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
First!
Deja vous.
(why is anyone doing “first” in here anyway?)
I’m not saying they’ll win because the movie’s popularity has so much to do with it, but I’d love to see added:
Waitress – for screenplay & Keri Russell’s performance
Wind That Shakey the Barley – Picture, Cinematography
Zodiac – Production, costume design
The Namesake – Just to mention it, because it broke my heart, beautiful film.
The 300 – I was not a fan, and it won’t win any major categories, but very well could be nominated for effects.
We say first becuase we love you, Dave.
Dave, as a small favor, could you possibly change The Hot Button’s cover story from THE LITTLE MERMAID to anything else? Good God but I can’t stand seeing that picture any more. Thank you for your consideration.
Carpet, Zodiac for Costume and Production Design, but not Cinematography? I would’ve thought that would be it’s best shot.
On 300, if Sky Captain couldn’t do it then I don’t see why 300 will do it, especially now that the process isn’t ‘shiny and new’ anymore. But I could be wrong…
It helps that 300 was financially successful and Sky Captain was not.
Looking forward to Beowulf very much – here’s a fantastic new pic of Ray Winstone.
http://www.mtv.com/photos/?fid=1565713&photoID=2587261
I didn’t notice either…guess I just figured it’d be in there as, indeed, I think this one is being primed as a major Vantage push and possibly a Best Picture fighter.
I’m just happy to see it is Holbrook that was cast in the role of Ron Franz (a pseudonym for the real character). Pitch-perfect casting for a truly sensational character.
Zodiac was shot digitally and that has yet to fly well with the Academy.