David Farnor | On 03, Apr 2017

Amazon is planning a Grateful Dead TV series to go with its Grateful Dead documentary.

The four-hour movie, directed by Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive produced by Martin Scorsese (Silence), probes the creative forces, subversive ambitions, and interpersonal dynamics that drove the band in their 30-year quest for moments of collective inspiration. By inventing a unique fusion of folk, jazz, R&B, avant-garde experimentation, world music and rock and roll, they earned the devotion of a committed fan base.

The film premiered at Sundance this year, with Amazon promptly swooping to snap up the streaming rights.

“The story of The Grateful Dead is that of music and culture of the 20th Century,” said Joe Lewis, Amazon’s Head of Comedy and Drama, at the time. “Told with vast scope and an unprecedented cast of real life characters, Amir has taken advantage of this larger than life canvas to make an era-defining musical portrait that we can’t wait to bring to audiences everywhere.”

Bar-Lev assembled candid interviews with the band, road crew, family members, and notable Deadheads, as well as unguarded moments offstage plus never before seen footage and photos for the film. The result will be released in six parts on Amazon Prime Video in the UK and US on 26th May.

Not content with four hours of Bob Weir and co., though, Amazon is also developing the film into an even longer series.

Deadline reports that Straight Outta Compton writer Jonathan Herman has signed on to pen a biographical TV series, based on Home Before Daylight: My Life On The Road With The Grateful Dead, a memoir by Grateful Dead roadie Steve Parish.

There is certainly many years for the show could cover, from the band’s ride during the 1960s San Fran counter-culture movement to their non-stop touring for three decades, even after the passing of frontman Jerry Garcia in 1995. It also has the blessing of the band itself, with Weir exec producing the project alongside Parish. Bernie Cahill and ROAR will also serve as executive producers, with Stephen Emery as a co-EP.

 

Amazon snaps up Sundance’s Grateful Dead doc Long Strange Trip

18th January 2017

Amazon Studios has acquired Long Strange Trip, a four-hour documentary about The Grateful Dead, ahead of its Sundance premiere.

Sundance has become one of the hottest marketplaces for VOD services, keen to buy the next big indie hit. Last year, Amazon bought Manchester by the Sea, which has since gone on to be nominated for both BAFTAs and Golden Globes and is likely to be a frontrunner at the Oscars. This year, the online giant has hit the Utah ground running, snapping up its first acquisition before the festival has even started. From director Amir Bar-Lev (The Tillman Story) and executive producer Martin Scorsese (Silence), the film probes the creative forces, subversive ambitions, and interpersonal dynamics that drove the Grateful Dead in their 30-year quest for moments of collective inspiration. By inventing a unique fusion of folk, jazz, R&B, avant-garde experimentation, world music and rock and roll, they earned the devotion of a committed fan base.

The movie will have its world premiere at the indie festival this month, with band members Bob Weir, Bill Kreutzmann, and Mickey Hart, as well as Trixie Garcia, in attendance. It is produced by Eric Eisner (Hamlet 2), Nick Koskoff (Bad Hurt), and Alex Blavatnik (For the Love of Spock), who also financed the project. Additional producers include Ken Dornstein (My Brother’s Bomber) and Justin Kreutzmann (The Who: Fragments). Alongside Scorsese are Exec Producers Emma Tillinger Koskoff (Silence), Rick Yorn (Wolf of Wall Street), Andrew Heller, Sanford Heller, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzmann, Thomas J. Mangan IV (Somewhere Tonight), and Alicia Sams (By The People: The Election of Barack Obama).

“I first reached out to the Grateful Dead about this film back in 2003,” says Bar-Lev. “Since then, everyone who has come aboard has treated this project with a renegade spirit of cooperation and ingenuity worthy of the subject matter. I recognised immediately that Amazon was the perfect distributor when I met their team, and I can’t wait to see how many brains they can infect with the Dead’s contagious brand of anti-establishment fun.”

“I’ve always admired the spirit and creativity of The Grateful Dead,” adds Scorsese. “They are revolutionary artists who forever changed the world of touring and recording live music. They were a cultural force—a lifestyle, that continue to influence new generations of fans. This film will entertain and educate audiences about one of the most innovative and groundbreaking American bands of the 20th century.”

“The story of The Grateful Dead is that of music and culture of the 20th Century,” comments Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy and Drama, Amazon Studios. “Told with vast scope and an unprecedented cast of real life characters, Amir has taken advantage of this larger than life canvas to make an era-defining musical portrait that we can’t wait to bring to audiences everywhere.”

The first full-length documentary to explore the band, dierctor Bar-Lev assembles candid interviews with the band, road crew, family members, and notable Deadheads, as well as unguarded moments offstage plus never before seen footage and photos.

The film will be released in six parts on Amazon Prime Video in the UK and US, as part of a deal handled by WME Global. All six parts will premiere on Amazon on 26th May.

From YouTube and Amazon to Netflix, keep up to date with the latest VOD acquisitions at Sundance here.

Photo: Sundance

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