Who Is David Gordon Green?

NYT has a good work-up on the director of 'Pineapple Express', David Gordon Green, an indy guy whose work I've never seen, but who seems like a good match for an off kilter stoner romp.

Mr. Apatow said: "The basic idea of hiring inspired, independent-minded filmmakers is a much better way to go than to just hire shooters who will do anything you tell them to. What I like about what David did is that the movie retains our style and tone while merging with his. He really makes the characters and their relationships come to life and not feel like an afterthought."

I hadn't thought of it before reading this article but it's true, the footage from 'Pineapple Express' I've seen has a loose natural feel that matches the subject matter. Another director could have shot this movie in a by-the-numbers, conventional, flat, and totally inappropriate way. Green's work has that indy flow, especially the action sequences in the trailers. The last thing I'd call Green's vibe is 'mechanical'.

There's an organic quality here. Like the fight scene in the apartment -- I don't think a more mainstream director would have/could have directed that sequence. The behavior is just too odd. It's too off putting, too strange for most directors. That's true for most of the plot of 'Pineapple Express'. Not to mention some of the dialogue (which you won't see in most trailers). I think most directors would have gotten squirmy about it and tweaked it toward Hollywood conventionality, which would have spoiled it.

TMagazine Covers Seth Rogen And James Franco

The New York Times is shifting more and more to online video production and interactive content. They've had audio slideshows and video movie reviews for a while. Their latest move to becoming an internet TV platform is TMagazine and T Exclusive Films.

The names don't do that much for me but I'm liking the content. The latest segment features Lynn Hirschberg talking with Seth Rogen re: being a sex symbol, how he determines what kind of movies he wants to do, and writing 'The Green Hornet'.

Here's the segment with James Franco, about the bromance element of 'Pineapple Express', his inspirations for becoming an actor, and kissing Sean Penn in '(Harvey) Milk'.

So far, I've liked what I've seen from TMagazine. The segments marry the focus of an NYT article with the free-flow energy of an NPR interview a la Terry Gross. It certainly gives NYT more traction online than other news services. I just wish they'd make their content embedable. (Come on, guys, that's par for the course these days and drives a lot of traffic your way).

Bloody World Of Low-Budget Action Movies

James Franco on the difference between safety precautions on a big-budget movie and those of a small-budget gig.

Pineapple Express

The thing about this movie is it has too much raunchy language and too many drug references for mainstream trailers to do it justice. It even has some violence (the inciting incident, no less) that's too graphic to hawk to people looking for a cool dumb stoner comedy. Until I saw the real-deal trailer at the official site I just didn't like this movie too much. Trailers were looking too labored on Apple, Yahoo, et al. I was thinking Judd Apatow (who produced) had run out of steam.

But when you're allowed to show drug references, along with the crude language, (and the inciting incident), without concern for who you might offend the trailer springs to life.

Right now this is looking like another hit for the Apatow/Rogen comedy express. This is 100% pure comedy -- no stems, seeds, political correctness, or any of that other shit. Don't waste your time with the watered-down trailers they're pushing around the web. Head over to Sony's crib for the real dope. (End of double entendres).