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
They’re shipping everyone out over there.
since fantastic four is doing so well maybe they’ll hire our good buddy jw. the only one in the country to fawn over it.
Maybe this will finally steer Paramount into some quality projects. I seriousaly doubt it since the culture there needs to be changed and more execs need to go.
I don’t know much about really any of these execs in the business. Not really up on any of them.
Paramount can’t get much worse. Can they?
Charlies and the Chocolate Factory was called the best movie of the summer by the NY Post. I think it just moved up my list of movies to see.
I have my resentments towards the new one since I am a huge fan of the Gene WIlder version.
Will be tough for my boy Johnny to recreate the classic Wonka that Gene Wilder gave us. At least we all know that he won’t be copying anything.
i can’t wait to see the bad news bears. if they dont sell out and make it pc it should be great. same team behind bad santa.
It’s PG-13, so it won’t be anywhere near as filthy and raunchy as the wonderful Bad Santa, but hopefully it stretches the rating to its limit and doesn’t become too soft or PC.
It will be hard to replace Walter Mathau(sp?) and the kids. They were the heart and soul of the film. It is one of the all time classics so I hope they go all out. I heard an interview at the all star game on tues with Billy Bob. He promised that it won’t be PC.
pg-13 , r, today theres almost no difference. we’re just not gonna see amanda wurlitzers boobs. which is good since shes 12. i got faith in the bad santa team to go all out. i hope.
I’ll be at Wedding Crashers this weekend. It is numero uno on my list for this weekend.
Wedding Crashers will be a smash hit. Mark it down.
If Wedding Crashers fails they only have themselves to blame with the market wide open for a comedy now.
The Bears are going to surprise a lot of people with how good it really is. It’s not the ’76 version but its damn good in its own way.