“My Life on Spec: The Writing of Sideways” by Rex Pickett
Of course we all remember that entertaining slice of central California cinema style Sideways. As a reminder, who can forget this scene:
Perhaps it’s because the Protagonist is a writer. Perhaps it’s because it’s a classic road trip. Maybe it’s because both males on the jaunt, Miles and Jack, have massive psychological issues. Or because the movie strikes that wonderful balance between being really funny and really thoughtful. But Sideways is a special story.
Per IMDB, here are the official writing credits: Screenplay by Alexander Payne & Jim Taylor, based on the novel “Sideways” by Rex Pickett. Generally on GITS, we focus on the screenwriter. However there is a series currently running at the social network site Stage 32 featuring first-person posts about “Sideways” by the novel’s author Pickett. It’s a great read and very much like the tone of the movie: funny and thoughtful. For instance, just as Miles discover in the clip above his novel had been rejected, did you know “Sideways” was passed on by 15 publishers before finding a home?
The series is in six parts. Here are links to an introduction to the series by Stage 32 host Richard Botto and the first two installments with Pickett. We’ll pick up parts three and four next week, then five and six the following week.