In the comments section following my post about Viable Paradise and the Evil Overlord Plot Generator, we’ve been kicking around a piece of story-creation software called Dramatica. Let’s just say it isn’t being hailed as the second coming of sliced bread.

Now Jim Macdonald has dug up some movie reviews on the Dramatica site, where the analysis uses Dramatica’s unique brand of literary theory.

1. Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is particularly strong in its objective story range of choice vs. delay. It is also strong in its objective story problem (temptation) and solution (conscience). … As a side note, Jane Austen is considered one of the first “Regency” romance authors.

Saving Private Ryan, screenplay (principally) by Robert Rodat, directed by Steven Spielberg, is an epic WWII film without a Dramatica grand argument story. It contains an objective story throughline and an implied main character, stoic protagonist Captain John H. Miller (Tom Hanks). Unfortunately, like the eight American soldiers under his command, we are not allowed into his heart enough to become emotionally attached—essential for audience identification with the main character. (…)

There is no readily apparent obstacle character to aid in defining the main character’s drive. (…) Without clearly developed main and obstacle character throughlines, a passionate relationship (subjective story) cannot be explored.

The Blair Witch Project, co-writer/director/editors Eduardo Sanchez and Dan Myrick’s faux documentary about an urban legend, has created its own mythology. (…) Survival of the fittest is one take on the story…

Shakespeare in Love, a fictional account of the life that inspired the art—Romeo and Juliet, is an excellent and lamentable original screenplay by Marc Norman and playwright Tom Stoppard, its every word and staged action a tribute to the Bard.

The real menace in the latest Star Wars saga is the non-existent Dramatica grand argument story. There is an objective story, although I’m not quite sure if the problems stem from Queen Amidala and her planet Naboo’s intolerable situation (universe), or the action packed endeavor (physics) to restore “peace and prosperity.” Unfortunately, I fell asleep during the battle scenes and spaceship chases (heresy!) exhausted from the effort of determining: Who is the main character?

It’s the Dramatica crew’s analysis of Saving Private Ryan that really makes me want to beat my head against a wall. The only reason to think we can’t get inside the head of the character played by Tom Hanks is that the character says so—but you don’t take a character’s word for that, especially when the rest of the work says otherwise. And if there’s no obstacle character present, what do you call the entire German Army—chopped liver?