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
This is pretty sad news…I just last saw him in ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ which reminded me of his really funny role in ‘Tootsie’. Shame.
I came here just because of this. I got to spend good time with him back in the mid-90’s. One of the nicest people I’ve ever met and a pragmatism I admired. The last interview I saw was on Shootout. He seemed strong. Good-bye and thanks, Sydney.
Pollack wasn’t in FSM. If you’re thinking of the doctor, that was Steve Landesberg of Barney Miller fame. I understand the confusion though.
Also, very sad. Expected but no less a loss.
And not expected by everyone, either.
I think you meant to say “Made of Honor,” Abba.
Yes, Pollack was a true gentleman, and a consistently underrated filmmaker as well. I have as much affection for some of his less “successful” pictures (“The Yakuza,” “The Scalphunters,” “This Property is Condemned,” “Jeremiah Johnson,” “Bobby Deerfield”) as I do for the classics (“Out of Africa,” “Three Days of the Condor,” “Tootsie,” “They Shoot Horses” and my personal favorite, “The Way We Were”).
Even his missteps (“Castle Keep” and “Random Hearts” among others) were distinguished by the kind of intelligence and professionalism that were a lot more commonplace during Hollywood’s Golden Age than they are today. And if Pollack is ultimately remembered as merely a “journeyman” director, then he was surely among the best of a noble breed.
One of the things that I love about the hiring of Michael Wilmington on the MoviecityNews website is that he is one of the few film critics who will admit in his writing if he was wrong or if he had a previously incorrect opinion on a filmmaker.
Wilmington did this with his review of Pollack’s last fiction film “The Interpreter” and his accompanying piece/interview looking back at Pollack’s career. Now, I do not think that anyone will jump up and down and say the “The Interpreter” is a great film but the explosion on the New York City bus is as good description of professional Hollywood thriller technique that you rarely see in Hollywood films today.
Pollack was also one of the best advocates of Stanley Kubrick if you remember seeing the Kubrick documentary “Life/Pictures of Stanley Kubrick”. I also loved his return to acting from 1992 “Husbands and Wives” to “Michael Clayton”. You will be missed, Mr. Pollack.
I also forgot his great guest shot as the homicidal doctor helping Johnny Sack in his last days on The Sopranos. Rest in peace, Mr. Pollack.
Wow, this is unbelievably sad and something that I was afraid of happening after we lost his good friend and protege Anthony Minghella a few months prior. I will always appreciate his fine work behind the camera (Three Days of the Condor was a film I watched over and over when I was a kid) and his producing (Michael Clayton, Recount, Talented Mr. Ripley, etc.), but when I think of him I think of his wonderful turns in front of the camera: Tootsie, Michael Clayton, Eyes Wide Shut.
But most of all, I smile every time I think of Sydney Pollack and his small turn in Robert Zemeckis’ Death Becomes Her. His scene as the increasingly frazzled doctor is the highlight of the whole film and worth the price of admission.
I’ll miss knowing that he’s out there, behind the scenes, discovering great new talents and shepherding wonderful little projects.
Djiggs, great call on Husbands and Wives, what a truly amazing performance.
What a terribe terrible loss. HE was a great filmmaker, actor and humna being. So sad to see him go so early.
As I type this, I remember his performance in Eyes Wide Shut.
Nikki Finke was right!
I’ll always remember him as the man that gave me (and the film world at large, obviously) one of my all time favourite films – They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?
I was a staunch defender of The Interpreter at the time of it’s release and I still am. For whatever reason, people seemed to be under the illusion that it was this universally reviled movie. Not sure how or why it got that reputation, one that it doesn’t deserve. Pollack did a good job on what could have always just been another throwaway thriller.
He’ll be missed, for sure.
BTW, I too came straight here when I saw the headline on my Yahoo homepage. Figured it was the best bet for a discussion like this.
I’m glad my pal Danny got to work under him. He was one of my favorites and THE YAKUZA is a terrific action-character study. Loved him in HUSBANDS AND WIVES too. Oh man…
I actually saw some of Pollack’s early TV work — including the episode of “Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre” — but I really didn’t know who the guy was until 1969, the year of my transition from high school, when I saw, within the space of a fvew months, his very under-rated “Castle Keep” and his still-potent “They Shoot Horses, Don’t They?” I kept made a point to keep track of his career after that.
Also: A gracious gent during interviews. Even, as I’ve noted, when he lost his temper… LOL.
Not close to funny, Wreck.
You can get a really good sense of Pollack from “Sketches of Frank Gehry.” In it, you see his real curiosity and interest in artistry and craft. Though it’s a doc, it’s actually beautifully made and just a great window in to not only Gehry, but also the man doing the interviewing.
Noah: I am in total agreement with your posts. That’s pretty much how I am feeling right not because this news really bums me the fuck out. The universe apparently needed a good producing team. Huzzah to him. Huzzah. Huzzah.
God, I always dreamed of working with this guy. So much one could’ve learned. So bummed…..
The different hats he wore and the way he wore them; his varied career and the class he brought with it…
How he played the game, is the template I try to emulate more than anyone.
A heartfelt prayer for a great soul and filmmaker tonight.
I love Tootsie – one of the all-time great comedies. His acting, the screenplay, it’s just about perfect.
However, how come no one is mentioning The Firm? Was never a big fan of Tom Cruise, but that is truly one of the most underrated thrillers of recent years. Good clever plot, much better than the book, actually; great score by Dave Gruisin, and just wonderful casting with a slew of fantastic character performances from Holly Hunter, Ed Harris, Gene Hackman, David Straitharn, Wilford Brimley (I’m not kidding), Hal Holbrook, and (in her only watchable performance before Big Love) even Jeanne Tripplehorn(!). Of course, Tom Cruise does a bang-up job of holding it all together, turning his Top Gun-megawatt smile inside out as the screws get turned on him.
Just a fantastic film for adults and really indicative of just how great Pollack was. Almost a shame he could not find a role for himself in it. If I’m not mistaken, it might be his biggest hit? Or right up there with Tootsie?
Tootsie: $177.2 million domestic gross
The Firm: $158.4 million domestic gross
(unadjusted for inflation)
Even though I wasn’t a fan of most of his post “Tootsie” work, one thing I can say is that I never didn’t like him. It was always enjoyable to see him onscreen.
http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2008/05/28/1/an-appreciation-of-sydney-pollack
This would be tonight.
We could use more old school directors like him, who could do a number of different genres and do them all just right. He’s always at the very least, a solid director. But with the right script and actors, he can be amazing.