Casting and Q&A

I agree with Christina Ricci being a great choice to play Blue. She definitely harnesses that mysterious aspect as far as looks go.

For Gareth I am torn between Gene Hackman, Robert Redford, and Dennis Quaid. I realize that in reality both Hackman and Redford are a little bit older than Gareth in the novel, but I feel Gene Hackman would be great for acting with the omniscient attitude that Gareth presents, and Robert Redford definitely fits the mold of how, according to what Blue says, Gareth wasn't that handsome when he was younger but he grew into his good looks upon becoming older.

I keep finding myself thinking that Vera Farmiga, the love interest of both detectives in The Departed, would be great for playing Hannah. Mainly because she does a great job with changing her look as far looking sexy/modest/unattractive etc. Just take a look at some of her film stills and press photos and you'll see.

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If anybody wants to check it out, there is a great discussion forum for Special Topics on its amazon.com page. Just search the book and scroll down on its page towards the bottom where it says discussion. There is some interesting input from people in it.

Some extra thoughts:

I am concerned with how the actress who will play Blue will be directed. A lot of the time, Blue's character usually doesn't push the plot forward. Instead, everything around her is pushing both her and the plot forward. Until the latter portion of part 2 and certain parts of part 3, Blue more or less is a reactionary character. A lot of her drastic changes including the way she dresses directly come from the Bluebloods. The situation in Special Topics is different from the typical film where the "nerd is transformed into the popular girl" in that Blue's personality doesn't really change that muc. I feel that the movie find a way to honor Blue's silence. Her ability to observe a situation, feel it out, and discover whether it is uncomfortable not plays a large part. In fact, a lot of the voiceover is derived from the fact that our protaganist is someone who continuously judges the world through her eyes. I imagine the character in the movie anxious, with her hands semi-folded, sitting near the Bluebloods, and absorbing everything to say as if those words were the defining factor as to how Blue judges them. I am also a firm believer in a theme of how the teenage imagination can blow things out of proportion. In respect to that, Blue's time spent as an observer (whether the time span be short or long) allows the viewer to insinuate that Blue's ability to "deduct" information of what sees to possibly be way over the top. There could be moments where Blue takes notice of seemingly irrelevant information about the person she is talking to or the area she is in. From there, either in voice over or simply from within Blue's expression, we could hear/see how her observations could be her downfall.

Casting

Hugh Laurie would be an ingenious choice for Gareth. My only concern would be how he would show affection for Blue or anyone else for that matter. From what I've seen of House, I can’t imagine him being a loving father. He is mean to dying kids! But then again that is what the script calls for. Who knows, he might be able to pull off warm widowed dad. What about Hugh Grant for Gareth?

How will Blue’s physical appearance change/evolve throughout the course of the film? I think Blue’s changes in look should coincide with her rebellion against her father. Before she befriends the Bluebloods she could look really studious. (button down shirts, glasses, really simple clothes, no makeup) As she joins the bluebloods and gets pulled deeper into their group she can start imitating the way Jade and Leulah look, dress and even act. (more provocative clothes and makeup) She should definitely dye her hair that rusty bronze color. After the camping trip she can go back to looking the way she did at the beginning. This would signify that she is no longer a member of the bluebloods clique and never truly was.
This is who I picture Blue being: http://www.outpost-daria.com/images/sarah_drew.jpg

P.S. Molly: Lindsay Lohan is going to stage a comeback when she emerges from rehab and Hillary Duff is not past her prime.

-Keegan

I too feel it is important not to introduce Hannah too soon. Some time should be given to Blue and Gareth’s character development before Hannah comes on the scene. Blue’s crush on Andreo Verduga and his stabbing should be shown briefly. In the book Blue says that her father was at a faculty diner in honor of the new dean when Verduga appeared bloody at the door. I now find myself questioning the existence of this diner and wondering if Gareth was somehow involved in the stabbing. Details, anecdotes or descriptions that make the whole Nightwatchmen conspiracy seem more plausible should be included if at all possible. After seeing the movie once, the viewer can watch it again and again, each time picking up new clues that foreshadow and validate Blue’s discovery at the conclusion of the book. With the book I found myself rereading passages during the climatic final sequences just to make sure I had everything straight. You can’t rewind at your leisure while in a movie theater so the details of how everything weaves together at the end must be very clear. The movie should be like the book in that after it is finished details are still up for discussion. The director should leave certain things open ended. Was Gareth involved in Hannah’s death? Did Gareth and Hannah have a romantic relationship? Was that Gareth at the Costume Party? Was Natasha’s death really an accident? Did Hannah intend for Blue to uncover the truth? I picture people debating these questions as the credits are rolling.

-Keegan

Parts 1-3 Pacing & Necessities

I am very concerned about the pace that the film will take, as far as plot events and character exposition go. The reason I say so is because we meet Hannah for the first time (besides what we learn initially about her death) in ch. 5 and this is relatively quick considering the novel is 36 chapters. There are a lot of crucial elements that must be incorporated from chapters 1-5 and I feel the film shouldn't rush this exposition of her past (her mothers death, verduga, etc.) because they will becomes key visual queues for the audience by the end of the film. If anything, the amount of onscreen time for the events of Blue and the bluebloods should definitely be hastened, because this is where the novel tends to get thick. The excursion to France can also have some fat trimmed, but it must be visually emphatic as far as Blue's alleged encounter with Verduga and also when she walks in on the conversation that her father and his friend try to hide from her. Lastly, I feel that the stage where Blue begins piecing the Nightwatchmen conspiracy together must be elaborated on, because in the book she begins doing so in chapter 30, and if this time frame were mimicked in the film, the audience would certainly have the feeling of a rug being pulled out from underneath them. Blue won't be able to just throw herself into this tangent as she has done in the novel, rather it should be prolonged so that the visual story queues from earlier in the film may be cleverly alluded to.

That is all from me for now. More later on the characters and some interesting stuff I found on the web about the novel.

Oh, for those of you who haven't, take some time and check out the official site for Marisha Pessl, it is all based around Special Topics in Calamity Physics. It is pretty interactive and interesting to say the least. Here it is: http://www.calamityphysics.com/main.htm

post 5 actors

I personally think that Blue should be cast as a complete unknown because she describes herself as Jane Goodall. She is someone who can walk amongst the gorillas unnoticed. Therefore, the actress who plays Blue shouldn’t already be a star. However, the look that I see Blue having is that of a young Christina Ricci or a young “Beetlejuice”-“Heathers” era Winonna Rider (who someone mentioned would now make a good Hannah). Both actresses have a similar look that could be taken as “owl like” and would be convincing before and after the makeover.

I like what was mentioned in class about having all the Bluebloods be the opposite of Blue, and be a household name. However, the biggest difficulty would be finding these actors since this decade does not have a “Brat Pack,” or really much a teen star system. I guess the best place to look is Disney. In the past they have started careers of many young actors. Most recent examples: Hillary Duff and Lindsay Lohan (who are now both past their prime, at least in my opinion).

As far as the adults go, I agree with Keegan’s choice of Naomi Watts for Blue’s mother Natasha. She does seem to have that more timeless and wholesome beauty that seems to characterize her. If you think of Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” she completely looked the part of the 30’s starlet. However, for Hannah I have been leaning more towards Nicole Kidman, despite her hair color (which could be easily fixed) and the fact that she has been making some poor role choices recently…Anyways, I thought of her because she has that way of standing out “like an ostrich among buffalo” (Cold Mountain and To Die For, which I think both we set in small towns where her character always looked some what out of place). Plus she and Naomi Watts are known friends which could add an interesting dynamic to the whole Natasha and Hannah relationship.

For some reason I keep thinking of Hugh Laurie for Gareth. I don’t think he has the right look, but I think there are parallels between Gareth and his character House, from “House.” For example (if you don’t know the show) House is this brilliant doctor who has this near encyclopedic knowledge of things, which he tends to use against people. This reminds me of the way Blue describes the way Gareth deals with people that he doesn’t want to bother with. Also with House, there is a fine line between loving him and hating him, which I think is the same with Gareth. There are moments for both when it seems like deep down there is a nice guy who truly cares about his patients (House)/daughter (Gareth). However, sometimes House is the egomaniac who likes to experiment with patients, and Gareth is the jackass who abandoned his daughter.

multiple posts

For some reason my internet went down so i am just going to post these posts in a lump sum

Post 2

Relationship with Bluebloods:

Part two of the book was probably the most boring part for me. When reading the book I felt that the film style would be something like virgin suicides meets Rushmore. The virgin suicides part would deal with the character introductions and details and the Rushmore style would deal with the encounters between blue and the blue bloods/ Hannah schnider. We would have blue point of view and V.Os to describe Jade, Zach, Natasha and Hannah… etc but it would be apparent as molly said that blue is the odd one out. I feel that this is key to the coming of age story within the social structure of the school and the blue bloods that blue keep her objectivity and distance but at the same time be able to comment on the mistakes she made. It is through this social circle, its acceptance, and the loss of it that blue learns about herself. All the while there should be a certain amount of magic surrounding the blue bloods but especially Hannah as she is key to the development of both blues identity and also the later plot. You would need someone gorgeous but also mysterious to play as Hannah but no actress comes to mind. As for blue you would need a girl that can go from frumpy to that all to played out pretty girl montage…. Or something similar… at least I see a scene like that being jammed into the film for popular value.

Post 3

The watchmen

This was perhaps the best part of the whole book but several problems arise when dealing with blues clues (yeah hahaha….) about the watchmen. As we discussed in class there is a certain difficulty in putting all the clues she goes through into the film. Should it be a flashback sequence done in V.O or should the clues be apparent in the frame and left up to the viewer to find. I am for leaving the clues embedded in the frame and perhaps doing a slight recap for those viewers who are not adept at mystery solving. Part of the novels appeal is its ambiguity with what exactly happened to Hannah and to Mr. Van Meer and the ability to successfully hide clues through out the film would add to this. We do not want as we discussed in class a Scooby doo ending where we the viewer feel completely disconnected from the solving process nor do we want the clues to be overly apparent. I believe a key scene is the revelation that the woman that picked young blue up was in fact Hannah. That could be a way to tie all the clues together definitely without abusing the viewer. Also the segment about her uncovering her fathers work could be used as a method to speedily progress through her rationalizing of the facts although I feel this is much weaker and that the writers would need to toy with this part to make it fit. I must disagree with Steven and say that the coming of age story I feel is the backdrop to the greater mystery and that the mystery element should prevail because it is through this process that blue looses her father, Hannah, and the blue bloods, and these are causes for her coming of age.

Post 4

The conclusion to the novel is perhaps the best way in the film to illustrate a change in blue. I believe the key scene for the ending is her encounter with the “new” Zach and how this change comes about in her. Also I believe that the disappearance of blues father and his omission from the end strengthen the mystery elements. I really hope they don’t sneak him in to the end as some figure hiding in the crowd because that really would just ruin the whole watchmen element. Also I feel that there should be some visual compilation of the clues blue has collected like a scrap book or journal and thus we can watch blue put away the mystery. As for the exam at the end of the novel I do not think it can translate well into film except for something fun to do during the end credits.

Post 3:

After our discussion in class, I decided to change what I was initially going to talk about in this post. Instead, I wanted to go over certain elements of Part 3 again especially now that I have had time to think about it in relation to what I felt were the most important themes of the book. When I read the novel, it felt as if the coming of age story and the mystery plot were doing combat with each other rather than melting together into a single, solid story. While I feel that the "extravant conclusions" that Blue comes to are important to the story, all of her conclusions can be argued to be false.

Because of this, I believe that the movie should be written in a way that on the surface it feels solely like a coming of age film. A majority of the mystery should be subdued and made more subtle. Hints and clues towards the plot should exist within the frame, but not within direct view and they should not be honored with close-ups. I feel that this way, the mystery can be embedded better into the story. At the same time, mainstream audiences could enjoy the film as a coming of age story while the art house crowd could begin to see a mystery that lied underneath the plot. One of the things that made films such as Unbreakable and The Prestige enjoyable is that due to a certain twist, the movie is not the same film when you rewatch it. I feel that Special Topics should work in a similar vein.

While the adaptation of this novel will be complex with all of the details, I do not think it will be difficult. Many of the descriptions have to do with how other peopel look or how a certain area looks. If anything, I believe this gives the director, set designer/art director, as well as the costume designer a lot of material to work with. Blue's decriptions of other people are often vivid and in it of themselves is essential character development. An example is Zach, who she admits later that she may have misjudged. If anything, I believe the translation of Blue's descriptions allows Special Topics to be a better film than it is a novel.

Even though a director has already been chosen, I can still see Christopher Nolan's style as something that can be emulated for this film. The Prestige itself was a novel adaptation and had a very profound streategy in matching up the visual elements with the voiceovers (which an adaptation of Special Topics demands). In terms of casting, I have kept quiet about this since it may just be me but I can see Winona Ryder casted as the part of Hannah. While I would like to avoid star-power, I do believe she can pull off the subdued tone that Hannah has as well as appear glowing, yet, frail in front of the camera. Again, this may just be my equivalent of Kevin Smith believing that Ben Affleck can play any role. But, I do believe Winona Ryder could defenitely move with the same grace that Hannah often seems to appear with.

Post

Movie Opening: Though there has been a strong case made by molly to begin the film within the front seat of the Volvo I feel that the film should begin in the classroom first mentioned in the introduction. After the standard titles we find blue sitting in the classroom of Zolo Kydd, one in the mass of students attending the lecture. The camera zooms in on blue and we have a flash back of her conversation with Jade, the loose ends conversation, she then stands and leaves abruptly. We follow blue through out the corridors to her room where she begins to type. Then begins her voice over and a slow pan to the map where she has marked all the places she has lived. We then zoom in on the map breaking its calligraphy boundary entering the real world and find the Van Meer Volvo going cross country, a young blue inhabiting the front seat with her father.

The reason I believe that the film should start in the school is because the inciting incident is Jades call. I feel that this return of the past to the present is what first draws the reader/spectator in. There is a bit of mystery about a character we have yet to meet but blue has. Also I feel that the film should be done as blue writing through her experience, thus allowing an omniscient narrator who can comment with V.Os and show us the visual aids. There are far to many visual aids to include them all but there are a few that would definitely add to the film… however sorting through all of them and figuring out which ones would be a tremendous feat.

post 4

I generally agree with what Ryan is saying about how the book provides a lot of detail, which makes adaptation extremely hard. However, I think that knowing the ending makes it easier to choose the parts of the book to keep, like the way Coppola told his daughter to focus on one word (I haven’t thought of one yet). This may make the film more predictable, but in a best case scenario, it could be watched like a detective story, where the audience tries to piece everything together with Blue. I also agree that the third part of the book contains many important events which would weaken the film if left out.

I am having a hard time figuring what to include, therefore in this post I’m just going to try and breakdown all of, what I think, are the “significant” points. I think I’ve said some of this before, but actually typing it out helps me, so I’m sorry if this seems repetitive and bear with me as I ramble…

1. Introduction
1. Something fast paced and loaded with information (like “Rushmore”/”Amelie” where the audience gets to know each character quickly)
2. Relationship with Bluebloods
1. This is where Blue does most of her typical coming of age. Her integration into a group, the Sunday dinners, the bars, the nights at Jade’s.

i. However, each time we see Blue with them something should be revealed about either Hannah or her father (something significant)

2. This relationship takes the place of her fathers

i. The book seems to focus on how she moves of without her father, which is definitely emphasized at the end.

3. Also at the end, you realize that these people were more superficially her friends.
2. Relationship with Hannah
1. Hannah provides the main conflict, especially since her death is known from the beginning.
2. It seems as if with both the Blueblood and with her father, Blue sort of floats around without any real purpose. Hannah seems to provide the main conflict, which moves the story along.
3. Relationship with her father
1. This is one of the most important, as many people have said.
2. He is basically her whole world.
3. The end of this relationship could be seen also as coming of age. Blue is now finally able to move on with her life without her father, literally. His leaving seemed like a mentor letting his pupil go it alone and knowing that they will be okay.
4. Relationship with Zach
1. Although all through the majority of the book, Blue seems to dislike this character, in the end, he is the only one who is still there for her.
2. I suppose you could cut him out completely and focus on the other relationships in order to tighten the narrative, but I personally like they way the book ends with him.
5. Nightwatchmen
1. I think this should be hinted at as much as possible, along with Hannah’s out of place quality and mystery.

i. The Paris part, the Manson book, etc.

2. This seems to be the big payoff and the conclusion of her relationships with her father and Hannah
6. End
1. The graduation scene I believe is important, and I would like too see it all, but if there is no room for it I would suggest cutting to her valedictorian speech.

i. I felt that this part of the book was mainly about her being able to move on her own and just being at the graduation proves that.

2. If it were up to me I would definitely keep the end end, with the umbrella. Perhaps even with voiceover.

I am probably missing some things, but I guess these would be the main things that I would try to incorporate and use to focus the adaptation. It seems like there are almost two coming-of-ages, which Ryan acknowledge in his post: “It is like mixing Mean Girls and Chinatown into one movie.” Somehow both have to be accounted for if possible.

One thing that I don’t think is necessary is all the June Bugs. It would be good to note them in the beginning as part of her father’s introduction, but other than that I don’t see them as necessary. Even Eva Brewster’s part doesn’t really work for me. I’m not sure why, but that part just really bothered me and I don’t think (I could be wrong) it should be in the movie. The only importance that it seems to have is that it establishes her father’s lying. However, other instances from the book could substitute that, for example, the part of the book when she finds the price tag on the desk.

I also don’t think that her depression and shock (both after she is saved from the mountain and after her realization that her father is gone) towards the end of the film is as important because there is so much else going on. I think a short voiceover, or quick montage, could explain everything without taking up that much screen time.

I’m sure that ultimately a large chunk of the narrative needs to be cutout or changed since that’s what some of the better adaptations have done. However, if that is done then the storyline that they choose has to be portrayed really well. In my opinion the best adaptations either follow the book exactly, or are different enough for the two to be able to stand alone without comparison. For example, many things were changed and left out of “Bridget Jones’s Diary” and “LA Confidential,” but both were very enjoyable for readers and nonreaders.

Ryan L. Post 3 and Conclusion ( i was going to make two seperate posted but i thought it stupid to do them minutes apart

Wow, the 3rd section of the book makes this entire thing worth reading. This is where all the action happens. Through the book i felt like it was about Blue's coming of age but somthing bigger was happening. in the third part of this novel a huge under story is unfolded. This part of the book could have easily been a book in itself. The only thing that bothers me is after reading part three everything else in the book seemed long winded. There was just so much that i didint have to read. There are key points which are important that are revield in the end, which i commend the author for doing so well but i felt like for the better half of the month i was reading a story that wasnt going anywhere, if this book wasnt required reading i would have given up half way through part 2. The more i read in the book the more difficult i found it to visualize how this film would be put on film. There is so much there, and just in the thrid part alone a wealth of information, crazy sequences and visually stunning senarios can occur. When Eva brewster comes to the house, the entire camping trip and the graduation are scenes that can be so visually powerful and stunning it would make this film outstanding. That is if anyone is still in the theater after the 4 hours it took to get to that point.

when i think of films that are structured as this film would be i think of Taxi Driver (Scorsese 1976) (hold on let me explain) In Taxi Driver a majority of the film is based on the growth of the main character and being brought into his world, it is a huge build up to the end where all the action takes place. now if Taxi Driver was written the Marisha Pessl way 3 hours of the movie would have explained how the main character use to be in the army, why he joined the army, the little adventures he had in the army and then in the last 20 minutes of the moive the entire plot would unfold. What i am trying to say here is yes the story needs to have a build up, and Blue's past and present life are very important to the story but because of the Authors long winded way of writting, the amount of unnecciary information looses its quirkiness and fun 50 pages into the book. if every book reference, quote of her father, page long descriptions of people and memories that relate to situations int he book were taken out, this book would probably be close to 200 pages.

I dont hate the story there are alot of things that i could praise Pessl for, i think she creates great characters they are creative and come alive. i love the idea of seeing things through blue's eyes and the reality of the story and the difference between them. i like Blue's views on society and american culture which are tucked away in the book. i like the idea that this book leaves the reader with questions unanswered, the final exam portion is different and a great idea. I just feel as i read the book i disliked Blue because of the constantly on-going bland facts that kepts interjected in the plot. Then i just began to dislike Pessl because i felt like she wrote the book in way that reading everyword she wrote was a privialge i was given, that i wanted her to go into every detail about everything and see how she could go on and on and on, and marvel at how she creates details about every little thing. If that sounds close minded or stupid i am sorry i just felt unsatisfied at the end of this book.

Final conclusion about book to film

i would like to send some flowers, a large bottle of somthing alcaholic and a card that says GOOD LUCK! to the screenwriter who has to transfer this. The book is long but there is so much that is important that cannot be understood without an explanation of where it comes from, that if the screen writer wants to keep allt he facts in the story that lead to the answers in the end like the book does, and still keep the film a reasonable length and interesting she is going to have to do a lot of work disecting the book.

i feel that the references she makes to books and statistics will have to be seriously cut down. there are just too many to fit them all in the movie and most of them are so obscure that they make no sense to the reader. they should use the ones that are either widley known by the masses of people or so intesting and quirky that people would enjoy hearing the little quotes/facts even if they never rea the source they where from.

Now having read the entire book i see the importance of having hannahs suicide in the beginning of the book but i still feel the Paris trip is pointless. what we need to learn from Paris can easily be changed to a dinner one night which features Blue, her father and her father's friend.

This book is going to be difficult to transfer but it holds a story worth telling and if done correctly, like it is done in the book there is a well placed mystery hidden in this coming of age story. It is like mixing Mean Girls and Chinatown into one movie. This book had potential in my eyes i just hope that the problems that i found in the book are solved in the film version because if done write this film has alot of potential to be one of the first "Yeah i saw that movie based on the book......i liked the movie better" situations.

Post 2:

After completing the book and having time to dwell on my notes, I decided to finally wrap my thoughts on certain things I thought were important together.

We have already established that the book is more or less always Blue's coming of age story regardless of who the main character may be putting her own focus on whether it be the Bluebloods or just Hannah Schneider. I feel that the movie version of Special Topics should take the time to make use of certain techniques to depict the way Blue sees the world. Essentially, the story is indeed the story Blue was writing within the story Marisha Pessl, giving further reason to manipulate the way settings are depicted. I easily imagine Hannah Schneider's home (and possibly various places where Hannah is present) to be lit in a fuzzy, golden color. This unique scheme could uphold the vision of Hannah as a mysterious figure who we are never quite sure about.



I feel that often during the novel Blue's recollection of events often are that of those that seem to be exaggerated. The modern teenager is known for letting the imagination take over during moments of angst and fear thus giving way to exaggerations. I feel that not just Marisha the writer, but Blue as a character who is writing her epic should be aware as well as an adult looking back on her teenage years. The idea of manipulating the world through film technique could allow a visual motif to represent moments of exaggeration to be used. Possible ideas could include having the focus be manipulated so that the foreground or background is always out of focus during such scenes. Another idea could be akin to what Stanley Kubrick did in A Clockwork Orange where he would rearrange objects for each take of a scene to give a feeling of uneasiness.

I picture Blue’s neighborhood in Stockton being similar to the one we are introduced to in the opening scenes of Virgin Suicides. It is clean, green and leafy. People tend to their yards and wave pleasantly to each other. Kids ride their bikes down tree lined streets. At night it is peaceful and quite. Like in Virgin Suicides, the atmosphere of the neighborhood would contrast with the turmoil the residents are experiencing.

I was thinking about how the interior of Gareth and Blue’s house in Stockton should look. How can their home communicate visually the crucial details that Pessl provides the reader in the text? I think that the van Meer’s house should not only reflect their intellectual interests, but intimate bond between Gareth and Blue as well. Like their relationship, the house should feel warm and inviting. I picture dark wood furniture and upholstered leather chairs and couches. I see rooms cluttered with books, periodicals, movies and other random things they have picked up along the way. (Maybe a globe, telescope, model ship built in a bottle, mounted moose head, fishing equipment, small sculptures, trophies, objects that look historically significant, gadgets, etc.) Diplomas, awards, ribbons, maps, paintings, portraits of historic looking people, and old photographs can adorn the walls. There defiantly needs to be a fire place. People always read and contemplate life while a fire is blazing in the fireplace. Yellow legal pads will be hanging out of Gareth’s desk drawer. Objects that are typically given to professors as gifts can be littered everywhere. (mugs, paperweights, picture frames) I envision it being the type of home where even if its inhabitants aren’t present, you can totally picture them there.

-Keegan

3

It has been hard for me to “choose” the director that I would want to see make this film. Although I do enjoy Wes Anderson’s quirky and unique style, I agree with whoever said he wouldn’t be right for this project. And even though there is an off-beat awkwardness to Blue’s character, the book (and therefore the movie) is from her point of view, which seems to be more romantic. It seems as if she sees, not just Hannah, but everyone that she is close with as incredibly beautiful (Bluebloods, her father, Zach). I picture her viewing the other characters in the story the way that the boys in “Virgin Suicides” see the Libson sisters. On the other hand, she seems sees herself as the odd man out, the usually unnoticed observer. Even when she becomes one of the Bluebloods she doesn’t appear to have the same self-confidence that the others do. I thought this was most noticeable when she described the way she felt and looked in the various dresses that Jade lent her (a giant, puffy marshmallow…or something to that effect).

Therefore, I think whoever directs the movie should be someone who can capture the awe that Blue has for these people. However, in the middle of the book, it seems that she sees them more clearly, more real. Part of me wants to say that Baz Luhrmann (Red curtain trilogy) would work, but I know there are many people who find his directing style a little too—whatever. After seeing “Heavenly Creatures” Peter Jackson could be a good candidate. Both of those directors do a nice job of seeing the fantasy and bring that to life. Although, as I said before, the middle gets more realistic, Blue’s story still has an element of the fantastic in it (as her father said, “a person must have a magnificent reason for writing out his or her Life Story and expecting anyone to read it”).

I believe someone asked how Natasha and Hannah would differ in appearance. What do you think of them being visual foils of each other? Though entirely different women, they both impacted Blue at different stages of her development. If Calamity Physics is going to center around Blue’s coming of age, this is significant.

Based on the description given of her in the Othello chapter, I envision Natasha as an angelic figure. Because she is never alive during the time frame of the book, whenever she is mentioned it is in Blue’s distant memory. I picture her as a wholesome looking blonde with the delicate bone structure of a ballerina and creamy white skin. Gareth says she was an “arabesque.” Blue tells us that her mother came from an aristocratic New York family but rejected many of their values and became a liberal activist type. Her appearance could reflect this. An actress with classic patrician features could play her. Naomi Watts came to mind. She should give off the vibe of being warm and giving.

Hannah, on the other hand, is a striking dark mysterious woman. I picture her with sleek straight shiny dark hair. Jennifer Connelly would be great to play her. She is the type of women who is always wearing dark eye makeup and heels. I envision her looking edgy and sexy. She could be dressed in a very minimalist fashion, often in black.

-Keegan

I would open the film with a dark college dorm room, we see Blue lying awake in bed staring across the room, we cut to her pov as the moon from the window lights up a picture of James Dean on the wall. After a few seconds of cutting back and forth between her and the picture we cut to Hannah Schneider hanging from the orange extension cord, a vo of Blue's is saying the words at the bottom of the 1st page and on the top of the second describing when she found Hannah's body. Then I would have her begin to talk and think about the days when she was young and driving around the cuntry with her father. As she would say each place we would get to see a house or a school or some aspect of her life from that place. Talking about growing up traveling the country with her father would led to talking about her mother, and what happened to her. Photos and memories and of her mother and Blue when she was young was flash on the screen. I vision this as all being things that are running through her head and causing the sleeplessness.
I struggle with where to go from here. Because she runs out of her class room and begins to sit down and write her life story. I would rather see her begin to write it that night, the idea spawning from the memories and the things her father would tell her. I would take Soo-Jin out of the picture completely and have Blue living in a single alone at Harvard, to help add to her distance from everyone else. She could get out of bed turn on her desk lamp and stare at the blank papers and say, (vo), what she does on the bottom of page 10 to 12 in paraphrase.
I am favorable of following the original work as closely as possible, because in a book you must use all of your imagination and senses to bring the story to life, in a film it is presented for you and all you have to do is sit there and watch and listen. If you stray from the original then you are changing the characters and in escense changing the story. Now by no means must you repeat the book word for word, but I want to see the film follow the book. For instance, I would like to see the chapters be shown in the film, not all 36, that would extreme and drawn out, but significant ones, and parts from one could be added to another. I agree with what someone said in class about the chapters being part of a library in her head, I'm not sure who said and I apologize for stealing your idea however I like it.
Obviously I want the audience to understand her past so some stories from the road with her father must be told, however I feel the story gets good when she arrives at St. Galloway. That is where I would like to see the main focus of the story. This way we know how Blue, (and her father), are before she arrives at the school, and how she is changed by Hannah and the Blue Bloods.
As far as a director goes I am not sure who the best would be. Right now I want to say Wes Anderson, but I feel that is only because I just saw Rushmore, and although his style is fantastic and does fit for this type of story, I'm not sure I would like to see him do it. I don't know how to describe it, but you know his style, and thinking about Rushmore, Life Aquatic, and Tenenbaums of the top of my head, I just feel he isn't the best choice. I would like to see certain techniques of his used, such as the way he does introductions, (which would be perfect for the Blue Bloods), or the way he presents the film in sections which fits perfect for this; however I feel it might make it a little to dry, (I really don't know how to explain what I mean and think about it, but I hope someone can understand).
I will comment on more directors and cast members after I have finished my IMDB research...

June 15

I agree with Molly’s idea of having the film open with Blue and her father driving in their Volvo. Prior to attending to St. Gallaway, Blue’s relationship with her father was her entire life. Their bond is the foundation of Blue’s identity. Everything that transpires throughout the story, the changes Blue undergoes and how she views the world, builds on this foundation.

Perhaps the film could start with a series of comedic scenes of Blue and her father traveling together in assorted locations. Blue would get progressively older as the montage went on. There could be shots of them at different motels, houses, universities and sights around the country. A U.S. Rand-McNally map with pins and lines drawn with marker to show routes could appear between the scenes. The goal would be to capture their unique relationship and show the viewer how Blue developed into the bookish perceptive teenager she is when she becomes involved with Hannah and the Bluebloods. There could be shots of the two driving in the Volvo on long stretches of road engaging in the pastimes described in the book. (sonnet-athons, memorizing The Wasteland, vocab flash cards, author analogies, etc.)

I agree with Steven’s position on the voiceovers. Pessl’s fantastical use of language and imagery is what makes the book not just another high school drama story. I think that Blue’s most important and relevant statements should be used as voiceovers in the movie. This will give the viewer the chance to get in Blue’s head the way the reader is throughout the book.

-Keegan

I think that it would be important to include Blue’s description of the car rides where her father quizzes her, etc. I’m not sure where this scene would go in the movie. Perhaps this is where Blue’s story could begin, in the car before arriving at her new school, St. Gallaway. This doesn’t really have that much to do with the rest of the post, but I feel that a scene like that sums up their relationship quite nicely. And the relationship between Blue and her father seems to be very important, as is her relationship with Hannah. However, I think it is her interaction with the Bluebloods, which carry the story. It seems as if these are the first friends that she has made around her age, which could possibly be more important then Hannah’s death and other such things (the ending, which I don’t want to spoil). It seems as if this is the first time that Blue has been able to act like a normal, everyday teenager. Her life before St. Gallaway seems very sheltered and her only social interaction appears to be with her father. Therefore, when Jade asks Blue to stop talking about her father, Blue cannot because she doesn’t know anything else.

I agree with what Ryan says about Blue’s running away being important. The relationship with her father weakens because of her relationship with the Bluebloods. This is a big change for both Blue and her father. In this book Blue seems to go through a number of changes. Perhaps her transformations could be portrayed similarly to Max’s in “Rushmore.” However, I think there are there are more stages in Blue’s coming-of-age.

At first there is the Blue where she only knows life with her father and in school is somewhat of a nerdy outcast. Then there is the transition period where Blue is just integrating into the Bluebloods. After that is when she is fully accepted into their group, which of course is not as wonderful as Blue originally pictured it. Then, the climax, the falling out, and resolution (all of which come in part three I believe).

Overall, I think the best way to approach the movie is to choose the central storyline of the book, which could be the mystery of Hannah and her death. Obviously Blue is the main character, but perhaps we could focus on her quest to understand Hannah and why she is so fascinated by her.

As for the Paris scene I agree that it would prolong the movie awkwardly, but at the same time I think later on it becomes important and that somehow it should be incorporated if possible.

June 9 part 2 Ryan L.

The second part of the book reveals alot about the blueblood characters and Hannah. The party scene is one of the most intense parts of the book so far and should also hold the same tension in the film. Through out this part of the story Hannah has a slight darkness over her, and at this point in the story the thought that her secrets might be revield should keep the viewer on the edge of thier seat. This entire section of the book is a detailed look at Blue's relationship with the bluebloods, especially Jade. The Christmas dance scene is important. the "dance" is important in coming of age films. This is a point where true love usually flouishes or is denounced. This is funny because Blue's interaction with her date and his family is apathetic. She finds the entire experience boring until she meets up with Jade. I think this is an important scene because with most coming of age films the "dance scene" is usually one where the loner kid finally gets with the prom queen he always wanted (or some other romantic device like that). But this story shows the side of a person who is not really focused on the dance or her date. Its an interesting view of the other side of the School Dance scene. It doesnt make the viewer see blue as bad for leaving her date but the viewer is practically trying to push her to do it because you can see the mundane situation she is in.

Anothe important part of this section is the part where Blue run's away from her father. I thought finally some teenage defiance. The one thing this story has been lacking this whole time. Blue, a father's dream daughter finally defies her father when he suggests moving away. But i was dissapointed in how this part ended because things just slip back to normal after she calls him from the pancake house. i feel in the film this talk between her and her father needs to be in person and it needs a stronger conclusion if they are moving or not, this idea of Blue moving would be a climactic change in the flow of the story, i feel it should bbe drawn out for dramatic effect and this discussion between her and her father should have her defying her father more showing that she has grown alittle from the time she has spent with her peers away from her father.

Also in the translation of this book to film i find the Paris scene pointless. If taken out of the story it effects nothing. As a script writer adapting this book i would opt to take the paris scene out. it would make the film easier to shoot not having to shoot in Paris or making a place look like Paris. it would also help bringing the story to a more realistic cinematic length.

I also feel at this point in the film this section should start to suggest Hannah's pending death. I feel the film should not start off with giving away the fact that Hannah is the one to kill herself. They should hint that someone does die in the beginning but at this point in the film certain scenes should begin to foreshadow Hannahs death.

Whether it be a Hollywood director or an art director, the fact of the matter is that the movie's opening needs to be able to capture the audience's attention immediately. This is due to the fact that a majority of the viewers will be teenagers and young adults. However, this is not to say that the opening cannot be true to the novel. The movie could possibly open up with Blue watching the site of Hannah's suicide. The strength of this introduction could be increased by the director attempting to also beautiful Hannah in this moment. The novel is essentially Blue making an attempt to make sense of her life story. By immediately showing one of the events that would eventually help push Blue to write her life story, the movie is readily able to move into the movie while readily engaged.

There is a lot of information that Blue feeds to the reader within the first section of the book at a nonstop pace. I feel that by finding a way to match up the voiceover of Blue's most vivid statements along with the most powerful imagery. I imagine the flow from thought to through working similar to the early parts of the film "Amelie" where her upbringing is slowly given to us short scene by short scene with the narrator there to give commentary. Blue has a way of making her past feel mysterious and enticing. She also does not seem to remember her mother very clearly. I believe this could allow the director to play with how he presents Blue's storytelling. If Blue cannot recall exactly what her mother looked like even though she has seen pictures, the mother should appear mysterious to the viewer as well.

Since film is generally a visual medium, voiceover should obviously never prevail over what we see. However, Blue's ability to describe things the way she does is an essential part of her character. Her way of recognizing situations and putting them into perspective only help reflect the novel's story about a young woman who is trying to piece together her life story into something that makes sense as a whole. I imagine the voice over's place in the movie similar to how it worked in the film "Taxi Driver". It gives the viewer a perspective on how the character sees the world but at no time overrides the power of the visuals. It accompanies them acting as another tool in creating the film as a whole work.

Jun 5th post 1

The first part of the book establishes the characters, settings, and Blue's initial settling in the town for her senior year along with the circle of friends she makes. As far as i know the author takes great detail in the settings and the descriptions of people and actions, along with the constant references to films and books. I feel that the detail and descriptions are things that can be translated into film through narration. Possibly, if the director would like to take the film into a more (fantasyesque) direction make the metaphores tht blue make a reality to the camera as if we see it through Blue's eyes. The constant references to novels and films are a constant trend in the book but would prove to be more difficult on film. i feel that these references would have to be sorted through to find those that the audience would recognize the easiest or the most important few because this book has waaaaay to many. They tend to take away from the story telling experience in the novel and would be horrible for the film. Yes we are suppose to understand Blue's practically bibliographic knowledge but i feel this can be shown with fewer references than the hundreds which are found in the book.

Because the book is so well detailed the characters practically pop off the pages so the translation of events for the film would be easy (once all the details and footnotes have been sorted through) I find myself jumping down the page to find out what happens in the story and by pass the mind numbing details. For instance the scene where she thinks she sees her father at the costume party, at that point i really wanted to know if it was him and not a detailed view of the back patio from Blue's perspective at that point. But the actions in the film follow a format that could easily be translated to film i just feel the way the story is told and how it is narrated by Blue still needs to be determined. Right now i still need to get over the detailing before i can construct an idea of how this story would be told on film.

-Ryan L.

I was thinking perhaps the film could begin with the first three paragraphs of the book, but set in a car driving down a random highway. Blue could be staring wistfully out the window. Her close up could be combined with POV shots of the passing scenery. The main sound could come from the noise of the road and nature. In voiceover, the girl’s thoughts could be heard: “Dad always said a person must have a magnificent reason for writing out his or her Life Story and expecting anyone to read it” (1). Driving the car is her father, Gareth, who can now be seen lecturing in the background, but his words are too faint to hear, until the VO stops. Gareth can now be heard saying “Unless your name…with a wheeze” (second paragraph). He continues to speak, but his voice is lost to the VO once more, “Given such rigid parameters…sooner than I ever imagined” (third paragraph). Perhaps, here we could have a montage of images that she describes, ending with her in the car looking forward.

This last image could dissolve into her with the same expression, but now sitting in a lecture hall. Everyone except Blue looks bored or is asleep. Professor Zolo is at a podium, we hear part, or all of his lecture (page 9-10). As he finishes (“Where are the noble heroes?...”) Blue could be in an American Beauty like trance, and at the end (“…it just—it just might—”) she jumps up in a panic and runs out as described at the bottom of page 10.

Next, Blue could be in her room desperately trying to figure out what to write. Maybe provide a VO of her going over various beginnings, flashes of the Bluebloods, her mother, father, and Hannah. All these can be quick glimpses, except for the last one, which could possibly be the image of Hannah’s hanging without any sound except the “swing noise.” This could end with her crumpling up her false starts and just sitting there.

Then, a flashback to the car, with her father saying “One day you’ll see…And remember. Always have everything you say exquisitely annotated, and, where possible, provide staggering Visual Aids” (12). Blue now writes on the paper “Curriculum” and then, “Required Reading.” If possible, have opening credit with a montage of Blue in the library searching through many books and ending with her looking at the cover of Othello. A title could appear in hear handwriting: “Part 1.”

I thought this beginning might work because it could then establish Blue’s need/want of research and credibility. In class someone mentioned that Blue in the library could be used to visually show the annotations, along with some hand written commentary. However, I think that these narrative breaks should only be used during the first half hour at the most. Therefore, when the story picks up, these devices would be used very sparingly, if at all.