Tag: movies

Radioland Murders

Yes, the movie. My husband watches it while I’m writing. It isn’t one of my favorites, which makes it easier to focus on other things.

I’d forgotten how amusing the beginning was, with the script that wasn’t finished for the radio production that’s ongoing. They don’t really do scripts that way – they always have it written in advance. I’m sure there have been a fair share of winging it.

I wasn’t one for improv during speech or music classes, but it seems one of those things that get easier with time and familiarity. The first few times I taught yoga I had everything planned far in advance, but after a couple years I didn’t even need the paper in front of me, though I preferred that to announcing poses off the cuff.

Every movie must have some redeeming qualities. Quote: “Back to the word-factory.”

Do you think non-writers like to see the glimpses of the writing life they see in movies, tv, and books? Do they prefer our depictions of other professions? I suppose we all write what we know, so some writers write about writing. I find I like to write about artists, though i don’t do much art (in the sense of drawing or painting or the like) anymore. I ought to write more engineers – but I just haven’t found the right spot to put them yet.

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Books and Movies for 100

My husband and I watch a lot of movies. He doesn’t read, but if it’s a speculative fiction novel I generally try to read it before we see the movie.

Of course we have our favorites, and each has quirks. I find little things annoy me when they change them for no reason in movies.

Like Eragon, did they have to make Arya into a human, rather than an elf?

I remember being very upset that they combined characters in Jurassic Park.

Harry Potter seems to one of the few who escaped major edits in the movie business, but that doesn’t mean they put everything from the story in there. Now and then Hermione gets one of those know-it-all lines that someone else actually said in the book and I shake my head still. Especially if it’s a character who could have been in the scene like Seamus.

As a writer, I’d like to think I’d have the ability to stick up for my story when (okay, IF) it transferred to the silver screen. Novels are difficult because we say so much, but they have a limited time for screenplay.

Is it only writers who are so picky about these things?

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Fiction for Everyone

In the column linked below, Stephen King talks about “manfiction” and “chick lit” with the assertion that, though women buy more books, men do still read.

Both genders are looking for escape and entertainment. While women seek romantic options, men crave – to quote a friend – naked women and blowing things up. There was a third thing on his list; it might have been car chases. I get his point. He, like most men in general, wants action.

I’m sure we could follow this trend in the box office, too. How many men are willing to go see chick flicks? My husband does, but I found out recently with a conversation between my friends how rare he is. Yes, he goes because I enjoy them, but I’m appreciative that he goes.

I suppose I’m just not the average woman, that I like blowing things up, too. We have all the James Bond movies, and we enjoy watching them.

When reading the column, I kept thinking there ought to be a middle ground between with enjoyment for everyone. Everyone seemed to read Harry Potter, but where is the equivalent in the adult fiction sections?

Steven King’s Column

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