A new trend in Hollywood?

A hot new script creating lots of buzz in Hollywood may prove that Hollywood has broken out of its follow-the-leader mentality

July 7, 2004 -- Is Hollywood moving away from its follow-the-leader mentality? Those in the know say yes!

Shrek 2 and the Lord of the Rings movies were big money, big budget, and special effects movies. Many believed that the big profits of these successful blockbusters were a trend that would lead to more of the same. Critics have long complained that Hollywood makes one good movie and fifty, second rate copies trying to recapture the magic, and income of the first

But a hot new script creating lots of buzz in Hollywood may be the exception to the rule, and the beginning of a new and exciting trend in Hollywood movie making. Twenty years ago one of the top pool hustlers in the country traveled from state to state living by his wits and a steady hand. Burnt out from a life on the road he finally gave up the game. Now, he has just written a fictional screenplay based on his life and travels.

The screenplay titled The Last Hustle, seemed to have little chance of getting noticed-- an unknown writer, a character driven story, no special effects, no computer generated monsters and no state of the art animation. Yet the script won first place in the Script Writers Market screenwriting contest. Contest coordinator Carol Stone reports that already there are rumors of a bidding war heating up over the script. The panel of judges in the screenwriters contest included many Hollywood insiders and word of mouth has spread from agents to producers all the way to the studios. Stone adds that although the contest winner was only announced July 1st already several Hollywood heavyweights have requested copies of the script.

Sherk 2 is a great movie; of that there can be no doubt. But perhaps Hollywood has finally learned that the follow-the-leader mentality can only go so far. Maybe just maybe this time around we wont be forced to watch 20-second rate Lord of the Rings clones next summer. Perhaps there is still a place in Hollywood for creative integrity, and for a great story about people and places
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