Contour At The Movies

Right around that time I moved to LA in the mid-1980’s an upstart computer store opened with a crazy idea: cater just to the film and television community.  I gave it six months to a year before it folded in the shadow of Computerland.  Well, Computerland is gone, but THE WRITERS STORE is still there, and over the years Jesse Douma and his family developed their store into a mecca of merchandise and advice for writers, producers, and directors.

As Contour for Windows 1.0  joins Contour for Mac 1.1  in release, I just wanted to thank Jesse and the gang at The Writers Store for their support of Contour in general and me in particular.   Jesse will be the first to tell you that I can be a huge pain in the backside when it comes to being passionate about what I do, but (I hope!) he’d also be the first to tell you that my heart’s in the right place in my concern for writers.

Anyway, kudos to you, my TWS friends.  Your store is a class act and greatly appreciated.

– Jeffrey Alan Schechter

Overall Impression – Great in so many ways.  A wonderful film about belonging, one’s place in the world, and of course… WRESTLING!

THE FOUR QUESTIONS

Who’s your main character? – Randy (a.k.a., “The Ram”).

What’s he trying to accomplish? – Professional: reboot his dying wrestling career.  Personal: get his life back on track.  Private: figure out who his true family is (figuratively).

Who’s trying to stop him? – Numerous elements stand between Randy and his goals, but his greatest enemy is himself.

What happens if he fails? – He’ll have nothing to live for.  No passion, no real relationships… nothing.

THE FOUR ARCHETYPES

Orphan – Randy is a once-famous wrestler who’s way past his prime.  He has no meaningful relationships and is estranged from his daughter.

Wanderer – Randy tries to balance being an adored wrestler on weekends with being a nobody in the real world.  He connects with an aging stripper named Pam, struggles to maintain his wrestling with his supermarket job, and trains for a comeback match which he hopes will jump-start his wrestling career – only to have a heart attack.  Randy realizes that he’s too old to wrestle… and that he has no idea what to do with his life.

Warrior – Randy attempts to live in the ‘real world’. He takes a job at the deli counter, tries to see his daughter, and attempts a relationship with Pam… all of which is doomed to failure.

Martyr – Randy realizes that his fans are his true family, and steps back into the ring despite his weak heart.  By doing this, Randy also sacrifices a future with Pam, who fears wrestling will kill him.

AND, IN THE END…

I can’t say enough good things about THE WRESTLER.  This is an extremely endearing character study and a candid look at semi-pro wrestling that’s as entertaining as it is educational.  The dedication these guys have to putting on a good show is stunning.

It’s been a long time since I’ve rooted for a character as much as I did for Randy.  This guy just wants to be liked, and that’s something he has to fight harder for in the real world than he does in the ring.

Much like Randy, Mickey Rourke has stepped up and deserves all the praise he gets!

- Dan Pilditch

It’s official…Contour for Windows officially goes on sale Monday, March 30!  Pre-sales are going amazing, and there will be a discount available for registered owners of the TotallyWrite Development Suite.  If that describes you, keep your eyes on your inbox for details.

Thanks again to the great gang at Mariner Software for all of their hard work.    EXCELSIOR!!

IT Reviews just posted a review of CONTOUR.  You can check it out here.  

What I like about the review (besides the fact that they like the software!) is that it very clearly says what Contour is and how it helps writers.  It’s a great, concise overview of the program.

Thanks again to Rob Beattie and the IT Reviews team for taking the time to put CONTOUR through its paces.

First, a big THANKS! to Dan Pilditch for keeping the Contour-fueled reviews coming while I’m here in the studio.   Of course he gets to see all the movies I’m too busy to…

We’re almost halfway through the shoot schedule for season 2 of OVERRULED.  As I’m writing this I’m watching our incredibly talented cast do their thing.   Thanks to the magic that is wireless internet and Elegato’s EyeTV Hybrid USB device, I can watch the feed from both A and B camera (top left of screen), rewrite next week’s script (bottom left of screen) and write this blog entry (right half of screen.)

Now, if only I could see some of the movies Pilditch is writing about…

Overall Impression – KNOWING retreads familiar territory in great new ways.

THE FOUR QUESTIONS

Who’s your main character? – John Koestler.

What’s he trying to accomplish? – Professional: figure out the mysterious numbers to prevent the disasters that they predict. Personal: get over his wife’s death and start living again. Private: accept that the nature of the universe may not be random, but predetermined.

Who’s trying to stop him? – Various antagonistic elements (John’s skepticism, the “whisperers”, even his ally Linda), though you could argue that John’s real nemesis is fate itself.

What happens if he fails? – Everyone on Earth will die.

THE FOUR ARCHETYPES

Orphan – John has been a shut-in since his wife died. His scientific outlook has also caused him to grow distant from his pastor father.

Wanderer – Through a mixture of luck, obsessive investigation and terrifying fate, John discovers that a string of numbers written in 1959 predicts every major disaster up to the present day… including some that have yet to happen.  As John’s son encounters creepy men-in-black (the “whisperers”) and has a vision of the apocalypse, John seeks answers from Linda, the daughter of the woman who wrote the numbers.

Warrior – John fights to prevent the foretold events from occurring, all the while protecting his son from the ‘whisperers’.  When John, his son, Linda and her daughter discover that the final disaster is a solar flare that will destroy all life on Earth, John’s convinced that there must be something he can do.  He discovers more numbers, believing them to be coordinates.  He thinks they should trust the numbers, but Linda thinks it’s madness.  She grabs the kids, ultimately losing them to the whisperers and dying trying to get them back. John finds them at the coordinates, discovering that the whisperers are aliens who have chosen the kids to restart the human race.  Unfortunately, John isn’t among the chosen…

Martyr – John agrees to stay behind and die on Earth, accepting that the human race can only restart if he lets his son go.

AND, IN THE END…

KNOWING is one of the best sci-fi movies I’ve seen in a while, and it’s a great example of a universal premise.  Themes of logic versus faith, chaos versus fatalism (all interesting debates in and of themselves) give KNOWING a depth that makes it more than just an effects-laden flick (which it’s not).

That being said, KNOWING is far from perfect… though not in any way that ruined the experience for me.  One could criticize KNOWING for plot elements that seem ludicrous and/or illogical, but given the movie’s subject matter, I felt it only reasonable to allow a little leeway.  Besides, you’re supposed to enjoy movies like this, not analyze them.

N.B. – - KNOWING boasts one of the most jaw-dropping long takes I’ve ever seen, in the form of a harrowing plane crash across a highway. (For another great long take, check out Tony Jaa’s THE PROTECTOR, where he fights his way to a top-floor restaurant.)

- Dan Pilditch

Overall Impression – A fascinating portrait of the minds and motivations of costumed heroes.

THE FOUR QUESTIONS

Who’s your main character? – The film divides its focus among six main characters, but it’s Rorschach who links them together and drives the movie.

What’s he trying to accomplish? – Professional: find out who killed the Comedian, and why.  Personal: figure out his place in the world now that the Watchmen have been disbanded. Private: rediscover and understand why he become a costumed hero.

Who’s trying to stop him? – Ozymandias, the police, the personal issues of the former Watchmen, and anybody who regards costumed heroes as a menace to society.

What happens if he fails? – Millions of innocent people will be killed in Ozymandias’ “ends justify the means” scheme to create world peace.

THE FOUR ARCHETYPES

Orphan – The Watchmen have disbanded and live as outcasts in society, unable to relate to ‘normal’ people.  Specifically, Rorschach is operating alone, Dr. Manhattan exists on his own plane of existence and is receding from humanity, Laurie feels isolated in her relationship with Dr. Manhattan, Daniel never quite let go of his crime-fighting days and can’t get on with his life, while Ozymendias exists alone in the public eye after revealing his identity.

Wanderer – Rorschach investigates the mysterious murder of the Comedian, interrogating past enemies and allies alike, which brings the Watchmen into contact again.  As old friendships reignite, each of them remembers the events of the past and considers how their lives have turned out. Dr. Manhattan questions his place among humans, Laurie questions her relationship with Dr. Manhattan, while Daniel questions his decision to quit being a superhero.

Warrior – The police capture Rorschach after he’s framed for murder, forcing him to survive in prison with his enemies.  Laurie leaves Dr. Manhattan and begins a romance with Daniel, and together, they don their costumes and relive the rush of being heroes. Dr. Manhattan is accused of giving cancer to his former girlfriend and colleagues, and exiles himself to Mars to ponder his relationship to humanity, abandoning Earth in the face of nuclear war. After Laurie and Dan free Rorschach, Laurie tries to convince Dr. Manhattan to return to Earth, while Daniel and Rorschach discover that Osymandias is behind everything. 

Martyr – Osymandias secures world peace by framing Dr. Manhattan for a global attack, sacrificing the lives of millions in order to unite the world against a common enemy.  Laurie, Daniel and Dr. Manhattan sacrifice their morals and hold their silence, realizing that exposing the truth would destroy the peace so many died to create. Rorschach, who never compromises, serves as a literal martyr by forcing Dr. Manhattan to destroy him, lest he expose Osymandias’ plot.

AND, IN THE END…

WATCHMEN was both thoughtful and entertaining, and there’s tons to enjoy. Rorschach’s mask is just plain cool, and seeing the graphic novel come to life is fascinating. Indeed, it seems to have served as a literal storyboard for some parts of the movie.

As with any movie adaptation of popular literature, you can’t please everybody.  There’s always something missing, something done wrong… which is a challenge to overcome because everybody reads and interprets literature in a different way.  Combine this with the fact that the Watchmen graphic novel is so rich and abundant in content, and it becomes one heck of a task to turn it into a movie.

While I think they succeeded, it’s not without compromise.  To use all of the graphic novel may have been impossible.  It may not even have worked.  This means that some beloved parts of the story didn’t see the big screen.  Naturally this is a shame, but it’s also a necessity. Besides, if it took twenty-odd years to finally make the movie, I’m sure they considered every angle. Personally, I liked a lot of the decisions they made.

I wasn’t too sure, however, about the style.  In the movie, characters occasionally punch through walls and flip people end-over-end with a kick.  Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t dislike this approach in and of itself, it just felt a little less like they were ordinary people in costumes. I like the graphic novel because it made me think that anybody could be a superhero  if they had the drive.  In this respect, I missed that element of gritty realism in the movie.

That being said, WATCHMEN did so much right that it feels like I’m looking for something to criticize.  I can’t help it… it’s an adaptation.

- Dan Pilditch

Overall Impression – Too. Cool.

THE FOUR QUESTIONS

Who’s your main character? – Thomas A. Anderson / Neo.

What’s he trying to accomplish? – Become “The One” – the savior prophesized to save humanity from the machines.

Who’s trying to stop him? – Agent Smith, a traitor on Morphius’ team, and potentially anyone in the Matrix who hasn’t been ‘unplugged’.

What happens if he fails? – Agent Smith will get the codes to the Zion mainframe, allowing the last human city to be destroyed by the machines.

THE FOUR ARCHETYPES

Orphan – Thomas Anderson is disinterested in his job, has no friends, is socially withdrawn… because his true persona is Neo – a computer hacker.

Wanderer – When Neo is contacted by Morphius, he learns that the world he is experiencing is really a computer simulation called The Matrix. Believing him to be The One, Morphius ‘unplugs’ Neo, making him part of a human resistance against machines that have taken over the real world. Using training programs, Neo learns how to fight within the Matrix, and is told about ‘agents’ – vicious sentient programs that hunt down anybody who hacks into the Matrix.  Neo also meets his love interest, Trinity, and is taken to see the Oracle (a prophet within the Matrix) to see if he’s truly The One.

Warrior – A traitor in the group allows the agents to capture Morphius, who gives himself up so Neo and the others can escape. As the agents interrogate Morphius to get the codes to the Zion mainframe, Neo and Trinity return to The Matrix on a rescue mission.  Neo puts his new skills to the test, becoming increasingly confident at manipulating The Matrix to the point where he can dodge bullets!  Morphius and Trinity get back to the real world, but Agent Smith cuts off Neo’s escape.  He’s a gonner if he doesn’t run…

Martyr – Neo embraces his destiny and fights Agent Smith.  It seems like Neo destroys the agent… but he merely takes over another ‘plugged in’ person and kills Neo!  It’s only when Trinity confesses her love for Neo that he’s reborn as “The One”, giving him the ability to fully manipulate the Matrix and destroy Agent Smith for good.

AND, IN THE END…

There aren’t many movies I can watch over and over, but this is one of them.

Aside from the incredible technical achievements, the great action and the mind-blowing concept, THE MATRIX hits all the right marks structure-wise.  Neo’s Wanderer experience is especially engaging, and when he goes down the rabbit hole and discovers the real world, you’re pulled along with him.

THE MATRIX also stood out for me because it’s so layered.  There are some serious philosophical questions and curiosities in there!  What’s kind of interesting, and made me feel less than smart, is that ”Neo” is an anagram of “one”.  I was amazed when I realized that, because it hit me three months after seeing the film!  I wonder if the Wachowski bros. were going for the idea that it’s so obvious, most people won’t even see it.  Either that, or I’m just in a special minority…  Depending on which is the case, there could be a multitude of meanings behind the anagram.  What’s in a name?  Lots, apparently.

THE MATRIX is almost ten years old and I’m still thinking about it.

– Dan Pilditch