This book signing at Book Soup was wonderful – good people, good conversation (before and after the signing). Just another example of the kind of quality positive people who have been drawn to The Monkees across generations – I even met a former head of publicity for ScreenGems who had some fun stories to tell. — Rosanne
…but it’s not just 50 years that makes the show special. That’s not the only reason that people were paying attention to it. I think it’s the ability to analyze the artistic achievements of the writers, the actors, the directors on the program. Many of these people had earned awards later in their career with Emmys, Grammys. Oscars across the whole time and the book wants to critically study who The Monkees were as a television program. Something that challenged the new rules of a new medium and the show itself paved the way for future innovation on television. Now television itself took nearly the same 50 years to climb out of the shadow of film. People have not wanted to respect television for a long time. We didn’t have television studies. We had film studies. That’s what important people went for, but in this time period, think about the shows that had been winning Emmys — in fact, last night we had the Emmys — so we had all the new stuff. In the last few years we’ve had Breaking Bad and Mad Men and now we have Game of Thrones and happily, Master of None won for best writing last night, so television has grown up.
New material in the form of Outtakes included in the course of an episode or added to the end in the form of a Tag, often became interjected inside the locked script. These outtakes truly let the audience feel as if they were a part of the whole production, in on the laugh as it were. In the end that is one key to the success of the program, letting the young audience be a part of something at a time they felt they had little say in anything going on around them.
You Can Please Some of the People Some of the Time… None of the People All of the Time: A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More!
Dr. Rosanne Welch speaks on A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More! at the California State University, Fullerton Library
Part of the program series for Dune by Frank Herbert: A 50th Anniversary Celebration.
Hey, guess what’s in the theaters right now that’s an adaptation? We have the Steve Jobs film which comes originally from the book by Walter Isaacson. Being made into the film now which just opened. Aaron Sorkin is the screenwriter here and Aaron Sorkin fully admits in all interviews “I want you to get the feel of his life, not the facts of his life.” So he made up a bunch of stuff and added it to the movie because he thought it made a more interesting scene. It doesn’t even come from the book. It’s things he imagined maybe Jobs might have done when he was visiting with friends or having a private conversation with this daughter. And Sorkin fully admits that he was interested in studying the relationship between the father and the daughter because in his own life he has a dysfunctional relationship with his daughter and so in a couple of interviews I heard recently on NPR he came out and said, “I really just wrote a movie about me and my daughter and I threw Steve Jobs name on it.” That’s how far from the book he has taken that particular story.
About this talk
Dr. Rosanne Welch (RTVF) speaks on the craft of history of film adaptations from the controversy of the silent film Birth of a Nation (protested by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1915) to Breakfast at Tiffany’s (to which author Truman Capote famously said, “The only thing left from the book is the title”) to The Godfather . Naturally, the behemoth in adaptation – Harry Potter (which depended on the relationship created by adapter Steve Kloves and author J.K. Rowling) will be discussed, as will the subject of this month’s celebration: Dune.
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
About Dr. Rosanne Welch
Dr. Rosanne Welch is a professor in the Low Residency MFA in Screenwriting Program from Stephens College, California State University, Fullerton, Mount San Antonio Community College and Cal Poly Pomona. In 2007, she graduated with her Ph.D. in 20th Century U.S./Film History from Claremont Graduate University. She graduated with her M.A. in 20th Century United States History from California State University, Northridge in 2004.
Welch is also a television writer/producer with credits for Beverly Hills 90210 , CBS’s Emmy winning Picket Fences and Touched By An Angel . She also writes and hosts her own podcasts on 3rdPass.media, her first one titled “Mindful(I) Media with Dr. Rosanne Welch.”
Each author was asked to describe their book. The encyclopedia came first (since Peg’s last name is Lamphier and the practice of alphabetical discrimination lives on). I let her have the honors since I knew I would speak about The Monkees’ book last. Going last I also had to keep in mind that the rest of the audience had already received their awards and were anxious to get back to the delightful dessert table – so humor came to the rescue as I commented on how odd it was to be speaking about my favorite television show when I was six after other professors had spoken of Immanuel Kant and architectural digs in South America and Mass Spectatorship in Modern France.
Here’s how I closed out the show…
Thanks to Doug for taking all the photos and video – and to Peg for being such a great collaborator – and to all the friends and fans who have read the book and enjoyed learning more about the 1967 Emmy Winner for Best New Comedy Series.
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During the ’30s and ’40s, Hollywood produced a genre of madcap comedies that emphasized reuniting the central couple after divorce or separation. And the female protagonists were strong, independent, and sophisticated. Here, Stanley Cavell examines seven of those classic movies for their cinematic techniques, and for such varied themes as feminism, liberty and interdependence. Included are Adam’s Rib, Bringing Up Baby, and The Philadelphia Story.
I teach several classes for the Stephens College Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting, including History of Screenwriting. In fact, I created the curriculum for that course from scratch and customized it to this particular MFA in that it covers ‘Screenwriting’ (not directors) and even more specifically, the class has a female-centric focus. As part History of Screenwriting I, the first course in the four-class series, we focus on the early women screenwriters of the silent film era who male historians have, for the most part, quietly forgotten in their books. In this series, I share with you some of the screenwriters and films that should be part of any screenwriters education. I believe that in order to become a great screenwriter, you need to understand the deep history of screenwriting and the amazing people who created the career. — Dr. Rosanne Welch
“Filming just seven months after the New York subway system opened, cameraman Bitzer captures a unique tracking shot with lights provided by another train running on parallel tracks in tandem with the photographed train. The startling variations within a predetermined form make this work a fascinating predecessor of structural films.” —R. Bruce Elder
Title Interior N.Y. subway, 14th St. to 42nd St.
Other Title Interior New York subway, Fourteenth Street to Forty-second Street
Summary The camera platform was on the front of a New York subway train following another train on the same track. Lighting is provided by a specially constructed work car on a parallel track. At the time of filming, the subway was only seven months old, having opened on October 27, 1904. The ride begins at 14th Street (Union Square) following the route of today’s east side IRT, and ends at the old Grand Central Station, built by Cornelius Vanderbuilt in 1869. The Grand Central Station in use today was not completed until 1913.
Contributor Names Bitzer, G. W., 1872-1944, camera. American Mutoscope and Biograph Company. Paper Print Collection (Library of Congress)
Created / Published United States : American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, 1905.
Subject Headings – Subways–New York (State)–New York – Transportation–New York (State)–New York – Local transit–New York (State)–New York – Subway stations–New York (State)–New York – Grand Central Terminal (New York, N.Y.)
Genre Short films Nonfiction films Actualities (Motion pictures)
Notes – H61570 U.S. Copyright Office – Copyright: American Mutoscope & Biograph Co.; 5June1905; H61570. – Duration: 3:37 (part 1) and 2:41 (part 2) at 15 fps. – Camera, G.W. “Billy” Bitzer. – Photographed May 21, 1905. Location: Interborough Subway, 14 St. to 42nd St., New York, N.Y. – Available also through the Library of Congress Web site as digital files. – Mavis 1810601; Interior N.Y. subway, 14th St. to 42nd St. – viewing print and dupe neg; Received: 1991 from LC lab; preservation; Paper Print Collection. – neg pic; Received: ca. 1989 from UCLA; preservation Paper Print Collection. – paper pos; Received: 1905-06-05; copyright deposit; Paper Print Collection.
Medium viewing print. 1 film reel of 1 (133 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm. dupe neg. 1 film reel of 1 (133 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm. neg pic. 1 film reel of 1 (133 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm. paper pos. 1 roll (133 ft.) : si., b&w ; 35 mm.
Description The camera platform was on the front of a New York subway train following another train on the same track. Lighting is provided by a specially constructed work car on a parallel track. At the time of filming, the subway was only seven months old, having opened on October 27, 1904. The ride begins at 14th Street (Union Square) following the route of today’s east side IRT, and ends at the old Grand Central Station, built by Cornelius Vanderbuilt in 1869. The Grand Central Station in use today was not completed until 1913.
You Can Please Some of the People Some of the Time… None of the People All of the Time: A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More!
Dr. Rosanne Welch speaks on A History of the Art of Adaptation in Movies like Dune, The Godfather, Harry Potter and More! at the California State University, Fullerton Library
Part of the program series for Dune by Frank Herbert: A 50th Anniversary Celebration.
So, because of simply changing his age by a few years they totally tweaked how the book turned into a film and it failed, miserably. They were going to make all 5 films, but they only ended up making two. Which is really kind of amazing when you think about it because it came after Harry Potter. They had a lesson in how to do it properly and they ignored every single moment, which shocks me.
About this talk
Dr. Rosanne Welch (RTVF) speaks on the craft of history of film adaptations from the controversy of the silent film Birth of a Nation (protested by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1915) to Breakfast at Tiffany’s (to which author Truman Capote famously said, “The only thing left from the book is the title”) to The Godfather . Naturally, the behemoth in adaptation – Harry Potter (which depended on the relationship created by adapter Steve Kloves and author J.K. Rowling) will be discussed, as will the subject of this month’s celebration: Dune.
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2015 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm
About Dr. Rosanne Welch
Dr. Rosanne Welch is a professor in the Low Residency MFA in Screenwriting Program from Stephens College, California State University, Fullerton, Mount San Antonio Community College and Cal Poly Pomona. In 2007, she graduated with her Ph.D. in 20th Century U.S./Film History from Claremont Graduate University. She graduated with her M.A. in 20th Century United States History from California State University, Northridge in 2004.
Welch is also a television writer/producer with credits for Beverly Hills 90210 , CBS’s Emmy winning Picket Fences and Touched By An Angel . She also writes and hosts her own podcasts on 3rdPass.media, her first one titled “Mindful(I) Media with Dr. Rosanne Welch.”
In “Monstrous Monkee Mash” (written by Neil Nephew and David Panich, directed by James Frawley and edited by Pozen) when a frightened Micky piles chairs before the door to avoid the Wolfman, the film is sped up to highlight his fear and sense of panic. The creative team on The Monkees often used the frenetic personality of Micky’s character in this fashion as in “Alias Micky Dolenz” (edited by Stanley Frazen).
I teach several classes for the Stephens College Low-Residency MFA in Screenwriting, including History of Screenwriting. In fact, I created the curriculum for that course from scratch and customized it to this particular MFA in that it covers ‘Screenwriting’ (not directors) and even more specifically, the class has a female-centric focus. As part History of Screenwriting I, the first course in the four-class series, we focus on the early women screenwriters of the silent film era who male historians have, for the most part, quietly forgotten in their books. In this series, I share with you some of the screenwriters and films that should be part of any screenwriters education. I believe that in order to become a great screenwriter, you need to understand the deep history of screenwriting and the amazing people who created the career. — Dr. Rosanne Welch
From Raff & Gammon price list: Three Japanese ladies in the costumes of their country.
From Edison films catalog: A charming representation of The Mikado dance by three beautiful Japanese ladies in full costume. Very effective when colored. 45 feet. $6.75.
OTHER TITLES Title in Maguire & Gammon catalogue: Japanese dance
CREATED/PUBLISHED United States : Edison Manufacturing Co., [1894]
NOTES Copyright: no reg.
Performers: Sarashe Sisters.
Camera, William Heise.
Filmed ca. October-November 1894, in Edison’s Black Maria studio.
SUBJECTS Dance–United States. Dancers–United States. Japanese–United States. Dance Musical
RELATED NAMES Dickson, W. K.-L. (William Kennedy-Laurie), 1860-1935, production. Heise, William, camera. Sarashe Sisters, performers. Thomas A. Edison, Inc. AFI/Holt (H.L.) Collection (Library of Congress)
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