Big City Dick: Richard Peterson's First Movie (2004)

This is a captivating journey into the world of a savant street musician and his lifelong struggle to become a successful recording artist, and to be loved. He is a street trumpeter and ... See full summary »

Directors:

Kenny Harder (as Ken Harder), Scott Milam

Stars:

Peter Barnes, Jeff Bridges, Pat Cashman

1 win.

Cast

Credited cast:
Peter Barnes	...	Himself
Jeff Bridges	...	Himself
Pat Cashman	...	Himself
Gary Crow	...	Himself
Dean DeLeo	...	Himself
Robin Erickson	...	Herself
John Keister	...	Himself
Johnny Mathis	...	Himself
John Maynard	...	Himself
Scott McCaughey	...	Himself
Muriel Peterson	...	Herself
Richard Peterson	...	Himself
Mike Rhodes	...	Himself
Matt Riedy	...	Himself
Ken Schram	...	Himself

Storyline

This is a captivating journey into the world of a savant street musician and his lifelong struggle to become a successful recording artist, and to be loved. He is a street trumpeter and part-time guest on a local rock radio station. Richard Peterson fills his world with obsessions, like "Sea Hunt" (and the "Son of Sea Hunt," Jeff Bridges), the "The Golden Age of Television" production music (which inspires four albums/CDs produced with help from the Seattle music scene), stalking local TV celebrities, and a fanatical interest in Johnny Mathis. The unique relationship between Richard and Mathis is the catalyst for one of Richard's most remarkable compositions, "Love on the Golf Course". Between street gigs and a stint as a piano player in a grunge club, mega-band " The Stone Temple Pilots" discovers Richard's music. Richard's moment in the spotlight is short-lived when he is confronted by the human cost of obsessions, revealing the dark family secret he has lived with his entire life.

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Plot Keywords:

autism | mental disorder | savant | punctuation in title | apostrophe in title | 

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Genres:

Documentary

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Details

Official Sites:

New Ziv Pictures

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

20 January 2004 (USA)

Filming Locations:

Seattle, Washington, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

New Ziv Pictures

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Connections

Features Sea Hunt (1958)

User Reviews

Richard Peterson: An Answer to a Question Never Asked

Having read the snot-nosed, feeble opinions of "littlesiddie," I have no choice but to defend RP and this film. I have worked with Richard for years, most notably as a contributor to his most recent CD release "The William Loose Songbook." Richard is a true original; he and his music are unlike anything you will have encountered before, and this film captures his essence and spirit perfectly. It is no mere coincidence that so many music icons (Michael Stipe, Scott McCaughey, etc.) are fascinated with this man. It's true that Richard can be something of a narcissist, even a prima donna, at times, but his music and his contribution to the civic character of Seattle are immensely valuable. I suppose that for someone who lives in a cultural backwater like Cambridge, MA, the only tenable reaction to Richard's at-times-intimidating screen presence is to declare it "boring." But RP, his music, his performances, and this film will all stand the test of time.