Lists And Bill Murray
I was going through my yahoo mailbox and they send to me relevant information from the web using the keywords "script" and "screenwriting."
I go through it and Cinematical claims that these are the seven screenplays to read.
http://www.cinematical.com/2005/12/05/cinematical-seven-screenplays-you-should-read/
I take this with a grain of salt because all "lists" are simply decent all the way up to great ploys by magazines, sites and TV shows to generate both controversy and readership and/or viewership. The typical list will be filled by mostly legitimate candidates for greatness, a few sentimental favorites of the author(s) and a few ringers just to send everybody to the far side of apoplexy.
I loved all of these in the theater with the exception of "Cider House" which I have yet to see and I haven't read the screenplays for these which is a shame because I am one of those screenwriters that loathes to read professional screenplays. I always know where I want to go from a dialogue and plot standpoint, but I should always read up on others and see how they attack the limits of this medium.
Look, there's "Groundhog Day!" Does it get any better than that, people? A great foundation in that script (listen to Ramis's DVD commentary to hear what was improvisied), a great director who knows comedic timing and a perfect cast. Especially Bill Murray who could make a technical manual for a septic tank hiliarious by his asides and riffs.
My third most favorite Murray movie is "Scrooged" though I haven't seen it in years. You have your "It's A Wonderful Life" people, your "A Christmas Carol" people and your "Scrooge" people. Then you have people like me...the few, the proud, the "Scrooged."
It puts one of the best spins on Charles Dickens' tale. Irreverent, yet oddly faithful to the original with a refreshing noir-type of cynicism. Hell, this film is more noir than any other contemporary film this side of "The Last Seduction" or "Red Rock West." Yet, it doesn't hold up as well as the "Scrooge" with Albert Finney or "Wonderful Life," being too chock full of pop culture references and a style that keeps it from aging well aesthetically.
The film embedded itself in my psyche long after I could remember all of its details because of one catchphrase. Everytime something at work would go wrong or surreal, Bill Murray would sound off in head, "oh, I'm having the weirdest day!"
I go through it and Cinematical claims that these are the seven screenplays to read.
http://www.cinematical.com/2005/12/05/cinematical-seven-screenplays-you-should-read/
I take this with a grain of salt because all "lists" are simply decent all the way up to great ploys by magazines, sites and TV shows to generate both controversy and readership and/or viewership. The typical list will be filled by mostly legitimate candidates for greatness, a few sentimental favorites of the author(s) and a few ringers just to send everybody to the far side of apoplexy.
I loved all of these in the theater with the exception of "Cider House" which I have yet to see and I haven't read the screenplays for these which is a shame because I am one of those screenwriters that loathes to read professional screenplays. I always know where I want to go from a dialogue and plot standpoint, but I should always read up on others and see how they attack the limits of this medium.
Look, there's "Groundhog Day!" Does it get any better than that, people? A great foundation in that script (listen to Ramis's DVD commentary to hear what was improvisied), a great director who knows comedic timing and a perfect cast. Especially Bill Murray who could make a technical manual for a septic tank hiliarious by his asides and riffs.
My third most favorite Murray movie is "Scrooged" though I haven't seen it in years. You have your "It's A Wonderful Life" people, your "A Christmas Carol" people and your "Scrooge" people. Then you have people like me...the few, the proud, the "Scrooged."
It puts one of the best spins on Charles Dickens' tale. Irreverent, yet oddly faithful to the original with a refreshing noir-type of cynicism. Hell, this film is more noir than any other contemporary film this side of "The Last Seduction" or "Red Rock West." Yet, it doesn't hold up as well as the "Scrooge" with Albert Finney or "Wonderful Life," being too chock full of pop culture references and a style that keeps it from aging well aesthetically.
The film embedded itself in my psyche long after I could remember all of its details because of one catchphrase. Everytime something at work would go wrong or surreal, Bill Murray would sound off in head, "oh, I'm having the weirdest day!"
posted by Writeprocrastinator at 12:50 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home