What's rong wit' duh movees? Anyone who has ever gone to any writing class, be it at a major university or some workshop run by famous writers, learned that the most important thing in writing a script (besides story) is "character development." These days all the people from all the right schools and places read scripts and shitcan any that don't have 25 pages of "character development."

Right Now HBO is showing a 70s huge hit move called Bullit. This fucking movie starts in second gear and roars into fifth before you know it and there isn't one iota of character development to be found in so much as a frame. Most of the movies that are best have very little character development because they depend on stars that we know and who needs to know any more about them? How much more do you need to know about Humphrey Bogart? John Wayne?

You have to learn a hell of a lot about Brad Pitt, who is a guy who doesn't know who he is. Therefore he has to be in a movie with character development. Tom Cruise does not. Neither did Arnold.

Character Development means endless talking about what is wrong with Bush, Republicans, how awful men are, how the Third World needs our help, how my mommy hated me and so on. The character "develops" into a PC stereotype who finally agrees with the Left Wing agenda and Hollywood applauds. As an excercise for yourself do this: what were the slow spots in the last "good" movie you saw? Every slow spot was character development.

Movies used to be called "the picture business" back when things were silent. It is still the picture business, all crapped up with meaningful socially significant dialogue. Talking about "social issues" means close ups on actor faces and actors just love close ups of themselves. It seems the public is fed up with them, especially when ticket prices are between $8 and $15 a pop.

Before I leave this subject, I do not mean that character development can't be a part of a great movie. What would Godfather be without developing characters? Or Million Dollar Baby? Or Lion King? It's just that story is most important. Sometimes character development is necessary to move the story. Not to give us a lecture about morality, politics, or ethics.