After reviewing Nine, I did some research into narcissism and came up with some good ideas of my own for the character in a screenplay I'd like to write. This is the research and development part and I think this is what Philosophy of Screenwriting should be all about. The ideas and concepts that are presented in philosophy, psychology and the sciences should be utilized to make our screenplays more realistic. We shouldn't just fly off the cuff in our own understanding thinking that will be enough. All of us should be philosophy majors. In fact, two the best screenwriting books I've read, Story by Robert McKee and Psychology For Screenwriters, are great technical books; college-level reading for the screenwriter.

This may seem obvious, but I'm using this blog as a free flow outlet for my ideas that are universal. In conveying information, I most importantly am informing myself.

I started the new year off with a viewing Nine. Having seen 8 1/2 I was already aware of the basic storyline. I figured the retelling as a musical would remind me of Chicago, but this is Oscar season (my favorite time of year) and this is an Oscar contender. I must see this at any cost.

Daniel Day-Lewis gives another terrific performance and each female performance holds their own against this perennial heavy weight; including a surprising appearance of Stacey Ferguson.

The music...eh...take it or leave it.

Philosophically, the narcissism of the main character is what this movie is all about. Every musical seen centers around his relationship with a woman. I'm not sure what the song titles are but you could name them off as Song About Guido #1, Song About Guido #2, etc.

The director in the movie is unable to produce the screenplay for his next film, partly because of his growing distaste for what I'll call the Hollywood system, though the setting is Italy in the 60's. He has come to believe that camera's image and the beautiful actress being filmed is all that people want or notice. The director spends the entire movie running away into the arms of the women in his life; which is his other problem. He has drained the women around him. his narcissism is that of an emotional vampire. Even his producer has had it with him.

One seen in the movie sums up the struggle between sex and the film industry on one hand, and the Roman Catholic ideal of prudence. The director has a conversation with a Cardinal of the church and the Cardinal praises his early films but questions the amount of sex that is portrayed in his movies. The Director wants to enquire about God, but instead gets a lesson in morality. The director once again becomes overwhelmed with the criticism of his films, and heads off into his musical dream world that ends with him being whipped by a priest and his mother displeased with him. Again its the women in his life, this time his mother, that is the directors problem. You get the sense that if he could just have one decent relationship he will be fine. But as narcissistic as he is, he cannot.

It is only when he has lost it all, that he can direct the movie he is mean to direct; the story he's been telling us all along, the story of himself and the women in his life.