As a writer, I am constantly trying to figure out what happens in the middle of my screenplay. Act two is definitely the hardest to put on paper, so I find myself going back to some of my favorite movies to see how they spin those beats. I figured if that happens to me a lot, it might also be happening to you. So today, I put together ten of my favorite midpoints in movie history. They're beats I think changed the story for the better, and let the writer produce some of their best work. Let's dive in. 1. Psycho (1960): The Shower SceneI think this is the gold standard when it comes to surprising the audience and changing the narrative. Alfred Hitchcock's masterful subversion is probably the most famous midpoint in cinematic history. By brutally killing off Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) halfway through the movie, Hitchcock completely upends the expected narrative. Now we have no idea what could happen next, and he has us in the palm of his hand. The story shifts from a suspenseful thriller about a woman on the run to a chilling horror centered on Norman Bates and his murderous mother.2. The Godfather (1972): Michael's Restaurant ExecutionThe midpoint of Francis Ford Coppola's masterpiece marks the tragic and irreversible transformation of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) into a mafia don who is willing to kill for revenge. When we meet him in Act One, Michal is a war hero determined to remain outside the family business....
Published By: NoFilmSchool - Yesterday