Etienne Borgers (freeweb@rocketmail.com)
Sat, 4 Sep 1999 18:35:30 -0700 (PDT)
(copy of this message was sent directly to Terril, as there
are apparent problems with the server supporting my RARA AVIS
address)
Terrill,
There must be a misunderstanding about my intentions when I
made a parallel between your new book 'Angry Moon' and the
film 'Max and Jeremy', when I read your reaction. I never
tried to imply that you found inspiration therein or in the
script material for it. If this is what readers of my
previous message perceived, then I'm to be blamed to have not
pay more attention to its phrasing.
I honestly was checking with the group for confirmation that
perhaps you participated at some level to the script of the
film, or that the French film could have been a kind of
remake, something in that way. I'm relieved to learn that
first part of your career was in the film industry, so you
will certainly understand why I was looking for some
additional infos. A Script for film use many times a cohort
of writers, credited or not. And most of the time,
information in the credits are incomplete. Not forgetting
novelisations of films, books done from preparation for
scripts, films based on two books, all that complicate the
work of later researcher and reviewers.
My former message was never intended to be an appraisal of
the book, Angry Moon, as I stated in its opening paragraph.
But I'll do my best now to read it.
E.Borgers Hard-Boiled Mysteries http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6384
Terril wrote:
As to the origin of the plot which "troubled" Etienne: Angry
Moon is a novel I wrote in 1990, long before my "first" novel
SHOOTERS. Angry Moon was based on a screenplay I completed in
1986 that circulated quite heavily in Hollywood in 1987
attached to a director friend of mine. We had a number of
offers on the script but they did not want the director
involved. My deal with the director precluded selling the
script separately so the material was stuck in limbo. I
decided to turn it into a novel.
I sold Angry Moon to the publisher, FORGE, in 1992. A series
of savage publishing cluster fu#ks then occurred, keeping the
book from seeing publication until 1997. SHOOTERS actually
leap frogged it and became my debut novel, even though it was
written five years after Angry Moon.
(This wonderful experience in the land of books is why I have
returned to writing movies. I didn't think I could find a
place more screwed up than Hollywood, but then I dealt with
the publishing industry. New York has Hollywood beat by a
country mile when it comes to screw ups.)
As to the influences on the story, specifically the hitman
targeting his mentor theme (which is really only a gimmick in
Angry Moon so we can learn more about the target through the
protagonist's previous experience with him) I can honestly
say I've never seen or even heard of MAX AND JEREMY or the
book it is based on. Considering that the screenplay of Angry
Moon was based on the first or second thing I ever tried to
write way back in the mid-seventies I have a feeling I was
more heavily influenced by THE MECHANIC or any number of
Charlie Bronson/Clint Eastwood flicks. (Maybe the creators of
MAX AND JEREMY caught those matinees too?) Nevertheless, that
element of the plot is the least original. Hopefully there
are some fresh surprises for the reader along the way. I was
also influenced by horror movies, which I loved as a child,
and wanted to blend the two genres. I actually thought it
would be simpler to pull off than it was. Very naive.
What can I say? Etienne, just buy the darn thing from Amazon
or wherever then give us your take AFTER you've read it,
okay? I'd like to hear your opinion. And I'm dying to know
who wins the grudge match of the century listed in your log
line "Angry Moon vs Max and Jeremy." Dig it!
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