Blog Assignment #4

In regards to Adaptation, Charlie Kaufman wrote a script radically disparate from the other assigned screenplays. The distinct voice he breathes into the script is unmistakable. Kaufman takes a rather contemporary approach in adapting an impossible book, The Orchid Thief. One of the many intriguing elements of the screenplay is how the narrative is driven. Kaufman does not fret over describing the world in his work. Essentially, the characters’ actions develop the world in Adaptation. The intricate character relationships are bound by the even more complex story. Kaufman’s mannerism radiates with innovation while holding the tradition of story in sight.
Melissa Mathison’s A Boy’s Life expresses its narrative in a different light. Overall, the story is plot driven. Mathison shows interest in depicting scene settings. She is attentive to whether the world is being portrayed correctly. A mistake in description could create a very different emotion for a particular scene in A Boy’s Life. This theme orientation manifests a consideration for viewer comprehension. Mathison makes certain the audience knows what is occurring, thus knowing what to feel.
Another alteration in style comes from Billy Wilder’s and I.A.L. Diamond’s The Apartment. Contrastingly, the narrative is very character driven. Wilder and Diamond develop their characters with an uncanny sensibility. Each agent radiates with believability and his or her interactions with one another prove to be crucial to the plot. The authors’ styles reflect expertise on a social discipline.

Discussion Questions
1. What makes Kaufman’s use of voice over work so well?
2. How does the era each script was created in contribute to the distinctions between them?

Brendon Kingsbury