tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post4083472842717015534..comments2024-03-07T20:15:45.996-08:00Comments on The Bitter Script Reader: Curb Your Enthusiasm and Entourage - an HBO study in contrastsThe Bitter Script Readerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16575166527272639709noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-56037896074857036642011-09-14T00:45:06.858-07:002011-09-14T00:45:06.858-07:00Okay, I think I see where the disconnect is here. ...Okay, I think I see where the disconnect is here. I'm saying that something as sharp, complex and multi-layered as the end result of a Curb episode is the sort of effort that everyone should strive to achieve in their writing. Pliny keeps getting hung up on how the sausage is made.<br /><br />(And I still think he's selling short the work on story and structure that Larry and his writers do before the scene goes before camera. As much as Curbs subplots criss-cross and intertwine, the dialogue is the EASY part. This is particularly true of the seasons with overarching stories that have clearly been "built backwards" starting from the end point)<br /><br />Analogy - I could praise Casablanca as one of the greatest films ever made and say that the character work, the dialogue and the emotion is the kind of standard every writer should set for themselves. That DOESN'T mean I'm saying the only path to a brilliant film is by hiring teams of writers to constantly revise the script, not only before production but throughout the entire shoot, to the point where the ending is pretty much in doubt until the moment it was shot.<br /><br />So work to write something as brilliant as "The Palestinian Chicken" - but don't take that as a suggestion to show up on set with the actors and attempt to "find the scene" on the day.The Bitter Script Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16575166527272639709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-81201344410630763252011-09-13T09:33:14.591-07:002011-09-13T09:33:14.591-07:00Trevor, all due respect...
The point I'm maki...Trevor, all due respect...<br /><br />The point I'm making about Curb, is that because it's unscripted, most, but not all, of the good stuff that happens on screen is, by definition, out of the control of the writers, and in the hands of the performers. Particularly character development.<br /><br />And wrt plot points, and "dark" humor, Larry did it all before with Seinfeld. That's his voice.<br /><br />What I'm saying, respectfully, is that Zuul is overstating just how much up front preparation is going on. It's clear, from the clip, that the level of detail in a scene is something like "a, b and c need to happen, preferably in that order", and not "you need to say this kind of line, here"<br /><br />My fundamental point is that not every actor is Jessica Alba, who doesn't need a script or writers, and that although Larry and Robert make it easier, the set of actors who could successfully do what this troup does, week in and week out, is small. The only group I can think of are the guys who work on Christopher Guest movies.<br /><br />Emulating Curb is like trying to catch lightning in a bottle. The unwary and unskilled are going to get burnt. Badly.Pliny The Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05514304475848637164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-12463107813024332072011-09-13T01:20:31.344-07:002011-09-13T01:20:31.344-07:00Trevor - Thanks for the comment. "Pre-gay&qu...Trevor - Thanks for the comment. "Pre-gay" is absolutely another instant catch phrase for sure. And I laughed hard at Leon's "That shaking shit might come in handy in a fight!"The Bitter Script Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16575166527272639709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-16514323707707924682011-09-13T01:07:41.630-07:002011-09-13T01:07:41.630-07:00Hey Bitter, great post. Couldn't agree with yo...Hey Bitter, great post. Couldn't agree with you more. Fantastic season finale for Curb. One of my all-time favorite episodes.<br /><br />How about that "pre-gay" child? What a brilliant little actor and subplot.<br /><br />Pliny - you sorta missed the boat on what Bitter was saying... twice. <br /><br />However the final product comes together (and I completely disagree with your "no-one had to lift a finger" beliefs), writers should aspire to reach the same degree of humor, bravery, authenticity and clever nuance in their scripts.Trevor Mayeshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02203486990417556375noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-5833273979483915692011-09-12T11:42:40.333-07:002011-09-12T11:42:40.333-07:00There's this joke, "Careful Icarus!"...There's this joke, "Careful Icarus!", that's been making the rounds (came from Craig Ferguson). And that's how I feel about this. <br /><br />The danger that comes from emulating Curb, is that if you don't have a truly outstanding cast, then you end up with wax wings, and will crash and burn very messily. The degree of difficulty is so high, I'm not sure many people would know where to start.<br /><br />I agree with the sentiment regarding the quality of Curb's plots, and that *is* something to be emulated, although it's clear, from what Robert Weide said, that some of the scenes, if not many, are based on a simple premise ("Do what you'd normally do").<br /><br />Fundamentally, it still comes down to the performances and the characters (Here's a youtube link with Larry David talking about his acting on Curb: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m89BdatB12A)<br /><br />What they've done in this show is take real people, asked them to behave like themselves, creating wonderfully rich, natural and *effortless* performances. This show has fully formed, 3D characters, and no-one had to lift a finger to do it. It's astonishing, imho, and not something to be blase about.<br /><br />Is there any doubt that the real world Larry David is almost identical to his character on the show, or the same isn't true of Cheryl Hines, for that matter?Pliny The Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05514304475848637164noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-41719533785258061902011-09-12T00:59:01.669-07:002011-09-12T00:59:01.669-07:00As I understand it, Larry's outlines are extre...As I understand it, Larry's outlines are extremely detailed and cover every beat of the story - which was the subject of the post. The improv doesn't alter the story movement at all.<br /><br />The dialogue is a different matter, and there were a number of gems in last night's ep. I particularly like Jeff's "Why the fuck does she have to stick her nose in everything?" with regard to his wife. Leon's "He'll be Michael J FUCKED-UP!" was another gem.<br /><br />So that's why I say emulate Curb - it starts with a good story.The Bitter Script Readerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16575166527272639709noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4706282221761427996.post-81678853354232530612011-09-12T00:47:46.547-07:002011-09-12T00:47:46.547-07:00The thing you should note about Curb is that all t...The thing you should note about Curb is that all the dialogue is improvised, and that "all" Larry does is create an outline with the basic plots & subplots of the show.<br /><br />In this respect it's unfair to compare any show to Curb, because he's the only showrunner who gives his cast such freedom (and btw it's a fantastic cast), and it's that freedom that enables the performances.<br /><br />You can only choose to emulate Curb if you have the performers to make it work, and imho it's a one in a million kind of cast. The Seinfeld cast could do it, I don't think the Friends cast, as good as they were, could.Pliny The Elderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05514304475848637164noreply@blogger.com