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
Well considering that “Old media” will just get around to printing the results on Monday, it’s a safe bet people will be talking about it.
I think Brokeback needed at least one critics award to be considered a strong candidate for a Best Picture nod, than it has it. So it’s helped.
Vera Farmiga… I think this is like the Campbel Scott NBR award a few years ago and she won’t be heard from in the race again.
As for the lack of Munich love, I doubt it hurts. Golden Globes will be the true test for that one.
Vera who?
I’m surprised they announce their runners-up, seems odd for an awards group.
I also thought there were several stronger supporting actors than either Hurt or Langella this year, but I’m glad to see support for History of Violence.
Down to the Bone must have a better L.A. publicist than a New York one…I only found out it opened here like the day before.
isn’t down to the bone that woody harrelson movie?
EW’s Owen Gleiberman gave Down to the Bone an A. He says Farmiga’s performance is remarkable. Maybe people should check it out instead of bitching about how it has a better West Coast publicist. Who gives a fuck. Obviously the movie is worth seeing.
Regardless of quality, nobody has heard of the movie, which certainly suggests that the West coast publicist pulled off a coup.
Jeff: Or maybe the critics actually are doing their job, and recognizing someone who’s truly worthy, even if you’ve nevr heard of the film?
This helps: Brokeback Mountain (pic, dir), Capote (actor, supp. actress, screenplay), History of Violence (supp actor and a few runner ups spots)
It also helps Squid and the Whale because apparently it actually TIED with Capote for Screenplay. Or, that’s what I heard.
Who did this hurt? CRASHCRASHCRASH.
If Los Angeles didn’t go for it… eep. There’s still hope, but it got wounded.
I wouldn’t say it hurt Munich, The Producers, Memoirs (that one’s damaged all by itsef) or King Kong.
It could also be argued that Howls’ score win could try and get it in the Top 3 with Oscar. Any awards help. And if 2046 got any sort of nomination at the Oscars i’d be ecstatic.
Is my mind foggy or did somebody on THIS BLOG actually mentioned this Vera chick in relation to the LAFCA a couple of weeks back and nobody paid any attention. I swear it happened.
Joe, that would be fine, but I thought we were talking about awards season here, not reality.
Is it me, or is Howl’s Moving Castle an indication that movie scores haven’t been really all that good lately? Nothing against Joe Hisaishi. I love his stuff, but damned if the only movie music I remember making any kind of impact on me this year was Serenity.
It wasn’t a great year for scores, but I’m sure I could list at least ten better than Howl’s Moving Castle. Badalamenti’s score for Dark Water, Umebayashi’s score for 2046, Elfman’s for Charlie, Williams’ for both Sith and WOTW…I don’t know what they’re thinking.
This might help Vera Farmiga get a chance at being noticed, a la Fernanda Montenegro (was that her name?) and “Central Station,” and might legitimize nods for William Hurt and/or Frank Langella. Otherwise, I can’t imagine that “A History of Violence” is going to be recognized at all. Script nods for “Capote” and “Squid and Whale” seemed predestined to begin with, and it’s seemed for a while now that “Brokeback” was a likely front-runner, nomination-wise. And I suppose now this comprises a legitimacy of sorts for “Wallace and Gromit” getting the Best Animated Feature nod, despite its kooky title; I haven’t seen the picture (I frankly hate the look of Nick Park’s work, I don’t mean he’s a hack, I just don’t care for his and his team’s aesthetic), but W&G have a long-standing cult, and therefore they might be the picture to beat, although one can’t rule out “Corpse Bride.”
Their Score picks are always eclectic and I can’t think of many that even went on to be nominated, let alone win (Howard Shore’s “Ed Wood,” Shaiman/Parker’s “South Park,” and so on). I like Joe Hisaishi’s work, I’ve been following it longer than probably most Westerners (ever since 1988’s bizarre “The Drifting Classroom,” incidentally a live-action movie despite its fanciful title), but knowing how the politics of the Score nominating board goes, Hisaishi seems unlikely to get a nod. They’re wary of non-Hollywood-based composers unless they have a sizable classical background (John Corigliano, Tan Dun, Elliot Goldenthal); how else can you account for the fact that Carter Burwell has never been nominated, not even for “Fargo.” Why? Because he’s based in New York and is disinterested in playing the game.
A lot of their choices (such as all those tips of the hat to “2046”) seem more or less designed to acknowledge things that they know in advance the Academy will never even recognize with a nomination. Sort of like their legendary pick for “Brazil” as best picture of its year (a gesture which did at least shame Universal into releasing Gilliam’s cut
DanYuma, The Man Who Wasn’t There was nominated for Cinematography. Black & white movies are hit or miss with the Academy. They sometimes go for them (Man Who) sometimes they don’t (Ed Wood). I’m thinking GN&GL will get nominated. But Brokeback Mountain has way more pretty hillsides, so it would make sense for that to be the frontrunner. Pretty Hills = Oscar Gold.
2005 has had some pretty good scores (none yet at the calibre of last year’s Birth or Bad Education). How about Pride & Prejudice? Brokeback Mountain? Sin City? Wallace & Gromit? 2046? Batman Begins? The Constant Gardener? Turtles Can Fly? I wouldn’t BUY any of them, none of those approach greatness, but they’re not lacking in options.
According to the LAFCA website, it was a tie between the two screenplays.
Unless Farmiga gets another award (or major nomination) soon, I think that she will not be much of a factor.
I believe that Hoffman is helped by this win as it might give him a much-needed boost in momentum.
“Maybe people should check it out instead of bitching about how it has a better West Coast publicist. Who gives a fuck. Obviously the movie is worth seeing.”
If the people who write about movies in New York aren’t given an opportunity to write about the movie in the local papers, how are people even going to know the movie exists, let alone what it’s about? I expect that Glieberman saw it at Sundance. I can’t speak for anyone else, but I only found out the movie was opening in NY, three days before, and after I had already put my column to bed.
Jimmy, your surname is a misnomer.
Richard WIdmark–BIG YES. It’s about time!
Most of the picks are boring, except for the supporting acting noms which I whoelheartedly agree with.
Would like to see History of Violence winning awards.
I know for a fact that if Gleiberman had seen it at Sundance he still would’ve seen it again in New York. The EW critics don’t write official reviews of movies just from their festival screenings.
Now that the movie has won a signicant award maybe you’ll seek it out.
What pub do you write for in New York? I know the Daily News had a quick review of Down to the Bone in their Movie Digest section a week or two ago. Maybe you just didn’t get a notification.
Down to the Bone was reviewed in all the major NY papers–NYT, Daily News, Post, Newsday, Voice… even the Newark Star-Ledger. All were very positive, especially about Farmiga’s performance.
Farmiga actually got an Independent Spirit Award nomination last year for her performance and won an acting award at Sundance 2004. It’s a great performance and kudos to the LA Film Critics for awarding it.
It’s still a massive longshot for her performance to even be seen by enough Academy members to have a chance considering it has a tiny distributor, but the Actress categories are the one place that something tiny can sometimes find its way. If you look at the films they awarded most highly – Brokeback Mountain, A History of Violence, Good Night and Good Luck, Capote, The Squid and the Whale – arguably none of them even have a Lead Actress in them. At least none of them are pushing anyone for the Lead Actress slot.
The LA Film Critics are just as blind as the Oscar voters. For them, nothing is really eligible unless it opens after Labor Day.
At least Harvey Weinsten wasn’t able to buy an award for his new company in this instance.
The most probably scenario for Farmiga win were that a small group was very loudly supportive of her, meanwhile it was looking like Dench would win with every other major candidate didn’t getting more than a couple of votes, so all the anti-Dench group went to Farmiga (including some that might not had even seen the film).
BTW, from LA Times: “We really did end up not going with anything big,” Henry Sheehan, president of the L.A. Film Critics Assn., said after the vote. “There was some support for ‘King Kong’ for cinematography and production design, but there was almost nothing for ‘Munich,’ maybe a couple of acting votes, but very scattered.”
If this is representative of something it would actually be pretty bad for Munich. It certainly doesn’t need the critic groups to get the nod, but given that it is not going to be a huge box ofice winner it might actually hurt it’s winning chances.
No one really cares what these groups do. Can anyone remember who the LA critics picked last year? Seriously.
isn’t Dave part of the LAFC?
I agree with KamikazeCamel to an extent…the L.A. Critics’ picks are never as big as New York’s, but things are blowing in the wind for Brokeback and Capote which could prove very favorable come Oscar time.
Farmiga is a surprise, but it makes sense in the vestiges of my film-thinking…she’s playing the female lead in The Departed, so she has to have some cut-above-the-rest level of talent.
And incidentally, I love Catherine Keener getting Best Supporting Actress, but as the list shows, I don’t think it will translate to Oscar, sadly, because she did exceptional work in too many films. If I were her publicists, I’d start pushing her for Capote right now.
They are.
I’ve already forgotten thw winners from this. Damn memory!
Good to see CACHE get a nod. I saw this a few months ago and thought it was fantastic . . . probably Michael Haneke’s best work yet (and I’m a fan).
Ironically, it seems with the Academy that we’re going to have yet another year where one of the best foreign films isn’t even eligible. Cache was disqualified as Austria’s official entry and it didn’t get France’s. Sad.
When is/was Cache released in the US? I find it odd that I haven’t heard about it’s release anywhere.
If it’s released before Jan 1 and can get some buzz it could show up anywhere. Screenplay? They like foreign movies in there.
I haven’t heard anything but I hope Sony Classics is getting it at least a 1-week qualifying run somewhere.
I still feel the foreign-film selection process is broken. Maybe they should have 5 “wildcard” spots each year where foreign films without a proper country sponser can still get a nomination. Maybe require these choices to have at least a qualifying run.