11

Lecture 11:Lecture 11:Shifting Mediums

Professor Daniel Cutrara

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest (1975)Ken Kesey (novel)

Laurence Hauben and Bo Goldman (screenplay)

Previous Lesson

• TV and Film Convergence

• Narrative Complexity

• Deadwood

2

3

This Lesson

• Adaptation• One Flew Over The

Cuckoo’s Nest• From novel to play

to film.• Assignments

44

AdaptationAdaptation

Lesson 11: Part I

5

Why Adapt?

• Story already developed– Books, short stories, plays

• Intriguing World already developed– Pirates of the Caribbean, videogames

• Pre-established Audience– Automatic Market

Challenges to Adaptation

• Fiction– Internal vs External– Novels

• Simplifying characters and plot

– Short Stories• Making sure you have

enough story

6

7

Challenges (2)

• Plays– Opening it up from

the stage

• Musicals– Selling it to a 21st

C. audience

8

Challenges (3)

• Graphic Novels/Comics– Filling in the frame

• Videogames– Expanding the

narrative

99

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s NestOne Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

Lesson 11: Part II

10

BackstoryBackstory

• Novel– 1962, Ken Kesey worked

as a night watchman at a mental institution

– The Period: rebellion, experimentation

– Reception: well received, critically.

10

11

The Novel• What Makes it

Compelling?– The Tone and Point of

View– Use of Imagery and

Motifs– Compelling Characters– Multi-layered Conflict– Structure and Plot– Theme

12

Tone and Point of View

• Pause the Lecture and take a look at the first few pages of the novel.

• How is Chief Bromden introduced?• What is his world like?• What is real and what is the truth?

13

Tone and Point of View (2)

• How is Chief Bromden introduced?– First person point of view. Harmless

observer.

• What is his world like?– Conspiracy of institutional control.

• What is real and what is the truth?– His perceptions may be more true than the

physical reality.

14

Imagery and Motifs

• Machine vs human– Surveillance,

mechanical control

• Western motif– Lone Ranger and Tonto

• Christ motif– Fishing trip, disciples,

crucifixion

15

Compelling Characters

• Randall P. McMurphy– Reluctant hero

• Nurse Ratched– Controlling through

manipulation

• Chief Bromden– Awakening to strength

• The Ward– Billy, Harding, Cheswick, etc.

16

Multi-layered Conflict

• McMurphy vs Nurse Ratched

• Men vs Women• Individual vs the

Institution• The rebel Hero in

relationship to community.

17

4 Part Structure

• Tracks McMurphy’s transformation– McMurphy takes on Nurse Ratched. – Riding high then feeling duped, toes the

line until he sees how needy the men are.– Fathers the men, basketball, fishing trip,

they begin to feel their power.– Nurse undermines their confidence.

Betrayal and the ultimate sacrifice

18

Planting and Payoff

• The water control panel– A method of therapy

abandoned– A symbol of resistance– A test of full growth– A betrayal of the patients– A means of escape

19

Surprise

• Major Reversals– Discovery that

McMurphy’s stay is indefinite

– Cheswick’s suicide– Billy’s suicide– The Chief killing

McMurphy

Theme

• What is the message of the novel?– Who is sane?– What is it to be

human in the face of a soulless institution?

20

21

Representation

• African Americans– Angry brutes

• The orderlies chosen for their hatred of whites.

– The Clown• Turkle, friendly,

ineffectual, loves the booze and women.

22

Representation (Cont’d)

• Women– Whores with

hearts of gold• Candy and Sandy

– Ball cutters• Nurse Ratched,

Billy’s mother, Chief’s mother

23

Backstory (Backstory (Too Dark))

• Kirk Douglas options rights, can’t find backers for a film- too depressing, mental illness.

• One studio had some suggestions. “Maybe if McMurphy doesn't choke the nurse, and maybe if Billy Bibbitt doesn't commit suicide, and maybe if Chief doesn't perform the mercy killing of McMurphy, maybe they would be interested.”

23

24

The PlayThe Play

• Kirk Douglas decides to stage it to gain interest. Kesey is comfortable with the adaptation.– The 3 Act version adapted by Dale Wasserman

with Kirk Douglas as the lead receives mixed reviews and closes after a six month run on Broadway in 1964.

– Wasserman’s revised 2 Act version has a successful off Broadway run in 1971.

25

Adapting for the Stage

• Pause the lecture and take a look at the excerpt from the Stage Play.

• What is the point of view and tone?

• The location?

26

From Novel to Play

• The location is simplified– The main room becomes the central focus

• Tone and point of view– Carries over Chief Bromden’s story and

perspective.

• Characters, plot, and structure– Simplification required cutting scenes and

characters.

27

Backstory (The Film)Backstory (The Film)

• Kirk Douglas hands property over to son Michael. Still couldn’t get studio financing.– Saul Zaentz, Fantasy Films– The producers put up 4 million dollars, it ended

up grossing 100 million. Nicholson’s contract gave him 10% of the gross.

27

28

Critical SuccessCritical Success

• In the running for 1975– Jaws, Dog Day Afternoon, Nashville, Barry

Lyndon

• Winner of 8 Academy Awards including– Best Picture– Best Director– Best Actor– Best Actress– Best Adapted Screenplay

28

29

The Director

• Milos Forman– Kirk Douglas had sent him the

script in the 60’s but he never received it. Czech censors confiscated it.

– As a director he is able to capture the struggle against the institution.

– Michael Douglas recruits him.

Milos Forman

30

Casting• The Novel was

considered anti-feminist.– 70s Women’s movement

• Anne Bancroft, Faye Dunaway, Jane Fonda, and Ellen Burstyn passed on role of Big Nurse.

• Jack Nicholson– Kirk Douglas had wanted to

play McMurphy

Kirk Douglas

31

The Screenplay

• Ken Kesey did initial drafts of the script but they were too surreal

• The Screenwriters– Laurence Hauben

• Friend of Douglas

– Bo Goldman• Represented by

Forman’s agent

32

The Film

• Changes from Script to Screen– From prose to celluloid.

• Story conveyed through author’s word choice and reader’s imagination now director’s visuals and sound.

• Narrative shifts from novel to film– Complex to simple

• Structure and plot

– Internal to external• Point of View and Tone

33

The Opening (Script)

• Pause the lecture and take a look at the opening of the screenplay.– How is this

different from the play and novel?

34

The Prison Scene

• Major shift– Breaks from the novel in tone and pov– McMurphy becomes protagonist– Tone becomes realistic

• With further development came realization that scene no longer was needed.

35

The Opening (Film)

• Pause the lecture and take a look at the first clip from One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.– How is this different from the script and the

novel?– How does it introduce characters?– What is the tone?– How does the soundtrack enrich the

narrative?

36

McMurphy’s Arrival

• Introductions– Prison scene

unnecessary– The patients subdued – McMurphy energized– Soundtrack carries

themes for McMurphy and Chief Bromden

37

Simplification of Plot

• 4 parts becomes 3 acts– Cheswick’s suicide eliminated.– The planned fishing expedition becomes

impromptu.– Instead of a substantial section of the

novel, McMurphy’s toeing the line is only for one scene.

38

Re-Structuring

• Pause the lecture and watch the second clip of the group therapy session from One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.– How does McMurphy change from

beginning to end?– How does this adapt the events from the

novel?– What is gained? What is lost?

Re-Structuring (Cont’d)

• Collapsing the Novel– McMurphy’s arc elided,

efforts to reform cut, internal struggle cut

– Shower scene after fishing trip cut, saves time and character

– What is gained? Brevity. What is lost? Depth.

39

40

Complicating the Group

• The addition of Taber– Foil to Harding– Redirects some of the Nurse Ratched

conflict

41

The Showdown

• Pause the lecture and watch the third clip from One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest.– What makes this climax inevitable?– How is it different from the novel?

42

Inevitable Climax

• McMurphy vs Ratched– What makes this

inevitable?

• Film vs Novel– In the novel, it is a long

journey for McMurphy, parallels Passion.

– In the film it is more like a boxing match, with the final round expected.

43

Final Effect

• Resolution more limited in scope– Pay off

• Disciples transformation lost • Bromden not central

– Greater realism, lesser symbolism

• Conflict not as monumental• two strong willed people

rather than man vs woman

44

The Wrap Up

• Adapting the Original Story to different mediums

• Stories can be told well in different ways with varying effect.

• The medium does make a difference.

4545

AssignmentsAssignments

Lesson 11: Part III

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

46

E-Board Post #1E-Board Post #1

• Approximately 200 words. Pick a film that has been adapted from a prior source and explain why you think it works well or not.

• Comment on two of your peers.

47

End of Lecture 11End of Lecture 11

Next Lecture:

Between the Frames…

300 (2006)Frank Miller and Lynn Varley (graphic novel)

Zack Snyder & Kurt Johnstad and Michael Gordon (screenplay)