Battle Scenes

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  • Battle Scenes

    I'm writing the treatment for my next screenplay and I have a scene where the hero of the story challenges the antagonist during a massive battle scene near the end of the story.

    During such a scene, i.e the end of "Gangs of New York" for example - does it ever strike a reader or audience member watching the final product that the hero and antagonist seem to be ignored by the enemy soldiers/fighters around them as they battle with the antagonist one-on-one?

    I'm just wondering if this is ever something any of you as writers and avid movie watchers have ever thought about.

  • #2
    Re: Battle Scenes

    Originally posted by one seven spectrum View Post
    ...During such a scene, i.e the end of "Gangs of New York" for example - does it ever strike a reader or audience member watching the final product that the hero and antagonist seem to be ignored by the enemy soldiers/fighters around them as they battle with the antagonist one-on-one?...
    I've always thought that was a little hokey. You think a stray shot or blow would put one or the other of the ant/pro out of his misery.

    In the only analogous situation I had in one of my scripts, it was the ant and his gang surrounding the pro. But the ant in this case had something to prove and told his gang to hold off, and watch him kick the butt of the pro. But the pro was better, and only when the ant was being pummeled did the gang pitch in. The pro still got away, because I positioned the duke-out in an alley, so the bad guys' advantage was minimized.

    But, yeah, in a big battle on an open field, like "The Last Samurai" etc., it's always a little phony.

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    • #3
      Re: Battle Scenes

      I think it also has a lot to do with the context and tone of the movie. For example, in Gangs of New York, the New York Draft riots break out as they have their final fight and the Union soldiers are brutally putting down pretty much everyone like animals. Leo and Daniel (forgot the character names) survive the insane odds because they both need to be able to realize the true scale of carnage and violence compared to their minor feud by comparison. I mean that's my take, I'm not saying it's concrete. But yeah, I think really it's just about the suspension of disbelief. When your audience has followed the hero and the villain for such a long length of time, they have an expectation that they'll meet in the end.

      But hey, maybe do the unexpected with your treatment and have the hero or villain get capped by Soldier #231. I've always had a soft spot for the nameless grunts. I played with my Storm Trooper action figures a lot more than my Luke ones.
      Ring-a-ding-ding, baby.

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      • #4
        Re: Battle Scenes

        ...then you also have similar battle scenes like Highlander where the kurgan says "Leave McCloud for me" or something sinilar
        I heard the starting gun


        sigpic

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        • #5
          Re: Battle Scenes

          I can buy into that though for the sake of the viewing experience especially as in films like Highlander where they cut down those in their path in order to face each other.

          Even more hokey and "groan" for me is the rom com trope where in order for the guy to win the girl (or vice versa) their current partner must be an absolute twat so we will cheer them being jilted.

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          • #6
            Re: Battle Scenes

            Good observation. Tho' I liked TROY, the Hector/Patroclus fight was a moment of weakness that twanged my suspenders of disbelief. The entire battle seems to stop so everyone can watch the heroes cross swords. Something to avoid, indeed.

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            • #7
              Re: Battle Scenes

              Originally posted by 1mper1um View Post
              ...Even more hokey and "groan" for me is the rom com trope where in order for the guy to win the girl (or vice versa) their current partner must be an absolute twat so we will cheer them being jilted.
              Right! It makes you wonder about the gal's judgement!

              In my time travel rom, the manner in which the current partner was disposed of was the opposite, just to spite the stereotype. He was a tall handsome hunk of great guy who defended the hero from some bad guys, but was killed in the process. It left the protag guy and gal together, but the guy had a lot of guilt to work through before he won her over.

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              • #8
                Re: Battle Scenes

                Originally posted by catcon View Post
                Right! It makes you wonder about the gal's judgement!

                In my time travel rom, the manner in which the current partner was disposed of was the opposite, just to spite the stereotype. He was a tall handsome hunk of great guy who defended the hero from some bad guys, but was killed in the process. It left the protag guy and gal together, but the guy had a lot of guilt to work through before he won her over.
                On the flip side, the scene that always annoyed me was in Sleepless In Seattle, when Meg Ryan tells Bill Pullman that she wants to break off the engagement and run off with Tom Hanks. Pullman is, like, "Oh, that's okay. I understand cause I'm a wonderful guy!"

                What?! His fiancee is dumping him so she can run across the street to introduce herself to Tom Hanks and he's okay with it?!
                Teach me a fact and I'll learn.
                Tell me the truth and I'll believe.
                Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.

                - Native American proverb -

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                • #9
                  Re: Battle Scenes

                  It's because he knew Sandra Bullock was coming and that she was a serious upgrade.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Battle Scenes

                    I always like when characters kill people so they can get to each other. Like "I see your ass from way over here, but there's a lot of dudes between us, so I will kill all these motherf*ckers in my way just to get to stab you in the face, b*tch!"

                    I can't think of any examples right now, but it makes me happy when I see it.
                    Chicks Who Script podcast

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                    • #11
                      Re: Battle Scenes

                      If it's a cliche that you find unrealistic, why not re-visit your scene and figure out a way to not use it?

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                      • #12
                        Re: Battle Scenes

                        Originally posted by 1mper1um View Post
                        It's because he knew Sandra Bullock was coming and that she was a serious upgrade.
                        Meg was pretty gorgeous in SIS, though.
                        Teach me a fact and I'll learn.
                        Tell me the truth and I'll believe.
                        Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.

                        - Native American proverb -

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                        • #13
                          Re: Battle Scenes

                          Originally posted by emily blake View Post
                          I always like when characters kill people so they can get to each other. Like "I see your ass from way over here, but there's a lot of dudes between us, so I will kill all these motherf*ckers in my way just to get to stab you in the face, b*tch!"

                          I can't think of any examples right now, but it makes me happy when I see it.
                          First Knight did that. Happened to turn it on a couple of weeks ago and it was the beginning of that fight scene.

                          Enter The Dragon. Might have been one of the first times that was done (earliest I can recall, anyway).
                          Teach me a fact and I'll learn.
                          Tell me the truth and I'll believe.
                          Tell me a story and it will live in my heart forever.

                          - Native American proverb -

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                          • #14
                            Re: Battle Scenes

                            Originally posted by emily blake View Post
                            I always like when characters kill people so they can get to each other. Like "I see your ass from way over here, but there's a lot of dudes between us, so I will kill all these motherf*ckers in my way just to get to stab you in the face, b*tch!"

                            I can't think of any examples right now, but it makes me happy when I see it.
                            Yeah, I remember something similar in WILLOW...

                            Maybe I'll do that.

                            Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

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                            • #15
                              Re: Battle Scenes

                              LAST OF THE MOHICANS, too - Daniel Day-Lewis and Russell Means cut their way through a small army of Huron to reach Wes Studi at the end.
                              Patrick Sweeney

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