Screenwriting : Needing inspiration by Roxanne Paukner

Awakenings 1990. Screenplay: Steven Zaillian.

There's an old 1966 movie called Night of the Grizzly where the bear is the protagonist. It's a good old time. Of course there is Jaws, Godzilla, Cujo and scores of others along those lines.

Well, does it count The Pursuit of Happyness for poverty ?

The Shallows, Jaws, Alien, Gravity, All is Lost, The Perfect Storm, The Birds, The Terminator, Lord of the Rings.

This is really an interesting topic, if you think about it. I am sure she is not looking for "monster" antagonists. There are countless extremely well known and easy to find stories with that type of antagonism. She aims for "thin air" type of antagonism, physically not existing entity.

Like I mentioned example for poverty The Pursuit of Happyness where goal is pure survival in modern society, same thing in Where God Left His Shoes, if I remember it well, or Two Days, One Night with Marion Cotillard. Right at Your Door as an example for disease, there is no mutation of any kind and physical threat, just a toxic air. In The Man from Earth is about clash of beliefs, discussion about probability, theoretical battle and nothing more.

You're right, Darjan, I somehow skipped reading the parentheses in the OP's question in my above response. In particularly modern film there is usually an inner demon of some kind, some flaw of the protagonist that is antagonistic to an objective goal in addition to an actual, living, breathing antagonist. In regard to disease or poverty type antagonists, I can think of A Raisin in the Sun and The Andromeda Strain.

Inner demon could be attached as major part of pretty much every character arc, as a defined flaw/fear etc. that protagonist overcome. I can't think of true and pure inner demon antagonism right now as only thing protagonist wants to beat. But there is !!!Forrest Gump!!! who doesn't compete with anything or anybody, not even challenging himself, he just do things with one in a zillion success ratio.

Thanks everyone! I knew I'd get some good suggestions. And yes, Darjan, I am looking for antagonism that is "thin air," as you say.

Mimic

50/50

Just a thought, the iceberg in Titanic was a pretty ruthless antagonist. Sorry if you did not mean acts of nature. An example of inside antagonist, think the “mother” part of Norman Bates mind in Psycho.

Bates mind is his Antagonist! I must look deep into that. I took his condition to be the internal flaw, his own nemises. He'll remain a Psycho because he can't recognize his flaw, therfore no change. A&E series Bates Motel, answered with Norman's Backstory.

Hi was referring to @Roxanne’s Question where she used the words “Inner Demons...” as Antagonist. In films such as Secret Window, Primal Fear, Psycho Etc The main character has a split personality struggle, where their bad side can sometimes be detrimental to themselves aswell as to others. Although I admit my comment above did not make much sense because I wrote it while waiting to board a plane, but thats what I meant to say at the time.

Whoever suggested "Brooklyn," thanks. That was a good one to watch and read/study!