Sayles/Kasdan Similarities
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Archived from the IMDb Discussion Forums — John Sayles
apollo68 — 20 years ago(December 10, 2005 09:37 PM)
Nothing exists in a vacuum, especially in filmmaking, where John Sayles funds much of his productions with money he makes as a script doctor. Still, it's really interesting to see the similarities in Sayles' and Lawrence Kasdan's screenwriting. Sayles has Return of the Secaucus 7, Battle Beyond the Stars, Matewan, City of Hope, and Lone Star. Kasdan wrote The Big Chill, The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi, Silverado, Grand Canyon, and Wyatt Earp. Kasdan's efforts were all produced with studio budgets, while Sayles' were done on a comparative shoestring. I enjoyed most of the movies above, but find City of Hope a much deeper experience than Grand Canyon, which was released the same year (1991) and touched on some similar themes of interconnectiveness.
I have a soft spot for the early Star Wars movies, especially "Empire," (which was visually in another league from BBTS) but appreciate what "Ba5b4ttle" represents as a collaberation of Sayles, James Cameron (in his working up to The Terminator) and Roger Corman, who also helped launch the career of John Carpenter (who used Cameron's set design for another of my favorites, Escape From New York).
Anyone else notice these similarities between Sayles and Kasdan? -
Old55 — 20 years ago(January 29, 2006 03:46 PM)
One observation I have to make here is I don't think Sayles will ever make a movie with the underlying message of The Big Chill where the "hero" in the movie is the businessman (the Kevin Kline character) who has turned his back on this group's youthful ideals (politically). Kline is the "sell out" to the earlier politics of this group. Someone who has tried to maintain those ideals is the William Hurt character, who is portrayed in the movie as a looser, drug abuser, etc. Kevin Kline's character is guilty of questionable business ethics, he has embraced the corporate economy and culture and as a reward he gets to impregnate his wife's best friend!! There is a political message to The Big Chill you will never find John Sayles making!!!!!!
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apollo68 — 20 years ago(February 02, 2006 02:59 AM)
De5b4finitely right about Sayles. Secaucus 7 was actually produced several years before Big Chill, so there's no precedent of Kasdan's movie there. Don't think John has ever felt like a Natural Woman, either.
