Why no Hollywood movies on J.S. Bach?

[orlandopiano]

There've been major motion pictures on Beethoven, Mozart and Chopin but I cannot recall anything on Bach, arguably the most influential composer of all time. I know of a couple very old OOP titles, and various shorts/documentaries, but no major studio releases.

Was his life not interesting enough (by composer standards)?  I would love a new film on JSB.

[brewtality]

Was his life not interesting enough (by composer standards)?  I would love a new film on JSB.

I'd imagine so, at least for Hollywood. Still perhaps it is for the best, I don't think the composer movies have fared as well as pianist movies.

[alwaystheangel]

that's an easy answer:

  He wrote music and made babies until his wife was so worn out she died so he married another woman who had too many babies that she wore out and died...

[musik_man]

that's an easy answer:

  He wrote music and made babies until his wife was so worn out she died so he married another woman who had too many babies that she wore out and died...

All the making babies should be perfect Hollywood material.

[alwaystheangel]

All the making babies should be perfect Hollywood material.

                                                        touché   

[prometheus]

It would have to be totally fictional since very little is known about the life of Bach.

Furtermore, I guess that that what we know does not really appeal to people.

Hollywood movies are no good anyway, why bother?

[jakev2.0]

OK. Bach is the coolest composer of all time. I would love to see a movie about him. He is a complete and utter pimp.

This one time, Bach was playing with some mediocre bassoon player. Bach wasn't having any of that sh*t, and told him his playing was crap or something along thos lines. When Bach left, the bassoon player came after him really angry. They both drew sabres, but it did not come to blows. Why? Because Bach is one cool m*tha*fuc*kaaahh...

Anyway, Bach is amazing. Complete genius. Enjoyed his women. Didn't play by the rules. A perfect role model. 

I think he should be played by Nicholas Cage.

[franz_]

Because they would never find 29 actors to play just his kids.

[jakev2.0]

Two words: Marlon. Wayans.

[mephisto]

Hollywood movies are no good anyway, why bother?

Many are good, but many many many more are terrible(still it is fun action).

The Insider for instance is legendary.

Bach is probably the greatest composer of all time, but I don`t think a Hollywood film would suite him, maybe an Italian of German film.

[mikey6]

One of the composers at uni said (and I agree with him) that if they made a movie about a composer, it would be a man sitting at a desk writing for 2 hours.  Which I why Amadeus is good, they had to make up some BS with Salieri to have a good story.

[prometheus]

Wasn't the Amadeus script originally totally fiction, not based on Mozart at all? But then they decided to rewrite it, turning the protagonist into Mozart because the script was so awful? Then, because the movie was about Mozart, a good script was no longer needed.

[pianojems]

There are a few non-hollywood movies about Bach. One of them is from the "Composer Specials"

[thalbergmad]

I think he should be played by Nicholas Cage.

I think Arnold Schwarzanegger was going to play him once.

I'll be Bach.

Thal

[prometheus]

Many are good, but many many many more are terrible(still it is fun action).

Ok, I will take this back. There are many movies that aren't Hollywood-esque but that are still made in Hollywood, or have something to do with it, regardless of if they are good or bad. Of course I guess that even big Hollywood movies don't necessarily have to be bad, though they often are.


I guess my main point is that no one can actually want a Hollywood-style movie about the life of J.S.Bach.

[bernhard]

I have read a most excellent book on Bach, that would make the perfect movie about him:

James Gaynes - "Evening at the Palace of Reason - J.,S. Bach meets Frederick the Great on the Age of Enlightenment".

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0007156588/104-6943397-8102357?v=glance&n=283155

So my question is: who would be the perfect director for the movie? And who would you cast as the three main characters (Bach, Frederick and C. P. E. Bach)?

[Feel free to cast the secondary characters as well: Anna Magdalena, Frederick´s Father, etc. ]

Somehow I am not convinced by Nicholas Cage.

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[musik_man]

Bach needs to be played by Owen Wilson or Danny Devito.

[bernhard]

Owen Wilson would definitely make a good young Bach.

Danny De Vito? Nah, I don´t think so. But he would make a great Beethoven (or perhaps Liszt - with a wig).

BW
B

[mephisto]

Vin Diesel

[bernhard]

Vin Diesel

Good one! But will he agree to wear a wig? And can we have a scene where Bach uses sleevless shirts and army boots? Please?

[mephisto]

Good one! But will he agree to wear a wig?

The humiliation

[jas]

Ray Winston! He'd be brilliant. He did a swaggering sexy Londanah Henry VIII, so he could do the same for old JSB. I'd go and see it.

[nanabush]

Two words: Marlon. Wayans.

LOL!