Reading: The Sanctuary
Music: Spike Jones and the City Slickers
TV/Movie: Cecil B. Demented
Link o' the Day: Creative Screenwriting Magazine Podcast Page

I don't usually receive tips. I either work for a publisher, and the publisher pays me, or I work for the author and the author pays me. On some rare occasions, however, someone tosses in something nice.



This afternoon's mail included an envelope from Jan Wahl, the fellow whose autobiography I just finished laying out. Inside was pristine, autographed edition of his popular childrens book Pleasant Fieldmouse (with illustrations by Maurice Sendak. It's a pleasant little surprise. I may read through it once for old times sake, then wrap it back up and put it into safe storage where it will await the arrival of any future li'l Teehans that come rampaging about in a few years.

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Cecil B. Demented is truth in advertising, i.e., demented. It's one of those films that I don't hesitate a moment before recommending. Yes, it's a John Waters flick, but it's, to quote Douglas Adams, "Mostly harmless." Meg Ryan was nominated for a Razzie for her performance in this, but I think them Harvard kids missed the point. For the kind of film it is, her performance fit rather well. Better still were the performances by Stephen Dorff as the visionary director Cecil B. Demented, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as a satanic make-up girl. Kevin Nealon plays himself as the actor cast for the sequel to Forrest Gump and Patricia Hearst appears as the mother of one of the members of the gang of guerilla filmmakers.

The last mention deserves further note. Younger readers may not know the significance of casting Patricia (Patty) Hearst in this role. She's a regular in Waters films, but in 1974 she was kidnapped by a radical group known as the Symbionese Liberation Army. This scion of the Hearst dynasty was abused and brainwashed by members of the group. Then later, under the name "Tania" took part in a bank robbery. She was sentenced to seven years in prison (but served only 22 months--her sentence commuted by Jimmy Carter, and granted a full pardon by Bill Clinton).

Anyway, who in their right mind casts the victim of a kidnapping and brainwashing by an "urban guerilla" group to play the mother of a character who was kidnapped and brainwashed by a "guerilla film" group?

John Waters, that's who. But I imagine that she's worked out her issues.

The movie is full of outrageous characters, lines and scenes that make you laugh despite yourself. Is it for everyone? Well...maybe not. There is quite a bit of gun violence. That was the only thing that bothered me. But at the same time I can see why it was used to up the ante of the wild, mad devotion of Demented and his cohorts.

So yeah, maybe it's for everyone. That doesn't mean everyone will like it, but sometimes you just gotta take a hit for pop culture so you're better prepared for moments when Brittany Spears' latest antics beat out hurricane news in the papers.

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While I'm talking film, I figure today's link should be somewhat film-related. Check out Creative Screenwriting Magazine Podcast Page. It's a pretty good magazine, but sometimes hard to find on bookstore shelves. And sometimes it's a hit-or-miss so check out the insides before shelling out the full cover price. The best feature, though, which makes it worthy of a Link of the Day post is their podcast. More interviews with actual screenwriters than the usual parade of actors and directors.

Enjoy!