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
As a fan of the character and a hardcore Martin Campbell nerd, I too was disheartened by the teaser and relieved by the Wonder Con footage. My only issue at this point, aside from the fact that they seem to be hiding Blake Lively (uh-oh), is that the footage seems to lack scenes of Ryan Reynolds as a suited-up Green Lantern actually doing the whole superhero thing. We’ve got the brief bits where he seemingly stops a helicopter and beats up Hector, but it seems to be those clips, plus random flying shots that may or may not be from the ‘training montage’ second act, over and over again in the ads so far.
If they’re saving the best for the movie and/or they are still working on the effects, great. But, as far as turning a corner, I can’t believe that Warner didn’t end the trailer with a shot (if one exists) of a bunch of Green Lanterns all doing battle in space or some kind of outer-space mass-battle scene. THAT’s the money shot in my opinion (hundreds of Lanterns all waging war on a common foe), the image that sells how huge this movie theoretically is. If it’s not in the movie, it should be. And if it’s in the movie, it should be the closing shot of every trailer.
I enjoyed Thor more than I expected to last night, simply happy to have a colorful and cheerful good time with good actors and some neat visuals (I love that rainbow bridge). But Green Lantern is one I’m expecting greatness from.
Scott, Lively has that Sapphire logo on her jet, so maybe they are hiding her because eventually she becomes a Star Sapphire in this film? It’s a thought but whateverthecase, the corner turned on this film with geeks after Wonder-Con. Nice of everyone else to get on board… THE BANDWAGON!
On a completely genuine and uncynical note: I’m getting really excited for the summer of 2011 movies.
Between THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA, RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES, X-MEN ACADEMY, SUPER 8, COWBOYS & ALIENS and now GREEN LANTERN I can’t remember the last time I was looking forward to so many of the mega movies.
Bring em on.
I love Martin Campbell and Warner Bros. cuts the best trailers around. But the problem remains that Ryan Reynolds is a goofball and I haven’t seen anything that makes me think he’ll be anything in this movie but his usual sarcastic self.
Captain America looks like the superhero movie to beat this year.
You can still modify your chart. It’s not set in stone and it’s not like this movie has already been released.
I just don’t think general audiences will buy into the concept as easily as people pre-disposed to this genre will.
Lively does not become Sapphire in the film. She’s talked this.
GL started looking better than Thor several weeks ago. I would say it was Campbell’s eye for scope, but Branagh is no slouch.
400 is on the outside. GL doesn’t fit with Batman from an A&M standpoint, but with Superman and even moreso Iron Man.
I find it interesting Thor and GL will be intertwined for the next few years even though GL’s cinematic existence is due to IM, hence the dashing leading man known for his comedic chops.
What’s up with the giant space doo-doo monster taking apart the city? Icky.
It forgot to go number 2 before traveling to Earth.
Osama Bin Laden Dead + CAPTAIN AMERICA = HUGE.
as much as I love me some Martin Campbell, I don’t get the green latern and this latest trailer seems like more of the same to me. Outside the comic book geeks and childen, I don’t see much of an audience for this. Of course with this world of inflated and 3D ticket prices it could be $100 million flick, but it just looks like a CG mess to me. WB should consider cutting a trailer that has a few more RR one liners and some earth fighting scenes.