Blog #5

After reading sex, lies & videotape, watching the flick and re-reading the scene in Weston, I realized that this is an important scene, in which we learn much about the feelings and hidden agendas of the three protagonists.

The scene opens with a get-together of old friends, a reunion. Graham, fascinated by Ann, wants to find out more about her, get to know her, while John wants to find out why Graham has suddenly returned to town after all this time. The opening value seems positive, with old pals recalling days gone by. Friendship seems to be the main factor of the first couple of pages. But that quickly changes as the scene progresses.

Everything seems normal at first: friends remembering college life, Graham getting to know the wife, and so on. However John begins to feel uncomfortable when he finds out Graham had been "grilling" Ann earlier in the day. Possibly to get back at him, John brings up the subject of Elizabeth, an old flame of Graham. This quickly changes the mood of the scene from chatty and fun to somewhat somber, since this subject brings silence towards the table. Later in the scene Graham talks about how he wishes he "didn't have to live someplace," how he likes the simplicity of his life. John now feels uncomfortable about Graham. Graham mentions how needs his car more than an apartment, to which John replies, "especially if you want to leave in a hurry."This is the main turning point of the scene. John is calling Graham a coward. Later, when John asks Graham if he pays taxes, he mentions how only liars, the second lowest life form, don't pay taxes. The first? Lawyers. Graham has hit back. The sense of comraderie is gone. The men don't trust each other. The scene went from a positive reunion to a negative mistrust.

As for Weston and McKee... I do enjoy how Weston puts a huge focus on the characters, their history, thought process, subtext and so on. But I found it somewhat difficult to identify certain things, such as beats and turning points, by just using the ideas of the characters. I thought McKee used simpler methods to find key elements in the scene. Or maybe I just don't get Weston. I don't know.

-Juan Sanchez

Discussion Questions:

1) Do you believe we need EVERYTHING Weston talks about-imaginative backstory, personal connections, adjustments- in order to develop interesting characters and sequences?

2) sex, lies & videotape was nominated for Best Original Screenplay in 1989. Do you think this script warrants a nomination for Best Screenplay? Why?