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
Spielberg Takes on Terror
these Munich stories completely do not interest me and neither does the film. Not quite Amistad, but close.
I’m looking forward to the film more so…Does very, very good put it in the sphere of ‘Schindler’s List’ or is it merely on par with a very good Spielberg film like ‘Minority Report’?
How can it be when a trusted critic like Schickel calling a film only “very good” be something of a let down?
When it’s a Spielberg film of course.
(my english be good)
“Me fail English? That’s unpossible.”
“At the same time, a response to a response doesn’t really solve anything. It just creates a perpetual-motion machine.”
You here that Blackcloud?
A quagmire makes fools of us all, man.
Even Spielberg thinks our cycle must end.
Both Crows and Blacks CAN live together… Simpsons’ quote free.
A new world for our children and our children’s children.
Give peace a chance…
Assalaamu alaykum!
Enough with the “Amistad” digs, please. Not only is it not that bad, it’s one of my favorite Spielberg films of all time (I like “AI” too — nannny, nanny, boo, boo!). A break-out role from Djimon Hounsou (“Give us, us free!”), a kick-ass cameo from Anthony Hopkins, John Williams’ best score ever, a unique take on slavery, and the bittersweet possibility of a happy ending that, alas, doesn’t come. I know and understand and even agree with some of the criticisms, but I patiently await the day when this film is receives the classic status it so richly dererves.
Until then, leave it alone and I won’t pick on “Jurassic Park 2” (that was the one with the little girl gymnast beating up the dinosaurs, right?).
“So richly deserves.” Sorry.
When I saw the trailer for Munich, it got me very excited because it looked like something extremely rare in Hollywood: an intelligent, well-drawn-character-populated, genuinely-dramatic action thriller. Schickel’s article confirms my hopes and increases my excitement. It may or may not win the big one, but it definitely has the potential to join E.T., Schindler, and Private Ryan as a Spielberg masterwork.
Interesting little point I just thought of regarding Munich and awards: the only other directors, I believe, with three or more Best Director Oscars (this would be Spielberg’s third) are Frank Capra and John Ford. Capra, the master of the comedy with a conscience, won all three for such films. Ford, titan of the western, did not win any of his four statuettes for westerns. Both of Spielberg’s winners were about World War II, but he has never been known for one particular genre the way Ford and Capra were. I don’t know what all of the above means, but it feels like it means something.
Anyway, Munich should very well now be the film to beat…
Thanks for posting this. Please let us know if Time comes down on you and your site like a ton of bricks for the posting. I doubt they will–surely this is a real dilemma for media companies, who need the exposure but also need to make money from their vast archives. Maybe someday a better way to handle the dilemma will be found than simply denying access. I hope so.
“the only other directors, I believe, with three or more Best Director Oscars (this would be Spielberg’s third) are Frank Capra and John Ford.”
William Wyler also won three of them, in addition to Capra (three) and Ford (four).
Why did Time magazine put Stvn Splbrg on the cover this week? So Time wouldn’t have to highlight a far more important story — the CIA torture gulag.
All holdings of Time Warner tailor their content to fit US government policy. Time magazine is no exception.
Chucky, I think I agree with your political views most of the time, but man, you really sound like a broken record.
Besides, Time Warner just this year released such films as North Country, Good Night and Good Luck, and Syriana…not backing up your overarching claim.