Who The Devil Wrote It?

[Fat Elvis]

For most young geeks, the star actors and directors get all the love. I was a bit different, in that when going through the back pages of my beat up Video Hound guide-creating my own anthology marathons- I was fascinated by the writers.

I was drawn to the rare breed of writers making an impact, becoming a creative force, and reshaping the artform; whose names--to geeks like me at least- were almost as significant as Spielberg & Scorsese .

These were my golden gods:

Paul Schrader, John Milius, Phil Kaufman, Robert Towne, Lawrence Kasdan, John Sayles, and James Toback (To a lesser extent, Terry Southern)

Their voices shaped the touchstone films of a golden era.

Who are your favorite screen-writers? Who was the first to make you sit up and take notice or become aware of a truly unique voice?

As an aside, is the biggest problem with the current generation of writers, that the voice isn't as as strong, or that it's not allowed to be?

Are there any visionaries working out there (besides Charlie Kaufman)?

[Keith F]

Shane Black was one of the guys I first noticed when I was a kid. One of the first screenwriters that worked as a selling point for me.

[Greg Clark]

Brian Helgeland, despite a few stinkers in his filmography, is one of my favorite screenwriters out there. I was *thisclose* to breaking my "fuck Tony Scott" rule and checking out Pelham 1 2 3 just because he was one of the writers on it.

[Moltisanti]

Black is a better writer but de Souza more or less raised me.

[Evi]

The guy's output has always been hit-or-miss, but I've had a fondness for Andrew Niccol's stuff since Gattaca. Something about his "little guy against the system" stories just appeal to me.

Lately I've been HUGELY impressed by Rian Johnson. Two films in and he's developing such a unique voice.

[Spike Marshall]

Steven De Souza's nosedive as a writer in the early 90s still boggles the brain. How the hell do you go from writing 48 Hours and Die Hard to writing The Flintstones and Tomb Raider: Cradle of Life. It seems like the last great thing he did was Street Fighter or Knock Off (depending on if you view these films as being purposefully tongue in cheek or just plain retarded)

[Greg David]

Bless you for starting this thread. It's one of my constant annoyances with even some hardcore film geeks that they pretend that screenplays don't exist. That said, I took a shamefully long time, probably into my twenties, to start tracking the names of writers from film to film.

One exception: I think the first writer I noticed early on was William Goldman, and mostly due, I suspect, to Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid, which I nearly worship. I then noticed his name on The Great Waldo Pepper (criminally underseen, by the way) and Marathon Man. So I was already a fan when he made his big comeback with The Princess Bride. I think I was the only person who was excited to see that film because of the writer.

And of course, as a Star Wars/Raiders fan, I took heavy note of Kasdan.

These days, I'm not sure. I was following Elliot & Rossio for a while, but they really shit the bed with the Pirates movies.

I haven't seen The Brothers Bloom yet, but I'm definitely keeping an eye on Rian Johnson. Of course, that's getting into the realm of writer/directors, which is slightly different, and brings a whole host of names to mind. These days, there are more and more of them around.

[James Kimbell]

This is probably more common now due to television. And not just the showrunners, your Simons and your Sorkins, but staff writers, too, get attention from a certain type of geek. I know I've followed my favorite Buffy writers - Craft and Fain to The Shield, Espenson to BSG and her blog, Goddard to Lost and movies - and I have a pretty fair grasp on each one's style.

[Schwartz]

I was going to mention Johnson and Martin McDonagh as guys whose work I'm really looking forward to despite their very limited filmic output. I'm also keeping an eye on Jody Hill and Jonathan Levine after seeing just one of each's films.

[ForsakenNoMore]

Originally Posted by Humanoid

The guy's output has always been hit-or-miss, but I've had a fondness for Andrew Niccol's stuff since Gattaca. Something about his "little guy against the system" stories just appeal to me.

Yeah, Niccol's writing is something I really admire. GATTACA in screenplay is a great read, THE TRUMAN SHOW is also fab and S1MONE was fun to read as well. I didn't notice too much of him in THE TERMINAL (story by Niccol) - but I may have noticed some touches here and there.

I'm looking forward to THE CROSS.

[Tom Logan]

I think Elvis pretty much coverd the ground with his opening post. It's hard not to come across an essay on Towne and Schrader's writing when you first show an interest in film. I do feel that the awareness of Kasdan comes more so from actually watching his films, those that he's credited for were watched repeatedly when i was a kid.

Whatever you think of the final product, William Monahan's scripts are great to read, his dialogue and style zings off the page. His first draft of Body of Lies was head and shoulders above the finished film in terms of enjoyment, strangely enough i feel his The Departed script is the weakest. His involvement does make me sit up. The Carnahan's have a nice style too that keeps me interested in what they have in development.

I'm not a big fan of John Logan's but the script he wrote with Michael Mann is jaw droppingly good, the best that i've ever read. I don't know if that's solely down to Mann's hand or not.

[The Rain Dog]

Goldman and Kasdan were big for me, as well as Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, being a big young Blade Runner nerd. John Hodge was up ther thanks to Trainspotting but I'd have to say it was the writer-directors that were my gateway drug to getting into screenwriters unto themselves, with Tarantino standing like a colossus over my young film geek mind. True Romance was the first film I remember dying to see because of who wrote it, rather than directed or starred.

[buddhabliss]

I remember the first time I watched The Untouchables the dialogue just smacked me in the face.I was like I'm gonna follow this Mamet guy.

[Smilin' Jack Ruby]

Woody Allen. John Michael Hayes. David Mamet. Rod Serling. Curt Siodmak. David Cronenberg. Paddy Chayefsky. Dalton Trumbo. Emeric Pressburger. John Cassavetes. Ingmar Bergman. Dennis Potter.

[Greg David]

Originally Posted by buddhabliss

I remember the first time I watched The Untouchables the dialogue just smacked me in the face.I was like I'm gonna follow this Mamet guy.

Funnily enough, I loved The Untouchables, but didn't realize it was Mamet until years after I started to admire his work. By the same token, I didn't realize that Tom Stoppard had co-written Brazil until long after I became a fan of Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead.

[Greg David]

Originally Posted by Smilin' Jack Ruby

Rod Serling.

Oh damn, I forgot to mention him. I was a big Twilight Zone kid, and remembered his name when I became a Planet of the Apes fanatic.

[Smilin' Jack Ruby]

And this may sound odd, but based on his sheer, unparalleled versatility, I've always quite admired Larry Cohen. It's always fascinated me that the same guy who wrote the cash-in "Magnificent Seven" sequel "Return of the Seven" in 1966 also wrote "Hell Up in Harlem," "The Stuff," "Q, The Winged Serpent," "Maniac Cop," and "It's Alive," and then - most recently - sold specs that became "Phone Booth," "Cellular," etc. AND on top of that, he wrote for shows like "The U.S. Steel Hour," "Branded," "The Fugitive," "The Invaders" and "Zane Grey Theater" in the fifties and sixties, but also had an episode of "N.Y.P.D. Blue" on the air just a few years back.

An ultimate B-movie genre guy who has written for directors as varied as Sidney Lumet and Bill Lustig, but whose best work arguably was directed by himself ("Black Caesar," "God Told Me To," etc., though "Return to Salem's Lot" was a low point).

[Evi]

One writer who was beginning to make a splash then seemingly dropped off the face of the earth: Andrew Kevin Walker. Where are you, buddy? Come back to us!

Also, I can't believe we've gotten this far without mentioning The Coen Brothers.

[Jan]

To add to the ones already mentioned:

- Aaron Sorkin: Granted, most of his work was for West Wing. Yet. But he showed his unique voice again in Charlie Wilson´s War (a really underrated movie). I am really looking forward to The Trial of the Chicago 7, not only because it is an interesting topic for me in general, but I think he can nail the thematics on this one. Hell, he even is the reason I am actually curious about this Facebook movie.

- Tony Gilroy: Given all the rumours surrounding the Bourne-movies he did a hell of work with very little time and lots of other constraints. His work on Michael Clayton and especially State Of Play show some real promise and he alone is making the Red Dawn remake of interest for me.

[Hammerhead]

I was browsing the Onion AV Club's New Cult Canon feature last night and it was revealed to me that I need to listen to the Soderbergh/Lem Dobbs commentary track on The Limey like, right now.

And am I going to be the first to name Joss Whedon? So be it. His dialogue is unmistakable and he knows how to work the hell out of a theme. The big question is whether he can vary his tone beyond the comfort of genre storytelling.

I think probably the first screenwriting names I became aware of were Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan. Guess when. Hunting down Brackett's other work, in film and elsewhere, has been highly rewarding. Kasdan's, less so.

[Fat Elvis]

Originally Posted by Smilin' Jack Ruby

And this may sound odd, but based on his sheer, unparalleled versatility, I've always quite admired Larry Cohen. It's always fascinated me that the same guy who wrote the cash-in "Magnificent Seven" sequel "Return of the Seven" in 1966 also wrote "Hell Up in Harlem," "The Stuff," "Q, The Winged Serpent," "Maniac Cop," and "It's Alive," and then - most recently - sold specs that became "Phone Booth," "Cellular," etc. AND on top of that, he wrote for shows like "The U.S. Steel Hour," "Branded," "The Fugitive," "The Invaders" and "Zane Grey Theater" in the fifties and sixties, but also had an episode of "N.Y.P.D. Blue" on the air just a few years back.

An ultimate B-movie genre guy who has written for directors as varied as Sidney Lumet and Bill Lustig, but whose best work arguably was directed by himself ("Black Caesar," "God Told Me To," etc., though "Return to Salem's Lot" was a low point).

Ha. Great choice.

First take notice through Horror, but eclectic nature and sheer volume of B work is impressive.

I, The Jury. Best Seller. The American Success Company. The Ambulance. Abel Ferrara's Body Snatchers as well.

Honor and a pleasure anytime you drop in, SJR.

(Of course, goes without saying meant to add the name Mark Wheaton to current list of visionaries!)

[Bobby Bear]

As I'm so discerning with writing in particular, it's even harder for me to get behind screenwriters than it is to name a list of favourite films in a certain genre, for example. I've enjoyed (and admired) plenty of work by many of the names already mentioned (Allen, Kaufman, Tarantino, the Coen Brothers, Goldman, Cronenberg, Kasdan, Towne.) I'd also add Frank Darabont and Sam Raimi to that list. Cameron Crowe, Joss Whedon, John Hughes, and Kevin Smith were the four earliest examples of writers becoming a "voice" to me, though. I don't necessarily hold all (or even many) of their scripts in especially high regard now, but I enjoyed and connected clearly with their general tones very much as a teen.

[Greg Clark]

Another I gotta throw some love for is William Monahan. His scripts for Kingdom of Heaven and The Departed show how varied and wonderful he draws his characters, and he's got a great, great ear for dialogue, too. I haven't seen Body of Lies, but I still want to give it a shot despite its "meh" reception.

[Malmordo]

Cassavetes. For the passion, spontaneity and eccentricity of his characters. Nobody wrote dialogue like this - the words have a rhythm all their own and are remarkably free of cliches.

Hawks, Lederer, Hecht, Brackett . For fast, crisp dialogue, hugely entertaining when performed by the old stars of Hollywood. Also great at creating characters you're sorry to see go when the movie ends. HIS GIRL FRIDAY, RIO BRAVO, THE THING and HATARI are favorites.

Richard Matheson. For his ability to take literature in new directions while staying true to the author's spirit and intent. Favorites are the Poe adaptations for Roger Corman, particularly HOUSE OF USHER, and his artful combination of two Jules Verne adventures (MASTER OF THE WORLD). Also a fine novelist.

Elmore Leonard. Primarily known as a novelist but has worked on screenplays (JOE KIDD, MR. MAJESTYK). Like Cassavetes, has a distinctive rhythm to his dialogue; Scott Frank did the best job of preserving it for OUT OF SIGHT.

Nicholas St. John, who has written primarily for Abel Ferrara. Intriguingly scuzzy characters and realistic depiction of crime and street life. The stories can meander but I think St. John has been more consistent at delivering quality material than either Paul Schrader or Robert Towne, and he's sometimes brilliant (MS. 45, THE FUNERAL).

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by Malmordo

Hawks, Lederer, Hecht, Brackett . For fast, crisp dialogue, hugely entertaining when performed by the old stars of Hollywood. Also great at creating characters you're sorry to see go when the movie ends. HIS GIRL FRIDAY, RIO BRAVO, THE THING and HATARI are favorites.

Can't leave Jules Furthman out of that set. Though his best work was probably for von Sternberg, his impact on Hawks is significant. And there are whole runs of dialogue that carry over from one CV to the next: "I wanted to buy a new hat..."

I can't believe I forgot Matheson.

How about Sturges and Wilder? It's interesting to watch the early films they wrote but didn't direct-- the main difference seems to be one of tone.

[Ratty]

I used to be a big fan of Daniel Waters. Guy had a pretty good run about 20 years ago with Heathers, Batman Returns and (guilty pleasure) Hudson Hawk. He kind of faded away though.

[The Rain Dog]

I have to add The Coens to my list, can't believe I missed mentioning them in my earlier post (chalk that up to flu delirium). They really, along with Tarantino made me appreciate screenwriting as the beautiful art it is when I was a younger lad.

The opening ten minutes of Raising Arizona used to quite literally leave me in awe. Still does really.

[Rene (Mr.Eko)]

He's already been mentioned, but whenever I saw written/screenplay by Steven E. DeSouza flash on the screen as a kid, I knew that I was going to be in for a good ride.

Stephen King was also another one that I remember form being a kid, even though he's primarily a novelist, my Mother would read to me some of his stuff (mostly The Stand) so when I saw a movie that had "written by Stephen King" or "based on the novel by Stephen King" I knew I was going to be scared.

[OCallaghan]

Originally Posted by The Rain Dog

The opening ten minutes of Raising Arizona used to quite literally leave me in awe. Still does really.

Myself and my housemate had a Friday Night Movie Night a few weeks ago and watched Raising Arizona. That opening sequence that sets up the entire movie before the opening credits have even run is spectacular cinema. Incredible stuff and it feels so effortless.
We watched The Producers as well in the same week we tackled Young Frankestein and Blazing Saddles. Before he sort of bottomed out started making crap Mel Brooks was a hell of a writer. Youth Frankenstein is astonishingly tightly scripted.
Second the Dan Waters love. Shame he sort of dropped off.
His films don't seem to turn out quite the way he would hope, evidently, but anyone interested in The Craft of Screenwriting should try and track down a copy of the unproduced screenplay Edward Ford by Lem Dobbs. Fantastic, unique piece of work.

[Smilin' Jack Ruby]

Oy, have to join the chorus for Richard Matheson. Can't believe I left him off my list, either. Like Serling, just did some of the most interesting writing ever on television with his "Twilight Zone" scripts, but his influence is still being felt with just how effectively his "Night Stalker" and "Night Strangler" scripts set the stage for future television shows like "X-Files," "Fringe," "Millennium" and even "Buffy." Hell, I'm still a fan of how he wrangled "Martian Chronicles" into a miniseries and how he took a pretty good book and turned it into the classic film that is "The Devil Rides Out."

But it's his work with Vincent Price that I end up watching over and over. "Pit and the Pendulum," "House of Usher," "Master of the World," "The Last Man on Earth," etc.

[ForsakenNoMore]

RE: RAISING ARIZONA

I need to re-visit it sometime soon... I watched it when I was a kid and I was just awe-struck by the movie for some odd reason. Later, of course when I got into movies, I found out The Coen Bros. were responsible for it.

___

He may not be everybpdy's cup-of-tea. But, I happen to fancy David Goyer, as well. Reading BLADE II, it helped me to construct action scenes and write it more clearly in my screenplays.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by OCallaghan

Before he sort of bottomed out started making crap Mel Brooks was a hell of a writer. Youth Frankenstein is astonishingly tightly scripted.

It's only years later I've discovered that nearly everything I like about Young Frankenstein came from Gene Wilder, not Brooks.

[Greg David]

Yeah, Wilder was really the driving force behind that movie. Brooks even tried to get him to drop the "Puttin' on the Ritz" sequence.

[The Rain Dog]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

It's only years later I've discovered that nearly everything I like about Young Frankenstein came from Gene Wilder, not Brooks.

Just like Richard Pryor with Blazing Saddles...

[OCallaghan]

Originally Posted by Greg David

Yeah, Wilder was really the driving force behind that movie. Brooks even tried to get him to drop the "Puttin' on the Ritz" sequence.

No shit?
Consider me schooled then. I just gave it to Brooks because The Producers has such a good script, and Wilders movies that had him listed as a script writer (Haunted Honeymoon) are not so great.
I'm off a'Googling.

[Hammerhead]

The YF DVD supplements give some compelling, though indirect indications of who did what.

[Greg David]

And thanks to those extras, I'll never be able to not see Wilder lose it when Feldman attacks Kahn's fur. I never noticed it before, but now I see it every time.