Hollywood Gadfly

Skeptical, data-driven Hollywood investigations.

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If you’re a contrarian and everybody loves everything you’re writing, you’re probably not doing your job very well.

Raquelle David wrote a sharp piece arguing Obsession‘s success “could only happen to a man.” I spent a few weeks with it and don’t think the argument holds.

The “smoking gun” is a 2016 Slated study that was never released — no methodology, no data, just an infographic. The one director-level gap it found was purely low-budget, and that sa…

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Hate to mythbust the engagement farmers, but Whiplash was Chazelle’s second feature, his first was Guy and Madeleine on a Park Bench and it played Tribeca. Whiplash the short was executive produced by 4x Oscar nominee (and son of Ivan Reitman) Jason Reitman. Also EP’d by Jason Blum, who may have just done a little film called Obsession. …