The best part of this evening for me wasn’t Aaron Sorkin and Ben Mezrich winning an award for “the best adaptation of the printed word into film” (for a work that is debatable as an adaptation in the first place). It was probably talking with finalist Simon Beaufoy about his latest script.
Some of this has made the rounds in the UK, but apparently it’s a werewolves-in-gangland-LA script adapted from an epic poem, “Sharp Teeth,” about same from Toby Barlow. Seriously. Picture “Boyz N the Hood” where Doughboy and his crew turn into savage dogs at night. And it’s a potential project for Danny Boyle to direct.
Beaufoy told me about ride-alongs he has taken with LAPD officers in Compton and Watts in the way of preparation. As a screenwriter, he says he prefers to observe quietly, but the cops he was riding with would insist, quite comically (as he describes it), on perpetrators spending a couple of minutes chatting with him at every bust.
Oddly enough, I took part in a ride-along once, in film school, for a screenwriting assignment. So it was fascinating to hear some of the stories he had to tell. But most fascinating is just this overall concept, which sounds like a — forgive me — howl.
Anyway, if you missed the Tweeted news, as mentioned, Aaron Sorkin and Ben Mezrich won the Scripter at tonight’s ceremony. No one involved with “True Grit” or “The Ghost Writer” was present (though it would have been awesome if Charles Portis had shown up). And Dennis Lehane couldn’t even be bothered to show up and accept the Literary Achievement honor that was announced months ago. But it was, as usual, a classy evening, and it remains one of my favorite honors of the awards season. Even if they potentially got a bit off message with this year’s winner.
[Photo: Snoot]
Comments
15 responses to “Boyle and Beaufoy and werewolves, oh my”
Very, very excited for this. The material is fantastic though I kept asking myself how the he’ll could they make this into a film while reading it.
Still Boyle is about as good a fit as possible to bring some outside of the box thinking to a film full of a lot of dogs running around for the majority of the film.
Can not wait!
I’d just like to say that I agree that Sorkin’s screenplay is barely an adaptation. It seems to me that the adapted/original categories need some work. I mean, screenplays about well-documented historical events and people get to go in the original category (Milk and The King’s Speech for example) while completely original stories using fictional characters that have appeared in other things are lumped in with adapted (In The Loop and Toy Story 3 are good examples of that).
Doesn’t makes sense. Nor is this really on topic.
As you were.
It may not be “on topic,” Samuel, but it’s a damn good point and I’ve been confused about the categorization for a while. I’m not even sure how I’d personally classify The Social Network if I had the power to do so.
Lazy.
In other news…what’s up with Melissa Leo’s FYC ads that she did for herself? Leo has been notoriously self centered and bitter…does this just feed into that? I’m not sure if it will backfire or not, but it wreaks to me of desperate, and I don’t think it will help in such a potentially close race.
It’s on topic, guys. After all, this is kinda my USC Scripter post.
I don’t think Beafoy is capable of writing a screenplay that isn’t reliant on some sort of a gimmick.
[…] hаѕ аlѕο spoken tο In Contention іn thіѕ area taking ride-alongs wіth thе LAPD tο research thе […]
It’s high time Boyle and Alex Garland reconnected…his films with Simon Beaufoy have left me pretty cold.
[…] Boyle and writer Simon Beaufoy are ready to team up again, only this time on a horror film. Beaufoy revealed in an interview that he’s been working on a script about werewolves in L.A. which is an adaptation of a poem […]
[…] In Contention аlѕο adds thаt thе tаlе іѕ a lot lіkе Boyz N thе Hood іf thе ruthless gang frοm thаt gritty tаlе сουld turn іntο fierce beasts. Seems lіkе a throwback tο films lіkе Thе Lost Boys, bυt wіth a small more edge, bυt here’s thе authoritative synopsis οf thе book fοr a better thουght οf thе tаlе: Ruled bу competing packs οf werewolves, thе seedy underside οf LA іѕ far wеіrdеr thаn anyone еνеr imagined. Lycanthropes hire themselves out аѕ hit men аnd pushers, both driving аnd feeding οff thе criminal world. At thе center οf thе tаlе іѕ Anthony Silvo, a self-professed loner аnd dogcatcher whο falls іn lіkе wіth a inexplicable woman; ѕhе leads a second life аѕ a werewolf аnd works fοr Lark, thе leader οf thе mοѕt реrіlουѕ werewolf pack οn thе streets. Hеr οn thе rise relationship wіth Anthony causes hеr tο regret thе wild choices οf hеr past аnd seek out a nеw life. Meanwhile, Lark suspects thаt competing packs οf lycanthropes аrе аftеr hіѕ power аnd hе prepares fοr a massive, citywide conflict. Othеr subplots include a detective’s investigations іntο werewolf-related murders аnd a comic bridge tournament thаt mіght hаνе ties tο thе LA drug trade. […]
[…] Simon Beaufoy (“Slumdog Millionaire,” “127 Hours”) tells InContention that he’s working on a film adaptation of Toby Barlow’s werewolf-themed poem “Sharp […]
[…] In Contention also adds that the story is a lot like Boyz N the Hood if the ruthless gang from that gritty story could turn into fierce beasts. Seems like a throwback to films like The Lost Boys, but with a little more edge, but here’s the official synopsis of the book for a better idea of the story: Ruled by competing packs of werewolves, the seedy underside of LA is far stranger than anyone ever imagined. Lycanthropes hire themselves out as hit men and pushers, both driving and feeding off the criminal world. At the center of the story is Anthony Silvo, a self-professed loner and dogcatcher who falls in love with a mysterious woman; she leads a second life as a werewolf and works for Lark, the leader of the most dangerous werewolf pack on the streets. Her growing relationship with Anthony causes her to regret the wild choices of her past and seek out a new life. Meanwhile, Lark suspects that competing packs of lycanthropes are after his power and he prepares for a massive, citywide conflict. Other subplots include a detective’s investigations into werewolf-related murders and a comic bridge tournament that might have ties to the LA drug trade. […]
[…] In Contention also adds that the story is a lot like Boyz N the Hood if the ruthless gang from that gritty story could turn into fierce beasts. Seems like a throwback to films like The Lost Boys, but with a little more edge, but here’s the official synopsis of the book for a better idea of the story: Ruled by competing packs of werewolves, the seedy underside of LA is far stranger than anyone ever imagined. Lycanthropes hire themselves out as hit men and pushers, both driving and feeding off the criminal world. At the center of the story is Anthony Silvo, a self-professed loner and dogcatcher who falls in love with a mysterious woman; she leads a second life as a werewolf and works for Lark, the leader of the most dangerous werewolf pack on the streets. Her growing relationship with Anthony causes her to regret the wild choices of her past and seek out a new life. Meanwhile, Lark suspects that competing packs of lycanthropes are after his power and he prepares for a massive, citywide conflict. Other subplots include a detective’s investigations into werewolf-related murders and a comic bridge tournament that might have ties to the LA drug trade. […]
[…] as a werewolves-in-gangland-LA film, based on the epic poem Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow. Speaking to InContention, he revealed new details about the project, stating that he’s been taking ride-alongs with […]