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Published on Wednesday, March 7, 2007 - 1:41am |
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Fox lands M Night's THE HAPPENING - it's a helluva script!
Hey folks, Harry here... Well Tom Rothman did the right thing here - There's a pretty strong anti-M Night movement out there in the world right now. Personally - I'm 100% on the other side of the tracks. I love the work that M Night has done - and I completely understand why the films that so many seem to vocally dislike - play that way towards them - I just don't share that opinion.
With THE HAPPENING, I predict if Fox stays out of M Night's way, that this will be seen as M Night's 'comeback'. Right now, I'm 40 pages into reading the 106 page draft of M Night's THE HAPPENING, which on this draft was known as THE GREEN EFFECT. THE HAPPENING is a much stronger title in my opinion... For one, THE HAPPENING is a phrase that feels and oozes 1960s. And what M Night has constructed thus far in this script is a very 1960's End of the World scenario. If you've ever seen NO BLADE OF GRASS - combine that to the premise of something like Stephen King's THE CELL - and you're heading in the direction that this movie goes in.
The script begins with some haunting violent imagery. The sort of imagery that instantly scares the shit out of you. This isn't a long slow build up to something, right at the beginning, the shit has hit the fan. It's downright scary nightmare scenarios. Everything the media makes us afraid of - it's happening all around us. I won't spoil what's causing things to happen, but I will say that by page 40 - the thing we're led to believe is happening... is a SCARY FUCKING THING.
It isn't often that I can pat Rothman on the back, but good job picking this script up. It's going to be an amazing film.
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Ok - just finished the script. This has the potential to be the best film M Night has made. It depends on the casting, but he's always done well with his casting. As with all of Shyamalan's films - at the heart of the script is spiritual healing and hope. However, unlike everything he's done - there's a mean streak. I see why so many studios were scared by the film, as there is definitely a fatalistic vibe pulsing through this film. However, I've always loved stories about the end of civilization as we know it. They always make for interesting conversations after you see the film. The "what would you do, if you were among the last survivors of a global pandemic? This is an awesome "fear" story. We'll follow this production as closely as we can.
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Reader Talkback
first? by werideatdusk | Mar 7th, 2007 12:58:11 AM | ps i hate "first" people by werideatdusk | Mar 7th, 2007 12:58:47 AM | M Night’s a hack and a
pompous asshole! by Mr. Moe | Mar 7th, 2007 01:05:13 AM | He may be a pompous asshole by The Pusher | Mar 7th, 2007 01:07:43 AM | Also... by The Pusher | Mar 7th, 2007 01:08:36 AM | ?uv ajeD by David Lazarus Long | Mar 7th, 2007 01:09:15 AM | Unbreakable = 2nd best
superhero movie ever by Beastmanseventy | Mar 7th, 2007 01:16:05 AM | Lady int eh Water was painful,
but in this element... by IndustryKiller! | Mar 7th, 2007 01:21:18 AM | when you isolate yourself, and
have no accountability by BadMrWonka | Mar 7th, 2007 01:26:05 AM | Why praise it so much when you
are up to page 40? by Rupee88 | Mar 7th, 2007 01:28:47 AM | Sequel: "What's The Happening
Now?" by topaz4206 | Mar 7th, 2007 01:35:25 AM | M Night has a lot to prove by CarmillaVonDoom | Mar 7th, 2007 01:39:03 AM | don't let him write by arrangedletters | Mar 7th, 2007 01:39:54 AM | All you sheep dissing Lady In
The Water by polyh3dron | Mar 7th, 2007 01:40:32 AM | Wasn't this the screenplay
that Hollywood passed on? by anchorite | Mar 7th, 2007 01:41:07 AM | So is this going to happen
after "M"Avatar? by Boondock Devil | Mar 7th, 2007 01:44:07 AM | Hitchcock would eat Shyamalan
for breakfast... by anchorite | Mar 7th, 2007 01:44:11 AM | Ebert's whole review of the
village...funny and apropos by BadMrWonka | Mar 7th, 2007 01:44:28 AM | Mr. Moe by Jackson Healy | Mar 7th, 2007 01:47:20 AM | Unbreakable is one of my fave
films of all time by Amy Chasing | Mar 7th, 2007 01:56:11 AM | "down to earth hollywood
superstar" by BadMrWonka | Mar 7th, 2007 01:58:18 AM | Jackson Healy by Mr. Moe | Mar 7th, 2007 01:59:51 AM | I thought he vowed to never
work with Fox again. by MaxTheSilent | Mar 7th, 2007 02:00:07 AM | Just too bad there won't be an
Unbreakable sequel by Boondock Devil | Mar 7th, 2007 02:02:24 AM | Amy Chasing by Boondock Devil | Mar 7th, 2007 02:06:18 AM | What a twist! by Celtican | Mar 7th, 2007 02:11:18 AM | I read a 106 page draft of The
Green Effect... by ODM | Mar 7th, 2007 02:16:25 AM | as for the Sixth Sense,
honestly.. by Amy Chasing | Mar 7th, 2007 02:16:55 AM | ODM - we read the same draft by HEADGEEK | Mar 7th, 2007 02:25:13 AM | Is this part of some elaborate
hoax? by Det. John Kimble | Mar 7th, 2007 02:27:52 AM | R-Rated M Night movie? Sign
me up! by Boondock Devil | Mar 7th, 2007 02:29:40 AM | This isn't a twist film by HEADGEEK | Mar 7th, 2007 02:30:10 AM | nuanced performances =
emotionless zombies by Mr. Moe | Mar 7th, 2007 02:39:23 AM | There just wasn't enough story
for me... by ODM | Mar 7th, 2007 02:45:20 AM | Shyamalan is not a hack, just
not that talented by Rupee88 | Mar 7th, 2007 02:50:18 AM | this script by MisterCynic | Mar 7th, 2007 03:01:46 AM | and... by MisterCynic | Mar 7th, 2007 03:06:19 AM | Ok Harry, Weiner just
overruled you by IndustryKiller! | Mar 7th, 2007 03:08:08 AM | The Village was great by kwisatzhaderach | Mar 7th, 2007 03:16:41 AM | Great news about the R rating! by NoPIX | Mar 7th, 2007 03:18:20 AM | Lady was a self indulgent
cheesey wank by quantize | Mar 7th, 2007 03:28:54 AM | hoo boy by chappai | Mar 7th, 2007 03:34:20 AM | Hah! Hah! hah! Hah!! Hah!!! by Jackson Healy | Mar 7th, 2007 03:39:01 AM | That Ebert review captures
everything wrong.. by quantize | Mar 7th, 2007 03:41:12 AM | smelling of failed
screenwriters? by SAVOIR_faire | Mar 7th, 2007 04:08:26 AM | the dude above (kwiksukdiscock
or some shit) that said by BadMrWonka | Mar 7th, 2007 04:32:51 AM | I really, really, really... by Brendon | Mar 7th, 2007 04:35:11 AM | This is the one where The
Trees Strike Back, by Captain Happy | Mar 7th, 2007 05:02:41 AM | It is his utter refusal to
listen to anyone by emeraldboy | Mar 7th, 2007 05:02:43 AM | lady in the water by El Borak | Mar 7th, 2007 05:12:37 AM | The original "The Happening" by OnomatoPoet | Mar 7th, 2007 05:15:14 AM | Tagline: "Mother Nature What
a bitch." by Boondock Devil | Mar 7th, 2007 05:22:38 AM | "The potential to be the best
film Shyamalan has made" by DerLanghaarige | Mar 7th, 2007 05:33:56 AM | Is he going to throw a fit
when... by mrfan | Mar 7th, 2007 05:50:02 AM | mrfan by emeraldboy | Mar 7th, 2007 05:58:50 AM | and.. by emeraldboy | Mar 7th, 2007 06:11:45 AM | "I love the work that M Night
has done" by Trazadone | Mar 7th, 2007 06:20:13 AM | Wasted Potential by Athanatos | Mar 7th, 2007 06:22:57 AM | There's a pretty strong anti-M
Night movement out there by Trazadone | Mar 7th, 2007 06:24:55 AM | Night Riders by ZooTrain | Mar 7th, 2007 06:27:27 AM | Anyone British Remember the
cheesy by Lost Prophet | Mar 7th, 2007 06:31:53 AM | All right, I've only seen
Signs once... by OnomatoPoet | Mar 7th, 2007 06:38:50 AM | Read StrangeCo's post, not
mine by OnomatoPoet | Mar 7th, 2007 06:42:59 AM | I just got off the phone to M
Night... by HarryBlackPotter | Mar 7th, 2007 06:46:12 AM | Check out this link....... by Blueballs333 | Mar 7th, 2007 06:48:50 AM | An Idiot..? by workshed | Mar 7th, 2007 06:55:48 AM | HarryBlackPotter... by workshed | Mar 7th, 2007 06:58:09 AM | thus spake superwoman by JRKerr | Mar 7th, 2007 07:03:08 AM | You're all sheep... by Fridge | Mar 7th, 2007 07:20:15 AM | M Night's stuff is always
interesting and challenging by Doctor_Sin | Mar 7th, 2007 07:20:58 AM | Sounds like Night would
benefit from some notes by YackBacker | Mar 7th, 2007 07:37:39 AM | Not that I had much faith in
Harry's tastes anymore by Frijole | Mar 7th, 2007 07:38:07 AM | Borat was in a scripted MOVIE
movie by YackBacker | Mar 7th, 2007 07:43:18 AM | For what it's worth... by OnomatoPoet | Mar 7th, 2007 07:52:52 AM | Don't like Borat either by Lost Prophet | Mar 7th, 2007 08:03:22 AM | The problem with Lady in the
Water by Zino | Mar 7th, 2007 08:05:09 AM | dammit, you beat to the "..and
it freaks me out!" by durhay | Mar 7th, 2007 08:16:28 AM | So M. Night's making his
version of another genre... by Childe Roland | Mar 7th, 2007 08:19:15 AM | He should... by mrfan | Mar 7th, 2007 08:30:19 AM | He should... by mrfan | Mar 7th, 2007 08:30:23 AM | Signs is one of my favorite
movies by SPECTRE Agent | Mar 7th, 2007 09:08:34 AM | Just saw Unbreakable for the
first time since it... by Bronx Cheer | Mar 7th, 2007 09:39:18 AM | If this is more global warming
crap.... by skycrapper | Mar 7th, 2007 09:40:14 AM | JUST REVISITED UNBREAKABLE by WISEBLOOD | Mar 7th, 2007 09:43:41 AM | MANOJ NIGHT SHYAMALAN WILL
DIRECT SPIDER-RAJ by Bronx Cheer | Mar 7th, 2007 09:44:54 AM | Here, of all places,
implausible scripting by Guy Gaduois | Mar 7th, 2007 09:45:25 AM | Guy Gadois, Bill Gates rules
the planet and he's a geek by YackBacker | Mar 7th, 2007 09:56:07 AM | Blech, I misspelled your name by YackBacker | Mar 7th, 2007 09:57:40 AM | This guy by THE KNIGHT | Mar 7th, 2007 10:04:35 AM | Shamalayan bashing how very
very old by Lovecraftfan | Mar 7th, 2007 10:13:49 AM | For those who liked Lady in
the Water by Trazadone | Mar 7th, 2007 10:29:40 AM | Re: The Happening and Harry's
review by Trazadone | Mar 7th, 2007 10:34:59 AM | Is Rerun in it? by houndog | Mar 7th, 2007 10:36:20 AM | Feed Me Seymour! by Christopher3 | Mar 7th, 2007 10:37:16 AM | I'm still holding out for the
M Night Bollywood Epic by Pound Sand | Mar 7th, 2007 10:37:30 AM | It's M Night's version of An
Inconvenient Truth by BrowncoatJedi | Mar 7th, 2007 10:52:22 AM | I liked Lady In The Water by Lovecraftfan | Mar 7th, 2007 10:52:57 AM | Let him finish filming
Unbreakble! by Spandau Belly | Mar 7th, 2007 10:54:04 AM | USELESS ARTICLE by Bishop6 | Mar 7th, 2007 10:59:14 AM | Why not call it " The Day The
Earth Farted"... by anchorite | Mar 7th, 2007 10:59:37 AM | Harry is fighting a losing
battle on M. Night's behalf by anchorite | Mar 7th, 2007 11:01:13 AM | Shyamalan's best work was
Stuart Little... by anchorite | Mar 7th, 2007 11:06:37 AM | The only way to beat the
plants!!! by spectrebeeyatch | Mar 7th, 2007 11:08:30 AM | SUUUUUURE it is, Harry by longshot7 | Mar 7th, 2007 11:27:27 AM | For those of you who loved
Unbreakable by Lovecraftfan | Mar 7th, 2007 11:35:34 AM | Wow... by Cellar Door | Mar 7th, 2007 11:43:33 AM | Lovecraftfan, where were we
supposed to go? by Bronx Cheer | Mar 7th, 2007 11:47:45 AM | Unbreakable Trilogy by liljuniorbrown | Mar 7th, 2007 11:48:59 AM | What, exactly, are you on
about, Lovecraftfan? by Childe Roland | Mar 7th, 2007 11:56:07 AM | I just seem to remember a lot
of people really hating by Lovecraftfan | Mar 7th, 2007 12:06:04 PM | My two cents... by Crimson King | Mar 7th, 2007 12:16:23 PM | ...this will be paraodied... by mr ahole ramirez | Mar 7th, 2007 12:20:33 PM | Lovecraftian.... by Crimson King | Mar 7th, 2007 12:23:43 PM | PS... by Crimson King | Mar 7th, 2007 12:24:28 PM | Crimson King- No problem by Lovecraftfan | Mar 7th, 2007 12:40:59 PM | Harry practiacally creamed
himself over by Yogsoggoth | Mar 7th, 2007 12:47:30 PM | I was floored by Unbreakable
right off the bat by The Pusher | Mar 7th, 2007 12:54:39 PM | mute by Dollar Bird | Mar 7th, 2007 12:57:25 PM | micheal knight - - he's the
hoff man! by Mr_X | Mar 7th, 2007 01:15:43 PM | Yeah! FOX did the right thing.
by MrFloppy | Mar 7th, 2007 01:21:33 PM | Dollar Bird, I have to agree
with you... by anchorite | Mar 7th, 2007 01:36:08 PM | Question of the day: When will
Harry print a retraction by anchorite | Mar 7th, 2007 01:39:11 PM | M Night.... by landocolt45 | Mar 7th, 2007 01:46:21 PM | This Is Madness...! by buster00 | Mar 7th, 2007 01:49:44 PM | Too Venomy!! by boba_rob | Mar 7th, 2007 02:04:04 PM | anchorite by Rupee88 | Mar 7th, 2007 02:18:25 PM | Mr. Moe and co... and about
Shyamalan by moto | Mar 7th, 2007 02:20:27 PM | always have by porkchop_Xpress | Mar 7th, 2007 02:25:56 PM | Rupee88 - Harry did read the
whole script by just pillow talk | Mar 7th, 2007 02:31:28 PM | M. Night Shyamalan's Day Of
The Triffids by Mr Incredible | Mar 7th, 2007 02:31:54 PM | M. Knight? by Motoko Kusanagi | Mar 7th, 2007 03:13:28 PM | Hello, Moto... by anchorite | Mar 7th, 2007 03:14:26 PM | Egomaniacs make poor Artists by TheBlackSwan | Mar 7th, 2007 03:31:37 PM | None of You Sumbitches Called
Him "Shamalamadingdong" by Read and Shut Up | Mar 7th, 2007 03:39:02 PM | The plants are too venomy? by henrydalton | Mar 7th, 2007 03:39:41 PM | Horrible director by doke | Mar 7th, 2007 03:42:37 PM | ...."he keeps getting worse.." by Quin the Eskimo | Mar 7th, 2007 04:05:28 PM | TheBlackSwan by Norman Bates | Mar 7th, 2007 04:41:38 PM | A Night to Remember by oisin5199 | Mar 7th, 2007 05:01:32 PM | THIS MOVIE WILL ROCK!!! by DHAMAKA2007 | Mar 7th, 2007 05:17:03 PM | ALL of these apocolyptic
stories tend to go.... by Jimmy Jazz | Mar 7th, 2007 06:14:42 PM | Lady in the Water by Beerisgood | Mar 7th, 2007 06:53:48 PM | The worst part of Lady in the
Water... by PolyesterRage | Mar 7th, 2007 07:42:27 PM | The Audacity of M Night's
Return by Shub-Wankalot | Mar 7th, 2007 08:00:35 PM | I love the end-of-the-world
genre by JackieJokeman | Mar 7th, 2007 08:38:52 PM | anchorite... shub... And the
hate here at AICN by moto | Mar 7th, 2007 10:46:52 PM | And enough about Shyamalan
being an ego-maniac... by moto | Mar 7th, 2007 10:57:06 PM | bout the ego thing by Halfbreedqueen | Mar 8th, 2007 01:04:34 AM | Lady in the Water by Halfbreedqueen | Mar 8th, 2007 01:07:45 AM | INDIANA JONES AND THE HARD R by BannedOnTheRun | Mar 8th, 2007 04:04:17 AM | I can't sit though another 2
hour boring M.Night film by Blarney-Man | Mar 8th, 2007 05:59:30 AM | I was hoping this was WHAT'S
HAPPENING? the movie! by YackBacker | Mar 8th, 2007 07:39:38 AM | Hey Yackbacker: Cast
suggestions for WHTM by Pound Sand | Mar 8th, 2007 10:58:02 AM | To anyone who loves M. Night
for his "individualism"... by anchorite | Mar 8th, 2007 11:12:54 AM | you guys are dense by xxmychalxx | Jul 21st, 2007 10:37:09 PM | The Happening 2 by jigrig | Jun 3rd, 2008 01:46:56 PM |
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