Screenwriter's Series: Drew Goddard
The Screenwriters Series will examine the filmography of a screenwriter with the hope of finding out what helped them break into the industry or continue to find success. "Story By" credits will not be used: only films with official WGA Screenplay credit per IMDb will be used. This includes screenplays with multiple writers that may or may not have collaborated.
THIS MONTH'S SCREENWRITER: Drew Goddard
Goddard quickly followed up the success of Cloverfield by reuniting with Joss Whedon to write The Cabin in the Woods. Although Whedon wanted to direct the film himself, he ultimately let Goddard make his directorial debut. The movie was filmed in 2009 to be released in early 2010 only to see MGM go through financial difficulties and the movie to be shelved. Lionsgate acquired the film, which was finally released in summer 2012.
MOVIE: The Cabin in the Woods (2011)
Starring:
Kristen Connolly as Dana
Chris Hemsworth as Curt
Fran Kranz as Marty
Richard Jenkins as Sitterson
Bradley Whitford as Hadley
Jesse Williams as Holden
Anna Hutchison as Jules
Amy Acker as Lin
Brian White as Truman
Director: Drew Goddard
Budget: $30 Million
Box Office:
Opened: $14.7M
Final: $42.1M
Plot:
Five college friends go away for a fun filled weekend at a secluded cabin in the woods. They soon discover a basement of horrors and find themselves under attack by a horrific zombie family. The truth behind their situation proves more complicated when they discover they are pawns in an ancient ritual controlled by a covert underground group intent on protecting humanity.
The Script:
Goddard was just getting started with Cloverfield, once again taking a genre and the known tropes and deconstructing them. According to his co-writer Whedon, this is "a loving hate letter" to horror movies. It's clear that both understand the genre enough to write such a next level deconstruction of it. Honestly, who would have thought to come up with a reason why characters make dumb decisions in horror movies?
This concept of having a genuine understanding of the genre they are writing in is one that evades many writers. They either don't have or aren't willing to write such a go for broke concept like the one displayed here. Their wisest decision was to not hide from the audience what is going on, because that's not the point. Instead, it gives an audience surrogate (the underground crew and Marty) who get to ask the questions and explain what exactly is happening to the audience, ultimately being meta. While I think there are parts of this movie that wouldn't exist without the Scream franchise (which deconstructed a different aspect of the horror genre), Whedon and Goddard have such a clear love (or hate) of the genre that it allowed them to stretch the premise longer than it probably should have. Let's be honest, this could have been a killer short film. This film works because they are in such control of the material and use humor quite often to point out flaws in their own concept and our understanding of horror films. They are also not afraid to add every conceivable horror monster that they could think of for the finale, which is one of the more gruesomely bonkers finales I've seen.
Write what you know. Write what you love. Write what you hate. Channel your passion as a writer into whatever concept or genre you want to tackle. You might be surprised where it leads you.
My Review:
This movie is still a lot of fun, with a cast of fantastic actors filling the roles (Hemsworth was essentially an unknown when this was shot but by the time it was released he was Thor). I love how this movie stands the genre on its head and really makes some bold swings with its plot. The build to the carnage at the end is earned and honestly one of my favorite endings of any movie, horror or otherwise.
Critical reception:
92% on Rotten Tomatoes
Bram Stoker Awards Winner- Screenplay
Fangoria Chainsaw Awards Winner- Best Screenplay
Fright Meter Awards Winner- Best Screenplay
Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films Nominee- Best Writing
Central Ohio Film Critics Association Nominee- Best Original Screenplay
Detroit Film Critics Society Awards Nominee- Best Screenplay
Georgia Film Critics Association Nominee- Best Original Screenplay
Golden Schmoes Awards Nominee- Best Screenplay of the Year
Hugo Awards Nominee- Best Dramatic Presentation Long Form
North Carolina Film Critics Association Nominee- Best Original Screenplay
Online Film Critics Society Awards Nominee- Best Original Screenplay
San Diego Film Critics Society Awards Nominee- Best Original Screenplay
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America Nominee- Best Original Screenplay
St. Louis Film Critics Association Nominee- Best Original Screenplay
Utah Film Critics Association Awards Nominee- Best Original Screenplay
Trivia:
Goddard and Whedon wrote the script in 3 days, locking themselves in a hotel room after both had failed projects.
Up Next: World War Z (2013)