 |
CS
Weekly Archive > DVD
of the Day > 04/06/07
Head of the Class...War
by scott castle
National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj (Unrated)
David Drew Gallagher
 
 
Seemingly written by someone utterly unfamiliar with actual British culture, Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj (in which Van Wilder does not appear) follows Indian-American grad student Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Kal Penn) to Camford University in England, where he hopes to join the prestigious Fox and Hound fraternity, but instead finds himself heading up a troupe of misfits in an attempt to shake up the English class system. Despite clichéd attempts at lampooning British culture and a rather hackneyed fifth-hand college underdog plot, the film succeeds in its characterization of Taj and his cohorts and manages to land some remarkably funny jokes while drawing on the British aristocracy's oppressive exploitation of India for ammunition. Still, without the endearing Penn and his castmates imbuing the characters with their verve, the whole affair would undoubtedly flunk out. A handful of deleted scenes round out some plot points.
National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj (Unrated)
MGM Home Entertainment
Unrated; 97 min.
$29.99
Buy it now
Scott Castle is one thesis shy of a master’s degree in film. He’s written two short films, four television scripts, and a handful of short stories. He lives in Los Angeles.
National Lampoon's Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj (Unrated) courtesy MGM Home Entertainment
|
 |
From
the Trenches
Working screenwriters discuss
in their own words a particular
aspect of screenwriting,
from the mechanics of writing
to the personal and professional
impact that writing has
had on their lives. >
VIEW
ARCHIVE
The
Art of Craft
Screenwriting experts discuss
how to approach various
aspects of writing and the
writing life. A mini-seminar
each week from the people
who write the books and
teach the classes. >
VIEW
ARCHIVE
The Big Picture
Features that cover all aspects of screenwriting, from our "Seven Best" lists to analysis of old favorites and new classics. > VIEW ARCHIVE
Expert
Witness
A panel of experts assembled
to provide the facts about
the screenwriting business.
Readers will be able have
their questions answered
by an agent, producer, entertainment
attorney, and WGA representative—and
without paying that 10%
commission. > VIEW
ARCHIVE
Son
of a Pitch
A weekly tutorial on how
to write a script. Each
week deals with a different
element of creating a script,
with the ultimate goal to
provide a step-by-step instruction
manual for new writers.
The guide for this is a
writer just diving into
screenwriting himself, who
asks the pros questions
any new screenwriter would
have about this brave new
world. > VIEW
ARCHIVE
Weekend
Read
Film, book, web site and technology reviews from a
writer’s perspective. How can these items help
a writer on his or her journey, or make that journey
more enjoyable? > VIEW
ARCHIVE
DVD
Review of the Day
DVD reviews from a writer’s point of view. What
aspects of this script and features of this DVD illuminate
the writing, development, and storytelling process?
> VIEW ARCHIVE
|
|
