brilliant analysis. this post is one of the many reasons i can't get enough of this blog.

I just encountered this dialogue manipulation the other day. Our patron saint of online pdf scripts, Sheridan, put up a slew of Woody Allen scripts a few days ago (gold mine) and, best of all, the screenplay for one of my favorites of his, DECONSTRUCTING HARRY.

Now I've seen this film about 20 times or more. Highly quotable, some of Woody's best (and most acerbic!) stuff.

The script, though, runs almost 160 pages! Obviously an early draft. What I found is that he must have worked and re-worked and noodled out the best bits of that film. All the gags are there, to be sure, but in longer, stretched out, and, thus, far less amusing form.

I have also found, when writing comedy (or trying to, anyway) that my best bits are usually ones that have been run through the ringer about 1000 times. And, as always, cutting cutting cutting, shortening until...BOOM. You have quips and gags that have that rimshot-cymbal crash you were looking for and just didn't know how to find.

In short, it ain't easy.

(conversely, sometimes a joke just blasts onto the page, right out of the gate, and it's flawless in its purest form... doesn't happen often but when it does... pure elation!)

Can't recommend enough, for those of you into comedy or just great dialogue, to hustle on over to MY PDF SCRIPTS dot com and check out the Woody Allen entries.

A couple years ago there was a big piece on the making of BLADE RUNNER in some men's mag, like GQ or something, and as a fan I was astounded to learn from it that the final soliloquy of Roy was initially suggested and composed by Rutger Hauer himself. The piece made much of the fact that Hauer has humble origins and little education but felt the initial script moment was overblown and so gingerly offered an alternative to Ridley Scott. Which they used. To great effect, obviously.

If I can find a link I'll post it.

@Bob M: If you can find that link, that would be great. Thanks.

@Jeff: myPDFscripts.com is, as you know, one of my favorite online script sites. The Woody Allen entries - hadn't seen that. Thanks for the heads up.

I love the dialogue entry, but Blade Runner is a film that I find overrated, and I never understood why Deckard has no special skills, or why are we following him - what's so great about this guy? And why isn't there any major detective work in the middle of the film? Still, it's got plenty of great moments, but never quite satisfies.

Also check out Paul Sammon's Future Noir, a comprehensive account of the making of the film, from the script drafts through production and the several different versions.