5 Screenwriting Lessons- Dr Strangelove, Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

Who Wrote It?

Director Stanley Kubrick wrote the script with Terry Southern and Peter George. Peter George was also the writer of “Fail Safe”, the book upon which Dr Strangelove was loosely based.

How Long is it?

Dr Strangelove is 102 minutes long, including credits.

What’s it About?

Dr Strangelove chronicles a nuclear crisis triggered by the deranged General Jack D Ripper (Played by Sterling Hayden). When Ripper orders the B-52 bombers under his command to attack Russia, the most powerful men in America gather in the “War Room” to try and sort out the ensuing crisis. They include the US President, Merkin Muffley (Played by Peter Sellers), General Buck Turgidson (Played by George C. Scott) and the wheelchair-bound ex-Nazi Dr Strangelove (Also played by Peter Sellers). Meanwhile, Ripper’s executive officer Captain Mandrake (Peter Sellers again, in his third role in the film) tries to find a way of recalling the planes, but the crew of one bomber, captained by Major “King” Kong (played by Slim Pickens) tries to carry out its mission, regardless of the obstacles or consequences.

5 Screenwriting Lessons from Dr Strangelove, or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb

(The Following May Contain Spoilers)

Sometimes, The Audience Should be made to Feel Smarter than the Main Characters- Satirical films like Dr Strangelove rely on a (mostly) foolish set of characters to highlight their points about the flaws in our institutions. General Ripper claims that “War is too important to be left to the politicians” as they are no good at strategic thought. However, he is sending dozens of men to bomb the USSR based on a conspiracy theory that only he believes. This shows that, instead of encouraging peace, leaving war in the hands of individuals like Ripper increases the destruction caused by the conflict.

Ripper’s motive for ordering the planes to attack the Soviet Union is his belief that the fluoridation of water is part of a Communist plot “to sap and impurity all of our basic bodily fluids”. Ripper claims that he became aware of it when he experienced “A profound sense of fatigue” and “A feeling of emptiness” after having sex with a woman. The fact that Ripper takes this entirely normal sensation as proof of a communist conspiracy highlights just how distrusting he is, and just how unqualified he is to be in charge of the US military.

Incongruity Should be Everywhere – Incongruity is a key part of Dr. Strangelove. Many of the small lines and details are full of irony and subversion. Apart from the famous line “You can’t fight in here. This is the War Room!” delivered by President Muffley towards General Turgidson and the Russian Ambassador in attendance at the crisis talks, there are a number of small details and sight gags in the scene in which troops invade General Ripper’s base. Two of the signs there read “Keep off the Grass” and “Peace is Our Profession”. The orderly and formal nature of the base creates a contrast with, and therefore emphasises, the chaos unfolding inside.

Another example of incongruity highlighting the bizarre nature of the central crisis is when the nature of the Soviet Doomsday Machine is revealed. Dr Strangelove dismisses the idea that there is one currently in operation, claiming that “The whole point of the Doomsday Machine…Is lost if you keep it a secret”. However, the Soviet Ambassador confirms its existence, claiming that it would have been revealed to the world later. Keeping such a powerful deterrent secret contradicts the very purpose of having it, and demonstrates how ridiculous the posturing on both sides is.

Exaggeration Leads to Effective Satire - If you have ever used a payphone, you will be able to appreciate how inconvenient it is to be short on money. In Dr Strangelove, this is taken a step further. When General Mandrake is in that situation, he is trying to call President Muffley and tell him that he’s figured out the coded message which will make the US bombers turn back. This serves the purpose of showing how chaotic and inefficient the communication between the government and the army is, as the safety of the world ends up depending on the presence of change in a Coca-Cola Machine. By taking a trivial but relatable scenario and placing it in the middle of such an important situation, the sequence makes viewers aware of how difficult it is to solve an international crisis, especially with the threat of nuclear annihilation looming over the horizon.

Another instance in which a critical event is exaggerated in the name of satirical humour is the famous scene of Kong “Riding the bomb”, which is one of the funniest and most iconic moments in the film. The humour comes from the incongruity between the effects of the action and the way Kong treats it. When the bomb lands, it will not only obliterate him, but set off the chain of events which will render the earth uninhabitable. However, Kong is waving his hat and cheering as if he was riding a bull at a rodeo. The pleasure he takes in unleashing the bomb is a little bit unnerving, but it is so over-the-top that you cannot help but laugh.

Subvert the Established Standards - In the midst of a crisis that could spell the end of the world, you would normally expect a telephone conversation between the US President and the Soviet Premier to be formal and serious, with both sides trying to discuss the matter in a loud and aggressive manner. However, in Dr Strangelove, President Muffley’s attempts at informing his Russian counterpoint of the impending crisis represent a great example of awkward humour. Muffley begins his conversation with banal small talk (“It’s good to be fine”), then tries to explain General Ripper’s actions by claiming that “He went and did a silly thing”. By depicting the impending bombing in this way, he unintentionally makes it seem trivial and ridiculous. The understatement in this scene creates brilliant comedy, and also highlights that Muffley is out of his depth handling the crisis – a stark contrast to the prevalent image of the strong, decisive president bravely handling international disputes that became popular after Kennedy managed to diffuse the Cuban Missile Crisis (which happened whilst the film was being written).

This is not the only time that the film undermines the conventional belief that the USA is being looked after by brave and heroic people. The opening of the movie is shot and narrated like a war movie or Newsreel, invoking audience memories of the usually positive depiction of the US air force in those mediums. However, when we first see Major Kong, the government manual he appears to be reading turns out to be an issue of Playboy. This is a quick and amusing way of establishing that, in contrast to the honourable soldiers of more traditional war movies, Kong and his crew are a distinctly unheroic and ordinary lot.

Deliver the Message Effectively – Dr Strangelove aims to expose the flaws in the US government’s handling of the Cold War, which was a major concern when the movie was released in 1964. The prevalent belief in USA at the time was that neither they nor the Soviet Union would dare attack each other, because it would lead to both sides being wiped out. This idea of Mutually Assured Destruction is taken to its logical conclusion with the Soviet’s Doomsday Machine, and all it takes to set it off is a single bomber whose crew were unable to take orders telling them to go back. This highlights how fragile the peace between USA and the USSR was, and encourages viewers to consider the potential costs should the conflict escalate.

The consequences of the distrust between the two sides is highlighted at the end, as the US government considers Strangelove’s proposal for a select band of civilians to live underground for about 100 years until the radiation generated by the Doomsday machine has subsided. However, Turgidson opposes the proposal, claiming that the nuclear apocalypse will not prevent the Soviets from trying to take over their mineshafts. He is so scared of the Communists that he believes that war will continue, even when almost everyone on both sides has been destroyed. This proves how ridiculous the USA’s hatred of their enemies can be, as it continues even after its consequences have rendered the world uninhabitable.

Verdict

50 years after its initial release, Dr Strangelove still holds up as a classic satire. It’s a bit slow at times, owing to the large amount of technical terms used in the discussions of the conflict, but it is certainly worth watching in full. It is full of irony, exaggeration, subversion, stupidity (from the characters) and intelligence (from the writers), the five defining features of satire. Most importantly, it communicates its messages about the folly of the cold war effectively, with great lines, great scenes and memorable characters.

5 Screenwriting Lessons - Boyhood

Who Wrote It?

The film’s director Richard Linklater wrote the script with the help of his cast. He came up with the story and scenes, whilst the film’s four stars (Ellar Coltrane, Patricia Arquette, Lorelei Linklater and Ethan Hawke) contributed to the dialogue and characterisation.

How Long Is It?

Boyhood is 166 minutes long, including credits.

What is it about?

Set over a 12-year period from 2002 to 2013, this film follows a boy called Mason (Played by Ellar Coltrane), as he grows from a six year-old into a college student. The twists and turns of life affect him and his family- older sister Samantha (Played by Lorelei Linklater), single mother Olivia (Played by Patricia Arquette), and Mason Sr.(Played by Ethan Hawke), her ex-husband and the children’s father - in a number of ways.

5 Screenwriting Lessons- Boyhood(The Following May Contain Spoilers) 

Make Your Film Relatable - Instead of using title cards and other conventional means of pinpointing specific years, Boyhood depicts the passage of time through the use of pop culture relevant to each specific year. The Gameboys of 2002 are steadily replaced with Nintendo Wii Consoles and iPhones, and Samantha’s obsession with singing Britney Spears songs as a child is replaced with a teenage obsession over Lady Gaga. The film is primarily aimed at an audience who remember most, if not all, of the crazes of the period, and the use of these ensures that the film seems more realistic.

However, it is more than a mere time capsule for America in the 2000’s, as the relationships between family members are depicted in a manner that will resonate with those who don’t remember the period. Mason and Samantha fight constantly, especially in their younger years, but still love each other. Olivia is a harried single mother who manages to find a stable career and support her children. Mason Sr. is an uncommitted dreamer who regrets missing out on his children growing up. These situations are similar to those experienced by everyone at one point or another in their lives, regardless of time and place.  This ensures that the film will remain relevant, even as the period it chronicles slips into the past.

Make Your Characters Unique - As the film progresses, Mason begins to develop an obsession with photography, and soon begins to see it as a future career. This interest in chronicling the little details that define everyday life serve as a metaphor for the film. At the same time, it fits the protagonist perfectly, as he is shown to be a keen observer of life from the beginning, peering out of the bedroom window to observe arguments between his mother and father. This ensures that Mason’s interest appears to stem from the character rather than the writer, and therefore contributes to the film’s authentic tone.

Mason Sr. is also defined by creative interests. He is a songwriter, and enjoys singing and playing instruments. On a couple of occasions, he writes and performs songs that reflect the situations that he is involved in. Like Mason’s interest in photography, this reflects the themes of the film and also helps define his character. He is kind and perceptive, but immature and more committed to enjoying himself then succeeding in life- he sees music as a hobby rather than a profession. Whilst these traits and interests are relatively common, the way that they are combined in the development of Mason Sr. is unique in the universe of the movie, and serves to make him seem more developed and memorable.

Antagonists Should Be Well-Developed, But Easy to Understand - The nearest thing that Boyhood has to a human antagonist is Olivia’s second husband Bill (Played by Marco Perella). Bill is initially portrayed as a charismatic college professor, but we soon find out that he is a strict stepfather with a secret alcohol addiction. However, mundane actions like forcing his children to do chores are soon followed by far more aggressive acts such as forcing Mason to have a very short haircut, and before long, he is outright abusing Olivia and Mason. Because Bill starts out as a reasonably normal parent, his shift towards violent behaviour feels more realistic and unnerving.

However, there are instances when a character’s nature cannot be revealed slowly, so has to be demonstrated in a clear and concise manner. In the second half of the movie, the focus shifts towards Mason’s school life, so Olivia’s next failed relationship with the soldier Jim (played by Brad Hawkins) is not depicted in much detail. It would be repetitive to depict Jim descending towards the same extreme behaviour as Bill, and therefore, he is a less prominent character. However, in Jim’s most significant interaction with Mason, we see that he is a bad-tempered control freak, just as Bill was. This quickly establishes that his marriage to Olivia will not last, and ensures that the film can focus more on Mason, and less on the breakdown of Olivia and Jim’s relationship. Therefore, making a character easy to understand is highly important, especially if they play a minor role in the story.

Change Can Lead to Interesting Character Development - The protagonists of Boyhood see their life change numerous times. They move house, go to new schools, gain new jobs and move in and out of relationships. In many respects, the character’s basic personalities remain intact throughout. Mason observes life with as much fascination as he did when he was younger, Samantha retains her interest in popular music, and Olivia remains the same caring but firm mother she was when her children were still little. However, they have also taken on a more realistic and pragmatic approach towards life. The changes that have occurred over the twelve year period lead to the protagonists reassessing their outlook, and the various decisions they make as a result of this shape the film

The focus on change is highlighted in a minor subplot involving Olivia. At one point in the middle of the film, she advises a repairman to take up Adult Education classes at the college where she teaches. Towards the end of the film, she takes Mason and Samantha to a restaurant to celebrate Mason’s forthcoming departure for college, and they meet the repairman again- he is now the restaurant’s manager. Whilst a character rising this far in such a short period might seem far-fetched to some viewers, it fits one of the film’s key ideas– people and circumstances can change in ways both expected and unexpected.

Make Your Themes Clear Through Dialogue - At an early stage of the film, Mason Sr. takes his children bowling. When Mason struggles to avoid ending up with a gutter ball, his father tells him “You don’t want the bumpers. Life doesn’t give you bumpers”. The quote succeeds in establishing a major theme of the film- life is unpredictable and you have to take everything you face in your stride. However, it fits the character saying it, and therefore feels like plausible dialogue.

The fact that dialogue can highlight a film’s message is made clear at the end of the film, when Olivia is saying goodbye to Mason. During her speech to him, Olivia breaks down in tears, as she believes that she has experienced every significant event in life. On the other hand, Mason tells her that she still has plenty of time to live. He has taken on a more optimistic outlook, and is aware that life can change radically in a very short period of time. Again, dialogue that could sound false in another film feels authentic here, as we have seen the characters grow over time, and can agree with Mason’s claims. The best dialogue can highlight characters and themes with intelligence and subtlety, and the dialogue in Boyhood succeeds in doing this.

Verdict

Boyhood is a splendid example of how to write a coming-of-age movie well. The film can drag at times, particularly during the depictions of Mason’s high school life, but it always feels unique, insightful and realistic. The characters are vividly depicted yet nuanced, the story is simple but effective, and the dialogue is convincing and often intelligent. It highlights how collaboration between writers and actors can lead to a successful script.

5 Screenwriting Lessons- Buster Keaton Shorts

The great silent comedian Buster Keaton starred in a number of shorts in the 1920’s. In this article, we will analyse five of them:

The Playhouse (1921) - Keaton plays a stagehand who ends up taking a central role in a show.

The Goat (1921) – Keaton gets mistaken for a wanted criminal.

Cops (1922) – Wanting to prove himself as a businessman in order to impress his girlfriend, Keaton falls for a con and is chased by all the policemen in town.

One Week (1920) – Keaton and his wife try to build a house, but a rival sabotages their project.

The High Sign (1921) – Keaton plays an inept sharpshooter who is hired as an assassin by a criminal gang- and as a bodyguard by the millionaire they want to kill.

All five shorts can be viewed on YouTube. The links are below:

The Playhouse:  http://youtu.be/Xca4qWYqaAk

The Goat: http://youtu.be/Fwls7oS-MHI

Cops: http://youtu.be/QmV4D_YCm6s

One Week: http://youtu.be/8qFXR35oBKw

The High Sign: http://youtu.be/tqJRzs5dc6Y

Who Wrote Them?

Buster Keaton wrote all five shorts. Edward F. Cline was his co-writer on all of them except The Goat, where Keaton was assisted by Malcom St. Clair.

5 Screenwriting Lessons from Buster Keaton Shorts

(The Following May Contain Spoilers)

Make the Protagonist Relatable - The Playhouse begins with a memorable dream sequence where Keaton plays everyone in the theatre- Performers, conductors and even the audience. When Keaton wakes up, we see that he is merely a stagehand addicted to his job. We can figure this out because of the fact that he lives in the theatre- he sleeps backstage, using fake backdrops to stimulate the appearance of a bedroom. Keaton’s love of the theatre and his inability to fulfil his lofty dreams of stardom are easy to relate to, and this makes us connect with him. If we are interested in a character, then we become interested in seeing how they cope with the circumstances they face. In the case of comedies, a memorable character generates memorable scenarios, and these can lead to memorable jokes.

Chases Can Lead to Great Comedy – The Goat is most notable for its climactic chase scene, where Keaton is chased up and down the stairs of an apartment building by an overzealous cop. Keaton comes up with a number of creative ways to elude his pursuer, such as getting into a phone booth and simulating the appearance of going down in a lift, which causes the rival to head down the stairs so he can catch Keaton on a lower floor. Chases like this can generate some very funny scenes, as the unusual use of ordinary items, and the ease with which the chaser can be outwitted and humiliated are rich foundations for laughter.

Keep the Story Flowing – Cops has a more melancholy tone than most of Keaton’s shorts, as it ends with him failing to get the girl and being arrested by the police. However, it still features a number of wacky sequences. These generally serve the story well, with one exception. After the story has been set up, with Keaton unwittingly loading a large amount of stolen furniture onto a horse-drawn carriage, we get a four-minute sequence showing Keaton riding the horse and taking the carriage across town. Whilst this eventually serves the purpose of getting Keaton stuck in the middle of a police parade and setting up the big chase at the climax, it is too slow and not funny enough, and the sequence could have been halved in length without anything being lost. Timing is key to comedy, and if a sequence goes on too long without developing characters or atmosphere, it can reduce our interest before we get to the punchline.

Exaggeration is Key to Comedy - One Week is full of over-the-top humour.  Due to the fact that the instructions on how to build it were tampered with, Keaton’s newly created house has a number of unusual floors, such as doors where the window should be and vice versa. As if this wasn’t bad enough, Keaton and his wife find out that their house is built over a railway track. The two resort to placing barrels underneath the house and using them as wheels to push the house away. In both cases, the mundane problems faced by all first-time householders are exaggerated and generate all sorts of amusing and over-the-top scenarios. This allows the comedy to appeal to both children who will find the slapstick amusing, and the adults who can relate to the characters and their situation.

Take Advantage of a Character’s Skills and Flaws – In The High Sign, Keaton’s incompetence as a gunman is highlighted in a sequence early on where he shoots at bottles, but always manages to hit the wrong one. In the climax, Keaton has to protect the wonderfully-named businessman August Nickelnurser from the gang of thugs who have invaded his mansion. His secret gets out, but he manages to use his inept shooting to trick the villains. He fires a gun pointing away from Nickelnurser, and the millionaire falls down as if shot. Keaton’s inability to shoot properly generates suspense, as he runs the risk of being found out as a fake, but he manages to capitalise on this special flaw and outwit his enemies. A characters skills and flaws make them unique, and should be exploited as far as possible.

Verdict

Buster Keaton’s shorts deserve their status as classics. Keaton was able to create an interesting and relatable screen persona and was an expert at creating unique, energetic, and most importantly funny, slapstick comedy. Although there are some scenes which can become too slow and sentimental, Keaton’s comedy remains just as funny and intelligent today as it was almost a century ago.

5 Screenwriting Lessons - Edge of Tomorrow

Who Wrote It?

Dante Harper (Uncredited), Christopher McQuarrie, Jez Butterworth, John-Henry Butterworth, Simon Kinberg (Uncredited), Hiroshi Sakurazaka (Writer of the Source Material)

How Long is It?

Edge of Tomorrow is 113 minutes long, including end credits.

What's It About?

"Edge of Tomorrow" is based on the Japanese Light Novel "All You Need is Kill" by Hiroshi Sakurazaka. The film centres around William Cage (Played by Tom Cruise), an army major drafted into a war between humans and an alien species called "Mimics". Placed on the front line with the misfit J Squad, he is killed in a crucial battle, but instead of dying, he wakes up at the start of the day, going through the battle again. Realising that he is stuck in a time-loop, Cage teams up with the war hero Rita Vrataski (Played by Emily Blunt), who had a similar experience during a previous campaign. Cage now has to use the knowledge and abilities he gains from his period in the time-loop to defeat the Mimics.

5 Screenwriting Lessons You Can Learn From "Edge of Tomorrow"

(The Following May Contain Spoilers)

Keep It Simple - One of the best things about Edge of Tomorrow is its plot, which is unique but easy to follow. It is a good example of a high-concept movie, taking two elements familiar from other films and merging them to make something different. The two elements Edge of Tomorrow uses are the Time Loop (most notably used in Groundhog Day and Source Code) and the War With Aliens (Most notably used in Aliens and Starship Troopers). Both tropes are effective on their own, and combining them is a good idea, as it allows emphasis on their shared aspects, such as the similarity of the time-loop to the ability to restart a video game when you lose. The mechanics of video games are rarely exploited in films, and this allows the combination of the Sci-Fi and War genres to be effective.

Edge of Tomorrow follows the Three-Act structure. The First Act depicts Cage being drafted into battle and fighting for the first time. The Second Act begins with him relieving the battle for the first time, and covers his period in the Time Loop. In the Third Act, Cage loses his ability to reset time, and has to use all the skills he has accumulated to defeat the Mimics in one last battle. This allows the story to be simple and coherent, and ensures that it can be understood by as many viewers as possible, in contrast to the complicated, confusing plots often seen in Sci-Fi action movies.

Develop Characters - Edge of Tomorrow is primarily focused on action. The only information we get about Cage and Vrataski are details that pertain directly to the plot, such as the fact that Cage can't stand the sight of blood and Vrataski was instrumental in a major victory for the humans due to her ability to reset the day of battle. Information about their past is generally omitted. The same thing applies to the antagonists- We never know for sure why the Mimics invade, and keeping it a mystery increases their threat.

In the few instances where a character's backstory is brought up, it is used to demonstrate how much Cage has learnt in the time-loop, and not to develop the characters. A particularly frustrating example of this is when Cage explains his secret to the members of the J Squad, and reveals that one of them has assumed the identity of a dead comrade and is fighting on his behalf. If the soldier and his relationship with Cage had been properly developed, then this interesting piece of information would have meant something, However, it is soon forgotten about. As a result of the focus on the action over the characters, the protagonists and supporting cast are not developed enough to be as interesting as they should be.

Use Scenery - The action in the first half of the the movie is mostly confined to the army's training base in Heathrow and the French beaches where the battle takes place. However, in the second half, a wider range of locations are used, such as London and Paris. They are depicted simply, but in a manner that conveys the effect of the war. London's inhabitants sit in pubs, waiting for the Mimics to arrive. The devastated remains of Paris provide a striking location for the film's climax. This makes the alien threat seem more plausible and threatening, as it creates an atmosphere of tension that could conceivably be felt in any war zone in today's world.

Whilst the locations are used effectively, the scenes in the French countryside at the middle of the film could have been more unique and spectacular. The action in this sequence includes a fight with a mimic atop a caravan, and a helicopter flying out of control in a small barn. Both of these set pieces could have been spectacular if they were extended. Props count as scenery too, and their potential should be exploited, especially in fights and chases

Play Fair - It is implied that Cage relieves the same day dozens of times, but for the sake of preserving audience interest, this is condensed to a series of montages where Cage repeatedly dies during a certain point in the day, such as the battle on the beach or his training sessions with Vrataski. However, as the story opens out, these montages are eliminated. In spite of this, it is implied that Cage relieves the various key moments in the second half of the second act over and over. When Cage and Vrataski meet the head of the human army, General Bingham (Played by Brendan Gleeson) to tell him what they now know about the Mimics, Cage reveals details that he has learned from reliving the meeting repeatedly. However, we don't see the previous attempts, and if not for Cage's comments, we wouldn't even know that there were any. This is a problem, as it cheats the audience out of scenes that could have emphasised the risks that Cage and Vrataski go through in revealing the information, and increased the tension and level of interest in the story.

Make It Seem Real - The opening sequence of Edge of Tomorrow is effective at setting up the story and the characters. Using a series of "Newscasts" from around the world, it depicts the initial invasion and the defeats and victories experienced by the human army. It introduces the protagonists (Cage and Vrataski) and the antagonists (The Mimics), quickly and concisely, and creates a feeling of realism and immediacy. This makes us interested to know what happens next.

The realism also extends to the rest of the film. The battle which Cage continually relives takes place in Normandy, the site of the Allied invasion of France in World War 2, and Vrataski used her ability to rest time in a battle at Verdun, the location of a number of key campaigns in World War 1. The use of locations associated with previous wars allows the conflict seen here to gain a greater significance. Whilst alien invasions are not likely of occurring in the real world, Edge of Tomorrow has to make the war with the Mimics seem realistic - the viewer has to imagine that this it what it would look like if aliens invaded for real. By using important events from the past to inspire its depiction of the near-future, the film succeeds in doing this.

Verdict

Edge of Tomorrow is a good example of an action-based summer blockbuster. It uses its relatively short runtime well, providing us with an engaging story and a number of intense battle scenes. Although the script was revised numerous times during production (Which is why the initial writer, Dante Harper, is uncredited) and the film underwent numerous reshoots, you wouldn't think that was the case watching the finished film, as it flows perfectly and is easy to understand. Although I think that the characters should have been better developed, this was still an enjoyable movie, and provides a number of good lessons on how to write an action-adventure film that is unique and unusual, whilst still providing a good amount of blockbuster entertainment.