May 2, 2024
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Review: Little Women (no spoilers)
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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
After Eternal Sunshine, I’d get in the Gondry business too. Talented directors don’t grow on trees. The more in the fold, the better.
I’d be curious to see what he does with a movie not written by Charlie Kaufman, too, because maybe his sensibilities are more mainstream. It’s funny how few people have seen their first collaboration Human Nature…would probably be less claims of genius if more people did.
I think people like to forget Human Nature ever, ever took place.
didn’t they have problems on human nature and the money men made them recut it and reedit it?
Paramount is going to pay a unheard of 10 to 12 million for Little Miss Sunshine which is 80% due to Steve Carrel’s star rising. 20% may be due to the movie being actually good. Exec’s should not forget Greg Kinnear’s last festival hit (The Matador) which hasn’t been doing too well at the box office even with the draw of Pierce Brosnan.
I’m really excited to see this. I’ll consider “Human Nature” a slight blip on the screen. It wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t good. But “Eternal Sunshine” was a near classic. One of my fav’s.
If this movie grosses half of what “40 Year Old Virgin” does, they will be really happy. It is well worth the risk. To take a shot on a semi proven box office star and now a tv star. It would have to completely bomb for it not to recoup their investment.
They’d do backflips if it does anything close to what 40 Year Old Virgin did.
I can’t call Pierce Brosnan a box office star. Bond movies were very profitable but what has he done besides that? The Thomas Crown movie was a long time ago. At least they take a shot on Carrel maybe becoming the next Carrey.
Sundance movies are a crapshoot. Anytime you pay over 10 mill for one you have better do your homework on it. Too many have sold for that price and flamed out.
In that case any movie greenlit is a crapshoot. Even best selling novels, A list stars, and top directors. At least here they get a chance to see the product.
“Human Nature” wasn’t really given a chance. It was dumped and forgotten.
Looks like Warner Independent picked this up:
http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117936672?categoryid=13&cs=1
Excellent pickup, I must say.
for us, yes…
Good choice by Warners Indie. He seems like a director you want a relationship with.
again – for us, good. For them… well, we’ll see.
Business wise? Who knows?
Artistically and for us as audience members? I’ll take it. You’re right.