William Monahan: Difference between revisions - Wikipedia

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| occupation = {{Hlist|Screenwriter|novelist|journalist|~~esssayist~~essayist}}

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==Writer and editor==

Monahan was born in [[Dorchester, Boston]]. He attended the [[University of Massachusetts Amherst]], where he studied [[English literature#Elizabethan era|Elizabethan]] and [[English literature#Jacobean literature|Jacobean drama]].<ref name="WrittenBy">{{cite web|title=Profane Eloquence: Through the words of William Monahan, Boston swagger meets Hong Kong crime drama |author=John Koch |date=February–March 2007 |publisher=Written By Magazine |work=The Writers Guild of America, West |url=http://www.wga.org/writtenby/writtenbysub.aspx?id=2312 |access-date=March 7, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927015725/http://www.wga.org/writtenby/writtenbysub.aspx?id=2312 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> He moved to [[New York City]] and contributed to the [[alternative weekly]] newspaper ''[[New York Press]]'' and the magazines [[Talk (magazine)|''Talk'']], [[Maxim (magazine)|''Maxim'']], and [[Spy (magazine)|''Spy'']].<ref name="BostonGlobe1" /><ref name="WGAw">{{cite web|title=A Man of Letters |author=Dylan Callaghan |date=October 13, 2006 |url=http://www.wga.org/subpage.aspx?id=2240 |publisher=Writers Guild of America, West |access-date=January 1, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927015712/http://www.wga.org/subpage.aspx?id=2240 |archive-date=September 27, 2007 }}</ref> In 1997 Monahan won a [[Pushcart Prize]] for his short story "A Relation of Various Accidents Observable in Some Animals Included in Vacuo".<ref>{{cite news|title=Required Reading |author=William Georgiades |date=February 25, 2007 |publisher=The New York Post |url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252007/entertainment/required_reading_entertainment_william_georgiades.htm |access-date=March 4, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070228143923/http://www.nypost.com/seven/02252007/entertainment/required_reading_entertainment_william_georgiades.htm |archive-date=February 28, 2007 }}</ref><ref name="Pushcart">{{cite book |title=The Pushcart Prize XXI: Best of the Small Presses (1997) |editor=Bill Henderson |author=William Monahan |publisher=Pushcart Press |date=July 1997 |chapter=A Relation of Various Accidents Observable in Some Animals Included in Vacuo |isbn=978-1-888889-00-0 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/pushcartprizexxi00bill }}</ref> Monahan was an editor at [[Spy (magazine)|''Spy'']] during the magazine's final years, where he would come in at the close of the monthly issue to rewrite articles and improve jokes.<ref name="BostonGlobe1">{{cite news|title= Standing at the corner of Shakespeare and Scorsese |author=Sam Allis| date=October 3, 2006 |publisher=The Boston Globe |url=https://www.boston.com/ae/movies/articles/2006/10/03/standing_at_the_corner_of_shakespeare_and_scorsese/ | access-date=January 1, 2007 }}</ref>

In 1999 [[Talk (magazine)|''Talk'' magazine]] debuted, and Monahan contributed a travelogue on [[Gloucester, Massachusetts]], to the first issue.<ref>{{cite news |title=MUGGER: I'm in Bermuda and Rick Lazio Isn't |author=Russ Smith |date=August 11, 1999 |publisher=Jewish World Review |url=http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/mugger081199.asp |access-date=March 8, 2007}}</ref> In 2000 Monahan's first novel, ''Light House: A Trifle'', was finally published, and it garnered critical acclaim; ''The New York Times'' proclaimed, "Monahan's cocksure prose gallops along" and ''BookPage Fiction'' called Monahan "a worthy successor to [[Kingsley Amis]]."<ref name="Wilde">{{cite press release|title=Van Morrison, Terry George and Bill Monahan honored in LA |date=February 26, 2007 |publisher=US-Ireland Alliance |url=http://www.us-irelandalliance.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=622 |access-date=March 5, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070726170439/http://www.us-irelandalliance.org/wmspage.cfm?parm1=622 |archive-date=July 26, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=An Offshore Farce |author=William Georgiades |date=July 23, 2000 |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/books/00/07/23/bib/000723.rv090232.html |access-date=March 10, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Review: Light House |author=Bruce Tierney |year=2000 |publisher=BookPage Fiction |url=http://www.bookpage.com/0006bp/fiction/light_house.html |access-date=March 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061202142714/http://www.bookpage.com/0006bp/fiction/light_house.html |archive-date=December 2, 2006 }}</ref> In the second half of 2001 Monahan wrote a fictional column at the ''New York Press'' under the pseudonym of Claude La Badarian, which ran for 13 weeks.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Last Supper: Being eventually a PROPOSAL for a column called DINING LATE WITH CLAUDE LA BADARIAN |author=William Monahan |date=June 21, 2001 |publisher=New York Press |url=http://www.nypress.com/14/25/news&columns/culture.cfm |access-date=March 6, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071020122957/http://www.nypress.com/14/25/news%26columns/culture.cfm |archive-date=October 20, 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=That Asshole, Monahan by Claude La Badarian |author=William Monahan |date=August 15, 2001 |publisher=New York Press |url=http://www.nypress.com/14/33/news&columns/claude.cfm |access-date=March 9, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071014183126/http://www.nypress.com/14/33/news%26columns/claude.cfm |archive-date=October 14, 2007 }}</ref>

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In 2007 Monahan was hired to work on two film projects: an adaptation of the Hong Kong film ''[[Confession of Pain]]'' and an original [[rock and roll]] film, ''The Long Play''. Monahan was initially assigned to [[executive producer|executive produce]] and write the adaptation for ''Confession of Pain'', under production by [[Leonardo DiCaprio]]'s company, Appian Way, for Warner Bros. Pictures.<ref name="AppianWay">{{cite news|title=Monahan, DiCaprio reconnect |author=Borys Kit |date=February 27, 2007 |publisher=The Hollywood Reporter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003550909 |access-date=March 2, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930225204/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1003550909 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 }}</ref> It would represent his second adaption of an [[Andrew Lau]] and [[Alan Mak (director)|Alan Mak]] film. Monahan's other assignment was to rewrite a screenplay about the history of the rock music business called ''The Long Play'', the brainchild of [[Mick Jagger]], lead singer of [[The Rolling Stones]], which had been incubating at Jagger's production company, Jagged Films at [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]]. Martin Scorsese became involved while the film project was at Disney and subsequently negotiated a [[turnaround (filmmaking)|turnaround deal]] to bring ''The Long Play'' to Paramount.<ref name="TheLongPlay">{{cite news |author=Michael Fleming, Pamela McClintock |date=February 26, 2007 |title=Scorsese, Monahan ready to 'Play': 'Departed' duo rock on at Paramount |publisher=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2007/film/markets-festivals/scorsese-monahan-ready-to-play-2-1117960184/ |access-date=March 2, 2007}}</ref> However, neither of these projects were completed.{{Needs verification|date=June 2022}}

Monahan's directorial debut was ''[[London Boulevard]]'', released in 2010, which he also produced. An adaption of a [[Ken Bruen]] work by the same name, it was received with both criticism and praise, with ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' stating that as director he "sashays winningly" into the premise of Bruen's "stylish line in mean-streets poetry", further commenting the film as "adapted sharply".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bennett |first=Ray |date=2010-11-26 |title=London Boulevard: Film Review |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/london-boulevard-film-review-49422/ |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> ''[[The New York Post]]''<nowiki/>'s [[Kyle Smith (critic)|Kyle Smith]] excitedly wrote "one of Hollywood’s most in-demand writers whips up a potent directorial debut";<ref>{{cite web |author=Kyle Smith |date=11 November 2011 |title=Gangster 'Boulevard' bold |url=https://nypost.com/2011/11/11/gangster-boulevard-bold/ |work=New York Post |accessdate=6 February 2016}}</ref> however, othersOthers adjudged the film as unfocused, complaining of "a surplus of plot threads that don't have space to play out, and accordingly com[ing] across as clichés",<ref>{{cite web |author=Alison Willmore |date=10 November 2011 |title=London Boulevar d |url=https://www.avclub.com/review/london-boulevard-64924 |access-date=6 February 2016 |work=[[The A.V. Club]]}}</ref> that he "ended up with more than he can chew for his first time in the director's chair".<ref>{{cite news |author=Betsy Sharkey |date=11 November 2011 |title='London Boulevard': Crime, fame, Colin Farrell not a good mix |newspaper=LA Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-london-boulevard-20111111-story.html |accessdate=6 February 2016}}</ref>

A few years later, a version of ''[[The Gambler (2014 film)|The Gambler]]'' was finally generated, as written and executive produced. The film received mixed reviews, with some people complementing [[Jessica Lange]]'s performance,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Jacobs |first1=Matthew |last2=Rosen |first2=Christopher |date=December 9, 2014 |title=One Of These 21 Women Will Probably Win Best Supporting Actress At The 2015 Oscars |url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/12/09/best-supporting-actress-2015-oscars_n_6291256.html |access-date=January 10, 2015 |website=The Huffington Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=Stephen |date=November 20, 2014 |title=Who supports Best? |newspaper=Boston Herald |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/entertainment/movies/hollywood_mine/2014/11/who_supports_best |access-date=January 10, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Guzman |first=Rafer |date=December 23, 2014 |title='The Gambler' review: Low on action and tension |newspaper=Newsday |url=http://www.newsday.com/entertainment/movies/the-gambler-review-low-on-action-and-tension-1.9740320 |access-date=January 10, 2015 |quote=a terrific Jessica Lange}}</ref> while others, including [[Peter Travers]] from [[Rolling Stone]], calling the film's unclear character motivations "wearying".<ref name="Travers">{{cite magazine |last=Travers |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Travers |date=30 December 2014 |title='The Gambler' Movie Review |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/the-gambler-255575/ |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref> This remake also suffered from comparison and contrasting with the original film on which it's based.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Gambler (2014) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_gambler_2015 |access-date=January 3, 2021 |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Fandango Media]]}}</ref>

His most recent directorial and producer credit was the film ''[[Mojave (film)|Mojave]]'', which he also wrote''.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Renner |first=Brian D. |title=Everything You Need to Know About Mojave Movie (2016): Feb. 13, 2016 - added the US DVD release date of April 5, 2016 |url=https://www.movieinsider.com/m10032/mojave |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=Movie Insider |language=en}}</ref> Announced on March 22, 2012,<ref name="Monahan">{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=March 22, 2012 |title=Atlas Independent Steps Up For William Monahan Thriller 'Mojave' |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |url=https://www.deadline.com/2012/03/atlas-independent-steps-up-for-william-monahan-thriller-mojave/ |accessdate=March 28, 2014}}</ref> and cast between December 4 until well past principal photography began,<ref name="Oscar2">{{cite news |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=December 4, 2012 |title=Oscar Isaac and Jason Clarke to Star in William Monahan Thriller 'Mojave' |work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/oscar-isaac-jason-clarke-star-397950 |accessdate=March 28, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Garrett">{{cite news |last=Sneider |first=Jeff |date=May 16, 2013 |title='Tron: Legacy' Star Garrett Hedlund to Join Oscar Isaac in William Monahan's 'Mojave' Movie |work=[[TheWrap]] |url=https://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/tron-legacy-star-garrett-hedlund-join-oscar-isaac-william-monahans-mojave-movie-92051 |accessdate=March 28, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Louise">{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=July 18, 2013 |title=Louise Bourgoin Joins Oscar Isaac And Garrett Hedlund In 'Mojave' |website=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://www.deadline.com/2013/07/louise-bourgoin-joins-oscar-issac-and-garrett-hedlund-in-mojave/ |accessdate=March 28, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Walton2">{{cite news |last=Fleming |first=Mike Jr. |date=September 27, 2013 |title='Justified's Walton Goggins Joins William Monahan Pic 'Mojave' |website=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://www.deadline.com/2013/09/walton-goggins-mojave-movie-william-monahan/ |accessdate=March 28, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Fran">{{cite news |date=October 2, 2013 |title=Fran Kranz Joins 'Mojave' |website=Deadline Hollywood |url=https://www.deadline.com/2013/10/dorian-missick-annie-morgan-freeman-lemurs-fran-kranz-mojave/ |accessdate=March 28, 2014}}</ref> production was stalled until September 27, 2013.<ref name="Oscar2"/><ref name="Walton2"/><ref name="first-look">{{cite news |last=White |first=James |date=November 7, 2013 |title=Exclusive New Images From William Monahan's Mojave |newspaper=empireonline.com |url=https://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=39285 |accessdate=March 27, 2014}}</ref> The film was released on DirecTV Cinema on December 3, 2015, prior to opening in a [[limited release]] on January 22, 2016.<ref name="Pearce">{{cite web |last=Pearce |first=Leonard |date=December 2, 2015 |title=Oscar Isaac Hunts Down Garrett Hedlund in First Trailer For 'Mojave' |url=http://thefilmstage.com/trailer/oscar-isaac-hunts-down-garrett-hedlund-in-first-trailer-for-mojave/ |publisher=TheFilmStage |accessdate=December 2, 2015}}</ref> The [[Rotten Tomatoes]] consensus for the movie is that it "has no shortage of talent on either side of the camera; unfortunately, it amounts to little more than a frustrating missed opportunity."<ref>{{cite web |title=Mojave (2016) |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/mojave_2016/ |work=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |publisher=[[Flixster]] |accessdate=February 2, 2016}}</ref> Sean Burns ripped into the movie, calling it "elliptical and at times preposterously entertaining, [a movie] that both sends up and embraces every chest-beating trope in that old alpha 'He-Man of letters' tradition", and dances with the idea that some of the movie "is Monahan indulging in a bit of sardonic self-flaggelation [sic] for all his success in the industry".<ref>{{Cite web |title=William Monahan Revives The Pseudo-Intellectual Alpha Males No One Wanted Back In 'Mojave' |url=https://www.wbur.org/news/2016/01/28/william-monahan-mojave |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=www.wbur.org |date=January 28, 2016 |language=en}}</ref> The ''[[observer.com|Observer]]''<nowiki/>'s Rex Reed labeled it "gibberish with guns and phony literary pretentiousness about two thugs in a duel of weapons and words that goes nowhere fast", contending that his high-quality work on ''The Departed'' was inexplicable, as he had "written nothing of value since". Continuing, he said that "as a director he evokes gales of guffaws".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-01-20 |title='Mojave' Is the Worst Movie of the Still-Young New Year |url=https://observer.com/2016/01/mojave-is-the-worst-movie-of-the-still-young-new-year/ |access-date=2022-06-21 |website=Observer |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Works==

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| {{yes}}

| {{no}}

| [[Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay]]~~<br>Nominated~~ - [[~~BAFTA~~Golden Globe Award for Best ~~Adapted~~ Screenplay]]~~<br>Nominated~~ - [[~~Golden Globe~~BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay]]<br>Nominated

| 2008

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[[Category:Journalists from Massachusetts]]

[[Category:Novelists from Massachusetts]]

[[Category:~~Writers~~People from Dorchester, Boston]]

[[Category:Screenwriters from Massachusetts]]

[[Category:University of Massachusetts Amherst alumni]]