• Location: New Jersey
  • Joined: March 22, 2012

Topic: Harrison-Bergeron

I was in a writing mood, so I decided to take on Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s 1961 sci-fi classic HARRISON-BERGERON.  I'm off to a good start.  I tried to start once before, but was having trouble portraying the backstory.  The rule of screenwriting is "show, don't tell", because screenplays only describe what is actually seen or heard.  So how do I remain faithful to the story and explain the origins of the PC-gone-awry dystopia... without narrating?  It hit me and I went to work.  The finished script should be about six or seven pages.  This will be added to my classic sci-fi series, of which LegoStudioP's THE NINE BILLION NAMES OF GOD, and TogFox's MARIANNA are a part.

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"None practice tolerance less frequently than those who most loudly preach it."

HoldingOurOwn's Website

  • Location: Southern California
  • Joined: December 9, 2015

Re: Harrison-Bergeron

First Autofac and now Harrison Bergeron? Your taste in sci fi short stories is impeccable! I can't wait to see how you do this one!

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thistof's Website

  • Location: New Jersey
  • Joined: March 22, 2012

Re: Harrison-Bergeron

Do you like classic sci-fi too?

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"None practice tolerance less frequently than those who most loudly preach it."

HoldingOurOwn's Website

  • Location: Southern California
  • Joined: December 9, 2015

Re: Harrison-Bergeron

Absolutely, I remember reading Vonnegut's "Welcome To The Monkey House" collection (which included Harrison Bergeron) when I was about 15. Around that same time I got hooked on Ray Bradbury (who would be quick to tell you he's not a sci-fi writer) and branched out from there. You mentioned somewhere about trying to adapt these stories succinctly, while retaining the true essence of the original stories, to avoid the disappointing movie that doesn't live up to the story. Perfect example of that is "The Minority Report," which was poorly made into a movie that raised some interesting questions and didn't answer them. The short story is an ingenious example of the storytelling form,

Spoiler (click to read)

playing on our expectations regarding the rule of threes, and after raising doubts about free will, goes on to resolve the story in a way that fully addresses the theme.

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thistof's Website

  • Location: New Jersey
  • Joined: March 22, 2012

Re: Harrison-Bergeron

I was also greatly disappointed by Minority Report.  There was a twist in the middle of the movie that wasn't int he book that I thought was cool, but that's about it.

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"None practice tolerance less frequently than those who most loudly preach it."

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