James-Marsh-Mean-gene

One of the shadiest things you can do as a journalist is ask someone their opinion about someone, then, when they answer candidly, take their answer out of context to make it sound like they’re starting a beef and manufacture a controversy around it.  That being said, controversy = pageviews, pageviews = money, and daddy’s feet = in need of a new pair of shoes. So…

FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! (*flicks lights on and off, claps cats together*)

[CinemaBlend's Katey Rich, on interviewing James Marsh, director of 2008's Oscar-winning documentary Man on Wire, and this year's much-buzzed Project Nim.] I talked to Marsh in an excellent 20-minute conversation this afternoon.  Apparently as caught up in all the Sundance gossip as the rest of us, Marsh took some time– totally unprompted by me– to criticize the filmmaker for striking back against critics and audiences after so many years of success.

Here’s what Marsh said:

“You can’t try to control response to your film, nor should you. …Unless you’re Kevin Smith, I guess. Whole other story.

What’s his problem, anyway?  Why [does he have a chip on his shoulder]?  He’s had such a great run.  You know, he’s not Orson Welles.

And, I mean he gets his films made, he’s rich… he’s got money… Now he turns around and says suddenly, “I’m so hard done?”  What’s his f*cking problem?”

“He should be so f*cking lucky. It makes me so mad to have someone doing that.  It’s wrong.

It’s a total hypocrisy.  He’s had loads of films made, and most of them are sh*t, quite honestly.  I mean, I shouldn’t say that… Films are quite hard to make and anyone who does needs our respect, but… I have a big problem with all of this self-promoting narcissim.

(To camera) Maybe the films aren’t very good, Kevin.  You can’t have the kind of career he’s had and turn around and start complaining about it. There are many other… can I say it… vastly better filmmakers who haven’t been able to make as many films as him.  So, you know, be a bit more f*cking humble.”

Meee-yow. Under the Bus, population Kevin Smith, amirite? Anyway,  I don’t want to pile on with the Kevin Smith hate because I’ve always found him to be quite likable (and because the last thing that fattie’s knees need is more weight to carry), but as negative as it is, it’s always nice to hear filmmakers speak candidly about each other.  It’s a healthy break  from the daisy chain of a fart huffing that is awards season.  Awards season would be so much better if rival filmmakers got to announce the competing nominees.

CHRIS NOLAN: “And for best director, Danny Boyle, for ‘Help, I’m Trapped in This Painfully Boring Cave and I Can’t Get Out and la di dah James Franco,’ (*dismissive wank motion*).”

(*leans into microphone*) (*extended fart noise*)