Koepp is one of my favorites and I think he is a master of current work. Of course some of his stuff is pure fluff and popcorn, but Panic Room and Stir of Echoes were excellent scripts and films, and he did an amazing job adapting the Carlito’s Way novels into what I view as a masterpiece of character transformation and inner conflict.

And Akiva… I know he is amazing at adaptations and they are not spec’s but Beautiful Mind and Cinderella Man speak for themselves when it comes to heroes you just have to root for from FADE IN. And I think it is time we forgive him for Batman & Robin.

Anyone agree or disagree?

Scottie sreenwriter

Also, The Searchers was a great film. Aww, what the hell.

Ordinary People
The Paper
Dead Poet’s Society
The Hitcher (80s)
St. Elmo’s Fire
Mr. Roberts – SUPER GREAT
The Green Berets
Rooster Cogburn
The Cowboys

Today, where I live, it is -52 degrees celcius. Yeah, that’s right, that is a minus sign. pretty near froze my balls off. Friggin’ ridiculous.

But on the other hand you may be jealous, because the cold outside made me stay inside and I got 13 total hours of writing done over the last 36 hours.

Woohoo!

Scottie screenwriter

My film debut! Watch the kid about 10 rows back on the bride’s side during the wedding scene… outstanding performance.

Those, obviously, are great films UNK listed. I’d like to add Lawrence of Arabia. Any script that can making crossing the desert seem exciting is worth studying.

And GREAT ESCAPE is a classic, classic film. I was shocked recently when, while researching something else, to find that James Clavell was one of the writers. But of course that makes sense.

I’m glad to see LITTLE BIG MAN on there, that’s one I was gonna put on my unheralded thing as some point. I might at THE BIG COUNTRY on there, which I enjoy because Peck beats the piss outa Heston, which is a joy. And Ives kicks ass.

And I have to say, I have a weird thing about LAST OF THE MOHICANS, I’ve seen it three or four hundred times, I keep finding stuff in it that I missed, and the attack by the Hurons upon the marching soldiers and refugees is, to my eye, one of the finest things ever shot . . . and realistic to the times, too.

It’s a weird film in a way, with its ending (I remember seeing it a theatre and being shocked that it’s actually over) but it’s a powerful piece of work that I love.

But, I ask . . . but . . . no SEVEN SAMURAI?

One of my faves, and I also love THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN a whole bunch, which I see is on the list. . . I also enjoy SEX, LIES AND VIDEOTAPE, which has a lot going on it it and doesn’t ever tire me, even though there’s little sex, heh-heh, and a lot of lies and videotape.

And HIGH FIDELITY and GROSS POINT BLANK are two movies I can watch over and over (unedited, not the castrated versions on cable) and still really enjoy. HIGH FIDELITY, in particular, is one great fucking adaptation.

SIXTEEN CANDLES always works, always.

And a film I’m going to feature next week on my Unheralded Classic Cool thing is FRESH . . . more on that later.

There’s more, these kind of conversations about stuff like this is quicksand for me, almost as dangerous as bringing up WE SEE, heh-heh.

*hopes that Chris feels sorry*

Just FYI, Netflix has all “The Dialogue” DVDs. I’ve queued every damned one. :)

Here’s my list… Subject to change.

Ernest Lehman
Horton Foote
William Goldman
Paul Schrader
Billy Wilder
Cameron Crowe
Frank Darabont
David Peoples
Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Christopher McQuarrie

Unk