April 25, 2024
BYOB
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BYOB: 235 Years Of Relative independence
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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
any word on ‘Body of Lies’ ?
Judging by the trailer, Crowe looks miscast. Not much of the ‘Romper Stomper’ intensity there. Looks like he’s coasting. But of course it’s only a trailer.
Seems like “Burn After Reading” is out of major awards contention. The Guardian and Hollywood Reporter liked it, but Variety borderline trashed it, Levy was tepid, and all seemed to agree that it was a somewhat minor film.
Everybody who read the Burn script knew it wasn’t an awards picture, just a fast-paced corkscrew comedy.
And now, looks like McCain is about to pick a woman as his VP. Gee, is that cynical strategizing or what? Still trying to pull the Hillary supporters…
Cynical? As opposed to picking pitbull Biden to do your dirty work and pull in white male and Catholic votes?
Sheesh.
Random question…I must have missed this, but was there ever an official explanation for why katie holmes bailed on ‘the dark knight’? seems incredibly stupid, no?
I thought she was fired by the producers.
White male Catholic votes? Huh? He picked Biden because of his foreign policy attributes. And he was largely expected.
Palin is completely off the map. She has no business being on the ticket other than to wedge Clinton supporters.
Still, thank fuck it’s not Romney, huh?
That would have been quite the boon for the Dems though. Imagine the fun the could have had composing attacks ads just showing McCain’s disdain for the man.
Mutinyco,
If that is what you think…you don’t know politics.
That’s nice Nicole. That’s why there’s only been one Catholic President in the country’s history — 45 years ago. Might’ve factored, but it’s not why he’s on the ticket.
Biden was chosen because of his foreign policy experience. Doesn’t take a genius to understand that. He offers what Obama lacks. Fills the gap.
I understand politics well enough D.
OK, since David thoughtfully provided us with another thread to thrash out our opinions about Palin
mutinyco – What you fail to understand is that no-one knows American politics like our resident Canadian.
Midnight show of “Disaster Movie” in an all-but-empty hall where a vagrant takes a whizz. It’s only fitting.
Speaking of Canada, it looks like they’ll have a federal election come October, eh!
Chucky, I can’t believe it but we’re going to be lucky yet again! Lionsgate has gone ahead and greenlit “Sci-Fi Movie” for release next year, the latest in the Friedberg/Setlzer series of revelatory, laughtastic spoofs!
That was actually me, Joe. I didn’t want to write a review of that crap so I just expressed myself physically. Had I known you’d be there, I would have went elsewhere.
Was similarly alone at a midnight show. The usher actually did a double-take.
“Burn After Reading”…
I know he’s the unofficial President of Hollywood, but is it sacrilege to opine that maybe Clooney and the Coens are a mismatch?
Don’t get me wrong, great actor, and he usually has great nose for material, great taste in filmmakers. Can’t blame him wanting to work with these guys repeatedly.
But something about suave Clooney mugging and sputtering and delivering Coen arch irony just seems a bit of a put-on. I guess some will disagree because O BROTHER was well regarded, but especially in “Intolerable Cruelty” the Clooney take on “frenetic” just seemed false and overdone. I’m not a huge fan of “Ladykillers,” but Hanks, another massive star, seemed to more effectively adapt to their comedic pitch.
Well, I’m not sure about anyone else, but I sure am not going to be seeing Burn After Reading for Pitt or Clooney (although I’m a fan of the latter, I continue to be disillusioned by Pitt), but will be seeing it for The Tilda and Frances McDormand.
I’m seeing Burn After Reading for the rare sight of John Malkovich being slap-sticky and goofy. Aside from playing himself nine years ago, has he ever done broad comedy before?
For what it’s worth, I genuinely enjoyed The Lady Killers. Really, it was Tom Hanks’ last good movie (granted he’s not nearly as busy as he used to be), and that streak will likely remain unbroken this year.
I left my wallet in El Segundo …
Clooney might be out of his element in this movie, but Pitt playing a buffed-up meathead idiot looks awesome.
Plus Malkovich, and has Tilda Swinton ever done a comedy before, period?
Scott and Jeff, Malkovich made Colour Me Kubrick from a couple of years back in which he played a Stanley Kubrick impersonator.
I would suggest you not see it though because, quite frankly, it was terrible beyond belief. And Malkovich was just as bad. Needless to say, I didn’t laugh.
My question was about Swinton, not Malkovich, but I had forgotten about her being in Thumbsucker and Adaptation.
I did see Color Me Kubrick for work-related reasons, and there’s a reason I didn’t count it. It IS atrocious and dreadfully boring to boot.
To be fair, Swinton was not funny per se in Thumbsucker. She was wonderful and incredibly moving, but she was not in a comic role as we normally define them. I really was surprised at how much I enjoyed that one (it was actually the first film I saw specifically as a critic). Yet more evidence that Keanu Reeves can act when he has to, and a film high point for Vincent D’Onofrio.
scott, i think of keanu like a so-so professional tennis player: he often plays like crap, but put him in a big match with a real talent (river, pacino, blanchette, weisz, downey, etc) and he can lift his game.
does anyone else think the ‘times online 10 best crime movies’ seemed sort of deliberately wishy washy?
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/film/article4614905.ece
i guess it depends on one’s definition of ‘crime movie’, but the glaring omission of modern heavy hitters like godfather I&II/goodfellas/heat/pulp fiction, the early classics of cagney/bogey etc., and perhaps most notably hitchcock, it made me wonder who compiled that list! silence, reservoir dogs, usual suspects, fargo… i can get on board with those beauties, but ‘the transporter’ instead of ‘the untouchables’ (or a hundred others i can think of)? yowza!
i suck at making lists because i can never make up my mind, but amongst my other all-time fave crime flicks that i can think of right now (in no order):
the grifters
se7en
chinatown
jackie brown
road to perdition
donnie brasco
body heat
bonnie and clyde…
go on then
oops, i meant to mention in the above, i haven’t seen ‘jar city’ so it might be terrific for all i know. and i haven’t seen ‘once upon a time in america’ for many years, i probably need a refresher there. for ‘the times’, that list seems oddly bereft of british crime classics as well.