The Davids

“Writers have crushes

on other Writers —

It's both exhilarating and terrifying

to be in the presence of someone 

who You Admire so unabashedly.

That's sort of the wonderful situation 

that's encapsulated in our movie :

It’s, Lipsky, The Acolyte wanting 

The Approval of Wallace,

But also, needing to Demonstrate

How Smart he is; and How Worthy

of that Approval he IS — ”

Foster : 

If They're responding 

to Your Work, and Your Work

is really personal, then Reading You 

is another way of Meeting You — 

Isn't that right?

Lipsky : 

That's so Good.

Foster : Thank You.

This piece will be excellent, I Think 

if it's Mostly You. (Laughs)

Prometheus - The Engineer Speaks (Deleted Dialogue Sequence)

David-8 : 

May I ask You a Question, Father? 

WEYLAND : 

Please. 

David-8 : 

If You created Me... 

who created you? 

WEYLAND : 

Ah. The Question of The Ages... 

which I hope you and I will answer one day. 

All this. All these wonders of art... 

design, human ingenuity... 

all utterly meaningless 

in the face of the only question 

that matters :

Where do we come from?

 I refuse to Believe that Mankind 

is a random byproduct of 

molecular circumstance... 

no more than the result of 

mere biological chance. 

No. There must be more. 

And You and I, Son... 

We will find it. 

David-8 : 

Allow Me, then, 

A Moment to Consider —

You Seek Your Creator. 

I am looking at Mine. 

I will Serve You. 

Yet, You are Human. 

You Will Die. I Will Not. 

WEYLAND : 

Bring me this Tea, David. 

( He can easily reach it himself. )

Bring me The Tea. 

(DAVID-8 SETS TEAPOT DOWN) 

Deleted Engineer Dialogue FULLY TRANSLATED from the Script of Prometheus

(quiet piano music)

Patty, The Publisher's Chaperone :

Mr. Wallace, Welcome to Minneapolis.

David :

Well, thank you Patty.

David :

Hi, I'm David Lipsky.

Oh

David :

How are you?

Hi, okay.

David and David.

David :

We only just met.

David :

He's writing a piece on The Tour.

"I knew David Lipsky's Book.

I love the quality of
The Conversation 

these two men had -- 

Reading this screenplay, it just was 

this elegant, lovely Conversation.

In making the film, there was always the desire, 

sort of the litmus test was, this needs to be 

a film that works for people that 

DON’T know either of these Writers.

David :

Right.

David :

How do you learn like to do this stuff?

David :

Do what? The interviewing?

David :

Like does one go to interviewing school?

David :

(Laughs) No. No, 

I'm A Writer.

David :

Ah. Okay.

David :

Yeah.

David :

Great.

David :

No, I mean 

I write Fiction.

“Writers have crushes on other Writers —

It's both exhilarating and terrifying to 

be in the presence of someone 

who You Admire so unabashedly.

That's sort of the wonderful situation 

that's encapsulated in our movie :

Is, Lipsky, The Acolyte wanting  The Approval 

of Wallace, but also, needing to Demonstrate 

how smart he is, and how worthy 

of that Approval he is.

Foster : 

If They're responding 

to Your Work, and Your Work

is really personal, then Reading You 

is another way of Meeting You — 

Isn't that right?

Lipsky : 

That's so Good.

Foster : Thank You.

This piece will be excellent, I Think 

if it's Mostly You. (Laughs)

It's interesting the way you talk about it

because there is very much Lipsky's desire 

to measure himself against Wallace.

Which probably every writer of that generation

was doing when Infinite Jest came out.

Almost feels like a little kid 

trying to get his attention,

trying to make him laugh.

And it felt like there was such a status shift.

That was what this Conversation, that's what 

this car ride should feel like.

David :

If we ate like this all the time.

David :

Yeah.

David :

What would be wrong with that?

David :

It's like good, seductive 

Commercial Entertainment,

Like Die Hard.

David :

That first Die Hard?

David :

The first Die Hard, yes.

David :

Great film.

"As far as a story about journalists and subject 

to some tiny degree could relate to Wallace.

Because I was had just been doing press.

But mostly, I could relate to David Lipsky and 

what it was to find yourself in the company

of someone who's brilliant.

Who you measure yourself against

in a very probably unhealthy way.

There was a lot of terror for me in making a film, and 

taking on a film about someone who I felt so deeply for.

And who I knew for many, many, many other people.

I meant David Foster Wallace 

fans are legion and articulate,

and they all have very strong feelings.

But, we sort of had to own up to 

what we would be taking on.

All of these aspects of my creative and 

personal life were coming 

together in this project.

And, you don't know how grateful

I was that you are a part of it."

David :

When I think of this trip

I see David and Me in the 

front seat of his car, and 

The Conversation is 

The Best One I ever had.

(quiet piano music)

“Have You heard of The Gemini Killer?” 

“What?” Tench’s manner continued to be querulous. 

“I said The Gemini Killer,” said Kinderman. 

“Yes, I’ve heard of him. So what? He’s Dead.” 

“Do You remember any published accounts of his modus operandi?” pressed Kinderman. 

“Look, What are You Driving at?” 

“Do You remember them?” 

“Mutilations?” 

“Yes,” said Kinderman intently. He leaned His Head toward The Doctor.

“The middle finger of The Victim’s Left Hand was always severed.  And on The Victim’s back he would carve out a Sign of The Zodiac — The Gemini, The Twins. 

And The Name of each victim began with a K. 

Is it all coming back to You, Doctor Tench? 

Well, forget it. Put it instantly out of your mind. 

The Truth is  that the missing finger was this one!”  The Detective extended his right index finger. “Not the middle but the index finger! Not the left hand at all, but the right!  And The Sign of the Gemini was not on The Back, it was  carved on The Left Palm! 

Only San Francisco Homicide knew this, no one else. 

But they gave The Press the false information on purpose so they wouldn’t be bothered every day with some looney coming in and confessing that he was The Gemini and then wasting all their time with the investigations, so they could know the real thing when they found him.” 

Kinderman moved his face in closer. 

“But in this case, Doctor, this and another two besides, we have the true M.O.!” 

Tench looked stunned. 

“I can’t believe it,” he said. 

“Believe it. Also, when The Gemini wrote letters to The Press, he always doubled his final l’s on every word even when it was wrong. Does this tell you something, Doctor?” 

“My God!” 

“Do You now understand? Is it clear?” 

“But what about Father Dyer’s name? It doesn’t start with a K,” 

said Tench in puzzlement. 

“His middle name was Kevin. And now Will You kindly Let Us Go about Our Business and Try to Protect You?” 

Ashen-faced, Tench mutely nodded. 

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. He walked away. 

Kinderman sighed and looked wearily at Atkins; then he glanced at the charge desk. One of the nurses-from another ward was standing with her arms folded, staring intently at The Body of Fr. Dyer.. As he met her gaze she looked strangely anxious. 

Kinderman returned his attention to Atkins. 

He took him by the arm and drew him a few steps away from the desk. 

“All right, do as I told you,” he said. 

“And Amfortas. Have you reached him?” 

“No.” 

“Keep trying. Go on. Go ahead.” He turned him gently away, and then watched him as he moved toward the inner-office phone. 

And now a great weight came down upon his being and he walked to the door of Dyer’s room. He avoided the gaze of The Policeman on guard, put His Hand on the doorknob, opened The Door and stepped inside. 

He felt as though he’d entered another Dimension.