Thanks all for the ideas. I agree that Claire wouldn’t suddenly be destitute and strapped with a deadbeat husband. I’ll try to come up with another game plan for tomorrow’s post. Hughes doesn’t think there is any reason whatsoever for all the characters to end up in the same room again, but the day they spent together, regardless of how their nascent friendships did or didn’t fall apart the following Monday, altered the paths of their lives. That day was important to all of them, and a reunion would be possible if it were sought after, even if only by one of them. Consensus points to Brian as the facilitator of that meeting. The fact that everyone assumes Brian is rich and successful makes me want to go in the other direction with him. I also had the idea while rinsing the shampoo out of my hair that Claire could find Bender working on a construction site, and he could represent himself as a successful architect, citing all the buildings that he has designed. But the reality is that he is a carpenter barely making ends meet. His rebellious attitude is well intact and holding one job for more than a month is a challenge for him.
Toast votes that it end with them finally together in the library. Bender could pull a joint from behind his ear and lift an eyebrow. I’d like to integrate Carl the Janitor too, and the principal too. Perhaps the principal could find them at the end, invading the library, not saying a word either, but taking it all in with dawning comprehension.
Keep any ideas you may have coming. I don’t know why this movie means so much to me, but I sometimes feel physical pain when I think about it. I always felt I could have been one of those actors, could have turned in an emotionally stirring performance, but certainly no better than the ones given. High school was a series of rejections, humiliating moments. To be in the same room with the equivalent people from my past with the same results would have been my personal nirvana. The same can be said for the masses that love this movie as I do. As a writer, I hope to have one, just one story that captures gives the release to the raw angst that this story does.
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9 comments:
I'm thinking back to my high school days, specifically Senior Retreat. There were 3 or 4 senior retreats my year and I went on the second to last one (or was it the one last?). At one point I got teamed up with this girl who was definitely more popular than me. I forget the actual assignment, but we had to go away from the lodge and find a secluded area and talk about something (maybe something specific or just talk - it was a long time ago). I really thought we had connected and would be friends once we got back to school. Yeah, that didn't happen. So, maybe you were right in the first post and nothing changed at school that following Monday.
If Brian isn't rich or at least well off, I'd say it's because he had been pushed so much by his family that he rebelled and is a complete underachiever and a peon in some large company where he does as little as possible to get through the day.
I think it's too easy to make Bender a complete loser still. I agree that he'd be doing manual labor, but perhaps mildly successful in it - owning his own mechanic's shop or something like that. I have nothing on Andrew or Allie Sheedy's character (what the heck was her name?).
Ally was Allison, but I had to look that up. She was the least interesting of the characters, but ironically she was intended to be Claire. Bender's role was originally meant for Nicholas Cage, but he was too expensive. Then Cusack was going to do it, but he was replaced by Hughes at the last minute by Judd. I'm pretty sure this movie wouldn't have the power it did without Judd Nelson.
I agree with Kathleen. Why does Bender have to continue being a loser? Maybe not wildly successful, but not a loser. I think it would be much more interesting if the one "most likely to succeed" didn't.
Ok, tough crowd! So Bender has turned it around and made a moderate success of himself. Brian surprises us by not doing so well.
As much as I love John Cusack, I agree that Judd Nelson was the best choice for that character.
Although Allison wasn't that interesting, in general, I think I related most to her and to Brian. I think I was a combination of the two of them.
See? This is what you get when you ask for opinions - you get them. ;-) You do realise that this is your project, your idea. You can make them do whatever you want! You don't have to listen to us.
Wasn't Allison the one who was ignored at home (I know they all were, but didn't she feel invisible?) How about making her a supermodel/actress ala Jennifer Anniston who realises being ignored isn't always a bad thing. Thing about Judd was he could easily have gone to prison, especially to protect someone he cared for--who would be few and far between. Maybe Andrew could become the principle? Lots of character ideas. You could always turn into a Stephen King :0 and kill everyone but the janitor :DDD
Kat - I appreciate being told that an idea isn't working. Why waste time going down a dead-end road. I'm trying things out and throwing them out there, so feel free to keep it coming.
Toni - I like that. How about the idea that Andrew doesn't have the balls to claim their relationship on Monday because of a friend that talks her down. Then the friend asks her to the prom or some such event. Andrew is extremely jealous.
I like the idea with Bender protecting Claire and getting in trouble for it.
Scott,
Find a way to plant a kernel of something redeeming in him. You know, to give the reader a reason to cheer him on.
Tanya
I like the idea that they could all be masquerading in some way. Brian also projects success, but is a failure inside.
I will need to watch this again to reaquaint myself with it.
I think maybe you see close parallels between your life as a teenager and one of the main characters, that's why you are really attached to it. Maybe you really weanted to be like one of them, or really were/are like one of them. Bender, maybe? I don't know.
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