Jimi Hendrix About to Experience a Bio-Pic

I think there's been talk about a Jimi Hendrix movie since I was in high school, if not in the 20 years between Hendrix' death and that point in time. In the last few years, Andre 3000 was linked to some project about the world's most influential left-handed guitarist, but so far nothing has come of it. The reason is, of course, complicated life rights issues inolving the estate of the late rock god, the kind of hurdles that accompany most bio-pics about very public and very marketed figures (Elvis, Sinatra, Marilyn, etc.). Legendary Pictures, the group that helped guide The Dark Knight, The Hangover, and other mega-successes in the last 24 months or so, is taking up the quest for a Hendrix film, though specifics are a little sketchy. We know that Thomas Tull, the Legendary executive who produced the new guitar documentary It Might Get Loud, has selected Max Borenstein to write the script. About what exactly is still out there in the ether. Because he died so young, Hendrix, like many other fallen idols in music, has seen his legacy supported by story after story about his career and life. He played in backup bands for loads of soul legends, he was a paratrooper (though not a very good one), he redefined the national anthem at Woodstock 40 years ago, and then he choked on his own vomit in September 1970. That was a bad stretch for rock n' roll, a clear dividing line (among several) that separted the music and culture of the 60s and 70s. Janis Joplin died about three weeks later. You'd have to think they'd want to pick up some of the pre-music career, maybe roll in an Army story or two, dive headlong into the 1960s and end with the somewhat mysterious circumstances surrounding his death. Again, the specific rights still have to be ironed out, and there's no telling what the estate will restrict and what they'll endorse. I wonder if they'll go the song title route to name this, picking something in a Purple Haze perhaps. I would think Hendrix is all you'd need to say, though.

Comments

[Ummm]

There was a movie about Jimi starring Wood Harris a little while back, it was horrible. I hope the do the man justice with this movie.

[Lengthy Johnson]

The film is basically already there. All they have to do is find a really charismatic actor ... and not blow it.

[Logan M]

I could see andre 3000 as Hendrix. And they should call the movie "Voodoo Child"