Blogger: Rachel Zurakowski
Location: Books & Such Main Office, Santa Rosa CA
What makes a movie interesting? How does it keep your attention to the end?
“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” a strange story about a boy who was born old and gets younger as time goes by, had great potential to be an engaging film. The story idea is fascinating, but while I was watching the movie, I kept wondering when it was going to be over! The movie is based on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. The movie is 2 hours 45 minutes; the short story is 32 pages. I think the filmmakers took a good story and stretched it too far. The cinematography is beautiful, but the movie, other than the interesting basic plot, is boring. Most of the movie experience is spent waiting for the next “almost” moment between the two lead characters–Benjamin and Daisy. My favorite part, however, is the man, Mr. Daws, with Alzheimer’s who keeps recounting the many ways he has been struck by lightning. It’s the only thing he can remember. I thought this was silly at first, but toward the end of the film, he tells Benjamin, “Blinded in one eye; can’t hardly hear. I get twitches and shakes out of nowhere; always losing my line of thought. But you know what? God keeps reminding me I’m lucky to be alive.” Wow. What a line!
I liked the film–I’d say it’s worth seeing, but I’m not going to watch it again for a LONG time.
I felt the same way about “Watchmen.” This story had so much potential to be exciting and engaging, but the film fell flat. There was too much narration, mostly done by Rorschach, and the majority of the film felt old-fashioned. It was a “historical” film set during the Nixon era (hey, I wasn’t born yet so it’s historical as far as I’m concerned), but I’ve seen historical films that feel real, not old and tiresome. There was hardly any action in “Watchmen,” and the gory parts didn’t make me want to keep watching the narration-filled superhero movie. I think they could have written a superhero movie that actually kept the audience’s interest, don’t you?
Can books fall to the same fate? Of course! I’ve read so many books in which the back cover blurb makes the story sound fabulous, but when I start reading, I can’t even finish. Using “Watchmen” and “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” as my sources, I suggest you watch out for these things in your writing:
1) Don’t rely on narration to carry your story. There MUST be action. You have to engage the audience in the perils of the main character(s). Don’t just tell the story, show it.
2) Don’t stretch your plot too far. If you have an exciting plot that can only last for 40,000 words, don’t try to make a 100,000 word book out of it. You need to have a very complex storyline to support a 100,000+ word book. If you run out of plot, and you need a longer book, you need to go back to the beginning and start revising. (Note: Most novels need to be at least 70,000 words unless you’re writing for a publishing house with a lower word requirement.)
3) Plot comes first. If the story isn’t keeping the audience’s interest, don’t throw in gore, sex, violence, or action to keep the reader interested. It’s not going to work.
4) If you’re writing a historical story, it still needs to be exciting. We have history books already, which the majority of us don’t like to read. You don’t need to try to make your story feel old-fashioned. Keep it authentic, but help the audience to identify with the characters.
I’m sure many of you have seen “Secondhand Lions.” This film did everything right. Set in the past (the ’30s, I believe), it depicts two older men and a 13-year-old as the main characters. The majority of the plot is the two old guys recounting their life-stories to the young boy, Walter. Sounds boring, right? But it wasn’t! This movie was touching, hilarious, and exciting. The characters were fresh and real, the story was filled with engaging adventure, and I don’t remember any narration. The old uncles were telling the story, but the adventure took center stage. Walter’s coming-of-age story fit into the plot seamlessly.
Let’s write like secondhand lions. 🙂
I enjoy reading your opinions about movies. Your suggestions can help us make our stories stronger. I haven’t seen any of the films you mentioned today, but I’ll keep them in the back of my mind to view later.
Ah, crud. I’m bummed to hear about Watchmen. I’m not surprised though. I’m starting to notice that the advertisements are more exciting than the actual movies.
I think our standards are so high now….it’s hard for a movie to live up to them anymore (at least mine.)
There have been a couple books I’ve had to put down due to not holding my attention. One blatantly put sex in there as a substitute for a good plot, and it SO did not work.
Great post, today.
I think it is harder to keep someone reading a book than it is to keep someone watching a movie. Even if a movie is boring, the audience only has to suffer through two, maybe three hours. It doesn’t take much effort to watch a movie.
A book, on the other hand, can take hours and hours to read, and it takes effort to digest the words, imagine the scenes, imagine the voices. For me, If a book starts slow, I’ll generally give it until about half way. If something doesn’t spark or getting moving by that point, I have a hard time plowing ahead any further.
Noticing this in myself as a reader, I’ve tried to apply this to my writing. I try wind the tension up right from the beginning, making it tighter and tighter until it snaps in the middle of the book. Then, if I’ve done my job, the reader MUST continue reading to see the resolution.
A recent movie that worked very well for me was The Dark Knight. Granted, I love Batman and think Christian Bale is fantastic, but what kept me engaged was the fact that it seemed there was no way for Batman to overcome the Joker. No matter what he tried, the Joker had some new plan, some new scheme. I was invested in Batman as a character because I wanted him to succeed and overcome this insane villian. I think it was a great example of the importance of a strong hero character, and the importance of an equally strong villian.
OK, I had such high expectations for the movie “Vantage Point” with Dennis Quaid, and I was so dissapointed. I get the whole idea…the same event from different ‘vantage points,’ but it didn’t flow. They intentionally rewound the scenes which was jerky and jumbled. It became comical and people in the theater were laughing everytime it jumped to a new character. The movie couldn’t end fast enough for me.
I’ve read books like that where out of the blue something happens and I’m left scratching my head wondering what I missed and when.
Heath played one the most disturbing and well done villians I have ever seen on film. The tongue thing he did was so nasty yet so good. He made you laugh, but right afterward you felt guilty for laughing because this guy is psychotic! You’re right-he deserved the Oscar.
What is really strange is to go back and watch an earlier film of his, such as A Knight’s Tale, and then watch him in TDK. Total transformation.
Good stuff.
It seems I may be one of a mere handful who truly liked “Watchmen” – I’m still thinking about it a week later, and that’s usually a good thing :-). Anyway, I wanted to point out that in some cases narration can be a wonderful tool. For example, the old-time radio show “Yours Truly, Johnny Dollar” (like most noir detective stories) used it beautifully to draw the listener into the environment while keeping the story moving. I particularly enjoyed the narration from Rorschach’s viewpoint, as I thought he was the most intriguing character in the movie. Since he was a loner, it would have been difficult to share his perspective in a different form. So while you have a perfectly valid point that narration shouldn’t carry the story, sometimes it comes down to personal taste.
Rachel… good stuff, especially about not relying on narration to carry the story. My 7 year old daughter, a.k.a., the Queen of Drama, knows that what drives a story is is CONFLICT. This actually applies to good non-fiction too. Preaching too, I’d say. Although, my speed of movies is more like the Mummy (yes, Brendan Frazier), Zorro (Antonio Banderas), Tremors (Kevin Bacon), and Independence Day (Will Smith).
Stupid is as stupid does…
Lynn, I agree, the Watchmen previews were really well done (especially that first one with the Smashing Pumpkins song). I think it made the movie even more disappointing because I thought I was going to enjoy it. My expectations were too high.
James, great point! Books do ask more of the audience than movies. A bad book won’t be read to the end. A bad movie will most likely be watched all the way through.
I loved The Dark Knight! I was really happy to hear that Heath won the Oscar. He deserved it.
Anngela, I haven’t seen Vantage Point and now I don’t think I will! Thanks for the warning.
Another movie that does an excellent job of creating characters you care about is The Crucible. The ending scenes are stunning.
Megan, I do know of a few people who liked Watchmen, but all of them agreed that it was slow. Like you, they liked Rorschach the best.
You’re right, it does come down to personal taste. Perhaps, because I didn’t connect with Rorschach’s character at all, the movie was just not for me.
Anybody else? What did you think of Watchmen? Maybe I’m the minority.
Bill, I enjoyed The Mummy, Zorro, and Independence Day. They all do a good job of mixing adventure with humor. I haven’t seen Tremors. I might have to go rent it! I’m two degrees removed from Kevin Bacon. lol.
I agree with James! I teach the Crucible, and everyone of my High-schoolers is always glued to the edge of their seat, especially during the court scene when Elizabeth Proctor is questioned. We’ve read the book before hand, so they know what happens, but EVERY time there is still a group of kids that say…”NO!” When she answers. They also come up with a great reflection on things they wish happened to Abigail Williams. 🙂
~Anngela
http://www.at-last.aschroeder.blogspot.com
Bill, wow, that’s my movie pace too. I loved Mummy. The whole reluctant hero thing works for me. I’ve seen all those you listed, didn’t really like Tremors though. Was a little hokey for my liking, but Independence Day…Oh yeah. Loved that. Will was awesome in that.