Harry here... Johhny Cash is dead. That just plum sucks. I'm sorry, being elegant and poetic just ain't what I'm feeling right now. I'm pissed. Pissed because I loved Johnny Cash and was always curious what he was gonna throw our way next.
Personally, I was first introduced to Johnny through THE MUPPET SHOW, which... I think is how I came to be familiar with everything in life. Then came the radio. That crackling voice of his seemingly alone in an abyss describing the gulf between heaven and hell, the blacky pit in the soul of a man and the solitary sense of self-worth behind bars. Johnny Cash's words are hauntingly immortal. I never had a chance to see him perform live, so for me... Johnny was always this voice sweating through the speakers at me.
In the past 10 years or so, I've discovered his film work. Mostly, it was contributions to soundtracks, but he also did his time in front of the cameras. I've always been partial to THE GUNFIGHT with Kirk Douglas and him playing down & out gunfighters trying to pull one last scam, but pride makes it real. Is it a great film? Not really... well... it is a helluva good film. One that's cool if for no other reason than you're watching Kirk Douglas and Johnny Cash in a bullfight ring before a screaming audience of Mexicans rooting for the death of one or both of these crazy gringos... And yeah... That rules. It's available on video, if you're a fan of Cash or Douglas... it's worth a look.
The jewel of Johnny Cash's film career for me is an incredibly tough film to find called DOOR TO DOOR KILLER, from 1961. Sometimes known as DOOR-TO-DOOR MANIAC, FIVE MINUTES TO LIVE & LAST BLOOD. It is his first dramatic feature film, produced by those crazy wonderful bastards at A.I.P. American International Pictures! I saw this on cable one night and it stuck... I'd kill to have a print of this in 16mm. Johnny Cash plays this desperately evil and loathsome thug serial killer type that is taking a family hostage to force a bank exec to hand over the money. In a way... the film reminds me of Frank Sinatra's fantastic turn as a would-be Presidential Assassin in SUDDENLY, but Cash... Well, I love Sinatra, but when you see Cash in this film... He has the eyes of a killer, someone that would do it. The hostage route just doesn't work out as planned, cuz the husband could give a shit about his wife, so Johnny just starts going down the street door to door... Heh... You'll see. He's surrounded by actors in this thing that just are blown away by his very Tarantino like dialogue... I'm convinced he was improv-ing on set. Ron Howard tries to be a hero in this sucker, but... well there's no need to do any spoilers. IF... by hook or by crook you can find a video of this sucker - it is out of print - then grab it. This is Johnny Cash... badass on screen.
Most of his film work was made up of playing sets in larger musical fares. Stuff like HOOTENANNY HOOT or THE ROAD TO NASHVILLE or even the big one... JOHNNY CASH! THE MAN, HIS WORLD, HIS MUSIC... which is one big jewel of a movie. I'd love to see this film remastered and re-released! Just big gobs of great music! Actually - it is a pretty terrible documentary... I still dream of someone doing a great Johnny Cash musical documentary, I'm sure there is one, I've just never seen it.
Earlier this year, I brought William Friedkin down to Austin to do a Q&A at the Alamo Drafthouse regarding his new film THE HUNTED, which Johnny Cash served as the narrator for, plus featured Johnny Cash doing "THE MAN COMES AROUND" along with Dylan's "HIGHWAY 61 REVISITED". When asked how he got Johnny Cash to do it, apparently Billy visited with Johnny at his house, talked about it for awhile, then Johnny took Billy out back to this little garage studio thing, sat down... Recorded the tracks, handed them to Billy. You should've seen Friedkin geeking out about it. I mean, unbridled enthusiasm. In a way, I get the idea that he made THE HUNTED, so he could sit in a room and listen to Johnny Cash record a song... for him. Cuz as he described the sensation of having that private audience/recording session with Johnny Cash in his home... there was such a sense of "GOSH GEE WHIZ" coming from Billy that you couldn't help but giggle and be jealous as hell.
Johnny Cash is a legend... the man may be gone, but his legend will always live on. Here's a bit of Johnny to end this... one of my faves...
Well they're building a gallows outside my cell I've got 25 minutes to go
And the whole town's waitin' just to hear me yell I've got 24 minutes to go
Well they gave me some beans for my last meal I've got 23 minutes to go
But nobody asked me how I feel I've got 22 minutes to go
Well I sent for the governor and the whole dern bunch with 21 minutes to go
And I sent for the mayor but he's out to lunch I've got 20 more minutes to go
Then the sheriff said boy I gonna watch you die got 19 minutes to go
So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye got 18 minutes to go
Now hear comes the preacher for to save my soul with 13 minutes to go
And he's talking bout' burnin' but I'm so cold I've 12 more minutes to go
Now they're testin' the trap and it chills my spine 11 more minutes to go
And the trap and the rope aw they work just fine got 10 more minutes to go
Well I'm waitin' on the pardon that'll set me free with 9 more minutes to go
But this is for real so forget about me got 8 more minutes to go
With my feet on the trap and my head on the noose got 5 more minutes to go
Won't somebody come and cut me loose with 4 more minutes to go
I can see the mountains I can see the skies with 3 more minutes to go
And it's to dern pretty for a man that don't wanna die 2 more minutes to go
I can see the buzzards I can hear the crows 1 more minute to go
And now I'm swingin' and here I go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!
