Name:            boo-boo bear
E-mail:           
Date:              09/02/10

Dear Josh:

I think it's time to put up some more new reviews or new/old reviews...don't you?????????

Dear boo-boo bear:

New reviews of mine will begin appearing monthly in "True West Magazine" next month. I've already written about 8-9, so I'm covered well into 2011. Perhaps after the reviews are a couple of months old I'll post them on my website.

Josh

Name:            Dean
E-mail:           
Date:              08/26/10

Hey Josh:

I have a slightly amusing ( to me at least ) story/rant regarding the always "fun" world of film production, that I just wanted to get your opinions on as a fellow independent producer/glutton for punishment. I am finishing up a feature next year, that I started in the UK, just setting up to do the last two/three weeks of shooting on it, as additional funds needed to be raised, these portions of the script are set in the USA. So, I figure these short portions are set in the USA, why not film in the USA ? Instead of trying to use a city in Canada to double for the United States, like so many productions, help the economy, free trade capitalism in action. Ok, so there I am searching through all the things I need as a producer to hire US crew members to work on the shoot. Anyway, long story short, everything I have read seems to suggest that I would need a work permit to film in the USA ( even though I am using, entirely my own funds and not taking any employment from any USA agency ). OK, so I have to get a work permit, no problem here comes the next snag, you can only get the work permit, if you are an artist of distinction ( won major awards, earned massive salaries, etc, etc ), you can't get these Visas if you just want to shoot a temporary project, there is no visa program that fits my situation as an independent producer. So I find myself yet another film-maker using Canada to double for the United States, "welcome to small town usa, just ignore the mounties in the background, they are working on a big case down here" ( Short of the usual shooting permits, insurance etc, you do not need an actual work permit as a self funded Producer to film in Canada providing you are not actually being employed by a canadian organisation ). My question is ( given you are a USA based film-maker, working in todays tough economic climate ). Do find it morbidly amusing that the USA while keen to encourage film-making and job creation actually restricts film-making and job creation for any but the super rich/already established/corporately funded ? Do you think it would be a good idea to create a temporary work permit that applies specifically to the film industry for short term projects, so that as an independent film-maker you can legally hire US crew members and create jobs without ( potentially ) being imprisoned ? I could if I wanted to be fine legally to shoot in the USA and not pay anyone, but the second I pay people to work, even if I paid employment taxes on their wages, its a no go. Essentially this is a chunk of money that will now be spent elsewhere and while it is not exactly a mammoth sum, no film is cheap to make and I would have thought even on a small scale employment is important, no matter how temporary. Due to favourable exchange rates the USA is actually a viable option for european independent productions, but it seems as if there is no encouragement for this, which is kind of a shame. Anyway, I am going to be ordering your DVD's soon, as I have been a long time fan of your work ( asked questions a good couple of times and you have always been more than helpful ), hoping to see you get a few more projects off the ground and hopefully get a few more books published, above all else, you are a great writer. Take it easy Josh.

Dear Dean:

Canadian cities have been passing for American cities for minimally the last 20 years. Up until we got this 40% rebate in 2008, nobody shot in Detroit even when their story took place here. The "Robocop" movies used Houston, and Mike Binder (a native Michigander) shot a couple of films that took place here in England (and pulled it off). The one that really amused me was "Narc" with Ray Liotta. It all took place in Detroit, but was shot in Toronto. They would be driving up Yonge St. and say shit like, "Keep going up Woodward, then make a left at Grand Blvd," and all I could think was "That sure isn't Woodward or Grand Blvd." When Ray Liotta got depressed he went out and sat on a bench with the Detroit River and the city of Detroit in the background. Apparently, when we get depressed here we go over to Windsor, Ontario and stare back at Detroit. Anyway, I think you'll be fine, but it is ridiculous you couldn't shoot your film in America. I always needed a work permit to shoot in New Zealand, but I was working for someone else. I didn't need a work permit in Bulgaria, however.

Josh

Name:            Jack
E-mail:           
Date:              08/26/10

Dear Josh:

Just seen a Making of of the South Park Film with Creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone in which they said that when Paramount signed them up to make the Film they sent them on on a Class on how to Write one properly, including the Three-Act Structure and all that. Question: if the Major Studios know about these Classes and that the people making Films need to know this info then why do all of their Films ignore the rules and suck (except South Park, that's good.)

Dear Jack:

I don't know that all films ignore the three-act structure. Certainly the big action movies seem to follow the three acts, they just don't do it well. And no one outside of the one-hour TV shows seems to understand the concept of the theme. There would be no better training for feature film screenwriters than to write TV shows, but it doesn't work that way in Hollywood. Once you start working on TV it's automatically assumed you're a TV person, not feature film person. As far as the Director's Guild is concerned, I'm a one-hour TV director even though I've directed seven features. Regarding the three-act structure, I can teach that in a sentence: set-up, conflict, resolution, and make the ends of the acts definitive. La! Regarding Trey Parker and Matt Stone, I think "Team America" is one the best films of the past few years, which saying one whole helluva lot, but it's still something. And they did it with marionettes. Most filmmakers these days can't get you to give a crap about actual humans.

Josh

Name:            Ryan Meade
E-mail:           ryanmeadesmovies@yahoo.com
Date:              08/26/10

Josh,

Recently met you at motor city comic con 2010. We talked about doing some DVD sleeve art production... I have a new job as a camera operator/editor at www.atreidesmedia.com Swank equipment and office space downtown pontiac. Im shooting another film in Waterford, Tom Sullivan is to come out and make an apperance.Hint Hint, you could too, but anyway...I read the rules. so...If you still have my contact info I'd love to help you achieve your DVD sleeve goals!

Thanks again!
Ryan Meade

Dear Ryan:

I remember you, I enjoyed meeting you, and I thought you had some interesting suggestions for the DVD boxes, although I'm OK with the ones I've created. I wish you all the best of luck with your movie. My office is also located in bustling downtown Pontiac, where they've been shooting "LOL" for the past few days with Demi Moore and Miley Cyrus. Unfortunately, I've never enjoyed being in front of the camera, just behind it (where I can hide). I'm not a good actor, I'm very self-conscious in front of the camera, and my eyesight so bad that I can't see my marks. Anyway, good luck.

Josh

Name:            August
E-mail:           joxerfan@hotmail.com
Date:              08/17/10

Dear Josh:

Would you believe I just watched your film Acting and Reacting for the first time, thanks to YouTube. It's really enjoyable, and not what you'd expect from either its title, or from watching things like Cleveland Smith. And look at little Ted, acting up a storm! If I recall correctly, you filmed this after coming back from Hollywood by way of Alaska, right? It really does reflect a lot of the sort of existential wandering that you've written about in various stories and essays. And that next-to-last scene, with Bruce alone and isolated in the middle of a crowd, as the music swells and the camera pulls away, is just as good as you'd see in any 35-mm big screen project from anyone. And lest we forget, have a very HAPPY BIRTHDAY on the 17th! The clip below says it all: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe9axdr3Ko

Regards,
August

Dear August:

Always a pleasure to hear from you, and thanks for birthday wishes. "Acting & Reacting" does sort of stand alone within the movies we were all making at that time, which were mainly slapstick comedies, although there were a few action and horror films sprinkled in. A&R gives a reasonably honest view of what we actually looked and sounded like at the age of 20. The film was somewhat reviled in its day for being too "artsy fartsy." I personally quite like the follow shot right before the party with Bruce and Scott talking on that weird, zig-zagging walkway, which ends with the lone pull-back of Bruce, then the pull-back at the party, then the pull-back at the bookstore.

Josh

Name:            Jay Kwon
E-mail:           
Date:              08/08/10

Dear Josh:

I was wondering if you'd seen "Remember Me"? I just recently watched it on DVD and thought it was great. There's a little bit too much shaky handheld at the beginning but that seems to go away completely by the ten minute mark. There are some cliches and it gets a bit convoluted sometimes, but the characters are so good that you get past it quickly. As far as young romances go, I think it's much better than any of the new ones coming out these days. Even better than The Notebook. Please check it out and tell us what you think.

Dear Jay:

I'll keep my eyes peeled.

Josh

Name:            Jack
E-mail:           
Date:              08/08/10

Dear Josh:

Hi. I just Read in Total Film about the new Film they\'re doing about the Burke and Hare Murders in Victorian Edinburgh and it lists 14 Producers! 14! How many people does it take to get a Film a Budget and Crew? Maybe they think that by logic the more Producers there are the better the Film. What are your thoughts?

Dear Jack:

It's not like anyone hires 14 producers, it's all about how a deal comes together. A production company has a script they're trying to get financed so they hook up with another production company, who hooks up with another production company, who then connect with a group of financiers, etc., and everybody wants a producers credit. It's very difficult getting a movie financed, and it generally takes two, three or four production companies to pull it off these days. That's how that comes to be.

Josh

Name:            Pablo
E-mail:           
Date:              08/06/10

Dear Mr. Becker:

Hi again! I've just seen that my mother (Begoña) is your fan too. I'm glad she said you that there is a french copy. The mistake of PETER JASON and SCOT VALANTINE is true, but the poster is very good and there are phrases that compare "Harpies" with "army of darkness" in the back. I only I missed extras like "behind the scenes" or "interviews".

Pablo Riquelme.

Dear Pablo:

I'm glad your mother is a fan, too. It will be nice to have a DVD of the movie. At the moment I only have a VHS tape I made off TV. I'll only be able to watch the DVD on my computer because it'll be PAL, but I don't care because I don't want to watch it.

Josh

Name:            Begoña
E-mail:           cuarteroalonso787@hotmail.com
Date:              08/05/10

Dear Josh:

Didn't you know that your film is on DVD? Is that possible?? Anyway, you can find it with this link: http://stores.ebay.fr/ASdiscount

Dear Begoña:

I bought a copy already, thanks. Not a bad cover.

Josh

Name:            Tim
E-mail:           NansemondNative
Date:              08/04/10

Good Afternoon Josh:

Just got through reading "Luck of the Draw". You have this knack for incorporating a lot of different real life elements into your stories that I think 95% of most people can easily relate to. I would venture to say you might have lived out a few of these things or know somebody who did. Like consistently fooling yourself into thinking that you're getting ready to win big at the Poker table! HaHa! What about "Jew-Woppy"? All that is real life stuff. This guy Abe...Geez! You might have called him Job with all the trials and tribulations he went through huh? Abe is clearly his own worst enemy. He is self-defeated. Self-flagellation, negative self-talk...He is his own vicious cycle 'eh? His wife and kid nags him all the time. Why? Because they know he's a walking talking accident waiting to happen. Could it get any worse? Damn right and it sure did! I like the way you blend the comedy elements into the story to provide a litle vacation from this guys oppression. For example, the way Abe has been to the lock box and got the money. He's put it into his book and is on his way to the vault! BAM! Shit! There's the boss! What now? It goes on with Abe getting back to his desk for the big cover his ass scene and there is money falling all out on the floor! This clown is one second away from being busted big time! But he always seems to pull it together at the last second doesn't he? You can easily see the comedy being played out here. Very entertaining. The seamless incorporation and recall from the start of the story involving the "poker face" plays out well when Abe is confronted by the agent. Is this now kind of a game for Abe? Again, it looks like he is seconds away from being hung-up balls first when we found out from the agent that the boss just got his ass busted for the really big money that was disappearing. Abe, being in the position he is in, can intelligently predict the outcome and tell them what they need to hear and pin every bit of on the boss! Bye Bye Boss man! Hello promotion! Hello vacation and hello new found respect from the wife and kid. One has to wonder if Abe will finally overcome his addictions/demons and keep his ass straight considering his new found lease on life. Bottom line...This story is about fate. I think it would make a fine short visual story Josh. Thanks again for offering these stories to everyone.

Tim

Dear Tim:

Your reponse is as long as the story. Note: **SPOILER ALERT** this email gives away every story point. Anyway, I'm glad you seemed to enjoy it. You seem to have gotten everything out of it that there was to get. Read the other stories.

Josh

Name:            Begoña
E-mail:           
Date:              08/04/10

Dear Mr. Becker:

I have the film HARPIES on DvD. It's the french version and where are the names of the actors Stephen Baldwin, Kristin Richardson, etc, is also PETER JASON and isn't Scott Valentine...I'm sure Peter Jason isn't in the film...so Why is his name on the DVD??

Dear Begoña:

There's a DVD of "Harpies"? I had no idea, French or otherwise. No, of course Peter Jason isn't in "Harpies," it's Scott Valentine, as you said. Peter Jason plays the President in "Alien Apocalypse." It sounds to me like what we call in English a "mistake."

Josh

Name:            Pablo
E-mail:           pablocampbell2@hotmail.com
Date:              08/02/10

Dear Mr. Becker:

I'm not sure if I understand you... Have you said that you would like to get the films that Declan is receiving like: SHARKTOPUS?? I think you can do better movies than that type of movies. A clear example of this is all your filmography. The only good reason to do those movies is the money. There is a difference between the Cience Fiction and SHARKTOPUS. Your film ALIEN APOCALYPSE is very good. However, SHARKTOPUS...Well, I have no words... Thank you.

Pablo Riquelme.

Dear Pablo:

The only one who gets to make "Sharktopus" is the guy who thinks it up, gets it to the right people and wants to make it. I'm sure Declan can do better than "Sharktopus," too, but the point is, he keeps getting movies made. I've got the scripts for several SyFy Channel movies that I think would be really good, they're simply not slam-dunks "Sharktopus." When I read Declan's script, "Harpies," my first thought was, "Why didn't I write this?"

Josh

Name:            Pablo
E-mail:           pablocampbell2@hotmail.com
Date:              08/02/10

Dear Mr. Becker:

I have finished the reading of your book RUSHES. I think it's very very good. On the one hand, beacause of you write without fear your problems and feelings in the making of a movie. That help me when I have problems in the same point. On the other hand, I think you show the most important to make a movie is the courage and the conviction of it is possible to do a good work. It's impossible to make a movie where the director is sitting without "to fight". That's the moral that I think the book transmits. My favourite two parts were DIRECTING ANTHONY QUINN and THE MAKING OF HARPIES. I laughed a lot with how you deal with the point: STEPHEN BALDWIN. By the way, have you seen the trailer of the new movie from Declan O'Brien whose name is SHARKTOPUS. I would like to know your opinion about this type of movies... I hope your next film is cooming soon. Thank you very much for the signed of the book.

Pablo Riquelme.

Dear Pablo:

I glad you both purchased and enjoyed "Rushes." Yes, I have seen the trailer for "Sharktopus," and was amused. It's a very logical follow-up to "Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus." Declan's a sharp guy, I really liked working with him and I'm very pleased he's now got such a booming directing career. He's taking all the jobs I wish I could get. Regarding my opinion on that type of movie, the whole point is how stupid can it be? You're trying to make movies that cause drunken people to throw beer cans at the TV.

Josh

Name:            michel
E-mail:           mbeggimann@hotmail.com
Date:              08/02/10

Dear Josh:

hi! great! bruce campbells first fims on dvd! question: which region codes are they? 0? 2? im from switzerland (europe) thanks for answering! greez michel

Dear Michel:

The DVDs are NTSC, which I believe makes them region 1.

Josh

Name:            Ed
E-mail:           
Date:              07/30/10

Hi Josh:

Big Fan. I was doing some research of Family history involving my great uncle and "two gun" Crowley cause I think there is a real story there. Your page popped up with a treatment for a movie I\'m guessing never got off the ground. Do you think you will ever get around to making it? I think its a great real story.

Dear Ed:

Yeah, I like the story, too. Do I think I'll ever get to make it? Probably not, just like most of the scripts and stories I've written. C'est la vie.

Josh

Name:            Just Another Fan
E-mail:           
Date:              07/30/10

Dear Josh:

Speaking of Bruce Campbell and Aeuteur Theory, I found this neat compilation... "Quotes on the Aueteur Theory" Part One http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uABMio1QR2U&feature=related Part Two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJf0cLrumY4&feature=related

Dear JAF:

As someone who has written, produced and directed, as well as just directed, if I didn't write the script, it's not "mine," I'm not the auteur. I think I added my own little personal stamp to the Xena episodes that I directed, but I'm certainly not the author of them. Rob Tapert, the executive producer and creator, was far more in control of what would finally be seen on TV, then came the writers, then the directors. On some level, when a director comes onto a TV show the crew doesn't even take them seriously because they'll be there next week and the director won't. I'm the author of "Alien Apocalypse," but I'm not the author of "Harpies."

Josh

Name:            Thomas
E-mail:           
Date:              07/27/10

Hi Josh:

can u please change the picture of bruce cambpell staring at me? its like hes giving me the evil eye or something.

Dear Thomas:

He is. He's saying, "Buy 'Stryker's War' or I'll kill you!" Do as he commands.

Josh

Name:            Mark Fairclough
E-mail:           mfairclough1@hotmail.co.uk
Date:              07/26/10

Hi Josh:

Mark from the uk. I read about your film short "the long walk" made in 16mm it was a gangster story shot in black and white. Can you tell me a little about the story and why that film never got released.

Thanks
Mark Fairclough.

Dear Mark:

"The Long Walk" was a film I wote and directed for a college class in 1975. One of the other students stepped up and said he knew how to run the camera and take light readings and wanted to do it, so I said fine. We shot over the course of 4-5 days, then all of the negative went into the lab at the same time. When we got the workprint back it turned out the fellow running the camera didn't have a clue what he was doing and the exposures were all over the map, from way too dark to way too bright and everything in between. Since the footage wasn't any good I never bothered editing it.

Josh

Name:            Scott
E-mail:           
Date:              07/24/10

Hey Josh:

I thought I chime in on the Auteur Theory conversation and throw in original "The Thing" as an example. That film is almost always credited to Howard Hawks even though Christian Nyby directed it. I did hear that Hawks directed a significant portion of it but I can neither confirm nor deny. Even so, it definitely feels like a Howard Hawks film and I would attribute a lot of the credit to him. I also heard that Ben Hecht wrote a pass of the script, but is of course uncredited. What are your thoughts?

Dear Scott:

Yeah, exactly. Is "The Thing" A Christian Nyby Film? Or is it a Howard Hawks Production? Who's making the biggest contribution? It's not always clear, and it's not always the director. I can tell you that for a fact.

Josh

Name:            Jeff Q.
E-mail:           
Date:              07/23/10

Dear Josh:

I read your latest book, “Going Hollywood” awhile back and have been meaning write in for some time. I really enjoyed it. Right from the start I got a feel for LA. Maybe it’s because I had just visited there for the first time but your descriptions really brought to mind the hazy, slightly off feel in the air. Maybe it’s just that I grew up in the Midwest, but there really are times it has that gauzy “Chinatown” look and feel. If I to pick out a theme, and I’m probably wildly off, I’d say loneliness. Every person encountered there seems to be around for a brief moment and the craziness of being 18, alone and with no real plans is pretty striking. When you finally head back to Michigan it seems obvious that you’ve finally found where you need to be. Not Michigan, but a place where people are as passionate about moviemaking as you are. Anyway, I enjoyed it and enjoyed the sense of place of LA in the 70’s.

Dear Jeff:

I'm glad you enjoyed it. Yes, L.A. has its own weird feel and I tried to get that across. And the weirdness there was different in the 1970s than it is now. To me the theme is direction. Where are you going and why? Just going isn't good enough. Anyway, thanks for reading it.

Josh

Name:            A.v.E
E-mail:           
Date:              07/22/10

Dear Josh:

I don't think it's possible to make a blanket statement that the director or producer or writer owns it. Each is a unique determination of style. One of the criticisms you hear most about Hitchcock is that his movies are great because he remade the same movie over-and-over again. (I can sort of agree with this as most of my favorite movies by a director are usually the ones that are most against type. Dersu Uzala being a great example.) I think there's a grudge-match between the writer and director (and at one time producer) about whose work is going to own each scene. With someone like Chayefsky, Mamet, or Allen no matter who directs, their style bleeds through and puts their stamp on everything - for better or worse. With a director like Altman, or Scorsese you know within seconds whose movie you're watching - even if the sound is off. What makes the director's style can be everything from lighting, to casting to the music in the background. In the case of the writer slang, how they use expletives as punctuation, or if each character speaks in full sentences or just a few words. Some movies (like Gone with the Wind) are just too close to call and completely subjective to the viewer. So let's not fight, people (Bitterling). On another topic that was brought up, is it bad that the most memorable scene for me in all of Schindler's List isn't the red dress of the finale - it's the continuous shot of the man making the door hinge? The same reason that there are so many home repair and cooking shows on the air - I think there's something in us as people that is drawn in to someone displaying some type of craft or skill. The only reason people talk about Rififi is the 32-minute heist scene and only then it's because it's an honest sequence showing the amount of work and intellect it takes to pull such a job. Now, most movies would simply employ a character with glasses and a laptop to crack the safe from a plush hotel room miles away.

Dear A.v.E:

Yet the Auteur Theory is a blanket statement saying "The director is the author." This certainly can be true, but I'm contending that it isn't always by any means. And "Play It Again, Sam" is a perfectly good place to throw down the gauntlet. My contention is that the movie fits perfectly into Woody Allen's ouvre, right between "Bananas" and "Sleeper," and if you didn't know Herbert Ross was the director, you'd never guess it. As far as I'm concerned it's absolutely a Woody Allen movie, it just happens to be the one early film where the studio didn't trust him to direct it. Mr. Ross did a solid workman-like job of bringing Woody's play to the screen in a form that he approved and he managed not to screw it up. That's a lot, but it doesn't make it A Herbert Ross Film to me.

Josh

Name:            David Kashfi
E-mail:           davidkashfi@yahoo.com
Date:              07/22/10

Dear Josh:

What are your fondest memories of working with Lucy Lawless?

Thanks.
David

Dear David:

Working with Lucy was always a pleasure, and the same goes for Renee O'Connor. They were both always prepared and always in a good mood. All six years of "Xena" is a fond memory for me.

Josh

Name:            Jeff Q.
E-mail:           
Date:              07/21/10

Dear Josh:

I had to chime in with you and agree that to truly take ownership of a film through the auteur theory you should write and direct the movie. The script is such an important part of a what a movie is that it’s hard to see thinking of it otherwise. On a unrelated note, I was recently rewatching The Train and The Professionals and was amazed at Burt Lancaster’s ability to "do" things so realistically. Specifically, when he’s making replacement train parts or setting explosives. Each film has these very long single shots of him doing those things. Can you think of any other actors that had some sort of skill (real or newly learned) shown like that and it looks like they'd been doing it their whole lives? Normally you get those obvious cutaways. I guess it helps that Lancaster always looked like a real person and not a model.

Dear Jeff:

Burt Lancaster was an acrobat. He was really strong and really coordinated. I love that scene in "The Professionals" when he climbs the rope right up the side of the mountain to plant the dynamite. Man, he just goes right up there like it's nothing. Kirk Douglas wanted to be like Burt and tried to do many of his own stunts and riding, or walking along the oars in "The Vikings." One actor with a great talent was Ben Johnson's ability to ride horses. Victor McLaglen was a professional boxer and actually fought Jack Johnson for the World Heavyweight title. He lost, by the way. Bust Keaton was an acrobat, whch was obvious. James cagney could dance, as he showed in "Yankee Doodle Dandy."

Josh

Name:            Chuck
E-mail:           
Date:              07/21/10

Dear Josh:

This Bitterling (what an appropriate name) just seems angry that you're winning the argument. But I sort of agree with him/her. In my opinion, a film--the finished product--belongs to the director, regardless of how deeply it has been affected by a particular actor or writer or designer or key grip. The film is, ideally, the director's clear vision. If you disagree, what are the parameters? Certainly people saw Born on the Fourth of July because it's a "Tom Cruise film," but it undoubtedly belongs to Oliver Stone. True Romance and From Dusk till Dawn are both written by Quentin Tarantino, and he's even in Dusk, but Tony Scott and Robert Rodriguez both left their respective stamps on those (awful, yes) movies. Play It Again, Sam is in a little more of a gray area, but, since it was based on Allen's play, it needed that Broadway touch that Ross could lend to it. Together with Ross's other works as a director and choreographer, the movie belongs to him. But that's just how I see it.

Dear Chuck:

See? I knew it was an interesting subject. Kevin the webmaster just sent me this:

This is making me think about the time the press asked Samuel Goldwyn, "When Wyler made WUTHERING HEIGHTS--" Goldwyn yelled, "I MADE WUTHERING HEIGHTS! WYLER ONLY DIRECTED IT!"

What about "Gone With the Wind"? Is that David Selznick's movie or Victor Fleming's? And George Cukor directed for the first month. On the other hand you've got Alfred Hitchcock who didn't write his own scripts, worked with many different writers, yet somehow always ended up with Hitchcock films. The possessory credit is an interesting issue. I must say it bugs me when an unknown director takes it.

Josh

Name:            Pat Bitterling
E-mail:           
Date:              07/21/10

Dear Josh:

No offense, but it looks like you are grasping at straws. Quit while you are behind.

Dear Pat:

And I thought I was bringing up an interesting topic. Oh well.

Josh

Name:            Pat Bitterling
E-mail:           
Date:              07/19/10

Dear Josh:

And I think it is an insult to the actual director of the film to suggest as you have that it is Woody Allens film. Then again, he is dead, and his ghost probably does not read this blog, so what does it matter?

Dear Pat:

Considering Woody Allen wrote the play and starred in it on Broadway, then wrote the screenplay and starred in the film, he certainly had a lot to do with it. What we're discussing, in essence, is the auteur theory, which states that the director is "author" of a movie. I'd say that in some instances it's true; in other cases it's not true. Is John G. Avildsen the "author" of "Rocky"? He directed it, but Sylvester Stallone wrote it, starred in it, choreographed the fights, then subsequently directed "Rocky 2, 3 & 4." Don't get me wrong, I think Avildsen did a great job, but did he create "Rocky"? Is he the author? William Wyler's response to the auteur theory was, "When directing scripts by Lillian Hellman or Bob Sherwood, Sidney Kingsley or Jessamyn West, I could hardly call myself an auteur." I mean, is it Gene Saks's "The Odd Couple" or is it Neil Simon's "The Odd Couple"? To me, to really be the author of a movie, I think you need to both write and direct it. Anyway, I wasn't trying to insult Herbert Ross because I think he did a great job with "Play it Again, Sam."

Josh

Name:            Pat Bitterling
E-mail:           
Date:              07/17/10

Dear Josh:

Maybe you were not aware, but the film "Play It Again, Sam" was not directed by Woody Allen. He scripted the film, based on his stage-play of the same name. He also starred in it. It is, rather, a film by Herbert Ross. Ross was a great director of the 1970s and 80s and I suggest you watch some of his other films. But I appreciate that you are a fan of this one.

Dear Pat:

I'm entirely aware that Herbert Ross directed "Play It Again, Sam," but it's still a Woody Allen movie -- he wrote it and stars in it -- and I think it's one of his best, perhaps because he didn't direct it. Also, it doesn't take place in NYC, which was in the midst of a strike, so it was shot in San Francisco, and it has a completely different feel than his other movies. But to say it's not a Woody Allen movie is taking the possessory credit a bit too far, I think. It has way more to do with Woody Allen's career than Herbert Ross's career, the highlight of which (beside "Play it Again, Sam") was "The Goodbye Girl."

Josh

Name:            Mark Fairclough
E-mail:           
Date:              07/17/10

Hi josh

mark from the uk. Why was your film short "The Magnificent Severed" not featured in your film short collection to buy and can you tell me a little bit about that film.

Thanks
Mark Fairclough

Dear Mark:

I still have a number of shorts that I haven't transferred, like "The Magnificent Severed," "Imp of the Perverse" and some others. I just didn't have the money to get them transferred at this moment. "The Magnificent Severed" is a silent film without any title cards -- which was a big cinematic breakthrough at the time -- about a guy with an awful wife, whom he kills and chops to pieces, then she returns as a monster. The end. It doesn't have any of the usual suspects in it because it was made for a college film class and I used people from the class, although the awful wife was played by my mother. It's about 10 minutes and it's OK. The best thing about it is the lack of title cards.

Josh

Name:            Tim
E-mail:           NansemondNative
Date:              07/16/10

Evening Josh.

I just read your short story "Hurricane Season". It seems to draw inspiration from quite a few human emotions doesn't it? Betrayal or perceived betrayal, fear, suspension of rational thought brought on by a strong self-preservation drive, fear of not being in control,loss of compassion, years old festering combined with outright anger and resentment. It was striking how these friends from 5th grade on up turned their backs on each other in the face of this encroaching storm.Happens in real life all the time though and a hurricane isn't even required.Maybe these guys would have eventually stopped being friends anyway even as old as they were. Very nice story Josh loaded with real human perspective. Thanks for writing it and sharing it.

Tim

Dear Tim:

I'm very glad you liked it. Please read the other two and report back.

Josh

Name:            Brian
E-mail:           mackbrockton@aol.com
Date:              07/15/10

Hey Josh,

What's the funniest movie (or movies) you've ever seen and still hold up?

Dear Brian:

I'd have to say Woody Allen's "Love & Death" and "Play It Again, Sam." I've probably seen "Kentucky Fried Movie" 100 times, although not lately.

Josh

Name:            John Hunt
E-mail:           
Date:              07/15/10

Josh,

I'm looking for some reading suggestions and thought you might be the guy to ask. I'm looking for biographies. Henry Fonda, Kate Hepburn, John Ford, maybe even Ward Bond. Niven, Grant, McLachlan (father or son), Gable, Davis. Anyone of that period (you know the list better than me). I'll rumage, obviously, but wondered if you knew some I just shouldn't miss.

Thanks as always,
John

Dear John:

My suggestion is to read any autobiographies you can find first before resorting to bios. I haven't read a movie star bio in 20 years. I did enjoy Kirk Douglas's autobiography, "The Ragman's Son," Gloria Swanson's, "Swanson on Swanson," Marlon Brando's, "Songs My Mother Taught Me," James Cagney's "Cagney By Cagney." I've also read pretty much every director autobiography, as well as producer, screenwriter and cinematographer. I'm just now reading George Stevens, Jr.'s, "Conversations With The Great Moviemakers of Hollywood's Golden Age," which has a terrific line-up of interviews, although Mr. Stevens doesn't ask very incisive questions. I also highly recommend all of Peter Bogdanovich's book about filmmaking, particularly "This is Orson Welles."

Josh

Name:            Kev Blart
E-mail:           
Date:              07/15/10

Dear Josh:

No offense, but you got some shit ass posters for a film lover! Hahaha.

Dear Kev:

I suspect you're referring to the posters for my movies. What's wrong with them? I must say Blart sounds like someone with bad gas. Hahaha.

Josh

Name:            Dan Weiss
E-mail:           danweiss@btinternet.com
Date:              07/15/10

Hi Josh

Have you ever considered adapting a book into a screenplay? if so are there any particular ones? P.S Finally tracked down TSNKE on DVD after a long time searching (not available in the UK) and thought it was brilliant, definitely worth the wait. thanks Dan.

Dear Dan:

I honestly don't have any interest in adapting books into screenplays. For better or worse, I'd much rather just shoot my own original scripts. Meanwhile, this may be the first time anyone's ever used the word brilliant in the same sentence as TSNKE. Thanks.

Josh

Name:            Eugen Buturlakin
E-mail:           
Date:              07/15/10

Dear Josh:

in the final round bruce was 18 or? very young..

Dear Eugen:

When we made "The Final Round" in 1977 Bruce and I were both 19. Bruce is two months older than me.

Josh

Name:            Eugen Buturlakin
E-mail:           
Date:              07/11/10

Dear Josh:

do you have the first short with you and bruce campbell?except oedipus rex.

Dear Eugen:

Yes. That was "The Final Round."

Josh

Name:            chas. stillo
E-mail:           
Date:              07/09/10

Dear Josh:

if you knew actor lawrence tierney, i am trying to find out if he was married, nothing i bio's mention that, but he had 3 children/tnx

Dear chas.:

I never met him.

Josh

Name:            Luddie
E-mail:           
Date:              07/09/10

Dear Josh:

Hostel 3 for real? Do you know because you\'re renting equipment to them?

Dear Luddie:

No, I just heard through the grapevine.

Josh

Name:            Eugen Buturlakin
E-mail:           
Date:              07/08/10

Dear Josh:

I will have six months to live by sam raimi did you short them? you know where I can get this short? because the man from bookofthedead has six months to live.. but he writes me back anything

Dear Eugen:

I don't have "Six Months to Live," that was directed by Sam and Scott Spiegel. Scott's supposed to be in town here next month to direct "Hostel 3." Maybe I'll even see him, who knows?

Josh

Name:            James
E-mail:           
Date:              07/06/10

Hi Josh,

To answer Eugen's question about the whereabouts of The Happy Valley Kid: Rob Tapert mentioned in a Xena online webchat that he has an 3/4 inch tape and a vhs copy in New Zealand. "The only Super-8 print was virtually destroyed (all the sprocket holes shredded in the projector) in April of 1979 when they we showing the movie to John Cameron, at NYU. That was the night that the US helicopters crashed while trying to go into Iran and get the hostages. Sam still has the film in a bag and is going to restore it one day. Peter Jackson has a special machine in New Zealand that will transfer super eight with bad sprockets to digital. It is the only machine like this in the world. I need to convince Sam to preserve the Happy Valley Kid." Anyone interested can read all about the Super-8 shorts at the excellent Book Of The Dead fansite - http://www.bookofthedead.ws/website/super_8_full_shorts_list.html Oh, and Don May Jr posted an update regarding the upcoming Synapse DVD of Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except on the AV Maniacs board: "Our master is done, with all the audio remastered with commentaries, etc. Right now, we're just waiting for the interview segments, etc. to be done. RED SHIRT PICTURES is working on it, so the featurettes will be awesome. When RED SHIRT is done with the featurettes, we'll be ready for the announcement. We even got a couple of the Raimi/Campbell/Becker/Spiegel short films that haven't been seen in decades as possible extras."

James

Dear James:

Thanks for the info.

Josh

Name:            Mark Fairclough
E-mail:           
Date:              07/05/10

Hi josh

mark from the uk. It said in your evil dead journal to kill time you watched the sam raimi film shorts clockwork and william shakespeare the movie. Could you tell me what them shorts were like and are they available.

Thanks
Mark Fairclough.

Dear Mark:

Those are Sam's movies so I don't know where they are. "Clockwork" was Sam's practice horror film, maybe 7-minutes long, starring Scott Spiegel and the lovely Cheryl Gutteridge, and it's got a couple of great shots and a couple of good scares. "William Shakespeare the Movie" was Sam's class project for his Shakespeare class at MSU. He dragged Bruce and a girl from the class out into the snow and shot one lengthy scene from "Taming of the Shrew," which devolves at the end to Kate beating the crap out of Bruce, cracking all of his knuckles, then smashing him in the face with a cardboard box until he's literally bloody. The first time I saw it I thought I was going to laugh myself sick. I think it remains the finest integration of Shakespeare and the Three Stooges ever attempted.

Josh

Name:            Kristie
E-mail:           
Date:              07/05/10

Dear Josh:

Have you seen Francis Ford Coppola's "Tetro" yet?

Dear Kristie:

Not yet. I should go check HBO and Showtime, maybe it's showing.

Josh

Name:            Eugen Buturlakin
E-mail:           
Date:              07/05/10

Dear Josh:

So you not have the film happy valey kid? The Case of the Topanga Pearl. bruce campbell's playing well?

Dear Eugen:

I don't think anybody has "The Happy Valley Kid" anymore. I think it got completely worn out and lost. There's probably a shitty video version. And Bruce isn't in "The Case of the Topanga Pearl." It stars me, Sam, Scott and Ellen Sandwiess.

Josh

Name:            Eugen Buturlakin
E-mail:           
Date:              07/04/10

Dear Josh:

what about The Happy Valley Kid ?

Dear Eugen:

Sam directed that. I'm in it, and I ran camera and did some of the lighting. I always liked that movie.

Josh

Name:            Kev Blart
E-mail:           
Date:              07/02/10

Dear Josh:

Lol, it was pretty good, figured you'd seen it. The main dude looked and acted exactly like Sam Raimi in TSNKE, maybe he saw it somewhere along the line...there were a few other similarities, but it just might be because they're both low budge exploitation movies going for shocks and thrills. I got a question for you: what posters do you have up in your house?

Dear Kev:

All of my movie posters are in my office. I've got a 1930s Italian poster for Martini, with martini glasses receding into the distance, Edward Hopper's "Nighthawks," Van Gogh's "The Pool Room," Art Kane's "Jazz Portrait, 1958."

Josh

Name:            Eugen Buturlakin
E-mail:           
Date:              07/01/10

Dear Josh:

I've watched many short movies starred Bruce from bookofthedead site.I guessed that you perhaps have got them too. Or do you have got those where you ware the director? what about Shemp eats the Moon?

Dear Eugen:

I had nothing to do with "Shemp Eats the Moon," other than it seemed like a remake of my film, "The Case of the Topanga Pearl."

Josh

Name:            Kev Blart
E-mail:           
Date:              07/01/10

Dear Josh:

Did you rip-off Thou Shall Not Kill from I Drink Your Blood? Don't lie...

Dear Kev:

Honest to goodness, I've never seen it. The blurb in Maltin's book sounds horribly intriguing -- for revenge a kid gives hippies meat pies infected with rabies. Yuk! How was it?

Josh

Name:            Jack
E-mail:           
Date:              06/30/10

Dear Josh:

I'm surprised to Read your comment about "Jurassic Park" being a good Film. It's one of those that I Loved when I saw them as a Kid (well, a younger Kid) but, since Reading your "Complete Guide to Low Budget Feature Filmmaking Book" have found many flaws with when I've watched it since: firstly the Structure, in that the Point-of-No-Return end of Act One, which is surely the moment the T-Rex bursts out it's enclosure, happens a full half hour after it should, and also the fact that it's just a Hollywood-standard Summer Blockbuster "Popcorn Movie" like Indiana Jones - lots of People running/screaming/Dying etc. with no Deeper Meaning or Themes. Would be interested to hear what you like about it.

Dear Jack:

I don't think it's a great movie, but I do think it works exactly on the level it intends to. I just saw it again in the last six months and it holds up, too.

Josh

Name:            Mark Fairclough
E-mail:           
Date:              06/30/10

Hi josh

mark from the uk. Could you tell me a bit about your new script your working on "INSURGENT"

Thanks
Mark Fairclough

Dear Mark:

No, I don't want to discuss it yet. I'll jinx it.

Josh

Name:            Santo
E-mail:           
Date:              06/30/10

Dear Josh:

You got blu-ray yet? Why not--what\'s your excuse? It\'s how movies need to be seen.

Dear Santo:

No, I don't. Not yet. But movies REALLY should be seen in a movie theater, in the format in which they were shot. Next best might well be blu-ray, but it ain't first.

Josh

Name:            Just Another Fan
E-mail:           
Date:              06/30/10

Dear Josh:

What is your take on the current state of American comedy films ? Stuff like "The Hangover", Judd Apatow flicks, ect. etc,

Dear JAF:

I find it entirely unfunny. I didn't get a single laugh out of "The Hangover" or "40-Year-Old Virgin."

Josh

Name:            Stanley Barnes
E-mail:           
Date:              06/30/10

Dear Josh:

You ever see The Color Purple? Goddaaaaaaaaaaaaamn, why does Spielberg suck so much ass and never get called out for it? I'd give a left nut to have seen his face on the morning they announced the Academy Award nominations, and Color Purple got 11, and he didn't even get fucking nominated. What a jerk. What a God awful movie!

Dear Stanley:

I couldn't agree with you more. The film is complete garbage. As far as I'm concerned Spielberg has made three good movies: "Jaws," "Close Encounters" and "Jurassic Park," and the rest are a total waste of time. I'll give him "Duel," too, but that was a TV movie. I feel like I'm the only one who's been calling him out for years. Films like "The Terminal," "Always," "1941," and "Hook" are really, really bad films. Then again, I think "Schindler's List" and "Saving Private Ryan" are really bad films, too. Admittedly, he often has his moments, but for the most part his films stink.

Josh

Name:            Zlatko
E-mail:           
Date:              06/28/10

Dear Mr. Beckers,

I wish to greet you nice and speak I am your fan. You is very smart and artist. I love Evil Dead and all its many. Horror is best film in the world and Bruce Campbell is sexy and great. You can give me his e-mail please?

Love and wishes,
Zlatko Tyshkov

Dear Zlatko:

I is smart and artist, although I didn't make "Evil Dead," I just worked on it. But thanks anyway. Yes, Bruce is sexy and great. His website is www.bruce-campbell.com. You can contact him there. All the best.

Josh

Webmaster:  Kevin Neece
E-mail:           
Date:              06/25/10

Dear Josh

What about the Bridge scene in APOCALYPSE NOW?

Dear Kevin:

They built that bridge and that village. It doesn't have to be an interior set. If you built them, they're sets.

Josh

Name:            Ray
E-mail:           
Date:              06/25/10

Hi Josh,

Can you tell me what the origin and meaning of the term "set-piece" is? I've heard directors talking about the big action or horror scenes in their films as "set-pieces" and I don't quite understand why the don\'t just call it a big action scene.

Thanks,
Ray

Dear Ray:

Because a big "set-piece" is on a set that had to be built. A car chase isn't a set-piece, nor is an exterior battle scene, but a big barroom fight in a saloon would be because they had to build the saloon set, or a shoot-out in a cave because the cave is a set. It's a misused term sometime, but that's the idea.

Josh

Name:            Eugen Buturlakin
E-mail:           
Date:              06/24/10

Dear Josh

I've got your shorts I like your shorts and respect you have you got what shorts with bruce campbell? please look after

Dear Eugen:

Pretty much all of my short films are with Bruce. Which ones have you got and where did you get them?

Josh

Name:            Vicrum
E-mail:           
Date:              06/24/10

Hey Josh,

Hope you feel better. We missed you!

Best wishes,
Vicrum Boonton,
New Jersey

Dear Vicrum:

I feel fine, it was the website that needed some work. But we're back open for business. Thanks for the kind thoughts.

Josh