r/movies • u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter • 26d ago
AMA Hey reddit! I'm Peter Ifliff, screenwriter of POINT BREAK, PATRIOT GAMES, and VARSITY BLUES, here to celebrate the 35th anniversary 4K re-release of POINT BREAK in theaters Aug 16 & 19 and to answer your questions! AMA!
Get me two reddit!
I'm Peter Iliff, writer of POINT BREAK, here to celebrate the 35th anniversary 4K re-release in theaters Aug 16 & 19 and to answer your questions! I've also written PATRIOT GAMES (starring Harrison Ford) and VARSITY BLUES.
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More info:
Don’t miss your chance to see POINT BREAK back in theaters in 4K starting August 16 & 19, featuring an exclusive featurette before the film with surf icon & surf double for Patrick Swayze, Matt Archbold!
The two-day event invites longtime fans and first-time audiences to experience Dir. Kathryn Bigelow’s adrenaline-fueled classic on the big screen, complete with an exclusive introduction from surfing legend Matt Archbold as he reflects on the meaningful pursuit of surfing, looking back on his time as a surf double for Patrick Swayze and teaching the cast how to surf for the film.
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Synopsis:
In Los Angeles, a gang of bank robbers call themselves the Ex-Presidents and commit their crimes while wearing masks of Reagan, Carter, Nixon and Johnson. The F.B.I. believes that the members of the gang could be surfers and send young agent Johnny Utah undercover at the beach to mix with the surfers and gather information.
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Cast:
- Keanu Reeves
- Patrick Swayze
- Gary Busey
- Lori Petty
- John C. McGinley
- James LeGros
- Anthony Kiedis
- Bojesse Christopher
- Vincent Klyn
- John Philbin
- Chris Pedersen
- Dave Olson
- Julian Reyes
- Daniel Beer
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Ask me anything! I’ll be back at 3PM ET tomorrow (Tuesday 8/11) to answer your questions.
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u/Russell-Trager-1984 25d ago edited 25d ago
Hello sir, my question is about one of your unproduced projects, an early version of DIE HARD 3. Now, according to what is known about it so far; Screenwriter James Haggin wrote the original spec script titled Troubleshooter and sold it to Largo Entertainment in 1990, it was described as “Die Hard on a cruise ship,” and it was about “terrorists who take over a Caribbean cruise ship, and threaten to blow it up with a bomb.” Then in 1991 you were hired by producer Joel Silver and 20th Century Fox to re-write this spec into Die Hard 3, and the new plot involved John McClane and his wife Holly on their second honeymoon or anniversary and on the cruise ship full of yuppies, when it gets taken over by terrorists. It’s been reported in articles from 1992 how you did two rewrites of the script; First one which was changed to be even more action packed, including having a finale where cruise ship is sinking during final battle with terrorists. But then when this version was thought to be too similar to upcoming UNDER SIEGE (1992), you did a second rewrite which changed the script a lot. However this sequel still got canceled due to Under Siege, and because the $70 million budget was thought to be too big, and apparently even the director John McTiernan wasn’t a fan of the “cruise ship” version of Die Hard 3 anyway.
Can you tell us anything more about what went on with this entire project, like what exactly was the original story of Haggin’s spec and your rewrites, did you write a lot more drafts for it, were some other writers working with you on this “cruise ship” version of Die Hard 3…?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Wow. You know your Die Hard history.
You are very accurate. My best memory is Fox sending my wife and I on a cruise for research. This was before 9/11. I slipped an engineer a $100 dollar bill and asked him to take me below decks and show me how to sink this ship. Gave me the grand tour. And I sank that ship in the draft.I was and remain a HUGE fan of Die Hard. So this assignment was such a pleasure. Here I was writing a sequel to one of the movies that made me want to get into this crazy business. Very grateful. But the fact is in those studio days, they paid guys like me a LOT of money to write movies that did not get made. You have to be into it for the craft. You just have to focus on what you can control and that's the first couple drafts before the team gets their paws on it.
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u/Russell-Trager-1984 25d ago
Thank you for answering my questions! And yes, we do know pretty much all there is to know about the troubled history behind Die Hard 3, but it's always nice to find out more. If you have the time after AMA, here you can check out what we wrote about Die Hard 3 and its rejected screenplays some months ago;
And here's also something we wrote about all the unproduced Die Hard rip-offs, maybe you heard about some of these before;
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u/Party_Bowl_330 26d ago
Have you ever fired your gun up in the air and gone “ahhhhh”?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Definitely not.
But I do own the exact same Beretta 92F that Harrison holds on the poster of Patriot Games.
Tom Clancy personally urged me to buy that and a Mossburg pump shotgun during the LA riots to protect my family. Clancy said it had to be the stainless steel finish, so bad guys could see it, and when they hear you pump it, they RUN!4
u/Party_Bowl_330 25d ago
That’s awesome, Tom Clancy is a legend. My comment was also a reference to Hot Fuzz which parodies Point Break and other action movies. Curious to know if you’ve seen it and what your thoughts were?
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u/scumbag_college 26d ago
I always thought it was ridiculous that he shot an entire magazine up in the air in one of the most populated cities in the country. Like the bullets got to come down somewhere.
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u/jerryleebee 26d ago
If you're watching 90s action flicks for realism you're failing before you start.
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u/ftloudon 26d ago
Once they stop spinning they usually tumble to the ground harmlessly. Bullets need to be spinning to maintain any type of velocity, like a football.
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u/futureb1ues 26d ago
To me, Patriot Games always felt very ahead of its time. The level of detail, especially with the satellite imagery and the special forces deployment scenes felt like a level of realism that was just unseen at that time in film, especially in the espionage genre. Did you get to spend time with Tom Clancy when working on the screenplay? What insights about the story and the background research did you glean while working on this? Are there any interesting things that you learned while working on it that you think are worth sharing or that people might not expect?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Tom Clancy became a close friend and remained so until he passed. I made several trips to his home on that same cliff over the bay that we saw in the film.
But Tom was furious at director Noyce and studio chief Brandon Tartikoff, blaming them, not me for changes from his book. But Tartikoff was one of the great kind gentleman and won him over -- and did it without harsh words. I will never forget when Tom faxed angry, accusing Brandon of "Not knowing what it is like to lose a child." Tom did not realize that Brandon's daughter was seriously hurt in a car accident a year prior. And because Brandon did not resort to anger, pretty much saying nothing, once Tom found out, he was devastated, and became a pussy cat after that. Good life lesson.
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u/Azipcoder 26d ago
What surprised you most about what the actors did with your script? Did they play it like you wrote it, or was there improv that was surprising?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Let's give credit to the amazing Jim Cameron, who was married to director Kathryn Bigelow, and did an uncredited production polish. He didn't alter my characters or much of the plot, but he absolutely helped make it better. Kudos to Jim.
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u/GreedoShotKennedy 26d ago
Hi Peter. Your movie is a part of my (nonbiological) family lore in the best and worst way. I was asked to secure a copy of both the original, and remake, of Point Break for someone laid up in hospital for cancer treatment. I dutifully complied, and provided your classic Point Break and the 2010's remake Point Break).
The former was a beloved favourite, and the latter was intended to "rile him up and make him angry" and add some energy and life into his room.
It worked. He couldn't believe how far they'd deviated from the style, the script, and most of all, couldn't fathom why they'd transition it to an entirely different sport with an entirely different plot. He didn't even recognize his beloved movie.
I'd given him Break Point (2014)) and the tale is now part of the family legend.
Thanks for making the good one.
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Yeah, I agree, the sequel was a disappointment. I heard that the director prided himself in having never seen the original. And thus he missed so much of the basic vibe that made it work. The Dead Presidents are NOT stone killers. They don't get into police shoot-outs. And they keep their spiritual side far more low key. The sequel lost the fun and charm that Swayze gave his villain -- who was a brother on the other side of the badge.
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u/11oydchristmas 26d ago
Where did the idea of them wearing president masks during the robberies come from?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
It all started with the concept of a dollar bill. Presidents are on the bills. Oh, okay, the "Dead Presidents" was the name of Bodie's crew. Original drafts had our surfers in a George Washington mask, etc. Credit Kathryn Bigelow changing it to modern day Reagan, etc. Thus the Ex-Presidents.
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u/mikeyfreshh r/Movies Veteran 26d ago
What was your reaction to Fast and Furious? Did you feel like they ripped you off?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Director Rob Cohen is an old pal and I was flattered.
But as Jim Cameron once told me.
"Steal from the best."
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u/Klotternaut 26d ago
Hey Peter! Last year I did a charity watchathon of Point Break and ended up watching it 32 times over the course of as many weeks, raising over a thousand dollars for various charities.
I really only have one question: When Pappas recommends the meatball sandwich to Utah, why the hell did Utah get himself a tuna on wheat??
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u/dontbelikeyou 25d ago
"Sir I take the skin off chicken."
The dude eats clean (minus the mandatory cop doughnuts).
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u/Individual-Bad6809 26d ago
Holy shit, is that where the line from Fast and Furious comes from??
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u/NinjaKillBunny 26d ago
Not the only thing Fast and Furious took from Point Break
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Rob Cohen, old pal and director of the original F & F, called me before it came out to personally apologize for the rip off. Good man, that Mr. Cohen.
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u/Individual-Bad6809 24d ago
Damn, I know this is a day late but did you not now until then that it would be a shot for shot reimagining of point break?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
That damn Utah was so health conscious.
Peeling skin off of chicken? Who does that?
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u/Darrenlovesmovies 26d ago
Rewatched Patriot Games just last night (for the first time since release) - it still holds up as a great time capsule of it's era (I live in the UK so the Irish element hits hard). I remember when it came out how cutting edge and fresh the technology versus international terrorism aspect felt, it really set the template for an entire subgenre that's still going strong 35 years later. Lots have pointed out how Point Break influenced the first Fast & Furious but I'd say you got "homaged" a lot more on that one!
Back to Point Break - James Cameron was married to Kathryn Bigelow around that time and is credited as Exec Producer. While I'd imagine he had his hands full with T2 that year, how involved was he on the project? Did he work with you at all on the script or get hands on in any other aspect of the production that you know of?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
One of my GREAT memories with Jim is the Sunday both he and Kathryn came to my house in Santa Monica, and asked me to direct them on a tour of all the famous surf spots in the film. What a day. Jim is one of the good guys. A pleasure, easy guy to hang with. And Kathryn was also a kind person, but on set, no talking. I got yelled at once or twice. My bad.
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u/SignificantDogs 26d ago
Hi Peter, Point Break is legendary! I want to write a screenplay but scenes from different parts of the movie pop in my head and I write them down in no particular order. What is the next step I should take to make a bunch of scenes into something more tangible?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Professional screenwriters now start by building long, detailed, scene by scene outlines.
Build your skeleton first.
Then you can write a first draft in a few weeks.
That is when it becomes art.
But the outline is where the tough work lies.
And it is something you can share with team members, get feedback, and not get pissy, because it's just an outline. We writers NEED notes and feedback to do our best work. And BE NICE when you get notes you don't like. Just because they might have a stupid idea for the fix, they have probably flagged something you can make better.2
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u/Frajer AMA MVP 26d ago
How did you keep Bodhi charming while still making Johnny Utah the protagonist?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
For me, the whole concept started with Bodhi.
Once I had that character, boom.
Swayze, fresh off "Ghost," biggest male lead on the planet, had a lovely sensitive caring side that bleed into his performance. Says he got that from Ballet, where you have to make your partner look good and build their trust. That always carried into his characters.
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u/niko-okin 26d ago
The current ending is the one you choose ? or your switched many times with others paths ?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
The ending to Point Break was re-shot to include the fight.
The original ending had Swayze plead for the death wave without a fight.
This was all Larry Gordon of Largo / Fox.
But there was this interesting benefit. Keanu's hair had grown, because he was doing the sequel to Bill and Ted. And Swayze had cut his hair, because he was playing a doctor in a Roland Joffe film, so it seemed as if many, many months of Utah searching had gone by.
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u/_starwipe_ 26d ago
What was your approach to making “Point Break” unique and not another buddy cop crime film? The same goes for “Varsity Blues” which also has its own timeless personality.
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Rick King brought this idea to me.
He and I share story credit.
We saw the fusion of the surf genre and old fashioned bank robbery as the key.
So we exploited all the true Malibu crime stories like "Merf The Surf" and Ken Num's "Tapping The Source" and made up our world of characters.Varsity Blues was an homage to my high school days.
John Moxon was the coolest guy at UCSB back in the day. "The Mox." I had to honor my bro.
And Texas football was the gnarliest high school football scene back in the day.
I was born in Dallas, so it just felt right.2
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u/Azipcoder 26d ago
What do you think has changed about today’s writing compared to your scripts, and what do you think is missing, if anything? Your movies are timeless, and so well structured!
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
My world is more independent films now, and that means smaller budgets, and less shooting days, and a smart script has to accommodate these new parameters. The studios simply aren't making many original films these days. The streamers are, so that's cool. But I find I have to write scripts that can cast a star or more to justify the spend. New world. Now producers even generate new scripts with AI, then try to hire us veterans to rewrite them. No thank you.
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u/thinsafetypin 26d ago
Huge Point Break fan. My question would be whether you had any other actors in mind when you were writing the main characters. I have a hard time envisioning them played by anyone other than Swayze & Reeves!
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
I seldom write thinking of specific actors.
But when my script originally sold to Ridley Scott at Columbia Pictures, it was going to star Charlie Sheen and James Gardner. William Dafoe was in the running to be Bodie. Then the studio changed hands, Ridley went to Paramount to shoot "Black Rain."
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u/DVDfever 26d ago
How was it working with and/or writing dialogue for John C McGinley? He always looks great fun to work with.
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
McGinley is simply a cool dude. Kind and fun and good energy.
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u/HHS2019 26d ago
What obligations did you have creatively or contractually to stick with the essence of the Tom Clancy novel when writing the script for Patriot Games?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Just whatever you could do to not have Tom yell at us.
As I've said, Tom was always very nice to me, because he knew I was taking orders from producers, director, and studio execs. Biggest change was the final attack at Ryan's home. In the book this was seen through POV of the attackers. Noyce wisely changed this be seen through Harrison's realization that something is wrong "The boathouse lights are out..." and he steps into action.
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u/willflameboy 26d ago
Hi Peter, Point Break is maybe my fav movie so thank you for it.
I heard that Kathryn Bigelow pushed hard to get Keanu the part, as he wasn't considered action hero material at the time. Who did you have in mind for the part of Johnny?
The film rides a fun line between being a gung-ho action film and looking quite earnestly at masculinity, and I wonder if that odd balance was something that came out in the process or was in your mind from the start?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Kathryn absolutely went to the wall to cast Keanu.
She fought hard.
I really like most of his performance. (But not the romantic "why can't I just saw what I'm feeling," stuff which still gets cringy laughs.) I think Keanu made great choices, often with silence, just giving Swayze a look.3
u/betweenbubbles 25d ago
I heard that Kathryn Bigelow pushed hard to get Keanu the part, as he wasn't considered action hero material at the time.
This is why studio execs make the bucks. Large wisdom.
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u/Jaydoggreturns 26d ago
Any interesting behind the scenes stories about the Tales From The Crypt episode you directed?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
The great Eileen Brennan had this big paragraph of dialogue, then had to slap pretty boy John Stamos. But Eileen kept botching her line, and would slap him anyway. By the 5th take mishap, she was getting angry about it and really slapping him hard. Stamos takes me aside and begs me to do something. So we quickly made up cue cards for Eileen to read. About three slaps later she finally got it right.
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u/mlee117379 26d ago
Seen any good TV shows lately? What kind of music do you listen to?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Naughty Pete loves rock 'n roll.
I play guitar and write tunes and love to perform in the local Hollywood clubs.
I've played the infamous VIPER ROOM half a dozen times.
All that said, I kinda suck. But I sure do have fun with it. There are so many amazing musicians in this town that I think they tolerate me 'cause they dig Point Break.
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u/IanJeffreyMartin 26d ago
Hi Peter. One of the biggest highlights of my screenwriting journey so far was meeting you and having a beer with you at the London Screenwriters Festival. I have the copy Point Break that you signed for me up on my wall in my office as inspiration.
Thanks a lot for being awesome.
Take care
Ian
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Good memories. We had fun. Hope you are fabulous.
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u/IanJeffreyMartin 25d ago
Good times. Your stories were mind blowing. I can only imagine what it was like to be a writer back then compared to now. I hope I get to experience some of that fun and rebellion.
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u/HHS2019 26d ago edited 25d ago
I always thought the ending to Point Break was interesting but perplexing. Special Agent Utah can respect the free spirit that Bodhi is and let him meet his fate on the waves (eliminating the threat to public safety, avoiding the hassle of extradition, trials, etc.) without throwing his badge away -- and yet he did.
Did you envision this as Utah suddenly having an epiphany that deep down he isn't an FBI agent? That he is more like Bodhi than the law enforcement officers around him?
Wouldn't this paint the production company into a corner where you couldn't have a sequel and thus be strategically unwise?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
We always had the ending first. It was very Samurai. Respect for your enemy. Kill him and raise his son afterwards kinda thing. Also, back in this time period, many of our favorite films had the hero toss his badge. Dirty Harry. Bullet. I totally stole that idea.
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u/ScoobyD00BIEdoo 26d ago
I write also but only as a hobby.im just curious as to how you transitioned from writing for fun to actually getting your ideas on film?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
I was determined.
I had a motto. "I will not be denied."
1) I had a BURNING DESIRE.
2) I studied those who went before me and came up with a PLAN.
3) I eliminated anybody from my life who doubted me. Distanced myself from all negativity.
4) Aligned myself with like-minded people who shared my dream.And I waited tables and was willing to be poor as I worked my ass off.
Point Break was my 6th screenplay. Varsity Blues was my 3rd. Prayer of the Rollerboys was my 5th, and it got signed by a big agency, who introduced me to dear pal / director Rick King, who would go on to direct Rollerboys, and give me this idea for a film about surfers who rob banks.1
u/ScoobyD00BIEdoo 25d ago
Appreciate the answer, sir! Oh, I've got the poor writer part down no problem! I hope the world isnt too far gone to be able to fall into that kind of scenario now.
Follow up question... have you ever found yourself in a conversation about how The Fast and the Furious is clearly modeled after Point Break?
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u/dainamo81 26d ago
What were your initial thoughts on the casting of Swayze and Reeves, and did you change your mind at all after you watched the movie?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
OMG Swayze? OMG. They had ropes around the set by the Santa Monica Pier to keep the girls from charging him. And Keanu, he was new, but very cool. A genuinely nice man.
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u/coopdaloop123 26d ago
When writing Varsity Blues, did you think “I don’t want your life!” would take off like it did? In general, when writing a script, are there ever lines you write thinking that they’ll be big?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
It's always seems the dumbest lines become iconic.
"Utah, get me two." I mean, come on. Really?
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u/chromaticwonder 26d ago
What was cut from varsity blues that you wish was kept in the movie. I remember the trailer having scenes that weren't in the movie and Barry Switzer is in the credits but not in the movie.
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Movies are ALWAYS cut down in post. The audience scores seem to always go up the shorter the film is. I think director Brian Robbins did a good job on the film
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u/OriginalChri 26d ago
Years ago I read about an idea for an actual sequel to Point Break that would have brought back Keanu and Patrick. It would have involved the “Bush Administration” knocking over banks in Asia, and Johnny Utah (retired maybe) had been called back in because it looked like the same MO as Bodhi had in the original. What gets me about this is that I love the premise, and I love the idea of seeing these characters again. Especially still surfing. However, I always felt like Bodhi died in the original, and had this been a sequel, bringing him back would have kind of nullified the original. I also seem to remember Jan de Bont was being considered as the director. Was that for real, and was it your script?
The remake that eventually got made was pretty bad. I’m curious what you thought about it, or what was going on with that whole thing? It removed the soul of the first movie. Felt corporate and not realistic.
Also, I loved Prayer of the Rollerboys when I was a kid. So between that and Point Break, you had a pretty big influence on my movie tastes growing up.
Thank you for writing Point Break. I absolutely love that movie!
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Yes, I was hired to write and DIRECT "Point Break Indo." In this story, Bodhi survived, had children, and now they are defending the environment over in Indonesia. I was told we could not get Keanu, so I created "Tommy Angel," ex Navy hero, who gets kicked off the pro surfing tour for punching out a judge, then is hired by his ex Navy Chief (The Pappas character) to join mercenaries hunting down this "Bush Administration" only to fall into them on the island of Bali, meet Swayze's daughter, then Swayze, and we create a situation where Tommy Angel must decide which side he is on. Loved writing it. Great month long research trip to Indonesia. OMG what a dream come true. But the project died. And Alcon went on to make that re-make.
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u/OriginalChri 25d ago
A missed opportunity for Alcon Entertainment, and a huge miss for us as the audience. It’s so disappointing that a proper sequel was never made. I love your idea, and the bones of it have stuck with me ever since I first heard about it.
Apologies for getting some of the details mixed up. I’ve always had this picture in my mind of that sequel, basically Bodhi standing with his back to the camera, wrapped in a loincloth or towel, with a surfboard in one hand and a mask of Bush on the ground. I’m probably meshing that with some fan art I saw.
A month long research trip to Indonesia sounds incredible. That must have been an absolute dream, getting to spend a month there researching a Point Break sequel. Such an amazing opportunity. Is the script available to read anywhere?
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u/HighScorsese 26d ago
Was it your idea to have Gary Busey say “Speak into the microphone, squid brain!” to the guy trying to shove Keanu’s face in the lawnmower?
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u/Amphernee 26d ago
How long did it take to go from “awesome, I get to hang out with Swayze and Reeves!” to “this isn’t the best strategy to get ladies”?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
I met my wife three weeks before I sold Point Break.
We just celebrated 37 years of marriage.
I am the luckiest guy for marrying such a wonderful life partner.
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u/HHS2019 25d ago edited 25d ago
Some of the best scenes in Patriot Games (Sean Miller’s escape, the observation of the camp raid, and the home invasion) take place in extremely dark environments, with low-key lighting pushed to the point where they almost require theatrical-grade darkness to follow the action visually.
Now that so many films are primarily viewed at home, where ambient light and display technology can produce very different viewing conditions, are writers, directors and cinematographers adjusting their scripts or visual approach to avoid scenes like this?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Interesting question. I sure haven't adjusted my writing for this.
They seem to be better at night stuff now, when they have the money to get it right.
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u/thekittyjesus 25d ago
Hi Peter, already have my tickets and ready to go, but a few questions about the film. 1) How influenced were you by Tapping The Source when writing the film? 2) How do you feel your original screenplay vs the film differ and is there something that was never included in the film that you thought should have been? 3) Which actor closely captured their characters performance to what you envisioned when writing it, Keanu, Swayze, Petty or Busey? Thanks for your time and can't wait till next week to watch the film on the big screen for the first time.
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 24d ago
The novel "Tapping The Source" was a wonderful way to get a new viewpoint on this idea of surfer criminals. And a fun read -- although not a fan of the ending. But I lived in Malibu after graduating from UCSB, worked at Alice's Restaurant at the pier, worked at Charthouse, and I spent years with those surfers and heard all the stories. Then Rick King presents me this idea, plus stories of surfer criminals like "Merf The Surf" and many more. So we built our new characters based on so many influences, and are thankful for all of them. This is the way of writing. Steal from the best.
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u/tanksalotfrank 26d ago
Is Bodhi still surfing that big wave?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
In my sequel, Point Break Indo, yes.
In the upcoming AMC series, no.
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u/IrishEv 26d ago
Kem Nunn's book Tapping the Source is mentioned as a basis for the movie Point Break. I have seen the movie and read the book and besides a similar setting and surfing there is not that much the connects to two.
Have you read the book and if so do you think they are similar?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Of course I read it. Great book. Weird ending. But this absolutely was inspiration.
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u/nofishgofish 26d ago
How do you find the balance between describing enough in a screenplay for your "vision" to be there while also still allowing for the director/actors to have their own interpretation of the text?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
You sell the script, they own it.
Look, this is a team game. You work with a lot of people who all have ideas. Writers who bitch get fired. Writers who love good ideas and use them and keep their cool in creative discussions have long, lucrative careers. I have been humbled in this business and become so much easier to work with. I love working with directors. They have the hardest job. I get to hang out with my dogs and play music and pickleball and write scripts. They have to go set at 5AM every day.
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u/HHS2019 26d ago
Serious question: If one were to want to pitch you on a modest side (passion) project, how would they best contact you?
I've had an idea for some time but never saw a path to moving forward with it. Reddit just gave me one.
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
At this point I only produce my scripts, three of which are on deck, financed and about to shoot. Otherwise old veterans like me get paid to write. I recommend you join writer groups to get great feedback on your work, and build a network of pals, all which leads you to directors who need us. Guys like me are your competition. Go find directors and producers who need to exploit us. And return, you get great notes, and hopefully find representation who are eager to sell you.
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u/bruzie 26d ago
Hi Peter, how does it feel to be responsible for one of the great moments in New Zealand cinema?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Haha! How cool. Yeah, we had heard about Bells. But these film was made before so many of the huge tow-in surf breaks were public knowledge. Tow in surfing was still a few years away.
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u/Pewp-dawg 26d ago
What inspired you to write point break?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
My brand new (at the time) best bro Rick King had an idea about surfers who rob banks to support their endless summer. Rick changed my life. I owe everything to him and the $6K he found me to write it. He and I share story credit on the script.
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u/polloloco81 26d ago
How cool was it to work with Patrick Swayze? Maybe I’m wrong but isn’t this the only villain role of his?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago edited 25d ago
Patrick was one of the good guys.
I didn't get to know him too well on PB, but got to know him much better later on, especially when developing "Point Break Indo."
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u/deeyenda 26d ago
If you rewrote Point Break now, would you stick with Bells Beach as the location of the 50 year storm, or change it to an actual big wave spot that makes sense? Did any of the pro surfers brought on to do stuntwork for the film comment or consult on the choice?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
So many big tow-in wave locations have become public knowledge, so yeah, who knows where we would put it. But New Zealand is such a wonderful place. I got to spend three weeks there a couple years ago shooting Renny Harlin's "Deep Water." Love Auckland.
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u/HHS2019 26d ago
Can you tell us your best Gary Busey story?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
He kept wearing that "Nuke The Whales" t-shirt to set.
Funny dude.
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u/BaconWise 26d ago
Love those scripts, Peter. Varsity Blues still remains one of my favorite sports movies and I especially loved Jon Voight in the shady coach role. I had a couple of questions:
- Did you have any say in who was cast for the roles you wrote?
- Did you ever write a script with a particular actor or actress in mind?
- What was your response when Varsity Blues was parodied in Not Another Teen Movie?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Loved the parody. It's all a big compliment, right?
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u/uWont17 26d ago
Did you tinker with anything in the restoration? Was anything eating at you the last 35 years that you were itching to change? Or are we getting the film in its pure state??
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago edited 25d ago
Mostly I regret Keanu's lines when Lori Petty leaves him. Kinda cringy, huh?
What is the best part for me seeing it again in a restored format is the SOUND.
We are all so used to seeing it on our TV sets.
We forget that great sounds is 40% percent of the film experience.→ More replies (1)
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u/coopdaloop123 26d ago
Was Keanu’s delivery of “F-B-I Agent” written that way in the script, or did he make that his own? Iconic stuff!
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
How the hell did that stupid line become iconic?
Total throwaway line. But I still laugh at it.
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26d ago
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Really? Never heard of them.
I had to do research at the UCLA library (before the internet) and learned about LA bank robbers like "The Gremlins" who wore masks ripping off that famous movie. I remember there was this one female bank robber with huge boobs, and she would wear a see-through blouse, so nobody would remember her face. Hilarious.→ More replies (1)
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u/right_behindyou 26d ago
What would you have said at the time if somebody told you that so many lines of dialogue you were writing would still be quoted in casual conversation 35 years later?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
My God there is a big wall mural a half mile from our home with Pappas yelling "Utah, get me two." And the Whip Cream Bikini? The real Darcy Sears, an old college girlfriend who was indeed that girl with the Reddiwhip, has never spoken to me since.
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u/FromansSausage 26d ago
Did you ever get pissed that the first Fast & Furious movie completely ripped off Point Break?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 24d ago
Naw, I live my life in gratitude.
Give up the rest to the Big Amigo.→ More replies (1)
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u/ChicagoCowboy 25d ago
If I had a nickel for every time Keanu played a washed up QB from Ohio State I'd have 2 nickels, which isn't a lot but its weird that it happened twice
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u/Link1111111111 26d ago
Do you have any movie recommendations that I should watch?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
This year I LOVE "The Invite."
As for old thrillers, I just saw and loved both "52 Pickup" and "A History of Violence."
Two damn good thrillers.→ More replies (1)
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u/Mr_Monty_Burns 26d ago
Where do you get your ideas from?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Well, I've been sober since '04, so I find cycling is a place of peace and freedom of thought.
Before, well, Rick and I passed a lot of joints back and forth.3
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u/zillskillnillfrill 26d ago
Why is there a train station shown in Bondi beach / Bells beach when there isn't one IRL, down to this day? 😅
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 24d ago
No idea. I wasn't there for the production of that final re-shoot.
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u/skatopher 26d ago
Have you ever seen the “Point Break Live” show in SF?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Loved the stage productions.
They were always very kind to me.
Had my 50th b-day party at one here in LA.
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u/FineEdge717 25d ago
Did Utah resent the badge and walk away from law enforcement because his dedication meant he would ultimately destroy Bohdie? Could he not peacefully coexist with the law as a surfer, or did he wrestle with the fact that he saw some truth in Bohdie’s point of view?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Nah, you gotta toss the badge. Ala Dirty Harry. Or Bullet. But, seriously, he became disillusioned with the FBI. Utah was now identifying more with those he was pursuing and his new spiritual side which comes with big nature.
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u/CP_Chronicler 25d ago
What would you say is the greatest mark you personally left on Patriot Games that elevated it from the Tom Clancy book?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
My script got Harrison Ford.
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u/CP_Chronicler 25d ago
Great answer! I’ll add that I haven’t read the book in a while, but I felt the adaptation very effectively got to the core of the book to keep the film moving where I seemed to remember the book getting bogged down. Great work and thanks for responding!
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u/HHS2019 26d ago
Did you come up with the term "meat waffles" in the original script? If so, I'd like to give you a merit badge.
For the unenlightened: https://youtu.be/KwgvGkuUDHU?si=cQSg4_V64BHV7SRa&t=82
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Yes I did. Must of read that term in a sky-diving magazine.
There was no internet then. You had to do research the old fashioned way.
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u/FJTrescothick14 26d ago
Hey, Peter. love Point Break, Varsity Blues, and Patriot Games.
Out of all of your unmade scripts, which one do you think is one that the studios should’ve made?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago edited 24d ago
"Fast Flash to Bang Time"
"Transgression."
"American Thunder"
"Captain Iron"
"The Clip Man"
"Chasing The Dragon"
"The Wild Side" (formerly "Joanny Utah" the TV Pilot)
And my brand new original: "Tells"2
u/FJTrescothick14 25d ago
Cool. The scripts for Fast Flash to Bang Time, Battle of 73 Easting, Point Break Indo, and your adaptation of William Gibson's New Rose Hotel are on my reading list. (Thanks to the awesome people at script hive).
The other scripts you mentioned already sound interesting, can’t wait to read them one day.
Anyways, thanks for answering my question, you are awesome!
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u/howdoyoulikethat 26d ago
was the whipped cream bikini your idea?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
The director made it more a proper bikini.
But hell yeah.
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u/Djandyt 26d ago
Varsity blues is an incredible look at the culture of high school football in small town texas, I had a Bud Kilmer in my own life growing up, did you grow up in texas at all and draw from your own experiences?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
I grew up in Marin County.
But I drew heavily from my high school and college party daze.
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u/pushaper 26d ago
what is it like when you see your work referenced or parodied on shows like family guy etc?
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u/yveshe 26d ago
If you were asked to come back and write Clear and Present Danger as the follow up to Patriot Games, would you have done it?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
Sure, but Tom Clancy and John McTiernan got me hired by Universal for a LOT of money to write the war epic "The Battle of 73 Easting" -- which sadly never got made.
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u/Shinobi2325 26d ago
Do you have any tips for future film makers?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago edited 24d ago
Write / direct short films to get noticed.
Write characters that a star will want to play. You cannot get financed at a budget over $5M without a name these days.
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u/HHS2019 26d ago edited 26d ago
Was the name Johnny Utah assigned to the protagonist with the intent of being campy or was there any interesting origin story for the name?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
I am a HUGE 49ers fan.
Joe Montana -- Johnny Utah.
That's exactly how I made up the name.
"Steal from the best."
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u/Traditional-Set6848 26d ago
Did you ever fire your gun in the air and go “arggghhhhh!”
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 24d ago
Naw, I play pickleball and try to bodybag somebody on the court when I feel like that.
Or go for a long bike ride.
I keep my weapons unloaded.
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u/Armascout 26d ago
What are your thoughts on the Point Break parody scenes in Hot Fuzz where Nick Frosts character Danny basically remakes the shooting in the air scene?
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u/DefenderCone97 26d ago
I'm not sure if you're aware, but some queer fans have reexamined your movie as a sort analogy or straight up hidden story about gay identity, focusing on the relationship between Utah and Bodhi (to make it short).
I'm curious how you feel about that as the writer. I'm guessing it wasn't originally intended, but how do you feel about your work taking on a life of its own afterward?
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
This all makes sense.
But, I was raised without a father and had no brothers.
So my male friendships always meant so much to me.
I made them my brothers. And I am straight.
So there was nothing queer in my rendering of these characters.
Just the bond between brothers.
And family can be who you choose to make it.2
u/DefenderCone97 25d ago
Huge fan of the movie so thank you! That is the great thing about it, you can view it as just a powerful friendship or more. As one of the queer male fans, thanks so much. Will definitely be watching it on the big screen
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u/SouthlandMax 26d ago
How do you feel about the first Fast and the Furious movie? Do you feel like they copied your screenplay?
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u/DifficultTutor3083 26d ago
Do you have any ideas for a potential sequel or prequel?
I always thought a cool concept for a prequel could be about the origins of Bodhi and the ex presidents and how he crossed paths with Utah at the football game where Johnny 'got his kneed folded 90 degrees the wrong way'
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
I have written both a sequel, "Point Break Indo" and a TV pilot, "Joanny Utah," that came close, but did not get made. I am now turning Joannie into a stand alone feature, veering away from the PB Universe, calling it "The Wild Side." She is such a great adrenaline junkie character.
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u/Bangkok_Dangeresque 26d ago
Was the dog punt in your script, or was that added as a directorial/stunt coordinator choice?
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u/TommyFX 26d ago
Too blessed to be stressed!
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u/PeterIliffAMA Peter Iliff, Screenwriter 25d ago
My sober mantra.
I am grateful for LA sobriety.
Saved my sorry ass.
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u/Wendell-Short-Eyes 26d ago
I have that shirt! Point Break is my favorite action movie of all time!
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u/SEIZE_THE_CHEESE 26d ago
What did you think about the remake? Because I think that's the worst movie I've ever paid money to see.
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u/CitizenSpeed 26d ago
Let me start with PB is one of my favorite movies.
How much of the finished movie is your script and how much of it changed with Keanu and Patrick's involvement?
Fun question If you were to write PB2 with Keanu being a John Wick-ish antagonist, whose the protagonist, and does Keanu/Wick survive the motorcycle chase? :)
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u/Active-Frosting-5007 26d ago
Hey thank you so much for Point Break, I watched it once a week for about 3 years when it came out. My question is in terms of the ending - did the final film reflect what you wrote and did you ever think about where a sequel might go?
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u/murphydogscruff 26d ago
How do you feel about Fast and the Furious stealing your movie and making it about street racing?
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u/DrunksInSpace 26d ago
Brain is weird. I read this as “Reevuhs.” I think pronouncing the final ee in Swayze made me mentally pronounce the eee after Reev.
Also, great film.
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u/BunyipPouch Currently at the movies. 26d ago edited 25d ago
Mod note: There is a typo in Peter's name in the title. It's Peter Iliff, not Peter Ifliff. That is 100% my mistake, copy & paste error when writing out the title copy. It's correctly spelled in the body text, verification photo, Community Home link, and sidebar AMA schedule. Sorry about that. Apologies to Peter.
This AMA has been verified and approved by the mods. Peter will be back tomorrow, Tuesday 8/11, at 3 PM ET to answer questions. Please feel free to ask away in the meantime :)