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
Here’s the thought I have every year at this time, but more so this year than ever before – if a tree screens at Sundance, does anybody hear?
In this economy? In this marketplace?
I wish everyone well, but I’m not even sure what it takes anymore for any of it to even register as a blip on the cultural radar, but I know it takes more than most can afford.
Regardless, bring on whatever Carla Gugino you’ve got, and I will tune in.
you should do a DP/30 on my friend Chad Keith. He’s a production designer. There are 4 films he did the production design for that are at Sundance this year. 3 in competition (Martha Marcy May Marlene, Take Shelter, and On the Ice). One in the NEXT category.
The guy is a freaky genius.
Carla Gugino? Okay, I guess I’ll stick around.
Anyone got early vibe on what to see? I’ll be there the second weekend. Missed last year as well and looking forward to being back. I just see a lot of movies. the rest of it I don’t think I’ve experienced in my two prior trips. Movies are fine for me.
I’ll be there opening weekend-Wednesday. Am psyched about…
RED STATE (even though Smith’s blogger kerfuffle has FUCKED me on seeing it. No press screenings, as promised)
CAT
THE LIE (TC Boyle story, starring and directed by Josh Leonard)
CATECHISM CATACLYSM (directed by the hilarious Todd Rohal, starring Steve Little and produced by the Eastbound and Down guy- Hill/Green/McBride)
MY IDIOT BROTHER
Grrrr…..laptop+ lap+3 year old= LAMENESS
MY IDIOT BROTHER (I dig Jesse Peretz)
TERRI (I dig Azrael jacobs and John C. Reilly; 2 uncomfortable tastes that will make for an uncomfortable film)
MEEKS CUTOFF (I LOVE Kelly Reichardt!)
Plus the usual gamut of premieres if I can get in.
Thanks, Don. A few of those are on my list are wait list when I got to buy individual tickets online. but I usually go to the main box office at 7am and often can get into some of the hot ones,
Honestly, I’m way, WAY too lazy to chase movies at Sundance any more. My whole foray into the film world started, jeez, 15 years ago(?) when I started volunteering for Sundance. Things were way easier then. It was mostly ALL about the movies. Then gradually it became about getting to meet celebs, getting into parties and who has the coldest cohones to wait 3 hours for a movie.
All of that is NO fault of the Sundance Institute, they’re putting on a film fest. A festival which I feel lost it’s way and is now coming back thanks to new leadership. But I just cannot and will not fight through hours of BS to see a movie. Make it simple for me. I have a press pass. Have a press screening or a showing at a big theater, I’ll go.
All that being said, more power to ya, Direwolf! I can’t muster the energy to get my ass up and out by, what, 6? You’re a machine!
I’m just a fan who gets to enjoy a film feat once a year so getting up early a couple of days is not so awful. I usually make the first film no earlier than noon so I can go back to bed. The cool thing for me is that I just assume if it is good enough to get into Sundance it is not a waste of time. Doesn’t mean I’ll like it but folks who know a lot more than me see some merit. That is good enough for me. I would not want them picking stocks for me thouugh. That is my gig and they can come to me. And I have not met a celeb or been to a party yet. Did meet DP though who graciously invited me and my then high school daughter to join is dinner party.