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Four Screenplays: Being John Malkovich / Adaptation. / Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind / Synecdoche, New York
Collected for the first time in a single volume, the complete scripts of four of acclaimed screenwriter Charlie Kaufman's most popular films.
Roger Ebert has unabashedly declared that "Charlie Kaufman is one of the few truly important writers to make screenplays his medium." Here is an extraordinary omnibus covering four of Kaufman’s revered scripts.
Being John Malkovich
The Oscar®-nominated break-out classic from 1999 hailed as "a terrific original screenplay…intriguingly prophetic, irresistible, nimble, and very funny" (Janet Maslin, The New York Times ).
Adaptation
Based on The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, Adaptation received the PEN Center USA 2003 Literary Award for screenwriting and four Oscar® nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay and the PEN Center USA 2005 Literary Award for screenwriting, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a love story about mind erasure that is "unforgettable" ( Wall Street Journal ).
Synecdoche
The directorial debut of Kaufman in 2008 won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, and was called "the best film of the decade," by Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times .
Roger Ebert has unabashedly declared that "Charlie Kaufman is one of the few truly important writers to make screenplays his medium." Here is an extraordinary omnibus covering four of Kaufman’s revered scripts.
Being John Malkovich
The Oscar®-nominated break-out classic from 1999 hailed as "a terrific original screenplay…intriguingly prophetic, irresistible, nimble, and very funny" (Janet Maslin, The New York Times ).
Adaptation
Based on The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean, Adaptation received the PEN Center USA 2003 Literary Award for screenwriting and four Oscar® nominations, including Best Adapted Screenplay.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Winner of the Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay and the PEN Center USA 2005 Literary Award for screenwriting, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a love story about mind erasure that is "unforgettable" ( Wall Street Journal ).
Synecdoche
The directorial debut of Kaufman in 2008 won the Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature, and was called "the best film of the decade," by Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times .
512 pages, Paperback
First published November 30, 2010
114 people want to read
About the author
Charlie Kaufman
22 books886 followersCharles Stuart Kaufman is an American playwright, film producer, theater and film director, and an Academy Award, BAFTA, and Independent Spirit Award-winning screenwriter. Often regarded as one of the finest screenwriters of the 21st century, his work explores themes of death, insecurity, the artistic process, and the passage of time.
In 2003, Kaufman was listed at #100 on Premiere's annual "Power 100" list. He was also identified by Time Magazine in 2004 as one of the 100 most powerful people in Hollywood.
In 2003, Kaufman was listed at #100 on Premiere's annual "Power 100" list. He was also identified by Time Magazine in 2004 as one of the 100 most powerful people in Hollywood.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
March 18, 2023
I’ve seen most of Kaufman’s films mostly over 10-15 years ago. Now reading the screenplays and rewatching the films soon after is a completely different experience.
His usual self deprecating characters are often times writers like himself stuck in a desperate state of finding something meaningful and human connection. On the page his characters relish in dialogue and have fuller background stories while in the finished films they have been cut or reduced greatly. Collaborated works with a director in my opinion usually has a greater and more unique voice its balance of the fantastical elements and fleshed characters. Kaufman directed films feels a bit more conventionally contrived though not affecting the originality of the writing.
My only grievance is the overt and sometimes perverse sexual moments in the script which thankfully is pulled back in the produced films.
Kaufman’s self awareness with his ability to craft story with allowance of his imagination is brilliant. When paired with a few of my favorite directors like Gondry and Jonze, it’s outcome is all sorts of wonderful.
His usual self deprecating characters are often times writers like himself stuck in a desperate state of finding something meaningful and human connection. On the page his characters relish in dialogue and have fuller background stories while in the finished films they have been cut or reduced greatly. Collaborated works with a director in my opinion usually has a greater and more unique voice its balance of the fantastical elements and fleshed characters. Kaufman directed films feels a bit more conventionally contrived though not affecting the originality of the writing.
My only grievance is the overt and sometimes perverse sexual moments in the script which thankfully is pulled back in the produced films.
Kaufman’s self awareness with his ability to craft story with allowance of his imagination is brilliant. When paired with a few of my favorite directors like Gondry and Jonze, it’s outcome is all sorts of wonderful.
August 3, 2019
Charlie Kaufman is a genius, hands down. These movies are among my all-time favorites and are a level (or several) above most others.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews