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
At the movie store, I noticed earlier today that the #10 rental was Escape From Alcatraz. Even Dr. Strangelove was in the top 100.
It should be noted though, that an Idol performance of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah directly resulted in Jeff Buckley’s version of the song appearing in the #2 slot on iTunes (maybe even #1, I stopped paying attention.)
A song that the Idol demographic had likely never heard all of a sudden in the top 3? That certainly isn’t idle.
It should be noted though, that an Idol performance of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah directly resulted in Jeff Buckley’s version of the song appearing in the #2 slot on iTunes (maybe even #1, I stopped paying attention.)
A song that the Idol demographic had likely never heard all of a sudden in the top 3? That certainly isn’t idle.
David – Interesting point, but I’m not surprised. I think there’s a glut of Idol product out there, and recordings of rehearsals seem pretty disposable.
Mutiny – Escape from Alcatraz is so high today because it’s this week 99-cent rental. Although you do occasionally see oddball old movies like that creep up the chart, which is probably a function of the iTunes Store’s tiny selection. Even small variances probably count for a lot in the rankings.
Exigence – Hallelujah has been overplayed to the Idol demographic ad nauseum– it’s been on countless O.C. ripoffs’ “very special episodes.” At this point I cringe when I hear it– a nice song has turned into such a canned, obvious choice.
For the first week, Apple disclosed sales popularity among those Idol videos and songs they were releasing. When users were using it to gauge the popularity of the contestants and thus attempt to predict who would be booted off that week, Apple removed such information from iTunes at the request of Idol producers.
So, just because you don’t see the tracks making it into the charts doesn’t mean they’re not, they’re just not including that material for metrics anymore.
Jesus, Eric you’re right – I cringe too. I just read this as well, about it’s ubiquity: http://www.clapclap.org/2007/04/hallelujah.html.
So, that embarrassing oversight notwithstanding, American Idol still was the cause of that particular version reaching #2 on iTunes, and with Mark’s point is evidence that Idol still has an enormous influence on the young’uns.
Hallelujah was featured prominently in Shrek, which I assure you most of Idol’s demographic has seen many, many times…
Very interesting, Mark.
Mark makes sense. Although I know in Australia songs that are performed end up on the iTunes charts usually if they are smaller lesser known songs. Tracks like Gary Jules’ “Mad World” and “Under the Milky Way” by The Church have gotten pretty high after being sung by contestants (and sung well).
The official joint announcement by Apple and Fox stated:
Not to belabor the point but if you log on to the American Idol section of iTunes as of 8:40p, they also state:
“American Idol contestants are presented here in alphabetical order….” They then proceed to repeat that they are “committed to presenting… as they had previously stated back in February when they removed Idol rankings.
AMERICAN IDOL OWNS YOUR ASS.
I’m rooting for Brooke, because she’s hottest of the chicks left. I only root for HOT PEOPLE because UGLY PEOPLE are fucking WACK and in this season all the dudes are DOUCHEBAGS, not AWESOME like Daughtry, who OWNS FUCKING ALL.
Of course no one here watches. Quel suprise.
These kids should do more covers of fucking METAL, because any music that isn’t HARDCORE is for weak, MEDIOCRE people with NO INTENSITY.
RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAWR. BE A GOD.
dial idol has been pretty inaccurate this season, does anyone think Vote for the worst is skewing dial idol because a disproportionate amount of vftw-ers use the online thingamajig dial idol uses to track contestants?
It’s David Archuletta all the way!
That kid will make one helluva Frankie Valli if they ever get around to shooting a “Jersey Boys” movie someday….hopefully NOT directed by Chris Columbus.
LexG, converting people to atheism the world over.
Too bad about that awful soulless AI muzak not being in the top 100. I was waiting for this national pop nightmare to end.