Bukowski, directed by James Franco
- Thread starter Rory
- Start date
If you are looking for some sort of "newly-fantastic" form of Bukowski, I think you need to re-prioritize. I've never found a medium that trumps Bukowski's words. For some reason, many people keep on trying. It boggles my mind why the masses cannot be satisfied by his words. Maybe it's because people can't read? Maybe it's because people who can read need to be spoon-fed? Seriously; what is the problem here? He wrote books. The books are, by and large, fantastic. What am I missing?
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
It will be very difficult to look at all these hollywood actors with impeccable dentition, trying to portray a european family, in 1925. I can only imagine the worst scenario.
Are you suggesting that Steve Buscemi would be a better casting? Actually, he's an excellent actor and probably would be. He seems like someone who could play someone named Baldy Lacrosse.
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
Yes, yes! I just looked him up because I'm not good at remembering names. Yes, great features and good actor. I could even see him as a Hank, but now I forget the tone of his tone of voice.
mjp
Founding member
That brings up a (possibly) interesting point. Did the Bukowski drawl that we know from his later life even exist in the young Bukowski, or was it the result of his near-death hospital episode?
A lot of unusual things happen to people when they come very close to death or have traumatic brain injuries (which a massive loss of blood could cause).
It's food for thought, mobsters.
Skygazer
And in the end...
Can't at the minute remember where I read it, but Bukowski certainly states that the slurred speech was the direct result of his massive Upper G.I bleed, that would lead to profound hypotension (low blood pressure) causing potential hypoxic brain damage (low supply of oxygen).
So until, blood supply and pressure are restored through transfusion or other fluids then yes, brain injury is a risk.
Should I turn my head and cough?
Black Swan
Abord the Yorikke!
I didn't mean to say the tone of the tone of the tone of the tone...
Only the tone of his voice. :-))
Skygazer
And in the end...
Looked for the direct quote from Bukowski about his speech being affected after the bleed, couldn't find it, will probably find it in 3 months.
But instead came across a reference to his slow speech in Howard Sounes: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life Chapter 1 Twisted Childhood:
"It was one of the reasons Bukowski came to talk so slowly – he learned to think before speaking in case he upset his father."
But instead came across a reference to his slow speech in Howard Sounes: Locked in the Arms of a Crazy Life Chapter 1 Twisted Childhood:
"It was one of the reasons Bukowski came to talk so slowly – he learned to think before speaking in case he upset his father."
Skygazer
And in the end...
I know what you're saying but reading that chapter again, it did sound plausible, I could imagine him as a small child being so intimidated by his father, that perhaps learning to think first and slow his speech down to prevent himself getting into trouble would help, although it didn't stop the beatings, unfortunately.
Sounes does say it was one of the reasons, not the reason, so perhaps this and the possible damage done after the bleed are the main reasons.
AS well as Bukowski saying that the event altered his speech (which is the most important thing) wasn't there anyone else that biographers could contact, who also knew him before the event to verify it?
Sounes does say it was one of the reasons, not the reason, so perhaps this and the possible damage done after the bleed are the main reasons.
AS well as Bukowski saying that the event altered his speech (which is the most important thing) wasn't there anyone else that biographers could contact, who also knew him before the event to verify it?
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mjp
Founding member
Remember that Sounes never met Bukowski, never interviewed him, so anything he says about his childhood is second hand at best, and more often gleaned from Bukowski's own writing. Something we all have access to. Sounes himself has no special insight into Bukowski's life beyond what he got from interviewing a lot of people and doing extensive research (so again, second hand at best).
That research and those interviews made for a couple of good books. But that's all it did. It did not give him a direct view into the 10 year old Bukowski's psyche. Anything he says about how Bukowski felt or acted as a boy (that Bukowski himself hasn't said or written) is speculation and fantasy.
There's nothing wrong with speculation and fantasy. We do plenty of that here. But I just want to reiterate that, "Because Sounes said so," doesn't necessarily mean it is so. Especially when he's talking about relatively undocumented parts of Bukowski's life.
That research and those interviews made for a couple of good books. But that's all it did. It did not give him a direct view into the 10 year old Bukowski's psyche. Anything he says about how Bukowski felt or acted as a boy (that Bukowski himself hasn't said or written) is speculation and fantasy.
There's nothing wrong with speculation and fantasy. We do plenty of that here. But I just want to reiterate that, "Because Sounes said so," doesn't necessarily mean it is so. Especially when he's talking about relatively undocumented parts of Bukowski's life.
Well, you're certainly not in that territory here.
Skygazer
And in the end...
Or this company either then :), just a little decorum goes a long way... sometimes.
Agree with that, I'm sure the film makers will use a variety of sources ( I would hope) in the making of the film. It will be interesting to see what they do with his voice, it such a distinctive part of him, but what it was like pre 1954 who knows? Presumably the film will end with Pearl Harbour?
I also agree with Purple Stickpin, I'm really not that keen to see it, or any other bio-pic, I'm just not that into them.
I seem to remember, it was Neeli who first brought up that idea in his book.
May be wrong though.
And of course, it still doesn't proof anything.
I always thought Buscemi would've made a great Dirk Diggler. So maybe cast him as Pete Mangalore?
It'd be pretty cool to get everybody's take on their ideal cast. I remember reading that PKD wanted Gregory Peck as "Deckard" and Grace Slick as "Rachael" if they would've made Blade Runner in the early 70s.
Skygazer
And in the end...
The plot thickens:
http://www.thewrap.com/james-franco-sued-film-rights-charles-bukowski
"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers".Henry VI - (Act IV, Scene II).:)
http://www.thewrap.com/james-franco-sued-film-rights-charles-bukowski
"The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers".Henry VI - (Act IV, Scene II).:)
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Well, if Franco used full dialogues that were in the original script from this other fellow, he could be in a bit of trouble. Otherwise, Franco seems to be free to make a biopic on Bukowski using another source. If this other guy owns the rights to adapt the novel HAM ON RYE, he is still free to do that. Franco is using another source for his book, NOT the novel.
Skygazer
And in the end...
It's amazing really, given the litigious nature of the entertainment industry, you would have thought that Mr Franco would have avoided using references to adapting Ham on Rye (publicly)and instead, emphasized that he was doing a biopic - which he is now saying of course. Depends I suppose on what he has lifted from the book, dialogue wise.Would it not be difficult to sue over generic, factual events?
No doubt the lawyers are busy.
No doubt the lawyers are busy.
mjp
Founding member
Film rights are limited. You buy them for X number of years (typically not many), then you lose them and someone else can pick them up. To add a layer confusion, if I own the rights to a work I can sell them to you (for the period that I bought). I imagine the rights to most of Bukowski's novels have been sold multiple times.
Jason Priestley: A Memoir
Beverly Hills is just not the same since the Peach Pit closed. I know, this has zero to do with this thread.
Beverly Hills is just not the same since the Peach Pit closed. I know, this has zero to do with this thread.
mjp
Founding member
A recent article claimed that he neglected to secure the rights to the story, which is generally frowned upon. He says it isn't Ham on Rye, but rather an original work about the young Bukowski.
Though I'm not sure how you write an original work about the young Bukowski without Ham on Rye...
Though I'm not sure how you write an original work about the young Bukowski without Ham on Rye...
bospress.net
www.bospress.net
Say what you will about Franco, but he really is into writers. I recently saw him in As I Lay Dying, and also a biopic about Hart Crane The Broken Tower (he wrote and directed them also). Faulkner's The Sound And the Fury is set to come out soon (starred and directed), As well as playing Ginsberg in Howl. Plus Bukowski, of course.