The Morning Read: Your First R-Rated Movie, Fan Fiction and Philip French
The morning’s best writing from around the movie website-o-sphere.
Just leave a tab open for us, will ya?
“Big Question: What was the first R-rated film you saw?” – Drew McWeeny gets answers from several prominent filmmakers and comic book creators while adding some commentary on the side. (Mine was Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life which I rented because I liked The Holy Grail, not realizing there would be songs about sperm and breasts everywhere. Which is why I started it while my mother was in the next room, then freaked out.)
“A Letter to Travis Beacham” – A young scientist thanks the Pacific Rim for writing scientist characters that are heroes instead of spindly losers who get in the hero’s way. (h/t Scott Weinberg)
“Farewell, Philip French: The film critic’s critic answers your questions” – Five decades of film wisdom distilled by the irascible Guardian appreciator.
“Why It Took Seven Years to See Mandy Lane” – The (nearly) complete story on how a festival favorite was bought on the spot, shelved, sold, stunted and finally screened.
“Fan fiction movies: A new trend with old roots” – Jen Chaney at The Dissolve bemoans the recycled nature of fan fiction that worms its way into novels (and then movies) while acknowledging copycat-ism as a historical reality.
