Academy Award Winning Scripts

With that said, I have to admit, I was able to score some fantastic scripts from the past eleven years, all fantastic stories, all well written scripts. The first one I'm going to start with is my favorite of the bunch, a script that won best-adapted script, L.A. Confidential. I have been a huge fan of James Ellroy, and think he is by far the best mystery writer of the last thirty years. I think Curtis Hanson and Brian Helgeland (who wrote/directed Payback and who wrote/directed that horrendous looking A Knight's Tale) did a fantastic job culminating the epic novel of the same name. What bothered me the most, though, about the whole situation is... L.A. Confidential was a conglomerate of three of Ellroy's novels. The Big Nowhere, Confidential and White Jazz. If you've never read the books, read them, then we'll talk. I won't give anything away for any of you. You'll be doing yourselves a favor by reading Ellroy's work.

The second script I'm going to mention is the script that I thought did not deserve to win best script for 2000. American Beauty. Now, I'm a fan of this film. I thought it was very intelligent, very well written, fantastic dialog and characters, a wonderful storyline. But I did not think it was as well written as Election, which I think should have won last year. But, Beauty has its place as a well respected script, so here it is for you to paruse.

Three other adapted scripts. Schindler's List, Silence of the Lambs and Gods and Monsters. These are three fantastic adaptations that took the brilliant parts of three incredible novels, and gave us the defining moments of the story that were essential to giving the writers credit for their work. I think these three rightfully deserved their awards.

A number of the original screenplays that won over the last few years have been the basis for much of the debate of independent Hollywood over big budget Hollywood. Pulp Fiction was one of those independent projects that Mirimax got interested in after Reservoir Dogs. Lawrence Bender sold that project for Tarantino who sold the project to an incredible cast, and they all made a very well done film. Sling Blade was one of those out-of-the-blue pictures that made all the difference the year it won. The same can be said for Good Will Hunting, The Crying Game, The Piano, Shakespeare in Love and The Usual Suspects, all big winners, all well written, original scripts.

I have a lot of respect for these writers who were able to have their work made by competent directors and actors/actresses. I'm excited by the fact that they were once just like us, struggling to have their projects viewed by the right people. That we have similar goals of these professionals... not to win awards... but to entertain.

All of the scripts are in PDF format - Enjoy them. They are not for sale, they are for educational purposes ONLY.

John Painz