May 20, 2024
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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
So did you like the movie?
Do you mean Best Foreign Film in your second paragraph? And if not, what’s keeping it from being a Best Picture contender?
wow…a movie to look forward to.
excellent.
While everyone paid deep attention to Run, Lola, Run, his followup The Warrior and the Empress was oddly just as satisfying as it went in the exact opposite direction tonally.
It was at this point that many of us became aware that Tykwer was in this game for the long haul.
One of the most fun cinematic experiences I’ve had was seeing Tykwer present NIGHT OF THE HUNTER at the Skirball Center. He had so much insight on one of my most favorite films.
Incidentally, PERFUME is playing the Austin Film Festival as is MY short doc STRINGERS so if you’re around, come see my flick too! Date/time/place for my film Friday October 19 at 9:45 at the Hideout and then again on Sunday October 22 at 3:00 at the Dobie. Shorts Program number 9….number 9…
I was first made aware of the novel by the Nirvana song it inspired (Scentless Apprentice). The song was a throwaway, but it piqued my curiosity and I always figured I’d get around to reading the book. Now I can just watch the movie instead.
Good old Hannibal Lechter. Great character. Right up there with Phred C. Dubbs, Charles Forster Cane, Vito Korleyone and Travers Pickle.
Good to see that Perfume could very well be a $100mil grosser before it even opens in America.
the film got torn apart by critics in Europe (even though production values were appreciated – it is one of the most expensive European films ever)
it is considered a commercial mainstream film over here. The producer Eichinger is famous for making book adaptations that tend to fail artistically but always attract big audiences. the book is one of the most successful novels in European history. And in Germany, the film is on its way to become one of the most successful films of the year. It has already made almost 50 M $ just in German speaking Europe.
Fun?! In what sense? I have trouble imagining this as a fun movie… Although I read the book alsmot 10 years ago, I have clear memories of it being dark, eerie, spooky (etc…) and highly stressfull as you come to realise the killer WON’T STOP!
If you consider the movie fun… either they’ve twisted the plot around, or I’m going to have to re-read the novel to reappraise it!
And for anyone who was considering reading it… it is an excellent page-turning book!
Good times for serial killers. I found myself very much enjoying the first two episodes of “Dexter” on Showtime — starring Michael C. Hall (looking less waxy and cadaverous than on “Six Feet Under,” but you still see the skull under his skin at all times), directed by the guy who did “L.I.E.” and written by the writer of the brilliant “Sopranos” episode, “College” (Season One, Episode 5). It, too, is a Hannibal Lecter-type story, about a serial killer who helps find serial killers because he understands how they operate, what drives them. I’m a sucker for movies about serial killers as artists (movie directors) whose crime scenes are staged to create an effect and tell a story. This one’s smart, funny, and quite disturbing. It may develop into Showtime’s first great series…
P.S. The novel “Perfume” is indeed terrific. And it inspired Kurt Cobain to write a great Nirvana song, “Scentless Apprentice” (on “In Utero”):
Like most babies smell like butter
His smell smelled like no other
He was born scentless and senseless
He was born a scentless apprentice
Go away – get away, get a-way
Every wet nurse refused to feed him
Electrolytes smell like semen
I promise not to sell your perfumed secrets
There are countless formulas for pressing flowers
Go away – get away, get a-way
I lie in the soll and fertilize mushrooms
Leaking out gas fumes are made into perfume
You can’t fire me because I quit!
Throw me in the fire and I won’t throw a fit
It’s LECHTER, man. Get it right!
Heh. Thanks for fixing that. But now, as with “Depated,” my first posting makes no sense. It’s a Rovian setup, isn’t it? Dave just Swiftboated me!