So I saw the new batman last night. My sister found me this morning still rocking back and forth clutching my teddy bear. It was intense! It took me until now to decide that I liked it. But it was disturbing. The very thought of having a villain who has not only no moral code, but no conscience was a scary thing. He was truly evil.
I don't know if any of you have read anything by Mette Ivie Harrison, but if you look on her website, she gives 20 universal rules to bad writing. It's all a load of corn, don't read it. Lots of her rules are true in some cases, but not true in a lot of others. Anyway, as a demonstration, she states that it's bad writing to have villains who are evil and mysterious.
????
Isn't that what villains are? I mean, sure you can have a disagreement between good people, and that can be your conflict, but isn't it better a lot of times to just have a bad guy for your bad guy? It creates sympathy, right?
I think some of the best stories are due to villains. Good conquering evil is classic, and will remained loved by all through out the ages! Viva la Villains!
But, what makes the best villain? I guess all types of villains are good, but what kind do you guys like? Funny villains, scary villains, villains who climb on rocks? Or maybe villains in the form of authors who publish a couple books, think they're all that, and then tell everyone else that they suck because they're villains are villainous?
Sorry, I guess that was harsh.
I digress. I've wandered from my original point. But do please tell me your opinions on villains.
Anyway, I wanted to ask about anti-heroes, which is why I brought up Batman. He is the ultimate anti-hero! Everyone loves them! But they are so hard to pull off. The original was The Shadow, who Batman was based off of. He lasted for over thirty years, being very popular, until they turned him all nice, and took out his anti. Han Solo was a great Anti-hero who no one did enough with. Howl, from Howls Moving Castle, was another good one. House, from the tv show, he's an anti too, but in a different way. What is it about anti-heroes that make them so great? Is it that they're not perfect, they're loners, or that they seem to just need someone to hug? How does one write a good anti-hero and what kind of situations are best for them? What kind of characteristics are good for them? ANY WHY ARE THEY SO HARD TO PULL OFF???? If you don't do them right, they end up too harsh, or else wishy washy.
Until I find an answer I have put my epic on hold. I suppose I could study Batman, but I'm afraid I'd just get caught up in Christian Bale and forget what I'm doing. Oh well. I ask for help and opinions.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
12 comments:
Didn't M. I. H. write "Mira, Mirror?" Dang, those baddies were bad! How about that evil queen, eh? That's a little hypocritical, if you ask me.
Well, Ivie's in print and I'm not, so I'll leave it at that.
My favorite villain of all time was Ursula from Disney's "Little Mermaid." I just loved her. She had style. I think that the best villains have something like-able about them. I think that's why Voldemort bored me but Snape was intriguing. I liked Snape, I can't tell you why. Voldemort, I didn't exactly admire him for being so utterly (boringly) evil.
I think that to really pull off a good anti-hero you need to see the anti-hero in yourself. We're all capable of making wrong choices. I find anti-heroes more honest that white knights - those self-righteous clods. I am more interested to find out how a scoundrel manages to make a good choice than to see someone who is already nearly perfect do exactly what I expect him to.
Oh, and while we're on the subject - I was so disappointed that Anakin Skywalker's fall was almost an inevitable result of stupid decisions by the Jedi Council. Dang, I was hoping it would be more his fault that he turned to evil.
I've decided that we like anti-heroes more because they are the sadder but wiser bunch. They constantly have temptation nipping at their heels and manage to choose right because it's right. Not because it's expected of them. I like that. I like that you brought up Anakin. He is an example of a not-very-good anti. Not that he wasn't a great character, especially when he became Darth Vader, but he had the perfect making of an anti. Coming up from the street and given a great responsibility, not to mention great abilities. Bur he came out whiny and jerky. And I so agree with you about the stupid jedi council. Do you suppose they looked at each other and said "I know, let's put the stupid, lovesick young jedi with a beautiful princess and hope that they don't fall in love!"? I dunno. I liked star wars though.
Anyway, I just need to tell you that just because you're in print, doesn't mean you're a particularly good writer. I thought some of the stuff at the conference was better than some of the books I've read.
Famous books.
About vampires.
And whiny teens.
yeah.
Yes, I was disappointed that the only reason the bad guys won was that the good guys made all the stupid mistakes. Usually the bad guys make the stupid mistakes, allowing the good guys to win . . . either way, it's idiot plotting.
I've actually talked to M.I.H. about villains and she and I both agreed that they were usually more interesting than the "good" guys. That being said, I think what she was trying to say with her list (which I had to read because I have more curiosity than a cat--and yes, I have nearly killed myself with it) was that you can't have the evil villain who wanders around in a black cape doing evil things for no reason other than that they're bad, bad, BAD. They have to have a reason for doing what they're doing and a personality. Just like a hero with every virtue and no vice is completely boring. I think that's another reason why we like anti-heroes. We all know how flawed WE are, but to see someone else also clearly flawed, but still choosing the good is much more inspiring that someone perfect who continues being perfect.
Personally, I always thought that Anakin's problem was Padme, who kept egging him on to do things he'd been told not to. And then she complained when he went too far with disobeying the rules.
And I just have to say that I ADORE Howl! It's too bad that they only had Christian Bale doing his voice and not acting out the whole thing in the movie!
And I could go on for hours about famous books, about whiny teens, and vampires, and their author who thinks she can direct music videos, but I think I've rambled on long enough.
NO WAY! She thinks she can direct music videos? Has she cast herself in the movie too? Everyone has to promise me that when they become rich and famous that they won't get a big ego. Like writing a book twice, one for each main character. That is sooooooo annoying! Nothing turns me off on an author faster than an inflated ego. welllll whiny teenage protagonists will do it too, but all the same...
Yeah, seriously. Here's a link about the day she spent filming with one of the bands:
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1594188/20080905/jacks_mannequin.jhtml
I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds it revolting. And she's not going to finish Twilight from Edward's point of view. An unauthorized version leaked out on the internet and she's mad and won't finish it.
Chill, ladies. My sister met her and said that in person she is very nice. Goodness, it has got to be hard to take it gracefully when you sit down to write a novel on a whim and end up being every teenage girl's favorite writer.
Besides, if someone gave me a chance to direct a music video I'm sure I'd try it! Wouldn't you?
You're so nice. I'll be honest and say that I am only incredibly jealous of her, but I will also be honest and say that the only reason I don't like the series is because I don't think it deserves the attention it's getting. oh well. Sorry for being such a jerk.
That's okay. I cried bitter tears myself the first time I read an article about Stephanie Meyer - just a little blurb in BYU Magazine before this whole thing exploded - about a mom who had written a novel and got it published. I thought - what about MEEEEE??? WAAAAH!!!
But remember, some of those girls who read the Twilight series are now roaming the shops, hungry for another good book. Hungry for YOUR book! Send Stephanie some flowers for keeping reading alive!
I'm late to the party, but I'm here!
Anti-heroes...eh....I have a hard time with them, personally, but that's because I fell in love with Luke Skywalker in the initial Star Wars series and couldn't understand the buzz about Han Solo! ;)
(I agree with the thoughts about the later series. A die-hard SW fan, I refused to see the final film of the prequels, the integrity of the characters were so compromised by plotting and techno-gadgetry!)
I haven't seen The Dark Knight, and probably won't. I'm such a wimp. I don't like dark and evilly things--they reverberate far too long and loud in my Highly-Sensitive-Person self and I don't need to be pickled in it-- voluntarily!
Too...isn't there a difference between an anti-hero and a reluctant hero?
Han Solo seemed more the latter to me. A renegade and lone ranger, perhaps, but his inner-demons were not so much evil as fond-friend-weaknesses he really didn't want to give up until he had to....
Post a Comment