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
Whoah, Dave – you really think Bridesmaids can’t crack $30 million??? That film could clear that in its opening weekend – not a guarantee, I know, but the upside is there! I know, Wiig isn’t a guaranteed draw, but I can see this being her breakout. Kinda sucks that it’s got The Hangover 2 coming two weeks later as many have said it’s a gender-reversed version of that movie, so its legs might get chopped off at that point…..still, hard to see this making less than $60 or $70 million – I think Baby Mama’s grosses are the floor for this one.
And some one said it on the other blog, but The Smurfs is going to clear $100 million – if that crappy-looking Bruckheimer animal yarn, G Spot, from two years ago, could make $120 million, then there’s no reason this can’t blow past that – you’re going to have mad ’80’s nostalgia, Gen X’ers like me that will take their kids to see it.
(EDIT) Sorry, Geoff… wrote this earlier, but published after you.
I would be shocked if Bridesmaid only made $40 million worldwide. There’s a halfway-decent chance that it will do $40 million on its domestic opening weekend. It’s going to get lots of free press as ‘the chick-flick Hangover’ and the reviews are pretty solid across the board. It may not do There’s Something About Mary levels, but I have a tough time believing that it’s going to out-and-out tank. As for The Smurfs, yeah, my daughter wants to see that, so we’re definitely going. We’ll all feel terrible after the fact, but we’re all going to see it. Of course, ironically, I imagine that Winnie the Pooh will be a case of parents forcing their kids to see it with them out of nostalgia (when ET was released in 2002, my packed crowd was full of tearful adults and semi-bored kids).
Bridesmaids and Wiig are getting a lot of media coverage. Buzz seems to be building, and the promotional spots have crossover appeal. Should do very well. I’m not as confident in the prospects for The Green Lantern. The new trailer is far more silly than anything else. Effects still look dodgy. Is there really any excitement about it at the moment?
Bridesmaid looks great to folks like us, but who else would want to see it? Do women really want a crude comedy of their own? Do men want to sit through a crude female comedy? Seriously, Bridesmaids either goes huge or it gets MacGrubered. This of course depends a lot on the Thor word of mouth but still, Bridesmaids will probably be a fine film, but it’s variable city when it comes to it’s grosses.
I actually enjoyed Bridesmaids a lot.
I think it’s a shame that you guys think $29m dom is a bomb for a low-budget alt programmed comedy in May.
The history isn’t pretty. And McGruber is not the worst example in the last 5 years.
Here are the May wide release comedies from the last 5 years. I left out the Sex & The City movies and the low hanging fruit from smaller studios with sub-2000 screen releases.
2010
Just Wright – $8.3m open – $21.5m dom total
MacGruber – $4m open – $8.5m dom total
2009
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past – $15.4m open – $55.3m dom total
Dance Flick – $10.6m open – $25.7m dom total
2008
What Happens in Vegas – $20.2m open – $80.3m dom total
2007
Lucky You – $2.7m open – $5.8m dom total
2006
Just My Luck – $5.7m dom opening – $17m dom total
As you can see, my estimate on Bridesmaids would be the #3 alt comedy in May in the last five years, after a McConaughey/multi-female-star rom-com and Diaz/Kutcher.
Anything is possible. I guess you guys see it as a Greek or Sarah Marshall kinda grosser. Not impossible. I think they could do an all-Melissa McCarthy campaign and put it over the top. She is the super scene stealer in this film. And the central idea, a rivalry between Wiig and Rose Byrne, is not being sold much. It’s much more Wiig’s movie, but the Bride Wars angle, I think, would get more interest.
I think the release date will help Bridesmaids. Main competition is Priest and second weekend of Thor. If males and younger viewers show up, could easily do Sarah Marshall or Greek opening weekend.
Without reading any tea leaves, BRIDESMAIDS just feels like a hit to me. But I’m wrong about these things as often as I’m right.
I’d like to know how the “Bridesmaids” review could be “pretty solid across the board” when most of the reviews aren’t out (and we know Variety hated it). I like it — a lot — but I don’t see how we can know anything “across the board” about the reviews at this point.
My guess is that the The Change up will be the comedy bomb of the summer. I know that it has Ryan Reynolds, but what an awful trailer. When your ending gag is about Leslie Mann having bathroom issues than you have a problem.
Also, Zookeeper will be lucky to get to a hundred million. The only thing that James has done by himself is Paul Bart which was benefited by a dead January/February.
Wow, Selena Gomez out-opening Tom Hanks. What a world.
What worked about Blart is what they expect will work about Zookeeper… it’s a fat silly guy in a movie for kids, now with animals!!!
I agree that Kevin James is a 2-slot guy for adults. But as Soupy Sales, he is money.
Krill… it’s the audiences for those movies. The Selena Gomez movie has a very specific, well-defined must-see teen girl fantasy audience. Larry Crowne is feel-good for adults, an audience that takes a few weeks to show up, Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts or not.
Dave, that five year sample you’re using is deceptive, though. Not saying this is intentional, but didn’t Mother-in-Law open in the same slot in 2005? $85 million, I can see Brides Maids pulling that off.
And Baby Mama in 2008 was in the LAST weekend of April – $63 million.
I don’t think that alleged Selena Gomez audience actually shows up consistently for these types of movies, though, especially when they’re as soft-edged-looking as Monte Carlo. I expect Something Borrowed, Bridesmaids, and One Day will ALL outgross (and probably out-open) that movie, because there’s nothing preventing teenage girls from seeing two out of the three. Have we seen Selena Gomez fans coming out in full force for anything?
Also, those movies Dave cites as being indicative of the potential for Bridesmaids seem a lot more analogous to the potential of Something Borrowed and/or Jumping the Broom. Many of the titles he lists were pretty niche-y and/or outright dumps/programmers. What Happens in Vegas seems like the closest (rom-com elements plus R-rated elements) and that movie did the best of those.
Also, I’m all about 30 Minutes or Less, but of the July/August comedies, it seems to me the least likely (at this stage) to pop past $50-60 million: fewer name stars, less “relatable” concept… all reasons why I’m excited to see it, but I’m not sure if the Eisenberg/Aziz/McBride combo is going to overpower the gimmick-cast bosses (Aniston, Spacey, Farrell) or the return of body-switching with a post-Lantern Reynolds. Let’s hope so, but… I’m not so sure.
Spy Kids 4 feels a little Scream 4 to me: just not so certain that the target audience is still interested, having had the time to age out as their demographic replacements may or may not have been watching the old ones in the years since.
The Help is this summer’s de facto Meryl Streep movie, isn’t it? Which means, without Streep, it won’t do the usual $90 million plus. But I definitely think it’ll clear 48.
Is Monte Carlo this summer’s Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants?
Bennett, my FF audience popped like crazy for that Leslie Mann bit because you know, who wants to see that? I also don’t see Bridesmaid making anything more than 30 million. There’s just no way you can get the DUDES in a theatre to see a movie called BRIDESMAIDS.
Anecdotal evidence alert:
I’m a 38 year old midwest whitebread guy with a 39 year old midwest whitebread wife and we are both looking forward to Bridesmaids. Our friends are looking forward to seeing Bridesmaids. My 13 year old daughter and her friends want to see Bridesmaids. I’m thinking $30M minimum opening weekend…
My wife and I also want to see Bridesmaids JPK (my wife mainly because of Jon Hamm). Women loved The Hangover, and there’s no reason to think men won’t enjoy Bridesmaids if it’s at all funny.
The preview for Monte Carlo was painful but I’m not its audience. It’s expensive clothes, lush sets, and a little Prince/Pauper hook thrown in. Like a Disney Channel movie they decided to put on the big screen.
But Larry Crowne doesn’t look that appealing either. Not fun to watch people get laid off. My next question is how big was his nest egg that he can just sit back and be retired and go to school…
Except for Star Trek, the second weekend of May seems a deadly time for expensive movies to open. Priest, Speed Racer, Poseidon, Robin Hood… I was surprised Robin Hood made it to $100 million; too bad it cost $200 million to make.
(Actually probably won’t see Bridesmaids til DVD; my daughter’s play opens that week and the first preview that ends on the belch/fart “which end” joke turned my wife off.)
Wow a bunch of 30 somethings want to see Bridesmaids and teenage girls who can’t because it’s an R! WHOOPIDY DOO!!!! Sorry for being blunt but it’s an R, that’s going to hinder it, and it will be lucky to be in the top 5 that weekend.
ETA: Seriously, I love Wiig, but have a hard time believing that this film will be the push that she needs. She will get that push eventually but Bridesmaids screams; “Well selling DVD/BD and good rental” for some time in the Fall.
And is July 1 really a good release date for something like Larry Crowne?
I think Horrible Bosses has definite sleeper potential because everyone who’s ever wanted to see Jennifer Aniston play a kinky nymphomaniac — and you know who you are, don’t try to be coy about it — will flock to theaters and drive-ins everywhere.
As for Bridesmaids — as I noted in my Variety review, the film could score respectable opening-weekend biz “only if trailers and TV spots can make it look like an exuberantly raunchy laugh riot.” I would have to admit that, so far, they’ve been fairly successful in that regard.
Bridesmaids will be a hit, take it to the bank! I’m not necessarily saying 100 mil, but definitely more than 30.
I suspect those people who want to see Jennifer Aniston play a kinky nymphomaniac will wait for DVD so they can take care of business with a little privacy.
Don’t need a repeat of that Pee-Wee affair, now do we?
Just to be clear, IO, you’re saying Bridesmaids will be lucky to be in the top 5 the weekend it comes out. That’s next weekend. The new releases this weekend are Thor, which will be #1 this weekend and possibly next; Something Borrowed; and Jumping the Broom. The other new release on 5/13 is Priest.
So Bridesmaids getting bested by the second weekend of Thor and maybe the third weekend of Fast Five… OK, maybe I could see that, although they will cannibalize each other a bit while not really biting into the Bridesmaids audience. But for Bridesmaids to be “lucky” to be in the top five… this assumes that it’s going to be beaten by the first weekend of Priest. You really think that PRIEST has gotten more traction than Bridesmaids. So you think it’ll be beaten by PRIEST and then also… what? The second weekend of Something Borrowed? Which even if it clears $20 million as an opening (it won’t), wouldn’t be in shape to make more than $14 million or so in its second go-round OPPOSITE ANOTHER WEDDING-THEMED MOVIE THAT AT LEAST A FEW GUYS ACTUALLY MIGHT WANT TO SEE.
So you’re saying this Apatow-produced ensemble will be the LOWEST GROSSING Apatow production of the past five years or so.
Just wanted to be sure.
Jesse, Bridesmaids is probably a tremendous film, but how exactly does it overcome it’s title? Again, if I ran things, Kristen Wiig would be the biggest actress in Hollywood, I hope this puts her over the top, but I just don’t see it happening with this movie while it’s in a theatre.
BRIDESMAIDS will be a hit because…drum roll…women go to movies too, and there are actually some who aren’t into comic books.
How does it need to overcome its title?! Or rather, by “overcome its title,” do you mean make the same kind of money as The Wedding Singer, The Wedding Planner, Bride Wars, Runaway Bride, Wedding Crashers, or 27 Dresses?? If anything, “Bridesmaids” is a generic title that will nonetheless probably help from a marketing perspective.
Apatow’s producing average is a gross of about $65 million. I’ll be very surprised if Bridesmaids can’t at least hit down the middle of that.
In fact, looking at the Mojo charts, I’d say if anything, the comedies that have fared the worst in the post-Frat Pack world (which is to say comedies since 2003 or so) have been the ones starring goonier, sillier looking dudes that go further into spoof territory: Walk Hard, Hot Rod, and MacGruber. I love all three of them, own two out of the three on DVD and have been waiting patiently for the MacGruber DVD to cost $8, but I understand why they didn’t catch on in the theaters. Selling your money on women during slapsticky stuff might turn off some (stupid) male audiences, but Bridesmaids has the opportunity to attract the smarter set as well as gals who want to see a silly wedding comedy. With the exception of Will Ferrell’s stuff, it’s the boyish weirdo comedies that tend to meet with audience indifference.
MY FF audience didn’t laugh once at the Change Up trailer in fact I think I heard a groan when they switched bodies.My audience laughed much more at the 30 minutes or less trailer. I was shocked on how much I enjoyed Fast Five. It reminded me of all those great cheesy 80’s and 90’s action flicks before action movies became most comic book heroes.
Yeah, I can see Bridesmaids doing Baby Mamma dollars or at least Ghost of girlfriends past. If the quality is as good as the early reviews make it sound good like to be then it could be a sleeper into June.
I think you are low balling The Help. I don’t think that it will be some sort of huge blockbuster, but Eat,Pray,Love dollars are a strong possibilty. It is the only film my wife and her girlfriends want to see this summer.
Also I think the Weinsteins are leaving money on the tabel by bringing out Spy Kids 4, so late in the summer. It is never going to be a $100 million dollar hit, nor it necessarily needs to be to be a profitable hit. Many schools have returned to class by the end of August and it will be competing to get 3D screens with Conan(WTF) and Fright Night(umm….ok I get Conan, but who is SCRE4Ming for this remake). I would release it against Cowboys and Aliens. Taken in some good weekday matinee money as some young kids are going to be less interested in more”historical” action flicks like Cowboys and the second weekend of Capt.
Oh, looks like you are thinking of “The Help” as an “Eat Pray Love”-type earner. It’s going to way bigger. The director question is huge but, if it’s any good at all, it’ll be more like “Julie & Julia,” box office-wise.
I agree. The Help is going to be huge.
my wife and her friends already have plans to have a girls night and go see Bridesmaids. They do this once or twice a year. Last year it was Sex and the City 2. Do i expect it to be that big? No. But if i hear my twenty-something wife and her twenty-something friends getting excited about a movie, it means the marketing is working.
i think it will exceed expectations.
My 28-year-old girlfriend wants to see BRIDESMAIDS (as do I). She has no interest in COWBOYS & ALIENS yet though. The Western angle doesn’t seem to be the problem (she loves TOMBSTONE and OPEN RANGE, and she became engrossed in Boetticher’s RIDE LONESOME last time I popped in the DVD). The premise just doesn’t turn her crank. I’m making no predictions based on this; just adding my anecdotal two cents.
So I am doing some work today with folks that are non-geeks and some passes to a Bridesmaids screening come into the store. The jokes were endless goofing on it. I know one anecdote is not representative of a trend, but I can see this becoming a trend. That title is a detriment to this film and if it had any other title, I would have more faith in it’s earning potential.
akin to anghus’ missus, my friend’s birthday is the 17th of june so us girls are taking her to see ‘bridesmaids’ in the ‘gold lounge’, which means special treatment in the flash private section of the cinema including all the booze and food one can consume whilst lounging in ginormous comfy seats. should be good to start the night.
do you ever see something in a trailer and just relate to it embarrassingly well, have a bit of a facepalm moment and think: i’ve got to see that?
that part in the ‘bridesmaids’ trailer where wiig does the walk of shame the morning after, trying to quietly sneak out of hamm’s ‘compound’ unnoticed and climb over the gate only to get stuck on top while it’s moving and act natural while people stare at her…i think a lot of women will relate to that on some level. it brings back a memory from back in the olden days of yore when i was young and single and a bit wild, trying to quietly leave this guy’s house at dawn after a rather wild party the night before, only to find the house locked up tight as a drum and me with no key for the doors, so after fumbling around looking for an unlocked exit, i actually climbed out a window and had to traverse a short ledge – in a cocktail dress whilst carrying my shoes no less – then jump to the ground a couple metres below, praying nobody saw me. but no such luck, as an apparently ‘up-at-dawn-to-water-her-rose-bushes’ nosey parker neighbour glared at me all the way on my dash of shame to the waiting taxi. ugh. anyway i’ve probably said too much as usual, but ‘bridesmaids’ had me from that moment.
oh, leah — i fear you’ll regret sharing that story once the ‘boogey men’ start posting (mostly because they’re jealous they’ll never have a ‘walk of shame’)… btw, ‘bridesmaids’ was a brilliant surprise…i actually laughed a lot….
yay! (re: bridesmaids) everyone’s had at least ONE walk of shame, haven’t they?…
i can think of, at least, one poster on this site who’s probably still longing for his ‘first’…
go hard or go home (at 6am, carrying your shoes. just don’t make a habit of it)
I’ve never had a walk of shame. I have no idea what you are talking about.
>.>
<.<
uh huh
(i’m trying to decipher what those directional pointies/dots mean, foamy, but for the life of me i’m not seeing it…i’ve had a few drinks but surely i can’t be that pissed, or thick. or on second thought maybe i can)
I saw one lady’s walk and shame and the sadness of the event is still haunting.
It’s shifty eyes – looking from side to side
Incidentally, I met up with a cousin in London this week. Turns out Vincent Ward is my 2nd cousin or something along those lines, and my cousins have been getting comps to all his premieres without me ever knowing.
that bastard! (vincent’s – your illustrious cuzzy – a bit of a headcase; i could tell you a story about a night’s bizarre revelry w/him and c curtis and a few others some years back, but loose lips sink ships and all that, i’ve got to watch my flapping gums)
ah, shifty eyes… you have a very petite nose foamy, i’ll give you that.
(and io, you know you’ve had a walk of shame in the hood at some point, don’t be lying)
There are people in movies who aren’t headcases?!?!?
One of these days I’m going to have to take you out for a drink in NZ, although given some of my own “bizarre revelry”s I’m not sure if Wellington would survive…
“There are people in movies who aren’t headcases?!?!?”
uh…not that i know of (the real headcase in that whole scenario was kiefer sutherland apparently, but he never made it down here, that i know of – but tales of his debauchery up north are legend)
you know the wellyhood can take the bizarrest, most hard-out form of revelry you can possibly dish out, foamy. bring it
I mean this sincerely in no critical fashion, but unless any of you personally stand to make/lose money on any of these films, why on earth do you care, or care to speculate? What’s in it for you? I’m quite curious. The film industry is as dull from a business standpoint as selling Tostitos, so I just don’t get it.