Four Screenplays: Studies in the American Screenplay

The man the Hollywood Reporter called "the most sought-after screenwriting teacher in the world" analyzes four recent screenplays to show how a great script is written. Field provides frame-by-frame analysis of Thelma and Louise, Terminator 2: Judgement Day, The Silence of the Lambs and Dances With Wolves--and explains what made the films work and why.

In a field being transformed by technology, Syd  Field shows you what works and why and how to find  new ways to create a truly outstanding film using  four extraordinary examples: Thelma &  Louise, Terminator 2: Judgement  Day, The Silence Of The  Lambs, and Dances With  Wolves.

Library Journal

What does it take to write a great script? You'll find the answer here, in the latest of Field's critically acclaimed books on the subject of screenwriting (e.g., Selling a Screenplay, LJ 10/1/89). This time he tackles four box office behemoths, explaining what makes these films work and why. In discussing Thelma and Louise, Terminator 2, The Silence of the Lambs, and Dances with Wolves, Field focuses on structure, characters, and story. His interviews with the films' screenwriters are of particular interest. Whether you're a James B. Cameron wannabe or just a fan of the silver screen, this is Field's masterpiece and a required purchase for all film collections.-Marty D. Evensvold, Magnolia P.L., Tex.

Syd Field is the internationally acclaimed screenwriter, producer, teacher, lecturer, and author of several bestselling books. He has been a script consultant for Roland Jaffe's film production company, 20th Century Fox, the Disney Studios, Universal Pictures and Tri-Star Pictures, and was the American Screenwriting Association's first inductee into the Screenwriting Hall of Fame. He lives in Beverly Hills, CA.