John 2,032 Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 As the title states, what are some movie screenplays that stand out in your mind as innovative, well-constructed, entertaining, and memorable? A few of my favorites: The Fellowship of the Ring Raiders of the Lost Ark Dr. Strangelove Citizen Kane Toy Story Jaws SteveMc 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 Charade Pulp Fiction Fargo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bayesian 1,363 Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 I really enjoyed Aaron Sorkin’s screenplays for Steve Jobs and The Social Network. They remind me that I need to watch some of his TV work. It’s also hard to fault the screenplay for the talkfest that is The Bear. 😛 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted April 19, 2019 Share Posted April 19, 2019 The Big Lebowski Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind La fille sur le pont La leggenda del pianista sull'oceano Sneakers Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Michael Clayton Match Point The Royal Tenenbaums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruesome Son of a Bitch 6,488 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 25 minutes ago, Marian Schedenig said: Sneakers I want peace on Earth and goodwill toward men. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Some Kind Of Wonderful Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Since a screenplay is something you read and I haven't read many I cannot answer. Including Jaws is bizzare since there really wasn't a set screenplay. They made it up day to day in many instances Jurassic Shark 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,040 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Have there ever been screenplays you (addressed to anybody) read where you felt the final resulting film didn't live up to? Joss Whedon, for example, has talked about how dissatisfied he was with the handling of his screenplay for Alien: Resurrection. Are there any screenplays you would be interested in reading? What would the draw be? I remember reading the screenplay for Brian's Song when I was younger, and was surprised by how literary it could be in some moments, the things that no one would ever see watching the film. On another Billy Dee Williams note, I remember reading the screenplay for Return of the Jedi when I was in college, and it had multiple rewrites and revisions in it. It was _hilarious_ reading how many times Kasdan tried to imbue some weight and drama, presumably being thwarted by Lucas every step of the way every time, until we got the unequivocally mega happy series conclusion we did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveMc 2,674 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Most scripts I have read seem very utilitarian. The movies they set up surpass them. I have yet to read a screenplay whose filmed version has dissapointed me. Now, stuff like Wall-E and No Country For Old Men have a life of their own even in script form. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glóin the Dark 1,221 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 22 minutes ago, JoeinAR said: Including Jaws is bizzare since there really wasn't a set screenplay. They just had a list of vague suggestions like "Brody comments on the magnitudinal inadequacy of their current vessel". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,344 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Troll 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quintus 5,399 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Pulp Fiction Raiders Annie Hall Clerks 2 12 Angry Men Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
publicist 4,643 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 All About Eve The Apartment The Long Goodbye Jaws (!) Deconstructing Harry ...many more, mostly for reasons of literacy and construction. Fabulin 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cerebral Cortex 3,357 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Lincoln. The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabulin 3,512 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,287 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 I always think Children of Paradise, Jacques Prevert was something else. I enjoy all his movies with Carne and kinda wish people talked about em more but that one gets its fair dues, masterpiece etc. Back to the Future is like the most brilliantly contrived movie ever. Butch Cassidy and The Sting both have great witty screenplays, well plotted, simply defined but three-dimensional characters, the two leads + ensemble and GRH’s direction make them sing of course. Read/watched along with LA Confidential once, that was awesome, night well spent. Soderbergh’s two 2000 movies had very communicative screenplays that translated expertly. Lots of Billy Wilder, Sunset Blvd is brill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 I have to look at some of the actual scripts again, but these seem like good ones to me: The Lord of the Rings Lawrence of Arabia Jaws The Shining Unforgiven The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 So people actually read scripts? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John 2,032 Posted April 20, 2019 Author Share Posted April 20, 2019 Yes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marian Schedenig 8,193 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 11 minutes ago, Stefancos said: So people actually read scripts? I'm basing mine on the films' structure and dialogue. One more I should mention: Fight Club. Simply because it's the ultra-rare case of a film that is an exact copy of the book (it only drops two scenes, one of which was even scripted before being scrapped, and changes the ending, with book author Chuck Palahniuk saying that he actually prefers the movie ending; even the narration and dialogue is taken 1:1 from the book) and yet works perfectly the way it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 27 minutes ago, Stefancos said: So people actually read scripts? Its often very interesting to compare them to a finished film. Goes to show you that editing really is the final rewrite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 I already knew that. The script is just the recipe! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Koray Savas 2,251 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 The original script for Prometheus isn’t far off from Lindelof’s rewrite. Yet he takes the blame! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 1 hour ago, Stefancos said: So people actually read scripts? I was thinking the same. Then I remembered, I read a little bit from the Blade Runner early draft script, but that was more for research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrbellamy 6,287 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 2 hours ago, Stefancos said: So people actually read scripts? Well as somebody interested in writing/filmmaking, for sure. Fun to read scenes one by one, imagine my version then watch how the pros did it, you notice a lot. I would usually do it with movies I’d seen once but didn’t remember too many specifics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 12 hours ago, Kasey Kockroach said: Troll 2 Have you ever answered anything without it being stupid and inane. Joe, awaiting a purile and infintile response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John 2,032 Posted April 20, 2019 Author Share Posted April 20, 2019 3 minutes ago, JoeinAR said: Have you ever answered anything without it being stupid and inane. Joe, awaiting a purile and infintile response. You don’t seem to grasp the concept of irony very well. Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 3 minutes ago, John said: You don’t seem to grasp the concept of irony very well. Response #1. Irony ceases as irony when thats all a person does. You dont grasp that well do you? Response #2. With Kasey's taste level he may be serious as that is stuff he likes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chen G. 3,949 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Lighten up! John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Illustrious Jerry 3,356 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Darkest Hour Bridge of Spies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,344 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Troll 2 is the first movie that came to mind when thinking about it what movies I'd be interested in reading the screenplay to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 1 hour ago, Chen G. said: Lighten up! Get a brain Chen G. and John 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corellian2019 386 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 Angels in America Network Glengarry Glen Ross The Untouchables The Crying Game Pulp Fiction The Insider Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kasey Kockroach 2,344 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 1 hour ago, JoeinAR said: Get a brain I'd rather get a pinky! Chen G. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeinAR 1,949 Posted April 20, 2019 Share Posted April 20, 2019 2 hours ago, Kasey Kockroach said: I'd rather get a pinky! You can wear a pinky ring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Naïve Old Fart 9,528 Posted April 21, 2019 Share Posted April 21, 2019 22 hours ago, Corellian2019 said: Angels in America Network Glengarry Glen Ross All those three are written, performed, and directed to perfection. What kind of homosexual are you, girlfriend? That's not purple...it's mauve. Corellian2019 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corellian2019 386 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 Glengarry the film seems a little too much like a photographed play for my taste, but I agree, the writing for all three is sublime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,040 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 31 minutes ago, Corellian2019 said: Glengarry the film seems a little too much like a photographed play for my taste, but I agree, the writing for all three is sublime Do you think it's because the screenplay calls for that approach, or do you think a director could have made it more cinematic? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corellian2019 386 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 It's tough. The story mostly unfolds in an office and a restaurant, but I think a good director could have made it more cinematic, or at the very least not as obvious about its stage origins. As it stands, some of the blocking is very awkward Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 I don't see the problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jurassic Shark 12,076 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 I just watch the films, and occasionally read the book if the film is based on one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Parker 3,040 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 2 hours ago, Alexcremers said: I don't see the problem! With a James Newton-Howard and Wayne Shorter collaboration, I gotta be real, the mise en scene is not my highest priority with this movie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corellian2019 386 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 3 hours ago, Alexcremers said: Let's be real, this is where the majority of the film takes place. The other bits were added for the film adaptation, including this scene Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Stu 15,495 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 The "filmed play" aesthetic is perfectly valid. Vanya on 42nd Street is an absolutely brilliant film. Besides, it's not really a filmed play when you have so many closeups. Completely different kind of acting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 3 minutes ago, Corellian2019 said: Let's be real, this is where the majority of the film takes place. The other bits were added for the film adaptation, including this scene Well, the office is their whole world, so it's not surprising. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karelm 2,913 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 The Big Lobowski Raiders of the Lost Ark Empire Strikes Back Star Wars Empire of the Sun The Sixth Sense The Godfather The Graduate The Shawshank redemption The Usual Suspects Apocalypse Now The Rite Stuff Honorable mention to Memento The Illustrious Jerry 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corellian2019 386 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 2 minutes ago, Alexcremers said: Well, the office is their world, so it's not surprising. Therein lies the challenge. But the acting is so good, it almost makes you forget that it unfolds in one location for the second half of the story 3 minutes ago, Disco Stu said: The "filmed play" aesthetic is perfectly valid. Certain directors are skilled enough to pull it off. I remember seeing bits of Richard Linklater's Tape, which takes place in one motel room, and never once feeling like it was based on a play. The problem with Glengarry is that, towards the end, a lot of the confrontations take place in lengthy wide shots rather than close-ups (ex. Pacino's takedown of Spacey) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
A24 4,333 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 17 minutes ago, Corellian2019 said: Therein lies the challenge. But the acting is so good, it almost makes you forget that it unfolds in one location for the second half of the story A director's job is to take the viewer into the world of the characters. I think Foley accomplished that with flying colors. 17 minutes ago, Corellian2019 said: The problem with Glengarry You speak as if everyone agrees that the film feels too stagy but I don't think that's the case at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corellian2019 386 Posted April 22, 2019 Share Posted April 22, 2019 I never said that everyone was in agreement about my opinion. I merely pointed out that certain dramatic moments could have been staged better, despite being confined to one location, as in Tape, or Bug, or Killer Joe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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