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Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

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Re: Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

#11

Post by slap_shot »

reqo wrote: post #7
slap_shot wrote: post #4

I'm a huge fan of Kaufman's work but only recently saw Synecdoche, New York, which immediately became my favorite movie, ever. That led me down a rabbit hole of listening to basically every recorded interview he's ever given. He's absolutely brilliant, sincerely humble, probably depressed, and just an absolute joy to listen to. I have a simple quote from him on my computer that I look at from time to time: I try to d…

If you like that movie, then I highly recommend checking out The Rehearsal (2022). Basically a show version of the movie!

The Rehearsal (and Finding Frances) is with Synecdoche, New York in the bucket of "I didn't know art could do that". I was just in complete awe of what he did with with both of those.

Re: Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

#12

Post by jmcphers »

If you have Netflix, check out one of Kaufman's more recent films, "I'm Thinking of Ending Things". It's an (increasingly loose) adaptation of Ian Reid's book of the same name. The book is deliberately disorienting and unsettling which makes Kaufman's style really shine.

https://www.netflix.com/title/80211559

Re: Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

#13

Post by jmkd »

prhn wrote: post #9

Adaptation is one of the gems of Postmodern cinema. I really like what that film did to my brain the first time I watched it. It's hilarious. It's a keen insight into the process and emotional rollercoaster of creative work. The layered hilarity to it all is that it's based on the real experience of Kaufman trying to adapt The Orchid Thief.

Adaptation is the film I didn't know I wanted to write. It's perfect.

Re: Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

#14

Post by Finnucane »

Long ago I was the assistant to the movie tie-in editor at Tor Books. One day we're going through the mail and there's the script for Being John Malkovich. I read it, and I'm like, holy shit, we have to do this. But wait, how are we going to do this? So I show it to the editor, and he says, yeah, this is great, but how are we going to make this a book? I mean, I could think of ways, but no way that Tom would pay for. So I spend the better part of year just blabbing to people about this great script, but no one has any better idea of what do with it. Still disappointed.

Re: Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

#15

Post by munificent »

jmcphers wrote: post #12

If you have Netflix, check out one of Kaufman's more recent films, "I'm Thinking of Ending Things". It's an (increasingly loose) adaptation of Ian Reid's book of the same name. The book is deliberately disorienting and unsettling which makes Kaufman's style really shine. https://www.netflix.com/title/80211559

I loved "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" so much. Kaufman's work scratches a deep itch that nothing else can really reach.

Re: Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

#16

Post by detourdog »

slap_shot wrote: post #8
empath-nirvana wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Synecdoche, New York is an awe-inspiring work, but it's incredibly hard to watch and left me ruined, mentally, for days afterwards. It's obvious why it's not a popular movie -- he talks about wounds in this speech, and that movie is basically an open psychic sore. It takes a tremendous amount of courage to make a movie that's so relentlessly grim and honest.

I also found found it incredibly hard to watch, and was also ruined me for days if not weeks. In fact, I think a certain part of me has been permanently changed. And that is exactly why it is now my favorite movie. A lot of movies have moved me, but this thing did something I didn't even know movies could do.

I was going to watch it based on the first review in this thread. I think I will have to wait to watch it based on the 2 ruined people.

I don’t currently have time for that. thank you for the warning.

Re: Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

#17

Post by zoogeny »

jmcphers wrote: post #12

If you have Netflix, check out one of Kaufman's more recent films, "I'm Thinking of Ending Things". It's an (increasingly loose) adaptation of Ian Reid's book of the same name. The book is deliberately disorienting and unsettling which makes Kaufman's style really shine. https://www.netflix.com/title/80211559

I'm a huge fan of Kaufman, I think I've seen almost everything he's done. In my opinion, "I'm Thinking of Ending Things" is not his best work. But I have to admit, I think of the themes in this movie more than almost any other film of his.

I read a few interpretations of the film before I watched it and I would actually recommend people to do the same. I think it is worth spoiling the premise behind the movie to understand what is going on. The film is purposefully obtuse which is off-putting to some. In fact, the "twist" of it wouldn't be obvious to most people who watch it. But to appreciate the depth of the story you have to get passed the surreality of the presentation.

Like "Synecdoche, New York", what remains once you strip away the fantasy is pretty bleak in an existential angst kind of way. But that is pretty much what you get with Kaufman: a bleak existential crisis.

Re: Screenwriters' Lecture: Charlie Kaufman (2011)

#19

Post by [deleted] »

slap_shot wrote: post #4

I'm a huge fan of Kaufman's work but only recently saw Synecdoche, New York, which immediately became my favorite movie, ever. That led me down a rabbit hole of listening to basically every recorded interview he's ever given. He's absolutely brilliant, sincerely humble, probably depressed, and just an absolute joy to listen to. I have a simple quote from him on my computer that I look at from time to time: I try to d…

[deleted]
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