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 have a feeling I read this article, but since you haven’t mentioned the name, I won’t. I found the claim, like you, ridiculous as I know that the film is she says is trumping Pirates will not be making the kind of money Pirates is and will be making. But then again, that film cannot and should not compete with Captain Jack.
I don’t see why International box office is “the last refuge of a limping franchse.” I see it as a whole new market, much bigger than the Us and, with a promising growth. Movies can be THE export for America.
The international business is fine and important and still growing.
My point is that for very overpriced films like these, when they NEED $750 million worldwide to break even (and that takes ancillaries, including Home Ent into account), the new reality is that America wears out before the rest of the world. Perhaps it is because we are SO oversaturated with hype. Perhaps it is because a star, like Tom Cruise, is not as abused in Asia as here. Perhaps it is that we speak English and the spectacle is not quite enough.
But while domestic/foreign has been 60/40 for a while, the split is even greater with these films that are a bit bloated in rounds 2 or 3.
I wish I could set up my browser to make it impossible for me to go to that person’s site, because every single time I read anything on her blog, I’m put in a bad mood… kind of like with The Hot Blog back during the time of “the slump.” 🙂 (At least here I can post my disagreeance publically, while that person conveniently turns off comments while editing and rewriting everything she writes without note of the update.)
I agree with you on the hype thing. I get them because I like to follow Hollywood news. But my fellow Thais don’t know English well enough to have fun surfing these sites. I’ve not visited Thai sites devoted to movies. I think I should to see what they report.
Is David Poland married to Nikki Finke, or is he just rude to women?
Doesn’t it occur to these chowderheads that the break-even would be much lower if they simply STOPPED SPENDING SO MUCH MAKING THE DAMN FILMS!?!
Good points, DP. However, P3 will be hard pressed to come anywhere near the $29 million that S3 made in its third weekend. Low $20s would be good for P3. Unless it shows a more modest decline of 40% or so this weekend, P3 seems certain to trail S3 by at least $20-30 million domestically in the end.
I am very surprised. I thought last was best for the big three and that P3 was the most anticipated. I guess competition and poor reviews caught up with it.
I also think releasing it less than a year after the last one was a huge mistake. The first two movies benefitted greatly from repeats. Not only were there two monoliths to compete with, but audiences simply couldn’t spend the majority of their movie ticket money on a single story within twelve months. Actually, I kind of wonder how the movie would be faring if it didn’t still have those fans who saw it three times in one week. (These people have no right to complain about prevalant blockbusters ever again)
I admit, there’s something about having my criticism met by fans with the response “Well it made a bazillion dollars, so it had to be good” and seeing a considerable erosion that feels…cleansing.
Something else to consider, Skyblade — something we often forget when talking about a follow-up to a movie that made a great deal of money. Specifically: What if many of the people who saw that huge-grossing film really didn’t like it?
Poland…you look CRAZY.
I’m embarrassed I stood up for you before.
Your parasitic attack of critics like yourself is redundant.
“JUST FOR THE RECORD”…ooooooh pleeeeease…
Is that the best rational you can come with for your obviously chronic case of ‘sour grapes’?
PLEASE STOP!
You look so juvenile trying to find a new way… someway… anyway… however way… a better way… “PLEASE GOD let there be at least one way!” for your silly, obviously mean-spirited, (dare I say) even JEALOUS way and being critical of Nikki.
Give it UP sailor!
Notice how few of your hearties signed on to these comments and are silently avoiding supporting your noble deeds. (They are just as embarrassed – or feel sorry for you like I do.)
Let it go,
Get a life … but please just get a different life than besides just chasing HERS!!!
(If she was truly as avoidable and benign as you pretend, you wouldn’t be tracking her every word or scoop, now would you?) If she really is insignificant, why do you spend so much time trying to find some way to discredit her. As in, “I think YOU doth protest too much!” or maybe your just a school boy in love – and you don’t know how to express it???
You do her more of a service in talking about her and drawing attention to her, than if you would just get on with it and find a way to beat her to the scoops yourself. (This segment’s lack of viewer response and silence speaks volumes – lend it an ear.)
C’mon me Poland lovers ..Arrrrrgggg!
Your leader is being attacked and desperately needs to hear the pirate’s salute from you! (Eye/Eye!) Rally to his cause of self-indulgence ye scallywags! Be the cannon fodder in his ludicrous “criticizm of critics by a critic”! As in … “No honor amoung thieves” (critics included).
C’mon Lads!
Grab your scabbards and join in Poland’s broadsiding of the very ship he wishes he could sail on and be as successfully credited as.
C’mon me maties!
– jump in –
… the water’s …
(wait for it…………)
ICE! ICE! ICE! ICE! ICE!
(I’m sorry Dave, but SOMEBODY had to say it.)
The winners of the Los Angeles Press Club’s 49th Southern California Journalism Awards “honoring the best in journalism in 2006” were announced last night:
ENTERTAINMENT JOURNALIST OF THE YEAR
Nikki Finke, LA Weekly
Judges: Reading [her] salaciously candid coverage of Hollywood and its inhabitants almost feels like a guilty pleasure. She mixes the news with fearless finger-wagging that
oooooouuuuuuch!