Cult films written by famous writers

Being a screenwriter can be both a good thing and a bad thing. On the one hand, you give the pulse of the film industry. On the other hand, you are often in the shadow of famous directors, actors, and producers. We rarely remember the screenwriter's name even when it comes to our most beloved films, but there are exceptions, such as when the screenwriters are novelists or playwrights who decided to earn extra pay and imbue the film with their unique voice and style. Here are surprising examples of writers who have tried their hand as film screenwriters.

"The Big Sleep" (1946), co-screenwriter - William Faulkner
Famous for his eloquence, Southern novelist William Faulkner must have seemed like an odd choice for Hollywood, given that he dealt with typically rural, almost biblical themes. But he seems to have enjoyed his time as a screenwriter much more than his contemporary Scott F. Fitzgerald, and the noir masterpiece The Big Sleep, based on Raymond Chandler's novel, exudes Faulkner's signature wit and complexity.

"You only live twice" (1967) - Roald Dahl
One of the weirdest James Bond movies of all time, You Only Live Twice makes a little more sense when you discover that the screenplay was written by Roald Dahl, who was a close friend of Ian Fleming, the creator of Agent 007.

"Spider-Man 2" (2004), co-writer - Michael Chabon
Considering the large role that comics played in his works, it is not surprising that the author of "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay" Michael Chabon dabbled in superhero movies. To be more specific, he was one of the many screenwriters who worked on the script for "Spider-Man 2". In Chabon's version, which, fortunately, (or unfortunately) was never realized, there was a love triangle between Spider-Man, Mary Jane, and the villain Doctor Octopus.

"Superman" (1978), co-screenwriter - Mario Puzo
The author of "The Godfather" Mario Puzo is not only the co-writer of the original film about Superman with Christopher Reeve in the main role, but he is also responsible for the story itself since he took the place of the science fiction author Alfred Bester, who was originally in charge of it.

"Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" (1969) - William Goldman
The author of ‘The Princess Bride’, William Goldman won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the train robber movie ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’, and that wasn't his only contribution to the film industry, as Goldman also wrote the screenplays for “The Stepford Wives" and "All the President's Man".

"The Night of the Hunter" (1955) - James Agee
The remarkable “Night of the Hunter” is perhaps the most prominent example of country noir, so it makes sense that Tennessee-born James Agee was hired to write the screenplay, which is often considered one of the best in film history and tackles Agee's favorite themes such as religion, rural poverty, and absent fathers.

"Pride and Prejudice" (1940), Aldous Huxley
It would probably never occur to you to associate the author of “Brave New World” with Jane Austen's somewhat stodgy novel "Pride and Prejudice", yet Huxley worked on a screenplay from the 1940s, not strictly adhering to the novel itself. The audience certainly liked it, because Huxley also worked as a co-screenwriter on the screen adaptation of the novel "Jane Eyre" from 1944.

Post by: Rinna James