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
If Crash won, I think people’s faith in the precursors would diminish greatly. I can understand a Crash win if the precursors were choosing different films throughout the year. But how can all the precursors be nearly unanimously be wrong?
My stomach churns at the thought of Crash winning screenplay or picture. The movie is mediocre to its core.
Dave,
You are going to scare the die hard BBMers half to death now. They’ll be biting their nails hard from here on in. Waking up at nights in a cold sweat.
I think waterbucket is the only BBM fan around here who fits that description Josh. While I’ll be disappointed if Crash wins Best Picture (I’d be happy with any of the other nominees winning), it would hardly be the first time I wasn’t happy with the BP winner.
What’s interesting about Ebert is that after studying his reviews for 20 years I can almost predict what he will like based on the pedegree of the film…
– He almost always takes the filmmaker into account when reviewing… if he loved the director’s past work chances are he’ll automatically give at least two stars to the new film. He doesn’t know how to approach a film with a clean slate.
– He’s famous for being a sucker for African American stories… look at his favorite movies every year… lots of stuff on race. Sometimes he’s right (Do The Right Thing) sometimes he overshoots (Eve’s Bayou, Crash).
– He’s almost sexually attracted to sci-fi. When it shows even a hint of sophistication (Dark City, Minority Report) he goes all wet.
– He usually takes the book into account in reviwing an adaptation. It’s a very geeky trait. Remember the hangups he had for The Lord Of The Rings? (again, that clean slate thing)
There is nobody in the world who genuinely loves film more than Ebert — but I can’t imagine anyone approaching his reviews now without a little skepticism. His overgrown nerd personality has become more interesting than any good points he brings to the craft of criticism (Pulitzer aside).
It’s funny, I’m starting to believe that movies are its own form of sexual pleasure… that some people are sexually attracted to good film and cinema as much as physical conjugation. It’s that search for truth and intimacy and bliss… what Kael called “getting drunk at the movies”… that drives the true cinephile. Ebert’s one of those, one of us, a purehearted lover of movies, and it’s great know that he’ll celebrate that love with the rest of us…
But Crash still sucked ass!!!
The most disappointed I’ve been watching the show was Zelwegger’s win two years ago, and Chicago’s BP three years ago. But a Crash for Best Picture would surely top them all. I don’t think it’s going to happen. I don’t buy the “homophobic geyser” theory and BBM is the buzz movie of the moment which usually carries the night.
As much as I disagree with Ebert on this one, he spoke loudly and clearly about Amy Adams in Junebug and that might have pushed her into the top five candidates. I just recently watched it and she rocks. I’d give the statue to her.
Him and Roeper both predicted a Gangs of New York win three years ago…and they’re wrong again this year.
Is Focus setting up a suicide hotline if Brokeback loses? Totally agree about the supporting actor category and personally, I’ll be crowing loud and proud if my initial pick of Matt Dillon wins. After all, SAG loves Crash and he’s the only actor nominated, so why wouldn’t they pick him over Clooney?
I think Amy Adams will win Supporting Actress, actually. I think Ebert’s point about her is a great one: if enough people saw the movie, she will win. I simply haven’t heard a single unkind word about her performance, which leads me to believe it’s just plain difficult to watch without admiring or (more importantly) loving it. So, like Ebert says: if enough people saw Junebug… watch out.
I would add that Weisz and Williams, good as they are, are both playing “suffering wives” (I guess the Adams character is too, but she dominates the movie with greater force.. I’m not saying that *should* be a qualification for the award, but I think it can help).
I’d also vote for her, if I were in the Academy. Performance of the year!
Why do I get that feeling that people are spreading the gospel of Crash just to make the awards event just a little bit interesting? I’m all for it. It needs some drama.
Crow, agree with everything you say about Ebert… but completely disagree with the last line. As much as I don’t think it will win, I thought Crash was a far better film than Brokeback.
I wouldn’t want to be in the same room as Waterbucket if Crash pulls this come from behind win off (miraculously I should add).
I think it’s pretty safe to say that “Geisha” will finish with the highest Oscar total. What’s that mean? Nothing really.
I also think you can tune in real early and if you don’t hear Dillon’s name called you can forget about “Crash” winning. He wins though and we have a telecast worth staying around 9 hrs for.
I’ve no interest at all in the movies up for the major Oscars, save for Munich which is just happy to be there at this point (though please allow that i haven’t seen GN&GL yet). Bill Goldman made a good point in the Private Ryan/Shakespeare fight of ’98 that he was going to vote for Something About Mary for best film because it had the best characters, dialogue and storytelling of any movie that year (i’m saying he thought this, not me). He feels the Academy can’t distinguish between a movie that’s GOOD and a movie that’s GOOD FOR YOU. So in that respect on Sunday i’ll rewatch the REAL best movie of ’05 – the 40 YOV of course. While the rest of you are cringing at another simpering speech, or watching the clock as the animated short awards are given out, i’ll be creasing up at the ‘you know how i know you’re gay?’ scene again. Or maybe it’ll be the overweight guy trying to buy the disco shoes from the Ebay store again. Or maybe it’ll be Steve Carrell hitting on the woman in the bookstore by repeating everything she says in the form of questions. Oh, come on, this movie deserved at least a screenplay nomination for the line about Matt Damon in The Bourne Identity alone…….
if crash ends up winning best picture i’ll be shocked. it would be my 5th choice out of the 5. haggis will get his in the screenplay. dillon will get the acting award in honor of everyone else in the movie.
Damn you Poland!!! This is always the time of the year when I start to over think my Oscar picks and that little CRASH -vs- BBM thread got me doing it worse! I know BBM will win but in the back of my mind…could there be an upset?? Ahhh!
I really don’t see how there could be a BBM upset but CRASH is so lame, pandering and self important, it could happen. I also think (and I may be wrong here) that BBM is bigger, bolder and more engrossing on a big screen and CRASH could work effectively from a DVD screener. I haven’t seen BBM on DVD though. I only say that because I was extremely moved by LOST IN TRANSLATION when I saw it on the big screen but on DVD it’s not nearly the same.
Please Mr. Oscar….don’t go home with CRASH!
I’m with Bill Goldman. I don’t think much of these nominees. I don’t need to be preached to. Even “Munich” falls into this and I think it should win Best Pict.
I think Goldman makes a great point, and if you look at past winners, he’s absolutlely right. But Goldman also wrote two years ago about the acheivement of Mystic River, which don’t get me wrong is a DECENT movie, but spare me.
Goldman is a great writer, his piece on Gangs of New York is priceless, but he’s just as full of shit as a lot of them are. As someone who paid to see Dreamcatcher.
Dr. Wally,
You are correct. Virgin was one of the best of the year and also very sophisticated.
It should have been a screenplay lock.
They gave the character dignity and respect. Not an easy thing to do.
I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to watch on Oscar Night.
Perhaps, I’ll dip into the past and watch some Jimmy Stewart.
Crow, you forgot one thing that always gets Ebert: chicks with big tits. If there are big tits in the movie, Ebert goes all soft.
If BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN where to lose to Crash, it will bring on another “StoneWall”! lol. I can see it now. Headlines will read not about Gay Bashing, but of Str8 Bashing. Beware of flying taffeta Tony Curtis! The only thing scarier than an angry Homosexual, is a PISSED-OFF Homosexual (I say that with love, I mean, I’m gay). Seriously, I don’t think some people will understand BBM not winning (myself included).
Here’s a pretty good article on what the movie Brokeback Mountain has gone through on tv, online and in the press. Now remember it’s just a movie……………
http://archives.seattletimes.nwsource.com/cgi-bin/texis.cgi/web/vortex/display?slug=gaycommentary27&date=20060227&query=brokeback+mountain
Dave Poland is a big jerk!
There, I said it. This blog has had a total of, what, 5 posts in the past few days with no topic relating to Brokeback Mountain. He obviously wants desperately for people to discuss again so he has to resort to this. Why is that, you finally realize that bloody ears and salary announcement ain’t cut it no more? Oh yeah, you can’t quit Brokeback neither.
I’m not scared of a Crash win. So what if I have to change my plans for spring break from road trip with my friends to busting knee-caps of homophobic Academy members around the world? Either way, I get some much needed outdoor exercise.
The Ebert theory on big breasts goes back to the Russ Meyer days. I think it’s true too. Too bad Michelle Williams didn’t go nude the whole movie. He’d be all over BBM.
How didn’t 40 Year Old Virgin manage a screenplay award? A real shame.
The Academy always overlooking comedy is becoming a travesty. Well, not becoming. Is. It’s not a new thing, of course, but these aren’t the drama awards. If comedy was so easy everyone would be able to do it.
And I said it months ago. If Brokeback doesn’t win you are going to see some pissed off people. A lot of rage going to be directed somewhere. Especially if they split it and Ang Lee takes Best Director. Oh man.
The things I think of sometimes!
If Brokeback Mountain didn’t win,
Picture this Tony Curtis strapped to a bed with an angry Cowboy (sledgehammer in hand) standing over him screaming… “SLIPPED AWAY!! NO, YOU MURDERED MY MISERY!!”
Horror has a new face…Jack Twist back from the grave seeking revenge on the Homophobes that voted for Crash!
Will Jake Gyllenhall win an Oscar for Jack’s return? Let’s ask the Academy members….? Wait, were is everyone?
Oh man, DREAMCATCHER is like my most hated and loved movie, I think I’ve seen it 20 times! I’m just simply stunned as to what and how Goldman thought he was doing. The movie has some totally awesome scenes, but it’s a total disaster overall almost totally due to a ridiculous screenplay. When I start teaching I’ll use it to show how NOT to introduce characters (ie; 20 minutes into the story with Freeman and Sizemore) along with many other atrocities. Bad screenplay.
CRASH will be the least deserving winner in quite some time. There aren’t many who love that film. Apparently, Ebert does but that isn’t saying much.
This really will be the year of BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN. Win or lose it will make history.
I read and finished Dreamcatcher while the movie was in production. I read it curious of what choices they were going to make to adapt this to a movie. What they were going to keep out and put in, how they were going to visualize the aliens. And…they picked EVERY SINGLE WORST way to do it. I remember sitting in the movie theater stunned. this was just amazingly bad.
The scene where Tom Janes puts the gun to his head using it as a telephone, and says “Jonesy?”. That’s where I slapped my forehead.
Please don’t blame Goldman for dreck like DREAMCATCHER. It wasn’t his fault. About 15 different writers screwed that up from the get go after he touched it. Just look at his work on other King novels and short stories. MISERY. HEARTS IN ATLANTIS. It wasn’t his fault. He turns in a draft. As he’ll tell you. He has no say in what they do with it.
Dreamcatcher is wonderful fun to watch. I get a big smile on my face every time I think about it. That “Jonesy?” moment is hilarious.
Those sceens where Jonesy is hiding in the attic of his mind are fucking great..and DUDDITS! Donny Wahlbergs finest moment…
*Sigh* DREAMCATCHER…
Dreamcatcher? I feel like I got to take a poop now.
I hope Morgan Freeman was paid handsomely.
Yeah, how can you not enjoy the end of the movie where Duddits friggin’ turns into a CGI space slug and saves the day! That’s what I go to the movies for: for the unexpected.
Anyway, I don’t think Ebert is crazy for saying that Crash has a chance to be a spoiler…just for liking the movie.
Though it’s not uncommon for a project to have fifteen different credited writers, Dreamcatcher actually didn’t. William Goldman was the sole writer until Kasdan was brought on to direct and did revisions.
Donnie Wahlberg did some phenomenal acting in that movie.
Where was his nom? Robbery.
Just because someone is the only credited writer on a project doesn’t mean they didn’t bring in 12 other writers on it. They don’t care about credit as long as they get paid.
And let’s be real for a second. Would you want your name on DREAMCATCHER? I’d pay half my salary to take my name OFF it.
I hope for his sake he wasn’t the only one writing on it so he can blame those crooked studio execs and talentless directors. Otherwise I may have to reread his books on screenwriting.
The more I ponder it. The more CRASH winning makes sense. Which means it doesn’t make any sense. But if it does win, I’ll have to refer to Roger Ebert as an expert prognosticator from now on. Cause I didn’t think it had a chance in hell.
He has been touting this picture since it came out. He is like an endless promoter for it.
And he must know something if he is going out on a limb like this.
He though Moulin Rouge was going to win because of a vote-split between A beautiful Mind and Lord of the Rings. He also thought Gangs of New York was going to win…
he’s wrong then, and wrong now.
Ebert also thought that Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon would beat Gladiator. There’s a fairly lenghty list of Ebert’s misfires floating around the web. It’s fun to see some of the zany things he predicts (like Renee Zellweger losing to Shohreh Aghdashloo in 2003), but I pity any poor sap who bets money on Ebert’s picks. His predictions for “Crash” and Amy Adams are classic Ebert “hail Mary” picks–things that he really wants to win, but that in reality have very little chance.
The question is does it matter how close the vote is between Crash and Brokeback. Whoever wins wins. Or does it have to win by a landslide margin to have a Best Picture mandate? Truth be told, even if Brokeback loses, it has won on so many other levels that it would almost be like a Michelle Kwan (didn’t get the big prize but is still a class act).
The Academy will have a chance to recognize a comedy next year with Little Miss Sunshine. It’s squarely in the 40 Year Old Virgin wheelhouse – hilarious, a bit dark, but sweet. It’s just as funny, but it’s a better movie. It’s tighter, more sophisticately directed, and has some great performances. Pending what else comes along of course, it should be in the running for Best Picture, screenplay, and an acting nod or two. But it opens during the summer and is a comedy so basically it will probably be at best just wind up being a longshot for a screenplay nomination.
In his Premiere Magazine Oscar columns, Bill Goldman went off about how much he loved Shawshank and then nit-picked the “phony” ending of Private Ryan a few years after.
I couldn’t count on my fingers and toes the phoniness in all of Shawshank. The movie is certainly operatic, with a classic big-hearted ending, but come on, it’s Douglas Sirk goofy with major story issues.
Never trust anyone who says Shawshank is their all time favorite film. It’s the Honda Civic of “great movies.”
Douglas Sirk movies are intentionally over-the-top melodramatic for the purposes of irony. Shawshank, not so much.
I don’t deny that Crash is a thread, but something is off if Crash beats Brokeback. Really. Brokeback has won so many awards and then to lose to Crash would be crazy (and I like Crash!). How can a movie that won the DGA, PGA, WGA, has the box-office, the critics and the critics awards lose to a movie with a SAG ensemble award (when BBM has ZERO scenes as an ensemble making it a silly win if it had) and a couple of critics notices here or there.
The only positive to come out of Crash winning would be a complete reversal of everything we thought about awards season. Maybe studios will start releasing Oscar-calibre movies year-round? Who knows. I don’t want to know. Maybe if the frontrunner wasn’t my #1 of the year…
It goes to show you that the precursors mean diddily squat.
it is awful not to care who wins, but 40YOV and AHOV aren’t contenders for BP. I think Munich may be the best movie up there amongst the Tepid contenders, tied with GNAGL but they won’t win. can’t we talk aboput something else.
Shawshank is a weird movie. I don;t know if I’d call it the Honda Civic of best/fave movies (since I am not a gear-head…well not a Total gear head) as much as it’s the Irish Stew of movies–total comfort food. In my family there is a copy of Shawshank for every family member. Why god, why? No one knows how this happened. Family meeting!
My “best” movies as vehicles: Norton DOminator 1958 & 1962, the Datsun 240Z, 1960 Miller-Meteor Cadillac hearse, Alfa Romeo 6C 1750, 8C 2300, and a ALfetta 159.
You are doing a disservice to “Shawshank” if you compare it to a Honda Civic. I drove a Civic. It’s not good. Trust me.
That movie is more like a Mercedes.
Hey, I thought Shawshank Redemption was pretty strong, but it came out the same year as Pulp Fiction, Quiz Show, and Immortal Beloved. As far as I’m concerned, it’s not nearly as good as any of those.
I like Tim Robbins, but am I the only one who thought his performance was a bit bland?
Shawshank is more of a Honda Accord than a Honday Civic. But it’s a Honda nonetheless.
This is totally off-topic, but BluStealer, what were your problems with your Honda Civic? My gf drives one and it’s been working great so far (I don’t have a car ’cause I live in the city). I mean, it’s not super-sexy, but it runs easily and well. Should we expect problems down the line?
Be careful asking the fictional poster about her fictional car.
It warms my heart to see people poking at Shawshank, a film so solidly average that it mystifies me how it’s built up such a cult following.
Well, now we have a car discussion going on, huh?
After many years of just driving GM cars, my wife and I bought a Civic back in ’99. Was never that crazy about the look of it, but the thing had good pickup, good sound system, and we never had any problems with it. Only maintenance for about five years.
Then in ’04, I was driving it to work on 95th street on the south side of Chicago, which is a pretty major street. I was going about 35 MPH, when some dork blew a stop sign and plowed into me from the front.
Well, get this. His car was smashed, my car was totaled, the engine went into the dashboard, but the airbags absorbed all of the impact for me. Didn’t feel a thing and had no injuries. It was amazing. Unfortunately, the car was totaled, but thank god for airbags and thank god for Civics and their collapsable accordion body design!
jesse,
It was an old Civic. A 1993. It was a hand me down and it broke down on me like pretty much every week. So frustrating. Made me hate Honda’s. It didn’t help that I couldn’t get anyone in it since it was so small. Then I got a VW Jetta and that was just as bad. It literally spent as much time in the shop as on the road. Now I stepped up and drive a Jeep Cherokee. Have had no problems. Runs great and it’s big which is nice for me since I’m little. I feel like I’m driving a tank.
Leer, my favorite Shawshank moment:
Tim Robbins approaches the sadistic kill-you-without-blinking prison guard on the roof and asks him “Excuse me, do you trust your wife?”
You’d think of all the ways to tell a short-fuse psycho “I’d like to do your taxes” that would kinda be the last…
I mean why didn’t Robbins just ask the guy, “Excuse me, do you think your wife would shine my knob if I asked her to? Because if not, I can save you tons on your inheritance, buddy.”
The best car from any movie has to be Steve McQueen ride in BULLIT.
What I would give for that car.
On the bright side, I’d probably be paying half my paychecks in speeding fines though.
I was also in a horrible accident while riding in a Honda, and according to the mechanic, if I wasn’t in a Honda, it would’ve blown up. So take it easy on Hondas even though they’re not sexy. If you want to slam something, slam Mazdas.
As for Shawshank, it’s not one of my all-time favorites, but every time I catch it on the bazillion times it’s on TV, I’ll watch it all the way through and enjoy it. There’s not too many movies I can say that about.
well if we are going to talk cars for real, I loved the jaguar hearse in Harold and Maude. Loved that old caddy hearse in ghostbusters too. I like hearses. creepy.
on the road real cars, for Americans nothing could be worse than the 1974-76 jaguars. try to get someone to fix an XJ12 with a Lotus engine in it in america. nada. engine fine but alternator, electric windows and pretty much nothing else worked in those goddam cars.
give me a motorbike any day. and make it an old Norton.
If Crash wins over Brokeback this will be the last Oscars I’ll watch.
I can’t turn off Shawshank. It’s addictive.
I’m not a gearhead but that new Aston Martin in the Bond flick looks dynamite.
What is wrong with you people, suddenly discussing cars and stuff?
This is a movie blog. The only things allowed here are condescending opinions about movies that you hate and others love.
PS. Honda is awesome.
Every year I hear of someone who says, “If [insert title/performer/director/anyone else] doesn’t win, I’m never gonna watch the Oscars again,” and every year the Academy still doesn’t care.
Anyhow, I think that some underestimate the love for ‘Crash’ from regular folk. I work at a grocery store and there are many of my co-workers that love it, think it’s one of the best films they’ve ever seen. While I don’t think it’s a terrible film, it’d be last in what I think is worthy out of the 5…my list of preference is:
Good Night and Good Luck, Munich, Brokeback Mountain, Capote and Crash.
I kinda think Amy Adams could be the one to upset Rachel Wiesz…and I won’t be the least upset. (but I still am rooting for Rachel!)
I don’t think anyone will get so mad that they’ll never watch again. You have to be really, really into a movie. If Martin Scorcese can still attend and watch it after losing with “Raging Bull”, we certainly can.
The thing that bugs me about SHAWSHANK, apart from taking longer to watch than it did to read the story it’s based on, is that it’s a movie entirely made up of other movies. Every character, every beat, every plot point comes from other prison flicks of yore. What made the original King story so enjoyable–mild spoiler alert–is that it just seemed like a tale of one man’s prison term and how he copes; it’s not until the very end that we’re surprised to learn he’d been planning to bust out all along. The movie makes it clear from the get-go that this is an “escape” story, thus robbing it of the one thing that made it different. That said, it was a well-made and entertaining film, but all this rapture about it simply escapes me (pun intended).
I’m on you with that Aladdin. I was hyping up Rachel to everyone. then I finally saw Junebug and was totally blown away. I don’t think I was more impressed with a performance in years. I’d be happy with either of them. In fact there isn’t a nominated performance this year I have any beefs with (granted, ain’t seen Transamerica or North Country).
Amy Adams is going to be a big time star eventually.
Who didn’t know Andy D was planning to bust out of Shawshank?
The whole freakin movie was leading up to that.
Every prison movie is the same. Old timers who know the ropes. Fresh fish, afraid of getting anally raped, anal rapes, the lead character bonds with old timers, learns the ropes, never loses his spirit, and gets his revenge,
Standard operating procedure for any prison movie. SHAWSHANK did it better than anyone else.
So you’re into the anal rape?
Rachel Weisz was more of a lead than anything in CG but that doesn’t mean much. She is a heavy favorite. Besides being 6 months pregnant and charming she was damn good!
Why are people so fixated on her being pregnant?
“It should have been a screenplay lock.”
Rank The 40-Year-Old Virgin alongside true comedic gems such as Mean Girls (2004) and Clueless (1995) as screenplays that were robbed of nominations. Those two were adapted, but they still count. They’re seen as unimportant or something. Real shame. Those three inparticular deserved nominations. Especially Clueless. How that missed is bonkers.