In this episode of The Screenplay Lab, host and screenwriter Jeff Barker takes a deep dive into the brilliantly unhinged screenplay for The Lighthouse (2019), written by Robert and Max Eggers. This A24 psychological horror film, starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson, is a claustrophobic two-hander soaked in myth, madness, and maritime misery.
We explore how the Eggers brothers crafted a literary and cinematic fever dream, from unique formatting and surreal dialogue to powerful monologues, historical dialect, and deep symbolism. This script is weird in all the right ways, and there's a ton writers can learn from it.
🧠 Topics covered:
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Development history & Poe inspiration
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Dialogue rhythm & page formatting tricks
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Character duality & identity symbolism
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Cinematic writing techniques on the page
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Why this screenplay is a masterclass in tension and tone
🎙️ About The Screenplay Lab:
Welcome to The Screenplay Lab, where we study and appreciate screenplays as stand-alone literary works, not just blueprints for film. We deconstruct a script in each episode, uncovering what makes it unique and exploring what writers can learn.
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