Skip to main content

How to tell a story

What passes for screenwriting these days is worrisome by any measure. "Avatar," the most successful film of all time (and a glorious spectacle), has some of the worst dialogue in recent memory. Now more than ever it's critical to recognize those that are striving to keep the art of the screenplay alive. The best-picture Oscar can and will remain a populist award. That shouldn't be the case for recognition of genuine craft. (Andrew Grant, “Screenwriting, the most meaningless Oscar,” 2 February 2010)

- - -

Extending on the comments above about what it takes to plot a movie, let's say that AVATAR *had* been nominated. Why might that have happened?

Well, have you seen lengthy dissections of the Avatar plot on political blogs as well as on science and tech blogs? Have you seen the debates about whether the Chinese should be allowed to see the film? People aren't having these discussions about the future of 3-D. People are taking time out of their day, day after day, to discuss the MEANING of this story. How many films accomplish that even for one day?

Aside from the effects, Cameron (for all his lack of social skills, for all his pedestrian dialogue) has tapped into something that resonates with millions of people around the world. If, in the alternate universe in which Andrew Grant lives, AVATAR had received a screenwriting nomination, it would have been for creating a story that gets liberals arguing with conservatives, that gets media interviews for linguistics professors, that indisputably enters the zeitgeist. (Brian Nelson, response to post, “Screenwriting, the mot meaningless Osar”)

- - -

Brian --

Everything you mention about Avatar -- its politics, its technological impact, etc -- is all perfectly valid, but the fact remains that the dialog is simply dreadful, and I doubt any critic praised it for its screenplay. It's a prime example of lazy screenwriting, and an indicator of just how low the bar is set. Its reliance on expository dialog is simply embarrassing. (Though it didn't get an Oscar nomination, it did get one from the WGA. That's concerning.) (Andrew Grant, response to post)

How to tell a story

Re: “Everything you mention about Avatar -- its politics, its technological impact, etc -- is all perfectly valid, but the fact remains that the dialog is simply dreadful, and I doubt any critic praised it for its screenplay.”

Well, I'm pretty sure the critic, Brian Nelson, is making a case for understanding the dialog as being one of the vehicles behind such widespread discussion of the movie's message. You essentialized the film as "spectacle," yet it's difficult to see how sensation alone provokes political discussion. If it was also the story, how did he manage such power, with the wording such an all-too-obvious embarrassing muddle? Explain, please.

Re: “Its reliance on expository dialog is simply embarrassing.”

Hemingway had the same complaint: that is, You may need more than this to convince, here -- this sounds too much like an airing of a school of thought (on how to properly tell a story), to simply convince.

Link: Screenwriting, the most meaningless Oscar (Salon)

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Discussion over the fate of Jolenta, at the Gene Wolfe facebook appreciation site

Patrick McEvoy-Halston November 28 at 10:36 AM Why does Severian make almost no effort to develop sustained empathy for Jolenta -- no interest in her roots, what made her who she was -- even as she features so much in the first part of the narrative? Her fate at the end is one sustained gross happenstance after another... Severian has repeated sex with her while she lay half drugged, an act he argues later he imagines she wanted -- even as he admits it could appear to some, bald "rape" -- but which certainly followed his  discussion of her as someone whom he could hate so much it invited his desire to destroy her; Severian abandons her to Dr. Talus, who had threatened to kill her if she insisted on clinging to him; Baldanders robs her of her money; she's sucked at by blood bats, and, finally, left at death revealed discombobulated of all beauty... a hunk of junk, like that the Saltus citizens keep heaped away from their village for it ruining their preferred sense

Salon discussion of "Almost Famous" gang-rape scene

Patrick McEvoy-Halston: The "Almost Famous'" gang-rape scene? Isn't this the film that features the deflowering of a virgin -- out of boredom -- by a pack of predator-vixons, who otherwise thought so little of him they were quite willing to pee in his near vicinity? Maybe we'll come to conclude that "[t]he scene only works because people were stupid about [boy by girl] [. . .] rape at the time" (Amy Benfer). Sawmonkey: Lucky boy Pull that stick a few more inches out of your chute, Patrick. This was one of the best flicks of the decade. (sawmonkey, response to post, “Films of the decade: ‘Amost Famous’, R.J. Culter, Salon, 13 Dec. 2009) Patrick McEvoy-Halston: @sawmonkey It made an impression on me too. Great charm. Great friends. But it is one of the things you (or at least I) notice on the review, there is the SUGGESTION, with him being so (rightly) upset with the girls feeling so free to pee right before him, that sex with him is just further presump

When Rose McGowan appears in Asgard: a review of "Thor: Ragnarok"

The best part of this film was when Rose McGowan appeared in Asgard and accosted Odin and his sons for covering up, with a prettified, corporate, outward appearance that's all gay-friendly, feminist, multicultural, absolutely for the rights of the indigenous, etc., centuries of past abuse, where they predated mercilessly upon countless unsuspecting peoples. And the PR department came in and said, okay Weinstein... I mean Odin and Odin' sons, here's what we suggest you do. First, you, Odin, are going to have to die. No extensive therapy; when it comes to predators who are male, especially white and male, this age doesn't believe in therapy. You did what you did because you are, or at least strongly WERE, evil, so that's what we have to work with. Now death doesn't seem like "working with it," I know, but the genius is that we'll do the rehab with your sons, and when they're resurrected as somehow more apart from your regime,