Got a lot of posts for you today. Hopefully this will make up for the lack of posting in the ongoing week.
Yesterday I came up with, what I believe is a great movie idea. It was inspired by two things, The Flaming Lips CD, Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots. If you havent heard this…you must. I will warn you, it’s a concept album and it gets a little electronic at times for me (if you could not tell both of those things by the name). The second thing was watching The New World. Which literally blew me away. Not like a explosion though. Like a feather in a gentle breeze. It was absolutely beautiful and extremely thought provoking. It’s defintely made for watching by yourself or with a small group of respectful and pensive film lovers, but I think it can be enjoyed by a wider audience. You just have to be ready. It’s more like reading someone’s diary, than watching the story of their life. It is an afternoon movie and not a nine o’clock at night one, if that makes any sense.
My idea:
Set in the modern day. The US and Russia are getting ready to send up a joint mission to the international space station. Four russians, four americans. This is really a peacekeeping mission between the two countries who are embroiled in a war of ideas. This war is not so cold. The US and russia are battling over control of former Soviet Union countries who are now run by radical muslims. The astronauts are launched on what seems like a hopeful day in the fight for peace. While the astronauts are in space, Russia invades a US protected country and the US declares war on russia. Alone in space, the astronaughts hear the news. Though voices of reason try to keep peace, a misguided american patriot attacks a member of the russian crew. This sparks a battle in the space station. The extremely smart and well trained scientists are stripped to the core of their humanity and must choose between allegience to a country or to their fellow man. Meanwhile a relationship between a russian cosmonaut and american astronaught blossoms. Their love is the only thing holding the spacestation together. But will this be enough?
Themes:
Exploration of human nature, war, the bonds of love, and group allegience.
This isn’t supposed to be an anti-war movie as much as it is an anti-human nature film. The contrast between the love story and war will show the best and worst we can be. I do know how the film would end, but if I make it, I cant tell you right?
I would also love to attach Yoshimi as the soundtrack, with a couple added score pieces done by the Flaming Lips. This idea is a real departure for me, as I really am a satirical comedy type of writer and most of my favorite films fall under that category.
What do you think? I would love comments on this. Critisisms as well as any input.
If I go ahead with it, I will post pieces of it here on this blog. It will be interactive screewriting.
First: I absolutely loved The New World. Usually I tire of movies or scenes with little dialogue (which I like to blame on porr acting, but very possibly may be due to my short attention span), however, I loved the poetic narration. And I enjoyed the idea of a love developed in contrast to reckless passion. But of course, you did not ask for opinions on this movie, I just found it refreshing that someone else liked it (I don’t think my mother quite understood what was going on).
As to your film idea, I was initially surprised when I read it because it wasn’t what I expected. The concept sounds good, though I wonder if the US/Russia tensions have too much of a been-there-done-that feel, but then again, it makes sense, considering Russia was our “space rival” since the beginning.
It sounds, too, like it has great potential for a portrayal at societies where innocent patriotism has become mordant ethnocentrism…
Good point on US vs. russia being played out. There are a lot of young people who will feel no tension in that conflict. I will try to come up with something new. Maybe China?
The war itself isn’t the point, it simply sets the backdrop. Nevertheless, it’s important for the backdrop to be relevant to today’s society. This way the film is able to be understood in a contextual matter.
as·tro·naut also cos·mo·naut
I only corrected your spelling, because you repeated the offense five times. Otherwise I would not even waste my time.
Thanks H·a·nn·i·bal. I actually do appreciate the spelling correction since I obviously was mispelling the word on purpose (as opposed to a simple typing error). Although, you did take the time to comment and then not make any observations of the concept, which frankly I am a little dissapointed in you. I am only saying this because you repeated the offense once, otherwise I would not even waste my time.