Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile

Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile is a 2004 documentary film directed by David Leaf about American musician Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys' unfinished Smile album, and the making of Wilson's Brian Wilson Presents Smile. Besides featuring interviews from Wilson himself, the film includes contributions by Elvis Costello, Burt Bacharach, Paul McCartney, and Roger Daltrey. The title takes its name from the 19th century Stephen Foster song "Beautiful Dreamer"; its opening lyrics begin with the phrase "beautiful dreamer wake", the same initials as the documentary's subject, Brian Douglas Wilson, who references this coincidence in the film.

Contents

• Summary
• Release
• References

Summary

The film is divided in three segments: a history of the Beach Boys' original Smile album, its rebirth as the Brian Wilson solo album Brian Wilson Presents Smile, and the album's 2004 live performances.

Release

It originally premiered on the network Showtime before being bundled as an extra on the DVD for the 2005 concert film Brian Wilson Presents Smile.