RARA-AVIS: 'Angry Moon' and 'Max and Jeremy'


Etienne Borgers (freeweb@rocketmail.com)
Sat, 4 Sep 1999 18:35:30 -0700 (PDT)


(copy of this message was sent directly to Terril, as there are apparent problems with the server supporting my RARA AVIS address)

Terrill,

There must be a misunderstanding about my intentions when I made a parallel between your new book 'Angry Moon' and the film 'Max and Jeremy', when I read your reaction. I never tried to imply that you found inspiration therein or in the script material for it. If this is what readers of my previous message perceived, then I'm to be blamed to have not pay more attention to its phrasing.

I honestly was checking with the group for confirmation that perhaps you participated at some level to the script of the film, or that the French film could have been a kind of remake, something in that way. I'm relieved to learn that first part of your career was in the film industry, so you will certainly understand why I was looking for some additional infos. A Script for film use many times a cohort of writers, credited or not. And most of the time, information in the credits are incomplete. Not forgetting novelisations of films, books done from preparation for scripts, films based on two books, all that complicate the work of later researcher and reviewers.

My former message was never intended to be an appraisal of the book, Angry Moon, as I stated in its opening paragraph. But I'll do my best now to read it.

E.Borgers Hard-Boiled Mysteries http://www.geocities.com/Athens/6384

Terril wrote:

As to the origin of the plot which "troubled" Etienne: Angry Moon is a novel I wrote in 1990, long before my "first" novel SHOOTERS. Angry Moon was based on a screenplay I completed in 1986 that circulated quite heavily in Hollywood in 1987 attached to a director friend of mine. We had a number of offers on the script but they did not want the director involved. My deal with the director precluded selling the script separately so the material was stuck in limbo. I decided to turn it into a novel.

I sold Angry Moon to the publisher, FORGE, in 1992. A series of savage publishing cluster fu#ks then occurred, keeping the book from seeing publication until 1997. SHOOTERS actually leap frogged it and became my debut novel, even though it was written five years after Angry Moon.

(This wonderful experience in the land of books is why I have returned to writing movies. I didn't think I could find a place more screwed up than Hollywood, but then I dealt with the publishing industry. New York has Hollywood beat by a country mile when it comes to screw ups.)

As to the influences on the story, specifically the hitman targeting his mentor theme (which is really only a gimmick in Angry Moon so we can learn more about the target through the protagonist's previous experience with him) I can honestly say I've never seen or even heard of MAX AND JEREMY or the book it is based on. Considering that the screenplay of Angry Moon was based on the first or second thing I ever tried to write way back in the mid-seventies I have a feeling I was more heavily influenced by THE MECHANIC or any number of Charlie Bronson/Clint Eastwood flicks. (Maybe the creators of MAX AND JEREMY caught those matinees too?) Nevertheless, that element of the plot is the least original. Hopefully there are some fresh surprises for the reader along the way. I was also influenced by horror movies, which I loved as a child, and wanted to blend the two genres. I actually thought it would be simpler to pull off than it was. Very naive.

What can I say? Etienne, just buy the darn thing from Amazon or wherever then give us your take AFTER you've read it, okay? I'd like to hear your opinion. And I'm dying to know who wins the grudge match of the century listed in your log line "Angry Moon vs Max and Jeremy." Dig it!

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