MovieChat Forums > Hurlyburly (1998) Discussion > When will writers learn....

When will writers learn....

posted 18 years ago by stevejacobshb
8 replies | jump to latest

You cannot just take a play and make it a movie. The more and more I watch play-based movies, the more I realize how poorly plays translate on film. I swear, with no prior knowledge, I can pick out a play-based movie, 10/10. I think they don't realize that you have to ADAPT it, not just use it as a shooting script. Throughout all of hurly burly, especially when Palminteri was speaking, I had a strong feeling this was a play. I just knew it. And sure enough at the end, I noticed that it was based on a play.

To anyone that doesn't immediately understand what I am talking about, this is my meaning: it seems like the dialogue inhibits the actors from connecting, making the actors static. It seems like they are so busy trying to recite it as it was written, that it comes off as rote. I just think that it hinders the actors' ability from connecting and my only guess is that the way to fix it is to update the dialogue. I don't know how to fix it completely, but I know that it is a problem that should be fixed.

[–] 18 years ago

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[–] 18 years ago

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[–] mike_cable 16 years ago

Maybe it didn't make a great film, in the traditional sense of a motion picture, but it will always please some people, and others will dislike it. I found it interesting (at times) but won't be watching it again.

I watched it at 2x speed at 1 AM before sleep on the laptop and it was even worse! It was like an episode of the Gilmore Girls on speed - they just never stop talking.

I actually watched it after watching another film based on a play, called Drunks. It starred Richard Lewis and I only watched it coz I discovered him after watching Curb Your Enthusiasm. It also had a lot of talking and was very similar to hurlyburly in some ways.

[–] mia-beach 16 years ago

Better question: When will would be/wanna be writers learn that all they will ever be is very bad critics on message boards?

Good luck on your career at Starbucks.

[–] ProfessorGas 16 years ago

Exactly, saria 98. This armchair critic didn't even know enough about what he's talking about to take into account the cell phone scenes, which were very obviously adapted to the movie. Those scenes originally took place in the house.
Not to mention the fact that the author of the play WAS the one who adapted it to the screen!

I see stupid people; they’re everywhere. They don’t even know they’re stupid!

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] leadingrole344 8 years ago

Hurlyburly was a hit on Broadway where I saw it in the 80's. Yes, it was long and there was a lot of talking, but Shakespeare and O'Neill have this too. In fact, the glory of the stage is that complex ideas are communicated, and you can't do that as easily in movies, where the audience needs more action to stay interested. Also, theater is live, so the actors are simultaneously inhabiting the same space and their physical and emotional connection is obvious. I haven't seen this film, so I don't know what the director did, but I've been satisfied with many plays on film, as well as unhappy with others.

If it sounds like actors are reciting lines, that's bad acting, and if dialogue prevents them from connecting that's bad acting again, as well as bad direction. One thing I would say is that contemporary film and TV are in love with the closeup, and avoid extended two-shots. Obviously we can see people connecting better when there's a two-shot--just think of Brando and Eva-Marie Saint in "On the Waterfront" walking in the park where she drops her glove. But even in single closeups, if the cutting back and forth is done well and the reactions are good, the connection is felt.

[–] karyn_palminteri 8 years ago

In my humble opinion, A BRONX TALE translated well from play to film & even to February 2016's NJ musical, but I agree, usually, it's not the case.

David Rabe's script was pristine, visceral, intimate & pure.

I couldn't tell if the actors were so good because of the writing they had or if they just brought to life the written page.

It's not always one or the other, usually, both.

This was Sean's & Chazz's best acting .. they really dug deep & it showed.

Play-writing is the better art form of writing & there is a markedly obvious difference in writing for the stage vs the screen.

We see that JERSEY BOYS was able to cross over ...

#SeanPenn #KevinSpacey #GarryShandling #RobinWright
#AnnaPaquin #MegRyan #ChazzPalminteri