Clark, Steve Earle, etc) and many of the artists that had hits with his songs. There's also some incredible concert footage and family videos that I've never seen before. In the end, it gave me a much greater appreciation of the man as a songwriter, and made me sad for the hard life that he lived. Even if you're not a fan of folk or country music, you should give Be Here to Love Me: A Film About Townes Van Zandt a try. I think you'll find yourself searching the extras for more bonus footage much like I did. http://www.spout.com/members/0/tags/legend/MemberTagFilms.aspxlegend
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