John Fredrick Parker
Donor
Like No Business I Know
January 1996 -- Despite being mere months after the release of his infamous flop, Waterworld, things were actually looking good for Kevin Costner, as he was the top choice for the lead in two tempting that would be shooting around the same time: one, a post-apocalyptic movie that very much appealed to his artistic sensibilities, an adaptation of David Brin's The Postman; the other was what looked to be a promising popcorn flick with the President of the United States as an action hero. And now he had to choose one. Thinking it over, Kevin couldn't help but remember how often he'd hear or read the same passive aggressive advice -- “You might want to steer clear of science fiction for awhile”. When he swallowed his pride, he thought perhaps it's not so difficult a decision after all...
Later that year -- “Since you were in the area”. This was the strangest part of the invitation to the Kubrick Estate, since it was in England and Harrison Ford was to be shooting in Ireland around this time, for Pakula's film (what was to be his last), The Devil's Own. But Harrison decided you didn't need too much of an excuse to visit one of the most praised directors in movie history, so he made the time. As it so happens, his Ireland travels were less important to his invitation, than the fact that he happened to have no scheduled shoots once that summer ended. After the fateful meeting, Harrison felt the need to talk to...
Later -- George Lucas hung up the phone -- while he was happy enough to catch up with Harrison Ford, but he still found it funny that after all these years, Ford would want to tell him about a career opportunity of his. The conversation made two things plain: (1) to Harrison, that George really didn't have anything to offer in terms of advice for working with Pakula or Kubrick; and (2) to Lucas, that perhaps he should think about whose advice he would trust and respect in sharing his recently completed first draft of the First Film. And one name came fairly quick to mind here: Lawrence Kasdan...
July 1996 -- Edward Norton's year just kept getting better; months earlier had seen his cinematic premiere with his supporting role in Primal Fear, and still to come was his major role in The People vs Larry Flynt, as Flynt's attorney; now it was officially announced that he would be starring alongside none other than Al Pacino in an adpatation of The Devil's Advocate. Keanu Reeves, meanwhile, was doing less well it seems he had also had his agent lobby for the role, but thus dejected, was now moving on to star in upcoming Speed sequel...
Late 1996 -- What got James Cameron thinking was reading the George Lucas quote -- where George told the reporter how he was “learning now, only now after so much work, how much more there is to do”. As he reflected about his own ongoing project, Titanic, James realized that unless he found a way to begin editing the footage by February, there was no way he was going to meet the July deadline. He continued to think, how a project that began as risky as his falling behind schedule and over budget would put his reputation at risk (absent a ridiculous level of, frankly, unlikely box office success), and decided he would have to treat the challenge seriously...
OOC: So first post, first year, and we see the butterfly effect in full force: Kevin Costner passes on Postman to do Air Force One; this opens the room in Harrison Ford's shooting schedule to make him a candidate for another film, giving him an opportunity to do Eyes Wide Shut; this opportunity leads to a phone call, which ends up getting George Lucas thinking about Episode I of Star Wars; and some of Lucas' thinking leaks to the press, to get James Cameron thinking about Titanic -- and before you know it, one actor's decision has rippled to change the fate of at least five films, with many more ripples to come. Oh, and Keanu Reeves gets passed up for Devil's Advocate, which will have butterflies of its own. For the next couple of years, the number of affected films are going to be a manageable list -- but when the changes start to compound in 1999...
Well anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself. What do you guys think so far?
