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
Don’t try and find “the new normal;” just do your thing and your thing will be normal–your normal will become part of the aggregate new normal, but if you’re chasing the aggregate you’ll never get included and somehow always wind up left behind or left out.
The cool kids never chase the cool, they just assume what they’re doing is cool by virtue of their doing it. Do that.
Nicely said, movielocke.
Greatness is a product of conviction. It’s tough watching such talented people adapt to a world that diminishes their potential.
That’s kinda my point, movielocke.
Not interested in being the new normal. Never have been. Never will be. But I can’t pretend it’s not there. It’s there. And it has a real effect. It must be accounted for.
DP – you need to be more clear about what type of journalism your talking about … it is aimed at the movie industry or the general movie audience cause you sorta do both … all the industry stuff belongs in variety or hollywood reporter but they won’t have you .. lots of words written about netflix and digital downloads but no real interviews with any of those people .
will you stop doing dp/30’s ? cause there seems to be a movie festival every month with 100’s of actors out there ….
i figured if you stoped doing mcn – you’d just end up being in charge of a movie festival doing behind the scenes work . you’d still talk to a lot of people in the movie business.
DP – can you make another channel on youtube with interviews that aren’t about movies 100% – just random
videos with people who have something to say about entertainment .just use iphone to video .
– there’s one person who i’ve seen change on tv doing several different things – Karina Huber – she did music / science and business on tv.
check her videos
http://karinahuber.com/
So in other words…you’re still thinking about it.
I’ll alert the media.
David, your niche right now, like it or not, is looking at other people’s journalism, telling them what they’re doing wrong and how to do it better.
That is a niche not many are filling (other than maybe Criticwire). It might be something you should corner the market on. I say that as one who’s fallen victim occasionally.
Agree with LYT. I read just about everything here, but it’s the journalistic take on journalism that stands out as the unique offering.
you are brutally and laboriously over thinking this.
It’s like that scene in Tommy Boy where they’re at the diner and Farley explains how he destroys every opportunity for a sale by tearing apart a dinner roll.
Sam said it best. You are the guy who analyzes the guy. You are Nero who stands back and watches it all burn and comments on the rapidly deteriorating standards. Maybe you’re uncomfortable in that role, but i agree with Sam: it’s kind of your thing.
Good luck.
I’m sure it will be interesting.
David, I’m mostly a lurker, but just wanted to say that I’ve always appreciated your thorough and thoughtful film reviews and I’m hoping that whatever you decide to do, you might continue giving us the occasional one.
Good luck finding your new thing.
Long-time reader (and occasional misanthropic poster) – good luck DP. I’ll still be around.