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56-591: Benjamin Robert Clark (August 5, 1939 – April 4, 2007) was an American film director and screenwriter . In the 1970s and 1980s, he was responsible for some of the most successful films in Canadian film history such as Black Christmas (1974), Murder by Decree (1979), Tribute (1980), Porky's (1981), and A Christmas Story (1983). He won three Genie Awards (two Best Direction and one Best Screenplay ) with two additional nominations. Clark

112-674: A film studio , production company , TV network, or producer, they often have to continue networking, mainly with directors or executives, and push to have their projects "chosen" and turned into films or TV shows. If interest in a script begins to fade, a project can go dead. The International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG) is the international federation of screenwriters' and playwrights' unions, who recognize union membership across international borders. They have 14 different affiliates across various nations who collectively work to verify original authorship, fight for fair compensation, and enforce copyright. Most professional screenwriters in

168-481: A cassette recorder due to illness, and collaborator Roger Swaybill said of listening to the tapes, "I became convinced that I was sharing in the birth of a major moment in movie history. It was the funniest film story I had ever heard." Though set in the United States, the film would go on to gross more than any other English-language Canadian film. The film was the third most successful release of 1982 and by

224-516: A discussion on how Porky's is a comedy classic, movie commentary by Bob Clark, the theatrical trailer, two television spots, trailers for Porky's II: The Next Day and Porky's Revenge! , and the sales pitch for the Porky's video game . Porky's was released on Blu-ray on September 25, 2012. The bonus material for the Blu-ray is the bonus material from the "One Size Fits All" Edition that focuses on

280-594: A film, Breaking Point . When Clark fell ill with mononucleosis in 1979, he dictated the story of Porky's to Swaybill, who then wrote a draft of the script. Every studio in Hollywood turned down the project. Clark eventually obtained financing from Melvin Simon Productions and a Canadian firm, Astral Bellevue Pathe. The film had to be made in Canada to obtain government tax benefits. This meant Clark, who

336-409: A first draft. Multi-step deals, where the writer is signed on for more than the first draft (typically including a rewrite) can earn a screenwriter more, with experienced WGA members earning up to $ 5,000,000 for their work. Non-union screenwriters can also work for a salary, but will typically earn less than a unionized screenwriter. Pay can vary dramatically for a non-unionized screenwriter. Some of

392-542: A movie of the Bernard Slade play Tribute , starring Jack Lemmon reprising his Broadway role, for which Lemmon was nominated for an Academy Award and 11 Genies including a win for Lemmon's performance. Clark returned to his B-movie roots, though, co-writing, producing, and directing Porky's , a longtime personal project. Clark had a detailed outline based on his own youth in Florida, which he dictated into

448-444: A police-type line-up of the boys in the nude so she can identify it. However, Carter balks at her request. As the other basketball coaches laugh, Coach Brackett suggests asking the police to send a sketch artist and hang wanted posters around the school. When that suggestion gets even Carter laughing, Balbricker leaves in a huff. At the end of the film, she sneaks out of the bushes to ambush Tommy and actually drags his pants down, but she

504-648: A position to further a project. Once the script is sold, the writer has only the rights that were agreed with the purchaser. A screenwriter becomes credible by having work that is recognized, which gives the writer the opportunity to earn a higher income. As more films are produced independently (outside the studio system), many up-and-coming screenwriters are turning to pitch fests, screenplay contests, and independent development services to gain access to established and credible independent producers. Many development executives are now working independently to incubate their own pet projects. Screenwriters are rarely involved in

560-438: A remake of the film. The potential remake ran into legal trouble in 2011 when two other production companies stepped forward claiming to own the rights. In 2013, the parties reached a confidential settlement and agreed to dismiss a claim and counterclaim with prejudice. The terms of the settlement remain confidential, and to date, if it allows for Stern's remake to be made is unknown. A cheap spinoff, Porky's Pimpin' Pee Wee ,

616-520: A result. Bob Clark got the idea to make the film in 1972. It was based on his experiences with five high school friends in Florida in the 1950s. He based the story on actual occurrences at Boca Ciega High School in Gulfport, Florida , and Fort Lauderdale High School in the early 1960s, and on a venue called Porky's Hide Away in Oakland Park, Florida . Clark teamed up with Roger Swaybill on

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672-439: A script to suit the desires of a director or studio . For instance, studio management may have a complaint that the motivations of the characters are unclear or that the dialogue is weak. Hollywood has shifted writers onto and off projects since its earliest days, and the assignment of credits is not always straightforward or complete, which poses a problem for film study. In his book Talking Pictures , Richard Corliss discussed

728-400: A sequel, Porky's II: The Next Day , was released in 1983. It was poorly received by critics and was less commercially successful than the original. Bob Clark did not want to make another film in the series, so director James Komack made the third and last part of the saga. The third film, Porky's Revenge! , was the worst-received of the series both critically and commercially. Although it

784-486: A shower." On Metacritic the film has a score of 40% based on reviews from 8 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews". Film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert in their syndicated At the Movies television series both expressed disdain for Porky's and later called it one of the worst films of 1982. In particular, they criticized the film for what they viewed as its objectification and degradation of women and

840-532: A technical product, a brief " scenario ", "treatment", or "synopsis" that is a written synopsis of what is to be filmed. Screenwriting is a contracted freelance profession, not a hired position. No education is required to be a professional screenwriter, but good storytelling abilities and imagination give aspiring screenwriters an advantage. Many screenwriters start their careers doing speculative work ("work on spec"), practicing their screenwriting with no guaranteed financial compensation. If one of these scripts

896-401: A third film, Porky's Revenge! , which brought Porky and the sexual exploits of the cast back front and center as in the first installment, as well as bringing everything full-circle and bringing the gang's high school rowdy escapades to a close. He instead collaborated with Jean Shepherd on A Christmas Story , which critic Leonard Maltin described as "one of those rare movies you can say

952-528: A worldwide gross of over $ 130 million. Although it was written and directed by an American and was filmed in Miami and Miami Beach Florida , Porky's was produced by the Canadian company Astral Media . As a result, Porky's can be classed as the highest-grossing Canadian film of all time in the United States and Canada, with a total of C$ 111 million by 1999, including $ 6 million from a 1983 re-issue prior to

1008-405: Is perfect in every way". Although not a box-office smash in its theatrical release, A Christmas Story would go on to become a perennial holiday favorite via repeated TV airings and home video . A joint effort at a sequel in 1994, My Summer Story , did not fare as well; Maltin said that the studio waited too long, and Clark was forced to recast almost the entire film. Three other film versions of

1064-464: Is pulled off him by police and dragged away screaming that she saw "it" and that she can identify its owner. Tommy breaks the fourth wall , saying, "Jeez!" to the camera. Another subplot involves Coach Brackett taking an interest in the attractive coach, Lynn Honeywell. Coach Warren repeatedly refers to Honeywell as "Lassie" while pointing to the equipment room, much to Coach Brackett's confusion. He quickly finds out why when he and Honeywell hide out in

1120-461: Is put out about a project that a film studio , production company , or producer wants done, they are referred to as "open" assignments. Open assignments are more competitive. If screenwriters are competing for an open assignment, more established writers usually win the assignments. A screenwriter can also be approached and personally offered a writing assignment. Many screenwriters also work as full- or part-time script doctors , attempting to better

1176-411: Is remembered today as an influential precursor to the modern slasher film genre. Clark had moved to Canada, then a tax haven for Americans, and these Canuxploitation productions were small by Hollywood standards but made Clark a big fish in the small pond of the Canadian film industry of that era. Clark executive-produced the moonshine movie Moonrunners , which was used as source material for

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1232-412: Is sold, it is called a spec script . Amateur screenwriters will often pursue this work as "writers in training," leading these spec scripts to often go uncredited or come from unknown screenwriters. Further separating professional and amateur screenwriters is that professionals are usually represented by a talent agency . These screenwriter-specific employment agencies work to handle the business side of

1288-571: The University of Miami , turning down offers to play professional football. He did briefly play semi-pro for the Fort Lauderdale Black Knights. Clark's career began with She-Man: A Story of Fixation (1967), which was released with the exploitation documentary Queens at Heart . Clark then transitioned into the horror genre in the early 1970s. His first film, Children Shouldn't Play with Dead Things (1972),

1344-587: The movie itself. The trailers for Porky's II: The Next Day and Porky's Revenge! , and the Porky's video game sales pitch were not included as bonus materials for the Blu-ray release. The first two Porky's films were directed by Bob Clark and produced by Harold Greenberg , who founded Astral Communications (now known as Astral Media ). Following the success of Porky's in North America and Europe,

1400-400: The silent era , screenwriters were denoted by terms such as photoplaywright , photoplay writer , photoplay dramatist , and screen playwright . Screenwriting historian Steven Maras notes that these early writers were often understood as being the authors of the films as shown, and argues that they could not be precisely equated with present-day screenwriters because they were responsible for

1456-503: The Parker family had been produced for television by PBS with Shepherd's involvement during the late 1980s, also with a different cast, but without Clark's participation. Clark continued to stay active in the film industry until his death, with lower-budget fare mixed in with brief runs at higher targets. A The Hollywood Reporter critic, speaking after his death, described his career as "a very unusual mix of films", because he "at times

1512-511: The SUV's driver, Héctor Manuel Velázquez-Nava, had a blood alcohol level of three times the legal limit and was driving without a license. Velázquez-Nava was described by federal authorities as being in the U.S. illegally. The driver initially pleaded not guilty to two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter , but changed his plea to no contest in August, and was sentenced to six years in prison under

1568-756: The TV series The Dukes of Hazzard . Clark later produced the 2000 TV movie The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood . Clark and others sued Warner Bros. over the studio's 2005 movie The Dukes of Hazzard , winning a $ 17.5 million settlement just prior to the movie's release. Turning toward more serious fare, Clark scored a critical success with the Sherlock Holmes film Murder by Decree , starring Christopher Plummer and James Mason , which won five Genie Awards including Best Achievement in Direction and Best Performance for both leads. He followed this with

1624-617: The U.S. are unionized and are represented by the Writers Guild of America (WGA). Although membership in the WGA is recommended, it is not required of a screenwriter to join. The WGA is the final arbiter on awarding writing credit for projects under its jurisdiction. The WGA also looks upon and verifies film copyright materials. Other notable screenwriters' unions include the Writers' Guild of Great Britain , representing screenwriters in

1680-574: The UK, and La Guilde Française des Scénaristes, representing screenwriters in France. Minimum salaries for union screenwriters in the US are set by the Writers Guild of America . The median compensation for a first draft from a first time screenwriter is $ 100,000, while the most experienced members have a median compensation of $ 450,000. The most experienced WGA members have reported up to $ 4,000,0000 compensation for

1736-583: The boys are too young to have been allowed into Porky's legally, Porky and his brother agree. In a subplot, the boys peep on co-ed students in the girl's locker room shower, and Tommy, Billy, and Pee Wee see several girls showering. Pee Wee gives them away when he shouts at an obese girl, who has been blocking his view, to move so that he can see. While a few girls run out, most stay, finding the situation funny. To test their attitude, Tommy sticks his tongue out through his peephole but gets it smeared with soap. Infuriated, he drops his pants and sticks his penis through

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1792-410: The childish nature of its antagonists, and they disliked that the film took what they felt was a thin, shallow and off-color stance against anti-Semitism . In his print review for The Chicago Sun-Times , Ebert noted that the film's sexual content per se was not the film's failing, but rather the manner it was used: "Even in an easy scene like the one where the guys spy on the girls in the locker room,

1848-424: The critical appraisal has been more negative since then. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes , which collects both contemporary and modern reviews, gives the film a score of 33% based on reviews from 39 critics and an average rating of 4.8/10. The consensus reads, "Gleeful in its misogyny and celebratory of bad behavior, Porky's is an intermittently funny farce that will leave audiences feeling in need of

1904-585: The director, Bob Clark, blows it. Peeping Tom scenes can be very funny (remember John Belushi on the ladder in Animal House ?) Here, it's just smarmy." Siskel would later go on to call it one of the worst films ever made. The film grossed $ 7.6 million for the weekend when it opened wide in 1982. It grossed a total of $ 106 million in its initial release in the United States and Canada, including $ 12 million in Canada. It grossed $ 25–30 million overseas, for

1960-412: The end of the film's lengthy initial release, in 1983, Porky's had secured itself a spot, albeit short-lived, as one of the top-25 highest-grossing films of all time in the US. The film was (also briefly) the most successful comedy in film history. The overwhelming success of Porky's is credited as launching the genre of the teen sex comedy so prevalent throughout the 1980s, and which continued into

2016-465: The equipment room after an argument with Balbricker, and Honeywell becomes turned on by the scent of the room. This leads to the pair having quickie sex in the room, as Honeywell begins loudly howling like a dog, thus revealing why she is called Lassie . Her orgasmic howls are heard throughout the entire school, much to the students' and Coach Warren's amusement, but not to Balbricker and head coach Goodenough. Brackett and Honeywell are eventually fired as

2072-457: The highest amounts paid to writers for spec screenplays: $ 5 million: $ 2 million: $ 1 million: Porky%27s The film influenced many writers in the teen film genre and spawned two sequels: Porky's II: The Next Day (1983) and Porky's Revenge! (1985), and an ashcan copy titled Porky's Pimpin' Pee Wee (2009). Porky's was the sixth highest-grossing film of 1982 . The film received generally positive reviews at

2128-475: The historian's dilemma: "A writer may be given screen credit for work he didn't do (as with Sidney Buchman on Holiday ), or be denied credit for work he did do (as with Sidney Buchman on The Awful Truth )." After a screenwriter finishes a project, they pair with an industry-based representative, such as a producer, director, literary agent , entertainment lawyer, or entertainment executive. The partnerships often pitch their project to investors or others in

2184-489: The last half of [the twentieth] century, what the Great American Novel was for the first half. Closet writers who used to dream of the glory of getting into print now dream of seeing their story on the big or small screen." Every screenplay and teleplay begins with a thought or idea, and screenwriters use their ideas to write scripts, with the intention of selling them and having them produced. In some cases

2240-501: The millennium in such films as the American Pie series. Clark wrote, produced, and directed the film's first sequel, Porky's II: The Next Day (1983), which did not feature the title character, and introduced two new antagonists with perhaps greater relevance, a blustering fundamentalist preacher, and a sleazy local politician who cynically caters to his influence, while seducing a teenage girl. Clark refused involvement with

2296-408: The opening just before female coach Beulah Balbricker, who has a running feud with Tommy, walks into the shower area. Spotting the protruding member, she sneaks up on Tommy, grabs his penis, and pulls with all her might. Tommy pulls free and escapes, but Beulah is determined to prove that the offending member, which has a mole on it, belongs to Tommy, going so far as to request that Principal Carter hold

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2352-422: The production of a film. Sometimes they come on as advisors, or if they are established, as a producer. Some screenwriters also direct. Although many scripts are sold each year, many do not make it into production because the number of scripts that are purchased every year exceeds the number of professional directors that are working in the film and TV industry . When a screenwriter finishes a project and sells it to

2408-416: The release of the sequel. Including the re-issue, the film grossed $ 160 million worldwide. On May 22, 2007, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment released all three films in an "Ultimate Collection" box set on DVD . The DVD of the film from the "Ultimate Collection" was also released as a stand-alone release called the "One Size Fits All" Edition and includes a retrospective featurette with Bob Clark,

2464-453: The screenwriting job, typically taking on legal, financial, and other important representative roles for the screenwriter. These professional screenwriters rarely work for free. There are a legion of would-be screenwriters who attempt to enter the film industry , but it often takes years of trial and error, failure, and gritty persistence to achieve success. In Writing Screenplays that Sell , Michael Hague writes, "Screenplays have become, for

2520-505: The script is based on an existing property, such as a book or person's life story, which is adapted by the screenwriter. In most cases, a film project is initiated by a screenwriter. The initiator of the project gets the exclusive writing assignment. They are referred to as "exclusive" assignments or "pitched" assignments. Screenwriters who often pitch new projects, whether original or an adaptation, often do not have to worry about competing for assignments and are often more successful. When word

2576-429: The swamp. Porky and his men, joined by the sheriff, chase the group, but the boys make it across the county line, out of Porky's brother's jurisdiction, where local police officers and the high school band meet them. One of the officers, Mickey's older brother, Ted, repeatedly damages Porky's Hudson Hornet , promising to drop all charges against Porky for driving an unsafe vehicle if the night's events are forgiven. Because

2632-402: The swamp. When the group demands their money back, the sheriff, Porky's brother, drives them away but not before he extorts them for the rest of their money, further embarrassing them. After Mickey, who returned to Porky's for revenge, is beaten so badly he has to be hospitalized, the gang becomes hellbent on exacting revenge on Porky and his brother, eventually sinking Porky's establishment into

2688-425: The terms of a plea agreement on October 12, 2007. Executive Producer Screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter , scribe , or scenarist ) is someone who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting . These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television commercials, video games, and the growing area of online web series. In

2744-468: The time of its release, but reviews have become more mixed-to-negative over time. In 1954, each boy in a group of Florida Angel Beach High School students plans to lose his virginity. They go to Porky's, a strip club in the Everglades , believing that they can hire a prostitute to satisfy their sexual desires. The club's proprietor, Porky, takes their money but humiliates the boys by dumping them into

2800-525: The top of the poster: "People thought it was the end of my career". Porky's was released in Colorado Springs, Colorado and Columbia, South Carolina , on November 13, 1981. It then received a wide release in Canada and the United States on March 19, 1982. In Ireland , the film was banned on February 1, 1982; the decision was overturned 19 days later. Upon its release, Porky's was viewed as "a likeable lowbrow coming-of-age comedy", but

2856-443: Was a blend of comedy and graphic horror. Clark and his collaborator for this film, screenwriter and makeup artist Alan Ormsby , would revisit the zombie subgenre in 1972's Deathdream , also known by its alternative title, Dead of Night , a Vietnam War allegory that takes its cue from the classic short story " The Monkey's Paw ". The slasher film Black Christmas (1974) was one of his most successful films in this period, and

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2912-637: Was a director-for-hire and would do films that, to say the least, aren't stellar". Some of his last output included Baby Geniuses and Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 . Clark was nominated twice for the Razzie Awards as "Worst Director", for Rhinestone and Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2 . At the end of his life, he was working with Howard Stern on a remake of Porky's , and, with Black Christmas having been remade, two of his other early horror films were slated for expensive remakes: Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things and Deathdream . Clark

2968-430: Was an American, got sole screen credit as writer. However, Swaybill was reimbursed with a six-figure sum and was co-writer on the sequel. "It seems incredible to realize that Porky's , which earned more than $ 200 million worldwide, was done as a tax shelter, but that's the way it was," Swaybill says. Kim Cattrall took a small role in the film because she needed the money, and was horrified, at first, to see her name at

3024-576: Was born in New Orleans in 1939, but grew up in Birmingham, Alabama , and later moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida . He grew up poor. His father died during his childhood and his mother was a barmaid . After attending Catawba College majoring in philosophy, Clark won a football scholarship to Hillsdale College in Michigan , where he played quarterback . Eventually he studied theater at

3080-540: Was divorced, and had two sons, Michael and Ariel. Clark and his younger son, Ariel Hanrath-Clark, 22, were killed in a head-on car crash on the Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades , Los Angeles on the morning of April 4, 2007. The crash occurred when an SUV crossed the median and struck Clark's Infiniti I30 , causing the closure of the highway for eight hours. Police determined that

3136-606: Was not originally part of the series, the film Hollywood Zap! was released as a Porky's film in Europe. A video game based on the film, also titled Porky's , was released for the Atari 2600 and Atari 8-bit computers by 20th Century Fox in 1983. The movie was mentioned in Young Sheldon , when Sheldon says that Missy is watching it. In 2002, Howard Stern acquired the remake rights and has long hoped to produce

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