Name: kyle
E-mail:

Dear Josh:

do you like bill marr? do you like walter hill? do you like torn curtain? do you like shakespeare? do you like pizza hut or dominos? do you like paul schrader? do you like james caan?

I like Bill Maher; I liked Walter Hill's first four films, then he should have retired; I like parts of "Torn Curtain," but not the whole film; I enjoy Shakespeare's writing, but I don't think it translates into very good movies; I stopped eating pizza entirely; Paul Schrader is a good screenwriter, but a dull, uninteresting director; James Caan is a fine actor.

Josh

Name: Cameron Hairston
E-mail: lilcam21@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:

My name is Cameron Hairston, and I attend indianapolis metropolitan career academy. Im 16 yrs old, and Im writing a script as a project for school. I wanted to know what equipment would I use to make just a nice film to show for school? I also wanted to know is there any places that can assit me in doing so?
Thank you,
Cameron Hairston

I need more information. When you say "just a nice film to show school," do you actually mean film, or are you referring to digital video? And assist you doing what? Making the film? I think you'll have to do that yourself, I mean it is your project, right?

Josh

Name: Greene
E-mail: greenebrett@spymac.com

Josh

I agree, irony is missing from most films today. Some interesting dynamics have been in films in the last 10 years, but interestingly enough the best example I can give for comedy, structure and irony is Seinfeld.

Also, I thought I'd throw this in: similarly to your own Q&A, Ian McKellen writes an e-Post for his website, mckellen.com - so now you now.

I like Ian McKellen. He's a first-rate actor and an intelligent, liberal person. Meanwhile the best moment I've seen in a movie recently was in "Island in the Sky," a 1953 John Wayne picture (he produced it, too), about a cargo plane going down in northen Canada in the winter, and the subsequent search. The co-pilot, an Irish guy, goes off to hunt game, since they have very little food, and a storm sets in. He gets lost in the snowstorm, begins to freeze, then finally finds his own tracks. He follows them until he realizes they've led him in a circle. To cold to go on, the guy lies down in the snow and freezes to death. The camera slowly pulls back and rises up, revealing the wing of the airplane. Unbeknown to him, he has died 20 feet from his destination.

Josh

Name: Matt David T.
E-mail: msturnbull@comcast.net

Happy Birthday Josh.

On to my question:
Receive any good presents? A return to the golden age of film perhaps?
No?
Maybe next year.

Keep on keepin' on.

I know you're just trying to be funny, but seriously, I don't want a return to anything. I'm not nostalgic for the old days, nor would I be interested in living any part of my life over again. We need to move forward into a new Golden Age. But people will have to start taking art seriously again, and stop viewing it as a route to an easy living, which it isn't and never has been. Art matters, it's not just silly bullshit, which is how it's treated now. I've seen the films of the 1940s, and I've seen the films of the late 1960s and early '70s, we don't need to make those films again. It's time to make great new movies that represent the world in which we presently live.

Josh

Name: Cynthia E. Jones
E-mail: cynthia@cynthiaejones.com

Dear Josh,

Happy Birthday, man. I have to know: was your 19th birthday a drag because everyone was preoccupied with Elvis' death? Or did you have a swell time? I'd buy you a beer tonight, but I'm all tapped out at the moment.

"A Midnight Clear" held up to a repeated viewing. The commentary is great, but the DVD isn't widescreen. Grrrr. And there are a few too many moments when Keith Gordon and Ethan Hawke are just stroking each other, but that's industry standard for commentaries, it seems. That's why I prefer just the one commentator.

Have a good night,

Cindy

In 1977 I was 19 years old and was living by myself in a tiny apartment in Hollywood. Although Elvis's death was a big deal, since he had been such a ridiculous bloated joke for so many years very few young people cared at all about him anymore. Once he played Las Vegas he was lumped into the same category as Wayne Newton and Dean Martin. His reputation renewed after his death.

Josh

Name: Tim
E-mail: nansemondnative@wmconnect.com

Josh,

I just saw your movie "Lunatics:A Love Story".

It was a very enjoyable film!

It's amazing to me that this has been out so long and I have just now had the opportunity to view it.

I will never be able to hear a scratch from a rap song again and not see Ted's face being used as a needle on a record player.That was too much Josh.

It had a lot of cool shots in it too!

The keyhole shot,the POV shot from behind Ted's stereo dial plate, the shot of Ted's throat as he gets that lump and swallows it. I could go on and on.

I loved it when Ted knocked out Deborah Foreman thinking she was the whacked doctor and then she wakes up and takes a shot at him thinking he was the the thug that had promised her a "train 6 cars deep" out in the alley. Hilarious stuff there Josh!

I have your movie "If I Had a Hammer" which I will start viewing here in just a few minutes.Been looking forward to that one for a long time because you just cannot find it anywhere very easily. Matter of fact, I had to buy it directly from you.

One last comment. I have read all your scripts and I think the one that I would really like to see you make would have to be the events leading up to the assassination of JFK.To me,that one really stands out as unique and original. I do not think it would be just another movie about theories that we have watched 100 times surrounding his demise. How much do you think it would take to get that thing in the can Josh?

Have a good evening.

Tim

"Head Shot" could easily be made on a TV movie budget of $1.5 million. I'm pleased you enjoyed "Lunatics." I'm still surprised, 16 years later, that the radio dial shot not only cut in, but people know what they're seeing. Let us know what you think of "Hammer."

Josh

Name: fabio
E-mail: longtom@oeste.com.ar

Dear Josh:

Well, I will don't mistake your birthday again. Happy Birthday, Josh! By the way Madonna's birthday was yesterday. Sean Penn birthday is today... hehehe!

Oh, please, tell me. Will be too hard find in the next DVD editions of your films, subtitles in Spanish? Would be great.
have a great year,
FABIO.

Thanks. I have no deals for Spanish releases of any of my films. I do keep getting these little overseas residuals checks for showings of my film "If I Had a Hammer" on Spanish TV, which is suprising since I never made a deal with any Spanish TV companies.

Josh

Name: Pseudonym Guy
E-mail: psudo@nym.com

Dear Josh:

You asked what was with all of the pseudonyms...

a) After I sent you a question using my real name I noticed that it was archived on Google -- for who knows how many years. I was not interested in having my conversation with you searchable in this manner by potential employers, should I say something disparaging about something in an offhanded way. This happened to me once -- an employer searched my name on Yahoo and grilled me regarding my "attitude."

b) Apparently you thought my joke was lame. Using the pseudonym I now don't have to worry about Josh Becker thinking I'm an asshole with a lame sense of humor. A quick switch of pseudonyms and I get a fresh start without baggage. Maybe you'll like my next one better. On the other hand, that kind of hurt my feelings that you didn't like my gag. I guess I should stop since you don't like me. I guess I will. Bye. Sorry. I like you, by the way.

Your gag wasn't funny, it was slightly disturbing, and not just to me, but others, as well. I assure you that I will never be amused by being tricked. If you have something funny or amusing to say, just say it. Take your chances, just like everybody else. If you need to use pseudonyms, which I also think is lame, then do it.

Josh

Name: Raoul
E-mail: ra0ul01@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:

I wanted to extend my best wishes on your birthday, Mr. Becker. May you age like a fine wine, (although you seem to be aging more like Night Train: becoming more bitter and pungent, but that's cool, too. It's tough for Angry Young Men to maintain the anger as they grow older, but you seem to be following in Harlan Ellison's footsteps,i.e.: intending to keep giving the microcephalic weasels running Hollywood shit for as long as you can. Good on ya, mate.) In response to your Neo-Dogma rules (if I may ramble for a second,): I get the feeling most of the problems in Hollywood films today come from the committee approach to filmmaking. Every remake, sequel, based-on-a-TV-show, based-on-a-comic-book movie has already had many hands involved in crafting characters, plots, etc., even before the new Producers let lose their stable of writers, re-writers and polishers. Most great art comes out of one vision, and there aren't enough visionary producers these days who have the taste and intelligence to guide the numerous craftsmen needed to make a film in a unified, artistic direction. Maybe what is called for instead of a set of Filmmaking Do's & Don't's, is a Filmmaker's Bill Of Rights.( I'm just throwing out some thoughts here, haven't really thought this through . . .) If someone creates a story/screenplay from scratch, they probably have the best idea how to tell that story, and they should have certain inalienable rights if it is made into a movie. The Right to be the only one to rewrite your script; casting approval; profit participation; etc. I know these things seem fairly impossible to achieve, but the idea was sparked by The Creator's Bill Of Rights drafted by several independent comic book writer's and artists in the '80's. At the time, the Comic book industry had been using "work-for-hire" contracts from the very beginning for virtually all writers and artists; today, some 20 years later, there are thousands of examples of comics creators who have retained all rights to their creations, and even the artists working on company owned-properties receive some profit participation. For it to work in filmmaking, it would probably have to start as a digital film movement, since you can potentially shoot & edit a film for a few hundred dollars. The only requirement needed to make a good film is a good script and a decent cast. If all the good writers stop trying to come up with high-concept ideas they can sell to Hollywood, and instead write dramatic stories based on their experiences in the real world, in 20 years, regional independent filmmakers could rule the business,(assuming the internet provides a venue to market and distibute independent films in the next 20 years, which I'm sure it will.) What do you think? (Other than that this is way too long to post?)

I was attempting to be practical and offer suggestions that could possibly followed up on. Unfortunately, I don't think a Filmmaker's Bill of Rights would fly in Hollywood. First of all, no Hollywood company will proceed into the production phase without owning the script; they won't invest millions of dollars into a project they don't have complete control over. Once you've sold the rights, they're gone. Just like a house, once you've sold it the new owner can paint it purple if they'd like. You have nothing to say because it's no longer yours. This concept may fly with comic books, which don't need the capital outlay of a movie, but it will never take off when millions of dollars are involved. Interesting idea, though.

Josh

Name: Evan
E-mail: ema3924@uncw.edu

Dear Josh,

Since you were mentioning bogart and the other actors that have played Phillip Marlowe, I thought I'd throw Elliot Gould's name into the mix, who played his own weird version of the character in Altman's The Long Goodbye. Don't even know if he can even qualify with the other actors, since he pretty much took the role in a whole new direction, but it's an interesting film and I was curious what your thoughts on it were. It's got an interesting soundtrack, with the title song being played in all kinds of different styles, not to mention Sterling Hayden is great as the writer. Reminded me of Hemingway.

thanks, Evan

I'm surprised that I forgot to mention Elliot Gould. "The Long Goodbye" is certainly one of my favorite Robert Altman films, and I have a wonderful fondness for the film, and I've see it quite a few times. When Mark Rydell smashes the Coke bottle across his girlfriend's face to show Marlowe what he does to people he likes, that's great stuff. Sterling Hayden was terrific, as always. The score is by the pre-"Star Wars" John Williams.

Josh

Name: Paul Blonsky
E-mail: paul_blonsky@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:

This is a really odd and/or stupid question, I will readily admit, but...

As a former Michigander, I came across your site while trying to track down an ad made for Highland Appliance probably in the 80s. It's the famous Russian Sub ad that ends with the "50 watts per channel, babycakes" line. You mentioned working on Highland ads and I wondered if this was one you had worked on, even as a PA. This particular ad has developed something of a cult following.

Nope, sorry, I didn't work on that one. I don't even remember it.

Josh

Name: Angel
E-mail: angel_ _esparza@ hotmail . com

Josh,

It seems that you weren't able to watch a lot of movies during the Pan and Scan years. Luckily, I got into film around the end of the Laserdisc years so I had a way to see these films in a good format.

I saw a Russian WWII film last night, 'Come and See'. It's an account of the Byelorussian perpective of the war. I was really impressed by several elements. The film is just gorgeous. It's style is the obvious reference for Steven Speilberg and Terrance Malick's war efforts. Secondly, it is a new perspective on the war, for me. I've never heard much in regards to the Russian involvment in WWII. Wheras, with Germany we have many accounts from their side, 'All Quiet. . .', 'Cross of Iron' and 'Judgement at Nuremberg' to name a few.

It is guilty of a few elements I know you hate. Specifically, the SS Soldiers are depicted as killing machines and not as men, with the exception of one soldier who wipes a tear from his eye as his squadron is firing upon a barn and another vomiting after the same attack.

Nonetheless, it's realism in other areas of war are undeniable. It's one of the few films I've seen that uses real artillery over charges and squibs. Rather than leaves shaking to indicate machine gun fire, you see the trees actaully being cut in half. The camera shakes as air-raids decimate a wooded area a mile away. Overall, a well made film

I hope you've seen it, it really was a great film.

I haven't seen it, but it sounds good. Look, if your SS guys aren't really characters in the story then they don't have to do anything other than kill or arrest people. It's when you make a Nazi a lead character, like Ralph Fiennes in "Schindler's List," and make them a raving lunatic that I think you're missing the point. A good recent depiction of Nazis was the HBO film "Conspiracy," with Kenneth Brannagh and Stanley Tucci, about the Wannsee Conference where the Final Solution was put into effect. This is a remake of a German film, BTW, called "The Wannsee Conference."

Josh

Name: Greene
E-mail: greene_chs@hotmail.com

Hi Josh

I was thinking about "Say Anything" the other day and thought about it and your comments. I realized the reason it works so well, and is so solid, is that all the characters have motivation which is clear and realistic, and we have a theme which is workable for the three leads. I'm convinced that motivation really is the key behind good films, and behind believability. You talk a lot about structure, which is the DNA of film, but really isn't it motivation which fuels the fire? If your characters don't have a REASON for pursuing their goals, and if that reason doesn't wash with the audience, your story goes nowhere. Lloyd Dobbler's was simple - to spend time as much time with his girlfriend and Holly Martin's was to track down Harry Lime. It's a simplistic view, but perhaps by focussing on one issue of a script such as this, movies will improve.

Yes, absolutely, motivation is key. But if you're paying proper attention to your structure, that's built in. Act I is entirely about setting up a character who needs something, and that need is the motivation. If you can set up more than one character, now you're starting to cook with oil. And then try to connect them themeatically. Then see if there isn't some kind of irony lurking within the connection or the the theme. As I say in all of my various screenwriting essays, the more structure, the more chance of beauty in the writing because the structure causes you to go deeper into the character's motivations, as opposed to just having any old shit happen because you need to be free. Freedom, or lack of structure, is the enemy of art.

Josh

Name: Jay H. Cook
E-mail: jayhowardcook@gmail.com

Dear Josh:

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your "Dogma 2006."
I've been trying to convey these very thoughts to friends for the past few years.

They wonder why I don't see movies any more. They want to know why I watch Turner Classic Movies over AMC. They want to know why I'd rather watch a Mickey Rooney "Andy Hardy" film over some "Teen-from-the-WB." They want to know why on the weekend before Halloween I'm watching Bela Lugosi or Lon Chaney and not Poltergeist or Predator II.

Thanks for saying what so many of us are thinking.

Jay

I only hope that there really are so many of you. Most of the response to my Dogma 2006 essay so far has been negative. The members of The Fraternal Order of the Status Quo having been writing in telling me how good all these sequels and remakes are, and that I'm simply too big of a dunce to appreciate them. Meanwhile, while I was in the shower today I floated back to high school when I read "The Hobbit," which I didn't love, but I do recall Mr. Tolkein's writing conjuring up a reasonable clear world of three-foot-tall long-haired bearded guys with furry feet, called hobbits, who smoked pipes, kind of looked like trolls and lived in trees. In however many pages that book is, I never once pictured Bilbo Baggins to look like a human teenager, like say, Elijah Wood or Sean Astin. If I bring that up, people frequently say, "Oh, come on," like I'm just a party-pooper. Peter Jackson looks more like a hobbit than those kids did.

Josh

Name: ashley
E-mail: freddyvjasonx@hotmail.co.uk

Dear Josh:

a pretty liked a nightmare on elm 1 and 3 the rest was boring i liked freddy vs jason that is a movie i can watch over and over again plz send a email bac thanks

If I don't will you put on a hockey mask and come and get me? I love the fact that someone wrote in to Ron Bottin and asked how he made that mask for Jason? He replied, "It's a hockey mask. I bought it."

Josh

Name: Lee
E-mail: Lee.price@musicradio.com

Hey Josh

Just finishing Bruce's If Chins Could Kill. What a nice guy! It's clear from his writing that he's got a lot of affection for you.

(Sam comes across as a weird hybrid person - talented BUT selfish. I guess you could blame youth!)

Anyhow; a question: if I shot a feature film on my BL and composed 16:9 within the 4:3 frame, would this be acceptable to today's distributors? I know Evil Dead was composed within the BL and SR's 4:3 frame, but wondered if there's a super 16 prejudice these days?

Thanks Josh

Lata


Lee

What format you choose is an artistic decision. I just always make sure that there are no booms or light stands in any composition, that the full-frame is clear. But definitely choose which format you're really composing for. 1:1.69, or 1:1.85, which are very close, are kind of the standards now, and require a small letterbox. I shot "Running Time" full-frame with an Arri-SR, and I think it looks wonderful with no letterbox or anything.

Josh

Name: KimJ
E-mail: mrsdagle@yahoo.com

Dear Josh,

About the remake/sequel/prequel phenonemon, I think it's not just about the "stupid audience" . I think there is a society of people who have been brainwashed into brand loyalty. They feel they are supporting a cause if they buy/participate in everything that has to do with their pet cause. It can be a particular studio, an actor, a director, a tv show. There are people in Xena fandom who truly think if they buy every trinket and every version of dvd (plus fan kits) that they are supporting they show, the actors, the possibility of a big-screen movie. The problem is, they may think their money is voting for some kind of Xena resurrection, but they are really voting for more conventions and more dvds and more merchandise.
(Speaking of Xena) I was at a Bruce Campbell event with a Q & A a couple of years ago and someone asked how we as a fan base can support an actor like him. He was asking in the context of merchandise, I think someone before was discussing action figures and Evil Dead video games. Bruce replied that if you want to support an actor, just watch the movies that you like. Don't watch every movie.
There are people who stuck through the entire Star Wars series because they feel loyal to a story they enjoyed at 7 years old. Didn't matter if the story was bad. Brand loyalty permeates throughout our culture and reaches all sorts of heights. On a somewhat related note, my son was presented a Batman t-shirt today and the lady who passed on the gift asked if he liked Batman. I said, "He doesn't even know what Batman is!"
Kim
PS Then again, I could always hope for the Josh Becker action figure from Mosquito.

A dopey-looking guy guzzling beer, the perfect action figure. I'd say you're absolutely right about why remakes and sequels sell, but I don't think it negates the "stupid audience" theory. If you're paying to see the sequel of a film which you didn't like to start with, you must be sort of stupid, or desperate.

Josh

Name: August
E-mail: joxerfan@hotmail.com

Dear Josh,

As Porky Pig once said to that little Martian guy, "Happy B-b-b-b-b-b-birthday, you b-b-b-b-b-b-thing from another world you!"

Hoping your day is filled with classic film, classic ganja, and Bulgarian supermodels bearing mooch potato likor.

Thanks for all the time you've spent entertaining us over the years, on screen and at this site.

Regards,
August

Thank you very much. And thanks for being such an informed, bright, and incisive participant in this Q&A.

Josh

Name: Mike
E-mail:

Dear Josh:

I try never to comment on the intellectual merrits (or occasional lack thereof) of the other posters in here. Granted, there are some smart folks in here whose posts I always enjoys reading.

But Herr Rice's tirade was amazing, and I feel compelled to comment. "poopy shit face"? Wow. Just... wow. No wonder he liked War of the Worlds....

Carry on.

Mike

It appears to have been a lame attempt at a joke.

Josh

Name: joshua becker
E-mail: JJBxbox@yahoo.com

to josh becker
from joshua becker
I was on the internet looking at bounty hunter classes in michagin and i saw my name. Then i thought thats strange so i went to the sight and read CLEVELAND SMITH BOUNTY HUNTER, BY JOSH BECKER, SCOTT SPIEGEL. I like your work hope to read more.

joshua becker

Interesting name. "Bounty hunter classes"? Are you trying to become a bounty hunter?

Josh

Name: Jim
E-mail: JEaganfilm@aol.com

"It's like saying, I know I did a terrible job, but I have an explanation."

Hadn't thought of it that way but it's a very good point. Twist endings often feel like the writer saying, "wait wait wait, don't leave, my story doesn't really suck as much as you think! It was actually Butler all along, and if you watch my film again you will see all the clues I left along the way proving my genius!".

This is just one of many tricks that filmmakers these days use to make up for their lack of talent. The comic books, the remakes, the sequels, the comic book remake sequels (such as upcoming Punisher 2) are made supposedly "for the money", but I don't think it's that simple. Many filmmakers are attracted to this type of worthless material because they literally have nothing to say, and what better way to cover up your lack of talent than by doing something like X-Men 3, which no rational human being expects to be any good in the first place?

Exactly. Sequels and remakes all begin with, well, this won't be any good, nor will it have anything to say, but there are enough stupid people out there so that it might just make money. Sequels and remakes are the bastions of poor intentions, and lousy results.

Josh

Name: chris
E-mail: shenaniganz@hotmail.com

Dear Josh:

o yeah, ... I forgot what time it would be over there but in NZ it's the 17th so HAPPY BIRTHDAY!! :)

Thanks, mate.

Josh

Name: chris
E-mail: shenaniganz@hotmail.com

Dear Josh:

OK we all understand that you don't like "donnie darko" alright lol. I don't know why or what I like about it, i just can't explain, the same goes for "garden state". I don't know why I like it but i just do.

Did you ever get around to seeing "garden state"? I had a feeling you wouldn't like it and maybe think it was pointless. I thought the director (Zach Braff) did quite an OK job.

I really hope "the horribleness" gets made, it sound slike an awesome idea! good luck :)

I watched about 20-25 minutes of "Garden State" and bailed, then was given shit by my friend that I hadn't given it a real chance, so I guess I haven't given it a real chance. I wasn't impressed by the first act, nor Zach Braff, but maybe it got a whole lot better after that.

Josh

Name: Peter Gus Thomlinson
E-mail: pgus@thomindustries.com

Hey, y'all.

I just wanted to say to that fella who was concerned about Darren Rice's obscenity-laden retort to your WAR OF THE WORLDS review that he can rest easy: Darren Rice's post was a put-on. How do I know? I wrote it. I didn't object to the WAR OF THE WORLDS review at all; just tryin' to make the JoshMan laugh... I thought the combination of super-dirty language with holier-than-thou talk about protecting the children would be too obvious, but maybe not.

Anyhow, in the interests of clarity and justice, here is the list of all of the other pseudonyms I have used in posting to "Ask the Director" at this site:

Darren Rice
Ulrich Smythe
Chauncey Lee Phallup
Darryl Palmquernot
Paul "Bigfoot" Taglione
Benjamin Urgatti
Harvey Mole'
Umberto Andretti
Charles Rottwell
Sam Farnon
Tudor Wise
Gideon Rhine

They comprise a series of posts both serious and silly, but overall I don't think they have been too egregious a waste of time.

Yer pal in internet-land,

Dr. X

I didn't take it too seriously, but thanks for 'fessing up. Are you a wanted felon or something? What's with all the pseudonyms?

Josh

Name: Angel
E-mail: angel_ _esparza@hotmail.com

Dear Josh:

I was reading that 'The Color Purple' was the first videotape available on VHS in letterbox form. This brought me to wonder. This is my understanding of the fall of the theatrical run: The mid-to-late 70's were the last era in which older films were still played in theatres on a semi-regular basis. Meaning, it wouldn't be odd to see a double feature of classic films in their original scope. Then with the advent of Beta-Max and VHS, those runs seem to have stopped since films were available for home viewing in these formats. Those films were cropped to fit t.v's. It was until 1986 with the letterbox release of 'The Color Purple' that the widescreen format began to emerge for home viewing.

Was it impossible to see a film in it's proper aspect ratio for those 10 years? For someone who was able to see original prints of their favorite films, was it hell for you to be reduced to Pan and Scan video for a decade?

And yes, I'm sure my understanding and timeline may be completly skewed and wholly inaccurate.

I just didn't watch movies on TV for a long time, I only went to the movie theater. In fact, I didn't watch TV almost at all for a long time. But with the advent of cable TV and no commercials, then letterboxing, it has gotten a lot better. I have a letterboxed video tape edition of "Woodstock," which I just checked and it's from 1987, so your dates sound right. But yes, you're right, for quite some time there if you didn't see the film at the theater, you then had to see it pan & scan and with commercials.

Josh

Name: KimJ
E-mail: mrsdagle@yahoo.dom

Josh,

Have you seen UltraChrist? It's is low-budget comedy about Jesus coming back to Earth (NYC to be specific) and is about to carry on his mission. He is told to market himself so that he can connect with the younger crowd and after going to a comic book store, he dons a superhero costume. The remarkable thing about this story is that is primarily from a Jewish standpoint. (UltraChrist is fighting sin as in the commandments, not the Gospels and he isn't aware of the Revelations) I'm pretty sure the actor playing Jesus is Jewish too. The only thing that is cheap and incomprehensive is a portrayal of Nixon (an actor with a mask). Other than that, it was really funny.

Kim

Sounds interesting.

Josh

Name: Billy
E-mail:

Dear Josh:

I think the problem with the industry is more complicated than setting some completely LAME ASS RULES for making a film. Like ANYONE, ANYWHERE is qualified to decide what makes a GOOD or BAD film. While there are universally BAD and GOOD movies...there are FANTASTIC films that get severely overlooked...like, "DONNIE DARKO". I think maybe we just need to do away with the RULES all together and come together as a community. I think filmmakers...especially those who are in my age group (20-30) are all WAY TO CRITICAL of what they see...we've lost the ability to be SCARED BY THE ZOMBIE or VAMPIRES...and that...IS SAD. Most filmmakers are so removed from emotion that most of the time the spend watching a film, instead of being entertained, they're figuring out how they did a shot or complaining about what they did wrong. DONT FILMMAKERS JUST WATCH MOVIES FOR FUN ANYMORE?!!!!

Everybody watches movies for their own reasons. If you think you have any better suggestions than my "LAME ASS RULES" we'd all be very pleased to hear them. However, if you seriously believe that "Donnie Darko" is "FANTASTIC" (in caps), then you need to see a lot more movies to get some slight shred of perspective because that ain't a fantastic, or even a good, movie. There are many films like it these days, too, which sort of suck all the way through, but then have a clever twist ending. It's like saying, "I know I did a terrible job, but I have an explanation." I had a LOT more fun watching a Mongolian camel come to accept its baby than watching "Donnie Darko."

Josh

Name: Duffy
E-mail: g_duffy@bellsouth.net

Josh, first off let me say I don't usually respond or remark on what others post here but after reading the filth that Darren spouted in his post I had to speak up. Okay great he doesn't agree with you on Spielberg, whoopie! However he is hypocritical in his foul language and insulting behaviour while speaking of family films and thanking God that his children are raised in his home. Sheesh what happened to Pg13? If he speaks that way in front of his children he should be ashamed of himself. I say ignore posturing like his and concentrate on the valid points made here. His remarks were hateful and disgusting. So much to do over one director can't we all just get along? I don't think his kids should have been drowned but he needs his mouth washed out. Now to important stuff, Thanks for the info on options and buying, I was thinking as a print writer in regards to royalties and I totally forgot about points (nice save). After your response I got on the email line to my lawyer pronto. I looked into WAG and it's 2500 to join and some sort of point system too confusing. I will register it with them though. Good news I think is that the production company is NYC based and not Hollywood, we went there in July and while nice to visit as a tourist not quite the work field I'm looking for. Hopefully thing's are better in New York. If not there's always Michigan right? Thanks, Duffy

You don't have to join the Writer's Guild to use their contracts and follow their rules. Not to mention that you can't just join, they have to ask you to join. That means you have credits with a company who is a Writer's Guild signatory. They do let you just join in some junior, half-assed position previous to having the proper credits. To become a full-fledged member it's more like $7,500. I think it's up to 10K to join the DGA now. Not much film stuff happening in Michigan these days.

Josh

Name: John
E-mail:

"It sounds like you and your kids should have been drowned at birth."

Josh, I don't know if this makes me a bad person, but I laughed for a good 30 seconds after reading that. Always entertaining coming to your site.

Oh yeah... I managed to see some of the films I mentioned at the film festival. I missed out on seeing It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World. I'm kicking myself for it, because it WAS a Cinemascope print! ARGH!

Badlands was probably the most beautiful thing I've seen in the cinema. Alfredo Garcia was... interesting. Dunno whether it's Peckinpah's worst or best. I enjoyed it. And Gun Crazy (I'm spelling as 2 words because the titles had Gun on the top of Crazy) was an amazing experience... I wish I could see all my favorite film noirs on the big screen like they were intended.

I've got a few reccomendations too. Some films to keep your eyes peeld out for:

Dumplings - a Hong Kong horror film. Very creepy.

Up And Down - A flim from Hungary which is very funny and very human. That and part of it is set in Brisbane (which the film festival was held.) which caused a lot of laughs

Mysterious Skin - Very harrowing. Very well acted - great story that has something to say. Probably the best film I've seen to come out in America in the last 5 years.

John

"Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia" is definitely not one of Sam Peckinpah's best; I'd say it's one of his worst, although I like Warren Oates in everything. "The Wild Bunch" is far and away Peckinpah's best film. Too bad about "Mad World." I'll keep my eyes peeled for the films you mentioned. Meanwhile, I saw two good movies last night: "The Story of the Weeping Camel," a docu-drama about present-day Mongolian herders in the Gobi Desert, who have a camel that gives birth to a white colt (that's what they call baby camels), then won't suckle it. The film is beautifully shot in 35mm, and just goes to show how much it matters that your film look good. The other film was called "Spring Foward," and indie feature from 1999, starring Ned Beatty and Liev Schrieber, which was very interesting, knew what it was about, and felt sort of unique. It was all played out in very long scenes (which I like), and maybe had ten scenes in the entire film. It's a good example of how to make a feature in parts, that ultimately all go together into one whole piece. But if you're going to work in long scenes, like 5-10 minutes, then you are compelled to figure out who these characters are. Interestingly, the film was co-produced by Michael Stipe, and Natalie Merchant got a special thanks.

Josh

Name: Rosalyn
E-mail: rozboat@earthlink.net

Dear Josh:

I totally agree with you about War of the Worlds. I was hoping that the aliens would capture Dakota Fanning just so I wouldn't have to hear her scream one more time. Most improbable script that I have encountered in a long time. I stopped counting how many times Cruise and kids should have died. Come on. Horrible movie.

Were the critics receiving payola? I am very disappointed in them. But then, who does tell the truth in media any more? Certainly not reporters. Sorry...didn't mean to get on that subject.

Well, seems like you tell the truth. How refreshing!

Roz

I try, to the best of my limited ability. My feeling on the critics now, and my friend Paul takes complete offense at this theory, is that they all hate the movies they're seeing, but they can't say so anymore or they'll lose their jobs. No publications want to run negative reviews of everything, they'd stop getting all of the perks that Hollywood companies regularly supply -- free screenings, junkets to Las Vegas, free trips to the various video conventions, etc. So, it's simply against the rules now at newspapers and magazines to dislike every movie you see. There was a wonderful article a few years ago in the New Yorker, about how the NY critic screenings are now like "a work detail from a gulag," with no talking going in or coming out, whereas the NY critic screenings used to be a lot of fun, back when Pauline Kael and Andrew Sarris and Penelope Gilliat were reviewing.

Josh

Name: Darryl Mesaros
E-mail: simonferrer@sbcglobal.net

Dear Josh,

Speaking of epics, I would like to see epic films made about the lives of Attila, Ghengis Khan, and Tamerlane (or Timur Lang in Persian, meaning "The Lame One"). I don't think the lives of these men were ever greatly explored, at least without caricaturing them. If well-written, these would make interesting stories, particularly that of Timur Lang. He was have Persian and half Turkic, yet he turned on his Persian side and became the last great nomadic scourge of the Islamic world (in central Persia, he was rumored to have built a pyramid of 20,000 skulls). If approaching it as a writer, I'd focus on the conflict of his own mixed blood, which would make for good dramatic material. If it was written by Hollywood, however, they would probably insert some politically correct motive in his actions into the script (as in "Alexander," where Alexander the Great is portrayed as wanting to conquer the world in order to set it free). What do you think?
Also, I read a post on here where someone was talking about "The Bridge on the River Kwai" and how the Japanese showed disdain for the Geneva Convention. Historically, this is accurate; the Japanese never signed the Geneva accords, and so were not obligated to obey them. Despite this fact and the propagandistic resurgence of bushido in Japanes culture prior to the war, this doesn't excuse the atrocities that the Imperial Army commited, though.

Darryl

Certainly not. The Japanese left a bad name for themselves all over Asia. If they hadn't been such horrendous assholes in places like the Philippines, Bataan, Guadalcanal, and all of the other Pacific Islands, needlessly killing every civilian they could get their hands on while retreating, it may well have not seemed like the appropriate course of action to fire bomb every one of their cities, then finally drop atomic bombs on them. This revionist view of history that we were somehow mean and unfair to the Japanese is, of course, absurd. Meanwhile, Hollywood can't make epics anymore, not unless they're based on comic books. If they attempt the story of an historical character now, they just turn it into a comic book. "Troy" was like the Marvel version of "The Iliad."

Josh

Name: Martin Stead
E-mail:

Hey Josh-

Happy Birthday in advance. Have you ever seen a Canadian tv show called "Trailer Park Boys"? It's about stoner nitwits from a trailer park and the petty crime schemes they get into. It runs on BBCAmerica and is also available on dvd. It's hilarious. I really think you'd like it.

Thanks for the suggestion and the birthday wishes.

Josh

Name: John
E-mail:

Dear Josh:

Have you seen the film "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" and if so, what's your opinion of it?

I thought it was good, and one of the best of the Angry Young Man movies. It's a star-making performance by Albert Finney. His character reminded me of Alex from "A Clockwork Orange," and I think "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" was a direct influence on Kubrick. I was a little distressed, however, that it did not take place over the course of one Saturday night and one Sunday morning.

Josh

Name: Darryl Mesaros
E-mail: simonferrer@sbcglobal.net

Dear Josh,

My mistake; it was "The Roaring Twenties" (all I remembered of the film was that Bogart had a small role as James Cagney lawyer). As for "Troy," the fight choreography was okay (I did like the scene where Achilles defeats the champion of the enemy army with one running sword thrust), and I was happy to see Sean Bean get some screen time as Odysseus, but that was about it. To reiterate on the choreography, I also liked the fight sequence between Hector and Achilles (although if I recall, both "The Illiad" and "Troylius and Cresside" state that Hector was murdered by treacherous Spartans when meeting with Achilles, and not in battle), which demonstrated the oft-neglected versatility of Greek martial arts as an effective fighting style.

Darryl

I agree, some of the fight choreography was good, although that little jumping kick-step of Brad Pitt's seemed stupid. The CGI shots of a million ships were ridiculous. Worst of all, though, is there no side or person to root for since everybody's equally as grim, uninteresting and unlikable.

Josh

Name: Darren Rice
E-mail: drice@umoja.net

Dear Josh:

I just finished reading your drool-stained review of WAR OF THE WORLDS, and have to wonder what pus-drenched, poly-diseased whorecunt you accidentally dripped out of however many years ago. Who fished you out of the toilet? Mr. Clean? Steven Spielberg is the master of the FAMILY FILM. Films that I can be PROUD to take my children to. My children absolutely swooned with joy on seeing this fantastic entertainment and here you are in the corner, whacking off your review like so much blood-tinged jism from a half-assed jerk-off into a movie theater soda cup. JESUS FUCK you make me sick. It is people like you who make it unsafe for my children to go to the movies by themselves. They might actually see one of your SHIT TURD FILM EXCREMENTS and be warped for their FUCKING BASTARD LIVES. Thank god I can raise them in a wholesome household away from your booby-milk soaked poopy shit face.

It sounds like you and your kids should have been drowned at birth.

Josh

Name: Jeremy Milks
E-mail: admin@homecomingcreations.com

Dear Josh:

Hey. I was just wondering if you have any suggestions as to how to raise money for films. I've tried a whole bunch of things, but most of them haven't worked out for me and ultimatly I end up with not enough money so things end up being smaller than originally imagined. I've only found two investors in my entire time, one an Englishman who loaned me $500 and one a former teacher who loaned me $50.

Any suggestions would be nice. Thanks.

Jeremy Milks

The best investors are any and all relatives with the slightest bit of money because being related you can use guilt on them. You can make them feel like if they don't invest they're destroying your future. And always get everybody you know, or hit up for money, to give you at least one name of someone else with money. It's grueling and humiliating, but it is achievable. Waiting for the fates to smile on your fair face and bestow a film on you most frequently means waiting forever for nothing. There are more people at the head of that line than there are movies being made every year.

Josh

Name: Darryl Mesaros
E-mail: simonferrer@sbcglobal.net

Dear Josh,

An interesting subtlety that I always found in Bogart's performances was the way that his appearance belied his character. He looks rough, tough, and grizzled, but almost all of his characters were either well-educated men, struggling with deep and complex inner problems, or both. The contrast between his appearance and his character set up an interesting dynamic, and made him seem unpredictable. An actor who looks like a prize fighter, but can suddenly flip his hat brim up, put on sunglasses, and affect an effete manner to get information (like in "The Big Sleep," hmmm?), or the next minute gun down a professional hit man will always be interesting to watch on screen. His characters weren't always well or interestingly written (like the lawyer in "The Public Enemy"), but he always had an edge.

Darryl

Bogart's not in "Public Enemy." Do you mean "The Roaring Twenties"? Bogart could be completely charming, as he was in "The African Queen," or utterly demented, as he was in both "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre" or "The Caine Mutiny." Bogart does some really wonderful facial acting in "African Queen," particularly when the German captain says that he and Rosie will immediately be put to death. Bogart's face is first astounded, then acquiescent, then horrified, then defeated, all in about 10 seconds. Meanwhile, I watched the first half hour of "Troy" last night. Brad Pitt is worse than Tom Cruise. He's completely unbelievable as Achilles, not to mention totally unlikable, as is every character in the film. It's also one of the worst examples I've ever seen of a period story where everyone is acting like they're in "a period story," not in the present-day. Junk.

Josh

Name: Nason Rumfield
E-mail: nasonrumfield@yahoo.com

Hey Mr. Becker (or "Josh" if you prefer),

I just finished reading your screenplay for "Running Time" and had to let you know personally how much I enjoyed the story. It's real creative in it's way of being so raw yet simultaneously feeling dreamy and surreal. I dunno, I guess it's pretty tough to describe. I'm not much for the pervasive language and all, but that's basically me with any movie, so I wouldn't take it too critically (I just tend to have the mindset that if they could get away without language in masterpiece films like Ben-Hur and Citizen Kane, then why can't they do it now?) I've never gotten a chance to actually view "Running Time: the movie" before but believe me, I've tried (none of the video stores around my area seem to carry any of your movies.) As I was reading the script though, I could totally imagine Bruce Campbell as Carl. If nothing else, I'm just glad you gave that guy the lead role, he's a totally underrated actor in my eyes and really does deserve a lot more attention than he's gotten in his career (with the exception of the fact that he's legendary to all "Evil Dead" fans out there.) Anyway, I guess there's nothing more that I can say but congratulations on the screenplay (I heard you were able to provide some funding for it by selling another screenplay of yours for $67,000! That rocks man!) Plus, I think the whole format of filming it in sequence like you did was a pretty genious move as well. I'm an indie film-maker myself (writer/director/producer/whatever...) and it's real encouraging for guys like me to come across other film-makers like you who started off the way they did and ended up the way you are now, so thanks for existing man, ha ha.
Well, talk to you later Mr. Becker, maybe we'll meet in the future sometime (I plan on casting Bruce myself one of these days.) God bless bro and more power to ya...

- Nason Rumfield

"Running Time" isn't that difficult of a film to find. I'll bet you can pick up a used DVD on ebay for less than $10. It will be re-released fairly soon (when, I don't know) in a 2-DVD set with my first film, "Thou Shalt Not Kill . . . Except." I'm glad you enjoyed the script, which wasn't easy to write. Actually, I think the film turned out pretty well, and Bruce and the rest of the cast are very good. There's some really top-notch Steadi-cam work, too.

Josh

Name: John Hunt
E-mail: Chowkidar@aol.com

Josh,

Just jumping in, I think that Bogart defines the role of Marlowe. He's the face that I associate with that role. Having said that, I'd like to give a nod to James Garner's performance. Of course, I like most of what Garner did up through, and including, the "Rockford" series. Garner infused Marlowe with a wry wit which is very easy to watch. It's also interesting that the movie was directed by a Bogart.

I caught "The Devil's Disciple" the other day on TCM. It always amazes me how much screen presence Olivier had. His General Burgoyne is everything lacking in the antagonist of today; he is intelligent, motivated and even honorable. He's also very funny, of course; I loved the exchange about the melodrama.

Forgive me if you posted the information recently, but is your book on directing available yet? And through whom can we order a copy? I got about a third of the way through the book when you had it posted.

Best of luck on "The Horribleness". Can you say if this is projected for theatrical release, or will it be for television? I know that you're not always able to discuss a project freely at this stage.

I will never see "War of the Worlds", having a profound affection for both the '53(?) version and the novel. That was the third novel I ever read, following "Ivanhoe" and "From Earth to Moon". Your account of it (the Cruise/Spielberg version), however, is exactly what I would expect. I hope the eight-year olds enjoyed it. God, people can be dumb.

John

"The Horribleness" will not be for TV, but we'll have to see if it gets a theatrical release. I'm hoping my book comes out by Christmas, but that's not certain. I really wish "The Devil's Disciple" was a better movie, though. It's got a great cast. I thought James Garner did a pretty good job in "Marlowe," and the story updated well. Robert Mitchum was a good choice, too, but he was already too old, and the British productions were stodgy and slow, and Chandler's stories didn't adapt very well to taking place in England.

Josh

Name: Jeff Alede
E-mail:

Dear Josh:

[refering to your short film, "The Blind Waiter"]:
"That was the story of the waiter who wore too much jewelry, "The Bling Waiter." "

Laughed my ass off at your response, Josh; good one.

Did you catch the series premiere of "Weeds" on Showtime last sunday? It has Kevin Nealon (who's always funny) playing a perpetually stoned accountant and business advisor in the 'burbs. You got to check it out and let me know what you think.

It's on my TiVo, I just have to watch it.

Josh

Name: August
E-mail: joxerfan@hotmail.com

Dear Josh:

"Dog Soldiers" is one of the better creature-features that Sci-Fi has aired in recent years, but a) there ain't a whole lotta competition there, and b) it wasn't filmed for them, just sold to them for American tv. I think just about every character in there is named for someone in horror films, and there are a ton of in-jokes and references too. It's basically British commandos vs. werewolves on location in the highlands of Scotland, and one thing that is pretty cool is that they did exactly zero cgi-shots - everything was either make-up or marionettes. It's about on the level of "Mosquito," but whoever directed it obviously has a good feel for visuals, pacing, etc. and could conceivably do a really awesome job on a big film. I think you'd have really liked it when you were ten.

Funny that "The Big Sleep" came up - TCM ran the Hawks segment of "The Men Who Made the Movies" a while back, and they used that murder as an example of how Hawks didn't let details get in the way of having a good time. During shooting, he and Bogart realized they had no idea who killed that guy, so they asked the screenwriter, who said he had no idea either, he just got it from the book. So they called up Chandler, asked him, and he told them who did it. Hawks paused, then said "That's impossible - that character was at such-and-such place when the murder happened." Chandler then said "OK, well then it must have been someone else who killed him."

I remember you said you caught that "Men Who Made the Movies" series back when it aired in the 70's, but they've spiffed it up with new film clips, and somebody else has redone the narration, presumably for a dvd release. I think any of your regulars here would love it.

Regards,

August

I've seen a few of the episodes recently and it's a wonderful series. I think it was Richard Schickel, who originally made the series, who also updated it. The screenplay for "The Big Sleep" was by Jules Furthman, William Faulkner and Leigh Brackett, who 35 years later would write the first draft of the script for "The Empire Strikes Back" (it was completed by Lawrence Kasdan), then she died.

Josh

Name: Tim
E-mail: nansemondnative@wmconnect.com

Josh,

I just read a piece from a link on Bruce Campbell's website.

It stated that they definitely want to do a Evil Dead remake with fresh faces and effects. There is even a new game coming out called Evil Dead:Regeneration.

They need to get it written and find a director.Everybody is for it.

Do you know anything about this new project?

How would you feel about working with everybody again on it? Would you do it?

It was also stated that Sam couldn't just be pulled off what he was doing to consider an Evil Dead movie.

It was his idea to begin with. Is there a point in the film world where you are just so big that you no longer have the freedom to pursue what you want to without somebody giving you a hassle behind it?

Just curious about all this Josh. My perceptions may be a little bent on this and I know you can straighten them out.

Have a good one.

Tim

I almost never talk to Sam anymore. I saw him for about 15 minutes two months ago. Honestly, I know everybody in his family better than I know him. So, why Sam does anything he does is entirely beyond me. My guess would be, for all three of those guys, is that they're going to make some money without having to do anything. Meanwhile, I don't see what anybody thinks is so sanctified about "Evil Dead" movies anyway. Other people beside John Carpenter directed "Halloween" movies; other people beside Lucas directed two of the "Star Wars" movies. I mean, seriously, who gives a shit?

Josh

Name: Saul Trabal
E-mail: ghost_kingdom@yahoo.com

Josh,

Interesting essay on War Of The Worlds. The inclusion of Tom Cruise in a film now guaratees I won't see it. As someone once said, "there's something plastic and creepy about him." Absolutely true.

Here's what one friend had to say about your review, which I emailed to him:

-------------------------------
That's funny, because every complaint he had about the movie, I did as well, except he left out a couple.

#1) The aliens burying the stuff underground and then attacking, is akin to humans burying some stone knives in the ground of some other planet, and then trying to take over the planet with that. Hell, after a million years, the aliens shouldn't even know how to USE technology that old. That's like you and me knowing how to make use of Pyramids, ancient medicine, and Mayan desert drawings. The aliens should be looking at those buried war machines and going "huh, what were we thinking when we built *that* crap?"

#2) The stupid tentaicle periscope thingie -- all that modern technology those aliens have, death rays and all, and they never thought about infra-red, heat vision, or some other method of detecting "life" except as visual? I mean, Tom and his kid hide behind a MIRROR of all things, and the alien probe, with the brains of a cat, gets all confused by it.

#3) The reviewer also forgot the most implausible part of the entire film, which is the 747 crashing into his front yard, and somehow missing the car entirely. Yeah. I believe that one. The entire neighborhood should have been a smoking cinder, and yet, they just walk into the car and drive off.
-------------------------------

Lastly-here's a little cartoon I did in reference to the discovery of Planet "Xena". I do illustration, but it's taken a back-seat since I'm focused mostly on writing right now:

http://www.obsolyte.com/~strabal/TempStuff/Planet-Xenah2.jpg

Anyway-back to writing and searching for publishers.

Saul

Thanks for your friend's additional issues with "War of the Worlds," which I completely agree with. I'd completely forgotten about the wrecked 747. Obviously, the part of my brain that blocks out really horrible memories kicked in and blocked out that scene. Also, I think my cats are smarter than those alien periscopes. If I may make a suggestion regarding your comic, I didn't know that was Xena for a minute and it got in the way of the joke. Suspend realism for a second and put her in her proper outfit.

Josh

Name: Greene
E-mail: greenebrett@spymac.com

Josh

Because they were shot on video and Sin City specifically on greenscreen, the set-ups for the shots took no time. Sin City's actors came in for a few days work, did their part and then their footage was composited with other footage to seem as though characters sharing the screen actually were physically present on the same day. The length of the shoots respectively, is something I'd need to check out. In terms of long shoots, both Eyes Wide Shut and Gangs of New York took over a year and a half, all told. And the only real thing either of them have going for is their visuals.

You say that like shooting in front of a green or a blue screen is easy, and it's not. I kind of dread shooting process stuff. It's very hard to light and it's slow. And yes, long shooting schedules didn't help either of those afore mentioned films. I don't think they're good for anything. I mean, if you can't figure out how to shoot your movie in say 50 days at the most, they need to just get someone else who can. Most movies should not take more than 25-30 days under any circumstances. That most movies now take 30-50 days is simply from bad planning, waste and lethargy. Movies that exceed 50 days are, for the most part, just a mistake.

Josh

Name: Tim
E-mail: nansemondnative@wmconnect.com

Josh,

I just saw "The Bridge on the River Kwai" last night for the first time ever. I went ahead and purchased the movie because you mention it so much on this website. I wanted to see for myself what you meant.

The movie is incredible Josh. I never knew that the little whistling tune I've been doing since I was a kid is called the "Colonel Bogey March" and that it was made popular by that movie. As soon as the movie started you see the troops marching their way to the work camp and they are whistling that tune. It was, for me, one of those "Well I'll be damned!" kind of things.

What I consider very striking about the film is the camera work and the shots. This is a beautiful film.

There is one scene in the movie when some Japanese soldiers find the women bathing in a river and they do not know that the British are right up top watching everything unfold. A grenade is pitched and explodes and then they open fire on the Japanese. It is the birds , thousands of them it looks like, taking off out of the tree tops when the action starts that is so incredible. After that, a single Japanese soldier gets away and is pursued into the jungle. We can still see the shadows of the birds overhead going over the British soldiers as they pursue the Japanese soldier before the British Commander stabs the soldier to death with the knife and gets shot in the foot.At the same time we see the struggle within the young soldier holding the knife as to whether or not he could really kill someone since we already know he believes it is murder to do so.

Even the scenes at night had this incredible dignity and clarity to them.

Story aside, from a visual stand point I now understand why you mention that movie so much.

I do not know what they do in film schools to teach students but this movie should be a requirement in the curriculum.

Josh, if you work really hard on your next film you will be treated well. If you do not work hard you will be punished.

Had to do that Josh. I though you might enjoy it. I kind of liked the Japanese Commander. He had absolutely no use for "the rules of the Geneva Convention" and is clearly of the mindset that "this is war". Brutal guy.

This gem is worth its weight in gold.Anybody that does not have it should get it. I got mine brand new for under $6.00.

Have a good one Josh.

Tim

Jack Hildyard won Best Cinematography for it, as he rightly should have. Some of the day for night is a bit obvious, but one must forgive small flaws. And of course it has the worst dummy shot, when Holden goes over the cliff, in possibly any movie ever. In the middle of the jungle in Ceylon, David Lean turns to his crew and asks with his calm British accent, "Now, who brought the dummy?" and everyone looks back at him blank-faced. That aside, it's damn good stuff.

Josh

Name: Peter Goossens
E-mail: peter_goossens@hotmail.com

Hi Josh!

We are a small European company and have written this amazing screenplay. Naturally, we are interested in selling it on the American market and, if possible, to Hollywood. Problem is, nobody wants to touch it, for we do not have an agent representing us in the US. But when contacting L.A. agents, nobody wants to hear us out, simply because we are not Guild members. So basically we're forced to run around in circles. Thus, here is our question: how do we increase our chances of this material (which we truly believe in) getting read by someone who is a "player" on the US market? Are there agents who specialise in pitching first-time writers? If so, how can we get in touch with them? Is contacting Indie production companies the way to go? Are screenplay contests a waste of time? We would greatly appreciate any kind of advice...

Ah, the conundrum of Hollywood. There is no logical route to getting a film made there. Anything you can think of, like contacting indie companies, or screenplay contests, or just bugging every agent in Hollywood, is what you must do. Every agent I've ever dealt with, though, has been utterly worthless, so I wouldn't depend on that. Nor do I think anyone in Hollywood cares whether you've won a screenplay contest. Or, you folks can put some money together yourself and make the film independently, which is undoubtedly the surest path to getting a movie made. Good luck.

Josh

Name: Jennifer Lee
E-mail: asian_invasian@hotmail.com

Dear Josh:

I was wondering if you've ever seen the movie Thirteen? Well, if not, then I must say, it's a really gritty and awesomely made indie film.

Holly Hunter is one of my favorite actresses. I fell in love with her in the movie The Piano. Even though her character was mute, it was her over all presence that spoke to me. Also, Anna Paquin is one of my favorites too, but her latest films have been shot to shit, to put it lightly.

In this film, I felt for her. She tries so hard to make the best of everything, but I guess we all lose our sanity eventually.

At first I hated this movie. I mean, I was 13 just 8 years ago (damn, I'm old), and nothing like this ever happened to me or my friends, not that I know of anyway. Then I started thinking that not only am I a sheltered asian chick living in the suburbs, but there's a whole nother world outside the white picket fence.

I love this movie because of the ripple effect it has. How one circumstance goes to another until it goes full circle, until their back at the beginning, the problem at hand. Your friends really do make you the person you are, whether or not that is a good thing is up to you, and how you come out at the end really does effect the people around you.

Anyway, I don't really have anything constructive to say but that I loved this film, and I love to read your opinions, however brutally honest you may be. :)

Jennifer

I actually started watching "Thirteen," and for whatever reason didn't end up seeing most of it. I'll give it another whirl. That point of who you are is to some extent based on who your friends are, is the point of my film "Running Time," too. Yes, I agree, Holly Hunter is a very good actor. I particularly like her in "Broadcast News."

Josh

Name: Darryl Mesaros
E-mail: simonferrer@sbcglobal.net

Dear Josh,

Bogart, of course. His screen presence is always great. One of my favorite pieces of business in "The Big Sleep" is where he grabs the would-be mugger outside of the casino and, holding the poor wretch, gives him a diabolical grin before knocking him out. He is the personification of your grown-up looking, mature male actor. Some of his dialogue doesn't quite work by today's standards (in the first scene with Lauren Bacall, he comes out with his "How to be a Detective in Ten Easy Lessons" line a little too patly, which rendered the line an over-rehearsed one instead of a spontaneous witticism), but his performances are always interesting to watch. Oh yeah, and he's fuckin' cool, too....

Darryl

I agree with you. I think Bogart was a tremendously underrated actor. He didn't have a wide range, although bigger than he's given credit for, but he was terrific within his range. He played a psychoctic very well, and could easily go back and forth between playing a good guy and playing a bad guy. And like you say, he had tremendous screen presence.

Josh

Name: Fabio Blanco
E-mail: longtom@oeste.com.ar

Hey, Josh! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Iwas thinking about your manifesto and did remember the today's date: august 12th, birthday of Sam Fuller and Josh Becker. Some time I wasn't here. Was great seeing you have the War of the Worlds (that was funny) and the manifesto. That's all by the moment, happy birthday from here, Buenos Aires.

Viva Dogma 2006, amigo!
FABIO

Thanks very much, but my birthday is Aug. 17, the day after Madonna's (both of us were born in Michigan in 1958).

Josh

Name: Saul Trabal
E-mail: ghost_kingdom@yahoo.com

Josh,

Just wanted to comment on this before I go cycling:

"I don't know what I'd do with 75-100 days (the schedule for many movies now), which is nothing more than a big giant incredibly expensive jerk-off. "

Speaking of "jerk-off", I want to briefly mention Star Wars I: the Fanboy Menace, er-Phantom Menace. Like you, I've basically abandoned watching movies. On VERY rare occasions, if I'm bored shitless, I can sometimes be dragged out to the cinema. So, when I was invited to see the Fanboy Menace, I was mildly curious. Then I saw the thing.

Blech.

Talk about icing on a turd. I watched this thing, and part of me wanted to scream, "Okay, you have the greatest special effects house in the world. NOW TELL ME A GODDAMN STORY, YA SHMUCK!!!" It was George Lucas literally jerking off all over the screen with his ILM effects. It annoyed the hell out of me.

I'll stick to books, thanks. And somebody tell Lucas to wipe off the screen, please.

Yeah, I saw that film, and part of the next one, too, although none of the one after that. Very miserable stuff, in my opinion. At least the first "Star Wars" film is a reasonable length (121 minutes), and kind of snappy compared to all of the others. They seemed to get more miserably serious as they went along. Meanwhile, getting back to shooting schedules, the longest one I've ever had was 22 days on "Lunatics." I had 17 days on "Alien Apocalypse," and I shot "Running Time" in 10 days.

Josh

Name: Greene
E-mail: greene_chs@hotmail.com

Josh

If you had a long shoot, you could spend money on useless things, or chuck piles of money onto the cars on the free way, or phone up Roger Corman and say "my movie has now been in production three times longer than it took you to do all of 'Little Shop of Horrors'". I've always wondered why some films take so long. It may have been a little over the top, but at least Mystic River was shot quickly, and so were Collateral and Sin City. I did just slam Collateral, though, so maybe that's not a good example.

All of Clint Eastwood's shoots are quick, but how long were the shoots on "Collateral" or Sin City"?

Josh

Name: " JIMMIE " BELTRAN
E-mail: GRAM65@WEBTV.NET

HI, DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE FIRST 99 CENT STORE OPENED? I WAS LOOKING AT THE 99 CENT STORE AD IN OUR DAILY PAPER THE OTHER DAY AND THERE IT SAID, " THE FIRST STORE OPENED 23 YEARS AGO ON AUG. 13." THEY DID NOT PRINT WHERE IT WAS. DO YOU KNOW???? ( WE LIVE IN LAS VEGAS ) THANK YOU... I LIKE YOUR HOME PAGE ON THE WEB. THANKS AGAIN, JIMMIE

Sorry, but I know nothing more about 99-cent stores than what I wrote in that essay. My only expertise was that I used to live across the street from one, and I shopped there regularly.

Josh

Name: Greene
E-mail: greenebrett@spymac.com

Hi Josh

Grizzly Man is about a wildlife environmentalist who left civilization to go live amongst Grizzlies in Alaska with his girlfriend, who was afraid of bears. Tragically, he was actually killed by a bear and his footage (he documented a year's worth of life in the North) was culled together for a Werner Herzog film. It seems interesting.

Saw 'Collateral' last night. There were some positives - both Jamie Foxx and Tom Cruise were solid, and the tension ran high, but then you have an asinine story, dialogue that reminds me of Harrison Ford's quote to George Lucas, awful sound mixing and soundtrack, and frankly it's an ugly film. I can't tell why the DPs wanted to smudge out the frame and make the flick look like shit, but this is definately an instance where shooting on video dulls the moviegoing experience. Danny Boyle shot on video for 28 Days Later and I think it was appropriate. For Collateral, it's a travesty.

I think Tom Cruise is miscast is "Collateral." It was clearly written for someone like Robert DeNiro or Harvey Keitel, and Cruise with white shoe polish in his hair doesn't quite cut it. Jamie Foxx was good. The last 30 minutes of that film is a travesty.

Josh

Name: Lee
E-mail: lee.price@musicradio.com

Hey Josh

Yeah, I think you're right. An issue lead story is always going to force you to then shoe-horn characters into the plot, and if it's a short film your problem is compounded. It's like one is starting a story arse-about-face; the characters and their dilemas should come first, and then you let the themes arise. I find Ken Loach's most effective films are the ones where he puts his characters first, like Kes or Raining Stones.

I'm getting a little tired of the short film format and can see myself producing longer stories. My most recent, Camping, at 26 minutes has some well rounded characters and a real idiosyncratic relationship dilemma at the heart of the piece. The themes came about all by themselves (how as an adult you have to heal childhood conflicts and move on) - ain't the subconscious great?

I liked your idea about how the acts of Five Easy Pieces could make effective 30 minute films. I can definitely see act I and act III as short 20 min' films, although I'd struggle a little with act II. That obsessive hitchhiker is the only thing about the film that I don't quite get, although I guess without these characters we may not have the toast scene!

This is the second time you've suggested I make some shorts and then string them together into a feature. It's a great concept.

Anyhoos - it's been great to bash this li'l theory of mine out with you, Josh - I've come to a better understanding of how to originate stories and the durations I should be looking at.

Lata


Lee

That was basically Jim Jarmusch's approach to "Stranger Than Paradise," of handling each act as its own deal. Apparently, Act I existed as a short 30-minute film for a while until he got the money for the rest, and I think Act I is on a different film stock. I believe he got the stock for the second two acts from Wim Wenders, which was left over from one of his films. But Act II of "Five Easy Pieces" is on the road, which we've seen a million times, so it's all about who you meet on the road. In this case it's Helena Kallianiotes, who I thought was great. She won't shut up about dirty and filthy everything is. And after the chicken-between-the-knees scene, she says, "Man, that was great. I'd a punched her fuckin' lights out."

Josh

Name: edith
E-mail: edith.x@ihug.co.nz

Dear Josh:

I had been pondering whether or not to see this - only on DVD, having heard an interview with some schmoe, who said that it was "based on" the HG Wells story, actually I remember - it was the composer who made the album. Anyhow Mr Becker - I am very pleased you have saved me some money and some time. I sahll talk with you soon.

I'm pleased to have helped you save the money. My people will contact your people.

Josh

Name: Saul Trabal
E-mail: ghost_kingdom@yahoo.com

Josh,

James Woods rants on about what he hates about Hollywood movies:

http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/story/0,1259,---26481,00.html

I think you two would get along swimmingly. :-)

Yeah, that's terrific. I always liked James Woods anyway, but now I really like him. And he certainly knows of what he speaks, he's made a hundred movies of every shape and size, and he's frequently the best thing in those movies, too. But that's the film business now, and it doesn't work. I only know how to make feature movies in 15-20 days, I don't know what I'd do with 75-100 days (the schedule for many movies now), which is nothing more than a big giant incredibly expensive jerk-off. Anyway, Bravo to James Woods for speaking his mind.

Josh

Name: Martin Stead
E-mail:

Hi Josh,

You've said that comedy films don't have to have a theme to be successful. Can comedy films do away with other rules of structure too? Have you seen any recent comedy films that you like?

Humor usurps everything. If you're being legitimately funny, and you've got the audience laughing, all that's important is to keep them laughing, and all the themes and points and structure in the world won't help you. I just watched "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," and I enjoyed that. I don't think it's a great comedy, but it did make me laugh several times. I particularly liked when Kumar sneaks into the police station to get Harold out of jail, finds the place empty, and just sitting there is a pound of weed. It pushes into Kumar's amazed close-up, then he has a whole fantasy scene with him and human-sized zip-lock bag of pot, with arms and legs, and together they run up the beach, go to the fair, then make love. I would say it's not as good as "Up in Smoke" or "Fast Times at Ridegemont High," but it's a good entry into the stoner comedy genre.

Josh

Name: Darryl Mesaros
E-mail: simonferrer@sbcglobal.net

Dear Josh,

"Dog Soldiers" apparently was on the SCIFI Channel a few weeks ago, and it's available on Netflix. It took an often used subject (werewolves) and gave it an interesting and original twist. Interesting production note: on the producers' commentary track, they mention that one of the soldiers is named Private Bruce Campbell in the script, as the director was a big "Evil Dead" fan.
Anyway, on to a more serious cinematic question. In "The Big Sleep", who killed General Sternwood's chauffer (the one in the car after they pull it out of the surf off Lido pier)? This is never adequately explained, and apparently even the producers couldn't figure it out. The character of Joe Brody claimed to have knocked out the driver with a blackjack and stolen the blackmail photos, but he isn't convincingly tough enough to have committed murder that way. Any ideas?

Darryl

Had you only asked me this question 30 years ago when I was going through my Raymond Chandler phase I might have been able to offer a possibility, but now, alas, it's all gone. Of all the actors to play Phillip Marlowe -- Humphrey Bogart, Robert Montgomery, George Montgomery, Dick Powell, Robert Mitchum, James Garner (that's all I can remember) -- who did you like the best?

Josh

Name: Tom
E-mail: bellyoptopus@yahoo.com

Hi Josh,

Great photo of Ted, Ellen & Bruce. Thanks for sharing it. I saw them all in Chicago a couple of weeks ago...it was a lot of fun.

Is "The Horribleness" still on the table for you?

Your Q&A is always entertaining.

Cheers...Tom

I sure hope so. Bruce plays Dracula and a cop; Ted will play Frankenstein, a priest, and a cop; and Ellen will play the Bride of Frankenstein. If all the stars in the heavens align, I'm hoping to shoot in early '06, but you never know.

Josh

Name: Scott
E-mail:

Hey josh,

In regards to the discussion about young actors being cast in roles that are suited for older actors, i just read a trade break that infuriated me. As you may or may not know Fox is remaking The Omen, which is a travesty, but the worst part is that Liev Schriber, and Julia Styles are playing the gregory Peck/lee Remick roles . This reiterates points you and I have discussed. Liev Schriber is 37, while Styles is 25. In the original, Gregory Peck was in his 50s while Lee remick was in her late 30s early 40s. What kills me aside from the fact that they are remaking the Omen, is that Hollywood assholes think it's believeable to cast people who are way too young for their parts. Now I agree with you on remakes, I think they are worthless, but this trend of casting 25 year olds in parts written for 40 year olds is insane! This wasn't a problem even 10 years ago. Then again, niether was the remake epidemic.

Gregory Peck was 50 when he made "The Omen" (he was born in 1916), and Lee Remick was 41 (born in 1935). Although I completely agree with you that there's no reason to remake the film, Peck always seemed a tad old to me in that part. He's great, but it's not like the character has to be 50.

Josh

Name: George Pilalidis
E-mail: agamemmnon@msn.com

Dear Josh.

I don´t have nothing against Lucy and Renne,and i accept every two like a Greek legends (there is no Xena in the Greek mythologia)but a planet call Xena? ha!ha!ha!A planet call Gabriela?ha!ha!ha!Josh i mean.... meaby the next new star in the universe going to be George Bush.Madrid is the center of Spain one very,very big city, you can see Madrid from 50 km away,one from the biggest comercial citys in Europa,50% from the goods from Germany, to Spain going to Madrid. Good to see Theodoros(Ted)And Bruce, is the women between Ted and Bruce, Shirley? All my family from Romania have like Ted, any time he apears like (joxer)but i think that Theodoros is and privat one good person.GEORGE

That's Ellen Sandweiss between Ted and Bruce, she was the star of "Evil Dead." Yes, Ted is a very good person, and quite smart, too. What do you mean there's no Xena in Greek mythology. She's the one who saved Hercules's ass, don't you remember. She also tricked Aphrodite and Ares weekly. Xena didn't used to be part of Greek mythology, but she is now. Meanwhile, some day I must get to Madrid and Barcelona. And Greece, too, of course. Did you ever see "Never On Sunday" with Melina Mercouri? It's pretty funny, and shot entirely in Greece. It was a huge hit in 1960, and the song by Manos Hadjidakis won the Oscar for Best Song (it was nominated for five Oscars, including Best Director, Best Actress and Best Screenplay). Melina Mercouri is everybody's favorite hooker on one of the Greek islands, and every night they all get together to hear her tell the ancient Greek myths, which, when she tells them, always end with everybody going to the beach and having a party. It's funny stuff.

Josh

Name: Greene
E-mail: greenebrett@spymac.com

Hi Josh

Saw "Say Anything" the other day and wondered what you thought of John Cusack. The film by Cameron Crowe was a little too sweet, but I actually dug it. Have you heard much about the new documentary, 'The Grizzly Man'?

No, I haven't heard of "The Grizzly Man," but I liked "Say Anything." I think it's Cameron Crowe's best movie as writer-director (I like "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" better, but Crowe only wrote that). I love Cusack's little speech, when asked what he wants to do for a living by the girl's father, that he "doesn't want to sell anything that's manufactured, or manufacture anything that's sold," what he really wants to do is be a kick-boxer, the sport of the future. I like the premise of falling for a girl who's smarter than you.

Josh

Name: Lee
E-mail: lee.price@musicradio.com

Hey Josh

I'm just completing the dub on my second 16mm film. It's called The Leaves Are Dancing. It's four minutes. It's about toxo cara canis - basically the parasites that exist in dog shit! I wrote the story because I was so angry at dog owners who let their animals defecate on public ground where children play. The story follows a disturbed man in the woods who tries to stop a dog walker from letting his pet foul on the path. At first the dog walker thinks the wild man is mad, but realises that this wild man has a family member that has been severely affected by coming into contact with toxo cara canis. I've tried to tell the story in the most personal way possible, making it a very humanistic, non preachy story. But even so a few people who have seen an early version say it reminds them of a public information film. At first this really pissed me off; but then I remembered the initial spark for the story - the anger at stupid dog owners. So I can't really argue with the viewer's analysis that it's a PIF (public information film!) I guess this is the problem one must face when the spark of the story is an issue, rather than a character with a problem/relationship conflict.

I think with very short films it's hard to get under the skin of a character and make them seem whole - so the short length seems more condusive to issue lead stories, rather than character-lead. Can you image Five Easy Pieces being a short film? (I love that film).

I've made a longer short called Camping (26 minutes) and I've really managed to get under the characters' skins.

Have you seen any short films that have really rounded characters, or do they mainly fall into the trap of making an issue based film, or a film that's more plot heavy than character heavy?

All right, Josh. Just thought I'd run this thought by you. I'm making short films, livin' and learnin'.

Lata


L

It would be very difficult to do a character study in four minutes, but in 25 minutes you certainly could. I would say that most people who make short films either concentrate on the plot, or just get artsy-fartsy, shoot cool-looking shots, then just cut them together haphazardly to music. But in 30 minutes you could tell a third of "Five Easy Pieces," or something like it. The first third is Jack Nicholson's character living and working in small town, he goes bowling with his friends, gets in a fight with his girlfriend, gets into a fight with his best buddy at work, tells his girlfriend he's leaving and she can't go with him, then leaves with his girlfriend. Act II is he and his girlfriend, Rayette DePesto (Karen Black), on the road driving; and Act III is visiting his family, then leaving. Any third of that film could sort of stand alone as a good, character-driven short film. And if you shot three 30-minute shorts that all had the same characters, like breaking "Five Easy Pieces" up into its three acts, you'd have a feature film. As far as being mad about dogshit, well, that's a legitimate issue, I guess, it just doesn't sound like the basis of a good
story.

Josh

Name: Jeremy Milks
E-mail: admin@homecomingcreations.com

Dear Josh:

I'm happy with just making films. I'd like them to be successful and make money, but so long as I have a career in film (directing and writing), I'd be happy. Though I won't give up on wanting to be big in Hollywood. Yeah, there's only one Spielberg and Lucas. I don't think I'll ever be as powerful or as good as them. There are plenty of directors though who have successful careers going who started out small. Kevin Smith, Robert Rodgirguez, Sam Raimi, etc. If I could be even on par with them, I'd be happy.

Thanks for wishing me luck, I need all the luck I can get. I'm actually in the process of getting some serious hardcore writing done. Every time I start though I end up with other things distracting me. I wrote my first screenplay, then shot it, so I was on the right track then. I wrote a short film back in November which I just shot last month. I was working on a sitcom pilot, but put that on hold to do some grip work on a film called Risen (risenthemovie.com), then went back to the sitcom, but my cameraman fell through, now I just got permission to shoot another short from a woman in Kentucky named Tammy Ruggles. I've got a comic deal with a company in Texas and they'll be adapting the rewrite of my first film (it sucks so bad ... I had no experience at all at the time, so that may be the first remake to be made because the original sucked). I'm looking for work which is also fucking up my writing schedule, but I'm taking some time off of school to write. After I get all the writing done I'm gonna start a series of shorts based on my feature lenght scripts so that I'll have something to shop around ... I'm so fucking busy it's pathetic.

If I could keep this busy, be semi-successful, and not be a huge director, I'd be happy.

It sounds like you have the right attitude. Just keep doing what you're doing; keep writing and shooting, and don't be deterred. Those who don't know what they're talking about will say, persevere and you'll succeed, which is flatly untrue. It should be, don't persevere and you absolutely won't succeed, but perseverance does not guarantee success. I concluded long ago that just making the movies is success. I wish you good luck yet again.

Josh

Name: Duffy
E-mail: g_duffy@bellsou