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The Hobby Shack => Creative Writing => Topic started by: Chiprocks1 on December 08, 2012, 10:01:31 pm


Title: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 08, 2012, 10:01:31 pm
The Heist Genre is one of my favorite genres and this should be a fun one to break down. So, what are some common cliche scenes that seem to work their way into every Heist?

One Last Job - This seems to be the mandate of the main character that is looking to get out of the business, but for whatever reason, he is pulled back in to do one last job for the Big Score that will finally set him up financially to live out the life he always wanted.

Old Lion / Young Tiger - There always seems to be a pairing of the hardened, wise thief that has been doing this for years is suddenly partnered up with a rookie looking to learn the ropes. Usually, this pair is also the set up for a double cross at the end where the new kid tries to cheat the Master, only to get schooled in the art of deception.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Neumatic on December 08, 2012, 10:29:41 pm
Did you see that Simpsons episode where they were trying to write a Harry Potter rip-off and the whole set-up was as a heist movie?  Including the double cross and the one guy running off with all the money (in that case, Neil Gaiman).  That was actually a pretty decent episode for later Simpsons.

How often in these movies is there only one chick?  And how many times is our first view of her naked in bed, answering a phone?  Beats getting out of prison right at the start although mixing that up might be interesting, have the guy in bed and the sexy girlfriend getting out of the slammer? 

And the big black guy is the muscle, unless he's had a change of heart and has renounced violence, except when he actually needs to use force at the end to save the day.  And there's the geeky "van" guy who's usually a comedic actor who isn't normally put in movies like this, and usually winds up being the only entertaining thing in the movie.  Which isn't always a guarantee.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 09, 2012, 03:46:58 am
All of your cliche scenes are spot on. Also have to add.....

Master Of Disguises - The more elaborate the Heist, the more disguises there are. This can range from fake mustaches to nerd glasses. You get the idea.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Mac on December 09, 2012, 08:51:12 am
I think most heist stories have to include the expert safe cracker and the expert planner. And the more elaborate the heist whether with complicated security building and/or city running.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 09, 2012, 08:54:03 am
Without googling, can you name the best Heist movie that doesn't even show you the heist itself....or any of the cliched scenes that come with it?

*Jeopardy Theme Music*

Tick tock......
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Mac on December 09, 2012, 09:03:07 am
Alien?





















 ;D
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 09, 2012, 09:06:16 am
F u c k e r !

















You're correct.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Mac on December 09, 2012, 09:29:38 am
No seriously.... what movie are you thinking of?
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 09, 2012, 09:31:05 am
No seriously.... what movie are you thinking of?

This. (http://pennycan.createaforum.com/dvd's-blu-rays/reservoir-dogs-(1992)/msg5856/#msg5856)

Let's see if Neumatic can guess it before clicking on the link.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Mac on December 09, 2012, 10:02:00 am
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i266/Chiprocks1/Smilies/0%20All%20Smilies/Reading.gif)
Touche... nice

(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i266/Chiprocks1/Smilies/0%20All%20Smilies/notworthy-1.gif)
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 09, 2012, 10:03:57 am
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i266/Chiprocks1/Smilies/0%20All%20Smilies/HTL_wink.gif)
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Neumatic on December 09, 2012, 01:22:31 pm
No, I didn't get it.  Probably because I only saw that movie once or twice.  But I think I remember seeing inside the jewelry store and the guys running away.

How many movies involve the thief having to interact with the target in some nice public event, a ball or something?
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 09, 2012, 01:25:51 pm
How many movies involve the thief having to interact with the target in some nice public event, a ball or something?

Well, this is more or less the main plot of The Town (http://pennycan.createaforum.com/dvd's-blu-rays/the-town-(2010)/msg14130/#msg14130). Doesn't take place at a ball or anything, but the thief ends up falling in love with the cashier at one of the banks he hit.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Mac on December 09, 2012, 01:36:57 pm
Can I recommend Flypaper (http://pennycan.createaforum.com/dvd%27s-blu-rays/what-are-you-watching-%28dvd%27s-blu-ray%27s%29/msg3972/#msg3972)?... one of the more different kind of heists movie's out there. Cliche in some conventions, then breaks a few too.

Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 09, 2012, 01:39:23 pm
Good call Mac! Haven't seen this yet, but have heard about it though.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Neumatic on December 09, 2012, 01:44:24 pm
I saw a movie with Patrick Dempsy that involved a bank being robbed by two different groups of people at the same time.  Can't remember what it's called.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Mac on December 09, 2012, 01:48:44 pm
Uh, Flypaper  :o

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V03YB2-OFYQ
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Neumatic on December 09, 2012, 07:29:32 pm
Brilliant, perfect!  And just like that flick, you often have a character who's more than they appear, so you can have that unsurprising last minute surprise.

And of course, everyone agrees to split the money, but at the end, only one person gets it.  And if it's a good and decent person involved in the heist, they won't keep the money but pay it to people who need it.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on December 09, 2012, 07:35:18 pm
....but at the end, only one person gets it.  And if it's a good and decent person involved in the heist, they won't keep the money but pay it to people who need it.

Sounds just like The Town. Although his hand was kind of forced since he was on the lam.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Neumatic on December 09, 2012, 07:57:40 pm
Tower Heist had the same thing, with a car made out of gold.  The people the bad guy screwed over got pieces of it in the mail.

I'm trying to remember what happened in Femme Fatale.  I remember Rebecca Romijn screwed over her gang and disappeared, and the second half was her gang getting out of prison and hunting her down.  I guess it's sort of a post-heist flick.  Though it wasn't very good.  But it does have the cliche that if a woman is the main character, she's highly se xualized.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Chiprocks1 on August 23, 2014, 07:17:13 am
7 Real Heists That Should Be Movies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6HEmgbwS4A&list=PLp2e7UfInEgmB-5r4rtQOEsq-H-mNmQhk&index=31


This is the perfect opportunity to write something (a short, full screenplay or just the scene in question) using these 7 Heist. I think what I will do is take the real life fact and do a variation on it so that it's not a word for word retelling of the actual incident.
Title: Re: The Heist Genre Cliche Thread
Post by: Neumatic on August 23, 2014, 03:51:22 pm
Article in Popular Mechanics: What a perfect heist can teach you about national security (http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military/news/what-a-perfect-heist-can-teach-you-about-national-security-17123172).  Didn't realize that these film-style capers were so accurate.