The Writers Hangout

Michael Crichton's Writing Process Behind the 1996 Blockbuster "Twister"


Listen Later

Hang out with us as we explore what happened behind the scenes during the writing of Twister, the 1996 blockbuster movie Twister, with a special guest, my cousin Kate!

Twister is an action film and screwball romance featuring Bill Paxton and Helen Hunt. Writer Michael Crichton conceived it as a combination of the classic romantic comedy "His Girl Friday" and a PBS documentary about storm chasers he had seen on TV.

Helen Hunt portrays Jo, a meteorologist whose father was swept away by a tornado when she was a child. She has devoted her life to researching tornadoes and has created a device designed to collect essential data in the midst of severe weather systems. Her estranged husband, Bill Paxton, has left his tornado days behind and is ready to settle down with a new woman, Jami Gertz. The film also stars the late great Philip Seymour Hoffman, Succession’s Alan Ruck, and Todd Field, who directed Tár.

Research for this story includes:

Screenwritersutopia.com
Jeff Nathanson talks Catch Me If You Can
By Fred Topel

https://www.screenwritersutopia.com/article/33dc5cd0

Variety
Twister Stunt Boss Says Steven Spielberg Flew to Oklahoma and ‘Was F—ing Yelling’ at the Director After Crew Walked Off Set Amid Chaotic Filming
By Zack Sharf
https://variety.com/2024/film/news/steven-spielberg-screamed-twister-director-crew-rebelled-1236078124/

Crichton & Co. win Twister Lawsuit
Jury conducts whirlwind deliberations
By Janet Shprintz
 https://variety.com/1998/film/news/crichton-co-win-twister-lawsuit-1117467205/

Yardbarker.com
20 facts you might not know about Twister
https://www.yardbarker.com/entertainment/articles/20_facts_you_might_not_know_about_twister/s1__37717932#slide_1

The Original ‘Twister’ Is a Stealth Remake of a Classic Comedy
https://www.cracked.com/article_42873_the-original-twister-is-a-stealth-remake-of-a-classic-comedy.html

96 Twister Screenplay via Scribd
https://www.scribd.com/document/561736972/Twister-1996-The-Original-Screenplay

👍 If you enjoy the show, please remember to follow us and leave a review where you listen to podcasts. 

📸 Check out our IG for photos @thewritershangoutpodcast

💙 If you have an idea for the podcast or would like to comment please contact us @[email protected] 

PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
Hollywood’s favorite screenwriting contest -- one of the industry's top sources for new talent.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Writers HangoutBy Sandy Adomaitis

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

36 ratings


More shows like The Writers Hangout

View all
WTF with Marc Maron Podcast by Marc Maron

WTF with Marc Maron Podcast

28,975 Listeners

The Moth by The Moth

The Moth

27,021 Listeners

Scriptnotes Podcast by John August and Craig Mazin

Scriptnotes Podcast

2,437 Listeners

Heavyweight by Pushkin Industries

Heavyweight

17,592 Listeners

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast by Directors Guild of America

The Director’s Cut - A DGA Podcast

752 Listeners

PRETEND by Creative Babble, LLC

PRETEND

2,488 Listeners

Dateline NBC by NBC News

Dateline NBC

47,429 Listeners

The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna by Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna

The Screenwriting Life with Meg LeFauve and Lorien McKenna

977 Listeners

The Plot Thickens by TCM

The Plot Thickens

5,344 Listeners

Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation by Exactly Right and iHeartPodcasts

Trust Me: Cults, Extreme Belief, and Manipulation

2,430 Listeners

The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

The Ezra Klein Show

16,556 Listeners

The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart by Comedy Central

The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart

10,983 Listeners

The Town with Matthew Belloni by The Ringer

The Town with Matthew Belloni

1,134 Listeners

Nobody Should Believe Me by True Story Media

Nobody Should Believe Me

3,023 Listeners

Unicorn Girl by Apple TV / Seven Hills

Unicorn Girl

1,752 Listeners