Hollywood

Sometimes it's a surreal experience living in Hollywood. Last night while BBQ-ing, we noticed that there was a huge light show coming from the Hollywood and Highland area. While we were attacking our steaks, we learned it was Jay-Z doing a comeback concert with a new cd. I'm sure having Hollywood Blvd blocked off annoyed a few people trying to get home on Thanksgiving eve.

Notes on Altman

Maverick American director Robert Altman died earlier this week @ 81 years of age. I first was aware of him when we were shown "McCabe and Mrs. Miller" in film school. Next time was an ex who had a bootleg of Altman's classic, "Three Women". He was a great filmmaker but I won't remember him for his films.
What I will remember Robert Altman for is what he said about the dead. In one of the most ascerbic eulogies ever, Altman said of Don Simpson when the drug addicted producer died, "I wish he had lived longer so he could've suffered more". Brutal, to the point and instantly memorable.

Biskind's "Easy Riders, Raging Bulls"

Seven Profile

I love this snap of Seven I took the other day.

Instead of.....

"Republicans vacating the Capitol are dumping a big spring cleaning job on Democrats moving in. GOP leaders have opted to leave behind almost a half-trillion-dollar clutter of unfinished spending bills."

Instead of doing their duty, this Republican Congress is going to punt. Or as Crooks and Liars put it....."Never send a Republican to do a Democrat's job".

Yahoo News

Be Kind, redux

I'm finally getting around to looking at some pics that were given to me. Here are a few.

The unbounded excitement that can sweep a film set.


A little bubbly at the halfway point.


El and Mos share a moment after a night of shooting.


Yours truely perfecting his balancing abilities.

The Father Returns

Newsweek Online
Dad has bailed him out all his life....except this time there's 2,800+ dead bodies involved.

Kodak

I love this new ad campaign for Kodak.

It's Official.....He's Certifiable

"And years from now, when America looks out on a democratic Middle East growing in freedom and prosperity, Americans will speak of the battles like Fallujah with the same awe and reverence that we now give to Guadalcanal and Iwo Jima."
Bush @ Dedication of the National Museum of the Marine Corps Nov.10, 2006

Full Trancript

Vote

I hope every reader in the United States is planning on voting today or has already sent in their absentee ballot.

“This is the most important vote that you’ll probably ever cast. Because should this gang of thugs continue in the two houses of Congress, there isn’t any chance of getting the Constitution back." So says Gore Vidal.

You can see the whole Gore Vidal interview @TruthDig

Sunrise

The sunrise in Hollywood yesterday was this wierd pink color. It was just after sunup and only lasted about 20 minutes. But with the morning fog, it was freaky and beautiful.

Pat Marella

Some great time lapse photography from retired train man P Marella.
There's a hyper reality to his work that's fantastic.

Black Brownies

The last day on "Be Kind, Rewind", we were shooting on the upper eastside of Manhattan. We only had 2 short scenes to shoot with Danny Glover. But in the afternoon, some neighborhood boys, Jacob and Sam, came to the back of the electric truck looking for Jack Black. We had to tell them that he was not there that day. That he was back home with his family in Los Angeles.
The boys left their note and a plate of brownies with us. Although we were the profiteers of the sweets that day, I think it's a testament to Jack's popularity. That everywhere we went, or whoever you talk to, he has a great reputation and people genuinely like him. Deservedly so.
All the stars were very generous with the locals in Passaic and it undoubtably made life for us all there more pleasurable.

I Shot Andy Warhol

One of my electricians (Jim F.) on the last film also worked with Ellen and I on "I Shot Andy Warhol" back 1993. It is one of the early faves on mine. Mary Harron was a fine director to work for. She and Dan had written a fantastic script and being able to see Lily Taylor act it out each day was a joy.
It's great seeing those 13 year old pictures, taken at the beginning of a career and knowing that we've all gone on to bigger and better projects..

Two Things

Two things today are getting my blood boiling.
(1) For all the rightwingers that believe that being gay is a choice and biologically driven, comes this story from Oregon on attempts to change sexual orientation in the wombs of sheep in the hopes of someday being able to prevent it in humans.
Martina Navatilova has the story on this tax payer funded study here.
"OHSU experimenter Charles Roselli is drugging pregnant sheep to prevent the actions of hormones in their fetuses’ brains and cutting open the brains of rams he calls “male-oriented” (homosexual) in an attempt to find the hormonal mechanisms behind homosexual tendencies so that they can subsequently be changed. Roselli’s cohort, Frederick Stormshak of OSU, has surgically installed an estrogen device in rams’ bodies in an effort to alter “gay sheep’s” sexual preferences and make them heterosexual. According to the grant applications, the experimenters plan to extrapolate the test results to humans—with the insidious implication that homosexuality in people can be “cured.”
(2) "Influential US evangelist Reverend Ted Haggard has admitted to purchasing illegal drugs from a male prostitute, but denied using them, in an interview with MSNBC."
"The Rev. Ted Haggard admitted Friday he bought methamphetamine and received a massage from a gay prostitute who claims he was paid for drug-fueled trysts by the former head of the National Association of Evangelicals.
"I bought it for myself but never used it," Haggard told reporters gathered outside his home. "I was tempted, but I never used it."
So...... he requested drugs on multiple occasions but never used them.......Hmmmmmm.
What gets me about this admission is that in the hierarchy of the virulently anti-gay christian right, drug abuse is seen as a more preferable lapse then owning up to a gay liason. These people's hypocrisy is almost overwhelming.
The MSNBC has the story.

Venus

Wilton and I went to see "The Queen" yesterday. There was a trailer for an upcoming Peter O'toole film called "Venus". It looks fantasic and he gets to play off of brillant older actors Richard Griffiths and Vanessa Redgrave as well as his young co-star, Jodie Whittaker.
You can see the trailer for "Venus" here.
The Oscar buzz is already swirling around him in many articles including this one from the London Times.
Of course, the seven time snubbed O'Toole recieved an honorary Oscar in 2003. I loved his short but brillant acceptance speech.......
"Meryl Streep, members of the Academy, distinguished guests, viewers, ladies and gentlemen. 'Always a bridesmaid, never a bride' – my foot! I have a my very own Oscar, to be with me 'til death do us part. I wish the Academy to know I am as delighted as I am honoured. And I am honoured. The magic of the movies enraptured me when I was a child. As I totter into antiquity, movie magic enraptures me still. Having already bagged this baby, as it were, and so spared uncertainties prior to the opening of an envelope, I am able to think. I think of our colleagues, our old friends, now gone, who played their parts in this ceremony. I think of the sumptuous talents alive and well and with us now. I think of the astonishing young, the gifted and able young men and women who I meet practically every time I go to work – and from whom I grab energy in handfuls. I think of the United States and of the loves and friendships I've known here for more than half a century. And of how much the nation has given to me both personally, privately and professionally – I am deeply thankful. And now, at this last, you have given me this delightful shock!
You are very good. Good night and God bless you."
(O'Toole's acceptance speech after receiving his Honorary Oscar from presenter Meryl Streep.)
This past week, Peter gave an interview about how, coming up against the Academy's no alcohol rule, he nearly left the Oscars in search of a drink. Read more here

Be Kind, New York Times

We made the papers the other day. The NYT did a piece on our impact with the film on Passaic. 90% of the film was shot in a mile radius of our junkyard/powerplant set.
There is a nice picture of Ellen on the dolly chatting with Michel.
We finished our last day in Mahattan with 2 short scenes featuring Danny Glover. It was mercifully short and easy day., Done in 6 hours. The goodbyes and wrap gifts were handed out. The usual tshirts and sweatshirts. But Michel made us something really cool. He's been taking 3D digital photographs with a specially machined unit. Well, the outcome was great..... we all got Be Kind Rewind viewmasters and disks of 3D photos. Just like when we were kids.
My favorite ones being from our "RoboCop" shoot. Jack, Mos and Melonie look hot!
I'm heading back to Los Angeles this afternoon. It'll be nice to relax for a few days and be warm again..........

And This Is What The Conservatives Are Saying!

Richard A. Viguerie, Chairman of ConservativeHQ.com, warned Republicans that scare tactics against Democrats will not succeed in increasing social or economic conservative voters on Election Day.

“The big-spending, high-deficit, morally-deficient Republican Party hasn’t anything to offer conservatives except Halloween scare tactics about the Democrats. But since the GOP majority in Congress has engaged in an unprecedented spending spree, conservatives know that Democrats cannot be any worse and that divided government may lead to less spending,” Viguerie said.

“And conservatives have learned that, while Republicans sometimes provide significant symbolism on social issues, in truth, many of them have a disdain for values voters,” he added.

“Trying to frighten conservatives by yelling ‘Nancy Pelosi’ and ‘Harry Reid’ won’t work this time."

More here

Under Pressure

"(CBS) Army Staff Sgt. Bryce Syverson spent 15 months in Iraq before he was diagnosed by military doctors with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sent to the psychiatric unit at Walter Reed Medical Center, CBS News correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi reports.

"It ended up they just took his weapon away from him and said he was non-deployable and couldn'?t have a weapon," says his father, Larry Syverson. "He was on suicide watch in a lockdown."

That was last August. This August, he was deployed to Ramadi, in the heart of the Sunni triangle and he had a weapon.

He's still there. Under pressure to maintain troop levels, military doctors tell CBS News it's become a "common practice" to recycle soldiers with mental disorders back into combat. The military's actions were first reported by the Hartford Courant newspaper. "

This would be considered sick if not true. The way the military has to use unfit veterans/recruits to fight Bush's war is unconscionable.
Read the whole story on CBS News.

Helicopter Shots

The other day/night we did some helicopter shots for "Be Kind, Rewind". They are always amazing and we had the best pilot in New York doing them. We closed down traffic on Rt. 21 in Passaic and Al hovered 30 ' over the highway to match an angle we had shot previously with a stratacrane. When the two are morphed later on, it will appear to be one seemless shot. Movie magic.
The camera fits in the ball @ the nose of the helicopter.

Heineken Casino

Although the commercial is less than stellar, the behing-the-scenes offers a nice 4 minute synopsis of how a commercial is made. And how we all are cogs in the final product.
Eva Green reprises her role as Vesper Lynd for the advert.

Making of 007 Heineken Ad