Bill Hicks Biopic (Linklater to Direct)

Bill Hicks is my #2 person, so I really, really hope this isn't screwed up. I knew someone had to eventually do this, and I guess Linklater is probably the best choice around. Even if it isn't great, I hope people would revert to actual video (and especially audio shows)... Nothing worse than I hate when someone I don't know talks about Jim Morrison or The Doors inaccurately, and even referencing the awful Oliver Stone movie.


https://variety.com/2018/film/news/r...us-1202992649/


Richard Linklater will write and direct an untitled film based on the life of comedian Bill Hicks for Focus Features.
Hicks was raised as a Southern Baptist and began performing comedy in the late 1970s in Texas. He toured extensively during the 1980s, specializing in dark humor and social commentary. A typical joke: “I never got along with my dad. Kids used to come up to me and say, ‘My dad can beat up your dad.’ I’d say ‘Yeah? When?'”
Hicks died of pancreatic cancer in 1994 at the age of 32. Linklater has said publicly that he regretted that he was not able to work with Hicks, who was a fan of Linklater’s Texas-based coming-of-age movie “Dazed and Confused.”

I just feel that Bill Hicks may not be that compelling of a person to make a movie about. I mean he didn't do anything historically important or significant such as Lawrence of Arabia, Oscar Schindler, Malcolm X, Ghandi, etc.

So I am not sure what they can do to make a whole epic out of him, unless I am wrong?

If they could make a successful movie about Lenny Bruce, then Bill Hicks is possible, who I think is actually funny and profound. I found Bruce to be neither, and mythologized for the wrong reasons (death, cursing). I know many of Bill's fans like him for his crassness, but I love when he improvises, especially on the bad quality audio when he felt more at ease to be free.
They've made a handful of documentaries on him, and he has a large cult audience. Mort Sahl is more important (better, too), and single-handedly revolutionized comedy, but he doesn't get attention because he didn't curse - not enough gossip I guess, but quite the life, and irony considering JFK..

Different historical figures are significant for different reasons to different people. Who is to say what that is? I know for people that appreciate and study the history of standup, Hicks is VERY important and revered. I mean, the dude is on a Tool album.


Movies are shot to make money. That is always the primary reason short of self-financed movies you will never get to see (Thunder Road). Somebody is taking a gamble on the subject but Linklater's history speaks well for this.


I always think ironpony is an alt-account, but I just can't figure out who.

You're wrong, and usually are.

Bill Hicks was a great comedian that helped usher in spirituality mixed with some Kinison sound bytes and an always nasty and mean spirited live act. This unique combination is what makes a comedian like Hicks stand out from run of the mill comedians who pick a side and stay there.

They should have made a movie about him already. There have been documentaries, but no biopics. Glad this is happening.

And ironpony...you entire reason for being on this site is to stir controversy...but my issue with that is that your pot stirring is dull and unnecessary. I'd like to make a post about you as a user, but I won't. But it would be in your "style" if I did.

Ah, leave him alone. Ironpony only ever gives the impression that he wants to understand and know more about whatever films and topics he addresses - at least he's willing to entertain the notion that he could be wrong about something, which people seem to want to use as a reason to complain about him not being as immediately enlightened as they supposedly are.

As for the topic - ten years ago this would've immediately become my most hotly anticipated film (one of my favourite filmmakers making a biopic about my favourite comedian) but a lot can change in ten years. I'll still turn out for anything Linklater makes, but I've long since gone cold on Hicks. I still hold out some hope that this might be something more a bit more complex and in-depth than the average Great Man biopic, but I'm not overly optimistic.

__________________
Iro's Top 100 Movies v3.0

meh see

This would have been the best news ever in high school lol.

__________________
Letterboxd | ReverseShot | SlantMagazine

I must admit I don't get the "willing to understand" from the stuff I'v read recently.

Yep I have to admit I was going to post something quite similar, this to me feels like the kind of film that would have been much better made in the early 00's when Hick's work was still fairly fresh and his influence at its peak.

I still find Hicks enjoyable enough but I admit relative to someone like say Stewart Lee today he comes across as rather simplistic and a bit too focused on rabble rousing pothead wisdom.

I've never heard of him before this thread.

I don't believe art has to be ageless to be good. Hicks brand may be weathered by today's expectations and exposure but that doesn't mean it's not good anymore, or interesting, or worthy of some attention in film. I think people who are still fans should be glad someone is putting forth the effort.

And I don't get the Stewart Lee comparison at all. Lee is completely subdued and pacey..Hicks was out of control. Makes zero sense to me why anyone would even drop that name, Stewart Lee, even if some of the themes are the same which they aren't.

Yeah well, I don't get the impression that his sole purpose for joining this site is to "stir controversy" either.

I think it's more a matter of how differently his material plays in various eras e.g. how he had a resurgence during the Bush II administration due to his jokes about Bush I still holding up versus how nowadays his bits about "the puppet on the left or the puppet on the right" and whatever else make him sound like yet another useless centre-right libertarian and only give further credence to the conspiracy theory that he faked his death to become Alex Jones.

You don't "get" that his sole purpose is to stir the pot (even if it leads to discussion and elaboration on topics - by willing members who shed light instead of complete concede) when every single solitary thread he makes questions popular opinion? OK, Iro. I think you just like to debate, that's what I think. I think the sun doesn't rise or set unless you've had a chance to be a keyboard intellect on the internet. Good on ya!

Bill Hicks is great with or without your seal of approval, thankfully.

And his material will always "play" in a certain "era" because his material is often focused around government corruption and that knows no "era". It's always there. It's a common relevance yesterday and especially today, as it always will be until...

Iron Pony is cool in my book. Yes, he makes lots of threads that might seem like he's stirring the pot, BUT he never takes a trollish negative attitude. I believe he's genuine in his desire to know things. He reminds me of the way Data in Star Trek The Next Generation approached the world he lived in. That's a compliment btw.

As opposed to all the threads he makes that are about how he doesn't understand a plot point in a certain movie or ask "what do you think of this movie"? Dude's got a range - not sure I can say the same thing about you.

The example I cited comes across as smug both-sides-are-equal complacency in the face of such corruption, which really doesn't play so well when one side outdoes the another by a staggering margin nowadays - seems like most of his government corruption material was about the JFK assassination anyway.

I don't think we're hearing the same Bill Hicks material but whatever.

I also think it's the universality... There was nothing more interesting when he'd ask members of the audience questions, and begin conversations. How humans deal with each other, men and women, authority, art.

That’s true. I even get kneeled over with laughing when he goes on tirades about belly aching entitled audience members (i cant reference on this site). Or when he does his satan impression with Dick Clark and goat boy. Be has a lot of material for his brief run.

I do not understand America!
Hot and sticky

If he’d lived longer he would have a field day with social media warriors I’m willing to bet.