Wednesday, September 17, 2003
The O.C.'s sex scenes
Just when I thought I'd run out of contemporary filmic examples to analyse on this subject, along comes The O.C. Fox's update on Dawson's Creek via Peyton Place.
Yowzer, there are at least three sex scenes per episode, not to mention the plethora of sultry glances, stolen moments and bitchy double-crosses between those who want to bed each other, those who like gossipping about it and those who have yet to get a life.
It's all so damn juvenile. So this is what sex on TV has become, an endless re-run of high school, where people get mistaken impressions and go off on ridiculous tangents, where they yearn like sick puppies and then do the nasty with whoever is left over?
I had high hopes for this one, because the adult actors are quite good, a couple of the teen actors are too, and there are more than a few smart-alecky lines. But yeesh ... can they possibly sustain all this heaving, sighing, barracuda-like circling and downcast moments of shame for more than one season? I've tired of it, and was hoping for a bit of a plot to fill in the spaces between the romps in the sack.
Anyway, I'll be paying more attention, to see if given all this writerly opportunity to flex their love-writing muscles, something honest and touching does emerge.
Meanwhile, here's the link to the episode descriptions, which actually read like the writers' outlines. So, far too exhaustively detailed, but interesting from a craft point of view.
Yowzer, there are at least three sex scenes per episode, not to mention the plethora of sultry glances, stolen moments and bitchy double-crosses between those who want to bed each other, those who like gossipping about it and those who have yet to get a life.
It's all so damn juvenile. So this is what sex on TV has become, an endless re-run of high school, where people get mistaken impressions and go off on ridiculous tangents, where they yearn like sick puppies and then do the nasty with whoever is left over?
I had high hopes for this one, because the adult actors are quite good, a couple of the teen actors are too, and there are more than a few smart-alecky lines. But yeesh ... can they possibly sustain all this heaving, sighing, barracuda-like circling and downcast moments of shame for more than one season? I've tired of it, and was hoping for a bit of a plot to fill in the spaces between the romps in the sack.
Anyway, I'll be paying more attention, to see if given all this writerly opportunity to flex their love-writing muscles, something honest and touching does emerge.
Meanwhile, here's the link to the episode descriptions, which actually read like the writers' outlines. So, far too exhaustively detailed, but interesting from a craft point of view.
Thursday, September 04, 2003
URGENT AND SPONTANEOUS
Yikes! I knew there wasn't a lot written on this subject when I decided to blog about how writers can best craft sexy and romantic movie scenes. But the pickings are pretty darn slim after three months' research -- and made all the leaner by the lack of decent filmic scenes to celebrate/dissect.
So, looks like I'll be going for quick hits from unlikely sources. Here's the latest: from a web site on writing Harlequin romances. The writing isn't that elegant but the idea seems sound.
"Spontaneity and urgency are all so important. If the characters have a chance to stop and think when they're given a golden opportunity to explore their attraction ... then you haven't created that once-in-a-lifetime, out-of-control chemistry that ultimately leads to forever love."
Spontaneity and urgency. Do some on-paper mind-mapping on that and see what emerges, methinks.
So, looks like I'll be going for quick hits from unlikely sources. Here's the latest: from a web site on writing Harlequin romances. The writing isn't that elegant but the idea seems sound.
"Spontaneity and urgency are all so important. If the characters have a chance to stop and think when they're given a golden opportunity to explore their attraction ... then you haven't created that once-in-a-lifetime, out-of-control chemistry that ultimately leads to forever love."
Spontaneity and urgency. Do some on-paper mind-mapping on that and see what emerges, methinks.
Wednesday, September 03, 2003
ROMANCE CLICHES
Not a lot of time for blogging this week (or last), but always the wish in the back of my mind to get back at the script.
To keep the brain oiled, some links to a couple of thoughtful, thoroughly different ideas on movie romances. The first one is Roger Ebert's brainy review about the brainy romance Possession. I especially love his point that it's easy for people to fall into each others' arms, harder to fall into another's brain.
Two, a list of cliches to repel. Some old-hat, some still fresh.
To keep the brain oiled, some links to a couple of thoughtful, thoroughly different ideas on movie romances. The first one is Roger Ebert's brainy review about the brainy romance Possession. I especially love his point that it's easy for people to fall into each others' arms, harder to fall into another's brain.
Two, a list of cliches to repel. Some old-hat, some still fresh.
