OT: Adaptation (possible spoilers)

[QuikSand]

Finally saw this movie... and if you haven't seen it, but like provocative and offbeat films... I highly recomment it.

I've posted a warning in the thread title for those who have not seen it... so if that's you - go see it, and then come back and join the discussion.


As for me, I'm off to learn a little more about the people behind the movie (and behind Being John Malkovich). I know about Spike Jonze (and am rapidly becoming a huge fan) but the writing for this movie was really excellent, and I'm interested to know if the whole team was the same behind both movies (and, for obvious reasons, if there are any familiarities in the screenwriter(s) of Adaptation). I know The Orchid Thief is a real book, and that the author is a real person... but I don't know exactly where the lines started blurring. Really fascinating movie.

[Fritz]

Tony Kornheiser spent about 20 min on this movie on his radio show. He seemed to like it quite a bit.

[DolaBump]

Originally posted by QuikSand
Finally saw this movie... and if you haven't seen it, but like provocative and offbeat films... I highly recomment it.

I've posted a warning in the thread title for those who have not seen it... so if that's you - go see it, and then come back and join the discussion.


As for me, I'm off to learn a little more about the people behind the movie (and behind Being John Malkovich). I know about Spike Jonze (and am rapidly becoming a huge fan) but the writing for this movie was really excellent, and I'm interested to know if the whole team was the same behind both movies (and, for obvious reasons, if there are any familiarities in the screenwriter(s) of Adaptation). I know The Orchid Thief is a real book, and that the author is a real person... but I don't know exactly where the lines started blurring. Really fascinating movie.

Basically everything beyond that is fiction -- particularly the stuff about Kauffman. A very good movie, though, particuarly about everything tied up in the making of movies beyond the actual process of filming. And the car crashes were rather amazing.

[QuikSand]

Originally posted by DolaBump
Basically everything beyond that is fiction -- particularly the stuff about Kauffman.

Well, I guess I fell for it, though that isn't essential to enjoying the movie. Mrs. Q and I were talking about it, trying to divine the break point between reality and fiction, or at least the way that might have been implied by the movie itself.

I came up with "leaving for Florida"as my break point. I think that's how the movie sells best... Charlie calls in Donald at NYC to look over the script and get involved, and next thing you know we have sex, drugs, violence, guns... amd most of all, conflict. Every necessary ingredient for an appropriate script, according to the factory writer, and in perfect compliance with his recommendation that the script has to have a "big ending" and then all will be forgiven.

For that reason, I have retracted my initial dislike of the "big finish." Initially, I didn't like that this introspective and contermplative movie ended with such a blaze of guns and gore. But step back just a little, and you "get it" - that's the point. That's the process. The script itself was a victim of its subject. I love it.

[DolaBump]

Exactly -- the people I've talked to who hated the movie didn;t get the ending, the key of course being that both Donald and Charlie are credited with writing the screenplay (despite the fact that Donald doesn't exist). I'm sure a decent amount of the struggle Charlie in the movie had is reflective of the real Kauffman's struggles with adapting the book, but a lot of the incidentals are nice fictional touches. The great thing about the stuff with McKee (THE authority in Holywood on writing screenplay -- supposedly many big-time screenwriters including Bill Goldman have been to his seminars) is that he's right, even though its so nauseating to admit it.

[albionmoonlight]

I just saw this last night. Great film. I think I may watch it again before returning it.

2 quick insights (neither of which is very deep).

I saw Donald as a part of Charlie (the "real" Charlie)-the part of himself that he does not like, but that he has to acknowledge and let come through his work in order to complete the creatitive process (according to imdb, the "real" Charlie has a cameo where he plays the reflection of Donald in the mirror. I think it is significant that he plays Donald and not the character Charlie).

I also liked how he went to hear McKee and received inspiration to finish from him, but didn't really follow McKee's specific advice (the deus ex machina; the voice overs, etc.). It showed that there was a middle ground between Charlie and Donald that became this movie. It could not be an either/or proposition.

Also--on the DVD, "The 3" is listed as one of Donald's screenwriting credits--scheduled for release in 2004. Neat touch.

[cthomer5000]

Donald Kaufman: I'm putting in a chase sequence. So the killer flees on horseback with the girl, the cop's after them on a motorcycle and it's like a battle between motors and horses, like technology vs. horse.
Charlie Kaufman: And they're still all one person, right? How are you going to film this?
Donald: Trick photography?

[cthomer5000]

I really, really enjoyed the movie. And I agree with Quik, that you have to step back from the actual "watching the movie" mode to enjoy the ending. The movie itself is really all in the writing, which makes it so perculiar. I think most low-brow movie fans would completely hate it, and miss the point entirely.

I also wonder how much (any?) of the movie is real. It seems like everything up to Charlie setting up the meeting with Susan Orlean could really have happened (aside from having a twin brother). Obviously once Donald's writing takes over, we're in for pure fiction. It is some pretty amusing shit though.

[Subby]

I love all of the inner voice stuff coming from Charlie - that might be the funniest part of the movie. In fact, I found myself identifying with him quite a bit...

His conversations with Donald were priceless. I also saw Donald as just an extension of Charley - not sure if he was supposed to be real or not. May have been reading too much into that...

[Killebrew]

Best movie I have seen in 10 years.

[Maple Leafs]

Finally saw this one last night. Great movie. I have to admit I went into the ending with a certain sense of dread that Donald would turn out not to exist, and was relieved that it didn't happen that way (although it's hinted at, I suppose).

I realize The Orchid Thief is a real book, but does anyone know if the real Charlie Kauffman had originally set out to write a basic screenplay about it? Or was he always intending to use it as a springboard for a self-referencing movie?

[astralhaze]

Originally posted by Maple Leafs
I realize The Orchid Thief is a real book, but does anyone know if the real Charlie Kauffman had originally set out to write a basic screenplay about it? Or was he always intending to use it as a springboard for a self-referencing movie?

Apparently, it's hard to say for certain since Charlie Kauffman does not do interviews or allow himself to be photographed for that matter, he set out to do a straight screenplay. He, as in the movie, could not figure out an angle to approach it from and started to crack up and wrote himself in to the screenplay.

[Daimyo]

I saw this for the first time this past weekend and loved it. Its refreshing that there are still people in Hollywod willing to try unique and offbeat stuff like this. Is this the first movie where the script is the main character?

[samifan24]

I'd been wanting to see this film for a long time and finally watched in about a month ago for a college film course. I was blown away. The whole premise of a film which looks at and pokes fun at the screenwriting process is pure genius, IMHO. One of the best films I've seen in a long time.

[Chief Rum]

Yeah, I think this "screenwriting within screenwriting" approach was utterly brilliant.

My favorite part? Early in the film, Charlie is discussing his problems with adapting the book and saying how he feels the book is more important than what Hollywood puts out, and that it would be wrong to do "the usual crap" and insert things like drug runners and a chase scene.

And what happens by the end of the movie? LMAO. Touché, Mr. Kaufmann, touché. :D

CR

[QuikSand]

Thought this was worth a bump... as there are a couple discussions of interesting an provocative films going on as we speak, here at FOFC.

Maybe there's something worth dabbling with some more...

[CentralMassHokie]

I rented Adaptation when it initially came out on DVD, and it just didn't click with me for some reason. Looking at the individual parts, everything adds up to a movie I should probably love, but sitting there watching it I just didn't get into it.

The sad thing is, I "got" the movie. So I had admiration for the ingenuity of the script, the direction, and a majority of the acting. But I just didn't love the movie.

I'll probably throw it on my Netflix queue and watch it again.

But, hell, I'm the guy who thinks Cold Mountain was the worst movie I saw this year (and yes, I've seen Gigli).

[QuikSand]

But, hell, I'm the guy who thinks Cold Mountain was the worst movie I saw this year (and yes, I've seen Gigli).

::shivers::

[CentralMassHokie]

::shivers::

Gigli was bad. But it tried. And it (intentionally) made me laugh at least 3 or 4 times. And, unintentionally, 3 or 4 more.

It was bad, but it was unique, car crash bad.

Cold Mountain was a 3 hour Lifetime movie. Cold Mountain was a half-arsed retelling of the Odyssey. Cold Mountain is Gladiator 2k4. The movie that is a big historical epic, has big stars sleepwalking through their roles, and ends up marketing its way to an Oscar.

At least Gigli tried something. It failed miserably, but it tried.

[QuikSand]

Wow... is it possible for me to become enthused about a Jim Carrey movie?

[Peregrine]

The trailer looks scrumtrulescent

"Scrumtrulescent? I'd never heard that word before I moved to Springfield."

"I don't know why, it's a perfectly cromulent word."

:)

[Chief Rum]

This thread embiggens us all!

CR