REAL VS. REEL – Richard Walter Commentary in The Script Lab

In a Los Angeles Times op-ed piece Mark Oppenheimer writes (appropriately enough on July 4th) of symbolism run amok: he complains specifically about flag-waving replacing true and thoughtful patriotism. [Full disclosure: At my house on national holidays and—displaced New Yorkers that we are—also on September 11th we proudly fly stars and stripes.] In the late ‘80s when the […]

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Pundits: Pay Closer Attention to ‘Real’ Vs. ‘Reel’ Life

The nation continues to reel in the face of the horror at Sandy Hook Elementary School, which at the time of this writing is still only a couple of weeks old. Surely there can be no experience more dreadful than to lose a child. To contemplate the senselessness of the events in Connecticut, however, provides […]

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COARSENING OF THE CULTURE: MANIFESTO OR MYTH?

Why write screenplays, in particular comedies, when the political season is hard upon us? Who can compete for laughs against Newt and Rick and Mitt and the whole sorry crew? They long fervently for a sweet and serene time that never was. And, if it had been, would we want to return there? – Richard […]

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Does HBO Lurch Leftward Politically?

According to political online news site The Daily Caller, HBO lurches leftward with its programming. As Christian Toto writes: Take a peek at HBO’s programming slate and you’ll find a plethora of left-leaning content. Each Friday, Bill Maher brings his brand of liberal fury to the channel’s late-night lineup. But Richard Walter isn’t convinced – […]

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The Huffington Post Publishes New Commentary – “The Kennedy Myth” by Richard Walter

Many have noted that when the new congress convenes it will be the first in sixty-four years without a Kennedy. I preach to my screenwriting students that fantasy is for their movies. For their lives: reality. No political name in the last half century has been more romanticized and idealized than Kennedy. In October of […]

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SPECIAL NEEDS

What moved me above all else in Governor Palin’s acceptance speech was her pledge to parents of special-needs children: she will be their warrior in Washington. They can count on her, she says, to win for them the government support they require and deserve. I’m an Obama supporter who agrees wholeheartedly with Sarah Palin that […]

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