Save the Cat Goes to the Movies (35 page)

Break into Two:
Bobby’s rise to the top of the middleweight boxing world begins in a rematch with Sugar Ray Robinson (Johnny Barnes). In the ring, fighting with the boxing great, animal sounds and bird screeches are heard. Bobby is in his element; it is a world he understands. The drive to dominate boxing — and life — is on.

Fun and Games:
The quest for the middleweight championship belt continues, as does Bobby’s relationship with Cathy. But it takes odd turns, like when Bobby and Cathy avoid sex so he can stay strong. Part of the “curse” of the Superhero is his separation from the human race. In his rise to the top, Bobby’s focus pays off. He starts to win, and in a montage, marries Cathy and has kids; Joe marries (Theresa Saldana) and has children of his own.

Midpoint:
“False victory” at Minute 49, as no one else is left to fight Bobby. He has earned the nickname, the Raging Bull, and a reputation for stubbornness. He and Joe still haven’t capitulated to Salvy, but have also failed to get a shot at the title. Before going out of town to train for a fight, Bobby, Cathy, and Joe go to a club. Bobby sees Cathy stop by Salvy and Tommy’s table and decides to stop by, too. The “pretty” boxer Bobby is training to fight is mentioned by his Nemesis and Bobby becomes jealous when Cathy admits she thinks his opponent is attractive. Moments later, at Minute 57, Bobby pummels the boxer’s face in the ring. The Raging Bull is at the height of power — king of his castle and the jungle — but jealousy and suspicion have entered his life as A and B stories cross. The “curse” of human weakness begins to corrode his mission.

Bad Guys Close In:
Now it gets tougher for Bobby. There’s trouble within the internal team when Joe catches Cathy at a nightclub with Salvy while Bobby is training out of town. We also see Bobby give in to Salvy, agreeing to take a dive to get a shot at the title. Bobby is suspended for this action and sobs after the fight for having looked like a coward to his fans. Though shameful, the loss will lead to
a shot at being the middleweight champ. Bobby sees Cathy kiss Tommy on the cheek prior to the championship bout. Bobby wins the title, but jealousy is in full bloom. Though he has achieved his goal, he has nowhere to go … but down. Now, fat and out of shape, the disgruntled Superhero hangs around the house, and worries. Trying not to inflame his brother, Joe lies about the night he saw Cathy out with Salvy.

All Is Lost:
Unable to leave it alone, Bobby continues to pester Cathy with his suspicions. Finally, he makes the outrageous claim that Cathy slept with Joe. A and B stories cross as Cathy, sick of the accusations, screams she had sex with everyone. Hearing this, Bobby beats his brother. It’s over between them and now, without Joe, he is “worse off than when this movie started.”

Dark Night of the Soul:
It’s not the same for the Raging Bull. In a final battle with Sugar Ray, Bobby knows he’s done and allows his great foe to slug away at him — paying penance for a life now confused. But when he loses, Bobby gets the last word: “You never got me down, Ray.” The blood on the ropes of the ring tells the real story — Bobby has been “crucified” for his human sins.

Break into Three:
The slow slide into loserdom begins. Bobby moves Cathy and the kids to Florida and opens a nightclub.

Finale:
Bobby is arrested for fostering sex with a minor. Forced to sell his championship belt, he knocks out the gems and destroys it. In the end, Cathy leaves and he’s in jail. Reduced to MC-ing strip shows, he runs into Joe and tries to reconcile.

Final Image:
Back in the dressing room where we began, Bobby works on his ironic “I could have been a contender” speech. He too could have been great but fell from grace. With a few winded punches at the air, Bobby goes out to face another crowd.

In the sub-category of “Storybook Superhero,” we get all manner of tales about princes, talking toys, and hunchbacks. As one who grew up in the elastic world of cartoons (and whose TV producer father had him stand up in front of a microphone to do the “kid” voices at age 8), I know and love this world. And though different from live-action writing … it’s the same.

If I had my druthers, I’d start every screenwriting class with a study of animated movies. Why? Well, for one, they offer amazing lessons about how to write character in dialogue. Having worked with some of the great voice talents, like Gary Owens (voice of Roger Ramjet) and Sterling Holloway (voice of Winnie the Pooh), I saw firsthand how a good voice actor can pick up a script and infuse “Screwy Squirrel” with personality that informs the character ever after. But it must start on the page! Ask anyone in the Pixar/Disney/Dreamworks pantheon and they will tell you the same.

For our purposes, this 1994 animated classic overseen by Jeffrey Katzenberg (seriously, the best), and directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff, concerns a Superhero kids can root for, but offers lessons adults, too, know are true. Like many a Disney feature, this journey of empowerment begins with the death of a parent. The movie is also a lesson about being “special” that includes learning about the needs of the common man or, in this case, the common warthog.

SH Type: Storybook Superhero

SH Cousins:
Peter Pan; The Hunchback of Notre Dame; Mulan; The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe; The Jungle Book; The Little Mermaid; Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory; the Harry Potter series; Happy Feet; Ratatouille

THE LION KING

Written by
Irene Mecchi
and
Jonathan Roberts
and
Linda Woolverton

Opening Image:
In a stunning sequence, the animals of the African plain gather to witness the arrival of Simba, son of King Mufasa (James Earl Jones). The “Circle of Life” is introduced, as is the idea that as one generation passes away, it makes room for the next. The only lion not attending is the King’s brother, Scar (Jeremy Irons). When confronted by Mufasa’s bird domo, Zazu (Rowan Atkinson), Scar says a very Nemesis thing: “As far as brains go, I got the lion’s share. But when it comes to brute strength … I’m afraid I’m at the shallow end of the gene pool.” Scar is plotting to be king, but like many an SH story, this is about being the rightful — and the righteous — heir.

Theme Stated:
As Simba enters young lionhood, his dad takes him on a trip around the kingdom. All this will be yours, Mufasa tells Young Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas). Then he adds our theme: “There’s more to being King than getting your way all the time.”

Set-Up:
Simba is wet behind the ears and a little cocky, but eager to learn. Maybe too eager. When Dad is called away to handle “poachers” — the hyenas — Simba grabs his female ally, Young Nala (Niketa Calame), and takes her to the forbidden elephant graveyard. There they meet the hyenas (Whoopi Goldberg, Cheech Marin, and Jim Cummings) and are about to be lunch until Mufasa shows up, saving the cubs. Dad is mad at Simba, which sets up the poor little guy’s undoing — and his father’s death.

Catalyst:
Scar now uses this incident to plan a takeover. In a deal with the hyenas (and a Hitler-esque review of their marching ranks), Scar sets his coup d’état in motion. Taking Simba to a dry wash, he tells him to wait for a surprise.

Debate:
What should Simba do? And will Scar’s plan work?

Break into Two:
Suddenly the thundering sound of a wildebeest stampede is heard. Simba is stranded in the middle of it. When Mufasa is told, he rushes to his kid’s aid. There, in a heartbreaking bit of Disneyana, Mufasa clings to the side of a cliff begging for help from Scar, who sends him falling to his death. By the time the stampede has passed, Simba finds his dad’s body. Coming upon Simba, Scar tells the cub it was his fault. Frightened, Simba runs. Chased by the hyenas, he escapes, but Scar assumes the hyenas finished the job.

Fun and Games:
The “upside-down version of the world” is represented by the new friends Simba meets: Timon the Meerkat (Nathan Lane) and Pumbaa the Warthog (Ernie Sabella). Outcasts who eat bugs, the two will befriend our hero and help him into Act Three. The fun of being away from his lion pride includes an idyllic life and singing “Hakuna Matata,” a Swahili phrase that translates as “There are no worries here.” The jolly song, which accompanies the fun and frolic of Simba with his pals, provides a therapeutic break from the responsibilities of being Mufasa’s son. It’s also a needed humbling for Simba to be among the common folk. But the break is only temporary.

B Story:
Simba becomes an adult (Matthew Broderick), but he still hasn’t learned his lesson. The “Fun and Games” peak when Pumbaa is chased by a lioness who turns out to be the adult Nala (Moira Kelly). Simba and the lioness who was once his playmate are reunited. In a romantic montage to the Elton John tune of “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” (nearly cut from the movie), they play, reacquaint, and fall in love.

Midpoint:
Pumbaa and Timon lament the loss of their friend to a girl. A and B stories cross as the joy of being reunited with Nala turns serious. Simba has run away from his responsibilities, and Scar has become king, allowing the Pridelands to wither away.

Bad Guys Close In:
Nala tells Simba he’s the pride’s only hope, but he won’t accept the responsibility and they argue and separate. The struggle with his “internal team” — both his new friends and his old ones — shows even a Superhero can’t ignore the “curse” of responsibility. Is Simba going to assume the leadership role as king as his father intended?

All Is Lost:
Simba encounters the mystical baboon, Rafiki (Robert Guillaume), who was present at his birth and has been the soothsayer and Simba’s silent mentor all along. In the most spiritual part of the film, Rafiki shows Simba his father is still alive … in Simba. “He lives in you,” Rafiki tells the king’s son. His father’s ghost appears in the clouds and warns: “Remember who you are.”

Dark Night of the Soul:
Simba must decide if he should return and face his past.

Break into Three:
A and B stories cross as — pushed by Rafiki and supported by Nala, Timon, and Pumbaa — Simba says: “I’m going back.” “If it’s important to you, we’re with ya ’till the end,” says Timon.

Finale:
Simba returns to the pride and finds his homeland, once a lush veldt, now a burned-out ruin. Scar and the hyenas have run the kingdom into the ground. Scar says, “I’m the king. I can do whatever I want!” As we know, that’s not what being king is about. When Simba challenges Scar, Scar calls him a murderer and Simba takes responsibility for his father’s death. Then Scar reveals that he was there when Mufasa died, and was in fact the one who was responsible. A battle breaks out and Scar and Simba have their showdown. In the end, Simba triumphs, and Scar is left to the mercy of the hyenas he betrayed.

Final Image:
Simba takes his place atop Pride Rock and finally lets out a deep adult roar. In a time lapse, we see the Pridelands have recovered and flourished under Simba’s rule. He and Nala, now king and queen, are surrounded by friends and have their own lion cub. A new chapter in the “Circle of Life” has begun.

Sometimes the “average man” is called back to Mt. Olympus. That’s the twist in the Wachowski Brothers’ computer-game-driven meditation on reality that became the basis of a sci-fi mega-franchise. When we meet Keanu Reeves as Neo, he is the very definition of the average Joe. Joe job. Joe apartment. Joe life. And then the phone rings. And Joe realizes his Joe-ness is a plot — and that he may be “the one” Joe who can save the world.

Like other SH stories in the “Fantasy Superhero” category — those savior tales in a made-up world with little historic context —
The Matrix
became a breakout hit due in part to its use of mythology. With nods to the New Testament (Christ references galore), the Old Testament (the name of Morpheus’ ship comes from a Babylonian king influenced by dreams), and even
Alice in Wonderland
(when Keanu “follows the white rabbit,” a tattoo on a girl’s shoulder), we too “go through the looking glass” and into the collective unconscious that seems so familiar. The movie also uses elements found in all SH stories: a sexual sacrifice, as when Keanu is tempted by the “Woman in Red,” a Mascot as seen in the character of Mouse, and a host of Nemeses, the multiple enemies Keanu will face in the finale. The action is sci-fi martial arts and the special effects have become their own cultural reference.

But really, it’s all about the sunglasses.

SH Type: Fantasy Superhero

SH Cousins:
Brazil, Hook, The Neverending Story, MirrorMask, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Antz, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Van Helsing, V for Vendetta, Eragon

THE MATRIX

Written by
Andy Wachowski & Larry Wachowski

Opening Image:
A computer screen indicating a call in progress. We hear two people talking about “The One.” We’ll soon know them as Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) and Cypher (Joe Pantoliano). One is a true believer, the other a traitor. (It’s always Joe!) The point is made in this opening snapshot: There is a secret world connected via phone line … and a “savior” who is coming soon.

Theme Stated:
After a great opening sequence of Carrie-Anne in action, including the breathtaking — and breakthrough — stop-time-float-in-the-air-spin-360° thing, she escapes the bad guys, including Agent Smith (the fabulous Hugo Weaving), via a ringing pay phone. We now meet Neo (Keanu Reeves), living in slacker squalor as the world’s coolest computer hacker. When visited by a customer, Keanu says: “Do you ever have the feeling that you’re not sure if you’re awake or dreaming?” What is reality? That’s what this movie is about.

Set-Up:
Told, “You are my savior, man, my own personal Jesus Christ” by a visitor, Keanu goes to a club where he meets Carrie-Anne. At Minute 10, she introduces herself saying: “I know why you don’t sleep, why night after night you sit at your computer.”