Interview: "Catchin' Up With PTA"

Written By Cigarettes & Red Vines
November 2nd, 2000


Tell me about the rumors that you did a rewrite on Universal’s Charade remake for Jonathan Demme?

[Scoffs] No. Not even close [Laughs]. No, Jonathan & I just have a relationship of sending things to each other. So, he’ll send me draft of Charade & I’ll say boy, this is good, this is bad, you should try & fix this & look at that.

So, your opinion basically?

Yeah. Just swapping ideas & stuff. I did not even remotely touch a draft. & Jonathan is going to eventually do Charade. A year & half from now or something like that.

October 27, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

If you're addicted to tobacco or have a weakness for dingy diners, you'll be itching for a smoke in your favorite local eatery after watching Cigarettes and Coffee, a 30-minute short written and directed by Paul Anderson in 1993, before he took on the snazzy moniker P.T. Anderson. From the corner of my eye I spotted the label on the video's white, hard plastic case. It read: "Warning: Only available version of this ultra rare film. Picture quality may be affected." Hmmm ... my curiosity was piqued.

This was Anderson's, director of the much lauded hits Boogie Nights and Magnolia, first film. Set in a diner outside Las Vegas (a city with very lenient smoking regulations), it gives a quick glimpse into the lives of five people, a minuscule cast compared with his other films which are filled to the brim with many well-known actors. There are three narratives: two friends, one young and in trouble, the other older and supposedly wiser (Philip Baker Hall); a young couple on their dysfunctional honeymoon; and a shady hustler. On the surface, they all seem to be connected solely by their love of nicotine. However, as their secrets unfurl, their stories seem to softly glide together along the fringes. When one crumples a $20 note and throws it on the floor, another finds it and picks it up on her way out.

These types of cat-and-mouse coincidences, which tie seemingly disparate characters together through small, unassuming actions, are key structural points that Anderson builds upon and polishes in his later films. Like Quentin Tarantino, he possesses a knack for blending different life stories together onto one large canvas, but does so in a slightly more subtle way.

He expanded Cigarettes and Coffee into the 1996 feature Sydney, which was then dubbed Hard Eight. He used bigger stars then, like Samuel L. Jackson and Gwyneth Paltrow, but here he only musters up a relatively unknown cast with actors like Kirk Baltz and Scott Coffey. This initial effort seems to be an exploration of human nature and relationships, particularly in the face of friction. He presents a few, quick vignettes that leave the viewer with the knowledge that there is and will be more.

The short opens with close-ups of the ritualistic act of preparing and lighting a cigarette. Hall breaks the silence with precisely enunciated words – as if each syllable needs to be pronounced just so – to benefit the viewers so that we may absorb the full importance of the point. The point? Drink coffee and have a smoke when you need to get something serious off your chest.

Tobacco and caffeine are the Valium of this created world. Each drag soothes the nerves of both the distraught and mellow characters. Is it a commentary on commonplace addictions or an exercise in product placement? Even as the newlywed husband barrages his wife with caustic words because of her irresponsible gambling binge, when he pauses to smoke life seems a bit more bearable and his wife less stupid.

But cigarettes and caffeine aren't the core of his film; the dubious mysteries are slowly revealed. Of course, they come at the very end leaving you waiting for a sequel. However, this being Anderson's first film, you know that it does pan out. Following the short is Aimee Mann's haunting music video for "Save Me" from the Magnolia soundtrack and two short trailers for the movie. Though a bit strange to watch after a film, it was a nice release from the tension built up earlier.

October 17, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005


After looking through a few hundred entries of the Magnolia DVD Contest, I've just got one thing to say, "Uh Oh!" I'm not getting very many correct entries at this point. Do yourself a favor & check out the Articles & Interviews section for answers to most of the questions. To help you out a bit, I will give you a two hints on where the first public screening of Magnolia was held. PTA wanted to show it somewhere away from the film industry & wanted one of the stars to see it while he was on location shooting his next film...To enter the contest go here.

Did anyone catch the Hard Eight screening this past weekend at the Reno Film Festival or the Boogie Nights screening at the Egyptian? Drop me a line & let me know how it went...

John C. Reilly will be featured in Martin Scorsese's new film, The Gangs of New York with Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz & Daniel Day-Lewis. It's currently filming overseas in Rome & is scheduled for release in 2001. (Thanks Anne!)

Magnolia dropped to 21st place on the VHS rentals chart for the week ending October 1st.  Weekly rental revenue was 0.82 million for a total of 42.3 million since its release on July 25th. These numbers are courtesy of National Rental Revenue & Video Store Magazine.

October 13, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Happy Friday the 13th! To celebrate, check out our new contest. Win one of 5 copies of the new 2 Disc Magnolia DVD! Entries will be accepted until November 13th & winners will be announced on Wednesday, November 15th. Check out all the details here.

October 12, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005


Magnolia will be re-released to sell on VHS on January 16th, 2001. I don't know what additional features to expect, but I imagine that will see a letterboxed version. The suggested retail price will be $19.98. More information as soon as I have it.

Philip Baker Hall will be the featured guest tonight on NBC's Later with Cynthia Garrett. Check your local listings for the time in your area. (Thanks Jed!)

Magnolia fell to 19th place on the VHS rentals chart for the week ending September 24th.  Weekly rental revenue was 1.07 million for a total of 41 million since its release on July 25th. These numbers are courtesy of National Rental Revenue & Video Store Magazine.

I've added quite a few new pictures to the PTA/Fiona section of the PTA Photo Gallery, including pictures from the 1998 & 2000 Academy Awards. More Photo Gallery additions in the near future.

I'll return on Friday with your chance to win the new Magnolia DVD!

October 10, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

The Melora Walters interview is finally available for your reading pleasure. She was extremely friendly & you'll learn a few things about her relationship with PTA, acting philosophy & future projects. A graphic link will be available soon, but for now, just click here.

October 5, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

There will be a PTA double feature at the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles on Wednesday, October 4th & Thursday, October 5th. Hard Eight will be shown each day at 7:30 p.m. & Magnolia at 9:30 p.m. For more information, here's a link to their website. Don't miss your chance to see these on the big screen!

Hard Eight will be screened on October 14th at 3:00 p.m. at the 1st Annual Reno Film Festival. For festival & ticket information go here.

Boogie Nights will be screened as part of American Cinematheque's Hollywood on Hollywood film series on October 15th at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. Boogie Nights will be shown at 5:45 p.m. For more information, check out the American Cinematheque's site here.

Magnolia landed in 13th place on the VHS rentals chart for the week ending September 17th.  Weekly rental revenue was 1.38 million for a total of 39.2 million since its release on July 25th. 

Phil Hoffman did a two hour Q & A at Yale University this past Thursday. He spoke about his stage acting & working with PTA, among other topics. Sounds like it was a great evening! (Thanks Nick!)

It sounds like the screening of Hard Eight at Brown University did not go off as planned last weekend. Brown is set up to show 16mm prints & the Hard Eight print was 35mm. (Thanks Jared!)

September 28, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Just a quick update today. If all goes well this week, I will return on Friday with that long talked about interview with Melora Walters!

More home video tidbits for your reading pleasure. The region 2 Magnolia DVD has been delayed yet again & now should be out on October 2nd (Thanks Ewan!). The domestic Magnolia DVD slipped to 13th on the DVD Sales Chart for the week ending September 10th. 

Hard Eight will be screened as part of the 1st Annual Reno Film Festival which will be held October 13th - 15th. The festival will feature an opening celebration, tour of Reno film sites, buffet dinner party, champagne brunch & wrap party. Ticket prices range from $7.50 for individual movies to $130 for an all-events pass. For more information, call (775) 334-6707. The date Hard Eight will be shown is not yet known & it's not clear if there will be any involvement from PTA's camp. I will let you know as soon as I hear anything else. (Thanks Bob!)

Did anyone attend the screening of Hard Eight at Brown University this past weekend? If so, drop me a line & let me know how it went...

September 24, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Fiona Apple's Fast as You Can directed by PTA is nominated for Best Pop Video of the Year at the annual Billboard Music Video Awards. The ceremony will be held on November 10th at the Hilton in Universal City, CA.

Magnolia held at 11th place on the VHS rentals chart for the week ending September 10th.  Weekly rental revenue was 1.98 million for a total of 36.8 million since its release on July 25th. Magnolia's rental revenue is 163.8% of Box Office gross, which is an outstanding number. Nothing else in the Top 20 is that high. What does it mean? That a lot more people are seeing Magnolia at home than they did at the theater. Now we just need to get these VHS folks to invest in a DVD player...

There are a few PTA related tidbits in the brand new Total Movie Magazine. What's cool about this magazine is the DVD that's included. It has trailers, featurettes, short films & more. It's worth checking out. One feature called Cinemullets, chronicles the worst haircuts on film. Here's their take on Boogie Nights:


Mullethead: Little Bill

Interestingly, Boogie Nights spanned two critical mullet eras, the '70s and the '80s. The '70s were all about, "Am I a hippie? Am I disco? Pass the coke, I think I'm Bowie." In the '80s the mullet M.O. became "Well, yeah, I'm metal, but I'm fancy metal." Full credit, then, goes to William H. Macy's Little Bill for standing out in one of the greatest ensemble mullet movies ever made. If we had hair that bad, we'd blow our brains out, too.

Side Note: The soundtrack album is a monument to mulletdom in itself, featuring such hirsute heroes as Rick Springfield, ELO, Night Ranger & Dirk Diggler.

Another feature entitled "Commentaries That Don't Suck" also highlights PTA's Boogie Nights track:

The Set-Up: What's so great about the commentary from director Paul Thomas Anderson is that he obviously truly admires all of the actors he worked with on this film, and more than that, their performances crack him up. He also provides a surprising amount of background on everyone onscreen, including even the weird extras.

Revealed: Why Elliot Gould's picture is in the background of three separate shots; which real porno flicks influenced Boogie Nights.

Shining Moment: Anderson ponders at length how actor John C. Reilly leaves him "break-down-crying, falling-on-the-floor-thinking-I'm-going-to-throw-up laughing." About the time he admits, "I can't get enough of him. I could stare at that fucking face all day long," you're wondering if maybe our man Reilly needs to look into a restraining order.

Typical Quote: This is just like you've got this scene that you've written and you just kind of feel like you've got three great actors and a bunch of cocaine and you'd be foolish if you didn't sit them down and get a bunch of improvisational shit.

September 21, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Well, I finally managed to obtain the DVD sales chart (courtesy of VideoScan & the Hollywood Reporter) for the week ending September 3rd. Magnolia debuted in 7th place behind other new releases such as Braveheart, T2, Sound of Music, etc. Boogie Nights did not place in the top 20. But these numbers may be deceiving. VideoScan states that they account for approximately 70% of POS (Point Of Sale) units sold through to consumers, but they do not track Internet sales. This makes a big difference since a ton of DVD's are sold online. Magnolia has been doing extremely well with the online retailers such as Amazon.com, Express.com & DVD Empire. Oh well, if anyone out there knows of a truly accurate way to track DVD sales, drop me a line...

I've been receiving a large volume of emails regarding the hidden features on the Boogie Nights & Magnolia DVD's. I made a point of not highlighting these, so viewers would have a chance to find them on their own. So just in case you haven't found them yet, check your color bars...

Thanks to site reader Mark Nolte, I learned that Magnolia was released in Australia on VHS this past Tuesday, September 19th. No word as of yet, on the DVD release, but I will keep you posted. Here's the cover art for the VHS release (Click to enlarge):


Australian VHS

I'm sorry to say that my main graphics designer, Ryan Worley is stepping down. Ryan has been invaluable to the site & I really couldn't have done it without him. He is extremely busy with school/work & understandably needs to focus on that. I wish him nothing but the best! Rest assured, he will still be around, helping out with the site in some capacity. So without further adieu, I'm pleased to announce that CJ Wallis (budding filmmaker & Photoshop guru) will handle these responsibilities! CJ has been very active with the site, so he's already used to my pain in the ass "creative control" over the way things look. Bottom Line: Expect the same quality & creativity moving forward. 

September 17, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I'm pleased to announce the winner of the PTA DVD Music Video Contest is Jimmy Nguyen! What did Jimmy do to deserve this prize? Jimmy submitted a 3 minute short film set to Aimee Mann's "One". Big deal, right? His entry was received on CD ROM, complete with menus, an introduction, the short (with & without commentary!), cast & crew biographies & a behind the scenes featurette! There was considerable time & effort put into this & it really shows! I hope to have this (as well as many of the other entries) on the site in the near future, so you can all check it out.

Hard Eight will be showing at Brown University next weekend as part of their Director's First Film Series. Hard Eight plays at 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 21st & on Sunday, September 24th. Admission is $2 for students & $2.50 for everyone else (per film). Other films showing include Bound, Clerks, I Shot Andy Warhol & Spanking the Monkey. You can check out this link for more info...(Thanks Ian!)

Magnolia was voted Best Film of the Year by FIPRESCI. PTA will receive the award at the opening ceremony of the San Sebastian International Film Festival on September 21st. I'm not sure if PTA will be there to receive the award. More info on this will follow. FIPRESCI is a worldwide organization of 150 film critics from 40 countries. For more information on the festival go here.

Back on Monday with the DVD sales chart, VHS rental chart & more!

September 14, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Magnolia will be released on DVD in Region 2 (which includes Japan, Europe, South Africa & The Middle East) on September 18th. There will be a bare bones release with no extras & a special edition which appears to mirror the recent release in North America (including the cover art). I'll post reviews & confirm features as soon as possible. The movie only DVD & VHS release will feature the great foreign theatrical poster art

September 10, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Congratulations to Dylan Tichenor, Aimee Mann, & Paul Thomas Anderson for winning Best Editing in a Video at yesterday's MTV Video Music Awards for Save Me. It was also nominated for Best Video From a Film.

Magnolia held steady in 7th place on the VHS rental chart for the week ending August 27th. Weekly rental revenue was 3.80 million for a total of 29.5 million since its release on July 25th. 

A great interview with PTA by the Toronto Star from January. Topics include frogs, the soundtrack mix & more! (Thanks to reader Andrew Chiu for sending in the interview)

September 5, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Magnolia dropped slightly to 7th place on the VHS rental chart for the week ending August 20th. Weekly rental revenue was 4.97 million for a total of 24.2 million since its release on July 25th. Expect good things when the DVD debuts on the sales chart next week.

Magnolia will make it's debut on pay per view September 7th. I have a Direct TV satellite dish & they will be showing Magnolia letterboxed as well. Check you local cable company or satellite provider for more information.

Finally, let's close the book on the Fight Club/David Fincher controversy. I receive a lot of emails on this topic, but I think it's been blown way out of proportion. I failed to report PTA's comments on Ain't It Cool News from May (see how important it is to me...). So here they are:

Just to clarify: My comments about Fincher and Fight Club were stupid. Wishing anyone testicular cancer isn't funny and I did end up seeing the film. I had a problem with the violence and the cruelty -- I just couldn't get past it -- blah blah blah....I wrote a letter to Fincher apologizing for my comments.....he was cool about it.

pta

August 31, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

As promised, I have something special for you today to celebrate the release of the Magnolia & Boogie Nights Platinum Edition DVD's. Unless your a DVD geek, the name Mark Rance might not be a familiar one. Mark was an integral part of the New Line Platinum Edition DVD Series & has worked with PTA on each of his DVD releases. Paul asked Mark to document the making of Magnolia & the result was "That Moment". An intimate 74 minute look at the making of Magnolia. We spoke in depth on his relationship with PTA, making the documentary, recording & editing the commentary tracks & more! I'm very pleased to present this exclusive interview with one of the biggest supporters of the DVD format.

"Reliving That Moment With Mark Rance" - a cigarettes & coffee exclusive

PTA & company have sent me a few copies of the new Boogie Nights DVD & I will be having a new contest to win yours in the next few days. I'll return with more on Friday

August 25, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Well, it looks like I sparked quite a bit of controversy over Wednesday's update. I had casually mentioned in Monday's update about a false, clever PTA story would be included in Wednesday's update, & I received dozens of emails claiming my Adam Sandler story was a hoax. Let me set the record straight. Hollywood Reporter did report that a PTA/Sandler project was in the works & I confirmed it. This much is true. As I said on Wednesday, things change by the second & until a studio, script, contracts, etc. are signed, this is not a done deal. PTA is truly fond of Adam & wants to work with him, let's hope this can get finalized & become a reality!

Now, where's the funny PTA story that caused all this uproar? I found this "mock" news story while doing a random search one day & thought it was cleverly done. You judge for yourself. The source of the story is BiZcotti.com. The story is below:

It's not too late to enter the PTA DVD Contest! I've been receiving a good number of entries in the past few days ranging from photography, short films, Haiku, artwork, essays, poetry, paper mache & various arts & crafts items. The deadline is Monday, August 28, so please have all entries postmarked by that date. For more details on the contest, click on the link at the top of the page.

I'm skipping the usual Flashback Friday segment as I'm preparing a real special treat for the site to celebrate the release of Magnolia on DVD Tuesday. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. 

Philip Michael Thomas claims "Three-Name Racism" against Paul Thomas Anderson

by Otis Cribble

Former "Miami Vice" star Philip Michael Thomas announced that he may sue "Magnolia" director Paul Thomas Anderson, among others, for what the actor terms "blatant discrimination against three-named 'Philip' actors of color."

In a statement released to the media after a largely incoherent press conference inside an abandoned Planet Hollywood, Mr. Thomas contended that portly redhead Philip Seymour Hoffman and crusty, water-eyed Phillip Baker Hall, both Caucasian, have cornered the market on three-named "Philip" casting.

Resplendent in a tattered turquoise jacket with matching linen pants and a pastel T-shirt, Thomas pointed out that Anderson had also employed both actors in his films "Hard Eight" and "Boogie Nights," while neglecting to even call in 1986 Golden Globe nominee Thomas for a reading.

"You do the math," snorted the man who also gave the world the delightful pop LP "Living the Book of My Life." "That's three movies, six parts, eighteen names. And the coldest part is, this Anderson cat is a three-namer too, which rules out that angle. So you know it's gotta be racism."

Officials at the Los Angeles headquarters of TNAG (the Three-Named Actors Guild) were taken off guard by news of Thomas's statement and threatened litigation. Junior vice president Zachary Ty Bryan conferred briefly with legal counsel F. Lee Bailey and three-named-actor-playin'-district-attorney Lara Flynn Boyle before issuing a terse statement: "Although PMT pays his dues and was a key figure in the Credit Shrinking Battle of '89, we cannot support his recent actions, and do not wish them to reflect on the good three names of our members."

Fellow triply-dubbed thesp Hoffman was unavailable for comment because he is in the midst of shooting seven films. And the flinty, multi-monikered Baker Hall claimed this whole thing has nothing to do with him since he spells his name with two l's. "The regular way," he snarled, "not like some goddamn British croquet flamer."

Mr. Thomas claims that his last legitimate chance at work was when he won a small role on a 1996 episode of "Nash Bridges." "It was a coin flip between me and Chong for the part, and I kicked his ass," Thomas recounted happily. But those days are long gone, he said. "There's always been a lot of pressure to just be Philip Thomas. Then the work would be rolling in," he chuckled. "But I'm not going out like that. They don't think a brother's good enough to carry three names? Check this out—Billy Dee Williams. Oh yeah, and Martin Luther King, too."

Anderson's response to Thomas's allegations was typical of the young auteur. Although his reply was a simple "No comment," it took 3 hours and 18 minutes to say, and was lip-synched by five different actors.

August 23, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I'm please to announce that PTA's next film should be the much talked about collaboration with Adam Sandler. The story was leaked by the Hollywood Reporter & you can read their comments below. There really are no specifics at this time (including a studio), but New Line seems the likely place based on Paul & Adam's history with the studio. Just remember that things can change at anytime & this is far from a done deal. I've been sworn to secrecy on this issue for many months, but I can tell you that PTA has been extremely busy writing the script specifically for Adam. I'm sure you've read the many comments that PTA has made about working with Adam (if not, see the Articles & Interviews section), so this shouldn't come as much of shock to anyone who reads the site. When I'm able to share more details, you'll hear it here.

Anderson, Sandler in talks to team up on comedy 

Paul Thomas Anderson and Adam Sandler are in discussions to join forces on a feature comedy project that Anderson wrote and will direct with Sandler possibly starring, sources said. The move seems very un-Anderson, considering that the filmmaker has been prone to three-hour dramatic epics, most recently "Magnolia." But sources said Anderson has been honing his comedic skills during the past year by writing for "Saturday Night Live" and recently finishing his comedy script. Now that the project is ready to find a home, New Line Cinema, which released Anderson's "Boogie Nights" and "Magnolia," will naturally get the first look. The studio also has a long-standing relationship with Sandler, who has a two-picture deal there.

Courtesy of the Hollywood Reporter - 8/23/00

In other casting news, Variety is reporting that Melora Walters will star in Rain for executive producer Martin Scorsese & director Katherine Lindberg. It centers on a woman who kills her husband & has an affair with a man who turns out to be her son she gave up for adoption. It's nice to see Melora get some attention as she was the standout (in my opinion) as Claudia in Magnolia. I'm still working on that interview with her & I will keep you posted on my progress.

Magnolia remained strong on the VHS rental chart for the week ending August 13th. It maintained its 5th place position, earning 5.52 million in weekly rental revenue. 

I'll return Friday with more exciting news to celebrate the Magnolia DVD release next week!

August 21, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

In some better late than never news, Ghoulardi's JoAnne Sellar will produce the new film for Fine Line entitled The Anniversary Party. It was co-written & will be co-directed by close PTA friend, Jennifer Jason Leigh. The ensemble cast may include John C. Reilly among others & should hit theaters in early 2001. Click here for the full press release.

Fiona Apple's latest import CD single for Paper Bag includes all three PTA directed music videos from her When the Pawn... release. These videos are playable on your PC & MAC. Here's the front & back cover.

The August PTA DVD Pick of the Month is now available to your left. Of course, this month, we would focus on the long overdue 70's classic Nashville. This is the first time it's been available in widescreen & includes a Robert Altman interview & commentary track. It's a can't miss. Just click on the cover, if you would like to order it from Express.com (a new affiliate of the site, if you can't tell...).

I'll return on Wednesday with a cleverly written "false" PTA news story & more!

August 18, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I'm going to take a different approach on today's edition of Flashback Friday. Burt Reynolds was recently interviewed for the September issue of FHM (For Him Magazine) & had some interesting comments. Watch how he carefully dodges the second question.

When you were researching your role for Boogie Nights, did you go to any porno sets?

Yeah, it's depressing. I knew some directors in that business, if you can call them that, guys who just turned left at the hard-on. They're never going to get out of it and the illusion that they will is a great tragedy. I knew this one director who was always saying, "I'm gonna get my shot. I'm gonna get my shot." And I'm thinking, "You poor guy, do you really think Spielberg's going to get sick one day and they're going to call you?"

There was a rumor that you and Boogie Nights director Paul Thomas Anderson didn't quite see eye-to-eye. What do you think of all these young hot directors today?

They amaze me. I haven't seen them in theater or in cancelled television shows, so where they learned how to be so good, I don't know. Today there's no place to fail. When I was starting out, nobody cared if you failed on Sea Hunt. Bad television is where I learned how to act. I think I'm only the actor around today who's been cancelled by all three networks!

August 14, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I've discovered a great interview with John C. Reilly conducted in early 1997 for the release of Hard Eight. It's the first interview with John during that era on the site & it's a good one. There's also newly added hard to find reviews of the film by Bob Strauss (L.A. Daily News), Michael Medved (NY Post), Stephen Holden (NY Times) & J. Hoberman (Village Voice). You can check them out in the Hard Eight Critical Response section.

NBC will be showing the Ben Affleck/Fiona Apple Saturday Night Live rerun on Saturday, August 26th. This episode featured the PTA written & directed MTV FANatic short. For more info on the short, check out the Short Films section of the site

The Odds on Hard Eight

Actor John C. Reilly talks about how a little naiveté will go a long way

The title of the film "Hard Eight" is taken from a bet on a particular roll of the dice in craps; a "hard eight" is rolling double fours. In this film, a roll of the dice is also a metaphor for life.

"Hard Eight" is set entirely in casinos, restaurants and hotels, transmitting a feeling of transience that is reflected in the rootlessness of the characters. It opens in a coffee house where an aging, gentlemanly looking gambler named Sydney (Philip Baker Hall) meets young, down-and-out John (John C. Reilly). Sydney takes John under his wing - among other things, helping him arrange his mother's funeral - and two years later, they're together in Reno. There, Sydney befriends Clementine (Gwyneth Paltrow), a cocktail waitress and fledgling prostitute. Meanwhile, John is hanging out with Jimmy (Samuel L. Jackson), a fast-talking security guard who just doesn't get along with Sydney.

Reilly said his own life has some similarities to that of John, the character he plays. Reilly's father died just prior to shooting the film, and Reilly's best friend is a man in his 50s. Reilly also admits to going through a stage in his life like that of his unworldly, trusting alter ego.

"I still am kind of a naive person," he said. "But you know, a little bit of naiveté is good. [Filmmakers] keep seeming to cast me in these parts where I'm incredibly naive or innocent. I think I'm a pretty savvy customer. . . . It's probably because I usually take people at face value. I think it's positive, though, to be kind of naive. It makes it a lot easier to get out of bed in the morning, anyway!"

Although Reilly has had small parts in "Hoffa," "What's Eating Gilbert Grape," "The River Wild" and "Dolores Claiborne," John in "Hard Eight" is his first major role.

"Hard Eight" is also the feature film debut of writer-director Paul Thomas Anderson. Reilly met Anderson at the Sundance Filmmaker's Lab, a forum where first-time writer-directors work with professional actors and technicians. At this time, Anderson was "getting his [directing] feet wet," Reilly said.

"We'd take little trips up to Reno and Vegas, Paul and I," he said. "We'd have different read-throughs and rehearsals. Paul just loves to get me going, improvising one thing or another. Paul has a knack for capturing the little interesting details in people's behavior. He would take something I did and go, 'Oh that's great, that's great, what you just did,' and he would put it into the script. So I had to be careful, after a while, what I did in front of Paul."

After having worked with high-profile directors such as Woody Allen ("Shadows and Fog") and Brian DePalma ("Casualties of War"), Reilly described working with first-timer Anderson as "different in a good way."

"He's got a real freshness and energy," he said. "Part of that comes with it being his first time. He's a natural at directing. He has a real intuitive sense of the actors, and he's a very sensitive person. When it comes to emotional stuff he could sense what's going on. He could tell when he wanted to do another take - what to say, which is rare. Most importantly, he's a good audience. There has to be one person somewhere in that crowd or behind the camera who's really engaged in what you're doing and is really excited and listening, and Paul is definitely that. He loves to watch actors act."

Reilly has just wrapped up a role in Anderson's second film, "Boogie Nights," which is about the adult film industry.

In "Hard Eight," Reilly co-stars with seasoned actors like Jackson and Hall, as well as Paltrow, who plays his love interest.

"Gwyneth is a really fun person to be with," Reilly said. "She has so much energy and she's a very quick wit. She's one of those people [that] if you say something stupid, she'll nail you."

Although Paltrow has recently received much media attention for her role in "Emma" (among other things), she was a relative unknown when "Hard Eight" began filming. Of the seven films she had completed, only one had been released.

"At the time that we shot the movie it was a really exciting time for her [because] she was really just starting to come into her own," Reilly said. "The only film of hers that had been released at that point was, I think, 'Flesh and Bone.' So she was really just kind of exploding onto the scene at that point."

Reilly felt that the role of Clementine is one of the few Paltrow has had that is equal to her talents.

"A lot of people would get caught up in that stuff - the publicity, all the attention - but she, at the bottom of it all, is a really good actress and knows why she's in the business to begin with," he said. "And all this other stuff, this publicity and everything, I think just serves that purpose . . . that her acting is what it's all about."

Because he was the only bankable cast member at the time, Samuel L. Jackson helped the film obtain financing. Reilly described Jackson as a great storyteller.

"We traded back and forth location horror stories from making movies," he said. "He's just a very positive, easygoing person [and a] very funny actor."

Jackson's character, Jimmy, is a flashy gangster type who precipitates the film's explosiveness, and not only because his character is the only one who owns any firearms.

Knowledgeable, distinguished and well-spoken, John's mentor, Sydney, is the polar opposite of Jimmy. Sydney is played by Hall, a veteran of many television and film roles, including one in Robert Altman's "Secret Honor."

Reilly described Hall the person as very similar to Sydney the character: "After a while, he and I developed a relationship similar to the one we have in the movie. Philip is like the eye of the storm. When the shit is hitting the fan, Philip is the one calm person in all of it. It was like all these people running around trying to pull this miracle off, and Philip really relaxed people. He's a very wise person."

Given that "Hard Eight" is a writer-director's debut and features few high-profile stars, one could consider it a miracle that the film ever got off the ground. But Reilly disagreed that "Hard Eight" is a special case.

"Every film's a miracle," he said. "Every turn there's a million things that could go wrong, from the very beginning of the film to the very end."

August 11, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Magnolia debuts at Number 4 on the Top 25 VHS Rental charts according to National Rental Revenue earning 7.22 million in rental revenue. It was also the 5th most rented title of the week. These numbers are for the week ending July 30th. I will keep you updated on its success in the wonderful world of VHS.

There's an interesting article from the Toledo Blade which discusses the evolution of the modern musical. They mention Magnolia frequently & there's multiple quotes from PTA. (Thanks Paul Bean!)

If you somehow missed the great Q & A that Roger Ebert did with PTA in 1997, it's spotlighted in today's edition of Flashback Friday. He touches on Hard Eight, but most of the discussion surrounds Boogie Nights. PTA even pulls a fast one on Roger about the famous last shot in the film. 

August 9, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

There's good news & bad news in the world of PTA DVD today. Let's start with the good. DVD File has the first review of the new Boogie Nights DVD & it includes all the features that were previously mentioned here. I have also added some screenshots of the menu (courtesy of DVD Angle & New Line). Since this early check disc was released to a few select sites, New Line has opted to remove the excerpts of the John Holmes Exhausted documentary. This was done a deal. What happened? Well, this is not gospel, but it's my best guess.

Julia St. Vincent, director of Exhausted, was not happy with the use of Exhausted on the Criterion LaserDisc. The use of the footage supposedly fell into a gray area & she was unable to stop it. Since DVD is much more mainstream than LaserDisc was, Julia threatened New Line with a lawsuit unless they could settle on a fee for the documentary. The last I heard, the deal was settled & the documentary would be included. Now, New Line is saying that it won't happen. It's too bad something couldn't be worked out. It's great to see some of the inspiration for Boogie & hear PTA speak about it on the alternate commentary track. It looks like the Criterion LaserDisc's will still have some value. 

Click here to view the menu screens for the double disc Boogie Nights DVD

I've been busy digging through the great new Magnolia DVD. Just some quick thoughts. The packaging is great, the outtakes are a treat & the documentary is very insightful (I only wish it was longer & a tad louder....). You won't be disappointed & I don't want to spoil it for you. Trust me, it's been worth the wait.

August 4, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Today's edition of Flashback Friday is an interesting one. The wonderful Australian magazine Film Ink ran a great interview with PTA in March 1998 for Boogie Nights. They also ran a cover story on Magnolia in the March 2000 issue & planned to interview PTA for it. Unfortunately, Paul cancelled his Australian press tour & FilmInk was forced to used bits & pieces of the 1998 interview that were not used. Their editor, Erin Free, was kind enough to send me the uncut, full transcript for that interview. They are fans of the site & I really appreciate their contribution.

July 31, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Well, here we are. Roughly one year ago today, I launched the Cigarettes & Coffee site. As the site introduction states, I was extremely frustrated searching the net for information on PTA & his films, so armed with a little change in pocket, I decided to change that. I purchased the domain name (I wanted pta.com or pta.org, but to no avail), MS Front Page & found an Internet provider to host the site. I knew nothing about html & web design, but figured I would learn along the way.

The site has exceeded all my goals in such a short time. I couldn't believe it when I got my 1,000th hit (I don't use a hit counter anymore, but get roughly 50,000 hits a month). I receive hundreds of emails a month from readers in places like Thailand, Brazil, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Australia & Hungary (to name a few) sharing their appreciation for the site. As I said, this was the idea. A single source to learn about Paul Thomas Anderson. I decided early on to largely leave my opinions to myself & stick to the news. Obviously, I'm a huge admirer so I don't need to shine his shoes every chance I get. That would be extremely boring & self serving. 

In December 1999, I took a chance & flew down to Los Angeles to catch an early screening of Magnolia at the Egyptian Theater. There was going to be a Q & A session with PTA after the film & thought it would be great opportunity to at least say hello to Paul. I approached him after the session & explained who I was. He was extremely appreciative & I told him I wasn't leaving L.A. without an interview. He was very accommodating, genuinely interested & great to talk with. There's always the chance that when you meeting someone, they turn out to be a horse's ass, but the meeting just energized me to do better with the site.

I'm not your typical film geek fan boy (OK, maybe a little...), I had a great job, a family, outside interests, etc. The site began devouring more of my time & energy. When Magnolia went into wide release, I was getting nearly 100 emails a day. I was also trying to add all the press interviews as fast I could. It was an overwhelming time in my life (for many reasons), but I've learned to prioritize better & not let the site take control of my life. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining, I just never expected the site to get this much attention. I guess I underestimated the impact that PTA's films have on people & their thirst to learn what's on the horizon for Paul.

I've had the opportunity to meet tons of great people though the site over the past year. Too many to mention them all, but here's just a few that I would like to thank: Jen Barrons, Peter Bracke, Delahunty Crisp, Eric Daigh, Michael Dequina, Bob Ellis, Bill Hader, Bill Hunt, Jared Irmas, Dominic Marceau, Jocco Phillips, Anne Rech, Karine Tanguy, Aaron Tichenor, Bumble Ward, Damon Wise & Matthew Wilder.

Of course, I can't forget PTA, who has continued to support the site & for this, I'm very grateful. 

Lastly, I can't forget aspiring filmmakers Ryan Worley & CJ Wallis who have helped me tremendously with the site. I couldn't do it without you! I'm sure I forgot a few names, so please forgive me. - Greg Mariotti

July 27, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

The Magnolia DVD has been delivered to select DVD sites for early review. The VHS is now available for rental, but go out & buy a DVD player & wait another month for the real thing. As expected, the DVD lives up to the hype. Check out the in depth looks at DVD File & DVD Angle. 

The packaging will include a sleek, black slipcase to house the two disc set. Boogie Nights should also have a slipcase. Here's a picture of the Magnolia slipcase.

The MTV Music Video Award Nominations were announced yesterday. PTA's "Save Me" was nominated for best video from a film & best editing in a video. The awards will be held on September 7 at New York's Radio City Music Hall.

There was a fascinating article on magician/actor Ricky Jay this past weekend in L.A. Times Magazine. Here's the link to the entire story, but here's what PTA had to say:

Paul Thomas Anderson, who cast Jay as a cinematographer in "Boogie Nights," is one of the magician's most unabashed fans. Jay acted and narrated in Anderson's "Magnolia" as well. In fact, Jay was one of the first people to read the script for last year's ensemble film, and the young director, who considers Jay an underused actor, has great affection for him. "He's like Mr. Wizard. Whenever I have a question about writing, one of the first people I think to ask is Ricky."

The August issue of Movieline has a 2 page article on New Line president, Mike De Luca focusing on his home theater & DVD collection. Here's some comments related to PTA:

"Paul Thomas Anderson has been here and turned me on to Deep Throat, which really surprised me because they were going for a real story there. Brett Ratner [director], who's a good friend of mine, watched an early cut of Boogie Nights here, was blown away and probably took a lot of that into Rush Hour."

"When there was a perception at the office from my superiors that Boogie Nights was too long, I came home and did a marathon of Spartacus, Lawrence of Arabia and The Ten Commandments. By the time I was through, I thought, 'We've got the shortest movie in history!' and I went back to New Line and proposed a four-hour Boogie Nights with a disco intermission."

July 14, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

There's a New Line flyer in the recent release of the Boiler Room DVD which includes info on the upcoming Boogie Nights DVD. The features listed include "The Dirk Diggler Story - a short film by P.T. Anderson." Before you get too excited, I suspect these were early specifications. If you recall, PTA toyed with the idea of including this, but ultimately changed his mind. I would be shocked if things have changed in the last few weeks. These flyers were probably printed some time ago (Note: they are missing the Exhausted documentary, The John C. Reilly Files, etc.).

I'm very pleased to present an incredible interview from Millimeter Magazine. This very detailed piece discusses the painstaking special effects work for the frog storm & includes numerous quotes from ILM's Joe Letteri, Magnolia's visual effects supervisor. There's been much written about the frog sequence, but little on it's creation from script to screen. It's well worth your time & a great look inside the making of this truly unforgettable sequence.

Finally, I'm going to end today's lengthy update with various PTA related quotes (some old, some new). You'll notice Gwyneth Paltrow isn't afraid to speak her mind. I'll see you next Wednesday!

"Frogs are a walk in the park compared to these waves. Frogs are a little less [harmful] than 2,000 gallons of water hitting you in the face."

- John C. Reilly on comparing what he's had to face on screen
(Entertainment Weekly - 7/21)

"The Wave is incredible - there's no bigger way to end a movie, although my penis in Boogie Nights was a bigger personal moment."

- Mark Wahlberg on the oversize climax in The Perfect Storm
(Entertainment Weekly - 7/21)

''I think 'Magnolia' is one of the best films I've ever seen. And if anyone disagrees with me, I'll fight them to the death.''

- Phillip Seymour Hoffman (Entertainment Weekly - 3/24)

“I thought it was brilliant. I thought parts of it were absolute genius, but I think it is too long and I thought it got repetitive. It makes you want to kick Paul’s ass. Paul needs someone to say ‘Cut it out, you’re going crazy,’ because he is a genius and he is the most incredible filmmaker of our generation. I think he will continue to make great films, but you don’t want to lose sight of what you are trying to say and some of it could have been trimmed down. His technical skills are just incredible, but it’s too long.” 

- Gwyneth Paltrow on her reaction to Magnolia
(Reel West Magazine)

“It was easy to get this money and it was easy to make this movie. But I think that it’s a one time thing after the success of Boogie Nights. I’m in a great position to have final cut over my movies and control over their elements, but I know that I have to use it productively and hopefully make some money.”

- Paul Thomas Anderson on his future after Magnolia
(Reel West Magazine)

''I have a tuxedo and I went once before and I didn't win, and I want to win. I want an Oscar.'' 

- Paul Thomas Anderson (Entertainment Weekly - 3/24)

"I wanted to be supportive of PTA. He’s a filmmaker I really enjoy. He’s just unique. He’s an old soul kid. He’s a good guy."

- Tom Cruise (On Rosie O’Donnell's show)

July 14, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I am pleased to introduce a new feature to site today, PTA's DVD Pick of the Month! Around the middle of each month (Can anyone guess what August's DVD will be?), I will highlight a release along with some quotes from PTA on that particular film & why he likes it. This will be located at the top of this page with a link to where you can purchase the title.

July 12, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Remember that little bomb I dropped a few days ago about a contest & a DVD? Well, to whet your appetite further, I'm providing some additional info about the DVD. PTA put a limited number of these together & I was fortunate to receive a few. (Thanks again PTA). The DVD includes all six music videos directed by Paul. Click to View: Front Cover, Back Cover & Disc

6 Music Videos by p.t.anderson

Michael Penn - Try
, Aimee Mann - Save Me
, Fiona Apple - Across the Universe,
Fiona Apple - Fast as You Can, 
Fiona Apple - Limp, 
Fiona Apple - Paper Bag

I will be announcing the contest for your chance to win very soon! I have only one requirement if you win, don't sell it on Ebay! These are to be shared & not to be sold to the highest bidder!

July 10, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I hope you all had the opportunity to watch Boogie Nights on FX yesterday. It was interesting to see what was left intact (i.e. jack off, joy juice, etc.) & what was altered. I enjoyed the clever way the profanity & nudity were handled. That said, there's nothing like seeing Boogie Nights on the big screen & DVD is the next best thing, as it's amazing what's widescreen compositions are lost. Hopefully, viewers who have never seen it, will seek out the DVD & PTA's other films.

July 9, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I apologize for missing yesterday's update, but I think today's news will more than make up for it...I had a chance to briefly communicate with PTA on various subjects, so here's my questions & Paul's answers:

Were you involved with the TV version of Boogie Nights?

Dylan [Tichenor] and I did the tv version of Boogie Nights and I love it -- NOTHING was cut from the film if you can imagine -- It was a blast dealing with it in interesting and cool ways -- I can't wait to watch it on TV.....you'll see -- should be pretty interesting.... 

What's the latest on Forest Hills Bob?

No idea really, I haven't talked to Bob [Downey Sr.] in a while and I'm an awful producer. It's really just my name that's being used right now...we'll see...

Regarding your collaboration with Jonathan Demme. Can you comment on this quote from Demme that appeared in Premiere Magazine in 1998. "He's going to be writing a script set in the world of magic, against a carnival backdrop, and [magician-actor] Ricky Jay is working on it as well....."

That was left over stuff from a thing we were talking about a long, long time ago and has no basis in reality.....for now or with Jonathan....Jonathan is working on his Charade re-make and I just talk to him/consult about it once in while -- I'm not officially doing my thing with him yet -- when we officially decide to do something it has to be pretty special in my mind.

PTA also said that he is currently "In hibernation" working on a few "secret projects". It sounds like the TV version of Boogie Nights is a must see, so make sure you watch FX this Sunday. Don't forget, you'll hear any news on PTA's future projects here first!

I have more exciting news as I'm in the planning stages for the first monthly contest for the site! What will the prize be? Believe it or not, a DVD courtesy of PTA for all his music videos! PTA has put together a great DVD collection which includes all six music videos that he has directed! More exciting news on this soon.

June 30, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

William H. Macy hosted the Atlantic Theater Company’s 15th Anniversary gala on Monday, May 22 at Chelsea Piers’ The Lighthouse. Guests on hand included company founders David Mamet & William H. Macy, as well as Rebecca Pidgeon, Kristen Johnston, Paul Reubens, Philip Seymour Hoffman, John C. Reilly, Felicity Hoffman, director Paul Thomas Anderson & Fiona Apple. (Thanks Anne!) Click here to see a photo of Paul & Fiona from that evening.  

June 23, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

In celebration of today's Flashback Friday, I recently obtained the Boogie Nights Oneline Schedule (Shooting Schedule) dated May 23, 1996. It confirms many rumored scenes that were filmed, but have never seen the light of day. I will list the day it was shot, scene location & the description that is given.

Day #2
: Little Bill's Station Wagon - Moving: 
Little Bill tells his wife not to embarrass him - she hits him

Day #5: 
Hot Traxx Nightclub
: Maurice seals envelope addressed to his family in Puerto Rico
Maurice sends videotape and letter to his brothers in Puerto Rico.

Day #11: 
Bakersfield Denny's: 
Becky waits for Dirk, and is befriended by old Mr. Brown.
Mr. Brown offers to help Becky.

Day #12
: Jack's House/Living Room: 
Dirks listens to Jack tell his "fin" story, and eventually has sex with Rollergirl.

Day #13
: Jack's Driveway
: Little Bill berates wife as they leave - Limo Driver consoles Young Stud - Colonel leaves.

Day #15
: Jack's Driveway: 
Little Bill and his wife arrives, Rollergirl snaps photo and asks what's wrong.

Day #27: 
Jack's Office: 
Jack pitches story to Colonel and tells him he's going to cast Dirk.

Day #34 - #35
: Dirk's New House
: Reed tells Dirk that Johnny Doe's dead - the phone rings and it's Becky.
Dirk hurries to save Beck, but first stops to get some coke to take with him.
Dirk hops in his corvette and takes off.
Dirk shows Reed the busted car and lets the phone ring.

Day #43
: Dirk's Parent's House: 
Dirk pushes car to cul-de-sac - he's at his parent's house, Sheryl Lynn lives there now.
Dirk learns his parents are dead, he is upset and Sheryl Lynn asks him inside.
Sheryl Lynn makes Dirk breakfast, Dirk calls Reed, Husband watches, Baby cries.

Day #44
: Ventura Blvd: Rollergirl and Dirk meet up and walk (roll) to Jack's house.
Dirk tells Rollergirl that he wants a Corvette as they walk to Jack's house.
Rollergirl tells Dirk she quit school as they walk to Jack's house.

Day #45
: Vince's Gym
: Dirk and Reed work out.
Buck teaches Dirk and Reed karate.
Jack's new offices, shipping tapes, editing, the works - two Police men arrive.

Day #46 - #47
: Dirk's Corvette - Moving: 
Dirk drives to save Becky, smashes his Corvette, then drives off.
The accident involving Johnny Doe and Dirk's parents, in which everybody dies.

Day #48: 
Party Boys Strip Club: 
Dirk and Todd prepare for show - Reed says crowd is "a little light".
Dirk and Todd dance; Drunk Guys mock Dirk.
Six Months Later (Sept 1983): Establish strip club - marquee with Dirk Diggler's name.

Day #49
: Bakersfield House: 
Becky begs Dirk to save her - they make plans to meet - Jerome beats her more.
Becky hits Jerome with frying pan from behind, repeatedly.
Jerome beats and berates Becky about being in porn.
Becky runs from her house and off down the street.
Establish Becky and Jerome's ideal home - hear violence over shot.

Day #50
: Bakersfield Retirement Home: 
Becky is a nurse now - she feeds Mr. Brown soup and smiles.
Mr. Brown tries to sneak Becky into the home - a Nurse sees her.
Mr. Brown sets Becky up for bed, and she sleeps.
Mr. Brown and Becky walk to retirement home.

Day #52: 
El Puelbo Motel: 
Establish crappy motel and Dirk's corvette and U-Haul.

Day #55 - #56
: Rahad Jackson's House
: Rahad is a maniac - he sees police lights and fires at them - they return fire and Rahad is killed.

Day #60
: Puerto Rico Street: 
Maurice's 2 brothers open letter and see picture of Maurice and Rollergirl.
Maurice brothers watch video tape and comment on his small cock.

So as you can see, there was a lot of extraneous material that was cut from the film. Hopefully all of the Becky/Jerome/Dirk footage will be included on the DVD.  I don't know about you, but I would love the see the footage of Dirk & Cheryl Lynn at Dirk's old house & Mark Wahlberg/Thomas Jane dancing at the Party Boys Strip Club!

June 21, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

I had a chance to ask PTA about some Frequently Asked Questions that I receive on email. His comments were brief & not what you want to hear, but it's nice to know where things currently stand.

Hard Eight/Boogie Nights Score: 
Many of you would love a compilation of the Michael Penn scores, but there are no plans to release one at this time. 

Hard Eight Script
: There are currently no plans to release the script in similar fashion to the Boogie Nights & Magnolia script/companion books. 

DTS Track on Magnolia DVD: 
This will not be included on the upcoming release, although there's a possibility that a DTS version could be released in the future. For those that are unaware, DTS is a competing digital audio system to Dolby Digital which many feel sounds superior.

As I said, these things may revisited in the future, so don't give up hope. If anything changes, you will hear it here first.

There's an interesting documentary currently showing on E! this month. John Holmes and the Wonderland Murders: The E! True Hollywood Story spans 2 hours & primarily focuses on John's involvement with the Wonderland Murders. It airs again tomorrow, June 22nd at 9:00 p.m. & Friday, June 23rd at 10:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m. For a program description go here.

June 18, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Here's a still from a scene that you won't see on the new Magnolia DVD. It's the scene with Stanley, Dixon & the Worm in the diner. It appears that the deleted scenes on the Magnolia DVD will focus on Frank "TJ" Mackey. I would love to see the extended Jason Robards monologue & the Worm subplot, but it's not meant to be.......

Here's the picture that Vanity Fair did on PTA in the Special Hollywood Issue this past April.

June 17, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

It looks like Boogie Nights is coming to television in July on FX! I will be very interested to see all the edits & dubs that will be "required" to make it suitable for family viewing. I will try to find out if PTA had any involvement with the editing process  (I seriously doubt it, but you never know...). It's scheduled to air on FX on July 9th! (Thanks to Lauren Phillips for the heads up!)

Today's edition of Flashback Friday focuses on an interview excerpt that Paul did with fellow director Mike Figgis (Leaving Las Vegas) for the book Projections 10. A reader of the site is working on the full interview version which should be up shortly. In the meantime, this should wet your appetite.

I'll return this weekend with some new graphics for the Magnolia & PTA Photo Galleries (courtesy of CJ Wallis) & a list of scenes that were shot for Boogie Nights that will not be included on the upcoming DVD!

June 14, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Well it looks like "Paper Bag", the new PTA directed Fiona Apple music video finally debuted Monday on VH1! PTA's latest is another wonderful & whimsical film that looks nothing like the videos currently playing on VH1 or MTV. Once you see it, you will agree that it's only a matter of time before we see a musical from Paul. 

June 9, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

It's assumed that the name of this site is a reference to PTA's short film Cigarettes & Coffee. Naturally, I can see why people came to this logical conclusion, but that's not actually why. When I decided to establish this site, I wanted a name that would be memorable & that embodied PTA & his films. After pouring over many interviews with Paul, I knew that cigarettes & coffee was the only choice. 

PTA has stated numerous times that his writing process begins early the morning with music, coffee & lots of cigarettes. He also says that usually by the early afternoon, he is so "wired" from this, that he can't write anymore. I thought this was perfect. The essence of PTA for me is his unbelievable writing talent. It's the reason he is where he's at today. I couldn't think of a better way to represent my site than with this title. 

Now wait, before I start getting emails, I'm not endorsing or recommending that you run out & start smoking & drinking coffee to improve your writing skills. This works for PTA & who knows maybe he will quit (he threatens to on a regular basis), but this "system" has contributed to his screenplays by allowing him to feel comfortable when writing. So until PTA gives it up, that's the reason for the name of the site (when he quits, I'll just tell everyone, I named it after his short film....).

In a related note, PTA speaks about this very topic, near the end of the newest addition to the Articles & Interview section. I have finished transcribing the well done piece from Moviemaker Magazine which touches on many aspects of PTA's writing & directing process.

June 7, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Well it appears there's more to the Phil Hoffman: Inside the Actor's Studio airing on Sunday. Parts of the country (as well as Canada) were able to see this new episode, while a Sean Penn rerun aired in other areas. As soon as they announce a rerun of the Phil Hoffman, I will post the date & times on the site.

I wanted to thank all of you for the wonderful emails & congratulations I received for being named Entertainment Weekly's Site of the Week. I really appreciate it. I just hope the attention to the site will bring more attention to PTA & his films.

June 5, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

According to the excellent DVD File site, the new Boogie Nights DVD will also include the edited John C. Holmes documentary Exhausted which was on the old Criterion LaserDisc. This is the wonderful 30 minute documentary (minus most of the nudity), that "inspired" many of the "artistic" choices for the Brock Landers scenes in Boogie Nights. PTA gives a hilarious commentary on the documentary as well. DVD File is also reporting that there will be a total of 13 deleted scenes included. The previous 9 scenes plus 4 new ones. 

The licensing of Criterion supplements is typically a "no win proposition" but DVD file learned from PTA's publicist that PTA produced & owns the commentary track & artwork so this allowed for easy inclusion on this release.

May 22, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

In the current Entertainment Weekly 10th Anniversary Issue, film critic Owen Gleiberman voted Boogie Nights the #2 film of the 1990's! Here's what he said about the selection:

Paul Thomas Anderson's bravura porn-industry epic remains, in every scene, an ecstatic act of filmmaking, as well as the great movie about what happened to the pleasure principle in America.

There's also a great quote in the issue by Mark Wahlberg right after Boogie came out in 1997 that I had not seen:

"I don't want to go out with someone who has seen this movie and is looking for something they're not going to find."

May 18, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Where do I start? I had chance to catch up with PTA on the phone this past Tuesday. The main topics were all the various rumors about future projects & the upcoming DVD's. Here is the summary of our conversation:

Pixar Animated Fiona Apple Project

PTA thought this one was pretty funny. Yes, he has talked to many studios (including Pixar) about an animated project. He has various ideas/concepts but is still sorting through them. No, they don't involve Fiona Apple, but he promises that I will be the first to know when he has any additional news!

A Conspiracy of Paper

You might recall that various internet sources reported that PTA/Ghoulardi Films had purchased the film rights to David Liss's novel. In actuality, Miramax has purchased the movie rights & there is some truth to PTA's interest in making the film. Paul said that he is reading the book & enjoying it very much. This may be something to consider for the future..........

The Underworld

I think this was cleared up in PTA's email to Harry Knowles (see the May 15th update), don't you?

PTA does not have his next project set at specific studio. He loves working with Mike De Luca at New Line, but where he ends up is still undecided.

So what have we learned? As I have said repeatedly, most of the rumors have a shred of fact & lots of fiction. PTA has not yet made a firm decision on his next project. You can count on this site to provide you the real story on future developments in the world of Paul Thomas Anderson!

What about the DVD News? Oh yeah, I almost forget. The reason for the delay of the Magnolia & Boogie Nights DVD's was made by Paul. He wanted some extra time to ensure that the transfers were spot on. He also gave me some additional information (while still keeping a few things under wraps). PTA does not like to let the cat out of the bag & spoil things for those who want to wait and be surprised. He followed that philosophy with Magnolia, his last few Music Videos & his upcoming projects. Personally, I think it's a good thing to leave a few things to the imagination & keep the curiosity level high. Without further delay, here's the latest info:

Magnolia DVD

The "making of" documentary clocks in at 74 minutes & should satisfy all of you who were salivating for a commentary track. PTA promises some interesting & funny things will be included on the documentary. Paul is still hammering out whether this release will include both a Dolby Digital 5.1 & a DTS mix, but this should be decided in the next few days. 

As previously stated, other supplements include deleted scenes (I'm not telling which ones), trailers & the "Save Me" music video. Obviously due to the length of Magnolia & the documentary, this will be a two disc set.

Boogie Nights

PTA states that this will include all the supplemental material from the first DVD as well as the following:

Criterion LaserDisc commentary track! This track included PTA, Julianne Moore, Mark Wahlberg, Heather Graham, John C. Reilly, Don Cheadle & Bill Macy! This is great news as Criterion rarely (if ever) lends their supplemental materials to other studios releases (unless they are co-producing the DVD, which New Line is not doing for this one).

Additional commentary by Luis Guzman (answering allegations made on the Criterion commentary track) & Melora Walters.

Something PTA has dubbed the "John C. Reilly Files". I have no idea what this will entail, but PTA promises that we won't be disappointed.

Additional deleted scenes (with PTA commentary) including the Becky Barnett subplot that PTA cut.

Again, this will be a two disc set due to all the supplemental material that will be included. Paul also said that he is "very happy" with the new Boogie transfer. 

Lastly, before I get flooded with emails, Paul had one last thing to say. Just buy the DVD's on August 29th, you won't be disappointed!

There will some additional extras (No "Dirk Diggler Story", "Cops Footage" or "Flagpole Special", so don't ask!) on both discs, but I will keep this under wraps until we get closer to the street date. I hope to be the first website on the Internet with reviews (but not spoilers) of both of these discs this summer, so stay tuned for further developments!

One more related DVD note, Paramount will be releasing Nashville this summer (June 27th) with a Robert Altman commentary track! More important is that I believe this will be the first time that it will be available in Widescreen (with an anamorphic transfer to boot).

One last thing. Don't forget to check out Total Request Live on MTV tomorrow for the premiere of PTA's new Paper Bag video from Fiona's incredible "When the Pawn" record. 

May 15, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

It looks like we can eliminate one of the numerous recent rumors regarding future projects for PTA. After seeing the report (at my site or Ain't It Cool News), PTA fired off a very funny email to Harry Knowles regarding the proposed partnership of producer Scott Rudin on the adaptation of Don Delillo's The Underworld. Here's his email (which as he states, has not been re-read or spell checked!)::

SO, yeah, jeez, anyway.....um....I'm just off a flight from Japan and waiting for jet lag to set in but it hasn't....

...I've had a few beers in the late afternoon sun at my big Hollywood director mansion....and jet lag isn't happening yet....soon...

So: A few years ago, I read Underworld, loved it....was in the middle of writing Magnolia and saw a similar sort of thing...(sprawling, many characters....blah blah....) and I said, who owns this? Scott Rudin, said my agent...so I started to step into the Scott Rudin world.....actually, this all seems slightly revisionist....I believe he had actually called first....I was a Don Dellilo fan anyway, so I was gonna read it -- I think, yeah....maybe he was thinking, "ohh....Boogie Nights guy...lots of characters...epic size, he'll be good..." I had it as Dellilo fan and was casually reading it....his phone call made me more than casually read it....

Whatever...all the things met in the middle, I went to meet him, honestly not knowing how the fuck I would ever do it as a movie.....I didn't love it sooooo much that I would just say, "fuck it, I'm gonna shoot every word and see what happens..." Which is what I want to do one day when a book really catches my fancy......and I just talked with him a bit....Scott Rudin is very interesting.

He calls you. You call him back. He's not there. Fine. He calls you...you JUST miss the call....you call him right back...he's not there....fine...a Hollywood sort of thing... until you start to see a pathological pattern of THIS is how he does it....no mattter what....(Keep in mind: I was Mr. New Big Shot in town, so casually, jokingly, sort of, with his assistant I would say things like, Here is where I am...if he doesn't call me back in ten minutes I will never speak to him again....This is really silly don't you think Mr. Assistant Man? Right, right....I'm sure you know....why do you seem so frightened Mr. Assistant Man? Is someone hurting you? Huh....I guess I've heard stories about this fellow....but he sure does corral some talented people into working for him....how can you work with seriously gifted auter directors and be an overbearing producer...you can't....you have good material and you leave them alone and blah blah blah.....right? sure.) We met, it was fine....he told me some gossipy type stuff about Martin Scorsese (tailored shirts, etc.) how Shaft was gonna be...how much he loved Bill Macy (uh-huh.) .....He was great.....I called a few days later and said, listen, I'm too into my own thing and I can't do Underworld so good luck with it....he said, thanks for being so upfront and great, yadda-yadda....

In the meantime I have heard three or four horror stories from close personal friends of mine who have made films with him.....You can probably do the math and deduce who they are......they just say, "what the fuck...." They never really tell specific stories....none of them are really able to enunciate or structure WHAT it is or HOW he is...they all just mumbles things about...."motherfucker.." "holy christ..." "pathological..." and on and on....

Now, maybe I have an odd bone to pick because in the recent, WONDERFULLY INFORMED AND ACCURATE "Power Issue" of the fantastic Premiere Magazine...

Anway, in the IT'S TRUE section...y'know how it works I assume...it said something to the extent of Rudin passed on Anderson project due to elaborate creative demands....(In other words, he turned me down from making a movie with him...(god knows, I SURE DO NEED A PRODUCER....(making movies is sooooo impossible if Scott Rudin isn't there....) because of contractual things...

Now the problem becomes: You feel like a hot shit because you've made the stupid list (which you shouldn't care about but do) and it's completely invalidated and ruined because the TRUE part is wrong....so basically, it shatters years of Childhood admiration and insight that you THOUGHT you had when you read Premiere magazine and they sold you on the fact that they REALLY did have it right...but now it's you and it's wrong...and you realize how many times you believed them....dammit....That makes me less powerful...I forefit my position from the Power 100...what's that? You say I lost it already...well, fuck you then....I forefit anyway.

(Yes I am in writing mode....can't you tell...what? So I write long movies, what's wrong with that -- are you saying I can't not write a long e-mail, damn you to hell, that's it, conversation over...)

Ok. That was uncalled for. Anway: No, I'm not doing Underworld.

Ok. that's that. I am fading. I won't go into the dream (true) I had about you a few nights ago while I was in hawaii.....(swear to god...) Jist: You were about three inches tall and on the beach in a floatie-ring thing....

But that's for another time....Keep up the good work.

pppppppspsssssssspppsss......off topic: Are you a Monty Python fan? I'm sure you are.....as am I....and always have been....but I'm currently in a fascination phase with them......What The Fuck? Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful.

See ya. (un-read and un-fixed....completely stream of conscious...)

PTA

 

Here's a excerpt from an interview that Ain't It Cool News (I'm starting to feel like a Harry Knowles reject) did with Kevin Smith. They brought up the Magnolia controversy & here's what Kevin had to say:

Sure. Yeah, lots. There was a lot of shit during the past few months over me not liking MAGNOLIA and it’s not like I would avoid a Paul Thomas Anderson flick like the plague, I just didn’t really like MAGNOLIA. I loved BOOGIE NIGHTS. It’s a really good flick and HARD EIGHT was fine, but BOOGIE NIGHTS was amazing and really well-done and MAGNOLIA just wasn’t my cup of tea, but I would see something Paul Thomas Anderson does in a heartbeat. Unless it’s MAGNOLIA 2.

May 12, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Great news today as Never is a Promise, the excellent Fiona Apple site, is reporting that PTA's music video for "Paper Bag" will debut on MTV's Total Request Live on May 25th (Check for local times in your area). MTV Latin America has already premiered the video on May 9th in Mexico, Argentina and Chile and it's been in rotation ever since. Fiona will be present to debut the video so you never know, PTA might be on (or at least there). It promises to be a "real special" video, so don't miss it!

May 10, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

It looks like the long & winding road for the Magnolia & Boogie Nights DVD's just got a bit longer. It's being reported that the expected street date of July 25th has been pushed back to August 29th! Why the delay? I tend to be optimistic, so my inclination is that more time was needed for all the supplemental material. I think this will be the last delay, so get ready to clear your calendar in late August....

One final note: the VHS will still be released on July 25th (minus most or all of the supplements). 

It seems that rumors about future PTA projects are appearing at an alarming rate. IGN movies.com is reporting that PTA is pitching an animated film revolving around Fiona Apple to Pixar. As usual, this has not confirmed by any reliable sources at this time. I will add this to my questions for Paul, the next time we speak.

May 7, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

For those of you who may have missed it, Image Entertainment updated their DVD New Release Information a few days back with their details on Magnolia:

Magnolia: Special Edition  (1999)
 New Line Home Video

"Magnolia" is a mosaic of American life woven through a series of comic and poignant vignettes. Through a collusion of coincidence, chance, human action, shared media, past history and divine intervention, nine people will weave and warp through each other's lives on a day that builds to an unforgettable climax. Some will seek forgiveness, others escape. Some will mend frayed bonds, others will be exposed.


Video:
 2.35:1 
Anamorphic Widescreen 
Color

Audio:
 English - Dolby Digital 5.1
 English - Dolby Surround

Subtitles: 
English

Special Features: 
Deleted Footage
Aimee Mann "Save Me" Music Video
Feature-length Making Of 
2 Trailers & TV Spots

What caught my eye was the information on the Making of/Documentary. It appears that it may be feature length, which is probably the main reason for a two disc set! This is great news & would help satisfy those people who are still disappointed that PTA is not doing a commentary track.

Those of you who are interested in the VHS version (I'm not sure why...) will be happy to know that it should also be out on July 25th. I have not got official word, but expect it to be priced for rental ($80 - $100 range)

May 5, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Those rumor mongers over at Ain't It Cool News are reporting that PTA may direct The Underworld based on Don DeLillo's book. Scott Rudin is producing. (As with most rumors, this probably does not have much validity. PTA has said numerous times that he does not want to direct something that he did not write at this time. I will try to get more information on this in the near future.)

Readers have been asking for more information about the novel & potential future PTA project "A Conspiracy of Paper", so here is a plot summary: (Thanks to Phil!) 

"Benjamin Weaver is an outsider in eighteenth-century London: a Jew among Christians; a ruffian among aristocrats; a retired pugilist who, hired by London's gentry, travels through the criminal underworld in pursuit of debtors and thieves." "In A Conspiracy of Paper, Weaver investigates a crime of the most personal sort: the mysterious death of his estranged father, a notorious stockjobber. To find the answers, Weaver must contend with a desperate prostitute who knows too much about his past, relatives who remind him of his alienation from the Jewish faith, and a cabal of powerful men in the world of British finance who have hidden their business dealings behind an intricate web of deception and violence. Relying on brains and brawn, Weaver uncovers the beginnings of a strange new economic order based on stock speculation - a way of life that poses great risk for investors but real danger for Weaver and his family. 

An interesting article about the increase of movie running times & the effect on their Box Office from the Irish Times is available here. Here are the quotes from New Line & PTA:

Robert Friedman of New Line Cinema, which financed Magnolia and released it in the US, says, "The problem for us, quite simply, was not only having a three hour film, but also having a film that's not easily defined in a single line. The challenge was to get people in to see the movie."

Paul Thomas Anderson, the film's young director, comments: "Making a movie of this length does set you up for criticism. It's slightly arrogant and a little bold to require three hours of someone's life to tell a story. It means you really have to deliver. Like, if I hear a movie I'm going to see is three hours, I get a little uneasy."

April 28, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

Well it looks like the elusive Magnolia DVD will be released on July 25, 2000. This according to great DVD File site. Here's their information:

In a first for New Line, they have announced their debut two-disc set, for Paul Thomas Anderson's Magnolia on 7/25. The set features an anamorphic 2.35:1 transfer & English 5.1 & 2.0 mixes, a making-of feature (no length specified), deleted scenes (after the main 188 minute feature), the trailer & cast & crew biographies. Retail is $29.95, which is higher than New Line's usual $24.95, but given the two discs it certainly seems reasonable. (Note: that no information has been given if the main feature is split over two discs or fully contained on the first disc. 

So there it is! Before I start getting flooded with emails, I don't have anymore specifics at this time. Since it's going to be a two disc set, there are many additional possibilities such as additional deleted scenes, an extensive documentary & more! They don't mention the trailers, TV spots & "Save Me" music video, but I'm sure they will be included. Stay tuned for a subsequent update when any further information is released for this & the Boogie Nights DVD.)

Interview: Total Film

Total Film, Written By Steven Goldman
April 2000

Total Film: Paul Thomas Anderson Interview

Paul Thomas Anderson may be fast on his way to becoming his generation's top auteur, but he doesn't fit the bill when you meet him in the flesh. Sporting a shock of unkempt hair which accents his unshaved face, PT ("Most people call me PT or PTA... PTA for the most part... I just like the way it looks") is an unapologetic all-American gone to seed. A dynamo of motion, tripping over himself, his shoelaces and his sentences, the entire unstudied mess is obscured by a cloud of smoke from a never-ending stream of Camels. Bundled into a green tweed jacket, his wrinkled white shirt half tucked into his trousers, he looks more like your run of the mill 28-year-old scruff than the acclaimed director of Boogie Nights and the forthcoming Magnolia. An Altmanesque ensemble meditation on intersecting LA lives, the latter film has, not surprisingly, been tipped as one of the hottest prospects at this year's Oscars.

Interview: Magnolia Shooting Script Book

Magnolia Shooting Script, Written By Chuck Stephens
January 2000

Writer Chuck Stephens met with Paul Thomas Anderson on October 6th, 1999, for the following interview.

April 21, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

According to a recent book review by The Chronicle ( A Duke University Newspaper), PTA has purchased the movie rights to David Liss's new book, "A Conspiracy of Paper". This is a mystery novel set in eighteenth century England. Obliviously this information has not been confirmed by PTA & it's not clear whether it was purchased by Ghoulardi for PTA to direct or produce. I will add this to the new Unconfirmed Section of Future Projects & Rumors until I have more information.

PTA was listed by Premiere Magazine in their annual Power Elite (Who's Running Hollywood Now) May issue at #100. This is his first time on the list. Here's their comments:

100. Paul Thomas Anderson
 

Rank Last Year: Not Ranked 


Job Title: Cocksure Auteur
 

Status Report: Icon for a new generation of writer-directors. After porn epic Boogie Nights, said next would be intimate film, a 30-day shoot. Instead turned in 190-page Magnolia script to New Line, and got $40 million green light, final cut, control over marketing, and Cruise at a discount. Production company, Ghoulardi, seeking to provide safe haven for virgin talents.
 

Yes. It's True: Scott Rudin passed on Anderson project because of elaborate demands for creative control.

April 3, 2000

Archived update from Cigarettes & Coffee, run by Greg Mariotti & CJ Wallis from 1999-2005

As promised, here's the update on all those rumors floating around (some for years) on PTA's future projects. I asked Paul about these back in December & here's what he had to say:

Lennon
: PTA has never been approached about this & said that he has no intentions to do this. He would love to make a musical & he obviously has an affinity for the Beatles, but expect an original concept that has nothing to do with the Beatles or John Lennon.

Blue Movie
: Total Film, the UK magazine, reported that PTA was interested in reuniting Mark Wahlberg & Heather Graham for an adaption of the Southern novel, Blue Movie, which details how a brother & sister from an American acting dynasty decide to make a porn film as an expression of high art. PTA laughed this off & said, "not a chance." When I originally reported this back in November, I thought it was wishful thinking as PTA has already covered this topic in Boogie Nights.

Rule of the Bone
: PTA did adapt this Russell Bank's book (Sweet Hereafter) for director Carl Franklin (Devil in a Blue Dress) years ago, but the Sony/Columbia Tri-Star project seems to have stalled. I will follow up with PTA the next time we speak, to see if there's been any progress.

Untitled Jonathan Demme Project: 
There still appears to be a collaboration on the horizon that is not related to the Bob Downey, Sr. project I reported last month. I believe the project is with Universal & any updates will appear here!

I will have an image link up shortly to check the latest news on these & other proposed projects. I do not want to become a rumor mill, so anything that is posted will have to come from a credible source & won't gain validity until I have checked with PTA's camp.