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2006-08-06 - 11:22 p.m.
As I watched last weeks episode of Deadwood (s3ep8) I was, as always, taken by the language of the dialog. The choice of words, the syntax. It is, for me, one of the most interesting aspects of the show.
In an attempt to understand it I sought out a script, but was unsuccessful. Then I looked to find discussions of it. It seems, unfortunately, that most discussions of the language of Deadwood are confined to the obscenities.
Too bad. Though the frequency of cuss words is, indeed shocking, it is far and away the less interesting feature of the dialog. Frankly, I don't find it all that shocking myself, having been immersed so much of my life in social circles much accustomed to similary effusive use of oaths. And myself too much dedicated to the hurling of epithets of all sorts.
But of anything in theatre, or any of the arts of words, I find the flow of language to be the most compelling feature. Nothing can ruin a good story like a tin ear for dialog.
I was pleasantly surprised to find this blog entry which compares the dialog styles of Milch (Deadwood), Mamet, and Whedon (Firely). I find it interesting because those three writers are among my favorites precisely because of their use of dialog, Whedon notably in Firely (mainly because I haven't followed Whedon's other projects.)
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So, how do you like them apples?