MCN Blogs
David Poland

By David Poland poland@moviecitynews.com

BYOB 11212

Be Sociable, Share!

43 Responses to “BYOB 11212”

  1. Amblynman says:

    Brad Bird will direct the next Star Wars trilogy.

    Or not.

    But probably.

  2. Monco says:

    That’d be sweet.

  3. sanj says:

    pretty cool

    IMDB Top 250 in 2 1/2 Minutes

  4. movieman says:

    “Skyfall.”
    Best.
    Bond.
    Ever.
    It’s not only a great 007 movie, but a great movie period.

    I wouldn’t be at all surprised–and would actually be delighted–if Bardem earns the first ever acting nomination for a Bond film.
    And Dench has a legitimate shot at a nod as well.
    All hail Sam Mendes!

  5. The Pope says:

    movieman,
    while I share your adulation for Skyfall, I really don’t think either of the actors you mentioned have a shot at anything. Looking at the performances this year, the competition will be pretty stiff and for Bond to get one acting nomination, let alone two, is really pushing the boat out.

    Judi Dench has a better chance for Marigold Hotel and as for Bardem, his best performance in the last while has been in bed with Penny Lopez.

    P.S. Love the portrait of Abraham Obama.

  6. movieman says:

    Pope- A case could be made that Bardem gives an even richer, more dimensional performance in “Skyfall” than he did in his Oscar-winning “No County” turn. (And that he has more screen time here.)
    But you’re probably right about the film not receiving its due from voters.
    Which would be a crying shame.
    For my money, Dench is vastly better in “Skyfall” than she is in “Marigold Hotel” (admittedly that’s a movie I didn’t care for).

  7. scooterzz says:

    i also think ‘skyfall’ is the best bond in decades but i’m afraid the ‘best supporting actor’ slot is already a little too crowded to include bardem…it wouldn’t be a bad thing if it happened, i just don’t think it can…

  8. AdamL says:

    Saw Skyfall for second time this morning and am also really hoping for a Bardem Oscar nod. He is every bit as compelling here as he was in NCFOM.

    Also think Roger Deakins completely deserves a nod for his brilliant cinematography and Thomas Newman for his score.

  9. movieman says:

    You’re so right about Deakins deserving a cinematography nod, Adam.
    And I’d love to see “Skyfall” earn one of the (how many are there this year?) Best Picture slots.
    For me, the film’s triumph shows what can be accomplished when you hire a real director instead of an anonymous hack/Broccoli family yes man.
    The best previous directors to helm “official” Bond movies are probably Michael Apted (who made an okay late ’90s Brosnan entry) and Marc Forster (who helmed Craig’s disappointing middle Bond).
    Mendes is better than either of them.
    Or Martin Campbell, Terrence Young, Peter Hunt, Guy Hamilton, Lewis Gilbert, John Glen….

  10. The Pope says:

    @ AdamL and movieman,
    Yes, I agree completely with you on the Roger Deakins front. I was really taken with those stunning lights in the high-tower when he took on the rifle-man. Exquisite.

  11. movieman says:

    The ultimate compliment I would pay “Skyfall” is that it earns every one of its 144 minutes.
    Every previous Bond movie–and I’ve seen ’em all–has pretty much been the equivalent of empty calorie junk food for me.
    I generally forget them soon after leaving the theater.
    But “Skyfall” is a film I’ve been replaying in my head ever since Thursday afternoon’s press screening.
    Can’t wait to see it again.

  12. Christian says:

    I always love these lame o arguments about how Bond should be directed by hacks – when weve never had one directed by an “auteur” to compare results….

  13. sanj says:

    November 2012 has so many movies at 2 hours + running time..

    Wreck-It Ralph – 1 hr & 55 mins
    Flight – 2 hrs & 26 mins
    Argo – 2 hrs & 5 mins
    Looper – 2 hrs & 5 mins
    Cloud Atlas – 2 hrs & 59 mins
    V/H/S – 1 hr & 56 mins
    The Perks Of Being A Wallflower – 1 hr & 53 mins
    Skyfall – 2 hours 20 minutes

    watching these movies will kill my back and just give me
    health problems … i do want to see skyfall cause of the great reviews …but i hated the trailer for it .
    i wanna watch indie films like Cloud Atlas but 3 hours is way too much …

  14. berg says:

    so Hans-Jürgen Syberberg’s seven hour Our Hitler is out of the question?

  15. movieman says:

    Where are you getting those run times???

    “WIR” is 102 minutes.
    “Flight” 138.
    “Argo,” 120.
    “Looper,” 119.
    “Cloud Atlas,” 172.
    “Perks,” 103.
    “Skyfall”…144.
    And that’s including end credits.

  16. Earlhofert says:

    Maybe he is already factoring the DP/30’s. . .

  17. movieman says:

    Or maybe they count minutes differently in Canada.

  18. sanj says:

    i got the runtimes from a movie theatre site … somehow they are wrong ?

    with these 2 + hour movies – theatres need to pump in fresh air as well … or pump in some febreze

    i’m gonna wait a few weeks before watching skyfall …
    i ain’t in no rush …

    i watched cosmopolis 2012 – felt like 3 hours . so much talking about what ? i have no no idea.

    a lot of people are going to see Lincoln 2012 and then get upset that he’s not a vampire hunter. Spielberg is going to let down the teens who are going to rush out and watch this .

    also i’m a huge fan of nerdist podcasts – the people on there tell some interesting stories about acting and all sorts of crazy stuff – i try to listen to as many new people as i can …

    the most interesting thing i read / watched this week was
    artist David Choe story … he’s made millions of his art in a unique way + he made lots of money gambling …
    awesome stories yo.

  19. lazarus says:

    Sanj can barely handle a 2 hour film in theatre, yet someone manages to sit through every DP/30.

    What a remarkable example of the human species.

  20. YancySkancy says:

    Don’t movie sites sometimes factor in the time between screenings, or maybe count the trailers?

    Looking forward to SKYFALL, but I’ve not been a fan of Mendes, “auteur” or not (and thus far I’ve tended to think “not”).

    Robert Bresson was impressed with FOR YOUR EYES ONLY, so I gotta give John Glen some props.

  21. sanj says:

    funny 3 minute video – something LexG would ask.

    David Choe talks to Aubrey Plaza

  22. glamourboy says:

    Lex who?

  23. movieman says:

    Yancy- Here’s Glen’s 11-film IMDB resume.
    No disrespect to the great Bresson, but maybe he had the hots for former Luis Bunuel star Carole Bouquet (an “Only” Bond Girl).

    2001 The Point Men

    1994-1995 Space Precinct (TV series)
    – The Fire Within: Part 2 (1995)
    – The Fire Within: Part 1 (1995)
    – Takeover (1995)
    – Divided We Stand (1995) (uncredited)
    – Illegal (1995)
    See all 8 episodes »

    1992 Christopher Columbus: The Discovery

    1992 Aces: Iron Eagle III

    1990 Checkered Flag

    1989 Licence to Kill

    1987 The Living Daylights

    1985 A View to a Kill

    1983 Octopussy

    1981 For Your Eyes Only

    1968 Man in a Suitcase (TV series)
    – Somebody Loses, Somebody… Wins? (1968)

  24. movieman says:

    As for Mendes, I’d definitely slot him in the “auteur” category, Yancy.
    I’ve been telling people since “American Beauty” that Mendes was his generation’s Mike Nichols: a theater-trained director who proved nearly savant-like when he began working in a new medium.
    Well it’s true that Mendes hasn’t yet made a “Graduate”-caliber masterpiece-for-the ages, a case could be made that the first 12 years of his ouevre (“Beauty;” “Perdition;” “Jarhead;” “Rev. Road;” “Away We Go;” “Skyfall”) has been more consistent than–and just as fascinatingly eclectic–Nichols’ first dozen years behind the camera (“Virginia Woolf?;” “The Graduate;” “Catch 22;” “Carnal Knowledge;” “Day of the Dolphin;” “The Fortune”).

  25. movieman says:

    Surprised nobody has mentioned WB putting “Jersey Boys” into turnaround due to a fear that it lacks “international interest” (aka the curse of “Rock of Ages”)
    I hadn’t realized Favreau had already set his (fascinating) cast, and that there was both a start (January) and release (Xmas 2013) date.
    Hope he finds a taker (Paramount?) as he begins shopping it around town.

  26. christian says:

    I used quotations around the word “auteur” to indicate Mendes is not necessarily Kubrick but a director with a manifest POV. In the internet age, everything must be explained…

    And again, since we ain’t had a Bond film directed by one, why would anybody think it couldn’t be done? Spielberg would have made the best 007 film ever.

    Oh yeah – SKYFALL is getting great reviews so Mendes/Deakins etc might have done something right….

  27. scooterzz says:

    re: mendes and ‘american beauty…i’ve always wondered how that film would’ve shaken out had chevy chase taken the kevin spacey role as originally planned….

  28. christian says:

    Chevy might be happier.

  29. YancySkancy says:

    movieman: I was just giving John Glen some props, not nominating him for auteurhood. In fairness to the guy, he was an editor and second unit director who didn’t make his feature directorial debut until he was almost 50. I’ve only seen his Bond films (except VIEW TO A KILL). I liked FYEO and OCTOPUSSY, thought the Daltons were okay, but haven’t seen them in a while; they seem to have some strong defenders here and there. I have his first gig, an episode of the short-lived TV series MAN IN A SUITCASE, on DVD but haven’t watched it yet.

    As for Mendes, I admit I haven’t seen JARHEAD or AWAY WE GO; if the reviews had been stronger I might’ve made an effort. I like several Mike Nichols films, but it’s hard to say how much of his and Mendes “savant-like” beginnings owed to having Haskell Wexler and Conrad Hall, respectively, behind the camera. But if SKYFALL is as great as its buzz, I’ll gladly give Mendes all due credit.

  30. cadavra says:

    The reason no “auteurs” direct a Bond film is that the Broccolis exert such a ridiculous amount of control over the finished product that anyone with a style or “vision” that isn’t in line with theirs is not considered–or would likely want to be. (You may recall that Tarantino was all but begging to direct CASINO ROYALE.)

    I doubt that ROCK OF AGES had that much to do with JERSEY BOYS’ plug being pulled. For one thing, it centers on one single group that’s mostly forgotten today; for another, it’s set in the early 60s, which is pretty much box office poison to the under-40 crowd these days. They’d be better off just taping a performance of the stage show and selling it to HBO or Showtime…or PBS.

  31. christian says:

    I know why they don’t — but Guy Hamilton is not the best reason.

  32. Pat says:

    The Broccoli’s ‘ridiculous control’ over the Bond series and obsession with a consistent vision is the main reason it has survived through fifty years and half a dozen Bonds. Do you really think Tarantino’s “Casino Royale” would have been more successful? If Tarantino suddenly got it into his head to film Hamlet, how much of Shakespeare would survive to the final version?

  33. christian says:

    I think QT “gets” Bond better than most of the creative folk involved and would have a fantastic take that would please fans of the novels and films.

  34. sanj says:

    pbs has a documentary about rich people – made by a director was in a dp/30 .

    Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side, Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room) presents his examination of how the gap between rich and poor Americans has become so stark, as illustrated by this famous boulevard in New York City.

    Park Avenue pbs

  35. movieman says:

    Cad- Do you really think “Jersey Boys” is officially dead, with no chance of resuscitation at another studio?
    What puzzles me is why–if a lack of “int’l interest” is truly the reason for pulling the plug–they didn’t realize that before acquiring the film rights.
    I was actually shocked to learn that Favreau’s movie was as far along as it was.
    For some reason, I naturally assumed it would go through years and years of development hell like “Wicked” is currently experiencing.
    And re: “Wicked.”
    Is Raimi’s upcoming “Oz” going to hurt or help the chances of “W” making it to the big screen? Since the “Oz” trailer makes it look like “Wicked” without the music, a film adaptation of Stephen Schwartz’s B’way perennial almost seems redundant now, doesn’t it?

  36. sanj says:

    watched Kids In America 2005 – was expecting stupid teen
    movie – got much worse .

    writer / director Josh Stolberg made Good Luck Chuck 2007 … another movie i hated – a movie with Dane Coook ..who i really hated in the movie.

    Josh also made Piranha – which was alright – but also made made Piranha 3DD – which sucked …

    can this guy ever make a good movie – probably not –
    he started out doing disney tv shows and never seemed
    to get better as a writer .

    i doubt DP is going to rush out and give this guy a dp/30 …

    his blog is full of autographed pictures and stuff.

  37. bulldog68 says:

    I’m a big tough black guy, I’m not supposed to cry for The Walking Dead….I’m not supposed to cry for The Walking Dead……….damn.

  38. David Poland says:

    The entire reason why Graham King chased Jersey Boys for years was as a Scorsese project.

    Without Marty, it’s just more grist for the mill with not nearly enough female appeal as a film.

    Keep in mind, Zemeckis just made Flight for $31m. David Chase’s film has a tiny budget. Without a major force behind it, Jersey Boys is going nowhere fast.

  39. cadavra says:

    Pat: I wasn’t passing judgment on the Broccolis, merely making an observation. And the thing is, there IS no consistency. A POS like MOONRAKER can be followed by the excellent FOR YOUR EYES ONLY. CASINO ROYALE was followed by the dreary QUANTUM. So I don’t think it would kill them to make one film with an “auteur” and see what happens. Even if it stank, it would hardly scuttle the series.

    Movieman: I didn’t say JERSEY BOYS was dead, but it’s looking less and less likely. Remember when there were competing Janis Joplin projects? Think we’ll ever see one of those?

    As for WICKED, they’re making too much money off the stage show (both Broadway and touring) to risk it by making a movie at this point. They will in time, but not now.

  40. sanj says:

    watched – DP/30: The Deep Blue Sea, actor Rachel Weisz
    another standard dp/30 – pretty much the same set of acting questions DP usually asks.

    there doesn’t seem to be enough updates for dp.30 indie movies …like with the cast of life happens and black rock movies – the actors might be shocked DP actualy wants to talk to them again .. half the time its about movie awards or boxoffice .. this case – its not about awards but box office …did they make their money back ?

    i’m looking forward to the dp/30 sundance 2013 interviews ..DP – no more background audio problems and do them outside…plus you should spend like 2 weeks hyping these new interviews.

  41. aframe says:

    WICKED will most certainly be a film–not for nothing is Universal one of the producers of the *stage* production itself. Last I heard Daldry was supposed to do the film, and if LES MIZ hits for Uni, I’m sure it’ll be ramped up (and while it still rakes the cash as a live show, being almost 10 years old now, the timing would be right for a film, which would then give a renewed wind for the life of the live production, much like it did for CHICAGO)

  42. movieman says:

    The entire reason why Graham King chased Jersey Boys for years was as a Scorsese project.

    That’s interesting (and something I’d never heard before).
    In my review of “Jersey Boys”–a show that I’ve seen twice–I described it as “a jukebox musical that Martin Scorsese could have directed.”
    Guess “could” IS the operative word since he’s clearly not getting anywhere near the project. Too bad.

  43. sanj says:

    there’s too many famous people in django unchained therefore we won’t get a dp/30 ….

    DP – work really hard at trying to get Leonardo DiCaprio – by that i mean sing my heart will go on a few times and send that to Leo …maybe he’ll find it funny enough to finally get a dp/30 .

    Quentin Tarantino is probably mad you didn’t give a dp/30 for pulp fiction. so he’ll just go on Leno .

    i expect DP to give a postive review of this movie .

    DP – grab 4 actors stick them inside a real blockbuster store and do a special 1 hour dp/30 ….

The Hot Blog

Quote Unquotesee all »

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