CS Weekly Archive > DVD > 09/07/07

Writing for a War-Weary World

by jason davis

Cracker: A New Terror

Jimmy McGovern

After a 10-year absence from television screens, writer Jimmy McGovern's cantankerous police psychologist Eddie "Fitz" Fitzgerald (Robbie Coltrane) returns to the screen in a feature-length story shrouded in post-9/11 ennui and darkly critical of the paranoid society that has arisen in its wake.  In the UK for his daughter's wedding, Fitz finds himself investigating the murders of several Americans in Manchester and delving into the mind of a killer twisted by the war on terror.  McGovern's script, punctuated by sound bites from Bush, Blair, and various war correspondents, immerses itself in the cultural zeitgeist and offers a sympathetic insight to the killer's motivations even as Fitz closes in for the arrest.  A one-hour documentary chronicling the creation of Cracker features in-depth interviews with McGovern and others involved in the series.  The creator recalls how he came to develop the series, the writing of several key episodes, and how best to deal with actors who've decided to move on from the series.

Cracker: A New Terror

Acorn Media

Not Rated; 108 min.

$24.99

Buy it now

Jason Davis has been the DVD Manager for CS Weekly , has been a contributing editor for Creative Screenwriting Magazine, and has written for Cinescape.com, MSN.com, and created the TV series Studio 13, which ran on Lorne Michaels' Burly TV network. He lives in the small space left over by his ever-expanding library of books, movies, and music.

Cracker: A New Terror courtesy Acorrn Media

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 Big Picture

Features that cover all aspects of screenwriting, from our "Seven Best" lists to analysis of old favorites and new classics. > 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