I was a student of Robert McKee in the 70's. Watching Brian Cox portray him in Adaptation brought back the all of the trauma and joy of being in those classes.
Actually he did understand, just not in this video. In the Shooting Script edition of Charlie Kaufman's screenplay, Robert McKee wrote an afterword praising the irony of the final act.
@@motioneccentrica Absolutely right. In human psychology, the us/them division reigns supreme. Hence so often in film you get a major actor to show up and chew one scene, providing a charismatic pivotal moment in the story arc for the protagonist, but not in any way demanding the audience to expand their limited "us" bucket. A redeeming scene gives a character at least a tiny toe hold in the audience's "us" bucket. As they say in sports, the guy might be a total ass, but he's _our_ ass and nobody on the homer front is losing any sleep over those illegal elbows when opposite-coloured jerseys collapse to the ice. All you have to do to give Sean Avery a redeeming scene is have him show up to play a few games in your teams' jersey, inflicting unprovoked career-threatening injuries on _them_ instead of _us._ (This magic trick doesn't work for metacognitive fans, but it does work in the vast majority of cases, because the fundamental locus of professional sports is raw tribalism-and I mean _raw_ as in predating human mastery of the fire flint.)
I don't think he necessarily cares about being loved, but he believes in the tenets he teaches. I could understand him insisting that the movie not completely dismiss his character or what his character is saying. A man who doesn't need to be loved also probably doesn't want to completely disparage his own business.
ok, this guy is so smug, that it's endearing. Apparently he is exactly as in the film. Somehow in this interview in which he talks about wanting to be portrayed comedically, one gets the clear sense that he takes himself very seriously. Clearly very impressed by his own success.
Honestly, considering that this guy was approached to be an antagonist in a film. And all that he requested was that the film be cast authentically is a mark of class. Imagine a world where people actually discussed their differences and each was portrayed with conviction and without spin.
I actually thought that was you, Mr McKee! And I’ve seen you lecture several times! When I saw the clip, I thought it was you!!!!! Had to rewatch it to realize it was an actor! Wow
I agree completely, but I think the movie is even more twisted then that. I don't think the screenplay "ends up" a McKee story, Donald wrote the whole movie--it's a movie about a multiple personality that ends in a car chase where he's chasing, and kills, himself, completely idiotic. The movie does not caricature McKee at all, that is Charlie's REAL conflict (which McKee says)--how to make a commercial art movie.
The third act is fantastic. It defies us to be good. It is something Orson Welles would've loved because of "The Magnificent Ambersons." It is something so unique and firm in its need to be bad, that it's brilliant. I don't know how he gets that it's written by Donald, but still thinks its garbage.
yep. when someone is so preoccupied with the supposed basics and "fundamentals" of the form, it's no surprise that something truly subversive would fly right their over their head
It sounded to me like he was talking about how bad the *original* third act was (which apparently we'll never get to see)... and that it was then changed to the one you see in the movie, which "Donald writes" and which is filled with excitement.
Am I the only one who thinks this movie isn’t brilliant? Its so on the nose that it really does feel like a waste. It’s just self indulgent, typical rick and morty level “deepism” that most people outgrow after they turn 23
@@andyrexford12 Maybe, but keep in mind that it made was 20 years ago; do you know much about the ironic satirical art, TV and film made back in the 90s? It was subversive for its time, but if it was made today it'd be full of cliche. Just like if somebody made an album that sounded just like the Beetles or Pink Floyd or NWA today, they'd be called unoriginal jokes.
I can't help but feel like McKee is missing the irony of the third act of the movie. The point is that everything Charlie Kaufman (the character) said he didn't want to insert into his Orchid Thief screenplay - sex, drugs, car chases, etc. - ends up happening to him in real life. In a sense, this confirms McKee's (the film character, played by Brian Cox) statement that the real world is full of excitement.
As stated in the video, the third act he originally read was not the one we see in the movie. It was through meetings that the produced third act was put together. Come on, son! The video is seven minutes. You really couldn't watch the whole thing.
I always thought that Charlie wrote that nonsense of an act 3 as a criticism, to show what you were going to get if you embraced Mckee's and Hollywood style in its fullest. Maybe I was looking to much into it.
Yeah, I kinda presumed that was the whole point. The end to the film is pretty outlandish and self-consciously so. Would be interested in knowing why McKee didn't like the third act of the original script. From the interview here it comes across as if they changed it completely for the better, partly due to his requests (I can't find any evidence for this having looked through the 2nd drafts available of the script. The concept for the third act, the meeting between McKee and Kaufman in the bar seem basically the same. Not sure if a 1st draft is available which might shed some light on that).
"the third act runs out of ideas." damn. smh.... when someone is so preoccupied with the supposed basics and "fundamentals" of the form, it's no surprise that something truly subversive would fly right their over their head
it's a wonderful third act, it ends as if it adapts the story to something more than the line of mckee after it inspired him and ends up fucking mckee with a super-tricky plot, but all this while maintaining its essence
No writer who's considered "great" has ever flawlessly turned out pages every single time they sat at a keyboard or a typewriter. Even Ernest Hemingway himself admitted to F. Scott Fitzgerald that not every word he wrote was perfect: "I write one page of masterpiece to ninety one pages of shit." Part of having creative "genius" involves having the willingness to critically analyze your own work and be willing to fine tune it over and over again until it's far better than what the firs draft was. That was the journey I'm sure Kaufman went on to arrive at the brilliant third act you see in the final film.
I once watched Tim Burton say he wouldn't know a good script. Burton and Kaufman each had a trick and they played it over and over again until everyone realized there was nothing else there.
"I don't know what the hell a third act is" - An actual quote by Charlie Kaufman
and at last he said "its wonderful and he loved it"
I was a student of Robert McKee in the 70's. Watching Brian Cox portray him in Adaptation brought back the all of the trauma and joy of being in those classes.
Brian Cox was the perfect choice to play this guy
Actually he did understand, just not in this video. In the Shooting Script edition of Charlie Kaufman's screenplay, Robert McKee wrote an afterword praising the irony of the final act.
Paraphrasing, "I don't want to be loved, but I demand a redeeming scene!"
Redemption doesnt necessitate likability.
@@motioneccentrica Absolutely right. In human psychology, the us/them division reigns supreme. Hence so often in film you get a major actor to show up and chew one scene, providing a charismatic pivotal moment in the story arc for the protagonist, but not in any way demanding the audience to expand their limited "us" bucket. A redeeming scene gives a character at least a tiny toe hold in the audience's "us" bucket. As they say in sports, the guy might be a total ass, but he's _our_ ass and nobody on the homer front is losing any sleep over those illegal elbows when opposite-coloured jerseys collapse to the ice. All you have to do to give Sean Avery a redeeming scene is have him show up to play a few games in your teams' jersey, inflicting unprovoked career-threatening injuries on _them_ instead of _us._ (This magic trick doesn't work for metacognitive fans, but it does work in the vast majority of cases, because the fundamental locus of professional sports is raw tribalism-and I mean _raw_ as in predating human mastery of the fire flint.)
But he also said there is always conflict 😅
I don't think he necessarily cares about being loved, but he believes in the tenets he teaches. I could understand him insisting that the movie not completely dismiss his character or what his character is saying. A man who doesn't need to be loved also probably doesn't want to completely disparage his own business.
ok, this guy is so smug, that it's endearing. Apparently he is exactly as in the film. Somehow in this interview in which he talks about wanting to be portrayed comedically, one gets the clear sense that he takes himself very seriously. Clearly very impressed by his own success.
I didn’t know who McKee was before that movie.
So it’s the best ad for him I’ve ever seen.
Wow he's a genius!! And Adaptation is one of the best movies ever made!!! Seeing this makes Brian's performance even more amazing!!
Honestly, considering that this guy was approached to be an antagonist in a film. And all that he requested was that the film be cast authentically is a mark of class.
Imagine a world where people actually discussed their differences and each was portrayed with conviction and without spin.
I actually thought that was you, Mr McKee! And I’ve seen you lecture several times! When I saw the clip, I thought it was you!!!!! Had to rewatch it to realize it was an actor! Wow
I agree completely, but I think the movie is even more twisted then that. I don't think the screenplay "ends up" a McKee story, Donald wrote the whole movie--it's a movie about a multiple personality that ends in a car chase where he's chasing, and kills, himself, completely idiotic. The movie does not caricature McKee at all, that is Charlie's REAL conflict (which McKee says)--how to make a commercial art movie.
How did they not know who Brian Cox is?! Had they not seen Manhunter? Rob Roy? The Long Kiss Goodnight? Kiss The Girls?Rushmore? Braveheart?!
Charlie Kaufman is so amazing, so is this guy
2:07 LITERALLY thought his hands were folded on top each other and a 3rd hand came out of his body lolol
The third act is fantastic. It defies us to be good. It is something Orson Welles would've loved because of "The Magnificent Ambersons." It is something so unique and firm in its need to be bad, that it's brilliant. I don't know how he gets that it's written by Donald, but still thinks its garbage.
yep. when someone is so preoccupied with the supposed basics and "fundamentals" of the form, it's no surprise that something truly subversive would fly right their over their head
It sounded to me like he was talking about how bad the *original* third act was (which apparently we'll never get to see)... and that it was then changed to the one you see in the movie, which "Donald writes" and which is filled with excitement.
hah i love that kaufman is such a brilliant writer that he made fun of a guy on a movie without making him realise it
While at the same time, employing nearly ever single element of advice that McKee ever gives.
Am I the only one who thinks this movie isn’t brilliant? Its so on the nose that it really does feel like a waste. It’s just self indulgent, typical rick and morty level “deepism” that most people outgrow after they turn 23
@@andyrexford12 it earns it though because it does explore a lot of themes besides just the making of a movie, there's much more going on
@@andyrexford12 "deepism" ........?
@@andyrexford12 Maybe, but keep in mind that it made was 20 years ago; do you know much about the ironic satirical art, TV and film made back in the 90s? It was subversive for its time, but if it was made today it'd be full of cliche. Just like if somebody made an album that sounded just like the Beetles or Pink Floyd or NWA today, they'd be called unoriginal jokes.
Christopher Plummer's Canadian.
I can't help but feel like McKee is missing the irony of the third act of the movie. The point is that everything Charlie Kaufman (the character) said he didn't want to insert into his Orchid Thief screenplay - sex, drugs, car chases, etc. - ends up happening to him in real life. In a sense, this confirms McKee's (the film character, played by Brian Cox) statement that the real world is full of excitement.
the third act was changed through production, probably was different in the script McKee read
also he literally references the irony lol
exactly. the film is overtly meta and the final act is the ultimate expression of that
He's kind of arrogant, but I like him. Smart and definately not annoying
This guy's freakin awesome! I've heard of his books a lot. I'm gonna read them!
As stated in the video, the third act he originally read was not the one we see in the movie. It was through meetings that the produced third act was put together.
Come on, son! The video is seven minutes. You really couldn't watch the whole thing.
Didn't make it. Was it any good?
Good story Bob 👏
This guy has a lot of demands
I always thought that Charlie wrote that nonsense of an act 3 as a criticism, to show what you were going to get if you embraced Mckee's and Hollywood style in its fullest. Maybe I was looking to much into it.
Yeah, I kinda presumed that was the whole point. The end to the film is pretty outlandish and self-consciously so. Would be interested in knowing why McKee didn't like the third act of the original script. From the interview here it comes across as if they changed it completely for the better, partly due to his requests (I can't find any evidence for this having looked through the 2nd drafts available of the script. The concept for the third act, the meeting between McKee and Kaufman in the bar seem basically the same. Not sure if a 1st draft is available which might shed some light on that).
"the third act runs out of ideas." damn. smh.... when someone is so preoccupied with the supposed basics and "fundamentals" of the form, it's no surprise that something truly subversive would fly right their over their head
Do you undestrand that he's referring to an earlier draft of the script, and that he was satisfied with the final version of it?
He's talking about an earlier draft
2:24 How to make a commercial art movie 🎥 🍿 💰?
Copywrite is such nonsense.
Well Copyright should exist, but I don't think that it should be made such a big deal of. Especially in Charlie's case.
What is this alien drink?
water in alien planet glass
How was Charlie Kaufman capable of writing a bad third act? Isn't he a genius screenwriter?
it's a wonderful third act, it ends as if it adapts the story to something more than the line of mckee after it inspired him and ends up fucking mckee with a super-tricky plot, but all this while maintaining its essence
no matter how good of a writer you are, it's possible .. actually almost guarantied, that you will write bad sequences occasionally
No writer who's considered "great" has ever flawlessly turned out pages every single time they sat at a keyboard or a typewriter. Even Ernest Hemingway himself admitted to F. Scott Fitzgerald that not every word he wrote was perfect: "I write one page of masterpiece to ninety one pages of shit." Part of having creative "genius" involves having the willingness to critically analyze your own work and be willing to fine tune it over and over again until it's far better than what the firs draft was. That was the journey I'm sure Kaufman went on to arrive at the brilliant third act you see in the final film.
I once watched Tim Burton say he wouldn't know a good script.
Burton and Kaufman each had a trick and they played it over and over again until everyone realized there was nothing else there.