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” â 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 â 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 â he directed a play that I was going to do as an actor, so we know each other, but he yelled “hi” â and I’d forgot who he was.
So at my girlfriend Barbara Hershey’s urging â I was with her at that moment â 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 namedâ” “Yeah, sure â 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 Iâm on the phone with you now, after all thatâs 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 didnât seek to use his position to have sex with anyone. Thereâs not a case of that. He wasnât using his position or status to try to solicit a sexual favor from anyone. If he had â if that were what the accusation involved â 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. Iâm not just being rhetorical. Why is it that you and the other critics, none of you could find the voice to say, âYou know, itâs not this, itâs thatâ? Because â let me go on and speak further to this. If you go back to the L.A. Times piece, thatâs what it lacked. Thatâs 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
“Reading my site is a lot like drinking a truth serum. Unfortunately, a lot of my candor also comes packaged in bluntness. As long as I’m an accurate and responsible journalist, I can keep getting away with providing Hollywood the kind of business news humilitainment it seems to crave but won’t ever get from the trades.”
So…she just used the terms “responsible journalist” and “humilitainment” in the same sentence?
so apparently Joaquin Phoenix is supposed to have a show tonight in Atlanta.
http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2009/02/joaquin-phoenixx-in-atlanta.html
Except The Monkees OWN.
So I wonder if those of us who had just renewed our Moveline subscriptions before it vanished without a trace will get something in return? No. Probably not.
The Monkees success ultimately resulted in funding BBS and Easy Rider, The Last Picture Show, Five Easy Pieces, Days of Heaven, etc.
I doubt the Jonas Brothers’ success will create such a legacy…
Unless the Jonas Bros make something as subversive and deconstructive as HEAD…
Have to share this: After I showed Citizen Kane to a film history class today, one of my students came up to me and said: “The dude’s mother was Endora? Cool.”
Joe, I’m actually impressed someone from that age group even knows Bewitched.
More like The Douchas Brothers.
In other musical news, the hottest chick on this season’s AI (Megan) didn’t make the cut because some nonthreatening white-funk dork, an ugly fat chick with red hair, and a queeny musical theater douche are more appealing to the Asian scene kids who vote.
I might not even finish the season if they don’t get a hot chick in there. McPhever 4 Life.
FUCK YES. POLAND ON TWITTER LIKE A MOTHERFUCKER.
*KUDOS* on the HOT-ASS AVATAR.
When I *DROP* on Twitter, I’ll make sure to let everyone know so McDouche can have another place to stalk me.
BEERCHUG.
No kidding, Joe. But imagine if they’d been like, “That dude’s mother was Monty Stratton’s mom, too?!?”
Laz: Yeah, that did surprise me. Especially since my son (now 22) and his buddies had absolutely no freakin’ idea what Bewitched was when we saw a lobby poster for the Nicole Kidman movie while walking out of a preview screening of Revenge of the Sith.
SJR: That would have been shocking. Really, I would have expected someone to mention The Bat or even Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte before that.
Joe, at least nobody said: “Hey, that’s the guy from those Paul Masson commercials!”
Citizen Kane was the voice of Unicron? Cool.
Memphis will soon have 3 out of the 12 AI finalist. It is all going according to plan. GOOD! GOOD!
Anyone see Louis CK on Conan O’Brien? I love the sentiment in this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoGYx35ypus
Great clip, mystery. CK’s recent Showtime special is one of the best standup shows I’ve seen in a while.
As for the Jonas Brothers, I haven’t heard much of their stuff, but it strikes me as pretty decent power pop. They certainly seem to have a lot of promise for their ages. But as Kim Voynar points out in her review of the movie, the target audience is young girls, so I don’t think they’re worried right now about attracting Monkees fans. But I can see how someone who appreciates the Monkees or Cheap Trick or The Raspberries or Badfinger or whoever might think these guys have some promise. Hooks is hooks!
That’s funny, I never pictured Nikki Finke as looking like Louise Fletcher.
Kinda pictured her more as some twitchy brunette frontier-era spinster type, pitched somewhere between Joyce DeWitt, 1995 Marcia Clark, and maybe Kathleen Quinlan, only dressed in Amish garb.
In other news:
KRISTEN STEWART IS CHARMING.
That one ugly Jonas Brother who the fans don’t like, with the curly hair and the bad sideburns? Kevin, I think?
If that kid actually likes the vag, that’s a bet I’d lose.
Well Dave, I’m not saying you’re wrong, but I have to slightly disagree with you..
I’ve been wondering if I should drop this here, and have been hesitating for awhile, but furk it. This seems like as good as time as any…
http://www.diaryofahollywoodstreetking.com
Some of you may have already seen this site, I don’t know.
This is the blog of one of my best friends and co-writer of my current project. Rap and Rock artist Jacky Jasper.
Jacky is an independent label rapper that has made several records and has broken Billboards 200.
Elvis Mitchell (whom I’ve talked with about him) and others that really know hip-hop, know of whom I speak.
Jacky, after being fed up with Hollywood and the music industry’s evil ways, decided to create a place where he could sell his own music.
Knowing that it’s all about the IGeneration now and the web is the future, Jacky also knows that you’re not going to get attention among infinite sites unless you distinguish your self. And with infinite rappers and musicians in this game, who is going to take the time to check out or buy his music if he just has a site to sell his music? (Actually, right now, much of it is available for free on the site)
How can you build an audience when the only way you get on clear channel is to pay them?
So Jacky; having many many friends in black and white Hollywood, and fed up with the industry’s evil and salacious business practices decided he was done with the industry and how they practice said business –
Jacky decided that since the world is so currently wired to be negative, the only way to get new hits or attract a following is through snark and cult of personality.
So essentially, Jacky has created a site that is arguably snark – to attract viewers, and ideally get them to buy some records.
But the difference is, just about everything you read on there is either true, or based in truth. Because many of the articles and snark is stuff that Jacky has seen personally or personally knows about. His “sources” are air tight (I’ve been a first hand witness myself to many of the articles and some are old news in our world)
Because he has always been around as a rapper and producer, no one felt like they had to hide anything from him, the way they do Perez or Trent or even Dave and other “journalists” or “bloggers”
Jacky is purporting to be neither. He is a musician who is trying to sell or expand his work, and writing about his own experiences, or commenting on other stories with any anecdotes he may have.
He hasn’t even (and I don’t think he will) divulge some of the worst he or both of us has seen since being in this game. Some things just need to stay hidden, for everybody’s sake.
The blog and site is fairly new, and personally I was against it. As not only is this guy my co-writer, but he’s also the intended lead of the movie, and I’m still afraid he’s going to make enemies that could fuck financing on our project up… (nobody has any idea how good an actor this guy is. And how nice he really is in person. He’s a Will Smith type, that really knows and comes from the streets)
But, Jacky is determined, and he got so personally fed up with the filth he has seen in this town, he decided he was done with them, going indie, selling his records himself – through the site.
The site has only been out a couple of weeks and is already up to 100K hits a day (I’ve heard this secondhand and have not validated that number, though I’m sure Dave can in 5 seconds. Still a far cry from Defamer’s 3million/day) and he’s already turned down buyout offers from Russel Simmons (who then tried to shut him down)and others, while Perez has tried to shut him down repeatedly.
And the irony?
All these people that shut the door in his face when we came at them positively and honorably like real people when they were the worst of human beings? Now that they’ve been smacked on the site and have gotten negative attention, THEY WANT TO WORK WITH HIM NOW!!
It’s a small team running things over there, but they have another team in Europe running their servers, so there’s no more shutting them down.
So I know they don’t have much overhead, very little I’m sure, but I know they’re making some good money off of just the site itself (again, I’m sure it’s far from the income of Gawker or MCN)
I’m throwing this all out as a caveat, because no doubt this site -if you go -is going to offend many.
But other than outing those that are truly evil on the inside, most of the snark is harmless. And if you read the articles, you’ll get to see that Jacky has a philosophy on life that is unique and enlightening.
I’m not involved with the site (although he’s bothering me to write for it) – but I am a private investor in two of the albums for sale there. So, if you go, please consider buying a record, song or ringtone. You’re helping THX make some money he can then put into the development of his project, so as to bring you even more entertainment đ
Or at least check out the music that is they’re for free. And remember you’re reading a guy that writes songs and music and screenplay and performs concerts. Because that is a far cry from Perez or Harvey Levin. (Both are just Gay power players putting others down to assuage their own ego)
I know many won’t believe me, and I don’t blame you. But those that do (or know my history here); I can tell you – anything that breaks over there and is not linked from somewhere else – IS TRUE.
The other thing I can tell you is that Jacky is really pissing off the town and the other snark sites because HE WON’T TAKE BRIBES. Perez, TMZ, The Post, PINK and Defamer, they all get paid to withhold stuff.
Jacky refuses to do this, because he isn’t in this to be a gossip. It’s a hustle to sell his music and as soon as the site becomes valuable enough, I’d wager someone will take it off his hands. He’s a musician, so he doesn’t play their game. He just posts stuff from his own experiences or sources that are air tight (Black Hollywood snitches on everything. They won’t be surprised by the content on there, it’s everything they yap about behind white Hollywood)
Many of these stories I’ve been a firsthand witness and can account to. I’ve known this cat for over 13 years. He’s one of the good guys in this game. Which is why he’s doing the snark. He wants to lift the curtain on how dysfunctional and evil this town and game really are.
Oh well, I guess it means I’ll be having a Jim Jarmusch career instead of a Michael Bay one.
(Except for the chicks. Ever since I learned the true philosophy that is the nexus of “Pimping” from Jacky – I’ve never had a problem dating the woman I want, or being the kind of man most women want a man to be. This is the nexus of our script. But it’s a lot more than Hitch from the Streets. It’s more of an action comedy that slips that stuff in where it drives the story forward. They say write what you know…Don’t worry, she’s registered!)
This is something I’ve been trying to explain to Lex for years; but he’s determined to be stubborn and miserable and sexless.
http://www.diaryofahollywoodstreetking.com
You can hate the content and the man, but please, seperate the Art and the Artist, and if you like rap/hip-hop check out the music. That’s what it’s really about.
Trust me people, if you knew your favorite artists as personally and as openly as Jacky puts himself out there; you would be disgusted on half the stuff you love because of what you knew personally about the content creator (don’t even get me started on Prince. But he can play guitar!)
What can I say? All the talents in this game, including myself, are freaks.
And if you wanna help me out and buy a record or song – the two I’m involved with are:
Jacky Jasper – “Street Money”
and Jacky’s other rap persona and group(the harder one) – “H-Bomb” That record is entitled
“H-Bomb & Kool Keith present: The 7th Veil – Stoned”
(Band’s name is 7th Veil. Album’s name is Stoned)
I was around for the recording of this record and did a lot of managerial and administrative and contributed a major personal financial investment
I am really proud of my involvement with this album even though I had nothing creatively to do with it other than offer a layman’s opinion on finished songs.
This record features –
Kool Keith
Snoop Dog
Ice-T
Ike Turner
Rick James – (Rick says “I’m Rick James Bitch!” on the record!)
Flava Flav
Kurrupt
Silk Da Shocka.
Beats are by my good friend Chilly Chill of The Leynch Mob (Ice Cube’s old group after NWA)
This album was recorded approx. three years ago and was set to release right around the death of Rick James since our record features one of his last recordings (Ike Turner now too) and should have been released then, but the lawyer at the time that was at the legal department at Warner Bros. that promised us a lable deal; decided to sit on the record because he was in love with Jacky’s girlfriend who was a dancer at 4Play at the time. Welcome to the music game kids!)
**Quick aside, my girlfriend used to be a dancer at 4Play too, until I taught her the game and got her everything she needed to start modeling and then she took initiative, got herself out of there and now does it full time.
(I’m not square enough to assume that I rescued her. That is the worst pick-up a square can give to a dancer. “I’ll take you out of this place!” Please, if she wanted out, she gets that offer 5x a night and from guys richer than you, no matter who you are. Trust me. Plus the dancer probably makes more money than you already. For them it’s not about money or fame or who you are. They all come into 4play every night. Benecio Del Toro paid my rent one night, trying to pick up my girl. Real “Pimps” know that girls can sex anywhere, so it’s mental stimulation that gets a girl off and keeps her to stay. Don’t believe me? Ask a parapalegic how he gets his wife off..)
So I’m pretty sure at one point LexG and Joe have paid my bills – Along with so many other directors producers, actors and players in this town đ Because 4Play is the best club in all of LA. They have the best looking girls there because the management is strict about anything dirty going on (girls do cross the line for money, but as soon as management find out, they’re fired. And the others girls snitch. But the trade off is, you get a quality girl for a dancer you don’t find in most places)
So I’m happy to say – she never did anything dirty, and being French, she has a different attitude about being topless or nude. (Plus Dancing can also be a motivator if you’re here illegally and unable to obtain a work visa for a regular job and need to make money you can live off of – as in her case.)
And after working in there long enough to see how men really are, and how crazy Los Angeles women can be…Let me put it another way:
Men, if you want the most loyal woman you could ever find, date a stripper who is looking for love. Ex-prostitutes, even more so (Jesus didn’t judge prostitutes and used to hang with them, so you shouldn’t either)
Because those are women who have seen the worst and the truth in men. We are scumbags. But I don’t think it’s misogynistic to say that all women, no matter how dirty or clean their history, are looking for love.
So whose going to be more loyal to a man? A woman who has seen the worst in men every day and can recognize when she’s found an honorable one capable of real love (we are out there)?
Or the hot successful chick that has been a heartbreaker and has gotten every man she’s wanted?
Which one is more liable to cheat on you?
Sorry, I digress. (That was a quick lesson for Lex)
The point of this whole thing, is, Yes! You can make money micropublishing Snark. A lot of money.
My friend is doing it. And selling records. I encourage anyone that likes hard rap to check it out those two records on there so I can keep making development money for my film.
http://www.diaryofahollywoodstreetking.com
Sorry Dave, I’ll never Pimp another link here again.
And before any of you come here, offended telling me how f***ed up this site and the author is. While the articles are mostly true or personal accounts…The Author, and his expressed views (most of them), People, it’s a character..
Don’t be as stupid as the people at the rodeo in Borat.
Peace!!
Also, No worries to my detractors. That is my longest, and no doubt my last essay for awhile.
I take it back, THX…please don’t come to my screening tomorrow.
I am so not reading that.
The Jonas Brothers are annoying twerps. And their “purity” garbage is just that. As much as I loathe to say it, I find it hard to believe that they’re not living the life that Lex wants. And if history has taught us anything it is that so called “innocent” performers were never innocent. Those purity rings probably have a hidden coke container. Ugh.
Wow. That was harsh. :/
O.K…time to get real…here’s the scoop….
Lex, I’m calling you out. I made 2 earlier Hot Blog postings saying I was coming to town and we need to hang. I personally roll call you for my film tomorrow. Then, tonight, I lay it down again. Then, I send you an email. All of which, no response.
Not to sound like a jilted lover but…if you don’t come out this weekend, you are personae non grata to me. To quote Bale, we are through hotblogionally.
I sent you 2 projects to work on, offered you drinks last time I was here. Nothing but “ehhh…no…I can’t.” Now tonight, it’s ON like a chastity belt on that one Jonas Bro kid and you are rebuffing me. That is strike one.
Strike two will come if I do not see you out tonight, I will no longer read your stuff on here…nor will I LOL at it. I will expose you as the fraud you are. If you email me an excuse, I may listen. No promises.
Strike three will come if I don’t see you tomorrow. At which time I will report back to THB about your vagine-like behavior. And trust me pal, you think THX’s latest batch of silly was long….ooooh man, just wait.
So, there it is on the table. I know when to hold em, know when to fold em. Etc. I will turn my real life attentions back to jeffy mac if I don’t see you and Lord knows, kid could use a drink. Actually, email me jeff.
That is all. I will go out and OWN this town like Lex is incapable of doing. And, I’ll likely be asleep by midnight. But, if anyone wants to grab a drink, I’ll be at Pig and Whistle by 9:30….
I’m busy.
Okay, Lex, THAT is the funniest thing you’ve ever posted!
THX, I remember JJ on the Dr. Dooom record. Classic stuff! Didn’t think much of the blog really, a bit too petty me thinks. I’ll have to check some of his music later.
That’s rude Lex, Don is a director, he does rumblecore. Drag King,
Well, Don. I was planning to attend tomorrow. Bring my girl, meet Lex, and more importantly – bring some people that like to buy documentaries.
But like a bad square with no social skills, you have no idea how to play the game.
You diss the guy that has your best interests at heart and was going to come check you out;
but instead you expose a very scary Mancrush on LEX? And that you’ve been stalking him??
The guy who demonstrates a hatred and self-loathing like no one else? And when drunk, comes off like a guy that couldn’t get laid even if he paid for it..(No offense Lex, I think you’re cool. I’m only talking about your blackout posts)
Really?
And you judge me?
Dude; do us all a favor and stay up North. Keep being the outsider. Sticking his nose to the window and peering in, dying to get into the game and party inside.
Well, guess what? The party and the game doesn’t like dicks or haters who judge. Because if you’re going to judge others, then this is not the town for you. Because once you get on the inside you see everything….And the players don’t like to face reality and be judged when engaging in their dysfunctional debauchery.
I was going to wipe the slate clean and show up tomorrow….But I guess not. Sweet. It was only work anyway. Because unlike you, I know how the game is played. And know that anybody can be a juggernaught tomorrow, when being a nobody today. So don’t burn bridges unless you have to…
Awesome job on setting fire to ours. And I bet I have a lot more real friendships in this town than you do. Smart move, sparky.
Have fun hanging out with Chris Gore and being on the fringe. Thinking your better than others is awesome Karma for never achieving.
Good luck tomorrow, square.
At least Lex is smart enough to know when not to waste his time. Consider me stupid for trying to be nice..
And Cadavra’s right –
Lex, that was by far the funniest thing you’ve posted.
Well played, sir. Well played.
Hey Maskatron,
I agree the blog can be petty. And I am not a fan of everything on there. Plus I know there’s other writers on there and I take issue with some of their work.
I guess that’s the point I was trying to make. JJ tried to play the game straight, and after getting work stolen, fucked over deals, and was just too smart to fall for the bullshit deals record companies give….All of that, nothing.
Then he starts a blog. Starts being negative and snarking and petty and outing all the assholes that dicked him or his people, it starts getting hits, and then BAM! Not only is he paying the bills with his site, but now all these same people that dicked him, want to work with him and are banging down his door!!
It is so dysfunctional and crazy. They only speak mean and negative, and they respond POSITIVELY when you’re mean amd negative to them.
It reminds me of that horrible thing thay can happen to some sexually and physically abused victims who can only feel aroused or love when someone is physically hurting them.
That’s why I wrote so long about it. Trying to explain the nature of the site. Because it is negative, and arguably petty (I have a different perspective because all of these subjects have done damagr to good people in Jacky’s world which is why they’re getting exposed there) –
But behind all of that is some excellent hip-hop and that’s the part I want people to see and hear.
The irony is, Jacky knows hip-hop has gone the way of hair metal for the time being; so he has totally given that up and has started a new band. He’s the frontman, with some sick male and female musicians making up the band. It’s a new sound he’s doing. Very hard to describe. Kind of like a metal and funk fusion.
If you’re in the LA area, they will be playing shows soon, when they wrap recording their record.
The story that seems to be upsetting a lot of people and that they don’t understand, is the Uncle Tom’s cabin retreat story. An article shouldn’t have to be explained, but people don’t seem to understand who Sean Hannity is. And that he is a descendent of racists and lynchers and he and his kind have the worst intentions for minorities, and how hypocritical these prominent black figures, many if whom use race to get a check (I’m looking at you Al Sharpton) are hypocrites!! How can Al Sharpton demand a check from Fox for their ape cartoon, as wrong as it was, and then as soon as he’s off camera he’s at Sean Hannity’s minority retreat? The 21st century version of the Klan?
And during black history month??
Spike Lee may be a racist who hates white people (still a good filmmaker) but I gaurantee you he wouldn’t show up at Hannity’s retreat the way Sharpton and other hypocrites like him.
But most don’t get that. They need a better editor.
Thanks for being open minded and checking out. I just hope people will explore the music. Otherwise it’s missing the intention
i feel as though i’ve slipped into the twilight zone
Don, you’ve given me two good reasons, between 8 and 9, to come tomorrow. Call me names if I don’t make it.
jeff…I’ve come full circle.
You’re the only *real* person on THB….and I think it’s always been you and me….and Dp.
Come out tomorrow and I swear to regale you with tales of tonights frigging awesomeness.
No post to fantasy cast Lola in the Damn Yankees remake?
I just don’t know who you are anymore, Dave.
I just noticed on the concert image poster for the Jonas Bros. movie that the one on the right is inadvertently giving the middle finger. He’s playing a power chord on his guitar and his middle finger is free and up.
Yeah Dave. What Zahn said.
Lola–should be a Broadway talent, not a someone like Beyonce.
So: A 69 percent drop for Madea in its second weekend — and Friday the 13th drops completely out of the Top Ten in its third? Yikes. Like we were saying last weekend: the folks who wanted to see these movies came out on opening weekend. And then…
I hate to say that this is the first time I read what Don Lewis’ doc is about. I am now sorry I was stuck in San Francisco at Wondercon. I kind of figured it was about “drag king” culture, but that actually sounds like something I’d pay to see, even as a short subject.
Kudos to you, Don Lewis. At some point, I will see your doc.
Too bad Lex can’t make it (can a blog persona really attend anything?) because I heard you were going to be banging a bevy hot chicks after the screening.
Good luck with the screening.
“I’m busy.”
The most psychologically revealing post of Lex’s entire THB career…
Thanks, SJ! It’s a red-neckin’ good time! Too bad people who buy docs won’t be there đ
Lola will be played by Catherine Zeta-Jones. Having already stolen Bebe Neuwirth’s biggest Broadway role, it just makes sense to have her steal the second biggest one as well.
To cast Lola, I suggest an open audition at 4Play. Could be the big break THX’s gal needs! (Just be careful if Benecio Del Toro gets cast as the Devil.)
But if they want to think outside the box: Cloris Leachman!
….how about what’s-her-name Jessica Alba as Lola? She looks suitably vampy enough, right?
Since they’ve already cast non-singers Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey, clearly the producers don’t give a damn whether anyone in the cast can actually, uh, sing.
And to think how Peter Bogdanovich was tarred-and-feathered, raked-over-the-coals and generally spat/pissed on for his non-traditional casting choices in “At Long Last Love”……
ALBA.
BOW.
I saw At Long Last Long. Bogdanovich deserved the raking. For that matter, Woody Allen deserved worse for Everyone Say I Love You.
I saw At Long Last Love. Bogdanovich deserved the raking. For that matter, Woody Allen deserved worse for Everyone Say I Love You.
I saw At Long Last Love. Bogdanovich deserved the raking. For that matter, Woody Allen deserved worse for Everyone Says I Love You.
Damn. Didn’t think the first two postings took. Sorry about that.
Mutiny, that was one of things I missed when I analysed what will surely rank as the worst poster of 2009.
http://stalepopcornau.blogspot.com/2009/01/has-worst-poster-of-2009-already.html
Just wanna say….
Jeff Mac rules
Lex g drools.
“Just wanna say….
Jeff Mac rules
Lex g drools.
Posted by: don lewis (was PetalumaFilms) [TypeKey Profile Page] at March 1, 2009 01:36 AM”
THIS POST IS USELESS WITHOUT PICTURES.
Say it ain’t so, Joe!
I adored all three different cuts of “At Long Last Love” that I’ve seen over the years–each one dropping or adding musical numbers–and sincerely hope that an “ultimate” edition will be released on dvd someday.
And the beating Bogdanovich received for casting Burt, Cybill, et al really seems out of proportion when you consider the free pass “Chicago” received three decades later. Nobody will ever convince me that Gere, Zellweger, Zeta-Jones and company were better singers than the members of Bogdanovich’s “ALLL”
ensemble.
For the record, I thought Woody’s “Everyone Says…” was an amusing conceit that didn’t quite work. But I certainly admired the effort.
The “Damn Yankees” remake w/Carrey and Gyleenhaal still sounds like a lousy idea to me, though.
movie — your adoration for ‘alll’ is just krazy…how you can think that cast could sing or dance at all is beyond me (but we’ve had that talk before)…i’ll admit, however, its camp value is immeasurable…
you’re right about ‘damn yankees’ though…bad idea on many levels….i wish they’d stop looking at remakes and think about getting a big screen adaptation of something like ‘spring awakening’…
Madeline Kahn could sing, though I don’t know if it’s apparent in that movie.
I’m surprised that you don’t care for Everyone Says I Love You, Joe. I think Woody maintains such a perfect tone for the material from beginning to end.
Don’t get me wrong: I’m not a Bogdanovich basher. I admired Daisy Miller. And I think Nickelodeon is a very under-rated film, due for a reappraisal. But At Long Last Love made my teeth curl. And as for Everybody Says I Love You… Let me put it this way. I was reviewing films for TV at the time that one was released. And I couldn’t help noticing that NONE of the clips on the EPK were scenes in which people actually, well, you know, sung. And with good reason.
AT LONG LAST LOVE is a fascinating experimental trainwreck.
I agree that “Spring Awakening” deserves the big screen treatment, Scooter. (Only hope that uber hack Chris Columbus doesn’t get his grubby paws on it.)
And I’m still gung-ho about a “Jersey Boys” movie: it’s the jukebox musical Scorsese never directed. Kind of surprised that the success of “Mamma Mia!” hasn’t led to a speedy “JB” greenlight.
Of course, I’m still waiting for the announcement of what seemed like an inevitable U.S. remake of “Tell No One,” lol.
I second your admiration for “Daisy Miller” (which is a minor masterpiece in my book) and “Nickelodeon,” Joe.
Why the latter still hasn’t received a dvd release I’ll never know.
I used to show a battered-up old VHS copy to my class when we were covering the earliest days of motion pictures, and it was always a big hit with students. (Speaking of “Nickelodeon,” I never understood why Jane Hitchcock’s career went nowhere. She was a precursor to the comic stylings of Julie Hagerty, and looked so much like Hagerty that she could’ve been her twin sister.)
To be fair, Ray Walston and Tab Hunter didn’t exactly have stunning voices, either, movieman.
Jim Carrey isn’t too bad of a singer, and Gyllenhaal is probably passable. Still, someone on another site said that they wished James Marsden and Robert Downey Jr. had been cast, and I think I agree.
Joe- Your “Everyone Says” epk story reminds me of trailers for foreign language films in which we never see anyone talk for fear that subtitles will turn off a major chunk of the potential audience.
(Miramax and Sony Classics are famous for that trick.)
….Marsden can definitely sing and would certainly be an improvement over Gyllenhaal, Cap. And Downey can improve any film–no matter how misguided–just by the virtue of his awesome talent.
Btw, when did you ever hear Gyleenhaal or Carrey sing??
Have they both done stage musicals that I’m unaware of?
didn’t gyllenhall sing on snl (or was that canned?…i don’t remember)….
….Jakey sang on there, Scooter?
Gawd, I don’t think I’ve watched an episode of SNL since Adam Sandler was a regular.
YouTube is great for catching ballyhooed SNL skits–“Dick in a Box,” Fey’s Palin stuff, etc.–without having to WATCH the actual program, lol.
I posted a link to a clip of Carrey singing in my last post above, movieman.
Here’s Jake on SNL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xYCj3hnzKyc
Thanks for the links, Cap.
Almighty Youtube strikes again!
Yikes, that was truly painful, Cap!
The schizophrenic trainwreck did a better job with “(And I’m Telling You) I’m Not Going” on “American Idol” last week than Gylenhaal on SNL.
Movieman, NICKELODEON is coming out on DVD this summer: both the original theatrical version and Peter’s preferred cut in B&W.
Hitchcock was/is apparently an extremely wealthy woman who simply decided she didn’t like acting.
AMERICAN IDOL. VOTE FOR KENDALL BEARD next week, the only hot chick left.
Thanks for the head’s-up, Cad.
Now I can return “Nickelodeon” to my syllabus; hurrah!
What did you think of my Hitchcock/Hagerty comparison? Separated at birth, no?
Cad-
Two additional questions:
Does Peter’s “preferred” cut contain additional scenes (or delete scenes from the theatrical version)?
Or is the only change replacing the original’s color photography with b&w?
I actually own the NICKOLODEON novel. I had such a boy crush on Tatum O’Neal.
Bogdanovich was like Tarantino in wearing his influences on his sleeve, but his genre love was more limiting. I think the slapstick in NICKELODEON and ALLL is faithfully recreated but it doesn’t really work. I’d love to see his preferred version.
I personally love the slapstick in “ALLL” and (especially) “Nickelodeon,” Christian.
…and what about “What’s Up, Doc?”?
I’m almost willing to confess that I might actually prefer it to “Bringing Up Baby” (talk about parsing your words, lol).
Along with the “Funny” movies and “The Way We Were,” it’s unquestionably Streisand’s most appealing screen perf EVER.
i can’t even describe how much i love ‘what’s up doc?’, one of the very first movies my mother took me to see in the cinema, and probably my all-time fave screwball comedy (why can’t anybody make a good screwball comedy anymore?!). streisand is nothing short of sublime in it, but weirdly ‘what’s up doc?’ is the film that launched my lifelong adoration of madeline khan, bless her heart
sorry to leave the comma out of my what’s-up-docs, feels a little sacrilegious, just typing fast
So glad to hear that you’re another unapologetic “What’s Up,
“Doc?” lover, Leah; especially since professing one’s love for “Doc?” might label us both as terminally unhip/uncool on these blog posts.
The fact that this was released just five short months after Bogdanovich’s protean masterpiece “The Last Picture Show” (still my choice as “the great American movie”) still boggles my mind.
And yeah, why can’t anyone make a decent screwball comedy anymore? My love of the genre probably explains why I’ve been so soft on the few brave souls (e.g., George Clooney) willing to even attempt one (i.e., “Leatherheads”) these days.
I’d like Christina Applegate or Charlize Theron to play Lola, movieman.
i idolized bogdanovich when i was in college…i still have my original first ed. of ‘pieces of time’ (which i read so many times i could have memorized it)…targets, last picture show, nickelodeon, what’s up doc? (not to mention doing cybil shepherd and having orson welles as a bff)…he was so sophisticated, caustic and funny…
oh, yeah…and then he went nuts….i hate when that happens…..
‘So glad to hear that you’re another unapologetic “What’s Up,
“Doc?” lover, Leah; especially since professing one’s love for “Doc?” might label us both as terminally unhip/uncool on these blog posts.’
lol, movieman, too true! but uncool is the new cool (that’s my theory anyway and i’m sticking with it)
anyhoo, yes, that got me to thinking about decent modern screwballs (i suppose one could argue that ‘doc’ isn’t even a ‘true’ screwball comedy but an homage to the greats – but while i find the early screwballs terrific, i think i connect with ‘what’s up, doc?’ more because i better relate to the era and the sensibility, being a child of the late sixties/early 70’s, which probably also makes me uncool)…could ‘a fish called wanda’ be classified a successful modern screwball? it has many of the classic screwball elements such as preposterous situations/mistaken identity/keeping secrets/machine-gun repartee/mismatched-class-romance…perhaps even ‘intolerable cruelty’ (not one of my faves but worthy just for clooney’s perf, i haven’t seen ‘leatherheads’)
‘(not to mention doing cybil shepherd…’
did you mean that the way it sounded, scoot?
(and shephard does have pipes, movieman and scoot both have her album! if i remember correctly)
leah — yeah, he dumped his wife (polly platt) after hooking up with shepherd who was (believe it or not) one of the most beautiful women in the world (at least in my post adolescent mind)….
and, i only admitted to having and playing her album…i never said she could sing….
I do quite enjoy WHAT’S UP DOC and love the cast. I always liked Ryan O’Neal’s deadpan. And Babs is smokin’. I interviewed Austin Pendleton and got lotsa good stories. His intro scene is my favorite.
Scooter–My Bogdanovich idolatry started in eighth grade when I first saw “The Last Picture Show” and the earth moved. The day after seeing the movie, I wrote him a fan letter (the first I’d ever written to a movie director: all of my previous fan letters were addressed to movie critics), and we began a lengthy pen pal correspondence. Bogdanovich even sent me an autographed copy of “Pieces of Time” which I still own to this day.
Looking back all these years later, it amazes me that a superstar director (and Bogdanovich WAS the superstar director of the pre-Spielberg/Lucas era) would have ever bothered taking the time to mentor some kid from Ohio. I also credit Bogdanovich for turning me on to Andrew Sarris and the auteur theory which forever changed my life, and my critical reading of films.
Yeah, he did go a little “crazy” after Dorothy Stratten’s murder, but it seems perfectly understandable considering the horrible circumstances of her death.
“They All Laughed” was Bogdanovich’s last bonafide masterpiece; and “Mask” (his most Ford-ian film since “Picture Show”) is probably his last major work, although I have a lot of affection for both “That Thing Called Love” and “Cat’s Meow.”
For decades I pissed and moaned that Bogdanovich was never given the shot at the kind of large-scale “comeback” vehicle that lesser directors were routinely afforded (including his former Director’s Company partner Billy Friedkin). Now I think there’s a sort of poetic grandeur about him following in the latter career footsteps of former bff Orson Welles’ (even down to picking up stray acting gigs to help pay the rent).
And yes, Leah: I’m proud to say that I indeed own a copy of “Cybill Does It…To Cole Porter.”
Peter Bogdanovich is very good in many of his actor-for-hire roles (including last year’s under-rated Humbolt County. But I can’t help thinking he was enjoying a slight taste of revenge by playing (quite well) a Hugh Hufner type in a couple of Law & Order: Criminal Intent episodes.
shit on a stick, scoot, the way i read that ‘not to mention doing c. shepherd…’ comment i thought you meant YOU had put the wood to cybil back in the day! (now that i have the time to read what you said again properly it’s perfectly obvious what you meant, my bad)
movie — the first time i interviewed bogdanovich he very generously signed and inscribed my treasured ‘pieces of time’….that was a little over twenty years ago and every time i’ve spoken with him since, i’ve always been a little sad that he’s already signed it….weird…
leah– only in my dreams…
Anyone ready for a SHAMEFUL fact that I shouldn’t even admit publicwise, especially on a site where at least a few non-detractors have noted my general knowledgability about ’70s flicks?
Here goes:
The ONLY Bodganovich flick I’ve EVER seen is HU$TLE, his PETE ROTE TVM with Tom Sizemore.
Seen tons of Rafelson, Ashby, Altman, all the other sacred cows of ’70s American cinema.
But Bogdanovich? Having grown up a few years too late for this, I have to ask: WHERE do they even show vintage Bogdanovich?
Half his shit isn’t even available on DVD; I barely remember any of it ever making the cable or pay tv rounds in the last 30 years.
Last Picture Show is inexcusable not to have seen, but not like they run it on Cinemax or FMC on any regular basis.
Paper Moon gets an occasional showing on HBO Family, so I should check that out.
Daisy Miller, At Long Last Love, Nickelodeon?
Those get about as much pay TV air time as O’Neal and Sharif in GREEN ICE these days– ie, NONE.
What’s Up, Doc hits the tube with some regularity, but is that really the best place to start?
It should be noted that I don’t do NETFLIX, whatever the FUCK that is, because you should either see shit in a theater or MAN THE FUCK UP and go to a goddamn videostore.
Or you should have goddamn well seen it already.
Bogdanovich plays on TV more rarely than Bergman– whose shit, also, I’ve NEVER SEEN, because NOBODY CARRIES IT or SHOWS IT, and I don’t go to REVIVAL SCREENINGS, because I’m too busy seeing new shit that OWNS, not weak shit.
Is Tarantino’s upcoming WW II film the same WW II flick he and Bogdanovich were supposedly collaborating on for what seems like an eternity? For some reason I’m guessing not.
Lex: If you’re really serious about checking out Bogdanovich’s ouevre, I’d suggest “Targets,” “The Last Picture Show,” “Paper Moon,” “Daisy Miller,” “Saint Jack,” “They All Laughed” and “Mask” for starters. All of those titles are available on dvd.
(P.S.= “Humbolt County” is a terrific little movie, Joe.
In fact, I’ve always enjoyed watching Bogdanovich in his acting roles, including–of course–his recurring role as Lorraine Bracco’s shrink on “The Sopranos.” Not to mention the fine performances he contributed to some of his own films like “Targets” and “Saint Jack.”)
LexG: Trust me: Bergman is most assuredly not “weak shit.” Perhpas you should start out with The Virgin Spring, since it “inspired” The Last House on the Left. Then, maybe The Seventh Seal,” since its Death character later popped up in Last Action Hero.
leydon — i believe he popped up in a ‘bill & ted’ movie as well… did you ever see a short titled ‘de duva’ (the dove)?…brilliant bergman take-off…..
lex — with all due respect (and to borrow your phrase), you need TO MAN THE FUCK UP and get netflix….twenty bucks a month will change your life…really….
Scoot: Jeez, haven’t seen that one in years, but yeah, it was hilarious. And yep, Death (as Bergman envisioned him) did indeed pop up in Bogus Journey. (“Don’t fear the reaper, dude!” “I heard that!”) Playing Twister, not chess, however.
Lex: Not only is Last Picture Show a brilliant film, it features full-frontal Cybill Shepherd in her prime. So both of your personalities should dig it.
Lex, if you manned up enough to get out of line for TWILIGHT and JONAS BROTHERS 3-D, you could have seen Bogdanivich in person introing some of his films at the New Beverly last month.
Movieman: Hitchcock is more classically beautiful than Hagerty, but yes, there is a similarity.
And Peter did re-edit the film, though I don’t know the details.
There’a a terrific screwball comedy script ready to go and already cast (including four Emmy winners and three Oscar nominees) as soon as one of those desperately-looking-for-scripts producers is willing to give me a jingle (est. budget $2,000,000).
I stand corrected:
I did see MASK. It was depressing.
And I always thought I would enjoy Saint Jack. Ben Gazzara = Awesome.
Should I see Cat’s Meow? The Dunstness is one of my faves.
Yes on general principles, and yes because I think it’s her best performance to date.
Love the Dunst. I think crazy/bonerful is her best work.
ZING.
…can’t wait to see your script turned into a film, Cad.
And thanks for the “Nickelodeon” info. I wonder if it’s too early for me to pre-order it on Amazon….
Besides Gazzara’s beyond awesome performance (it’s his best non-Cassavetes performance ever), I think you’ll dig all of the “fucky-sucky-ten-bucks, mistah” Singapore prosties, Lex.
“The Cat’s Meow” is a delicious anecdote that’s beautifully told by the only living director who could do it justice.
I only wish that Peter had been given the budget he deserved.
Reflecting on it a bit more, I guess you could say that “Mask” really was H’wood’s attempt to kiss-and-make-up with Peter Bogdanovich.
Considering the fact that the movie was a box-office smash and got largely terrific reviews, you would have thought that’s all Peter needed to reignite his dormant career.
But that wasn’t the case, alas.
Blame a ridiculously elongated public pissing contest between him and Cher, and Peter’s churlish squabble with Universal over Bruce Springsteen songs (the studio wouldn’t pony up the fee).
And yeah, I guess he was still kind of crazy back then.
Oh, Movieman! You’re reminding me of the dueling press conferences — Cher at one site, Bogdanovich at another — the year Mask was shown at Cannes. Nasty? Nasty. (BTW: As I recall, the boy’s real-life mom sided with Bogdanovich.)
I WANT TO SEE all these Bogdanovich flicks now, but they don’t have any of them at my video store.
TOTAL BUMMER.
Hey, isn’t THEY ALL LAUGHED some Dorothy Stratten ownage? SAD OWNAGE.
“Nasty,” and sad, Joe. I never quite understood Cher’s beef with Bogdanovich and the film since she got great reviews and “Mask” was a major box office hit.
Bogdanovich’s Quixotic tilting at windmills just felt like more of the same self-destructive behavior that plagued him in those post-Dorothy years.
You need to start patronizing a better quality of vidstore, Lex:
or finally bite the Netflix bullet.
“They All Laughed” is sulime, and the dvd contains an entertaining “director to director” conversation between Bogdanovich and Wes Anderson who’s a huge fan of the film. (Another director–Quentin Tarantino–is quoted on the dvd box calling the film a “masterpiece,” which it most certainly is.)
In 1981 Bogdanovich actually bought the film’s distribution rights back from Fox (who he’d accused of mishandling its theatrical release) and attempted to release it himself.
He wound up losing whatever ’70s monies he still had left in the process. “Self-destructive” and tres sad.
and (like i said earlier) completely nuts….
I’m glad I have Netflix, because without it I never would have seen “Slaughter Party.” It’s a shot on video movie where they try to get away with calling it camp, but it’s just boring and there’s only one pair of tits and they can’t even frame the killer because it looks like the cameraman is drunk.
See it!
By the way, I’ve never seen Last Picture Show.
perm — it’s on their ‘watch instantly’ list so i’m streaming it now….unbearable yet standard troma stuff… ron jeremy AND a midget…one would think you couldn’t go wrong….
Lex lives in the film capital of the world and can’t find an available video. Leykis 101 = REAL WORLD FAIL.
Try Rocket or Cinefile. Or go online. Own.
scooterzz, that ,ovie is fun for maybe five minutes if you’re alone. I was able to get through the whole thing because I was with friends. And I know I shouldn’t have watched it at ALL when there are actual good movies I haven’t seen, but I had a fling with one of the babes in it so I kind of had to. But you don’t have that excuse!
well, fact is, i ran it on another ‘puter while i was working on my laptop so it didn’t keep me from doing stuff….but (like so many troma titles) it is kind of a train wreck that you don’t want to turn off for fear of missing a new low….
i really love that ‘watch instantly’ feature on netflix….so easy…
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