Interview with John Alan Simon
I am delighted to be able to post a recording of an interview I recently did with John Alan Simon. Here is a bio of John from the website IMDb:
“John Alan Simon is president and chief executive officer of Discovery Films. He has been involved with the financing, production, sales, and marketing of many successful independent features including, “The Wicker Man” (starring Edward Woodward); “The Haunting of Julia” (with Mia Farrow and Tom Conti); “Basket Case”, “The Howling, Part 2” and “Out of the Blue” (starring and directed by Dennis Hopper). In partnership with Rosenbloom Entertainment, Discovery has acquired film rights to three novels by reknowned science-fiction writer, Philip K. Dick, whose works have formed the basis for such successful science-fiction films as “Blade Runner” and “Total Recall”. Simon has written the script and developed “Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said”, based on Philip K. Dick’s novel, for Paramount Pictures in conjunction with Tom Cruise/Paula Wagner Productions and Oliver Stone’s Illusion Entertainment. Prior to his entry in the film industry, Simon was a successful journalist and film critic, both as staff writer for the New Orleans Times Picayune and as editor-in-chief of New Orleans magazine. He has also written film and music reviews and feature articles for various publications, including the Chicago Sun-Times, Downbeat Magazine and American Film magazine. During this period, Simon also taught courses in film and writing at Tulane University, Loyola University, and the University of Illinois. Simon graduated from Harvard College with honors in History and Literature and served as an editor of the Harvard Crimson.”
In July 2013, Simon completed post production on feature adaptation of “Radio Free Albemuth” based on the novel by Philip K. Dick, which he directed, starring Jonathan Scarfe, Shea Whigham and singer Alanis Morissette. This movie has just gone on general release in the USA with the following dates:
New York – Quad Theatre – New York City (Greenwich Village), NY 10011
Los Angeles – NoHo 7 Laemmle – North Hollywood, CA 91601
Chicago – The Logan Theatre – Chicago, IL 60647
Philadelphia – Frank Theatres Montgomeryville Stadium 12 – Lansdale, PA 19446
San Francisco – Rialto Cinema Elmwood – Berkeley, CA 94705
Atlanta – Plaza Atlanta Theatre – Atlanta, GA 30306
Seattle – Pickford Film Center – Bellingham, WA 98225
Phoenix – Harkins Valley Art Cinema – Tempe, AZ 85281
Minneapolis – The Heights Theater – Columbia Heights, MN 55421
Cleveland – Atlas Cinemas Great Lakes – Mentor, OH 44060