Thanks for the post. One, it's Peter Jackson. Two, it lets me know that writers are never finished with a script until the final cut is complete. Good heads up info.

I'd be interested to know how many movies have actually been shot and cut nearly 100% true to the original script.

Can you think of any examples Scott?

I remember reading the occasional interview or feature in which a screenwriter said a movie was shot virtually as it was written, but can't swear to it. Besides, as noted in the OP, stories have a way of emerging during the filmmaking process. Even a movie like Little Miss Sunshine which is a tremendous script (by Michael Arndt) and as much as the directors followed what Arndt wrote, changes were made. The ending of the movie, for instance, is far superior to the ending in the script (at least the version I have 10/9/03) which features the family at a rest stop with Richard telling a story about his father. Thematically it makes sense, but there's so much going on 'under' that last scene in the movie, it just works.

Maybe some GITS readers know of scripts that were shot word for word. Off the top of my head, I don't know of any.

Eastwood has said he always shoots the scripts he chooses to make as is. I think I remember hearing that Gran Torino was essentially unchanged from the spec. Don't know how true that is, but it definitely fits with his no frills, one take style.

@Adam: You are right about Grand Torino. I had forgotten my own post on the subject. Here is the relevant quote:

If the script had been bought by a studio or nearly any other big star, before anyone could blink an eye, the studio would've brought in a veteran writer to do a rewrite or a polish, figuring that a first-time writer couldn't possibly have the craft or sophistication to flesh out a vehicle for a star of Eastwood's stature. But Eastwood operates differently. "He didn't change a single word," said Schenk. "When I met him just before they were going to shoot, I had three tiny changes I wanted to make, but when I mentioned them to Clint, he said, 'I dunno, I kind of like the script just the way it is."

I once wrote about a similar phenomenon, about the four different ways a movie or screenplay is experienced. The 168 Process unfortunately causes shortcuts to be taken, and as always, time is your enemy.