We’ve all heard of Motley Crue’s long-gestating adaptation of their rock biopic, “The Dirt,” right? We’d mentioned some of the casting rumors that had floated around a couple years ago just recently.
The project has been in limbo for a few years now and a long while ago, Val Kilmer’s name had come up to play Van Halen’s David Lee Roth (and Christopher Walken as Ozzy Osbourne). Well, it was basically just a rumor and Kilmer just told MTV, hearsay or not, he’s too old to play the part anyhow.
“It won’t die!” Kilmer told MTV of the rumor. “I don’t know how that started. [He puts his hands on his head.] Why?!? Nothing against the greatness of the mighty Roth but … plus I’m way too old. They need a gymnast to play that. You need a guy with funny hair.”
Well, that’s that. In other sort-of rock related news, Kilmer said it was hipster New Yorker Sean Lennon who had a great idea for a sequel to the 1985 comedy classic “Real Genius” which Val totally loved (note: “Real Genius” is amazing). “Sean Lennon loved that film when he was a boy. He had a great idea for a sequel. I told [famed producer] Brian Grazer. It’s pretty good. Now [Chris] is a teacher because those who can’t do, teach. And the whole story revolves around a student that’s a fan. A girl’s got a crush on him, and they set up to destroy him, like the faculty [did] when he was a student.”
We’re not sure a sequel some 25 years later is a good idea, but busting out ‘RG’ for another screening is never a bad idea.
I love this scene. The song is “Number One” by Chas Jankel. Nostalgia is a deadly weapon, we’ve always felt that way and there are a superfluity of bad ’80s movies that people take up the painfully misguided cause for in the name of reminiscence, but this is not one of them.