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 if I watch, I’ll win the Oscars office pool. I love awards shows; I even watched the Scream Awards on Spike, and I hate horror with a passion.
Until this group recognizes the idiotic decision to hand out a Best Soundtrack award over something actually artistic and important like Cinematography or Editing, their ceremony can be shown at 4am on Animal Planet for all I care.
If this was the People’s Choice awards, I wouldn’t make a point of saying something. But the critics should know better, and the fact that they would waste 3 award slots for film music (when only one is necessary in terms of merit) and only give out one writing award (!) proves they’re just as shallow as every other awards organization. It just makes me think of Woody’s visit to Los Angeles in Annie Hall. “All they do is give out awards here! Best fascist dictator: Adolf Hitler”
I’m curious as to your position on this, D.P., and who’s in charge of determining what gets voted on. Gene Shalit?
I think Dave is aware of my position on this award show, so I won’t bother him by going into it again… until the actual show airs and we’re dealt with more back patting by it’s own members WE PREDICT MORE WINNERS THAN ANYONE ELSE.
Oh, sorry. I’ll stop now.
It’s more credible that critics don’t give out awards for Cinematography or Editing, which are really only meaningful when DP’s and editors vote. Ask any editor, soundtracks are creative, why else do editors fight for this or that music supervisor to be on their film.
So you don’t need to be an actor, writer, director, or composer to recognize merit in those perspective categories, but need to be an expert in Cinematography and Editing? Please. Critics are supposed to be students of film, and should be more qualified than the Globe or Academy voters.
While there is certainly much thought put into selecting music to put into a film, you can’t really think it’s more important than any of these other contributions. In addition to what I’ve already mentioned, I would also put costume and sound design ahead of “soundtrack”,
I don’t know what you’re trying to defend here but you should pick another battle.
Well, some movies rely on their soundtrack. Take Marie Antoinette for example (a movie I hope gets nominated for Best Soundtrack). Or other popular soundtracks like Garden State (which won the Grammy). Without that something is missing.
I like to pretend I know all about cinematography, but really all I can come up with is “how pretty does it look? is the lighting okay?”
Lazarus, for such a supporter of the “artistic and important like Cinematography or Editing,” you disrepect it. The technical arts are extremely creative and should be judged by the people who do it. Acting, Directing, Writing, Music, I’m comfortable with “students of film” judging. It’s all about me being comfortable.
Kami: Robbie Robertson for The Departed: sublime.