When Characters are Authors - CrimeSpace2024-03-28T13:07:31Zhttps://crimespace.ning.com/forum/topics/537324:Topic:22580?commentId=537324%3AComment%3A22760&feed=yes&xn_auth=noAs John Dishon pointed out, S…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-12:537324:Comment:228792007-04-12T00:39:22.427ZGraham Powellhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/grahampowell
As John Dishon pointed out, Stephen King writes about writers a <i>lot</i>. Just in the movies there's <i>The Shining</i> and <i>Secret Window</i>, plus "Umney's Last Case" on television. Usually the writing is secondary to other aspects, or serves the plot in a way that distorts the reality of the characters getting words on the page.
As John Dishon pointed out, Stephen King writes about writers a <i>lot</i>. Just in the movies there's <i>The Shining</i> and <i>Secret Window</i>, plus "Umney's Last Case" on television. Usually the writing is secondary to other aspects, or serves the plot in a way that distorts the reality of the characters getting words on the page. I agree with you, Vincent, ab…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:227702007-04-11T21:12:37.663ZGerald Sohttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/gerald986
I agree with you, Vincent, about writers writing about writers. I prefer to see more imagination in fiction--a writer shaping a character very different from himself, for example.
I agree with you, Vincent, about writers writing about writers. I prefer to see more imagination in fiction--a writer shaping a character very different from himself, for example. I'm a fan of NCIS and all the…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:227612007-04-11T20:59:39.946ZGerald Sohttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/gerald986
I'm a fan of NCIS and all the characters, but I don't think any character's personal life should *become* the plot. I like to gain insight into characters by their attitudes toward their jobs/what they have to do. I don't mind that McGee is a writer. In fact, I think it's a good quirk to his character; I just don't think it's being portrayed very realistically, and this sticks out on a show that's mostly believable.<br />
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Likewise I don't mind that Brennan is a writer, but I find the execution of…
I'm a fan of NCIS and all the characters, but I don't think any character's personal life should *become* the plot. I like to gain insight into characters by their attitudes toward their jobs/what they have to do. I don't mind that McGee is a writer. In fact, I think it's a good quirk to his character; I just don't think it's being portrayed very realistically, and this sticks out on a show that's mostly believable.<br />
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Likewise I don't mind that Brennan is a writer, but I find the execution of that facet of her life lacking. I agree- love this book. For…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:227602007-04-11T20:59:11.922ZTiffany Leighhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/tiffanyleigh33
I agree- love this book. For me his most complete novel, probably his most "literary" -- for me it rivaled Twain or Hawthorne. <br />
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King in general, and his portrayals and permutations of fictional writers in his canon, casts a long shadow.
I agree- love this book. For me his most complete novel, probably his most "literary" -- for me it rivaled Twain or Hawthorne. <br />
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King in general, and his portrayals and permutations of fictional writers in his canon, casts a long shadow. Good one -- as soon as I need…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:227572007-04-11T20:56:57.735ZTiffany Leighhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/tiffanyleigh33
Good one -- as soon as I needed to think of a few for this post all known examples left my brain. <br />
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ADAPTATION showcased the two sides that eternally fight each other -- highbrow versus lowbrow, the art versus business of film. The internal monologues of Kaufman (Cage) as dramatized by Spike Jonze are terrific. Kaufman (the screenwriter) is also clutch in not letting the "meta" of the situations or circumstances overshadow the emotions or truths he's conveying in the characters.
Good one -- as soon as I needed to think of a few for this post all known examples left my brain. <br />
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ADAPTATION showcased the two sides that eternally fight each other -- highbrow versus lowbrow, the art versus business of film. The internal monologues of Kaufman (Cage) as dramatized by Spike Jonze are terrific. Kaufman (the screenwriter) is also clutch in not letting the "meta" of the situations or circumstances overshadow the emotions or truths he's conveying in the characters. I watched NCIS last night, an…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:227422007-04-11T20:37:18.818ZKelly Parrahttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/kparra
I watched NCIS last night, and I didn't take offense to the protrayal of McGee as a writer. In fact, I laughed at the fictional writer tidbits that were added. Yes, the episode was predictable but I love NCIS for the characters rather than the plots.<br />
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I can't say much for Bones since I don't watch it. :) :)
I watched NCIS last night, and I didn't take offense to the protrayal of McGee as a writer. In fact, I laughed at the fictional writer tidbits that were added. Yes, the episode was predictable but I love NCIS for the characters rather than the plots.<br />
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I can't say much for Bones since I don't watch it. :) :) All the examples above are go…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:227232007-04-11T20:21:46.704ZVincent Holland-Keenhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/fiskerton
All the examples above are good, but by and large I reckon writers writing about writers smacks of an inability to go beyond personal experience (though when that point of view is dramatic and key to the story - as in Misery or Adaptation or even, I'd argue, Romancing the Stone - it can work). When vocation isn't key to the story, yet the protagonist is a writer, that's when I become suspicious. Any good examples of that?
All the examples above are good, but by and large I reckon writers writing about writers smacks of an inability to go beyond personal experience (though when that point of view is dramatic and key to the story - as in Misery or Adaptation or even, I'd argue, Romancing the Stone - it can work). When vocation isn't key to the story, yet the protagonist is a writer, that's when I become suspicious. Any good examples of that? Oh, I remembered another one.…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:227152007-04-11T20:12:24.164ZNaomi Hiraharahttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/gasagasagirl
Oh, I remembered another one. Charlie Kaufman in ADAPTATION was pretty darn hilarious. Another writer's block situation. Good observation, Tiffany.
Oh, I remembered another one. Charlie Kaufman in ADAPTATION was pretty darn hilarious. Another writer's block situation. Good observation, Tiffany. Yes, I echo Meredith's choice…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:226942007-04-11T19:35:32.401ZNaomi Hiraharahttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/gasagasagirl
Yes, I echo Meredith's choices. I would add those girly-girly flicks like Anne of Avonlea and Little Women. (Those two stories/movies totally advocate the philosopy of writing what you know.)<br />
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The most interesting depiction of a mystery author is in the film SWIMMING POOL. It's a bit flawed at the end, yet still fascinating. The protagonist writes historic cozies and must explore her repressed sexuality when she has to share a European vacation home with a young, swinging single woman. Then…
Yes, I echo Meredith's choices. I would add those girly-girly flicks like Anne of Avonlea and Little Women. (Those two stories/movies totally advocate the philosopy of writing what you know.) <br />
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The most interesting depiction of a mystery author is in the film SWIMMING POOL. It's a bit flawed at the end, yet still fascinating. The protagonist writes historic cozies and must explore her repressed sexuality when she has to share a European vacation home with a young, swinging single woman. Then the mayhem begins. <br />
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Has anyone seen THE HOAX? That should cast an interesting light on the publishing industry. <br />
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p.s. Meredith, I also love when ROMANCING THE STONE's Joan Wilder, working on deadline, runs out of toilet paper. Cracked me up. Unfortunately I could relate. Most writers portrayed in fil…tag:crimespace.ning.com,2007-04-11:537324:Comment:226882007-04-11T19:28:20.617ZTiffany Leighhttps://crimespace.ning.com/profile/tiffanyleigh33
Most writers portrayed in film/television are Conventional Wisdom's romanticized "idea" of writers because watching an actual writer "on the job" is pretty boring. I mean the actual composing of words into sentences into paragraphs into pages. It's passive and internalized by nature, so onscreen workarounds comprise of faux "action" or "business" to dress up what is essentially ineffable, non-visual, and the equivalent of paint drying. Which means that 99% of the time, the character's being a…
Most writers portrayed in film/television are Conventional Wisdom's romanticized "idea" of writers because watching an actual writer "on the job" is pretty boring. I mean the actual composing of words into sentences into paragraphs into pages. It's passive and internalized by nature, so onscreen workarounds comprise of faux "action" or "business" to dress up what is essentially ineffable, non-visual, and the equivalent of paint drying. Which means that 99% of the time, the character's being a writer is fungible, it's a prop, it's unnecessary to the plot or the characterizations. <br />
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Writer's block seems to be a popular workaround -- Jack Nicholson (The Shining), Joseph Fiennes (Shakespeare In Love), Jon Turturro (Barton Fink), Emma Thompson (Stranger Than Fiction), countless others. Because watching a writer BE a writer is boring, but watching a writer NOT write, watching one do anything else BUT write, watching one in conflict with himself instead of writing (being crazy, killing someone, drinking, suicidal, chasing girls, Bukowski), is much easier to dramatize onscreen.<br />
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My favorite portrayals are the ones that realistically show us the person's life outside of the work, and accurately. Writing as vocation and avocation. As a part of a greater whole. The person "happens" to be a writer, but that part of the character is a vital part. Downplayed aspects, nothing too over the top. Writer not as stereotype, not as a nervous tic or a prop like a cigarette or the inside of a barglass to wipe. Two favorite portrayals: <br />
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Jason Robards as Dash Hammett in "Julia," but as a Hammett that was far-gone, alcoholic, self-hating, not having written a lick in years. But in his scant 15 minutes of screen time and mentoring of Lillian Hellman (Jane Fonda), he does more to embody the demons, complications, and high standards of being an artist than most performances. "It's worse than bad," he barks at one of her efforts. "It's half-good." <br />
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William Hurt in SMOKE was phenomenal. Maybe it was because of the "verite" style, or Paul Auster's "nothing happens meta" imprint, but you just absolutely believed that his movie alter-ego (Hurt) was a die-hard Brooklynite AND a serious writer. His character was grieving and trying to recover from the death of his family (son I think). As he got out of his tailspin and back to his desk -- albeit still an introvert, but now one plugged back into the real life occurring outside his apartment, one ready to observe again and wring truth from outside his life -- you just only ever saw the writer's life in his actions and thoughts and words. <br />
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One scene nails it perfectly: he ambles back to his desk with a sandwich. Slowly sitting down and looking over his pages he lifts the sandwich, stops it halfway to his mouth, forgets to take a bite from it, starts typing, then places the sandwich back down on the desk, uneaten, already forgotten, consumed by his work again and tunnel-visioned back into the writing. Hurt's perf is comprised of the very stuff that we see and live each day as writers, which in a way is more breathtaking than most Hollywood treatments of our occupation.