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We are writers, aren’t we?
Why yes, by God we are, Blake!
And it is our business, is it not, to be interested in those lines of dialogue from movies and TV that stick in the minds of our audience, even to the point where they become part of the culture?
They call them “catch phrases” around the offices of Saturday Night Live, and some TV writers, like those who work on that late night comedy show, try hard to coin them.
In screenwriting, we like coming up with them too, but only occasionally are these planned.
There is a whole passel from those Arnold Schwarzenegger mooofies, when Arnold, say, dispatches a bad guy by dowsing him in gasoline and lighting a match, then casually notes: “What a hothead.”
He’s still doing that. Except now he’s governor of California. And his writers are a lot less funny:
“Vote Yes on Prop 12! You’ll Prop-ably be glad you did!”
I can’t imagine “I… Drink… Your… Milkshake!” the ultimate, frightening, all-powerful line delivered by Daniel Day-Lewis in There Will Be Blood was meant to be one of these, but it is now.
This is from the scene where Daniel reveals to his final foe how he tricked him, explaining that the land his enemy thought was safe from Daniel’s oil drilling, was accesible via an adjoining tract. Like having a straw long enough to drink another fella’s milkshake. Screenwriter Paul Thomas Anderson took the line straight out of congressional testimony from the Tea Pot Dome Scandal in the 1920’s.
And it makes for dramatic testimony of its own in the final scene of his Academy Award-nominated film.
There Will Be Blood is my favorite movie of 2007, all in all, a close second being the un-Godly titled, miserably marketed Michael Clayton (memo to Warner Brothers: Next time call me!! Having seen MC, I really know how you could have sold this movie better!)
But I love Anderson’s movie the most, especially that final, scary scene, and now I find myself saying “I… Drink… Your… Milkshake!” every chance I get.
I hang around McDonald’s looking for an excuse to say it, spooking little kids, who think I actually want their milkshake. They don’t know who Daniel Day-Lewis is.
Or why his name is hyphenated.
“I… Drink… Your… Darjeleen!” I say while killing time at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Startled customers call over the manager to complain.
“Oh that guy,” he tells them. “He’s always in here pitching movie ideas.”
And it’s so much better than when I used to loiter near the ATM in the early ’90s saying: “Go ahead. Make my day.”
Yup. There Will Be Blood, people.
There Will Be Lunch.
There Will Be Dinner.
And later? There Will Be Snacks.
Do you think I am too into this movie?
What are your favorite movie lines from this year’s nominees, or any movie year? The more obscure, the better!
And 10 points for anyone who can tell me the reason I still say the line:
“Go ahead… Make…. Your… Bed!”
I’m sorry about that one, btw, but it was funnier on the page. I swear!
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on February 7th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
I’m really into 9-5 right now. Writing a revenge movie for the modern day Executive Assistant, so screening it more than a few times. Plus, Colin Higgins can do no wrong in my book. I’ve seen the movie more times than I can count, and yet each and every time the following exchange makes me laugh:
This is the scene — Lily, Dolly and Jane are nervously sitting on a bench outside of a hospital room…they are under the (false) impression Lily has poisoned their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot of a boss, (the oddly cute Dabney Coleman).
Lily is afraid they’ll find out she is the one who she knows (falsely) put rat poison in his coffee (”It looks just like Skinny and Sweet, except for the little skull and crossbones on the cover”).
In a great mistaken identity switch, Dabney rises from the hospital bed in the room and walks out — he’s fine, he isn’t dead…of course, the women don’t know this. What they think is that he is still inside the room.
And unbeknownst to them, ANOTHER man was wheeled into the room AFTER sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot Dabney left (alive and well) and the man wheeled in is a suspect in a murder case (how Higgins blended murder and comedy so well still confounds me)…
When the ladies arrive, they see cops and a detective outside the door…naturally they assume it’s because they know that Lily killed the boss…and in the worst possible moment, the doctor comes out and says to the cops and detective “…I’m fairly certain [his death] was some kind of poison.”
Of course, Lily faints.
The women save her, drag her over to a bench and this is what they say:
Lily: “Poison…Poison. Well, it’s all over. Did you hear? An autopsy? I might as well just save them the trouble and give them the rat poison.”
She yanks the rat poison out from under the hiding spot in her blouse and waves it into the air. Jane and Dolly freak!
Jane: “You crazy?! You want someone to see it?
Lily: “Who cares, I’m finished! I’m a murderer.”
Jane: “You’re not!”
Lily: “I’m a murdereress. My poor kids.”
Lily cries, and fumbles with the pendant around her neck containing photos of her beloved children.
Jane: “Violet, you are innocent until proven guilty.”
Dolly: (annoyed beyond belief) “You don’t think they aren’t going to find the poison when they do the autopsy?!
Lily: “I gotta get rid of the poison.”
Jane: “No!”
Lily: (standing up) “I’ll get rid of the body.”
Jane: (pulling Lily down) “NO. Violet, it’s not murder, there are extenuating circumstances. It was an accident.”
Dolly: (beyond annoyed) “An accident?! She was thinking of doing it last night! We we’re all thinking about doing it last night.”
Jane: (frantic whisper) “But she didn’t do it on purpose.”
Lily: (desperate, flailing) “Maybe unconsciously I did. It’s not use. I’m gonna go to the pen!”
Jane: (to Dolly) “We better get her a lawyer.”
Lily: “I’m gonan be locked up for life.”
Jane: “Where’s the phone?”
Dolly: (pointing) “Over there.”
Jane: (to Lily) “Now just sit right here.”
Lily: “I’m gonna lose my job!”
Jane: “Now just calm down.”
Lily: “I’m no fool! I killed the boss. You don’t think they’re not gonna fire me for a think like that!”
HAHAHA
Fired indeed!
Classic…I only hope my script is as witty and funny.
God bless you, Colin!
MikeNYC
on February 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
This is one I say anytime something gets away from me. For instance in a video game or when I’m playing with the dogs and they take off running..etc.
“Come back you fat bearded bitch!” -spaceballs
on February 7th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I’D BUY THAT FOR A DOLLAR!! (Robocop) My friends and I use this old senseless joke whenever we want to say that something is cool or that it plainly sucks. Funny thing is we usually understand each other clearly. Pretty a good subtext exercise, huh!
on February 7th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Blake, I love TWBB too!
I’m struggling with categorizing it, though.
Is it a Dude With A Problem? Rites of Passage? Institutionalized?
There seem to be elements from each.
Also, what would you say is it’s theme?
Thanks,
Leo
PS I seem to remember “Go ahead… make your bed,” was that a line from BLANK CHECK? I just watched it again recently, and that sticks in my head.
on February 7th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
Then again, it may have come from your STOP! OR MY MOM WILL SHOOT script (which I also watched recently).
on February 7th, 2008 at 11:55 pm
Blake, I loved your talk today in Austin. I was the guy who asked you if you integrate suggestions from friends into your screenplays. I wish I could’ve stayed and spoken with you a little bit, because I share your enthusiasm for the structure of storytelling. I’m actually in an improv troupe, and our specialty is improvising full-length stories on stage. Knowing story structure is definitely critical when you have to produce a story on the spot in front of an audience!
There Will Be Blood is definitely my favorite film of 2007 (and I keep saying the milkshake line!), and that’s why I was almost crestfallen when you mentioned so many Oscar nominees today without mentioning …Blood at all. What a relief to later read in your blog that you loved it!
Is the Save the Cat moment when Plainview adopts the kid? Or is there an earlier example you can recall?
Finally, your “Go ahead…” line only reminds me of Clint Eastwood in Sudden Impact.
Thank you again, and I heartily look forward t reading your book.
on February 8th, 2008 at 9:31 am
The most dangerous thing you can say around me and my friends in anything you say is “Madness”…
Because most us will respond…
“Madness?
THIS IS SPARTA!”
Such a fun movie
on February 8th, 2008 at 10:54 am
I haven’t had the pleasure of viewing TWBB yet, so I’ll have to reserve judgement as to wether it tops my year’s fave — No Country for Old Men…
…a movie from which come two new favorite lines, both from one of the creepeist bad guys to ever walk the screen, that rank right up there with Tombstone — which I thought was loaded with them.
Anton: “Call it Friend-o”
and the more obscure:
Anton: “If the rule you followed brought you to this, what good is the rule?”
on February 8th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
I always loved the line in ‘My Body Guard’ where Clifford asks Linderman what his dad does and Linderman says: ‘He watches T.V.’ It said everything.
on February 8th, 2008 at 1:01 pm
Blake, thanks again for giving the talk in Austin (I was the girl that went up afterwards and said how inspiring your passion was).
I’m actually writing a treatment right now, and I’ve been using your beat sheet. THANK YOU SO MUCH for making it - it’s led to some great ideas so far.
I’ve always had great difficulty advancing my plots past the midpoint - precisely because I didn’t understand what the right midpoint was, and how to weave my threads together into a cohesive structure beyond that.
This is going to stay with me.
“Gentlemen, let’s broaden our minds. LAWRENCE!” (queue music)
on February 8th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Catch phrases (Cat-phrases?) work best when they aren’t intentional. My friends still quote many of the lines from Supertroopers. I read an interview with Jay Chandrasekhar in which he talked about the pressure to write more deliberate catch phrases for Club Dread, and I thought that movie was a miserable failure with no memorable lines.
on February 8th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
And last week I saw Cameron Diaz at Fred Segal, and I talked her out of buying this truly heinous angora sweater. Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed. -Legally Blonde
Oh, my God, the bend and snap works every time!- Legally Blonde
on February 8th, 2008 at 7:34 pm
Another line I really like from Say Anything: ‘I gave her my heart, she gave me a pen.’
on February 9th, 2008 at 5:32 am
“I’m here to Chew Bubble-Gum and kickass and I’m all out of Bubblegum” — They Live, uttered by Rowdy Roddy Piper
on February 9th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Firefly (like a Girl Scout Brownie) to Vin Diesel in “The Pacifier”- “Those boys over there broke our cookies.”
Vin, completely blank - “Broke your cookies?”
The more notable one from that movie, though, was “We’re gonna do things my way! No highway option!” But I like the cookies better.
on February 10th, 2008 at 1:46 pm
In National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, Aunt Bethany, who is turning 80, is asked at the start of Christmas dinner to say Grace. She says Grace passed away 30 years ago. Uncle Lewis turns to her and tells her they want her to SAY grace. He points to his teeth and pronounces as clearly as he can, “The Blessing”. She says the Pledge of Allegiance.
At our own crazy large family gatherings, someone always grits their teeth and asks for “The Blessing”. Most of the cousins can play out scenes between Clark,(Chevy Chase)and Eddy,(Randy Quaid). Eddy is a priceless character.
“What about Bob?” is another family favorite. Bill Murray and the boy are sitting on the bed. Richard Dryfus comes in and yells that he needs peace and quiet. The boy, Sigmund, says,”I’ll be quiet.” Bob says “I’ll be peace” and holds up the hand peace sign.
Rowdy cousins in our family will often resort to those lines.
on February 10th, 2008 at 8:06 pm
How about, “I’m already pregnant. What other shenanigans could I possibly get into?” from Juno.
on February 11th, 2008 at 5:33 am
I agree w/Mike in regards to Super Troopers. Such a great stupid movie. One of my favorites. My friends and I will often run through this bit. But Mike’s right, theres TONS of great one liners in that movie.
O’Hagan
I swear to God I’m going to pistol whip the next guy who says “Shenanigans”.
Mac
Hey Farva, what’s the name of that restaurant you like with all the goofy shit on the walls and the mozzarella sticks?
Farva (from other room)
You mean Shenanigans?
on February 11th, 2008 at 10:10 am
Was recently watching “Flashback” and remembered a line by the great Dennis Hopper. They’re on a train to Spokane, WA and Kiefer Sutherland is escorting Hopper back to prison when he tells his,”You don’t quit, do you?.” (I think that’s how it goes) and Hopper, without missing a beat says,”Rust…never sleeps.”
on February 11th, 2008 at 10:51 am
After seeing the post above about RoboCop, I had to post one spoken by RC himself I liked from that one, too.
“Come quietly or there will beeee… trouble.”
on February 11th, 2008 at 4:35 pm
From Willow, I dwell in darkness without you and it went away!
on February 12th, 2008 at 10:07 am
TombStone: “I’ll be your huckleberry”
on February 12th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
“all I have left is my friends and my thermos.”-The Jerk
It was my quote in my high school year book.
on February 13th, 2008 at 8:27 am
Michael Clayton was my favorite film of the year. I saw it three times. What would have been your title/marketing plan? Honestly, I had no idea what it’s about from the poster or the marketing. It took me a bit to get in theater and only after it was nominated and well reviewed.
on February 13th, 2008 at 9:06 am
I’m holding out for the WB marketing team to call me, Christina! But let me say as a clue that the type of movie Michael Clayton; is can be found in my new book Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies in the “Institutionalized” chapter. This is a story type about the pros and cons of joining a group and shares similarities to Network, Crash, and even American Beauty. Doesn’t putting Michael Clayton in this category let me know both the type and the tone of the film? Knowing that — and TELLING that to a potential audience — gives them a much better understanding of what they are buying a ticket for? And it sure beats the confusing “The Truth Can Be Adjusted” the “billboard” for Michael Clayton that, for a time, made me think it was actually the real title! Knowing what type of story you are writing — and selling — is key and why those who market movies should study STC!GTTM for sure!!
on February 13th, 2008 at 9:19 am
YAY! THE STRIKE IS OVER!!!!!!!!!
That’s my new tagline. I’m going to say it all day today.
Joe
on February 13th, 2008 at 9:39 am
And, one of my favorites, and something I still say on a regular basis:
from “State and Main”, after Alec Baldwin’s character, Bob Berrenger, crashes a car while driving with a teenage girl (Julia Stiles) that he’s had sex with:
“So, that happened.”
Purity of observation-derived ironic funniness. [trademark]
My 2p.
jw
on February 13th, 2008 at 12:56 pm
But where would you categorize THERE WIL BE BLOOD, Blake?
And what would you say is it’s theme?
on February 13th, 2008 at 2:52 pm
“Keep it UP!” - No Country for Old Men (you have to say it like James Brolin does)
“Michael Clayton”. They might as well have called it “George Clooney”.
“There Will Be Blood” theme is clearly something along the lines of (SPOILER ALERT) “don’t get so rich that you have a bowling alley in your house, ’cause you’ll end up bludgeoning someone to death with a pin.” Seriously though, wouldn’t it be “greed corrupts” or “gain the world and lose your soul” — something like that? Doesn’t Paul say something biblically to Daniel at the beginning along those lines? I’ve only seen it once so I can’t remember. And the soundtrack was making me nauseous. Amazing film. As far as genre, I was leaning toward Institutionalized, however I’m thinking it’s Golden Fleece.
on February 13th, 2008 at 3:22 pm
Pete! Brilliant! You beat me to it. But you are 100 % right on about TWBB! I couldn’t have said it better. Give this man a cigar and some bowling pins!
on February 13th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
Thanks! I think for Halloween I’m just going to wear a robe and carry around a steak and a bowling pin. “I want you to say: God is a lie…”
on February 13th, 2008 at 7:52 pm
“Just call it.” from No Country for Old Men
Javier Bardem’s chilling request to those unfortunate enough to be in his presence.
on February 14th, 2008 at 12:13 am
Taglines? (or not-so-taglines?)
“These aren’t the droids you’re looking for.”
on February 14th, 2008 at 9:45 am
My favorite - and this works by subtly frightening men and also as a fabulous voice mail lead-in - is from Fatal Attraction: I won’t be ignored, Dan.
This one, from The Big Lebowski, is used to explain any act of greed: She’s got to feed the monkey, man.
on February 14th, 2008 at 11:11 am
Haven’t seen There Will Be Blood yet, but met Daniel Day-Lewis in London over BAFTA weekend. Didn’t get to congratulate on his win. Very nice guy. I have a lot of respect for actors who can play such bad guys, but are such nice people in real life, shows how talented they are.
on February 14th, 2008 at 2:57 pm
Still obsessed by Michael Clayton…
I was thinking about this today and realized there are also “catch images.” Since seeing Michael Clayton, every time a person says to me, “You’re crazy!” (which has been happening frequently in the recent weeks… hmmm.), I say:
“Well, at least I haven’t bought 20 loaves of french bread. Yet.”
The image of Arthur Edens with his arms wrapped around that big bag of french paints a perfect picture of how big Arthur’s mania has become. Without the image, the scene wouldn’t have been as powerful. And a great catch image!
This is the scene where this exchange happens:
Michael: I am not the enemy.
Arthur: Then who are you?
A pivotal moment in the film. I’m thinking the title could have come out of this beat.
on February 14th, 2008 at 3:21 pm
Interesting point (regarding MICHAEL CLAYTON), Christina (considering I haven’t been able to see the movie yet). But if so… wouldn’t a more interesting title have been NOT THE ENEMY? At least that would have provoked me to wonder about the story a bit more.
(Just thinking out loud here.)
on February 14th, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Hi Sarah… Yes, something along those lines. With enemy (or a synonym) in the title. Like, Betraying the Enemy, or ??
See the movie, stat!
on February 14th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
Christina! I just want to applaud your selection of that scene from Michael Clayton as it spotlights a key theme of this genre!In the “Institutionalized” chapter of Save the Cat! Goes to the Movies, being “crazy” is what these stories are all about. “You’re crazy!” is actually a line of dialogue found in almost every good tale of the “I” kind from M*A*S*H to Training Day. And “Who’s crazier, them or me?” is the running, vital, question for the hero in all these stories, and the underlying problem of “joining.” The Arthur Edens character played by Tom Wilkinson is one we’ve seen before, too. Compare him with Jack Nicholson in Cuckoo’s Nest, Peter Finch in Network and Kevin Spacey in American Beauty. Then look at how each ends up! The real point is: We have a current, Academy Award nominated screenplay that follows “the rules” of this type of tale. The setting is different, the tone is too, but the “rules” are the same, and they work every time.I urge anyone interested in knowing about this story type, and nine others ;), to read STC! GTTM. It may also explain the batch of email I’ve received lately from writers who’ve had a chance to read Cat!2 a second and third time and had profound changes in their approach to their writing as a result!
on February 15th, 2008 at 12:39 am
Can it really get any better than lines from Office Space?
What would you do with a million dollars? I’d tell you what I’d do…two chicks at the same time.
on February 15th, 2008 at 8:02 am
Blake! That’s really interesting that the crazy part defines Institutionalized movies. (Makes sense.) It’s time for me to read the book. My copy of your other book is well worn and stained with coffee.
on February 15th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Speaking of the Big Lebowski Mitch, I remembered a great line that I’ve used as answer to the ever banal question of “what do you do?”
“I bowl. Drive around. The occasional acid flashback…”
on February 15th, 2008 at 10:36 am
Christina said: “My copy of your other book is well worn and stained with coffee.”
Whew! That makes me feel a bit better. MY copy of GOES TO THE MOVIES (my AUTOGRAPHED copy!) got drenched in Diet Coke! Every time I pull it off the shelf to look at something I laugh at it. A “well-lived” book! Heh.
on February 17th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
To me, the most incredible movie I’ve seen in years - maybe ever - didn’t stick in my head because of a one-liner. Not that I don’t love a great line - kudos to Andrew with the Office Space lines - but, far and away, my favorite movie this year was “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly”. It seems that barely anybody I’ve talked to has seen this amazing movie. It’s not a tear-jerker; it’s a great, true story told really, really well. The script is in PDF form if you Google it.
In short, if you know the story, the greatest line of any movie I’ve seen this year was said with a simple blink.
on February 18th, 2008 at 2:02 pm
i very much like the line, “now a warning?” from “death becomes her.” also, “ck dexterhaven, you have unsuspected depth” from “philadelphia story.” jimmy stewart, drunk, says it to cary grant, reformed drunk and rich guy, who later proves to have unsuspected depth. very modern line from a movie made in the late 30’s.