1 post tagged “june carter”
It is Johnny Cash madness again!
Thanks to Lai Chow, finally I got some (or rather a whole load) Johnny Cash songs, especially...
Jackson by Johnny Cash and June Carter: I've been in love with this song ever since I watched Walk the Line with the MI buddies. This is the original song, but you have to check out the rendition by Joaquin Phoenix and Reese Witherspoon.
I heart their voices (like how bees love honey... okay, lame). Somehow I prefer Witherspoon's buttery voice to Carter's rough one, but Phoenix absolutely pulled off an almost-perfect rendition of Cash. I am on a look-out for the soundtrack (waiting for the price to drop). LOL. I saw it previously in HMV, maybe it is about time to purchase it.
The movie is another story though. Personally, I enjoyed it (though almost the rest of the class was dozing off in the theatre which, other than us 16 young ones, was filled with old couples). There were some moments when I slipped into a state of half-alseep, but I recovered when another song started playing. So you can very well say, the movie felt like a dream, because most of the time I was watching unconsciously (I'm not sure whether this is good or bad). However, I've to say the songs save the movie. I mean, Cash's story is pretty cliche (all bad things befall on you to bring you happiness): losing brother at a young age thus slip into depression, singer becomes drug addict, meets a girl and girl changes his life. Of course, there's also the prison performance scene, but that's not really part of the plot.
Other than the songs, one other thing (or person) saves the movie: Joaquin Phoenix, who else! Oh my Joaquin Phoenix - he defines manly charisma plus mysterious aura. He looks like someone with a dark past, soaked in enigma, and provoking you to uncover his secret bit by bit... All right, enough of our dear Joaquin Phoenix. Witherspoon did a good job too - that attitude and screaming and violence (reminds me of the scene when she throws a glass bottle towards the stage where the band was drinking and getting high. She totally woke the shit out of their drunk state. In that scene, Phoenix's reaction spoke a thousand words but a few words stood out to string a sentence: "Girl power can be scary sometimes." Reese Witherspoon can be fierce.
Since I watched Walk the Line without any form of Johnny Cash or June Carter knowledge, I can't judge whether the movie or casts portrayed them with justice. But, according to A. O. Scott's review from The New York Times, they didn't. However, I've to disagree his point that Phoenix did not do justice to Cash's vocal (I think he did fairly well than expected!):
"Even though his singing voice doesn't match the original - how could it? - he is most convincing in concert, when his shoulders tighten and he cocks his head to one side. Otherwise, he seems stuck in the kind of off-the-rack psychological straitjacket in which Hollywood likes to confine troubled geniuses."
What's with the last line?
Oh well, I know you know we know that Joaquin Phoenix sings well, so let's just live in that state of ... state of denial? Oh whatever.
Watch Walk the Line if you are a HUGE fan of Johnny Cash or... history is your favourite subject in school.
