Science! And Fiction!
When I/we write, we're kind of ruthlessly obsessive about the little details. We spend a lot of time researching to make things exactly right. Sometimes we spend too much time on research and it becomes a form of procrastination. This really came home to me when I was listening to the director's commentary on The Hunt for Red October. In the final scene, Ramius says, "And the sea shall grant each man new hope, as sleep brings dreams of home. Christopher Columbus." According to John McTeirnan, the writer made that up. Columbus said no such thing.
Does it really matter? I mean, I'm sure Columbus might have been proud to say something like that. And he's dead, so it's not like he's going to be put out. And the whole movie was made up, so made up quotes aren't the worst thing in the world. Plus, it really worked in that scene. This realization, along with the willing suspension of disbelief that must be employed to enjoy any episode of Leverage, and the sometimes silly questions that people post to little_details has made me realize that you don't always have to research everything to within an inch of its life. Making shit up, so long as it sounds authentic and will pass light scrutiny is okay. With the caveat that you must be willing to change/fix something (or at least defend your decision) if someone calls you on it.
That said, I was moved to incredible giddy joy when I read this article (spoilers for the 1969 version of The Italian Job):
Some of the Britain's brightest minds have resolved one of the country's biggest cinematic cliffhangers: How the robbers could have got away with the gold at the end of "The Italian Job."
I love science. And I love scientists.
In other news, I am having "gastrointestinal distress." Since I started sipping chamomile tea, it's only once an hour instead of every half hour. Also having ominous low back pain. And a low-grade fever. I really hope it's stomach flu and not the end of hope for this cycle.
M.
Does it really matter? I mean, I'm sure Columbus might have been proud to say something like that. And he's dead, so it's not like he's going to be put out. And the whole movie was made up, so made up quotes aren't the worst thing in the world. Plus, it really worked in that scene. This realization, along with the willing suspension of disbelief that must be employed to enjoy any episode of Leverage, and the sometimes silly questions that people post to little_details has made me realize that you don't always have to research everything to within an inch of its life. Making shit up, so long as it sounds authentic and will pass light scrutiny is okay. With the caveat that you must be willing to change/fix something (or at least defend your decision) if someone calls you on it.
That said, I was moved to incredible giddy joy when I read this article (spoilers for the 1969 version of The Italian Job):
Some of the Britain's brightest minds have resolved one of the country's biggest cinematic cliffhangers: How the robbers could have got away with the gold at the end of "The Italian Job."
I love science. And I love scientists.
In other news, I am having "gastrointestinal distress." Since I started sipping chamomile tea, it's only once an hour instead of every half hour. Also having ominous low back pain. And a low-grade fever. I really hope it's stomach flu and not the end of hope for this cycle.
M.