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
Okay, anyone who thinks “Hidden Figures” would do THIS, is a liar :p.
The best comp on LA LA LAND continues to be JUNO (the high water mark for non-Miramax dependents). It’ll finish this weekend about $5 million ahead on a very similar trajectory (albeit with somewhat varrying theater counts). Does that mean SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, the top-grossing Best Picture winner since 2003, is now the target, as JUNO finished with $143 million? Or does the freshness of Diablo Cody’s 2007 teen pregnancy flick have less of a ceiling than LA LA?
I’m pretty sure you will find tweets from me months again saying that Hidden Figures was a mid-100s movie. No lie.
Wow, I’ll take your word. Phenomenal call. I definitely didn’t see this potentially getting into all-time territory for historical dramas/African American movies.
It’ll be interesting to see if the two space flicks with opposing critical reception, both Arrival and Passengers can both sputter over $100m.
“The best comp on LA LA LAND continues to be JUNO (the high water mark for non-Miramax dependents). It’ll finish this weekend about $5 million ahead on a very similar trajectory (albeit with somewhat varrying theater counts). Does that mean SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, the top-grossing Best Picture winner since 2003, is now the target, as JUNO finished with $143 million? Or does the freshness of Diablo Cody’s 2007 teen pregnancy flick have less of a ceiling than LA LA?”
I think Juno is a very strong comparison but Juno had a relatively week December and January of competition to counter compared to La La Land – $150 million domestic is still a possibility but WOW, did that backlash start early! I can’t remember another time when the backlash for a big-time Oscar contender kicked in BEFORE the nominations were already announced. Otherwise, this was probably headed to closer to $200 million…just strange but that SNL skit made it fairly obvious.
“Wow, I’ll take your word. Phenomenal call. I definitely didn’t see this potentially getting into all-time territory for historical dramas/African American movies.”
And ET, gotta wonder if Hidden Figures was able to capitalize on VERY strong timing – coming out just around the time of the run-up to the Women’s March and Trump Inauguration. You look at THAT way and the film hits all of the sweet-spots: PG-rated feelgood drama featuring African American WOMEN triumphing? Yeah both of my daughters were as excited to see this as Rogue One OR La La Land.
Oh and sorry Et but short of a strong re-release (which I DON’T think Disney is going to do since they want to start ramping up the campaign for Episode VIII soon), I am not seeing Rogue One catching The Dark Knight domestically.
And hey kudos for Disney for having such a record-setting 2016 but I can’t think of two absurdly HIGHER grossing films in recent memory (domestically and NOT adjusted for inflation) that are going to be LESS remembered a year after release than Finding Dory and Rogue One.
That’s a good point on HIDDEN FIGURES. And I would like to see LA LA top LES MIZ (148) as the top musical since CHICAGO and top DIVERGENT (150) as Lionsgate’s biggest non-TWILIGHT/HUNGER GAMES movie, but not sure about that yet.
On ROGUE/TDK, it’s still easily outpacing Batman. It’ll finish the weekend in 8th place (2,050 theatres) at $520 million on $5.3 million. TDK crossed $520 as part of a 9th place (1,900 theatres) $2.9 million weekend. Regardless, even if ROGUE collapses, it’s well surpassed domestic expectations for a “forgettable film” if that’s the case. Though as someone who believes JW is one of the worst blockbusters of the decade, I disagree. Worldwide, there’s plenty more…..Transformers 3/4, MINIONS, FURIOUS 7 (sorry Paul Walker).
Those early “Salesman” numbers look good to me, although I’m not sure what the comps for “good” are when you’re only on three screens. I expect interest has only spiked in the last 24 hours as the Farhadi news has gotten out. I was very mixed on that film but wouldn’t mind it getting more exposure.
I’m not sure anyone’s saying “Hidden Figures” is succeeding only *because of* the current political situation, but I’m a conservative religious guy (not a Trump voter, FWIW) and my wife, whose beliefs are similar, and kids all loved “Hidden Figures,” which we’ve watched more than once. It’s one of the best inspirational dramas since … well, since “The Blind Side.” (That reference oughta bring out the arrows, but there you have it.)
I found SPLIT to be a total delight. I’m not sure the entire packed audience did. There seemed to be some derisive laughter, even though there were moments that were obviously meant to be funny. MacAvoy pulled it off, and I didn’t think he could. It wasn’t the self-contained cat & mouse movie they’re selling but that’s what made it for me. Anya Taylor-Joy was fine. I hope she gets some roles now to show a different side.
As for the “twist”…..I loved it. I laughed out loud. To say anymore would spoil it but I approve and am in favor of it.
Nice time out at the movies to escape the miserable news events. I needed it.
Christian, that’s a good point about kids loving Hidden Figures a lot. My daughters (14 and 17) saw it with some friends and they want to go back. They adored it. Perhaps that a “quadrant” (I hate that word in this regard…) it’s really working for.
Does Peggy Lipton look fantastic or what in “A Dog’s Purpose”?
Definitely looks way younger than her 70 (!) years. In fact, Dennis Quaid–who’s nearly a decade her junior–looks substantially older.
Wish she’d been a lot more visible post-“The Mod Squad.”
No doubt Hidden Figures plays to both sides of the aisle – apparently Ted Cruz has been tweeting about it. And as a father to a 9 year old and 12 year old girl, it’s nice to have actually some big-time Oscar contenders for ONCE that are suitable for children – except for one F-bomb, La La Land is actually pretty family-friendly though some of the storyline was a BIT above my 9 year old’s head. And I still haven’t seen Hidden Figures yet but my oldest loved it and apparently it’s a pure PG which is nice.
Not saying that ALL or even MOST films need to cater to that audience but it’s nice to see that not EVERY Oscar contender has to be a hard R, very pretentious or VERY depressing. 😉