An Actors Take on Writing: Frank Darabont,Paul Haggis,Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana

Greetings! Welcome to another post where I clumsily try and tell you why I like the work of various writers.

First off one of my favorite movies of all time is "Shawshank Redemption." At this point that movie lives in my bones. The script by Frank Darabont clearly and fully captures the absolute heart-wrenching magnificence of the Stephen King Novella "Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption." (From one of my favorite King Works, "Different Seasons") Key:The tortured crawl through the sewer to freedom and the moment of exultation in the rain.

I've posted about "Crash" already but now my focus is on the script by Paul Haggis. Haggis broke my heart last year with the Clint Eastwood directed"Million Dollar Baby" and he did it to me again with "Crash." What is so fascinating about Haggis' words is that they accomplish all this gut-wrenching without any detectable sacharinity (is that a word?) The scene with the little girl and her dad when the disgruntled Persian shop owner shoots at him...Come on!
Finally, I just saw "Broke Back Mountain" which is arguably the saddest movie I have ever experienced. Larry McMurtry and Diana Ossana have created a world of unrequited tortured love amid a backdrop of striking natural beauty so compelling that days later I can still hear the crunch of truck tires on lonely trailerpark roads.
I'll say this over and over, behind every amazing narrative film or televison program of any genre is an amazing script.
Write On!
Later,
Paul Parducci