Browse: Home / Taco Break: Off-The-Shelf Storytelling

Menu

Skip to content
  • Home
  • Who We Are
  • About
  • Privacy
  • Contact Us
  • Login

The-SoluteLogo

A Film Site By Lovers of Film

Menu

Skip to content
  • Features
  • Reviews
  • Long Reviews
  • News
  • Articles and Opinions
  • Other Media
  • Commercials You Can Hear
  • Flashback Comics Rack: Highlights of November 1970
  • Film on the Internet: DRAGONWYCK
  • Flashback Comics Rack: Highlights of October 1970
  • New on DVD and Blu-Ray

Taco Break: Off-The-Shelf Storytelling

Posted By Tristan "Drunk Napoleon" Nankervis on February 14, 2022 in Features | Leave a response

I’ve talked before about my fascination with stories that lift from garbage, and now I open it up to any story that consciously lifts from older stories – and specifically, stories that use plots or character archetypes that are universally regarded as stock, if not outright cliche. I think of Sideways, which uses two totally stock character archetypes – the pretentious middle-aged teacher who is a failed writer and the lothario TV actor with a waning career – sends them on a typical road trip, and infuses them with such vivid emotion and humanity that something special ends up emerging. I also think of Heat, which does much the same thing with a cops and robbers story. It asks how these people’s lives would actually work; not just the two men at the centre of the story, but the side characters and even insignificant characters. I’m always struck by how Michael Mann and Ashley Judd worked out the details and backstory of her character – that she had worked as a stripper to support her partner’s career, giving her feelings an edge and specificity. Aside from thinking that good stories are good, I enjoy the thought of someone applying an intense level of thought to something that is normally thoughtless, and I enjoy someone essentially taking McDonald’s toys – something cheap, artless, and even toxic – and turning them into something beautiful.

What are your favourite works that use stock plots, character archetypes, or even themes?

Posted in Features | Tagged Heat, Sideways

About the Author

tristan.jay.nankervis@gmail.com'

Tristan “Drunk Napoleon” Nankervis

Related Posts

Nowhere Man: TENET (2020)→

Year Of The Month: The Dark Knight→

Maximum Cool: BULLITT (Year of the Month)→

Taco Break: the Way We Were→

  • Comments
  • Popular
  • Most Recent
  • j*****@yahoo.com'
    mr_apollo on Year of the Month: Mon OncleWonderful piece, Sam. It's made…
  • j*****@yahoo.com'
    mr_apollo on Year of the Month: Mon OncleFellow heretic here. I've never…
  • n***********@gmail.com'
    Ruck Cohlchez on Film on the Internet: AN AMERICAN CRIMEI wouldn't have called it…
  • j***********@gmail.com'
    Son of Griff on LIFE ITSELFGlad to hear back from…
  • n*********@gmail.com'
    Jake Gittes on Film on the Internet: AN AMERICAN CRIMEThis is the single most…
  • “The End” of SAVAGES

    35461 views / Posted November 10, 2014
  • What the fuck did I just watch? SPHERE

    28155 views / Posted March 19, 2015
  • The Untalented Mr. Ripley: The Craft of Standup Comedy and the Non-Comedy of TOM MYERS

    26761 views / Posted June 26, 2018
  • Gordon with Mr. Looper

    Attention Must Be Paid: Will Lee

    26630 views / Posted January 7, 2023
  • Scenic Routes: SHOWGIRLS (1995)

    20688 views / Posted November 20, 2014
  • One . . . two . . . three!

    Commercials You Can Hear

    September 27, 2023 / Gillianren
  • Flashback Comics Rack: Highlights of November 1970

    September 27, 2023 / Sam "Burgundy Suit" Scott
  • Film on the Internet: DRAGONWYCK

    September 27, 2023 / ZoeZ
  • Flashback Comics Rack: Highlights of October 1970

    September 26, 2023 / Sam "Burgundy Suit" Scott
  • New on DVD and Blu-Ray

    September 26, 2023 / Greta Taylor

Last Tweets

    ©2014 - 2016 The-Solute | Hosted, Developed and Maintained by Bellingham WP LogoBellinghamWP.com.

    Menu

    • Home
    • Who We Are
    • About
    • Privacy
    • Contact Us
    • Login
    Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the site!