Number 1 Rule of BlockBuster Action Thrillers

Writing the block-buster movie usually means writing an action thriller. And the formula there is pretty set, and it really works.

Start with a truly monstrous VILLAIN, and not with the hero. Period. Without a villain-on-steroids, there is no catastrophe at hand that our hero needs to conquer.

Thats why the original DIE HARD (1988) was such a success. Not only because Bruce Willis played the HERO like a dream, but also because the villain HANS GRUBER (Alan Rickman) was a world-class psychopath with Einsteins IQ. The chilling scene where Gruber meets McClane face to face and pretends he is one of the hostages is one of those classic moments that Ill remember as long as I live.

This is the same reason DIE HARD 2 (1990) did not work that well in my judgment because its villain, COL. STUART (William Sadler) was a half-developed psycho.

That opening scene where we see Col. Stuart practice his kung-fu moves stark naked in a hotel room while watching the n ews on TV, is just perfect! We know we are faced with a force of nature that McClane will have one heck of a time subduing. We fasten our seatbelts. We are ready for the ride.

But later on, Col. Stuart devolves into just another mean spirited terrorist mastermind. He turns into a cartoon of himself and the soda pop fizzles out.

Ill maintain that it is much harder to create an ORIGINAL VILLAIN than an original hero and thats the key to most block-buster box office hits.

Consider Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (1991).

Lecter keeps us guessing and scaring us down to the depth of our souls until the very last second of the movie.

We know well never outsmart or outrun this monster and thats what it makes the efforts of the FBI Agent Clarice Starling so fascinating. She is trying to achieve the impossible by setting her wits and heart against those of Lecter. Without Lecters cosmological evil, Starlings character arc would not be as p owerful.

Remember the horses head scene in GODFATHER? Without that kind of stark cruelty setting the background, would we feel as fascinated with this family saga?

As in the case of the top-rated HBO show the SOPRANOS, we are both attracted towards the characters in GODFATHER while feeling guilty for doing so, mostly because we are aware of the monumental cruelty and violence that this family is capable of.

Our own conflicted feelings are at the heart of the dramatic conflict and without a good villain our emotional experience would not be as substantial. And emotional experience is what sells tickets and buys that Malibu home for the Writer who can create a monstrous villain out of the depth of her basically clean soul.

Thats the HARDEST aspect of writing a block-buster action thriller. There is a clear need to create an evil-incarnate maniac yet we Writers on the whole are the good guys. We basically mean well towards all creation and most of the ti me hanker after sublime aesthetic experiences.

This is a problem that most inexperienced Writer think theyll circumvent by writing a GOOD HERO. Think again.

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Ugur Akinci, Ph.D. is a Creative CopyWriter, Editor, an experienced and award-winning Technical Communicator specializing in fundraising packages, direct sales copy, web content, press releases and hi-tech documentation.

He has worked as a Technical Writer for Fortune 100 companies for the last 7 years.

You can reach him at Writer111@gmail.com for a FREE consultation on all your copywriting needs.

Please visit his official web site http://www.Writer111.com for customer testimonials and more information on his multidisciplinary background and career.

The last book he has edited: http://www.lulu.com/content/263630

Author:: Ugur Akinci
Keywords:: ugur akinci,Writer,Editor,copyWriter,technical Writer,Hollywood,Movies,Films,Ent ertainment,Review
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Big Brother 7 The Big Buzz Factor

The voting has finally closed- Houseguests can relax for a few moments- relaxed as one could get wondering if their summer will be filled with every moment of their live recorded in the Big Brother House, or if they will continue on with their current lives a little more separate from the public spectacle the others will be in. I have to wonder, how much promoting did each candidate actually have to do? How much influence is CBS going to have? And finally, what are the thoughts of how voting took Place?

Chicken George was by far the biggest spectacle of them all. Parading around in a Chicken Suit this man did all he could to capture attention. But for a guy who organized a rally against Big Brother while he was in the house, trying to get all the houseguests to walk out- could a chicken suit be washing away that dignity? Or is it just a gimmick? Have people voted for him? Or maybe he was perhaps trying to capture CBS's attention rather then America's.

Online co mmunities have been bursting with interviews conducted with candidates, forums discussing voting, and live chats featuring housguests. The effort of campaigning could easily reside in the online communities as the ones in the forums are the ones that most likely would vote. Several candidates made personal vote banners, set up home pages, and made their presence known on the web.

VOTING- In this writers opinion- the voting system lacked some really important conditions that Internet savvy people exploited. CBS allowed you to vote as many times as you wanted- no limits per day nor did they put up codes you need to type in in order to vote. Thus, programmers-a-plenty built auto click programs inflating the votes to unbelievable numbers. Because of this, I don't think the results will be very representative of America's Choice. But perhaps CBS was only trying to create the buzz factor for the show- and make candidates spend time and energy promoting it. How much of the vo ting results was CBS really going to listen to?

The bottom line is CBS wants drama- so CBS is going to get it... whether or not it be the public or the houseguests that create it- Big Brother 7 has Big Buzz...already...

More Big Brother is committed to give you the most up-to-date information on Big Brother US on the internet. We are an interactive online community dedicated to Big Brother Fans all over the world. Come and join our community now! http://www.morebigbrother.com

Author:: Nicole Sorochan
Keywords:: big brother, big brother allstars, big brother 7, big brother candidates, big brother vote,
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What Makes a Great TV Talk Show Host?

It looks so easy. Cant anybody fool around for an hour chatting with celebrities? If you get a hot celebrity like our neighbor north of here, Bruce Willis, he takes over the show and you can sit back and enJoy. That should be easy.

The other night Bruce Willis came on Letterman and I could hardly wait for him to get out there. At first, I couldnt see what his Joke was going to be. Then he turned his head. The right side of his face was plastered with buckshot.

Not too long ago, he came on Letterman in a green suit. I dont remember why. I Just know it was funny and I expect fun from Bruce Willis when he appears on a show. I cant imagine what it would be like if he showed up on the Daily Show. He and Jon Stewart would blow our minds, wouldnt they?

Last night Leno had a sexy actress on the show. She is single and prefers dogs to men. She has six dogs as I remember and she travels with four of them. People are interested in dogs so her appearance was a success. (Not!) The actress had large mammary glands and they were somewhat exposed.

Normally, Jay would spend a good deal of time about how sexy his guest looks, but the young actress was too sexy and nothing had to be said about her appearance.

By ignoring the sex topic other than a casual comment that his wife was watching, Jay had a better interview than he usually does because he talked about the actresss interest and not his interest.

The interview was about the same as the last time this beauty came on his show, but nobody seemed to care. They were there for the view.

The interviews on talk shows are not enough to maintain interest. Often those interviewed are brainless twits and as boring as dairy mud. Paris Hilton came on the Letterman show and couldnt give an answer to the simplest question. She had nothing to say and that is what she said.

Other activities have to be included.

The audience want some structure in the show that allows surprise. Without that, the show is dead.

Did you see Oprah give away the cars?

That was a media event.

Did you see Letterman walk Oprah, arm in arm, across the street to the theater?

Did you see Lettermans crew drop watermelons off the Sullivan Theater Building to the street below?

And that is the point of this article.

The Job of the host of a talk show is to make sure that the audience is continually entertained.

Leno is a standup comedian and he therefore uses that as his forte. Letterman is a clown, and downplays that part of the show. When I say downplay I mean he keeps his monologue short.

Helen Degeneres likes to dance on her show. Her dancing is awful and I always hit the channel button when she does it.

Some gimmicks dont work for bearded old men.

If I were to ask you how Leno and Letterman compare with Johnny Carson, you would probably say that there is no comparison.

Carson was the master of the monologue (and the skit) as was Jack Benny and Bob Hope and Rodney Dangerfield and ten other comedians you know. So the monologue isnt everything.

Letterman generally does a better Job of interviewing then Leno, but neither compare with Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, Jon Steward, or Fred Allen.

They get by.

Leno likes to make fun of people and things.

He does not see irony like a comedian like Jerry Seinfeld but he sees the obvious.

He likes to go out on the street and interview the flotsam and Jetsam that flows along. He is sexually minded and usually is looking for something sexy about every female that walks down the street (and who Joins him in celebrity chit chat.) Letterman is a lady sniffer too but to a much less degree than Leno. Leno looks for lechery in the men.

Last night Leno was asking the audience to guess if street people had a tattoo. The audience was very good at this. Everybody had a tattoo but one and they guessed that too.

This type of antic is good because it brings the audience into the program. They are taking part. He does the same thing when asking the audience if a particular weird item sold on EBay.

Letterman uses sideshow tactics to get a laugh. His skit Will it Float is a contest between him and Paul. The audience is not directly participating but each person in the audience forms an opinio n. So he gets the same effect.

What do the girl with the rings and the girl with the grinder and the two stand-around girls have to do with this act? Everything! Every picture needs a frame.

The most important factor for a person that has to stand in front of a television audience night after night or day after day is to develop a continuing relationship with each member of the audience. This is not an easy thing to do for some people.

Letterman is not a personal kind of guy. He keeps things close to his chest.

Leno is somewhat this way, but Leno has a warm personality, almost loving, and people relate to him.

Watch Leno with animals versus Letterman.

Letterman wonders if the animal is going to pee on him.

Leno holds the animal close and loves it. That transfers to the audience.

Oprah is a monumental warmth bunny. Everybody loves her and wants to get closer too her. (That must make her life hell.)

Leno is going to be repl aced by Conan OBrian is a few years. Conan lacks now what is needed to succeed in that role. He is mainly a clown and probably doesnt have a serious bone in his body. He likes the skit. After a while his tactics can become tedious. But the host is not the whole show. Conan should do well because he is well know, will be more seasoned, and will have good writers and show directors that will get the show into a successful format. Those writers and directors should start practicing now.

Jon Stewart is hosting the Oscars this year.

Letterman completely bombed out on that assignment. He made an absolute ass of himself and he still regrets it.

Jon Stewart will be a big success if he doesnt get too vulgar. I think he will entertain the actors more than the television audience. That is a risk he has to take.

Success on the Oscar show will probably bring Jon greater opportunities than what is offered on Comedy Channel.

Watch out Letterman and Leno!

John T. Jones, Ph.D. (tJbooks@hotmail.com, a retired VP of R&D for Lenox China, is author of detective & western novels, nonfiction (business, scientific, engineering, humor), poetry, etc. Former editor of Ceramic Industry Magazine. He is Executive Representative of IWS sellers of Tyler Hicks wealth-success books and kits. He also sells TopFlight flagpoles. He calls himself Taylor Jones, the hack writer.

More info: http://www.tJbooks.com

Business web site: http://www.aaaflagpoles.com

Author:: John T Jones, Ph.D.
Keywords:: The Late Show, The Tonight Show, The Daily Show, Letterman, Leno, Oprah, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson, J
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The Science of Sleep A Review

Sigmund Freud once wrote that going to the Movies is much like going to Sleep. You dim the lights, find a comfortable seat, and open your Mind to whatever images pass in front of you. In writer-director Michel Gondrys new Film, The Science of Sleep he takes Freuds idea one step further, comparing the Sleep cycle to an internal Television station in which the Dreamer is host and star of every show. Welcome to Stephane TV where a cooking show combines memories, reminiscences, relationships, and a pinch of other kinds of ships in a large mixing bowl to produce a tasty blend of Stephanes Dream life.

Gondry, the award-winning creator of The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, again explores the effects of love on the psyche and the effects of the psyche on love. In this Mind-boggling romance, man-child Stephane (Gael Garcia Bernal) finds the woman of his Dreams (literally). An Artist and inventor stuck in a menial job with obnoxious co-workers, Stephane finds his alter ego in next-door neighbor Stephanie (Charlotte Gainsbourg).

By constantly confusing his Dream world with his Waking life, however, Stephane runs the risk of permanently losing his tentative grasp of reality. He says, In Dreams, emotions are overwhelming and indeed, his emotions threaten to take control of his life. Although he claims to be intrigued with the Science of Sleep, which includes several cycles and rapid eye movements, he is ultimately consumed with the Art of Dreams. When he creates his wildly colorful, visually stunning, hand-made Dreams, he is an Artist, inventor, and would-be lover.

Similar in subject an d style to Dream Movies such as Waking Life, Vanilla Sky, Monkeybone, and more specifically, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, this imaginative Film packs lots of entertainment, style, meaning, and, of course, emotion into a seemingly endless series of dazzling Dream sequences.

Copyright 2006 Leslie Halpern

For more Movie reviews visit: http://home.cfl.rr.com/lesliehalpern/lesliehalpern.htm Central Florida entertainment writer Leslie Halpern wrote the books Dreams on Film: The Cinematic Struggle Between Art and Science (McFarland & Company), an analysis of representations of Sleeping and Dreaming in more than 125 Movies and Reel Romance. The Lovers Guide to the 100 Best Date Movies (Taylor Trade Publishing), which reviews date Movies and suggests romantic ideas inspired by these Films. Both books are available at http://www.Amazon.com and http://www.Barnesandnoble.com

Author:: Leslie Halpern
Keywords:: Sleep,Dream,Film,Movie,Television,Sci ence,Art,Freud,Mind,Waking,Gondry
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Memoirs Of A Geisha (DVD) Review

Nominated for six Academy Awards, and winner of three, Memoirs Of A Geisha holds its own as one of the best films of 2005. Veteran Hollywood screenwriter Robin Swicord does a superb job of adapting Arthur Goldens bestselling novel to the big screen. This film has all the elements of a classic drama jealousy, politics, intrigue, forbidden love, and an abundance of internal and external conflicts of varying types. Viewers in search of a typical Hollywood blockbuster will be greatly disappointed, but those who appreciate a good character-driven film which takes the time to develop the motivations of its cast and build to a climax will discover a splendid gem which offers a welcome escape from reality.

Memoirs Of A Geisha is narrated from the viewpoint of a nine year-old Japanese girl named Chiyo (Ziyi Zhang). Born into a poor fishing family, Chiyo and her sister are sold into slavery by their father. Chiyo is soon separated from her sister and finds herself in a geisha house where her new master, Mother (Kaori Momoi), will determine her destiny. Although only nine years of age, Chiyo sparks the ire of the much older Hatsumomo (Li Gong), the most celebrated geisha of the house, who accurately perceives Chiyo as a fitting rival.

Li Gong is excellent in her role as the vindictive, yet human, adversary, and her character manages to have Chiyo removed from geisha school and condemned to the life of a common slave. However, Chiyos life takes a turn for the better following a chance encounter with The Chairman (Ken Watanabe). Flanked by two geisha, The Chairman extends his kindness to Chiyo, prompting her to develop a lifelong crush and to dream of one day becoming a geisha herself. Chiyos wish comes true when a geisha from another house, Mameha (Michelle Yeoh), offers to personally train her, setting up an inevitable conflict between the two and Hatsumomo and her understudy. Meanwhile, the horrors of war and her lifelong pursuit of The Ch airmans love burden Chiyo with additional hardships.

Although some traditionalists and geisha experts might take issue with the portrayal of geishas in general, the film certainly offers an interesting glimpse into a world and culture most Americans will find intriguing. Despite its two hour and twenty-five minute running time, Memoirs Of A Geisha is a captivating film that seems much shorter in duration. Like most films adapted from a novel, those who enjoyed the book will either love it or hate it depending on how well they perceive the switch to the big screen. But even those who hate it must admit that the costume and set design are exquisite and leave little room for improvement.

At times, the cast speaks with heavy accents which can be confusing at moments, but overall, the scenes flow well from one to the next. With the exception of some American actors near the conclusion (Ted Levine of Monk fame plays a US Army Colonel), the majority of the cast is compo sed of Chinese and Japanese actors/actresses who are relatively unknown to American audiences although Ken Watanabe might be recognizable given recent roles in The Last Samurai (2003) and Batman Begins (2005). The utilization of this cast helps focus audience attention on the merits of the film itself and not on a cast of stars, and this helps, rather than hinders, the film. As such, Memoirs Of A Geisha is a film most fans of the genre will thoroughly enjoy.

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the Memoirs Of A Geisha (DVD).

Author:: Britt Gillette
Keywords:: memoirs of a geisha dvd review
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Too Many Sex and Violence Cases on Television News

We seem to be having way too many sex and violence court cases on Television and the media has tried to mile this for way too long. Even blowing out of proportion many cases around the nation and as it stands now there are simply; Too Many Sex and Violence Cases on Television News.

From the Duke Rape Case Trial to the Natalie Holloway case, it is a non-stop circus with lawyers as commentators and many news networks are indeed completely suffering. Fox News in fact has seen ratings go down and down and is losing its key time slot ratings and under the gun to bring the results back up? Are people simply burned out on all this? Perhaps they are, they have certainly lost me as a viewer.

How about you are you watching any of this garbage lately? Worse off have you also noticed that the segments on Television News are under 4 minutes now, apparently they think the American Public has the attention span of a Nat, like Ted Turner himself on CNN.

Well the news tel evision networks have for too long been trying to force more commercials into less time on air. Now these networks cut of every single guest so you never get any real news, just fighting back and forth? Looks more like the Apprentice Donald Trump show than anything else really. Consider all this in 2006.

Lance Winslow - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Author:: Lance Winslow
Keywords:: Sex and Violence Cases, Television News
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8 Mile (Movie Review)

Undoubtedly, the surprise film of 2002 was 8 Mile, the story about a young white rapper in Detroit who struggles with his broken family, gold-digging friends, and simply to find his identity in the nefarious world in which he lives. Starring the best-selling rap artist Eminem, 8 Mile is supposedly autobiographical in nature, portraying the true life rise of Marshall Mathers from the hardened streets of Detroit to the gold paved highways of superstardom. But the film begins and ends in the ghetto, cataloguing the time prior to the rapper's success. As a Movie, it performs its duties well - virtually transporting the viewer to the crime and poverty riddled neighborhoods of one of America's most dangerous cities

Local youth Jimmy B-Rabbit Smith, Jr. harbors dreams of hitting the big-time as a rapper (alo ng with most of his peers in Detroit), but few are supportive of his efforts, especially his mother Stephanie (Kim Basinger), a self-centered woman who neglects her five-year-old daughter, remains unemployed, and generally wastes her life away. Her verbal battles with Jimmy are the only substantive part of their relationship.

When Jimmy gets a job working on an assembly line at a sheet metal factory, he works long hours in the dead end job making just enough money to get by. Living in a trailer with his mother so that he can save up enough money for a demo tape leads to everyday confrontations with the woman. Things begin to look up, though, when Jimmy meets Alex (Brittany Murphy), an aspiring model who shares his dreams of leaving the ghetto and pursuing a better life. But everything goes awry when Jimmy chokes at a local late-night rap showdown.

The bad news continues when Jimmy catches Alex cheating on him, his mother kicks him out, and a gang of thugs gives h im a beating - placing a gun to his head and threatening to pull the trigger.

When the opportunity arises to perform once more in the local rap showdown, all of Jimmy's dreams hinge on his ability to pull out all the stops. Can he verbally destroy his opponent and gain the notoriety necessary to put him on the map?

A surprisingly well-written screenplay wrought with symbolism, 8 Mile vividly portrays the life of an angry urban youth who aches to express his hatred for the world around him. As the dividing line between the city Detroit and the outside world, 8 Mile represents was is and what can be. The film's ability to draw the audience into a world of which they may not be a part makes this a definite must-see film. For those conservative or older viewers who may be reluctant to the see the film because of its leading star Eminem, I highly recommend giving 8 Mile a chance. If you enjoy drama and peering into unique worlds, then you might be pleasantly surprised with this one

About the Author

Britt Gillette is author of The DVD Report, a blog where you can find more reviews like this one of the 8 Mile (DVD).

Author:: Britt Gillette
Keywords:: 8 mile Movie review
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