Customer Reviews

Moonstruck, Joe Versus the Volcano, and Five Corners : Screenplays

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Alright, let's face it: John Patrick Shanley is a genius. How else can you explain a reader's overwhelming mirth brought on by the simple turn of each page from his fine Oscar-winning screenplay "Moonstruck" nearly 14 years after the movie's release? Who could ever forget Loretta Castorini slapping Ronnie across the face shouting matter-of-factly "Snap out of it!" Or mom Rose, at the kitchen table bellowing "Your life's goin down the toilet!", and last but not least ornery but lovable Cosmo declaring "Everything is temporary!" It's a movie/literary lovers delight... And who could forget Shanley's elevator ride in "Five Corners"... or what Heinz did to his delusional, corinthian topped mother. (It's a shocker!)... Oh, and Joe floating on his trunks in the middle of the ocean, picking at his eukele. Aw, it was so much fun to be able to go back and experience these fine tales. Thank God someone had the sense to publish them. Shanley fans will not be disappointed.

I love the movie Moonstruck - an all-time classic that is off-beat, humorous, witty and with a cast of memorable characters. When I came across this book of screenplays, I knew I had to have it. It makes for delightful reading - and is even better when you have the movie on [at least for me]. Joe Versus the Volcano was a fun read too. What makes this a great collection is that in the introduction, screenwriter John Patrick Shanley gives us insights into what inspired him to write these three screenplays, i.e. Moonstruck, Joe Versus the Volcano and Five Corners. They were all inspired by his background, his personal experiences [career-wise and romantic life] and his perceptions based on his childhood and what he saw around him and his old neighborhoods.

A worthwhile read and definitely a keeper, even after all these years!

Moonstruck and Five Corners are fun reads -- wry and off-beat. Also fun is the introduction written by Shanley, which describes the anxieties, fears, and dating experiences which helped him write these screenplays. Apparently, his writing is very personal. What is disappointing at times is his writing style. The author is a playwright by training and it often shows, particularly in Joe Versus the Volcano -- a very contrived and stagey screenplay.