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
I’m with you all the way except the notion that Maria Bello is somehow in the hunt for a best Actres nomination.
Who are the Butt Monkeys? What does Zhang Ziyi have to do with any of this?
Did Clerks 2 really get a standing ovation? Crazy.
Harvey Weinstein is to Oscars as Karl Rove is to elections.
Discuss.
David… have you seen the movie?
If not, this is all hot air. Who would have thought Hillary Swank (of Karate Kid fame) would have won Best Actress this long before Boys Don’t Cry was seen?
If Miller really does turn in an amazing performance, I could easily see her in the race.
And all this, by the way, from the guy who predicted Michael Lonsdale would be nominated for Munich right up to the day of the nominations.
And why’d Harvey’s head of PR leave after less than a year? mc, walking butt orifice monkeys.
You realize, Mel, how Hilary Swank or Catalina Sandino Moreno or Felicity Huffman are not analagous, don’t you?
Being an unknown quantity (see: Rinko Kikuchi or Amy Adams) giving a great performance is a lot easier than being tabloid fodder (see: Penelope Cruz or Kim Basinger in Door In The Floor) in a great performance trying to overcome tabloid expectations.
Getting into a dick measuring contest on my analysis prowess is silly. You forgot to bring up Phantom. But you also forgot to pick up all the movies I have been right on when others wrote them off.
I don’t claim perfection. But going 9 of 10 on Actor/Sppt Actor with Jake G. as my #6 in the one slot I missed “up to the last minute”… seems like you are working awfully hard to spin me in a misleading way.
Still, the real story here is when the monkeys start selling something all at once. I don’t really care whether she gets in or not. The point is that this kind of groupthink moment when the studio still isn’t screening the film should be a red flag for anyone who doesn’t have a vested interest.
I actually really like Emilio Estevez as an actor, but I wonder how the hell anybody could have expected much out of the director of “Wisdom” and “Men at Work?”
Emilio directed Men at Work? Oddly enough, that makes me respect him just a little bit more.
Men at Work is awesome. Long live Keith David. And David Keith for that matter.
Who the hell is Rinko Kikuchi?
DP, who are some of those names that you were right on when others wrote them off? And I ask not to try and get you to flame off on me but because I don’t remember any right now, your missteps being more notorious.
Rinko Kikuchi gives the greatest performance out of an already stellar ensemble in “Babel.”
Dave was incessant about “Capote” last year for so long it seemed unhealthy. Another one that pops into mind is Samantha Morton in “In America.” I’m sure there are others, but then we all have our high points and low points in the Oscar prediction game.
Not to answer FOR the guy, but since you asked so nicely and free of sarcastic intent, how could I refuse?
Memo from Weistein PR Dept…
“You provide the story, we’ll provide the Oscar war.”
I’m really glad Bobby’s on life support, because I can see lots of dollars freed up to put out a fat DVD. Really get behind the archival footage in the movie, get a good commentary track and hire a good B roll editor (hopefully they shot lots of it) to put together a juicy behind the scenes. Top drawer artwork, menus, packaging and qc’ing too, please.
Yes, thanks Kris, that’s what I was looking for. If David is going to get all defensive when people incessantly bring up Phantom of the Opera and Michel Piccoli then SOMEBODY has to tell the other side of the DP prediction story. And Dave probably wouldn’t.
Yeah, there’s nothing that gets my blood pumping like some hot quality control action.
Maybe you prefer a good compression.
Actually, I like a good 3:2 pulldown, if you know what I mean.
I mean Lonsdale, not Piccoli. Sorry.
Anyone around here think the new Deja Vu trailer gives away too much of the plot? I loved the teaser trailer and how it suggested that the dja vu gimmick was something unexplainable. Now, the trailer informs us that some scientists were “able to fold time.” I kinda liked thinking it was just part of the atmosphere.
On the other hand I think this could be the Tony Scott movie that actually works. I’m talking about his new City of God-influenced visual style. I think Bruckheimer is the right producer to reign in his batshit visual gymnastics. I’m still on the fence if releasing an R-rated thriller at Thanksgiving is wise. Ransom was the last major R-rated thriller I can think of really having some legs. Then again, it had the “family values” angle going for it. Americans love them some vigilante thrillers. More and more it seems either family-friendly kids’ movies and Oscar-serious adult movies are the only things that connect during the Thanksgiving/Christmas season. There’s no room for anything in the middle. (See the sad results of the criminally underrated The Ice Harvest from last year.)
Has Deja Vu been rated already? Looks laughably bad to me. I think Tony Scott gets worse with every movie. Domino, IMO, is one of the worst jobs behind the camera in recent memory. Bruckheimer does not seem like the right guy to settle him down.
Bruckheimer, for all his faults, does know how to deliver to an audience and is probably the only producer to get Tony Scott to back off of his self-indulgences and make something a little more narratively based. It worked on Crimson Tide and Enemy of the State.
But those are 11 and 8 years old. After Spy Game, Man on Fire and Domino, I think Scott will struggle reverting back to those days. I hope you’re right though. I like the cast in Deja Vu and maybe the Bruck is just the man to chill Tony out.
I actually think Spy Game was one of the best films of 2001.
Did you not see many movies that year? Seriously though, it’s mildly entertaining but far from great and Scott’s directing is fairly obnoxious.
I saw a lot of movies, yeah. And I loved Spy Game, yeah. It’s the only one of Scott’s frenetic outings that I do like, actually.
Spy Game has the distinction of being both frenetic and deeply boring. But it’s better than Man on Fire, which is basically offensive.
I did not like Spy Game upon my first viewing. It just seemed too frenetic without actually being exciting. For some reason, I saw it a second time, and I wound up liking it SO much more. I’m not entirely sure why; I think the second time through, I just had a better idea of how to flow with the movie’s rhythm or something.
I don’t see why being tabloid fodder makes her less likely to land a nomination *IF* the work is excellent. People love a comeback story.
I asked before… have you seen the movie?
As for better analogies than Swank or Moreno… what about Kim Basinger for LA Confidential, or Halle Berry for Monster’s Ball? Salma Hayek, Queen Latifah? Greg Kinnear?
All of those people were best known for things other than their acting and strong performances put them in the Oscar race.
Also, I’m not a Wells fan, but I don’t see him as parroting Harvey Weinstein’s line. The crap he spews is very much a product of his own twisted mind. If he’s on the Miller bandwagon, it’s because he thinks she did a great job.
Since Hickenlooper almost passed out doing blow twice during the shoot and the film is produced by Cassian Elwes’ WIFE how can it not suck?
(and for THUNG and the other Welles Dwellers- no I never sent young Jeff an email- I made my usual genius post and it made him BAN me, delete me, and then still write an insane rant against me on the site. He doesn’t like being excluded from screenings but he excludes those that point out his worthlessness. Go figure)
I am Spam Dooley and I Get Around.
I’ve said this on another board, but it bears repeating here: the twelve of us who saw CASANOVA already know Miller is a fine actress.
Put down the bottle Spam before I light up and burn this place to the ground. Is Hickenlooper still partying too hard with Mechner? I’ll swap you 2 George’s for 2 Polands.
Hats off to Scissorhands for spreading that BS about a 6min standing ovation for Clerks deuce. Even some of the crew bought that lie hook line…. I agree with some of what Dave’s on about but the tabloid line I don’t think holds true. tabloid stars have an advantage for generating oscar buzz.. it’s a no brainer.
Or did I simply not understand one of his (….) (……) styled paragraphs?
“or even, in an insane move that would bring a very hip party to the Globes, Kirstin Dunst in Marie Antoinette?”
Why is that an insane move? Have you seen Marie? If so, what did you think? I dont’t remember you saying anything about it before, would love to hear what you thought. I remember you writing about the reaction though. But someone like Kirsten Dunst seems right up their alley to nominate.
In terms of the Globes, my predix atm would be.
Drama:
Penelope Cruz
Judi Dench
Helen Mirren
Gretchen Mol
Kate Winslet
Gretchen Mol is my “Holy crap, the Globes actually watch the movies!” choice, like last year when they went overboard with actual critically acclaimed movies (Violence, Match Point and Constant Gardener). I’m sure it won’t happen, but it’s fun to speculate.
Comedy/Musical:
Annette Bening
Anne Hathaway
Jennifer Hudson
Beyonce Knowles
Meryl Streep
There could very well be a Zellweger/Zeta Jones situation with Jennifer. Judges as lead by Globes but put in supporting for Oscar. And, well, this category is pretty lacklustre this year so they may be forced to nominate 2 ladies from the same movie twice (Knowles/Hudson and Streep/Hathaway).
…unless Volver goes comedy and not drama? But I’m sure they’re gonna maximise Cruz’s Oscar chances by slotting her in drama. But that could end disastrously, see – Joan Allen for The Upside of Anger.
But on to Sienna. I actually had her down as a prediction back in March. It seemed like it would bare fruit, and while I’m still very much anticipating the movie I don’t see it getting awards play anymore.
The reason I am looking forward to it (A LOT) is because I love that era. The whole Andy Warhol, New York in the 60s/70s with the drugs and the weirdness and The Velvet Underground are the greatest band ever, right?!
If they watched The Notorious Bettie Page they would have gotten a nice glimpse of Gretchen Mol nude, but they would have also seen a performance that was very, very one-note in a shallow and mediocre movie.
The script for this was so atrocious that I have a hard time believing all this Oscar talk. But Poland is right on about Weinstein being able to shove a nomination down the Academy’s throat. Look at Transamerica — he has an amazing ability to market this stuff to the middle-aged Academy crowd.
Is it just me or is it going to be harder for the Hollywood Foreign Press to categorize movies this year? Little Children, The Queen and Marie Antoinette all have comedic elements in them, though they normally would be typified as dramas.
“I’ve said this on another board, but it bears repeating here: the twelve of us who saw CASANOVA already know Miller is a fine actress.”
Here, here… and the six of us who saw Alfie saw her steal the movie from under Jude Law (no pun intended)
It’s official, Volver is Spain’s candidate for FLF… so I guess we can say it’s a shoe-in for a nomination, the other 70 or so movies will have to fight for the 4 remaining spots! ;o) Think this could help nab Penelope Cruz a best-actress nom?
And in spite of some rather frequent funny moments, this film is definitely a drama!!!
I wish some other film had been nominated (although I loved Volver!)… I’d like for people in the US to discover other great Spanish films!!! Anyhow, I’m sure we’ll be hearing a lot more about Almodovar in the months to come…
I agree on Sienna and Alfie. But then, all the women stole Jude’s thunder there. Jane Krakowski and Susan Sarandon included.
Douglas, The Queen 100% be drama and I think we can be confident that Little Children will be drama too. But, Marie Antoinette looks like it could feasibly be on the edge, much like last year’s Pride & Prejudice, which ended up going into Musical/Comedy.
Jeff, from what I’ve read while most people aren’t that crash hot on the movie, they all single out Mol as being great.
“Hats off to Scissorhands for spreading that BS about a 6min standing ovation for Clerks deuce.”
JBD-The Clerks 2 standing O is on video. You can see it at iTunes.
Marie Antoinette is an okay film. Great sets and costumes, awesome soundtrack, fair performances, lukewarm directing. I have a feeling every lazy film critic will compare Marie Antoinette with Paris Hilton, which is an unfair shake to the late Queen.
It won’t do squat for box office.
LAH To Welles-
You ask for us to work on our expression, yet you tell us that you banned Mr. Dooley for pointing out that your crying about publicists underlied a false sense of entitlement on your part (we all saw the post before you removed it). So do you want opinion or asskissing? One wonders.
You asked us to work on our composition- so here goes-
Jeffy Boy Oh Jeffy Boy
Why do you sound so full of noise?
You spread the hate and then ask us to wait
Is that cool Jeffy Boy?
As you walk to the film
In the big empty room
Do you get tired and bummed
That the studios don’t want your gloom?
Here you slag of Jackson the rich
When he doesn’t care if you bitch
Is there a reason you do this, oye?
I ask Jeffy Boy.
I am LASTACTIONHERO and I test screen tonight in LaVerne.
Really… I don’t need messages to Jeffrey in here any more than I need to discuss any other pimple on the ass of the industry.
I understand wanting to rage at being banned – assuming he banned you. But please keep it to a dull roar.
Thanks.
Camel, you can take Bening out of the “comedy” category. SCISSORS is a drama through-and-through.
Whoa. The Best Actress in a Drama category just keeps getting fuller and fuller. They could pull six nominations out of their hat this year like they did with Actor/Comedy last year.
I wonder what will become of Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy. You have the two Dreamgirls ladies (who, really, could become one if the HFPA decide that Hudson is supporting) and the two Prada wearers. Could SPC actually submit Volver as a comedy? Could Bettie Page get a push as a comedy? Same for Marie Antoinette? Or some obscure movie? Is Emma Thompson in Stranger than Fiction enough to actually be Lead? Hmmm…
Oscar nomination for Sienna Miller ??? NO WAY
I’m sorry but I still remember Sienna Miller, after last year’s Academy Awards, trying to have public sex with Sean Penn at the bar of the Chateau Marmont Hotel on Sunset Strip, in full view of hundreds of Hollywood producers, directors, and other moguls.
In “Factory Girl” Sienna Miller attempts to portray Edie Sedgwick, who was a real life muse of PITTSBURGH’s Andy Warhol.
After Sienna Miller’s RECENT crude comments and bizarre DIVA Temper Tantrum behavior in PITTSBURGH during the filming of “The Mysteries of Pittsburgh”, do you really think that the hundreds of producers, directors, actors and writers in Hollywood that were either born in PITTSBURGH or attended College in PITTSBURGH would ever vote for the idiot Sienna Miller ???
Harvey & Bob Weinstein, save your money instead of wasting it on a Sienna Miller campaign.
Okay, so this is a person with an axe to grind.
Why an axe to grind? Why can’t it just be an opinion motivated by… how the person feels?
I understand how that bullshit gets foisted on me, but why must everyone we disagree with be accused of having some mysterious, inappropriate motive?
Because they posted the exact same posting on two different posts, one of which was a month old…this ain’t rocket science, DP. I don’t even disagree with this person since I haven’t seen the movie or care about it in any way.
Why must every post I make be considered to be ‘bullshit’?
I don’t post often enough to suggest every post you put up is bullshit, Mc.
The comment was more general than you, though you do have this habit.
You haven’t noticed that people’s motives are always suspect when their opinion is unpopular with some people?
I’m a skeptic by nature, DP.
And besides, are you not questioning my motives here as well? The loop could keep spiraling in forever.
Your third sentence is too vague for me to be able to comment on.
Also, I have not been posting nearly as much in the last couple of weeks. Time for a new thing to complaint about me.