In writing a film, it is crucial to have an excellent grasp of the genre you’re working in. How could you hope to write an effective romantic comedy if you’ve never seen Annie Hall or You’ve Got Mail? And how weak would your supernatural horror script be if you’d never seen The Exorcist or The Shining? Not only is it important to understand the structure of the genre - how the plot flows, common character traits, even shooting styles - but it’s also crucial to identify what works, what doesn’t, and where the cliches are. You want to take the best of the genre and leave the worst. My chosen genre is the psychological thriller (that is a genre, right?). Edit: According to Wikipedia, it IS a genre, or at least a sub-genre.
Thankfully, I’ve watched an obscene amount of films in my lifetime, as well as spent a year heavily writing about them, so I have a good foundation from which to work. Films that I’ve identified that share similar traits with Project Echo are Memento, The Game, The Machinist, Jacob’s Ladder, North by Northwest, Stay, The Lookout, Oldboy and Quid Pro Quo. I’ve seen almost all of those films before, but I plan to rewatch them and take copious notes.
So I’m looking for films that contain either 1) confused everymen caught up in conspiracies or 2) main characters with psychological handicaps. Ideally (as in the case of Memento), I plan to incorporate elements of both into Project Echo.
I need additional suggestions! Have any films I should add to the list? Have I missed some incredible psychological thriller that will give me deep insight into the creation of my own screenplay? Sound off in the comments section - I need as much input as I can get!
16/06/2009 at 9:00 am Permalink
The Strangers comes to mind. You are allways left wondering, “Why are these guys being murdered?” No psychologically handicapped central character unless you count the murderers. Just suspensful murder scenes, and catch 22’s.
16/06/2009 at 9:14 am Permalink
http://www.imdb.com/keyword/psychological-thriller/
16/06/2009 at 9:32 am Permalink
Thanks for the suggestion, Brandon. Haven’t seen The Strangers yet, but I’ve heard a lot about it. Fun fact: the writer of the film, after he sold the script, was asked to personally direct it. It was his directorial debut (fingers crossed I get that much luck).
And Carolyn, thanks for the link. You’d think I’d be smart enough to have found that myself.
16/06/2009 at 11:28 am Permalink
Spider
The Man Who Knew Too Little (his handicap is that he is an idiot)
16/06/2009 at 1:14 pm Permalink
That might provide some surprising insights, Elvis. And good call on Spider. I’ve seen it before, but it’s right in line with what I’m wanting to do. Who directed that again, Cronenberg?
16/06/2009 at 2:21 pm Permalink
I second TMWKTL… my favorite comedy…
How was The Machinist?
16/06/2009 at 2:23 pm Permalink
I will invite you over when I watch it.
16/06/2009 at 5:31 pm Permalink
Nell
Forrest Gump
Fried Green Tomatoes
16/06/2009 at 5:39 pm Permalink
Hmmm…. I’m not sure you’ve grasped the point of this exercise, honey. A for effort, though!
16/06/2009 at 5:41 pm Permalink
I’m here for you anytime.
16/06/2009 at 5:47 pm Permalink
What would I ever do without you?
(we should see how long we can keep our uncomfortable, passive-agressive marital conversation going on here!)
16/06/2009 at 6:02 pm Permalink
I don’t know what you’re talking about. But I will say that without me you’d forget to eat dinner, and you would have to mail your laundry to Grandmother Derrick. And you’d be forced to cuddle a teddy bear. So I’m a pretty awesome sidekick, if you ask me.
16/06/2009 at 6:09 pm Permalink
Ok, I concede defeat. You’re the best sidekick. [cue 'awe gee shucks' sound]
16/06/2009 at 6:42 pm Permalink
Cronenberg sounds right and plenty of weird people saying “webs”
17/06/2009 at 11:06 am Permalink
You asked for suggestions - I was thinking that your camera might need a protective slipcover.
17/06/2009 at 11:12 am Permalink
You know, one morning I’m going to wake up and find that a decorative slip cover has been placed over me. Really, that’s the only way this thing can possibly end.
17/06/2009 at 11:24 am Permalink
Evan, So you won’t think I am only a smart-alec, I want you to know that I checked out the 360 promo and the You Tube Fear clip. Both are excellent. The 360 one comes across as contemporary but not slick and as very genuine. I don’t know how to critique editing but i thought every angle was interesting and it moved quickly without being slick (don’t like slick). We don’t get TBN but I’ll try to find a way to see 360.
The Fear one is brilliant - love the graphics and the choreography (do you choreograph graphics?) and its pointed message. I will show this to my teen sons who will groove on it. (my word obviously, not theirs)
Kristena’s movie suggestions are really more my speed but we recently did re-watch The Fugitive. That’s about as suspenseful as it gets for me…
17/06/2009 at 1:53 pm Permalink
Thanks, Vicki. We’ve actually produced 13 different text animations on different subjects, just like the Fear one. If they ever get around to uploading them, I’ll be sure to post links.
And The Fugitive is a good suggestion, one of those obvious ones I hadn’t really thought of yet.
17/06/2009 at 2:41 pm Permalink
Stevo, Erin and myself are brainstorming for you. Here’s what we have so far:
Beautiful Mind
Sybil
Conspiracy Theory
We’ll keep you posted.
18/06/2009 at 6:54 pm Permalink
The Machinist and A Beautiful Mind are good ones. Also, One Hour Photo, Eyes Wide Shut, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Blow Out, The Sixth Sense, and any number of episodes of The Twilight Zone or Alfred Hitchcock Presents, or any Hitchcock films for that matter.