David Fufkin:
July, 2004
Marlon Brando: The
Original Rock 'n Roll Hero
Unless you just returned from a very isolated
vacation, you know that Marlon Brando recently passed away.
Whether Marlon Brando was the first icon of rock 'n roll is
like debating what came first, the chicken or the egg. Rebellion
existed before Brando. There was Rudolph Valentino. There
were so many smolderingly sexual public figures that embodied
a complete rejection of Judeo-Christian moral and legal rules.
Lot of them made music. Many made music in movies. Not until
Brando can it be said that the rebel image die was cast. Brando
tied up the rebel image in a rough, leather and white T-shirt
wearin', snearing and misanthropic way.
The famous lines from The Wild One
sum it all up: "What are you rebelling against, Johnny?"
Brando's famous reply: "Whaddaya got?" nails the
genre of rock 'n roll that followed in two words. The sneer
and the intensity of that cinematic moment, along with the
general angst of James Dean, was acknowledged by Elvis Presley
as the basis of his entire stage and screen persona. The prototypical
loner misunderstood rock 'n roll image began with Brando.
What you have is a direct timeline from Brando to Elvis to
Mick Jagger to Iggy to (insert your favorite sex object rocker
here). We don't cover film on Fufkin, only because
it is just too big a subject to do well unless you really
know what you are talking about. I at least know what I like,
and the passing of Brando to me is a very significant, huge
event in the history of rock 'n roll. We will always have
those perfect Brando moments to watch over and over again,
just like those perfect Elvis, Beatles, Stones and Stooges
moments.
"Whaddaya got?"
Well, I'll keep on asking that question
in your place, Marlon...we all will.
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