Could Sean Penn one day play ’60s political protest singer, Phil Ochs?
From a throwaway line in Rolling Stone he’s interested:
“Penn also expressed interest in finally making a biopic on Phil Ochs, the political folk great who committed suicide in 1976 at age 35.”
Ok, it’s not a lot to go on, but it is interesting, and Penn could easily make it happen and direct and star if he chose to do so, one would imagine.
Ochs came up in the same political folk era that Bob Dylan did, but never turned his back on “topical songs,” the way slippery Zimmerman quickly did. Though Ochs, had a sense of humor. His ironically titled Greatest Hits album of 1970 consisted of all new material.
The two had a friendly rivalry, but when Ochs criticized one of Dylan’s songs, the singer famously threw him out of his limousine, saying, “You’re not a folksinger. You’re a journalist,” according to the book “There But for Fortune: The Life of Phil Ochs.” Ochs was one of the few protest folkies that didn’t decry Dylan when he plugged in and went electric at Newport in 1965.
Ochs battled a number of medical issues including a bipolar disorder and alcoholism, and he took his own life in 1976.
I mean I love Ochs, he’s got some great stuff, and has some interesting anecdotes, but do you think Penn could really pull off a story — let alone, a compelling story — about a relatively obscure musician (in the grand scheme of things) that pack the crowds in?
Well, just because it might fall under the category of a vanity project for Penn doesn’t mean he can’t make a compelling film about Ochs. My guess is that Penn would like nothing more than to give the music of Phil Ochs a much brighter spotlight than it had in his lifetime. Penn’s association alone would assure that would happen, crowds or no crowds. I just hope he doesn’t really think he can personally play the boyish 20-something Ochs. Ugh, shades of Kevin Spacey as Bobby Darin (and Darin looked a hell of a lot older than Ochs ever did.)
I counted myself among the crowds that attended the rallies and concerts that Phil Ochs played and–to this day–I hear his songs and feel his presence in massive public protests (which go unreported in the commercial media.)
Phil Ochs, though best known for his straightahead "journalistic" songs, wrote stirring anthems and sweet, poignant ballads.
He had an uncanny eye for detail even in his most powerful work: "The pilot's playing poker in the cockpit of the plane." He interjected surrealism and existentialism and displayed intelligence and a strong sense of historical context. Where can we find these qualities now?
I would still love to see Sean Penn perform this role. Phil was 36 at his untimely death. To see the smartest, most passionate actor of our time play this compelling role would be thrilling.
When? I can't wait!!! How is it that all these so called activists have Bob Dylan posters on their walls, but have never heard of Phil Ochs. After listening to Phil (whose music is not only more politically motivating, but also more poetic than Bob's) It shadows most of the other music that came out of his era. There's the cops of the world for the politically savvy and Pleasures of the Harbour for the sappy romantic types.