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SimplyScripts Screenwriting Discussion Board  /  Script Reviews  /  Killing on Carnival Row
Posted by: bert, August 22nd, 2009, 8:02pm
About once a year, if I am lucky, I read a script that makes me say

God, I wish I had written that,
God, I hope they make this film,
and God, I hope they get it right.


It blew the doors off the guys at Script Shadow, and now I can see why.

It is hard to compare this script to anything.  If you put Blade Runner, Lord of the Rings, Sin City, and Harry Potter into a Cuisinart and hit frappe, you might get something similar to this.

It has faeries, but they are top-drawer hookers.  The carriages are drawn by unicorns. The police employ leashed werewolves for crowd control.  The museums have the skeletons of dragons hanging from the ceiling -- brilliantly set up -- then later paid off in one of my favorite scenes.

What I really like is that this is a script for writers.  There is so much craft here.  Usually I find myself rephrasing a script as I read, selecting new words and injecting my own voice.  Not here.  Every word is the right word.  Not too much.  Not too little.  And all of it just right.

The story itself has a few imperfections that will likely be addressed before it moves to the screen -- but to discuss those would take spoilers -- and I have already said too much.  

I would love to discuss this script with those who have read it.  Anybody out there?

I highly, highly recommend this one for Script Club when we decide to resurrect that.

Go read this.  You need to read it.
Posted by: jwent6688, August 23rd, 2009, 4:42am; Reply: 1
Do you have a link for this script???

You've won me over with your pitch, I want to read it....                   James
Posted by: mcornetto (Guest), August 23rd, 2009, 5:20am; Reply: 2
This sounds great.  I would love to read it and discuss it. Let's schedule a script club.  George?
Posted by: Brian M, August 23rd, 2009, 6:08am; Reply: 3
Link - http://www.mediafire.com/download.php?w2wddyz9onp

It's at the top of my pile to read next after your mini review.
Posted by: bert, August 23rd, 2009, 10:37am; Reply: 4

Quoted from jwent6688
Do you have a link for this script???


Yeah, I should have thought of that.  Brian has it in his post -- and I can email it to anybody who cannot get the link to work -- or if the link dries up -- as they sometimes do.  


Quoted from Cornetto
Let's schedule a script club.


I really think this one is worthy -- and I can almost guarantee it will not turn into one of those bash-fests about how unworthy the script is.  Not this one.

Maybe I will just set it up myself for sometime after the OWC.  Announce the script, lock the thread and give people a chance to read it, then open it back up.

I know Don prefers member scripts -- but there is so much to learn from this one.  It is really exemplary, at least to me.  I will check with Don, George, et al, in the next couple of days.
Posted by: Grandma Bear, August 23rd, 2009, 11:34am; Reply: 5
Excellent idea.

I'll take part in that since I read a lot every day anyway.
Posted by: bert, August 23rd, 2009, 1:56pm; Reply: 6
Don & George have both approved another round of the Script Club after the OWC -- and have said it is OK to use this script -- so we will do that.

An announcement thread has been started on the Screenwriting Class board that I will unlock on September 6th.
Posted by: Aaron, August 23rd, 2009, 6:51pm; Reply: 7
I've heard nothing but good things about the script, can't wait to read it. That's a great idea to use this for  SC
Posted by: NightSlash, August 24th, 2009, 7:15pm; Reply: 8
I've read it, and I can't say enough good things about it. The fact that it never got made into a movie is a crime against cinema. With the right director and effects team behind it this could be a new genre classic.
Posted by: Mr.Z, August 24th, 2009, 7:31pm; Reply: 9
Funny, I finished reading it yesterday.

Read that Guillermo del Toro was attached at some point.

Hard to imagine a high budget not-based-on-anything project taking off in the current market... but it was a nice read.
Posted by: stevie, August 24th, 2009, 8:17pm; Reply: 10
Have just downloaded it and will get to it by Sept 6.

Bert, can you give us some more info about it? Like who wrote it and is it based on a book?

Some of the descriptions remind me of Tad William's books. He did a few 'faerie' type stories as well as his great 'Otherland' series.
Posted by: bert, August 24th, 2009, 8:29pm; Reply: 11

Quoted from Mr.Z
Read that Guillermo del Toro was attached at some point.


That would be a dream for this script.  If only.


Quoted from stevie
Bert, can you give us some more info about it? Like who wrote it and is it based on a book?


From the little I've read, this is apparently the first spec by author named Travis Beacham, who is currently reworking "Clash of the Titans."  I do not think this is based upon anything.

I also read that it was picked up by New Line, but that is according to Wiki, and you cannot always trust that source.  IMDB shows nothing.

For me, personally -- I pictured Harrison Ford's "Deckard" in the role of Philostrate -- which struck me as an unfortunate name.  But that name is one of very few problems I had with the script.
Posted by: cloroxmartini, August 24th, 2009, 10:18pm; Reply: 12
That was good. What a land, that place, and the characters in it. Lots of cultural comment going on, but most of all the value of life and love.

I think frappe is correct, with a dash of Sherlock Holmes.

And if you want a writing sample, this has most anything you want in it.
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