Why does the cinetrix do this to herself?
Last night I went to an author "event" featuring Peter Biskind. This is the second such film writer non-reading I've been to. Instead of, oh, I don't know, reading a passage from the tome he's shilling and then taking audience questions, the author has an on-stage "conversation" with some sort of interlocutor. Boston Globe film critic Wesley Morris, a tiny man, had the honors last night of chatting with the Garfunkelesque Biskind.
Their conversation went something like this.
Wesley Morris: Harvey's crazy. You say mean things about that bully.
Peter Biskind: blah blah extremely charming, self-deprecating blah blah bully.
Wesley Morris: That Robert Redford sure is passive aggressive.
Peter Biskind: blah blah extremely blah blah next door to Mother Teresa. [laugh line]
Wesley Morris: And he's a micromanager who takes projects away from directors.
Peter Biskind: blah blah extremely blah blah Redford's competing with the people he's supposed to be nurturing.
[A long story about Redford poaching Quiz Show from Steven Soderbergh, followed by a riveting discussion of Sundance: marketplace or festival?]
Ah, fuck it. You know, this is boring even me. So here are two Harvey and Bob Weinstein stories. Such stories are the main reason to read what I've heard is an atrociously copyedited book.
Neither one will come to the phone first. An assistant will say, "Harvey, will you hold for Bob?" and Harvey will hang up. Click. Or "Bob, will you hold for Harvey?" Click.
Harvey tried to kill Biskind's book several times. Biskind confided, "I had to get caller ID. It got so that I would recognize Miramax numbers."
Also, look for Ben Affleck's vicious letter about Biskind [and Biskind's snotty reply] in the next issue of Vanity Fair. Good lapdog, now let Uncle Harvey try and save your moribund career.
Just forget looking for the cinetrix at any more film book "readings." I've had it. I'm sure when I read Down and Dirty Pictures I'll get all the same stories and I won't have to hear Biskind's nasal and nebbishy voice when I do.
Fat boy Roger Ebert also had some choice words about the new book and its author: "Biskind has a way of massaging his stories to suit his agenda." [link via the potvaliant TMFTML]
