The story of Brian Wilson and his magnum opus Smile is one
of the more compelling tales of how ego, insecurity and drugs can swiftly undermine
the creative process, especially when it’s caught in the mire of a commercial
tidal wave. For years, Beach Boys/Brian Wilson fans agonized and lamented over
the unfinished nature of Smile, originally slated for a January 1967 release,
six months before the Beatles’ Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts
Club Band changed the world. Unfortunately, the record was permanently
sidelined in the wake of internal friction with certain members of the Beach
Boys (Mike Love reportedly hated it because it strayed from the “formula”),
as well as Wilson’s own personal demons and insecurities. Whether it’s
a musical comedy or an ode to the elements, Smile has always
been the culmination of Brain Wilson’s genius. Its resurrection in 2003
is testament to the shelf life of a missing masterpiece shrouded in mystery
for over 37 years.
To keep the legacy alive, Rhino has, in their usual manner, done a splendid
job at assembling these two comprehensive DVDs to match the artistry and mystique
of Smile. Disc One features the extensive and well-researched
documentary “Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson And The Story of SMILE.”
With this film, we get a glimpse into Wilson’s beginnings — his ambitions
as a ball player giving way to becoming a musician; his troubled relationship
with his father Murray “I’m A Genius Too” Wilson; his experimentation
with various illicit substances; his mastery and presence in the recording studio;
and his collaboration with a young wordsmith named Van Dyke Parks on the original
Smile.
Wilson appears throughout the film. He is candid and forthcoming, especially
when it comes to his father and the reasons Smile wasn’t released. “Mike
didn’t like it,” he says emphatically. In the end, even Sir George
Martin, among the many luminaries interviewed, advises against listening to
frightened band members. Fast forward almost four decades later and Wilson is
back at it, finishing Smile and preparing to record and play it in its entirety
live. For a man whose past general reticence figures into a funk, this is miraculous
comeback for Brain Wilson. Thankfully, the story of Smile has
a happy ending.
Disc Two features a resounding live performance of Smile filmed
in Los Angeles. Wilson’s young and capable band delivers the piece with
top-notch precision and execution. The arrangements and performances are virtually
flawless on every count. The tear-tugging harmonies of “Prayer” slide
seamlessly into the multi-layered, molecular structure of “Heroes and Villains.’
In between dashes of pure pop brilliance, the animal noises of “Barnyard”
and breaking celery sticks of “Vega-tables” are downright contagious.
Wilson and company spruce up the “columnated ruins domino” of “Surf’s
Up” with the proper touches. Then there’s “Mrs. O’Leary’s Cow”
with its eerie refrain that apparently gave Wilson the willies back in the 60s.
Now, it makes for a climatic portion of the entire piece. As it has done so
many times in the past for the Beach Boys, “Good Vibrations” serves
as a fitting finale.
Both discs are crammed full with bonus features almost as captivating as the
main features. There are a few clips from the stellar first live performance
of Smile at the Royal Festival Hall in London in February 2004.
Then it’s on to the exclusive aftershow party where Wilson holds court
with the likes of Roger Daltrey and Sir Paul McCartney. Elsewhere, there are
extensive interviews with Wilson, mostly with Van Dyke Parks; Wilson jamming
on several Smile tunes with bassist Carol Kaye; Wilson working
in the studio, rehearsing and recording the 2004 album Smile; and fan Justin
Cole’s homemade video for “Heroes & Villains,” which sort
of loses its claymation appeal after a couple of minutes, but as a whole is
a wildly ambitious undertaking.
As this DVD set so perfectly illustrates — Smile, a slice
of melodic heaven Brian Wilson once deemed his “Teenage Symphony to God,”
is finally gaining recognition tantamount to other great albums of the rock
era and beyond. It was worth the wait.
~ Shawn Perry
