Iconoclasts
You ever watch this show? On the Sundance Channel?
It's supposed to offer up two great artists - interviewing each other about their lives and their art. Paul Newman and Robert Redford. Sam Jackson and Bill Russell.
Fionna Apple and Quentin Tarantino.
Since I have my jetlag back in full effect - I tuned in with great anticipation - seeing as how I love me some Fiona - and really enjoyed Quentin's first two films.
Hell - anyone in film school or into indy film back in the late 80's had no choice but to idolize this crazy kid who came from a video store to do back to back great films.
But what the heck happened?
Watching him in an interview is like watching a train wreck. First of all - they're supposed to be fans of each other and talking to each other - but for the first 35 minutes - Quentin acts like its a show about him - where all he does is talk about himself and what a genius he is and how the world owes him and how nobody tells him what to do - he tells the world what to do.
Wow.
Fiona did all she could to get a word in edgewise.
They would eventually cut to her talking to an off camera person - pretending it was Quentin - but you know he wasn't in the room or she wouldn't get a chance to talk in the first place.
Quentin talks about how he feels like a fraud because writing dialog is just so easy for him. Its like he has an antenna straight to God - and all he has to do is write.
Wouldn't it be nice.
He said that he knew he would never die living in LA in an earthquake or a car crash because he knew he was put on Earth to make films and God wouldn't kill him before he was able to accomplish that.
Must be nice to be him.
I'm surprised Fiona was able to fit in the room with Quentin's ego...
It's really sad - because I love his films. At least the first two. And now - he just looks like a really freaky coke head uncle that comes to stay for a couple nights and never leaves. He's really fun for the first day - but every day after that is like fingernails on a chalkboard.
Ivy kicked me out of the room to come downstairs cause she couldn't stand listening to him talk anymore. The sound of his voice... Go figure...
I guess this could all sound like petty jealousy - but it is kinda heartbreaking. I want another pulp fiction. I want inglorious bastards. I just don't want to hear him talk about it.
Iconoclast my ass.
PS
Dad came through surgery just fine. Doctor said in all his years of operating - it was one of the worst knees he has ever seen. He was walking in the hall today with a walker.
Miracles of modern science.
posted by greg at 4:32 AM
4 Comments:
I watched part of that program and had almost the exact reaction. I wish I had never read or seen an interview with Tarantino. Kinda ruins Pulp Fiction.
Like when I read that James Brown beat women. Dammit.
Looking at me, you'd never know it, but I used to work security at concerts. Worked one of Fiona's first tours. Great music, good songwriting, lovely voice. But she would talk between each song, trying to be philosophical, and just sounded like a total dunderhead. I wanted to yell out, "Shut up and sing until you read a few more books!"
Good to hear about the old man~~
9:54 AM
I adore Fiona Apple.
Quentin Tarantino is the biggest dork in all of dorkland. Yes, he makes amazing films, although I gotta say I think Kill Bill was way overrated, but I'm not sure I'd have enough patience to listen to his crap long enough to glean wisdom. Most of the time I watch his interviews I can't stop thinking about the way he bobs his head around and slurs his speech. I don't care how many movies he's made. I still wouldn't let that guy sit at my lunch table.
10:20 AM
You should read "Down and Dirty Pictures" by Peter Biskind. It's something of a "sequel" to his wonderful Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, except it tackles independent film in the 90s, instead of the New Hollywood of the 70s.
And reading the book, it's amazing how TERRIBLE the people were. There are so many Weinstein horror stories in there, it made me never want to work in hollywood. Then I found out the Weinsteins work out of New York, so I'm still planning on being crazy and moving to LA.
Anyway, the most interesting thing I found about the book was that when Quentin came along, I expected him to be this huge ego that'd I'd always seen in interviews, etc. But Biskind painted a completely different picture of him--he was by far the NICEST person in the entire book. Granted, he was up against the Weinsteins, and once he became big shit, it showed him becoming much more of a dick.
All of that to say, Tarantino wasn't always like that.
At least according to Peter Biskind.
6:19 PM
In 1992 at the Toronto Film Festival, I stood next to Tarantino when I had no idea who he was as he rat-a-tat-tated the people encircling him with his rapid fire yak about 'the movies'. He was there with some movie called 'Reservoir Dogs'. He was entertaining I admit, but even then a little full of himself.
Happy Holidays.
12:41 AM
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