This week, Scripts on Screen takes a look at classic heist films that have been the benchmark for high stakes crime capers.From banks, casinos to government offices, heist movies have been a great source of action and entertainment. And with a ragtag group of criminals taking on a job of a lifetime, the stakes have never been higher.
What do Million Dollar Baby (2004) and Crash (2005) have in common? Apart from being Oscar winners as Best picture, these two films share another trait- Paul Haggis wrote the screenplay for both these Film. He became the first screenwriter since 1950 to write two Oscar winning movies in Best film category back to back. Million Dollar Baby was the first released feature film that had a screenplay written by Haggis whereas Crash was his directorial debut.
Before starting his silver screen affair, Haggis wrote scripts of various TV series for more than two decades. His writing credit includes some very popular shows such as Chuck Norris’ Walker, Texas Ranger, Thirtysomething, The Facts of life and even the Scooby-doo show. His vast and diversified experience explains how he managed to write scripts that are totally different in terms of genre or structure. After Crash, he teamed up with Clint Eastwood and joined in the screenplay collaboration of Flags of Our Fathers and Letters from Iwo Jima. The later one earned him a third Oscar nomination for screenplay.
He also wrote the screenplay of Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, the last two James Bond movies that gave a new life to this character. Being inspired by a Playboy article, Haggis wrote the script of In the Valley of Elah and also directed the movie himself. Without any doubt, this Canadian writer (and director also) has achieved a rare level of skill in his craft.
Alejandro González Iñárritu may not be a filmmaker readily known by mainstream Hollywood audiences, but this Mexican-borne director has had the opportunity of working with some of America’s biggest stars.
From Sean Penn, Benicio del Torro, Brad Pitt to Cate Blanchett, Iñárritu has proven time and time again that he is more than capable of handling a strong measure of story, character and drama in a single film.
Check out his collection of feature length works below:
Towards the end of the ’90s, most people had written off comedian Mike Meyer to be forever typecast as Wayne from his original claim to fame: Wayne’s World.
However, Mike Meyer’s managed to prove his critics wrong by creating one of the most memorable comedy franchises of the decade: Austin Powers.
Check out the complete list of Austin Powers scripts below:
As one of Pixar’s original employees, and only its second animator, Andrew Stanton has come a long way in making Pixar into one of the most widely-recognized feature-length animation studios in the world. His hands-on approach to all his produced films, from writing, directing to animation, has given him the irreplaceable knack for depth, character and storytelling.
To find out more about his filmography, check out Andrew Stanton’s complete collection of feature-length works below:
The Jurassic Park trilogy has been largely associated with Steven Spielberg despite its roots in the original Michael Crichton novels. Showcasing groundbreaking special effects never before seen at the time, the Jurassic Park Trilogy managed to transport an entire generation of movie goers 65 million years into the past and into a world where dinosaurs still roamed the Earth. And though computer graphics have pushed the envelope of cinema even further since then, the original Jurassic Park trilogy has already cemented itself as one of Hollywood’s classics.
Check out the complete collection of feature length scripts from the Jurassic Park trilogy below:
As one of the small handful of directors who have won best picture, best screenplay and best director for the same film, James L. Brooks has earned his spot under the Hollywood limelight after years of honing his craft as a writer for television. The multi-academy award winning writer-director has managed to captivate audiences with his unique and provocative sense of filmmaking.
And though he has but a handful of feature length movies under his belt, his numerous awards and impeccable taste for good stories has earned him a place in cinema history.
Check out his collection of feature length screenplays, written and directed by him.
Animated movies have come a long way since their paper drawn, cell-animation days. Now, animated movies have earned both the same respect and prestige of their live-action counterparts.
The decades long stigma that animated features were best left for children is now long gone. Now, animated movies — when guided by the right hands — can provide the same breathtaking visuals and emotionally compelling storytelling that even adults can enjoy.
Below are a list of our five picks for Top 3D Animated Movie Scripts:
Though writer-director Sam Raimi is more popularly known for bringing the Spiderman franchise to life, his actual filmmaking roots began with the Evil Dead trilogy; a series of cult-classic films that eventually launched Bruce Campbell into stardom.
Mixed with a solid sense of horror, comedy and adventure, Evil Dead’s perfect balance of all these different tones solidifies the series as one of definite cult-franchises of all time.
Check the complete collection of Evil Dead scripts below:
Steven Spielberg may be one of the most widely-recognized living filmmakers of our time. Though his directorial efforts have garnered him the most acclaim, his work as a producer has managed to make possible some of the most widely successful films in the past decade.
From aliens to dinosaurs, high-adventure to historical dramas, Spielberg continues to keep the spectacle of movies alive and fresh for audiences young and old.
Check out a collection of his feature length scripts below:
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