Is It Just Me Or…
… does Flightplan look like the kind on mid-summer, Harrison Ford thriller that is just exactly what people really love and enjoy… in the end of September of all places…
April 24, 2024
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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
We need more Harrison Ford. And not this Harrison Ford that tries his hand at comedy.
Flightplan will be big.
I wonder if Ford ever looks back at his career and wonders where it all went wrong? Granted, he’s not the best actor out there (his laconic style is rather youthful Owen Wilsonian, not a good fit for an “actor of a certain age), but he’s an icon for a generation, and the goodwill he’s engendered should allow for continued success in his career.
I think the problem is his choice in director more than his choice in material. He tends to work with older, established, conservative helmers, who do nothing to make their movies exciting or relevant. Sydney Pollack makes respectable, well crafted films, but hasn’t had an exciting cinematic voice since the ’80s. The same is true of Ivan Reitman, Ron Shelton, Richard Loncraine. Hell, Ford’s idea of young and inventive is probably Kathryn Bigalow.
Sadly, we can’t expect this attitude to change. Ford bowed out of Traffic (to be replaced by his contemporary Michael Douglas, who DOES know how to work with exciting young directors) and mark Pellington was 80-sixed from Godspeed. Ford’s aversion to challenging himself didn’t manifest itself in his early career. He worked with the top young artists of his day (Lucas, Spielberg, Ridley Scott, Peter Weir) at the height of their creative powers.
Were that the case now.
Panic Room on a plane. I think they casted the same girl.
Actually, when I first saw the trailer for this one, I thought: “What’s this? ANOTHER remake of ‘The Lady Vanishes’?” I’m not saying it won’t be good. Hell, it could even be great. But it’s kinda-sorta funny: Even now, a generation after his death, the Alfred Hitchcock influence looms large.
It’s a great time for plane movies… this, Red Eye, Snakes On A Plane…
Maybe if “Stealth” had co-starred Rachel McAdams…?
A major twist hits the trailer halfway through but it still looks like there could be something there…
Actually, if Stealth had the courage of its intentions and let the plane loose on American targets, it would have been a better sell. Had the relationships of the three pilots been any more emotional than a drunken fling, it would have been a better sell. Had the plane had a political bent instead of an undefinably mushy “I’m learning” schtick, it would have been a better sell.
It would have helped to have at least one big name. But it would have helped more to give audiences and the marketers landmarks they could connect with.
And the same is true of The Island. Michael Bay is many things, but never before has he directed a romance on the run with less emotion. That’s why I still contend that Ewan facing Ewan should have been sold and if there wasn’t a Scarlett meeting Scarlett scene shot and cut, they should have added one. Clones on the run is not a great sell. Clones who want to find their soul by finding their other selves is a lot richer. Red Eye is well sold by something as simple as “girl in trouble/girl fights back.” McGregor and Johnanson play children, kept childish, who join the real world and if the movie worked right, they would have been forced to grow up. Instead, they just saw cool stuff and had a quickie. And that is why, I think, a movie with good elements, somehow came up short. You never identify with the stars. You do identify with their chaser a bit, in the end. But never with them because they never really become human.
I think the Flightplan trailer gives away too much, as Ray said. I always, always prefer ambiguity in a trailer when it’s part of the moviegoing experience, and they blew it.
Saw the Flight[lan trailer in front of Red Eye and it looks like fun, in a Panic Room/seen it all before kind-of-way.
Red Eye is a solid B-movie…McAdams is so damn natural and photogenic and Murphy definitley has a handle on menacing and psychotic. The flick reminded me of Cellular in it’s break-neck speed and consistent intensity and in that you needed a crane to suspend your disbelief…for whatever reason, I enjoyed Cellular more however.
But, I’ll see Flightplan even if it looks like a slick re-tread of familiar material.
Also caught the trailer for The Fog which looks painfully mediocre, except for a beautiful (though too quick) ass-shot of that hot blonde on Lost…
I’ve always liked Jodie Foster. It is our loss that she doesn’t work a lot.
JoeFitz: I agree. Hell, I wish she would direct more, too. But sometimes I wonder if we folks on the outside looking in miss the point when it comes to people like Jodie Foster or Harrison Ford. They seem to be quite happy in their private lives, and maybe they’ve simply earned enough money to live those lives to the fullest, without feeling the need to keep working all the time. Frankly, I’m surprised that more people who have 5-10 year runs of b.o. hits don’t walk away from the roulette table while they’re ahead, and spend the money on stuff that will make them and their loved ones happy. I love movies, and I love writing about movies, teaching film history, interviewing people whose work I respect, etc. But if I would have won the lottery a decade or so ago, I would have gladly chucked everything to travel more, take advanced college courses, do more volunteer work, spend even more time with my son, etc. I know Jeff Wells absolutely HATES that attitude — you’ll know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever read his complaints about, say, Daniel Day Lewis — but I have no trouble understanding it.
I just wonder if they’ll ever show any of those movies on an airplane. (Don’t forget the Paul Greengrass 9/11 movie..that’ll also take place on a plane…)
EDouglas: When I interviewed Jeff Bridges for “Seabiscuit,” he told me that he’d heard an incredible but apparently true story: Some airline actually programmed “Fearless” as an in-flight movie. So if they’d show THAT, well….
The Forgotten on a plane. Trailer gives away way too much, but I’d see just about anything with Jodie Foster in it.
I also thought FORGOTTEN when I first saw the trailer but like other have said, I’m guessing it will be more of a retread of THE LADY VANISHES. Personally I’d rather see aliens added into the mix.
I totally agree with you, Joe L. (Which should be final proof that I’m not Jeff Wells.) When the work stops feeling like art to someone like Daniel Day Lewis and becomes just an unnecessary Quicken entry, why bother? Personally, if I could retire now, drop everything and spend every waking moment of the rest of my life focused on my family, raising my children, and pursuing other personal interests, I’d do it in a heartbeat.
Certainly actors like Jodie Foster and Harrison Ford already have that option. I guess what raises some eyebrows is the projects they choose when they do pick themselves up to work every few years. “Flightplan” may turn out to be a fantastic popcorn thriller, but it does come across as more of the unnecessary same for Foster on the heels of “Panic Room.” As for Ford, he himself has admitted that, whatever the other merits of a piece of work, he avoids anything that doesn’t carry a great certainty of commercial success. I’m not in any way knocking commercial success, but it still rubs a bit against my notion of an artistic spirit and legacy when that becomes the primary goal of someone who certainly doesn’t need the paycheck.
This piece just ran in the San Francisco Chronicle this week… a direct link is on the cover of MCN if you prefer that.
“It’s sugar, spice, everything nice for in-flight films — so don’t expect ‘Red Eye’ on your red eye”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/08/16/DDG2JE781M1.DTL
These eerie flight movies are going to make me start taking the train.
Sorry but you know how everyone has a performer they just don’t like? no matter how good they are?
I can’t stand Jodie Foster. It’s competely irrational. But I won’t be seeing yet another ‘on a plane’ film, especially if she’s in it. If they had cast Harrison Ford? Yeah, I’d be there in a heartbeat.
And I don’t see all the fuss about Rachel McAdams either. But then, I’m a female.
Isn’t almost everyone commenting here a guy, except for Lota and a couple of others?
I would love to see Harrison Ford in Jodie Foster’s role in Flightplan. Makeup, wardrobe, and all.
The truth about Ford seems to be that he’s not hungry any more. He’s middle-aged and he took his artistic risks 20 years ago. It’s another factor that makes me think they shouldn’t bother with Indiana Jones 4.
Indy 4. I for one can’t wait for that.
I don’t know if I am keen on Flightplan for two reasons:
1. Da Plane aspect: I will never forgive Peter Weir for upping the fear-of-plane-flying ante for me. I like Beavers and Cessnas which is dumb, since small planes tend to go down more often than commercial. Well that will change since the FAA hasn’t enforced the ruling that all mylar linings have to be removed from Commercial planes (Swissair crash).
Jodie Foster’s movies as an adult have by and large sucked. She’s a great actress who usually has sucky costars (Matthew McConaughey, Richard Gere, & the Panic room criminals).
The Little Girl Who Lives Down the Lane (1976) was the best thing she ever did and Silence of the Lambs she was great in too.
So I am ambivalent about Flighttplan. Good actors but on a plane (yecch)?
And Rachel McAdams–she clearly has an endearing screen chemistry. We’ll see if she makes the most of it.
i find AICN report that Calista Flockhart will be in Indy 4 to be quite disturbing, but it would be cool to have Marion back.
Flightplan looks interesting, sort of Panic Room on a plane. But I’m not a huge jodie foster fan at times she seems to be trying too hard and at other times she strikes me as sort of mannish. It does seem like a legit plane thriller though, which Red Eye apparently is not (real thrills are ground level).
No way they put his girlfriend in Indy 4. I just can’t see it happening. He’s not Ben Affleck here.
Which came first in Indy 2 . . . Capshaw the wife or Capshaw the actress? I saw Temple of Doom again recently and she’s just horrible in that film.
Spielberg didn’t marry Capshaw until 1991, so actress came first.
She’s no Karen Allen.