Writing Lesson in "Hang 'Em High"

[A01002401]

This is a GREAT example of a "SOC" moment.

For the benefit of others who have not read the book, another sort of Save the Cat moment is when you put your hero in a dangerous situation in which they could easily be hurt and have them overcome odds and come out on top. A good example of this is in BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID in which Paul Newman as Butch must fight against a much more physically imposing man and has Paul win out.

[mozeus5]

So he could have saved a ladybug from the river as well and still been our

hero?

[Coneybuck]

@mozeus5 Probably not. It's all about the viewer's psychology, and in this case, along with "charismatic megafauna" being more sympathetic than insects, he saves a helpless animal that he's responsible for.

Would an adult cow have been as effective as the calf? I don't think so, and the writers knew better than to try it.

[mozeus5]

@Coneybuck I was saying it in Jest.

[Coneybuck]

Although it might have been funny. :)

[123456789mischief]

ya he saved the baby moo cow.

[ih234]

Great Points!

[XeroBudgetProduction]

watch how the horse suddenly appears from the water behind clint onto the land in front of him. god movies have come a long way!

[shadowplayer1980]

Great lesson and such a basic one that a lot of writers seem to forget.

Plus, it's such a sweet scene before the injustice that causes the drive for vengeance starts.

[dannybex]

Thanks for posting this, good points...but just one complaint.

Could the volume possibly be any louder Steve?

[KevanRCraft]

Fantastic "Save the Cat" moment..

RIP Blake...

[A01002401]

@NeoTRP Ugh. What kind of person says that they're GLAD someone died just because they wrote a a couple of lfops? Honestly. How meanhearted can you be?

And also, "following a formula" is not the same as being a hack. That's just something people who can't write in a formula say.

[KevanRCraft]

@A01002401 NeoTRP - who are you? Are you some kind of authority on screenwriting or something? I think not! And the Robert McKee book and his seminars are a pile of crap.. At least a few movies have sprang from using Blake Snyder's Save the Cat system which is more than I can say for McKee and his nonsense! You're an aborant little turd, NeoTRP suggesting Blake is better off dead! What a boring little fart you are! Do us all a favour and bugger off!

[74equinox]

Awesome!