Anthony Donnelly
Hey Anthony, thanks for accepting my friend request. Please "like "my music page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shonna-Brown/228294610582533, thank you so much,and nice meeting you:)
It is a jungle out there, as they say. A great postscript, Rex. Thanks again for sharing.
PS - I'll keep a couple of pennies just for you, just in case you want to live life 2 cents more fully!
Ant
Ben,
I've read all of it now. I have to be honest, as I'm sure Hollywood is much more critical. It's definitely got 'something', but there's also a big something missing. Obviously this is just my personal observations after one read through, so please take it with the intent of perhaps offering some areas of polishing, not as 'criticism'.
You probably know there are quite a few typos to be mindful of. You can probably lose the 'CHiPs' joke on page 79... or work on it some more, it doesn't really fit.! In face, the whole Taoh and the nurse scenes just seems like filler. In places it has more of a "Lethal Weapon" feel to it than "Die Hard", and does get a bit slow after they leave the island.
You allusions to previous "Die Hard" movies is great. The action is good, but needs to have sharper pace. You have somehow lost the 'loner' element of John McClane, he is afterall saving his daughter, I think he'd totally snap to save her.
Movies are a great escape into the 'suspension of disbelief', but the whole Nazi gold thing seems very tenuous, and the Japanese chick, Muji, is totally unbelievable from my POV of reading this - I don't understand her motivation. If she was somehow related to the Japanese officer from the beginning, that might close the Quantum Gap a little. Also the Rasta gansters in real life wouldn't give a crap about just shooting somebody, it's very doubtful they would kidnap his daughter, they'd just shoot her - they seemed to have no problem shooting people washed up on the beach, right?
I feel like I'm throwing a wet blanket on this, but I'm not. You've obviously put an awful lot of work and effort into this, I just think in order for this to be Die Hard 4 (most likely Bruce's last ever of the franchise) it has to be so exceptional that it is a crowning moment in his acting career.
Hope the feedback is at least in some way useful to you. Thank you for sharing.
Ant
Thanks, Anthony. Appreciate your comments. I wrote that particular draft ten or so years ago when I was in the midst of gunning for the 4th installment of the franchise. It was an exciting time and there are also many other drafts floating about various hard drives. I based a lot of it on my own father's experiences as a police officer and intelligence operative. The first draft was penned when I was about 22 I think! I did eventually link the Muji character to one of the officers from the first scene and lessen Taoh's role. In fact, the script was also rumoured to be on its way to WB for consideration as a possible Lethal Weapon. After all, Die Hard with a Vengeance was an old Lethal Weapon script at some point, too. McClane is a loner. He's a cowboy, however my hands were tied a great deal of the time. I was in London. I had my first agent, who was also a lawyer, based in CA, who was also out of his depth when it came to discussing this huge series of films - and Willis! Everyone wants to add their two cents - and more. I was set many challenges and had to jump through many hoops. That said, this screenplay did gain me a lot of positive attention, namely the Cruise camp and M:I:3. After the guest blog on here, I was asked if I would upload one of the DH4 specs I did. There were hundreds of mails and messages, so I thought I would try and find a draft that DOES have flaws. Once again, thanks for reading and have a happy, successful new year!
I'm half an hour in and I'm liking it so far... an interesting situation for McClane to be in.
This isn't really a 'movie' or an 'actor' thing, but it's a new charity project close to my heart. I'm utilizing every angle, and trusting in the 'six degrees of separation' principle to help out. Some of you have already assisted, and I thank you heartily for your support!
So as not to clutter up the space here, please see my blog posting for more details: http://buyartbyant.wordpress.com/2011/12/25/what-i-want-for-christmas/
Any assistance in passing the word along is much appreciated.
Phew...! Finally. A blanket of relief has fallen over me, Rex. I have been so enthralled with your enigmatic story I almost forgot it was retrospective and must have a happy ending. Hopefully you have learned a big lesson, and I am very glad to hear about the self-publishing route you have taken. We all doubt our talents, but who is brave enough to gamble on what we feel in our hearts?
It should never be about the money, only the passion, the love, the desire, the talent... Only we know that.
On a different note, I don't know yet, if reading your postings has inspired me to continue my quest, or quit while I'm ahead, as I feel I am already as successful as I can be right now! What more do I need? It has been a pleasure meeting you and getting to know you through your posts, and I shall now enjoy reading the books and watching the movie even more for knowing the entire story!
All the very best, and a very Merry Christmas, and awaiting the movie of Vertigo, if not next year, the year after...!
Ant
All I can do, Anthony, is tell the truth. If it inspires people to be writers, then great (I guess). If it scares them off, then maybe I've save another human being from potentially being miserable for much of their life. I'm fond of saying: I didn't choose this life; it chose me. But thanks for your nice words.
Have to admit, I felt the same way not only the first time I read it, but the second time around when I was editing it. Just an awesome tale.
Rex,
The more your story unfolds, the more strength and encouragement I find to continue with my dreams. I think I speak for many Stage32ers in offering thanks to you for sharing what was obviously an extremely emotional and personal experience for you. We are often a very paranoid folk, us writers and creative types, and to hear the story and journey behind a success is priceless.
Thank you so very, very much.
Anthony
Thank you, Anthony, for taking the time to read the chronicle of my journey -- jeremiad? -- of seeing "Sideways" to the screen. I probably would have been happy if it had just been published as a novel, but it was really written for the screen. And to have Alexander Payne honor it with such a faithful adaptation, well, I could probably keel over tomorrow with the knowledge that my life wasn't a complete waste, that what I started out to do when I was 18 -- write, then make films -- a dream that my parents didn't really support (and both of whom didn't get to live to see my success), was worth all of the pain and suffering. But, what I'm discovering, in the course of publishing this 6-part series, much to my joy, is that the story that I unwittingly lived may have had an even greater significance: to wit: conveying to others that, in this town of degenerates and charlatans and pettifoggers, that sometimes dreams -- in their unsullied finest -- can, and do, come true. In the end, my greatest gift to others may not be "Sideways," but the, at times, bleak life that spawned it. -- Rex
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About Anthony
- Gender: Male
- Height: 5' 8"
- Weight: 135 lbs.
- Body type: Athletic
- Hair: Shoulder Length, Blonde
- Eyes: Blue
- Ethnicity: Caucasian
Anthony's Desert Island Movies
