tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post115560662442122205..comments2023-11-05T07:45:02.082-05:00Comments on Mystery Man on Film: Subtext - ChinatownMystery Manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17486331815227364944noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1156105385764684142006-08-20T16:23:00.000-04:002006-08-20T16:23:00.000-04:00Nothing wrong at all, Nena, to feel that way.Nothing wrong at all, Nena, to feel that way.Mystery Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17486331815227364944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1156003678389348982006-08-19T12:07:00.000-04:002006-08-19T12:07:00.000-04:00There is a surprising amount of rumour, suppositio...There is a surprising amount of rumour, supposition and gossip surrounding this story on the web. It even sounds like the original story was significantly altered by Roman Polanski. I haven't read Towne's original story... but now think I will!crosswordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10495338772991002583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155945951739799312006-08-18T20:05:00.000-04:002006-08-18T20:05:00.000-04:00I have to add that a day after our own Chinatown s...I have to add that a day after our own <I>Chinatown</I> subtext article, another great article surfaced by Jeremiah Kipp over at The House Next Door called:<BR/><BR/>Evil under the sun: John Huston in Chinatown<BR/><BR/>(found here: http://mattzollerseitz.blogspot.com/2006/08/evil-under-sun-john-huston-in.html)<BR/><BR/>In it, Jeremiah wrote: "Cross' lust for power is conjoined with his more carnal lusts for Evelyn, and the land crimes are paralleled by crimes of a more intimate nature behind closed doors; the old man's sunny, "respectable" public image and depraved private life tease the viewer's worst case visions of just how low Hollywood power players will sink to satisfy their fantasies, and how far they'll go to acquire still more wealth. Huston's choices as an actor mirror Polanki and Towne's theme: evil doesn't lurk in the shadows, it walks in daylight. Cross is so arrogant in his crimes, public and private, that he refuses to even acknowledge they are crimes. The land deal is merely his way of commandeering a road into the future, and as for Evelyn and the psychological burdens she has to bear for having Noah Cross as her father, and as more, he can only say, 'I don’t blame myself.'"Mystery Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17486331815227364944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155940972003849602006-08-18T18:42:00.000-04:002006-08-18T18:42:00.000-04:00Yes, Anon, so many wonderful things can be learned...Yes, Anon, so many wonderful things can be learned from McKee...<BR/><BR/>Nena, the third draft can be found here: http://www.weeklyscript.com/Chinatown.txt<BR/><BR/>This is how the scene reads:<BR/><BR/>Kyo comes running down the stairs.<BR/><BR/>EVELYN<BR/>(continuing;<BR/>in Chinese)<BR/>For God's sake, Kyo, keep her<BR/>upstairs, go back!<BR/><BR/>Kyo turns after staring at Gittes for a moment then<BR/>goes back upstairs.<BR/><BR/>EVELYN<BR/>(continuing)<BR/>-- my father and I, understand,<BR/>or is it too tough for you?<BR/><BR/>Gittes doesn't answer.<BR/><BR/>EVELYN<BR/>(continuing)<BR/>... he had a breakdown... the<BR/>dam broke... my mother died...<BR/>he became a little boy... I was<BR/>fifteen... he'd ask me what to<BR/>eat for breakfast, what clothes<BR/>to wear!... It happened... then<BR/>I ran away...<BR/><BR/>GITTES<BR/>to Mexico...<BR/><BR/>She nods.<BR/><BR/>EVELYN<BR/>Hollis came and took... care<BR/>of me... after she was born...<BR/>he said... he took care of her...<BR/>I couldn't see her... I wanted to<BR/>but I couldn't... I just want to<BR/>see her once in a while... take care<BR/>of her... that's all... but I don't <BR/>want her to know... I don't want <BR/>her to know...<BR/><BR/>GITTES.<BR/>... so that's why you hate him...<BR/><BR/>Evelyn looks slowly up at Gittes.<BR/><BR/>EVELYN<BR/>-- no... for turning his back on<BR/>me after it happened! He couldn't<BR/>face it...<BR/> (weeping)<BR/>I hate him.<BR/><BR/>Gittes suddenly feels the need to loosen his tie.<BR/><BR/>GITTES<BR/>-- yeah... where are you taking her<BR/>now?<BR/><BR/>EVELYN<BR/>Back to Mexico.Mystery Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17486331815227364944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155926563985921562006-08-18T14:42:00.000-04:002006-08-18T14:42:00.000-04:00MMI read that anecdote somewhere as well -- from "...MM<BR/><BR/>I read that anecdote somewhere as well -- from "Story" maybe?<BR/><BR/>Anyway, it just goes to show the value of writing, re-writing, and re-rewriting until you've got the thing sharpened to a fine point.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155861189397054382006-08-17T20:33:00.000-04:002006-08-17T20:33:00.000-04:00Ya know, that scene originally had Evelyn giving t...Ya know, that scene originally had Evelyn giving this long-windded piece of exposition about how her mother had died when she was fifteen and how her father's grief was such that he had a breakdown and became a little boy and he was unable to feed or dress himself, etc, which led to the incest. <BR/><BR/>In a rewrite, Towne replaced all that exposition with Gittes asking, "He raped you?" and she replied, "No." Just brilliant, isn't it? I mean, her denial spoke of just how cruel and how much influence Cross still had over Evelyn and it also really tested Gittes' love for her. <BR/><BR/>I love that moment.Mystery Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17486331815227364944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155859370452701762006-08-17T20:02:00.000-04:002006-08-17T20:02:00.000-04:00re: the best scene in Chinatown is the slapping ar...re: the best scene in Chinatown is the slapping around scene. "My sister" SLAP "My daughter" SLAP "My sister and my daughter."<BR/><BR/>LOL :)<BR/><BR/>I remember "Mad Magazine" having some fun with that scene when that issue came out in 1974 :)crosswordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10495338772991002583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155844300665837692006-08-17T15:51:00.000-04:002006-08-17T15:51:00.000-04:00Nena, 'the delicate skin' is no longer on TriggerS...Nena, 'the delicate skin' is no longer on TriggerStreet and I don't have the creds to re-upload. But it's still on my site at <A HREF="http://www.sixsquare.com/screenplays/Delicate_Skin.htm" REL="nofollow">this place</A>. Click on the 'full version' link and use:<BR/><BR/>Username: nick<BR/>Password: nora<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the plug!feverbluehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06920360782916325627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155842280250470202006-08-17T15:18:00.000-04:002006-08-17T15:18:00.000-04:00Oooh. I wonder what Angelica Houston would have t...Oooh. I wonder what Angelica Houston would have to say about that? And let's not forget that Roman Polanski was accidentally involved (as a victim) in one of the greatest crimes in Hollywood: the Tate/LaBianca murders.<BR/><BR/>This adds even more layers, although I don't know if they're sub-textual.<BR/><BR/>Of course the best scene in China town is the slapping around scene. "My sister" SLAP "My daughter" SLAP "My sister and my daughter."Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155815535603613892006-08-17T07:52:00.000-04:002006-08-17T07:52:00.000-04:00Another excellent choice. I vividly remember being...Another excellent choice. I vividly remember being mesmerized by this film when it came out.<BR/><BR/>A real dichotomy, this one. A simple story, but complex undertones. <BR/><BR/>btw: I spoke to a screenwriter last year (a former neighbor of Towne's) and I recall hearing from him that it took Robert Towne something like 14 yrs of shopping this around before it got sold. If true, this really speaks to writers needing to be persistent and believe in themselves!crosswordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10495338772991002583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155778398673800772006-08-16T21:33:00.000-04:002006-08-16T21:33:00.000-04:00Miriam, Nena's script is killer. No pun intended....Miriam, Nena's script is killer. No pun intended.<BR/><BR/>Dixon - Hmm. I'd say punchline. And I'm sure you would too, because... we're too innocent to think of any dirty subtextual connotations.<BR/><BR/>Mickey - Very!Mystery Manhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17486331815227364944noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155710121360603582006-08-16T02:35:00.000-04:002006-08-16T02:35:00.000-04:00Great choice! Chinatown is one of those films you...Great choice! Chinatown is one of those films you can watch over and over again and still not see it all. Very layered. Very deep. Very...subtextual??Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155696938123107512006-08-15T22:55:00.000-04:002006-08-15T22:55:00.000-04:00good stuff...now this one:"Hey, whats the matter w...good stuff...now this one:<BR/><BR/>"Hey, whats the matter with ya. You're screwin' just like a Chinaman!" <BR/><BR/>Subtext or a punchline...or both?wcdixonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06511429457006302795noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30413383.post-1155668881712075122006-08-15T15:08:00.000-04:002006-08-15T15:08:00.000-04:00Good choice! I love Chinatown. It's a great clas...Good choice! I love Chinatown. It's a great classic movie and has so much depth.<BR/><BR/>Nena, I look forward to reading your script on TS. If MM likes it, I know it's good.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com