Hangover - script vs film

[Wordsmithteer]

I saw the movie the Hangover this weekend and then I read the script. What did you prefer, the movie or the script? Generally when I see a movie and read the script, I prefer the script, here I'm torn.

I thought the character development and the villain was better in the script. I think the script was good and the elements were there in the script and they may have been rearranged but they were still in the film.

The script had a great hook and at the end of the day that is what sold the script and the film. Was the film version an improved version of the script?

SPOILERS

I liked the cop car addition and thought this element was already in the script with the visit to the police station.

I was meh with the baby and this element was in the script, simply changed (the stripper bride has a kid in the script).

The tiger in the bathroom said a lot about the type of night they had, but I can't say that Mike Tyson did anything for me.

The film for the most part skipped the overdone visits to the stripper club and gay club. I also like in the film how we are introduced to each character in the film before they hit Vegas.

Both the film and script could have finished sooner. Once they find the groom the mystery is solved and for me the film should have ended there. We really didn't need to see the wedding.

I think it was better for the car to belong to Phil (Vic in the script) it has him more invested in the story and what happened that night.

If I remember correctly there was WGA arbitration over the script credits. Did the director deserve some recognition for what he added to the script? Or did he simply rearrange elements that were already in the script?

[Banjaxed]

Originally Posted by Wordsmithteer

Both the film and script could have finished sooner. Once they find the groom the mystery is solved and for me the film should have ended there. We really didn't need to see the wedding.

I think the whole point of the wedding was to show the complete arc of the guy missing his tooth (can't remember his name). Doesn't he tell his missus to go fcuk herself or something like that? I think he's the only character who actually changes in the film. Where's a better place to dump your cheating, bit*h missus than at a wedding, in public, surrounding by your friends? At home in the bathroom, after a few gin and tonics, would have been a bit of a downer, considering the antics we've just watched in the proceeding 90 minutes.

[winter dreams]

I also liked both. This is purely conjecture, but here's what I think happened when Todd Phillips got attached -- he decided that the key scene was the one where they wake-up hungover in the hotel room, and he wanted to punch that up as much as possible, make it the most outrageous hungover scene in movie history. So he (and his writer, Jeremy Garelick) must have sat around and said, okay, so he wakes up with a chicken ... and a fricken tiger! Yeah! And then there's a fricken baby in the closet! And so on. And then they tried to write it so that all of these outrageous trailer moments made sense. They also punched up a few other moments (cop car, naked guy in trunk), and then did the same -- tried to make story sense. Sort of the way Hitchcock used to work (from what I've read), coming up with all the big scenes first then letting the screenwriter figure out how to actually make the story work.

The cop car was a good addition, I agree, until the taser scene, which was way over the top for me. And the Asian bad guy didn't work for me, though it was funny when he popped out of the trunk.

[Biohazard]

Originally Posted by Wordsmithteer

The tiger in the bathroom said a lot about the type of night they had, but I can't say that Mike Tyson did anything for me.

Both the film and script could have finished sooner. Once they find the groom the mystery is solved and for me the film should have ended there. We really didn't need to see the wedding.

1 - You can tell the whole tiger subplot was pasted into the film because it simply has nothing to do with anything else. They still find Doug even if you remove that scene, and stuff like that annoys the piss out of me.

If a scene is not essential to the plot and can literally be removed without disrupting the story or causing holes, then f***ing take it out!

2 - The goal for the heroes was to get Doug to the wedding on time, not to simply find him. This is evidenced by the escalating threat of not getting him there in time for the wedding - Doug going missing, heroes spending an extra night in Vegas, even the intro scene which I despise with every fiber of my being reinforces this point by clearly stating "That's not gonna happen", meaning Doug appearing at his wedding on time.

[chuco]

Biohazard,

I know the tiger part was not a key part of the plot or subplot, but you have to admit it was funny.

I have a totally different feeling on the tiger, because I was stoned off my ass when I saw it and the tiger was so over the top that regardless of the plot it had to stay.....

I guess in comedy sometimes you have to screw the plot and pass the pot as long as it's funny.

[Biohazard]

Originally Posted by chuco

I know the tiger part was not a key part of the plot or subplot, but you have to admit it was funny.

I have a totally different feeling on the tiger, because I was stoned off my ass when I saw it and the tiger was so over the top that regardless of the plot it had to stay.....

I guess in comedy sometimes you have to screw the plot and pass the pot as long as it's funny.

Writing in a particular genre does not excuse anyone from lazy writing.

There was some funny byproduct from the tiger's inclusion, but I spent more time thinking about why it was just haphazardly thrown in with utter disregard for relevance and plot cohesion than I spent laughing.

EVERY scene should matter. EVERY scene should be important.

I don't care if you're writing awards bait, summer blockbusters or DTV fodder...there is absolutely no reason why EVERY scene can't matter.

[Recreant]

Maybe I missed something while watching but I didn't understand the police car thing. For some reason they're mistaken for police officers and then on top of they decide to steal the cop car instead of just renting a car or something.

[winter dreams]

Originally Posted by Recreant

Maybe I missed something while watching but I didn't understand the police car thing. For some reason they're mistaken for police officers and then on top of they decide to steal the cop car instead of just renting a car or something.

Was it while watching the video at tysons that they see their drunk selves getting into the cop car? I can't recall. Anyway they are so drunk they take the cop car at some point. Then they are mistaken for cops because they are driving a cop car.

[Biohazard]

Originally Posted by winter dreams

Was it while watching the video at tysons that they see their drunk selves getting into the cop car? I can't recall. Anyway they are so drunk they take the cop car at some point. Then they are mistaken for cops because they are driving a cop car.

I think he means when they are leaving the hotel in the morning and the valet brings the cruiser around.

I assume they accepted the car instead of saying that it wasn't theirs so they don't get in trouble for swiping it the night before. They could just drop it off on the side of the road later and pretend they never took it. Plus, they needed to get around quickly and had no vehicle at the moment.

[Canadianbear]

Originally Posted by Biohazard

Writing in a particular genre does not excuse anyone from lazy writing.

There was some funny byproduct from the tiger's inclusion, but I spent more time thinking about why it was just haphazardly thrown in with utter disregard for relevance and plot cohesion than I spent laughing.

EVERY scene should matter. EVERY scene should be important.

I don't care if you're writing awards bait, summer blockbusters or DTV fodder...there is absolutely no reason why EVERY scene can't matter.

Whats wrong with the scene existing for the comedic factor alone?

I's a Comedy and the scene was hilarious. Doesn't the scene matter then? Doesn't the comedic factor make it important? It's one of the most memorable scenes of the movie.