Butler's Script Sale of the Week...
January 14th, 2001
The David Koepp/John Kamps mega-sale of THE SUPERCONDUCTNG SUPERCOLLIDER OF SPARKLE CREEK, WISCONSIN was definiteley the big news this week, but I'm afraid it's just a bit too obvious for the Script Sale Of The Week (although it does hold Title Of The Week). This is definitely one to keep an eye on, however, as at the very least we can be sure that Koepp will deliver a professional well-told story.
The nod this week, however, is going to have to go to the MTV Films acquisition of novelist Tom Perrotta's comedy spec HOMETOWN BOYS. Perrotta wrote the novel that was turned into 1999's ELECTION starring Mathhew Broderick and Reese Witherspooon. ELECTION was a great film. A "teen " movie that wasn't, it was character-driven, satirical, and, at it's deepest, a parody of the 1992 U.S. presidential election!
This will be Perrotta's first crack at writing an original screenplay. Another of his novels, THE WISHBONES, is currently being adapted for the big screen and will be released sometime this year. Novelists turned screenwriters aren't always successful. Stephen King's MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE (1986), anyone? But based on ELECTION, I'm willing to give Perrotta the benifit of the doubt. He's also got Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger, the producers of ELECTION, in his corner, who I'm sure had a lot to do with making that adaptation so successful. They obviouvsly understand Perrotta's work and I'm sure they will help keep the first time screenwriter on the right track.
HOMETOWN BOYS concerns a former New Jersey high school basketball star who has been making a nice living playing professional ball in Italy. He returns home to nurse an injury and his ailing father. The powers that be at his high school alma mater want him to coach the basketball team. He finally agrees, but it's not everything he thought it would be.
That's the log line released to the trades, but if Perrotta's previous work is anything to go by then HOMETOWN BOYS will be about a whole lot more. Anxiously awaiting ...
-- Edward Butler
The nod this week, however, is going to have to go to the MTV Films acquisition of novelist Tom Perrotta's comedy spec HOMETOWN BOYS. Perrotta wrote the novel that was turned into 1999's ELECTION starring Mathhew Broderick and Reese Witherspooon. ELECTION was a great film. A "teen " movie that wasn't, it was character-driven, satirical, and, at it's deepest, a parody of the 1992 U.S. presidential election!
This will be Perrotta's first crack at writing an original screenplay. Another of his novels, THE WISHBONES, is currently being adapted for the big screen and will be released sometime this year. Novelists turned screenwriters aren't always successful. Stephen King's MAXIMUM OVERDRIVE (1986), anyone? But based on ELECTION, I'm willing to give Perrotta the benifit of the doubt. He's also got Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger, the producers of ELECTION, in his corner, who I'm sure had a lot to do with making that adaptation so successful. They obviouvsly understand Perrotta's work and I'm sure they will help keep the first time screenwriter on the right track.
HOMETOWN BOYS concerns a former New Jersey high school basketball star who has been making a nice living playing professional ball in Italy. He returns home to nurse an injury and his ailing father. The powers that be at his high school alma mater want him to coach the basketball team. He finally agrees, but it's not everything he thought it would be.
That's the log line released to the trades, but if Perrotta's previous work is anything to go by then HOMETOWN BOYS will be about a whole lot more. Anxiously awaiting ...
-- Edward Butler
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