April 19, 2024
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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
May Kim Manners keep on making good TV in the great beyond. Seriously; this man has been responsible for countless hours of TV that I have watched in my life. He also helped Sam and Dean to mature to the level of greatness at which they currently reside. He will be sorely missed on a basic “HE MADE TV BETTER” level. Three HUZZAHS for you.
HUZZAH!
HUZZAH!
HUZZAH!
Finally saw Swing Vote last night, and was shocked how much I liked it. It’s actually a Top 10 candidate.
I just can’t figure why they thought early August was a better release date than election-year November.
Anybody go to Sundance? What did you see? What did you like? Or not like?
I saw 7 films and one set of shorts. Of the seven, I have to agree with consensus that Push was the best. Great acting by Monique was the highlight of an overall good cast. I also liked Peter and Vandy. It was well done as it jumped around chronologically and Jason Ritter was funny and cute.
Other films that I saw that I found at least decent were Dare, Bronson, Carmo, and Moon. I thought Toe to Toe missed, especially the second half.
This was only my second trip but I thought Main Street was less crowded. Lots of talk from people about how less focus on distribution sales makes the festival about the films again. That is not something I am in a position to comment about but it struck me as spin.
Has anyone else noticed that the number of Anti-Slumdog stories have tripled since the Oscar nominations were announced? Drudge has been gleefully linking to any anti-slumdog he can get. I have no idea what his motivation may be, maybe he thinks its just a good story but he linked to one story twice.
Did the film just open in India? Was it completely unheard of in India until last week? It just seems a little fishy that these stories pop up seemingly out of nowhere.
Finally put the first season of Mad Men in the Netflix queue and they lost it in the mail.
“Swing Vote” was a piece of shite, so much so that I walked out on it. Why else would Disney foist it on the American public in the middle of an interminable horse race?
BTW those who persist on citing Matt “I’m a Snitch” Drudge are just as lame as the Liberal Media.
I realize this is a TV question, not a movie question, but: Why is NBC burning off episodes of Crusoe on Saturday nights? Mind you, I haven’t watched a single episode of the show, but judging from what I’ve seen in ads, it apparently was a very expensive series to make. If memory serves me correctly, the last first-run network series to get burnt-off on Saturdays was The Evidence — but that was pretty much your average cop show.
Speaking of Netflix weirdness:
Does anyone know why they would have removed “Hounddog,” “Splinter” and “Else and Fred” from my queue?
The first two–one of which is scheduled for release this week, the other dropping on February 3rd–are now listed as “no release date available.”
And the latter was dropped a week after its release earlier this month with the cryptic message, “This title is no longer available.”
Does somebody not want me to see those movies???
That should’ve read: “Elsa and Fred,” not “Else.”
Sorry.
Heh – just watched “Splinter” a couple of weeks back. Well-made pic, that, though you’re made to forgive some of the zero-budget, cutaway effects from time to time.
And any Los Angelenos checked out “Minsky’s” yet? I wasn’t the biggest fan of “Drowsy Chaperone,” but found stuff to like here – particularly the songs. Some of the dance numbers weren’t particularly inspiring, but between this and carrying the entire “Young Frankenstein” fiasco on his back (well, “hump”) by going out and wringing every single last laugh out of the thing, he kind of looks like he might be on his way to Nathan Lane-style greatness.
In “Minsky’s,” he’s just that charismatic in a show that has some up’s (“Tap Happy”) and down’s (Rachel Dratch), but is ultimately entertaining.
And yes, it’s a pretty big departure from the Friedkin film it’s based on, “The Night They Raided Minsky’s,” which I saw recently and just found pretty terrible.
“He” referring to “Christopher Fitzgerald,” who plays the titular “Minsky.”
movieman, Netflix occasionally gets the release dates screwed up with smaller films. Or it is entirely possible that the small companies releasing those titles were unable to meet the date. My queue had Slumdog coming out on Feb 24th, if that is true it is incredibly shortsighted of fox to cut into its theatrical given that its the oscar frontrunner and is just now starting to do major crossover business.
Been meaning to report that I saw Let The Right One In and really enjoyed it. Some lady I overheard spoke Swedish and said quite a bit was lost in translation. It didn’t seem like it was missing anything, nor was it confusing at any point to me. I suppose if you know their life and culture only more could be gained.
I always like seeing kids in foreign cinema. We only get three basic looks of kids in the US. I liked the main characters relationship because it seemed more authentic than the high drama, spoiled teens going on midlife crisis shown here.
Loved the framing. You don’t notice that too much. There were slow spots. Not needing more blood necessarily but ones I thought they could’ve been answering some different questions.
Better than most films I saw last year.
Hcat- Feb 24th for “Slumdog”?! That’s crazy, crazy shit, no?
Yeah, Netflix is one of those untamable, incorrigible beasts: can’t live with it; can’t live without it (especially if you’re in Hicksville USA like me).
Amazon still lists January 27th and February 3rd street dates for “Splinter” and “Hounddog,” so something is definitely screwy in video land.
And “Elsa and Fred” was definitely released on January 6th (or was it 13th?) Netflix suddenly dropping it from their rotation (“this film is no longer available”) is just plain weird.
Kernan: the one story about the people being pissed off at it being referred to as “SLUMDOG”, was pretty interesting. I would not want to be referred to as a SLUMDOG either. So here’s to Mumbai Millionaire. Nevertheless; there will be a backlash. Those 55 year olds can turn like an Gumpert. So who knows what happens Oscar night.
Joe: Crusoe was a joint production with either ITV or the BBC. This means the show was most likely made by the BBC, and NBC paid for distrubution rights.
So in order to fulfull their end of the agreement. NBC — a network ran by monkeys (true story) — has to burn the episodes off. This is what happens when you put shows on Fridays: THEY DIE… THE END.
I know this is asking for trouble, but:
IOI, what’s ‘an Gumpert’?
Jeff: it’s an awesome German car. Watch TOPGEAR.
Okay, for my next question:
Are there any TV shows you don’t watch?
Netflix now lists Slumdog Millionaire for release on March 31st.
Maybe the reason for Slumdog negativity is because now more and more people are actually SEEING the movie – after it and three of the other nominees were seemingly being withheld from large amounts of people – and realising it’s an absurd movie to label as the best of the year. Meh. To each their own, I guess.
IO, if you like Top Gear, Jeremy Clarkson is in the new Eric Bana doco Love the Beast. He’s quite funny too (but in it too briefly).
‘Maybe the reason for Slumdog negativity is because now more and more people are actually SEEING the movie – after it and three of the other nominees were seemingly being withheld from large amounts of people – and realising it’s an absurd movie to label as the best of the year.’
you said it, kam. over-hyping ruins everything. i wish i lived in a bubble
Jeff: no. Kam: thanks.