April 26, 2024
BYOB
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BYOB: 235 Years Of Relative independence
BYOB Weekend: Hop, An April Fool’s Gag?
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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
Poland – this Fav’s/IM2 stuff. Do you know who originally pushed hard for the gig, pitched his idea, thought he had it, but lost to Fav’s at the eleventh hour? Letterier. That’s how he ended up with Inc. Hulk.
Little strange, huh? He’s out there, doing all the yeoman’s work for Marvel and Fav’s ain’t hearin squat. Strange. Just sayin…
Let’s go Celtics. Sorry, had to.
Wasn’t there an election going on or something?
Re: sports, I’m much more interested in Euro 2008. Anyone else watching that? Spain was mighty impressive today. Of course, they always are in the first game, then the wheels come off by the knockout rounds.
Eurocup? Is that that game those commies play :D?
I’m pretty sure the Cubans, North Koreans, and Chinese are not participating.
And neither are the English. Not that they are commies… but it is a pity that they are not there. They most always lose in the most dramatic or at least funniest of ways. Especially penalty kicks.
Blackcloud, I’m watching! Occasionally… at the very least whenever Spain’s on the field! Although over here we’re not that worried they won’t make it past the first round (have you seen their group? easy-peasy!), all bets here are on the age-old question: “will they make it past the 1/4 finals?!”
I’m pretty sure the Swiss and Austrian law enforcement / security people are increadibly RELIEVED the brits aren’t playing this year! The Germans had to majorly increase security for fear of British Hooligans at the World Cup 2 yrs ago…
I love me those 120 minute scoreless ties!
Coupla things – L.A. people, tickets go on sale pretty soon for the L.A. Opera’s premiere of the Howard Shore/David Cronenberg/David Henry Hwang “The Fly” which will only run from Sept. 7th – Sept. 27th. Whatever it is, it’s going to be fucked up, so kind of a must-see.
Also, apparently next Thursday at the Egyptian, Walter Mirisch is hosting “In the Heat of the Night” and “The Apartment” as he just wrote a book about his career. Point #1: After reading Mark Harris’ “Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies that Changed Hollywood,” it’ll be cool to see “Heat of the Night” on the big screen. Point #2: The last time I went to the Egyptian because a filmmaker had written a book and was hosting a double-feature, it was Val Guest and he died shortly thereafter, which was weird. Watch your back, Mirisch!
SJR: I may have been at the same Val Guest Egyptian screening. Was it The Day the Earth Caught Fire and Hell is a City? Eh, maybe not. I think that was in ’02 and Guest didn’t die until May of ’06. He probably did more than one program there over the years. Anyway, he was already over 90 even then, and I was amazed at how lucid and vital he seemed. Same deal when I saw Fay Wray in the early ’00s introducing Affairs of Cellini at LACMA.
Guest actually made several appearances at the Egyptian over the years, including one at Cinecon with OH, MR. PORTER! Helluva lovely guy.
Universal must have decided they don’t want to take any chances – I just saw the ‘surprise’ Tony Stark cameo in a TV commercial for Incredible Hulk.
Not only does the TV spot include the Stark cameo, it LEADS with it, Downey appearing well before Norton, to give the impression it’s some sort of de facto Iron Man sequel, or at least a buddy flick.
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. IN THE INCREDIBLE HULK.
Fair warning: A Lex-Indulgent Moment is about to occur. I have dialed this nonsense way down of late because, yeah, it solves nothing and mostly I’d rather just talk about movies. These blog beefs are juvenile and tiresome (I assume) to all involved.
But a legit question, hopefully dialed down to a reasonable level.
I know many of you are looking to break into the biz.
How, realistically, can one do this while maintaining a livable wage at some “lame” job?
Obviously I should be doing plays, taking a cold read class, returning to standup, or taking a cinematography extension course.
But how do you do ANY of that while maintaining a 40-60hr/week job? Is it remotely possible? Is the whole industry just weighted towards those who are willing to wait tables and quit jobs at the drop of a hat?
My scenario is basically that I’m putting in 60+ hours a week at some corporate, shirt and tie gig, ZERO flexibility. Would ANY manager in this town rep somebody with such a job? Can you push paper at IBM all week and drop out to audition for reality shows?
What does one do? “Starving artist” is a much less appealing or rational concept at age 34 than it is at age 19.
Maybe you should have thought of that when you were 19 and before you took on a job that required you to work 9-9, 60hrs a week?
Maybe.
Lex: Few full-time “real” jobs are flexible or understanding enough to let you go off willy-nilly to look for work that will take you away from them. It’s a bit better for writers, I guess, who don’t necessarily need to audition in the flesh to land a gig (though it certainly can be a component). But even if you had oodles of free time, you’d still need luck, contacts and ability, probably in that order (I assume you have the third, but not the others). In the 15 years I’ve been in L.A., I’ve written episodes of two Disney Channel series, several screenplays for hire (none as yet produced) and an uncredited rewrite on a film starring an alum of 21 Jump Street (unfortunately, it was Greico, not Depp). Naturally, I wonder how much more I might have accomplished if I hadn’t had to keep a day job throughout. You’ll hate this, but a few months ago I actually landed an acting gig without even trying (and having no real experience beyond non-pro shorts and sketches). I do some freelance story editing for a prodco that needed cheap talent for a comedy short, and they thought I fit the bill. So now you can see my Emmy-worthy efforts in “N.O.D.,” a bonus feature on the recent DVD release of “Def Comedy Jam: Hosted by D. L. Hughley.” (Note: I have notified the Emmy nominating committee to withdraw my name from consideration; like Katherine Heigl, I wouldn’t want to steal a spot from a more worthy performer. Some might say my two-minute role wouldn’t have a chance anyway, but don’t forget Ellen Burstyn’s 14-second nominated perf from a couple years back). So now I’m an actor – one who commands a fee in the low three figures.
Yancy, that was an awesome post. Very funny… and congrats on the gig.