Hoping to recreate the phenomenal success he enjoyed when playing a man with limited intelligence who manages to overcome his disability by, well, staying that way, Tom Hanks has come to Berlin to film another story about another intellectually limited guy. Only this time it’s going to be the Dean Read story and will probably be even more poignant because “Red Elvis” himself never actually overcame his disability. By staying that way, I mean.
Hanks has begun filming his long-awaited-by-somebody-other-than-me film about Reed here in Berlin, set to be titled “Comrad Rockstar”. The otherwise so fortunate Hollywood star, during what must have been a really weak moment when he still thought he was Forest Gump or something, unfortunately bought the rights to Reed’s story from his widow who, understandably claiming to need of a little cash after having had such a deadbeat husband like that, pulled the wool over his Oscar-winning eyes. And now, clearly having nothing better to do at the moment, Hanks is actually going to try and make an interesting film about the whole sordid, psycho matter, or story, if you prefer.
Reed, as all of you know (not), was born in Denver and, figuring he had gone west enough, went east instead. He voluntarily moved to the GDR in the middle of the Cold War, in other words. You know, to work for world peace and international B or maybe even C (for communist) movie fame? Like I said; limited intelligence.
But who knows? If Hollywood was able to make successful films with the real Elvis acting in them (okay, relatively successful) who says they can’t pull it off with his communist clone? I do, for one. But maybe that’s just me.
Come visit me at Observing Hermann…