tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post4834380599398135512..comments2024-03-17T06:03:00.362-04:00Comments on Fiction University: Twisting in the Wind: Plotting Red Herrings and Other DistractionsJanice Hardyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-38766751801916061252013-11-11T10:38:23.606-05:002013-11-11T10:38:23.606-05:00I wonder of that was done on purpose? Like a hint ...I wonder of that was done on purpose? Like a hint for those who were paying attention. <br /><br />I think any story that relies on a major twist runs the risk of losing those who figure it out early. The story has to be entertaining even if you know the secret. Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-63464257869106580872013-11-02T22:53:28.249-04:002013-11-02T22:53:28.249-04:00NO spoiler here, but The Usual Suspects has the co...NO spoiler here, but The Usual Suspects has the cousin to this problem: If you pay close attention, the director gives away who Keyser Soze is with a bad edit/cut-to-person-at-wrong-time that just ever so slightly gives it away. I spent the final hour of that movie bored to tears waiting for the reveal. <br /><br />And, again, NO spoilers, but The Sixth Sense had a problem where, if you took facts at face value, the "big reveal" was NOT news. The kid says, "I...," and the whole time I watched, I thought, "Well, then, Lead Character must be..." <br /><br />Twists done wrong can ruin the entire journey.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14752361332288260099noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-29831328122181954092011-09-21T09:48:12.333-04:002011-09-21T09:48:12.333-04:00Ruth, no need to feel stupid at all! The movie tot...Ruth, no need to feel stupid at all! The movie totally worked for you and that's great. Everyone sees different things, and sometimes I try hard NOT to think too hard about a plot so I can just enjoy the movie. <br /><br />Nicole, you said it. Satisfying readers should always be high on the list :) <br /><br />Anon: LOL That would have been a very different movie for sureJanice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-73253713849686575012011-09-17T15:02:34.067-04:002011-09-17T15:02:34.067-04:00They could have done so much more with this movie ...They could have done so much more with this movie had Harris woken up in a parallel world (for some reason lol)! <br /><br />The people in this world would look like everyone he knew but they wouldnt be ... He could go to the party and watch himself deliver the presentation. Harris and the audience would be so perplexed by all of this -- how no one knows who he is, not even his wife/friends -- that it'd keep the movie going. <br /><br />And then, when Harris wakes up from the coma, he could say something like: What happened?! And then the real wife would be like: "You've been in a coma for days, honey. I thought I was going to loose you! The office even had someone else do your presentation." <br /><br />And then Harris comes out of his wife's embrace, and sees the suitcase sitting on a table opposite the bed.<br /><br />Credits.<br /><br />That's just my idea :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-38728223768226292712011-09-16T20:14:08.356-04:002011-09-16T20:14:08.356-04:00I'm going to watch this movie now--thanks for ...I'm going to watch this movie now--thanks for the post!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09687047513163296827noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-42331889359694328052011-09-16T13:21:52.344-04:002011-09-16T13:21:52.344-04:00I saw the movie and agree, for the most part, abou...I saw the movie and agree, for the most part, about the wife thing. However, I also like what Ruth mentioned about her brain going wild with possibilities. <br /><br />They <i>could</i> have made it a parallel dimension or a coma dream. They <i>could</i> have had the wife be brainwashed or drugged. Their mistake was that they went with the most obvious twist. <br /><br />I'll admit that, while I watched the scene for the first time, I was scrambling to figure out other, out-of-the-box possibilities because the spy thing seemed too mundane. I thought, "Surely this very cool, highly anticipated movie will throw in a new twist." :) So, then I was thrown off and disappointed when they didn't.<br /><br />I think that's something for authors to keep in mind, too. If we set up a red herring or a twist, we'd better deliver on it in a way that satisfies readers.Nicolehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10680066584646789184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-87034633823316836062011-09-16T10:45:38.404-04:002011-09-16T10:45:38.404-04:00I'm feeling stupid now. I saw this movie and ...I'm feeling stupid now. I saw this movie and was completely taken in! When his wife didn't recognize him, I was unable to figure out why and it really drew me in. How could she not know him? Was he in a parallel dimension? My brain went absolutely wild and I was hooked. lol.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13195645967378589211noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-51627991151246600662011-09-16T08:49:49.943-04:002011-09-16T08:49:49.943-04:00Paul, ah, I barely remember the trailer, and didn&...Paul, ah, I barely remember the trailer, and didn't know they spilled the spy part. I remembered it as being a stolen identity thing.<br /><br />Natalie, I did like how they layered things. You fall asleep in movies! Egads (grin)<br /><br />Jacqvern, it wasn't that the wife didn't know he was a spy, it was that she didn't know who he was at all. That's actually what made us think "oh, spy" right away since that made the most sense. <br /><br />I disagree about the wife encounter being boring if shown earlier (though had I known from the trailer it was a spy movie I might feel differently here) Had I seen the wife admitting she knew him but had to pretend otherwise, I would have spent time trying to figure out what the "bad guys" were up to and why they stole his identity and replaced him, and if he could expose them. So the twist that he *was* the bad guy would have been more of a surprise. <br /><br />I took it more as "what happens when an undercover agent believes his cover identity and sets out to stop his own plan?" than a loss of identity issue. The antag becomes the protag for himself. I thought they wove the two plots together well from that perspective. It wasn't so much about him finding out who he was, but finding out who Harris was and how he fit into what was going on. <br /><br />I enjoyed Next as well for that reason. A very interesting and effective take on that particular twist.Janice Hardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02356672149097741248noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-44059726526222515442011-09-16T08:33:08.159-04:002011-09-16T08:33:08.159-04:00Hi Janice :)
Very interesting topic.
1. The spy ...Hi Janice :)<br /><br />Very interesting topic.<br /><br />1. The spy having a family cover is becoming a cliché in spying movies or series. I was 99% sure that was the case. So, actually the ignorant husband or wife, not knowing his/her spouse is a spy, is not a surprise. It was that or murder intent from the spouse, but in case of murder intent some emotion would have shown on the spouse. Spies are supposed to be trained not to show any emotion.<br /><br />2. If the private encounter with the wife would have been shown earlier, then it would have been "served on a plate" = boring. <br /><br />The thing is that in this movie, they tried to have as a main point of the plot, Dr.Harris loss of identity and confusion. <br />But they failed. The result was to have actually two plots, one the loss of identity & confusion and the other the spying business. Neither plot was properly structured, nor complete, because one can not have two plots at the same time in a movie, sharing characters.<br /><br />As a good plot for loss of identity, a good example is "The Net" with Sandra Bullock. But it's only about that.<br /><br />I liked the twist in the movie "Next" with Nicholas Cage, where the end leaves question marks. Did it happen or not? :D<br /><br />Your points on writing are very good.<br /><br />Thank you for the thought-provoking post :)Jacqvernhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17010653576746198205noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-37506445114350120032011-09-16T06:53:18.513-04:002011-09-16T06:53:18.513-04:00I haven't watched the move yet, but read on to...I haven't watched the move yet, but read on to learn your tips. Don't worry I'll still watch the movie. But since I usually fall asleep through a little bit of it, now I'll get the twists. And hopefully how to weave them into my own stories.Natalie Aguirrehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03756087804171246660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3901370917824739259.post-259138001234288832011-09-16T06:40:10.809-04:002011-09-16T06:40:10.809-04:00I enjoyed Unknown, but they already kind of blew t...I enjoyed Unknown, but they already kind of blew the "spies" part in the trailer so It was clear they were agents there for one reason or another. Shame, really. I love psychological thrillers where the protagonist has to struggle to make sense of everything going on around them.Paul Anthony Shortthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14393249001158230985noreply@blogger.com