Name:              Tim
E-mail:             NansemondNative

Good Evening Josh.

I think you are right on time with your view of Oliver Stone's work and what he has done since "JFK" leading up to "World Trade Center". I almost passed it by because I am not a big Cage fan except for "Raising Arizona". However, it took me off guard and it's underlying, I feel, theme of basic human hope made me care about what I was seeing.

I will say, and this is not schmoozing - it is sincere, that I believe with my soul that "Head Shot" would have been better theatrically than "JFK" was. This is not meant to take anything away from that film though.

I know you will disagree but I thought "Natural Born Killers" was a trip to watch because it had this mix of comedy and violence that I found to be unusual in the format. Juliette Lewis I thought pretty much stole the show. In addition, I'm pretty sure Stone had shot and mixed some Super-8 in with the regular 35. It's not the first time anybody has seen him do this as evidenced in "JFK". The blight would be that the story was penned by QT and I know he's not big on your list of guys to slam down a beer with.

Finally, I saw a movie the other day called "A Face In the Crowd" with Andy Griffith and a young Lee Remick along with Walter Matthau. It was directed by Elia Kazan. Griffith played Lonesome Rhodes and I will say he was the ultimate cunning lying snake in the grass. Excellent movie I thought! Expert performance by Griffith. No Opie in this one and I think it would blow most people away who have never watched it.

Thanks Josh.

Tim

Name:              Tom
E-mail:             tomkat91@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:         

Greetings from England Sir, I am a sci fi fan and would love to add your autograph to my collection. May I send you a monster card to sign? Please send me a postal address which I may contact you. All the best. Keep up the great stuff! Cheers from, Tom (somewhere over a desk in London)

Name:              Jason Roth
E-mail:             scootermcgurk@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:

You wrote-
>>So, seven years into making a feature, eh?  Where are you along the path?
>>What lessons did you learn?

The film, Too Dead to Die, is in the last stage of editing, with a couple tiny insert shots to grab & some CG FX work.  I'll be premiering the beast in October at the local Grand Rapids arthouse theater, to kick off an indie horror & sci-fi film festival.  It'll be an absolute gas to be done with it and see how an audience reacts to it.

As for lessons learned, I learned a lot of basics, such as: never go into production without a solid script (biggest lesson of all!), never let actors get drunk, don't wave around toy guns in front of a bank without informing the authorities, never work with animals or children, and so on.

I've also learned which of my cast & crew are truly reliable- the ones who stuck with the project for faaaar longer than anyone should be asked to. Made a lot of good friends, and now I've got a good stock company of actors, crew, & musicians who are willing to do more projects.

So all in all, a protracted, painful, but ultimately positive experience. I may stick to animated shorts for a bit before tackling the next live-action feature, though!

Best,
Jason

Name:              Rob Mclaine
E-mail:             info@evildeadchainsaws.com

Hi Josh,

I need some help, I'm trying put together a Score/Soundtrack list for "within the woods". I've idenified 2/3 of the tracks and listed them below. Would you be able to shed any light on the remaining tracks, or even the films they may have come from?

I'd really appreciate any help you can give me.

Cheers, Rob.


Within The Woods Score
----------------------

1. Main Title (Death Wish Score - Paint Her Mouth)
used as main titles moving through swamp to house

2. Going For A Picnic (????????????????????????????)
Bruce & Ellen walk from the house into the woods

3. BAAA! (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Score - Infiltration (Suite))
firelighting sound effect

4. Bruce Has Gone (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Score - Main Title)
Used as ellen wakes up & realizes bruce is gone

5. Main Title (Death Wish Score - Paint Her Mouth)
Used as ellen is starting to be chased

6. Chasing Ellen (Death Wish Score - Suite Revenge: Striking Back, Riverside Park, The Alley, 8th Avenue Station)
Chase track as monster is chasing ellen through forest back to house

7. Will scott Answer The Door? (On Her Majesty's Secret Service Score - This Never Happened To The Other Feller)
Ellen bangs on the door, scott takes his time to answer

8. Trying To Calm Ellen (????????????????????????????)
Shelly & scott try to calm ellen, scott leaves to look for bruce

9. Bruce Attacks Shelly (????????????????????????????)
Shelly goes to look for bruce. He attacks & stabs her

10. Bruce Is Trying To Get in (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Score - Rescue)
Use as ellen get the knife & goes over to the door & stabs scott

11. BAAA! (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Score - Infiltration (Suite))
Bruce jumps Out

12. Can't Get The Door Shut (????????????????????????????)
Ellen can't get the door shut, bruce is attacking

13. Going Into The Cellar (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Score - Main Title)
Used as ellen makes her way into the cellar

14. Ellen Emerges From The Cellar (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Score - Angel of Death)
Used as ellen comes out of the cellar

15. Ellen discovers Shelly's Body (????????????????????????????)
Ellen finds Shelly's body, then bruce jumps out

16. BAAA! (Invasion Of The Body Snatchers Score - Infiltration (Suite))
Bruce jumps Out

17. Bruce & Ellen Fight (Jaws Score - The Underwater Siege)
bruce bites off his hand and he & ellen fight.

18. Ellen Stabs Bruce (Jaws Score - The Underwater Siege) (Repeats from start)
Ellen & Bruce wrestle on the monopoly board, Ellen picks up the knife & stabs Bruce.

19. Bruce attacks A Second Time (????????????????????????????)
Bruce attacks ellen a 2nd time, Ellen chops him up with the axe

20. Ellen Cries For Bruce (????????????????????????????)
Same music as track 2 (Going For A Picnic)

21. End Credits (Sorcerer Soundtrack - Tangerine Dream - Search)
Song used over end credits


Radio Songs
-----------

22. Radio Song #1 (????????????????????????????)
Plays while they prepare the food for the picnic

23. Radio Song #2 (Sister Sledge - We Are Family)
Plays on the radio while scott & Shelly are playing monopoly

Name:              David
E-mail:

Hey Josh,

I've been doing some shooting with a 16mm handcranked Bolex for the first time in years.  Fun stuff.  I filmed my girlfriend, who had only seen herself on video, and she loved the look of Kodak black and white reversal.

This reminded me: don't you have a friend who has been shooting a film with a Bolex?  Did that ever get finished?  Any interesting Bolex stories to share?  Cool effects, bad screw-ups, whatever.

Name:              K.D.N.
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

Just saw WORLD TRADE CENTER. I agree with you on the rational believability, but I didn't care for it and it was 30 minutes too long for me.

Meanwhile, you said Wyler constantly sought out themes that he believed in like Family in War Times. He also seemed to have a thing for doomed love and unhappy endings.

WUTHERING HEIGHTS (Cathy forsakes love of a stable boy)
THE HEIRESS (ugly duckling discovers her suitor IS a fortune hunter)
DETECTIVE STORY (discovers wife has an abortion, destroys marriage)
CARRIE (forsakes rich life for love, ends in suicide)
ROMAN HOLIDAY (princess forsakes love for her duty)
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR (engagement broken up over rumors of lesbianism)
THE COLLECTOR (doesn't trust the woman, results in her death)
FUNNY GIRL (gambler cannot take wife's fame, ruins his marriage with jail)

I don't get it. I can tell where he gets the families in war time because of his childhood, but doomed love? His second marriage lasted the rest of his life.

Name:              John Vesbit
E-mail:             planzdissonant@hotmail.com

Dear Josh, Mr. Becker if you like,

    As an aspiring writer/director in Michigan in the year 2007, my question is this; In your opinion do you think it would be easier or harder to raise money for an independent feature than lets say in 1978 (Evil Dead) ? Furtherly, do you think that the dentists and big-shots have cooled on the idea of investing in independent cinema, seeing as how flooded the market already is? I guess I'm straying from the real question. What I really want to ask is, Given how many low-budget horror/sci-fi movies are out there already, is there still room for one more? and can it still have the potential to make a profit?

Name:              Anthony Walker
E-mail:             tbalony@gmail.com

Dear Josh:         

New Zealand sounds like a hoot, I have a pal named Titch up in the Coramandel Valley who everyone seems to know. I really like what you say about religion and hope one day humanity can be de-programmed from all this archaic and lethal nonsense. Cheers =Tony=

Name:              JonathanMoody
E-mail:             jondoe_555@hotmail.com

Dear Josh:

Hey just wanted to let everyone know that if anyone still wants to listen to the interview I did with you well now they can. http://www.blogtalkradio.com/JonathanMoody/page/6   I hope to all your fans who couldn't hear this interview enjoys it.

So how are all your projects coming along? Have anything in the works we may be excited to hear about?

Your fan,
Jonathan

Name:              Donkey
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

What band, that first debuted in the 2000's, is your favorite? I know you don't dig a lot of current music, but I'm just curious to know what you do like. :)

Name:              Scott
E-mail:             sspnyc66@mac.com

Josh,

Just to clarify, "She's not There" is a song by The Zombies and not The Kinks, and I would have to disagree with you about The Kinks as they became a little lost in the 70's doing concept albums which did not work too well, ("Celluloid Heroes" being a song from one of those albums), however, I think 3 of their greatest albums are "Something Else", "The Village Green Preservation Society", and "Arthur (Or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire)". All were made in the late 60's.

I am a big fan of the Kinks and I think Ray Davies is one of the best lyricists in Popular music. What I find with them is either people like them or they don't and there is no real reason for that.

Much of it may have to do with the fact that Davies's songs are very English in nature and most are about England, but I think the themes in his songs transcend the Atlantic and can be applied to much of American society as well as other western societies.

Anyhow, I think one of their best songs is a song called "20th Century Man" from "The Muswell Hillbillies" album which is one of their best albums from the 70's, and there is a great live version of that song on "One for the Road" from 1980.

Lastly, I had always wonderded what you thought about the film "Quadrophenia" and now you have answered that question here.

I always enjoyed that film too and I received it as a gift for my birthday when it came out on DVD a few years back. I hadn't seen it in ages and I have to say that it still held up very well when I watched it again for the first time in a long time and as the Album "Quadrophenia" is my favorite album by "The Who", I too felt that the film was a very good interpretation of the Album and much better than "Tommy", but I never found the story in "Tommy" to be all that great anyhow and I think the story in "Quadrophenia' is much stronger and more believable.

I too wish Franc Roddam would have gone on to so better things, but not to be...

Scott

Name:              Bob
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

Do you like the song "Celluloid Heroes"?  It's one of my favorites.

Name:              David R.
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

There was some discussion on here maybe a year or so ago about there not being an good female directors. Well, I think there is at least one good active female director, and possibly two.

Susanne Bier, the Danish filmmaker, has been doing very good work the past 10 or so years. She's not very well known here in the States, but her films "Brødre" (Brothers, 2004) and "Efter brylluppe" (After the Wedding, 2006) are both excellent. They are basically character dramas with superb acting. No special effects to speak of, just human drama.

Also, Caroline Link did a very good job with "Nirgendwo in Afrika" (Nowhere in Africa), which won the 2002 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. I haven't seen any of her other films though so I can't be sure it wasn't a fluke. I was impressed with that film though.

Name:              Lucas
E-mail:             check the archives

Hey Josh,

As part of a new job, I've recently had to subtitle two movies from the 1930s that I'd never heard of, and I'm interested to hear your opinions, if you have them.

One was "A Free Soul" (1931), and the other was "Female" (1933).

I can't say that I particularly enjoyed either one, but Clark Gable was pretty great in "A Free Soul".

Any thoughts?

Lucas

Name:              Kevin N.
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

<< I'm also not a fan of the zither score in "The Third Man," so go ahead, shoot me.>>

Is it just me, or did that score remind me of Woody Allen's BANANAS?

Name:              Darryl Mesaros
E-mail:             simonferrer102@yahoo.com

Dear Josh,

   Well, when it posts it pours, I guess.  My latest question is about the MASTERS OF HORROR series on Showtime, whether you've seen it, and what you thought of it.  Having watched several episodes on Netflix (most of Season 1 has been uploaded so that you can watch it directly on your PC, without ordering the DVD), I have some mixed reviews.  While I applaud the idea of taking some of the best directors of horror films and letting them showcase their skills, it's clear that some of the older directors are just not up to it anymore.  Tobe Hooper's DANCE OF THE DEAD episode was disappointing, but then again his films have been disappointing since POLTERGEIST.
    Still, some of the films are quite promising.  I'm looking forward to watching Dario Argento's piece JENIFER, and Takashi Miike's IMPRINT was shocking.
    A little more on IMPRINT (if you haven't seen it, I won't spoil it). Miike beautifully composed and shot his piece, and although the logic comes apart a bit at the end, the overall effect is generally eerie. There are also some EXTREMELY graphic sequences that are done with a certain disturbing realism.  His treatment of taboo subjects (i.e., torture, abortion, incest, and so on) is absolutely frank and unflinching, and it was rumored that Showtime refused to air IMPRINT, but held it for the DVD release.  I wasn't 100% for this piece, but some of the images are still stuck in my head.

Darryl

Name:              Angel
E-mail:             aesparz2@depaul.edu

Dear Josh:         

The zither in "The Third Man" is so terribly innappropriate that it nearly ruins the entire movie. At least it's not as poorly imagined as that Giorgio Moroder score to "Metropolis". I hope the Master Print of that was fired into the sun. I heard recently that Brian DePalma turned down an offer to re-release "Scarface" with an all rap score. He stated something about not wanting to damage the integrity of his original work.

He's currently working on a prequel to "The Untouchables".

Name:              Darryl Mesaros
E-mail:             simonferrer102@yahoo.com

Dear Josh,

   I rather liked the jazz score in ANATOMY OF A MURDER; it seemed to me to give the film a comfortable feeling.  Also, it rounded out Jimmy Stewart's character a little and made him more interesting, a little eccentric.  Lee Remick's character comments on that in the film, to the effect that he has odd taste in music for a lawyer.  Still, I suppose the pace could've been picked up a little in the second act.

Darryl

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

Dear Josh:         

A lot less people seem to be writing in these days, based on the size of the updates. Is that affecting you?

Name:              Darryl Mesaros
E-mail:             simonferrer102@yahoo.com

Dear Josh,

   It seems as if you've softened your view a little bit on DV, although I agree that it currently still has too many artistic and commercial restrictions to replace film at this time.  Still, if the medium continues to develop, it seems to be the way of the not-so-distant future.
    In an unrelated question, I watched ANATOMY OF A MURDER last night, and wondered what you thought of it.  Apart from the fine performances (Jimmy Stewart was great when confronting Ben Gazzarra and wrangling in the courtroom with George C. Scott), the thing that I liked best about the film was Otto Preminger's style.  He made all of his films from a very mature standpoint; his characters are adults, and he doesn't dance around or titillate over sexuality or real-life situations.  In an era when it seems as if every film is ultimately made for teenagers, it was refreshing to see a film made by a grownup for a change.

Darryl

Name:              Jason Roth
E-mail:             scootermcgurk@yahoo.com

Hey Josh,

When can we look forward to the release of Rushes-and will you be doing any signings or appearances?  I couldn't attend either of the Hammer screenings.  It would be great to meet you, your Q&A and writings have always been caustically inspiring (I mean that as high praise.)  I'm nearing the end of the road on my 7-years in the making feature.  Learned a lot of lessons on this one.

You mentioned Hondo in 3D a while back- several years ago they aired it on network television in the "miracle of Naturalvision," where you could watch it with or without 3D glasses.  You are right, 3D didn't add a damn thing to the movie.  Somewhere I still have my free pair of Hondo 3D glasses with an Indian on the side of them.  Good stuff.

Best,
Jason Roth

Name:              Diana Hawkes
E-mail:             upon request

Hi ya Joshie Poshie,

Last night I caught an episode of the documentary series "Secrets of the Dead" on PBS.

This one was called "Bridge on the River Kwai".

I had *NO* idea there were 96,000 people killed making that railroad; of which 18,000 were Allied POWs (the rest being Asian indentured "slaves")! Before watching this, I had the sense the Japanese were brutal, but that stunned me. The footage, stills, and details were horrific and brought to my mind what making The Great Wall Of China or the pyramids must have been like.

I was wondering if you've seen this because a directing choice caught my attention ... well, I don't know if it bugged me or if I liked it ... anyway I'd like to have your opinion. When they had filmed interviews with several POW survivors, they did rather extreme close ups but lighted their faces so that half was in complete shadow and the other side was bright enough to see one eyeball.

I was distracted and, as they were giving such devastating accounts and breaking down emotionally at key moments, I wondered why that would be the choice - to omit half their expression during the harrowing retelling.

Perhaps it was to set an ominous mood ... perhaps a symbolic visual that half of these men's souls remains back in the dark past, half in the illuminated present. I'm guessing.

I can't decide if it was a good move or not!

If anyone is interested, it's repeating again on many PBS stations at ~ 5 p.m. tommorrow (Saturday) night, and likely several more times throughout the month.

I know you're a PBS buff and the subject interests you, so I hope you'll catch it.

Name:              Darryl Mesaros
E-mail:             simonferrer102@yahoo.com

Dear Josh,

   Thank you kindly for wishing me well on the documentary project, as we certainly need it!  In reply to your statement on Don Coscarelli, I have to say that I was impressed by his energy and his accomplishments.  For one, he made his first feature, JIM THE WORLD'S GREATEST, and got it released by 20th Century Fox when he was only eighteen.  Also, he brought Reggie Bannister and Angus Scrimm into the spotlight, whose performances I really enjoy.
   Anyway, on to my real question.  Recently, it seems that digital filmaking has enjoyed great technological improvements, which more and more render it viable as a new industry standard.  True, digital filmaking hampers cinematography because of lighting and color reproduction problems, but these only seem to be temporary issues (much like the way that cumbersome early sound technology hampered camera technique).  If these problems can be licked, then filmakers can make real use of the advantages of the technology (cheaper editing with instant feedback, no negative decomposition, etc.).  That being stated, do you think that you will ever experiment with DV for one of your features in the future?

                          Darryl

Name:              christopher bolender
E-mail:             youearnedit@gmail.com

Dear Josh:         

I'm a marine and I'm trying to pitch my script. Who do I contact? Are agents really impossible to get? And, what do you think about contacting everyone and their mother?

Name:              Harold
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

This is a three part question.

One: Do you ever get writer's block? If you do, how do you get past it. Do you have any tricks or anything?

Two: When you finish a script, who do you give it to read first? Who is your trusted group of peers who you always have give you feedback?

Three: Do you ever have friends give you their scripts to read and give input on? And have you ever done any uncredited rewrites for your friend's scripts?

Name:              David R.
E-mail:

Josh, just wondering if you've seen a British flick called Quadrophenia, and if so, can you recommend it?

Name:              Darryl Mesaros
E-mail:             simonferrer102@yahoo.com

Dear Josh,

   Sorry to pester you with a second post, but this didn't really fit with the other one I just sent.  Anyway, here's my question:  what do you think of the films of Don Coscarelli, and Mr. Coscarelli as a director?

                              Darryl

Name:              Darryl Mesaros
E-mail:             simonferrer102@yahoo.com

Dear Josh,

   I haven't checked in for quite some time, and I wanted to give you an update on the documentary project, as promised.  Currently, the subject we settled on (female kickboxers) is in post-production limbo, with one partner in London, another in Thailand, and me in Connecticut.   This whole thing started when my friend John and I were with our National Guard unit in Afghanistan.  John got two weeks leave and went to visit his buddy Thor, a British expatriate living in Pattaya, Thailand with his wife.  One night, they were shooting the shit and got to talking about all the unusual things going on in Pattaya, and decided that they could make a documentary and possibly sell it.  The idea stuck, and over the remaining months in Afghanistan, Thor and John worked out the details by email.  I was brought into the project (despite my general lack of filmaking knowledge) because both Thor and John are, by their own admission, more talkers than doers and needed a third man to round out the team.
   Anyway, a few weeks after we got home from Afghanistan, John and I went to Pattaya and we started scouting out subjects to film.  The plan was to make documentaries for television, so we were able to go with HDV, which turned out to be a much cheaper option than film.  Our setup was very basic:  one Panasonic camera and one Sony backup, one tripod, one poor man's steadicam rig for handheld work, John as the Director and DP, me doing gaffing and sound, and Thor doing interviews, voiceover narration (he's been on TV in before in the UK, and has a good screen voice and presence) and using his local contacts to get us subjects.  Sound was very simple.  We couldn't afford a mixing board or any type of portable rig, so we used the onboard shotgun mike on the panasonic to get ambient and crowd sounds, and rigged a directional mike on a long cord to plug directly into the camera for interviews and dialogue.  On alot of our work, I'm just out of frame handholding the microphone, which worked surprisingly well.  We played with exposure in the camera to make maximum use of natural light, and found through experimentation that our editing software could do color and light correction to give us decent, professional looking visuals.
   Our two main problems were getting permission to shoot different subjects, and finding an editor.  For instance, we wanted to do a documentary on bar girls and Thai prostitution, but we couldn't find a bar that was willing to let us shoot (they were worried that the camera would discourage customers).  Our greatest success came when Thor used his contacts to get us involved with two gyms teaching muay thai (kickboxing). The gyms were eager for exposure and gave us free reign to film training, practice, and matches.  We managed to get alot of good footage, and we're trying to assemble the narrative now.
    As for an editor, we did hire a Thai editor from the local TV station and while she was an experienced cutter, the language barrier was too great to convey what we wanted, even through an interpreter.  Since then, Thor's been in touch with a fellow who has edited a few National Geographic subjects, but that's still in negotiation.
   Will we sell the finished product?  I hope so.  If not, it was the cheapest working vacation I ever took, and the perfect way to decompress from Afghanistan.

                          Yours truly,
                          Darryl

Name:              Dean
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

I watched Alien Apocalypse on D.V.D ( did you know it has U.K Distribution now ? )

Piece of crap is going a bit too far, but I of course respect Bruce Campbell's opinion.

Anyway for what it was I enjoyed it, it had a little bit of sly political satire, religious satire, it was witty and far better shot than most Sci Fi movies, certainly it has a cinematic quality not usually present in their stuff.

Sure it isn't Citizen Kane, the overdubbing and some of the acting and effects are terrible, but it works as a sort of Fifties B-movie pastiche/homage which I am sure was intended, it had a point to make, I thought it was ok, just a silly throwback to movies I enjoy.

Also the DVD is cheap and has a good commentary, it isn't your best film, but you are right to have a fair amount of pride with it, especially considering the production difficulties.

Was the Ivan cutting off limbs sequence a homage to Evil Dead 2 when Ash is cutting up the pee wee head ?

Name:              Joseph St. Lloyd
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

You were saying there is an exception to every rule, so I was wondering what the exception to the rule is as far as good movies shot digitally? In your opinion, what is the best film shot with digital cameras and why do you consider it the best film?

Thank you for your time and I very much look forward to your answer.

Name:              Jimbo
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

If you go to Fangoria.com and click on their Radio button, I think it's the first interview there unless they added more.

It's 41 minutes. You should listen to it. It's funny. He only talks about AA and MWTSB for a few minutes. :(

Name:              Jimbo
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

I'm not trying to rub salt on an open wound or anything, I'm just genuinely curious. Does it hurt you at all to hear Bruce call your movie crap?

I know you get a bunch of assholes on here saying "You suck!" and "You make horrible films!", so I know you're used to some backlash, but I would think coming from a friend of yours it might hurt a little.

Again, I'm not trying to hurt you or anything. I thought AA was a good enough film. Better than a lot of other films made these days. Especially for Sci-Fi.

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

Josh,

Haven't written in a while though I've been reading and following developments here.  "Xena" and it's related productions ("Herc," "Jack," "Cleo,")were engaging shows whose great commonality was a willingnest to explore form within an over-arching structure.  I did not all of those series (Sorry Bruce, I liked you in "Jack" but the rest of the show not so much.  Herc was much better and I always looked forward to it.  Xena was even more so.  There was only one way to know what the creative team would come up with next and that was to watch the show.  And I wish folks who criticise your (Josh Becker's) contributions need to see the episodes that you actually directed.  By watching those episodes one could call out which important outside films these jerk-weeds haven't yet seen yet which you reference throughout.

All of those shows took tremendous chances on funny budgets with strange schedules.  I would have been proud to be able to claim to have been a part of that experience.  Someday my kids will wish they could have seen it first-run too.

I am tremendously pleased for Bruce on Burn Notice  He's on a funny, well-balanced show, the writing is great and age appropriate and it's doing well, so well that I finally got TiVo just to record it.  Don't know when you might see him again but we think he's doing a great job.

As are you and Shirley.  Thanks for keeping this Blog up and running. John

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

Dear Josh,

In case you haven't heard, Alien Apocalypse is on Sci-Fi this Sunday (Sept. 2nd)  at 11 AM EDT, preceded by Screaming Brain.   And in other Bulgaria news, turns out your Harpies colleague Declan O'Brian is making his directorial debut on Renee O'Connor's movie, which she's shooting over there even as we speak.

While you've said we'll have to wait for "Rushes" to come out to find out the details on all the challenges you faced while filming Harpies, I'm curious - do you think you burned bridges with the whole network?  Or just the individual producers for that film?  (Since there seem to be a ton of different producers shooting things over there right now.)

Regards,

August

PS - did you ever watch the rest of "These Are The Damned?"  Wasn't that just really jarring, to go from claustophobic, stereotypical Outer Limits-style interiors to these sweeping shots of cliffs, the ocean, helicopters, boats, high speed chases and so forth done on location in broad daylight?

Name:              Russ
E-mail:             aurorapicturesuk@aol.com

Josh!

I spoke to you a few years ago on here when I was starting to make short films, they are going pretty well and I'm getting a bit of notice for them and a couple of awards. I have to say that I used to think I knew it all but then I just read your book and it has completely changed my outlook on film making. Its really well written and i cant believe how well you have broken down every stage of the production to make it manageable. This is the best book ever on the subject of film making. Thank you so much. I've completely rewritten my screenplay with your ideas in mind and its turned into something much better than I expected. Do you ever make short films? I feel that the book, made for features, can be so well translated into shorts. Just wondering really if you have any plans to impart your wise knowledge about short films? If you have any tips for my shoot next week that would be great.
Yours sincerely
Russell Gomm - England

Name:              Jeff
E-mail:

Josh,

I was referring more to the clunky phrasing aspect. Has the editing process made you more aware of writing tendencies you have that might be considered "bad"? Did the professional eye show any things you weren't aware you were doing or was it more of "add a comma here" type of changes.

On a unrelated note - I recently saw "Lord of War" and thought it did a good job of educating me on a subject the director/writer obviously felt strongly about without being preachy. I can't remember the last "issue" film that did that.

Ok, here's the question - I felt "Lord of War" successfully used voiceover narration by integrating it throughout the movie, rather than just at the start and end of the film as a lazy way to kick start the action. Do you know of any other films you could recommend that do a good job using narration? Other than the obvious(i.e. Sunset boulevard)
Thanks!

Name:              Wannabe Raimi
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

I was just wondering how you and Sam Raimi compare as directors? What things do you do similarly, what things do you do differently?

Name:              Jeff
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

For most of your recent movies it seems that you have edited your own scripts without much outside input. If true, now that you are having books published, how has the experience of having a professional editor reviewing your written work been? Good, bad, indifferent?

Name:              Anthony Palmer
E-mail:             relap@nlc.net

Dear Josh:

In a recent Fangoria interview Bruce called "Alien Apocalypse" a piece of crap.  How do you feel about him denigrating this film?  I actually enjoyed the film quite a bit, as it was simply fun to watch.  I also felt that the special effects in "Alien Apocalypse" weren't nearly as shitty as those I usually see in Sci-Fi productions.

Best regards,
Anthony

Name:              Trey Smith
E-mail:             cobra_commander_of_cobra@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:         

I just finished reading the William Wyler biography "A Talent for Trouble" and I must say that it's very sad that so few know of Wyler these days. I've seen many of his films (though not all yet)and the fact that everything about them seems so "right" never ceases to amaze me. His direction was always invisible, as many like to say, and yet it was still distinctly a William Wyler Film. And as you said in your ode to him, his oeuvre has such variety. Throughtout the history of film there haven't been many directors like Wyler and I'll say again that it's very sad that not many people know of him. However, people will always know of his films and I think he would have preferred that more than anything.

Name:              JB
E-mail:             sotto1@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:         

Your comments on Private Ryan (Speilberg can't tell a story) are laughable... Especially coming from the hack director of Zena: Warrior Princess. In order to save you further embarrassment you might want to take them off your website.  What a maroon.

Name:              Bob
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

You have given your views on religion.  Where do you see religion going in the future?  The next 50 100 200 years.  Do you think it will gradually vanish?  Will it decline but always hold onto a certain percentage of humanity due to some psychological predisposition in some people?  As far as the major religions go, Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, will some of these decline while others expand?  Just wondering what your take on this is.

This weekend's movie line up for me is 'In Which We Serve' and 'Hondo'.

Name:              carlon
E-mail:             brandedwolf63@wmconnect.com

hello mr becker

im wanting to make a western movie but im needing investers to help out do u know of any or can u point me in the right direction to find any

Name:              CD
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

I read and liked your book on filmmaking. It seems to really get into what other 'filmmaking' books just skim over.

I always believed and agree that restrictions in 'art' are good, especially movies. I just heard Sydney Pollack say the same thing on a show about the industry on MSNBC.

I think in the least, restrictions (budgetary ones anyway) make you focus on the script/story more.

Now a question, how many shots should make up a scene? I know certain scenes could be done in one shot (a 'oner' as you call it), but on average, how many shots should make up a scene? Is there a 'rule of thumb'?

By the way, it seems 2 perf Techniscope may be making a quiet comeback. Aaton, Arri and even Panavision all have 2 perf movements available for their cameras.

Name:              sandeep singh
E-mail:             sandeepnamdhari@yahoo.co.in

Respected Sir

i am 25 graduate from india .i have a idea for internatonal label film .Indian history is very old like EYPUT so naturaly there are many inncident happend and some brave are people involve in these incidents and faced most difficult situtions like(TROY film)and many more english movies sir i wish to make a film for these people i have a idea and u have experience like that movies .i know indian history so i can help u lot .I just cannot explain my idea i need some time .if u interseted in me contact me  MY EMAIL IS sandeepnamdhari@yahoo.co.in

Name:              Maria
E-mail:             xenaiya@yahoo.com

Dear Josh,

Don't pay attention to what Dilyana has written (for Bulgarian Impressions). Someone has something crawled up her ass. Bulgarians aren't that bitchy. I know, because I am one.

Take care.

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

Dear Josh,

How did that most recent screening of "Hammer" go, and the Q&A afterwards?

And while I'm at it, in the words of Porky Pig to Marvin the Martian, Happy B-b-b-b-irthday, you b-b-b-b-thing from another world, you!

Regards,

August

Name:              Jeff Alede
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

Have you seen the recent indie noir flick, "Brick"? I really dug it. It's basically a noir set around a modern-day high school. I know that may sound odd, but they really pulled it off. I might add that it was an impressive debut from Rian Johnson, with a budget less than $500,000. They smoke in it, too (actual cigarettes).

Name:              Man From Seattle
E-mail:             I love you.

"Well, quit smoking or fly to America to buy from the unfucking cigarettes."

I don't like making fun of how others say things in English when it's not their first language ... because you know, in Bulgarian I would suck much more balls, but I have to comment on the quote.

First, how can cigarette, or anything for that matter, unfuck someone? I understand how somebody can be fucked, but never unfucked ... the word unfuck just makes me smile to think about. Second, you're not suppose buy some of these magical unfucking cigarettes, but you're supposed to buy from them. I imagined a box of unfucking cigarettes running a vending machine on the streets of New York City right next to a hot dog guy.

Oh god, I'm gonna love this forever.

Name:              K.
E-mail:

Josh,

My favorite musicals are MY FAIR LADY and HAIR.

What was the last (as in latest) musical that you liked?

Name:              colin cunliffe
E-mail:             lencol1@hotmail.com

dear josh,

my son elton sebastian was shot and killed in bogota on the 28.6.07.he always looked up to you ,this is part of page 68,

Name: Elton Sebastian
E-mail: eltonsebastian@yahoo.com

Hi Josh,

I've been following your career for quite some time now. You have inspired me, to write, direct and shoot my own movies.

I've read your scripts and your essays. And in them has been valuable information that no Film School professor has ever shown me.

My last short 16mm Film, Nerd Wars, won several awards Sunday before last in Miami. A few cable stations have offered to show it and I'll soon have it up on the net, and showing at other festivals around the US.

I know you must be extremely busy, but It would be a great honor to have you as a mentor.

its a sad time for me ,but could you put it in your q&e as i know a lot of his friends read this and may be they can get in touch.

thank you for your time,i have a web page if his friends would like to light a candle.
http://www.gatesofremembrance.com/main/tribute/index.php?id=2470&music

Colin cunliffe
Eltons dad

Name:              Dilyana Zlateva
E-mail:             international2@gmail.com

Dear Mr.Becker,

Allow me to comment on your "Bulgarian Impressions." My name is Dilyana Zlateva and I live 30 km. away from our capital Sofia, where you were shooting.

It really warmed my heart, the way you tried to make fun of every little thing you saw on less than 5 sq.km. for I guess about 2 -3 weeks, and how generously you stamped it - Sofia, Bulgaria, the Bulgarians, the children etc.

But first things first:
-Bulgarians are not stupid, because they don't have AC, although most places here don't. Most of us happen to survive on ridiculously small amounts of money. I am glad, that you find that so amusing.
-Difference, even in terms of parks, gardens etc., is a good thing. I applaud your need to write about it. And "the plates piled with some sort of stinky little gray fried fish, sort of like herring or smelts", which you haven't tried are part of the national cuisine, good that we have one. Hotdog as national dish does sound better.....riiight!
-It seems to you, "that most Bulgarians over a certain age, say 35 or 40, frown all the time. Life just seems like a bitch to them".  Hey, very observant, OR "Maybe they're all constipated". How brilliant! And I do mean that. When you learn to survive on 80 levs (40 dollars) a month, like some of "them" do, you are, please, welcome to feel the need to write new "impressions".
- You seem to have had problems with the Cyrillic alphabet. I suppose, that was also a bad impression and all fault goes to the Bulgarians, no doubt. Just for your information, young people in Bulgaria, and Sofia especially, are very good linguists, English included. When I travel abroad, and I often do, I don't expect people in Holland to speak Bulgarian now, do I? But, hey, English is maybe special and we are all to learn it. So says the law! We are criminals, I admit. And you couldn't remember the name of the street...Ops, our fault again.
- Stray dogs. And they roam free. I know - it is so easy to just humanely euthanize them.
- Dutch and fun. I have been all over Holland and those two words are only to be used separately. Bulgarians find fun in every little thing they do. We take the time to chat with our friends are family. We enjoy sitting in the park and eat stinky zaza and drink Kamenitza. And at night we throw the biggest parties and have great time. But maybe you should be loud and pretentious all the time to show, that you have a great time.
- And by the way - Che Guevara and James Dean...Wow - that is so far from the truth in Bulgaria. That was just Ivo, the driver, thinking.
- I am glad to know your opinion of "even" Korean, Pakistani or Arab store owners in America. Spooky!
- There’s a real pissed-off, angry streak in these Bulgarians. Damn right! Good, that you became an expert on Bulgarians in just about a minute, and that you put all eggs in the same basket.
- These people would rather take less than the item costs than have to make change. And cab drivers simply won’t make change at all. Shoot them! What a place!
- Every other TV channel has people dressed up in local native garb singing and dancing to Bulgarian folk songs, because we take pride in our heritage and we do have a history, "a biiiit" longer than say... 200 years. Then there’s another channel that’s entirely programmed with cheap documentaries about what a great place Bulgaria is. From it’s mountains to it’s seas . . . How cute to write impression on something you have never seen. Very mature. And yes, Bulgaria is a great place. And yes, Bulgaria is a liiiiiitle more than Sofia-Centre. And yes, there is no such thing as cheap American propaganda about what a great nation America is and how it should poke its nose into every nation's business.
- After three weeks here in Bulgaria you are growing very weary of the whole damn thing. Well, then go shoot in Germany. It’s a drag never understanding what anyone is saying. Well, learn at least 2 sentences in Bulgarian. People are occasionally talking derogatorily about you, or about Americans in general. Well, they have pretty good reasons to. Meanwhile, you can’t smoke anymore of those fucking horrible Bulgarian cigarettes. Well, quit smoking or fly to America to buy from the unfucking cigarettes.
- "I completed my first week of shooting." No kidding. Your comments were more like you have been here for like 5 years.
- You just walked across “the garden” or park, as you’d call it, to go to the nearest big market about the size of an American liquor store, yet has a bit of everything. And you spent between 20-30 leva and that apparently made you one of the very big shoppers they ever saw. Undoubtedly this is because they’re poor. My dear, Bulgaria has more super cool cars per capita than America. Your opinion of yourself is flying higher than the US flag on the White House.

- And now: The Bulgarian character in a nutshell. Ta-da: "the first time you ask for anything their response is, “It’s impossible.” When you ask again, the response is an impatient, “Of course,” which is then promptly ignored. The third time you must yell it at them and then they’ll begrudgingly do it." Should I laugh or should I cry?! Next time (and hopefully there is never a next time - for our sake), pick your staff better. This is just a testament to your incapability to choose the people you work with.

Just shoot this goddamn movie already, and may the plane make a turn to Frankfurt next time! You undoubtedly have enough bucks to shoot there.

'Blagodarja'. Oh, it's the same like the English 'Funk you'. Gotta be amused!


Regards,

Didi Zlateva

Name:              extreme
E-mail:             extreme1982@hotmail.it

Dear Josh:         

Hi!Please could you tell me, where the Movie Alien Apocalupse was made?
thank
goodbye

Name:              Tim
E-mail:             Nansemondnative

Josh,

We have discussed Kubrick's "The Shining" before but I have another question about it.

I was watching it again a little while ago and there is this part...

Jack - " Wendy I have let you fuck up my life so far but I am NOT going to let you fuck this up!"

This happens after the shit has basically hit the fan with the young beauty turning into the old decaying woman in room 237. Jack goes back after clearly being freaked out and tells Wendy he saw nothing. He then blames it on Danny's psyche and goes off the deep end when Wendy suggests leaving The Overlook and seeking a safer haven.

Jack then storms out of the room and therein lies the question.

As Jack is leaving Wendy he walks right past the camera and looks directly at it with that hateful look on his face.

I don't see that tool used much and when I do it is usually in a comedy like Darrin McGavin sitting at the dinner table in "A Christmas Story" describing how the puzzle he is working on could be "worth $50,000 dollars".

Why do you think Kubrick had Nicholson look at the camera on that shot? We could already see Torrance was well off his rocker and pissed off. Could Nicholson have improvised it? Even then it breaks that rule of not looking at the camera.

I hope this isn't an "out there" line of questioning.

What do you think?

Tim

Name:              Nick
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

OK, I finally tracked down a copy of your book. I haven't read it, but I'll let you know what I think. I have been reading through your website, and I think I got the whole idea of "theme" down. The theme is the general idea behind the story that reflects each character's motivation (so if the theme was loyalty, for example, the main character's actions would perhaps be motivated by his loyalty to another person or organization, or outright lack of it), and each character's motivation is their "point." Is that right?

Anyways, I was perusing the archives (I'm trying to memorize everything you have to say about screenwriting, since you seem to be the only person who knows what he's talking about), and was especially interested in your thoughts on Spielberg and his prevailing "inner-child" philosophy. I believe the reason this ideology has become so prevalent in our society is because many people, particularly Spielberg (and Michael Jackson) are desperate individuals who believe the only time in their lives they were really happy was when they were children. I think most people seem to have misinterpreted happiness for the bleary-eyed sense of amazement most children have (which does indeed seem to fade somewhat as routine, monotony, and social pressure become more prevalent in life) and subsequently have a sense of esoteric nostalgia, and think the only times in their lives they had imaginations or creativity was when they were kids. I think it's all horse shit.

I recently watched an interview with Spielberg and couldn't have been any more embarrassed for him; every other word that came out of his mouth was "childhood" and "imagination;" as if all children were gay. Most children, from what I remember, are mean, snotty, and very violent ferret-like creatures who don't resemble anything close to the purely "innocent" children in "Peter Pan" (which I was forced to read as a child, and thought it was incredibly lame). For someone like me, who started developing more mature intellectual interests by the time I was 13 (I had read most of Harlan Ellison's books by that point, for example, and thought "I Have No Mouth and I Must Scream" was WAY more imaginative and cool than anything Spielberg could come up with), whereas most people my age (I'm 22) seem to be still stuck in the miasma of Star Wars, comic-books, and superheroes (which always seemed really lame and didn't even interest me as a child), this prevailing notion in our society, and particularly in cinema, can be quite vexing. So you can at least take comfort in the idea that SOMEONE out there is more interested in making films dealing with mature subject matter and themes instead of faggy "superheroes" running around in codpieces.

An aside. Another interesting aspect of my childhood, I think, was that I was an adamant Christian and did, in fact, believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny. When I was about seven or eight, it slowly occured to me that these three things were, in fact, ridiculous and silly bullshit designed to pacify children (Santa is particularly disturbing because he comes off as a jolly old pedophile, constantly "watching" little kids and sneaking into their homes at night). It came as quite a shock to me when I started studying different religions as a teenager, and that most grown adults not only still believed in stuff that was equivocal to Santa and the Easter Bunny, but that they frequently killed each other over it! Life is weird sometimes, man.

Name:              Jabba The Bruce
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

Why is it, do you think, that any series Bruce Campbell is the lead in (Brisco, JOAT) gets canceled, yet any show he's a supporting member of (Burn Notice, Xena and Herc; though technically these two are more recurring guest spots) go for several seasons? Do you think that Bruce suffers from the same curse as Ben Affleck, in which if he's the star, it's doomed, but if he's a supporting character it'll be praised to the sky?

Name:              Scott
E-mail:             sspnyc66@mac.com

Josh,

With regards to Matt's comment on Kieslowski's "Red" from his color trilogy, I think that he needs to watch the other two to be less confused as "Red" was the last and connects the first two.

Oddly enough, everyone I know liked "Red" the best of all three with the exception of me. I thought "White" had the most solid and believable story and "Blue" came in second.

"White" also has Julie Delpy which is probably why I like it so much because I think she is one of the most beautiful actresses.

Anyhow, I did not know that you did not care for Kieslowski's color trilogy. Personally, I enjoyed the trilogy and it was after "Red" that I really started to notice the true decline in good films (I know you put the decline period much before that and I am not saying that these three films were great, but I think they were good films).

I also enjoyed his film "The Double Life of Veronique" and oddly enough, My girlfriend of 5 years at the time watched this film and I think it was the catalyst that tipped the scales in favor of her breaking up with me.

Talk about the power of a film. sheeesh.

Really, if you compare these films to what we have now even in foreign cinema, there is really no comparison with the exception of Mike Leigh's films of course.

Just my two cents.

Name:              Bob
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

Do you read much Science Fiction, or do you think that S.F. is as good now as it used to be?  For some reason, I don't seem to have the imagination for it that I once did.

Name:              Child of GOD
E-mail:             taadal@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:         

U see evil comes from negative people such as yourself. People tends to down talk people instead of helping and lifting there spirit up. We all are walking epistles cause we all have a story and if you are still alive your story hasn't ended yet.God is in charge of us all both good and evil. It's all for His pleasure not ours. That is what him GOD. We have children and discipline them when they don't obey by wooping, standing in corners,taking away there toy or game, t.v. radio and sometimes don't explain why because our children fear us (respect) They just deal with Like God is with us. So alot of us into different religions and tradition to fill that emptiness inside us that void. God keep alot of us blind because we are not mature enough in his eyes to understand all that is going on. Alot of people will never understand. Check out this minister Jim Brown he is from Tennessee he is an white man with an actual gift in God's word. But it only for the true believers that God called. If you don't get it you are one of the ones who is blind. Many are called few are chosen.

Name:              claire
E-mail:            rs_cyr@yahoo.com

Dear Josh:

Have you seen Bruce in his new USA Network series Burn Notice? He is a riot! Best new show this summer. Lucy will guest star in an episode on Sept. 13. It will be good to see them acting together again.

Name:              Kurt Doelle
E-mail:             lincdoelle@sbcglobal.net

Dear Josh:         

I will be buying your book and do respect your work as a highly talented director.
Regarding your essay:
If you knew what is really going on in the Middle East and what went on under Reagan you wouldn't make so many general assumptions. Some facts you (I hope you will repsect)
# Despite what the media reports...
1. In reality there are over 400,000 CONFIRMED dead terrorists that were hell bent on killing you, me and every other U.S. citizen.  These were the "filth" who applauded when the SECOND attempt at the WTC resulted in chaos. They were stopped dead on foreign soil rather than in Hollywood Hills or in your backyard.

2.  Hussein (who ordered hits on three U.S. Presidents) is dead.  His sons are dead, Chemical Ali is dead.  Hussein's corrupt cabinet officals have all been dismebered or killed.

3.  Seven (potentially disabling)terroist attacks have been thwarted since 911

This is no small feat!  If Americans for one moment could reflect on the absolute terror these animals WOULD have inflicted upon our nation...they would stop writing childish essays and become appreciative of the effort, the sacrafice and the dedication of our troops and leadership. You are FREE to write your opinions...it was paid for by the blood of our troops

We are currently fighting an ideology-
This ideology (unlike conservatives & liberals)thrives on a fractured USA
This ideology beleives that their salvation is linked to our destruction.
Our president (like Lincoln) is under constant internal and external fire from the media.
Our President (like Lincoln) knows the results associated with failure.

When you safely write you next sophmoric essay in the quiet comfort of your home...consider the mandatory fight going on between some blood thirsty terrorist and some kid from some small town you've never heard of...Anyone who blows themselves up for salvation has no respect for their life...and even less respect for yours.  This is your enemy and mine...Stick to directing

With respect and admiration for your work,

Kurt Doelle

Name:              Matt Kerny
E-mail:

Dear Josh:         

Do you like any of Krzysztof Kieslowski's films? I saw "Red", and although Irene Jacob is gorgeous and the direction is very nice, I thought the story itself was really... puzzling. Maybe I just didn't get it!

Name:              Martha Elrod
E-mail:             melrod43@aol.com

Dear Josh:         

With your incessant comments berating Americans and their way of life:
    [EX: Dear JGH: I don't think we have to worry about world peace. At any
given point in this world there are generally between 25 to 50 wars going
on, most about absolutely nothing.  Humans are warlike creatures.  It
would be nice to not kill each other over pure idiocy like our mythical
invisible god is more real and powerful than your mythical invisible god.
Instead, we can go to war and kill each other over real things, like oil,
which is the reason why we attacked Iraq (right after closing our military
base in Saudi Arabia), and the reason we never intend to leave Iraq.  We
Americans would rather fight than conserve in any way.  We kill for the
right to drive Hummers, heat our pools, and run our AC all the time.

Josh]

By all means let us know what you personally are doing to solve American's bloodthirsty ways and oh by the way, what do YOU drive? oh genius one. What are YOU doing to conserve--you pathetic Hollywood types make me puke. You sit around talking about film--you're not curing cancer, so quit denigrating America who gave you whatever spot of celebrity you gave, you ungrateful little prick.

Martha

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

Heya Josh,

Nice to speak to you again-it's been a while. This is about one of our favorite writers: Harlan Ellison.

There's an article about a Harlan Ellison documentary called "Dreams With Sharp Teeth". Harlan is also interviewed here. The link:

http://www.jewishjournal.com/home/preview.php?id=17991

And here's a quote from Harlan that had me rolling on the floor:

"Dea