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
………………………
There was a day when a $67 million dollar difference between the #1 film and the #2 would have been awe inspiring. Now it’s kinda common place. I don’t have figures for these types of openings but I wonder what the record is for grosses between 1 & 2.
Hey props to Disney/Lucasfilm for marketing the shit out of this film and it is a pretty good film – $500 million domestic is almost assured considering that even mid-December blockbusters with “mixed” receptions like Tron Legacy and King Kong had multipliers between 3.5x and 4x opening weekend.
There will probably be some talk about a “drop-off” but the most apt comparison is probably how Iron Man 3 performed just a year after The Avengers exploded.
Next year Episode VIII is almost assured of Avatar-like numbers then who knows?
Young Han Solo in May 2018 will likely be the first REAL test of the brand: probably a HUGE opening around Memorial Day but no year-end holidays to prop up weekday box office and MUCH more overseas competition. Gotta admit that Donald Glover as Lando sounds pretty cool but I would just prefer a Young Lando movie….one can hope right? 😉
There is no way the Han Solo movie doesn’t get pushed to December.
“There was a day when a $67 million dollar difference between the #1 film and the #2 would have been awe inspiring. Now it’s kinda common place. I don’t have figures for these types of openings but I wonder what the record is for grosses between 1 & 2.”
THE FORCE AWAKENS broke them all last year the previous +$85 million single-day between Deathly Hallows 2 and the second grosser increased to +$115 million. The #1 vs #2 opener, previously held by AVENGERS 1 over Think Like a Manwas broken with a +$230 million difference. Ditto the overall record, now also at +$230, which was previously held by POTTER over POOH.
Thanks, EtGuild! The Avengers number makes $67 million look like nothing.
Unlike “The Founder” which I really liked, I can see why Harvey lost faith in “Gold” as a legit awards contender.
But as a “wintry Saturday afternoon in bed kind of movie,” it’s a decent watch.
Edgar Ramirez is easily the best thing in it: McConaughey and Bryce Dallas Howard chewed way too much scenery for my taste.
Bombs away at the box office next month, though. I can’t imagine it’ll do any better than Ramirez’s last Weinstein release, August’s “Hands of Stone.”
Dave, sums up the problem with Rogue One: it’s nothing you have to see twice! DISNEY: BLEEDING FROM ESPN, AND LEAVING STAR WARS MONEY ON THE TABLE! Much like 2016, it’s something that could have been something, but is just much fucking worse.
That’s too bad re: Gold. I was really looking forward to the return of Stephen Gaghan.
@Stella’s Boy
Gold is much better to the average movie than to movieman’s taste.
It is actually a well-written, well-crafted movie.
Award-worthy subjective but it’s on the same level as Syriana.
As entertaining and as plotty.
Could completely flop or do 50 million but anyone who sees it will be entertained.
It’s no Sunday afternoon movie. That’s for sure.
Having gone trailer-free this year, I had no idea what to expect from “Gold.” But it’s much more “American Hustle” meets “Big Short” meets “Wolf of Wall Street” in spirit than I’d have thought (right down to McConaughey’s “fairydust” whistle and tubby-Bale dishevelment). I think his involvement alone would help it do better than “Hands of Stone,” but I see it topping out at $20 million tops. Solid programmatic entertainment, though, and props for turning McConaughey into a combination of Roy Munson and Dwight Yoakam, and male pattern baldness to match that of the guy who plays his pops (Craig T. Nelson).
I said, “wintry Saturday afternoon in bed kind of movie,” Charles, lol.
Enjoyed it overall, Nick, but the first half was rough going.
It definitely took awhile to kick in for me. As stated earlier, Ramirez was definitely my favorite part of the movie.
I think you’re right about Gaghan aiming for an “American Hustle,” “Big Short” or “Wolf of WS.” But he remains a better screenwriter than director. (Curiously, he didn’t write “Gold.)
Dave Poland…please make a New Year’s resolution to stop starting articles with…’What more is there to say…”
Thank you.