PTA Fires Back!!!!!!!!!!

Started by depooter, November 17, 2003, 06:59:27 PM

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depooter

Here's the PTA interview. As usual, his responses are uniquely his. Enjoy. You get it first........an Xixax exclusive.....

1. Let's talk about Couch. Was it shot on 16mm?  Furthermore, was it shot on
a Bolex?  Tell me about the location? Lots of people have been asking.

The illustrious "couch" was shot in 35mm with a panavision camera and primo lenses at a Levitz in Chatsworth, California. can't remember what stock we used, my short term memory is shot at that moment. The location was simple - it may only appear un-simple because of the bizzare backing we put up in the middle of the store......did i forget to mention "couch" is my favorite thing ever ever ever ever?

2. The "Solar Flares" or "Lens Flares" in PDL appear at remarkably timed
moments throughout the film. Were all these intentional down to the specific
moment? Please explain.

they were specific for the most part. hitting on a line or a moment, etc. some just happened because the Sun wanted to contribute something nice....
There really is no direction you can give to the Sun....for instance, when Lena meets Barry - the Sun directed those lens flares and I thought he/she did a wonderful job....


3. Finish these sentences...:

You might be surprised to learn that I can...

tie my own shoes.

One thing I can't live without is... (refrain from saying movies, music,
television, etc.)

swimming in the sea, baseball playoffs. my Nikon Cool Pix 5000. Apple.
I don't get it. They can put a man on the moon, but they can't...

fuck, that's a long, long list. How much time do you have? They can put a man
on the moon but they can't clean their own back yard. There's a great song
by Gil Scott Heron that answers that question better than I ever could called, "Whitey's On The Moon."

I'm not obsessive-compusive, but I always have to...

?????? But I am, you see!
Besides "A warm gun," Happiness is...

a cold and unloaded one.
My favorite meal is...

a happy one. Breakfast! eggs, any style. w/hot sauce (chilula) iced tea.

4. What's going on with the largo/jon brion collaborations? i see largo the
site still has a spot reserved for pta movies coming soon...???

great question. not so hard to say. I have hours of stuff that I shot just for the hell of it - and once I get my head from around my ass, we'll probably just throw them up there - they just need to be found amongst many unlabled and half-shot tapes. There's also another thing we did as a test a few years back with Fiona,
sweet elliot Smith, the great Brad Meldau and Jon at Cello Studios - just a test on shooting three cameras (video) and seeing if we could capture something - and that may soon find a home somewhere...more soon on that...it's all nice stuff, very simple, straightforward, no flashy pants - just music. it was a (relatively) successful test and if we tried something similar again, it might be more flash and pants and last waltz-stop making sense style....if these things ever make it out, look for a bizarre and wonderful bette midler cameo! ha!


5. Name a recent film that you thought was amazing, and why do you consider
it that way.

lost in translation, lost in translation, lost in translation! enough said, it speaks for itself. mystic river. noi albinoi.

6. Andy Serkis has expressed a strong interest in working with you. What did
you think of his work on the character Gollum in Lord of the Rings, and what
are your feelings about the effect that computer generated special effects
are having on cinema?

i love the lord of the rings and i can't wait to see the final chapter. i have nothing against computer generated effects. it's just like anything else: use 'em right and they work - otherwise i should just go home and stick my dick in a nintendo. (quentin's line...) The gollum/andy serkis stuff is truly wonderful and the perfect example of effects done well...praise Peter Jackson. I could never have the patience to do what he's done....a computer made frogs fall and lots of other sweet things, for me so I like them.

7. How many drafts do you usually write for each screenplay?

about 1,000,000,000,000 and 3 or 4 maybe 5.....but then again, I keep writing all the way through the making of the movie. it never really stops. once in a great while something remains completely untouched from the time it comes out of me to the time it makes the street.

8. Lot of people stand by the theory that Lena was an alien from outer space
based on a few things you said and all the lunar footage shown on TV.
Thoughts?

I stand by that. Have you ever met anyone as lovely as Emily Watson that WASN'T from outer space?

9. You've mentioned that you've been working on an adventure type film for
awhile. Can you give us a bit more info? Any timelines on when you might
finish up and begin filming?

errr, um, shuffle, scuffle........maybe sooner than you think.

10. Tell me about your relationship with Quentin. How did you meet? Do you
spend much time together. Talk about your trip to the Kill Bill set and your
thoughts on the film?

quentin and i were both raised by wolves in california and we reunited in 1997
through a mutual friend. I love him and i love his work. kill bill was one helluva friday night movie and i suppose we all have to wait for saturday night to really make sense of what the hell is going on....we spend as much time together as we should.....just enough. My trip to China to visit him was mostly about making sure that the extascy was good enough for him to try....seeing the great wall, visiting all the landmarks, sleeping in a nice hotel, watching him kill people, getting blood all over me and helping spend   Miramax's money....


11. Have you seen the new DVD collection of short films and music videos by
Spike Jonze,Chris Cunningham and Michel Gondry. Any chance in hell you'd
collect your stuff?

i haven't seen although i was given the chris cunningham dvd - can't wait to watch, they are all great.
i don't have the collection of b-sides that those guys do - maybe someday when there's more stuff....don't wait for it, I'll stick to my day job for now....


11. How about some new DVD Picks.

that's two number 11's!!!!

Dancer In The Dark - I know it's obvious, but this remains the best movie in the last 5 years. Hands down. No question.

You Can Count On Me - I was really late seeing this movie and I think it's just superb and simple and sweet.

The Shooting/Ride In The Whirlwind - must see low budget westerns.

The Life Of Mammals - BBC series.

Day Of Wrath - Carl Dryer DVD box set from Criterion.

aclockworkjj

Quote from: ptaYou Can Count On Me - I was really late seeing this movie and I think it's just superb and simple and sweet.
excellent choice.  not something i woulda expected.

ps. thanks 2 both of you for taking the time.

Sleuth

Mr. Paul Thomas Anderson can't spell ecstasy :(
I like to hug dogs

modage

cool.

sooner than you think huh?!??
Christopher Nolan's directive was clear to everyone in the cast and crew: Use CGI only as a last resort.

MacGuffin

Many thanks as always, Greg!

Quote from: depooterI don't get it. They can put a man on the moon, but they can't...

fuck, that's a long, long list. How much time do you have? They can put a man on the moon but they can't clean their own back yard. There's a great song by Gil Scott Heron that answers that question better than I ever could called, "Whitey's On The Moon."

Whitey on the Moon
A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face and arms began to swell.
(and Whitey's on the moon)
I can't pay no doctor bill.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
Ten years from now I'll be payin' still.
(while Whitey's on the moon)
The man jus' upped my rent las' night.
('cause Whitey's on the moon)
No hot water, no toilets, no lights.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
I wonder why he's uppi' me?
('cause Whitey's on the moon?)
I wuz already payin' 'im fifty a week.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Taxes takin' my whole damn check,
Junkies makin' me a nervous wreck,
The price of food is goin' up,
An' as if all that shit wuzn't enough:
A rat done bit my sister Nell.
(with Whitey on the moon)
Her face an' arm began to swell.
(but Whitey's on the moon)
Was all that money I made las' year
(for Whitey on the moon?)
How come there ain't no money here?
(Hmm! Whitey's on the moon)
Y'know I jus' 'bout had my fill
(of Whitey on the moon)
I think I'll sen' these doctor bills,
Airmail special
(to Whitey on the moon)
"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it's good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art." - Andy Warhol


Skeleton FilmWorks

Jeremy Blackman

Quote from: Paul Thomas AndersonDancer In The Dark - I know it's obvious, but this remains the best movie in the last 5 years. Hands down. No question.

How long have I been saying this?

:yabbse-grin:

Gold Trumpet

Quote from: Jeremy Blackman
Quote from: Paul Thomas AndersonDancer In The Dark - I know it's obvious, but this remains the best movie in the last 5 years. Hands down. No question.

How long have I been saying this?

:yabbse-grin:

Haha, I figured you'd like that. My opinion still stands.

I wish he would have spoken about his "adventure" movie project. He kept tight lip.

Gamblour.

Ahhhh! That was so great! Like I said before, anything he would've put would be good enough for me, but his answers were so great. I need to go see those dvds he mentioned as well as Lost in Translation again. Too fucking cool.

Also, the response to the Emily Watson alien question...fucking amazing. That was the perfect response.
WWPTAD?

Alethia

that was really cool, thanks alot greg.

Gloria

quentin and i were both raised by wolves in california and we reunited in 1997...  

helping spend Miramax's money....

Thats hilarious!  Nice work depooter. Thanks!  :yabbse-thumbup:

Pozer


Duck Sauce


SHAFTR

that is cool

I wish he would answer more questions, when do you think the next time we can expect more questions/answers?
"Talking shit about a pretty sunset
Blanketing opinions that i'll probably regret soon"

SoNowThen

Those who say that the totalitarian state of the Soviet Union was not "real" Marxism also cannot admit that one simple feature of Marxism makes totalitarianism necessary:  the rejection of civil society. Since civil society is the sphere of private activity, its abolition and replacement by political society means that nothing private remains. That is already the essence of totalitarianism; and the moralistic practice of the trendy Left, which regards everything as political and sometimes reveals its hostility to free speech, does nothing to contradict this implication.

When those who hated capital and consumption (and Jews) in the 20th century murdered some hundred million people, and the poster children for the struggle against international capitalism and America are now fanatical Islamic terrorists, this puts recent enthusiasts in an awkward position. Most of them are too dense and shameless to appreciate it, and far too many are taken in by the moralistic and paternalistic rhetoric of the Left.

Finn

Cool interview! I'm glad to know that he's a big fan of Dancer in the Dark. I'm also glad he liked Lost in Translation and Mystic River.
Typical US Mother: "Remember what the MPAA says; Horrific, Deplorable violence is okay, as long as people don't say any naughty words."