Lethal Weapon by Joel Norst (based on the screenplay by Shane Black)
Title: Lethal Weapon
Author: Joel Norst
Based on the screenplay by: Shane Black
Genre: thriller / movie novelization
My thoughts: No wonder this has never been reprinted-it was based on the original version of the screenplay and it leaves utterly no room for the existence of the future Lethal Weapon movies.
The poor copy I read was so dusty that I don't think it was touched in the last twenty years, and it shed four pages for every thirty I read with appallingly clockwork regularity. But still, I love reading novelizations because they typically contain richer details than the original movie, and this particular novelization was no exception. It was fascinating to read through it and match the how the details in the book compared to my memories of the movie.
Some of the character details were subtle and fabulous here; Murtaugh is smarter, for example, and a better cop. It was his idea for Riggs to play dead following the drive-by assassination attempt. It's also explained that in addition to having a blissful home-life, his wife Trish is significantly younger than he is and quite the catch (plus, she's a college librarian-I love spotting librarians in fiction!). And Mr. Joshua's tattoo-one of the first clues leading toward the villains-was identified because Murtaugh (not Riggs) recognized it from his military past, which tied a tighter connection to Murtaugh's old outfit and the shadow group spun from it. Riggs is portrayed as definitely crazy-there's a lot more back-story about him going off-reservation during the time period before being partnered with Murtaugh, and the interdepartmental reasons behind the partnership are actually explained (were they ever in the movie?)-and he's more equal to Murtaugh in both age and experience, with none of the older cop mentor/ younger cop hotshot tone. They're literately both veterans of the same war.
One of the aspects of the movie I always disliked (and I must have seen this movie 20 times) was Riggs' casual pejorative comment about homosexuality, during the scene where all the clues start coming together:
Murtaugh: Until now we'd been assuming that whoever was in that bed with Amanda Huntsacker was a man. Let's say it was Dixie.
Riggs: Okay. Disgusting, but okay.
The scene in the novelization is dramatically different. What, the producers decided this interpretation wouldn't play with the mass audience?
Riggs: Look, if you'd straddled and blown and jerked off ten thousand guys in your short life, would you be interested in man love, if given the choice? (…) Hell no, Roger. You'd go after some woman love on your own time. And it'd probably be with a sister hooker-
As well-written as this novelization is, it will languish forever as out-of-print because of the sequel movies. Firstly, it's extremely important to the plot of the book that Riggs' wife (who is never once referred to by name in the book) died of a weak heart, slowly and quietly in her own home. There was no sudden car accident (in accordance with the first movie) or accidental murder of 'we tried killing you, Riggs, in a car accident, but oops we got your wife instead' (in accordance with the second movie); it was just a 'sometimes life sucks and then you die' moment. (It's hard to aim crazy-sniper-cop-revenge focus on rheumatic fever.) And I liked how those movie details evolved and continued. Riggs' remembrance of his first wife and the way in which he slowly dealt her death was a thread carried through all four movies.
Secondly, by the end of the novelization, Murtaugh, the sane, dedicated, very good cop that he is…. decides Riggs is too crazy to stay with the police, and his decision to not recommend Riggs for continuing police duty is of key importance to Riggs' leaving the force entirely. The epilogue also inexplicably reveals that Murtaugh has become religious (this detail is only ever mentioned in the epilogue), and he announces to his Baptist congregation his renewed faith in God in the same breath as he announces that post-retirement Riggs is now teaching martial arts in the local Boy's Club and looking for new students.
Riggs. Teaching. It boggles my mind.
Linked to bookshare: http://community.livejournal.com/bookshare/1587957.html
Referenced:
Quote pulled from ISBN 0515091790, p. 83.
Note: Public entry.
Author: Joel Norst
Based on the screenplay by: Shane Black
Genre: thriller / movie novelization
My thoughts: No wonder this has never been reprinted-it was based on the original version of the screenplay and it leaves utterly no room for the existence of the future Lethal Weapon movies.
The poor copy I read was so dusty that I don't think it was touched in the last twenty years, and it shed four pages for every thirty I read with appallingly clockwork regularity. But still, I love reading novelizations because they typically contain richer details than the original movie, and this particular novelization was no exception. It was fascinating to read through it and match the how the details in the book compared to my memories of the movie.
Some of the character details were subtle and fabulous here; Murtaugh is smarter, for example, and a better cop. It was his idea for Riggs to play dead following the drive-by assassination attempt. It's also explained that in addition to having a blissful home-life, his wife Trish is significantly younger than he is and quite the catch (plus, she's a college librarian-I love spotting librarians in fiction!). And Mr. Joshua's tattoo-one of the first clues leading toward the villains-was identified because Murtaugh (not Riggs) recognized it from his military past, which tied a tighter connection to Murtaugh's old outfit and the shadow group spun from it. Riggs is portrayed as definitely crazy-there's a lot more back-story about him going off-reservation during the time period before being partnered with Murtaugh, and the interdepartmental reasons behind the partnership are actually explained (were they ever in the movie?)-and he's more equal to Murtaugh in both age and experience, with none of the older cop mentor/ younger cop hotshot tone. They're literately both veterans of the same war.
One of the aspects of the movie I always disliked (and I must have seen this movie 20 times) was Riggs' casual pejorative comment about homosexuality, during the scene where all the clues start coming together:
Murtaugh: Until now we'd been assuming that whoever was in that bed with Amanda Huntsacker was a man. Let's say it was Dixie.
Riggs: Okay. Disgusting, but okay.
The scene in the novelization is dramatically different. What, the producers decided this interpretation wouldn't play with the mass audience?
Riggs: Look, if you'd straddled and blown and jerked off ten thousand guys in your short life, would you be interested in man love, if given the choice? (…) Hell no, Roger. You'd go after some woman love on your own time. And it'd probably be with a sister hooker-
As well-written as this novelization is, it will languish forever as out-of-print because of the sequel movies. Firstly, it's extremely important to the plot of the book that Riggs' wife (who is never once referred to by name in the book) died of a weak heart, slowly and quietly in her own home. There was no sudden car accident (in accordance with the first movie) or accidental murder of 'we tried killing you, Riggs, in a car accident, but oops we got your wife instead' (in accordance with the second movie); it was just a 'sometimes life sucks and then you die' moment. (It's hard to aim crazy-sniper-cop-revenge focus on rheumatic fever.) And I liked how those movie details evolved and continued. Riggs' remembrance of his first wife and the way in which he slowly dealt her death was a thread carried through all four movies.
Secondly, by the end of the novelization, Murtaugh, the sane, dedicated, very good cop that he is…. decides Riggs is too crazy to stay with the police, and his decision to not recommend Riggs for continuing police duty is of key importance to Riggs' leaving the force entirely. The epilogue also inexplicably reveals that Murtaugh has become religious (this detail is only ever mentioned in the epilogue), and he announces to his Baptist congregation his renewed faith in God in the same breath as he announces that post-retirement Riggs is now teaching martial arts in the local Boy's Club and looking for new students.
Riggs. Teaching. It boggles my mind.
Linked to bookshare: http://community.livejournal.com/bookshare/1587957.html
Referenced:
Quote pulled from ISBN 0515091790, p. 83.
Note: Public entry.