What bad screenwriting element(s) ticks you the most?

[Gatefan1976]

Good point. I'm pretty sure the issue with Colossus is partly the movie is based on the first book of a series and that the sequel (where Colossus is beaten) never was made.

Partly??

 

[Overmind One]

Good point. I'm pretty sure the issue with Colossus is partly the movie is based on the first book of a series and that the sequel (where Colossus is beaten) never was made.

I have been wanting them to do The Fall of Colossus as a movie, but it cant happen without remaking Colossus too. And I did not read Colossus and the Crab. But it was the movie that got under my skin. The book and the movie were almost identical in the storytelling. Not much deviation at all. The second book came out 10 years later and I was disappointed because of the introduction of the Sect (I read it). And the third novel allegedly brings in Martians and aliens (I have not read it).

But that movie (Colossus) was probably the first in the "machines become sentient and turn on Humanity" movies in the genre. Preceding Terminator by two decades.

 

[Overmind One]

Partly??

Yeah, that was the reason. But why they never followed it up still sorta escapes me. Why haven't they remade When Worlds Collide or Fantastic Journey??? Those could easily be made today with little or no aging of the concepts. Colossus is ripe for a remake...but they would have to dump the Martians ()

 

[Overmind One]

Magical star child girls (why always girls?). They are usually the result of a melding of the protagonist and the antagonist, and always fight for good and justice. We have seen this familiar trope used in so many movies, starting mostly with Poltergeist on the big screen.

 

[Gate_Boarder]

Yeah, if you are writing a script I would pass on that special 'star' baby. I haven't seen this years Falling Sky, but let me guess a certain child has probably grown 5 feet in a matter of months.

Collosus, as in Collosus: The Forbin Project with Eric Breaden? As for 'Fantastic Journey' I think there is a re-boot out there with a comedy bent. I am sure there could be be another 'When Worlds Collide' out there in the cruel world.

 

[Overmind One]

Yeah, if you are writing a script I would pass on that special 'star' baby. I haven't seen this years Falling Sky, but let me guess a certain child has probably grown 5 feet in a matter of months.

Collosus, as in Collosus: The Forbin Project with Eric Breaden? As for 'Fantastic Journey' I think there is a re-boot out there with a comedy bent. I am sure there could be be another 'When Worlds Collide' out there in the cruel world.

Yep, that one.

Fantastic Journey is such an awesome movie. It could easily be done today with all the new stuff we know about the body and chemical processes. Im not sure if they could pull off the miniaturization thing, but why not? The original came of very VERY well. They could easily remake it today with little change. However, they to would have to consult with and work closely with scientific concerns in medicine, like perhaps Loma Linda and Cedars and maybe even the CDC. The original was heavily science based, and credit was given to those institutions that helped. That seems to be what is missing from science fiction today...the science.

 

[Rac80]

okay how did falling asleep (AKA falling skies) end? I noticed Noah Wylie is on the librarians tv series. (OMG i understand it's terrible )

 

[Bluce Ree]

I hate when writers write main characters as sharp shooters who can hit inanimate objects and zombies dead-on target from a distance with a single shot from a handgun but can't seem to hit a static live human with a barrage of bullets standing two feet from them.

 

[Overmind One]

okay how did falling asleep (AKA falling skies) end? I noticed Noah Wylie is on the librarians tv series. (OMG i understand it's terrible )

Did it come back and end finally? Ill catch up.

 

[shavedape]

okay how did falling asleep (AKA falling skies) end? I noticed Noah Wylie is on the librarians tv series. (OMG i understand it's terrible )

No idea how the last season of Failing Skies ended as I gave up on the show for good when they introduced the "fast-growing magic alien star child". I started watching The Strain instead and don't regret it for a moment.

And yes, The Librarians is atrociously bad. It's not even enjoyable bad -- it's just bad bad. Rebecca Romain (Romine? What evs) is laughable as a super tough and well trained security agent. Her fight scenes are cringe worthy. And John Larroquette's talent is wasted in this show. The whole thing is quite sad. Even the eye candy of Christian Kane isn't enough to get me to continue to tune in, that's how bad this show is.

 

[Gate_Boarder]

Yep, that one.

Fantastic Journey is such an awesome movie. It could easily be done today with all the new stuff we know about the body and chemical processes ... However, they to would have to consult with and work closely with scientific concerns in medicine, like perhaps Loma Linda and Cedars and maybe even the CDC. The original was heavily science based, and credit was given to those institutions that helped. That seems to be what is missing from science fiction today...the science.

I think there is a "When Worlds Collide" in post production. There was an old British movie where the Earth was being sucked closer into the Sun's orbit. With the worry about ecological disaster on some people's minds, that could be an interesting movie for a reboot.

Leo McKern in The Day the Earth Caught Fire (1961), is a science-fiction/disaster movie/newpaper movie hybrid with Edward Judd, and Janet Munro.

If someone here likes Stephen Boyd he is famous for another monster movie called 'Gorgo'. In these movies you definitely get very different writing and acting styles.

 

[Overmind One]

I think there is a "When Worlds Collide" in post production. There was an old British movie where the Earth was being sucked closer into the Sun's orbit. With the worry about ecological disaster on some people's minds, that could be an interesting movie for a reboot.

Name coming if I find it.

There is:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0455856/

I heard about this a couple of years ago, but the lack of big buzz on it means a lower budget than A-List.

 

[Illiterati]

Last I heard, "Falling Ratings" got another season. Meh.

Well, at least more groundskeepers will keep their jobs.

 

[Annoyed]

I think I'll go with scenarios where a character is injured in some way (gun, knife, fall, whatever), and shortly thereafter, the character is shown moving about as if the injury never happened.. Whereas in real life, when a body is injured, that part of it stops working for a while as it heals or in many cases, the injury is permanent, and that part never works again.

 

[shavedape]

I think I'll go with scenarios where a character is injured in some way (gun, knife, fall, whatever), and shortly thereafter, the character is shown moving about as if the injury never happened.. Whereas in real life, when a body is injured, that part of it stops working for a while as it heals or in many cases, the injury is permanent, and that part never works again.

This is definitely a pet peeve of mine. I understand the need to accelerate wound healing within the constraints of a televised fictional story, but I draw the line when it's egregious. Quite frankly it happens way too much these days.

 

[Overmind One]

I think I'll go with scenarios where a character is injured in some way (gun, knife, fall, whatever), and shortly thereafter, the character is shown moving about as if the injury never happened.. Whereas in real life, when a body is injured, that part of it stops working for a while as it heals or in many cases, the injury is permanent, and that part never works again.

So true! Add to that, the energy level is still the same after intense fighting as well as those injuries, enough to where there is no out of breath dialogue much. They even have time to snark at each other after it's done. To his credit, Quentin Tarantino uses it as a cliche and does not really try to be that serious.

 

[Bluce Ree]

So true! Add to that, the energy level is still the same after intense fighting

Granted, movies and tv tend to exaggerate this but I've been in fights where my adrenaline levels were so high I did not run out of steam until the other guy(s) was down, after which I was so drained I could barely move or catch my breath, like I had stressed myself beyond my physical limits. It happened just last summer while I was in Montreal. Long story, don't ask.

 

[shavedape]

Granted, movies and tv tend to exaggerate this but I've been in fights where my adrenaline levels were so high I did not run out of steam until the other guy(s) was down, after which I was so drained I could barely move or catch my breath, like I had stressed myself beyond my physical limits. It happened just last summer while I was in Montreal. Long story, don't ask.

 

[Jim of WVa]

This is definitely a pet peeve of mine. I understand the need to accelerate wound healing within the constraints of a televised fictional story, but I draw the line when it's egregious. Quite frankly it happens way too much these days.

Fantasy movies, television, and literature make this mistake, which is a confusion of real life with Dungeons and Dragons. What prevents injured soldiers from fighting is not Hit Points but low blood pressure.

 

[Annoyed]

Or muscles / tendons sliced through.. Cut these and that part of the body isn't able to move anymore. Seems to be a minor annoyance at worst to celluloid heroes, though.