April 20, 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
i love Director Clooney. Can’t wait for Ides of March.
I would put cash money on the table right now that The Help and TinTin don’t get anywhere near best picture category.
I realize this early in anything’s possible, but i don’t see it happening.
And I put the money on just the opposite especially in regard to Tintin (though the Help is very good buzz) which I think will be Mesmerizing.
There is nothing funnies than people literally betting against the most succesful and consistent force in movie history. When will they learn?
I think that Tintin will be the movie event of the year.
Um, Spielberg hasn’t been much of an Oscar player in over a decade (one BP and BD nom each since 1998, both for MUNICH). He has a better chance with WAR HORSE than TIN TIN.
I think THE HELP could surprise a lot of people.
How is tintin the movie event of the year? Its not like the movie offers something we’ve never seen before (ala Avatar). I don’t get all the hype on this. If any animated movie sniffed BP, wouldn’t it be Rango?
Where’s Harry Potter? It’s the best reviewed movie of the year and the end of a cinematic franchise. It has a chance.
‘The Help” isn’t bad but it isn’t even in contention to be in contention.
To include TinTin as a possible contender but not Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 doesn’t make logical sense. Both are commercial “kids” movies (although HP has a massive adult fan base TinTin has yet to acquire in the States). TinTin has Spielberg directing, but that benefit is handicapped by the fact that Spielberg has the more obvious Oscar contender “War Horse” already opening at the same time. TinTin has yet to prove itself commercially and critically – and has a harder road ahead itself in the US market, where the source material is barely known, unlike the well known and much loved HP.
Tintin’s best chances are with a BP animation nom and likely win, if it is considered eligible (the whole motion capture controversy may get in the way).
David, you can’t have it both ways. If TinTin is a viable candidate (should it make a billion, as you say) than HPDH2 has to be too (already at one billion, it will overtake LOTR:ROTK #3 worldwide box office record in a few weeks – then throw in the universal critical raves and ten year franchise success story). Either both are on your list or maybe only HPDH2. But TinTin without HPDH2 strains credulity.
Always refreshing and bracing to see you line all the ponies up at the Gate, David. See you in Toronto!
correction: DHPH2 will not overtake LOTR:ROTK’s #3 all-time box office spot in a few weeks. It has done so already.
(And by tomorrow it will also overtake Transformers 3 as the biggest movie in US box office this year.)