Intended as a sequel to close encounters, night skies began in the 1970s and. Aug 12, 2016 subsequently, spielberg reached out to john sayles, who had previously written the jaws satire piranha, which spielberg had loved. For businessonly pricing, quantity discounts and free shipping. Alien designs for steven spielbergs cancelled scifi film. John thomas sayles born september 28, 1950 is an american independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor and novelist. In night skies, what it does with that finger is much nastier. Night skies is a project steven spielberg worked on in the late 1970s and was meant to be an unofficial sequel to close encounters of the third kind. Sayles first published story, i80 nebraska, won an o. Still somewhat inspired by the goblin incident, sayles treatment was largely told from the perspective of the youngest siblings of the. The john sayles papers consists of documents, images, artwork and graphic material related to the noted filmmakers life and career. Subsequently, spielberg reached out to john sayles, who had previously written the jaws satire piranha, which spielberg had loved. Spielbergs smartest move here was the hiring of the novelist, screenwriter and director john sayles to pen the script. Heres one thriller that doesnt depend on high tech gimmickry, but on the sorrows of the human heart.
Smiths book length interview with independent filmmaker john sayles chronicles sayles s start as a novelist union dues, 1977, was nominated for a national book award, his apprenticeship writing horror scripts the howling, 1980 for producer roger corman, occasional work as an actor and a playwright, a sojourn writing television and. Spielberg at first wanted lawrence kasdan to flesh out his watch the skies treatment into a fullyfledged script, but kasdan was too busy writing the empire strikes back, so spielberg turned to john sayles who had written joe dante s roger corman produced jaws spoof piranha, which spielberg had loved. Written by john sayles, it was the antithesis of the feelgood ce3k formula basically, when aliens go bad. Jan 22, 2007 night skies actually picks the alien route but survives its night of horror by keeping them discreetly off screen for the most part. John sayles scripted, and rick baker was hired to design the. Steven spielbergs night skies script to pieces wicked horror. Now john sayles has written his first short story collection in twentyfive years. John sayles scripted, and rick baker was hired to design the alien concepts. Learn more special offers and product promotions amazon business.
Like martin scorsese and james cameron, among others, sayles began his film career working. It was while working as a production designer on john milius conan. An instant new york times bestseller a read with jenna today. John sayles is a force of nature, a doityourself renaissance man director, actor, screenwriter, script doctor, novelist. Spielberg was basically like screw that, so he started developing a dark horror themed scifi alien movie called watch the skies, which was eventually changed to night skies. John thomas sayles is an independent film director, screenwriter, novelist and short story writer who frequently plays small roles in his own and other indie films. Film nerds will remember that it belonged to the john sayles draft for steven spielbergs follow up to close encounters of the third kind. John sayles sa moment in the sun hardcover2011 by john sayles author and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
There is a massive lack of originality here beginning with the. The movie was written by john sayles, and baker was brought on board to design all of the alone concepts. Later it became night skies, a film that would rely on 11 unique, believable, extraterrestrial designs. Director who cowrote the 2008 film the spiderwick chronicles and whose script night skies inspired what became e. But seeing as he doesnt have a single additional scifi flick on his resume, i wonder if he was the right man for the job. His novel union dues 1978 was nominated for the national book award and the national critics circle award.
Sayles didnt want story credit on either project, but both come from that. He has written over a hundred screenplays and was twice nominated for the academy award for best original screenplay. Jun 01, 2014 rick bakers give a never before seen glimpse at movie history with these pree. He has twice been nominated for the academy award for best original screenplay for passion fish 1992 and lone star 1996.
May 27, 2014 night skies was to be a steven spielberg movie about extraterrestrial scientists who terrorize a family of farmers. As far as we know, he wasnt part of the navy seal team 6 that nabbed bin laden, but his boundless creative energy and narrative marksmanship, not to mention his longevity, put him squarely in a most elite squad of. Hes been nominated for two oscars, 1996s lone star and 1992s passion fish. One of sayles s greatest films will be available in a new bluray edition from olive films on november 24. Limbo script transcript from the screenplay andor john. Now entering the fifth decade of his career, sayles remains a standardbearer for the american novel. Spielberg hired john sayles to write the script, ron cobb to direct. His film men with guns 1997 was nominated for the golden globe for best foreign language film. When pressed for a close encounters of the third kind 2 pitch, spielberg offered producers watch the skies or night skie s, a story of a family in remote isolated farmhouse. Almost captures a critters essence with the setting, a rural town on the outskirts, with a modern western theme. See the rick baker night skies aliens film slash film. He has twice been nominated for the academy award for best original screenplay, for passion fish 1992 and lone star 1996. When rich layers of shale oil are discovered beneath the town of yellow earth, all hell breaks loose.
Jun 02, 2011 john sayles books it back to schenectady. Special effects genius rick baker reveals the aliens that. His film men with guns 1997 has been nominated for the golden globe for best foreign language film. He and john brancato the game recently wrote and sold the feature spec trigger warning, which is being produced by thunder road. John sayles we are pleased and honored to welcome back john sayles, writer and filmmaker extraordinaire, an artist committed to doing work independent in spirit and in the spirit of solidarity with larger community and social purpose. Rick bakers scary alien designs that became the lovable e. Macarthur award, given to 20 americans in diverse fields each year for their innovative work. John sayles interviewed by cinema retros mark cerulli. Sep 05, 2017 john sayles eventually wrote the script for the newlytitled night skies, the story centered on a family whose rural farmhouse is besieged by alien creatures. It was a project specifically steven spielbergs project and it was about malicious aliens and their nasty intentions for mankind. After the success of close encounters of the third kind, columbia pictures wanted spielberg to deliver a sequel, of which he had no intention of doing. It was floating around for a while, but any links ive found are now dead. The real story behind those rick baker night skies photos.
Sayles even named one of the aliens scar a character who was said to be a real badass after a comanche indian badguy in the john wayne film the searchers. We did night skies, says miller, referring to the script sayles wrote based on an idea by steven spielberg, and the utterly insane jurassic. Rick baker has been posting images of his designs on twitter, and. But if i did idolize someone in the movie industry it would most likely be john sayles. Runyan a woman unlocks the mystery of her fathers wartime past in a moving novel about secrets, sacrifice, and the power of love by the author of daughters of the night sky. Spielberg, john sayles, rick baker collection opensource. The texas chainsaw massacre s tobe hooper was the first choice to direct. Oct 20, 2017 john sayles and maggie renzi receive sfiff lifetime achievement awards at 6. Jul 06, 2010 night skies is a project steven spielberg worked on in the late 1970s and was meant to be an unofficial sequel to close encounters of the third kind. Jun 05, 2014 instead, spielberg turned to john sayles. John thomas sayles born september 28, 1950 is an american independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist.
Some called night skies straw dogs with aliens, but sayles says his inspiration was the 1939 western film drums along the mohawk. He currently resides in schenectady, new york, usa. Night skies alien designs by rick baker are stunning, look. Trying to track down a copy of the never produced script spielberg commissioned from john sayles in the late 70s. Around this time, the script had to change titles because watch the skies had turned out to be a ed phrase. Written with the haunting emotional power of elizabeth strout and barbara kingsolver, an astonishing debut novel that explores the lingering effects of a brutal crime on the women of one small texas oil town in the 1970s. I know, i know, i still need to get the cast names in there and ill be eternally tweaking it, so if you have any corrections, feel free to drop me a line. John sayles born september 28, 1950 is famous for being director.
John sayles works as a fiction writer, screenwriter, actor and feature film director. A bright child, john sayles began reading novels before age 9. He has written over a hundred screenplays and was twice nominated for. I recommend it to those of you who like john sayles movies for their quirkiness and their attention to detail and the lives of ordinary people in tightly knit regional communities. John sayles the movies that made me trailers from hell. Its well known in these parts that he was born and raised in. Alien designs for steven spielbergs cancelled scifi film night. John sayles to create a script for a pseudosequel called night skies, about a.
This process went on for eight weeks, and spielberg later called the resulting. Steven spielbergs night skies script to pieces wicked. John sayles, who since 1975 has written three books and more than. Wikipedia notes that it was the first time a films entire credited cast was nominated for oscars. John sayles has 37 books on goodreads with 8421 ratings. Screenwriting trying to track down a copy of the never produced script spielberg commissioned from john sayles in the late 70s. He wrote stories and submitted them to various magazines, and the atlantic monthly gave him the idea of publishing them in a novelthus pride of. Parlaying his fees as a screenwriter of mainstream hollywood films into funding for his own ambitious filmmaking projects, sayles. He has directed seventeen feature films, including matewan, lone star, and eight men out, and received two academy award nominations.
Night skies is something of a hollywood urban legend except that it actually isnt. I originated the story, my choice for screenplay writer was john. Just finished reading john sayles night skies script, that was turned into e. It was floating around for a press j to jump to the feed.
Alas, segal didnt take one home for best supporting actor. The film production eventually fell apart and the movie never. T the extraterrestrial was pretty damn good, night skies in which the term et was first coined could well have been better. Its title character is still a squat, goblinlike creature, although less mischievous and. Filmmaker and author john sayles will hit the road in february for a national tour to discuss his new book yellow earth. Finally, the limbo script is here for all you quotes spouting fans of the john sayles movie starring david stathairn. John sayles and designs from specialeffects master rick baker. See the alien designs for spielbergs abandoned close.
In yellow earth, john sayles introduces an epic cast of characters, weaving together narratives of competing agendas and worldviews with lyrical dexterity, insight, and wit. Night skies, sayless early draft of a script about malevolent space. John sayles, in full john thomas sayles, born september 28, 1950, schenectady, new york, u. John sayles draft just finished reading john sayles night skies script, that was turned into e.
Joe dante is a director known for his satirical blend of horror and comedy viewed through the lens of grounded, relatable american life. He wrote stories and submitted them to various magazines, and the atlantic monthly gave him the idea of publishing them in a novelthus pride of the. Before john sayles was an oscarnominated screenwriter and celebrated independent filmmaker, he was a national book awardnominated writer of fiction. It was originally called watch the skies which was also an early close encounters title and eventually referred to as night skies.
Spielberg went to john sayles, writer of creature features piranha and. Coal miner hunter mcnatt tracks his runaway son to new england but loses his trail in cambridge, the city of children, where. A williams grad in 1972, he shunned a corporate career to work various bluecollar jobs, moving to east boston to take a factory job. Check out rick bakers alien for steven spielbergs scrapped close. His book a quick guide to screenwriting is now available online and in bookstores. In his densely textured, overtly political fifth novel, the acclaimed director and screenwriter recounts what happens when shale oil is discovered beneath an indian reservation in the north dakota badlands and crowds of outsiders descend. The night skies project was abandoned, and spielberg decided to. This script is a transcript that was painstakingly transcribed using the screenplay andor viewings of limbo. Aug 15, 2020 its funny, weve now done two john sayles scripts. He doesnt fetishize diversity, but his stories are naturally diverse as a result of his engaged interest in the world around him. He has also crafted vibrant, sardonic projects for roger corman piranha, alligator and the lady in red, as well as working as a.
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