It shows how out of it I was in trying to be in it, acknowledging that I was out of it to myself, and then thinking, “Okay, how do I stop being out of it? Well, I get some legitimate illogical narrative ideas” — some novel, you know?
So I decided on three writers that I might be able to option their material and get some producer, or myself as producer, and then get some writer to do a screenplay on it, and maybe make a movie.
And so the three projects were “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep,” “Naked Lunch” and a collection of Bukowski. Which, in 1975, forget it — I mean, that was nuts. Hollywood would not touch any of that, but I was looking for something commercial, and I thought that all of these things were coming.
There would be no Blade Runner if there was no Ray Bradbury. I couldn’t find Philip K. Dick. His agent didn’t even know where he was. And so I gave up.
I was walking down the street and I ran into Bradbury — he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” — and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging — I was with her at that moment — she said, “Talk to him! That guy really wants to talk to you,” and I said “No, fuck him,” and keep walking.
But then I did, and then I realized who it was, and I thought, “Wait, he’s in that realm, maybe he knows Philip K. Dick.” I said, “You know a guy named—” “Yeah, sure — you want his phone number?”
My friend paid my rent for a year while I wrote, because it turned out we couldn’t get a writer. My friends kept on me about, well, if you can’t get a writer, then you write.”
~ Hampton Fancher
“That was the most disappointing thing to me in how this thing was played. Is that I’m on the phone with you now, after all that’s been said, and the fundamental distinction between what James is dealing with in these other cases is not actually brought to the fore. The fundamental difference is that James Franco didn’t seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. There’s not a case of that. He wasn’t using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had — if that were what the accusation involved — the show would not have gone on. We would have folded up shop and we would have not completed the show. Because then it would have been the same as Harvey Weinstein, or Les Moonves, or any of these cases that are fundamental to this new paradigm. Did you not notice that? Why did you not notice that? Is that not something notable to say, journalistically? Because nobody could find the voice to say it. I’m not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, “You know, it’s not this, it’s that”? Because — let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, that’s what it lacked. That’s what they were not able to deliver. The one example in the five that involved an issue of a sexual act was between James and a woman he was dating, who he was not working with. There was no professional dynamic in any capacity.
~ David Simon
for all the companies that hired the out of work stormtroopers are crapped out of luck this week
Someone gets paid for trying to add these totals up and figuring this out? Now thats what I call unproductive.
This story ran in ’99 and ’02, too. Look for it again this July: “Empty classrooms expected across America — Thousands of school-age children are expected to skip school this Friday as they wait in line to purchase the latest Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which goes on sale exactly at 12:01 . . .”
Easy. Two days of work equals three hours of movie watching (with coming and going)? NO ONE correctly called off and was replaced so that no productivity was lost? Everyone is watching the movie during work hours instead of after hours? I could go on.
Midnight showings are nearly soldout, now many theaters are starting to sell 3:30 a.m. showings as of today. Impressive. It might have a shot at becoming the biggest Thursday opening ever, even if Reloaded did (wisely) open at 10:00 p.m. to gain the record.
Why weren’t there these stories when XXX2 came out?? The lines were down the block on opening day.
It is just anti-Nerd propoganda.
Oh come on this is by far stupider.
http://www.chinese.liningup.net/
I have news for these morons I was there for the opening in 77 it was no big deal. People didn’t go there because it was the Chinese theater they went because that was the only theater playing it.
Also most of the people going to the midnight showings probably don’t have to be anywhere Thursday morning, except back in their parents basement going for the next level of Worlds of Warcraft.
Well, VGM, sorry to get you on a technicality – but most classrooms will already be empty in July… because it will be, you know, July.
Yes, I know most classrooms will be empty in July. That was the point.
Geez, this is from the Department of Statistics Pulled Out of a Monkey’s Ass.
Among many other flaws, they manage to ignore that a whole lot of people can both see the movie and still go to work by going either before or after. And why would you need to take the day *before* off for a midnight screening, unless you usually work at midnight? Duh.
Nice way to get themselves headlines, though.
I will be at the midnight show on Wednesday at Los Angeles’ Grove Theater, where I will be cloning the others in line to save the U.S. economy.
Hey, didn’t the dot-com bubble burst at around the time that The Phantom Menace came out? Maybe there’s something to this after all!
I may have to do my part and take off work to help the economy prosper.
Sorry, I’m too busy writing comments at my favorite blogs to go see Revenger of the Sith during work hours.
When the 501st cant move those Mann’s Chinese people,
then no one can. You would think they would have
a nice imperial march down the street to the Archlight.
Get all fancy with it. Yet they seem to just pack
up sometime tomorrow, and get inline with the rest
of their friends, at the ARCHLIGHT! What a bunch
of maroons.
Did you lose your seat LDB to Boba Fett?
His R2-D2 costume wasn’t good enough to hold his spot in line.
Well someone must have had a make work day, because that was very much from the department of ‘Who the fuck cares?’
that means ur in 6th in line danny boy?
ATTN DAVE:
Put up a new Star Wars “reaction” post tonight for all of us who are going to see it at 12:01 tomorrow.
Don’t beg G Man. Its not the manly thing to do.
great. now all of us non-nerds who won’t see this til the weekend have to deal with spoilers from the true blue nerds. just don’t tell me anakin has any kids
If he makes the thread just wait until the weekend to click on it.
lol, BluStealer, I actually debated posting that for at least a couple of hours.
Oh yeah, and if you don’t go see it at 12:01 tomorrow you’re a traitor.
A traitor to the Empire?
Dave, if you put up a Star Wars reaction post…this blog is no better than AICN.
This is much better than AICN. At least until Dave starts calling himself Fu Manchu or Hooper or Uncle Geek.
I doubt Dave even puts it up. He’s more than shown his disdain for Star Wars.
I do not think he has disdain for Star Wars. Nothing from his writings has shown that to me at least. What makes you say that?
He gave ROTS an okay review. I’ll give you that.
But, in my humble opinion, Dave has done a pretty good job of ignoring/sidelining the prequels.
For example, I know he said he’d wait until we saw ROTS before he said much more about it, but he hasn’t commented much at all about ROTS in his movie charts or columns. He’s written more about smaller movies that no one is going to see than about the biggest movie of the summer. For a film critic, he’s been awfully quiet.
In my opinion, I think he realizes that Star Wars has a huge following and he doesn’t want to piss too many of his readers off.
P.S.
Before people jump all over me let me rephrase part of what I just said. He has written a moderate amount about Star Wars but I don’t think it’s been proportional given the global, culture uniting, embrace the movie will begin to receive tonight.
Star Wars is one-of-a-kind.
Nothing personal though, Dave.
OK, I don’t even want to talk about all that stuff I posted earlier. I just got back from ROTS and IT WAS FUCKING AWESOME.
That is all.
Are G-Man and I the only ones who’ve seen ROTS? I’m just surprised at how little discussion there’s been here so far about the movie itself.
No spoilers, I promise. First, as far as topics this blog has already addressed, yes, there is a lot in the movie that clearly and unavoidably is meant to compare The Empire to the Bush administration. But you knew that already.
Next, IMHO the movie is definitely a major improvement over the last two. I wouldn’t go anywhere near as far as The N.Y. Times, which annointed it better than the original “Star Wars Episode IV,” but it’s certainly better than anything Lucas has directed since.
This movie unintentionally confirmed what a waste of time Episodes I and II were. If ROTS had tacked on a very brief introduction to some of the characters (probably less than five minutes), you could have easily skipped those two prequels and followed the plot here. The political machinations in this film are without a doubt much clearer than in the muddled predecessors.
There is little improvement in the performances or the dialogue. But the plot itself is vastly improved, at least by virtue of its being coherent.
Finally, just like Lucas promised, the movie is indeed extremely dark – even darker than the seminal “The Empire Strikes Back.” It more than earns its highly touted PG-13, and I don’t think parents ought to brush off the rating when sending their kids out to see it. I have no doubt that some of the imagery in the movie will give young children horrible nightmares.
Chester, you really need to get a life. Are you this much of a jerk in the real world?
Um, have I done something to offend you, Angelus? Because I’d really love to know where that unprovoked piece of bile came from.
You offend me with your long winded, boring posts about nothing.
Hmmm… Chester addresses Angelus, is answered by JoeFitz. Coincidence? Or do we have a Chancellor Palpatine/Darth Sidious thing going on here.
Yep, Joe, like I indirectly suggested on the other “Star Wars” thread yesterday, these daily agitators all seem to be one and the same hate-filled person. With the exception of a single brief comment by Mark, NOT ONE OF THEM POSTED ANYTHING YESTERDAY! Now all of a sudden the gang is back in full force. Coincidence? Me thinks not.
I’m a leader of a gang now. I like that. Someone strike Chester where he needs it.
Anyone who doesn’t like Chester’s know it all rants can join the gang? Then count this girl in. I always wanted to be tough.
Who’s the daily agitator? Chester, I haven’t read one post from you that hasn’t taken a bizarre stance on some issue. It’s almost like you like getting the heat. Is that it?
The Anti Chester gang is currently recruiting all races, creeds, sexes, sexual orientations, species, and even fans of Vin Diesel are welcome to join.
There are still fans of Vin Diesel?
Eight of them. Holding a vigil for a sequel to Chronicles.