Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Love Is In The Air ~ You Know Me... Why Didn't You Write?

There are many ways to insert romance into the story, be it your novel, a TV show, or a movie. Have you noticed that there aren't that many straight romances anywhere? I think it is because we like interesting characters, plot, and a little romance thrown in. Even romantic comedies (in film) are often as much about the comedy as the romance.

If you look back over the list of the TV shows and movies that I've featured in this Love Is In The Air hop-turned extended stay, you will notice that most of these, if you've seen them, have stuff going on other than romance. I am just picking on the romance for these clips. A romantic moment, if it is done well, warms your heart and makes you fall in love (even more) with these characters.  It is my hope in doing this exercise that you can pick out why the scene is romantic even if YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN THE MOVIE OR TV SHOW.  If the writing in the scene is really good, it WILL stand on its own. Isn't that the desire of every writer?

Now, let's get down to the romance!



I am tagging all of these Love Is In The Air (even though the hop is over) and the following is a list of all the posts with links, so that you can watch any of your favorites that you missed.


Back at the beginning of this thing I asked YOU to share what you think are the most romantic moments on the big and small screen. I posted four of them over the weekend. I will still post them if you share in the comments!

Speaking of comments, some of your comments crack me up! Over the weekend I ran all movies and several of you indicated you'd never seen those TV shows. Hahahaha. I realize I must be more clear about what I am posting, since I am doing both.

This is from a TV Show.

Veronica Mars was on for three seasons and the MC was... Veronica Mars. The first two seasons were golden in terms of how the show arced. Veronica was a teenage amateur P.I. So, the season started with a Big Case that didn't get solved until the final episode of the season, but each episode contributed something to that big finale. Additionally, each episode provided a much smaller case that was resolved in that episode. AND Veronica still went to high school, made friends, fought with friends, and even had a love interest. I don't remember high school being quite that busy.  The third season didn't follow the format of the first two and the show was cancelled. Now, 10 years later, they are making a Veronica Mars Movie that will release in March 2014. The movie was completely funded on kickstarter by the fans. Yeah, it's Firefly meets Serenity with a kick.

It is my goal that even if you have NEVER seen this TV show that you can tell me why this minute is EXCELLENT.

Roll the footage, please:



There are so many aspects of this clip that make my heart sing. When Logan says, "You know who I am and you are constantly expecting me to change," I want to stand up and clap. Yep. That is true. And then when he asks, "Do you love me?" I feel the angst of his uncertainty. And that last line about Going Easier On Each Other nails it home. Can't we just do that, folks? Can't we just go a bit easier on each other????

***************
I read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks shortly after it came out. It was recommended to me by a friend. This is what wikipedia says about this book:

The novel was Nicholas Sparks' first published novel, and the third written after The Passing and The Royal Murders, which he did not publish. He wrote it over a period of six months in 1994. Literary agent Theresa Park discovered Sparks after picking the book out of her agency's slush pile. Park offered to represent him. In October 1995, Park secured a $1 million advance for the book from the Time Warner Book Group, and the novel was published in October 1997. It was on The New York Times Best Seller list in its first week of release. The Notebook was a hardcover best seller for more than a year.[2]

In interviews, Sparks said he was inspired to write the novel by the grandparents of his wife, who had been married for more than 60 years when he met them. In The Notebook, he tried to express the long romantic love of that couple.

I remember that the preface or the dedication indicated that this was based on a true story. Approximately halfway through the book I started crying and I didn't stop until long after the book was done. That is the one and only time a book has affected me in this way. (I admit that I cry in ALL of his novels at some point, but not for HALF A BOOK.) If it hadn't been based on a true story, it MIGHT not have had that profound effect on me. I just don't know. It was many years later when The Movie came out. I only read the book once, because I wasn't sure I could take it again. Unlike so many book-movie adaptations, I really liked this one. Maybe because I didn't bawl throughout the film. But it still touched my heart in a very pleasant way. When Noah's character says, "It wasn't over. It still isn't over," my spirit wells up and lifts off.

Roll the footage, please:



How do you like your romance best - combined with comedy, suspense, mystery, drama? Or some other combination? Do you like to write it differently than watch it? What element from the Veronica Mars clip tugged at your heart? What was your favorite romantic moment in The Notebook?

16 comments:

  1. I like more mixed into the story than just the romance. I never read The Notebook because I didn't want to cry. I hate/love books that make me cry. I did watch the movie and only cried a little and then never watched it again.

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  2. Never seen either of those.
    I like it with comedy or adventure. Admit I am a sucker for a romantic comedy film.

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  3. My family laughs at me because I cry every time I see The Notebook. Such a fantastic love story.

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  4. Susan ~ I have that love/hate relationship, too. Several years ago I was reading a Nicholas Sparks book at the gym. Seriously, what was I thinking??? It his the "so sad you will cry moment" when I was biking. So, there I was pedalling and crying my eyes out, hoping that the Cute Guy I had my eye on was actually oblivious to me. Turns out he was. No worries. Ha!

    Alex ~ They are both good. If you get the chance to watch The Notebook give it a try. If you know that it is based on a true story, you might just like it better.

    Rosey ~ Yes. Knowing that it is true makes it even better.

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  5. Romantic moment - the final episode of Burn Notice. Michael and Fi are pinned down by gunmen and Michael has suggested a plan of escape that's a long shot at best. Fi asked if he's trying to get himself killed. He tells her he very much wants to live, reaches out and touches her face. She leans into his touch for just a second before agreeing to his plan. That second, with all the unspoken words exchanged, was one of the most romantic moments on TV. Ever.

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  6. An interesting post with some nice pictures.

    Thank you. Love love, Andrew. Bye.

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  7. I saw "The Notebook" with Sweetie and going in I was not enthused. Going out, I was. It was way better than I'd expected from the treacly description I'd been given.

    I don't know if I remember it well enough to pick out my favorite moment. I'm not sure I remember ANY movie well enough for that. I will be honest: my first thought after you asked the question was "that one scene where lightning strikes the beach and he gets some of that glass to make his sculptures with" and only the fact that my internet is slow to load the comment form kept me from going with that, as I'm now about 81% sure that's from "Sweet Home Alabama."

    Anyway, I'm loving these posts.

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  8. That was a nice clip from The Notebook. I guess it wasn't over!

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  9. Just about every film or other fictional story includes some element of romance. That's where a lot of the tension comes from. I'm a real sucker for Nicholas Sparks. I bawl like a baby--well I'm very quiet about it, but the tears can flow.

    Lee
    An A to Z Co-Host
    Tossing It Out

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  10. Romantic coms are some of my fav movies- I just wish I could get the hubs to watch more of them! And I've never actually watched a Veronica Mars episode. My critique partner is a huge fan tho, and she helped with the Kickstarter campaign!

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  11. >>... A romantic moment, if it is down well, warms your heart and makes you fall in love (even more) with these characters.

    If it is... "DOWN WELL"?!

    Look, Sister, don't SLIP a 'FREUDIAN' in my martini and then try to take advantage of me when I'm down and out for the count!

    I've got news for ya... there's a LOT more to "a romantic moment" than just getting DOWN with your bad selves!

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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  12. I hadn't seen either before. I like the moment when he says I love you to Veronica, and her whole energy shifts. And wow, that was a very hot scene from the Notebook. Sexy. I really liked it, would've like it more were I her. =)

    Be well, Robin.
    xoRobyn

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  13. I've never read any of his books, but I've done book signings within days of his appearance at his favorite book store in New Bern, NC.

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  14. LD ~ I didn't/don't watch Burn Notice, but you've provided good description here. I will look for it.

    Briane P ~ Yep. That is from Sweet Home Alabama. I'm glad that you had feeling shift while watching The Notebook. Gosh, now I want to watch it again.

    Sherry ~ Not by a long shot!

    Arlee ~ His books make me cry EVERY TIME. I should learn by now to ONLY read them at home, because I have been caught in public several times WEEPING.

    Leandra ~ The hubs might like Veronica Mars better than the rom coms. It has a lot of action in it!

    Stephen ~ Gulp. I am changing that typo as soon as I publish these comments. It really wasn't a reference to "DOWN" anywhere. Down and done sound too much alike and there are times when I mix these words up. Usually I catch it.

    Robyn ~ Yes, thank you, Robyn for watching clips from shows you've never seen. In some ways it is more fascinating than the shows/movies you know. Her energy does shift. Instead of continuing the road of combative, she wants to work it out. As for The Notebook, that was a great scene among a whole bunch of great scenes.

    Diane ~ Aha. If you run into him at a signing, don't tell him you've never read his books;)

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  15. ROBIN ~
    Ha!-Ha! I know, Sistah. I just happened to notice it and simply couldn't help myself, I just HAD to tease ya about it. You know how I am.... unfortunately. (Frankly, I thought I deserved some sort of 'Comment O' Da Month Award' for that one.)
    [:-)}

    ~ D-FensDogg
    'Loyal American Underground'

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    Replies
    1. I've never done a post on comments.... now, I am thinking about it. Thanks!!!

      You're right. It was a good one!

      Delete

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