Being obsessed with movie trivia is usually the result of a "misspent youth," but with me it's been a misspent life. I've always been interested in films that were lost, discarded, or destroyed. Tracking them down is like being a detective, and that's why I thought it would be a funny idea for a mystery novel: a movie geek detective chasing the "holy grail" of movie trivia, the original, uncut version of Orson Welles' "The Magnificent Ambersons." The only problem was, I hadn't written a mystery novel for years, not since my brother and I wrote one called "Mrs. White" under the name Margaret Tracey and won an Edgar Award. Since then, I'd been writing for the theater. There are lots of differences between theater and fiction. Theater people are funnier and better-looking. But also, as Tom Stoppard points out, most plays are ninety pages long and most novels are...much longer. So the only way I could tackle it was to think: 'writing a novel is like reading a novel, very slowly.' I should enjoy it the same way people would hopefully enjoy it someday on the bus or before bed. This process worked. Eventually, "The Cutting Room" was published by Ballantine Books which also bought a sequel, "The Shooting Script." So who's to say what youth--or life--is misspent? |
My WorksTHE CUTTING ROOM
Ballantine Hardcover February 2004 Ballantine Paperback February 2005 Available as an Audiobook from Sound Library "A witty spoof...Klavan gleefully slices and dices every known speciman of the Hollywood film trade...Worth its weight in popcorn." --Marilyn Stasio, The New York Times Book Review "Highly entertaining...Klavan knows his turf...Sure to put a smile on any movie buff's lips." --Leonard Maltin "Brimming with engaging tidbits of movie trivia...This tongue-in-cheek whodunit marks the long overdue second coming of a gifted novelist." --Publishers Weekly (starred review) "A lightning-paced, high-concept thriller...Astonishingly inventive...One of the best mysteries of the year!" --Tess Gerritsen "Something completely different...What a relief to read a murder mystery that does not feature a bullet-munching, tough-as-nails cop or private detective and a dame to kill for..." --Cleveland Plain Dealer THE SHOOTING SCRIPT
Ballantine Hardcover March 2005 Ballantine Paperback May 2006 Available as an Audiobook from Sound Library "Hilarious...[A] wholly entertaining sequel: a frenzied encore for suspense fans and an edifying indulgence for seasoned film buffs." --Publishers Weekly "Hard-boiled nerd Roy Milano is back in another screwball adventure...Enough delightful insanity to please fans of silly suspense (from Jonathan Lethem to Kinky Friedman.)" --Booklist "Another madcap adventure for the self-described 'trivial man'...Very funny...with a cast and crew of zanies." --Kirkus Reviews "Movie buffs will absolutely gorge on this smorgasbord of arcane silver screen trivia; THE SHOOTING SCRIPT is a sparkling, fast-paced jewel of a novel." --Katherine Neville, author of The Eight "Great fun and full of movie trivia...Klavan should have an endless supply of material for novels to come." --Mystery Scene "Fast action...Fun to read...Second in an up-and-coming mystery series tailor-made for film history buffs and movie lovers alike. Milano is a comic cross between a Dashiell Hammett gumshoe and a Woody Allen schlemiel." --The Strand magazine "Packed with old-movie references, this sequel to 'The Cutting Room' is a delicious read for movie and mystery fans." --Chronogram magazine "A cast of oddball characters scramble to get their hands on a copy of a lost Jerry Lewis film...The action moves at a crazy clip from New York City to L.A. to Amsterdam to upstate New York, with stops in Maine and Philadelphia. The digs at Hollywood are fun, and the hero's habit of reciting movie trivia when he's nervous is not only endearing, it's informative." --Romantic Times magazine BED AND SOFA
Premiered at New York's Vineyard Theater Winner of two Obie Awards, and Seven Drama Desk nominations including Best Book and Lyrics to a Musical Produced by Philadephia's Wilma Theater Winner of two Barrymore Awards Published by Dramatists Play Service Recorded by Fynesworth Alley "A delight! First-rate! A classy treat! A new work that both honors the original and gives it a sternly funny stage life of its own." --The New York Times "Wonderful! A must-see! So perfectly done it is almost unfair to the rackety hacks who infest our musical theater." --Michael Feingold, Village Voice "Enchanting! Exquisite! A wholly original piece of musical theater!" --Linda Winer, Newsday "Fresh and endearing! As original as it is impudent! The show has jaunty music by Polly Pen and a jazzy text by Laurence Klavan." --John Simon, New York Magazine "An evening to treasure--a funny, touching, musically sumptuous jewel that speaks with equal ease to mind and heart." --Philadelphia Inquirer EMBARRASSMENTS
Premiered at Philadelphia's Wilma Theater Published by Dramatists Play Service "A lively, funny, and very smart musical...Klavan's clever book is well matched by Pen's music." --Variety "An inventive musical...features Pen's explosive score and Klavan's exceptional book..." --Philadelphia Weekly "An offbeat, original, and enjoyable musical...[A] witty and knowing book...concise and imaginative songs." --Philadelphia Inquirer "A breathtaking 90-minute chamber musical...Cannot help but redefine the artistic boundaries of the musical theater." --Reading Eagle THE MAGIC ACT
Premiered at New York's Ensemble Studio Theatre Produced by Texas' Renaissance Guild Theater Published by Dramatists Play Service "Positively off-the-wall...Bizarre, funny...[A] surreal comedy lampooning fairy-tale-perfect love and the mindless hype of TV news...[A] mad, manic slap at hype." --San Antonio Express-News SLEEPING BEAUTY
Premiered at New York's Manhattan Punch Line Theater Produced by Philadelphia's People's Light and Theater Co. Published by Dramatists Play Service "A wonderful example of the one-act breed." --The New York Times "Slapstick, verbal burlesque." --Village Voice THE SHOW MUST GO ON
Premiered at New York's Manhattan Punch Line Theater Published by Dramatists Play Service "A wonderful piece for actors." --New York Daily News "A very funny and astute parable about the inability to break out of humdrum routine." --The Bergen Record IF WALLS COULD TALK
Premiered at New York's Manhattan Punch Line Theater Produced by New York's American Jewish Theater Published by Dramatists Play Service "Very funny lines...We learn that dying is no excuse to stop laughing." --D. J. R. Bruckner, The New York Times "Most entertaining...The ghosts...are a mischievious band." --Mel Gussow, The New York Times "Charm and dizzy surrealism." --Back Stage GORGO'S MOTHER
Premiered at New York's Manhattan Punch Line Theater Published by Dramatists Play Service "A stunning forty-five minute version of LA RONDE...[An]affecting melding of slyness and conviction...Each time they open their mouths, the characters reveal themselves, each with a poetic idiom of longing and cynicism." --Village Voice NO TIME
Premiered at Philadelphia's Festival Theater for New Plays Produced by New York's Working Theater Published by Dramatists Play Service "Hilarious." --Variety |
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