BU Film School

Closing down here

2007-03-07T19:57:00.000-05:00

Not that very many people will notice, but for the few folks who stumble upon this site through a Google search or other means: this will be my last post here. Not because I won't be writing about movies anymore, but because I'll have a new venue for doing so: Movie Help Web, where I'm taking over as site publisher. I'll need a little time to figure out where I should start writing first, but hope to be working on news, reviews and profiles before not too long.

Recent viewing

2007-02-24T15:24:00.000-05:00

"Catch Me If You Can": pretty good adaptation of the book, even if it used quite a bit of artistic license. I seem to remember the real Frank Abagnale saying the movie changed some facts to make his family life more dramatic than it really was (for instance, making him the only child of his parents' marriage). The movie, thanks in large part to its talented cast, did a fabulous job illustrating how smart and charismatic Frank was.

"Big Trouble in Little China": entertaining, but utterly preposterous and sometimes confusing. At one point I said to the wife, "I had an easier time understanding 'The Matrix'." Eventually we gave up trying to follow the plot and just sat back to enjoy all the goings-on. Kurt Russell probably did so too -- he looked like he had a lot of fun.

Film-related goals for 2007

2006-12-21T20:41:00.000-05:00

In no particular order ...

-- Watch more of my DVDs and videos. The titles are starting to pile up, and I'm falling behind.
-- Actually write a couple more reviews, even if they're just little ones for All Consuming.
-- If I can manage it, write longer reviews for Movie Help Web, though my TV site really needs a lot of work.
-- Start playing around with editing software again. Just because I'm not in film school anymore doesn't mean I can't work on things, especially since editing is what I want to do most.
-- Write blog posts semi-regularly about all of the above.

FT 553 Lecture: Thursday, July 29

2006-10-23T21:45:00.000-04:00

Viewpoints
180-degree turn away from own viewpoint. Take protagonist's POV, play premise out to end, farther and farther away from own view. The crazier, the zanier, the easier to follow. How to stay on course? (Danger of losing everyone) Never lose sight of language of world. Otherwise lose reality of comedy

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FT 553 Lecture: Thursday, July 15

2006-10-10T20:11:00.000-04:00

Notes in black comedy
No room for ambiguity in black comedy.

Stock characters, forms. Comedy cathartic -- writing of social wrongs. Exist to show how absurd we can be.

Music in black comedy
Music used for very distinctive thematic reasons. Kubrick very aware of properties. Uses it as commentary on scene. Dr. Strangelove -- sentimentality underscores death and destruction. Lolita -- music plays against scene, hideously funny. Lolita runs up stairs, takes HH in arms. Every music cue pointed, parodies particular kind of film. Completely tongue-in-cheek. Integral part of dramatic, thematic settings.

Ruling Class -- music. Tucker learns of bequest, does a jig. Jack -- "Varsity Drag" (from "Good News"), "Dem Bones", "Marguerita's Waltz" (operatic, false), folk-rock number, "Onward Christian Soldiers". Full Metal Jacket -- cadences. "Bob Roberts" - parodies folk music, MTV.

The trickster in black comedy
Trickster an essential figure in black comedy. Role is to move everything around surprisingly, stand worldview on its head. Chaos figure there to stir things up, disequilibrate things.

Eshu - Chaos figure that existed before gods. Make people need gods so they'll worship. Gods promised Chaos part of sacrifices and power (keeps safe for them). Halako figure dressed half as woman, dressed as man -- disrupt ceremony, stability of tribe. Clowns for Hopi.

Thersites - Troilus and Cressida. Shows up everyone.
Folly - Praise of Folly. Points out that without her presence, no great society.
"Reason" - A Modest Proposal. Uses reason to defend cannibalism.
Jack - The Ruling Class. Agrees Lords to their deaths.
Jack D. Ripper, Dr. Strangelove - Dr. Strangelove.
"Conscience" - The Discreet Bourgeoisie. Guilt keeps them from sleep, food, sex.

Satire built into trickster figure. After Greek trilogy, fourth play with same characters. Satyr play pokes fun at themes, to equilibrate, keep people from getting too serious, understand our fragility.

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FT 553 Lecture: Tuesday, July 13

2006-09-26T21:39:00.000-04:00

Language in black comedy
Language is style of protagonist. Peculiar to its setting. Language a church, creates schism between those who know language and those who don't. Military, political language in Dr. Strangelove, machimso, technobabble. Isolates objects of satire and parody from rest of society.

Clue to black comedy is specificity of language. In Discreet, language of style, gentility. Innuendo, constantly double-edged. Hypocrisy, separation of humanity into castes. Surrounded by language no one else can enter. Dualism can deteriorate into neurotic state, then to pathology.

Behavior predictable, ritualized. Nothing can interfere with ritual. Language reduces section of society to automatons. Ritual and ritualized language essential part of black comedy.

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FT 553 Lecture: Thursday, July 8

2006-09-20T20:37:00.000-04:00

Notes on black comedy
Style of most black comedy films idiosyncratic. Pull you into thematic condition, not characters. Everything depends on development of argument.

Clichés - fuzzy thinking. Vidal uses them in ironic fashion. Agrees Dexter (sp?) into the toilet. Take work, most absurd argument, play it straight, leads to death.

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FT 553 Lecture: Tuesday, July 6

2006-09-17T19:42:00.000-04:00

Definition/nature of black comedy
Author -- anger. Takes values of society, pushes to extremes. Keep audience away from emotional identification with characters. Black comedy - social essay. No good feeling or heartbreak, but social understanding that world is not worth anything, leading to horrible conflict.

Does not begin with hatred of humanity. Black comedy implies human intelligence should find solution to issues.

Author's voice protagonist of black comedy. Trustworthy characters all nuts. Author creates dialogue with audience. Film must have POV, a worldview.

Black comedy incredibly smart, incredibly angry, incredibly funny and incredibly nasty. Style is as important as content.

Reagan's quote at U.N. -- alien invasion would be uniting factor.

Comedy depends on foiled expectations. Black comedy depends on characters' humiliation (just desserts). Characters see world in purely dualistic terms - no shading, us vs. them. Paranoics' universe. Kept funny by author's parody, use of satire.

Characterization depends on other-directed worldview. Either all me or all other.

Conflict built into black comedy. Author's point of view is not equal to comedy's point of view (what most peo0ple think). Author a rebel. Author will reduce characters and society to ashes. Doesn't necessarily point to better way of life.

Techniques of black comedy
satire = poking fun at content (Troilus and Cressida satirizes Trojan War)
parody = poking fun at style (Troilus and Cressida's language parodies bombastic rhetoric)
irony = seeming to agree with someone, when you think the absolute opposite (survival mechanism). Dissembling, pretense of ignorance. Expressing one thing and meaning other (Antony's speech in "Julius Caesar").
sarcasm = bitter or wounding expression - taunt. Just above physical blow. Wounding.
mockery = derision or ridicule. Subject to laughter.

"Bob Roberts" satirizes American politics, parodies left-wing folk music.

Most important thing - author's seen in way he's actually not.

What to pay attention to
Pay attention to trickster character. In Swift, it's the American. In Troilus and Cressida, Thersites. In Dr. Strangelove, title character.

Pay attention to worldviews. Note how author imposes himself on form of work. How does s/he use irony, satire, parody, mockery and to what effect?

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FT 553 Screening: Lolita

2006-09-13T19:55:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Humbert goes to Quilty's house. Quilty tries to joke with him (ping-pong, reading letter with Southern accent), cajole him. Humbert shoots, pursues and shoots more, killing Quilty.

Humbert in America for summer. Will stay in Ramsdale, then go to Beardsley College as lecturer. Decides to stay at Charlotte's house because of Lolita's presence. Hands in movie theater. Dance at school -- introduces Quilty, swinger neighbors. Charlotte's move on Humbert interrupted by Lolita coming home early. Lolita sent to summer camp. Charlotte leaves confession for Humbert, who laughs hysterically.

Humbert and Charlotte married. Tension, avoidance on his part. Charlotte decides to send Lolita straight from camp to boarding school. She finds his diary, runs out of house, killed by car. Humbert fetches Lolita from camp, stay overnight at hotel. Quilty there too, he interrogates. Humbert owns up about Charlotte's death.

Humbert and Lolita at Beardsley Cottage. Tension due to Humbert's strictness/jealousy and Lolita's waywardness. Quilty poses as school psychologist to convince Humbert to let Lolita be in school play. Humbert learns she's been lying about going to piano lessons, they fight, then make up and hit the road.

Humbert and Lolita followed by black car. He sees her talking to someone at gas station, suspicious. She falls ill, he's ill too. He takes her to hospital. Quilty calls Humbert's hotel room. Later that night Humbert goes to pick up Lolita, but she's already been discharged and picked up by her uncle.

Letter from Lolita -- she's married and pregnant, please send money. Humbert comes to house, interrogates Lolita about husband, mysterious interloper. Husband doesn't know anything. Interloper was Quilty. Humbert -- come away with me. Lolita refuses, Humbert breaks down and cries, then gives her money. He leaves to find Quilty.

FT 553 notes (from 07/15/04)
Lover and nymphet. Quilty a trickster. Film series of triangles -- HH/Lolita/Charlotte, HH/Lolita/Quilty, Charlotte/Lolita/Quilty. Novel has strange dialetic between Europe/Humbert (fashionable, reasonable, decadent) and U.S./Lolita (dumb, gum-chewing, teenage youth). Every scene a suburban ritual. People either liars or helpless. The more ritualized, the more stylized, the more effective a film is.

Music keeps us from identifying with situation and characters.

In "Lolita," every line pointed, a seduction. Ongoing mating dance. Lolita powerful figure (power of sex).

All lines double-entendres. "Reproductions in bedroom," "Romance languages," rubbing husband's ashes, cherry pie, Beardsley College, Ramsdale, "I like to take it up this end," "You like to watch, don't you?" "get more peace," "studio affair," "one of the speakers I had," chess -- take queen. Strategy a verbal one, also has slapstick, physical gesture.

Romantic drama clichés. Music underscores, parodies, comments. Trickster Clare Quilty. Not "normal" like Humbert and Lolita. Savage wit.

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FT 553 Screening: Full Metal Jacket

2006-09-09T22:45:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Stanley Kubrick
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Marine recruits in boot camp hell. Drills, humiliation, strict regulations. Ends with drill instructor shot by Leonard (Private Pyle), who then shoots himself. Identities stripped away -- nicknames (Snowball, Joker, Cowboy, Pyle) instead of proper names. Joker made group leader, has to take command, allows and participates in brutal punishment of Pyle. Abuse. Joker says Marines don't want robots, they want killers (may not square with Kubrick's idea).

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FT 553 Screening: The Ruling Class

2006-08-29T20:49:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Peter Medak
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Earl of Gurney dies in less-than-sober circumstances (wearing frilly thing and hanging from rafters in accident). Estate (except for 30,000 pounds, which goes to servant Daniel Tucker) devolves upon son, Jack Gurney, who believes he is Jesus Christ, the God of Love. Not coincidentally, Jack has been in a mental institution for some time, and has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic.

Charles, the uncle, schemes to get control of the estate. Gets his mistress Grace to pose as Marguerite, whom Peter believes is his own true love. They marry and Grace becomes pregnant. Once son is born, Charles plans to commit Jack. Meanwhile, Dr. Herder has an affair with Claire, the aunt -- on his side, to ensure he'll receive a research grant; on hers, to ensure that the doctor doesn't interfere with the wedding. Dr. Herder tries a series of experiments to cure Jack, culminating in a confrontation with the self-billed God of Revenge. Jack under siege (can't be in two places at once, hit by lighting), supposedly comes to his senses. Baby born at same time.

Jack now pictures himself as Jack the Ripper, God of Revenge. Proceeds to destroy everyone involved. Stabs Claire, says he heard Tucker singing. Duels with doctor, drives him crazy. Drives bishop crazy. Claims title of estate, drives uncle crazy. Makes speeches about punishment before fox hunt and at House of Lords (visions of skeletons). Stabs Grace. Only one left unscathed is dimwit cousin Dinsdale.

FT 553 notes (from 07/13/04)
Based on 1960's play by Peter Barnes. Analysis of British aristocracy, House of Lords, love, Conservative party, British history. Pay attention to irony.

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FT 553 Screening: The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie

2006-08-29T19:45:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Luis Buñuel
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Characters sophisticated, polite outwardly, rotten to the core. Smuggle cocaine in diplomatic bag. Ambadassor has affair with Alice Senechal (colleague's wife). Call in chauffeur to drink martini (cutting remarks afterwards).

Sister who drinks too much. Dreams about murder (father of soldier, colonel who insults ambassador), and own death (soldier). Dream about not knowing lines. Dream about someone else's dream. No knowledge of other countries. Remarks about elderly cellist. Bishop shooed out when wearing gardener's garb. Maid chastised mistakenly, no apology.

Characters constantly frustrated. Restaurant closed, second one's owner had passed away. Host and hostess must run into garden to have sex. Ambassador and lover interrupted by arrival of husband. Nothing to drink at cafe. Soldiers come to house, called away just as dinner starts.

Priest called to bedside of man who, as it turns out, had killed his parents. Gives absolution, then shoots him. Men arrested for drug smuggling, women taken in too, but a word from a higher-up get them released. Ambassador dreams of dinner party crashed by Marseilles gang, who machine-gun the lot.

FT 553 notes (from 07/08/04)
Buñuel surrealist. After WWII, monarchies gone. Communism (and sharing wealth) a possbility. Freud posited different faces -- ego, superego, id. Marxism -- assume psyche ruled by certain economic conditions. Surrealists were Marxists. Theory of relativity -- space curves, time curves, not clockwork. Pursuing the hidden. Shower, think of lecture. Let unconscious, worldview, capacity to bend time create picture. Marxism, Freud, Einstein intellectual basis of surrealism in France.

Once meaning removed from surrealism, Dada.

Made after Buñuel retired. Dante -- 10th circle of hell, self-serving middle class. Eating, screwing, dram of getting caught -- guilt. Don't let them finish food or union, give nightmares. No barrier between reality and dream.

Eternally going nowhere (six walking on road).

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FT 553 Screening: Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

2006-08-02T20:27:00.000-04:00

Film info
Based on "Red Alert", book by Peter George, as a what-if melodrama. Kubrick, producer Harris giggling at rehearsal. Started over as black comedy.
IMDB link

Synopsis
General Jack D. Ripper, obsessed with Communist plots and conserving precious bodily fluids, launches attack against Soviet Union. President tries to work with Dmitri, Buck Turgidson urges war. Doomsday Machine. Lionel Mandrake gets code, all but one plane receive. Plane gets through, drops bomb. Mine-shaft gap.

My notes
- Names: Jack D. Ripper, Buck Turgidson - both tough-talking paranoics. President Muffley.
-- Sex. Ten women for every man. Refueling planes, prophylactic in military kit.
-- Absurd argument between President and Soviet premier. Constant one-upmanship.

FT 553 notes (from 07/08/04)
-- Parodies March of Time, military speak, industrial speak. "Peace Is Our Profession". Parodies war films -- zooms in on instruments in plane. Auto-destruct mechanism blows itself up. Takes perceptions of earlier war.
-- Paranoia -- precious bodily fluids.
-- Absurdity of following orders (Bat Guano), Coke machine, mine-shaft gap.
-- Music used ironically. "When Johnny comes a-marching home," "Try a Little Tenderness (planes refueling), "We'll Meet Again".

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FT 553 Reading: Hospital

2006-07-24T15:25:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
IMDB link

Synopsis/my notes
Callous characters. Lots of jargon (medical, business, bureaucratic). Narrator in preface -- Guernsey admitted, misdiagnosed and mistreated by Schaefer, who takes advantage of now-empty bed.

Next morning, Schaefer found dead. Herbert Bock called at hotel with news of death. Bock, room in bad shape.

Protesters outside hospital. Language of protestors ("expansionist policies," "imperialist hospital"). Sundstrom when told of Schaefer's death, "Really? I'm sorry to hear that. I understand you've moved out to a hotel." Bock doesn't want days off or therapy, just wants to work.

Bock gets story on Schaefer mishap. "My God, the incompetence here is absolutely radiant!" Bock goes to office, tries to deal with admin stuff, not up to it, goes to see psychiatrist. They talk about depression, son Maoist, drug-dealing daughter, suicidal speculations, impotence. Bock leaves abruptly.

Dr. Ives, one of demonstrators, goes to nephrology lab, sand-bagged from behind.

Bock on way to solarium for case presentations, passes "exotic group" -- Barbara and Indian with minister.

Waiting room, Mrs. Cushing seeking insurance info. Goes to ER (passing several patients), redirected by angry nurse to Holding Room. Asks Mitgang for info, told to leave him alone. Asks other patient. It's Ives, and he's dead. Had been lying there for hours.

Admin staff conference. More bureaucracy. News -- Ives dead. Milton Mead goes to see brother William, who's anxious and upset about not having private room. Milton assures him it's no big deal.

Bock lecturing and diagramming. Lots of medical terms. Heads to check out patient, quizzes doctors en route and at bedside.

Brubaker tells Bock that Barbara wants to take comatose father home. They have a mission among Apache Indians, daughter licensed nurse, can give injections. Brubaker -- shouldn't discharge. Story on Drummond -- Ives did biopsy, nicked a vessel. Welbeck called in, half-stoned, didn't clear for allergies. Nurse goofed on last treatment. Bock: "How am I to sustain my feelings of meaningfulness in the face of this?" Wants to defrock Ives, Welbeck, says to let Drummond go.

Beck seeks Ives, told he's dead. Goes down to pathology, gets story. Hitchcock: "People do die of these things."

Night. Beck in office, drinking. Has made decision. Nurse goes in to give William Mead shot, finds Indian and Barbar performing ritual.

Bock goes to pharmacy, filches potassium and syringe. Overhears nurses talking about ritual. Goes in and sees. "You don't seriously believe all that mumbo-jumbo will cure him?" "On the other hand, it won't kill him, Doctor." Bock says go ahead, use my office to call ambulance service.

Barbara comes into office, calls. Bock watches legs. Barbara talks about background (hers and father's). Father was in doctor, started speaking in tongues, found it was obscure Native American dialect, started mission in Mexico. Barbara followed him, left, cracked up, went back to mountains. Tries to seduce Bock, who says he's been impotent for years. What's wrong with it? "We cure nothing! We heal nothing!" Barbara mistakes suicidal feelings for morbid menopause, he tells her to beat it. She leaves.

Bock prepares to shoot up. Barbara interrupts. He rips off dress, makes love to her.

Nurse Theresa Campanella finishes night shift, exits to lobby. Asks person in doctor's coat for a light. As she smokes her cigarette, is sand-bagged.

Daybreak. Barbara wakes. Bock enters with coffee, nurse's uniform. Wants to keep Drummond, stay for a few days. Barbara -- we're leaving, come with us. "You'd be necessary again." Bock -- you're crazy. Barbara exits -- must settel bill, pack up father, gives Bock time to make decision. Bock -- admits he loves her.

Construction on 1st Ave. People repossess condemned buildings, refuse to obey police order to evacuate. Sundstrom angry about squatters. Welbeck comes, asks for restored privileges, Sundstrom demurs. Welbeck follows him out. Sundstrom remembers Welbeck a medical conglomerate, should be investigated by SEC.

Sundstrom meeting with activists in hospital library. Din. Lot of rhetoric: "imperialistic extensions", etc.

William Mead brought to Holding Room. Stretcher wheeled past, it's Nurse Campanella, mis-ID'd as Mangafranni.

Welbeck talks to surgeons about legality of doctors incorporating in New York. Business jargon, hiding money, draining own hospitals.

Campanella in OR. No pulse, OR jumps into action. Anesthesiologist recognizes not elderly patient, tries to stop Mallory, who keeps massaging chest (cracking ribs in process).

Mangafranni back in room - who's in OR? Campanella opened up.

Meeting going badly, Sundstrom screaming along with everyone else.

Barbara packing. Bock enters room -- you're not going. Hangs father's suit back in closet, notices Schaefer's uniform. Each tries to persuade other. She goes to pay bill, Bock follows, is told about Campanella. Someone asks him about senior staff named Schaefer -- don't have anyone by that name who's senior staff.

Bock back in 806. William Mead sedated. Bock looks out window, thinking. Drummond gets up, tries to strangle Bock with stethoscope. Barbara enters, interrupts. Bock -- he's killed two doctors and a nurse. Drummond -- they were "ritual victims of their own institutions, murdered by irony".

Flashback. Guernsey's story -- "Our Savior". Appears to Drummond -- avenge Guernsey's death and his own coma. Put insulin in IV jar by sleeping Schaefer. Sand-bagged Ives, gave him shot of digoxine (cardiac arrhythmia), brought to ER. Ives had signs and history taken, then was forgotten. Drummond talks to amnesiac, gets idea to switch Mangafranni with Campanella.

Bock -- let's get him out of here. Drummond -- Welbeck left to kill, goes stiff. William Mead overheard. Drummond tells him he's hallucinating again.

Bock goes for shot to give Durmmond, accosted by Welbeck, tells him off. Welbeck retorts, asking him how much he makes a year.

Bock returns to 806, William Mead telling Milton about Drummond, who's disappeared. Milton has call -- fire in condemned building, squatters resisted arrest, riot.

Bock to Barbara -- Drummond's disappeared, after Welbeck, who's on phone right over there. Welbeck -- partner trying to wipe him out. Goes to 806, Bock and Barbara follow. Welbeck takes call, in hole for over $500,000, SEC has suspended trading in his stock, goes into cardiac arrest. Bock and Barbara try to revive him. Cardio team arrives, think it's Drummond. As they work, Bock and Barbara pack up his stuff, go out. Drummond outside in middle of riot, preaching.

Activists break through security, confront Sundstrom, want to take over hospital. He says go ahead.

Throng dissolves, clears lobby, police restoring order. Barbara arrives with ambulance, has Drummond put in, holds doors for Bock. He says he can't leave: "Somebody's got to be responsible." Ambulance pulls away. Bock and Sundstrom go back in.

Class notes (from 7/20/04)
Chayefsky went into hospital with heart condition. Ghastly experience. Quickest way to get sick was to go into hospital. Greed and death. Trickster Drummond. Way out of story crisis was inspired by result of Chayefsky's experience in Mexico, where a bruja (witch) gave him mushrooms. Doctor cures hospital through death.

Scott a mean drunk. Played role straight. When Chayefsky explained his thoughts, Scott threw shoe at him and said let me do the acting, you #$!

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FT 553 Reading: In Praise of Folly

2006-07-01T22:13:00.000-04:00

Essay info
Written by: Erasmus
Essay text

Synopsis/my notes
Parodies classical declamation.

Structure as described in intro:
-- Folly's origins
-- offers release from tedious stupidities
-- boasts of role in politics and arts
-- discourses on all stages of life (child, adolescent, etc.)
-- praises ignorance and lunacy
-- lists followers, ending with theologians and monks
-- princes and courtiers
-- religious ideal

Lots of classical allusions and quotes (at least one per page, if not more). Pokes fun at learned, including himself. Conventional scholarly disclaimers. Uses formal rhetoric.

Pg. 9: greeting and narration. Folly only one "whose divine powers can gladden the hearts of gods and men." Will sing her own praises, since no one else will for her. Says her speech is ex tempore (not true!). Peole ungrateful to Folly. Doesn't pretend to be someone she's not. Doesn't use fancy words.

Pg. 15-18: Folly's birth and education. Born of Plutus and Freshness. Attendants self-love, flattery, forgetfulness, idleness, pleasure, madness, sensuality, revelry, and second sleep.

Pg. 18: Starts acknowledgements and attributes.

Pg. 20: Folly the "seed and source of existence" (most foolish body part).

Pg. 21-26: advantages. Pleasure. Children, adolescents and old all foolish and happy. Lack of wisdom keeps old young and cheerful.

Pg. 26-29: gods graced by Folly's divine powers. Bacchus, Venus and Cupid happy compared to dour Vulcan and Jupiter.

Pg. 29-75: nothing happy and gay without Folly. Passions more important than reason. Woman created to sweeten man's harsh nature (women naturally foolish). Beauty, spend time primping to please men. No party fun without Folly. Friendship kept together by Folly (winking at faults, etc.). Marriage propped up by flattery, joking, illusions. Can't love anyone else without self-love. War foolish -- takes lots of daring, little brain. Philosophers useless, unlucky and incompetent. Foolish stories do more to sway people than philosopher's speech.

"Vain hope of fame" prompts courage, industry and valiant deeds. Also works of art. Also responsible for prudence, which comes only with experience. Wear illusions with a good grace.

Emotions belong to Folly, spur people on to good deeds. Wise men bores, miserable, weary of life. Human to live with illusion. Learning useless in regards to happiness, ordinary folk don't need it.

Medicine, law aspects of flattery. Happiest are those who follow natural instinct. Idiots happy -- no fear of death, no conscience, can't sin, favorites of kings, speak frankly and tell the truth. Wise men grumpy, spend all their lives in toil and care instead of pleasure.

Not all insanity bad. Insanity that comes from Folly is good -- frees people from anxiety, restores soul to delight. Madmen, hunters (who are wild beasts themselves), builders, inventors, gamblers, lovers of tales, superstitious, those who rely on bought indulgences and prayers, those who believe in local saint cults, those overly concerned with funeral arrangements, those with pride in their ancestry, self-lovers, artists, patriots (city/country), fawners.

Some people say it's sad to be deceived. No, sadder not to be deceived. Happiness depends on opinions, not facts. Folly doesn't need sacrifices, temples or statues -- no need to envy other gods, because she has the whole world.

Pg. 75-114: Folly's followers (some "outstanding examples"). Life a farce.

Schoolmasters. Lots of trials, but thanks to Folly think they're first, have belief in own learning.

Poets special friends with self-love and flattery. Rhetoricians write about jokes and comedy.

Writers owe a lot to Folly. The ones who write for a learned audience deserve pity, for continuous self-torture. Happier ones know to write about trivia and trifles. Plagiarizers even better -- self-satisfied. Also those who praise each other's works.

Lawyers self-satisfied. Sophists and dialecticians talkative and quarrelsome. Philosophers constantly conjecturing, out of touch with reality. Say they know everything but really know nothing.

Theologians. Self-love, barricated behind arguments, interpret things to suit themselves. More interested in subtleties than relevant questions. Not like apostles, who just had faith and did good works. Also theologians don't read, don't speak clearly, strive after titles. Monks self-satisfied, uneducated, bray in church, do everything according to stupid rules, cling to order classifications and ceremonies. Christ -- faith and charity.

Theologians foolish when giving sermons. Idiotic, senseless arguments. Murmur, shout, forced jokes.

Kings and courtiers. If wise, would find it hard to cope with all cares, pressures to be perfect and to look after welfare. Thanks to Folly, no worries -- just want soft life. Courtiers stupid, vain. Pontiffs, cardinals and bishops also look after themselves. They mete out punishments, seek pleasure, promote religious wars, seek gain and evade responsibility. Wisdom no help in dealing with princes. Money the important factor for success.

Pg. 114: Folly cites authorities who ahve testified to her. Well-known sayings, evidence from Scripture. Paul: "I speak as a fool." Christ intended to disarm apostles -- send them out not with physical weapons, but with piety. Paul: "God has chosen the foolish things of the world." Knowledge could be poisonous to happiness. Plea for learned/spiritual ignorance (unlettered piety).

Christian religion has kinship with Folly. Pious fervor a form of madness. Wholly devoted to God, no thought for body and wealth, separation from grosser senses and affections. Taste of joy which is small when compared to eternal bliss, but big in comparison with earthly pleasures.

FT 553 notes (from 07/13/04)
"Praise of Folly" a compendium of black comedy.

For 1000 years, theology only basis for philosophy. Arguments so arcane that far from reality. Erasmus - Good's thought is life. Link between man and God far outweighs scholastic arguments about doctrine (useless, having nothing to do with spirit). Agreed with Aquinas, who said man's moral nature reflects God's nature. Grace inevitable. Same response as humanists.

Luther (reformation) -- man damned from very beginning, God ineffable, no cause for grace, given to few for unknowable reasons.

Erasmus monk of Rotterdamn, friend of More and neo-Platonists. Believed in man's perfectibility, self-determination. Link between divine nature and man (not accepted by church). Man has capacity to evolve towards spirit.

Church believed way to salvation was acceptance of extrinsic forms of belief. Erasmus -- man's perfection is intrinsic to moral achievement, is a choice. Take responsibility for one's actions.

Scholastics -- faith more importance than morality. Grace depends on faith, so pagans cannot be saved. Luther -- faith and trust in God is enough.

Humanists -- moral achievement is same as salvation, so if a pagan does good deeds, s/he can still be saved. Erasmus -- moral content of life determines salvation.

Erasmus against Luther, pro-faith in man. Fought scholastics with satire.

Cosimo de Medici collected texts, translated -- gave rise of renaissance of philosophy. Pico della Mirandola - christianized the Kabala.

Erasmus poor monk, didn't have wealth or social standing. Did have strong sense of satire. Wrote satire about his world in form of encomium (praise poem). Form of play, Q&A written about a Muse. Praises insanity, who speaks of all her works. Without her, world can't exist. Talks at end about spiritual insanity.

Youth and riches (parents of Folly) = nutsiness. Midwives drunkenness, wastefulness and stupidity. 9 attendants (parodies Muses). Reason brings on cares. Parodies scholasticism. Reductio argument.

1st proposition - duty of gods to help mortals.
2nd proposition - folly essential.
3rd proposition - folly at work in all professions.
4th proposition - ?
5th proposition - folly necessary for man's happiness.
6th proposition - section on preaching.
7th proposition - kings and courtiers corrupt.
8th proposition - ecclestiastical scholarship, money everything to church. Go to war, create ritual, collect titles.
9th proposition - historical evidence for Folly's reign. Reduces Paul's argument to absurdity.

Erasmus' worldview - wise man in minority. Trickster is Folly. Externals (rituals, etc.) exist for self-love, self-aggrandizement. Leads to worship of Folly, who drops her mask to say that only real folly is folly of Christ (insanity to sacrifice yourself for humanity). Unreasonable, but not meant to be reasonable -- leap of faith.

Every kind of device used -- irony, satire, sarcasm, parody.

Read for comic devices. How does he use, how does he create situations?

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FT 553 Reading: A Modest Proposal

2006-06-28T20:17:00.000-04:00

Essay info
Written by: Jonathan Swift
Essay text

Synopsis/my notes
Satire of proposals to alleviate "Irish problem." Parodies tracts - provides numbers and expert opinions. Uses irony and sarcasm, reductio ab absurdum. Carries "logic" to conclusion.

Problem: Irish poor. Too many mouths to feed, don't earn own keep. Swift assured by American that a year-old baby is delicious when cooked, proposes selling children for food. Backs up proposals with numbers. Can also skin for gloves and boots. Another friend proposes refinement -- teens sold for venison. American says taste disagreeable. Swift lists advantages. Lots of sarcasm. "Whereby we can incur no danger in disobliging ENGLAND." Landlords take everything else, why not this too?

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FT 553 Reading: Troilus and Cressida

2006-06-27T21:58:00.000-04:00

Play info
Written by: William Shakespeare
Play text

Synopsis
Prologue: soldier armed for battle. Sexual metaphors ("Sixty and nine," "high blood chafed").

Act 1, Scene 1: in Troy. Troilus implores Pandaraus, who counsels patience. Troilus lovesick, doesn't want to fight. Pandarus says he won't meddle, leaves. Aeneas comes. Troilus follows him off. Parody of love prose (descriptions of beloved).

Act 1, Scene 2: in Troy. Cressida and Pandraus. Battle of wits. Cressida playing hard to get. Pandarus promotes Troilus. Lots of sarcasm. Watch for Troyans returning from field, Pandarus describes each. Troilus marches even though he hadn't fought that day.

Act 1, Scene 3: Greek council of war. They discuss problem of Achilles, who stays in his tent with Patroclus making fun and acting proud. Ajax imitates him. Destroys noble conceptions. Aeneas comes from Troy, bearing Hector's challenge. Ulysses' idea: Hector intends to fight Achilles, must not allow (bad representative of Greeks). Promote Ajax as champion instead.

Act 2, Scene 1: Greek camp. Ajax tries to beat Thersites into revealing news. Thersites berates him. Lots of sarcasm. Achilles, Patroclus come. Thersites insults them. News: Hector's opponent will be chosen by lottery.

Act 2, Scene 2: Troy, Priam's palace. Discussion: give Helen back? Hector -- let her go, not worth the lives that have been lost. Troilus -- keep her, honor more important than "reason". Hector -- don't overvalue it. Troilus -- everyone approved the mission, can't throw away prize. Cassandra enters -- let her go, woe! Troilus -- don't listen, she's mad. Hector -- keep her, our reputation and dignity depend on it.

Act 2, Scene 3: Greek camp, near Achilles' tent. Thersites rails against ignorance, lack of wit, foolish war. Verbal joust with Patroclus, Achilles. Agamemnon comes, summons Achilles, who refuses to come out of his tent (citing illness, hoping that issue not serious). Achilles won't fight tomorrow. Others praise Ajax, inflating his pride.

Act 3, Scene 1: Troy, Priam's palace. Pandarus talks to Paris, asks him for alibi on behalf of Troilus. Helen flirts with Pandarus. Lots of bawdy talk.

Act 3, Scene 2: Troy. Pandarus brings Troilus to Cressida. Verbal jousting, wooing. Troilus vows to be true. Cressida says if she proves false, let them use her name to represent falseness. Pandarus pledges same with his name (all brokers be Pandars).

Act 3, Scene 3: Greek camp. Calchas, Cressida's father, asks for exchange to get his daughter. The rest agree. Commanders snub Achilles. Ulysses explains -- worth depends on others' view. History's deeds less important than present ones (don't rest on laurels). Achilles -- let's invite Hector after fight.

Act 4, Scene 1: Within Troy. Diomedes meets Troyans, with the mission of taking Cressida. Aeneas and Diomedes spar verbally -- insults dressed up as chivalry. Diomedes says Paris and Menelaus deserve Helen equally -- one a lecher, the other a cuckold.

Act 4, Scene 2: Troy. Calchas' house. Troilus and Cressida the morning after. Flirty, reluctant to leave each other's presence. Pandarus comes, Cressida mocks him. Aeneas comes to fetch Cressida, who begs Pandarus to let her stay.

Act 4, Scene 3: Troy, near Calchas' house. Paris, Troilus going to deliver Cressida.

Act 4, Scene 4: Troy. Calchas' house. Cressida, Troilus sad, exchange love tokens. Troilus tells her to be true, not out of fear but as a reminder to him (protests too much). Troilus praises Cressida, asks Diomedes to take care of her for his sake. Diomedes scorns his oath, says will take care of Cressida for her sake. Tension.

Act 4, Scene 5: Greek camp. Ajax armed for battle. Cressida brought, has to kiss generals, defends herself with sarcasm. Ulysses sarcastic too, rebuffs her proferred kiss. After she leaves, he calls her temptress. Trojans come. Hector and Ajax fight. During pause, Hector comments that they're cousins, urges cease of fight, Ajax accepts. Hector invited to visit tents. Achilles and Hector spar verbally. Tonight friends, tomorrow will fight. Troilus asks Ulysses where Cressida is.

Act 5, Scene 1: Greek camp. Achilles and Thersites exchange insults. Achilles has letter from Hecuba, with a love token from one of her and Priam's daughters -- won't fight. Hector comes to tent. Diomedes leaves, supposedly on business. Ulysses and Troilus follow. Thersites follows them.

Act 5, Scene 2: Greek camp. Diomedes and Cressida spar, flirt. She gives him Troilus' sleeve (love token). Troilus enraged, Ulysses holds him back. Thersites comments. Troilus tries to convince himself that Cressida wasn't herself, vows to kill Diomedes.

Act 5, Scene 3: Troy, Priam's palace. Andromache and Cassandra try to convince Hector not to fight. Hector says no, he promised to meet challenge. Pandarus brings Troilus a letter from Cressida. Troilus reads it and rips it up (words, just words).

Act 5, Scene 4: Battlefield. Thersites comments on battle. Troilus and Diomedes fight. Hector challenges Thersites, who says he's a rogue. Hector lets him live.

Act 5, Scene 5: Battlefield. Diomedes steals Troilus' horse. Agamemnon has news -- not going well for Greeks. Patroclus hurt. Achilles gets mad and arms himself, weeping. Ajax goes after Troilus. Achilles seeks Hector.

Act 5, Scene 6: Battlefield. Ajax and Diomedes argue about who gets to fight Troilus, who fights both of them. Achilles and Hector fight, Achilles gets tired and withdraws.

Act 5, Scene 7: Battlefield. Achilles plots with his Myrmidons to ambush Hector. Paris and Menelaus fight. Bastard wants to fight Thersites, who drives him away with insults.

Act 5, Scene 8: Battlefield. Hector has killed someone, takes off armor. Achilles confronts him, and orders Myrmidons to fight Hector, who is killed.

Act 5, Scene 9: Battlefield. News -- Hector slain by Achilles. Greeks march, Agamemnon summons Achilles, war ended.

Act 5, Scene 10: Battlefield. Troilus has news of Hector -- slain, dragged by horse. Troilus wants to continue fighting. Pandarus comes, Troilus scorns him. Pandarus rails at audience.

My notes
Achilles and Patroclus -- won't fight, mock others. Achilles over-proud. Nestor -- older, sly. Hector -- noble. Troilus -- innocent, but gives up Cressida. Ajax -- dumb as ox.

"... fair without, and foul within." Cressida, false chivalry. War a game most of the play. Petty rivalries, blind love rule. Thersites trickster, fool who speaks truth.

FT 553 notes (from 07/06/04)
-- Satirizes Trojan War, parodies bombastic language. Warlike in the same way Duck Soup is.
-- Except for Hector, no character sees beyond own groin.
-- Thersites trickster character.

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Black Comedy in Film and Literature (FT 553)

2006-06-27T21:52:00.000-04:00

Session: Summer II, 2004
Instructor: Stephen Geller
Location: General Studies Building, 750 Commonwealth Ave., Room 208
Class times: Tuesdays/Thursdays, noon to 3:30 p.m.

TA's e-mail: prisco@bu.edu.

Class notes

Tuesday, July 6
Thursday, July 8
Tuesday, July 13
Thursday, July 15
Tuesday, July 20
Thursday, July 22 (midterm)
Tuesday, July 27
Thursday, July 29
Tuesday, August 3
Thursday, August 5
Tuesday, August 10
Thursday, August 12

Exam dates
Midterm: Thursday, July 22
Final: Thursday, August 12

Readings
First week: Troilus and Cressida, A Modest Proposal
Second week: In Praise of Folly
Third week: Network, Hospital
Fourth week: "Candide"
Fifth week: "Slaughterhouse-Five"
Sixth week: "Duluth"

Films
First week: Dr. Strangelove, Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
Second week: The Ruling Class, Full Metal Jacket
Third week: Network, Lolita
Fourth week: "Wag the Dog", "Bob Roberts"
Fifth week: "Slaughterhouse-Five", "Son of Sam"
Sixth week: "Phantom of Liberty"

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FT 526 Lecture: Tuesday, June 29

2006-05-23T22:18:00.000-04:00

Comments on "Fair Use"
Beginning rushed -- establish silently.

Work on Dave's urgency at beginning (on/off syndrome), Janet's at end.

Get shot of ticket pieces falling.

On close-up, move camera to get strong eyeline (profile bad).

Overlapping action was good.

Cut to Mark more during Dave's "can't concentrate" bit.

Get Janet coming in through door, otherwise she pops up out of nowhere.

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FT 526 Lecture: Tuesday, June 22

2006-05-23T22:16:00.000-04:00

Definitions
Locked out: final version of picture track.

ADR: automated dialogue replacement (looping).

"A" (key/most difficult shots) and "B" (2nd angle, e.g. wider view of crowd) camera operators. If big show, "C" operator too.

Prep
Pull out unusual elements of script:

1. actor training (physical, mental)
2. animal training
3. special equipment
4. tests: camera (film), special makeup (aging, etc.), creatures

Test material
Handouts, Chapter 4 (Screen Direction) from Bare Bones, Chapter 4 (Actor's Tools) from Directing.

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FT 526 Lecture: Thursday, June 3

2006-05-15T21:33:00.000-04:00

Why multiple angles?
-- convey different information to viewers, depending on what angle is (picnic, napkin, gun)
-- maintain viewers' interest (weak reason according to Schneider)
-- any good scene changes as it goes along.

What's important for viewer to see?

Why coverage?
Let actors go all the way through (easier than doing bits and pieces). Cover both sides. Avoids pre-editing, gives you options.

Overlap your coverage -- clean entrances, clean exits.

Subtext
Meaning beneath words. Example: excuse me, I was waiting for that parking spot -- variety of possible meanings.

AD duties
Call actors with address, times, props/costumes, coats, lunch.

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FT 526 Lecture: Tuesday, June 1

2006-04-20T20:54:00.000-04:00

Script comments
Describe who characters are -- personality.

Good build.

Clarify objective for Mark (if actor needs it). For example, needs to maintain B+ average to keep scholarship. Facts.

Ticket -- either completely destroyed (can still be used if in half) and Janet kept ignorant, or Janet catches them with ticket.

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FT 526 Lecture: Thursday, May 27

2006-04-18T13:52:00.000-04:00

Audition notes
VHS tapes of auditions. Have backup actors as well.

Rob's shoot
Leslie - DP. Elaine - SS. Me - AD.

Comments on my idea
Mark doesn't realize right away -- it's no trouble. Dave gathering stuff.

Owner offering reward.

Hand-held for scuffle.

Script/rehearsal tips
Rehearsal -- explain setting. Read scene. Establish -- what are you doing? Come up with action for both people.

Explain staging. Stand wherever master angle is. Mark furniture, actor positions. Raking shot - angled two-shot. Whip-pan.

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FT 526 Lecture: Thursday, May 20

2006-04-14T20:47:00.000-04:00

Film roles
AD = stage mgr. Also scheduling.

Script supervisor - continuity, shot list.

Figure out with AD, SS most practical shooting order.

Shooting tips
Do one sequence with actors first, then break it up. Do not shoot the way you'll edit. Each new setup = 20 min. in normal world.

Script questions: what's the story we're telling? How do I make this story?

Scene -- unity of time. New scene if time changes, if place changes. If can shoot something continuously in one shot, it can be one scene.

Diagram coverage (camera on ground plan). Not shooting order.

Reverse angle -- balanced shot.

Walk the actor into the shot. Overlap action.

When describing shot, always say what you see first (for example, pan with Jim, following ...).

Homework with actors
-- Every significant character must have overall goal/need/objective.
-- Every significant character must have objective within scene -- playable action.

Example: guy who's out of work for six months gets call for interview. Overall goal is security. Immediate goal is to get on plane.

Same action, different tactics. Persuade, intimidate, beg.

Homework: two pitches
For Tuesday, come up with 2 ideas for scripts. Do pitch -- oral way of telling story to get people interested. Beginning, middle, end. Key events, etc. ("Once upon a time, there was a mother and son who were very poor. One day, they had so little food, the son took the family cow and started on his way to the market ...")

Angry is result, not action.

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Directing the Theatrical and Television Film (FT 551)

2006-04-14T20:44:00.000-04:00

Session: Summer I, 2004
Instructor: Paul Schneider
Location: College of Com., 640 Comm. Ave, Rm. 100 / 3rd Flr. Studio
Class times: Tuesdays/Thursdays, 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

Class notes

Thursday, May 20
Tuesday, May 25 (auditions)
Thursday, May 27
Tuesday, June 1
Thursday, June 3
Tuesday, June 8 (Rob's shoot)
Thursday, June 10 (My rehearsal)
Tuesday, June 15 (Out of town)
Thursday, June 17 (My shoot)
Tuesday, June 22
Thursday, June 24 (Leslie's shoot)
Tuesday, June 29

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, April 14

2006-04-12T13:39:00.000-04:00

Take-home exam
Must do third draft *and* exam. Research stylistic goals -- names of films.

Film notes
Travelogue, Robert Arnold. Postcards of highways, bridges, etc. traveling from one coast to the other. Creative geography. Pictures more important (mostly) than text.

"And Sometimes the Boat Was Low," Leighton Pierce. Two people, one room, passage of time. In same room, but never interact.

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, April 7

2006-04-10T18:00:00.000-04:00

Take-home exam
Answer five questions (in lieu of production notebook). Cite examples from films, paintings, etc.

Film notes
"Dog of My Dreams," Roz Mortimer. Live action, literature excerpts. Bunch of vignettes. Ick.

Safety Tips for Kids, ROz Mortimer. Morbid stories about accidents, disappearances, deaths. Started with poem, but dropped it (then why use that particular one? why Xmas?)

"New Book," Zbig Rycbzynski. 9 splitscreens. Incredibly well-choreographed.

"Media," Zbig Rycbynski. TVs, flatbed. Action of man on TV, ball, cigarette. Color, black-and-white -- wow.

"My Window," Zbig Rycbynski. Bird, liquid in bottle, TV picture tilting.

"Soup," Zbig Rycbynski. Couple. Scenes tinted.

"Oh I Can't Stop," Zbig Rycbynski. Traveling through fields, houses, etc. Running over people, cars.

The Orchestra, Zbig Rycbynski. Excellent choreography with piano (in exact time to notes). Ave Maria. Staircase sequence - history of socialism, to Bolero.

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, March 3

2006-04-09T20:00:00.000-04:00

Production design
It all counts. Don't do something just because (Confederate flag, Jaws T-shirt).

Location choice, set dressing (colors, props, details), color scheme (costumes, walls, lighting, etc.), costume design, sound design.

Helps even to completely strip a room, then put things back (forced to make choices).

Production book must have some visual aids -- drawings (storyboards, costume sketches, overhead with diagrams of camera movements/setups), photographs (map of location(s)). Define emblematic images.

Outline (summary + bibliography) due ASAP. 12-15 minutes talking, 5-7 min. screening tops.

Film notes
"Contemporary Case Studies." Strong graphic sensibility. Relationship vignettes. Sparse sets, split screens, sounds.

BU thesis film, "By Any Other," Derek Frank. "What's in a name?" Disconnected. "White Noise" -- DeLillo. Shopping mall, brands, etc.

BU thesis film, "Stuck." Elevator. Color tints (ugh), clunky dialogue (double-ugh), stereotyped characters (eye-roll), cheesy music (ick).

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, February 25

2006-04-08T21:04:00.000-04:00

Script notes
Number pages, don't number scenes.

Watch dance movies! Convey sense of space (floor filling up, etc.). Mix up dance footage -- show range of experience. Focus questions -- is Swingtime just a dance, or is it something more?

Film notes
Furniture Poetry, Paul Bush. Objects changing. Wittengenstein quotes.

The Way Things Go, Peter Fischli and David Weiss. Physical causality. Goldberg-type machine. Builds anticipation, even though there's no storyline.

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, February 18

2006-04-06T19:36:00.000-04:00

Homework notes
Next class, 1st draft workshop. Must turn in 1st draft or detailed treatment. My group: Von, Chris, Katie, Andrea, Brenda, Nathan, me.

Include one-pager (or less) with description addressing objectives of the film.

For detailed treatment, length is variable. Should include what questions will be asked.

Other frames
Concept/idea frame. Different from concept for a feature film (memory loss, coming of age).

In short film, concept/idea is a framing device, unique approach to film that defines all choices.

Examples: removing character from film with fingernail polish, dream logic, mechanical cause and effect (Fischley and Weiss).

Image-based. Color yellow links shots.

Experiments with camera.

Sound-based. Relationship between image and sound.

Film notes (defined by other frames)
Removed, Naomi Uman. Found footage (porn movie). Woman removed with fingernail polish, frame by frame.

"Nocturn", Anne Huber. Woodblocks carved, sanded down, scanned and animated, frame by frame.

Special Report, Bryan Boyce. Video of news anchors, with lips replaced and audio taken from B sci-fi movies.

Un Chien Andalou, Luis Buñuel. Surrealist school. Morality, logic absurd bourgeois notions. Concept -- defiance of linear coherent sense. Catholic schoolgirl's uniform.

"Orphics 6.1," Ed Zajec. Image/music relationship. Blocks change color as piano plays. Done with C++.

The Morphology of Desire, Robert Arnold. Romance-book covers made to move, flow into each other. Intertitles quotes from books. Desire constant, object of desire changes.

"Four Movements for Double Eight Camera", Robert Arnold. Four images per frame.

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, February 11

2006-04-05T15:39:00.000-04:00

Homework notes
Check e-mail for comments on revision.

From now on, grades will be dependent on how well assignment addresses short film characteristics (space, time, etc.)

Remember short film virtues:
-- economy of means
-- less is more

Analysis will be outline of presentation, bibliography.

The concept of character/identity
In a short film, character is not a fleshed-out individual, but a manifestation of a human tendency (bordering on stereotype). Character, situation dovetail together. Lot of condensation. Eisenstein's goal: represent classes. Limit goal to urgency, rather than trajectory.

Character's consciousness.

Expand idea of character to identity. Investigate and interrogate idea of self. Identity constructed. Often mirrored by investigation of media.

Portraiture. Convey image in single moment. Visual analysis of how person looks, acts, etc. Painterly. May say more about "painter" than about subject.

Question of authorship. Film tends towards 3rd person. How to convey 1st person view?

Film notes (defined by character/identity)
Un Jour, Marie Paccou. Woman with man who entered her stomach one day. When he leaves, hole left unfilled. Very simple situation.

A New Year, Living Inside, Sadie Benning. Videos. Points Pixel-Vision camera at herself. No editing. Process (first video has text, second has voice-over). Sense of spontaneity.

"Breakfast Messages," Susan Emshwiller. Cook's subjectivity -- imagines woman in diner receiving his "messages". Fantasy funny, but takes a dark turn.

Frank Film, Frank Mouris. Freewheeling narrative story of author, film itself. Another audio track of free associations. Story, associations interact with, diverge from images -- collage of cutouts.

Your Face, Bill Plympton. Guy singing. Concept of face -- how many animation techniques.

Gently Down the Stream, Su Friedrich. Dream sequences. Water imagery, bird references. No connecting narrative. Narrative patriarchal structure (?).

Coffee, Robert Arnold. Based on short story by Richard Brautigan. Guy looking to reconnect with two ex-girlfriends. Seeks real coffee, but given instant (and left alone to make it himself).

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, February 4

2006-04-04T17:02:00.000-04:00

Homework notes
For 2/18, come up with name of short film (or other work) that will be subject of analysis. Should also have idea of what central focus will be. Analysis must relate to aspect of short film (space, time, etc.)

On 3/3, presentation schedule will be set.

20 min. presentation includes whatever will be shown in class (within reason).

The concept of time
Film, like theater, music and literature, is a time-based medium.

Feature film based on causality -- beginning, middle, end, with each stage leading logically to the next. Can't be arbitrarily ended. Temporal structure. Time frame can't be infinite. Story-related sequence of events that reaches some conclusion. Also external pressures (TV limits, time constraints during the week, competing activities on weekends, etc.)

Short film uses a different structure of time that still results in completion. Concept can manifest itself in idea of time. Familiar interval of time ("24", a day). Time condensed, but interval still evident.

Different notion of time -- can take a point of time (an instant) and expand it.

Other notions of time:
-- idea of real time. "Six Point Nine" takes place during earthquake. Slice of a moment in time.

-- idea of an event. Used a lot in documentaries.

-- idea of an experience. Waiting, boredom.

-- can be used in relation to rhythm, like music or dance. Time expression of space and movement.

-- cinematic time.

Videos pioneered real time. Performance art dependent on reality of time. No evidence of editing.

Film notes (defined by time)
Two William Wegman videos. Extreme close-up of tongue lapping up milk from glass, around glass. Only at end are sure that it's a dog, when it pushes the glass over to mike, then licks mike. Other video has two dogs sitting side by side, focused on something offscreen, attentive to its least movement. At end, revealed to be tennis ball.

An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge, Robert Enrico. Based on the short story by Ambrose Bierce. One moment, stretched out. Camera perspective tied to his perception (underwater, bug on leaf, etc.). Soldier takes protagonist's watch away.

Six Point Nine, Dan Bootzin. One slice of time. Uptight white guy in bathroom, hot-blooded Latin lovers next door. Earthquake (foreshadowed by newspaper headline). Morning routine. "Lo mismo". Parallel editing. Going back and forth between simultaneous events.

Regen (Rain), Joris Ivens. One day of rain (actually made up of footage shot over many days). Visual tour of Amsterdam. Movement (cars, trams, pedestrians). Adding time to photography. Explore theme over time.

"Thursday", Leighton Pierce. Home with baby on Thursday -- film composed of whatever he shot that day (coffee mug, trashcan outside, etc.).

Two Men and a Wardrobe, Roman Polanski. Returns to point of origin. Fish out of water. Poland then a socialist state. Rejection everywhere, growing more and more violent. Also instants of other antisocial behavior (pickpocket, drunk, murderer). Polanski cast himself, but definitely advocating for two men.

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, January 28

2006-04-03T13:45:00.000-04:00

Homework notes
For future assignments:
-- watch out for serial, causual development ("Eventually," "after several conversations", etc.). Better to do one situation than a series of events. Character in a given situation instead of character development.
-- Define place and/or time it occurs, and length of film. Thesis films limited to 28 min. 40 sec.

Film notes (defined by space)
Tango, Zbigniew Rybczynski. Set in one room. Starts out with ball bouncing in through window, boy peeking in, then retrieving ball. Then ball comes back in, boy reappears, new character comes in, does his/her activity, leaves, cycle with two characters starts, third person introduced, etc. Done with 3,000 hand-painted mattes. Polish, set in apartment (possibly) of multi-generational family. Lot of people sharing very little space. Also could be about people going through lives oblivious to everyone else.

My Country, Milos Radovic. Railroad crossing. Road signifies trajectories of characters. Railroad master (uncaring bureaucrat), biker, horse/cart driver, shepherd, guy in Dodge Viper. Cross-section of precise situation. Yugoslavia all split up, violent factions. Situation: gate down, has consequences. Characters no initiative, can't just go around gate.

Hills Like White Elephants, Tony Richardson. Based on Hemingway's short story. Also at railroad station. Moment of indecision (no decision is made). Writer and wife whose relationship is doomed. Framed by space (station) and time (get off train, wait for another one). Physical and emotional baggage. Repetition of language ("very simple procedure").

"You Can Drive the Big Rigs," Leighton Pierce. Funded as a documentary about cafes in Iowa -- Pierce put footage together to make one meta-cafe. Great sound design. Time has passed this place by. Things are stagnating, yet film is rich in texture (light and sound). Detached window.

"The Box," BU thesis film. Guy who lives in a box (bed looks like coffin, tiled floor, cereal boxes, bricks, arranges ties). Life is confined. Comes home to find chest. Girl, hobbyhorse, corpse with flower. At end, guy takes flower, climbs into chest and closes it.

Zeno's Paradox, Robert Arnold. Paradox: movement through space is impossible (cross halfway to object, then halfway, etc.). Zooming into picture on tree, find it's the scene itself. Dissolves, stills. Pulls you into picture, even though movement isn't real.

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, January 21

2006-03-29T22:23:00.000-05:00

Homework notes
For future assignments:
-- assign a duration
-- once you get a handle on idea, define limiting factors, organizational principle (space, time, etc.)

The concept of frame
Concept of frame -- compositional boundary. Sets physical limit between what is painting, what isn't. Without frame, just looking at reality. Light switch on wall outside of frame, reality. Light switch in frame, art. Kant -- art exists as separate thing from reality. Proscenium arch, sculpture pedestal. Anecdote about B. Arnold's sculptures put in front yard, guy asking if "junk" needed to be gotten rid of.

Can't compose without boundaries. Without frame, no organization, no relationship between one thing and another.

Art is not reality -- it's a human enterprise, done intentionally. "What is this painting trying to tell me?" Can't ask that of a tree.

Must know where frame begins and stops.

Music -- one note or chord dictates range of possibilities for the next.

Feature film frame
Frame of a story is not about physical length, but about completion. Arc -- beginning, middle, end. Whatever happens defines what will happen. Frame defines what's in picture (which gives meaning), what isn't in picture (which distracts from meaning). If doesn't advance story, not free to impose it. Establishes in/out, duration.

Why tell stories? It gives people a sense of order (however temporary) to a scary, chaotic universe.

Narrative a time-based medium. Frame not just spatial boundary, also temporal.

"Prince and princess get married, have kids" is not a story. Story doesn't start until conflict introduced (i.e. dragon kidnaps princess). Equilibrium disturbed. Hydraulic model -- water seeks its own level, wants to return to state of equilibrium. Story not over until conflict resolved, and must have some difficulty (dragon can't just drop dead of a heart attack). Story confirms societal standards -- prince can have the princess because I don't want to go through all that.

Frames within frames -- acts, scenes, shots.

This system doesn't map well to the short film, because it demands a certain length.

Short film frames
Recap of frame's purposes:
-- organization (defines what's included, what's necessary)
-- limit (defines what's excluded)
-- motivation/engagement

Arnold's principles/unifying devices for short film:
Place/space. Can be a physical room/space (taxicabs in Jim Jarmusch's Night on Earth, a stagecoach in Stagecoach), a dream space (The Comb), proximity/distance/movement. Space as metaphor. Characters looking out of windows in Ibsen's plays -- psychological confinement.

Time. Rain takes place over a day. Repetition -- Passage a l'Acte. "Waiting for Godot". Simultaneity.

Sound. Music video. "Absolute" film -- explores relationship between image and sound.

Character/person/self/other. Camera on myself, what I see, etc.

Concept/treatment -- idea of rain.

Link up your idea with one of these organizing ideas.

Film notes
Balance, Christoph and Wolfgang Lauerstein. Puppet animation. Space the defining factor. Conflict over music box. Teetering. One character takes a step, the whole world shifts.

Ferment, Tim McMillan. Time-slice camera. Array of digital stillcams captures everything in an entire moment. Starts with death, ends with birth.

Smell of Burning Ants, Jay Rosenblatt. Idea of self. Found footage, gloomy/violent music, narration combine in a film about the sources of male anger.

Minim, Chris Forster. Relationship between sound and image. Concert in church, family driving to airport, young black man looking at exhibit. Observation, measurement.

Mothlight, Stan Brakhage. Found foliage, moth wings, etc. Idea -- what will happen if I do this?

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FT 551 Lecture: Wednesday, January 14

2006-03-21T17:47:00.000-05:00

About the short film
Categories: dramatic, documentary, experimental, animation.

Feature film defined by excess (special effects, stars, marketing, etc.). Short film defined by economy of means. Like the relationship of haiku to epic poetry.

Feature film structure: individual has problem, seeks solution. Film needs to give information about individual, problem, solution -- filled with specific details. Short film has potential for more universal expression, can do more with less.

Shorts more expansive and open to possibility, but also more difficult than features.

Homework: 3 Ideas
Must come up with three ideas for a short film (not necessarily what will end up as thesis film, though that is mandated goal of class). E-mail them to professor, everyone else in class as .rtf files. Must give feedback to minimum of five people. Eventually one of these ideas will be selected for development (from treatment all the way through second draft).

Film notes
"Worm Charmer," Roz Mortimer. Surreal, Tim Burton-like. Starts out like a documentary but gets progressively stranger. Dollhouse built like normal house, woman can move back and forth. Crawls through dirt, eats worms, puts worms in bed. Example of production values, funding.

Passage à l'acte, Martin Arnold. Uses footage (breakfast scene) from To Kill a Mockingbird. Footage repeated, accelerated, etc. to emphasize sounds/rhythms, puppetry, aggressive dad/son, passive mom (neighbor).

Pacific 231, Jean Mitry. Train ride. Numerous angles, definite beginning, middle and end. Concentrated all efforts on one thing.

"9 1/2 Finger," Axel Gaube, Ilona Goldschmidt, Rainer Servos and Valeria Valenzuela. Lots of close-ups, focused on hands and activities. Very clear sound, almost painful in a chalkboard-screech way. Engaging and scary.

HKG, Gerard Holthuis. Airplanes at first like whales (with appropriate sounds), leaping in the sky. Later, loom over Hong Kong, casting huge shadows over exotic, bustling town. Made before airport was moved. Beautiful shots. Holthuis a traveler.

Cat's Cradle, Liz Hughes. Absurd tale of family trying to give father proper sendoff/burial. Try to bury him (ground too hard), set him on fire (won't fit into furnace). Everyone else ignores them. Finally leave him in movie theater. A woman sits down next to him, he falls to side, she leans his head on shoulder.

The Comb, the Quay Brothers. Surreal animation. Great camera/tech. More associative than narrative.

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Designing the Short Film (FT 551)

2006-03-21T17:42:00.000-05:00

Session: Spring, 2004
Instructor: Bob Arnold
Location: College of Communications, 640 Comm. Ave, Rm. 215
Class times: Wednesdays, 6-9 p.m.

Class notes

Wednesday, January 14
Wednesday, January 21
Wednesday, January 28
Wednesday, February 4
Wednesday, February 11
Wednesday, February 18
Wednesday, February 25
Wednesday, March 3
No class Wednesday, March 10
Wednesday, March 17*
Wednesday, March 24*
Wednesday, March 31*
Wednesday, April 7
Wednesday, April 14
No class Wednesday, April 21
Wednesday, April 28

*Missed due to operation and subsequent recuperation.

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, December 9

2006-03-15T16:35:00.000-05:00

Wants vs. needs
Need -- oxygen. Nathan holds breath. Need either gets met or gets bigger. Struggle between objective and obstacle.

Storyboarding
Important to storyboard. Animation.

1st choice vs. 2nd choice
1st choice takes only five seconds -- bad, wil be choice everyone else has thought up. Go with 2nd choice -- takes longer, more interesting.

SLV notes
David/Erin -- David looked like was just watching video, not excited. Like that Erin placed coat and bag down. Good watching Erin for reaction to tapes.

Bob/CeCe -- Bob playing solitaire, good use of cards. CeCe -- wandering around room. Good CeCe sitting on table, Bob watching reaction. Should Bob stand up?

Mike/Christine -- Mike should put on glasses later -- don't know been interrogated until "Something wrong?" Stakes better on Mike's end.

Nathan/Katie -- good use of eye contact. Good stakes. Felt real.

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, December 2

2006-03-15T16:33:00.000-05:00

What PK was watching for
1. Moment before
2. Moment after
3. Independent activities (personalizing props)
4. Beats
5. Focus points (eyes look at something)
6. Anchor points - physical (absolute reality of space, i.e. flour on floor)
7. Environment

SLV notes
David/Erin -- nice flickering in David's eyes when Erin asks, "What are these?" Nice him watching her for reaction.

Bob/CeCe -- lines about John thrown away.

Mike/Christine -- nice looking at Mike before "Are you having an affair?" Made stakes higher.

Katie/Nathan -- good listening.

PK's notes for Dave/me -- more stuff on table. Incorporate napkin. Rehearse sips. Moment after.

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, November 25

2006-03-13T21:15:00.000-05:00

Rehearsing/acting tips

Acting has to work on film at arm's length.

Focus on actor, not surroundings.

Bullshit detectors. There can be NO lying. Say what you mean, mean what you say. If you believe it, then we will see it.

Very risky. (What is? Performing? Being truthful?)

Everyone has their own mojo

Focus, take a breath, be available and ready to receive. Don't open your mouth, until it feels right, until you believe it.

With interrupted lines, cut-offee has to commit to saying sentence. Intention is not to be cut off. Cut-offer should jump in sooner. Beware of overlap (sound, editing folks will kill you.

Private in public.

Instinct vs. strong dramatic choices. Sometimes instinct (first choice) can be lazy.

Katie/Nate -- just talking. Better flat than fake.

Michael Shurtleff - Audition. Animal improv -- do scene as your animal. Secret is once we've seen you on floor as a collie, you get past making a fool of yourself.

Have to be on from first line -- helps to run through lines before.

Now beginning to understand what scene's about.

Beats
CCR -- crisis, conflict, resolution.

Ad -- problem, product, resolution (drops conflict).

Gladiator -- Russell wants to go home. Dies, goes to heaven.

E.T. -- wants to go home. Dying -- conflict.

Plays -> acts -> scenes -> beats.

Beat is the smallest unit of beginning, middle, end.

Trying to catch bus -- do you run? Do you give it up early? When you abandon beat says a lot about stakes.

Beat either ends with success or failure. Next beats -- get out money or pass, find seat ...

Three possible endings to beat. #1, impulse succeeds (catch bus). #2, impulse failed (miss bus). #3, impulse distracted (hit by car, catching bus doesn't make a difference). Object either achieved, fails or made irrelevant.

Beginnings are much more important than ends.

New beat begins any time either character attempts to move scene forward in a new or different direction. Beat is an attempt by some character to "drive the bus."

Beat analysis. No regularity. Not like tennis, don't take turns.

Homework
Underline three big beats in scene. May not start with one of your lines, doesn't have to be spoken line. Beats define scene.

Also have everything you worked on for bus stop scene -- props (very important), blocking, environment, endowment.

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, November 18

2006-03-09T17:00:00.000-05:00

Business questions
Theatre is actor's medium. Film is director's medium. TV is writer's medium.

Producer, executive producer, line producer, unit production manager.

In film, producer is the head honcho (gets Oscar). In TV, executive producer is the creator.

Sitcom writing involves a bunch of writers in a room. Hour-long drama is more like film.

Teresa Rebek - "The Family of Man", about sitcom writing.

Action, objective, and conflict
Action and objective. Every scene is driven by your idea of what you're trying to do.

Conflict makes a scene happen. Conflict ---> obstacle. No scene with no obstacle.

David/Erin -- tapes. Obstacle -- feelings of obligation, fear of rejection. David -- tries to attract Ann, but scares her off. Erin -- tries to learn more about the guy I'm attracted to. Revised objective: I struggle past my feelings of obligation and fear to get Graham to love me.

Make more dramatic by upping obstacle. Asking girl out on date. Guy A is smart, popular. Guy B not smart and popular -- more dramatic.

Crank up obstacle, crank up objective. Graham is Ann's last best chance of happiness.

Poker over a long run is not about chance -- high stakes winner not necessarily one with best cards. Stakes (money) changes what you think of your hand. Also horse racing.

What's at stake? High-stakes scene, especially for Ann.

The best objectives fail.

Don't play the end of the scene.

Element of surprise. Maybe, just maybe, I'll do it again.

Have to listen.

Bob/CeCe -- Graham, Cynthia at start of first meeting. Hostile, challenging.

Up and in is better than down and out. Choices that bring stakes up or pull in other work better than choices that lower stakes or push other actor away.

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, November 11

2006-03-03T15:40:00.000-05:00

Rehearsal tips
Know what scene is about.

Say, "I want ..." instead of "she wants"

Whole function of 1st rehearsal is to get to 2nd rehearsal.

Always read out loud in full voice.

Try to go over scene every day for two minutes, instead of two hours the day before.

As a director, don't overly reward someone for doing a good job on the first day of rehearsal.

Don't wait until rehearsal to memorize your lines.

Character and objective
In theater, script exists as a mountain. In film, the character exists only once, forever. Characters don't exist, you do.

Objective answers the question, "Who?"

If you can do it alone in your room, it's not acting.

Action -- how you accomplish your objective. What am I doing, why am I doing it? Before the scene starts.

Class watched PK and took notes. Three categories: C, physical motions (sitting, talking, etc.); B, what actually doing (teaching); A, how he was teaching (challenging, etc.), non-literal.

About SLV
SLV = Beauty and the Beast. Graham makes sex tapes, but Ann finds he's not that bad, goes with him in the end.

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, October 28

2006-03-02T09:14:00.000-05:00

Letter notes
Bob death threat, CC inherit, Dave credit card bill

Scene stuff/what makes scene interesting
Private moment in public place. Adds conflict. Boredom comes from expecting tap-dance. Pulled in when something happens. Forrest Gump - someone sits down next to him, something happens.

Choices about environment, time, moment before, props, moment after (important because shot out of sequence). All in addition to private moment.

Looking for what's been revealed.

Perfectly normal person on perfect normal day -- not much to chew on.

CeCe on Bob -- wanted to know what happened before, what will happen after. only thing that matters. Bob committed to his choices -- really felt bad, made us believe he was sick.

Bus stop notes

Erin -- composing music. Not in hurry. Brushes back hair, kept looking back, not happy with results.

Dave -- throws bag on seat, looks at watch. Notebook. Walks away from stop. Glum, bit of anger.

Nathan -- fall jacket, hat. Walks around, stands, on edge, cold. Puts hands in pocket. Harmonica. Fiddles with it. Sad? Huddled in chair. Stares at floor. Hunches over, heads clasped together. Signed himself, prayer.

Mike -- gives someone finger. Pulls shirt out of pants. Searches pocket for change. Soda machine. Pokes it, kicks machine several times, gets water. Sprays graffiti on machine. Sneaky smile -- very satisfied. Sniffing underarms. Chuckling to himself. Checks bottom of sneakers. Huddles -- almost hiding in seat?

Bob -- sweatshirt, hooded. Standing behind bench -- wispes off snow -- cold. Sits on edge of bench. Too cold. Walks around. Anxious for bus. Looks at cell-phone. Sick? Unzips jacket, takes off hood, holds head in head, very uncomfortable. Praying for bus to get faster. Hood back on?

Christine -- bag, coffee, coat. Very tired. Just got up. Plods slowly. Sinks into seat. Not very enthused about going wherever. Rubs forehead, gets out tissue, puts pill in mouth, drinks coffee. Head in one hand, bent over. Taps finger. Waits, waits, waits, sluggish. Rolls eyes when bus comes.

David -- runs into someone, just misses bus. Pounding on bus, almost got hit by car. Heavy bag. Struggles with something, squirming, feels really hot. Reaching into pocket -- hides away from others. Sits sideways. Puts bag on lap. Ointment in groin.

CeCe -- bag, sweatshirt. Ran, missed bus. Puts on sweatshirt, zips, lowers head in hands. Takes out notebook. Studying for test. Switches seats on bench. Groans. Rubs forehead. Puts fingers on eyes. Toe tapping. Rocks on bench. Distraught.

Bat-shark repellent -- just happens to have with you when faced by shark.

Private moment -- vandalism.

Don't wipe glasses. Push bra straps more.

Group 1. Talk to others only if it makes sense to.

Mike -- pulls down - glances aside. Looking. Spills water. Pulls shirt up to hide face.

Christine -- glares at Mike.

Dave -- pulls back. Glances at others.

Erin -- sees seats.

Christine, Dave face away. Erin oblivious.

Christine turns away. David holds bag in front of himself, goes to back of line.

Bus stop with people -- scenes. Wouldn't have worked if people hadn't done individual work.

Indicating
If only slight kick got water from machine, would have been indicating. Term comes from Lee Strasberg. Want audience to get I'm angry, so yell. Doing behavior that indicates anger. Like cheating. Big soda smile, indicated graffiti.

Homework
"Sex, Lies and Videotape" - download and print. Read script. simplyscripts.com or Script-O-Rama.

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, October 21

2006-02-28T14:03:00.000-05:00

Bus stop comments
Stay in character from "action" to "cut".

Mine -- too busy first time, tired, unclear (ginger ale grimace, etc.). Second over-the-top, didn't show environment, good use of prop (sandwich).

Mike -- panhandler. Great detail. Picks up penny, eats left food, holds out cap for money, wipes nose on shirt.

Christine -- cold (hot coffee). wearing trenchcoat.

Nathan -- reading book, pencil in mouth (food prop?). Making notes.

Dave -- checks watch, chews gum, drinks, reads magazine.

Bob -- jumps up and down, waves at cabs. Water on seat. Camera, notebook, candy bar. Impatient. Runs to T.

CC -- sandwich, notebook, taking notes, eating.

Erin -- notebook, pencil -- candy bar, taking notes.

David -- flashlight -- scared. Crosses himself.

Naturalism vs. over-the-top.

Make simpler choices.

Always the little stuff in film.

Doing it for audience, or actually doing task? Mundane task -- counting pennies. Resist urge to tap-dance.

Exercise in noticing things.

Tiers of theaters
Four basic tiers of theaters -- regional out-of-town, regional, Equity, non-Equity.

Regional theaters -- out-of-town (Wang, Shubert, Colonial), Huntington/ART. Go to Harvard for grad actors.

Equity -- New Rep, Gloucester Stage, Lyric.

Non-Equity -- Speakeasy, Coyote, Boston Theater Works, Sugá (all BCA). Also Theater Offensive.

What pulls you in?
Why are exercises boring? Nothing's happening. We wait for something to happen -- action, conflict. Redstone festival -- Nine, period piece (2 girls drawing scene that went on and on and on ...)

What pulls you in?
-- specificity related to actor's reality always pulls you in.
-- unexpected choices
-- conflict

Coffee too hot? Take off lid, it sploshes. (In that case, specificity and conflict go hand in hand.)

Conflict is so essential in people's lives that they create it.

Endowment
"Not real booze, not real blood." Giving something a quality it doesn't have.

2 ways to do it -- physically, emotionally. Emotional quality only to you. Harrison Ford and grail -- if he believes it, we do too.

Letter exercise/notes
Take a blank piece of paper, endow it, make it a letter.

Mine -- paycheck. Not a lot of endowing, good meticulousness (smoothing corners, tearing inch by inch). Some stuff for audience, not me, some stuff (blowing on paper) illogical.

Nate -- Dear John letter. Did it twice -- first time like punch in stomach, second time realization too quick, too angry.

Dave -- rejection letter, a bit over-the-top.

Mike -- at work, thought was memo but wasn't. Second time much more specific (yeah, I saw it), a little too much multi-tasking.

Homework
Bus stop exercise one more time. In addition to environment, time, props, and moment before, add two things:
-- private moment in a public place
-- conflict

Physical, emotional private moments. Have to get on bus. Can't go home and take care of stuff (no conflict).

Having cold is not private moment. Examples -- pee, adult mag, monthly visitor, birthday card with photos.

My idea: going to work (or possibly interview), blazer and long-sleeved shirt. Bra comes undone in back!

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, October 7

2006-02-28T13:57:00.000-05:00

Repetition/responding exercises
Notes about David - sneakers, long-sleeved shirt, short hair - just showered? intent.

Notes about exchange -- Sydney Pollack -- record first take, every take matters, no "warmups". questioning air of "You're wearing that?" "Well, shyah!" -- obvious. Need to be more articulate in expressing emotions -- but, unlike other pairs, did talk about how we felt.

Dave (D-man) / Christine - repeating exercise. Dave doing more adjusting than Christine. More repeating -- listening better.

Responding -- Dave kind of issuing a challenge, Christine not choosing to take the bait.

Little bit of frustration, but not really going anywhere -- both holding back? am I doing this right?

Nate/Christine. Nate tring to question, get a reaction -- Christine frustrated.

Erin/Bob. Started out friendly, Bob getting progressively insistent, angry -- answer not satisfied. Erin -- not sure of why situation ...

Started friendly -- Bob getting insistent, backing Erin into corner. Erin unsure. Bob changed tone -- realizing something -- then serious again. Didn't want Erin to run away. Bob laughs, smiles.

Listening and acting
1) listening exercise.
2) urge to tap-dance
3) acting is not about the words
4) acting is about the other person
5) you do the work, not the words

To listen, have to not know what they're going to say, have to care. listen with our eyes, our upbringing, our gut -- listen with who you are.

Acting -- being private in public. Self-consciousness -- not "don't focus on audience" (like saying "don't think about a purple elephant"). Focus on the other person.

Feeling came from what he did with the words (not the words themselves).

Bus stop notes
Bus stop exercise. Three chairs are bench. Say name, enter, wait for bus.

David -- looking around for bus, looks mostly out at audience.

Dave -- yawns. looks around. why?

Nathan -- watching for bus. staring mostly up street. fidgeting.

Nathan, take two -- steady gaze -- patiently waiting -- not in hurry. calm. Looked other way -- believed in world. Other students -- almost as if he was willing the bus to come. What was he looking at?

Waiting for the bus and look back behind you.

Mike -- jogs to stop, takes off sweatshirt, fumbles with bag -- late. really unorganized.

CeCe -- cool, chilling, relaxed. takes out book -- not particularly concerned as to when bus gets there. More involved with book than with bus.

Choices
Choice-making exercise. Nathan wanted to show us more about bus stop he was at.

Choices. Where to sit? Middle one was dirty -- learned more about bench.

Believe Nathan looked back at something. Reveal your world to us.

Dave checked his watch. Checking watch is making a choice -- must also commit to the choice.

Everything you do that is not explicit in the script is a choice. The difference between good and bad acting is the process of making choices. The difference between good and great choices is the quality of the choices and your ability to commit to them.

Homework
Next time, bus stop. show choices for four things:

-- moment before
-- personalize your props
-- environment
-- time

Use 2 props, one of which must be food. No Walkman, no sunglasses, no cellphone.

Environment is never neutral. Almost always aid or obstacle.

Act of making choices is act of making world specific to us. Art cannot be too specific. Specific choices are good choices.

Moment before -- where did you come from? Important in film -- short scenes shot out of sequence. 1 minute before, 1 hour before. Can have emotional quality.

Time is never neutral.

Should be able to answer questions (what time is it? how do you get to where you're going? how many people are waiting? etc.)

Rehearse!

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, September 30

2006-02-27T16:22:00.000-05:00

Where to get actors
Film and TV office -- book of headshots/resumés.

Find the money (perhaps $100?) to approach a casting director (be honest about how much you can afford). Casting director will go through headshots in files (picture-pull). Don't call anyone until you have a completed script and firm shoot dates. Be clear about which roles are paid and which aren't.

Other sources: newenglandfilm.com, StageSource, and Boston Phoenix classified ads (has auditions section). PK has database -- send role descriptions with movie stars. Also send contact info and when/where of auditions.

Be specific about what you're casting for.

Audition tips
Two ways to conduct auditions -- have actors read from script (PK recommends), or actors read from monologue.

Can schedule auditions (request headshots, then call actors and set audition slots -- more labor-intensive, time-consuming), or do an open cattle call (better to do two short sessions instead of one long one).

Reasons an actor wouldn't do your film:
-- bad previous experiences on student film(s)
-- disorganized
-- shoot dates that are unclear or that change
-- audition shenanigans
-- bad or incomplete script

Before an audition starts, chat with the actor and ask if s/he has questions, then answer them. Actor may ask for directions, say let's just read it. Feature film auditions rarely tape, commercial auditions always do (need lots of copies to send out for approval).

Give actor piece of direction (test communication).

Unions
Three acting unions: Screen Actors Guild (SAG), American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (AFTRA), Actors' Equity Assocation (AEA). All are members of the Teamsters, which belongs to AFL-CIO. Unions guarantee wages and conditions, get their workers work.

SAG -- film. Older union, founded in LA.

AFTRA -- TV, radio. Founded in NY, when air travel was rare. Doesn't include high-end commercials. Cheaper to belong to.

Status depends on recording medium -- if on celluloid, always under SAG contract -- "ER". If taped, AFTRA -- "All in the Family," game shows, news, talk shows, soap operas, reality shows.

What about DV, Internet?

Two things that happened in past year -- SAG struck commercials, proposed SAG/AFTRA merge, which failed (PK's theory -- SAG is exclusive, AFTRA non-exclusive).

AFTRA -- got dues, come right in.

Two ways to get into SAG:
1. Get hired for SAG role in SAG project. Mostly commercials. Become SAG-eligible, must join before 2nd SAG job. Initiation $1200, also dues. Also happens on TV shows -- if say one word/line, get SAG card.
2. 3 voucher rule (which may be obsolete), for extras. If SAG actor does not show up, get voucher to take slot (to fill SAG voucher quota). Must show up early, plead with/lie to AD.

All types of SAG contracts. One of note for grad students: experimental limited contract. Limits where film can play -- can't be shown for money. BU will bond you (insurance). 100% deferral contract -- actors' salaries are 100% deferred -- pay SAG off completely if get revenues. % compensation agreement.

Public screening -- 3 days in row for $ -- get into pool for Oscar nominations.

Equity is exclusive. EMC points system -- get hired as non-Equity member in Equity production, accumulate points. Fewer Equity theaters in Boston, not as much difference between Equity and non-Equity as there is between SAG and non-SAG.

Repetition/responding exercises
Repetition exercise -- listening. Meisner -- listening/responding foundation of actor's work.

How do I feel -- at ease, intent, sniffly, trying to pay attention, a little anxious, shy, slight frown. Day getting better (unclog toilet).

Responding exercise -- what did you get, how did it make you feel?

Instincts are always appropriate.

Nate -- questioning tone, slightly exasperated, confirming answers.

Symptoms vs. causes. Toothache -- take aspirin (sympton), go to dentist (cause). Talk cause when it comes to actor's work. Facial expression, volume -- symptoms. Boy jogging knee (symptom) because needs to go to bathroom (cause). Symptom directions draw attention to wrong thing -- doesn't get to why.

Actors always talk about scene as "it" -- distinct from them.

Eraser forces tempo, physicalizes exchange. Send thing out, absorb what's coming at you.

Exercise is difficult because:
-- urge to tap-dance (being watched)
-- appropriateness/propriety

Private vs. public.

Mike -- laughing -- little bit of a challenge, maybe? hard to tell.

Acting is an emotional game. Person who feels the most wins (not person who feels the most right feeling wins).

Mike/CC -- confirming each other -- stating obvious -- getting quieter. Expressses frustration with "You're wearing a bandana."

Don't filter. Not emotion for emotion's sake.

Acting is not about the words.

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FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, September 23

2006-02-24T16:45:00.000-05:00

Three roles redux
Abby got the circle, with one strong vote for Frances. Purpose of exercise: honesty about yourself, see who watches movies, empathy with actors, understanding of how difficult it is to find perfect person for a given role. Shortcut to describing role: "Jack Nicholson as a teenager." Also describes person who doesn't exist -- easier to deal with.

The casting director
Up until 40 years ago, no casting director got credit. Even then, way below the line (directors, stars, etc. above the line). Now casting directors above line, even take executive producer credit on indie films. Casting director, not agent. Agent works for talent, paid on commission, job is to get stars, directors, etc. hired on movies. Casting director hired by film, paid by producers. Only job is to figure out what's best for film.

Feedback -- be specific!
Specificity. Vague feelings/evaluations don't help.

Exercise: being vs. doing
First part of exercise: class divided into two groups (#1, #2). Group #1 gets up in front of group #2, stands in line. "You look at us, we look at you." Group #2 take notes. Groups switch places.

First set of notes on group #1: Mike twiddling with pen, tapping pen. Bob -- hands -- shifts feet -- laughs, clears throat. crosses arms, slight swaying side to side. Erin -- looking round. Christine -- standing still at ease, relaxed, two fingers rubbing against each other. David -- hands crossed in front, behind back.

Notes on group #2: relax, breathe, observe. No need to fidget. Make eye contact. Don't freeze up. Yellow sneakers. Light not as bright as thought it would be. Intent faces. Quiet. Pen scritchings.

Second part of exercise: group #1 gets back up. Task -- count tiles on ceiling. If lose track, start over; if finish, start over. Group #2 again takes notes. Then groups switch places.

Second set of notes on group #1: Christine -- arms crossed -- concentrated frown. Erin -- shades eyes. Mike -- steps away, more pen business. David -- staring around, mouth open. Bob -- looks around -- holds up hand -- count with hands -- straightens shirt, squints against light. Mike -- arms behind him, hands laced. Erin -- turns around, figures counting. Bob -- index finger pointing down.

Thoughts while up second time: count, count, count. Squint against light. Start over. Etc.

First time up, what most of us think acting is. Very aware of myself, hope don't do wrong thing. Second time up, awareness moved from inside body (self-directed) to outside body (outer-directed). 1st time being, 2nd time doing. Think of acting as doing -- do shit to feel shit, not other way around. Emotions byproduct of success/failure of action.

There are things in life that can only be learned experientially. Acting is one of them.

Brief history of acting training
Go back 150 years, people would go see an actor for declamatory gesture, etc. Turn of century in Europe, three things -- Freud in Austria, Chekhov in Russia, Stanislavski in Russia. Stanislavski worked with Moscow Art Theatre, moved by works of Freud -- work from inside out, instead of reverse. Syncs well with Chekhov's plays -- beginning of modern drama. "Three Sisters" -- at beginning of play, want to go to Moscow. At end of play, want to go to Moscow.

Stanislavski writes books, first of which is called "An Actor Prepares" (also "Building a Character", "Creating a Role" and "My Life in Art"). Not about what characters are doing, but why. Goes to U.S. -- met by people who will form the Group Theatre in 30s. Stella Adler, who founded the Stella Adler Conservatory of Acting. Bobby Lewis, Sanford Meisner. Lee Strasberg, who founded the Actors Studio.

Stanislavski didn't mean his theory to become a system. Strasberg organized a system, the Method. Teaches in '40s, '50s, '60s, became dominant theory.

Most people in film follow Meisner, who founded the Neighborhood Playhouse. All these people started with Stanislavski. Difference: what is essential for creation of emotional reality? Strasberg: sense memory. Adler: specifics of character creation (waling around with cane all the time) -- spawns Michael Chekhov, who talks about psychological gesture.

Meisner: listening and responding. Most effective way to begin to build reality.

Repetition exercise
Kelley's variation of repetition exercise. A lot harder than initially think it is, will figure it out.

Two people come up, look at each other, make private notes. Think of sentence about other person -- observation. Say sentence sin turn. Toss eraser back and forth.

Repeating, not responding. Job is to give back exactly what other person just gave. Point to repeat what just received.

Tossing, receiving (what did I just get?), holding. Send back exactly what you think you just got.

A/B -- response. A/A -- repetition.

Assume that there's something about you that you need to change to make exercise work.

Last line -- little tweak. Repeat other person. 21, 33 -- 33. (Repeat not content-wise, but emotion/objective-wise.)

Exercise trickier than it seems. Focus in on one another. Observers need to watch more closely.

David -- inflection getting higher. Erin -- gets to point, then stops.

Emphasis: yóu are wearing ... then phrase tails off.

Looking, holding, considering.

Write it down -- your vote. Can't say "I don't know". Forces you to organize thoughts, be truthful.

1st Nathan line -- questioning, odd, inviting explanation. 1st Christine -- matter-of-fact observation. 2nd Nathan line -- matched. Third exchange -- Nathan questioning.

Deadpan (negative connotation) vs. animated (positive connotation).

Nathan -- challenged Christine.

Nathan/Christine: growing emphasis on yellow/plaid -- Christine suddenly ramped down.

Notes on Mike: glasses, balding, green shirt, grinning, a little self-conscious, fidgety (kept beginning to take notes rather than continuing to observe). Yellow legal pad. Boston born/bred. Sneakers. Scribbing a lot. Chewing gum.

Why repeat yourself? It's easy, comfortable. "This is what I said, I'll repeat it until you get it right."

Technorati: movies, filmmaking, acting, school, film school

FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, September 16

2006-02-23T17:57:00.000-05:00

Three roles
Film: fuse actor and script. Tobey Maguire in "Wonder Boys". Think of roles you're a great match for. Human being excites you in the role. Open roles -- race. Harder to jump the fence when it comes to gender and age. Hollywood -- business. Making movies to make money.

Alien Question #1: Why do we sit in the seats?
Communal, identification with others, emotion -- shared experience is emotional.

Alien Question #2: How does what happen in the seats occur?
Safey. There for two hours, done. Acceptable to experience, display emotion.

"Deathtrap": comic thriller with Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve. Caine one-time-wonder, teaching at college. Reeve comes in with amazing script (no other copies, no agent, no one else seems to know about it). Caine -- get Reeve to house, get script, kill Reeve. Lights go out at house. Reeve shot by crossbow. Gets up in dark, audience screams, but no one calls cops or doctor -- why?

Id, ego (self), superego. Id, truest you, is what people are born with, ego is created in kindergarten and first grade -- learn how to be with people. Guys cry in movie theater -- hide it. Fight between id (want to cry) and ego (boys don't cry). Police officer -- "Mousetrap" -- ego goes away. Why else does the room have to be dark? More than one self.

Room allows you to take armor off so id can come out, reconnect to larger family of man. If can't do that, id dies.

Alien Question #3: How do actors suck you in?
Believability. Actors -- want everyone looking at them. Convincing us that they're feeling what we are.

Actors, audience allowed to be ids, allowed to feel. Actors -- job to move audiences, must be moved themselves (rare when that doesn't happen. Actors achieve believability by believing.

Believability vs. knowledge. Keys falling -- gravity -- knowledge. Belief in Santa Claus -- emotions of excitement, greed, anticipation. Emotions real, even though Santa Claus is not. No link between reality and emotional life. Enormous link between belief and emotional life.

Tug of war between belief and knowledge. Phone call from actress in class -- pick up or not? Experience motivates belief.

Actors can believe more easily in the world of the script. Actor has ability to believe more in world suggested on piece of paper. Choose what you believe, in spite of what you know to be true. Kelley and classmate -- play brothers.

Assignment: Three roles (redux)
Think about/name three specific roles from film or TV that are perfect for personality/how you look. (Talent is not a consideration.) How you look is your haircut, your clothing, the way you sit, playing with pen, etc.) Watch film/TV -- what are actors doing?

My notes (assignment)
Three roles: June from "Joy Luck Club" (circled), two more that would be perfect match
Frances from "Better Than Chocolate"?

Technorati: movies, filmmaking, acting, school, film school

FT 706 Lecture: Tuesday, September 9

2006-02-22T19:28:00.000-05:00

Learned reflexes
You're coming down the street, and you trip. What are the first things you do? Look around for the cause, look to see if anyone saw you, and laugh (or swear). Why? To protect yourself from the pain of embarassment and humiliation, which last longer than physical pain. To protect yourself from the pain of becoming human. Plays and movies are written about imperfect people.

Brutal honesty
Acting requires brutal honesty -- about yourself. Exercise: name, your day, favorite body part, least favorite body part.

Assignment: Three roles
Think about/name three specific roles from film or TV that are perfect for personality/how you look. (Talent is not a consideration.) How you look is your haircut, your clothing, the way you sit, playing with pen, etc.) Watch film/TV -- what are actors doing?

Lottery tickets
Question: how many of you buy lottery tickets? Question: how many of you have bought lottery tickets? Shows how you see yourself.

Impulses
Impulses: things you do, not what you say or tell other people or hope or want to do. What you actually do. Do things to feel things, not other way around.

Space alien: what is the room?
Question from space alien: you have rooms I don't understand. This room has a platform at one end, which is dark, and seats in the other, which is lighted. At first, the room is empty. Then some people come in and hide behind the stage. Other people come in and sit in the seats. Lights go down on the seats, lights come up on the platform. The people behind the stage come out and do things. Then they leave. Lights go down on the platform, and come up on the seats. The people sitting get up and leave. Why?

Answer thrashed out in class: room serves a need for people -- people need to feel. Theater and film are communal. Guy breaks up with girlfriend, feels lousy, only one who feels that way. Goes to movie, with other people who feel that way. Pack mentality. It's a ritual -- communal, with rules (usually unspoken). Other rituals: church, Red Sox/Yankees at Fenway Park, commencement, Xmas, wedding, etc.

Other component of ritual -- certain things always done a certain way. (Arguments about Xmas traditions, etc. with SO.) Ritual helps with being remembered -- continue ritual, that part of me won't die.

Assignment: how does room work?
Question for next time (picking up with space alien discussion): how does the action on the platform do its job?

My notes (assignment)
Three roles: June from Joy Luck Club? Daisy from Primary Colors? Abby from ER?

Space alien: requires suspension of disbelief from audience -- forget that actors are pretending. Lights, music, acting.

Technorati: movies, filmmaking, acting, school, film school

Acting for Directors and Writers (FT 706)

2006-01-27T21:58:00.000-05:00

Session: Fall, 2003
Instructor: Peter Kelley
Location: COM 100 / COM 317
Class times: Tuesdays, 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.

Class notes

Tuesday, September 9
Tuesday, September 16
Tuesday, September 23
Tuesday, September 30
Tuesday, October 7
no class October 14
Tuesday, October 21
Tuesday, October 28
no class November 4
Tuesday, November 11
Tuesday, November 18
Tuesday, November 25
Tuesday, December 2
Tuesday, December 9

Technorati: movies, filmmaking, acting, school, film school

FT 540 Lecture: Thursday, June 26

2005-12-20T15:23:00.000-05:00

Quiz
Final. Quiz on screenplays (last 2 wks' reading), essay -- deal with class themes.

Ingmar Bergman
Use of close-up. Theatrical kind of direction. Rooted in character. Stream of consciousness of images. Works psychological puzzles. Films about love, magic, spirit (or their absence).

Film covered in lecture
Fanny and Alexander

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Thursday, June 19

2005-12-20T15:14:00.000-05:00

The musical
The study of the musical is the history of motion pictures, parallels the development of film, also reason for said development. Most self-reflexive form there is -- putting on a show.

Heartbreak central. Betrayal, heartbreak, stupidity, greed. Condemnation of human behavior. Bad marriage between art and business. The funnier, the nastier. Story, themes haven't changed.

Origin of the musical
At one time, over 300 venues for operettas. Cabarets, etc. Light opera, operetta (from Austria) -- romantic musical. Exotic settings (the Rockies, Africa, etc.) Clashing of cultures, male/female. Social observation.

End of WWI, emigration of East European Jews. Add jazz, ragtime, African rhythms, Southern spirituals -- mix of music. 1918-1955 (up to Elvis, British Invasion), American musical never better. Music mix, lots of venues, sheet music, radio, records, big bands. Singer stepped in front (Sinatra) -- became central, lyricas became central, songs rediscovered.

Movie musical -- American.

Physical form
Musical looks at itself. Inside proscenium -- shooting a dance. Taking pictures of play ... so make more complex, bigger arch, bigger sets, moving camera (can do fun things -- overhead shots) -- still play. Busby Berkeley -- choreographer, was with RKO (cheap musicals), Warners, MGM -- had MGM $.

Begin the Beguine
Only 20-odd cuts, camera keeps distance, spectator.

Arthur Freed -- became producer. Was given unit at MGM. Responsible for greatest MGM musicals, talent.

Busby B. moved dancers around in way that made use of film. Arthur Freed opened up soundstage. Inevitably musical taken outside.

On the Town
1940s. Based on Jerome Robbins' Fancy Free (Robbins did not choreograph movie). 3 sailors on shore leave during WWII. 1st time cameras taken outside of theater. Lots of running around city, different settings. Camera still static lot of time, concentrating on dancers. Leonard Bernstein did some of music for "On the Town."

West Side Story
Robbins (choreographer) and Bernstein (composer) - 1960s. Great camera work. Film moves with dance. Rhythmic editing. Camera becomes dancer. Cutaways.

An American in Paris
Impressionist paintings - romantic reverie. Cutting much more active. Everything going on. Dufy, Renoir, Monet, Toulouse-Lautrec, Utrillo.

Techniques
proscenium
dolly-crane
environment
cutting - end one emotional beat, begin another
dolly-crane with movement
personality - cutting within scene

Can develop emotion.

High Society
"Well Did You Evah?" Personality transcends form - can shoot just the same as a dialogue scene.

Pal Joey
1st antihero in musical. "The Lady Is A Tramp". Also like straight drama. Reaction shots, stating theme, etc. Using lyrics like dialogue.

Films covered in lecture
Singin' in the Rain
The Bandwagon
All That Jazz
Chicago

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Tuesday, June 17

2005-12-20T14:53:00.000-05:00

Love stories
Be aware of different aspects of love. Groin (desire) -> heart -> will -> spirit. Most love stories end with heart -- love seen as need (as opposed to desire). Love act of will.

Love as spirit -- Joan of Arc, Wings of Desire. Evanescent (pornography dense). Instinct -> spirit huge movement, rich in dramatic potential.

Four general endings -- happy, nasty, open-ended (mature), conciliation (happy but also mature, accept full individuality of other). Disturbed films generally patriarchal.

Films covered in lecture
Sid and Nancy
The Boys in the Band

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Thursday, June 12

2005-12-09T10:50:00.000-05:00

Comedy
We're now dealing with comedy. The clown is a critical figure with Native Americans -- upset order of things. The Plains Indians had the halico (sp?). Half his body would be decked out in war paint, etc. while the other half would be painted as a woman's would be. Calls values into question. Essence of comedy is response to change -- upsets existing values.

One of principal elements -- phallic character. Looks ridiculous. Most universally recognized. Comedy to love that undercuts passion, warmth -- ridiculous to relationship of sexes. Fine line divides tragedy and comedy. Love transforms perceptions of reality.

Love as commodity. Network -- no connection. Hospital -- impotence speech.

Black comedy -- take values, shove down society's throat. Harsh criticism. Network criticizes popular culture. Television-speak.

Black comedy -- never supposed to identify with anybody, so can see whole picture.

One of great comic devices -- take idea, play it out to its logical conclusion. Absurd. Swift's modest proposal.

Films covered in lecture
Bank Dick
Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Repo Man

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Tuesday, June 10

2005-12-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

Iron Age -- alienated, chaotic, no centrality, no cohesion. Man self-involved, anarchic, anti-social. Form anti-heroic, idiosyncratic, individualistic, much more interesting. Topsy-turvy world.

Rules of game has changed. Older generation struggling -- rely on liquor and sex for gratification.

Films scattered, reflect lives of protagonists. Not connected (reflected in pace, rhythm).

No one takes responsibility for actions. No moral, ethical center. Ideology of the moment. Observer has replaced hero. Character actor is now "hero".

Network, Hospital at bookstore.

Black comedy
Black comedy has no heroes. About nothing but instant gratification. Extraordinary characters -- Shrub, Colin Powell. Character or characters only concerned with self-fulfillment. Ultimately greed leads to death.

Irony -- saying the one thing you don't mean. Takes idea, plays it out to inevitable conclusion. Removes cause/effect from minds. "Friendly fire," "body count," "collateral damage". Language the culprit -- shield between emotion and self.

Films covered in lecture
Blow-Up
The Servant
Accident

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Thursday, June 5

2005-12-06T16:25:00.000-05:00

Environment
Treat environment as another character. Reflects theme, internal state of characters -- not just a backgrop. Examples: desert in Lawrence of Arabia, clouds and ice in Nevsky. In those two screenplays, the environment inspires a heroic response, which is not the case with the boat and London slum settings of Pandora's Box.

In the Bronze Age, the environment is indifferent, threatening, and not necessarily part of the status quo. Distance, suffering of hero and others. Breaking down of authority. In Prick Up Your Ears, contrast between Orton's room and his success. In Malcolm X, the street changes ... it's a place for fun, somewhere to hustle, something to escape from, somewhere to preach, somewhere to revolt, somewhere to change. Now the environment is called into question, pushes over hero.

Films covered in lecture
Rear Window
The Year of Living Dangerously

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Tuesday, June 3

2005-12-06T16:12:00.000-05:00

Next quiz - Tuesday, June 17
Will cover plays from Wages of Fear to Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Thursday, the 28th, will cover modern love stories and two masterpieces.

Bronze Age
Society is rigid, doctrinaire. Individual is a cog in machine that is no longer valued. Identity is questioned. The cinematic form is faced with cliches, stereotypes that don't function. Cinema questions all forms (number of acts, iconography, symbols, etc.) Heroes aren't going to have a very good time. Haven't hit the nadir yet (that's the Lead Age).

Films covered in lecture
Grand Illusion
The Third Man
The Wages of Fear
A Question of Attribution

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Thursday, May 29

2005-11-29T15:38:00.000-05:00

Quiz on Tuesday, June 3
Will cover plays from Paradise Lost to Mildred Pierce. Study themes/characters for each work, who wrote, what source.

Films covered in lecture
Pandora's Box
The Blue Angel
Mildred Pierce

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Tuesday, May 27

2005-11-29T15:21:00.000-05:00

Formal elements of drama
A. A combination of:
-- character
-- theme
-- narrative line
-- poetic correspondence (levels of meaning). Environment projects emotional state, etc.

When adapting, consider character and theme first -- narrative will arise out of that.

B. which utilizes:
-- psychological impact
-- narrative rhythm
-- theatrical suspense & curiosity
-- thematic tension
-- personal tone

C. in order to:
-- excite the reader, viewer
-- lift his consciousness from self to others (personally, socially, cosmically)
-- expand his worldview
-- heal social/personal/societal/trauma
-- identify the world of the reader/viewer in space and time

Question: on how many of the above-mentioned levels does the film/screenplay operate for you? The more the levels, the richer the film.

Alexander Nevsky
Real Method acting -- what is in me to bring out character (instead of other way around). Large scale. Big clouds, sky, troops. Musical cutting.

Dramatic structure
1) exposition. Introduction of character/themes/narrative/dramatic style through conflict involving those elements. Can do anything the first 20 minutes as long as it's consistent (as opposed to "it was all a dream").
2) character determines direction of event. Define characters by how they act, react to each other.
3) environment is also treated as a character.

# of acts in screenplay determined by points of no return -- shifts in character/motive/theme.

Films covered in lecture
Lawrence of Arabia
Stagecoach

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Lecture: Thursday, May 22

2005-11-23T21:35:00.000-05:00

Divination, Vico, and Formal Principles of the Screenplay

From Cosmic Identity to the Stirrings of National Identity (The Golden Age)

Introduction
Will be getting screenplays every week -- bring them back to next class or won't get next batch of screenplays
Will be expected to know source/screenwriter for each screenplay

The origin of drama/storytelling
The origin of drama is divinatory and salutary. It all started with divination. You might go to a diviner with a problem (can't give birth, can't find mate), and diviner will give instructions based on a story of someone with that same problem (ala Snail and giving birth). If Snail followed instructions, made proper sacrifices, etc. she achieved her goal -- if not, she didn't.

The dramatic event
propritiation, sacrifice -- outcome
involves world of gods, goddesses, ideas
humankind -- nature

The diviner contains the history of the tribe ... defines who they are.

Divination --> sacred rites, which are in essence elaborate divination rituals. Gods appear not through divination, but through performance.

The purpose of drama, according to Aristotle: catharsis, healing yourself.

Dramatic engine

Conflict (cosmic, mythic, tribal, national, natural, personal) leads to resolution (or synthesis) and to new identity, new myth, new archetype, new circle.
Back to top

The Victorian model related to screenplay and the cinema

Model based on that of Vico's theory on the cycle of civilization, moving from golden to silver to bronze to lead -- becoming more rigid and dense until ripe for revolution.

Four aspects to be looked at for each age: nature (environment -- weather, color, setting, etc. not just physical), society, man, and cinematic form.

The Golden Age
Nature: enormous, a friend to man
Society: mythic, archetypal
Man: heroic
Cinematic Form: mythic, heroic, poetic
Examples: Ivan the Terrible I & II, Lawrence of Arabia

The Silver Age
Nature: bold, to be tamed by man (man equal to nature)
Society: hierarchical, seeming "Eternal"
Man: a child of the social hive
Cinematic Form: epic, solid, formulaic
Examples: Stagecoach, The Seventh Seal

The Bronze Age
Nature: indifferent to man, sinister
Society: hostile to the individual, indifferent
Man: alienated from society, questioning all life
Cinematic Form: subjective, less formal
Examples: Wages of Fear, Malcolm X, Question of Attribution

The Lead Age
Nature: chaotic, alienated from man (global warming, hurricanes, tornadoes in unlikely places)
Society: fractional, sinister, feudal
Man: anarchic, self-involved, anti-social
Cinematic Form: experimental, anti-formulaic, anti-epic, anti-hemic
Examples: Do the Right Thing, Blow-Up, The Servant

Archetypes become stereotypes, which become cliches, which become laughable.

Lead Age, the most rigid, paradoxically results in experimental work that can result in new archetypes forming and a new golden age, and so on and so forth.

Definition of archetypes

Classic definition: 1) first moulded as model; 2) original pattern or model from which copies are made.

Jung's definition: primordial mental concept inherited by all from the collective unconscious. (New Shorter OED)

Geller's use of word: the original idea or model from which a nation, society, tribe or individual defines itself to itself and to others.

Archetype can arise from collective unconscious, or can be shoved down people's throats and become part of collective unconscious (media using terms like "collateral damage", "preemptive strike" and "body count"). Frog on radiator story.

Golden Age: from cosmic to national identity

These stories involve the whole tribe.

A. Story

Archetypal myth and levels of involvement
cosmic
tribal
historical
personal (character)
forms
narrative drama (preparation, conflict, resolution)
narrative poem (preparation, conflict, resolution)
epic film (preparation, conflict, resolution)
dramatic engine - conflict of identity
cosmic
tribal
historical
personal

B. Scale

dramatic terms within all forms
theme
character
narrative arts
dramatic language (verbal, physical)
audiovisual design of film
inquadrature (framing)
rhythm of cutting
musical language
archetypal model of dramatic art

1. anti-entropic (anti-death) 2. extremely ordered 3. dualistic - us vs. them (barbarians, outsiders) 4. conservative. must retain primacy 5. threatened by madness, revolution, bad witches, the other 6. existing order will survive 7. narrative structure - defined, attacked, survives

Everything outside ourselves is evil. A paranoid, schizophrenic model.

To read a screenplay well, read for:

The use of archetype (characterization)
the journey: narrative, theme
poetic correspondence
dramatic cinematic language

Concentrate on story & character, language of film.

Physical form of the screenplay
1. scene heading (sometimes numbered, for production sheet) / location
2. time of day
3. character (description, dialogue)
4. action
5. line readings (parentheticals)
6. camera and sound directions
7. transitions (type of cut, fade, or dissolve)

Studio system: scenario --> treatment --> structural script --> script with dialogue --> shooting script (then and only then does director get it) --> editing script

Intolerance - D.W. Griffith
Choice of shots: master shot/establishing shot, medium/long shot, close-up, extreme close-up, iris/transitions

Theatrical techniques: lighting, grouping of crowds (photo)

Parallel stories: cross-cutting in scene, between scenes.

Each story has its own language.

Technorati: film school

FT 540 Reading: Fanny and Alexander

2005-10-25T15:50:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Ingmar Bergman
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0083922

Synopsis
Prologue in literary form -- talks about town (world unto itself), discusses Ekhdahls, theater. Implication that Alexander not Oscar's son. Alexander opens door between two apartments, explores (shows viewer his world). Naked white lady beckons to him. Sits on throne. Background on Isak.

Play (tradition) about birth of Christ. Ending shown. Celebration afterwards of theater folk. Gustav brings food, punch from restaurant. Carl's wife finds Carl with other men, says they'll be late, he snaps at her. Oscar make speech -- fond of little world, people who work in it. Reflects big world, gives escape. "Our theater is a small room of orderliness, routine, conscientiousness, and love." Everyone toasts.

Christmas preparations at house. In film, Helena waits, sad -- Isak arrives, they kiss. Family walks through blizzard, in high spirits, as she and Isak watch. People come in, exchange kisses and greetings. Carl and Lydia, arguing, are late.

Dinner eaten -- lots of singing, food, conversation. Gustav notices Maj. Vega, Ester uncomfortable about servants sitting with gentry. Carl, kids go off -- candles, gas.

Dancing in single file. Shows house, Gustav making suggestion to Maj, Oscar not feeling well. In screenplay, Oscar enters family events in Bible; in film, reads from Bible.

Kids, Maj have pillow fight. One pillow bursts. Maj ends up on top of Alexander. Emilie, Alma come in to calm things down, send Maj off (Emilie slaps her). Kids say prayers, settle in.

Lydia sings to piano -- song of love to Carl, who has mixed emotions.

Maj bursts into bedroom, shows Alexander Xmas present (dress). He's jealous when she says she's having a visitor.

Adults turn in.

Alexander lights magic lantern. As Fanny, then Jenny watches, Alexander tells story about slide (the poor Arabella -- mom dead, father carousing). Jenny screams, Alexander blows out lamp. Emilie comes in, shushes them, sends Oscar in. Most valuable chair in the world (even though looks ordinary) -- "you can't go by appearances." Oscar plays villain, kids giggle, he pretends to attack chair, Fanny says don't. Oscar's pleased she played along. Emilie enters -- supposed to be up in 2 hours. Kids -- be in Hamlet? Emilie eventually agrees. Alexander recites from Macbeth ("sound and fury" speech).

Helena, Isak sit and chat. He keeps falling asleep. Helena -- just wanted to cry. Oscar looked poorly. Carl asked for loan. Carl, Gustav oversexed, Oscar got nothing. Oscar and Emelie have happy marriage in spite of everything. Isak -- everything getting worse. Helena -- remembers Oscar catching them kissing. Helena: "The happy, splendid life is over, and the horrible, dirty life is engulfing us." Isak consoles, she gathers herself together, they kiss, Ester interrupts.

Guster visits Maj, promises coffee shop. They have sex, bed collapses. She says he's silly to think she wants things, he's offended. "I don't like being laughed at."

Carl, Lydia. He feels ill, depressed about debt, berates her constantly. "If you weren't so upset and anxious, you wouldn't be so cruel." "Nothing but compulsion." Carl -- calls himself shit and rotter for how he treats her, gets mad when she acts "servile". "I can't stand your love any longer." She puts up with mediocrity, but he won't.

Gustav comes down from Maj's room. Petra says good morning, is cool. Alma sends her to make breakfast, tells Gustav to get ready. He touches her breast, kisses -- they close door, end up falling on bed, making love.

Early morning coffee in silence, then sleighs make for the church.

Hamlet rehearsal. Hamlet, Ghost scene. Oscar plays Ghost, needs some prompting. Can't get up -- having stroke.

Things hushed at house. Fanny and Alexander take refuge with Vega and Ester. 2 women, 2 monologues. Amanda gets Fanny, Alexander. Go to Emilie's workroom, Oscar dying. "Nothing, nothing separates me from you all, not now, and not later." Looks at children one by one. Alexander terrified. Oscar's wishes -- Emelie to take charge of theater, simple funeral.

Fanny, Alexander comforted by relatives. See coffin. Kids share bed. Waken by sobbing -- it's Emelie.

Oscar's funeral ends up being grand event -- funeral march, students' tribute. During funeral, Alexander mutters curse words to himself. Emilie listens to bishop at funeral dinner. Fanny, Alexander retire to nursery, hear someone playing spinet. It's Oscar.

One year after husband's death. Twelfth Night -- last performance. Applause. Afterwards, meeting with Emilie. Emilie longs to get away from theater. "So we pass our lives in a wonderful self-deception."

Alexander comes home from school, summoned by Emilie. He goes to library, bishop (Edvard) is there. Emilie has turned to Edvard with worries. Bishop questions Alexander about lies (story that Alexander was to be sold to circus). Bishop slowly but relentless in questioning. Makes Alexander ask forgiveness. Bishop: "Imagination is something splendid, a mighty force, a gift from God." Emilie asks girls to come in, starts talking. Alexander sees Oscar. Bishop prays for God to take care of their little family. Alexander curses to himself.

Bishop gives tour of palace, which is cold and harsh. "Let us be grateful that we are allowed to live in an atmosphere of purity and austerity." Introduces mother, sister, aunt, cook (ratlike), helpers. Bishop and Emilie -- mentions first wife, 2 daughters that died. Bishop's wish: "I want you to leave your former life entirely." She agrees for herself, must ask children. "My life has been empty and superficial, thoughtless and comfortable. I have always longed for the life you lead." "Through you I shall learn to know God's being."

Wedding. Alexander ill, sees Oscar. Simple dark dresses, etc. Sober. Afterwards, Ekdahls hug, kiss, cry. New family walks to palace. Others wonder if it's a good thing. Helena: "I think we'll have Emilie back. Quite soon."

First supper, a gloomy affair. Children don't eat. Henrietta, bishop's sister, upbraids them -- in future no one will be able to leave without eating everything. Emilie protests, defends children: "I am the one to tell my children what to do." Henrietta: "It is not easy to realize that one has become superfluous." Henrietta -- morning prayer, make beds. "In this house punctuality, cleanliness, and order are the rule." Blenda (mother) -- will be like a game. Bishop says grace, Alexander swears, bishop reprimands.

Children taken to bed -- sparse furnishings, Biblical pictures. Alexander refuses to kiss Emilie and bishop. Bishop: "Love cannot be commanded, but we can show one another respect and consideration." He withdraws. Children complain, say maybe house is haunted. Emilie -- must give it time. She kisses daughters, Alexander rebuffs. "Don't act Hamlet, my son. I am not Queen Gertrude, your kind stepfather is not king of Denmark, and this is not Elsinore Castle, even if it does look gloomy." She leaves. Alexander, Fanny go into Amanda's bed, they fall asleep.

Ekdahl families, except Emilie and children, at summer house. Helena dozing alone. Isak calls, she wakes, tells him everyone else on boat excursion. She has foot in plaster. Asks Isak to do a little spying. "There's something wrong, Isak. I feel ill when I think of that great gloomy house with its thick walls." Maj comes -- didn't go on boat because of Lydia. She's worried about children -- wrote seven letters, only one terse postcard in response. Also Gustav has been pestering her. She cries, leaves.

Raining and thundering in town. Children and their room. Justine unlocks door, brings in gruel, coarse dark bread, jam tarts (last of which is forbidden). Children want Mama to come back. Justine: "She [Tauder, the cook] says it was the same in the first wife's day. Only worse." She talks about the poor children (daughters) -- arms had to be sawn off, because the three were frozen together. "... this house does funny things to you." Alexander says he's seen the daughters, and says that first wife had told him they were locked in, tried to escape, daughters fell, she tried to rescue them. Justine upset by story, goes out and locks door.

Alexander quotes Isak, Amanda says she doesn't understand what he's saying. Alexander tells Fanny about seeing the bishop and Emilie in bed. All three huddle together. "If a big know-all like God almighty punishes a skinny runt like Alexander for so little, then he's just the dirty bastard I suspect he is." They hear bishop playing his flute. "Die, you bastard."

Justine knocks on bishop's door, asks about supper. Had been told to listen, report children's talk, tells Alexander's story. He's enraged, dismisses her.

Helena melancholy. Talks to Oscar -- Oscar Sr. used to say she was sentimental. "For that matter everything is acting. Some parts are nice, others not so nice." After Oscar died, reality broken. Oscar looks ill -- worried.

Helena awoken when Eva, neighbor girl, comes in and asks after Fanny and Alexander. "Can't you tell them to come?" She leaves. Emilie visits -- children not well.

Alexander's trial. He said, she said. Other children back him up. Amanda reveals Justine told them about arms sawn off. Bishop has Alexander swear on Bible. Bishop -- happy here? "As happy as a snake in an anthill. Though worse." Talk about lies, Alexander's inability to distinguish them from truth.. Bishop -- don't hate you, love you, but it's a strong, harsh love. Punishment -- cane, castor oil, or bogey hole. "The punishment is to teach you a love of truth." Alexander confesses, chooses cane. Bishop -- ask forgiveness. Alexander resists at first, but bishop makes to cane him again. Alexander begs forgivenes, sent to sleep in attic.

Emilie, Helena talk. Children punished for slightest misdemeanor. "I don't know how a man can live with so much hate." Felt had been living a lie. Must go -- afraid something's happened, Alexander foolhardy. Emilie pregnant, has asked for divorce. Bishop -- unthinkable in his position, she would lose children on grounds of desertion.

Alexander in attic sleeps, wakes. Sees Pauline, hears Esmeralda. Pauline says they drowned skating, not escaping. She whispers in his ear, he screams. Emilie unlocks door, rushes in, holds him, goes out of attic, holds Fanny and Amanda too.

Helena sorting photos. People back from boat excursion. Helena, Gustav, Alma talk about Maj. He says he's not a dictator -- he and Alma both kind of Maj, he will give her firm ground to stand on. Gustav, Alma leave. Carl, Lydia coming to pay evening call. They argue -- Lydia says she won't say anything, he berates her, says must make it clear he's considering suicide. She cries, trips, he tugs at her, falls. She helps him up. They disappear.

Jenny brings wild strawberries to Helena.

Emilie, children together in children's room. Bisho comes in, acts nice. Alexander doesn't wish him good night.

Bishop reads church magazine. She sits. He talks, she doesn't answer. "In fact I am the one to reproach you." She confronts him. He says she'll be confined. "You have been living in an artificial world, entangled in artificial feelings. I must teach you and your children to live in reality. It is not my fault that reality is a hell." She curses him, their child.

Isak pays call, met by bishop's sister, who wants to turn him away. Isak -- bishop wanted to borrow money, offered to sell chest and cupboard. Isak had refused, but has changed his mind. When sister goes to get bishop, Isak finds children -- will come and get in a few minutes.

Bishop comes -- Isak shows contract, gives him money. Bishop goes, Isak tells men to come up, sister goes. Isak fetches children, puts them in chest. Bishop returns with signed contract. Men start to take out cupboard. Bishop -- you thought you could trick me. Opens chest -- it's empty. Cupboard -- empty. "That swine is trying to steal my children." Bishop tears open nursery door -- children huddled on floor. Emilie: "If you touch them, I will kill you." Chest carried out.

Isak's home. Children climb out of chest. Aron brings broth, all eat. Isak - bishop can't get them back, uncles will negotiate. Ismael has already eaten -- door must always be kept shut.

Children taken to bed. Pass puppet theater. Isak sits with them for a spell. Alexander: "We stick together. All three." Isak reads story from Hebrew. Every man bears within him hopes, fears, longings, on uncertain pilgrimage. Accumulate, transform into cloud.

Carl, Gustav try to negotiate with bishop. He wants children back, they want Emilie and children released, prepared to pay. Bishop -- divorce out of question. Gustva threatens to spread rumors, calls him contemptible blackguard. Carl tries to keep things going, bishop considers negotiations broken off, gives ultimatum (return children or will report to police). Gustav -- I've bought your promissory notes. Bishop -- some of us indifferent to money, besmirching, conscience clear before God. Goes, brings back Emilie, who pleads to bring children back.

Alexander wakes, needs to pee. Goes to look for privy. Sees Isak, Aron asleep. Alexander pees on tree, gets lost. Sees Oscar - terrible to watch them being tormented. Alexander -- why can't you go to God and tell him to kill the bishop? Oscar -- must be gentle with people. Alexander: "People are absurd and I dislike them."

Emilie sits, with broth (to help with insomnia). Tells Bishop aunt is dying. He asks for some broth, sips. They talk about situation. "I don't care about what is hopeless or not. I care only for what is right." Elsa (aunt) calls, he goes, moves lamp to bed.

Emilie on bed. Bishop drinks last of broth. "I had no idea that anyone was capable of hating me."

Alexander. God's voice behind door -- only wants to prove I exist. "God is the world and the world is God. That's all there is to it." God comes out -- gigantic figure. It falls to floor. Aron jumps down in front of Alexander, laughs. Brief scuffle. Aron takes Alexander to see mummy (which shines in dark, like Oscar's chair). "Anything unintelligble makes people angry." "Uncle Isak says we are surrounded by realities, one outside the other."

Emilie, bishop -- she gave him sleeping pills. "I am going back to my children, to the theater, to my house, and my family."

Aron opens door to Ismael's room, brings breakfast. Ismael -- leave us alone for 1/2 hour. Considered dangerous, locked in -- has "awkward talents." Ismael: "You have in mind a man's death." Alexander's evil thoughts -- burning figure.

Police superintendent relates circumstance of bishop's death to Emilie. In film, Alexander overhears in background.

Theater rehearsal -- not going great, it's piffle. Emilie, children there -- actors happy they're back.

Winter. Emilie and Maj give birth to daughters. Double christening in early summer. Spirits high. Gustav talks. "Our little world has closed round us in security, wisdom, and order after a time of horror and confusion ... We Ekdahls like our subterfuges ... It is you [actors] who are to give us our supernatural shudders and still more our mundane amusements."

Emilie warns Rosa, nursemaid, about Gustav.

Emilie goes to say good night to children -- Alexander pretends to be dying -- they're rehearsing play.

Emlie bids good night to Gustav and Alma -- friendly bickering.

Petra, Maj come to Emilie -- want to help with milliner's shop. Emlie goes to talk to Helena (they agree about shop), theater (don't worry about Gustav, it's your theater), Strindberg play. In film, Alexander eavesdrops, is kicked by bishop -- you'll never escape me.

In film, Fanny settles in with play. Alexander lies in lap. Fanny reads quote from Dream Play.

My notes
-- importance of environment -- huge change when Emilie and kids move to bishop's
-- Alexander a dreamer -- fantasy, reality
-- lot of characters introduced -- exposition handled extremely well through action, argument
-- lots of notes on characters, environment

FT 540 notes (from 06/26/03)
-- most accessible of Bergman's films. Has all the themes he writes about, comes to a conclusion.
-- 5 hr. TV series, released in shorter versions.
-- pay attention to art as theme, imagination as theme, love as theme
-- tied to specific place and time, but has universal appeal. Exist out of times, don't date themselves.
-- Isak, Aron, Ishmael magicians
-- Aron -- reality within reality
-- characters well delineated
-- making of an artist
-- ends with Helena reading quote from Strindberg's "Dream Play" as Alexander lies, head in her lap

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Edge of Darkness

2005-10-13T14:58:00.001-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Troy Kennedy Martin
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0090424

Synopsis
IIF freight train -- passes sign for radioactivity.

Meeting at British Legion Hall. 2 cops watching outside. Raining. Shots of them spotting lurker intercut with shots of conference inside of Godbolt, Craven, Ross. Godbolt wins delay of inquiry into election fraud. Lurker disappears.

Craven at home. TV news -- possible miners' strike. Pope warning of nuclear war. Jones to Craven -- more exposition. Craven picking up Emma. Craven leaves, someone calls, gets machine, long silence before hang-up.

Craven goes to teachers' training college. Politician discusses siege mentality, threat of nuclear strike.

Craven picks up Emma. "The whole world's falling about your ears and you don't even care." She mentions she's got someone he wouldn't like.

Arrive at house. Gunman. Emma runs between, hit by both barrels.

Manhunt. Craven insists on no men being left at house. Takes out shotgun, loads it. Flash to -- funeral, young Emma, hospital corridor.

Craven goes to Emma's room. Pokes through drawers. Finds box marked Gaia with rocks, maps, stones, Geiger counter. Finds gun in drawer.

Pendleton (Whitehall) calls West Riding police -- taking interest.

Godbolt, chief constable Ross -- Craven given spot of leave. Inquiry on hold.

Craven at HQ. Jones printing out people Craven had put away. Craven not sure it's relevant.

Craven goes to mortuary, IDs Emma. Snips hair. Interior dialogue.

Craven goes to college, takes things from locker.

Craven, Emma voiceover instructs him on laundry. Craven finds radiation badge in bag of clothes. burns overalls, rope, trainers, badge. Tests hair with Geiger counter, it's radioactive.

Craven tells Ross he'll go to London -- gets address of Terry Shields, latest boyfriend (left-wing agitator).

Craven drives, "talks" to Emma. Exposition -- wife being treated for breast cancer.

Police HQ. Officers listen to Craven's statement. "Don't tell" her last words.

Craven pulled over, cries.

Craven arrives London -- associates it with cancer. Tells Dingle not part of investigation, not giving interviews.

TV on, Thatcher arguing about Trident (nuclear sub). "The nuclear deterrent is there to deter war -- and it has." Pendleton calls, Craven goes to meet him in car. Craven's car, phone bugged. Pendleton: "She was some sort of terrorist, wasn't she?" Question -- after her or after Craven? Pendleton mentions file on Emma. His interest -- safety of the realm.

Ross calls Craven -- getaway car found, with Lowe's prints -- 5th on list of Craven's arrests. Sending Jones to make arrest.

Craven leaves, tailed by plain-clothes cop. Craven loses him in tube station.

Craven takes gun to Carlisle, wants prints, excluding Emma's. Asks Carlisle about Pendleton -- latter had wanted gun tested for radioactivity. Meanwhile, Craven looks up Shields on computer -- no access to record (informer?).

Craven goes to Shields' house. Asks if Emma was coming there -- Shields says they talked about it. Shields jibes. He's part of Socialist Advance. Emma committed to Gaia, Shields not forthcoming with details. Craven -- "Don't tell" or "Don't! Tel!"? Craven glimpses nightie on bed, van down street. Shields gives him Emma's things, writes "Azure" on mirror (room bugged). Gives Craven obit he wrote.

Craven, Emma voiceover -- Shields a bastard.

Craven explains police intelligence terms, including R2. Emma -- Gaia stuff there.

Craven, Pendleton meet. Pendleton takes him to Harcourt, who questions Craven about Gaia, mentions break-in at Northmoor led by Emma. Everyone connected with raid vanished or dead. Produces gun Craven found in Emma's room. Craven: "You want me to help you, but you won't tell me what all this is about." Harcourt's deal -- will return gun without comment and won't hinder Craven's inquiry if he helps them. Harcout plays tape of Godbolt, who has a close relationship with Northmoor folks.

Craven at Scotland Yard. Calls Carlisle, who says they were on to him before Craven left.

Dingle -- where the hell was Craven? Elham -- wants Craven there when Lowe is nabbed. TV interview.

Craven at BBC. Discusses incident. Watches himself on TVs in store.

Craven gets call -- Jedburgh. Goes to Tiberio. Meets Kelly and Merryweather (there for the ride). Mike from Austin, home of country music. Waylon Jennings. Jedburgh, Craven sing "The Time of the Preacher." Preacher = gun. "And just when you think it is all over, it is only begun."

Jedburgh drives Craven to his apartment. "I really believe that God is a golfer." Jedburgh confirms that he works for the CIA. He tells Craven Emma's file is in living room in desk.

Craven reads report. Marsh inquiry, Northmoor -- sold to IIF, Gaia mission.

Flash to scene with Emma -- she says Marsh dead, had ID'd Northmoor as contamination source. She says only way to find out for sure is to go down there, Craven says not to. "It's the most dangerous business in Britain."

Craven reads -- CIA makes priority to find out plutonium source, purpose. Craven reads Emma's bio -- mentions team was trapped, Shields suspected informer. Mentions Craven may have known, why didn't stop? White House calls, Craven takes message.

Craven back in room. Reads Shields' obit. "Comrade." Emma: "Poor old Dad."

Shots of Lowe waking up, mouthwash, etc. with police closing in, Jones trying to locate Craven, who returns report to Jedburgh. "Your daughter was a terrorist, Craven. You might as well get used to it." Craven defends her.

Neighbor sees detectives. Her cry alerts Lowe. Police storm his flat.

Jedburgh, Craven drive. Jedburgh tells hima bout Gaia -- dangerous, put trees and flowers before people.

Craven, Jedburgh arrive --- Lowe jumped from 6 floors up. Hospital -- Craven reminded of Ann and her operation (voiceover). Voiceover -- remembering interrogation of Lowe -- soft approach. Shared Lowe's torment back then (travail with Ann). Craven again interrogating Lowe.

Restaurant -- Jedburgh meets Harcourt and Pendleton. Talk about Intelligence budget cuts (Harcourt -- funding through other agencies), Lowe (dropped off 6th floor), Craven (read report, still defends daughter), Grogan (going to buy IIF). Jedburgh: "Trouble, right here in River City." ("Music Man" allusion)

Grogan, Bennett as former arrives. In few more days, can get into the chamber.

Craven gets name from Lowe -- McCroon, another guy Craven had put away. Craven thinks McCroon was paid, but Ross discounts. Craven to Elham: "You've just killed the chief witness." Police drive away from hospital. Craven gets out of car, walks. Conversation with Emma -- what the hell was she up to? He buckles. "You've got to be strong -- like a tree -- don't break ..." Craven -- who let you in there? She disappears.

Craven back at hotel. Shields there, they talk. Shields confirms is informer. He had told police Emma thought there was a hot cell down in Northmoor.

Craven calls Ross -- should sort out alternatives. Ross -- McCroon print matches that on gun, wants Craven to go back with him. Craven -- wants to stay on couple more days. Ross reluctantly agrees.

Craven visits Mac, former cop, in nursing home. Mac injured in Northern Ireland. Craven tells him about Emma -- wants to get into Registry. "I can't just sit back and watch them making all the wrong moves."

Craven goes back to hotel, Jedburgh's there watching Godbolt and clergymen debate on TV. Godbolt about Emma: "It's just that mistakes sometimes happen." History can't make mistakes. Jedburgh -- Godbolt trying to tell Craven something. Craven tells Jedburgh about hot cell, mentions Shields. Jedburgh gives envelope from Harcourt, says Craven is to meet Harcourt at 10:00 at Commons.

Pendleton, Jedburgh go to Shields' home. Operator in van shot. Shields electrocuted in bath.

Outside House of Commons. Grogan, Bennett are interviewed by reporters about IIF bid. Jedburgh smiles at Grogan, salutes him.

Craven at House of Commons. Meets Clementine, friend of Jedburgh's. Pendleton arrives, little verbal jabs at Clementine, she goes off. Pendleton introduces Polly -- member, Shadow Energy Spokesman. Polly -- they're brought in to muddy water. Craven watches Bennett, Grogan. Bennett, Craven stare at each other. Rumor Craven's there to give evidence. Pendleton, Harcourt pleased.

Craven -- brought here to upset Bennett? Harcourt -- wants Craven as witness -- cover for real sources. Craven refuses.

Committee inquiry opens, starting with Bennett.

Grogan goes to car. Jedburgh gets in too. They talk. Jedburgh warns Grogan he's stirring up the natives.

Craven leaves with Clementine. Jedburgh says for her to look after him, drives off.

Inquiry. Bennett gives company philosophy -- storage of low-grade waste. Has full support of government agencies, generous grants.

Craven, Clementine chat about Jedburgh, who helped found Gaia.

Craven writes report for Ross. Jedburgh calls, going back to DC.

Emma's funeral. In sleeping car with young Emma.

Ross reads Craven's report -- will stay in his safe until Craven comes to his senses. Craven wants warrant for Northmoor, but it's out of the question. Deal -- if Craven sees doctor, Ross will take watch off house. McCroon won't come as long as it's there.

Craven cuts lawn. McCroon watches.

Shots of Craven writing checks, etc. intercut with shots of McCroon approaching house, flashbacks of Emma getting shot. Craven aims shotgun but lowers it.

McCroon in doorway -- former informer, abandoned. Craven -- who gave you gun, car, location? McCroon won't give name -- shot.

Craven at psychiatric hospital, talks to doctor. Emma no longer talks to him. He got angry -- she had allowed herself to be abused. Ross -- got McCroon before he got you. Craven -- was drawing name out of him. Ross -- closing the case.

Corpse in reservoir found -- radioactive.

Hospital. Doctor asks Craven about Ireland. McCroon one of informers -- dependency. After Craven left, informers let go. Out of Craven's hands.

Craven goes back to house. Sees flowers, spring where Emma died. Sees Emma, hears her singing about ratatouille. Goes to cookbook, finds list of stations in tube.

Craven drives to London. Newscaster voiceover about Grogan. Craven to Emma -- going to go in.

Jedburgh returns, back from Salvador. Craven there. Talk about his founding Gaia -- to stop Brits manufacturing plutonium (Carter wanted to stop spread of nukes). Then Cold War started, Jedburgh ordered to dismantle Gaia, but it went underground. Craven shows him list of tubes. Jedburgh -- find proper route, I'll go with you.

Harcourt gives report to Chilwell (inquiry chairman) -- call Craven. He's skipped hospital.

Craven, Toby Berwick, wife at computer room. They access info about Gaia, Northmoor, Emma. Intercut with shots of Harcourt, Pendleton watching break-in.

Cops locate terminal. Shots of them, Craven reading about Northmoor Security. Others run, Craven grabs map as it prints out and runs.

Harcourt, Pendleton -- need to get someone into plant. Craven obvious choice.

Craven escapes into theater. Clementine's there. They watch play (Toby had given Craven tickets). They go back to hotel -- he's under her protective custody.

Pendleton calls -- they know about break-in. Craven's again asked to be witness. "You don't say 'no' to the Commons, Craven, or they lock you up."

Craven can't sleep. He shuts fridge door that was open, sound wakes Clementine. He kisses her.

House of Commons. Bennett confronts Harcourt about Craven. Childs -- pathologist's report will mention radiation, but not source. Godbolt there too.

Inquiry examines pathologist. IDs corpse as having being exposed to criticality accident.

Craven waiting, Godbolt enters. "Lot of people down here got Northmoor in their sights." "I'm one of them." Craven has found out a lot. Godbolt tells him how he got involved -- Ministry of Defense needed miners to maintain storage facilities. MoD leased Northmoor to Bennett. "He needed me. He knew he'd never get another leader so compromised."

Jedburgh meets white House folk at softball game, given message: "Get into the ballpark and steal the ball."

More talk between Craven, Godbolt. Craven asks about TV show -- Emma killed by mistake. People who hired McCroon thought Craven had led Gaia team down. Pendleton -- inquiry ready for Godbolt. Godbolt reveals he led team down, leaves. Harcourt -- won't let Craven speak, psychiatric report could undermine testimony. Something better for him to do.

Craven, Jedburgh -- made up mind about trip? Pendleton calls Craven -- if Jedburgh gets out of hand, shoot him.

Godbolt shows Jedburgh old map of mine.

Jedburgh, Craven look at Emma's stream.

Grogan, Bennett. Grogan got call from DC warning of break-in.

Shots of Landrover, preparations for intruders (lay gas, flood levels -- danger of exposing flasks), three men approaching.

Harcourt to chairman -- keep Bennett on stand as long as possible. Harcourt, Pendleton, Grogan, Bennett. Grogan asks after Jedburgh, Craven -- they know about break-in.

Shots of three men going down, shots of Bennett being questions about Gaia raid. Informed MoD, since plutonium was their property.

Three men walk. Emma went through all that, never said a word. Jedburgh: "It's our capacity for deception that distinguishes us from the animals."

Various tunnels being flooded.

Guards find van, gas mask.

Jedburgh, Craven descend. Godbolt turns back.

Committee. Bennett thinks they're winning.

Craven, Jedburgh in Northmoor. Craven coughs (gas), Jedburgh pushes mask on his face. They hear rumble of water -- turns out that it floods level above them. Northmoor ops -- need everything you've got.

Craven, Jedburgh find chamber. Claret, Mozart. Jedburgh cooks, they eat. Place built in 1962. Jedburgh: "This is the Doomsday equivalent of Harrods."

Harcourt questioned by committee. What attracted his attention to IIF? What Fusion Corp. wanted with IIF -- ability to manufacture plutonium, illegally.

Craven, Jedburgh. Jedburgh's orders? Steal plutonium. Craven angry. They start to leave. What counts is that Grogan won't get plutonium.

Harcourt, more questioning. Marsh Report discredited, no prima facie evidence -- can't act on it. Pendleton's note -- they're in.

Jedburgh, Craven find dead bodies, hot cell. Jedburgh shoots camera. Northmoor op -- can survive 20 min. at the outside.

Jedburgh takes plutonium. Craven stands watch, lines up drums for barricade. Guards come. Gunfire. Jedburgh gets last of plutonium, he and Craven head for lifts. Craven unblocks door. Northmoor ops -- can't cut power because of backup system.

Craven, Jedburgh in lift. Jedburgh tells craven to get out, make run for it. He cocks gun. "You're the detective, find me."

Craven runs, is pursued. Exits covered by guards. Tries phones. Duty officer finally finds ringing phone. "Get me Pendleton!"

Craven sick from radiation poisoning. Tells Pendleton what happened.

Emma gives Craven black flower. Didn't tell him because he was on their side.

CIA officials inspect shootout scene. Jedburgh killed 4 CIA men, got away with plutonium.

Jedburgh in Scotland, golfs. Returns to guest house -- landlady complains he had left sandwich. Calls Kilmichael (to kill him).

Craven sneaks out of hospital. Clementine meets him, gives him clothes, he disappears. She calls Harcourt. Craven will get plutonium back, wants guarantee won't be hassled, knows is dying. Harcourt says to try Scotland.

Harcourt, Minister. Jedburgh mad. Minister knew about plutonium (small quantities, experimental laswer process). Americans became suspicious, Harcourt brough in to deceive them. Minister -- Harcourt's duty to get plutonium back.

Craven to Clementine -- report goes to Gaia, don't come after him.

Conference, Jedburgh there. Bennett calls Pendleton. Grogan enters, he and Jedburgh stare while Lawson continues introducing panel. grogan called to speak. Shots of him talking, Craven driving, being sick, talking to Emma about black flowers.

Jedburgh talks about despotism. Takes out two bars of plutonium. Audience panics, runs out. Grogan stands his ground, but falls when Jedburgh touches two bars together.

Meeting with Minister, Grogan, Bennett, Harcourt. Jedburgh still has 20 kilos in "explosive configuration". Leave it to Craven to find Jedburgh, plutonium.

Craven (with help from sticker on sandwich container) tracks down Jedburgh. Jedburgh -- own people were waiting for him. Grogan had concluded Inquiry would stop takeover, so decided to get plutonium another way. Plutonium at bottom of a loch, made into bomb. "It's limited in its application. It is not user-friendly. But as a vehicle for regaining one's self-respect, it's got a lot going for it." Jedburgh invited terrorist to kill him. Craven going to call Harcourt. Jedburgh warns will turn it right over to Grogan.

Craven calls for Pendleton.

Craven, Jedburgh sing, slightly drunk. Jedburgh doesn't believe in Gaia. Craven -- you're wrong.

Men coming.

Dinner -- Grogan, Bennett, Harcourt, Pendleton, Lawson, Minister. "... same old circus". Everything back to normal.

Jedburgh fires at people. Three men rush in, hold guns to Craven's head. Jedburgh shot. Men leave. "I am not on your side."

Harcourt writes to Clementine -- plutonium recovered. "It was an IIF show." Voiceover over recovery of plutonium. Harcourt writes about Craven staring down at loch, not long for this world. Wish could have told him good would prevail. Craven cries out: "Emma!"

Winter. Black flowers where Craven had stood.

My notes
-- Bronze Age -- search for answers drives Craven, establishment guy forced to question things
-- moves fluidly between reality and Emma reality
-- no happy ending -- Craven dying, Jedburgh dies, corporation gets plutonium

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Chicago

2005-10-10T15:52:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Bill Condon, based on the musical by Bob Fosse and Fred Ebb (based on the play by Maurine Watkins)
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0299658

Synopsis
At the Onyx Bar, the stage manager looks for the Kelly sisters. Velma arrives in a taxi. A theatrical bill is posted announcing them. Velma rips it in half, leaving just her name. Velma, snapping at the stage manager, hurriedly unpacks her suitcase, which has stockings, a garter, and a gun in a bloody hankerchief.

The bandleader introduces the sisters, but only Velma is there. She performs "All That Jazz". Shots of her and other dancers are intercut with shots of Roxie watching (for one fantasy moment, it's her singing in Velma's place). Fred tells Roxie that it's all arranged. They go to Roxie's home and are spotted by the neighbor. Montage of body parts from dance, Roxie/Fred. As the song comes to a close, police come for Velma.

One month later. Fred no longer acts romantic, but just moves away and starts getting dressed. Roxie asks him if it isn't time for her to meet his friend at the bar. She talks about new idea for her act (aloof), club of their own). He bursts her bubble: "Wake up, kiddo. You ain't never gonna have an act." It turns out he has no connections. She tries to stop him from leaving, he hits her. She shoots him.

Police are at the apartment. The case seems all wrapped up -- Amos, Roxie's husband, has confessed to shooting a burglar. Harrison, an assistant D.A. questions Amos further, making him retell his story from the start. "A man's got a right to protect his home and his loved ones, right?"

Fantasy. Roxie sings about "that funny honey of mine" (her song of love and devotion). Script notes that her only way to deal is "to see her life as a vaudeville act." Alternates between fantasy stage and apartment. Harrison is given the deceased's wallet and reads the ID -- Fred Casely. Amos, betrayed and hurt, blurts out the truth -- Roxie had said Fred was a burglar, Amos should confess because he'd be sure to get off. Neighbor is brought in and IDs Fred.

Roxie is led out in handcuffs. Photographer snaps picture, and reporters badger her with questions. Harrison tells them it's a hanging case.

Series of shots as Rosie is processed in Cook County Jail. Matron "Mama" Morton is coming to meet the new prisoners. Scenes of real Matron talking intercut with "When You're Good to Mama" number. Fantasy Matron sings about quid pro quos; reality Matron says that if there's something that upsets them, don't tell her because she doesn't care. Roxie is escorted to Murderess Row. Mama: "I never heard of a man's being killed when he didn't get just what was coming to him." Velma comes up to Matron. Roxie recognizes her, but after a couple of remarks Velma ignores her and addresses Mama instead, showing her an editorial in Redbook denouncing her. She pays Mama for the magazine. Matron leads Roxie onto Murderess row, slips cigarettes to one inmate, slaps her thigh. The cell door is slammed on Roxie. She hesitantly asks for extra blankets, but the guard smashes a club against the bars, and he and the Matron move off.

Roxie, unable to sleep, listens to sounds from the other cells (leaky faucet, fingers drumming, etc.) The sounds gradually form a rhythm (pop, six, squish, uh-uh, Cicero, Lipschitz). Liz, Anne, Jane, Hunyak, Velma and Mona do the Cell Block Tango. Dance intercut with bits of prison reality (walking in line, sitting in cafeteria, playing cards), characters talking. Hunyak says she's innocent, Velma says she blacked out.

Laundry is being done. The Hunyak irons Velma's lingerie, which she cleans for $1 a week. Roxie drops off towels for Mama's bathroom, and overhears Mama and Velma talking about trial date, putting Velma back on the vaudeville circuit (which will cost Velma $50 for the phone call). Roxie holds out lingerie for Velma (saying that she'd done it), and asks advice about case. Velma: "Keep your paws off my underwear. 'Kay?" Mama: "No matter how big she gets, she's still as common as ever." Mama would like to help Roxie. "In this town, murder's a form of entertainment." She says for Roxie to get Billy Flynn, and will make a phone call for $100. Roxie's fantasy: inmates singing "We Want Billy."

Billy's number, "All I Care About" (is love) intercut with him at tailor's, in limo, at press conference with Velma, Mary Sunshine, etc., telling Roxie that all she means to him is $5000.

Amos goes to see Billy -- has scraped together $2000, promises to pay rest in installments with interest. Billy upbraids him, but says his devotion is touching, will keep case. Will get Roxie's name in all the papers, then hold auction of her belongings.

Billy to Roxie: must work up sympathy from press, they can't resist a reformed sinner. Billy revises her background. "So you got caught up in the mad whirl of the city -- jazz, cabaret, liquor."

Roxie makes herself over -- plucks eyebrows, rehearses story, pays Mama for hair dye, cuts hair. Velma talks to Billy (handkerchief, flashing thigh ploy), but he gets distracted when Roxie walks in sporting a new blonde bob.

Velma to Roxie: "Billy Flynn's number one client is Billy Flynn."

Roxie's press conference. He answers questions for her, until she gets impatient and jumps in, screwing up the story. "Shut up, dummy." Rest of conference intercut with "We Both Reached for the Gun," which has Roxie and reporters as marionettes. Reporters buy story, and it makes all the headlines.

Newsreel announcer -- women getting bobs, girl with Roxie doll, auction at Amos' and Roxie's.

Roxie and Mama -- she would like to go onstage. Mama has already called agent, her fee will be 10% of takings. "Killing Fred Casely was your act." Roxie does monologue to fantasy audience about Amos and Casely. "... If this Flynn guy gets me off, and with all this publicity, now I got me a world full of 'Yes.'" Sings "Roxie" (name on everybody's lips).

Velma to Mama -- can't take it anymore. Mama has blonde bob. Velma's tour cancelled, name out of papers too long.

Velma tries to get in Roxie's good graces, saying they're a natural to do an act together. Performs "I Can't Do It Alone." Roxie won't have any of it: "You're all washed up. It's me they want now." Newspaper says Velma's trial postponed indefinitely.

Billy Flynn at dinner - tells others about Kitty Baxter, pineapple heiress. Billy talks over flashback of her killing husband and two women.

Billy accompanies Kitty as she's led to jail. She gives reporters and Billy hell. Roxie is overlooked by reporters and Billy. "How's it feel, kid?" Roxie faints twice -- hopes fall didn't hurt baby.

Doctor will swear she's pregnant. Billy tells him to button his fly.

Reporters at hospital. Amos, having heard the good news, comes and tries to get Roxie to notice him, but she doesn't answer him. "Mr. Cellophane Man." "'Cause you can look right through me, walk right by me and never know I'm there." Intercut with Billy and Amos. Billy explains that Amos couldn't possibly be the father, Amos says he'll divorce him. "She probably won't even notice."

Roxie hates the frilly dress that Billy wants her to wear. She'd kept him waiting 10 min. She refuses his advice, says she's sick of being told what to do. They argue, she fires him, he quits. As Billy leaves, he tells her, "You're a phony celebrity. A flash-in-the-pan. In a couple of weeks, no one's gonna give a shit about you. That's Chicago."

The Hunyak has lost her last appeal. Shots of her hanging are intercut with shots of her famous Hungarian disappearing act.

Roxie is back with Billy. "I do all the talking this time." He likens the court to "A three-ring circus. These trials -- the whole world -- all show business." Shots of "Razzle Dazzle" intercut with Billy holding up fingers for neighbor, reenacting crime (both reach for the gun), questioning Amos. In this latter bit, he confuses Amos about whether he wanted to make love to Roxie, says Roxie will swear Amos is the father. Amos softens and apologizes, they embrace.

Roxie takes the stand. Billy draws his story out of her -- she tried to break things off with Fred after telling him she was pregnant, and shot Fred to save her "husband's innocent unborn child."

Mama and Velma listen to Mary Sunshine doing trial play-by-play for the radio. Roxie asks for a handkerchief, then a drink of water, faints and reveals Velma's garter. Mama: "These days, you get a little success, and it's good riddance to the people who put you there." Mama called Velma over to show her Roxie's diary.

Harrison calls Velma as a rebuttal witness, and submits the diary as evidence. He has Velma read an entry out loud: "I'm just sorry I only got to kill him once." Roxie protests that she never wrote that, but Billy shushes her.

Billy cross-examines. Fantasy - Billy tap-dances, at first simple steps, then progressively more complicated. Under questioning, Velma readily admits she made a deal with Harrison (charges dropped in exchange for testimony). Billy has her read another entry: "then he reneged on his pledge ... charge was erroneous." Billy points out vocabulary, possibility of perjury on Velma's part if she knew the diary was a fake. Velma blurts out that she only knows what she was told, reveals (in response to Billy's question) that the diary was sent to Mama. Billy points out the lawyerly language, and suggests (while protesting that he isn't) that Harrison fabricated the evidence.

Shots of people listening to Mary Sunshine reporting. Jury files in. Piles of newspapers -- "Aquitted!" "Convicted!" Roxie is acquitted. Woman shoots two people on courthouse steps, crowd abandons newsboy and rushes to the scene of the crime. Reporters and photographers race out of the courtroom, without even taking Roxie's picture. Billy: "You can't beat fresh blood on the walls." He says he'll collect from Velma too -- had added entries to Roxie's diary.

Amos -- time to come home, take care of baby. Roxie reveals there is no baby. She's sad: "They didn't even want my picture."

Roxie sadly sings "Nowadays" -- first as fantasy, then as audition at the Onyx Club. She's cut off before she can finish. Velma, who'd been watching, approaches her. They snipe at each other. Velma -- thought we could help each other out (two jazz killers). Roxie points out that it'll never work, because they hate each other; Velma says that there's only one business in which that's no problem.

Performance at the Chicago Theater (Billy, Mama among audience) is a success.

My notes
-- like All That Jazz, moves fluidly between reality and fantasy
-- for the most part, doesn't specify close-ups, etc.
-- snappy dialogue
-- fantasy and music comment on action, illustrate character. Poetic correspondence. Music integrated perfectly into plot.
-- flawed characters
-- Prohibition, Jazz Age

FT 540 notes (from 06/19/03)
-- Takes murder, mayhem, transforms into showbiz.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: All That Jazz

2005-10-07T19:22:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Robert Alan Arthur and Bob Fosse
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0078754

Synopsis
Joe gets an injection of morphine.

Hallucintary dressing room (HDR). Joe is balancing on a high wire as Angelique watches. "To be on the wire is life: the rest is waiting." He'd gotten the quote from somewhere else. He tries on hats, seeking her approval.

Joe gets ready for work. He plays Vivaldi, puts Visine in eyes, takes Alka-Seltzer and ice-cold shower, swallows several Dexedrine pills, drinks coffee. "It's showtime, folks!"

Cattle call for show Joe will be directing and choreographing. Series of dissolves with dancers doing routine, being weeded out.

Line of 12 girls. Script notes that Joe's emotions change rapidly without transitions -- hyper-nervous energy throughout. He talks to the girls, some in dumb-show. When he comes to Victoria, he asks if her card has her home phone number. He has a coughing fit. He sweeps the hair back on one girl and instructs her to do it that way from now on. "But, please, if you don't get the job, promise me you won't go home, kick the dog and beat up your children." Shots of audience shows producers, composers, stage manager, Audrey (ex-wife, star of NY/LA), daughter Michelle. Joe leaps into the aisle from the stage, massages his left hand.

HDR. Joe tries on a clown's nose, remarking that it's a real drinker's nose. His conversation with Angelique describes him as a drunk, user of speed, womanizer. "Sleep? Sleep? I don't even sleep with me."

Back at theatre. Joe picks female dancers, one of whom is Victoria. Others raise objections as, in the background, the stage manager disperses the males and gives instructions to the females. MIchelle notes Victoria is pretty. Backstage, two rejected dancers talk. "Honey, I did fuck him, and he never picks me either." Joe is supposed to have Michelle for the weekend, but he says he has to work. He exits, takes several Dexedrine pills. "Oh ... some kind of father." He dashes back in.

Audrey is defending Joe's choice of Victoria to the others. Joe and Audrey talk. They had a great marriage until he screwed it up. She expresses concerns about the youth of her role (he says she'll be great) and the script (he says he'll fix it). He turns to Michelle -- will have her picked up if she doesn't mind hanging around the cutting room.

HDR. Joe: "... oh, man, I cheated every chance I could get." Angelique plays analyst, and they do word association. Marriage - screwed up. Family - screwed up. Work - all there is. Woman - a flood of words.

Cutting room. On the Steenbeck, Joe is watching a monologue from his movie The Stand-Up, with Davis Newman. Also there is editor Eddie Lerner, assistant editor Jonathan, and apprentice Stacey. Joe manipulates the Steenbeck (replaying bits, etc.). Monlogue -- Death about dignity is bullshit. People have different feelings about depth. One theory is five stages (each of which Newman illustrates) - anger, denial, bargaining, depression, acceptance. Joe thinks acting's lousy, shot lousy, directed lousy, but Eddie says it's funny. Joe says to try another angle. Joe flirts with Stacey.

Projection room. Joe and others watch piece of the same monologue. Joe smokes and drinks. Katie Jagger enters, cool acknowledgment between her and Stacey. She takes Joe's hand and kisses his neck, laughs. She asks if they can have dinner, but he says they might be working late -- he'll call. Katie laughs again at the film, then slips out. Joe says the film's not good, rattles off a list of things they need to tighten up, massages his left hand. "Do you suppose Stanley Kubrick ever gets depressed?" No more editing tonight, he says he needs to work on his script for the show.

Joe's apartment. He lets Victoria in. Music plays: "It's a perfect way to end a perfect day."

HDR. Joe wears hat, applies Cyrano nose, instructs lighting designer on levels. He regrets affairs only when he gets caught.

Joe's apartment. Victoria wants to be a movie star, asks if it's possible. He wavers, but when pressed tells the truth. "It is a freaky business."

HDR. Angelique: "Truth .. the final ploy."

Victoria goes upstairs. Joe drops shirt as he follows. Katie comes in with dog, notices shirt, finds them together in bedroom. She's hurt, disappointed, and resigned. He says sorry, she leaves. Joe momentarily feels remorse, pours wine, looks at Victoria's naked body.

HDR. Joe, nude Angelique, oblivious mother, who says he never looked at girls when he was working in burlesque clubs.

Flashback: nightclub. Between shows, teenage Joe studies Latin. Stripper catches him, divines real age, tells other strippers. MC begins introducing Joe, interrupts himself to do jokes. Joe is dressed for tap-dancing (top hat, tails). Strippers sneak up on Joe, surround him, thrust breast into his face, tease, massage groin. He quotes from Bible (rod, staff). MC calls impatiently, fanfare. Shots of Joe (with stain on trousers), audience laughter. He dances and cries.

Morning waking routine, starting with extreme close-up of Joe's eye (Visine).

Dann (composer) demonstrates song for NY/LA. Producers enthusiastic, Joe less so.

Dance rehearsal. Joe hectors them. Joe gives instructions to Joan and Astrid -- three end up in comical sexual position.

HDR. Joe once tried menage a trois. Tangos with partners. One left a note -- can't share you anymore. Angelique -- how do you know it was for you? He tentatively reaches out to touch her face.

Abrupt cut -- Joe feels short of breath.

HDR -- Joe withdraws hand.

Reality. Joe regains breath.

Cutting room. Joe works on Steenbeck. Movie producer complains about triple time, budget overrun -- has to stop! Joe -- made changes in monologue, sit and watch. As he leaves, he kisses Stacy on the neck and feels her up. He'll be back after rehearsal -- another late night working. Penn (producer) -- my God, it is better.

Rehearsal room. Joe and Michelle with rhythm machine. Joe tries a few lifts, instructs her as they move. She asks why he doesn't get married again. "... because I can't find anyone I dislike enough to inflict that kind of torture on." He would settle down, stop screwing around, she thinks. "Michelle, I love you." "You say that to all the girls."

Morning waking routine.

Kate, Joe in bedroom. He gives her coffee.

Abrupt cut to HDR. He draws black lines of make-up on his face. Says he doesn't believe in love, though he says it a lot. Intercut with Katie telling him she's been asked to go on tour for 6 mo. She asks what he thinks, and he says that for her own good she should go. While he's out of the room, she calls Michael and makes a dinner date. Joe overhears and confronts her. He can do whatever he wants, but she can't. She has trouble saying what she thinks, so he jumps in. "Stop directing! You never stop directing!" She says he's egotistical, has double standards, is a hypocrite (he nods in agreement to each one).

Steenbeck. He manipulates footage of Katie's line: "I just wish you weren't so generous with your cock." He says, with difficulty, please don't go.

HDR. Joe wears gloves, practices gestures, freezesi n poses as spot hits him. Angelique: everything for you, nothing for her.

Rehearsal. Joe relentlessly criticizes Victoria. She finally breaks down. He takes her aside, comforts her. They start again. Joe mouths, "Better."

Insurance exam. Both Joe and the doctor are smoking. Joe is worth $1 million if he dies before Feb. 1. He has a coughing fit, but passes the exam anyway.

Cutting room. Footage of Kimberly running on Steenbeck, can hear Joe's directions. Joe drinks and leafs through the NY/LA script. He tells editor that he has more ideas for Newman's monologue.

Dann plays a song, Audrey rehearses. Joe bursts in. "I can't face those people." He's worried about a certain number. Did the show only so that Audrey could have a role. She's annoyed -- she can play a 24-year-old, and will prove it to him. She says that Joe is doing the show for no other reason than for guilt about unfaithfulness. They talk about his paramours, and he blanks out on the name of a certain blonde. This inspires him, and he rushes back out.

Morning routine, very short cuts.

Producers, composer go to rehearsal room. Joe tries to lower their expectations (it's not really ready yet). He retches in bathroom, parodies "Show time" gesture. Producers, composer, Audrey watch production number. At first they're pleased -- it seems like a traditional Broadway thing. Then things change abruptly -- the dancers disrobe and go through a series of mechanical couplings, ending with each one isolated, caressing him/herself. Nothing left but self-love. Song -- Take off with us. Welcome aboard Airotica. Tango, calypso. As the dance proceeds, the producers exchange horrified comments: "There goes the family audience." Dancers disperse. Joe: no real human contact. "We take you everywhere but get you nowhere." The producers, stunned, say it's interesting. Audrey says it's the best work Joe's every done: "You son of a bitch."

HDR. Joe: nothing he ever does is good enough. He looks at a rose, which is perfect. Question -- how did God do that, and why can't Joe?

Projection room, screening. Joe makes excuses. The film starts, and he goes off and throws up, then comes back and looks for audience reaction. Anxious because no one's saying anything, he bumps up the sound volume. His editor tries to reassure him. Finding the pressure unbearable, Joe leaves.

Joe on phone -- at least two people say the screening was a hit (producer, agent). After dinner, Michelle and Kate perform a musical number in tribute.

First script reading for NY/LA. No sounds except for exaggerated effects involving Joe (fingers tapping, etc.) Great positive response from all except Joe and Audrey. Joe massages his left arm.

Katie, Victoria spot each other -- insincere smiles and nods.

Joe and others at ER exam room. He has a serious case of angina that could lead to a coronary. (Outside, Audrey tells Michelle it's exhaustion, but isn't convincing.) Doctors tell him he must stay at least 2-3 weeks. Joe explodes, and promptly has a coronary. "I wasn't sick until I got here!"

Shots of Joe sedated on machines intercut with shots of Kate leaving message (must think before defining herself as girlfriend), producer saying show postponed (but will try to keep cast together). Audrey says Joe was joking about adding a hospital number.

Joe is moved to a private room.

Lucas Sergeant, another director, is setting lights for a seduction scene. Dann tells him about the situation, and Sergeant volunteers to help if he needs a hand. Dann will get him copy of script.

HDR. Joe tries on glasses. Looks for the worst in people (looks for himself). His attraction to Angelique deepens.

Kimberly (from film) calls, hysterical. Joe calms her down. Party atmosphere in his room. "I wish I could ahve gotten that performance out of her in the picture."

Joe, Katie watch O'Conner Flood. He mocks Flood's intro. "Boy, do I hate showbiz ... Boy, do I love showbiz. I'll go either way."

HDR. Joe inspects dancers' costumes. He got into showbiz to meet girls.

Hospital montage. Fades for transitions. Dann puts on Brahms for Joe (which plays through montage). Penn puts up life-size blow-up of Kimberly. Joe has visitors. Katie reads e.e. cummings poem to Joe. He reads same poem to another girl. Joe caught smoking in bathrom. Audrey and Dann perform, tell joke about egomaniac with inferiority complex. Joe flirts with nurse. Producers talk business -- main thing to get Joe back on his feet, show's secondary. Davis: "If you can't make it as a genius, then fuck it, why not die?"

X-ray. Joe reads poem to another girl. Another vsit from Davis -- says that Joe is hanging around in the hope that just once he'll create a work of real importance. Picture getting sensational response. Joe reads poem to yet another girl. Davis: Joe has a deep-rooted fear of being conventional, of being ordinary instead of special. Party in Joe's room, Joe dances to scattered protests.

Doctors lay down the law. Joe makes out with Stacy, caught by nurse. Montage ends.

Hospital staff meeting. Joe in denial of condition. All female nurses say he's been inappropriate. Visitors will be limited.

Joe walks corridor, reads positive reviews of film (Penn had left the bad ones at the office, and Joe doesn't want to see them). TV reviewer says Joe tried too hard to please. Joe wants to hear review to the end. Others vent. Joe rages, he has more heart trouble, emergency team rushes in and treats him.

Joe has angiogram.

HDR. Three doctors talking at once about the heart. Joe had total blockage in two arteries.

Hospital room. Joe's will is being read - $50,000 to Audrey, $15,000 to Katie, rest to Michelle. Other women appear in dream-like fashion. Not in will? Then fuck you.

Joe and Katie watch Flood. She tries to get him to laugh by parodying Flood's intro. Joe: "I'm afraid you learned too much from me." He'd called several times one night, getting no answer. He accuses her of having an affair, and she says yes. Abrupt cut to Steenbeck, with Joe saying he shot that two ways, let's see her "no". It plays -- that's not the way it happened, do it the other way. Is the relationship finished? Joe says he really loves her.

HDR. Angelique asks if he meant that, and he says no -- just wanted to say something nice. Angelique kisses him on the lips, but he pushes her back, saying she's coming on awful strong.

Shots of Joe's surgery intercut with meeting in insurance office. Three possibilities: Joe recovers and resumes work within 180 days, another director takes over within 180 days, Joe dies and show is cancelled. Only with the third does the $1 million policy take effect.

HDR. Angelique touches Joe's cheek.

Joe in post-surgery intensive care, nurse confirms he's alive. Hallucinatory Joe appears at his bed, says he has choreographed two numbers, choice between "The Old Self-Destructive Shuffle" or the "I'm Glad I'm Alive Stomp".

HDR. Joe tells Angelique to please go. She withdraws.

Joe picks "Glad I'm Alive" stomp. Celebration of Joe's life.

Dann and Sergeant have lunch. Dann says Joe is on the mend. Sergeant gives him several pages of detailed script notes.

Audrey is visiting Joe. He has a heart attack. Nurse Gibbons says it's impossible, she just gave him medication. Audrey demands help from an unhelpful nurse at the desk. A resident gives Joe morphine. Joe's panic grows. Nurse Gibbons gives Audrey her address for a check. Audrey slaps her.

HDR. Joe applies grotesque makeup. Angelique is back, and says she's staying.

Joe removes his IV, tapes, and wires, and moves down the corridor. His progress is intercut with shots of people looking for him. Joe sings, pleads with God. "What's the matter? Don't you like musical comedy?" Stops by dissection room and chides corpses, stops by old woman's room and kisses her. He hears a projectionist's voice and answers, "Yes, again! I'm not finished! I want to run the whole thing again!"

Joe in cafeteria, picks up a pie. He overhears a couple debating about car and sprinkler, and tells them to get both: "Don't postpone any-thing." The pie's stale, he complains to the clerk, who asks him to pay. He picks up pie and shoves it into her face. Steenbeck -- pie-push from three different angles. Attendants subdue Joe and take him away.

Cuts between intensive care, where Joe is being re-taped, etc. and HDR, where Angelique works on his makeup.

Flood -- intro for Joe (totally sardonic -- no friend of mine). Musical number, "Bye Bye Life," is Joe's final appearance. Shots of him, performers, audience, Death (resembling Angelique). Joe moves into audience, shakes hands, kisses, brief exchanges. Tells Michael to be good to Katie, Sergeant to give Dann a hit, hugs Michelle, tells Audrey he can't lie to her anymore. Standing ovation.

Angelique waits for Joe, he moves toward her. In screenplay, they embrace, kiss, move into deeper embrace. Angelique -- if you want to be with me, you can't be with anyone else. Joe: "I accept."

Joe is dead. Body bag is zipped, covering his face.

My notes
-- good use of closeups
-- great rehearsal scenes
-- moves fluidly between reality and fantasy -- use of abrupt cuts
-- very funny
-- flawed main character -- high on life
-- music, dancing perfectly integrated into story
-- simultaneous sound
-- scenes with Angelique provide exposition, commentary, atmosphere

FT 540 notes (from 06/19/03)
-- black comedy
-- 137 cuts in "Bye Bye Life," incredibly complex

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Singin' in the Rain

2005-09-29T14:52:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0045152

Synopsis
Premiere of new Lockwood/Lamont picture. Dora Bailey at mike -- exposition. Crowd screams as people arrive in limos. Cosmo out -- crowd puzzled. Don, Lina arrive. Don gives fabricated bio, intercut with shots from what really happened (poolroom, amateur night, vaudeville, stuntman). "Dignity -- always Dignity." Don meets Lina on set of cowboy pic. Tries to be nice, she snubs. Producer R.F. Simpson wants to put Don and Lina in picture. Lina changes attitude, Don snubs.

Screening. Silent. Don and Lina kiss, Don fights attackers. Afterwards, Don gives speech of thanks. Lina tries to speak a couple of times but he forestalls her. Backstage, she complains -- shrill, flat, coarse voice. Cosmo: "Yes, Lina, you looked pretty good for a girl." Rod -- studio "has got to keep their starts from looking ridiculous at any cost." Lina -- fiancée. Don -- "There is nothing between us!" Lina doesn't believe him. They split up for Simpson's party.

Don, Cosmo in car. Flat tire. Don recognized, jacket pulled apart. Don runs, jumps into Kathy Seldon's car. Thinks he's gangster, officer corrects her. She says will drop him off. Don ingratiating. "People think we lead lives of glamour and romance, but we're really lonely. Terribly lonely." She's annoyed, pretends she doesn't really know him. "...they just make a lot of dumb show." She says she's stage actress. They snipe. She says once you've seen one, you've seen 'em all. He gets out. Coat caught, torn in car door.

Kathy drives to Simpson's -- one of girls from Coconut Grove. Directed to the back (service entrance).

Party at Simpson's. Don to Cosmo -- good actor?

Simpson shows talking picture. Warner Brothers making "Jazz Singer" -- they'll lose shirts.

Cake wheeled in -- Kathy pops out. Don chaffs her. She gets mad, throws cake at Don. He ducks, cake hits Lina. Kathy dashes out. Don runs after her. Lina, wisfully: "Donnie?" Kathy drives off, Don too late.

At studio. Lots of pics being shot. Don in French Revolution story. Cosmo: "Why don't you release the old one under a new title? If you've seen one, you've seen them all." Don feels guilty about Kathy losing her job. Cosmo -- show must go on. "Make 'Em Laugh." Lots of cosmic bits for Cosmo. Back flipping off walls.

"Dueling Cavalier" set. Don, Lina snipe. Lina told Coconut Grove to fire Kathy. Sniping continues during shooting of romantic scene. "Meet the greatest actor in the world. I'd rather kiss a tarantula." Simpson -- everyone go home. "Jazz Singer" a success. Don worried. Lina: "Well, of course we talk. Don't iverybody?"

Newspaper headlines. Montage of musical numbers.

Production number. Kathy one of girls -- hired for bit part. Simpson -- just don't let Lina know. Don: "Unhappy? I think it's wonderful!"

Kathy, Don walk and talk. She slips up, reveals she's fan of Don's. She apologizes for remarks, he says he deserved them, was upset. He says he's a ham, can't say things without the proper setting. Empty stage. He switches on light, mists, leads her to ladder. "You Were Meant For Me."

Lina and diction teacher -- awful.

Don and diction coach, things going well. Cosmo comes. Teacher does tongue twisters. "Moses" -- Don, Cosmo do twister, tap-dance.

Attempts to record "Dueling Cavalier". Lots of problems with Lina -- can't remember to speak into mike, mike picks up heartbeat, etc.

Premiere, is a disaster. Sound issues, Lina's speech, Don's "I love you -- I love you ..." Sound goes out of sync, villain and Lina speak with each other's voices. Movie will ruin studio, but booked to open in six weeks all over country.

Don, Kathy, Cosmo at Don's. Don -- I'm no actor. Kathy -- why not a musical? It's 1:30 a.m. "Good Mornin'". Problem -- Lina. Can't act, sing or dance. Kathy imitates villain, Cosmo Lina. Cosmo -- use Kathy's voice. Kathy agrees for the one picture, to save Lockwood and Lamont. Don reluctant.

Don, Kathy. Kiss in doorway. She goes in. "Singin' in the Rain."

Simpson agrees -- keep secret from Lina. title change -- "The Dancing Cavalier."

Recording stage. Kathy sings, "Would You?" Lina has trouble with synchronization. See recording process.

Don demonstrates "Broadway Melody" -- hoofer who comes to big city. Cynical view.

Looping room. Lina discovers Kathy and Don kissing. Infuriated about kiss, Kathy's screen credit, line saying Lina doesn't do own singing and talking.

Lina tells Simpson she'd arranged exclusive interviews to say she's a musical talent. Contract says she controls her publicity, could sue if he tells the papers about Kathy. Also make Kathy do her singing and talking, and nothing else.

Premiere is a hit.

Backstage. Lina reveals Kathy will keep singing for her. Don confronts Simpson, who's confused. Curtain calls. Audience yells for Lina to make speech. "Well, tonight I'm gonna do my own talkin'." On second thought, they let her. Audience reacts to her voice (didn't sound that way in picture). Calls for her to sing.

Don gets idea, huddles with Simpson and Cosmo. Kathy will stand behind curtain and sing. Don orders her to do it. Kathy hurt, but will do it -- will never see Don again.

"Singin' in the Rain." Lina mouths, Kathy sings. Don, Cosmo, Simpson raise curtain. Crowd laughs, Lina oblivious. Cosmo elbows Kathy aside, sings in baritone. Lina realizes, horrified, dashes off. Kathy starts to rush off down aisle. Don: "That's the girl whose voice you heard and loved tonight." "You Are My Lucky Star". Sing, embrace.

Billboard -- "Singin' in the Rain" with Lockwood and Seldon.

My notes
-- great musical numbers
-- self-reflexive show
-- no pretensions to movie business being art (though this film is)
-- great comments about characters in stage directions

FT 540 notes (from 06/19/03)
-- About image. When sound arrives, reality.
-- Happy musical, but all characters are liars, syncophants. Actress' voice is dubbed, Kathy says she is a theater actress but really is a dance girl.
-- For "Singin' in the Rain," camera fluid. Crane shots, dolly shots. Camera starting to move. Still lot of full-body shots.
-- Understanding that each section has its own movement. Tight shot, then cut. Certain emotional pace, as opposed to letting actors give emotion.
-- Environment more than backdrop.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: The Band Wagon

2005-09-28T15:20:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Betty Comden and Adolph Green
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0045537

Synopsis
Tony Hunter's personal effects (top hat, cane, etc.) are being auctioned off. His house is being sold. A producer tells his agent that he can't even give Tony a one-picture deal: "Mr. Exhibitor says, 'Tony Hunter is box-office poison.'"

On the train, two men chat. A picture of Tony in a magazine prompts one of them to call Tony washed-up. Tony, who happens to be in the same compartment, agrees that he's a has-been. The other two are embarassed. Tony gets off the train, and goes up to a group of reporters and photographers who are there. He greets them, they chat. They leave when Ava Gardner appears. He sings "By Myself," chats briefly with Ava.

Tony's friends Lily and Lester meet him at the station. Lester has brought a script that they want Tony to be in. Tony isn't sure anyone will want to see him. Lester: "Listen, you tap dancer you -- You're coming back to Broadway -- big!" Jeff Cordova, a hotshot director who can do anything (even though he's never done a musical), will be at the helm.

As Lily, Lester, and Tony head to Sardi's, Tony remarks that 42nd Street has changed -- it used to be the great theater street of the town. Someone accidentally steps on Lester's foot. Lily gets a cab. Tony sends them on ahead, walks to the former location of the Eltinge theater, which is now a penny arcade. He tries machine, buys hot dog, looks at other machines. Song: "Shine Your Shoes."

Tony, Lily, and Lester watch Jeffrey in "Oedipus Rex." Offstage, Lily and Lester try to introduce Tony, but Jeffrey keeps interrupting to give production notes to Hal, his general manager. When he finally realizes who Tony is, he greets him enthusiastically. Tony expresses his concern about Jeffrey's lack of musical experience. Jeffrey: "I'm sick of these artificial barriers between the musical and the drama." Lester and Lily sum up the script, which is about a children's book illustrator who does lurid murder mysteries on the side. They and Tony like it because it has lots of gay song-and-dance numbers for Tony and them, but Jeffrey seizes upon the idea of the book illustrator selling out -- it's a modern version of Faust, with the publisher as the devil. Jeffrey will play the devil, and sees Gabrielle Gerard as the girl. Objections: she's a ballet dancer, turns all shows down. Tony says the show's not for him: "I know what I can do, and I'm going to stick to it." Jeffrey says he's gone stale. Song: "That's Entertainment." Lily and Lester try to convince themselves that Jeffrey's right: "It's time we did something adult for a change."

Jeffrey and Hal in Jeffrey's office. It's 3 a.m. Paul, Gabrielle's choreographer/boyfriend, comes over to say Gabrielle won't do the show. Jeffrey says that's not why he calls -- he wants Paul to choregraph the show. He adroitly maneuvers Paul into insisting, over Jeffrey's objections, that Gabrielle would be perfect for the show. As he leaves, Paul invites Jeffrey, the Mortons, and Tony to see Gabrielle's performance. Hal to paper: "And Mike -- after this -- if Mr. Cordova tells you he's casting Tallulah for Little Eva, believe him."

Tony, Lily, and Lester watch ballet. Tony worries that she's too tall, and that he can't dance with her. They go to Jeffrey's apartment. Hal tells them to wait in the library -- Jeffrey's talking to the backers, and is saving them for the finale. Lily -- if Jeffrey gets backing tonight, could start rehearsing in three weeks.

Paul and Gaby arrive, are directed to the library, but Gaby says for them to wait in the sitting room instead.

Lester and Lily try to reassure Tony. Overhear Jeffrey talking about the pits of Hades.

Gaby -- Tony doesn't want me in show. Paul tries to reassure. Overhear Jeffrey talking about the deadly sins.

Lily and Lester are uneasy. More of the same from Jeffrey's spiel.

Tony and Gaby run into each other. Tony checks her height. The conversation starts out cordially, but they end up trading barbs about dancing, his ages. Both tell their respective parties that they're leaving. Before they can, Jeffrey and the backers spill out into the hall. Jeffrey makes introductions. After the backers leave, he reassures Lily that he laid the Faust bit on a bit thick. He got the $250,000 for the show.

Rehearsal hall. Jeff makes a speech: "Oh, and believe me, kids, there's nothing in the world as soothing as a smash hit." Jeffrey gives instructions to Hal. Lily and Lester are worried about the rewrite. Lester: "... how do you keep a show light with such an important theme? It's like trying to make roast beef ice cream." Jeffrey doesn't give them direction, just tells them to "keep plugging."

Shots conveying hectic rehearsal schedule. Bit of "Got a Brand New Suit," Paul and Gaby waltzing, dancers' audition, putting chorus girls through music, Jeffrey trying smoke effect. Lily and Lester try to convince themselves Jeffrey's right.

Tony and Gaby rehearse in front of the others. Jeffrey changes line (spreading ideals on a cracker). He takes Tony aside and yells at him to let 'er rip. Tony strides around and waves his arms. Jeffrey is delighted, others appalled.

Lily and Lester argue with Jeffrey and the scene designer. Eventually Lily sides with Jeffrey. Afterwards, Lester confronts her, and they argue. Tony rehearses "Brand New Suit," which as it turns out has been cut from the show.

Paul rehearses Tony, who has been given a very simple step. Chorus does very fancy stuff around him. "Wouldn't it be just as effective if I sat quietly in a wheelchair and watched?" Tony fumbles lift with Gaby. Jeffrey says, in order to save Tony for the finale, he should exit and watch the dance from his house. Tony blows up. He's sick of Gaby's smirk, Faust, show. He leaves. Lester and Lily quarrel. "Look, right or wrong, someone has got to be at the helm."

Gaby goes to Tony's apartment. She's supposed to apologize, then gets mad at him for being mean. She admits she's a nervous wreck, he thought he was the only one. "I've behaved horribly to you, and I know it. I'm not used to behaving horribly. It's a big strain." He consoles her. They take trip in hansom cab. Talking, laughing, dance to "Dancing in the Dark."

Getting set up for opening in New Haven. Problems -- scenery overloaded, music unsettled.

Orchestra rehearsal - not enough time for change, things go awry.

Gaby, Tony outside. He massages her shoulders. Paul comes, summons them. Tony -- let her rest for a while. Paul -- I know her better than you do. Tony and Gaby go back to rehearsal. Flares explode. Jeffrey to Hal: seems a bit much, doesn't it? Gaby and Tony crack up.

Show opens. Backers are enthusiastic at beginning. Death, Styx, chanting, etc. Audience is somber. Jeffrey: "We came. They saw. We close."

Tony looks for party, he's the only one there. He goes to the hotel, hears chorus having a party. They pull him in.

Gaby hears party. Tony is regaling everyone with stories. Lily and Lester arrive.

Everyone is having a good time. "I Love Louisa." Lester -- with all this talent, should put on show. Tony -- let's put show back how it was. Tony calls Jeff -- would love to have you, but doing show either way. Does whole spiel for maid.

Jeffrey agrees to do show, says Tony must be the one in charge. Tony will sell his paintings to finance. Paul -- won't be my kind of show, doesn't want Gaby to do it. "Have a nice trip, Paul."

Shots of tour, bits of song and dance. Tony talks to Gaby, sees she's holding a letter to Paul. Lester -- she's crazy about Tony.

Opening night in NY. Tony and Gaby slightly awkward -- if it's a hit, she might get sick of seeing him everyday. Paul coming? Tony starts to ask something, then holds back.

Bits from each show number.

In wings, Tony is about to say something to Gaby. Paul comes, he and Gaby go to dressing room.

Great sequence with Tony as Rod Riley (detective), gangsters, Gaby playing good girl and bad girl.

Tony wants to celebrate, but no one else seems to want to. He remarks that it doesn't feel like a hit. He gets ready to leave, but finds that there's a party on stage. The company sings, "For He's A Jolly Good Fellow." Gaby to Tony: "Yes, there were obstacles between us, but we kissed them goodbye." They kiss. "That's Entertainment" reprise.

My notes
-- somewhat detailed directions
-- great fun!
-- songs not always integrated -- a couple of numbers come out of nowhere

FT 540 notes (from 06/19/03)
-- lowest form of entertainment

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Hannah and Her Sisters

2005-09-23T15:38:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Woody Allen
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0091167

Synopsis
Thanksgiving dinner at Hannah's apartment. Elliot, who's married to Hannah, watches Lee, his sister-in-law. In voiceover, Elliot reveals that he dreams about Lee. Hannah interrupts his reverie, holding out some hors d'oeuvres for him to try (which were made by Holly, the third sister, and her friend April).

Hannah and Holly prepare things in the kitchen. Holly and April are aspiring actresses. Holly gets the idea to do some catering until jobs come through. She asks Hannah for money (something we feel has happened before). Hannah wants to be helpful, but is hesitant. She asks if it has to do with cocaine; Holly swears that she's been clean for a year.

In Hannah's living room, Evan and Norma are performing (he plays piano, they both sing) for an appreciative audience. Lee comes into the kitchen and tells Hannah that Norma wants an antihistamine. They remark that at least Norma's not drinking. Hannah tells Lee to ask Elliot. Lee leaves. Holly remarks that Frederick didn't come with Lee.

Setting table for Thanksgiving dinner. Hannah invited an Ichabod Crane lookalike to meet Holly. Holly teases Hannah. Hannah accidentally sticks Holly with a toothpick.

Elliot, with Lee in tow, finds the antihistamines. She talks about a nude picture Frederick recently did of her. Elliot blushes. Lee says she's going to start taking classes -- not sure in what. Elliot says he could bring some of his clients to Frederick.

Lee, back downstairs, tells Hannah that she bumped into Hannah's ex, Mickey, a hypochrondriac.

Dinner is served. They toast Hannah's success in A Doll's House. Hannah says that now she's got that out of her system, she can go back to the most important thing, her family.

Lee is on her way home. Interior monologue -- buzz from Elliot's flirting. Frederick's loft. She says he should have come to dinner, but he says he doesn't want to be around people. "Isn't it enough that I can love you?" He says he has a lot left to teach her. Frederick also dismisses notion of Elliot's clients, says that Elliot is after Lee.

Mickey at studio. It's utter chaos -- dealing with Standards & Practices (who want to censor a show six minutes away from performance), angry writer, actor on Quaaludes. Mickey, in interior monologue, complains about how the show's killing him, in stark contrast to his ex-partner's success.

Mickey stops by Hannah's, gives birthday gifts to his sons. Warm, fuzzy scene.

Mickey goes to the doctor and complains about a hearing loss. (We get the feeling he's a regular visitor.) The doctor detects a substantial loss in Mickey's high-decibel range, and arranges for tests at the hospital. Mickey panics there and at his office (brain tumor!). His assistant Gail tries to reassure him, with no luck. "No, I was happy, but I just didn't realize I was happy."

Holly and April are catering a party, and it's going very well. David walks into the kitchen and introduces himself -- he's an architect. Listens to Aida on radio (sensitive guy). He drives them to one of his buildings, which April praises in pseudo-architectural blather. Series of shots as they tour various architectural highlights (and lowlights) of the city. Holly and April spar about who should be dropped off first. Holly loses. As she sits alone in the back, Holly kvetches to herself. "I hate April. She's pushy."

Elliot spots Lee leaving her building, then dashes to a spot so that he can happen to be there as she's passing by. He says he's looking for a bookstore. She takes him to one. He asks her out to coffee, but she doesn't have time. He buys her a book of poems by e.e. cummings, saying that a certain poem reminded him of her. He makes a point of mentioning the page it's on (read this!). Lee, at Frederick's, reads the poem, lingering on the line "nobody, not even the rain, has such small hands."

Mickey, terrified, undergoes a series of tests at the hospital. The doctor doesn't like a spot on his X-ray, and tells him to come in for a CAT scan. In voice-over, Mickey tries to reassure himself, then (back at his apartment) panics. He tries to relax and tell himself that all of his previous doctor's visits ended with good news, then remembers one that didn't.

Flashback to doctor telling Mickey that he can't have children, a blow to him and Hannah. She raises the issue of artificial insemination, which he's not completely comfortable with. They have an extremely awkward conversation with Norman (then still Mickey's writing/producing partner) and his wife, Carol. Flashback ends. Mickey muses that that was the start of his and Hannah's drifting apart. "Now instead of man and wife we're just good friends. Boy, love is really unpredictable."

Holly and David are at his box at the opera.

Elliot brings one of his clients, Dusty the rock star, to Frederick's. Frederick's rude to the client, but they go downstairs to look at some work. Meanwhile, Lee puts on a Bach, which turns out to be one of Elliot's favorites. He asks if she's read the poem. In voiceover, Elliot says it's a delicate situation -- he has to move carefully. However, he grabs and kisses her, declaring his love. She's shocked. Just then, Frederick and Dusty come back upstairs, with the artist saying there's no way he can deal with Dusty. Elliot sees Dusty off in the cab, then calls. He gets Frederick, and hangs up. Lee finds him. Things are extremely awkward. Elliot says that he and Hannah are in the last stages. She admits that she has certain feelings for him, but can't say anything more, which he takes as an answer in and of itself.

Hannah visits Evan and Norma at their apartment. Norma has been drinking. She and Evan snipe at each other. Hannah: "Both of them just full of promise and hopes that never materialized." Norma says that Hannah has all the luck, but Holly takes after her mother.

Mickey has a CAT scan. In the doctor's office, he learns that he has an inoperable brain tumor. Then that's shown to be fantasy; in reality, the doctor tells him that his tests were all fine. Mickey is all happy leaving the hospital, then stops himself. Back at his office, Gail confronts him -- why quitting? Mickey says that even though he won't die now, he will eventually (in despair, he'd bought a rifle), and that takes all the pleasure out of life. "I gotta get some answers."

Lee comes to Elliot's hotel room. They kiss and make love. Elliot says that he wants to do things for Lee -- Hannah doesn't need him as much. Lee goes back to Frederick's. He's gloomy, which irks her. She says she wants out. When pressed, she admits to having an affair. Frederick: "You are, you are my only connection to the world."

Elliot and Hannah are in their bedroom. His voice-over -- he's so cozy there in bed with Hannah. He feels extremely guilty about being unfaithful, and vows to nip the affair in the bud. The phone rings, and Elliot grabs it. It's Lee, who says that she feels very close to him.

Mickey walks and thinks. Flashback to his disastrous dates with Holly (set up by Hannah after they divorced). The first one was at a rock club, which deafened him; the second was at a jazz club, which bored her. They snipe, him about her use of drugs, her about his being uninteresting. In the present, Mickey says that was that ... which was too bad, since he'd always had a little crush on her.

Elliot and Lee dance in their hotel room.

Elliot, Hannah, and their kids (her twins with Mickey and two adopted ones) are at the dinner table. When the kids go off, she asks him why he's so listless. He says he doesn't think having a baby is a good idea. She presses him, but he can't bring himself to tell her about Lee.

Hannah helps Holly pick out clothes for her audition. They talk about David, who has a schizophrenic wife. Holly says that her audition is for a musical, leading Hannah to note that singing isn't really Holly's strong suit. Holly's confidence is hurt. Hannah tries to caution Holly to be realistic about her chances.

Holly sings at audition. April sings. Afterwards, April says that David is taking her to the opera. There's some tension between them, even though Holly says it's OK.

Mickey goes to see Father Flynn about converting to Catholicism. When the father asks why, Mickey says that he needs evidence of God. The proposed conversion makes his parents very unhappy. When Mickey tells his father about his fears, the father pooh-poohs it. "Who thinks about such nonsense? Now I'm alive. When I'm dead, I'll be dead." Shots of church, choir, Mickey getting books, Christ on cross, Mickey piling up various things (books, mayo, white bread).

Lee and Hannah go to a restaurant. Lee says she doesn't miss Frederick. Hannah says that Elliot has been distant and difficult. Holly arrives, saying she ran into April at an audition. April and David are now an item, which means the end of their catering company. But Holly has a new idea -- writing. She asks Hannah for another loan. Instead of agreeing, Hannah tells Holly to be realistic, rather than jumping right into something. When Holly upbraids her, Lee defends Hannah. Finally Hannah gives up: "Write! Let's just not talk about it anymore."

Elliot talks to analyst. He can't take action. He says Lee's adrift too, taking random classes. As he talks in voiceover, Lee is shown on campus. One of her professors, Doug, calls out to her, and they walk and talk.

Mickey talks to a Hare Krishna about reincarnation. "... does that mean my soul would pass to another human being, or would I come back as a moose or an aardvark or something?" The Hare Krishna gives him literature in lieu of an answer.

Lee asks herself, why shouldn't she see Doug? Elliot's not free to act.

Thanksgiving at Hannah's house. Lee is cool to Elliot. Holly talks to Hannah in the kitchen, but Hannah ignores her. Finally, Hannah says what's wrong: Holly's screenplay is based on her and Elliot. Hannah's angry both about her portrayal (too self-sufficient) and about the amount of private details. Holly says that Lee had told her things, and Hannah wonders how Lee knew.

Lee tells Elliot that their affair's over -- she's met someone else, and she wasn't going to wait forever. Their confrontation's interrupted by table-setting preparations.

Hannah confronts Elliot -- has he talked to either sister about their personal life? He never seems to want to talk to her about them. Elliot: "I need someone I can matter to."

Later that night, Hannah and Elliot are in their bedroom. Hannah: "It's so pitch-black tonight. I feel lost." Elliot: "You're not lost." They kiss.

Mickey runs into Holly, and they chat. She asks for his opinion on her new screenplay, and reads it to him at his apartment. He's stunned (it's based on David and April, and ends with him being attacked by the schizophrenic wife), and says he thinks it's great. They have coffee and a stroll. She asks him about his crisis, and how he came out of it.

Flashback: Mickey is rigging the rifle so he can kill himself. When he shoots, he is sweating so much the rifle slips, and the bullet shatters a mirror instead. The noise shocks him and disturbs the neighbors. Wanting to get away (and in his rush, setting off the rifle again), he goes out and wanders the streets. Eventually he ends up in a movie theater, which is playing Duck Soup. The wacky comedy cheers him up. "What the hell, it's [life] not all a drag." He starts enjoying himself. Holly apologizes for their horrible dates. He asks her out to dinner.

One year later, Thanksgiving again at Holly's house. Hannah is to play Desdemona on public TV. Elliot, in voiceover, notes that marriage seems to agree with Lee (who's there with Doug). Elliot hugs Hannah, they watch the guests. Mickey comes up behind Holly, saying not to worry, it's only her husband. "The heart is a very, very resilient little muscle." He asks how to top his little screenplay (marry one sister, then end up marrying the other one). She says she's pregnant. They kiss.

My notes
-- good use of voiceovers -- characters' internal monologues
-- relationships the main focus -- sisters to each other, sisters to significant others (theirs or someone else's)
-- overlapping dialogue. Realistic, people stammer.
-- lots of stuff from offscreen -- people's reactions to dialogue
-- scene cards with quote, themee
-- use of music, especially jazz
-- self-deprecating humor. Humor of character.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Four Weddings and a Funeral

2005-09-22T13:53:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Richard Curtis
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0109831

Synopsis

Wedding #1: Angus and Laura

Shots of people getting ready, intercut with shots of Charles asleep. Charles wakes -- o fuck. He wakes up Scarlett. They scramble. Speed in Scarlett's Mini Cooper. Fiona: "There is a greatness in your lateness." Charles, the best man, has forgotten the rings. Scarlett saves the day with heart, skull & crossbone rings. Carrie slips in late. Charles compliments Carrie's hat. Wedding photos taken.

Reception line. Comedy with friends -- humor, illustrates characters and relationships. Wedding cliches -- "You must be very proud."

Reception. Friends will meet in six hours. Tom (oblivious to trick) chosen to be designated driver. Charles looks out for Carrie, is headed off a couple of times. He is finally able to give her drink. Acquaintance shows up, Charles sticks foot in mouth by mentioning other man John's girlfriend -- now wife -- had been bonking. Carrie excuses himself.

Fiona talks to Gerald (introduces priest for next wedding). Serena asks Matthew about David, Charles' brother.

Wedding dinner. Food unappetizing (though Tom likes it). Charles watches Carrie at another table. Charles tgives speech. "I am, as ever, in bewildered awe of any couple who make the commitment that Angus and Laura have made this morning. I couldn't do it -- it's wonderful that they can. So anyway, back to Angus and those sheep."

Dancing. Gareth on floor. Matthew cathces Charles looking at Carrie -- love at first sight. "Quite -- three weeks is about my question-popping minimum."

Bernard and bridesmaid Lydia. She's depressed -- was promised sex, but hadn't gotten anything. Still not that desperate, though. Bouquet thrown -- Scarlett reaches, Fiona dodges, Lydia catches.

Charles -- Scarlett and I are at the Boatman. Tom -- everyone else is staying with me, come too. Carrie tells Charles she's at the Boatman. Friends leave, pass Lydia and Bernard kissing. Charles says to stop the car, walks back.

Charles enters the sitting room, Carrie's there. They chat. She hides when George, a total bore, enters looking for her. He thinks he's in (Carrie signals to Charles that he's not). Carrie crawls out, gets waiter to summon Charles to his wife. Carrie, Charles in her room. Joking about skulking. "How far do you think too far would be?" Peck on cheek, kiss on lips. Now this would definitely be too far -- they're in bed. Next morning, she's leaving for America. She jokes about marriage, momentarily spooking him.

Wedding #2: Bernard and Lydia

Charles and Scarlett late again. No taxis, her car's clamped. They run. The back of her dress falls off. Tom is best man, Scarlett one of bridesmaids. Gerald fumbles through ceremony, to the friends' amusement.

Reception. Gareth swaps cards on his and George's much larger gift. Business with people yelling at wrong father (it's the other one who's hard of hearing.)

Gareth's theory of marriage: the definitive ice-breaker. Carrie is at the wedding too. She introduces her fiancé, Hamish (who's 50 years old).

Dinner. Charles is at a table with four exes (Veronica, Martha, Nicki, Helena). Fiona to someone else: she's met the right man, but he doesn't love her. The exes trade embarrassing stories of Charles' love life, and say he was very indiscreet. Charles: "I seem to be stuck in the wedding from hell. Ghosts of girlfriends haunt me at every turn." Henrietta is there too.

Serena approaches David and talks to him in sign language (awwwww). They dance.

Charles, wanting to be by himself, finds a bedroom. However, he's trapped when Bernard and Lydia enter and hop in bed. He escapes, and promptly bumps into Henrietta. She says he's turned into a serial monogamist, and must give people a chance.

Carrie runs into Charles and says that Hamish had to catch a sleeper train -- keep me company? They go to her flat and end up in bed again. Love theme and montage -- Bernard and Lydia in limo, Gareth and Matthew cuddling, Tom sleeping (with pajamas buttoned up to the chin), Fiona reading, Scarlett drunk under a table.

For once, Charles and Scarlett don't have to go to a wedding. Charles gets a wedding invitation ... it's from Carrie.

Charles runs into Carrie at an expensive gift store. He helps her pick out a wedding dress. They have tea, and talk about their lovers (he was #32, just lovely). Charles: "I'd wish I'd rung you ... You ruthlessly slept with me twixe and then never rung me." He was supposed to meet David at the movies, and is terribly late. He goes in with David, then runs out after Carrie and blurts out, "I think I love you ...", then halts himself. He adds that he was willing to step in if she was being forced to marrying Hamish.

Wedding #3: Carrie and Hamish

Charles, depressed, gets there very very late, just in time for the "if anyone objects ..." part. The friends meet up. Gareth exhorts everyone to "go forth and conjugate ..." Gareth dances. Scarlett introduces herself to someone who introduces himself, jokingly, as Rhett (his real name's Chester).

Charles runs into Henrietta, who introduces him to her "divine new boyfriend." Fiona admits to Charlie that she loves him, but says that, "Friends isn't bad, you know. Friends is quite something." More dancing, especially from Gareth.

Carrie gives her speech at dinner, mentioning (to Charles, though no one knows) that she'll keep him posted about his offer to step in. Hamish starts talking. During his speech, Gareth falls. The friends take out into the hall, where Gareth dies. Charles tells Matthew.

Gareth's funeral

Carrie is there. Matthew recites W.H. Auden's poem "Funeral Blues". Carrie and Charles talk, both feel awkward. He apologizes for blurting out that he loved her, but she says she liked it.

Wedding #4: Charles and Henrietta

There are 14 alarm clocks around Charles' bed. Matthew is there with him, and tells him it's 9:45. They race to the church. Charles asks what time it really is -- it's 8:50. The friends have breakfast, and Fiona makes a toast: "To Charles ... and Duckface." Scarlett spots Chester at the wedding, and rushes to him. Angus and Laura are there, with their four kids. Tom, who earlier had told Charles he didn't believe in love at first sight, falls in love (like a thunderbolt) with Deidre, a distant relation.

Charles bumps into Carrie, who reveals that she and Hamish have separated. She'd thought about ringing him, but heard about his wedding. Charles, wanting to talk to her as long as possible, escorts her to her seat (even though it's getting late), and tells her that she probably should have rung, despite what she'd heard.

Charles, having found someplace to hide, vents his emotions: "Bugger! Bugger! Bugger! Bugger!" Matthew finds him, and says that Henrietta's coming. Charles: "... here I am on my own wedding day, and I'm still thinking." Charles tells David what's happening. David can think of only two choices: go ahead with the wedding, or call it off.

The wedding starts. All goes smoothly until the minister reaches "if anyone objects ..." part, and David stands up. Through Charles, he states that he thinks the groom has doubts, and that he really loves someone else. Charles confirms that he does. Henrietta slugs him.

The friends are at Charles' and Scarlett's. Charles has a black eye. The doorbell rings. It's Carrie, standing out in the rain. Charles stands outside with her. She says she just wanted to make sure he was OK, and starts to go. He stops her. He declares his love, and asks if she would agree not to marry him, and to stay unmarried with him for the rest of his life? She says, "I do," and they kiss.

My notes
-- different relationships -- gay couple completely in love. Fear of commitment. Love as falling for someone, just like that.
-- British humor, particularly Charles (self-deprecating). Comedy of character. Verbal, some physical (Charles, Scarlett racing). Pokes fun at weddings.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: The Boys in the Band

2005-09-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Mart Crowley, based on his play
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0065488

Synopsis
Shots of Michael shopping are intercut with other shots introducing Alan (on plane), Hank (playing basketball), Larry (taking photos of models), Donald (getting books, driving), Bernard (working at library), Emory (walking poodle), and Cowboy (standing on street).

Larry leaves his apartment with gifts, ends up in the corner bar.

Alan calls Michael's apartment. Michael dashes up the stairs, dropping his packages on the landing, but is too late (Alan hangs up first).

Donald calls Michael (how to handle a catatonic fit in a parking garage). He's way early, but Michael says to come over, and (over Donald's protests that he can't cope with responsibility) tells him to bring some ice.

Hank sees Larry in the bar. Some tension there as Hank calls a cab and they leave.

Alan calls Michael, and again hangs up. Michael calls Harold, who doesn't answer because he's in a bubble bath.

Donald arrives at Michael's with ice. Donald's depressed -- his analyst cancelled. Michael: "If there's one thing I'm not ready for, it's five screaming queens singing Happy Birthday." He wants everything to be just perfect. They banter about Michael losing his hair. Donald says he was raised to be a failure. "Failure is the only thing with which I feel at home." Michael throws sweaters on the floor, calls himself a spoiled brat. "Run, charge, run, buy, borrow, make, spend, run, squander, beg, run, run, run, waste, waste, waste! And why? And why?" Ruefully, they both acknowledge how satisfying self-pity is.

Larry spots Emory, who hops in the cab. Emory and Larry banter, Hank says hi.

Alan calls Michael -- can he come over? At first Michael says he's tied up, but when Alan breaks down, he says to come for a quick drink. Michael tells Donald about Alan -- straight, square city, not like him to cry on the phone.

Thunder. Michael continues preparations (cracked crab, cigarettes). He says he has quit drinking and smoking. Couldn't get through another ick attack (guilt), which would then start another cycle of drinking.

The doorbell rings. It's not Alan, though -- it's Emory (who acts the flaming queen from the get-go), Hank and Larry. Larry and Donald see each other and exchange a look. They haven't met exactly, but have seen each other before. Michael warns them that Alan's coming over -- he doesn't know that Michael's gay, and isn't ready for it. Michael was super-careful in college, and had really through he was straight, and that he was just experiencing the "Christ-was-I-drunk-last-night syndrome". Michael warns Emory, "No camping!"

The doorbell rings again. It's Bernard, who has a bottle of wine. Emory greets him as the queen of spades. Alan calls (Michael takes the call upstairs, where there's less noise). Larry tries to call about the cake he ordered, but gets no answer. Bernard and Emory trade banter. Emory to Larry: "How can a sensitive artist like you live with an insensitive bull [Hank] like that?"

Alan apologizes to Michael, and says he's not coming. Michael is relieved, telling Alan the timing would've been bad. They set a date for the next day.

Larry puts on music, which Bernard dances to. Bernard chaffs Donald about his stack of books. Bernard: "Some people eat, some people drink, some take dope ..." Donald: "I read."

Donald to Michael: "Sometimes you remind me of the relentless water torture."

Bernard and Michael dance. The delivery boy drops off cake (on his way out, leaving the front door open). Emory slaps Bernard on the butt: "Ask him if he's got any black bottom pie."

Emory, Larry, Bernard, and Michael dance.

Alan comes up, and Hank lets him in. Alan is stunned by the sight of the dancing, and the others slowly realize he's there. Hank turns off the music. Michael tries to pass it off as them just being silly, and he introduces everyone. He explains to Alan that it's a birthday party. Emory refers to Harold using "she" and "her". Alan chats with Hank (the most normal one there) -- one's a lawyer, the other a teacher. Michael drafts Emory for kitchen help.

Alan and Hank continue chatting. Alan asks if Hank's married (he spotted Hank's ring). Hank says he's in the process of getting a divorce. He and Larry are ... roommates. Alan, uncomfortable, says he'll finish his drink and leave. Hank to Larry -- you're jealous, aren't you? Larry: "No, I'm Larry, you're jealous." Larry goes to talk to Donald.

Alan and Michael talk upstairs. Michael says he's not writing anymore. He apologizes about the party, but Alan says he understands, not everyone can be invited. He remarks that Hank is an attractive fellow, and that he likes Donald too. Emory, however, "seems like such a goddamn little pansy." Alan says he couldn't care less what people do, as long as they don't do it in public. Michael asks him what's wrong, but Alan doesn't want to talk about it, and goes into the bathroom when Michael presses him.

The buzzer rings. It's Cowboy, who sings "Happy Birthday" and kisses Michael. Emory: "She's Harold's present from me and she's early." Supposed to be a Midnight Cowboy.

Alan comes downstairs, ready to leave. He and Emory trade barbs. Alan attacks Emory, calling him a freak. Hank pulls him off. Bernard tends to Emory.

With impeccable timing, Harold arrives and surveys the scene. Cowboy sings and kisses Harold. Michael goes to the drinks cart and downs a glass of gin. Michael to Harold: you're stoned and late. Harold: Cowboy's gorgeous. "In affairs of the heart, there are no rules."

Bernard takes Emory upstairs and cleans him up in the bathroom. Hank takes Alan upstairs. Alan bolts for the bathroom, once again scaring Emory.

Harold smokes pot. Larry takes a puff, as does Cowboy. Emory wants to leave, but Michael forbids it. Harold: "Beware the hostile fag. When he's sober he's dangerous, when he drinks, he's lethal." Someone mentions the lasagna, and Emory decides he can't leave without serving it. Michael snipes at the pretty but dumb Cowboy: "Physical beauty is not that god-damned important." Harold snipes at him about believing in God. Michael says he does that so he's covered.

Some tension between Larry and Hank, as the former is jealous of Alan. Dinner is served. Harold goes for second helpings. Michael snipes at him for starving himself, then gorging himself and feeling guilty. Harold: "You hateful sow."

Cake is brought out, and Happy Birthday is sung. Harold opens his gifts. Larry's -- deed to Boardwalk. Hank -- sweater that Larry had bought for him. Bernard -- jewelled knee-pads for basketball. Michael -- framed photo of himself, with an inscription that Harold chooses not to share.

Music, dancing, pot smoking. Michael to Hank: "It's gotten pretty immature out." Just as Donald kvetched about his parents earlier, Michael does now, saying that his mom refused to let him grow up. A sudden storm forces everyone inside.

The lights go out, then back on. Harold's candle reveals Alan standing on the stairs. He's leaving, but Michael bullies him into staying for a game. It's Michael's own invention -- Affairs of the Heart. He tells Alan that he must not want to leave, or he would've done so a long time ago. The game -- to call the one person you truly believe you have loved. Points for making the call, getting the person, identifying yourself, and proclaiming your love. Hank says he doesn't want to play. He and Larry snipe at each other. Alan says to Hank, leave with me. Hank says he can't. Michael explains: Larry and Hank are lovers.

Bernard calls Peter Dahlbeck. He'd worked for the family (as had his mother). He and the son made it after a drunken swimming party. The day after Bernard was worried sick, but Peter acted as if nothing had happened. Bernard calls (Michael tallies points as he proceeds), gets the mother instead. He tells the mother he was sorry to hear about Peter and his (third) wife. Afterwards (and through the rest of the film), Bernard is depressed, asking aloud why did he call.

Emory says his true love was Delbert Botts, who he'd loved since junior high. By the time Emory was in high school, Delbert was already graduated and a dentist. Emory went to him for an appointment, and asked if he could be his friend. Delbert agreed, and Emory sent him a cigarette lighter with his initials engraved. Emory, who was handling decorations for the ball, overhears Delbert's girlfriend and another girl sniggering, and realizes he was a laughing stock. Michael mocks him, but Bernard steps in. Michael points out that Emory Uncle Toms Bernard to death. Bernard says it makes them equals in Bernard's eyes.

Emory calls, it's busy. Larry starts dialling, but Emory snatches the phone back. He gets Del, but doesn't identify himself (says Del doesn't know him, but is a friend). Del hangs up.

Larry says he'll call Charlie (who stands for all the people he cheats on Hank with). But Hank takes the phone and calls -- leaves a message with their answering service saying that he loves Larry. Alan says he doesn't want to hear it -- disgusting.

Larry: "Numerous relations is a part of the way I am." Hank says they agreed to a menage a trois, but Larry says that doesn't work for him (he can only do it with one person at a time), and that it was Hank who agreed to the arrangement. Larry says that in his own way he loves Hank, but he wants understanding and respect for each other's freedom. Michael refuses to give points because Larry didn't declare it on the phone. Larry calls Michael's number, holds out the phone for Hank, says he loves Hank. Hank promises to try, and Larry says he will too. Hank rushes up the stairs.

Michael slams the phone down in front of Alan. Larry, despite Michael pointing out he'll miss the end of the game, goes upstairs. He kisses Hank.

Michael and Harold snipe at each other. Michael says there's one term Alan's familiar with -- closet queen. Michael says that Alan slept with Justin Stewart (whom Michael had mentioned earlier in the evening), and that Alan was obsessed with him. Alan retorts that Justin lied, to make up for Alan's rejection. Alan dials, says he loves the person on the other end of the phone. Michael, triumphant, seizes the phone and starts talking, but realizes it's Fran, Alan's wife. Alan gets back on the line and tells Fran he'll take the first plane back. He says, "Thank you, Michael," and leaves.

Harold to Michael (who is holding back tears): "You're a homosexual and you don't want to be." Harold leaves, with Cowboy in tow. Emory leaves, supporting the despondent Bernard. Michael moans and has a panic attack. Donald tries to calm him down and gives him Valium, then cradles Michael as he cries. Eventually Michael's sobs subside, and he sits up. "If we could just not hate ourselves just quite so very, very much." As his spirits recover, a bit of Michael's tongue does as well, which causes Donald to roll his eyes.

Michael and Donald survey the sodden mess that was the party (major ick). As Donald settles in to read, Michael leaves for midnight mass.

My notes
-- not a single really well-adjusted character in the lot (all have at least one issue)
-- once Michael home, told in real time
-- drinking, dancing, talking, sniping
-- tone is extremely cynical and bitter, particularly Michael later on

FT 540 notes (from 06/17/03)
-- William Friedkin's first directing effort. Based on Crowley's play. First one in U.S. attempting to show gay life. Takes place (mostly) in one apartment. Ensemble play, film used same actors. Last 6 months of plays' run coincides with Stonewall riot.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Sunday, Bloody Sunday

2005-09-13T16:08:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Penelope Gilliatt
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0067805

Synopsis
Dr. Daniel Hirsh with hyponchondriac male patient. Daniel gets a call during the appointment. He tells the caller, "Try and stay in for a few minutes, will you?" After the patient leaves, Daniel calls his answering service. One of the messages is from Mr. Elkin, who said he was going out straight away. Daniel: "Look, I do know it might be somebody else ringing him." He upbraids the answering service for getting names wrong.

The phone rings in Bob's flat, but it's empty. Daniel imagines that Bob's there but not picking up.

Alex calls Bob, but no answer. She bursts off the bed and calls the answering service, leaving a message for Bob saying she's running late but is on her way. Flashback: at the Hodsons' house with Alva, who's making sure she's OK being there with Bob and all the kids for the weekend. Alva and Bill think Alex and Bob should marry, have kids of their own.

Alex calls the Hodsons from a pub and gets Lucy (know-it-all brat). Even though it's late, she's mysteriously stalled. Alex finally gets to the Hodsons. Alva, Bill, and their friend (a professor) drive off.

Night. Lucy takes care of the baby when it cries. Alex and Bob eat out of fridge. Bob: "She's sort of a C.I.A. agent for happy families." Alex remarks that they're certainly not her guinea pigs (are we?). The baby cries. Alex goes to take care of it, but Lucy gets there first.

Daniel plays Cosi fan tutte (recurring theme), and looks at Bob's sculpture in his garden.

Breakfast in the Hodsons' bedroom. The kids smoke pot, despite Alex's admonishing them.

Alex decides to leave her job. "I'm fed up with grooming people to be thrusters."

Bob tells Alex he needs to go out for a bit. She snipes at him a little bit (starts with D). He goes, she's left stricken.

Daniel is with a woman patient. She can't stand her husband, but doesn't want to leave him (says it'd kill him). As she leaves, Bob comes in. They kiss. Bob looks at his sculpture, and wonders if he could do it on a much larger scale. It'd mean his going to America, but Bob reassures Daniel it wouldn't be for long. A child's mother calls. She complains that her child doesn't like the pills Daniel prescribed, and still has a fever. Daniel, trying to keep his temper, tells her that he prescribed the pills for the fever. (Both Daniel and Alex are frustrated with their jobs.)

Alex cries and eats fudge. Lucy: "Has Bob walked out on you? I expect that's why you're overeating."

Bob and Daniel look at a book of Italian photographs. Bob: "Bludgeoned into feeling something. I can't see being a fanatic, are you?" They talk about a trip to Italy at the end of the month. They make love.

Fuses blow at the Hodsons'. Bob, back, works on them. There's tension between him and Alex because of Daniel. Bob: "Don't go on at me like some possessive wife." Alex: "Perhaps you shouldn't spread yourself so thin." The fuses are fixed. Bob takes a shower. Alex apologizes, and they embrace.

Daniel drives. A Scotsman (former lover) raps on his window. Daniel refuses to acknowledge him, so the Scotsman hits the car window harder, hurting his hand. Daniel tells an approaching cop that the Scotsman is his patient. He is not taking him back to his place, but will stop at a drugstore, then drop him at home. Daniel writes a prescription, but gets into an argument with the drugstore clerk. When he gets out of the store, he finds that the Scotsman has pinched his instrument case.

Bob, Alex, the kids and the dog take a stroll. After a while, Lucy (perhaps jealous of the other kids, who are getting swung around by Bob), abandons the pram and runs with the dog. Alex says for them to race to the next lamppost. Instead, they run across the street, and the dog is killed by a lorry.

Bob and the kids play a drawing game in the kitchen. The scene is intercut with shots from Alex's flashback (and some fantasy) of herself as a child, running after her father with a forgotten gas mask. The screenplay notes that "His [Bob's] memory is shorter than hers and he can always find exits."

The Hodson adults are back. Bob is upstairs with his mates, working on a harmonograph. Alex and Bob drive back. Alex: "This weekend alone together -- we've never seen less of one another." She assumes they're going back to her place, but Bob says to let him out instead.

Alex is at her parents for Monday dinner. Her father is totally absorbed with his financial work (commodities, stock prices, etc.). Alex notes to her mom that she wishes they wouldn't have her ex-husband to dinner. She complains about her father. Her mother protects him and says that maybe Alex is complaining about someone of her own. Mother: "There is no whole thing. One has to make it work."

Alex calls her answering service, and says she's in only if Bob calls. The answering service asks if she'd tried him at another number. Alex says she knows the number, it's a doctor's. The answering service confirms that, and says it's Daniel's -- adding that he also uses the answering service.

Wednesday, Alex and Bob talk. He can't see her that night or tomorrow. She imagines them talking in bed.

Alex is talking to a businessman who'd invented an engineering degree, and lost a job opportunity because of that. He hectors her. They share a drink at her desk. He proposes dinner.

Daniel has a party. Bob and others are there.

Alex and the businessman are in bed.

Horrible guests arrive at Daniel's. The wife screams at the husband, accusing him of thinking about another woman (which was why he drove the wrong way). Daniel tries to intervene but is told to butt out. Bob, disgusted by their behavior, leaves. Daniel throws everybody out.

Bob goes to Alex, finds the businessman there. Alex, amused, introduces them. Bob is miffed. They make love. The next morning, they talk about the businessman. Bob says he doesn't mind: "We're free to do what we want." Alex: "Other people often do what they don't want to do at all."

Daniel is at the Italian state tourist office, planning his itinerary.

Bob goes to a doctor at the airport and gets a smallpox injection. He tells the TWA doctor that he might be going to the U.S.

Daniel is at a restaurant. Bob calls him and says he's ill. Daniel, at Bob's, examines him. Bob tells him about the smallpox shot, which Daniel immediately realizes means a trip to the U.S. Daniel: "I always knew Italy was a fiction." Bob says that the Italy trip could still happen, and that he wouldn't be away that long. "I couldn't ever just piss off, you see." Daniel knows that, to the contrary, that's exactly what Bob is doing, even though Bob tries to leave Daniel the responsibility of saying whether to go to the U.S. or not.

Daniel at bar mitzvah. He says, in response to an inquisitive relative, that he hasn't found the right person.

Bob tells Alex about his U.S. trip. He says he doesn't want to lose Alex, that maybe he should move in. It's no longer enough or her: "There are times when nothing has to be better than anything." As he takes a call, she says (knowing he can't hear her) that she loves him, and that she doesn't want him to go.

Bob at Daniel's. Daniel: "The truth is I don't want to lose you."

Sunday. Bob leaves Daniel's key on the table, and slips out without saying goodbye. He leaves a message with the answering service for Daniel and Alex. He dumps rubbish right outside his front door, despite a neighbor upbraiding him.

Alex drives up to the Hodsons. Daniel is inside. He says he's going to Italy, and that Bob probably won't be going. Bill, misunderstanding, says that he and Alva should be better about taking separate trips. Alva, more perceptive, says that she's sorry. Daniel comes out. He and Alex, each knowing who the other is, talk awkwardly. Both had gotten the message from the answering service. He leaves.

Alex finds an envelope under her door with a key, and a note from Bob asking her to look after his toucan.

Daniel practices Italian. Talking as if he were a patient in someone's office, he says that he's happy apart from missing Bob. He knows that Bob wasn't the right person, "But something. We were something."

My notes
-- "love" triangle, if you can call it that
-- parallel Alex/Bob, her parents
-- none of three are overly sympathetic characters
-- answering service a barrier to direct communication
-- atmosphere of uncertainty -- economy not doing well

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Sid and Nancy

2005-09-12T15:28:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Alex Cox and Abbe Wool
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0091954

Synopsis
As Nancy's body is carried out of a hotel room, a detective questions the unresponsive Sid, who's covered with blood. Shots of different people (manager - Nancy a camp follower, punkette, punker) to get different reactions. Reporters try to question Sid, who threatens to smash their cameras.

Three cops try to bully Sid into talking. When one says, "Who was this chick, your groupie?", Sid blows up. The chief comes and kicks them out, then tells Sid they just want to know who she was. The question of where they met begins the whole flashback.

Nancy Spurgen, in NYC, is going to her job as an exotic dancer. Crying, she tells her friends that her boyfriend of a week, Duke Bowman, has up and left for England. One friend tells her to rescue Duke's guitar from the pawnshop and take it to him.

Nancy at Linda's, in England. She says that Duke took the guitar, but slammed the door in her face. They do drugs. John and Sid yell for Linda, and Sid tosses a bit of paving stone through a window. They come up. Sid announces he's the new bass player for the Sex Pistols. John: Sidney never washes his feet. Sid spray-paints the walls with graffiti. Nancy says she loves the Sex Pistols and wants to go to a gig.

John and Sid leave Linda's. They see a Rolls-Royce. As John eggs him on, Sid makes faces at the dog, spray-paints the window, kicks the windscreen, but doesn't paint the dog.

Sex Pistols gig. Malcolm pretends the bar is still a striptease joint: "Here's the doorway to the seamy underbelly of London." Sid is talking to people. Phoebe, Malcolm's secretary, thrusts a bass guitar into his hands and tells him to earn his keep. A reporter who has given the Sex Pistols poor reviews comes in. Sid hits the reporter with his guitar.

People at Linda's pad. Nancy climbs in next to John, who says that the British don't believe in sex. She turns and explores Sid's bare back. He's awake and terrified.

The Sex Pistols play darts. They toss darts at the drummer when he goes to retrieve some. Nancy asks Duke for 50 pounds, but he throws beer in her face. She runs out, and Sid goes after her. Nancy complains about Duke, and scrapes her hands on the brick wall. Sid nuts the wall, which impresses her. Sid gives her money. Nancy will meet him back there in an hour with drugs.

Nancy is trying to buy drugs from Rock Head. At first he resists, then says he will send two dimes for the price of one if she'll fuck him and split one right now. Rock: "Whether it's sex or dope or stamp collecting, you got to have that sideways pressure valve."

Wally runs into Sid, who's still waiting for Nancy several hours later. He pulls Sid into the bar. Another day, they reel out of another boozer. Wally talks about opening his own club. They see a Cadillac, and aim imaginary machine guns at it.

Rock Head, his girlfriend Hermione, and Nancy are in the Cadillac. He sends Nancy into the building for a drug pickup. Cops appear and are blocked by the Cadillac. Panicking, Rock Head orders them to drive off. Nancy's stuff gets thrown out of the car. Sid and Wally rummage through the stuff, Sid putting a pair of Nancy's underwear on his head. Nancy runs out and stops them. Sid confronts her about his money. Nancy gives him a package.

Wally's pad. They shoot up. Sid and Nancy make love.

Recording studio. Steve tries to teach Sid a bass line, but he keeps screwing it up (and the lyrics too). Nancy arrives with parcels and take-out food. She tells Sid no pizza until they've finished at least one song. Band members snipe at each other, and disperse, leaving Sid and Nancy there. Nancy says for him to kiss her toes, and he does.

The band, the reporters, and punks are on the Queen Elizabeth in the Thames. John is seasick. Sid's mom talks to reporters, telling him what a nice boy he is. Sid playfully pretends to strangle Nancy. Nancy: "He's not a nice boy. He's the meanest bastard that ever walked the fucking earth." Phoebe tells them that Malcolm wants Sid upstairs. Nancy asks her what's the point. Phoebe: "Who the FUCK are you, anyway?" Nancy messes up Sid's hair, then tries to help him fix it in the gents' lavatory. They make out. Cops come. In the chaos, Sid and Nancy slip off the boat.

Linda's pad. Nancy is in withdrawal. Linda tells Sid he needs to get hold of some smack. Nancy calls her mom -- Sid and I are married, please wire us money right now. She gets mad when her mom refuses, and breaks windows. Sid tries to restrain her.

Sid and Nancy are being interviewed, Nancy doing all the talking. She says that Sid didn't know anything about sex before meeting her. When the reporter asks if she's a groupie, Sid answers with an emphatic no.

Sid's mom's house. Nancy: "I'll never look like Barbie -- Barbie doesn't have bruises." The house is a mess, and Sid yells at her to stop mucking about. They fight. She puts on a hippie outfit of his mom's and jumps up and down on her bed. When Sid yells at her, she runs out with her shopping bags, Sid in pursuit. She catches her reflection in a shop window. Horrified, she starts tearing the clothes off and grabbing new ones out of her bags. He cracks up and starts picking up his mom's clothes. She laughs too.

Linda's pad. John comes to see Sid. Linda, a dominatrix, tends to a middle-aged man hanging from manacles. John kicks Sid awake. He has two tickets to see Rock Head at the Rainbow. When Nancy mentions Rock Head has the best drugs, Sid says, "Let's go!"

Hotel. Sid and Nancy march in. He's in a cowboy suit, both have cap pistols. John trails behind, muttering that he can't stand this groupie shit. They find a new, improved Rock -- no more drugs, drinking, smoking, etc. Sid tries to bum five pounds off people. John confronts Rock -- no self-respecting punk would be found in a fancy hotel like this. Rock on Sid: "There's money to be made from acting like a bozo. I've been there." He tells John to distance himself from Sid.

Conference in Malcolm's office with Malcolm, Phoebe, band members without Sid. They argue about Sid's worth to the band -- he's a terrible bass player. Malcolm: "He's a fuckin' star." John: He's a fuckin' headcase." They agree that he's not the problem -- Nancy is. Nancy calls. She and Sid want a suite at Rock Head's hotel.

Sid and Nancy have been making trouble at the hotel (arrests, damage, etc.) Phoebe and Clive go -- Sid is taken to the dentist, Nancy is taken shopping. Phoebe quietly tells her cab to go to Heathrow airport. Sid is put under at the dentist. Nancy realizes what's going on, and throws herself out of the cab. Sid wakes up. Phoebe calls Malcolm.

Sid goes to Malcolm's shop and trashes shelves. Malcolm is hiding under the counter. Sid: "She's all I got -- I'm in love with her. WE'RE ONE."

Cafe. The band talks. Malcolm decrees that there will be no women on the U.S. tour, ostensibly to keep expenses down. He gives Sid an ultimatum: leave Nancy behind, or leave the band. He adds that after the tour, a record company will buy them a little house. Nancy gets mad about the bribe.

Nancy and Sid have sex. Even though Sid has to be up in two hours, she says he has to stay awake. This time, her "Kiss my toes" is a demand, not a request. Sid gets mad, yells at her, and slams out.

Tour bus in America. John and Sid snipe at each other. Concerts, passing through empty landscapes. Sid pours vodka into his mouth. His minder takes the vodka away. Sid fights with security after one concert. More sniping. Nancy talks to Sid -- he misses sex. She has to cut the call short because she's helping Linda with a client. Linda tells her not to apply the whip so hard. Sid to crowd: who's gonna fuck me then? Sid on shock machine at bar.

Sid calls Nancy -- he's fucking a transvestite.

Sex Pistols' last gig. They all hate each other. Lots of sniping. Party -- John doesn't go. He spits blood into his hand. Sid walks into a plate glass door. The band plits up. Phoebe to Sid: get off the drugs, can help Nancy if both go straight. On plane, Sid washes down Valium with a double brandy.

Sid in hospital. Nancy visits him with junk food, comic books, etc. They go to Paris and have a blast. Sid is approached by Hugh, who is angling to become his manager, but Nancy tells him to go away.

Sid mimes to "My Way." He blows the audience away (blood packs), including Nancy. Nancy comes back to life, and they kiss. Nancy says he could manage Sid better than Malcolm.

Sid and Nancy learn that Linda has died of cancer. Nancy is depressed about all her friends dying. She asks him that if she told him to kill her, would he?

Sid and Nancy go to her Grandpa's for dinner. She cuts his food, and talks nonstop about their gigs, methadone clinic, sex, etc. Sid says they'll go out in a blaze of glory. Originally they'd planned to spend the night and have breakfast, but after a hurried conference, Grandpa and Grandma tell them that the family's been called out of town, and pushes them out.

Sid and Nancy at the methadone clinic getting their fix. The caseworker talks about the CIA and drugs.

Nancy tries to get gigs for Sid. One manager is leery, wondering if Sid can pull it off. He finally agrees to $3000 for three gigs. Sid and his neighbor do drugs. Nancy confronts him -- he'd promised to wait until after the gig. He slugs her, stumbles out and falls down the stairs.

Sid does gig. It doesn't go all that well -- they yell for John and throw drugs at him. The band members complain that they could be better if they rehearsed and if Sid learned the lyrics. Nancy yells at them and storms out. She tells Sid that she knows best, not them. "I'm gonna take care of EVERYTHING."

Sid tries to sing, reading lyrics from a paper. Again the audience throws things -- just empty pieces of paper this time.

Sid, Nancy, and Gretchen go for drugs. Bowery, Sid, and Nancy are at the hotel. Nancy shoots up. Bowery says that Nancy should respect Sid more. Sid and Nancy eat every little, don't have sex. They accidentally set their room on fire, and watch it burn. The manager upbraids them, but acts very accomodating (scared, too) and moves them to a first-floor room.

Nancy: "Love kills."

Sid and Nancy argue about not having any drugs (she accuses him of taking some behind her back) and about who has the right to be more depressed. Bowery comes. They're rude to him, and he makes to leave, but Nancy apologizes. He throws them a packet of speed.

SId and Nancy talk about a suicide pact. They drop stuff off at neighbor's. Sid says he won't do it, though Nancy reminds him he promised. Nancy: "I can't get up tomorrow to the same thing." He tries to leave, they struggle. He grabs a knife, yelling at her if she wants to do it. She lunges, they struggle. They make up. Nancy goes to the bathroom, sees her bloody toros, calls for Sid, and collapses. Sid is fast asleep. Bowery sees Sid catatonic, playing with the knife, and Nancy on the floor. Bowery calls 911.

Repeat of a snippet from the opening, with Sid telling the photographers to fuck off.

Sid is bailed out. Meeting with him, Malcolm, Sid's mom, and F. Lee Bailey, who's going to take his case. Malcolm says Paul and Steve are coming for a band reunion.

Sid in bar. Wally tells him about Olive, who's off smack and healthy. Hugh, from Paris, comes up and asks who's handling Sid now. Sid lashes out with the bottle, splashing Hugh (who exits) and hitting Wally.

Sid is back in jail. He unscrews the ceiling bulb, which smashes on the floor. He slashes his wrist with the pieces.

Sid has gotten bailed out again. As a young cop gives Sid his things, an old cop gives him advise -- Sid should straighten up and stay out for good.

A few kids are dancing. Reluctant at first, Sid does a few steps with them. A cab drives up, with a healthy, unaddicted Nancy inside. Sid gets in, and they kiss as the cab drives off.

My notes
-- co-dependent relationship from hell. Two main characters fucked-up, bring out worst in each other. No redeeming qualities for either.
-- drugs, sex and rock 'n' roll
-- Nancy portrayed like Yoko -- controlling bitch. Sid more innocent (relatively speaking), not too bright.
-- environmental details -- garbage, blood
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FT 540 notes (from 06/17/03)
-- need to be loved. How much is need, how much desire? Love as instinct, humans a series of bodies. No real consciousness of beloved.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert

2005-09-09T17:03:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Stephan Elliott
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0109045

Synopsis
Mitzi performs. Crowd goes wild, wants encore. She waves good-bye, falls when hit by beer can. Felicia helps her off, talks back to hecklers. Backstage, phone rings for Tick (Mitzi). Flashback to hospital, doctor greeting Mitzi in full drag as Mr. Belrose.

Tick calls Bernadette, and learns that Trumpet's dead. Trumpet's funeral. Tick invites Bernadette to join him out of town for a gig. Bernadette eventually agrees. She says, "Here's hoping the desert is big enough for hte two of us ..." Tick: "Three of us." Bernadette's horrified that Adam's going too. Adam's dream: to climb Kings Canyon in dress, heels and a tiara. Bernadette: "Great. That's just what this country needs. A cock in a frock on a rock."

Adam locates a silver bus, christens it Priscilla.

Scenes of three packing. They pull out to much cheering from fellow queens, in stark contrast to more subdued launch of the jogging Logowoman. The three are at first enthusiastic, but quickly tire.

Tick, Adam gossip. Bernadette disapproves. Adam asks Tick if Bernadette's real name is Ralph. Tick shushes Adam.

That night, Adam toasts baby sausages. Bernadette and Tick lock him out of the bus.

The next day, a tired Adam drives. Bernadette tries to apply lipstick, but is foiled by Adam's braking, and eventually smears it on her face. Adam stops the bus suddenly, and all three look at their road, which stretches on and on through the desert. The bus is a tiny speck on the highway.

Tick reveals he's married. Flashback to wedding, with Marion in tails, Tick in dress. Marion had called him asking for help with entertainment. While playing snap, Adam teases Tick about the wedding. If Tick wins, Adam will never mention wife in Tick's presence again.

Mining city of Broken Hill. The three, in frocks and heels, walk down the main street. They take a room in a garish hotel. Adam had won the snap game, so they did one lap of the main drag in drag. The three go to a hotel bar, stunning the occupants into silence. Bernadette tries to order drinks, but a rugged woman named Shirley gives them hell. "We got nothing here for people like you. Nothing!" Bernadette issues a stinging retort, which cracks people up.

A party is in full swing at the bar. Felicia dances on the upright piano. Mitzi sells beauty products. Bernadette and Shirley have a drinking contest, which Bernadette wins. Felicia blurts out that Bernie's name is really Ralph. Bernadette goes after Adam in the hotel room, and he fights back. Mitzi passes out.

The next morning, Tick is hung over. Adam and Bernadette are still screaming at each other. They discover "AIDS fuckers go home" graffiti on the bus.

Adam buys a box at the gas station.

Tick spots a shortcut, which they take. Felicia rides on top of the bus.

Tick to Adam: "What sort of bent childhood did you grow up in, Adam Whiteley?" Flashback: Adam's uncle in bath. A 6-year-old Adam pulls the plug.

Night. Clunk! Priscilla stops running. Bernadette goes to look for help. Adam starts to repaint the bus lavender. Shots of Bernadette walking in the desert. Tick rehearses.

Bernadette flags down jeep (driven by pair of regular folks, on the older side). They drive back to camp. The couple is spooked by the three (Bernadette with dripping makeup, Tick in dress, Adam in hairnet) and quickly drives off. Adam to Mitzi: "How many times have I told you? Green is not your colour!"

Bernadette -- Trumpet a nice kid, better than nothing.

The three rehearse. They're spotted by an aboriginal man, who enjoyed the performance. He brings them to campfire. They perform, then get the aboriginal man to join them in drag, to much amusement and laughter.

Adam and Bernadette transform a hideous orange frock into a kite. Tick, spotting the kite, is able to guide Bob, a mechanic, to the bus. Bob says he can fix the engine for now, could pick up a new motor in Coober Pedy in a week -- won't work, since the three have six days to get to Alice Springs. Bob has them over at his house. Tension between him and Cynthia. Bob proposes that they perform in town. He'd actually seen Les Girls. Tick introduces Bernadette as the most famous of Les Girls. More tension between Bob and Cynthia -- she wants to perform, but he says that the visitors will, not her.

Bernadette, Mitzi, and Felicia are at the pub getting ready. Bob compliments them. Cynthia is at home, pissed off. She breaks the padlock on a cupboard with alcohol, ping-pong balls, etc.

Pub performance gets a mixed reaction. Only Bob claps. Cynthia appears, makes spectacle of herself, resists when Bob tries to get her away. She drives off, leaving him. The three start to leave. The bus chokes, but runs (barely). Tick offers Bob a ride to Coober Pedy. They go back to the main road. Adam to Bob: "We may wear the frocks around here, but that doesn't mean that you wear the pants."

Bob asks Bernadette why ... you know ... Flashback: Xmas. Ralph's sister opens a gift, it's a cement mixer. Ralph is already surrounded by dolls, tea sets, etc. He'd switched the cards on the gifts.

Bob works on the motor. Tick teaches Adam how to waltz. He'd learned it from Marion. Bernadette tells Bob that Tick bats for both teams, but Tick contradicts them. Adam -- so, we're straight then? Tick -- no. Adam -- oh, gay? Tick -- no. "Then what the hell are we?" Tick laughs. "I don't fucking know!" They're passed by Logowoman.

They arrive in Coober Pedy. Bob is meeting the boys at the drive-in for a few beers. Bernadette and Tick are going to supper -- Adam can either hang out with them or stay in his hotel room. Adam opens a purse and takes out some cocaine.

Bernadette and Tick talk over dinner. Tick says yes, he's thinking about children.

Felicia, finishing her cocaine, goes to video store, then to the drive-in. The men (except for Bob, who's mortified) are embarassed yet pleased that a woman's joined them. Frank offers Felicia a beer, then notices his hairy knuckles. Felicia throws beer, runs, and the men give chase. Bernadette and Tick spot Felicia running past the restaurant. Felicia is cornered. Frank hits him, has two chums spread Felicia's legs and prepares to kick him. Bob tries to intervene. Bernadette yells at Frank. Frank says for her to come on, rubs his croth. Bernadette kicks him in the crotch.

Tick yells at Adam. Adam cries, Bernadette consoles him. "I don't know if that ugly wall of suburbia has been put up to stop them getting in, or us getting out."

Flashback: Bob in Manila. He wakes up next to Cynthia, who insists she's his wife. He brought her home out of duty.

Campfire. Bernadette and Bob stay up drinking and talking. Adam and Tick eavesdrop, giggling. The next morning, Tick drives, Adam bangs pans together, Bernadette and Bob sit in the back, hung over.

They arrive at the hotel in Alice Springs, are greeted by the doorman. Tick meets Marion, then is led to his son, Benjamin. Fantasy flashback: Bernadette, Bob, and Adam are with Mitzi when the doctor addresses him as Mrs. Belrose. In both reality and fantasy, Bernadette faints.

As the three get ready for their show, Bernadette upbraids Mitzi for not telling them he had a son. Mitzi says that Benjamin doesn't know his father's a drag queen. Marion reassures Mitzi that Benjamin is asleep. Bob gives flowers to Bernadette.

The three perform, and experience a major letdown. The tourists applaud politely. Bob, Marion, and Benjamin clap enthusiastically. Mitizi faints.

Tick, embarrassed and angry, confronts Marion. He has no idea how to talk to Benjamin. Marion tells him she needs a break, and he needs to take Benjamin for a while: "I've kept my end of the bargain. Now it's your turn."

Bob brings flowers to Bernadette's room. Silent gaze.

Adam watches Benjamin, who stuns Adam by being totally at ease about Tick (boyfriend?) and Marion (had girlfriend).

The group goes to Kings Canyon. Everyone is in high spirits except for Tick (who's dressed rather masculinely for once). He's embarrassed by Marion's innuendos. They play charades, Benjamin is very good. Bernadette and Adam go to get frocked, but Tick refuses to go.

Tick, awkward, talks to Benjamin. He says they don't always do shows like that -- have different music. "Abba?" Benjamin asks. He's totally at ease, asks if Tick will have a boyfriend when they get back to Sydney. Tick is relieved and pleased.

The three in drag climb Kings Canyon, arrive at the top. It's a magnificent view. So, what now? Tick says, finish the shows and go home. Bernadette, after a slight pause, agrees.

A few weeks later, the three have finished their shows. Marion tells Tick not to hide a thing. "Morals are a choice, and he'll decide his own when he's good and bloody ready." Adam and Tick are ready to go, but Bernadette isn't. She's going to stay on and handle the guest entertainment while Marion's away. Tick and Adam divine the real reason: Bob. Tick, Adam and Benjamin leave (the latter two calling out, "Goodbye, Ralph!")

Tick and Adam perform in Sydney, to a loud and enthusiastic crowd (cheering, throwing things, etc.). Benjamin claps while perched on a man's shoulders. Tick: "It's good to be home."

My notes
-- road movie, but not typical one. Journey.
-- outlandish characters -- flawed -- drink, drugs (Adam), arguing. Personal conflicts.
-- after arrive, what now? Characters go back home.
-- lots of banter.
-- use of music -- transitions
-- setting -- desert beautiful, but not entirely welcoming

FT 540 notes (from 06/12/03)
-- outsiders, drag queens

Technorati: movies

FT 540/FT 553 Reading: Hospital

2005-09-07T17:16:00.000-04:00

Film info
Directed by: Sidney Lumet
IMDB link: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0067217/

Synopsis/my notes
Callous characters. Lots of jargon (medical, business, bureaucratic). Narrator in preface -- Guernsey admitted, misdiagnosed and mistreated by Schaefer, who takes advantage of now-empty bed.

Next morning, Schaefer found dead. Herbert Bock called at hotel with news of death. Bock, room in bad shape.

Protesters outside hospital. Language of protestors ("expansionist policies," "imperialist hospital"). Sundstrom when told of Schaefer's death, "Really? I'm sorry to hear that. I understand you've moved out to a hotel." Bock doesn't want days off or therapy, just wants to work.

Bock gets story on Schaefer mishap. "My God, the incompetence here is absolutely radiant!" Bock goes to office, tries to deal with admin stuff, not up to it, goes to see psychiatrist. They talk about depression, son Maoist, drug-dealing daughter, suicidal speculations, impotence. Bock leaves abruptly.

Dr. Ives, one of demonstrators, goes to nephrology lab, sand-bagged from behind.

Bock on way to solarium for case presentations, passes "exotic group" -- Barbara and Indian with minister.

Waiting room, Mrs. Cushing seeking insurance info. Goes to ER (passing several patients), redirected by angry nurse to Holding Room. Asks Mitgang for info, told to leave him alone. Asks other patient. It's Ives, and he's dead. Had been lying there for hours.

Admin staff conference. More bureaucracy. News -- Ives dead. Milton Mead goes to see brother William, who's anxious and upset about not having private room. Milton assures him it's no big deal.

Bock lecturing and diagramming. Lots of medical terms. Heads to check out patient, quizzes doctors en route and at bedside.

Brubaker tells Bock that Barbara wants to take comatose father home. They have a mission among Apache Indians, daughter licensed nurse, can give injections. Brubaker -- shouldn't discharge. Story on Drummond -- Ives did biopsy, nicked a vessel. Welbeck called in, half-stoned, didn't clear for allergies. Nurse goofed on last treatment. Bock: "How am I to sustain my feelings of meaningfulness in the face of this?" Wants to defrock Ives, Welbeck, says to let Drummond go.

Beck seeks Ives, told he's dead. Goes down to pathology, gets story. Hitchcock: "People do die of these things."

Night. Beck in office, drinking. Has made decision. Nurse goes in to give William Mead shot, finds Indian and Barbar performing ritual.

Bock goes to pharmacy, filches potassium and syringe. Overhears nurses talking about ritual. Goes in and sees. "You don't seriously believe all that mumbo-jumbo will cure him?" "On the other hand, it won't kill him, Doctor." Bock says go ahead, use my office to call ambulance service.

Barbara comes into office, calls. Bock watches legs. Barbara talks about background (hers and father's). Father was in doctor, started speaking in tongues, found it was obscure Native American dialect, started mission in Mexico. Barbara followed him, left, cracked up, went back to mountains. Tries to seduce Bock, who says he's been impotent for years. What's wrong with it? "We cure nothing! We heal nothing!" Barbara mistakes suicidal feelings for morbid menopause, he tells her to beat it. She leaves.

Bock prepares to shoot up. Barbara interrupts. He rips off dress, makes love to her.

Nurse Theresa Campanella finishes night shift, exits to lobby. Asks person in doctor's coat for a light. As she smokes her cigarette, is sand-bagged.

Daybreak. Barbara wakes. Bock enters with coffee, nurse's uniform. Wants to keep Drummond, stay for a few days. Barbara -- we're leaving, come with us. "You'd be necessary again." Bock -- you're crazy. Barbara exits -- must settel bill, pack up father, gives Bock time to make decision. Bock -- admits he loves her.

Construction on 1st Ave. People repossess condemned buildings, refuse to obey police order to evacuate. Sundstrom angry about squatters. Welbeck comes, asks for restored privileges, Sundstrom demurs. Welbeck follows him out. Sundstrom remembers Welbeck a medical conglomerate, should be investigated by SEC.

Sundstrom meeting with activists in hospital library. Din. Lot of rhetoric: "imperialistic extensions", etc.

William Mead brought to Holding Room. Stretcher wheeled past, it's Nurse Campanella, mis-ID'd as Mangafranni.

Welbeck talks to surgeons about legality of doctors incorporating in New York. Business jargon, hiding money, draining own hospitals.

Campanella in OR. No pulse, OR jumps into action. Anesthesiologist recognizes not elderly patient, tries to stop Mallory, who keeps massaging chest (cracking ribs in process).

Mangafranni back in room - who's in OR? Campanella opened up.

Meeting going badly, Sundstrom screaming along with everyone else.

Barbara packing. Bock enters room -- you're not going. Hangs father's suit back in closet, notices Schaefer's uniform. Each tries to persuade other. She goes to pay bill, Bock follows, is told about Campanella. Someone asks him about senior staff named Schaefer -- don't have anyone by that name who's senior staff.

Bock back in 806. William Mead sedated. Bock looks out window, thinking. Drummond gets up, tries to strangle Bock with stethoscope. Barbara enters, interrupts. Bock -- he's killed two doctors and a nurse. Drummond -- they were "ritual victims of their own institutions, murdered by irony".

Flashback. Guernsey's story -- "Our Savior". Appears to Drummond -- avenge Guernsey's death and his own coma. Put insulin in IV jar by sleeping Schaefer. Sand-bagged Ives, gave him shot of digoxine (cardiac arrhythmia), brought to ER. Ives had signs and history taken, then was forgotten. Drummond talks to amnesiac, gets idea to switch Mangafranni with Campanella.

Bock -- let's get him out of here. Drummond -- Welbeck left to kill, goes stiff. William Mead overheard. Drummond tells him he's hallucinating again.

Bock goes for shot to give Durmmond, accosted by Welbeck, tells him off. Welbeck retorts, asking him how much he makes a year.

Bock returns to 806, William Mead telling Milton about Drummond, who's disappeared. Milton has call -- fire in condemned building, squatters resisted arrest, riot.

Bock to Barbara -- Drummond's disappeared, after Welbeck, who's on phone right over there. Welbeck -- partner trying to wipe him out. Goes to 806, Bock and Barbara follow. Welbeck takes call, in hole for over $500,000, SEC has suspended trading in his stock, goes into cardiac arrest. Bock and Barbara try to revive him. Cardio team arrives, think it's Drummond. As they work, Bock and Barbara pack up his stuff, go out. Drummond outside in middle of riot, preaching.

Activists break through security, confront Sundstrom, want to take over hospital. He says go ahead.

Throng dissolves, clears lobby, police restoring order. Barbara arrives with ambulance, has Drummond put in, holds doors for Bock. He says he can't leave: "Somebody's got to be responsible." Ambulance pulls away. Bock and Sundstrom go back in.

Class notes (from 7/20/04)
Chayefsky went into hospital with heart condition. Ghastly experience. Quickest way to get sick was to go into hospital. Greed and death. Trickster Drummond. Way out of story crisis was inspired by result of Chayefsky's experience in Mexico, where a bruja (witch) gave him mushrooms. Doctor cures hospital through death.

Scott a mean drunk. Played role straight. When Chayefsky explained his thoughts, Scott threw shoe at him and said let me do the acting, you #$!

Technorati: movies

FT 540/FT 553 Reading: Network

2005-08-29T10:28:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Paddy Chayefsky
IMDB link: http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0074958/

Synopsis/my notes
TV production speak, TV news speak, TV business speak, political speak, legalese.

Story about Howard Beale, who had been mandarin of TV. Fortunes declined. Fired, effective in two weeks.

Max, Howard out drinking. Howard -- going to kill myself on air. Max -- would get hell of a rating, spawn spin-off shows. "The Death Hour."

Montage of a typical newsday. Howard typing copy, checking reference book, run-down meeting for daily broadcast (lots of TV jargon), getting made up. Howard drinking the whole time.

Ready to start Howard's part of broadcast. More jargon. People in control room involved in own conversations, not paying attention to content of news. Howard announces he'll kill himself on air in one week's time. Only PA, audio man notice, tell others, who go from disbelief to outrage. Try to get Howard off set. Director, others follow orders mindlessly, put Howard back on even as people are trying to drag him off, then finally black things out.

PR crisis. Hackett to Howard -- you're off the air as of now. Stockholders' meeting tomorrow, need to distance ourselves before announcement of restructuring plan. Has surprises for Max, who says to keep hands off his news division. Max -- Howard, stay at my place.

Next day, Max watching screening. Diana, Herron there. Herron presents footage. First, interview with Laureen Hobbs, Communist (political language). Max gets call -- Howard's left house. Ecumenical Liberation Army footage of bank robbery. Howard calls -- wants another shot, go out with dignity. Max notices Diana's beauty.

Diana, Herron head to programming department. Diana summons staff, presents idea of building show around ELA footage. East Coast staff skeptical. None of them had read concept analysis report. Diana chides them, says she wants angry shows. "I don't want conventional programming on this network. I want counterculture. I want anti-establishment." Asks Herron to set up meet with Laureen Hobbs.

Stockholders' meeting. Hacket talking (language of business), submitting proposal for restructuring. Plan includes reducing news division from independent division to a department accountable to network. Max furious, tries to confront board chairman Ruddy, who fobs him off until next morning's regular meeting.

Almost time for evening news. Max enters control room. Howard -- just ran out of bullshit. Max -- leave him on. "Bullshit is all the reasons we give for living ..." "He's saying life is bullshit, and it is, so what're you screaming about?"

Ruddy's office. Ruddy to Max -- colosally stupid prank. Max -- who's running this network, you or CCA? Ruddy -- if you'd been patient, would have worked things out. Now Max's position untenable. Expects resignation on desk next morning.

Beale downstairs talking to reporters. Diana watching, oblivious to lover.

Next morning. Diana picks up morning papers, looks at overnight ratings. Staffer enters with four series outlines, all same-old same-old. Diana -- all these world news, but front page has Howard Beale.

Diana and Hackett. Diana -- put Beale back on, great ratings. "I can turn that show into the biggest smash in television." "... we're talking about putting a manifestly irresponsible man on national televison." Needs to cover all the angles, will get back to her.

Executives' lunch. Chaney raises objections, Hackett bats each of them away. "We're not a respectable network. We're a whorehouse network, and we have to take whatever we can get."

Max emptying desk. Howard shows him old photo, gets him reminiscing. Eventually news staffers gathered to listen to Max's anecdotes. Bob McDonough -- here's something funny, they want to put Howard back on. McDonough says he'll resign and so will everyone else, but Howard objects. "What's wrong with being an angry prophet denouncing the hypocrisies of our times?" Max says grab it.

Ruddy goes to see Max. Will give Hackett his head about the Beale thing, but is preparing for showdown and will need friends. Asks Max to rescind resignation, Max agrees.

Narrator -- Beale's novelty starting to wear off, ratings dropping. Max watches end of news, turns it off. Diana comes in -- proposes adding soothsayer (who predicted relationship with craggy, middle-aged man). Also proposes that they take on writers for Howard, would like to program show. "All I'm saying is, if you're going to hustle, at least do it right." Will get show one way or another, wanted to avoid network hassle.

Max laughs at her, wonders what her scam is. Diana -- visit was courtesy, had schoolgirl crush. Max invites her out to dinner. "Schmuck. What are you getting into."

Max and Diana at dinner. Diana -- lousy lay, inept at everything except her work. Max married 25 years. Diana -- what kind of script could we make out of this? She's not Hackett's girl. "Frank's a corporation man, body and soul." Better go to her place.

Beale asleep, wakened, listens to voice.

Max to Harry: killing angry-man thing, going back to straight news as of tonight.

Howard talks about hearing voice. "Why me?" "Because you're on television, dummy." Tell people the truth.

Max to Howard -- you're off the air, you need psychiatrist. Howard says not breakdown, is imbued with special spirit. Faints, taken back to Max's house.

Rain and thunder. Howard wakes, leaves house. Louise discovers in morning, wakes Max.

Hackett -- what do you mean, you don't know where he is? He's a hit! Max -- Howard's insane, needs care and treatment. Hackett gave Diana the show. Ruddy had heart attack, Hackett now in charge, Max fired. Max vows to make lot of noise, Hackett says need all publicity we can get.

Raining, night. Howard arrives at studio, drenched. Has to make his witness. News -- price of oil going up. Howard -- everybody knows things are bad, just want to retreat into own little world. "Well, I'm not going to leave you alone. I want you to get mad." Get up (he does, camera following), open window, yell, "I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take this anymore!"

Diana -- are they yelling? Yelling in Baton Rouge. Struck the motherlode! Max, wife and daughter watching. Daughter opens window -- can hear shouts. In movie, people looked herky-jerky, machine-like.

Diana out west for meetings. Talks to Hobbs and lawyers (more jargon). Diana -- doesn't give damn about political content. Hobbs objects to ELA, who're not endorsed by Communists. Diana -- offering 30-50 million a shot, an hour-long show in which can put whatever propaganda you want. Hobbs goes to ELA hideout -- going to make TV star out of Ahmed Khan.

Network News Hour -- "mad as hell" transformed from cry of anger into cheer. Soothsayer, skeleton in closet, Vox Populi, orchestra, applause. Howard -- Ruddy died today, woe, network now in hands of CCA. "Television is not the truth!" "This is mass madness, you maniacs!" People eat, drink, dress, think like the tube. Max says turn sets off, faints, people applaud.

Hackett giving annual report to CCA board. Lots of business speak. Can project profit for network, may become key profit-maker for CCA. Jensen approves, Hackett happy.

Ruddy's funeral. Max, Diana there. Max not fine. Both had wanted to call the other, but held off. "I need to get involved very much."

Diana away romantic weekend for Max. Talks TV business the entire time, even during (very brief) sex, and immediately afterwards.

Max, Louise having scene about Diana. Pressed, he admits he loves Diana. Louise angry, demands more respect. "I'm your wife, damn it." Diana not capable of love. "She's the television generation." Diana has come up with scenarios, all of which end happily (prodigal husband returns to wife), except for Anna K. adaptation.

Mao Tse Tung Hour premieres, gets 47 share. Meeting on contract, lots of legal jargon and business jargon, with smattering of political jargon. Conflict between Hobbs, ELA. "Man, give her the fucking overhead clause."

Affiliates' meeting. Diana getting kudos. Hackett summoned to phone in lobby. TV on in lobby, Beale starting to talk about CCA/Arab deal. His talk intercut with Hackett on phone. Howard -- send telegrams to White House in protest.

Postmortem with Hackett, Diana, other network folks. CCA needs Saudi $$ bad. Lots of telegrams already. Hackett depressed. "Now I'm a man without a corporation!" Wants to kill Howard. Diana argues in his defense (#1 show). Phone for Hackett -- Jensen wants to meet Howard personally.

Hackett brings Howard to Jensen's office. Jensen takes Howard to conference room. Wants to sell something to him. Seats Howard, turns off light, stands at the end of the table, preaches. "The world is a business, Mr. Beale." Great use of language.

Howard goes on air "to preach the corporate cosmology of Arthur Jensen." "It's the single, solitary human being who's finished."

Ratings are dropping. Diana yells at Howard's agent on the phone. Max comes home late. Diana -- could help me if you wanted. They argue -- his morbid mood, her on phone all the time. Max -- turning into one of Diana's scripts. "I'm real. You can't switch to another station." Wants her to love him. She doesn't know how.

Laureen in Diana's office, raging, wants out of 8:00 spot behind Howard. Diana trying to find replacement. She, others watch clip of hellfire prophet, no good. Diana -- can't find replacement, should fire Howard. Hackett -- Jensen wants him on, but will try to talk him out of it.

Diana lets herself into apartment, Max there asleep. She packs his things. Going to "cancel the show". She apologizes for ugly scenes. He takes it calmly, will try to go back to wife. More concerned aobut her. She says she doesn't need him, goes into the kitchen to try to make cup of something, but cup and saucer shakes in her hand. Shouts that she doesn't need him. "You need me badly. I'm your last contact with human reality ... You are television incarnate, Diana." Television destroys everything it touches.

Meeting with Hackett, Diana et al. Jensen wants Howard kept on. Diana goes through ratings. Lots of business talk. What do we do? Kill him. Diana -- how about assassination? Mao Tse Tung will carry out as one of their episodes.

Show starting. Howard comes out, shot. TV screens -- Howard, news reports, commercials.

Class notes (from 7/20/04)
Another lunatic set upon the world.

Chayefsky began in Golden Age of TV (no ads). All drama, comedy done live. Rehearsals short and intense, text meant everything. Directors who survived trial by fire were extraordinary, knew they were only as good as script, had very strong story sense. Lumet came out of this tradition.

In TV then, majority of shots were close-ups and medium shots. TV had intimacy that film didn't. TV part of the family. Intimate close-up, in living room, bedroom, etc. Question of scale and clarity of image.

Chayefsky born and bred in NYC. Wanted to do theater, but started in TV (easier). "Marty" introduced Ernest Borgnine.) Adorable realistic love story. "The Bachelor Party" -- values of 50's, Greenwich Village. Chafeysky progressive, questioning everything. "The Tenth Man" -- retelling of tale about dybbuk who possesses a bride-to-be, takes prayer of ten men (minyan) to cast dybbuk out, tenth man falls in love.

After bad experience with Hospital, Chayefsky asked for and got agreement that no one could touch a word of his script. (Unlike in theater, where the playwright rules, in film the screenwriter has no say at all usually.) Producer at UA wanted to get rid of TV talk, but Chayefsky refused. Language was the point. Talk of shares, etc. dehumanized experience. As was about to sign contract, one UA person asked again for removal of TV talk, Chayefsky tore up contract, went with MGM instead.

One fault, scene with Max's wife (what's left for her?). All of a sudden, film becomes serious, speech doesn't belong in satire. Great comic scene with Max and Diana on weekend getaway -- can't take Diana's character seriously.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Repo Man

2005-08-29T09:55:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Alex Cox
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0087995

Synopsis
Cop stops J. Frank in Malibu. Opens trunk, disintegrates.

Otto, Kevin work at Pic'N'Pay. Mr. Humphries, a managerial type, upbraids Otto for lateness and lack of neatness. Otto shoves him into a pyramid of cans. Humphries fires him, then fires Kevin when he laughs.

Otto, Kevin and other teenagers party at Kevin's parents' house. Alcohol and pot are both in use. Archie and Duke take turns having sex with Debbie, even though Otto was the one calling her "honey" and getting her beer.

Otto staggers down the street, carrying five beers. He's passed by J. Frank in the Malibu. Bud, driving a Chevy, spots Otto and asks for his help -- gives him a story about his old lady being in the hospital. He offers Otto $25 if he'll help Bud get his car out of the area. Otto gets in Cutlass. Two old people come out of their house. The man tries to run after the car, the woman throws her rosary, which is caught on the fender and dragged in the dirt. Otto gets a devilish grin on his face.

Otto follows Bud and finds himself in the repo yard. In office, Miner confronts Oly. Things look tense, then both laugh. Marlene works the phones. Bud says he needs a form for a contract driver, but Otto, having realized what's going on, doesn't want it. "Screw that! Ain't gonna be no REPO MAN! No way!" He pours beer onto the ground, grabs his money and leaves. Miller, who's sorting belongings, gives him a blue Xmas tree air freshener.

Agents look around the area of the cop disintegration. Rogersz sends out an alert, which specifically states not to notify the police.

Otto and Kevin. Kevin has a handful of dead-end jobs.

Otto at parents' house, a graffitied bunker. They watch Reverend Larry preaching against Communism and liberal humanism. Otto eats from a can marked Food. All extra $ given to Reverend Larry's telethon.

Otto, Bud. Several shots (intercut with repo men at work) of Bud telling Otto how things are done. "Only an asshole gets killed for a car." Talking, smoking, snorting drugs, drinking. "Not many people got a code to live by anymore." Duke, Debbie, Archie rob store. Bud says he's picked out a spot to hole up in when the end comes. The Rodriguez brothers, driving a black Falcon convertible, flip Bud off. Incensed, he shouts at them, they flip him off again and drive off. Bud explains to Otto about the Rodriguez brothers: they buy a junker and pay it off on time, thus getting good credit. Based on that, they get a nicer car, which they default on.

Otto, trying one of Lite's tricks, drops a dead rat into a woman's car. She promptly Maces him.

Announcement: Malibu is up to $5,000 collateral.

Cadillac at laundromat. Despite Bud's misgivings, Otto takes the keys and drives the Cadillac himself. He spots Leila and offers her a ride. He runs into some garbage cans, which earns him a tongue-lashing from an old lady. Otto and Leila dodge some blond, blue-suited men. She shows him a photo of four dead aliens -- she's in a secret sect. He drives to the United Fruitcake Outlet. They make out in car.

Marlene tells Oly that the Malibu's now up to $20,000 collateral. He says not to tell the boys, since they always complain about their caseload.

Lite and Otto talk. Lite is a man's man. He'd given Otto a book to read -- Dioretix (about mind over matter).

Otto and Miller talk. "A lot of people don't realize what's really going on ... They don't realize that there's this like lattice of coincidence ..."

Marlene talks to Napo and Lagarto -- trace Malibu? Little girl makes printout of Malibu's info into airplane, tosses out window. Bud, who'd staked out the Rodriguez house, picks up the printout.

Agent Rogersz tapes Otto and Leila on the phone. Otto had told her he had info about the Malibu. He goes to the UFO, tries to make out with her. She slaps him and leaves.

Bud: "Credit is a sacred trust ... it's what our free society is founded on."

Kevin, working at the car wash, lectures his fellow workers. He waits on J. Frank, who wants vending machine food. While he's busy, the Rodriguez brothers steal the Malibu.

Otto tells Mrs. Parks he doesn't want to take her car. Some bikers, including her son, enter. As Otto leaves, Mrs. Parks starts yelling at her son for not having made payments. Otto gets in the car and starts it up, but doesn't go anywhere. The rear end is jacked up off the ground. The bikers beat Otto up. Plettschner and Bud make fun of him. Otto doesn't move when Bud calls for a contract driver, but later joins Lite.

Lagarto and Napo are in the Malibu. It's hot. Napo goes to buy a soda. Lagarto calls Marlene. Duke, Debbi and Archie run out of the store (having robbed it). Debbi hops in the Malibu and drives it.

Lite and Otto. Otto starts hot-wiring a car, but is shot at. Lite fires back at the house.

J. Frank calls Leila, but neither can understand the other because he's using a scrambler. A Matador, driven by blond men, speeds toward the phone booth. J. Frank evades in time. Agent E snatches Leila and questions her about the Malibu.

Repo Men banter about John Wayne (gay?). They force Otto to give them name. Lite, Bud, and Miller beat up Humphries, drag Kevin.

Leila calls Otto. "Leila who?" Otto with Leila, Agent Rogersz. Leila says the agent works for the government and wants to help find the aliens, prepare world for their arrival. Duke, Debbi and Archie appear, high on drugs.

J. Frank tries to pick the lock on the Malibu. The punks confront him. J. Frank asks them what's in the trunk. Duke burns his hand trying to open it. Archie opens it and is vaporized. Debbi - "Come on, Duke. Let's go do those crimes." Neither cares that Archie's dead.

The Rodriguez brothers spot the Malibu and give chase. The Repo Men, returning from Humphries' house, spot the Rodriguez brothers and corner them (only Miller spots the Malibu getting away). They fight.

The Rodriguez brothers are suing the repo yard. Oly fires Bud. Bud and Otto quarrel. Otto stalks out of the car.

Otto sees the Malibu and runs after it. He eventually catches up to it at a car wash (to get rid of his vomit). Otto hitches a ride with J. Frank. J. Frank talks about radiation project. Otto tries to get his attention with his badge, but fails. J. Frank dies. Otto drives first to the repo yard, then to the party at Miller's house. Otto looks for Bud, but he's not there.

Otto goes to his parents' house. The agents had been looking for them, and his parents gave them Otto's work address. Otto sets the house on fire.

Bud spots Otto. They go to liquor store, just before Duke and Debbi shows up to rob it. Duke is shot. "Society made me what I am." "That's bullshit. You're a white suburban punk just like me."

Otto finds blond men at yard roughing up Marlene. Plettschner tries to stop Otto from intervening. Plettschner tries to stop Marlene from hitting agent, then prepares to face her. Otto throws coffee urn at him. Otto is caught and tortured by agents (as Leila and Agent Rogersz watch). Marlene and the Rodriguez brothers rescue Otto, which Rogersz says is all part of the plan.

Otto, Marlene, and the Rodriguez brothers go to the hospital. Bud is in bed. Agents sneak into the hospital and pursue Otto et al. On the TV, Reverend Larry talks about the Malibu. Agents stop Otto et al., ask about the Malibu, which is gone. Bud's gone, too.

Shower of ice cubes. Otto finds Bud in glowing Malibu. Helicopter arrives, sniper shoots Bud. Fighting at repo yard between agents, repo men, scientists, etc. Reverend Larry descends from the copter. A lightning bolt zaps his Bible.

Miller gets in the car and starts it up. Otto hesitates to join him. Leila tries to stop him with relationship talk. She gets angry: "How could you leave me? I'm the one who's supposed to be in that car." The Malibu rises, vanishes into hyperspace.

My notes
-- pretty whacked!
-- chaotic. Crime, violence, swearing, drugs. Radio voices (Argentina, etc.) provide context, which is just as chaotic as Otto's day-to-day life
-- Otto, other kids -- no prospects, no hope
-- authorities stupid (Plettschner) or untrustworthy
-- it's the car thieves who get to go to "heaven"
-- reality's not pretty -- in fact, it's downright ugly

FT 540 notes (from 06/12/03)
-- anarchic. Perfect Lead Age comedy. Every line a cliche. No values. Plays popular culture as reality.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: The Bank Dick

2005-08-29T09:41:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: W.C. Fields
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0032234
Filmsite.org link: http://www.filmsite.org/bank.html

Synopsis
Egbert is supposedly fishing, but really cooling jug in lake. Talks to Nicodemus (couple of "nevermore" jokes), spooked by paper dragon. He tries to sell sea bass to disgruntled fisherman (who was fishing in the lake). "Sousé, please -- accent grave over the 'e'."

Next morning, Agatha, Mrs. Brunch, Elsie eat Egbert's sea bass. Egbert enters -- had been smoking forbidden cigarettes. No respect from women -- shin-kicks from Elsie, nagging from wife and mother-in-law. Egbert exits front, sees daughter Myrtle with Og, gives them blessing.

Egbert approaches car, screws bolt under engine, front of engine falls out.

Egbert to Black Pussy Cat Grill -- closed, Joe out to breakfast. Waits at bus stop, tries to talk to girl, who gets ride from a boy who just happens to drive up. Her book -- How to Win Friends and Influence People.

At cafe, Egbert hears about moving picture company near his house. Dodds calls boss on phone -- director drunk. Egbert suggests drink. Dodds explains his problem. Egbert: "Ah, now you are yodelling right up my canyon," and professes much experience in movies. He volunteers to help.

Myrtle walks Og to bank. Myrtle: "He's a little odd, all right, but he sort of grows on you." Og sees Egbert and Dodds in car, is impressed, but his fellow clerk isn't.

Egbert, Dodds arrive on location. E. Pismo Clam, director, is "tight as a snare drum". Egbert doesn't bother with script, has ridiculous one of his own -- a circus picture, involving a love story between the bearded lady and a young college football player. Pulls Elsie in as bearded lady's daughter, which finally wakes up Clam. Dodds says to send in the notes on Egbert's script with the day's report.

Egbert passes car -- chauffeur, angry, still working on it.

Egbert at cafe -- Joe out to lunch. Sees girl on bench, tries to talk, again rides off with boy. Same book. Car drives by, splashes mud on him.

Mud-splashing car turns out to be driven by two crooks, who park and enter the bank where Og works. Cops discover car in no parking zone, get into car and start to drive off. Robbers take money, leave, Og sounds alarm. Their car is gone, so they must run. Cops in robbers' car drive up, responding to the bell.

Crooks fight over money. One pursues the other and hits him. The hit crook, who has the money, collapses under Egbert's bench. Oblivious, Egbert just says, "Quiet!" Before the other crook can retrieve the money, he hears the police horn and runs off, tossing away his gun. The gun hits Egbert in the chest, and he goes over backward with a crash.

The cops and Og find Egbert, crook and bench all tangled up. At first surprised, Egbert warms to his role as hero, playing up the threat (thief was brandishing an asagai) and his own preparedness (his trusty pistol). He signs autographs, gives a very embroidered story to reporter. He walks home, once again passing the broken-down car, which now the old lady is working on. Egbert's wife and mother-in-law dismiss his story as empty bragging.

Egbert encounters Myrtle, who'd heard from Og that Skinner, the bank president, wants to offer Egbert a reward. Egbert goes to the bank. On the way, he again passes the broken-up car. The old lady is now extremely angry. Egbert tries to see Skinner by going to the teller window, but customers keep pushing in front of him. Og finally sees Egbert and brings him to Skinner.

Business with Egbert moving around to keep his eye on the steno (girl from the bus bench). Skinner presents him with a calendar and offers him a job as officer (bank dick). Will deduct certain amount from each week's salary toward mortage interest.

Egbert in uniform at cafe. Waterbury tells him about shares in Beefsteak Mines. Egbert says will get money from bank.

Egbert greets people at bank, is paid no attention. Egbert tells Og about shares (severely mangling Waterbury's spiel). Og wants to have more money for Myrtle. Egbert convinces Og to borrow $700 from bank against his bonus, which comes in four days. Egbert confronts mom and boy with toy gun. Montage of money being counted, coins rolled, etc.

Egbert goes to close bank, but Johnson (J. Pinkerton Snoopington) pushes his way in -- will do audit in morning. Og, Myrtle are troubled. "Oh, why does he always have to interfere?"

Egbert takes Johnson to cafe, gets Joe to slip him Mickey Finn. Egbert drags Johnson to hotel, calls Dr. Stall, who comes and prescribes ping-pong balls in caster oil, and a few days rest. Business with Egbert trying to signal four days needed, not just three.

Egbert passes Ritz theater, is told had been picked for $2500 prize but hadn't been there -- got consolation dish set instead. Myrtle confronts Egbert -- won't be any wedding.

Next day at bank. Egbert thinks all is set. Skinner upbraids him about toy gun, cafe. Johnson appears, starts looking at ledgers. Egbert tries to keep him from seeing Og's (turns on fan, splashes ink, etc.). Second crook appears, robs bank using Egbert as shield. Egbert tells Og to put in extra $700. Dodds enters looking for Egbert. Crook recognizes Egbert from bench, takes him out of bank.

Lady's car on curb, abandoned. Crook and Egbert get in, drive off. Chase with them, cops, and Dodds / Og / Skinner. During chase, Dodds reveals has money, contract for Egbert.

Lady's car's motor starts to knock. Egbert, crook get off road by Egbert's. Egbert tosses explosive by mistake, noise alerts cops. Egbert gets crook to go under car, gives nut a twist, engine falls and pinks crook. Cops say Egbert will get $5000 reward for crook (Mopey Murphy). Dodds gives $10,000, offers directing gig. Egbert, taking Nicodemus' advice, declines job.

Egbert now living high on the hog. Elsie, Agatha, Mrs. Brunch treat him like royalty. Og and Myrtle wedding announcement in paper. "Egbert, is it true that married people live longer?" "No, it just seems longer." Stops by cafe -- Joe out for drink. Sees girl on bench -- smiles and approaches, just like before.

My notes
-- has happy ending, through no fault of protagonist
-- absurd visual, verbal gags. running gags (broken-down car, signs at Black Cat cafe)
-- characters have humorous flaws -- exaggerated.
-- playing with language -- extravagant phrasing, accent on e in Souse, non sequiturs
-- shams -- lake, directing, etc.

FT 540 notes (from 06/12/03)
-- dreamer, liar
-- language terribly important -- turns it upside down
-- larger than life
-- physical comedy. W.C. Fields came out of vaudeville.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Duck Soup

2005-08-29T09:12:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0023969
Filmsite.org link: http://www.filmsite.org/duck.html

Synopsis
Film opens with a cabinet meeting in Fredonia. The country needs $20 million. Mrs. Teasdale, who has already lent the country money, agrees to the loan, but only if Rufus T. Firefly is appointed leader.

Reception for Firefly. Ambassador Trentino of Sylvania and Vera Marcal plot. Trentino says he can gain control of Fredonia if he marries Mrs. Teasale. Song -- when the clock on the wall strikes ten. Song - Freedonian anthem. Everyone waits for Firefly's grand entrance. Firefly, meanwhile, is asleep in his room. Awakened, he slides down a pole, then joins the others in waiting for a grand entrance before people realize it's already been made. There's tension between Firefly and Trentino. Firefly pokes fun at him, Mrs. Teasdale and Vera (sending off each one in a huff). He sings about how he's going to run the nation. "If you think this country's bad off now, just wait till I get through with it." Pinky on motorcycle -- drvies off without Firefly in sidecar.

In Sylvania, Trentino is plotting away. He tries to find out what his two spies, Chicolini and Pinky, have discovered, but with no luck. Business with phones, cigars, scissors. It turns out that the spies haven't even followed the right man! Trentino gives them one more chance.

In Freedonia, Firefly meets with his cabinet ministers. He sorely tries their patience (new business, old business, etc.). The Minister of War quits.

Chicolini is running his peanut stand. He tries to get Pinky to talk, but gets no results. He complains to the lemonade vendor, who wants nothing to do with either. Business with pants-kicking, Pinky's horns, hat-swapping.

Firefly sees Chicolini and peanut stand. They chaff each other. Firefly: "Come on up here, I want to scare the Cabinet." He interviews Chicolini. Pinky shows up. Business with phones, standing army (a joke which gets Chicolini booted), Pinky's tattoos.

Bob, Firefly's secretary, has Trentino's letter -- proof that he's trying to undermine Firefly. The plan -- to make Trentino mad so that he leaves the country. Business again with Pinky, sidecar left behind.

Tea party at Mrs. Teasdale's. Vera had torn up Firefly's invitation, but he crashes the party anyway. Trentino is about to propose to Mrs. Teasdale, but Firefly stops him. Trentino calls him a swine, a worm, and an upstart -- slap! This seems to mean war. Firefly gets in motorcycle, but Pinky drives off in the sidecar.

Pinky and lemonade vendor. Hat business. Pinky gets in the lemonade vat.

Mrs. Teasdale calls Firefly. He comes over, gives her war plans. Trentino, Vera come in, say Trentino's on a friendly visit. Firefly says he can't even remember what the insult was. "Oh, yes. Upstart." Slap! War.

Trentino -- must get hold of plans. Vera is at Teasdale's, but so is Firefly. Pinky, Chicolini show up there too. Business with butler, front door. Vera lets them in, cautions them against noise. Pinky makes lot of noise with alarm, music box, piano.

Mrs. Teasdale calls Firefly's room and asks him to take the plans back, because she's nervous. Chicolini locks Firefly in the bathroom, then disguises himself and goes to Mrs. Teasdale. She's bemused by his behavior, but goes to write down the safe combination. Just then Pinky, also disguised, shows up. Chicolini hides under the bed. Teasdale, even more confused, gives Pinky the combination. Pinky and Chicolini spot each other. Pinky leaves. Chicolini leaves. Mrs. Teasdale lies down. Firefly breaks open the bathroom door and goes to Mrs. Teasdale.

Pinky finds radio and does the combination. Music blares. Firefly hears it, and calls guards. He goes downstairs himself. "Mirror" business. Chicolini appears too. Pinky runs off, Firefly grabs Chicolini.

Chicolini is on trial. Lots of wordplay (objections). Mrs. Teasdale makes one final effort to prevent war. Trentino is coming again. Firefly at first is prepared to be conciliatory, but he starts imagining snub. Slap! War song. "Oh, Freedonia, Oh donya cry for me." Paul Revere spoof with Pinky. He sees a girl, stops and goes in that house, which happens to be the lemonade vendor's. He goes to another house -- girl in one bed, he and his horse in the other.

War HQ. Freedonia is being badly beaten. Shells. Firefly shoots a machine gun -- unfortunately, his own men. Sylvanians are drawing near Teasdale's. They need help, and draw lots for a messenger. Pinky gets it, salutes, and falls backward into the ammo store. Explosions. Soldiers surround the house. Firefly and others barricade the door. Montage of help coming (fire engines, monkeys, porpoises). As soldiers come in, each is hit on the head with a brick. Trentino is captured.

My notes
-- zany. Lot of visual gags, plays on words.
-- detailed camera directions
-- things topsy-turvy. Jokes funny because unexpected.
-- running gags link scenes (hats, phones, motorcycle)

FT 540 notes (from 06/12/03)
-- Groucho plays word games, turns cliches inside out. Again, use of language.
-- Chico plays the immigrant. Also turns things upside down.
-- Harpo is pure chaos (scissors, etc.)

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Do the Right Thing

2005-08-23T14:10:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Spike Lee
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0097216

Synopsis
Mister Señor Love Daddy starts his broadcast. It's hot!

Movie introduces Da Mayor, then Mookie. He counts his money, then wakes up his sister, Jade.

Sal, Pino and Vito open up the pizzeria. Sal -- Pino, sweep out front. Pino -- Vito, sweep out front.

Mookie walks to work, greets Mother Sister. Mother Sister is always watching.

Mookie is late to work. Pino tells him to sweep, but Mookie refuses -- he's paid to deliver pizzas, not sweep. Da Mayor shows up looking for work, and Pino is made to give him the broom. Da Mayor is happy -- once he sweeps, he'll have enough money to go get a bottle of beer.

A group of youths (Cee, Punchy, Ella, Ahmad) are hanging out on a stoop. Radio Raheem, carrying a huge stereo playing loud rap, walkes by. Radio Raheem also passes Mister Señor Love Daddy.

Da Mayor wants to buy a Bud, but there's none left. He berates the Korean clerk before buying another brand. He goes out with a bag and starts to drink. He and Mother Sister exchange words (his honeyed, hers less so).

Carmen berates her daughter, Tina. Tina shuts herself in her room, then talks to her son Hector about his no-good daddy.

The Corner Men (Sweet Dick Willie, Coconut Sid, and ML) are sitting outside. They discuss the polar caps.

Bugging' Out buys a slice at Sal's, and complains about the pizza wall not having any photos of blacks. He argues with Sal, who asks if the latter's a troublemaker, and brings out his Mickey Mantle bat. Mookie gets Buggin' Out out of the store. Sal: "I know this is America, but I don't want no trouble."

Mookie is on the way to deliver a pizza. Da Mayor gives him a word of advice: always try to do the right thing. Mookie delivers his pizza, only gets $1 tip.

Jade combs Mother Sister's hair. Da Mayor makes a nice comment, but Mother Sister won't have any of it.

Montage of people dealing with the heat (showers, fridges, newspaper headlines).

The youths turn on a johnny pump. Folks play in the water. They block water for Raheem, but not for Charlie in a white convertible. Youths run. Cops come, turn off the water, warn against it being turned back on. Charlie wants to press charges, but no one will say who's responsible. The cops warn him to leave (there's no telling what these people will do). They drop some more racial insults, then go.

Vito and Mookie deliver food to Mister Señor Love Daddy. Mookie tells Vito to stand up to Pino.

Puerto Ricans are hanging out on a stoop, listening to salsa on a car radio. Radio Raheem comes by, and there's a standoff between his rap and their salsa. Eventually he walks on, and the Puerto Ricans hurl curses and insults after him.

Clifton, a white guy, accidentally steps on Buggin' Out's Air Jordans. Buggin' Out and others confront him. "Who told you to be in my neighborhood?"

Pino gives Vito shit. Despite Mookie's encouragement, Vito doesn't talk back.

Cops drive by the Corner Men, saying what a waste. The Corner Men complain about the Korean store. Then one goes to give them some more business.

Da Mayor sends a passing boy, Eddie, to the store. Youths hassle Da Mayor, but he tells them off.

Mookie is on the pizzeria phone with Tina, who's complaining about not having seen him in four days. Pino: "How come you niggers are so stupid?" Mookie, Pino debate -- all of Pino's favorite people (Magic Johnson, Prince, Eddie Murphy) are black, but Pino says they're more than black.

Racial montage: Mookie (Italians), Pino (blacks), Stevie (Koreans), cop (Puerto Ricans), Korean clerk (Jews).

Mookie asks for his pay, but Sal says he won't get it until closing. Mookie talks to Radio Raheem, who explains about his brass knuckles of Love and Hate. "One hand is always fighting the other."

Radio Raheem is in the pizzeria, trying to order a slice. Sal refuses to do anything until the rap's turned off. After a few tense moments, Radio Raheem complies.

Mookie goes home to take a shower. Jade lectures him about his responsibilities.

Montage of people sitting, dealing with the heat.

Sal is tired. Pino tells him they should sell the place and move back to their own neighborhood. "I don't wanna be here, they don't want us here." Sal retorts that "I've never had no trouble with dese people, don't want none either. So don't start none."

Buggin' Out tries to organize a boycott of Sal's, but gets laughed at and put off.

Jade escorts Mookie back to work. Sal starts criticizing Mookie, but his mood changes as soon as he sees Jade (who'd hung back a bit to talk to Buggin' Out). Sal makes her a special slice. Neither Mookie nor Pino like this.

Radio Raheem tries to buy batteries for his radio, and has a mini-war of words with the Korean clerk.

Da Mayor tries to give flowers to Mother Sister, who completely ignores him. "Stink overpowers everything, especially soft sweet smells like flowers."

The Corner Men banter. "Never too hot, never too cold for fucking."

Eddie runs after an ice cream truck. Da Mayor saves him from a speeding car.

Mookie tells Jade not to come in Sal's. She doesn't take it well. "Mookie, you can hardly pay your rent and you're gonna tell me what to do."

Mister Señor Love Daddy's love line.

Mother Sister speaks cordially to Da Mayor -- just wanted to thank him. Doesn't change anything, though.

Mookie tells Sal to leave his sister alone, but Sal says he has no idea what Mookie is talking about. He gives Mookie a pizza to deliver to Tina's apartment. (She called since it was the only way to get him over there.) She says it's too hot to make love, but he gets some ice trays from the fridge and proves her wrong.

Cops get pizza from Sal's. Mookie arrives, making excuses, which makes Sal a little suspicious since he hadn't said anything about Mookie being late. Pino to Vito: don't trust Mookie, Pop's already taken in. Vito to Pino: "You don't listen, but Mookie does."

Hottest night of the year montage.

Radio Raheem agrees to join Buggin' Out's boycott.

Pino, Vito, and Mookie are all horrified at the prospect of working for Sal's (or Sal's & Sons) for the rest of their lives. The youths enter and buy four slices. Buggin' Out and Radio Raheem, stereo blasting, come in. "Turn that JUNGLE MUSIC off. We ain't in Africa." Sal smashes the radio with his bat. Radio Raheem starts to choke Sal. Vito, Pino, and Bugging' Out join the fray. Mookie watches, the youths cheer.

The fighters end up on the sidewalk, attracting onlookers. Cops appear, grab Buggin' Out and cuff him. They put a chokehold on Radio Raheem, who dies. Cops leave with Radio Raheem and Buggin' Out. The crowd becomes a mob. Mookie leaves Sal and his two sons. Da Mayor tries to calm people down, but they call him an Uncle Tom.

Mookie hurls a garbage can into the pizzeria window. All hell breaks loose. Da Mayor grabs Sal, Pino and Vito and drags them away to safety. The mob storms into the pizzeria, break things, and set it on fire. They move toward the Korean store, but the clerk stands in front and tries to fend them off with a broom. "Me no white. Me black." Amused, the Corner Men say to leave him be, and the mob does.

The mob watches the pizzeria burning. Cops come and warn them several times to disperse, to go back home. Mookie: "This is our home." The cops turn hoses on the mob. Smiley pins Malcolm X / MLK card on the Wall of Fame.

The day after, there is broken glass everywhere. Mister Señor Love Daddy: "Are we gonna live together?" The weather -- again, hot!

Mookie wakes up in Tina's bedroom. Despite her protests, he leaves -- going to get his money.

Da Mayor wakes up in Mother Sister's bedroom. "We're still standing."

Mookie goes to the pizzeria and finds Sal looking at the wreckage. Mookie wants to get paid, even though the window cost more than his wages. They argue. Sal throws $500 at Mookie. Mookie throws $200 back at Sal. There's a stalemate. Sal asks what Mookie's going to do. "Make dat money. Get paid." Sal says he'll take the day off, go to the beach (first time in 15 years). Sal tells him to do the right thing. Mookie takes the $200.

The block begins to wake up -- to another hottest day of the year.

My notes
-- chronological. Sort of a day in the life thing.
-- shooting script. Detailed camera directions.
-- also director's notes: "The infamous Michael Stewart chokehold." Quite a bit of editorializing.
-- environment. Temperature hot, tensions high. Shots of sun, people trying to cope with weather.
-- ensemble story
-- no clear-cut winner. Sal loses, Raheem loses, Mookie gets $ but is out of a job. Ambiguity -- racism is wrong, but no one person is right. No feeling that things will improve or even be resolved.

Technorati: movies

FT 540 Reading: Blow-Up

2005-08-23T13:45:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Michelangelo Antonioni and Tonino Guerra, based on a short story by Julio Cortázar
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0060176
Filmsite.org link: http://www.filmsite.org/blow.html

Synopsis
Students in bizarre clothes and white face makeup are driving around.

Down-and-out hostel. Men, including Thomas, walk towards a railway bridge. He parts ways, ends up in Rolls-Royce, stopped by students, gives them money. He goes to studio (calling in over a radio-telephone), locks camera in car, takes film in, and gives it to his assistant for development.

Thomas has a shoot with a model, who'd been kept waiting for nearly an hour. He arranges things, her. They get excited. Phone call -- address of junk shop.

Film developed -- pictures of tramps. He gives clothes to be burned.

Another shoot with five models, behind panes of smoked glass. Very bossy with these, gives lots of instructions, hectors them. Close your eyes (woman dresser too).

Thomas throws clothes in rubbish bin, goes to see Bill, who's looking at painting. "They don't mean anything when I do them -- juast a mess. Afterwards I find something to hang onto ... And then it sorts itself out." Bill won't sell or give away one of his other (dotty) paintings. Thomas jokes to Patricia about sneaking in and stealing it.

Thomas back at studio. Two girls waiting for him -- just want a couple of minutes. Thomas -- don't come. Gets prints, makes to leave. Models still waiting? "Tell them to shut them [eyes] again." Girls run after his car, he pays no heed.

Thomas drives. All houses on one street are red. Drives as if improvising. Goes to junk shop. Old man no help -- no pictures -- no landscapes -- all sold.

Thoams takes out camera, shoots antique shop. Goes to park, shoots pigeons. Notices man and girl, follows them, takes pictures. Is noticed. He goes, girl goes after him and confronts. She wants photos, but he refuses. Man has disappeared. Girl runs, stops near clump of bushes, runs on. Thomas takes few more photos.

Thomas back at antique shop. Owner, girl, is there. Why selling? Try something different. Thomas buys propeller, tries to load in Rolls-Royce, girl dissuades him. Is too heavy for her to carry alone, but he leaves her with it.

Thomas meets Ron about book -- look at tramp photos. Says photos in park very peaceful, in contrast to rest of book (violence). Thomas spots man spying on him, then trying to open his car. Anti-war demonstration. Girl puts placard on car, he secures sign, but it flies off and is driven over. Shots of Thomas -- looks like he's being tailed.

Thomas back at studio. Girl's come for the photographs. Plays game -- listening to music, smoking, treating her like one of his models. She asks for water, he goes. She picks up camera, goes toward downstairs door, is intercepted by Thomas. She undoes blouse, he tells her to get dressed. He goes into darkroom, takes reel from camera, hesitates, hides it and takes another roll of film, which he tosses to her. They share two kisses. He leads her to bedroom. Doorbell rings. It's the propeller delivery. Girl still in sexy mood, but sees watch, starts to hurry off. She gives him phone number.

Thomas develops negatives. Series of shots of him examining photos, enlarging areas, looking closer, etc. He calls phone number, it's a fake. More blow-ups -- has put together whole episode (he thinks). Thomas calls Ron - says he saved guy's life. Interrupted by the two girls from earlier (blonde, brunette). They try on clothes. All three have mock fight, strip clothes, have sex. Thomas notices another photograph. They linger, but he tells them to come back tomorrow, and they leave. Thomas makes one more blow-up -- corpse.

At night, Thomas drives to the park, finds dead man. Hears sound, runs out. Back at studio, lets himself into Bill's house, sees Bill and Patricia in bed. She nods at him to stay. He tries to focus on other things. He leaves, goes back into studio. All negatives, blow-ups gone except extreme close-up of corpse. Patricia comes -- asks him about photo, which she says resembles one of Bill's paintings. "You didn't see." She asks him for help, but doesn't say why, and he doesn't say yea or nay.

Thomas calls Ron, then drives out. He sees girl, chases. Goes into rock club. No one moves (look like mannequins) except for one dancing couple. Guitarist smashes guitar on troublesome amp, throws piece into audience. People fight for it. Thoams gets it, rushes out, drops piece on ground. Passerby picks it up, then drops it.

Thomas goes to party, finds Ron with pot smokers. Tells him about corpse, but Ron's not responsive, doesn't care. Ron leads Thomas into other room. Thomas wakes up -- house in confusion.

Thomas back at park. Corpse no longer there, no traces. Students drive to tennis courts. Boy, girl mime game. Thomas gets into it. Throws back imaginary ball. Sounds grow more distinct, become tennis ball. Thomas alone in park, seen from above.

My notes
-- again, photographer as voyeur -- even catches Bill and Patricia in bed
-- arrogrant -- assumes he has control, but doesn't
-- no closure for crime -- no evidence even that it happened
-- party and tennis game -- surreal
-- subjects of photos don't matter to Thomas -- all the same importance

FT 540 notes (from 06/10/03)
-- Antonioni rehung leaves, repainted grass
-- Antonioni started as writer, wrote Fellini's first two films. Highly personal works, alienated figures. Self-definition. Interested in relationships. Man/woman -- could be compatible with nobody. Short story writer -- Argentine surrealist. Based on British mod photographer.
-- treats five models like mannequins
-- what are values in Blow Up? Instant gratification. No consequence to anyone's actions. Corpse, photos gone. Values no longer have relevance. Don't even know what Patricia's problem is (Thomas doesn't know, doesn't care). He wasn't looking for anything. Watching protagonist watching sex. Shoot with model, on top with camera. Self-gratification is taking pictures.
-- irony -- photos of men on dole just gorgeous subject matter. Empty propeller goes nowhere, but looks nice. Must have right now.

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FT 540 Reading: Accident

2005-08-23T11:21:00.000-04:00

Screenplay info
Written by: Harold Pinter (based on the novel by Nicholas Mosley)
Film info: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0061328

Synopsis
Sound of car crash. Stephen discovers car. Finds William, Anna. He gets Anna out (first line: stop, you're stepping on his face). He gets Anna out. She gets handbag, doesn't talk (in shock?). She walks up to house. He calls police. He talks to her, give tea, she's unresponsive. Cops ask questions. William, pupil, was going to party, then coming to see Stephen.

Stephen, William talk about Anna (also a pupil of Stephen's). Stephen says he'll introduce, but William will go it alone.

Philosophy process of enquiry only. "It does not attempt to find specific answers to specific questions."

Stephen and Rosalind (his wife), Clarissa and Ted (kids). Stephen says he has new pupil -- Austrian princess.

Charley reads newspaper articles on sexual intercourse among students.

Stephen walks along river. William and Anna in punt, invite him along. Shots of Stephen's head, her hip, etc.

Stephen (wet from falling in), William. Aristocrats made to be slaughtered. Stephen -- bring her to lunch Sunday. Stephen asks her (kind of odd), suggests William could bring her. Talks about Charley -- versatile writer.

Stephen, Rosalind -- asked some people over on Sunday. He asks for permission, says could put them off, she says she's fine.

Stephen, Ted. William's car there. See Charley and Anna talking. Stephen blinks in the sun. Charley just passing by, stays for lunch. Stephen says has meeting with Charley's producer. Talk on lawn -- starting point for a story. William suggest some obvious things (Stephen in garden, etc.) but Charley says more -- Rosalind pregnant, Stephen having affair with girl at Oxford.

Tennis game. Charley serves, hits Anna. Charley and Anna against Stephen and William. Stephen asks them to supper. Rosalind irked. William to Anna -- go for walk? She demurs, he slams ball against house and goes. Stpehen goes for walk, Anna joins him. Some tension -- hands close but not touching. Rosalind asks Charley about Laura (wife), ahsn't really seen her. William wants to drive back, but they end up staying. William not happy. Stephen in room, sees figure on bed, mouths Anna's name, but it's Rosalind.

Stephen goes to see producer about conservation piece, but is sent to Mr. Bell, assistant, instead. Bill Smith (producer) in hospital. Bell mentions Francesca, provost's daughter. Stephen calls Francesca. Silent sequence with fragments of dialogue. They have dinner, go to her flat, have sex.

Stephen goes home, makes omelette. Charley and Anna there. Tension. Laura had written letter to Stephen -- how he should talk to Charley about affair. Charley had written letter, but Stephen not there to get it. Stephen looks in spare bedroom, sees Charley and Anna's things. Stephen -- will be at William's, so bring Anna here for the weekend.

Stephen sees Laura -- got letter. Starts and stops in conversation. Intercut with Stephen confirming Charley/Anna affair to Rosalind.

At William's house. Playing rugby-like game. William sends Stephen to play goal. Scrum -- vicious. Stephen, William grapple.

Cricket game, which William plays brilliantly. Anna tells Stephen she's marrying William, wants him to tell Charley. William -- have word after party? Anna not coming. William -- No, I don't want her. Wants man-to-man talk. But Stephen says can talk while Anna in spare bedroom.

Back in present. Anna still silent, unresponsive. Stephen pulls her away from window. Kiss. They stand by the bed. Phone rings, Stephen doesn't answer.

Morning after. Call -- Rosalind gave birth. Stephen drops Anna off at school. She sneaks in.

Stephen at school, sees Charley. Anna is packing. Charley doesn't understand why she's going.

Clarissa, Ted run. Clarissa falls and cries. Stephen carries her into house. Car crash.

My notes
-- a lot left unsaid
-- mostly flashback, framed by accident and immediate aftermath
-- no clear resolution, tangled relationships
-- spare camera directions ("William's face. Blood and glass.")

FT 540 notes (from 06/10/03)
-- "don't, step on head!"
-- young man, wife killed by thoughtless young woman.
-- Charley on TV, Stephen would love Charley's job

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