Directors Journal

(Continued)

MONDAY NOVEMBER 2ND
The final screening held at CAA.

One of the last things that we did on the film was add the beginning of Supertramp's "Crime Of The Century" to the very beginning of the film, where all the power logos are parading by.

A last gasp of pomp rock in the Seventies before punk ruined everything, the lyrics of the song - featured time-appropiately at the end of the Memphis trial in June '76 - are just so uncannily perfect...

Now they're planning the crime of the century
Well what will it be?
Read all about their schemes and adventuring
I'm sure it's well worth the fee

The crime of the century can be seen as either the creators of the hard core movie and the mob who controlled and distributed it, or the government that went after it - determined to exile sex not only from the cinematic experience but also from any adult consideration in the culture. That's what makes the second verse so perfect - although there was no way to fit it in...

Who are these men of lust greed and glory?
Rip off the mask, and let's see!
But that's not right - oh no, what's the story?
But there's you, and there's me

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 3RD
Election day.

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 4TH
Bush wins, analysis begins.

First out of the gate is the old chestnut about moral values.

But before we believe that Nixon's silent majority and Reagan's moral majority and Bush's bully majority really do have a high moral agenda for the country, it's worth pointing out that the red states consume pornography as voraciously as the blue states, maybe more so. And all that porn is distributed to them by some of America's most conservative, most blue-chip corporations. Clearly then, the issue is hypocrisy versus honesty. The open "live and let live" stance of the Democrats just ain't gonna cut it in an environment where people are committed to having a public face versus a private life. This was evidenced in an under-reported scandal in which longtime Republican and anti-gay supporter xxxx xxxxx was trapped leaving a lewd message over the phone for a gay hook up. The fact that no one really wanted to touch the story was most revealing, as if people in glass houses shouldnt throw stones. And the story illustrates the strange thrill of the closet; not just the gay closet but the closet at large. Because sex in america is back in the closet.

Some people think Michael Moore might have lost the election, his "documentary" stoking Republican ire. The idea of Fahrenheit 9/11 as a colossal miscalculation is intriguing. Perhaps the way for the democrats to beat the Republicans is not to try and beat them at their own bully game, because if Monicagate taught anyone anything it's that they have might, right, and (if you believe them) God on their side. They're just too darn good at it. Meanwhile Michael Moore, like that hippo in a tutu from Fantasia, skates on thin ice; it's only a matter of time before his champagne socialism and sheer greed is exposed by the Republican machine.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 5TH 2004
Still not completely finished!

Randy flies off to Florida for one last interview with Art and Terri Sommers. We really think that they are the stars of the film and it would be so good to resolve their story. The only thing is that Terri keeps on changing her mind about whether or not she wants to go on camera again. After umpteen telephone calls, Ashley manages to persuade her to agree - and stay persuaded till we get there with a camera.

Also while in Florida, Randy hooks up with Andrea True to record the vocals of "Hot Christmas."

This year for our Christmas card we plan to dredge up an old Pop Tarts pop song, "Hot Christmas." Without boasting, it's a catchy ditty - in a completely toxic kind of way - with the chorus "I'm dreaming of a hot Christmas, c'mmon baby let's [beat] this christmas." It's suggestive in an innocent way. Mild double entendre, that kind of thing. So we think who better to sing this song than Shane Klingensmith who sang "Hot Hot Hot" in Showbiz Moms and Dads? Everything is going just fine until the manager intervenes:

I'm pretty sure it implies having sex, but I think instead of putting the
single beat in there (where the word would be) it should be changed to
something like "let's kiss this Christmas" or "let's light a fire this
Christmas." Hopefully you understand what I'm saying

We reply:

We can't change the words of the song because that's the whole idea: KLet's blank this Christmas. Because it's just a beat, because no rude words are actually said, it's all up to people's imagination. And because no one is saying any rude words, it's really very innocent.

Doesn't make any difference. Everyone's afraid - even of innuendo.

We are stumped for a bit. But then Randy comes up with the brilliant idea of Andrea True!

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 9TH 2004
Go see Angelina Jollie camping it up in Alexander. She really deserves to get a shot at playing Linda Lovelace. It could be her Monster. (Ditto after also seeing her equally campy performance as a one-eyed British commandertrix in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.) There is no scenery she can't chew!

MONDAY NOVEMBER 22ND 2004
It's Oprah's favorite-things show. We aren't in the audience, alas, but we get our own Thanksgiving gift: We're going to Sundance. Premiere slot.

TUESDAY DECEMBER 7TH
Tape EPK interview in the basement of the office. Feels very grown up; they have three cameras!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 17TH
Finally become an American citizen, along with 8,000 others down at the old convention center. Too late for the election, alas!

MONDAY DECEMBER 20TH
Record voiceover with Dennis Hopper, who is of course a complete pro and certainly not the man you read about in Easy Riders Raging Bulls.

Perhaps it's no surprise to learn that one of the wildest children of the Sixties is now a Rrepublican. We are so used to the idea of Republicans as bible-bashing hate-mongering greed-obsessed trolls that we (airy wave of the hand to include all Hollywood) can hardly conceive of someone sane and intelligent being a Republican.

Instead, he drinks Earl Gray tea, is a joy to work with, and plans on attending the Inauguration in DC next month.

TUESDAY DECEMBER 21ST
Conference call with Universal to discuss the premiere at Sundance.

"We're here today to talk about how to eventize the event but..." Love that!

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 31ST
Frantic call: The credits on the film have to be changed. Again.