#john curran

[gusvanscant]

'We Don’t Live Here Anymore' (dir. by John Curran) [2004]

[courseyoulovemeyoudontknowme]

The Painted Veil (2006, John Curran)

08/12/2025

[anliafail]

EDWARD NORTON and NAOMI WATTS in THE PAINTED VEIL (2006) | dir. John Curran

[dinorick]

[non-e-per-sempre]

[thishadoscarbuzz]

325 - We Don't Live Here Anymore

And we've made our way to "movies that exist only as a title" royalty, We Don't Live Here Anymore. In 2004, this marital drama arrived at Sundance boasting several indie aughts heatseekers: a post-You Can Count On Me Mark Ruffalo, a post-Oscar nom Naomi Watts, Six Feet Under's Peter Krause, and the always buzzy Laura Dern, all wrapped up in an adaptation of Andre Dubus. This grim look at two literary-adjacent married couples facing the abyss of infidelity earned especially strong notices for Dern, but never caught fire in a year where Sideways dominated the independent scene.

This episode, we look back at the first year of Warner Independent and Laura Dern joins our Six Timers Club. We also discuss Dern's place in the 2004 Supporting Actress race, the work of cinematographer Maryse Alberti, and the 2004 Sundance lineup.

Topics also include director John Curran, the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award, and photoshop marketing.

The 2004 Academy Awards

Vulture's Movies Fantasy League

Subscribe:

Patreon

Spotify

Apple Podcasts

[burningvelvet]

Byron simping for the Irish orator, politician, wit, and lawyer John Philpot Curran

Byron in a letter to Thomas Moore dated October 2, 1813:

"I have met Curran at Holland-house — he beats every body; — his imagination is beyond human, and his humour (it is difficult to define what is wit) perfect. Then he has fifty faces, and twice as many voices, when he mimics; — I never met his equal. Now, were l a woman, and eke a virgin, that is the man I should make my Scamander. He is quite fascinating. Remember, I have met him but once; and you, who have known him long, may probably deduct from my panegyric. I almost fear to meet him again, lest the impression should be lowered. He talked a great deal about you — a theme never tiresome to me, nor any body else that I know. What a variety of expression he conjures into that naturally not very fine countenance of his! He absolutely changes it entirely. I have done — for I can't describe him, and you know him."

In Greek mythology the female virgins of Troy would go to the Scamander river (which Scamander supposedy lived in after going mad and throwing himself in) and bathe in it while ritualistically praying for Scamander to take their virginity (sources: Theophoric Names and the History of Greek Religion by Robert Parker and Neilomandros. A contribution to the history of Greek personal names by Peter Thonemann).

In an 1816 entry from his diary Detached Thoughts:

"Curran! Curran's the man who struck me most. Such imagination! there never was any thing like it that ever I saw or heard of. His published life — his published speeches, give you no idea of the man — none at all. He was a machine of imagination, as some one said that Piron was an epigrammatic machine. I did not see a great deal of Curran — only in 1813; but I met him at home (for he used to call on me), and in society, at Mackintosh's, Holland House, &c. &c. and he was wonderful even to me, who had seen many remarkable men of the time."

In his later destroyed memoirs, quoted by Thomas Moore:

"In his Memoranda there were equally enthusiastic praises of 'The riches,' said he, 'of his Irish imagination were exhaustless. I have heard that man speak more poetry than I have ever seen written, — though I saw him seldom and but occasionally . . ."

[artfilmfan]

Tracks (John Curran, 2013)