“The Two Hollywoods; Hollywood Squares and Hipsters”

The New York Times, November 16, 1997

Life styles of the rich and famous versus the not so rich and famous.

Aspires to Be
Indie: Quentin Tarantino (last year); Paul Thomas Anderson (this year).
Mainstream: Spielberg (all years).

Status Symbol
Indie: Harvey Weinstein's home numbers (the city, Connecticut, Martha's Vineyard).
Mainstream: Studio wave (perfected over the years to bypass any studio guard).

Ultimate Status
Indie: A spanking-new agent; blind deal at Miramax; front table at the Independent Spirit Awards -- you're not even nominated, but you take a supermodel.
Mainstream: Bathroom in your office (when you are young); headlines in the trades (perennial); Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award at the Oscars (you are old, but you take a supermodel).

Vehicle
Indie: Rental; intern's blue, dented Nissan; nothing -- it's in hock for raw film stock and portable phone.
Mainstream: Mercedes (the off-road one is ungettable, ergo must be got); new Jaguar; any very large new truck.

Restaurant
Indie: The Formosa (noir institution -- very ''L.A. Confidential''); Jones (trendy, rock-meets-film-meets-fashion-meets-rehab); Mr. Chow's (if agent will pay).
Mainstream: Mr. Chow's (another homage to the 70's); Spago (Beverly Hills branch only -- packed with moguls on Saturday night); Dominick's, whenever it reopens (60's Rat Pack haunt -- instant hangout for whichever rat pack is reigning).

L.A. Hotel
Indie: Producer's mom's guest room; production office floor; Drew Barrymore's office couch; Chateau Marmont (on producer's expense account).
Mainstream: Shutters on the Beach (director's top choice); Bel Air (movie stars resting); Four Seasons (press junkets with movie stars galore, all in a hurry).

Saturday Night
Indie: Go out at 10:30 P.M., have drinks, party; return at 4, have sex.
Mainstream: Go out to dinner at 7:30 P.M.; go to sleep at 10:30; wake up at 4, make a list, read five pages of a bad script, go back to sleep.

Weekend
Indie: Lying in bed sleeping; shopping at flea markets; yoga on Larchmont; begging friends to work on film without pay.
Mainstream: Lying in bed reading scripts; shopping at Barneys, Fred Segal, Armani; golf with studio exec; hike with actor.

Vacation
Indie: A paid room at any film festival.
Mainstream: Anywhere by private jet. (How you get there has become more important than where you're going.)

Music
Indie: Nothing 60's; anything 70's or 80's; any club single that's grunge, industrial or garage.
Mainstream: Anything 60's; nothing 70's or 80's; any hit single that helps open your movie.

Idols
Indie: John Cassavetes (and anyone related to him); Elvis (early and late); Sean Penn (even though he is alive).
Mainstream: Irving Thalberg (conceptually); Steven Spielberg (actually); your current studio head.

What They Will Sacrifice For Work
Indie: Lodging; vehicle; clothing.
Mainstream: A social life; freedom; friends.

What They Won't Sacrifice For Work
Indie: A social life; freedom; friends.
Mainstream: Lodging; vehicle; clothing.

by Lynda Obst, The New York Times, November 16, 1997