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Post by the panopticountolaf on Oct 1, 2022 9:16:05 GMT -5
I think the part of the movie that I would change would really be the final scene of the wonderful wedding. Nothing made sense to me there… Burning the document would not annul the marriage. People don't seem to have seen that Olaf put Sunny in a cage and threatened her life, so there's no reason to arrest Olaf... (maybe I'm wrong but that's how I remember it). This, this, this. I had a really hard time figuring out how I wanted it to work, so I tried to use the "Violet and Klaus have to do things out of their wheelhouses" gimmick from TMM. I'm... pretty happy with it? I couldn't figure out how to get the ocular magnifying glass to fit in, and I wanted it to be there (therefore the Baudelaire file with the "premediated act of violence" line) but I just couldn't work out how to have it there without it serving as a deus ex machina like it does in the movie. Oh well. How would you change the finale, Jean? I am really curious — you're great at plotting, and I'd like to see how you solve this conundrum.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Oct 3, 2022 2:01:54 GMT -5
I think the part of the movie that I would change would really be the final scene of the wonderful wedding. Nothing made sense to me there… Burning the document would not annul the marriage. People don't seem to have seen that Olaf put Sunny in a cage and threatened her life, so there's no reason to arrest Olaf... (maybe I'm wrong but that's how I remember it). This, this, this. I had a really hard time figuring out how I wanted it to work, so I tried to use the "Violet and Klaus have to do things out of their wheelhouses" gimmick from TMM. I'm... pretty happy with it? I couldn't figure out how to get the ocular magnifying glass to fit in, and I wanted it to be there (therefore the Baudelaire file with the "premediated act of violence" line) but I just couldn't work out how to have it there without it serving as a deus ex machina like it does in the movie. Oh well. How would you change the finale, Jean? I am really curious — you're great at plotting, and I'd like to see how you solve this conundrum. I am flattered by the compliment, and as I once said, few things motivate me to put my creativity to work more than a compliment or the expectation of a compliment. So, I've been thinking about it. I believe there is a good way out for the incendiary lens to be used without there being a Deus Ex-Machina, but for that to work well, it would have to add an element that was left out of the film: Klaus' reading glasses. (I hope I have captured your attention with this remark that seems to be pointless, and in this way it should be used, as a kind of Foreshadowing. I believe that deuses ex machinas are countered by good advance narrative preparation.)
in Lemony Snicket's presentation of Klaus, I would leave the scene where Klaus is reading with his reading glasses on, and add a note from the narrator: "Klaus is always reading something, so he always has his glasses with him to reading." The glasses would need to be shown subtly at times, of course.
During the act of the wedding, Klaus would need to get to the tower a little earlier. He would see the lens used by Count Olaf to burn down his parents' house. So he would have a scene where he's desperate and doesn't know what to do.
We would have a scene depicting his despair with several books being thrown on the floor, as if he couldn't find a way out of any of the books he'd read. We would then have a narration by Lemony Snicket in which he claims that there are some times in life when the answers are not in the books simply because the situation we find ourselves in is so strange and unusual that no author has written about it.
"That's when inventors have to come up with something totally new. But Klaus wasn't an inventor... At least he didn't think so." (And yes, this is a theme stolen from TMM that I would have used earlier.)
Then from the middle of the books thrown on the floor, two books would stand out with the titles "Refraction of light" and "Basic electronics". Klaus takes his reading glasses and removes the lenses and he picks up some objects that were conveniently in the tower room. The scene is cut before we see what he is doing, thus piques the curiosity of those watching.
As the play unfolds, Violet is getting desperate. She's looking at things around her trying to come up with an invention, but she can't come up with anything. A scene is shown with her imagination trying to create something with the set pieces, but she remembers the threat to Sunny's life. She looks at the portable communication device in Count Olaf's pocket and knows that if she does anything dangerous, Sunny will die. Then for some reason she looks towards the tower, (it's impossible for moviegoers to see Klaus or his invention, because it's just too brilliant and bliding.)
Violet however, doesn't seem relieved anymore. She still shows in her facial expressions not knowing what to do. She tries to sign with her left hand, but Count Olaf forces her to sign with her right hand. And so she tries to communicate her desperation with her gaze at Justice Strauss, but JS doesn't understand. Finally Violet signs the document. She is married.
Olaf then ends the play early. The crowd looks surprised. He's smart and doesn't reveal his plan. Not yet. He just laughs and tells everyone that he is very pleased with the result of the play. There's no reason for him to reveal his plan to everyone at that moment after all. But then Violet yells, "Stop the wedding!" And everyone in the audience looks at her. Dustin Hoffman sits down and says he thought the play was over. Violet says "This wasn't just a play. This was Count Olaf's attempt to marry me for real!" Olaf says, "You better stop, or you know what's going to happen."
JS: What are you talking about? Olaf has his laugh. Olaf makes his speech, stressing that the marriage was real, and that everyone was a witness, and that no one listens to the children. Someone has him arrested, the detective says "on which charge?" Olaf gives a big laugh of satisfaction. Violet starts to think and then Violet's imagination is shown, where two books from the library stand out: The Constitution and the book "Basic Electronics for Inventors". Violet: You failed, Olaf! She looks at Justice Strauss and begins her speech: "According to the constitution, a marriage to be validated must be made in the presence of a real judge and I must sign this document with my own hand, an expression that here means "of my own free and spontaneous will." The judge confirms. But she says, "But we all saw that you signed this document knowing it was a real marriage." Violet: "Count Olaf tried to marry me by threatening my sister's life! Right now you can confirm that she is being held under observation by one of Count Olaf's troupe members, and trapped in a cage!" The assistance says: Oh!!!
Olaf looks disappointed. He says, "I never imagined you would rather see your sister dead than give me your fortune." He raises the radio antenna and says, "Kill the girl." Violet: "I already told you: you failed Olaf! My brother besides being an excellent researcher proved to be a great inventor. He built something that defeated you."
Then we see Klaus pointing the device he created using Olaf's incendiary lens coupled with the lenses of his own glasses that were positioned in a way that the beam of light becomes thinner and more precise, like a light cannon. Klaus spent a long time directing a beam of light towards Olaf's communication device. Violet: "The heat causes the batteries to drain and sometimes even explode. You can't talk to your partner, so Sunny is safe." And just as she speaks, a small explosion occurs in Count Olaf's pocket, which sets his clothes on fire. The audience approaches Olaf to keep him from getting away. Soon a scene is shown in which the detective saves Sunny from the cage.
And the scene continues with Olaf's arrest. the panopticountolaf, please tell me what you think. What did you think of this solution?
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Post by the panopticountolaf on Oct 3, 2022 21:53:37 GMT -5
My god... it's brilliant. You did it. You actually made a climax that makes sense.
Three cheers for Jean Lucio!!!!!!!
The only thing I might change is having Violet read the Constitution before she goes onstage for the play, so that Violet and Klaus both actively do something that they've never done before. I might actually do a full rewrite of this sequence with some of your material, if that's okay.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Oct 4, 2022 11:39:54 GMT -5
You have my authorization wholeheartedly!
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Post by HAL 10,000 on Oct 4, 2022 17:06:45 GMT -5
I'd give Klaus glasses. Even as a kid, it bugged me that he didn't have them.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Oct 4, 2022 20:51:22 GMT -5
Well... In the way I suggested the scene, it's important that his glasses are for reading only. Because he's going to need to aim for Count Olaf's pocket, so he needs to have relatively good eyesight to pull off the stunt.
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Post by the panopticountolaf on Jan 3, 2023 8:10:12 GMT -5
commenting real quick to say that i'm actually revising the whole script for salsas and giggles but i'm not posting any of it until the script is completed. i want all my ducks in a row. just know that the v.f.d. subplot has been majorly reworked, and the script is (hopefully) a lot less bloated. stay tuned, if this's your sort of thing!
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Jan 4, 2023 15:35:28 GMT -5
I'm looking forward to it as I want to see how my ideas can be applied... I feel like an assistant screenwriter on a film.
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Post by the panopticountolaf on Feb 15, 2023 8:32:55 GMT -5
progress report: i'm about 1/3 of the way done with the script. i'm really, really, very pleased with where it's going so far. it should be done by... i don't know when. but i do think it will be before the summer arrives.
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Feb 15, 2023 19:34:21 GMT -5
Did you put on the foreshadowing I suggested, with the glasses?
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Post by the panopticountolaf on Feb 16, 2023 12:03:03 GMT -5
Did you put on the foreshadowing I suggested, with the glasses? you know it babes!
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Post by Optimism is my Phil-osophy on Apr 27, 2023 14:45:19 GMT -5
I would like to leave.my comment as a way to support this initiative. I hope to see it implemented soon.
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