'Blade Runner' writer gives incisive look into movie biz

From Harrison Ford to Janeane Garofalo, Hampton Fancher has worked with some of Hollywood's hottest stars, but last night, Kelly Writers House was his stage. A writer-producer-director, Fancher spoke to a group of about 30 students last night about his soon-to-be-released film, The Minus Man, as part of the Writers House's Talking Film Series. Students were drawn to the event for a number of different reasons. Some were avid fans of the cult classic Blade Runner, starring Harrison Ford, which Fancher wrote and produced. Others were drawn by the glitzy Hollywood appeal. "I try to meet everyone I can from the whole Hollywood thing," College sophomore Winston Pear said. The attendees also included a contingent of hopeful screenwriters and directors who wanted to learn a few tricks of the trade and make connections with a respected name in the industry. But despite the fame and popularity Fancher has achieved, an overriding theme of the night was that he attributes his success to his passion for writing, a craft he said is like "falling in love." In fact, when asked how he got his start, rather than crediting famed directors, Fancher actually named classic writers -- such as Dostoevsky, Salinger, Poe and Hemingway -- as some of his most significant influences because they got him interested in writing, which later led to screenwriting. The question-and-answer session touched on a variety of subjects, ranging from general writing techniques to the politics of Hollywood. Fancher's long road to Hollywood began as a flamenco dancer, which led to acting, producing and eventually, directing. However, he called himself a writer, first and foremost, and the trials and tribulations of the writing process constituted the majority of his talk. For the promotional aspect of his visit, a trailer to The Minus Man was also shown. Fancher came to Penn as part of a national campus tour promoting the movie. The final stops on his tour include Columbia, New York and Johns Hopkins universities. The Minus Man, which Fancher described as "elliptical and subtle," is about "romance, ideas, questions, but not many answers," and stars several big names, including Garofalo and Sheryl Crow, as well as up-and-coming actor Owen Wilson. Students' reactions to Fancher's discussion were very positive. "I thought he was very enthusiastic about what he did," College freshman Paul Flynn said. "He really seemed to be energetic and? mad for life." As an aspiring writer, Flynn was grateful to hear from an experienced veteran in the field. College senior and Film Studies Undergraduate Advisory Board Chairperson Eugene Kwack was very excited after hearing Fancher speak. Kwack called the night "wildly entertaining? eye-opening and inspiring." The Minus Man opens this Friday at the Ritz Theatres in Philadelphia. A screening of the movie will take place tonight at 7:30 at the Ritz at the Bourse.