Fairy Tales & Terror
I remember seeing a panel of indie filmmakers talking about how they envision their films. One said, when she was writing the script, she always asked herself: Which fairy tale is this? Is it The Ugly Duckling? Is it Cinderella? Is it Peter Pan? Conceiving a new story on the foundation of an old one that's already deep in our consciousness... not a bad idea, I thought. And wrote it down in my notebook. And promptly did not make use of this idea when conceiving or writing a single script.
But I remembered this thought when I watched V for Vendetta. You know, the adventurous tale of the innocent girl taken in by the "monster" who turns out to be no monster at all? Or, as some like to think of it, Beauty and the Beast?
I'm sure I'm not alone. Lovely girl, horrible "monster", the girl is held captive, the girl becomes a sympathizer (seeing there are worse things than "beasts" in humanity), the girl falls in love with him and helps defend him and his house...
The important lesson for me, here, is that I actually thought of the fairy tale while watching the film, and it didn't weaken Vendetta's story-- it only made it richer. This "what story is it like?" thing isn't a cheat, and it isn't just shorthand... it's a layer. A filter. A lens through which we might see new characters and a new story, so that the new story resonates deeper.
If you as screenwriters do the "What kind of fairy tale is this?" please let me know!
But I remembered this thought when I watched V for Vendetta. You know, the adventurous tale of the innocent girl taken in by the "monster" who turns out to be no monster at all? Or, as some like to think of it, Beauty and the Beast?
I'm sure I'm not alone. Lovely girl, horrible "monster", the girl is held captive, the girl becomes a sympathizer (seeing there are worse things than "beasts" in humanity), the girl falls in love with him and helps defend him and his house...
The important lesson for me, here, is that I actually thought of the fairy tale while watching the film, and it didn't weaken Vendetta's story-- it only made it richer. This "what story is it like?" thing isn't a cheat, and it isn't just shorthand... it's a layer. A filter. A lens through which we might see new characters and a new story, so that the new story resonates deeper.
If you as screenwriters do the "What kind of fairy tale is this?" please let me know!
Labels: convention, meta
posted by Jennica at 12:31 p.m.
3 Comments:
Do you think that the "beauty and the beast" scenario appeals especially to male nerds? In a north American culture where geekdom is still on the outskirts, isn't the idea of a recluse who is insanely dedicated to something esoteric (in V's case, anarchy) until a relatively normal woman enters his life and he can provide for her in a captive fashion, a male nerd fantasy?
The one idea that doesn't fit the love story, "Beauty and the beast" scenario as much, and was subsequently downplayed in the movie adaptation of "vendetta", is that Beauty becomes to believe in the beasts cause and replaces him after he dies. His goals becoming realized through her liberation.
I do this all the time - last time in Jurassic Park 3 with the dinosaur that has the phone in it and they can hear it ringing: just like the croc who swallows the clock in PETER PAN.
Clayton, as usual, your comment made me pause. I'd never thought of Beauty & the Beast that way, but that's really interesting. All the male nerd needs is someone to see the truth behind the nerdiness...
I agree about that last point-- instead of her believing in his cause, he's pretty much just won everyone over in the end, it seems to me.
Lucy, I thought of the croc in Peter Pan as well. Welcome!
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