Petition asks Bodhi Elfman to read prison screenplay
More than 2000 women sign petition demanding a firm commitment from Bodhi Elfman (film producer) to read screenplay addressing Texas judicial system
Bodhi Elfman – Talent Agents
– Actor, Producer, Writer – Enemy of the State (1998), Mercury Rising (1998), Collateral (2004), New Nightmare (1994) – – The Arlook Group, Galit Finkelstein Mantell
Bodhi Elfman & Adam Sandler’s film company targeted by Texas petition
Will Hollywood just rollover and let prisoner’s suffer?
EXCLUSIVE
The signatories, including state senators, professors of criminal justice, social workers, family, and inmates, call for a “firm commitment” to tackle the unjust prisons in Texas. The petition has also been signed by Beto O’Rourke, and Matthew McConaughey. These two signatories might face each other in the 2022 Texas governors election. Both have expressed interest in the job. The petitions arrived for Bodhi Elfman at last week.
In the open letter to Bodhi Elfman, the 2080 women write that they are “heartbroken for first-time drug offenders many times addicts who have received extremely harsh sentences in Texas when rehabilitation has proven a cheaper and more effective solution.” The petition goes on to say their family and friends are often heartbroken for and looking for redemption and rehabilitation for the victimless drug crimes.”
The signatories, including attorneys, professors, politicians, family members, and inmates, call on Bodhi Elfman for a ‘firm film commitment’ to tackle the issue of operating the Texas prison system for profit.
The petition came to light when women discovered the screenplay, a copy which was dontated to all 580 of the state’s prison and jail libraries. The existence of the petition surfaced on International Women’s Day. Women in Texas face extreme prejudice in Texas and often receive extremely harsh penalties for even a small amount of drugs, including marijuana. Marijuana is legal now in 21 states.
Inside prisons, the women are faced with such horrendous conditions… the petition demands that “filmmakers begin to take the issue seriously.” Also, the petition reminds that “even here in the USA in the 21st century citizens are not safe from government oppression.”
Actor, Producer, Writer, Bodhi Elfman, has not responded to the petition. Nor has responded with a comment.
The screenplay “Dumbass” was penned by writer and retired professor of political science Alan Nafzger.
The premise of the story is that, “Adam Sandler writes letters and saves numerous women from the monotony of prison life, and later when he gets into trouble with a drug cartel they return the favor by rescuing him.”
The film would be set in contemporary, Gatesville Texas. There are four women’s prisons located in Gatesville. And of course, Texas is famous for putting everyone in prison for a long sentences for little or no reason. The number of women in Texas prisons has tripled in the last ten years, as mass incarcerations have proven profitable to not only the state but also profitable for an array of business interests.
Writer Alan Nafzger has called on Governor Greg Abbott to, “end the prison industry.”
Recently, “Wheel of Fortune” host Pat Sajak spoke out against the Texas system and put a good word in for mercy and forgiveness out on social media. “How nice for those who have lived such exemplary lives that they can express glee when others have their lives ruined by a mistake, real or perceived,” Sajak tweeted last month.
The petition states, “Why don’t we have the ‘Adam Sandler’ character… sending letters to women in prison and being their friend and trying to help them adjust, giving them hope… and when they get out of prison he picks them up so they don’t have to ride the smelly bus back home… but his pickup truck is a junker, smoking and sputtering … worse than the bus. But his heart is in the right place… He’s the last “chivalrous” man on earth.”
Bodhi Elfman has not commented on the script, thusfar. A statement is expected soon.
Professor Nafzger has made a short treatment of the project available online.
He has made the finished script available at for select filmmakers.
Jana Sandler of Happy Madison Productions has also expressed interest in the screenplay.
Bodhi Elfman is a Actor, Producer, Writer known for Enemy of the State (1998), Mercury Rising (1998), Collateral (2004), New Nightmare (1994) and is represented by .
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A monster flick involves a physical creature who presents a threat to the story’s characters. This type of horror usually has a protagonist who defeats the monster at a great physical and emotional price. See films like Godzilla and Lake Placid.
THE MONSTER FLICK
A slasher tends to have a high body count, lots of gore and usually doesn’t have a central protagonist. If there is one, he’ll likely be killed off by the slasher. This slasher can be a guy with a big knife or a killer virus with no bounds. See movies like Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Cabin Fever.
THE SLASHER
And the fairy tale version of Gathering the Tools is a really useful structure to look at. Remember all those tales in which the hero or heroine was innocently kind to horrible old hags or helpless animals (or even apple trees), and those creatures and old ladies gave them gifts that turned out to be magical at just the right moment? Plant/Payoff and moral lesson at the same time.
In a love story or romantic comedy, the Training Sequence or Tools Sequence is often a Shopping Sequence or a Workout Sequence. The heroine, with the help of a mentor or ally, undergoes a transformation through acquiring the most important of tools: the right clothes and shoes and hairstyle. It’s worked since Cinderella —whose personal shopper/fairy godmother considerately made house calls. (See Arthur for the world’s loveliest example – can I have John Gielgud for my fairy godmother, please?)
The Training Sequence can also involve a “Gathering the Tools” or “Gadget” Sequence. The wild gadgets and makeup were a huge part of the appeal of Mission Impossible (original TV series) and spoofed to hysterical success in Get Smart (original TV series), and these days, CSI uses the same technique to massive popular effect.
I very strongly encourage novelists to start watching movies for Plants and Payoffs (and I’ve included a whole section on the technique, Chapter 34). Other names for this technique are Setup/Reveal or simply FORESHADOWING (which can be a bit different, more subtle). Vicky Cristina Barcelona does this beautifully with the long buildup to the intro of Maria Elena, the Penelope Cruz character. Penelope completely delivers on her introduction, and I knew she was a shoo-in for an Oscar nomination for that one. (In fact, she won.)