Writer’s Strike: Movies About or Featuring Writers As Characters
Posted on November 6, 2007
Filed Under General Movie Lists | 3 Comments
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On Monday, the people who write our favorite comedies, dramas, movies and late night shows went on strike. If this strike lasts for any significant period of time, we will eventually be watching re-runs. In fact, it’s already affecting late-night television. The strike could also shorten the final season of one of my favorite shows - Scrubs. Here’s hoping it ends soon.
With the current state of affairs in Hollywood, what would be more relevant than a list of movies about writers and/or that feature writers as characters? Here are ten eleven such movies (in no particular order) with a (very) short synopsis of each:
The Shining (1980)
Writer goes crazy.
Capote (2005)
Writer is obsessed.
Permanent Midnight (1998)
Writer likes drugs - a lot.
Stranger Than Fiction (2006)
Writer can’t figure out how to end her novel.
Misery (1990)
Writer is saved and then kidnapped by an obsessed fan.
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Writer takes a trip with his lawyer.
Stand By Me (1986)
Writer remembers that crazy summer when he and his friends found a dead body.
Almost Famous (2000)
Wannabe writer goes on tour.
Interview with the Vampire (1994)
Writer interviews a vampire.
As Good As It Gets (1997)
Writer with obsessive compulsive disorder falls in love.
The Player (1992)
Writer threatens a producer.
Tags: almost famous, as good as it gets, ben stiller, brad pitt, cameron crowe, capote, cuba gooding, emma thompson, fear and loathing in las vegas, helen hunt, hunter s. thompson, interview with a vampire, jack nicholson, james caan, jerry stahl, johnny depp, jr., kirstin dunst, misery, permanent midnight, philip seymour hoffman, rob reiner, robert altman, scrubs, stand by me, stanley kubrick, stephen king, stranger than fiction, the player, the shining, tim robbins, tom cruise, will farrell, writer039s strike
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Here It Is . . .
Posted on October 2, 2007
Filed Under General | Leave a Comment
As you know, last Tuesday I wrote about a particular movie that I can’t believe I have never seen. There are other such films, but this one stands out among the rest because everyone I know who has seen it loves it and is shocked that I haven’t seen it.
In that same post, I asked you to guess the name of this flick and even gave you a hint: The “novella” on which the movie is based was written by an author who is best known for stories of a different genre - tales of the macabre.
Well, the response was really quite . . . underwhelming. That’s ok. I know the prize wasn’t very exciting.
I promised the answer today (or earlier if someone guessed correctly), so the moment has arrived.
I have never seen it. I want to see it. Therefore, I don’t know why I have never seen it. In all honesty, when it was released it just didn’t look like my cup of tea. However, I have no good excuse now other than possibly lack of time and a lot of other, more recent movies on my “to see” list. I am going to make this movie a priority and will see it soon. I will let you know when I do.
Oh, and the hint? Well, the movie is based on the novella, “Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption,” which was written by none other than Stephen King. This novella is contained in Different Seasons. Different Seasons also contains the novellas “Apt Pupil,” which was made into a movie of the same name, and “The Body,” on which the movie Stand By Me was based (excellent flick by the way). Stephen King, of course, is better known for horror, such as the novels Carrie
, Cujo
and The Shining
.
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So there you have it. Please feel free to share the one movie that has escaped you. Also, don’t forget to check back tomorrow for No. 95 on my list of Top 100 Movies.
Tags: apt pupil, carrie, cujo, different seasons, rita hayworth and the shawshank redemption, stand by me, stephen king, the body, the shawshank redemption, the shining

