Friday, February 18, 2011

TODAY'S NUGGET: #95 WGA Script of All Time - Hannah & Her Sisters (1986)

[Quick Summary: Between two Thanksgivings, Hannah, her two sisters & their significant others face a myriad life experiences, told in a vignette style.]

After reading this script, I'm once again glad I've had no excuse to avoid it.

[WHINY ME: It sounds like a boring read.
MATURE ME: Too bad, it's on the list.
WHINY ME: Who made them the list king?
MATURE ME: Because they're the ones who READ the scripts.]

I'll admit that it's long (207 pgs).  It has several story lines that sometimes wander.  It's quintessential Woody Allen, & thus it's not everyone's cup of tea.

But what really impressed me is that Woody Allen wrote characters who are very, very clear what they want...even if they don't know what they want.

ex. Jewish Mickey (Woody Allen) might/probably doesn't have a fatal tumor/benign nothing.  But since he could be dying, his thoughts turn to God for the first time in years.  He wants to believe in something, & visits a Catholic priest to possibly convert, then a Hare Krishna leader for answers. 

Throughout the script, Mickey wonders what life is worth living for & doesn't have an  answer, BUT he's doggedly determined to find it...and in the end, he does.

WHAT I'VE LEARNED:  Showing WHY a character wants something is as important as showing WHAT he wants.

Hannah & Her Sisters (1986)
by Woody Allen

No comments:

perPage: 10, numPages: 8, var firstText ='First'; var lastText ='Last'; var prevText ='« Previous'; var nextText ='Next »'; } expr:href='data:label.url' expr:href='data:label.url + "?&max-results=7"'