Forget Mulligan/Fincher/Tattoo
Update: Producer Scott Rudin, producer of David Fincher‘s forthcoming The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo pic, says the report about Carey Mulligan playing Lisbeth Salander, punk heroine of Stieg Larsson‘s bestselling trilogy, is “absolutely not true.”
Previous posting: I’ve been waiting for Nikki Finke or the trades to run a confirmation of John Harlow‘s 4.25 Times Online report that Carey Mulligan is set to play Lisbeth Salander, punk heroine of the bestselling trilogy that began with “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” in an alleged feature to be directed by David Fincher and produced by Scott Rudin.”
Except the report hasn’t been confirmed by anyone, or not to my knowledge. I’ve asked a certain party in a position to know so we’ll see.
Mulligan has “won the approval of Fincher as well as the the family of the late Stieg Larsson, the Swedish author who created Salander,” Harlow reported. “The choice follows weeks of casting rumors, with producers sifting through nearly 5,000 potential candidates,” blah, blah.
I was okay with Neils Arden Opley‘s film version of the first novel, but I wasn’t what you’d call a huge fan. The movie was all plot, plot, plot, plot and more plot. Fincher and Rudin, I would imagine, would make something more formidable.
Could be a Departed-style improvement over the original.
I love Cary Mulligan, usually love Fincher, and I love the original version of Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (haven’t watched the second two movies yet—I hear they aren’t as good). Not sure if the three things in combination are necessarily a good idea. Why would Fincher even be interested in remaking a two year old movie?
I think the smartest thing to do would be to keep the characters—they’re great characters, and craft a new adventure for them. Sort of like James Bond since they ran out of Ian Fleming books. That way you’re not setting yourself up for direct comparison with the Swedish originals that, no matter how good the new version is, will always be the favorites of the critics and the cool kids.
Also, for some reason I have a hard time picturing Carey Mulligan with any tattoo, let alone a half-torso dragon tattoo. Kristen Stewart maybe.
Whoa… Infernal Affairs is a better film than The Departed, and I briefly worked on the latter…
As for Mulligan, I’m not buying it. I don’t think she’s been cast yet. All these reports out of London are wishful thinking. Won the approval of Fincher? Come on. He still wants an unknown.
And I’m with you on the movie, Gruver. It was OK. Too much plot, too long. It was cold. There was no romance.
I’d like to read the books one of these days…
Infernal Affairs was okay, but The Departed took the basic plot and fleshed it out a lot more satisfactorily. I think Fincher has a great opportunity to do the same here.
Just watched the movie last night. I pray for a massive rewrite.
*SPOILER ALERT*
Too many storylines for this movie and the plot twists were laughable. I’m more interested in following Lisbeth Salander around although I can do without TWO horrible rape scenes.
I was going to say that Mulligan really doesn’t look the part of Lisbeth.
Then again, Noomi Rapace normally doesn’t either.
I saw the first film and quite simply dont understand all the fuss. I hated, so I have no desire at so ever to see Mulligan in this.
I expect her to make good moves after her Oscar nom, this would not be in my mind.
Noomi Rapace showed Deniro-level method – the movie is nothing without her performance. Sharp producers of darker, more cerebral fare ought to be courting her to breathe life into their potentially “difficult” projects.
This would be a great opportunity for Mulligan to do something a bit different and display her chops. Fingers crossed.
I’m really surprised that Fincher is supposedly interested in this. I thought that he didn’t want to be thought of as the “serial killer film guy.” Then again, Dragon has a slightly different take on the genre, so I could see him turning it into something else like he did with Zodiac.
…And another thing… I hate it when you’re trying to photograph a friend of yours at a public place and people in the background look into the camera. Why don’t they just look the other way? It totally breaks the fourth wall.
TL: He’s probably aware that The Social Network won’t make any money, since it’s a drama about the internet with no bankable names. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo is a walk in the park for him, and will likely be a box-office hit, especially if Pitt signs on.
Yeah, nobody will see the facebook movie.
There was too much going on in the original version. I don’t see CM raping a dude with a dildo, either. If anything, the chick i the original worked out of the whole film. they should go with an unknown, not someone known. Although, honestly, hardly anyone knows who CM outside this blog (maybe Wells can ask some women in a bar about her).
Damn.
ZODIAC: Cost $65M+, Gross $84M
B. BUTTON: Cost $150M, Gross $333M
Fincher needs to make a movie that makes money, period. His last few haven’t exactly thrilled the accountants (hint: no one bankrolls movies just so they can do a little better than break-even).
DRAGON has made all of $3M here so far, so almost no one has seen it. Personally I detest remakes of foreign films, especially if they are crowd-friendly genre films. But if you are going to do it, might as well try to do it right.
DG,
According to your numbers, how do you figure Benjamin Buttons merely broke even? The Worldwide gross doubled the cost.
Panic Room made it’s money back times four.
Zodiac barely made any profit, but it’s one of the best films of the decade. I’d say his track record isn’t as bad as you make it seem.
While it would be fun to see Mulligan stretch after a year of sensitive-muse leads, domestic-homefront weeping scenes in small scenes in big movies, and a zillion interviews where she did the bashful-ingenue thing flawlessly…
I like that she appears to be a truly DEMURE actress. As we all know, DEMURE women are both hard to come by AND the sexiest thing ever. I’m sure Carey Mulligan in fake tattoos and leather brandishing a dildo would be *mind-blowing* in the way that K-Stew as Joan Jett was, but at the end of the day I like these Twin Pillars of Shy, Sensitive, Earnest DEMURE Poise and NON-THREATENING HOTNESS to play to their usual wheelhouse, which is to say to be ethereal and genteel and crinkling their brows and biting their lower lip nervously, usually while on a road trip with a much older man, so I can better project my fantasies.
Leave the other stuff to the accepted overtly sexual actresses like Jolie, Fox, Ricci (who would be the best choice for this), etc. I don’t like to think that Mulligan or K-Stew knows what any of that stuff even is. They are wholesome and DEMURE.
I really, really like the original… but it is what it is: A lurid pulp/potboiler mystery yarn that Americans overrate because it’s Swedish, Swedes overrate because of all the (I’m told) overdue “this-is-why-we-suck” political jabs and EVERYONE overrates because they fall hard for Lisbeth.
Seriously: Hot ass-kicking bisexual goth-chick computer-hacker/motorcyclist? It’s like someone test-marketed for a prefab film-geek-icon. If Larson had written the thing as a graphic novel, Lisbeth would probably be leading The Avengers by now…
A film’s gross is just that – the total amount made at the domestic and foreign box office. It is NOT the amount returned to the studio, as exhibitors keep a percentage (studios do not own the theaters). That percentage, however, changes as the weeks progress until the exhibitors keep the lions share.
In addition, there is the considerable marketing/advertising costs and the costs of the prints.
The old rule of thumb was that a film had do 2.5 times the budget to break even. However, marketing costs have skyrocketed so much that 3 times is now the norm if not more. Fincher’s movies do not lend themselves to product placement or promotion, so there’s little of that money to defray costs.
And those figures were based on it’s domestic gross. The overseas exhibitors can be so untrustworthy that many times the studios simply take a lump sum fee instead of trying to get an honest accounting.
Fincher might be a A level director to those of us on HE, yet to studios, he’s still gifted but one who’s last moderately successful film was 8 years ago and who’s ONLY major success was 15 years back (SE7EN).
There was a (sigh) at the top of my last post, but I used the usual punctuation for them which in HTML makes the disappear.
PANIC ROOM was a huge hit and more importantly introduced the world to the greatest screen presence since Brando.
GOOD MOVIE.
Panic Room is indeed a GOOD MOVIE. Tense, darkly humorous, well-acted and full of foul language and the occasional burst of shocking violence. I don’t know why it doesn’t receive more praise a tightly-plotted, ultra-stylish, original thriller.
Well I haven’t seen the original, but I have read the book. Mulligan seems like a good choice to me. The girl I pictured in my head was pretty much Muligan anyway, although not quite as pretty. The book seemed to be a bit to plotty as well. Seems like a good director/writer could make a few changes to make it flow a bit better.
>the greatest screen presence since Brando
Jesus, dude. I understand crushes but you’re embarrassing yourself.
I’ll have to agree with Deathtongue regarding the grosses.
The best that Fincher’s last two movies did was to break even and no more than that. I don’t even know if ZODIAC actually managed to break even. I doubt the DVD made THAT much money.
I even have doubts about BENJAMIN. The movie actually cost $170 to produce (according to Variety) and another, what?, $75 million to market globally? And since cinemas keep roughly 50% of the B.O., I don’t know how much was left for the studio, if any.
“PANIC ROOM was a huge hit and more importantly introduced the world to the greatest screen presence since Brando.”
Yes, but Dwight Yoakam is still best known as a country music performer.
Nobody’s buying my Christina Ricci suggestion for this?
I think it is SOLID GOLD.
Lex, great actors take chances and do different roles. So your K-Stew would need to take chances if she is to become the next Brando, as you suggested.
As for the movie, I think Rapace’s performance is the key for me. She owns the movie, otherwise it’s just routine thriller with some R rated scenes. I am not sure how to explain this, but every scene Rapace is in, it seems like Lisbeth knows exactly what she is doing even if I have no idea what’s going on in her head.
I am not sure if Mulligan can do this role, maybe she can, but I am not a big fan of hollywood remakes, since they usually soften the edge within the material.
A reason to wary of Mulligan: If they set this thing in the States, her American accent is DREADFUL. Much like the similarly posh totty, Keira Knightley.
I suspect Fincher’s films are home-theatre hits. Many of them became classics of sorts for a lot of people.
Carey Mulligan, K-Stew, Keira, and Christina Ricci = the Greatest Actresses in the World. Also Jolie, Dakota Fanning, and… wait a minute and prepare to BOW, because I have THE PERFECT CHOICE NOW and everyone will agree:
Evan Rachel Wood.
Brilliant actress, sexy, tons of charisma, and enough of a wild-card crazy chick to be PERFECT in this.
THEY SHOULD LET ME CAST BIG MOVIES.
Why can’t Fincher just do RENDEZVOUS WITH RAMA instead?
Why can’t Fincher just do a 157-minute adaptation of his CRADLE OF LOVE video starring Taylor Momsen and me instead?
This would be a great opportunity for Mulligan to do something a bit different and display her chops. Fingers crossed.
Good choice, Finch. Mulligan’s as “edgy” as Portman in V for Vendetta.
Insneider: IA is better for one reason. It’s half the running time of the orignal. [Unless you count the sequels.]
Anglo: Please. Departed was padded with expository bullshit. It so wanted to be Goodfellas 2, and failed on all fronts.
China: With P+A, Button made only average money for a Pitt film.
DG
Buttons was a solid hit. Panic Room was a big hit.
Saying that his last hit was eight years ago is misleading. He’s only made two films since then. If he was making a movie per year that might mean something. He’s one of the most powerful directors in Hollywood.
DZ
You’ve argued in the past that Pitt’s movies don’t make any money. You’ve lost track of your own bullshit.
What “Pitt” films have made a ton of money. Babel? Jesse James? Fight Club? 12 Monkeys? Sleepers? 7 years in Tibet? The Devil’s Own? Meet Joe Black? Snatch? The Mexican? Spy Game? Troy?
Or are you referring to the Ocean’s films, which in the past you’ve given the credit to everybody in the cast but Pitt? Or Inglourious Basterds, which you still deny was a hit?
When you spin as much bullshit as you, it’s difficult to keep it straight.
Damn.
China: “Buttons was a solid hit.”
It was a disappointment which only became profitable through international sales and Oscar buzz.
“You’ve argued in the past that Pitt’s movies don’t make any money.”
No, I’ve said he’s not as big a draw as he’s hyped up to be most of the time.
Huh, I saw the Mulligan/Brosnan/Sarandon tear-jerker The Greatest a couple weeks back, and I thought Mulligan did a pretty first-rate job with her American accent.
I don’t really get the appeal of the Dragon Tattoo book or movie. Read it, saw the movie, and neither did anything for me.
What happened to Fincher and that chess movie? I thought that was his next project?
In defense of Zodiac’s box office take, I believe it was originally set for a November ’06 release, but Paramount decided to dump it in March ’07. It did manage another $53 million in DVD rentals and sales. But I’m not sure how much one would expect this kind of film to earn. It’s an R-rated, 160 minute talky film about a serial killer, with very little “action” for the general crowds.
I love the film. It requires an attention span of more than 5 seconds, which is 5 seconds too much for most of today’s audiences. I can see how it only earned $33 million in the US.
“No, I’ve said he’s not as big a draw as he’s hyped up to be most of the time. ”
First of all, he’s not hyped up to be a movie star by most people. Most of those in the know are well aware that he’s less interested in box office grosses than he is in doing good movies.
Second, you’ve probably attempted to make both points at one time or another. I excuse you for getting confused.
“It was a disappointment which only became profitable through international sales and Oscar buzz. ”
That doesn’t make a bit of sense. If it was profitable, it was profitable. It doesn’t matter how it got there. International sales count. In fact, just the other day you mentioned how well The Pianist did, and it only was really successful through the international money.
Idiot.
Now that it’s been updated – I never really saw Mulligan for this role. Lisbeth is a tough role to play because it require toughness and vulnerability (the latter can only be displayed to the audience and not the other characters), and because she has Asperger’s, or close to, whoever plays her has to avoid turning it into a stunt performance. As much as I loved Mulligan in AN EDUCATION, I don’t know if she can pull all that off.
The Movie Bob said:
“I really, really like the original… but it is what it is: A lurid pulp/potboiler mystery yarn that Americans overrate because it’s Swedish, Swedes overrate because of all the (I’m told) overdue “this-is-why-we-suck” political jabs and EVERYONE overrates because they fall hard for Lisbeth.”
That’s cause you haven’t read the second book. While still a pulp thriller – and as an aside, what the fuck is wrong with a pulp thriller that brings up larger issues? Worked for SILENCE OF THE LAMBS – it goes into larger detail about women being mistreated in that society, and in particular shows why Lisbeth unfortunately has a very good reason for not trusting authority figures.
I happened to love the original (along with THE GHOST WRITER, RED RIDING TRILOGY, and THE SECRET IN THEIR EYES, it’s my favorite movie of the year), and I hope Fincher can do a good job of it if he decides to remake it. And once again, thanks for reducing anyone who likes it to a cultural stereotype.
“Insneider: IA is better for one reason. It’s half the running time of the orignal. [Unless you count the sequels.]”
Yes, because brevity always equals quality.
“Anglo: Please. Departed was padded with expository bullshit. It so wanted to be Goodfellas 2, and failed on all fronts.”
I thought reactionary fools like yourself consider Casino to be “GoodFellas 2″. The Departed has very little in common with GoodFellas aside from being a mob film, the latter much more observant of its setting, and more thematically tied into it as well, with the way it talks about class on both sides of the badge. Far more than simple exposition or convolution of the plot. And the characters in The Departed are far more interesting and better drawn than their GoodFellas counterparts, with the exception of Lorraine Bracco’s role.
Internal Affairs was a cool HK action film that had about 1/3 the depth of Monahan’s screenplay, which is funnier, wiser, and more suspenseful.
Once again, you’re a fucking idiot. Go play in traffic.
Smiling: I thought he was doing the Facebook thing myself.
China: “Most of those in the know are well aware that he’s less interested in box office grosses than he is in doing good movies. ”
Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Mexican were good movies?
“If it was profitable, it was profitable.”
It was profitable, but not in the “hit” sense of the word.
“International sales count.In fact, just the other day you mentioned how well The Pianist did, and it only was really successful through the international money. ”
Yes, but they shouldn’t need to bail out a Pitt movie.
lazarus: “Yes, because brevity always equals quality.”
It does for movies which benefit from brevity.
“I thought reactionary fools like yourself consider Casino to be “GoodFellas 2″.”
No, that’s Bugsy 2.
“Internal Affairs was a cool HK action film that had about 1/3 the depth of Monahan’s screenplay, ”
What depth? The characters just curse each other out for most of the film.
“which is funnier, wiser, and more suspenseful.”
Why does it need to be funny? Why can’t it just be fun? And if it’s so wise, then these stupid fucks wouldn’t get caught so easily. As for the suspense, um, no, Marty practically telegraphs the ending a mile away.
“Mr. and Mrs. Smith and The Mexican were good movies?”
No. Did I say they were?
“It was profitable, but not in the “hit” sense of the word.”
I’ve told you before to leave your “sense” out of it. You don’t have any sense. It was a hit. Not a major hit, but a hit.
“Yes, but they shouldn’t need to bail out a Pitt movie.”
Pitt’s movies rarely make a lot of money. You know this. In fact, you’ve argued this.
Pitt has never been Cruise, Hanks, Gibson, etc…
“What depth? The characters just curse each other out for most of the film.”
Apparently you’re not willing to acknowledge the subject of class which is prominent throughout the film. Not a surprise, since you don’t have any class yourself.
“Why does it need to be funny? Why can’t it just be fun? And if it’s so wise, then these stupid fucks wouldn’t get caught so easily. As for the suspense, um, no, Marty practically telegraphs the ending a mile away.”
It didn’t NEED to be funny, but it was. Very much so. And I wouldn’t say that they were caught easily, since they had a well-trained mole in place who was nearly outed himself.
And a telegraphed ending, huh? Telegraphed by the fact that it was a remake? I wasn’t specifically talking about the ending in terms of suspense anyway; the scene with Di Caprio, Damon and the cell phones was unbelievably tense.
Dee, the “Facebook movie” is in post-production. Do you actually follow film at all?
I don’t like to think that Mulligan or K-Stew knows what any of that stuff even is. They are wholesome and DEMURE.
First of all, I sincerely doubt that.
Secondly, they are ACTRESSES. Spreading their wings, creating different personas is what they are paid to do. The statement above actually implies that you don’t even think either of them are good actresses (which I might go so far to agree with in the case of the latter, but it’s still too early to say for sure).
lazarus: “Apparently you’re not willing to acknowledge the subject of class which is prominent throughout the film.”
It’s so prominent that I guess I missed it with all the momma jokes, pointless rants about Leo’s meds, and “ironic racist” comments directed to blacks and Asians.
“And I wouldn’t say that they were caught easily, since they had a well-trained mole in place who was nearly outed himself.”
I rest my case.
“And a telegraphed ending, huh? Telegraphed by the fact that it was a remake?”
No, telegraphed in the sense that you didn’t get the same sense of suspense you did in the original.
My favorite autistic,Yogi Berra-esque DeeZee moment of this thread (so far, anyway):
“lazarus: “Yes, because brevity always equals quality.”
It does for movies which benefit from brevity.”
^That’s some fucking insight right there.
“It’s so prominent that I guess I missed it with all the momma jokes, pointless rants about Leo’s meds, and “ironic racist” comments directed to blacks and Asians.”
Translation: I’m unable to discuss this film’s themes intelligently, so I’ll create a strawman argument to make this film seem way more shallow.
“I rest my case.”
Translation: I didn’t really have a legitimate point to begin with, so I’ll just make it look like you contradicted yourself and proved me right.
“No, telegraphed in the sense that you didn’t get the same sense of suspense you did in the original.”
Translation: I don’t have a clue what “telegraphed” means, but I’ll just make another subjective comparison to the original while failing to understand that while knowing the ending of the film is by nature going to make the conclusion less suspenseful, there are new scenes in the remake that manage to deliver the same effect.
“Secondly, they are ACTRESSES. Spreading their wings, creating different personas is what they are paid to do.”
Yeah, I’d like to “spread their wings,” if you know what I mean.
Kaned, K-Stew gave an OSCAR-WORTHY PERFORMANCE as did Dakota in The Runaways, and I’ve said many, many times here how much I enjoyed both of them in it… And apparently guaranteed-best-of-2010 candidate “Welcome to the Rileys” has Kristen as a foul-mouthed jailbait prostitute. If you don’t think I’m gonna see that 54 times in theaters, you’re out of your mind.
The fact that she is SO GOOD even in such dark and edgy roles is a TESTAMENT to her Sir Laurence Olivier-level talent. No matter what she takes on, it is like seeing acting being done for the very first time ever, like we’re peasants in 15th century England being introduced to a powerful new artform.
But the fact remains, Kristen (and Carey) are essentially DEMURE actresses, and since I prefer non-threatening women, it would be a TREAT to see them mostly play to their strengths of bashful desirability and curious, earnest but chaste CHARM.
Nobody wanted to see Julia Roberts in Mary Reilly, and while I’m sure America’s Sweetheart Sandra Bullock could knock a MONSTER-like challenge out of the park technique-wise, her fans like her to come back again and again to her traditional persona. K-Stew can Daniel-Day Lewis it up and down the film world, and I will be in RAPT AWE no matter what, but my preference is coltish, demure, waifish, uncertain, slightly wounded ingenue roles where she rolls with a much older man.
Hey does the chick in this movie have tattoos on her feet?
DZ
I’ll take your silence as you conceding.
Mulligan looks friggin terrible in that Wall Street trailer. Another one of those fresh-faced actors who looks like a high school kid playing dress up in the play.
I saw Dragon Tattoo and loved it – a little longish, but well done pulp. Rappace is fantastic in it, but there is room for improvement – I can definitely see Fincher tightening the story and knocking it out of the park.
The casting for Lisbeth is key and I have a suggestion that I recommended on another blog – I think she could be perfect – the best thing to happen to pop music in the past ten years, LADY GAGA! Not sure what kind of actress she is, but I think she could pull it off – very underrated talent.
Hard to believe that Fincher would do much in the way of stunt-casting of this type, but he has cast music stars before – Dwight Yoakam in Panic Room and MeatLoaf in Fight Club – and I can see him pulling this off. You guys know this could work…..
“Buttons was a solid hit. Panic Room was a big hit. ”
Nah, Button is at most a minor hit, but Panic Room was really big.
But, at the same time, I do think there’s a level of respect in Hollywood for making a movie that grosses over $300 mil even if it does cost a whole bunch. By the time DVDs and everything are factored in, they made something off it, and they got a somewhat respectable picture out of it.
“…the best thing to happen to pop music in the past ten years, LADY GAGA!”
You mean KE$HA.
BOW.
That chick does have a tattoo, Lex, but it’s not on her feet. She has a pit bull tattoo incorporated into her pussy. Her snatch is the dog’s open mouth.
That doesn’t sound very DEMURE.
The point Deathtongue was trying to was that Fincher badly needed a hit.
His last film made over 300 million worldwide, plus whatever it made on DVD. That’s a hit, as far as he is concerned. He did his job, and the film made money.
And before that, Panic Room was a huge hit. So two of his three films in the last decade were financially successful.
Lex: “And apparently guaranteed-best-of-2010 candidate “Welcome to the Rileys” has Kristen as a foul-mouthed jailbait prostitute.”
You might be disappointed, as you could just end up seeing a brunette version of Hit Girl with breasts. [I.E. no on-screen sex.]
China: Conceding what? That some movies are actually great, because they talk your head off without actually doing anything? If that were true, then Grindhouse and Speed Racer wouldn’t have bombed.
And Fincher’s last film only made any money because of Pitt-and just barely. Panic Room at least made money partly on the actual premise.
Forgot to add “legal brunette version” of Hit Girl.
“Conceding what? That some movies are actually great, because they talk your head off without actually doing anything? If that were true, then Grindhouse and Speed Racer wouldn’t have bombed.”
Um, no. Because that has nothing to do with what we were discussing.
“And Fincher’s last film only made any money because of Pitt-and just barely. Panic Room at least made money partly on the actual premise.”
Yeah, because if you look at Pitt’s box office track record, casting him guarantees you box office success. Oh, wait…
DeeZee, WHAT THE FUCK does “Hit Girl” have to do with Welcome to the Rileys???? And your second paragraph of comment #60 is repulsive. Who would have been “disappointed” by lack of such by a LITTLE KID? And really, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?
There is NO CORRELATION WHATSOEVER between Welcome to the Rileys and Kick-Ass, K-Stew and “Hit Girl,” a movie about a hooker talking smack to James Gandolfini and a movie about a little kid shooting gangsters.
ASPERGER POWER.
Lex – keep in mind that DZ has been arguing for several weeks that the image of a school-age girl dressed for Catholic school is inherently sexual.
China: “Yeah, because if you look at Pitt’s box office track record, casting him guarantees you box office success.”
If you define Button as a success, then in that case, yes, it does.
Lex: “And your second paragraph of comment #60 is repulsive. Who would have been “disappointed” by lack of such by a LITTLE KID? And really, WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?”
I corrected myself for clarity. And I was implying that Stewart would probably just dress like her and curse like her.
Deez, how is it you’re on HE 23 hours a day, EASY MONEY style, and yet fail to notice how threads and pix that Jeff posts?
He had at least two WELCOME TO THE RILEYS threads (if not more) featuring screen grabs of K-STEW in her hooker attire. Clips from the movie have been readily available on the many sites you link to for several months.
So, no, she’s not wearing a Catholic schoolgirl outfit, a fact readily learnable by, oh, looking at the screen of the site that seems to be your entire raison d’etre.
Sorry if I have a short fuse with DZ here, but have we all actually digested the fact that INSTEAD OF TURNING IN A JOB APPLICATION at one of the roughly 10 million venues in the city of Los Angeles, he’s decided to GO BACK TO SCHOOL because of Internet articles he reads about the job market being so dire?
Christ, Mama DZ, aka GZ, must be fucking LOADED.
She’s not?
Those aren’t K-Stew’s toes.
Close enough in the context of my quip.
BTW, Lex, if you think the job market’s so great, why don’t you quit already and find something better? If even Seth Rogen can be considered a star, then there’s hope for you.
Points for using “quip.” Sorry to stoop to picking fights with you, as that’s kind of tired around here, but really man….
Instead of racking up another worthless degree, at least APPLY for one of the many, MANY post houses jobs (or, fuck it, BORDERS or BARNES AND NOBELS OR STARBUCKS OR BEST BUY jobs) available in Los Angeles.
Or at least be a class act for once, and just admit to the HE folks you have no license, no work or life experience, and probably some sort of “condition” that keeps you from actually working, and you work yourself in circles, night after night, here on EVERY subject, when you could just SIMPLY SAY, “Eh, I have a little bit of a quirky condition” and it’s why you go on these crazy tangents and make excuses for everything and can never, ever cop to being wrong.
At the very, very least, can you at least own to being REALLY FUCKING WEIRD, or really lazy?
Obviously this is advice I should take myself so I’m offering it in good spirits, but, Christ dude… at some point, it’s not THE WORLD’S FAULT for everything that’s gone wrong in your life. Take some responsibility and just once offer up some humility and say, “Eh, I fucked up” instead of going the next thirty years blaming your woes on some HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES who MADE FUN OF YOU FOR NOT LIKING TITANIC.
I am no kind of authority on anything, I loathe psychoanalysis, but I’ve known two or three people in recent years who have been diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome. I only can go by what you post here, but just saying, you match their personality characteristics to a T. Far as I know, there’s not much you can do about that condition to make it “go away,” but I think you’re being SUPREMELY INDULGENT in just laying back in life and HATING THE WORLD and relying on a RICH MOMMY instead of just MANNING UP and getting some kind, ANY KIND of job.
Oh, and for the record, DeeZee, I just went to the website of a major LA posthouse, Ascent Media, with offices in Hollywood, Santa Monica and Burbank, and they have literally DOZENS of available jobs they’re accepting resumes for, from QC to shipper to driver to working in a vault.
I’m sure if you looked up Technicolor, Modern Videofilm, PostLogic, Level 3, Panavision, Soundelux, and many, MANY more, all of them have websites with current employment opportunities in their vault or for tech employees or drivers.
“China: “Yeah, because if you look at Pitt’s box office track record, casting him guarantees you box office success.”
“If you define Button as a success, then in that case, yes, it does.”
No, you said Pitt was the sole reason Button was a success. This implies that Pitt has a strong track record of being a leading man in box office hits. His track record proves otherwise.
Try again. This time without the bullshit.
Lex: “at least APPLY for one of the many, MANY post houses jobs (or, fuck it, BORDERS or BARNES AND NOBELS OR STARBUCKS OR BEST BUY jobs) available in Los Angeles.”
I have. They prefer to keep those places under-staffed.
“Or at least be a class act for once, and just admit to the HE folks you have no license, no work or life experience, and probably some sort of “condition” that keeps you from actually working, and you work yourself in circles, night after night, here on EVERY subject, when you could just SIMPLY SAY, “Eh, I have a little bit of a quirky condition” and it’s why you go on these crazy tangents and make excuses for everything and can never, ever cop to being wrong.”
If it were that simple, I wouldn’t be so fucking bitter about it.
“at some point, it’s not THE WORLD’S FAULT for everything that’s gone wrong in your life. ”
Well, it sure as fuck isn’t entirely my fault, either. I didn’t cheat or step on other people to barely get where I am today, and yet the individuals who did are being rewarded and praised for it. Gawd, you fuckers are even trashing an author who’s been in the sci-fi biz long before there was even a real market for it, just because he wanted to seek compensation for Cameron stealing and taking credit for his work.
“Take some responsibility and just once offer up some humility and say, “Eh, I fucked up” instead of going the next thirty years blaming your woes on some HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES who MADE FUN OF YOU FOR NOT LIKING TITANIC.”
Why? So I can feel even worse that they’re more successful than me, and I can’t even get past the fucking starting line?
“but I think you’re being SUPREMELY INDULGENT in just laying back in life and HATING THE WORLD and relying on a RICH MOMMY instead of just MANNING UP and getting some kind, ANY KIND of job.”
First off, I can’t *live* on “any” kind of job in this city. You yourself noted that, too. Second of all,
most of the “any” kinds of jobs want someone who’s 16-25, is willing to lift heavy ass shit without being insured, and/other dangerous grunt/work, and/or forcing your ass to do anywhere from 10-12 hours or more per day of standing on your feet on minimum wage and/or commission. And not even in L.A. proper. Usually some out-of-the-way shithole in Tarzana or something. Plus, they might not even hire you full-time, if you do agree to this stuff. So you could get cut off before you even actually make any real money.
“Oh, and for the record, DeeZee, I just went to the website of a major LA posthouse, Ascent Media, with offices in Hollywood, Santa Monica and Burbank, and they have literally DOZENS of available jobs they’re accepting resumes for, from QC to shipper to driver to working in a vault.”
Accepting resumes isn’t the same as hiring. And I don’t have the transportation to go all the way out to Burbank, unless it’s in the North Hollywood part of town. Furthermore, they’ll probably tell me I’m unqualified because I don’t know some fucking obscure software no one actually uses or some other excuse, because they’re too cheap to train my ass. Though, unlike Gordon, I appreciate you actually giving me a lead.
China: In Button’s case, Pitt was the reason it was a “success”. Do you really think anyone would see a PG-13 flick from Fincher based on a fucking book written 80+ years ago by a guy who wasn’t known for fantasy stories?
Oh, well, just giving it a shot…
“In Button’s case, Pitt was the reason it was a “success”. Do you really think anyone would see a PG-13 flick from Fincher based on a fucking book written 80+ years ago by a guy who wasn’t known for fantasy stories?”
If it had the right release date, yeah.
If Pitt is such a box office draw, then explain FC, SG, and MJB. MJB was a huge disappointment and only made its budget back through international sales. .
Oh, and attention all comers:
This?
“Accepting resumes isn’t the same as hiring.”
Is the SINGLE GREATEST JUSTIFICATION FOR LAZINESS and stonerdom and lack of ambition in the ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE.
HOLY FUCK, this is GENIUS. Deez, can I PLEASE put this in a screenplay?
“Accepting resumes isn’t the same as hiring.”
ATTENTION EVERY EMPLOYER IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD: if you do not INSTA-HIRE EVERY PERSON WHO INQUIRES, you are a LIE. If there is a position that needs filled at your establishment, YOU ARE BOUND TO HIRE EACH AND EVERY PERSON who applies.
And all unemployed people in the world? If there is a WANT AD anywhere in the universe and THEY DO NOT HIRE YOU, THEY HAVE LIED. If you do not GET EVERY JOB YOU EVER APPLY FOR, you should just stay home with Mom and never apply for another job again, EVER.
Deez, I have had my own apartment since I was 23 years of age in the city of Los Angeles, sans roommate and sans ANY HELP FINANCIALLY from any relatives or ANYONE.
Really, WHY CAN’T YOU just go get a closed-captioning job or a transcription job? In fact, either of those things would TOTALLY suit your OCD/Aspergian mind
Lex: “Is the SINGLE GREATEST JUSTIFICATION FOR LAZINESS and stonerdom and lack of ambition in the ENTIRE HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE.”
You think that’s lazy, try submitting a resume to one of those places and finding out that they never even heard of your ass when you do a call-back a week later.
“Deez, can I PLEASE put this in a screenplay?”
Only if I get credit. Though I know you’re being sarcastic.
“If there is a position that needs filled at your establishment, YOU ARE BOUND TO HIRE EACH AND EVERY PERSON who applies.”
The chances are better.
“Deez, I have had my own apartment since I was 23 years of age in the city of Los Angeles, sans roommate and sans ANY HELP FINANCIALLY from any relatives or ANYONE.”
Good for you. Of course, 23 years ago, you could afford your own apartment in L.A.
“Really, WHY CAN’T YOU just go get a closed-captioning job or a transcription job?”
Because I’m not considered “qualified” enough, even though I fucking did all types of volunteer tasks like checking audio tapes for blind and dyslexic people and trimming a fucking pathway in the mountains for a park ranger.
“If there is a WANT AD anywhere in the universe and THEY DO NOT HIRE YOU, THEY HAVE LIED. ”
Well, they lied about education being the key to success. Just look at Mike Brown and those pricks at the SEC who fapped to porn while the banks ripped off home-owners.
“I fucking did all types of volunteer tasks like… trimming a fucking pathway in the mountains for a park ranger. ”
SOLID GOLD.
If this is too personal, don’t answer….
But what does your mom make of your laziness and incessant excuses, whereby you rewrite the entire history of the planet to justify “I’m weird, lazy, and I don’t have a driver’s license”?
Actually, she suggested I go back to school, since, despite what you think, she’s *not* rich. If she were, I’d have moved the fuck out of here long ago and sought my fortune in a city with actual public transportation. And I do have a license. I just don’t have my own car. This might be a bit of a newsflash for you, but insurance is a bitch in L.A., even on used vehicles.
So when you get done with THIS schooling and still someone doesn’t show up at the door one morning with a 60K offer out of the blue, who are you going to blame then?
Or better phrased… with this additional “adult education” in hand, are you going to be more vigilant about mailing out applications and pursuing jobs?
Your problem seems to be some sort of internal block that is NEVER going to be solved. You could get a doctorate from fucking Harvard, and based on your weird leaps and excuses and accusations and tangents, I’d suspect you’re still going to be “bad in the room.”
From your anecdotes, you make it sound like you’ve literally prowled the Internet for 12 years without much human contact that wasn’t arranged via your mom.
All the schooling in the world is no match for…. just being AGREEABLE and LIKEABLE and NOT WEIRD.
Lex: “So when you get done with THIS schooling and still someone doesn’t show up at the door one morning with a 60K offer out of the blue, who are you going to blame then?”
Probably the snake oil salesmen who claimed this was the career path of the future.
“Or better phrased… with this additional “adult education” in hand, are you going to be more vigilant about mailing out applications and pursuing jobs?”
If there are still any jobs left by then, sure.
“From your anecdotes, you make it sound like you’ve literally prowled the Internet for 12 years without much human contact that wasn’t arranged via your mom.”
Oh, I did some human contact on my own. I just can’t commute 30-45 minutes in L.A. traffic to meet people who aren’t going to pay me anymore.
“All the schooling in the world is no match for…. just being AGREEABLE and LIKEABLE and NOT WEIRD.”
You mean being a total asshole who just happens to know the right code words and mannerisms to win over gullible and irresponsible fucks.
This is the single most depressing thread I’ve read on HE.
I Googled DeeZee’s real name and it’s more of the same:
“Well one day, my local theater was promoting Tromeo and Juliet. I was disgusted that that wretched Leonardo Dicaprio Romeo and Juliet film was somehow making money, since Claire Danes’ “My So-Called Life” got cancelled for a reason:she sucks. And nothing pisses me off more than teen girls who like shallow movies that are meant to deprive them of their money. Plus, I’ve always been an avid hater of Shakespeare. He constantly tried to elevate his mediocre plays, by using flowery language. And people who read and admire his works act like he’s the only writer whoever contributed anything to Western Civilization; not to mention they act like they’re more elite than other people, because they like his work. So FINALLY, there was someone who made an anti-Shakespeare movie.”
DZ, when you’re getting life advice from a guy who once exclaimed ‘I hate my life with the fury of 1000 suns’, you have to be pretty close to rock bottom.
I just hope it doesn’t get worse by you pulling a Stephen Baldwin.
Man up and take some personal responsibility for your life (and your lousy box office predictions).
Also, Lex, if you dropped the ‘Woe is me, where is my demure hottie and celebrity lifestyle?’ from your interactions with women, you’re a witty guy and should have no problem getting laid. Laughter = powerful aphrodisiac.
“Well, they lied about education being the key to success.”
The brilliant thing is, you realize this, but you think the solution is to go back to school and get a different education?!
“Oh, I did some human contact on my own. I just can’t commute 30-45 minutes in L.A. traffic to meet people who aren’t going to pay me anymore.”
Spoken like a man who has lots of friends!
Poor DZ, everybody judges him, just like everybody judges Harlan Ellison. You two have a lot in common. You’ve probably written as many words as he has, albeit yours were stupid predictions and poorly thought-out arguments, where his were award-winning stories and money-winning lawsuits.
“”Take some responsibility and just once offer up some humility and say, “Eh, I fucked up” instead of going the next thirty years blaming your woes on some HIGH SCHOOL CLASSMATES who MADE FUN OF YOU FOR NOT LIKING TITANIC.”
“Why? So I can feel even worse that they’re more successful than me, and I can’t even get past the fucking starting line? ”
This right here is exactly DZ’s problem. Lex tells him *exactly* what to do to begin to fix his incredibly deep-seeded mental issues, and his response is that it’s not worth acknowledging his own problems, because that would make him feel worse, even though that’s obviously only temporary on the way to feeling better, and actually helping him get to the starting line. It’s amazing the level of denial.
So, what are you going to study at school, DZ?
“Though, unlike Gordon, I appreciate you actually giving me a lead.”
Why would I give you a lead? You’ve repeatedly said that you’re actively avoiding looking for a job, preferring to just say fuck it.
On top of which, I don’t live in LA, I’ve never had to look for a job in LA, and I don’t have any advice for you on how to get a job in LA, other than to tell you that every person I’ve ever known who was willing to work could get work in LA, and the one person I’ve known who couldn’t find work had a whole set of parameters wherein he wouldn’t accept anything less than that, and could never find any openings. He basically moved out to late, after having spent too long in NY establishing connections, and couldn’t get a new start. But that’s certainly not true of you — you’ve been in LA the whole time.
Well let’s be blunt here — even if DeeZee managed to land gainful employment, how long would it last before his employer realized he was paying a guy to sit around all day and not complete his assigned tasks because “this crappy economy means I’ll get laid off eventually” and “this office is 50 minutes away from home and not worth the commute given how little I’m paid, and “you’re a gullible and irresponsible fuck for hiring me anyway.”
I feel really sorry for DeeZee. Reading his posts just makes me sad. I can’t even enjoy the kickings he gets on these boards because of it.
One thing I will say is that it’s very easy to fall into the unemployment “lifestyle” and make up excuses why you’ll never find a job. I spent about 6 months unemployed directly after I graduated, and most of that was because I was waking up at 11am, browsing the web for several hours looking at bullshit, and then half-heartedly looking on job websites for about 20 minutes a day. Sending maybe one application a week. You have to try harder if you want a job.
I can’t feel sorry for him. Tried to, once, but the aggravating, smug and narcissistic personality he constantly projects made any such empathy impossible.
And he should really be aware that these days, everybody considering you for a job scours the web for your name, your activities — everything. Is anyone really considering hiring “Daniel Zelter” going to, once they stumble upon his activities at Hollywood Elsewhere?
“One thing I will say is that it’s very easy to fall into the unemployment “lifestyle” and make up excuses why you’ll never find a job.”
Hey, I’ve been there. I spent four months on unemployment and managed to pay my rent and student loan every month.
The problem is, DZ has gone beyond just making excuses; he’s built them up for so long that they’re literally the only thing keeping him from going insane at the stark horror of his own life.
I don’t feel bad for him, though, because he’s so unwilling to try to improve himself. He’s so incredibly smug for somebody who’s so completely worthless, it becomes impossible to feel sympathy for him.
Damn it, I didn’t want to know all these pesonal things about DZ that make me feel sorry for him. I just wanted to keep on with him making border line retarded comments and Gordon and Lex and whoever else blasting him for it. I check this site every day, usually 2 or 3 times. Most of that is because of the talk back, not the actual posts. Don’t ruin this for me.
Jeeezus, what a classic thread, and I missed most of it (working, no less). Lex, you’re doing God’s work here (just an expression, I don’t really believe in “Him,” either). I’ve tried to intervene before and give similar advice, but it’s just a falling upon deaf ears — he’s in a broken life-cycle.
Nothing’s really going to change short of the incredibly charitable act of someone actually INTERVENING in his real-life, and giving him a swift kick in the ass every single solitary step of the way (“stop posting links, turn off the computer, get out of the chair, get out of the house, get in my car, get into the Target kiosk, fill out the job application, stop arguing with the person attempting to hire you,” etc.).
The sad part is I can sort of relate to DeeZee’s defeatist mentality (I think to varying degrees, most here can). I was unemployed for nearly a year after college. Was I looking for work? Kinda, but not really. Eventually my parents kicked me to the curb for my own good — best move ever — and I’ve pretty much been bustin’ my ass ever since.
I don’t really like where I’m living (but it’s cheap), I certainly don’t make really good money (but it pays the rent), and I sure as fuck don’t like my current line of work (but I earn enough of a living to live alone, and do — or not do — whatever the fuck I feel like after I finish work).
Life sucks, Dee. Unless you’re in the luckiest/most beautiful/smartest 1% of the country, your highest aspirations are going to be dashed, your dreams curtailed, and your life is most likely not going to resemble anything like you once naively imagined it would. It’s either going to resemble a perpetual disaster or disappointment — and worst case scenario, both — from a career, social, sexual, and especially spiritual standpoint.
If anything, it’s only going to bet messier as you go. So best get used to enjoying it now!
Gordon: “but you think the solution is to go back to school and get a different education?!”
When there are no jobs, I gotta do something productive.
“Spoken like a man who has lots of friends!”
Well, most of my so-called friends ditched me when they got some tail and/or better social circles, so…
“because that would make him feel worse, even though that’s obviously only temporary on the way to feeling better, and actually helping him get to the starting line.”
Well first off, it ain’t temporary. And feeling like shit just makes things worse, because you’re just more frustrated and aimless than you were before you started. Nor does it guarantee you actually unlocking the secret to your personal success. It just lets other people “win” by knowing they pushed one of your buttons.
“So, what are you going to study at school, DZ?”
Hopefully, something that’ll pay off.
“Why would I give you a lead? You’ve repeatedly said that you’re actively avoiding looking for a job, preferring to just say fuck it.”
I said if you got one, gimme one.
Howlingman: “And he should really be aware that these days, everybody considering you for a job scours the web for your name, your activities — everything. Is anyone really considering hiring “Daniel Zelter” going to, once they stumble upon his activities at Hollywood Elsewhere?”
Yeah, they google for a couple of off-the-cuff remarks which have nothing to do with the job and then pay off some shady merchants who sell toys laced with cadmium. Fuck their hypocrisy.
Anglo: Seven years of applications isn’t trying hard enough?
Kane: At least you’re more realistic than most people on here.
“Well first off, it ain’t temporary.”
Everybody i’ve ever known who’s taken therapy says you start off, you feel bad. Then, you feel worse, because you’ve figured out why you feel bad. Then, you start to get more control, and you feel better. not “better” like fixed, but better as in not as bad. So, yes, it is temporary, in the context of the sentence.
“Nor does it guarantee you actually unlocking the secret to your personal success. ”
I didn’t say you need to unlock the secret to personal success; you need to unlock the secret to why your mind is so fucked up because that’s the only path that will lead to personal adequacy.
“It just lets other people “win” by knowing they pushed one of your buttons. ”
DZ, I hate to be the one to break it to you, but acting like an idiot the way you do lets other people “win” by proving that you’re an idiot. Go to therapy, don’t tell anybody you’re in therapy, and then nobody gets to “win” by making you go to therapy for your own good. There you go, problem solved. How long will it take you to completely dismiss this?
It amazes me that anybody still believes DZ is for real. He’s a piece of performance art. He’s here to drive up the comments and action of the site.
He’s entertainment. Have fun with it, don’t try so hard to figure him out or fix him.
Although Lexg was in genius form on this thread.
“The sad part is I can sort of relate to DeeZee’s defeatist mentality (I think to varying degrees, most here can). I was unemployed for nearly a year after college. Was I looking for work? Kinda, but not really. Eventually my parents kicked me to the curb for my own good — best move ever — and I’ve pretty much been bustin’ my ass ever since.”
Kaned – there’s a world of difference between being reluctant to go into the world when you’ve just graduated college and when you’re thirty and have been actively avoiding joining it since college. Seven years of looking for work — it doesn’t matter how half-assed you are, you can find *something* in seven years.
But that’s not the annoying, stupid part. The annoying, stupid part is, here’s a guy who could be doing whatever he wants. He lives at home, so he doesn’t pay rent and has essentially no responsibilities. So, what does he do with his time? Does he write a great story, try to pursue things like that (things he has said he would like to do) at a time when he can afford to because he has no rent to pay? Does he write a great screenplay, better than all the people he criticizes on here? Of course not! Does he watch a bunch of movies, maybe re-kindle his long-diverted passion [I refuse to believe he has no passion for movies, but it obviously went astray at some point]?
No, no, and no. He spends all of his time on-line talking shit about movies he hasn’t seen and posting links to information about movies he’s not interested in. And now he’s going back to school, even though repeatedly saying that the world had lied to him, that school does nothing to help a person achieve success.
You’re not wrong, Kaned. There’s always a little piece of DZ that reminds people of themself somewhere. But he’s a great thing to see, because he will always be an insanely exaggerated Internet version of whatever minor flaw you don’t like in yourself.
“Everybody i’ve ever known who’s taken therapy says you start off, you feel bad. Then, you feel worse, because you’ve figured out why you feel bad. Then, you start to get more control, and you feel better. not “better” like fixed, but better as in not as bad. So, yes, it is temporary, in the context of the sentence.”
Obtaining financial security is my idea of therapy.
“you can find *something* in seven years.”
These were the Bush years, so…Not to mention that I did find stuff-just not long-term.
so spending a bunch of money on going to school is a plan for obtaining financial security?
Gordon: “so spending a bunch of money on going to school is a plan for obtaining financial security?”
I ain’t spending a bunch of money. But on a related note, when is your film school “experience” going to pay off?
That isn’t a related note; I completely agree with you that post-high school education is worthless in the job market, and that they lied to you. But my response to that has not been to go back to school, it’s been to get work in the industry that I want to work in.
Actually, on the other hand, my film school experience has led directly to half the jobs I’ve gotten (and, indirectly, probably most of the other half), and set me up with a good deal of friends who know their respective crafts. I mean, not going to school, I wouldn’t have been able to get my entire crew on the short for free, for instance.
The problem is, your definition of “paying off” is that you want to make enough money that you don’t have to worry. You think money will make you happy. That’s just stupid. Money can not make a person happy. I grant that, at a certain level, money can make a person less unhappy, but it isn’t the same thing at all. My definition of “paying off” is different — I was looking for the education that I, to some extent, got.
[I should point out, yes, obviously, the school part was not inherent to the meeting people part, but rather just specific to me and where I met my crew. Plenty of people who didn't go to school have done what I did, it's just a different path to the same goal.]
>And the characters in The Departed are far more interesting and better drawn than their GoodFellas counterparts, with the exception of Lorraine Bracco’s role.
!!! Joe Pesci’s Tommy is one of the incandescent immortal lightning flashes in the history of cinema. Nothing in Departed comes close to that.
I would say that the difference is, the characters in ‘The Departed’ show the sort of nuance you only find in a screenplay. The characters in ‘Goodfellas’ are the sort of one note you only find in real life.
Gordon: “You think money will make you happy. That’s just stupid. Money can not make a person happy.”
That’s easy for you to say when you actually have a steady income. Besides, I thought living well was the best revenge.
Realizing that you haven’t worried about revenge against your high school enemies in months is the best revenge. Even if you are living at home with your parents.
Gordon: “Realizing that you haven’t worried about revenge against your high school enemies in months is the best revenge. Even if you are living at home with your parents.”
Again, that’s easy for you to say when you aren’t stuck at home.
It has NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. And you’ve now cited three completely distinct reasons that you’re unhappy:
1 – you have no money/job
2 – you still live at home with your folks
3 – you still think about taking revenge on people you went to high school with
Seriously, dude, you’re, what, 30? Stop thinking about high school. It’s over. No matter what you do, you will never have been cool in high school. You will never have fucked that cheerleader you thought you had a chance with because she wore glasses and drooled a bit. If all you’re trying to do is succeed in life so you can show that guy who held your head under the toilet after he had shit in it, you’re never going to go anywhere.
And that suits me just fine, I enjoy laughing at you. But you — yes, even you — can do better. Because literally anybody could do better than you’re doing now.
“you still think about taking revenge on people you went to high school with”
You took that out of context. I don’t want revenge in the typical sense per se. I actually want to move on, financially, and thus fulfill that old saying.
“No matter what you do, you will never have been cool in high school.”
That had nothing to do with it. I just wanted to have a regular social life, and I had to settle for hanging out with friends who lived in the Valley, because the peoplle I had to deal with on a regular basis were total assholes.
“You will never have fucked that cheerleader you thought you had a chance with because she wore glasses and drooled a bit. ”
That never happened.
“If all you’re trying to do is succeed in life so you can show that guy who held your head under the toilet after he had shit in it, you’re never going to go anywhere.”
And that never happened, either. My problem is that I wasted four fucking years there, when I could have and should have easily dropped out after one year, like Leo. But I bought into their bullshit about being a school which could help me get into a good college, and thus a good career. But then I later found out some guy got a bigger scholarship than me, just for doing track,even though I technically had a better grade than him. [His was inflated via an AP course he took.]
Meanwhile, I can’t even get anyone interested in hiring me after I wasted time doing community service instead of trying to pick up chicks and going to a school with an actual fucking grass field. I was basically brainwashed into being a cog, and the only reason I put up with pricks who didn’t seem to respect me for being a “book-worm” was because I thought it would pay off down the line.
So it’s not just about proving them wrong, but about justifying and/or making up for all the bullshit I went through to get this far. *You* don’t have to complain, because your “work” actually paid off for you. I, on the other hand, have to compete with the kinds of idiots who fund faulty oil rigs, and only attain that type of position because of how well they sucked up to the right people.
“I don’t want revenge in the typical sense per se.”
Fuck all that bullshit. Look what you just wrote. As Lex and I have been trying to explain it to you, you’re unhealthily fixated on high school, and obsessed with the choices you made back then. The world doesn’t owe you shit. Everybody is competing with people who suck up. You think you’re special because you realize that high school was bullshit? Everybody realizes that high school was bullshit. The fortunate ones are the ones who realize it at the time and, thus, enjoy it.
The part of the cliche advice-for-high-school-losers that you’re forgetting is this: “This is the best time of their lives, and they’re always going to look back on it.” Because, see, *that* is the point of it “Living well is the best revenge” — they are the ones who are supposed to be obsessed with high school, because that was the best time of their life. You’re obsessed with the worst time of your life, and you’re allowing it to continue to fuck with your life. You’re basically doing it all completely wrong.
Forget about going back to school, and really fucking forget about high school. Figure out what you want to do, find a place, and get in the door. At this point, based on your situation, you might as well accept the equivalent of an unpaid internship in order to “prove your worth”. But, see, the problem there is, that’s dependent on *you*. Then if you fail, it’s clearly *you* failing, and you will never put yourself in that situation. You’d rather bullshit yourself about how they’re all against you, and how they probably wouldn’t hire you anyway (no doubt because you hated ‘Avatar’). You’re a loser purely by self-determination, stubbornly clinging to the path that is guaranteed to lead you nowhere because it involves not trying to go anywhere. Basically, you’re expecting not only to win the lotto, but not to have to have bought the ticket.
Gordon: “As Lex and I have been trying to explain it to you, you’re unhealthily fixated on high school, and obsessed with the choices you made back then.”
I’m just making a point that those were the worst years of my life, and the only positive now is I don’t have to go anymore. But it should be a lot better than that, for the bullshit I endured. I didn’t always make the right choices, but I didn’t make the worst ones, either. But the assholes who did are still more successful than me right now.
“The world doesn’t owe you shit. Everybody is competing with people who suck up.”
Yes, but I was led to believe that I’d have an “in”, because of my “experience” and “grades”.
“You think you’re special because you realize that high school was bullshit? Everybody realizes that high school was bullshit. The fortunate ones are the ones who realize it at the time and, thus, enjoy it.”
I’d have enjoyed it, if I went to a different school.
“Because, see, *that* is the point of it “Living well is the best revenge” — they are the ones who are supposed to be obsessed with high school, because that was the best time of their life. You’re obsessed with the worst time of your life, and you’re allowing it to continue to fuck with your life. You’re basically doing it all completely wrong.”
Well, I wouldn’t be “obsessed” if I actually got somewhere in life.
“At this point, based on your situation, you might as well accept the equivalent of an unpaid internship in order to “prove your worth”.”
I’ll have to do an internship eventually, anyway. [If nothing else pans out.] But I’ve done tons of free work which didn’t pay off for jack-shit, so…My problem isn’t my confidence in my ability, but my confidence in my prospects.
“You’re a loser purely by self-determination, stubbornly clinging to the path that is guaranteed to lead you nowhere because it involves not trying to go anywhere.”
You can’t go anywhere, if no one wants to offer you a ride.
Two things:
Nobody offers anybody anything. You’re going to have to be a lot more proactive.
And, you continually whine about how nobody will *give* you a job, but you say that in abstract. You talk about the poor job market in a general sort of way. Lex has offered you all sorts of leads, and you reject them all by saying “Oh, I’m not even going to look, they’re probably not actually hiring.” That’s not getting you anywhere.
Other than that, you’ve already rejected wholesale any connection between you yourself and the fact that nobody will hire you, so I’m not going to bother bringing that up again.
Gordon: “Nobody offers anybody anything. ”
Unless you’re a shitty speculator who broke some banks and a world economy, of course…
“Lex has offered you all sorts of leads, ”
He offered me one ‘lead’, and they’re just taking in applications, which means that it could well be six months to a year before they even decide to hire at all.
“Unless you’re a shitty speculator”
Yes, we get it, you’re bitter at the people pulling the strings of capitalism. So what? Nothing’s stopping you from defrauding people out of their money if that’s what you want to do.
“He offered me one ‘lead’”
I’ve seen him do it before.
And the rest of it — so what? What, exactly, do you have to lose by sending in an application? You afford yourself no dignity anyway. Send in an application. Or, like I said, better yet, figure out a job that you’d actually like and get in. Anybody with a decent work ethic can prove themselves to be completely necessary in any job within a week. Figure out a way in the door that doesn’t involve waiting for somebody to bring you in, because that’s doomed to failure.
“Nothing’s stopping you from defrauding people out of their money if that’s what you want to do.”
That’s not my point. Those frauds were considered more reliable than me, simply because of their fake titles and/or connections, rather than their actual records. And the prospective employers give me flack about fucking handling a cash register or a database, when those assholes at the top couldn’t even handle loans and/or background checks properly.
“I’ve seen him do it before.”
He suggested places which no longer exist when he was looking for work.
“What, exactly, do you have to lose by sending in an application? ”
Time? Patience? Sanity? An edge on people who find jobs where they are actually hiring?
“Or, like I said, better yet, figure out a job that you’d actually like and get in. Anybody with a decent work ethic can prove themselves to be completely necessary in any job within a week.”
If the jobs were there, that wouldn’t be a problem.
So, out of curiosity, how are you able to tell the difference between a job that’s *actually* hiring and one that isn’t? Especially since you didn’t even go to the website to check. All you have is excuses about why you can’t get a job (all of which ignore the fact that you’re openly deliberately not trying) and things where you compare yourself to somebody that you feel had gotten a better deal than you. You’re complaining about things that everybody, including all of the people you’re criticizing, worked their way through and managed to overcome. Everything you complain about is a standard problem with getting your first job. The problem is, you’ve been avoiding getting your first job for a decade. Get off your ass and find something. The first step is actually figuring out what you want to do, and the second step is not taking no for an answer and finding a way in. That’s all you have to do. It really is as simple as that, if you let it be.
Seriously: Why don’t you try to get a job at Troma? They’re always looking for people who’ll work for free.
If anybody else is reading this, this article that was just randomly linked to me perfectly describes DZ’s problem:
http://www.cracked.com/article_18544_how-the-karate-kid-ruined-modern-world.html
Gordon: “So, out of curiosity, how are you able to tell the difference between a job that’s *actually* hiring and one that isn’t?”
They usually say “help wanted” and or “job opening”?
“Especially since you didn’t even go to the website to check.”
Websites never list whether or not a company’s hiring, unless they have anything to do with job searches.
“All you have is excuses about why you can’t get a job (all of which ignore the fact that you’re openly deliberately not trying) ”
Did you actually “try” to find work? No, because you knew people who helped your ass get hired and people who were hiring for your line of work.
“You’re complaining about things that everybody, including all of the people you’re criticizing, worked their way through and managed to overcome.”
They didn’t have to worry about out-sourcing and/or employers who prefer to be under-staffed than efficient.
“The problem is, you’ve been avoiding getting your first job for a decade.”
I told you I did find work, just not the long-term kind.
“The first step is actually figuring out what you want to do, and the second step is not taking no for an answer and finding a way in.”
That’s a nice fantasy, but again, if what I hypothetically wanted to do is not available, then I have to settle for second-best. And I’ve already attempted that route with little to no success.
“Why don’t you try to get a job at Troma? They’re always looking for people who’ll work for free.”
Because I can’t afford to work for free?
Also, that article you linked is bullshit, as it makes it clear that work has nothing to do with success.
The author’s success, I mean.
“Did you actually “try” to find work?”
Sure; I was on unemployment for probably four or five months at one stretch, because I was holding out too much. Then I got in touch with a temp agency, and was working in an office within a week, and the second office I worked in brought me in long-term (which was a common experience with all the temps I knew and the times I fell back on it). It’s easy enough.
“if what I hypothetically wanted to do is not available, then I have to settle for second-best.”
No, the point is, you figure out what you actually-not-just-hypothetically want to do, and then you don’t settle. You’re saying that you already tried settling; I’m saying, don’t settle.
“Because I can’t afford to work for free?”
You can afford to *pay* to go back to school, that means that you can afford to work for free for a trial period and prove that you’re worth hiring full time on a salary. This is what a person who truly wanted work would do, they would figure out what sort of career they wanted, and say “Shit, the situation I’m in, I can afford to work for free for at least a month or two, and then tell them to hire me or not.” And if you can’t prove yourself valuable to an employer within a month or two, the problem is *you*.
“Then I got in touch with a temp agency..It’s easy enough.”
If I could even get a week of work, it’d be a start.
“You’re saying that you already tried settling; I’m saying, don’t settle.”
That’s nice, but you can’t buy your dreams with a below-poverty income.
“You can afford to *pay* to go back to school, that means that you can afford to work for free for a trial period and prove that you’re worth hiring full time on a salary. ”
I can afford to pay for a cheap school. I can’t afford to work for free for someone who is most likely going to not hire me, because they don’t have to. Especially now.
“I can’t afford to work for free for someone who is most likely going to not hire me, because they don’t have to.”
That’s loser talk. Let me ask you a serious question: what do you think is going to change when you get out of this cheap school that is going to open up the job market for you, if your attitude about applying for a job is “they’re probably not hiring” and your attitude about my suggestion is “I wouldn’t be able to convince them to hire me”?
“If I could even get a week of work, it’d be a start.”
If you can’t even get a temp agency to send you out on a trial one-day or two-day job, again I suggest that the problem is with *you*. Their entire job is to find people who can fill jobs and, if they can get you a permanent position, they get bonuses. You might not even need to take a drug test. You apply to the temp agency, you meet somebody, and then you call them once a day (at least), and they will definitely find you something within a week, unless you’re entirely incompetent. But you’ve completely dismissed that as a possibility.
“That’s loser talk.”
Loser talk is taking it up the ass for people who don’t give a fuck about your situation and only want a legal excuse to make you their bitch.
“what do you think is going to change when you get out of this cheap school that is going to open up the job market for you, if your attitude about applying for a job is “they’re probably not hiring” and your attitude about my suggestion is “I wouldn’t be able to convince them to hire me”?”
Hopefully, the economic situation.
“If you can’t even get a temp agency to send you out on a trial one-day or two-day job, again I suggest that the problem is with *you*.”
Actually, now that I think about it, I probably could. But, in this market, it’s just another excuse to exploit people by not having to pay them benefits.
“and they will definitely find you something within a week,”
I didn’t say within a week. I said for a week. One or two days of work isn’t shit. That’s why even the illegals in Cali are packing their bags.
“people who don’t give a fuck about your situation”
Nobody who will ever hire you will ever really give a fuck about your situation.
“only want a legal excuse to make you their bitch.”
Nobody who will ever hire you will want anything else. The point is, you get in the door, you make yourself necessary, and then they like you.
“Hopefully, the economic situation.”
You’ve been bitching about the economy for seven years, which is to say, since it was actually good (especially for the job market).
“But, in this market, it’s just another excuse to exploit people by not having to pay them benefits. ”
So, basically, you refuse to accept any job unless you can start off with benefits? Good luck with that. That’s just another in a string of unrealistic expectations that you’ve set to cover for why you aren’t seeking a job.
“One or two days of work isn’t shit. ”
You moron; no temp agency is going to give you long-term work until you’ve proven yourself to them by taking a one or two day job. You have to show people that you can work — especially coming off seven years of not working.
Your problem is, you expect that the work you’ve done in life is somehow going to be counted when you’re looking for a job. Doesn’t work that way. You have to prove yourself to the people who want to hire you. Your understanding of the working world is shockingly insular and unrealistic.
And, by the way, the new fad in temp agencies is that they offer you health insurance themselves, rather than depending on the job which may or may not take you on full time. Of course, if you had actually looked for a temp agency to get you work, you’d know this already, but you’re lazy. At best.
But, really, the funny part about that is — you don’t have health insurance now. Again, you have nothing to lose by taking a job where you don’t start out with health insurance. For that matter, if you’re serious about health insurance, if it isn’t just an excuse you’ve made up, well then, if you have a job, you can pay for it yourself.
“Nobody who will ever hire you will ever really give a fuck about your situation.”
Perhaps, but if they’re decent employers, they actually care about what separates you from the herd, and not just whether or not you can impress them with cleverly-worded bullshit.
“Nobody who will ever hire you will want anything else.”
The good ones actually want people who don’t just make their companies profitable, or at least sustainable, but reputable. The bad ones seem to think shitty service is a small price to pay for one less person being insured.
“The point is, you get in the door, you make yourself necessary, and then they like you.”
Well, most of the time, I don’t get in the door. That’s not how things work. Furthermore, there are plenty of people living in tent cities who are probably more necessary to a job than the CEOs who profited off their unemployment.
“since it was actually good (especially for the job market).:”
Actually, this past decade experienced the worst job growth in recent years.
“So, basically, you refuse to accept any job unless you can start off with benefits? Good luck with that.”
That and/or a living wage. It’s the only way the situation will rebound. That’s part of why there’s no actual improvement in the economy.
“no temp agency is going to give you long-term work until you’ve proven yourself to them by taking a one or two day job. ”
If I can’t do long-term work by now, then my experience means shit at this point.
“you expect that the work you’ve done in life is somehow going to be counted when you’re looking for a job. Doesn’t work that way.”
Yes, I know. It only works that way when you’re a rich asshole.
“Your understanding of the working world is shockingly insular and unrealistic.”
Yeah, I should just go for whatever results in my ass suffering the equivalent of being blown up on an oil rig or suffocating in a mine shaft. It’s more “realistic”.
“And, by the way, the new fad in temp agencies is that they offer you health insurance themselves, rather than depending on the job which may or may not take you on full time.”
Then, wouldn’t that just give an employer an excuse not to hire me longer, since they only have to pay for those 1-2 days, and don’t even have to worry if there’s an accident on the job?
“For that matter, if you’re serious about health insurance, if it isn’t just an excuse you’ve made up, well then, if you have a job, you can pay for it yourself.”
If I can get a job which provides me enough pay to afford health insurance, sure.
“they actually care about what separates you from the herd”
The only example you’ve offered of what separates you from the herd is that you did volunteer work in high school.
“Actually, this past decade experienced the worst job growth in recent years.”
That’s the trend of the decade as a whole. Given that we know how many jobs were lost over the past three years, a logical person would therefore know that the first seven years had job growth even without basic memory reminding me of that.
“If I can’t do long-term work by now, then my experience means shit at this point.”
I’ve been telling you that for how many posts now? Yes, your experience definitely means shit. A temp agency is going to send you out on a short term assignment to make sure that you are dependable enough to give a long-term job to, because the long-term jobs are where they make their money. They’re never going to take somebody off the street and give them a long-term job, and they’re certainly not going to give a long-term job to somebody has hasn’t had a long-term job in their entire life.
Your expectations are unrealistic. You need to remind yourself that nobody besides you gives a shit about you and you have to take what you can and work your way up. You’re going to have to prove yourself. Going back to school is the opposite of proving yourself — you’re proving to them that you’re a coward who isn’t actually interested in getting a job.
“Then, wouldn’t that just give an employer an excuse not to hire me longer, since they only have to pay for those 1-2 days, and don’t even have to worry if there’s an accident on the job?”
Wow. Okay, um, this is going to sound really condescending, but…
1 – if you honestly don’t know the difference between health insurance and workman’s comp, then you genuinely aren’t qualified to get a job. I mean, do you also know that the salary you get quoted is before taxes are taken out? How could you have gotten this old and not know the literal basics of how jobs work?
2 – your repeated problem throughout this thread / your life is summed up in the above sentence. I’m going to explain it to you again, though. They’re not looking for a reason to not-hire you. It isn’t enough to go through the motions at a job and give them no reason to want to get rid of you. That doesn’t work. You have to give them a reason to hire you.
This is your problem when you talk about high school, too; you seem to feel like you should just be entitled to whatever damn thing you want, and should have to go through no effort to get it, and you complain when it isn’t given to you.
You have to be realistic about your standards for a starting job, especially when you realize that you haven’t had a real job in your entire life. If you don’t re-evaluate your own standards, you’re going to wind up forty, living on your mom’s couch, going back to school for the 15th time, complaining about Tarantino winning an Oscar.
Gordon: “The only example you’ve offered of what separates you from the herd is that you did volunteer work in high school.”
I’ve got other examples, but no one really cares.
“Given that we know how many jobs were lost over the past three years, a logical person would therefore know that the first seven years had job growth even without basic memory reminding me of that.”
Not really, unless you count housing and/or the Internet bubble.
“You need to remind yourself that nobody besides you gives a shit about you and you have to take what you can and work your way up. ”
You can’t work your way up if you’re not given a rope-ladder.
“They’re not looking for a reason to not-hire you. ”
Actually, that’s where you’re wrong. They’d rather not hire most of the time, so they have fewer people to pay.
“and should have to go through no effort to get it, and you complain when it isn’t given to you.”
If the dick-heads don’t have to do shit…
“You have to be realistic about your standards for a starting job, especially when you realize that you haven’t had a real job in your entire life.”
I’ve already gone the “realistic” route, and have had more trouble getting hired for blue-collar shit than semi-white collar shit. Either way, though, they don’t give a fuck about your talent or ability, as long as you’re a “yes-man” even when it’s detrimental to them.
Wow, I can’t believe, after all this, you’re just going to fall back on the same bullshit excuses. Over and over, round and round.
“Actually, that’s where you’re wrong. They’d rather not hire most of the time, so they have fewer people to pay.”
This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. Every office is under-staffed. Again, lower your standards, sacrifice whatever pride (ha!) you have left, take a job which offers you no money or benefits for a month, and work your ass off so that they realize they need you. In this economy, you will easily be able to find an office job that will take you for nothing for a month. And then, become indispensible. Again, you give them a reason to HIRE you, not just to not-fire you. That’s the entire difference, right there. If you can’t visualize yourself doing that, shut the fuck up about the job market because you’re the problem.
“Either way, though, they don’t give a fuck about your talent or ability”
Stop saying that as if it’s an excuse. I’ve already told you, yes, welcome to life, that’s true. What they do give a fuck about, though, is their own workplace. If you make the workplace smoother and better, they will want you to stay. You have to make it in *their* best interest to want you, because nobody is going to be interested in doing something for *your* best interests alone.
Stop saying that as if it’s an excuse. I’ve already told you, yes, welcome to life, that’s true. What they do give a fuck about, though, is their own workplace. If you make the workplace smoother and better, they will want you to stay. You have to make it in *their* best interest to want you, because nobody is going to be interested in doing something for *your* best interests alone.ccnp 642-832
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