Daily Dialogue theme for next week: New Year’s Eve - Film Crush Collective at 2013-12-28 18:38:43:
[…] I’d also ask you to think about why the dialogue is notable. Is there anything about …read more […]
Alejandro at 2013-12-28 21:01:58:
The Godfather Part II (1974) Screenplay by Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBalU46KqKI Michael There's a plane waiting for us to take us to Miami in an hour, alright? Don't make a big thing about it. (kisses him) I know it was you, Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart. President Debido a serios reveses de nuestras tropas en Guantánamo y Santiago, mi permanencia en Cuba es insostenible. Renuncio para evitar mas derramamiento de sangre y salgo de la ciudad inmediatamente. me despido a nombre de mi familia y en el mío propio deseándoles a todos muy buena suerte. Como mi último acto oficial ahora nombro un gobierno provisional. Salud! Salud! Salud! Crowd Viva Fidel! Viva Fidel! Michael Fredo! Come on, come with me. It's the only way out of here tonight. Roth is dead. Fredo! Fredo! Come with me. You're still my brother. Fredo! Fredo! Crowd Fidel! Fidel! Fidel! Translation of the President's dialogue: Due to serious setbacks to our troops in Guantanemo and Santiago, my position in Cuba is untenable. I am resigning from office to avoid further bloodshed. And I shall leave the city immediately. I say goodbye to you on behalf of my family and myself wishing you all good luck. As my last official act I hereby appoint a provisional government. </code! Trivia: Co-authors Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola disagreed over whether Michael should have Fredo killed. Coppola only agreed on condition that Michael would wait until their mother was dead. It's a very important moment in the film for the family, for Michael and for Fredo, to emphasize it it's shown during a very important event. We're at a New Year's Eve party, but not just any party, it's a party in Cuba, and the president is announcing his resignation. It means the end of some business for the family, but also the end of Fredo. Think of the important plot points in your script. Could they be more intense and dramtic if they happen in another location where another important event is happening? It doesn't have to be a revolution or coup d'etat, it can be an important event for the micro-universe of your movie.
Mark Walker at 2013-12-30 16:33:38:
How about Sunset Boulevard and Norma's pretend New Year's Eve party arranged for just her and Gillis as more evidence of her overwhelming need to be needed and the revelation of her desparate feelings for Gillis. The scene is pivotol as it is probably the point in the film that Gillis realises really what is going on - well the Gillis in the "now" as opposed to the Gillis doing the voice-over - and is probably the moment that things take a turn for the worse and we head, inexorably, to the tragic end of the film as Gillis doesn't take her seriously - suggestion that he really doesn't know what he is getting into to. New Year's Eve as the beginning of the end for Gillis as opposed to the new start that Norma is perhaps hoping for. And is a great example of the 3-Things "tool" for writing scenes with dialogue, where we get the characters to talk around a subject, making the 3rd thing they talk about the important dialogue for the scene. Here, the admission that there are no other guests is that third thing, the thing we, as the audience have been waiting for, but which hits home to Gillis after Norma's attempts to sway the conversation away from the other guests. Great writing and a great scene. Comedy and tragedy all in one! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb_uXwPiNxc (sorry the video cuts off before the end of the scene) NORMA Joe, you look absolutely divine. Turn around! GILLIS (Embarrassed) Please. NORMA Come on! Gillis makes a slow 36O-degree turn. NORMA Perfect. Wonderful shoulders. And I love that line. She indicates the V from his shoulders to his hips. GILLIS All padding. Don’t let it fool you. NORMA Come here! She puts the gardenia on his lapel. GILLIS You know, to me dressing up was always just putting on my dark blue suit. NORMA I don’t like those studs they’ve sent. I want you to have pearls. Nice big pearls. GILLIS Now, I’m not going to wear ear-rings, I can tell you that. NORMA Cute. Let’s have some drinks. She leads him over to the buffet. GILLIS Shouldn’t we wait for the others? NORMA (Pointing at the floor) Careful, it’s slippery. I had it waxed. They reach the buffet. Max is ready with two glasses of champagne. Norma hands Gillis a glass. NORMA Here’s to us. They drink. NORMA You know, this floor used to be wood but I had it changed. Valentino said there is nothing like tiles for a tango. She opens her arms. GILLIS Not on the same floor with Valentino! NORMA Just follow me. They start to tango. After a moment -- NORMA Don’t bend back like that. GILLIS It’s those feathers. They tickle. Norma pulls the paradise feathers from her hair and tosses them away. THE ORCHESTRA As they play the tango, the musicians eye the dancing couple, take in the situation, exchange glances and turn away with professional discretion. NORMA AND GILLIS, TANGOING Gillis glances at his wrist watch. GILLIS It’s a quarter past ten. What time are they supposed to get here? NORMA Who? GILLIS The other guests? NORMA There are no other guests. We don’t want to share this night with other people. This is for you and me. GILLIS I understand some rich guy bought up all the tickets for a performance at the Metropolitan and sat there listening to La Traviata, all by himself. He was afraid of catching cold. NORMA Hold me tighter. GILLIS Come midnight, how about blind-folding the orchestra and smashing champagne glasses on Max’s head? NORMA You think this is all very funny. GILLIS A little. NORMA Is it funny that I’m in love with you? GILLIS What’s that? NORMA I’m in love with you. Don’t you know that? I’ve been in love with you all along.