Tuesday, April 01, 2003
Laurel Canyon: Lesson 2/Found in Translation
Current release Laurel Canyon, written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko, stars Frances McDormand as a 40ish record producer, an unregenerate hippie, dealing with her son, Christian Bale, an uptight psychiatry resident. Though he lives with a lovely woman, Bale finds himself attracted to a fellow resident, played by the delicious Natasha McElhone, an Israeli with a slight accent. At crucial times, McElhone's character seems to "use the wrong word." At first, it appears charming. But McElhone's character sometimes uses her malapropisms to put other people on edge. Because of what she does, people are forced to restate and redefine what they've said or heard. The accent is part toy, part weapon.
It's a clever device. We often see accents used in comedy as big fat indicators--This is A Funny Character. You don't have to notice the character once he or she starts using that accent, you've learned all you need to know. But Laurel Canyon goes for something more. Once we know that McElhone is capable of mangling language, it sets all of her scenes slightly on edge. What will she say? How will she say it? Does she know that she's doing what she's doing? How will the other characters react?
Exercise
Write a brief character study for someone who has had trouble "living out loud." Your character may have a speech impediment, a brain disorder, or may just have moved too often. Examine when and where she might have had trouble speaking. Did she once live in a foreign country? Did her father yell at her for lisping? Did she move from North to South, or South to North, and get picked on in high school? Was she poor, and did she marry into a rich family? Did she watch her word as carefully as her fork choices?
Now, list three ways she might turn that defect into an asset. How might it be a weapon? List three more ways.
For extra credit, write it as a scene.
Current release Laurel Canyon, written and directed by Lisa Cholodenko, stars Frances McDormand as a 40ish record producer, an unregenerate hippie, dealing with her son, Christian Bale, an uptight psychiatry resident. Though he lives with a lovely woman, Bale finds himself attracted to a fellow resident, played by the delicious Natasha McElhone, an Israeli with a slight accent. At crucial times, McElhone's character seems to "use the wrong word." At first, it appears charming. But McElhone's character sometimes uses her malapropisms to put other people on edge. Because of what she does, people are forced to restate and redefine what they've said or heard. The accent is part toy, part weapon.
It's a clever device. We often see accents used in comedy as big fat indicators--This is A Funny Character. You don't have to notice the character once he or she starts using that accent, you've learned all you need to know. But Laurel Canyon goes for something more. Once we know that McElhone is capable of mangling language, it sets all of her scenes slightly on edge. What will she say? How will she say it? Does she know that she's doing what she's doing? How will the other characters react?
Exercise
Write a brief character study for someone who has had trouble "living out loud." Your character may have a speech impediment, a brain disorder, or may just have moved too often. Examine when and where she might have had trouble speaking. Did she once live in a foreign country? Did her father yell at her for lisping? Did she move from North to South, or South to North, and get picked on in high school? Was she poor, and did she marry into a rich family? Did she watch her word as carefully as her fork choices?
Now, list three ways she might turn that defect into an asset. How might it be a weapon? List three more ways.
For extra credit, write it as a scene.
