the social network script – Scripts on Screen

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

Links to 2011 Oscar Nominee Scripts

‘Tis Oscar season and for those of us looking for scripts on the internet it’s a bonanza. The studios, in their quest for nominations and awards, made their candidates’ scripts available (and in PDF no less !) This year’s list of screenplay candidates (original and adapted) almost matches the Best Picture nominee list. The exceptions are Black Swan which did not get a screenplay nod and Another Year which didn’t make it on the best picture list.

Original Screenplay

Another Year Script (PDF), Written by Mike Leigh
The Fighter Script (PDF) , Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson, Story by Keith Dorrington & Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
Inception Script (PDF) , Written by Christopher Nolan
The Kids Are All Right Script (PDF) , Written by Lisa Cholodenko & Stuart Blumberg
The King’s Speech Script (PDF) , Screenplay by David Seidler

Adapted Screenplay

127 Hours Script (PDF) , Screenplay by Danny Boyle & Simon Beaufoy
The Social Network Script (PDF), Screenplay by Aaron Sorkin
Toy Story 3 Script (PDF), Screenplay by Michael Arndt, Story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich
True Grit Script (PDF), Written for the screen by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Winter’s Bone Script (PDF), Adapted for the screen by Debra Granik & Anne Rosellini

Best Motion Picture of the Year

David Fincher Movie Scripts

David Fincher may not be as popular a household name as other directors like Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola, but his growing portfolio of works puts him well on his way.

With Social Network (2010) stealing a lot of last year’s cinematic thunder, audiences wait with baited breath on what he’ll be releasing next.

Check out the complete collection of David Fincher’s feature length scripts.

1. The Social Network Script (2010)
2. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button Script (2008)
3. Zodiac Script (2007)
4. Panic Room Script (2002)
5. Fight Club Script (1999)
6. The Game Script (1997)
7. Seven Script (1995)
8. Alien 3 Script (1992)