Bill Murray Is Ready To See You Now
July 20, 2010 9:01 AM Subscribe
Bill Murray famously does not give interviews—he's sat down for exactly four prolonged media encounters in the past ten years—and when he does, it's never clear what you're going to get. You just have to pray he's in a good mood.
And to think I missed "California Suite" the last time it was on TCM. I'll have to look out for it when it comes around again.
posted by blucevalo at 9:08 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by blucevalo at 9:08 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
The fact that he refers to the other actors on the film as "[the] other Ghostbusters" melts my heart. Also, if Murray isn't in the next big Stephen Chow film, that man will have lost the biggest opportunity of his career (Chow, not Murray.)
posted by griphus at 9:10 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by griphus at 9:10 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
That was terrific. Thank you.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:15 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:15 AM on July 20, 2010
I so want to gay marry Bill Murray.
posted by littlerobothead at 9:16 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
posted by littlerobothead at 9:16 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
Zombieland spoilers 2/3rd of the way down page 2. Dammit. I need to catch up on my movie backlog.
posted by lyam at 9:18 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by lyam at 9:18 AM on July 20, 2010
It's nice that Bill Murray doesn't give many interviews. It shows he's not full of himself and is happy to do his own thing without constantly seeking public approval.
It's sad that Bill Murray doesn't give many interviews. They're always funny and interesting and brighten my day.
posted by wierdo at 9:21 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
It's sad that Bill Murray doesn't give many interviews. They're always funny and interesting and brighten my day.
posted by wierdo at 9:21 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I actually just watched Zombieland over the weekend. Murray was fantastic. The whole thing was fantastic. This interview is fantastic.
posted by uncleozzy at 9:24 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by uncleozzy at 9:24 AM on July 20, 2010
"not THAT Joel Coen"
I'm not buying it.
It's true. Trust me on that.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:26 AM on July 20, 2010
I'm not buying it.
It's true. Trust me on that.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:26 AM on July 20, 2010
They did a really great job of punctuating Bill Murray's speech so that it... looks like he sounds, if that makes sense.
Also, Mr. Murray is the only reason that Zombieland wasn't a waste of 8 bucks for me.
posted by cmoj at 9:28 AM on July 20, 2010
Also, Mr. Murray is the only reason that Zombieland wasn't a waste of 8 bucks for me.
posted by cmoj at 9:28 AM on July 20, 2010
I remember being really pissed off at how many Zombieland reviews- particularly those published before the film came out! - spoiled that cameo. It's such a great moment, and I can't imagine that it's anywhere near as awesome if you were told about it in advance.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:29 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:29 AM on July 20, 2010
I mean, I avoided reviews because I'd made up my mind that I wanted to see it, and went in clean, but man would I have been pissed if I'd been spoiled about that.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:34 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:34 AM on July 20, 2010
Bill Murray co-hosted an episode of NBA All-Access with Ahmad Rashad a while back. It was the weirdest hour of television I've ever seen.
posted by saladin at 9:36 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by saladin at 9:36 AM on July 20, 2010
BILL MURRAY WAS IN ZOMBIELAND?!?!
Just kidding. I'll go rent it now, then.
posted by cavalier at 9:37 AM on July 20, 2010
Just kidding. I'll go rent it now, then.
posted by cavalier at 9:37 AM on July 20, 2010
I remember being really pissed off at how many Zombieland reviews- particularly those published before the film came out! - spoiled that cameo. It's such a great moment, and I can't imagine that it's anywhere near as awesome if you were told about it in advance.
Yeah, thanks for that.
posted by doobiedoo at 9:37 AM on July 20, 2010 [27 favorites]
Yeah, thanks for that.
posted by doobiedoo at 9:37 AM on July 20, 2010 [27 favorites]
Good interview, but I thought this was a little strange.
Today, Murray was in an expansive mood. Then, after he spoke about Ghostbusters 3, Barack Obama, and Garfield, he decided the interview was over and was gone.
Then, at the end, the interviewer starts his last question off with "Last Question."
posted by ODiV at 9:38 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
Today, Murray was in an expansive mood. Then, after he spoke about Ghostbusters 3, Barack Obama, and Garfield, he decided the interview was over and was gone.
Then, at the end, the interviewer starts his last question off with "Last Question."
posted by ODiV at 9:38 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
If not for Wes Anderson's love of Bill Murray, would he have come back into prominence? I can't imagine he was in Larger Than Life (1996) because he valued the chance to work with an elephant, though maybe he wanted to give director Howard Franklin a second shot, after Murray starred in Quick Change in 1980. And was his string of late 1980s films about some vision, or because being retired didn't suit him so well.
In short, I think he's damn lucky that Wes likes him. Murray is the only prominent person in almost all Wes Anderson joints. He wasn't in Bottle Rocket, but since Rushmore, he's been in every one of Anderson's projects (as listed on Wikipedia). I'm not knocking the guy - I thought he was great in his almost self-parody role in Zombieland - but I think he can survive as an eccentric artist thanks to the Wes Anderson eccentric artist roles.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:41 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
In short, I think he's damn lucky that Wes likes him. Murray is the only prominent person in almost all Wes Anderson joints. He wasn't in Bottle Rocket, but since Rushmore, he's been in every one of Anderson's projects (as listed on Wikipedia). I'm not knocking the guy - I thought he was great in his almost self-parody role in Zombieland - but I think he can survive as an eccentric artist thanks to the Wes Anderson eccentric artist roles.
posted by filthy light thief at 9:41 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
Yeah, thanks for that.
It was already in the thread, don't yell at me.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:42 AM on July 20, 2010
It was already in the thread, don't yell at me.
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:42 AM on July 20, 2010
The original Zombieland script had Patrick Swayze as the cameo star. I'm happy that it was Bill Murray.
posted by mikeh at 9:42 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by mikeh at 9:42 AM on July 20, 2010
Love the bit where he's pretending never to have seen 30 Rock, The Office, Clerks and Seinfeld. He is pretending, right?
posted by tapeguy at 9:45 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by tapeguy at 9:45 AM on July 20, 2010
I won't even leave my driveway for $50,000.
posted by amro at 9:45 AM on July 20, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by amro at 9:45 AM on July 20, 2010 [4 favorites]
after Murray starred in Quick Change in 1980
1990
That comment gave me one of those "I'm not THAT old, am I?" moments.
posted by thanotopsis at 9:46 AM on July 20, 2010
1990
That comment gave me one of those "I'm not THAT old, am I?" moments.
posted by thanotopsis at 9:46 AM on July 20, 2010
Great interview. Thanks!
posted by BobFrapples at 9:48 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by BobFrapples at 9:48 AM on July 20, 2010
I never saw Seinfeld until the final episode, and that's the only one I saw. And it was terrible. I'm watching, thinking, "This isn't funny at all. It's terrible!"
As a Seinfeld fan and a Bill Murray fan, I feel like I need to break into his house and yell "No! No! Everyone thought that the finale sucked! You need to watch the episode where George pretends to be a marine biologist or the one where Jerry can't remember the name of the woman he's dating!"
posted by burnmp3s at 9:51 AM on July 20, 2010 [5 favorites]
As a Seinfeld fan and a Bill Murray fan, I feel like I need to break into his house and yell "No! No! Everyone thought that the finale sucked! You need to watch the episode where George pretends to be a marine biologist or the one where Jerry can't remember the name of the woman he's dating!"
posted by burnmp3s at 9:51 AM on July 20, 2010 [5 favorites]
the one where Jerry can't remember the name of the woman he's dating!"
You mean Mulva?
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:54 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
You mean Mulva?
posted by Pope Guilty at 9:54 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
copied verbatim from my comment in an older bill murray thread:
Ah, Bill. My nemesis. My nightmare. The greatest challenge of my life.posted by shmegegge at 9:58 AM on July 20, 2010 [27 favorites]
I met Bill at a cocktail party in the 70s. He'd only recently achieved fame along with the rest of the SNL lineup, but he was easily the most arrogant of the crew. This was saying something when you consider that Laraine Newman was standing on a table top screaming "I am the motherfucking Omega, you worthless shitbags!" and whipping people with her necklace. She had been very into Taoism at this point, so there you go.
Anyway, I remember Murray introducing himself to me in a normal enough manner. I had been speaking with Chevy Chase, who kept trying to explain to me why he had become a Black Panther. At some point, Bill interceded by telling Chevy that Lorne Michaels didn't see himself as a tool of the oppressor, and Chevy went off to set him aright. Bill was charming in his arrogance. I recall him saying to me, with all the egotism you can imagine in a statement like this, "Hi, I'm Bill. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Soon enough, we began to talk about our interests, small talk really. Bill had had, at the time, kind of a complex about the difficulty he'd had achieving even the modicum of recognition he'd gotten by then. It was a thing with him, all the people who had slighted him, or hadn't believed in his abilities. I remember he leaned close to whisper, "it's ok, though. I'll show them. I'll show them all." I don't remember fixating on that at the time. I must, somewhere in the back of my head, though, have filed it away as something to remember.
Because later that night, when the party was over, I remember following Bill as he drove off, and tracking him back to his lair. I say "lair," but it was mostly just an abandoned sewage treatment plant he had converted for his nefarious purposes. The security wasn't anything special, likely because he wasn't on anyone's radar as a threat, but with his newfound fame and fortune, you could tell he was already beginning to make improvements. The dogs with laser eyes were a nice touch.
Inside, I found him putting the finishing touches on what he called his "God Eater." I'm still not sure what it did. It was all arcing energies and pulsing nebulous unknowable materials. A huge thing. Stories tall, looked like it was designed by Tesla after he'd done acid with Jack Kirby. I swear to God, Kirby dots swirling around inside its gargantuan chambers.
Anyway, it was pretty clear that this was not meant to end world hunger. I don't do this anymore, having learned my lesson, but at the time I was young and naive so I tried reasoning with him first.
"Bill, you know this won't work. You know I can't let you do this. Why don't we do this the easy way and we'll just walk out of here and call the authorities, and nobody gets hurt." A cliche, I know. What can I say in my defense? I plead youthful indulgence.
You can guess what happened next. A loud noise, like a dog trying to pronounce the word "Zork!" and the smell of rotten eggs mixed with ash. Thankfully, Bill was, is and always will be a lousy shot. I had hoped it wouldn't come to violence. Ah well. That's why God made Hadoukens.
Something most people don't know about Bill Murray: Limber. Very limber dude. Even these days, he's always been spry as hell and able to leap out of the way of things. The blue fire was on target. I am always on target with that shit, but god damn if he didn't just dance out of the way like it was his partner in a samba.
Of course, it still hit the God Eater.
Now, explosions are no joke. You see in the movies how people jump in the air at the last second and the force of the explosion is powerful enough to knock them away but they get up with only a singed jacket or some shit, right? Fuck that. If you can get knocked away that powerfully, chances are you're getting your ass burned pretty badly, and the smoke rising dramatically from your backside is most likely the airborn remains of what was once the skin on your back. I barely got out of that inferno alive myself, and Bill was a good 20 feet closer to ground zero than I was. For a long time I thought he was dead. I really did. But that's the thing with Bill.
He'll never die unless it's funny.
Like the first comment under that article says, the Coen mix-up excuse works for the first Garfield movie but doesn't account for its rubbishy sequel.
Also: What's up with the know-it-all interviewer, pulling names and years for Bill Murray out of thin air like a human Wikipedia? Know who Elvis Mitchell is? Oh yeah, of course, who doesn't. John Belushi died in 1982, common knowledge. Sure, I remember the name of that movie you were in eleven years ago that even you can't recall. Some of this seems just a little too self-aggrandizing to be real. While the basics of the interview are probably legit, I don't buy the incidental banter.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 10:00 AM on July 20, 2010
Also: What's up with the know-it-all interviewer, pulling names and years for Bill Murray out of thin air like a human Wikipedia? Know who Elvis Mitchell is? Oh yeah, of course, who doesn't. John Belushi died in 1982, common knowledge. Sure, I remember the name of that movie you were in eleven years ago that even you can't recall. Some of this seems just a little too self-aggrandizing to be real. While the basics of the interview are probably legit, I don't buy the incidental banter.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 10:00 AM on July 20, 2010
THEY TALK ABOUT QUICK CHANGE!!!!
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:01 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:01 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Metafilter: You goddamn strap hangers are ruining Mrs Crane's beverage service
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:02 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:02 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
That comment gave me one of those "I'm not THAT old, am I?" moments.
Sorry about that, and thanks for the correction.
The original Zombieland script had Patrick Swayze as the cameo star. I'm happy that it was Bill Murray.
"When Swayze unfortunately had to bow out, Reese and Wernick set their sights on a number of other actors including Sylvester Stallone, Joe Pesci, Mark Hammill, The Rock, Kevin Bacon, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Matthew McConaughey. But none of them worked out."
Having seen the film and thinking Bill Murray was the perfect fit, it's odd trying to imagine other actors in the role.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:05 AM on July 20, 2010
Sorry about that, and thanks for the correction.
The original Zombieland script had Patrick Swayze as the cameo star. I'm happy that it was Bill Murray.
"When Swayze unfortunately had to bow out, Reese and Wernick set their sights on a number of other actors including Sylvester Stallone, Joe Pesci, Mark Hammill, The Rock, Kevin Bacon, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Matthew McConaughey. But none of them worked out."
Having seen the film and thinking Bill Murray was the perfect fit, it's odd trying to imagine other actors in the role.
posted by filthy light thief at 10:05 AM on July 20, 2010
I love that last question and answer. Sneaking up on people seems like the sort of thing he'd do, or turn up at SXSW and tend bar for a night except not actually give people what they ordered.
It's a bit like a story I heard Jerry Seinfeld tell on Letterman a few years back; Jerry explained that after the show had ended he was using some of his free time to deliver cars for Porsche across the country. Porsche get a car delivered, Jerry gets a road trip, everyone's happy. What he loves to do is: when he pulls into some middle-of-nowhere gas station to fuel up, and the attendant there is looking at him real hard, and finally says "Excuse me, aren't you Jerry Seinfeld?" Jerry chuckles and says "Of course not, what would he be doing out here?" And the attendant laughs and agrees that yes, that's pretty improbable, and everyone moves on.
Celebrities, man.
posted by Monster_Zero at 10:06 AM on July 20, 2010 [8 favorites]
It's a bit like a story I heard Jerry Seinfeld tell on Letterman a few years back; Jerry explained that after the show had ended he was using some of his free time to deliver cars for Porsche across the country. Porsche get a car delivered, Jerry gets a road trip, everyone's happy. What he loves to do is: when he pulls into some middle-of-nowhere gas station to fuel up, and the attendant there is looking at him real hard, and finally says "Excuse me, aren't you Jerry Seinfeld?" Jerry chuckles and says "Of course not, what would he be doing out here?" And the attendant laughs and agrees that yes, that's pretty improbable, and everyone moves on.
Celebrities, man.
posted by Monster_Zero at 10:06 AM on July 20, 2010 [8 favorites]
shmegegge, please. Everyone knows that Bill Murray and Chevy Chase weren't really going to be partying together in those days.
posted by Navelgazer at 10:06 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by Navelgazer at 10:06 AM on July 20, 2010
The Winsome Parker Lewis
Maybe its because he is a professonal jouranlist interviewing someone high profile who doesn't often do interviews, and thus he did his research before going in to the room?
posted by biffa at 10:08 AM on July 20, 2010 [11 favorites]
Maybe its because he is a professonal jouranlist interviewing someone high profile who doesn't often do interviews, and thus he did his research before going in to the room?
posted by biffa at 10:08 AM on July 20, 2010 [11 favorites]
That thing in the last question happened to a guy I knew in college. Except that it was in an elevator and Bill Murray gave him a noogie.
posted by Navelgazer at 10:10 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Navelgazer at 10:10 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
TWPL: If you get an interview with Bill Murray you god damn well stay awake for a week and memorize everything you can about him so that you can be the perfect foil.
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:13 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by seanmpuckett at 10:13 AM on July 20, 2010
Also: What's up with the know-it-all interviewer, pulling names and years for Bill Murray out of thin air like a human Wikipedia? I don't buy the incidental banter.
You've never heard an interview done by Eleanor Wachtel on CBC Radio. She pulls that stuff out of the air all the time.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 10:15 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
You've never heard an interview done by Eleanor Wachtel on CBC Radio. She pulls that stuff out of the air all the time.
posted by ThatCanadianGirl at 10:15 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
Maybe I underestimated the interviewer's knowledge of pop culture because I'm so out-of-step with it myself. To me, it seems crazy to be able to pull those random factoids out of thin air, and "researching" for them in advance would be like researching for Jeopardy!. Maybe Dan Fierman is the Ken Jennings of the interview world. Then again, if you've spent long enough reporting on Hollywood I guess these things aren't as random and unknowable for you as they are for me.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 10:16 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 10:16 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Bill Murray: What about the other show that has the girl from Saturday Night Live?
Interviewer: Parks and Recreation? That is the best comedy on TV right now, to my eyes.
Um, I think it was pretty obvious Murray was talking about 30 Rock there, interviewer dude. I mean, Parks and Recreation is great and all, but when somebody throws out the phrase "the girl from Saturday Night Live [with a TV show]", it's a bit dunderheaded to assume they're referring to Amy Poehler.
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:20 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
Interviewer: Parks and Recreation? That is the best comedy on TV right now, to my eyes.
Um, I think it was pretty obvious Murray was talking about 30 Rock there, interviewer dude. I mean, Parks and Recreation is great and all, but when somebody throws out the phrase "the girl from Saturday Night Live [with a TV show]", it's a bit dunderheaded to assume they're referring to Amy Poehler.
posted by Atom Eyes at 10:20 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
My favorite line comes early in the interview:
"And I don't like to work. I only like working when I'm working"
This sums up my art/work-ethic so perfectly.
posted by soplerfo at 10:23 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
"And I don't like to work. I only like working when I'm working"
This sums up my art/work-ethic so perfectly.
posted by soplerfo at 10:23 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
GQ:I read that you wanted to play a ghost in the movie. That's kind of brilliant.
Bill:Well, I hadn't wanted to do the movie. They kept asking, and I kept saying no. So once upon a time I said, just joking: "If you kill me off in the first reel, then fine, I'll do it." And then supposedly they came up with an idea where they kill me off and I was a ghost in the movie. Kinda clever, really.
GQ:But has the Zombieland cameo stolen that gag?
Bill:[genuinely confused] But that was a zombie. Not a ghost.
Hahahahahaha
posted by FatherDagon at 10:23 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Bill:Well, I hadn't wanted to do the movie. They kept asking, and I kept saying no. So once upon a time I said, just joking: "If you kill me off in the first reel, then fine, I'll do it." And then supposedly they came up with an idea where they kill me off and I was a ghost in the movie. Kinda clever, really.
GQ:But has the Zombieland cameo stolen that gag?
Bill:[genuinely confused] But that was a zombie. Not a ghost.
Hahahahahaha
posted by FatherDagon at 10:23 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
What's up with the know-it-all interviewer, pulling names and years for Bill Murray out of thin air like a human Wikipedia? I don't buy the incidental banter.
Not a Brian Linehan fan?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:25 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Not a Brian Linehan fan?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:25 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Like the first comment under that article says, the Coen mix-up excuse works for the first Garfield movie but doesn't account for its rubbishy sequel.
His contract for the first movie probably included one or more sequels. That kind of language is common in contracts for actors. The actors in the TV series Glee, for example, were signed on for (potentially) three movies from the beginning.
posted by jedicus at 10:28 AM on July 20, 2010
His contract for the first movie probably included one or more sequels. That kind of language is common in contracts for actors. The actors in the TV series Glee, for example, were signed on for (potentially) three movies from the beginning.
posted by jedicus at 10:28 AM on July 20, 2010
bill murray is from the future, and he's bored.
posted by pwally at 10:29 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by pwally at 10:29 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
Not a Brian Linehan fan?
Wow, yeah, I consume my Hollywood from a safe distance that doesn't usually include the interview scene. Hadn't heard of Linehan. It sounds like his skills were pretty amazing, especially in the pre-internet times he did most of his work. I can really respect that.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 10:30 AM on July 20, 2010
Wow, yeah, I consume my Hollywood from a safe distance that doesn't usually include the interview scene. Hadn't heard of Linehan. It sounds like his skills were pretty amazing, especially in the pre-internet times he did most of his work. I can really respect that.
posted by The Winsome Parker Lewis at 10:30 AM on July 20, 2010
Bill Murray lives in the fancy part of the town I grew up in. I have precisely zero interesting stories about Bill Murray and two pretty mundane ones. He's pretty reclusive, as is I guess to be expected.
posted by invitapriore at 10:30 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by invitapriore at 10:30 AM on July 20, 2010
I did get to buy Bill Murray a shot of Petron at the Clermont Lounge in Atlanta. He was rocking some straight up Nick-Nolte-mugshot hair at 3am, enjoying the attentions of a 50 year old stripper... which is exactly the way a person should be, if it's 3am at the Clermont Lounge.
posted by FatherDagon at 10:42 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
posted by FatherDagon at 10:42 AM on July 20, 2010 [6 favorites]
I can't really see how any Ghostbusters 3 movie won't suck.
Ghostbusters 3. Jesus leads an army of holy ghosts whom the Ghostbusters must defeat to stave off the apocalypse.
Ghosts are discovered to be a source of indefatigable free power and power everything from planes and cars to phones and toasters. Souls are sourced via genocide in third world countries where human rights are nonexistent. Lacking work, the Ghostbusters become small appliance repairmen, who discover this terrible secret and devise a plot to free all of the ghosts of the world.
The Ghostbusters stop caring about ghosts until they meet a precocious set of youngsters who idolize them. Training montage. Big show down. Happy ending.
The Ghostbusters start a ghostbusting camp for kids. A ghost murders the children one by one until it's revealed that the ghost is really the ghost's mom. The murder is killed in a dramatic fashion. The murderer comes back suddenly. The murderer is killed in a dramatic fashion. The murderer's ghost comes back suddenly. The murderer's ghost is killed in a dramatic fashion and is finally dead. The end. Or is it?
posted by stavrogin at 10:44 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
Ghostbusters 3. Jesus leads an army of holy ghosts whom the Ghostbusters must defeat to stave off the apocalypse.
Ghosts are discovered to be a source of indefatigable free power and power everything from planes and cars to phones and toasters. Souls are sourced via genocide in third world countries where human rights are nonexistent. Lacking work, the Ghostbusters become small appliance repairmen, who discover this terrible secret and devise a plot to free all of the ghosts of the world.
The Ghostbusters stop caring about ghosts until they meet a precocious set of youngsters who idolize them. Training montage. Big show down. Happy ending.
The Ghostbusters start a ghostbusting camp for kids. A ghost murders the children one by one until it's revealed that the ghost is really the ghost's mom. The murder is killed in a dramatic fashion. The murderer comes back suddenly. The murderer is killed in a dramatic fashion. The murderer's ghost comes back suddenly. The murderer's ghost is killed in a dramatic fashion and is finally dead. The end. Or is it?
posted by stavrogin at 10:44 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
The original Zombieland script had Patrick Swayze as the cameo star. I'm happy that it was Bill Murray.
Though it might have been cool to have Zombieland feature a cameo by an actual zombie.
posted by flarbuse at 10:48 AM on July 20, 2010 [4 favorites]
Though it might have been cool to have Zombieland feature a cameo by an actual zombie.
posted by flarbuse at 10:48 AM on July 20, 2010 [4 favorites]
when somebody throws out the phrase "the girl from Saturday Night Live [with a TV show]", it's a bit dunderheaded to assume they're referring to Amy Poehler.
Why is that? Amy Poehler was much more "the girl from SNL" than Tina Fey was. Sure, Fey was the head writer and she did the news (along with Amy), but Amy Poehler was in pretty much every skit when she was on the show.
Plus, Tina Fey is a lot more than just "the girl from SNL" while Poehler isn't known for too much else.
I kind of feel like Murray was feigning ignorance about a lot of things in this interview.
posted by bondcliff at 10:48 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Why is that? Amy Poehler was much more "the girl from SNL" than Tina Fey was. Sure, Fey was the head writer and she did the news (along with Amy), but Amy Poehler was in pretty much every skit when she was on the show.
Plus, Tina Fey is a lot more than just "the girl from SNL" while Poehler isn't known for too much else.
I kind of feel like Murray was feigning ignorance about a lot of things in this interview.
posted by bondcliff at 10:48 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Having read the idea for the Patrick Swayze cameo in Zombieland it actually sounds like it would have been completely awesome and reminds me why I am sad that he passed away. That being said Bill Murray was awesome in it, and a part of me hoped that would have survived until the end of the film.
posted by BobbyDigital at 10:52 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by BobbyDigital at 10:52 AM on July 20, 2010
Though it might have been cool to have Zombieland feature a cameo by an actual zombie.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:52 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
posted by Senor Cardgage at 10:52 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Jerry chuckles and says "Of course not, what would he be doing out here?" And the attendant laughs and agrees that yes, that's pretty improbable, and everyone moves on.
There's actually an entire TV show based on this idea: I Get That A Lot
posted by smackfu at 10:56 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
There's actually an entire TV show based on this idea: I Get That A Lot
posted by smackfu at 10:56 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
If his three and a half decades in the public sphere have taught us anything about the 59-year-old actor, it's that he simply does not give a good goddamn.
On the contrary, it teaches us that he does in fact give a good goddamn. About the right things. It's YOU, media/film/celebrity whore industry, that doesn't get it.
posted by spicynuts at 10:59 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
On the contrary, it teaches us that he does in fact give a good goddamn. About the right things. It's YOU, media/film/celebrity whore industry, that doesn't get it.
posted by spicynuts at 10:59 AM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
I do. Here's my first one: Why the 800 number?
Well, it's what I finally went to. I have this phone number that they call and talk. And then I listen.
Oh please God tell me he is keeping these archived and some day he will publish them all.
posted by spicynuts at 11:01 AM on July 20, 2010 [5 favorites]
Well, it's what I finally went to. I have this phone number that they call and talk. And then I listen.
Oh please God tell me he is keeping these archived and some day he will publish them all.
posted by spicynuts at 11:01 AM on July 20, 2010 [5 favorites]
So...what's the 800 number?
posted by anazgnos at 11:03 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by anazgnos at 11:03 AM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
Maybe I underestimated the interviewer's knowledge of pop culture because I'm so out-of-step with it myself. To me, it seems crazy to be able to pull those random factoids out of thin air, and "researching" for them in advance would be like researching for Jeopardy!.
It's really not that uncommon, especially in the case of fanboy interviews, which this sort of reads like. Which is part of what makes it so much fun to read.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:16 AM on July 20, 2010
It's really not that uncommon, especially in the case of fanboy interviews, which this sort of reads like. Which is part of what makes it so much fun to read.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 11:16 AM on July 20, 2010
Plus, Tina Fey is a lot more than just "the girl from SNL" while Poehler isn't known for too much else.
I would have guessed Murray would know her from UCB.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:17 AM on July 20, 2010
I would have guessed Murray would know her from UCB.
posted by shakespeherian at 11:17 AM on July 20, 2010
Plus, Tina Fey is a lot more than just "the girl from SNL" while Poehler isn't known for too much else.
Strike that. Reverse it. Aside from 30 Rock and SNL, Fey's made a couple of movies (Mean Girls and Baby Mama, with Poehler) and little else. While Poehler was part of Upright Citizen's Brigade, was in Wet Hot American Summer, ASSSSS-Cat, The Mighty B, etc etc.
However, you are very right that Poehler had more screen time on SNL, so your point is valid, and I'm just being a nitpickery nitpickerer. Apologies.
posted by cottoncandybeard at 11:24 AM on July 20, 2010
Strike that. Reverse it. Aside from 30 Rock and SNL, Fey's made a couple of movies (Mean Girls and Baby Mama, with Poehler) and little else. While Poehler was part of Upright Citizen's Brigade, was in Wet Hot American Summer, ASSSSS-Cat, The Mighty B, etc etc.
However, you are very right that Poehler had more screen time on SNL, so your point is valid, and I'm just being a nitpickery nitpickerer. Apologies.
posted by cottoncandybeard at 11:24 AM on July 20, 2010
MetaFilter: We'll leave our driveway and pay you $5.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:33 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:33 AM on July 20, 2010
Doctor Bill Murray, apparently. Huh.
posted by boo_radley at 11:33 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by boo_radley at 11:33 AM on July 20, 2010
I kind of feel like Murray was feigning ignorance about a lot of things in this interview.
I have no doubt that you are correct. A lot of his humor comes from delivering a response that almost makes sense in context, but not quite.
Case in point:
Woman in cab: Aren't you going too fast?
John Winger: Oh, it's not the speed really so much, I just wish I hadn't drunk all that cough syrup this morning.
I think it's one of the chief reasons I love his brand of comedy as much as I do.
posted by quin at 11:45 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I have no doubt that you are correct. A lot of his humor comes from delivering a response that almost makes sense in context, but not quite.
Case in point:
Woman in cab: Aren't you going too fast?
John Winger: Oh, it's not the speed really so much, I just wish I hadn't drunk all that cough syrup this morning.
I think it's one of the chief reasons I love his brand of comedy as much as I do.
posted by quin at 11:45 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh my goodness...I knew if I waited long enough, broadcast television would finally earn its keep. I Get That A Lot looks awesome, and looks like it could only result from the unholy union of celebrity culture and reality tv. Of course, I'm also fascinated with the amount of artifice that separates famous people from everyday folks, so I love seeing folks like this dressed down.
posted by redsparkler at 11:49 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by redsparkler at 11:49 AM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I can't really see how any Ghostbusters 3 movie won't suck.
I think that's pretty much true, but mainly because the actor playing the 5th Ghostbuster, New York City, has changed so much. The New York of Ghostbusters is a dirty, vibrant place where anything could happen, including ghosts exploding out of a building and a giant marshmallow man marching through downtown. In Ghostbusters II, the Koch era is heading to a close, gentrification is sweeping through town, and the weird and wonderful is being pushed farther underground like, say, a river of slime.
After the Giuliani era turned Times Square into a Disney theme park, what could you do with New York? The boroughs have lost a lot of their character, slowly turning into a homogenized mess. Those neighborhoods that avoided gentrification so far are unpalatable to the average American movie goer that has a nostalgic, idealized version of New York stuck in their mind grapes - they're too "ethnic."
And that's before you even get to the two towered spectre in the room. How can you have an action comedy that involves death in New York City and not touch on 9/11?
You could, I guess, take the Ghostbusters out of New York, but then you have Evolution and that wasn't much better than Year One.
Add to this the fact that the original actors are getting older and farther and farther from their prime. The quality of the original Ghostbusters had to do with their comedic timing and it's hard to keep those skills honed being a hermit, shilling skull vodka, or directing lackluster movies.
Plus, like Murray mentioned, the studio sees Ghostbusters as a franchise, so that means it will be packed to the gills with product placement and tie-ins. Writers who are not at their best will be facing enormous pressure to bow to the test-marketed whims of a studio committee.
So, really, the only way to make Ghostbusters 3 is by doing it under the radar. You couldn't even call it Ghostbusters. A smaller budget movie with a tight script, a comedic cast skilled in banter, no pressure to top the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man or sell lunchboxes, and a setting grounded in a mix of the nostalgic and actual New York City.
So track down all the comedic talent that showed up in Flight of the Concords (Kristen Schaal would make a great Ray stand-in), set the movie in a haunted apartment building, and film it "indie-style" like Paranormal Activity. Hell, you could even let Reitman's kid direct.
Then when the movie comes out, have all the original Ghostbusters actors say "This is canon. This takes place in the world of Ghostbusters."
And that'd be Ghostbusters 3.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:51 AM on July 20, 2010 [36 favorites]
I think that's pretty much true, but mainly because the actor playing the 5th Ghostbuster, New York City, has changed so much. The New York of Ghostbusters is a dirty, vibrant place where anything could happen, including ghosts exploding out of a building and a giant marshmallow man marching through downtown. In Ghostbusters II, the Koch era is heading to a close, gentrification is sweeping through town, and the weird and wonderful is being pushed farther underground like, say, a river of slime.
After the Giuliani era turned Times Square into a Disney theme park, what could you do with New York? The boroughs have lost a lot of their character, slowly turning into a homogenized mess. Those neighborhoods that avoided gentrification so far are unpalatable to the average American movie goer that has a nostalgic, idealized version of New York stuck in their mind grapes - they're too "ethnic."
And that's before you even get to the two towered spectre in the room. How can you have an action comedy that involves death in New York City and not touch on 9/11?
You could, I guess, take the Ghostbusters out of New York, but then you have Evolution and that wasn't much better than Year One.
Add to this the fact that the original actors are getting older and farther and farther from their prime. The quality of the original Ghostbusters had to do with their comedic timing and it's hard to keep those skills honed being a hermit, shilling skull vodka, or directing lackluster movies.
Plus, like Murray mentioned, the studio sees Ghostbusters as a franchise, so that means it will be packed to the gills with product placement and tie-ins. Writers who are not at their best will be facing enormous pressure to bow to the test-marketed whims of a studio committee.
So, really, the only way to make Ghostbusters 3 is by doing it under the radar. You couldn't even call it Ghostbusters. A smaller budget movie with a tight script, a comedic cast skilled in banter, no pressure to top the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man or sell lunchboxes, and a setting grounded in a mix of the nostalgic and actual New York City.
So track down all the comedic talent that showed up in Flight of the Concords (Kristen Schaal would make a great Ray stand-in), set the movie in a haunted apartment building, and film it "indie-style" like Paranormal Activity. Hell, you could even let Reitman's kid direct.
Then when the movie comes out, have all the original Ghostbusters actors say "This is canon. This takes place in the world of Ghostbusters."
And that'd be Ghostbusters 3.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 11:51 AM on July 20, 2010 [36 favorites]
I can almost buy not watching modern sitcoms. If all you knew of them were their 80s incarnations, then you wouldn't really expect much, right? Seinfeld was almost the first in its class, and smart stuff like Community and Parks and Rec are even more recent (with infinite dross in between).
posted by codacorolla at 11:58 AM on July 20, 2010
posted by codacorolla at 11:58 AM on July 20, 2010
Is it Ghostbusters 3?
posted by shakespeherian at 12:12 PM on July 20, 2010 [5 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 12:12 PM on July 20, 2010 [5 favorites]
I'm glad that Bill mentioned talking to Harold Ramis recently because a few months back I was reading the IMDB trivia entry on Groundhog Day and there was an item claiming that due to a disagreement in the tone of said movie, Murray and Ramis had not spoken to each other since and that made me really sad.
posted by turaho at 12:19 PM on July 20, 2010
posted by turaho at 12:19 PM on July 20, 2010
redsparkler: "I Get That A Lot looks awesome"
It's not.
posted by Bonzai at 12:23 PM on July 20, 2010
It's not.
posted by Bonzai at 12:23 PM on July 20, 2010
I did get to buy Bill Murray a shot of Petron at the Clermont Lounge in Atlanta
Patrón...
posted by benzo8 at 12:43 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Patrón...
posted by benzo8 at 12:43 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Seems it was worth the trouble enough for you to spend 30 seconds of your life posting that.
posted by spicynuts at 1:22 PM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by spicynuts at 1:22 PM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
This can't be an actual Bill Murray interview; he didn't end it by whispering "No one will believe you."
posted by Spatch at 1:26 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Spatch at 1:26 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Is that what he says to GZA in Coffee and Cigarettes?
posted by shakespeherian at 1:29 PM on July 20, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by shakespeherian at 1:29 PM on July 20, 2010 [4 favorites]
Bill Murray famously does not give interviews—he's sat down for exactly four prolonged media encounters in the past ten years—and when he does, it's never clear what you're going to get.
It would be lovely - if unrealistic - of other celebs could take note.
Interviews like this are WHY Murray can get away with so few.
(I know I'm in a minority here, but if I read yet another larky Robert Downey Jnr crazy ass stream of consciousness "interview," which tells me nothing except that it was all a splendid lark to breathe the same air as crazy ass Robert Downey Jnr, I shall get very cross.)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 2:17 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
It would be lovely - if unrealistic - of other celebs could take note.
Interviews like this are WHY Murray can get away with so few.
(I know I'm in a minority here, but if I read yet another larky Robert Downey Jnr crazy ass stream of consciousness "interview," which tells me nothing except that it was all a splendid lark to breathe the same air as crazy ass Robert Downey Jnr, I shall get very cross.)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 2:17 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Bill Murray is a narcissist because he doesn't watch sitcoms? Uh-oh...
posted by hap_hazard at 2:26 PM on July 20, 2010
posted by hap_hazard at 2:26 PM on July 20, 2010
Jody Tresidder: Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that a certain amount of interviews/media exposure is required when involved with major motion pictures. Also, if you don't do interviews people will start thinking you're stuck up.
This comment, about Sarah Polley, has always stuck with me.
posted by ODiV at 2:35 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
This comment, about Sarah Polley, has always stuck with me.
posted by ODiV at 2:35 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
John Belushi died in 1982, common knowledge.
Um, it sort of is if you were of a certain age when the man died.
posted by blucevalo at 2:42 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Um, it sort of is if you were of a certain age when the man died.
posted by blucevalo at 2:42 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
i just saw this photo on imdb.
now apologize for what you were thinking about saying about bill murray before you sound weak.
posted by Hammond Rye at 2:46 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
now apologize for what you were thinking about saying about bill murray before you sound weak.
posted by Hammond Rye at 2:46 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
I posted this on the GQ site as well:
My brother-in-law, who vaguely resembles Gregory Peck in his "To Kill a Mockingbird" years, was on the Champs Elysses in Paris and spotted Bill Murray. My BIL walked up to him and pointed a finger, saying only "Bill Murray!" Bill immediately imitated his gesture and said "Gregory Peck!"
posted by Mental Wimp at 3:03 PM on July 20, 2010 [4 favorites]
My brother-in-law, who vaguely resembles Gregory Peck in his "To Kill a Mockingbird" years, was on the Champs Elysses in Paris and spotted Bill Murray. My BIL walked up to him and pointed a finger, saying only "Bill Murray!" Bill immediately imitated his gesture and said "Gregory Peck!"
posted by Mental Wimp at 3:03 PM on July 20, 2010 [4 favorites]
Unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that a certain amount of interviews/media exposure is required when involved with major motion pictures. Also, if you don't do interviews people will start thinking you're stuck up.
True enough, ODiV.
But your linked comment is about a somewhat different set up, isn't it?
("When she was here in town for the film festival this year, her publicist started telling press that she "reserves the right to refuse interviews with certain publications" which I thought was pretty hilarious. Hello? You're Sarah Polley, not Julia friggin Roberts here. What's with the primadonna act?")
Sarah Polley was AT a film festival to do the publicity - and was being selective about which media outlets she picked. (Which always pisses off the hacks!).
At the level of stars like Murray - and the air is definitely very thin on those slopes! - the talent does get more of a choice about the publicity.
Maybe my comment was a bit optimistic (and I am a - jaded -former film junket hack myself),but I think Murray's interview is a model of its type (kudos to the interviewer too, of course) - compared with the seamlessly oblique drivel of someone like Robert Downey jnr.
(But I seem to have a bee in my bonnet about the latter, so I'll shut up!)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 3:11 PM on July 20, 2010
True enough, ODiV.
But your linked comment is about a somewhat different set up, isn't it?
("When she was here in town for the film festival this year, her publicist started telling press that she "reserves the right to refuse interviews with certain publications" which I thought was pretty hilarious. Hello? You're Sarah Polley, not Julia friggin Roberts here. What's with the primadonna act?")
Sarah Polley was AT a film festival to do the publicity - and was being selective about which media outlets she picked. (Which always pisses off the hacks!).
At the level of stars like Murray - and the air is definitely very thin on those slopes! - the talent does get more of a choice about the publicity.
Maybe my comment was a bit optimistic (and I am a - jaded -former film junket hack myself),but I think Murray's interview is a model of its type (kudos to the interviewer too, of course) - compared with the seamlessly oblique drivel of someone like Robert Downey jnr.
(But I seem to have a bee in my bonnet about the latter, so I'll shut up!)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 3:11 PM on July 20, 2010
of course it's none of my business to speculate whether "Bill Murray is a drug-addicted spousal abuser and serial adulterer who has abandoned his family"
that would just ruin the garfield magic
posted by Hammond Rye at 3:12 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
that would just ruin the garfield magic
posted by Hammond Rye at 3:12 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
...of course it's none of my business to speculate whether "Bill Murray is a drug-addicted spousal abuser and serial adulterer who has abandoned his family"
Jesus, I didn't know any of that, Hammond Rye.
(Shit, shit, shit etc)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 3:18 PM on July 20, 2010
Jesus, I didn't know any of that, Hammond Rye.
(Shit, shit, shit etc)
posted by Jody Tresidder at 3:18 PM on July 20, 2010
Kung Fu Hustle is brilliant. The landlady is my favorite kung fu warrior ever.
posted by homunculus at 3:30 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by homunculus at 3:30 PM on July 20, 2010 [1 favorite]
Actually, Burhanistan, I know someone who has WORKED with Bill Murray -- and she didn't find him to be narcissitc at all. Quite the opposite, in fact...
My friend Rebecca was a stage manager for a while, like me. And we stage managers get to see a lot of actors' true colors; sometimes, the actor treats us like "the help", sometimes they treat us like a nagging mother, and sometimes they put a big fakey smile on when dealing with us because they know they're SUPPOSED to respect the role but they really deep down don't.
And sometimes they really do deep down respect us, and behave like professionals who also understand that we are professionals as well, and that we're part of the team -- with jobs that arguably are much more pivotal to the success of a show than any individual actors' role -- and they work with us.
And Rebecca was the stage manager for part of the original theatrical run of The Guys, which starred Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver. And when this came up in a conversation, she happily confirmed that Bill Murray was just as snarky as he is in these interviews -- but also, was a really, really good guy, and always treated everyone professionally and considerately. A narcissist would treat a stage manager like "the help" or would put on the big fakey smile. A good guy wouldn't -- and Bill Murray didn't treat Rebecca like that.
I'll take the direct experience of a fellow stage manager over an armchair assessment of personality based on reading interviews, I think.
(Another fun tidbit -- you know that orange camo-pattern t-shirt he wears in LOST IN TRANSLATION? Rebecca said that that's actually one of his own shirts, and I think she said he wore it a HELL of a lot.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:31 PM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
My friend Rebecca was a stage manager for a while, like me. And we stage managers get to see a lot of actors' true colors; sometimes, the actor treats us like "the help", sometimes they treat us like a nagging mother, and sometimes they put a big fakey smile on when dealing with us because they know they're SUPPOSED to respect the role but they really deep down don't.
And sometimes they really do deep down respect us, and behave like professionals who also understand that we are professionals as well, and that we're part of the team -- with jobs that arguably are much more pivotal to the success of a show than any individual actors' role -- and they work with us.
And Rebecca was the stage manager for part of the original theatrical run of The Guys, which starred Bill Murray and Sigourney Weaver. And when this came up in a conversation, she happily confirmed that Bill Murray was just as snarky as he is in these interviews -- but also, was a really, really good guy, and always treated everyone professionally and considerately. A narcissist would treat a stage manager like "the help" or would put on the big fakey smile. A good guy wouldn't -- and Bill Murray didn't treat Rebecca like that.
I'll take the direct experience of a fellow stage manager over an armchair assessment of personality based on reading interviews, I think.
(Another fun tidbit -- you know that orange camo-pattern t-shirt he wears in LOST IN TRANSLATION? Rebecca said that that's actually one of his own shirts, and I think she said he wore it a HELL of a lot.)
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 5:31 PM on July 20, 2010 [3 favorites]
My idol? Aw, that's a cute assumption. Now you done made an ass out of you and me.
Seriously, my idols are all dead, and they were mostly assholes anyway, far as I can tell.
I've known narcissists, too, and I just didn't see anything in the interview sufficient to diagnose a personality disorder. I'm sure he probably has at least a touch of 'ASN'- but I'm sure such a thing would never happen to anyone of us normal folks...
And, you know, I don't know if I'm ready to take a document filed in a divorce proceeding as dispositive on the subject of whether Bill Murray is a decent human being or not. (He's addicted to marijuana? OH NOES...)
Maybe he's a bad guy. I don't know, and I'm not sure how you do, either, was my point.
posted by hap_hazard at 5:37 PM on July 20, 2010
Seriously, my idols are all dead, and they were mostly assholes anyway, far as I can tell.
I've known narcissists, too, and I just didn't see anything in the interview sufficient to diagnose a personality disorder. I'm sure he probably has at least a touch of 'ASN'- but I'm sure such a thing would never happen to anyone of us normal folks...
And, you know, I don't know if I'm ready to take a document filed in a divorce proceeding as dispositive on the subject of whether Bill Murray is a decent human being or not. (He's addicted to marijuana? OH NOES...)
Maybe he's a bad guy. I don't know, and I'm not sure how you do, either, was my point.
posted by hap_hazard at 5:37 PM on July 20, 2010
Here's a Harold Ramis profile from The New Yorker for some perspective on their argument.
posted by cottoncandybeard at 6:24 PM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by cottoncandybeard at 6:24 PM on July 20, 2010 [2 favorites]
To my mind, the two best Bill Murray films are "Rushmore" and "The Razor's Edge." In both, he plays understated characters who are vacillate between being either Bastards or Good Men -- and then settling somewhere in between by film's end.
Come to think of it, that's probably what captivates us about him. He makes you slightly uncomfortable by being either outrageously funny or seriously unfunny -- and then settling somewhere in between.
posted by zooropa at 6:42 PM on July 20, 2010
Come to think of it, that's probably what captivates us about him. He makes you slightly uncomfortable by being either outrageously funny or seriously unfunny -- and then settling somewhere in between.
posted by zooropa at 6:42 PM on July 20, 2010
They offered Bill Murray, in the prime of his career, 50 thou to do the voice of garfield? That can't be right can it?
also -- "At least they had what's-her-name. The mind reader, pretty girl, really curvy girl, body's one in a million? What's her name? Help me. You know who I mean.
Jennifer Love Hewitt?"
qft
"Gee, sorry to poke at your idol, but if you can't see that Murray is a narcissist then you're not looking." Wow, thanks for the 5 cent diagnosis there Dr. Burhanistan. You are obviously a really deep and thoughtful person.
posted by puny human at 9:46 PM on July 20, 2010
also -- "At least they had what's-her-name. The mind reader, pretty girl, really curvy girl, body's one in a million? What's her name? Help me. You know who I mean.
Jennifer Love Hewitt?"
qft
"Gee, sorry to poke at your idol, but if you can't see that Murray is a narcissist then you're not looking." Wow, thanks for the 5 cent diagnosis there Dr. Burhanistan. You are obviously a really deep and thoughtful person.
posted by puny human at 9:46 PM on July 20, 2010
Gee, sorry to poke at your idol, but if you can't see that Murray is a narcissist then you're not looking. God forbid someone posts a contrary opinion.
Easy, buddy, I was just poking fun at you. He's not my idol.
posted by spicynuts at 5:27 AM on July 21, 2010
Easy, buddy, I was just poking fun at you. He's not my idol.
posted by spicynuts at 5:27 AM on July 21, 2010
Patrón...
Yeah, you can tell I'm not a tequila man myself. I'll take Sailor Jerry or the Kraken, thanks much..
posted by FatherDagon at 8:41 AM on July 21, 2010
Yeah, you can tell I'm not a tequila man myself. I'll take Sailor Jerry or the Kraken, thanks much..
posted by FatherDagon at 8:41 AM on July 21, 2010
Well, Bonzai, after checking it out, apparently I Get That A Lot is like, ten minutes of awesome that has been unfortunately wrapped in thirty minutes of mediocre. But I did love the ten minutes of awesome.
posted by redsparkler at 10:30 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by redsparkler at 10:30 AM on July 21, 2010
They offered Bill Murray, in the prime of his career, 50 thou to do the voice of garfield? That can't be right can it?
I didn't read it that way. I read it as, he asked his agents what people normally get paid for similar voice roles, and that's what they told him. Or, he was just making up a story to sound interesting, which is fine by me too.
posted by antifuse at 11:58 AM on July 21, 2010
I didn't read it that way. I read it as, he asked his agents what people normally get paid for similar voice roles, and that's what they told him. Or, he was just making up a story to sound interesting, which is fine by me too.
posted by antifuse at 11:58 AM on July 21, 2010
My favourite Bill Murray story is still the one where he gatecrashed a student party in Scotland and did their dishes.
posted by hot soup girl at 12:11 PM on July 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by hot soup girl at 12:11 PM on July 21, 2010 [2 favorites]
@shmegegge They'll never believe you, you know.
(Hello again, btw. Looong time no see.)
posted by ActualStackhouse at 1:54 PM on July 21, 2010
(Hello again, btw. Looong time no see.)
posted by ActualStackhouse at 1:54 PM on July 21, 2010
The Ghostbusters stop caring about ghosts until they meet a precocious set of youngsters who idolize them. Training montage. Big show down. Happy ending.
I think it should go slightly different...
The Ghostbusters stop caring about ghosts until they meet a precocious set of youngsters who idolize them. Training montage. Youngsters become corrupted by the dark influences of the ghost they were trained to banish. Big show down. Ghostbusters and youngsters killed. Battle as ghosts until the Ghostbusters finally win. Everyone remains dead.
posted by swimming naked when the tide goes out at 3:07 PM on July 21, 2010
I think it should go slightly different...
The Ghostbusters stop caring about ghosts until they meet a precocious set of youngsters who idolize them. Training montage. Youngsters become corrupted by the dark influences of the ghost they were trained to banish. Big show down. Ghostbusters and youngsters killed. Battle as ghosts until the Ghostbusters finally win. Everyone remains dead.
posted by swimming naked when the tide goes out at 3:07 PM on July 21, 2010
Actually, Swimming-naked, that's a very interesting twist. I rather like it. Give my assistant a call.
posted by Goofyy at 11:07 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by Goofyy at 11:07 PM on July 21, 2010
I forgot to mention - when I read that Harold Ramis wanted the guys who wrote Year One to write the new Ghostbusters movie? I think baby Jesus shed a tear or two.
posted by antifuse at 6:04 AM on July 22, 2010
posted by antifuse at 6:04 AM on July 22, 2010
Amazingly, Bill Murray has given another interview this month, this time a short one with New York Magazine. Once he gets into it - he ran an hour late because he was watching the Richard Harris movie The Field in bed at his hotel - he comes up with some good responses.
posted by Doktor Zed at 7:54 AM on July 30, 2010 [5 favorites]
I hear people throw that word around, “Legacy, what’s my legacy?” I always just think, Boy, that’s really putting the cart in front of the horse or something. Your legacy? Because if you’re not here right now, there is no legacy. You didn’t even exist. There’s graveyards full of people that think they left a legacy that left almost no impact on the Earth except as fertilizer. I guess we’re in kind of a funny business in that your film is alive after you’re dead. This morning I was watching Gilda [Radner] on the movies. And there’s Gilda, and wow, what an amazing-looking woman, what a great performance. Did she think that’s her legacy? I don’t think about it. I don’t think about legacy.He also gets into his reasons for seemingly random behavior such as tending bar at SXSW or doing the dishes at a college residence in Scotland and what he tells people when they ask what he whispered to Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation.
posted by Doktor Zed at 7:54 AM on July 30, 2010 [5 favorites]
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posted by Iridic at 9:02 AM on July 20, 2010