‘Escapes’ Trailer: Wes Anderson-Produced Doc On The Unlikely Story Of The ‘Blade Runner’ Writer
The only way we could get aWes AndersonandRidley Scottcrossover would be in our dreams. But the next cl0sest thing is the Wes Anderson-produced documentaryEscapes, which follows the strange and beautiful life ofHampton Fancher, the former flamenco dancer-turned screenwriter of one of the most iconic sci-fi movies of all time,Blade Runner.
How did he end up in the world of Hollywood, and what misadventures and detours did he get into along the way? And why is Anderson so fascinated in him that he’ll produce a documentary, albeit one directed byMichael Almereyda, about him? Find out in theEscapestrailer.
Fancher, who produced and wroteBlade Runnerin 1982 and also wrote the story for its upcoming sequel,Blade Runner 2049, seems embarrassed about his fascinating life story. “Actually the story is so terrible I’m not going to tell it,” he says sheepishly in the trailer.
The documentary catalogue’s Fancher’s life, from his career as a flamenco dancer to an actor who was “the most expensive day player in German film history,” to finally his journey to writing and producingBlade Runnerwith director Ridley Scott. With the newBlade Runner 2049hitting theaters thisOctober 6, the time is ripe for a documentary about this unknown Hollywood figure, and the role he had in shaping sci-fi cinema.
The trailer flashes old black and white photographs of Fancher’s life while he narrates, often brushing aside a tangent as “Oh that’s not a story.”
The documentary is directed byMichael Almereyda, who helmed the narrative film starringPeter Sarsgaard,Experimenter. His upcoming film out this August is a sci-fi indie starring Jon Hamm calledMarjorie Prime.
Here’s the official synopsis forEscapes:
“Directed by Michael Almereyda (Experimenter) and executive produced by Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), Escapes blazes a wild path through mid-20th-century Hollywood via the experiences of Hampton Fancher – flamenco dancer, actor, and the unlikely producer and screenwriter of the landmark sci-fi classic Blade Runner. (Fancher also penned the story for its sequel, Blade Runner 2049.) A consummate raconteur, Fancher recounts episodes from his remarkable life — romantic misadventures with silver-screen stars, wayward acts of chivalry, jealousy, and friendship — matched with a parallel world of film and TV footage wherein Fancher plays cowboys, killers, fops, cads, and the occasional hero. Escapes shows how one man’s personal journey can unexpectedly shape a medium’s future.”
Escapesopens in New York’s IFC Center onJuly 26before expanding to a wider release throughoutAugust.
