So I finally picked up a used copy of WIlliam C. Martell’s book “The Secrets of Action Screenwriting” and I’ll spend a pulling quotes for you since it’s out of print.
“The most important element of an action film isn’t the hero, isn’t the sidekick, isn’t the dialogue, and isn’t the plot. The most important element of action films is THE VILLAIN’S PLAN. Why?
Hitchcock said, ‘The better the villain, the better the picture.’ The Villain’s Plan is fuel for the plot. The Villain is going to do some dastardly deed, and the Hero must stop him.”
William C. Martell
[…] So I finally picked up a used copy of WIlliam C. Martell’s book “The Secrets of Action Screenwriting” and I’ll spend a pulling quotes for you since it’s out of print. “The most important element of an action film isn’t the hero, isn’t the sidekick, isn’t the dialogue, and isn’t the plot. The most important element […] Original Source… […]
I watched G.I. Joe over the weekend. The villains there actually had a pretty well structured evil plan. Though the writing really didn’t live up to it.