Damon Lindelof Paradise Script

[Blacklabel]

I doubt this is what the cast read. This was just a draft. By the time they started casting quite a few things had changed already.

The title changed. Magellan was turned into the Prometheus, some dialogue and scenes were switched up. Vickers isnt Weyland's daughter in this script. Etc...
And the final script was probably rewritten to be less "Caps-Lock"-y.

[Disendor]

Just had a look at the first few pages and ... why the need to CAPITALISE and UNDERLINE all the time? It's kinda childish looking.

You have to picture the film. It's very difficult to position a film of this size without doing so.

[SiL]

Spaihts did fine.

[ChrisPachi]

Caps or no caps, it's the same movie, and it is awful. Spaihts came up with the bullshit premise, but Lindelof took it to new heights of stupidity. This leak proves that Lindelof deserves every single bit of stick that he gets in regards to this film, and that Scott and co. deserve double so for running with it.

[zuzuki]

And the moaning begins again, now because of caps lock use and underlining and sexy stuff. It's a early draft, it's not meant to be complete, but a work in progress. It's not meant for the actors, for the producing crew. It's just one of the drafts that got pushed back and forward between Ridley and him when they were ironing shit out. I imagine the final draft, the shooting script was looking different than this, and that is the one we should wait for. This has no value right now, only shows us on stage in the script making progress

[Valaquen]

Just had a look at the first few pages and ... why the need to CAPITALISE and UNDERLINE all the time? It's kinda childish looking.

You have to picture the film. It's very difficult to position a film of this size without doing so.

It's very easy to do so. You use the full breadth of language. I'm a literature student; I've been able to picture grander things conveyed to me by novels (and even other scripts) without the formatting being outrageous.

And the moaning begins again, now because of caps lock use and underlining and sexy stuff. It's a early draft, it's not meant to be complete, but a work in progress. It's not meant for the actors, for the producing crew. It's just one of the drafts that got pushed back and forward between Ridley and him when they were ironing shit out. I imagine the final draft, the shooting script was looking different than this, and that is the one we should wait for. This has no value right now, only shows us on stage in the script making progress

It sounds like you're doing a lot of assuming. It seems very close to a final draft (not saying it is the final script). All that needs changed is the shifting of one dialogue scene, a change of name for the Magellan, and the insertion of Vickers' and Weyland's father/daughter talk and you essentially have Prometheus as we watched it. This script is actually closer to the film than Alien's shooting draft was (the 'final draft' of Alien you can read online or in print was amended December '78 - after filming).
Either way, I'm approaching the script on its own merit - and it's awfully written.
And before anyone starts the 'haters gonna hate' crap, I like Prometheus.

[Gazz]

Either way, I'm approaching the script on its own merit - and it's awfully written.
And before anyone starts the 'haters gonna hate' crap, I like Prometheus.

I agree. I too like Prometheus and comparing the final film to Spaiht's draft I think it was the right direction to go in (though still in need of work). However, Lindelof's script is just close to unreadable due to it's writing style and reliance on audience guesswork. Everytime he went on to tell the reader what they should be feeling at a certain plot point I wanted to stop (and did at a few points). It's just not a well written script at all. Spaiht's script on the other hand is very well written, though I think it could have actually made a much lesser film.

[Valaquen]

Either way, I'm approaching the script on its own merit - and it's awfully written.
And before anyone starts the 'haters gonna hate' crap, I like Prometheus.

I agree. I too like Prometheus and comparing the final film to Spaiht's draft I think it was the right direction to go in (though still in need of work). However, Lindelof's script is just close to unreadable due to it's writing style and reliance on audience guesswork. Everytime he went on to tell the reader what they should be feeling at a certain plot point I wanted to stop (and did at a few points). It's just not a well written script at all. Spaiht's script on the other hand is very well written, though I think it could have actually made a much lesser film.

Agree completely. Lindelof - right direction, bad writer. Spaihts - derivative work, but a better writer. Lindelof telegraphs everything, he's the worst kind of 'tell' writer. We should be grateful that he's at least not a novelist.

[wmmvrrvrrmm]

I find the script irritating to read, but I think it is about as irritating as I find this Lindelof character anyway.

[Disendor]

Lindelof's quote is three-hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. He can do -- and write -- whatever he so chooses.

[Gazz]

Lindelof's quote is three-hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars. He can do -- and write -- whatever he so chooses.

How much he's paid has no bearing on how good a writer he is.

[Disendor]

Who said that it was? Take only one glance at some of his Lost episodes -- solo written -- to see his talent. A great prose writer? Perhaps not, but he is a better screenwriter. There is a difference.

[Gazz]

Who said that it was?

I assumed your rather off topic comment about how Damon Lindelof's paycheck gives him the ability to writer whatever he wants was intended to have a bearing on the current conversation (the quality of writing in the Prometheus script). Happy to see it doesn't.

[Disendor]

In Hollywood, it does. He is -- or was, as he's returning to television -- one of the most highly paid writers. There is a reason for this.

[Gazz]

I'm sure Paul WS Anderson picks up a pretty penny for his "screenplays". Because he convinced a Hollywood producer of his worth doesn't mean his films or scripts have much worth to me.

I like Prometheus and think Lindelof's script made for an alright film. However, his script makes for a hard read and I've read enough of them to know the information could have been communicated in a much easier and less brain scrambling way even for Hollywood's standards.