The Great Great Gatsby Movie

So for those of you who haven’t seen The Great Gatsby movie, stop reading, and go see it. Although I don’t think it will make my list of all-time favorite movies ever in the history of time, it’s definitely worth the 8 bucks.

Like many of you, I read this book in my high school English class. As I was reading it, I felt like I was supposed to love Fitzgerald’s most famous book a lot more than I did. To be honest, I thought the plot was slow (until the end, of course), the characters were unlovable, and Fitzgerald’s overuse of symbolism felt like someone was hitting me over the head with the book again and again and again. So why go see the movie?

My first reason for seeing this movie was the trailer. Holy mother of trailer heaven, from the heavy beat to the snapshots of the most beautiful party scenes ever filmed, I was hooked. Those 8 bucks in my wallet were gone as soon as the trailer came out.

Reason number two: in the back of my head, I was thinking, “Oscar contender, Oscar contender.” How could a movie based off of one of the most well-known books of all time NOT be an Oscar contender? Normally, I don’t choose to see a movie just because it might be nominated for an Oscar. However, since I’m planning on filling out a bracket next February, I might as well try to educate myself.

The movie was pretty much what I expected it to be. The green light analogy was overdone, as was it overdone in Fitzgerald’s novel. And there were too many characters that you wanted to get to know better, but there wasn’t enough time in the film (aka Meyer Wolfsheim.) But then why am I telling you all to go see it?

One: Leonardo DiCaprio made Gatsby a lovable character for me, when I couldn’t stand him when reading the book in English class. And it’s not just because he was Jack Dawson in the Titanic. Whether it was the writer or the director or Leo, the positive spin on Gatsby was a successful adaption that made the plot seem more important to me. Since I was rooting for Gatsby this time around, the ending was thus infinitely more tragic (spoiler alert—Gatsby doesn’t get his happy ending! Sorry guys.)

And two: the soundtrack, the soundtrack, the soundtrack. Jay-Z hit it out of the park. I should have guessed from the quality of the trailer. Song after song fit seamlessly into the film. Somehow, the intense rap seemed completely ordinary in the 1920s NYC setting. The music made each scene so much more dramatic, forcing me to completely invest in the movie, despite already knowing the ending. It was phenominal. I don’t know how else to explain it. For nothing else, go see this movie for its soundtrack. You won’t be disappointed. One of my favorite songs in the movie—so fitting too, was Lana Del Ray’s Young and Beautiful. Just, wow. So here it is for those of you who haven’t heard it before!

            MOVIES WATCHED: 21

            SCREENPLAY PAGES WRITTEN: 53

            NOVEL PAGES WRITTEN: 76

            PAGES LEFT IN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: 312

My Hitchcock-ian Pursuit

            Speaking of Hitchcock, another reason why I love his work is because of his attention to detail that makes his horror films so successful at giving me nightmares. After studying a little more for that project (read the previous post if you already forgot what it was for), I discovered a plethora of fun facts about Alfred Hitchcock.

            My favorite fun fact was that Hitchcock makes a cameo in all of his own movies! Apparently Stephenie Meyer didn’t start the trend with her Twilight fims, but copied one of my movie idols. Feel free to debate the quality of her writing, but you can’t deny the fact that she knows who to mimic!

            Inspired by Hitchcock (once again), I wrote another scene, and included my own Hitchcock-ian cameo. And the Hitchcock blog marathon continues!

TWO POLICE MEN

INT. PANERA BREAD – DAY

TWO POLICE MEN sit down in a booth, sipping coffees and staring at an iPad. A GIRL with red hair sits in the booth behind them, quietly eavesdropping.

POLICE MAN #1: Budget’s tight this year; I wish we didn’t have to lay off three men, but we do.

POLICE MAN #2: Let me just pull up their performance reviews and we can start figuring this out...

POLICE MAN #2 taps the screen of the iPad, and it brightens. He pulls up a performance review, along with the picture of a heavy-set man, late 50s.

POLICE #1: Jerry Wringler, fifty-seven. Great guy, he’s been on my squad since my first day as Chief.

POLICE #2: It says here that he’s due to retire in a few years—

POLICE #1: After he pays off his daughter’s college tuition.

POLICE #2: You can’t take that into account, Lyle.

POLICE #1: (mutters) He’s still a good guy.

POLICE MAN #2 scrolls down on his iPad, eyeing the review.

POLICE #2: Says here he got a twenty-five in the productivity section.

POLICE #1: Out of what?

POLICE #2: a hundred.

(pause)

POLICE #1: Maybe he’s gotten a little lazy with paperwork, but he’s always got your back if you need him to.

(pause)

POLICE #1: Okay, what about the next guy?

POLICE MAN #2 taps the screen twice, and the picture of a YOUNG MAN with a crew cut pops up.

POLICE #2: Jared Gray, ex-soldier, twenty-two.

POLICE #1: An ex-soldier at twenty-two?

POLICE #2: That’s what it says.

POLICE #1: Did he mention anything about it in his interview?

POLICE MAN #2 pulls up the interview notes on his iPad and scrolls through them quickly.

POLICE #2: Doesn’t look like it. He’s got an awful scar on the side of his neck though, so maybe it has to do with that?

POLICE #1: Maybe. What’s his review look like?

POLICE #2: Says he’s very disciplined about his work. All his paperwork is flawless.

POLICE #1: Anything else?

POLICE MAN #2 scrolls down.

POLICE #2: And he’s good at taking orders... but his relationship with his co-workers isn’t the strongest.

POLICE #1: Why is that?

POLICE #2: Well, have you ever talked to the man, sir?

POLICE #1: No, but I’ve seen him around. He seems like an okay guy to me...

POLICE #2: He is, he is. Just not one for small talk, I guess.

POLICE #1: And that means we should fire him?

POLICE #2: No, but he was the last person hired.

POLICE MAN #1 stops to think. He drums the table with his fingers and takes a long swig of coffee.

POLICE #1: Keep him; he served our country. The least we can do is give him a little more time to prove himself.

POLICE MAN #2 taps the screen of his iPad, and the picture of JARED GRAY disappears.

POLICE #2: We have to fire somebody, Chief.

POLICE #1: (annoyed) I know that... so who’s next?

POLICE MAN #2 pulls up a picture labeled DONALD ORZO.

POLICE #2: (smiling) Donny, he’s the best.

POLICE #1: And why is that?

POLICE #2: We’re all really close with him, sir. He’s so damn funny, like this one time, when we were getting coffee between shifts—

POLICE #1: I’m not asking why you’re BFF’s. Why should I keep him?

POLICE #2: He’s great at calming down tense situations. And he’s crucial to the squad dynamic; he keeps our spirits up.

POLICE MAN #2 quickly scrolls through DONNY’s review, when something catches THE CHIEF’s eye.

POLICE #1: Go back.

POLICE #2: To what, sir?

POLICE #1: Just scroll up a little bit. I thought I saw a ten.

POLICE MAN #2 reluctantly scrolls up.

ZOOM IN on the screen of the iPad.

POLICE #1 (O.S.): Stop.

Screen stops moving, and CAMERA focuses on the performance review.

TEXT appears on the screen. It reads:

PUNCTUALITY... 10

ZOOM OUT.

POLICE #1: A ten? Out of one hundred?

POLICE #2: He’s only a few minutes late in the mornings. He has to drop his son off at school and—

POLICE #1: A ten?

POLICE #2: I know it’s hard to look past this, but Donny’s really a great guy.

POLICE #1: I thought you said I couldn’t take personal information into account. I have to stay objective, right?

POLICE #2: Yes, sir.

THE TWO POLICE MEN are silent. You can hear the BUSTLE of PEOPLE talking over their lunches. AN EMPLOYEE comes to wipe the table next to THE TWO POLICE MEN. THEY stare, and SHE leaves.

POLICE #2: (timid) What about you, sir?

POLICE #1: What about me?

POLICE #2: Well, have you thought about your retirement at all?

POLICE #1: Excuse me?

POLICE #2: I don’t mean to be rude, but—

POLICE #1: You are being rude—

POLICE #2: But have you ever considered stepping down from Chief?

POLICE #1: No.

POLICE #2: Never?

POLICE #1: Never.

POLICE MAN #2 looks at his watch. POLICE MAN #1 crosses his arms.

POLICE #2: I’m sorry sir, I have some paperwork to do.

POLICE #1: Is that so?

POLICE #2: Yeah, I’ve been really swamped lately.

Without another word, POLICE MAN #1 gets up from the table.

POLICE #1: Well, I wouldn’t want to keep you from your job. Thank you for your help, Officer.

POLICE MAN #1 is smiling, and it makes POLICE MAN #2 nervous. POLICE MAN #1 holds the door open for POLICE MAN #2.

POLICE #2: Uh, you’re welcome sir.

THE TWO POLICE MEN walk away from the café to their respective cop cars. Before getting in, POLICE MAN #1 waves to POLICE MAN #2, and smiles.

FADE OUT.

            MOVIES WATCHED: 20

            SCREENPLAY PAGES WRITTEN: 53

            NOVEL PAGES WRITTEN: 76

            PAGES LEFT IN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: 336

BA DA BA BAAAAA

            Last Friday was my last day of high school. Now I’m not getting all sentimental about it yet, I’ve been thinking about my favorite moments at Hawken these past few years. Academically, what comes to mind is my Independent Study intensive this past Fall when, if you all remember, I was posting on the blog 3 to 4 times a day.

            For those of you who are unfamiliar with Hawken’s wacky schedule, an intensive is a three-week period where we focus on one single class. The month or so between Thanksgiving and Christmas, I focused on screenwriting.

            Since then, I haven’t been able to do as much screenwriting as I have wanted to. I can’t even use homework as an excuse; being a second semester senior, homework wasn’t exactly a huge time consumer.

            Finally, my English teacher gave me an excuse to start writing again. For my final project in a class where we studied the “lost generation” writers, I wrote the first few scenes of a script based off of the great horror writer: Alfred Hitchcock.

            Although he’s most famous for the movies he produced later in his career, such as Psycho, Hitchcock actually made his first horror film in 1927, in the midst of the silent movie era. The film was called The Lodger, and it was about this infamous serial killer, The Avenger, who was killing beautiful blonde women all across New York City. As a part of my research, I watched this film before I started writing, and love it (despite the lack of sound and color). It definitely made me consider trying to write a horror script, and now that I’m done with high school, I actually have the time! Or maybe have a Hitchcock marathon? (With blog posts of course!) The opportunities are endless.

            So here is my attempt to mimic the greatest horror writer of all time. Definitely big shoes to fill!! Here goes nothing…

INSPIRED BY HITCHCOCK’S THE LODGER

EXT. NEW YORK CITY – NIGHT

SCREAMING BYSTANDERS point at a WOMAN falling from a very tall skyscraper on 42^nd Street. THE WOMAN lands on the sidewalk and A CROWD forms around her, horrified. SHE has blonde short hair and is wearing a long puffy coat.

ZOOM IN: ONE MAN takes out his cellphone and dials 9-1-1. His hands are shaking as he talks to the police.

FADE OUT.

INT. NYPD OFFICE – NIGHT

OFFICER DEREK is sitting at his desk, on the phone. HE is a fat man with greasy dark hair.

The office is busy; SOME OFFICERS are carrying paperwork, OTHERS are sitting at their desks, on the phone.

OFFICER DEREK suddenly stands, still talking into his phone.

FADE OUT.

TEXT appears on the screen. It reads:

“WE’RE ON OUR WAY.”

EXT. 42^ND STREET – NIGHT

CROWD is still surrounding THE WOMAN. Blue and red lights FLASH in the background, and a series of POLICE CARS AND AMBULANCES pull up. THE POLICE MEN get out of THEIR CARS and break up THE CROWD.

ZOOM IN: THE WOMAN is on the ground, unconscious. OFFICER DEREK takes her pulse, pressing two fingers on her wrist. He stands up.

FADE OUT.

TEXT appears on the screen. It reads:

“SHE’S DEAD.”

INTERCUT-

THE CROWD is distraught.

ZOOM IN: ONE BYSTANDER starts to cry; looks away.

ZOOM OUT: OFFICER DEREK sees a NOTE tied around THE WOMAN’S neck. He picks it up and reads it.

ZOOM IN: OFFICER DEREK holds THE NOTE close to his face. It reads:

HELLO OFFICER DEREK. SINCERELY, THE AVENGER

ZOOM OUT: OFFICER DEREK stands up. HE shushes THE CRYING BYSTANDER. THE OTHER OFFICERS attempt to push back THE CROWD. OFFICER DEREK YELLS and THE OTHER OFFICERS turn to face him.

FADE OUT.

TEXT appears on the screen. It reads:

“SHE’S BEEN MURDERED.”

INT. LOCAL NEWSPAPER OFFICE – DAY

THE ROOM is crowded with cubicles and JOURNALISTS typing furiously at their desks.

ZOOM IN: ARTHUR JENKINS sits in his cubicle. HE is on the edge of his seat, deep in his work. HE is very skinny and balding.

ARTHUR’S P.O.V.: A BLANK WORD DOCUMENT is pulled up on ARTHUR’S COMPUTER SCREEN. ARTHUR begins typing furiously. The screen reads:

A TRAGIC EVENT OCCURRED LAST NIGHT ON 42^ND STREET AT 8:28 P.M. RAMONA BENTLEY, ONE OF OUR VERY OWN HERE AT THE NEW YORKER, WAS THROWN FROM THE ROOF OF OUR OFFICE BUILDING. LAST NIGHT, NEW YORK’S INFAMOUS SERIAL KILLER, THE AVENGER, TOOK HIS NEXT VICTIM...

FADE OUT.

EXT. 42^ND STREET – DAY

OFFICER DEREK steps under yellow caution tape and inspects the crime scene. HE looks at the chalk outline of RAMONA still on the sidewalk. Next, HE looks up and sees A STREET VENDOR selling hot dogs on the sidewalk. OFFICER DEREK walks up to THE MAN and his hot dog cart.

FADE OUT.

TEXT appears on the screen. It reads:

“HAVE YOU SEEN ANYTHING UNUSUAL HERE THESE PAST FEW DAYS?

INTERCUT—

ZOOM IN: THE STREET VENDOR punches something into the register. HE looks up.

FADE OUT.

TEXT appears on the screen. It reads:

“OTHER THAN A WOMAN FALLING FROM THE SKY?”

INTERCUT—

A GROUP OF BUSINESS MEN line up behind OFFICER DEREK. HE continues talking to THE STREET VENDOR, and THE BUSINESS MEN start tapping their feet. Annoyed, OFFICER DEREK turns around and shoos them away. THE STREET VENDOR looks upset.

OFFICER DEREK asks a question and looks at THE STREET VENDOR. THE STREET VENDOR points to his hotdogs, and OFFICER DEREK knows HE has to buy one before THE MAN will talk. After he hands THE STREET VENDOR a five-dollar bill, THE MAN smiles and starts talking.

FADE OUT.

TEXT appears on the screen. It reads:

“A MAN WITH A WRAPPED UP FACE AND A LONG TRENCHCOAT ENTERED THE BUILDING AROUND NOON, AND I HAVEN’T SEEN HIM SINCE.”

INTERCUT—

OFFICER DEREK points to the skyscraper directly behind him, and THE STREET VENDOR nods. OFFICER DEREK shakes THE MAN’S hand and smiles. HE starts to walk away, but THE STREET VENDOR calls him back, and OFFICER DEREK turns around.

FADE OUT.

TEXT appears on the screen.

“BUY A HOTDOG FIRST.”

INTERCUT—

OFFICER DEREK begrudgingly takes out his wallet and hands THE STREET VENDOR another five-dollar bill. THE STREET VENDOR smiles again.

FADE OUT.

TEXT appears on the screen. It reads:

“BEFORE HE WENT INSIDE, HE WAS TALKING TO THE WOMAN WHO FELL FROM THE SKY. I COULDN’T HEAR THEM, BUT IT LOOKED LIKE THEY KNEW EACH OTHER...”

INTERCUT—

OFFICER DEREK is perplexed. HE thanks THE STREET VENDOR one last time and walks back over to the yellow caution tape.

            MOVIES WATCHED: 20

            SCREENPLAY PAGES WRITTEN: 48

            NOVEL PAGES WRITTEN: 76

            PAGES LEFT IN FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS: 336