David Fincher is well on his way to snagging a statuette at this year’s Academy Awards…assuming that his Win an Oscar Checklist looks something like this:
1) Make extremely dull film with two megastars
2) Physically assault studio exec who passed on said piece of trash
3) Go completely off the deep end!
That’s right, after actually smacking John Goldwyn a few nights ago, Fincher seems to have totally snapped after last night’s Q&A at Lincoln Center. While he was allegedly discussing “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” Fincher managed to oscillate wildly between “total maniac” and “abject dick.” Some of the highlights include his confusing account of pitching the film: “That’s a phone book!” said the studio, to which he adroitly countered, “No, it’s the film we want to make!” Later, he dished on his canny use of the picture’s $150 million budget, claiming that the production made $3.5 million in mistakes (which, frankly, may be a conservative estimate). Fincher closed by making sure his fans felt appreciated by responding to an audience query on the possibility of a sequel to “Se7en” by quipping: ” I would be less interested in that than I would in having cigarettes put out in my eyes.” Classy, dude.
At this point, we’ll be surprised if the next blurb doesn’t feature him taking a crap on Alfred Hitchcock’s grave. [Variety via Vulture]
There’s nothing in what he said that would justify you calling him an “asshole” here. Nothing.
This is just what he’s like. It’s just charm, Fincher-style. Everyone knows what he’s like. The most negative thing the Variety article about said about it was that “Fincher gives fans an earful.” Other Blogs didn’t even mention anything, or at least nothing negative.
So he said he didn’t want to make a sequel to Seven and that there were “$3.5 million of mistakes” in Button and suddenly he's an "asshole?"
Have they redefined the term "asshole" and no one told me?
Also, way to be un-biased, dude. I can't imagine where I got the idea that you had something against David Fincher.
I suppose you own the David Fincher voodoo doll too, right? Go to bed every night praying that something bad happens to him and/or any member of his family? Anyone responsible with bringing David Fincher into the world deserves a slow, painful death?
Is that about right?
P.S. I'm actually somewhat amused that you essentially copied someone else's interpretation of the Q&A and criticism of him verbatim. Where have we seen that before?
I guess original criticism isn't for everyone.
P.P.S. It looks like Button will earn mega-nominations by the Academy. It was nominated for a PGA award yesterday, and ACE today. That pretty much makes it a lock for a Best Picture nomination now, doesn’t it? It’ll probably sweep the techs. How many nominations are we predicting now? I say it gets the most, with about 12 to 14.
What do you think?
We’re just ribbing fincher and his way with words (he doesn’t suffer fools gladly and it shows).
You should take a chill pill. Vulture said the same thing, btw.
I think Button will get lots of nominations too, maybe not that many, but at least 7. Does that change my opinion of it? Hell no, I still admire the technical aspects of it (or at least some of them, you know how i feel about the digi part of it), but what now you’re saying because Oscar loves it it must be good?
Aren’t you probably the same person who thought Oscar was nuts when all of fincher’s other films got overlooked?
That institution can’t all of a sudden be valid just cause it jives with your taste.
I agree with you that Button will get 7 nominations too. If by 7 you mean 12 to 14.
So you loved Forest Gump and a Beautiful Mind and all the other films that Oscar told you were awesome. Gotcha.
I happened to attend the David Fincher on Benjamin Button discussion last Sunday and I didn’t feel that there was any over exuded assholery on his part. The discussion was informative, handled professionally and charming by means of sly humor. I can say that a large portion of the discussion was lacking depth in explanation to story structure and other notable design elements. But on a technical plateau I found the discussion to be rather rewarding. We previewed two behind the scenes clips that will more than likely make their way on the special features DVD, while Kent Jones and David Fincher spent the night primarily discussing those elements.
I would like to mention that I am a Fincher fan but have not found the place in my cinephilistic (if this isn’t a word it should be) heart to find total gratification in his last two works. It’s not to say that the films are bad movies. I enjoyed the movement and progression of each, but not the result. I relate to those who argue about the length and duration of both Zodiac and Button choking the film’s content when it should have been reinforcing it. I am quite sure that many who are gratified by this technique exist in large numbers, so I won’t say too much more. You can invite me to visit your club but I don’t think I’ll join. I am all for lengthy films if there is a worthy payoff that is honest and insightful to the story and its character(s). In that sense lies my problem, more to do with Zodiac and less with Button.
Lastly, in the introduction, Kent Jones praised David Fincher for his ability to merge story, technique and a discernible “voice” with his catalog of work. Of the three, and on this occasion, Fincher only managed to find social comfort in discussing one of those elements: technique.
if you guys didn’t see the wink in “endearing assholery,” well…