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De Niro Seeks Science-Oriented Film Scripts 342

Posted by timothy from the brotha-you-are-goin'-down dept.
farrellj writes "According to this CBC story it seems that De Niro is looking for the next 'A Beautiful Mind, Memento or Good Will Hunting.' The script must have a scientist, mathematician or engineer as the lead charactor...And a finished script with synopsis and writer's resume must be in by Nov. 1. Submission info in the CBC story above. Now, who is writing the 'Cowboy Neal saves the world' script? "
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De Niro Seeks Science-Oriented Film Scripts More

De Niro Seeks Science-Oriented Film Scripts

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  • CmdrTaco's Beautiful Mind Hunting (Score:4, Funny)

    by cp4 ( 250029 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:32PM (#4254257)
    I can just see it, DeNiro sitting in some basement in Michigan or wherever and writing some illegible code for an hour and a half...

    The romance is there with the infamous Valentine's Day Proposal.

    Hemos is the "good buddy"...

    This is gold.

  • Memento? Explain this one. (Score:4, Insightful)

    by Skyshadow ( 508 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:34PM (#4254264) Homepage
    In what way was Memento a science-oriented film? How does it fit in with Good Will Hunting or A Beautiful Mind (which was good mostly due to Jennifer Connley -- how did she stay so damn good looking?).

    • In what way was Memento a science-oriented film?

      It wasn't and I'd wager that De Niro et. al don't really want a film about science or even about scientists. What they want is another standard Hollywood film (note that the 'prize', if you win, is help developing their scripts from filmmakers. That means the same morons who put out crap every year are going to help you "improve" your story.) that has the gimmick of having a scientist in it. Why? Because any reviewer who sees the film and likes it will inevitably draw comparisons or make some comment about A Beautiful Mind even if the only similiary is that both films star a scientist or mathematician. People will read the review and say to themselves "Hey, I liked A Beautiful Mind, so I'll probably like this new movie as well." This is a standard trick in Hollywood -- try to associate your crap movie with something the audience already has a fondness for.

      A Beautiful Mind (which was good mostly due to Jennifer Connley -- how did she stay so damn good looking?).

      You ever see her in "Career Opportunities"? You think she looks good now at 30-something, you should see her in that film when she was 21 or 22. Yow!

      GMD

      • You ever see her in "Career Opportunities"? You think she looks good now at 30-something, you should see her in that film when she was 21 or 22. Yow!

        Are you kidding? I've seen it so many times that I can close my eyes and see the scene where they make her ride the K-Mart horse thingie.

        [stops, closes eyes, smiles]

        • Are you kidding? I've seen it so many times that I can close my eyes and see the scene where they make her ride the K-Mart horse thingie.

          I was personally happy when she won the Oscar for her work. Let's face it, she's paid her dues in Hollywood. She had to do a lot of borderline-sexploitation stuff when she was younger. I mean, she spends the last third of that movie in a skin-tight white tanktop with no bra on underneath while her co-stars are practically drooling at her chest.

          That having been said, I can pretty much replay all her scenes in that movie over in my head, too :)

          GMD

          • She had to do a lot of borderline-sexploitation stuff when she was younger.

            Speaking of which, have you seen "Mullhuland Falls"? Wow! I actually thought it was a good movie, too, but Jen Connolly in black lace lingerie made it fantastic for me :-)

            And just to be totally OT, I found a picture of Jen Connolly where she looks exactly like a friend of mine, whom I sadly never managed to hook up with.

          • An oscar means her never having to take her clothes off again.

            Not unless she wants to, of course. Dare to dream.
      • That's nothing -- you should see her in "Mulholland Falls"... topless.

        (No, not Lynch's "Mulholland Drive," which is a much better movie. Connelly's chest is just about the only thing to recommend about "Mulholland Falls.")
      • It wasn't and I'd wager that De Niro et. al don't really want a film about science or even about scientists. What they want is another standard Hollywood film (...) that has the gimmick of having a scientist in it.

        Vipul's Razor: or maybe De Niro just wants to be involved in a film that makes audiences think.

      • Re:It's just a gimmick (Score:3, Interesting)

        by geoswan ( 316494 )
        Films don't always fuck things up. In Infinity [imdb.com] Mathew Broderick plays Richard Feynman [st-and.ac.uk] when he was young.

        I'd happily pay to see De Niro playing an older Feynman. Did Feynman's role on the Challenger investigation have sufficient heroic elements? The poor guy was living with cancer during the investigation.

  • Enough with the Cowboy Neal stuff already!

  • Holy slow newsday batman! (Score:4, Funny)

    by Codex The Sloth ( 93427 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:35PM (#4254269)
    If this is what is on the frontpage today, I'd hate to see what got rejected.

  • How about Jason in Outer... (Score:3, Funny)

    by Frank of Earth ( 126705 ) <frank AT fperkins DOT com> on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:35PM (#4254272) Homepage Journal
    ... Damn! [imdb.com], I'm always late with my great ideas.
  • ...and it is known only as "Rocky and Bullwinkle". God bless Piper Perabo.

  • This sounds like a bad idea... (Score:5, Funny)

    by Chagatai ( 524580 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:36PM (#4254276) Homepage
    I mean, De Niro as a mathematician? It could take the title of "Analyze This" to a whole new level. But, I suppose if he was in the next Good Will Hunting, he could take Robin Williams' place. That way, instead of just pinning Matt Damon to the wall after talking ill about his dead wife, he'd go all mafioso and have Vinni bust some kneecaps. "That cool with you, chief?"

    • Re:This sounds like a bad idea... (Score:4, Funny)

      by Skyshadow ( 508 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:42PM (#4254315) Homepage
      Note that DeNiro's not necessarily planning to act in the movie. He's looking for a script for his film company to produce.

      Personally, I think having a modern-day crime drama about a guy brought in to set up secure computing for the mob might be a winner. Think a mix of DeNiro's gambling specialist character from Casino and Ben Kingsley's character in Sneakers.

      "The world isn't run by weapons anymore, or energy, or money. It's run by little ones and zeroes, little bits of data. It's all just electrons." Then Joe Peschi would be beaten severely and buried alive. All movies, even light-hearted comic romances, should have Joe Peschi beaten severely and buried alive.

  • The Brilliant Amnesiac (Score:4, Funny)

    by cibrPLUR ( 176588 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:40PM (#4254303) Homepage
    De Niro is looking for the next 'A Beautiful Mind, Memento or Good Will Hunting.' The script must have a scientist, mathematician or engineer as the lead charactor.

    I never knew that Leonard was a scientist, mathematician or engineer.

    Maybe he just forgot.
  • Dr. Nuelhammer [ridiculopathy.com] is ready for his closeup.

  • the plot thinkens (Score:5, Funny)

    by deft ( 253558 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:41PM (#4254310) Homepage
    mathematician: do you have the formula?

    deniro: you talkin to me?

    mathematician: yes, give me the numbers please.

    deniro: you must be talking to me, i dont see anyone else.

    mathematician: yes, im talking to you, why is this such a problem fo you?

    deniro: you got a problem?

    mathematician: oh god.

  • Ramanujan? (Score:3, Insightful)

    by neema ( 170845 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:41PM (#4254311) Homepage
    If he were Indian (or looked anything like G.H. Hardy to play another role), I think the movie of Ramanujan would be greatly impressive if done right. Read "The Man Who Knew Infinity", it's a good story.

  • Xerox Parc thriller (Score:3, Insightful)

    by bluethundr ( 562578 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:41PM (#4254313) Homepage Journal
    I'd love to see a film showing the madness of the inventors at PARC inventing the future in which we now live. As far as characters you've got 'em in spades [amazon.com]telling that story ! Butler Lampson, Bob Metcalf, Alan Kay, Gary Starkwheather...there's probably be a number of movies and stories you could tell. Not sure how compelling it might be a lay populace, but with characters that strong a writer might should (I would suppose) be able to taylor a story with commercial appeal...
    • it would only become exciting if they made it "fictionalized" when one of the PARC guys goes postal gutting the exec's at Xerox for denying that this would be the way of the future, castrating Jobbs for stealing their ideas and calling it a Macintosh, and then cutting out Billy's tongue and his arms before shoving a chainsaw into his chest.

      Ahhh, my Homie.
  • I think Deniro should try his hand at this one [imdb.com].

    Though Michael Douglas will be hard to surpass. Give the protagonist a Phd in computer science and this movie will be both current and relevant. Something most films are missing these days.

    • Re:Anyone remember this one? (Score:4, Funny)

      by Skyshadow ( 508 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:56PM (#4254405) Homepage
      How about having Hillary Rosen use her nefarious connections to have a young Shawn Fanning-esqe character killed by hitmen, who are blissfully unaware that his father is actually a retired mafia hitman hiding in the witness relo program (played, of course, by DeNiro). Revenge ensues.

      The ending where DeNiro reaps death apon the entire RIAA would have an awfully satisfying feel (esp. if it were filmed without special effects). Maybe the sequel could take down the MPAA.

      [Pictures Jack Valenti being knifed by DeNiro. Smiles.]

  • I have a CN script (Score:4, Funny)

    by Rui del-Negro ( 531098 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:44PM (#4254335) Homepage
    Earth is about to be hit by a huge asteroid and the only way to save mankind it is to use something with a big enough mass to push the asteroid off its course.

    That's when CowboyNeal springs into action (powered by the world's largest catapult, naturally).

    In a dramatic sequence, he misses the asteroid completely. Humanity prepares to be obliterated (shots of Arafat and Sharon hugging, Bush in bed with Osama, etc.). But the scientists notice that, without CowboyNeal's mass, Earth's orbit has changed slightly, and the asteroid narrowly misses.

    The film ends with a shot fo CowboyNeal landing on the moon and eating it.

    RMN
    ~~~
    • Haha fat people haha!

      The over-weight are the only minority group out there where it's still ok to make fun of them. Rephrase the above with black people spitting out watermellon seeds so much that it changes the Earth's orbit, and you'll see my point. This post will probably be moderated troll just for mentioning that stereotype.
    • ...Bush in bed with Osama...

      Are you calling Bush a necrophiliac?
    • I also have one. The last line of dialogue (if you don't mind spoilers) is:

      `` `I'm sorry' ain't gonna save our sorry butts right now."

      But I'm not sure if I should give the line to CB or his long-suffering sidekick ``Li'l Anime Fan."

      Geoff

  • Do the Feynman story (Score:4, Interesting)

    by AxelTorvalds ( 544851 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:50PM (#4254364)
    I could see De Niro doing a really good Feynman. Feynman was brilliant above and beyond the call of duty, had a fascinating life and was kind of quirky. I could see De Niro doing him pretty well, with that New York accent.
    • Yeah, I'd pay 8 bucks to see that!

      make it so!

    • This was exactly the same thought I had....although I think it would be a bit of a stretch for De Niro to play R.F. :)

      I was absolutely spellbound by the biography of Feynman shown on NOVA over 10 years ago. Last Journey of a Genius was remarkable and I've been searching for it ever since. I confirmed that it is a BBC production and that WGBH in Boston (NOVA producers) will not be airing it again as far as they know.

      I have contacted dozens and dozens of libraries and also these folks [hypermart.net] to try and beg/borrow/steal a copy of this tape so I can see it again.

      I publicly make this pledge of a $50 donation to the EFF for information leading to me securing this tape!

      SuperID
    • Ditto, but he'd have to go from Menacing and Cynical to unconcerned and playful. DeNiro is good at what he does, but apart from his appearance in Brazil, which was strange and cynical, he's usually menacing and cynical.

      I agree, though, he has the look and accent.

  • I got one for you... (Score:3, Funny)

    by anonymous_wombat ( 532191 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:51PM (#4254371)
    How about a fat software engineer who keeps building products for a succession of companies, and his company goes bankrupt each time the product is about to be released?

    They could get Jon Lovitz to play me (I mean the software engineer).

  • Brazil (Score:4, Funny)

    by scotch ( 102596 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:53PM (#4254383) Homepage
    Did DeNiro already forget about Brazil [imdb.com]? How many truly great science fiction movies does he think one actor deserves to be in? ;) Maybe SF isn't exactly what he is looking for:

    DeNiro: I'm looking to get a part in one of those movies like Memento or "A beautiful mind"
    Agent: You mean a science related movie?
    DeNiro: No, I mean an Oscar winner - it's been a while

    Thanks, I'll be here all week.

  • We need some sort of mutant hybrid.......

    The body and 1 liners of Arnold.....

    The brains of Linux or maybe Roblimo.....

    I will code you up.....(FLEX)

  • Turing (Score:4, Interesting)

    by 00_NOP ( 559413 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @06:54PM (#4254388) Homepage
    Next year is the 60th anniversary of the most important battle in human history - Kursk.

    At every point in that battle the USSR's armed forces outwitted and out fought the Nazis. Now, that is because of the great skills and abilities of the Red Army and Red Airforce by 1943. But it is also because of the superior intelligence available to the allies as a whole - and one man, Alan Turing, is responsible for that.

    Kursk is little known and understood in the west - but it is worth stating this simple fact: it was the first time the Nazi blitzkreig was stopped in summer campaigning weather. It was a seminal event in human history that has been covered up by the cold war for too long.

    But better than that, it was the moment when scientific rationality (by which I mean the triumph of intelligence and not soime bizarre Stalinist idea of 'scientific socialism') triumphed over the will to power.

    There could be a great, epic, film here and I wish I could write it.
  • To be considered, scripts must be received at Tribeca by Nov. 1. They can be mailed to Tribeca Film Institute,...

    This is the way to attract writers about science and technology, require that the script be sent through physical mail.

  • ...since the article leaves open that De Niro might be looking for a movie to produce and not necessarily act in.

    This review [nypost.com], and this one, [weblogs.com] and this one [curtainup.com] all seemed to like it. But more importantly, Kip Thorne said when he saw Alda in Los Angeles that it was like spending some time with Feynman once again.

    I know if QED opened within 200 miles of me, I'd go see it. Alda has done great work and Feynman's life was amazing.

  • Bill is an astronomer who writes scientifically orientated thrillers - 'Nemesis' is about a killer asteroid with an interesting twist, Bill is a specialist in impact catastrophes and this book really shows this off.

    He's also released 'Revelations' - another thriller aroudn the theme of zero point energy, and most recently 'The Lure' takes an interesting angle on messages from other races....

    Slashdot fans will love these, the hero in Nemesis is a Linux user too....

  • Why not use a proven script? (Score:4, Funny)

    by joneshenry ( 9497 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @07:00PM (#4254428)
    Reuse an idea that everyone in the target audience has seen, something shown on US national TV. Have a spunky child play a major role (Sixth Sense). Show young scientists/inventors who are struggling to convince the establishment of their worth. Have some sort of environmental angle where irresponsible use of nuclear weapons causes a threat to the world, and throw in a friendly AI/robot.

    De Niro needs to remake Godzilla vs. Megalon [imdb.com].

  • As a recently college graduate in mathematics, I have taken it upon myself to read a bunch of biographies of famous mathemeticians (almost an oxymoron outside of academia).

    Has anyone else noticed that almost any famous mathematician (or one that is referred to as "great") was always more than a little strange and, oftentimes, a little crazy?

    As someone who is always interested in seeing math and pure science appear as "cool", I am very glad to see movies like these being made.

    "Good Will Hunting" and "Octobery Sky" are great examples of movies that show that scientists and mathematicians need not be regarded as "losers."
  • I remember he came to visit the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry with lil kids (I'm guessing nephews or nieces) when he was on location in Portland a few years ago. (And he said we have one of the best science museums in the world!)

    So, we can guess he is sincere in his interest in science and giving scientists more limelight.

    mark
    --
    Mark Chen | Web Developer | Oregon Museum of Science and Industry | www.omsi.edu

  • C'mon (Score:5, Funny)

    by _ph1ux_ ( 216706 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @07:02PM (#4254443)
    I thought there were plenty of Script K1dd13z on Slashdot. There has to be some bash scripter... oh wait. Nevermind.
  • it said "The script must have a scientist, mathematician or engineer as the lead charactor..."
    not
    " The script must have a dork as the lead charactor..."
  • Place: Purgatory

    The Objetive: Geek Heaven

    The Conditions: Be judged by a jury formed by the great intellects of our history, Michelangelo, Socrates, Lincon, Freud, Newton...

    The plot: An analisys of what the dead person did in his life.

    The Characters: CEOs of Worldcom and Andersen, RIAA members, corrupt politicians, Bill Gates... ;)

    I think this could revive some lost values.

    Freud to Bill Gates: Does this picture of a penguin reminds you of your mother?
  • I have come up with the most remarkable science-based movie script, but it's too large to fit into the text box.

    It's about some guy named Pierre.

  • Alan Turing (Score:5, Interesting)

    by x mani x ( 21412 ) <mghase.cs@mcgill@ca> on Friday September 13, 2002 @07:21PM (#4254561) Homepage
    Read this brief summary [st-and.ac.uk] about Alan Turing's life.

    A serious, well written script documenting his incredible, tragic life would make A Beautiful Mind seem about as powerful as Pee-Wee's Big Adventure (not to knock Pee-Wee's Big Adventure - great movie, it's just no tour de force).
  • De Niro's gonna play Dick Feynman and it'll be a festival [weburbia.com] of dyspeptic [happychopsticks.com] grimaces [warnerbros.com].

  • Pretty Cool of De Niro's Production Company (Score:3, Insightful)

    by DaytonCIM ( 100144 ) on Friday September 13, 2002 @07:26PM (#4254580) Homepage Journal
    "Actor Robert De Niro is inviting screenwriters with an interest in science to send their scripts to his film production company."

    "Two winning writers will get financial assistance, along with help developing their scripts from filmmakers and scientists. At least one of the scripts will be read at De Niro's Tribeca Film Festival in 2003, and a film based on one of the screenplays will debut at the 2004 festival."

    Aside from the inane comments of Doron Weber, this sounds like a great opportunity for aspiring screenplay writers. And I love the fact that they are promoting science (definitely something in this country that needs MASSIVE PROMOTION!)

    I do hope that De Niro stays away from the "Hackers" / "Gen X" type kiddie movies that promote large corporations and their view, rather than the truth; and goes for something serious and honest... maybe a story based on Kevin Mitnick or something chronicling the birth of the Internet (definitely room for characterization...) or a comedy based on BOFH [theregister.co.uk].

  • I used to like actors like Bob De Niro and Nicholas Cave quite a lot. But they have sold out. De Niro as Eddie Murphy's sidekick? Come on.. That last burglar movie sucked also. In fact, everything he has touched since Heat sucked.

    I used to believe that actors like De Niro, Cage and Nicholson really had class. What a disappointment.

    • Keep in mind, there are a lot of people that can screw up a good movie, from Studio Heads to producers, directors, actors, writers, editors.

      I wouldn't be surprised if the movie with eddie murphy and DeNiro ended up being completly different than how it started. Once the actor has committed, in writing, there pretty much stuck.

      I'm not saying whether or not they sold out, just that a movie is a lot bigger then what you see on screen.

      What did Nick Cage do that you considered "sold out"?
  • "What we're doing here is really looking for the next A Beautiful Mind, Memento or Good Will Hunting."
    The first and third are about mathematicians; the second is about an insurance salesman. Is this some new species of "scientist"?
  • Hey dudes, I found an NYT article that illustrates the basics to any good scifi movie here [nytimes.com]. Get those pencils going, it's easier than you think!
  • rm -rf slash-code/
  • I don't really pay attention to famous people, so could somebody explain who this "De Niro" character is, and why I should know about him?

    thanks.

  • He pretty well invented group theory and gave the most amazing proof that there's no formula (using +,*,/,-,nth root) for the roots to a quintic using what's now called Galois theory. But the interesting thing is that he died as a result of a duel and there is an apocryphal story that he spent the last night of his life writing down everything he knew about mathematics in the hopes that his knowledge wouldn't be lost to future generations. Galois theory was used to prove Fermat's Last Theorem among other things.


    And it being Hollywood they could arrange to have Galois survive the duel and have a happy ending.

  • We momentarily interrupt the onslaught of goofy script ideas...

    <SERIOUS>
    Does anyone know of some good books or URLs on screenplay writing, formatting, etc.? This sounds like it might be fun, but I don't know the rules of the game.
    </SERIOUS>

    We now return you to our regularly scheduled program. Next up, a +5 Funny!

  • IIAS (screenwriter). If I worked in Hollywood, I might naturally conclude that De Niro wants to reproduce the success of all three said films. I might therefore graft them together in the most commerical way possible. Let me know what you think, Nov. 1 is not too far off.

    ----

    Will's Beautiful Memento
    by Kappelmeister

    INT - CLASSROOM - DAY

    LEONARD
    One more step, I'll dethink ya, buddy.

    WILLOW
    Come on Lenny, let's go home.

    LEONARD
    It's a code. There's something else here, I can sense it.

    WILLOW
    What do you mean?

    LEONARD
    Look at that Bernoulli hack. Now I know for a fact, no self-respecting professor would write that if he knew his students could get it.

    WILLOW
    Sorry, sir.

    LEONARD
    Did I say "Dear Lord" or "Dear Willow," ya four-fingered, two-bit phantom?

    WILLOW
    You talkin' to me, Lenny?

    LEONARD
    Dear lord.

    Leonard stares intently at the blackboard, his cold grey eyes madly internalizing the complicated equations.

    LEONARD
    Let me see.

    WILLOW
    Look, Lenny. The astrophysics professor left this on the board.

    LEONARD MATHMAN, an 50-year old janitor, cleans near a college blackboard with his imaginary friend, WILLOW.

  • I'd love to see one of Gregory Benford's books adapted. He captures, better than anyone I've seen, the true excitement and drama of unexpected observations, peer review, presenting at conferences, and epiphanic pen-and-paper calculations.

    No, this isn't meant to be funny.

  • A friend of mine is a scriptwriter in the USA, she told me that you get sponsored by the government if you agree to have them dictate certain parts of the script: They make is easier to record your movie in certain cities and you can make free use of the militairy things (she told me there's even an dedicated goverment agency that's taking care about these movie things).
    I think it's really bad when a government starts to use the movies as a form of propaganda, instead of artistic view on something, or perhaps mix of both. Many movies these days are disguised propaganda, when you think about it.

  • My GOD, this is SUCH a SIMPLE answer (Score:3, Interesting)

    by Zyrmfxl ( 590078 ) on Saturday September 14, 2002 @12:29AM (#4255625)

    Want a pitch, a subject, and a title in one word? Okay...

    TESLA

    Most fascinating scientist in history, I think. Imagine Johnny Depp, in period costume, having a violent epileptic fit in Central Park, then half-consciously carving the diagram for the alternating current generator into the dirt with a stick. Then getting hounded by the government and lesser mortals the rest of his life, inventing everything of any consequence and getting no credit for it. Tragic story, Oscar material all the way.

    Read "Man out of Time," if you haven't. And shame be unto you, for not having read it yet.

    Potential tag lines: "The man who created the world," or "Never have so many owed so much... To one."

    Potential final statement, white words on black screen:

    "In 19XX, a federal appeals court ruled that Nikolai Tesla, and not Marconi, was the actual inventor of radio."

    (cross-fade)

    "The final Edison direct-current generator was taken offline in 19XX. No further experiment or trial in direct current residential voltage has ever been attemped."

    (cross-fade)

    "Fringe scientists continue to pursue Tesla's dream of providing free electricty to all peoples and places of the world via the Tesla Coil."

    (cross-fade)

    "The thousands of pages of handwritten notes produced throughout the final years of Tesla's life continue to be classified at the highest levels of secrecy ever assigned to any government document."

    (cross-fade)

    "It is extremely unlikely that any will ever be made public."

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