About
This will probably be the kiss of death - I'm retired and will be 70 on February 6. Selling a screenplay used to be #1 on my bucket list. Now, it's making the final table at the World Series of Poker. I've written eight screenplays, including some co written with my son Christopher J Valin. Some contest success and one SP almost sold. Worked as Human Resources Manager for 36 years. Learned reams about human nature. Best interview technique - make the job applicant comfortable and let them ramble, after you ask some open ended questions. They will volunteer any negative information without being asked.
Some of my favorite directors are Lawrence Kasdan, Ingmar Bergman, and Alfred Hitchcock. I feel Kasdan's Body Heat is the best movie ever made. A woman can make a fool of a man so, so easily.
I like serious themes and real people. Oh, yeah, also love irony and suble humor, especially double entendre. I think intelligent sybolism is a must. The frog on the blanket in The Virgin Spring. The American soldier looking at pictures of the German soldier's (who he just killed) family. The knowing looks in Casa Blanca with Sam a representation of illicit love. The cut to Bill Hurt's hat in Body Heat when it hits him that the game is up. The use of the woman child in the Big Chill to accent the groups's loss of youth.
You can tell a lot about me by what I don't like. Can a young screenwriter do a script without someone barfing? No. Disgusting and repititious. Beregman did have a barf scene in the Virgin Spring , but everyon wasn't doing it and it it was there for an excellent reason. I hate the lame, lame , lame start of movies with the alarm clock going off and guess what? Meet the family as they get up.
I guess the 15 to 23 male viewers dominate and seeing breasts is really a major thing. Way overdone. Oh, another thing I do like is the use of sex in a creative, artistic way in a real relationship. Not these phony simplistic relationships that are common. A lot can be implied in a scene. Many love making scenes can be done with some things held back. What the hell kind of society are we anyway? So many worries about sex in a movie and it is OK to blow up or stab 50 people with gore all over the place? Oh, slasher movies suck too.
I lke intelligent dramas with some action and relationship. Don't like blow up, blow up, and more blow up just to do it. Don't like most romantic comedies. Too slow. Too phony and talk about the same formula! Don't like animation for adults, just kids. Are we all wanting to become 3D aliens as our genes get passed on? Hate most Christmas movies. They suck. Hate most wedding movies. They suck. Talk about formulas! If you can bring yourself to write one of these pieces of crap, do it (I can't). It will probably sell. Don't like movies where I know the ending. Took me years to see Titanic, even though there was a plot with a central couple.
My rant is over for now. I guess I am lamenting the loss of movies being made for artistic merit and intelligent entertainment. Most studios put out any crap that sells. I know they have to make bucks, but they have started usung hamburger helper rather than all meat. That reminds me. I guess I really did like the Vacation comedies.
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