Watching the Chronicle's Raucous Film Fight III

Over at the Austin Chronicle film blog, Picture in Picture, Kimberly Jones and Josh Rosenblatt are engaged in their third Film Fight. The back-and-forth discussions are great fun to follow. This film fight is about "Writers in the Movies" and today, they're comparing screenwriters Charlie Kaufman (Adaptation) and George S. Kaufman (A Night at the Opera). I am squarely on Josh and George's side on this one, especially after hearing that "Kim Jones just admitted that she'd rather watch Funny Farm than a film by Billy Wilder." Oh, dear. That makes me sad, although if the film in question was Sabrina (I like the remake better, shut up) or Irma La Douce I would understand entirely.

One of my favorite images of writers in the movies is the sequence in Baadasssss! when Melvin Van Peebles is trying to write his script. Some gorgeous imagery there, and it felt very personal and believable. To tie this whole thing into local filmmaking, I'm trying to think of a good Austin film that portrays writers, but it's early in the morning and I'm at a loss -- suggestions? Does Baghead count?

Visit the Picture in Picture blog regularly to keep up with the sparring bloggers (they have an RSS feed, which helps, although it isn't full-text). You can comment on the Film Fight entries, and vote daily on who you think is winning the debate. Usually there's an in-person discussion near the end of each Film Fight but I haven't heard any details on such an event this time. Maybe they'll brawl after the AFF screening of Charlie Kaufman's latest film, Synecdoche, New York.