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
Interesting point. I mean, movies are now cleaned up for DVD release so even old grindhouse movies can get clean prestine releases.
Still, I adored Death Proof – I saw it at the cinema seperate, Grindhouse wasn’t released here, and just thought it was a hoot. I too didn’t care about the non-stop chatter.
“Who knew that the rough-hewn experience of grindhouses, so lovingly recreated in the theatrical release of this film, would just be irritating on DVD?
I did. So did most of America, that’s why no one (including me) went to see it in theatres
That makes absolutely no sense. None at all.
“Interesting point. I mean, movies are now cleaned up for DVD release so even old grindhouse movies can get clean prestine releases.”
That’s absolutely true. I watched a couple of Blue Underground dvds earlier, one of a Jess Franco movie, and their transfers were on par or better than studio releases on dvd from the same time.
The theatrical Grindhouse experience for me was one of the most dreary, miserable, nihilistic and badly conceived theatre going experiences of my entire life.
I rarely leave in the middle of a film for a bathroom break, but somewhere during Death Proof I did and I just lingered. Lingered in the bathroom, lingered in the lobby, lingered looking at the Grindhouse standee; anything to procrastinate going back into the theatre.
The problem with QT’s definition of female empowerment is that is has nothing to do with female empowerment at all. It is a fan boy’s wet dream of what a “cool girl” should act like. It is every bit as contrived and calculated as the Marliyn Monroe ideal of the 50’s. The Dawson moment is garrish and the entire climax plays like an extended Road Runner cartoon. Russell should be ashamed to have this on his resume. Rourke was smart to bail.
I hope I never have to sit through Death Proof in any incarnation again in my life time.
Yes, my reaction was that visceral.
This is one of my absolute favorite movies of the year. I love the dialogue and I think Russell’s performance is just great.
As far as the extended version goes, I felt like Russell had more menace, because it had more slasher-movie tropes to it, and I didn’t get that he kills ‘what he can’t have’. I’m pretty sure his mind was made up to kill the girls well in advance of the lap dance.
I think it’s a shame that audiences weren’t more open to this experience in theaters, but the Weinsteins shouldn’t have spent as much as they did, that was silly.
Jeff totally missing what Nicol had to state, but she’s right on target. The worst part of Deathproof is the portrayal of the women. Which represents a cartoon more than any sort of effects used to visually “FUCK THE FILM” up. Nevertheless; big ups to Borders for having this movie on sale for 8.99 and Heat picking it up because of the sale. GOOD ON YOU BORDERS!
Oh yeah Heat; you going down the Knowles road now with HD-DVD ;)?
No disrespect to Harry, IO, but what is “the Knowles road?”
The Knowles’ Road is the road commentators like yourself walk in terms of HD-DVD. We may even come to a day when you have a contest that gives away HD-DVD players. Again, the surprise could be the experience of watching Death Proof at home, or it could be the experience of having to buy a standard DVD. After months of experiencing all of that 1080p (still not as good as a movie screen!) goodness. That leads me to a totally random question Heat. Are the studios sending out any HD screeners?
Well, Death Proof upscaled to 1080 just fine. It was the design that was head turning.
I was talking to someone last night who smartly observed that the success of upscaling traditional DVD players could be the death of Blu-Ray and HD. They are much, much cheaper and while there is a difference, it’s not one that is significant enough to force the market. This, I assume, is why HD/DVD combos that will work on all equiptment are now being released left anf right.
And no, the studios are not sending out HD or Rlu-Ray. The logic of shipping hi-def is really for the manufacturers… offering a reason to buy a machine, now down to $299. I am looking forward to seeing how Sweeney and Blood upscale… assuming TWBB ever shows up.
My ‘There Will Be Blood’ screener wouldn’t play in my set-top DVD player at all (well, Disc 1 wouldn’t anyway. Seemed silly to try Disc 2 knowing Disc 1 didn’t work). Upscaled or not.
I haven’t received screeners of “Sweeney” or “TWBB” yet, RDP.
In fact, a PV rep told me that they wouldn’t even be shipping out screeners of the Anderson film (which I’m dying to see again: it placed #2 on my 10-best list).
What’s your affiliation?