TODAY'S NUGGET: The Prestige (2006) - The Theme is Obsession

[Quick Summary: Two magicians spare nothing in trying to best the other.]

I am impressed.

This is the strongest themed script I've seen in awhile.

In my opinion, the theme of obsession is super-effective here because:

1)  It is present on multiple levels.

- Magicians obsessed with diverting audiences (professional)
- Magicians obsessed with revealing a rival's tricks (personal)
- Men obsessed with being the best (psychological)
- Men obsessed with reputation over family, loyalty, love (relationships)

2) It can be seen whenever a flaw is taken to the extreme.

Here, both the hero and villain are competitive (flaw).

When they take competition to the extreme, we see the obsession.

ex. "INT. HOTEL ROOM, COLORADO --NIGHT

Angier writing in his leather-bound journal.

ANGIER (V.O.):...happiness that should have been mine. But I was wrong. [Personal]

Angier glances at Borden's notebook sitting on the desk.

ANGIER (V.O.): Reading his account I realized that he never had the life I envied. [Psychological]

Angier flips open the notebook. Staring at the coded writing.

ANGIER: The family life he craves one minute he rails against the next, demanding freedom. His mind is a divided one... [Relationships]

INT. PRISON CELL --DAY

Borden sits on his cot. Reading Angier's journal.

ANGIER (V.O.): His soul restless. His wife and child tormented by his fickle and contradictory nature... [Relationships]


Borden is crying . He puts the journal down and jumps to his feet BANGING on the cell door.

BORDEN: Guard! Guard!

The viewing slot slides open.

GUARD: What do you want, Professor?

BORDEN: Paper and pencil. Please." [Psychological]

WHAT I'VE LEARNED: Pick a flaw. Take it to the extreme. The result is likely my theme.

The Prestige (2006)
by Jonathan Nolan and Christopher Nolan
Based on the novel by Christopher Priest

TODAY'S NUGGET: #100 WGA Script of All Time - Memento (2000)

[Quick Summary: A man who has lost his short term memory tattoos clues on his body, & wakes up each morning hoping to solve the mystery of who killed his wife.]

Um, this script is gut-wrenchingly raw.  For that reason, I found it hard to read. 

Yet I powered through because:

1) It's told backwards, which is risky, & I wanted to see how it's done; and

2) On p.3, Leonard (the lead) reminds himself to kill Teddy (who seems to be a friend, but maybe not). I couldn't shake the need to resolve this conflict. 

For the rest of the script, this conflict builds & builds.  I had to finish the script to find out what Teddy did to Leonard.

I can't say I understand Leonard 100%, but I did see his reasoning & that was satisfying.

WHAT I LEARNED:  To build conflict, hand out bigger & bigger pieces of the puzzle.

Especially give glimpses of WHY a character makes the decisions he does. 

Memento (2000)
by Christopher Nolan
Based on the short story, "Memory Mori," by Jonathan Nolan