Description
Book SynopsisBeing There and the Evolution of a Screenplay provides an insightful look at the drafting of one of Hollywood history's greatest scripts.
Being There (1979) is generally considered the final film in Hal Ashby's triumphant 1970s career, which included the likes of
Harold and Maude (1971) and
Shampoo (1975). The film also showcases Peter Sellers's last great performance. In 2005, the Writers Guild of America included
Being There on its list of 101 Best Scripts.
Being There and the Evolution of a Screenplay features three versions of the script: an early draft by Jerzy Kosinski, based on his 1970 novel; a second by long-time Ashby collaborator and Oscar-winner Robert C. Jones, which makes substantial changes to Kosinki's; and a final draft written by Jones with Ashby's assistance, which makes further structural and narrative changes. Additionally, the book features facsimile pages from one of Kosinski''s copy of the scripts that include handwritten
Trade ReviewIn this bold and ambitious work, Hunter demonstrates with great clarity the collaborative nature of the screenwriting process through an examination of one of the most celebrated screenplays of the 20th Century,
Being There. Meticulously dissecting its scenes, analyzing its dialogue and showing how and why they evolved through the contribution of key creative agents over the course of several years,
Being There and the Evolution of a Screenplay provides the reader with a rare opportunity to understand the creative process at the heart of Hollywood cinema. A must-read for screenwriting students! * Yannis Tzioumakis, co-editor of The Hollywood Renaissance (2018) *
Table of Contents1. Introduction 2. Screenplay Introduction
Being There draft by Jerzy Kosinski 3. Screenplay Introduction
Being There first draft by Robert C. Jones 4. Screenplay Introduction
Being There final draft by Robert C. Jones, with Hal Ashby 5. Appendix I: 'Walking on Water' Sequence Bibliography Index
