Dr. DVD

I've spent this weekend watching some classic movies courtesy of my collection and TCM.

I've had the pleasures of viewing and re-viewing the movies:
-All About Eve
-Casablanca
-Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Elizabeth Taylor)
-Adam's Rib

It seems that so many movies back in the day had very clever scripts, even the lesser movies. I look at today's movies and the quality just isn't there anymore. It seems the older scripts had a sharp intelligence, wit, and cynicism all at the same time. What makes it even more fascinating is the fact that they wrote all of them without sex scenes, vulgar language, or jokes concentrating on bodily functions. I feel that if I want to see movies like these nowadays I have to look to to the indie scene, and even they lack when compared to these old studio efforts.

PopcornTreeCt

I don't think you have to check the indie scene, you have to check out your local stage theatre. I pointed this out to my brother the other night we were watching 'His Girl Friday', most classic movies are only dialogue. They may throw in an occasional fist fight or a character may fire a gun but there really wasn't anything in classic movies that couldn't be put to the stage. I'm not knocking classic movies. I love old movies. I think dialogue and story are the 2 most important elements to any movie. But movies have seemed to evolve as have audiences as well. People want to see more than just characters talk to each other.

Butch Coolidge

Well to be frank when I watch a classic of the 50's the first thing that comes to my mind is where all these babes gone ?

I mean when you look at the actresses of the 50's they all had class. Today's actresses are far less attractive and have far less glamour.

To come back to the point. You find good scripts in all decades of movie making. But it is true that if you compare classics to today blockbusters....
My guess is that the 00's will be remembered as one of the most creative decade of movie making. And the good news is that we have only seen 40% of it.

Groucho

TCM only shows the cream of the crop. The well-remembered classics. There were PLENTY of craptastic films with terrible screenplays from those decades as well...we just never see them any more.

sundog

Sure we do . . . on AMC.

Groucho

I was drinking soda when I read that! You, sir, owe me a monitor and keyboard!

Pants

Some modern films with good scripts:

Joe vs. The Volcano
Pulp Fiction
Catch Me If You Can
A Bug's Life
LA Story

Geofferson

Well-written movies are not what make money these days. Unfortunately, as long as there is a so-so script that attracts a bankable star that can have a hit pop song, that's all that matters.

There was a fantastic article in EW a few weeks back talking about Shane Black ('has-been' screenwriter) who basically was a hermit the past 8 years. Not that he's a classic scribe or anything, but the article pointed out that there was a brief time in cinema's history (late 80s-mid 90s) where the emphasis was placed on screenwriting and that's where the big $ was.

Another factor to consider when attempting to answer this question is the exhaustion of storylines (hence all the sequel's and remakes as of late).

Groucho

I wouldn't use that script as toilet paper.

Pants

Have you actually seen it?

I find that most people who talk shit on the film simply haven't seen it.

Nevertheless I'm far from alone in loving it: http://www.dvdtalk.com/dvdsavant/s457joe.html

Groucho

I saw the film opening night.

Easily one of the worst movies I've ever paid to see in the theater.

Pants

Sorry to highjack:

Groucho you make a spectacular specimen so let me ask some questions. I just saw this for the first time last month and loved it. Although I have my own theory, I don't completely understand why audiences reacted so strongly against this film.

What specificly didn't you like about it?

Groucho

To be honest, it's been so long since I saw it that I'd be hard pressed to come up with any coherent criticism...so take my comments with a grain of salt.

IIRC, my main complaint was that it wanted to be a black comedy, but it didn't follow through...playing it way too safe. Plus, none of the jokes worked for me. I didn't laugh or smile once. Outside of the screenplay, I found it disjointed, poorly paced, and the acting wasn't good either.

taa455

I think Joe vs. The Volcano is a wonderful movie. Great script, fantasic acting from Hanks and Meg Ryan (who plays 3 completely different characters). Lloyd Bridges brief role was hilarious. Dan Hedaya was brilliant as Hanks' boss. Ossie Davis as the limousine driver was perfect. The movie is full of symbolism. It constantly challenges you to look beneath the surface and explore some deeper themes. The only complaint I have is the orange soda obsession of the Waponis. That was just over the top stupid, IMHO.

wendersfan

Special effects have taken the place of quality scripting in most contemporary films. The Star Wars films are a perfect example of this phenomenon.

That said, there are some quality scripts being written these days. Mystic River was a beautiful piece of work, to cite one recent film.