Pedro Almodovar Insults American Screenwriters

Posted on August 17, 2006

Famed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar unexpectedly slammed the quality of American screenwriting, citing the lack of literary quality in scripts as one of the reasons he has decided not to move from Spain to Hollywood.

Director Pedro Almodovar has crushed speculation he plans to quit his native Spain for Hollywood. The maverick movie-maker, responsible for films such as Volver and Bad Education, feels he is too old now to change his ways and that the Hollywood method of working would not suit him.
He says, "I'm an artist. I'm part of every decision in a movie. This is not how they work in Hollywood. There the director is part of the crew, not the main creator. "I'm too old to change now. I wouldn't know how to do it." The director also laments the worsening standard of Hollywood screenwriting, adding, "They forget the most important thing is the script, and the scripts get weaker and weaker. Technical effects advance, but the literary quality is worse."

Well, ok, maybe the upcoming Samuel L. Jackson flick Snakes on a Plane won't win any awards, but hey, what about the writing in A Beautiful Mind, The Royal Tannenbaums, Shawshank Redemption, Shakespeare in Love or Good Will Hunting? And that's just off the top of our heads...