Alison Hope Weiner's N.Y. Times profile of producer Brian Grazer covers the bases (smart guy, dreams up ideas for films, people don't know him as well as they do Jerry Bruckheimer). But nothing says it like Monica Almeida's photo of Grazer in his Malibu office. I'm not saying it shows a "producer's heart of darkness" or anything along those cliched lines, but there's an amazing amount of current in that expression and especially in those eyes.

Posted by Jeffrey Wells on November 20, 2007 at 12:35 AM
comment #1
bmcintire
says ...
The expression seems about as dead-eyed as anything in BEOWULF or THE POLAR EXPRESS. That hair has an amazing current running through it, however.
Posted by bmcintire
at November 20, 2007 1:28 AM
comment #2
jeffmcm
says ...
He's clearly in 'waiting for the interview to start' mode. He's not yet 'on' and has much more important things to do with his time.
Posted by jeffmcm
at November 20, 2007 1:30 AM
comment #3
Spacesheik
says ...
When I think of Brian Grazer, I think 'California,' a spaced-out, yet sharp producer, with a certain affinity for Zen. His movies are good, but not great (PARENTHOOD, RANSOM, BEAUTIFUL MIND etc) and he does a few clunkers as well, albeit profitable ones (DA VINCI).
He certainly did not deserve the Irving Thalberg award (he ain't a David Lean, David Selznick, Sam Spiegel etc) but that doesn't negate the fact that he's a good producer in-charge of an enduring and efficient movie company (IMAGINE).
Certainly he seems like the kind of guy one would have a very interesting and stimulating conversation with.
I'll take him over Jerry Brukheimer or other better known producers any day of the week though.
Posted by Spacesheik
at November 20, 2007 3:08 AM
comment #4
Daniel Tayag
says ...
Dammit, when the hell is that Ron Howard directed, Brian Grazer produced film about "a killer robot driving instructor who travels back in time for some reason and his friend is a talking pie" being released?!
Posted by Daniel Tayag
at November 20, 2007 4:22 AM
comment #5
carla kolchak
says ...
WTF is he thinking with that 'do?! The guy's a bazillionaire--surely he can afford a better barber so that he doesn't look like a complete doofus.
Posted by carla kolchak
at November 20, 2007 4:54 AM
comment #6
p.Vice
says ...
The expression says 'What is that smell in the room? Oh, silly me, that's the stench of that new Akiva Goldsman script sitting in my desk drawer.'
Posted by p.Vice
at November 20, 2007 6:09 AM
comment #7
vansmith
says ...
the hairdo is his calling card, he's makes good pictures, but more importantly they make money, who more than him deserves the thalberg award...
Posted by vansmith
at November 20, 2007 6:10 AM
comment #8
bluefugue
says ...
The expression is strangely reminiscent of one on Chopin's face in his only extant photograph. In Chopin's case the expression probably had something to do with physical discomfort, as he was quite ill at the time.
Posted by bluefugue
at November 20, 2007 6:49 AM
comment #9
carla kolchak
says ...
'Calling card' it may well be, vansmith, but that doesn't change the fact that it looks ridiculous and unflattering. Kinda like that other bazillionaire's tragic 'do.
Posted by carla kolchak
at November 20, 2007 7:06 AM
comment #10
Arizona Joe
says ...
The framed picture prank is juvenile.
It was reported that during the Hollywood executives junket to Cuba, the invitation to meet with Fidel Castro came late in the trip. Grazer wanted to blow it off and come home.
I have a difficult time believing that someone who acts and dresses like that is outwardly directed. He must be an idiot savant of demographics who can divine what film the typical Wal Mart shopper and the average Barnes & Noble reader will want to see.
Posted by Arizona Joe
at November 20, 2007 7:37 AM
comment #11
nemo
says ...
That hair makes him look like Zoolander in deep middle age.
Posted by nemo
at November 20, 2007 7:45 AM
comment #12
Kristopher Tapley
says ...
So how many more puff-pieces are we gonna get for Grazer anyway?
Posted by Kristopher Tapley
at November 20, 2007 8:03 AM
comment #13
Dave
says ...
I never trust anyone with a desk that clean. It means either they don't *work*, or they cleaned it up for the interview (or, in the case of the unreality that is Hollywood, had some PA clean it up).
The messier the desk, the more creative the person.
Posted by Dave
at November 20, 2007 8:24 AM
comment #14
T. S. Idiot
says ...
When someone gets the "bright" idea to do a big-screen remake of Ben Casey, Graz' is a shoo-in for the Sam Jaffe role.
Posted by T. S. Idiot
at November 20, 2007 8:43 AM
comment #15
MilkMan
says ...
I've seen that look before. It's the look on my dad's face every time I see him. It the look that says, "I'd rather be at an all-male gangbang in La Jolla than sitting here listening to you make up stories about why you need me to lend you 2000 dollars this month and how it will be the last time you ever ask me for money even though you know it won't but I think it will because the next time you call me and ask if you can come to my office and talk to me I'm going to hop in my Mercedes and drive as fast as I can to La Jolla so I don't arrive to the all-male gangbang late like I did last time."
That's what his look says to me. I'm sure some of you will disagree.
Posted by MilkMan
at November 20, 2007 9:29 AM
comment #16
gr81lives
says ...
Have to give the guy credit! His movies make money and his TV shows (24, Etc.) get good reviews and make money for the networks and DVD's..
Posted by gr81lives
at November 20, 2007 10:12 AM
comment #17
T. Holly
says ...
I thought of you Milkman; you, the son of a successful babyboom Hollywood man who parlayed luck with success, and kept on succeeding and has "interesting" delivered weekly to a clutter- free paperless office; and you, his luckless off-spring screwing up his important bliss time, which he needs to harvest more electricity to soak up pitches, supervise projects and think about finding the franchise he wasn't savvy enough to pick up yet.
Posted by T. Holly
at November 20, 2007 11:57 AM
comment #18
MilkMan
says ...
T. Holly, don't be offended by what I'm about to ask you, but I'm just curious:
Are you originally from Kenya?
Posted by MilkMan
at November 20, 2007 12:01 PM
comment #19
T. Holly
says ...
It must be my perfect King's English.
Posted by T. Holly
at November 20, 2007 12:27 PM
comment #20
AJW
says ...
I don't like most of his movies, but 24 used to be very good, I remember liking Sports Night, and thanks to Arrested Development he could become Bruckheimer and still have my gratitude and respect (which are obviously important to him).
Posted by AJW
at November 20, 2007 3:59 PM
comment #21
frankbooth
says ...
Watch out, Milky, or he might cut off your hand with his lightsaber.
Posted by frankbooth
at November 21, 2007 11:10 AM