HANG A LANTERN ON IT

In screenwriting and storytelling more broadly, to “hang a lantern on it” means to draw attention to a plot point, inconsistency, or implausibility within the story in a self-aware manner. By acknowledging the issue, writers can defuse potential criticism and maintain audience engagement. Essentially, it’s a way for a script to say, “Yes, we know this is hard to believe or awkward, but stick with us.”

For example, if a character in a film suddenly demonstrates a skill that was never previously mentioned, another character might say, “Where did you learn to do that?” and receive a somewhat dismissive or humorous response. This doesn’t necessarily resolve the inconsistency, but it lets the audience know that the creators are aware of it. It’s a way to keep the audience’s “willing suspension of disbelief” intact by openly acknowledging elements that might otherwise be seen as oversights or plot holes.

The concept of “hanging a lantern on it” has a long history, even if the terminology is modern. William Shakespeare often used this technique to make his audience aware that he knew what they were thinking. In some of his plays, characters draw attention to plot points or elements that might otherwise stretch credulity.

Shakespeare Examples:

1. Romeo and Juliet – The rapid escalation of Romeo and Juliet’s relationship is so fast-paced that even the characters in the play comment on it. Friar Laurence warns Romeo, “Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast,” acknowledging the rushed love affair.
2. Hamlet – In the play-within-a-play scene, the characters comment on the performative nature of the action, essentially drawing attention to the artificiality of their own situation.
3. A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Puck’s closing speech indirectly comments on the fantastical and dream-like elements of the play, acknowledging its own implausibility by saying, “If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended: that you have but slumbered here, while these visions did appear.”
4. Twelfth Night – Characters frequently question the implausible mistaken identities and disguises, echoing the audience’s own skepticism.
5. Macbeth – Characters like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth often comment on their own implausible evil actions, which serves to highlight the extremeness of their deeds.

Cinema Examples:

1. The Princess Bride – The film’s use of a story-within-a-story allows for commentary on various adventure and romance tropes, hanging a lantern on the artifice of storytelling.
2. Galaxy Quest – The characters frequently discuss the absurdity of their situation (actors from a TV show mistaken for real heroes), acknowledging the implausibility of the film’s premise.
3. The Truman Show – Characters within the movie comment on the ethical implications of what they are doing to Truman, echoing likely audience concerns.
4. Toy Story – The toys discuss the ‘rules’ about not being seen moving by humans, implicitly acknowledging the magical realism required for the story to work.
5. The Wolf of Wall Street – Leonardo DiCaprio’s character directly acknowledges that some of the financial instruments and schemes are too complicated for the audience to understand, nodding to the complexity and implausibility of his own story.
6. Stranger Than Fiction – Characters discuss the implausibility of Harold Crick hearing a narrator, drawing attention to the film’s unusual premise.
7. O Brother, Where Art Thou? – The characters’ miraculous survival is often acknowledged and questioned by the characters themselves, hanging a lantern on their own unlikely escapades.
8. Kiss Kiss Bang Bang – Robert Downey Jr.’s character frequently points out plot holes and inconsistencies, directly speaking to the audience.
9. Speed – Characters in the movie comment on how absurdly unlucky it is for the same people to be caught in two separate, deadly scenarios (a bus rigged to explode, followed by a subway train), which is a nod to the implausibility of the high-stakes scenarios.
10. Kick-Ass – The characters in the film openly discuss how ridiculous it is for ordinary people to become vigilantes, acknowledging the premise’s inherent implausibility.

In both Shakespeare’s works and modern cinema, “hanging a lantern” serves to make the audience aware that the creators know what questions or objections might arise and are choosing to address them, whether earnestly or tongue-in-cheek.

“Hanging a lantern” is often used as a last-resort tool for dealing with necessary but awkward or implausible elements within a story. It’s a form of meta-commentary, allowing the story to comment on itself and its own storytelling techniques. This can be particularly effective in genres that often employ a tongue-in-cheek tone or break the fourth wall, like comedies or satires, but it’s a technique that needs to be used carefully so as not to disrupt the narrative flow or tone of the story.