Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Couple of inspirations I've been turning over in my mind



I've put a lot of thought into how I want this baby to look. Kubrik's Dark Christmas in Eyes Wide Shut has been a huge inspiration as far as mental images I have of the fantasy scenes.














Christmas films share a unique potency - a specific feeling that is only replicated by driving by nativity sets or hearing Silver Bells on the radio. However, more than cheesy moments, there's an intimacy and seductive aspect of the holiday that wraps up most of the known world. It drives people to do things they wouldn't usually do, and want things that would usually only be a passing fantasy.




Kubrik's Gothic take on the holidays is perfect for what I'm going after. Rich, decadent colors that match the overindulgence of the story and the people who will be carrying it.




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Now, speaking of indulging - As many of you have heard (over, and over) I have been heavily inspired by a French film released in America as Love me if you Dare.




This story revolves around two very selfish people who love each other, but are trapped in a cycle of vicious attacks on one another to maintain their own upper hand in a game that they've played since childhood.


It's wildly romantic and horribly dysfunctional at the same time, and it has much the tone that I'm going for with Gemma's character.


Poor Tarek (her childhood friend) has never been up to her games, but she's at the end of her rope, and her determination will (hopefully) be what makes us fall for her.




Another thing about Jeux d'enfants that I love is the moments of obvious absurdity and surrealism as an insight more to the character than to the actual physical story. It's something I would love to experiment with, and am, superficially, with the fantasy sequences in the script, but I'd love to have something a bit more fun, like Amelie melting in the Two Windmills or one of the daughter's fantasies from Antonia's Line.


As far as the stuff in the cafe goes, I was thinking rosy and gold to make it look very warm and welcoming in opposition to the assumably cold weather. Of course, Gemma would want none of this, but I think it would have the right feel.
Music will also be important - I can't get the idea out of my head of Gemma and Tarek dissappearing into a hotel room under a high guitar riff of a provocatively sped up "O Holy Nite"

Anyway, to wrap things up, I've been coming up with taglines in hopes of teaching myself to slim down my descriptions.
This is the best one I've got :
Christmas shopping - you see something you like, but the best you can ever do is get it for someone else

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

"wildly romantic and horribly dysfunctional at the same time". Sounds like my kinda movie. You definitely need to force me to sit through Love Me If You Dare, that is if I can ever get past the I'll Sleep When I'm Dead trailer (Clive Owen, on my).

I did get the wildy romantic yet horribly dysfunctional feel out of your script for Regift (it's official). But it's not too dysfunctional. It's very lighthearted and fun and all that jazz.

Rich G said...

S,

I love that your idea is developing as you think about it more. The rip-o-matic images you've posted here have really helped me understand this better. I hope the week delay does allow you to make a better pitch. Keep in mind one thing most people are not doing - explain the plot, conflict and resolution in a clear way. We should really see the film when you're done talking. That will help make our comments most useful.

Rich