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The Spar-O At The Yarrow - Round Two (gossip)

Our earlier story about the Dowd/Anderson closed fist slap fest seems to be wrong.

We now hear that Anderson had not yet written his Variety review and that Dowd was insisting on talking to him before he wrote.

This frames the incident a little differently, as many critics really, really don't want to talk to anyone from a film before writing or even to be asked for a short take.

But the bigger question is, can Variety legitimately review the film, for better or worse? A positive review is suspect... and so is a negative one.

Posted by poland on January 21, 2009 02:48 PM |

Comments

Dowd is a boorish, drunken lout. I've seen him in a fight in Cannes when he wouldn't leave someone alone. Good on Anderson.

Posted by: Bingo [TypeKey Profile Page] | January 21, 2009 04:27 PM

Anonymous internet shit-talker Bingo...you couldn't be more wrong.

Dowd is as easy going as they come. He was truly the basis for The Dude in Big Lebowski and the thought of the Dude doing any kind of aggressive confrontation is just plain silly. Either dude for that matter.

So, take you harbored resentment elsewhere dick.

Posted by: don lewis (was PetalumaFilms) [TypeKey Profile Page] | January 21, 2009 05:47 PM

Er, excuse me. I had to pull him off someone he was drunkenly hassling in a bar in Cannes. He was an annoying, aggressive drunk who intimidates people. Easy-going? My ass. Sorry if you can't take the truth.

Posted by: Bingo [TypeKey Profile Page] | January 21, 2009 06:59 PM

Allow me to chime in. .. and say-you're both right.

Jeff (the dood) Dowd can be overbearing. He's a bright, passionate force in the industry, and he makes good things happen. DIRT is a movie that will slow people down, get them to think, and it's an important POWAQAATSI type of message. This critic had no intention of weighing such things in his review, which was dood's point. He wanted a big picture evaluation, not a cinematic critique. That said, Jeff did the perfect thing, which was bring attention to a film that will help everyone.

(nice work big guy) meanwhile, I phoned Jeff and offered him my boxing ring at my house in Park City, head gear, big soft gloves, a referee, my hot tub and 14 cases of beer.

(He has not called back.)

Posted by: Doug Johnson [TypeKey Profile Page] | January 22, 2009 11:21 AM

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