Hanks plans movie about 'Red Square Elvis'

[Kellanved]

BERLIN - Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks has unveiled plans in Berlin for a film about Dean Reed, the American folk-rock singer who became a major star in Communist East Germany during the Cold War.

Hanks was in Berlin to promote the German release of "Terminal", which has received mixed reviews and lacklustre box office in the US and Canada.

Asked about the Reed project, which Hanks has been working on for several years, the 48-year-old star confirmed he had bought rights to the late Denver-born singer's life from his family earlier this summer.

"But this will be no black-and-white story of the virtuous West and the evil Empire of Communism," Hanks told reporters.
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http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?subchannel_id=26&story_id=11497&name=Hanks+plans+movie+about+%27Red+Square+Elvis%27+

http://www.expatica.com/source/site_article.asp?channel_id=2&story_id=9913">Story about Dean Reed

[Lydia Leftcoast]

1. A note about Dean Reed

I had friends who studied in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe during the Cold War era, and they all reported that students there were surprised that the Americans had never heard of Dean Reed.

After several years of hearing these stories, I happened to tune in to an old 1950s sitcom called "Bachelor Father," (a middle-aged bachelor--John Forsythe of Charlie's Angels fame-- adopts his orphaned teenage niece) which was running on some low-budget channel, and it ended with a musical number about baton twirlers. (Baton twirling was a Big Deal in the 1950s). in the background was a guitar-playing singer who sounded like a raucous Gordon Lightfoot.

When I watched the credits, to find out who one of the familiar-looking young actors was, I learned that the singer was none other than a pre-emigration Dean Reed.

[yorgatron]

2. screw that.these guys are the real deal!

http://www.redelvises.com/