Cinematical Seven: Screenplays you should read

by Erik Davis Dec 5th 2005 // 5:05PM

Filed under: Cinematical Seven

Citizen Kane

Let's face it: Not many people read screenplays. Besides the folks that write them, the folks that are paid to read them and the folks that buy them, the chances of finding some average Joe on a bus skimming through the Casablanca script are slim to none. But that doesn't mean they're not worth your time.

Contrary to what you're brainwashed to believe, it all begins on the page. Everything you see on the screen was originally created inside some deranged writer's head. While you spend about two hours with these characters, the writer will live with them for months, sometimes years. And just as the writer is climbing out their imaginary world, battered and beaten, ready to show the public their masterpiece - Hollywood comes along and screws it all up.

While the screenplays below aren't the seven greatest of all time, they all share a unique and interesting voice. If you're a writer, a reader or just need to kill a few hours, I strongly suggest checking these out. By clicking on the title of each film, you'll be magically transported to the online version of each script. Enjoy!

  1. Citizen Kane - Okay, so it's not the greatest film ever made and Orson Welles is definitely no Rob Schneider, but you have to give a little credit to the story. Written by Welles and Herman Mankiewicz, the screenplay for Citizen Kane is on just about every "best of" list there is. And it belongs there. Sure, there's little action, violence or teenage sex, but this script yanks you in and never lets go. Personally, I love the opening pages and the way in which they take us across Kane's dark and mysterious mansion, Xanadu. Go read it!
  2. Chinatown - Probably considered the closest to a perfect script one can get, Chinatown has it all. Written by Robert Towne and directed by Roman Polanski, the script has some excellent character development, dialogue and descriptions. Each scene, with its own beginning, middle and end, does wonders for keeping our expectations high and our minds focused on what's in front of us. It's great if you enjoy film noir, and if not, then it's great just telling someone you enjoy film noir. They'll think you're cultured. That's a good thing.
  3. Groundhog Day - One of the more underrated screenplays, Danny Rubin's Groundhog Day is a great example of successful comedy writing. In order to learn how to be a better person, a cynical weatherman is forced to re-live the same day over and over again until, eventually, he gets it right. With its clever high-concept, the script packs in a ton of heart. After reading it, there's no way you'll be able to picture anyone other than Bill Murray playing Phil Connors.
  4. Lethal Weapon - With his script Lethal Weapon, Shane black not only helped define the Buddy Cop genre, but he also perfected what I like to call, the "conversational screenplay." He doesn't just describe what's going in each scene, he makes us feel as if we're just sitting at a bar, throwing a few down, and it just so happens there's this wild ride taking place beneath us. In 1990, Black sold The Last Boyscout for $1.5 million which, at the time, was unprecedented. Though the original Lethal Weapon spawned three sequels, Black bailed on the second one after the studio wouldn't let him kill off Mel Gibson's character. Seeing as the first one grossed over $100 million, I don't blame them.
  5. The Cider House Rules - The great thing about this script is watching how John Irving  successfully adapts his own novel - and does it well. He understood film and managed to kill off some of his favorite scenes in order for it to visually entertain the audience, while finding the right balance between character and action. Warm, sweet and unpredictable, Tobey Maguire and Michael Caine shined in their roles.
  6. Adaptation - One of the first celebrity screenwriters, Charlie Kaufman is the only writer with who I've seen a movie marketed around. Although his quirky imagination is not for everyone, his scripts are really worth a peak. In Adaptation, Kaufman, while trying to adapt the novel, The Orchid Thief, gets stuck and decides to write himself into his own screenplay. What's fascinating about this screenplay is watching the quirky way in which Kaufman goes about adapting the novel in real life and in the film. It's also funny how he succeeds by breaking almost every screenwriting rule there is.
  7. Memento - Based off a short story written by his brother (Jonathan Nolan), Christopher Nolan presents us with a script that's unique and unforgettable. This is ironic seeing as the main character suffers from short-term memory and, thus, would forget the film right after seeing it. Using notes, tattoos and Polaroid pictures, Memento tells the story of one man's quest to hunt down his wife's killer. The way in which Nolan screws around with time and memory is just brilliant. Definitely worth the read.
 Okay, it's time for you to add your opinion. What other screenplays belong on this list?

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