Craft Notes
Mark Borchardt & Mike Schank on Influence
Mark: Hey, man, you ripped that one song off, I hate to tell you, from Black Sabbath.
Mike: I didn’t. I wrote all the words.
Mark: Yeah, but, dude, I’m saying there’s an unconscious influence.
Mike: Yeah, but all your ideas come from somewhere else, Mark. You can’t make up an idea by yourself.
Mark: No, dude.
Mike: It’s gotta come from somewhere.
Mark: Yeah, but… Have you listened to the tune? That’s an exact copy.
Mike: No, it’s not though.
Mark: You changed one word.
Mike: I changed all… I used one word. I used the word “insane,” and that’s it.
[noise occurs off camera in the house]
Mike: What’s that?
Mark: The Ghost of Christmas Past.
Mike: …
Mark: You have to whisper, okay?
Mike: All right.
Mark: ‘Cause otherwise, we’ll get into trouble.
[from American Movie, 1999]
Tags: American Movie, Mark Borchardt, Mike Schank
this is the greatest fucking movie
it really is.
word to that.
My mom refused to finish this movie because it bothered her so much.
I love it.
hell yeah i watch this movie pretty much every year, in the fall or winter, in fact though i think i might watch it tonight if I am bored, which i probably will be.
bored and drunk that is.
“Mike: Yeah, but all your ideas come from somewhere else, Mark. You can’t make up an idea by yourself.”
That line pops into my head a lot. Of course we can make up an idea right? Then I start to doubt. Then I look for someone to drink vodka with.
I went to an amateur film festival a few weeks back and have new respect for Coven.
Cooooven.
Dude. I was lucky enough to meet these guys when I was in college, and they were exactly like they were in the movie: totally genuine.
They were in town (Milwaukee) for a film festival. I was in an improv group with ties to the film festival, so we met them and invited them to our show and afterparty. We played an interactive short form game where you put two audience members in chairs, on stage. Whenever you tap those two audience members on the head– whether you’re mid-sentence, mid-action, whatever– they have to say the first thing that comes to mind, and you (and all the other performers) pretend like you said it yourself.
Needless to say, we put them on stage together. When tapped, Mark tried really hard to say stuff that made sense. Mike said things like “Death!” and “Fucking motherfucker!” and “Genocide!” It was amazing.
At the afterparty, Mark drank four cans of Sharps. He’d look in the fridge and say, “You guys sure you have enough beer, man?”
“i see great cinema in this.”
“cinnamon?”
this is the greatest fucking movie
it really is.
word to that.
My mom refused to finish this movie because it bothered her so much.
I love it.
Holy shit. I showed this movie to students twice today! I glow this movie.
I didn’t know Blake liked it. Shit, I like Blake a little now.
Classic scenes:
1. Old uncle dude trying to deliver the “Jesus told me so” line. “Can’t even get a damn drink!?”
2. Mark’s drunken (and honest) uncomfortable rant during the superbowl scene. Many directors would cut that. He doesn’t come across sympathetic at all. It’s a great, honest scene. His flaws bleed.
3. Jump cut after Mike’s epic acid trip story. They have him silent and blowing smoke into the winter air.
4. Mike listening to classical music while Mark shoves a man’s head through a cabinet.
5. Red or white wine? Yeh, now you’re listening.
Others?
hell yeah i watch this movie pretty much every year, in the fall or winter, in fact though i think i might watch it tonight if I am bored, which i probably will be.
bored and drunk that is.
“Mike: Yeah, but all your ideas come from somewhere else, Mark. You can’t make up an idea by yourself.”
That line pops into my head a lot. Of course we can make up an idea right? Then I start to doubt. Then I look for someone to drink vodka with.
I went to an amateur film festival a few weeks back and have new respect for Coven.
Cooooven.
I have a signed Coven VHS someplace. Thanks for reminding me.
Dude. I was lucky enough to meet these guys when I was in college, and they were exactly like they were in the movie: totally genuine.
They were in town (Milwaukee) for a film festival. I was in an improv group with ties to the film festival, so we met them and invited them to our show and afterparty. We played an interactive short form game where you put two audience members in chairs, on stage. Whenever you tap those two audience members on the head– whether you’re mid-sentence, mid-action, whatever– they have to say the first thing that comes to mind, and you (and all the other performers) pretend like you said it yourself.
Needless to say, we put them on stage together. When tapped, Mark tried really hard to say stuff that made sense. Mike said things like “Death!” and “Fucking motherfucker!” and “Genocide!” It was amazing.
At the afterparty, Mark drank four cans of Sharps. He’d look in the fridge and say, “You guys sure you have enough beer, man?”
“i see great cinema in this.”
“cinnamon?”
Holy shit. I showed this movie to students twice today! I glow this movie.
I didn’t know Blake liked it. Shit, I like Blake a little now.
Classic scenes:
1. Old uncle dude trying to deliver the “Jesus told me so” line. “Can’t even get a damn drink!?”
2. Mark’s drunken (and honest) uncomfortable rant during the superbowl scene. Many directors would cut that. He doesn’t come across sympathetic at all. It’s a great, honest scene. His flaws bleed.
3. Jump cut after Mike’s epic acid trip story. They have him silent and blowing smoke into the winter air.
4. Mike listening to classical music while Mark shoves a man’s head through a cabinet.
5. Red or white wine? Yeh, now you’re listening.
Others?
I have a signed Coven VHS someplace. Thanks for reminding me.
“Now when you go in the grave, and you’re just laying there in the casket – the last hurrah, the final goodbye – what are you gonna think about, Bill? Huh?”
Bill: ‘This plank won’t last forever – I hope dirt tastes better than shit.’
I fiinally got to meet Mark Borchardt today by running into him (of all places) a Pick and Save shopping with his son, Mom and Dad. I have loved the movie since it came out in 1999 and have always dreamed of meeting him. He was so genuine and sweet and I was literally shaking I was so excited! His Mom is adorable
(that accent) and Mark had his Dad sign an autograph for me. “American Movie’ forever!!!!