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Pi: Screenplay and The Guerilla Diaries
Winner of the Best Director Award at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.
A phenomenon since it opened in New York in the summer of 1998, and on its way to becoming a cult classic, Pi is a work of dazzling originality-a science fiction thriller about the haunting journey into the genius mind of a renegade visionary.A brilliant and troubled man, Max Cohen is on the verge of the most important discovery of his life. For the past ten years he has been attempting to decode the numerical pattern beneath the ultimate system of ordered chaos-the stock market. As Max verges on a solution, chaos is swallowing the world around him. He is pursued by an aggressive Wall Street firm set on financial domination as well as by a Kabbalah sect intent on unlocking the secrets behind its ancient holy texts. Max races to crack the code, hoping to defy the madness that looms before him. In succeeding, he uncovers a secret everyone is willing to kill for.Also included with the screenplay is a full journal of how Darren Aronofsky made this award-winning film on a minuscule budget of $60,000, providing practical advice and inspiration to film students and offering film buffs rare insight into how an independent film is made.
A phenomenon since it opened in New York in the summer of 1998, and on its way to becoming a cult classic, Pi is a work of dazzling originality-a science fiction thriller about the haunting journey into the genius mind of a renegade visionary.A brilliant and troubled man, Max Cohen is on the verge of the most important discovery of his life. For the past ten years he has been attempting to decode the numerical pattern beneath the ultimate system of ordered chaos-the stock market. As Max verges on a solution, chaos is swallowing the world around him. He is pursued by an aggressive Wall Street firm set on financial domination as well as by a Kabbalah sect intent on unlocking the secrets behind its ancient holy texts. Max races to crack the code, hoping to defy the madness that looms before him. In succeeding, he uncovers a secret everyone is willing to kill for.Also included with the screenplay is a full journal of how Darren Aronofsky made this award-winning film on a minuscule budget of $60,000, providing practical advice and inspiration to film students and offering film buffs rare insight into how an independent film is made.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1999
3 people are currently reading
157 people want to read
About the author
Darren Aronofsky
55 books173 followersDarren S. Aronofsky (born February 12, 1969) is an American film director, screenwriter and film producer. He attended Harvard University and AFI to study both live-action and animation film theory, where he met long-time collaborator Matthew Libatique. He won several film awards after completing his senior thesis film, "Supermarket Sweep", starring Sean Gullette, which went on to become a National Student Academy Award finalist.
Aronofsky did not make a feature film until five years later, creating the concept for his debut feature, π, in February 1996. The low-budget, $60,000 production, starring Sean Gullette, was sold to Artisan Entertainment for $1 million, and grossed over $3 million; it won both a Sundance Film Festival award and an Independent Spirit Award. Aronofsky's followup, Requiem for a Dream, was based on the novel of the same name written by Hubert Selby, Jr. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Ellen Burstyn's performance. After turning down an opportunity to direct Batman Begins, Aronofsky began production on his third film, The Fountain. The film was released to mixed reviews and poor box office results.
However, his next film, The Wrestler, rebounded with positive reviews and healthy box office. Both of the film's stars, Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei, received Academy Award nominations. Rourke also won a Golden Globe for Best Actor and Bruce Springsteen won for Best Original Song for his title song. Aronofsky's next film, Black Swan, received further critical acclaim and many accolades, being nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, four Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, a record 12 BFCA nominations and a DGA nomination.
Aronofsky did not make a feature film until five years later, creating the concept for his debut feature, π, in February 1996. The low-budget, $60,000 production, starring Sean Gullette, was sold to Artisan Entertainment for $1 million, and grossed over $3 million; it won both a Sundance Film Festival award and an Independent Spirit Award. Aronofsky's followup, Requiem for a Dream, was based on the novel of the same name written by Hubert Selby, Jr. The film received an Academy Award nomination for Ellen Burstyn's performance. After turning down an opportunity to direct Batman Begins, Aronofsky began production on his third film, The Fountain. The film was released to mixed reviews and poor box office results.
However, his next film, The Wrestler, rebounded with positive reviews and healthy box office. Both of the film's stars, Mickey Rourke and Marisa Tomei, received Academy Award nominations. Rourke also won a Golden Globe for Best Actor and Bruce Springsteen won for Best Original Song for his title song. Aronofsky's next film, Black Swan, received further critical acclaim and many accolades, being nominated for five Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director, four Golden Globes including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Director, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, a record 12 BFCA nominations and a DGA nomination.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 22, 2009
I like Pi quite a bit, but the real gem of this book is the "The Guerilla Diaries" section. Aronofsky is one of my favorite directors, and it was an amazing experience to read as he went from idea to Sundance with Pi.
And since he wasn't famous yet, and wasn't sure if the movie would have any success, he was completely (and sometimes brutally) honest when writing about his cast and crew, whether they were disappointing him or bringing him joy. I'd love to see him do something similar again, but maybe the confines of celebrity would make that impossible.
And since he wasn't famous yet, and wasn't sure if the movie would have any success, he was completely (and sometimes brutally) honest when writing about his cast and crew, whether they were disappointing him or bringing him joy. I'd love to see him do something similar again, but maybe the confines of celebrity would make that impossible.
April 23, 2018
Posted : 9 years, 8 months ago on 26 August 2008 09:35 (A review of Pi)
''There will be no order, only chaos.''
A paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature.
Faith in Chaos.
Sean Gullette: Maximillian Cohen
Max is a mathematician who tries to find the perfect number/equation to life, to everything. Upon finding it, people will do anything to get what he knows.
Beautiful sounds and music, fantastic camera work are a few aspects Pi has to offer. The whole flashes, views through keyholes, the ants, the black and white filming intensifies the ordeal that is Pi.
I liked the Jewish lettering and numbering system. Especially fascinating with some awe defining comparisons and links to certain symbolic aspects within the Torah.
Darren Aronofsky has crafted a superb, psychological, analytical movie that spirals out of control to dizzying heights. Paranoia and madness soaked.
Sean Gullette portrays Max in such a believable fashion. Incredible.
Very meaningful quotes for instance, the following examples:
''When i was a little boy my mother told me not to stare into the sun.
So once when i was six i did''.
''1. Mathematics is the language of nature.
2. Everything around us can be represented and understood through numbers.
3. If you graph these numbers, patterns emerge. Therefore: there are patterns everywhere in nature.''
Pi is perfected in it's capturing of numbers and the mixture of faith and religion. Even in religions and nature numbers are in everything, which begs the idea that God, the big everything, or whatever you believe, patterns are in everything, reflecting how numbers are everywhere.
Some interesting ambient music from some surreal groups too like Aphex Twin, orbital, Ront Size, Massive attack, David Holmes, Autechre and Clint Mansell.
The whole film is surreal,beautiful and shot so differently yet originally. Reminds me of the Silent Hill video games on parts the way it messes with your head and stretches your fear of the unknown. Also is similar to Taxi-driver how its main guy seems to plummet and be consumed by craziness and chaos. How you get to the stage where you snap and there's no going back.
What begins as an obsession to beat the stock market slowly transcends into something altogether higher and pivotal yet dangerous.
Watch immediately if you are into deep films because Pi certainly is near the top of the pile.
Darren Aronofsky, I see what he's trying to achieve here. In all his films. Has to be watched again and again to take into account all it's deeper messages and meanings.
Simply Amazing, spirals into perfection and infinity like it's chaotic numeric, faithful subject matter.
Faith is indeed in chaos, in order, and sometimes human error: A myriad of God, man and math. I will leave you with questions: When does genius become madness? When does a mathematician begin to become a numerologist? An obsession has good traits and bad, but how far would you go if you discovered the secret of the Universe? And if you did would you destroy that secret/discovery because this secret would be too dangerous for anyone to have?
''There will be no order, only chaos.''
A paranoid mathematician searches for a key number that will unlock the universal patterns found in nature.
Faith in Chaos.
Sean Gullette: Maximillian Cohen
Max is a mathematician who tries to find the perfect number/equation to life, to everything. Upon finding it, people will do anything to get what he knows.
Beautiful sounds and music, fantastic camera work are a few aspects Pi has to offer. The whole flashes, views through keyholes, the ants, the black and white filming intensifies the ordeal that is Pi.
I liked the Jewish lettering and numbering system. Especially fascinating with some awe defining comparisons and links to certain symbolic aspects within the Torah.
Darren Aronofsky has crafted a superb, psychological, analytical movie that spirals out of control to dizzying heights. Paranoia and madness soaked.
Sean Gullette portrays Max in such a believable fashion. Incredible.
Very meaningful quotes for instance, the following examples:
''When i was a little boy my mother told me not to stare into the sun.
So once when i was six i did''.
''1. Mathematics is the language of nature.
2. Everything around us can be represented and understood through numbers.
3. If you graph these numbers, patterns emerge. Therefore: there are patterns everywhere in nature.''
Pi is perfected in it's capturing of numbers and the mixture of faith and religion. Even in religions and nature numbers are in everything, which begs the idea that God, the big everything, or whatever you believe, patterns are in everything, reflecting how numbers are everywhere.
Some interesting ambient music from some surreal groups too like Aphex Twin, orbital, Ront Size, Massive attack, David Holmes, Autechre and Clint Mansell.
The whole film is surreal,beautiful and shot so differently yet originally. Reminds me of the Silent Hill video games on parts the way it messes with your head and stretches your fear of the unknown. Also is similar to Taxi-driver how its main guy seems to plummet and be consumed by craziness and chaos. How you get to the stage where you snap and there's no going back.
What begins as an obsession to beat the stock market slowly transcends into something altogether higher and pivotal yet dangerous.
Watch immediately if you are into deep films because Pi certainly is near the top of the pile.
Darren Aronofsky, I see what he's trying to achieve here. In all his films. Has to be watched again and again to take into account all it's deeper messages and meanings.
Simply Amazing, spirals into perfection and infinity like it's chaotic numeric, faithful subject matter.
Faith is indeed in chaos, in order, and sometimes human error: A myriad of God, man and math. I will leave you with questions: When does genius become madness? When does a mathematician begin to become a numerologist? An obsession has good traits and bad, but how far would you go if you discovered the secret of the Universe? And if you did would you destroy that secret/discovery because this secret would be too dangerous for anyone to have?
Read
September 9, 2022"We shot Max hiding under the car with a wide 5.9 lens and it was cool. I love lying on my belly in the gutter making movies. Hardcore guerilla style."
Love Aronofsky. Insightful, and makes me scared/excited for the future.
Love Aronofsky. Insightful, and makes me scared/excited for the future.
May 13, 2020
Amazing inspo
Read
August 9, 2022Paperback from Tim’s Used Books in Provincetown, MA
February 7, 2024
imagine being dillusional enough to set out to make a feature like this, but also so dillusional that you keep a journal of the process that is written for an audience of future fans
May 14, 2013
El diario ofrece algunos destellos sobre el proceso creativo. Algunas cosas que destacar, pero para ser una película hecha con las uñas esperaba más pathos del relato. De todas maneras si admiras el trabajo de Arnofsky, como yo, apreciarás la narración.
El verdadero valor del libro es el guión de la película que viene como un apéndice.
El verdadero valor del libro es el guión de la película que viene como un apéndice.
March 16, 2014
As well as the script, this was an interesting look at what goes on inside the director, Darren Aronofsky's mind.
August 9, 2015
Fascinating diary on the thought process of the making of Pi the film.
November 11, 2015
An amazing screenplay for an amazing film. Also, a great behind-the-scenes peek into the highs and lows of filmmaking.
November 24, 2013
Izlenmeden anlaşılmaz...
September 4, 2015
Mathematician losing sanity and the Kaballah
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews