Rating: 
Summary: Buy 'Story' instead.
Review: I bought this book expecting an epiphany. Instead I got Hunter's second rate screenplay, which makes up a fair proportion of its pages. I felt a bit cheated, especially considering the high regard in which it is held. Maybe his class is good, but this book bears no comparison to Robert McKee's.
Rating: 
Summary: At the risk of differing with the consensus
Review: I've now written three screenplays my most recent work appears to be approaching professional caliber. Looking back, I have to say that I'm very glad I started the process of learning how to write a screenplay by reading "Screenplay 434." I found a certain magic in the book. It provides just enough information to keep you learning yet not overwhelmed. And the author is encouraging and positive, which I believe is important. Of course, the reality is that only one of thousands of people who read their first screenplay book will ever earn back even the cost of the book from their screenplay writing. So it is critical that the PROCESS be as pleasurable as possible. I believe that "Screenwriting 434" is an excellent way to ensure that your process is pleasurable, while ensuring that you do begin your growth as a screenwriter. Of course, Screenwriting 434 is only a primer. From there, you might go to Seger's "Making a Good Script Great" or if you want something more rigorous, McKee's wonderful "Story."
Rating:
Summary: Inspirational; This worked for me
Review: I've read a REAL lot of screenwriting books-- loved McKee's Story, Syd Field's books, Linda Seger's, but I was reading them more to learn about the structure of STORY, rather than screenwriting. I read Lew Hunter's book on screenwriting and found myself thinking up all kinds of great new ideas for my novel, and then, as I went through the book further, actually started taking the first steps to writing a screenplay. This is a basic book. I'm not enough of an expert on scripts to judge the script that Hunter wrote which is included in the book. But I found the advice helpful and, perhaps more important, inspiring. I've taken McKee's workshop. He's brilliant, and he disagrees with Hunter on issues of story structure, and things like page count for when different aspects of story occur. There is plenty of lively debate in the field of screenwriting on how stories are put together. And sometimes name-calling to go along with it. Lew Hunter takes a more conservative approach, toeing the Aristotelian three act play line, and he explains why he feels that the first act should end around page 17 of a 100-110 page script. You better believe this will garner disagreement, especially in light of groundbreaking films like Memento, or Pulp Fiction. But he does give his rationale for his approach, and this helps the reader to make up his own mind. My own screenplay, will definitely not be a straight linear story, but it just may end up that the 2nd act does spiral somewhere near page 17. But the bottom line for me was that this book moved me. As far as being a writer is concerned, I've done reasonably well, with published non-fiction articles in OMNI, SUCCESS, FAMILY HEALTH, and even a cover article in WRITER's DIGEST. I had actually bought the Hunter book, started it, then, having also purchased a number of other books, put it aside. But Hunter's name does come up a lot in the world of screenwriters, so I revisited the book. Sure enough, it took me to the next level. The people who have criticized Hunter's book are primarily comparing Hunter's book to books that are mostly about story, not about creating a screenplay. There's a difference. ...
Rating: 
Summary: A big disappointment
Review: In my library of screenwriting books, this was unfortunately the least helpful. If you're a beginning screenwriter, read Robert McKee, Linda Seger, Christopher Vogler, and Syd Field. Then don't waste anymore time reading books on screenwriting. Just sit down and do it. When you've got a completed draft, read Lerch's "500 Ways" and Flinn's "How NOT to Write a Screenplay", before you actually submit the script anywhere. Good luck.
Rating:
Summary: To much to read NO information
Review: Lews book was not helpful in the fact that it did not offer any such information on how to write the screenplay. INSTEAD he concentrated on charecter development and night and day senerios. Most of us know how to tell a story. We just want the information and facts to help us delever our thoughts in the screenplay format.
Rating:
Summary: This man is a simpleton.
Review: Normally I try start off by saying something good, but on this occasion I realised I would have had to tell a flat lie. I regretted this purchase almost instantly. I'm afraid there is nothing good about this man's work at all: it is a miracle that his advice is not banned by some screenwriting guild, as it is so obviously more deleterious to your career than helpful. If a screenplay were the human body and Hunter were a surgeon, he would be struck off and repeatedly sued. As you'll quickly realise, Hunter's own screenplays are a sad testimony to the adage that those who can't do, teach. I can't possibly offer a critique of his scripting capability and his dreadful English style since this would mean descending to an infantile level myself. You'll just have to take my word for it: within a few pages of reading this man's book you'll find yourself wondering if you kept the receipt. Want a *really* good book? Try Michael Hauge's 'Writing Screenplays that Sell'. It contains good advice about the business and practical aspects of the screenwriting process as well as the artistic end. Now *that's* a book that talks commonsense and doesn't wax incomptently lyrical. I found it a great help.
Rating:
Summary: Awful book, here's why.
Review: Okay. I borrowed a copy of this book about six years ago, at which point I had read only Michael Hauge's 'Writing Screenplays That Sell' and Viki King's '..in 21 days'. Even though I would offer the same advice as many other reviewers, that being if you want to write a screenplay then just sit down and write it, it is always helpful to at least feel like you are going about it the correct way. If you are looking to this book for that assurance, look elsewhere. The ideas Hunter offers are mostly unoriginal and at times very unpractical. His use of language is also to be questioned; never have I heard even the most well-read Englishman employ the word 'thusly' in everyday language. Verbose without justification, the book is neither well-structured nor informative, and suffers from the author's formality. Read Hauge, King, Linda Seger etc. They're more honest, don't try to score points for themselves beyond trying to help you. And beyond all that, just write. If you're passionate enough already to be reading about how to write it, you already can.
Rating:
Summary: Screenwriting 434 may be a great class. Book is creepy.
Review: Reading excerpts from the author's screenplay about child pornography FALLEN ANGEL, and his *entire* screenplay THE GLASS HAMMER makes me want to jump into the shower. My opinon? An exercise in how to spend time with a well-crafted story I didn't care for and characters I didn't like. My appreciation of professional readers increases every day! The technical instruction? Helpful, but not enough to justify this vanity publication. Others have tackled teaching the craft of screenwriting more thoroughly and with greater success. For my money: Aristotle, Ejri, McKee, Vogler.
Rating: 
Summary: Almost, but not quite.
Review: There is much valuable insight on the screenwriting process and how it's "done in the business". This is book is great for people who are curious about screenwriting and want to learn more about it. Seasoned readers may find it lacking. The main problem in this book is the inclusion of an (almost?) entire sample screenplay that takes up a good third of the book. It was interesting to skim through at first, but I had no desire to actually read the entire screenplay. If you skip the screenplay, you'll only be left with about 2/3 of a book to read. Besides the screenplay, the rest of the book is a good eye opener for those who think screenwriting is a walk in the park.
Rating:
Summary: A Must Have For ALL Screenwriters
Review: This book is a must have for all screenwriters. It is informative and very helpful (with excellent organization). This should be on every screenwriters shelve. It will get your screenplay finished, rewritten, and off to a producer.
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