Nov 12 2008Jerry Garcia Biopic Coming (in a Foul-Smelling Van)

Producers of Little Miss Sunshine, Election, and Hamlet 2 are teaming up to bring to screens a film about the early life of Grateful Dead frontman Jerry Garcia. Here's what the Hollywood Reporter says:

The untitled project will focus primarily on Garcia's early life in the Bay Area before he joined the band that would become the Grateful Dead -- a period that includes a stint in the military, a life-changing car accident and his first creative encounters with members of the Northern California music scene including future Dead bassist Phil Lesh.

Producers have acquired rights to Robert Greenfield's book "Dark Star," an oral history of Garcia from dozens of people who knew him, including musicians, relatives and artist friends like Ken Kesey. Music rights also are being negotiated, though given that the period in Garcia's life that's covered is pre-Dead, producers could avoid some of the trickier negotiations.

I really hope they try to cram in some hints at the development of later Grateful Dead songs. Maybe a scene where a woman named Bertha upsets Garcia to the point that he asks she stops coming around. Or someone reminding him that every silver lining's got a touch of grey. Or some literal truckin'. The inclusion of any of those scenes will make me less annoyed when the guy they get to play him is auto-nominated for an Oscar.