Tag: amadeus script

Greatest Biopic Film Scripts

It is said that truth is stranger than fiction, which is why cinema owes a lot of its greatest accomplishments to reality. Biographical films are a special breed among movies based in true events, because they try to portray the evolution of real life characters through the most important events of their lives.

It’s a daunting task for the screenwriter, sometimes hard-pressed to fit decades of life into roughly 100-120 pages. That is probably why biopics often become monumental projects that bring the audience to a fast paced journey across a bunch of dissimilar environments.

But they are often the stories of those who shaped the world- for better or worse. And well written biopics seem to generally succeed in fulfilling the demands of reviewers and audiences alike. They are a challenge for the performer as well, compelled to carry most of the narrative weight through the whole shooting process. However, those efforts are often rewarded with wide recognition, and the Academy seems to have a certain weakness for biographical dramas.

A lot of moviegoers feel an inherent curiosity about watching the tale of a notorious figure in the big screen, and the list of famous –or infamous- individuals whose life has been adapted into a film keeps growing.

Here are some of the most acclaimed biopic film scripts of all time:

(1960) Spartacus

(1962) Lawrence of Arabia

(1967) Bonnie and Clyde

(1972) Lady Sings the Blues

(1980) Raging Bull

(1980) The Elephant Man

(1982) Gandhi

(1984) Amadeus

(1987) The Last Emperor

(1990) Goodfellas

(1992) Malcolm X

(1992) Chaplin

(1994) Ed Wood

(1995) Braveheart

(2001) A Beautiful Mind

(2002) Catch me if you Can

(2005) Walk the Line

(2010) The Social Network

(2014) The Theory of Everything

Amadeus

Amadeus poster thumbnail
Year:1984
Director:Miloš Forman
Written by:Peter Shaffer (Theatre Play), Peter Shaffer (Screenplay)

Script Synopsis:The incredible story of genius musician Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, told in flashback by his peer and secret rival, Antonio Salieri—now confined to an insane asylum.
Amadeus Script Resources:

Note: Multiple links are listed since (a) different versions exist and (b) many scripts posted become unavailable over time. Please notify me if you encounter a stale link.


Other Links:
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Film Scripts Adapted from Stage Plays

A stage play is very difficult to convert into a film script and requires great finesse and understanding in order to pull it off. Stage plays are written, obviously, for the stage; and because of that, they are compromised in order to make use of stage space and other physical restrictions. Films, on the other hand, can make use of many different dimensions that are untouchable by stage performers; and would appear dry if they didn’t make use of that ability.

The most important thing a screenwriter must do when converting a play, is to understand two things. The first thing is the playwright’s intent. Although a playwright may have been happy with the original script, there is always something that he or she would’ve done differently if given freedom. Knowing that a film breaks many physical boundaries, the screenwriter must try to understand what the original playwright would’ve done given that much freedom.

In addition to the original playwright, screenwriters must cater to the perceived desires of the audience. There are going to be audience members who have seen the original play and have expected to get the same emotional reaction they got when watching the play. In addition, there will be a new group of people who have never seen the play, and expect something different. In this situation, a screenwriter must do his or her research and become part psychologist in addition to his writing job.

Below is a list of films that have been somewhat successful in translation from play script to screenplay.  By reading these along with the original plays, you will be able to understand how play translation is becoming an art form all of its own.

Scripts

  1. (1951) A Streetcar Named Desire ($)
  2. (1953) Kiss Me Kate [Transcript]
  3. (1955) Guys and Dolls [Transcript]
  4. (1957) 12 Angry Men Script
  5. (1961) A Raisin in the Sun [Transcript]
  6. (1964) My Fair Lady [Transcript]
  7. (1973) Jesus Christ Superstar [Transcript]
  8. (1984) Amadeus Script
  9. (1986) Little Shop of Horrors [Transcript]
  10. (1992) Glengarry Glen Ross [Transcript]
  11. (1996) Suburbia Script
  12. (2004) Alfie [Transcript]
  13. (2005) Rent Script
  14. (2007) Sweeney Todd [Transcript]
  15. (2008) Mama Mia [Transcript]