A Day in the Life of Conor: Struggling with Bullying and Monstrous Dreams - Prof. 9418, Apuntes de Comunicación Audiovisual

¡Descarga A Day in the Life of Conor: Struggling with Bullying and Monstrous Dreams - Prof. 9418 y más Apuntes en PDF de Comunicación Audiovisual solo en Docsity! A MONSTER CALLS Written by Patrick Ness Based on the novel "A Monster Calls" by Patrick Ness, Inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd 25 September 2014 Michelle Kass Associates 85 Charing Cross Road London WC2H 0AA 020 7439 1624 Sounds fade up Nightmare sounds, wind, roaring screaming. Sounds increase, climax, then stop suddenly as: cut to: InT. mum’s bedroom - night - conTINUOUS2A 2A Conor quietly slips into the bed. Mum What are you doing? CONOR Shush. You’re asleep. Mum Conor... CONOR Just five minutes, I promise... Mum puts his arm around Conor who instantly fells asleep. CuT TO: 4. InT. mum’s bedroom - the next morning4NEW 4NEW Conor is VERY deep asleep, having obviously stayed there all night. His mum is asleep, too, gently snoring. In the dawn light we now see a LINE OF MEDICINE BOTTLES on Mum’s DRESSER. A wig on its stand on the dressing table. Conor wakes, sits up. Mum doesn’t wake. He pulls the covers over her. He doesn’t glance at the medicine bottles. They’re obviously part of his daily life. Very slowly making sure he is not making any noise, Conor gets up and heads out into the day by himself. 5. INT. conOR’S BEDROOM - MomenTS LATER8 8 Conor begins what is obviously a familiar routine. He puts on his school uniform, trying for the untucked rebellious look that he’s still just slightly too young for. (he tries to make his hair look cool in the mirror and puts it up but he looks funny and puts it down again, etc). He opens a drawer. No clean socks left. 6. InT. conor’S BEDROOM - momeNTS LATER10 10 Conor pulls the duvet over his bed so it’s made, if quite messy. (Clumsily hiding the wrinkles of the duvet under the cushions) 9. Int. conor’s house upstairs hallway - momENTS LATER11 11 Conor looks at his Mum’s bedroom (the door is closed) and then over the top of the stairs. Down in the kitchen, we can hear the faint sounds of a WOMAN on her phone. This is GRANDMA (mid-50s, crisp, professional, VERY ungrandmotherly). Conor only sees the top of her head as she exits, still in her coat, still on her phone, scolding someone sternly. We don’t see her face in these scenes. She also is clearly making an attempt to keep her voice down. GrANDMA (into phone) Because I’ve got three showings today, that’s why. I’m not responsible for your sick Weimaraner- He steps back so she won’t see him. We only catch a glimpse of her as she leaves. He waits a beat, then starts down the stairs, but she re- enters, carrying bags of groceries, still on the phone. Conor freezes. Grandma stops in the hall, angry at something that’s been said. GranDMA (CONT’D) (into phone) How dare you throw that in my face? Do you have any idea what-? (beat, listens, gathers self, still angry, whispers fiercely) Now, you listen to me, Marcus, I know full well you’ve covered for me- Storms into kitchen. We hear her still talking. Conor waits, nervous. She exits the kitchen again, still whispering. GRANDMA (CONT’D) (into phone) Fine. Fine. I’ll call her myself. (hangs up) Lazy bastard. She exits again. Conor waits a beat, then goes downstairs. 10. InT. conor’s downstairs hallway - seconDS LATER11A 11A Conor, deeply curious, heads towards the kitchen. Then he HEARS THE FRONT DOOR again and steps quickly into- 11. InT. conOR’S KITCHEN - MomenTS LATER14 14 Conor throws away his leftovers (there’s a lot he didn’t eat), and washes the breakfast dishes on the sink. He stays there for a moment absentminded staring out the window. 14. EXT. CHURCHYARD HILLTOP/ CONOR’S HOUSE- MomenTS LATER14A 14A CONOR’S POV - A yew tree stands in the churchyard at the top of the hill in front of the house. 15. Int. conoR’S KITCHEN - mornING - MomenTS LATER15 15 He finishes packing his school bag with books and papers. Looks at the clock again. There is something he needs to check. He opens a drawer of the kitchen table and slams it shut making a loud dry noise. He waits there. MUM (o.S.) (faint) Con? Is everything alright? Finally. Conor Yes Mum! It slipped from my hands! I gotta go or iI'll be late! MUM Ok! Rush! 16. EXT. CONOR’S HOUSE DRIVEWAY/ STREETS - later16-16A 16-16A Conor walks to school, rucksack on his back. It’s a bit of a journey, and he pulls his coat tight against the cold. 19. Ext. SHOP ROAD - moRNING16B 16B He’s deep in thought, but he’s distracted by one SHOP WINDOW (the ART SHOP where his paper bag was from). Inside the window are a set of art pencils that he obviously craves. He’s about to walk on but he sees someone down the street. He steps into the doorway to hide while he watches: A girl, LILY, 12, thick glasses, the friend from the photo in his bedroom. She’s harmless, goofy, charming, but Conor holds back so she won’t see him. 20. Ext. SCHOOL OUTSIDE - momENTS LATER17 17 Establish. Conor & Lily are in the first year of secondary, so they’re the tiniest students among giants. 21. Harry Well done, O’Malley. Beat. Conor takes the bag and makes his way inside. 24. Int. Physical Social and Education class - lATER19 19 A Powerpoint display at the front of the class reads: “THE MIRACLE OF BIRTH”. MR CLARK, 40s, wry, kind, perhaps a bit soft, steps up next to it. Mr Clark Brace yourselves. Conor sits at the back, an empty desk next to him. He looks very drowsy. MR Clark (CONT’D) We’ve been studying this all week. You’ve seen the diagrams, heard the descriptions. You think you’re ready to watch the real thing. He gives a you-have-no-idea-what-you’re-in-for chuckle and clicks to start a hilariously graphic CHILDBIRTH DOCUMENTARY on the Powerpoint. The sounds from the documentary (”The cervix fully dilates to 10 centimeters and the baby's head crowns when the widest part of it reaches the vaginal opening”, complete with sounds of a mother in labour) fade as we focus on Conor, looking exhausted, falling asleep propping up his face with his hand. He’s sitting under the A/C vent and the sound of it starts to merge with a WIND sound, that eventually rises to the SOUNDTRACK of the NIGHTMARE we heard over the TITLES. We close on Conor, the soundtrack rising to a FAINT SCREAMING (”Conor!”). Mr Clark (CONT’D) Conor? Conor jumps as Mr Clark is right next to him. He waits to see if he’s in trouble. But Mr Clark looks overly sympathetic. MR Clark (CONT’D) You all right there? You look tired. (beat, nothing from Conor) You know, if you ever wanted to talk- He’s interrupted by a labour-scream from the video and an accompanying SHOUT OF HORROR from the class who can’t believe what they’re seeing (”As soon as the baby's head comes out, the doctor will suction amniotic fluid, blood, and mucus from they baby’s nose and mouth”). Mr Clark looks up with an amused smile, gives Conor a last look, and keeps patrolling the classroom. Conor sees Harry a few seats over. Harry’s watched the exchange and looks as if he’s sussing Conor out, somehow. 25. As the sounds of childbirth and the accompanying trauma of the class continue (”The umbilical cord will eventually fall off due to a combination of putrefaction and mummification”), Lily enters from the front, eyes swollen from crying. She sits next to Conor in the empty desk. He doesn’t acknowledge her, despite her furious gaze. Wounded, she looks up at the video and is comically horrified by what she sees. Mr Clark reaches the front of the classroom as the sounds of childbirth reach their exhausted conclusion (“And mother’s happy ordeal is finally over...”). Mr Clark clicks off the Powerpoint and turns to the class. Mr Clark (CONT’D) Any questions? Apart from Conor, Lily and Harry, every single traumatised hand in the classroom shoots into the air. 26. INT. conor’s sitting room - momENTS LATER22 22 Conor and Mum set up the projector. Neither of them really know how to do it, so they figure it out together, threading the film, getting it wrong, eventually getting it right. MuM Your granddad’s old film projector. CoNOR You mean... like a video player? MUM (laughs) No, this is a relic, a proper dinosaur. CONOR (long beat) What are we supposed to do with it? Mum I wish you could have met him. Even your grandma softened up around him. By the way, she is coming to stay with us tomorrow for a few days. CONOR Aw, mum. We don’t need her here- MUM You know how I get at this point in the treatments- CONOR We’ve been okay every time before- Mum You shouldn’t have to make yourself breakfast every morning- CONOR I’m fine- MUM CONOR. Conor’s a bit shocked at the strength of the interruption. Mum is, too. Exhausted, she smiles again. Mum (CONT’D) Only a few days, I promise. That’s all I can take, too. Like living with your boss. She laughs. Conor tries to, too. 29. MUM (CONT’D) Can we just enjoy the movie? I got it for us. ConoR (picking up film canister) What are we watching? MUM King Kong. Oldie but a goodie. ConOR Are we really going to watch something though? You always fall asleep. MUM I won’t fall asleep. I promise. (stepping back) Right. I think we got it. Black & White TITLES come up for KING KONG. CONOR (moans) You didn’t say it was black and white. MUM (mischievous) Be happy it’s not a silent movie. CONOR Mum. MUM Shush. Conor nestles in to watch, unhappy. 30. InT. conor’s sitting room - later23 23 It’s dark outside now. Conor, despite himself, is still watching. We can see leftovers of the pizza they ordered. He looks over. His mum is asleep against the arm of the settee. He reaches over and covers her with a blanket and keeps watching it. But it’s the sequence where KONG is on the Empire State Building. BI-PLANES ATTACK and KONG falls- Conor is surprisingly shocked by this, obviously triggering some memory. He watches as Kong falls and falls and falls... Then with a burst of WHITE, the reel finishes, leaving Conor watching a blank white space. We zoom in on the white and dissolve to: 31. NIGHTMARE24B 24B --FLASH OF VIOLENT MOTION, dark and burning. Conor keeps drawing, as the soundtrack intensifies. He doesn’t notice a breeze tousling his hair or the pencils rolling across the desk again. 34. NIGHTMARE 24C 24C --FLASH OF A DISTANT FIGURE ON A CLIFF’S EDGE, calling out, “CONOR!!” Soundtrack ceases as he sits back and blinks at the sketchpad. He’s drawn a GAPING HOLE OF BLACKNESS that looks as if it might swallow the whole world. A face - possibly HIMSELF - stands at the edge of it, looking back up to us. He suddenly hears hurried footsteps in the hall. They rush past his room to the toilet. We hear his mum being brutally sick. Conor waits. She vomits again. ConOR (calling to her) Do you need any help? Mum (o.S.) (beat, forced cheer) No, sweetheart! Beat, then water running. Footsteps. He covers the nightmare with the Kong drawing and quickly moves back to his bed. She opens his door. CONOR You okay? Mum I’m kind of used to it by now. Sorry I dozed off during the film. You should be asleep, too. ConoR I was. I am. She sees his desklamp still on. She goes over and picks up the sketchpad, including the nightmare drawing. Conor is alarmed. Mum sits down on the bed next to him and looks through his Kong sketches. MUM This is good, Conor. Such a sad ending. Conor (troubled) Why did they kill King Kong? MUM People don't like what they don´t understand. They get scared. Conor Her boyfriend was a jerk. 35. MUM Yeah, he's pretty bad. Conor King Kong should have squashed him. Broken him into a million pieces. (makes squashing motion) Boom! She smiles and turns to the nightmare finally, a little scared by the hole and the face he’s drawn, but she looks closer. It has very realistic eyes. She’s very surprised and impressed. MUM What is this? Is that you? Conor No, Mum. MUM Looks like you. Conor shrugs. MUM (CONT’D) It's very good. Really, REALLY good. The strokes of the pen... And I love the reflection in the eyes... Life is in the eyes, you know. (gentle beat) What's it of? What's this scene? Conor (shrugs) Nothing. Just... I made it up. MUM Well, doesn't matter where it comes from if it's true. That's what artists do. They say the truth. Conor smiles. Suddenly the mother realizes what time it is. MUM (CONT’D) Gosh, it's late, isn't it? Time for us both to be asleep. She bops him playfully on the head with the sketchpad. 36. InT. conOR’S BEDROOM - niGHT - conTINUOUS3B 3B Conor takes out drawing pencils and sharpens them. He takes out an inexpensive SKETCHPAD out of a PAPER BAG from an art store. Tired but awake, he flips through the earlier sketches - fantastical things, superheroes, etc, they’re very good - and finds a blank page. He taps the pencil to his teeth, wondering what to draw. His clock ticks over to 12.07, and as if on cue: monster (O.S.) (whispering) Conor. A monstrous voice, deep, old as the earth itself. Conor looks immediately to the door. Did he actually hear that? ConoR Mum? But it’s not coming from the door. He looks out his closed window. It dramatically frames the hilltop with the yew tree. Conor decides to draw it, making a frame on his page for the window. A pencil starts to roll across the desk. Conor sees it, looks back up to the window: the YEW TREE IS NO LONGER THERE. Conor is astonished, confused. Conor stands and looks out the window. It’s shut but a breeze tousles his hair. 39. The yew tree is now standing farther down the hill.3C 3C Conor stares in disbelief. As he watches, the tree begins to change. It shifts and splits, twisting slowly, incredibly, into the shape of a TOWERING MAN: --two muscular arms made from branches twining together. --a second leg placed down beside the trunk. --the uppermost branches gathering into a great and terrible face with huge, monstrous eyes. Conor watches, amazed, but not overly afraid... THE MONSTER, huge and impressive, strides across the rail line, over Conor’s back fence and stands up in front of him. MonSTER Conor O’Malley. The voice echoes and booms. The Monster suddenly FALLS against the house, its hands on either side of Conor’s window, lowering its head to peer inside. 40. The Monster pushes against the house. It creaks under the 3D 3D Monster’s weight. MonstER (CONT’D) I have come to get you, Conor O’Malley. Conor (beat) So come and get me then. Monster What did you say? Conor crosses his arms. CONOR I said, come and get me then. The monster roars terrifyingly. Conor hides at one side of his desk and puts his hands over his ears at the sheer volume of the Monster’s voice. MONSTER (taunting) Why don’t you run, Conor O’Malley? Why don’t you run for your mother? Conor looks surprisingly defiant at this. He stands and closes his bedroom door, as if to protect his mum. CONOR (surprisingly defiant) You leave her alone! I’m not afraid of you! A beat, as the monster, impossibly, looks surprised- And disappears. 41. In the Monster’s grasp, Conor can barely breathe, but he 3G 3G looks surprisingly defiant. The Monster stops, perplexed. The Monster gets an angry look. MoNSTER You will be. Before the end. I will visit you again on further nights Conor O’Malley. And I will shake your walls until you wake. And then I will tell you three stories. And when I have finished my stories, you will tell me a forth and it will be the truth. Your truth. CONOR (scared now) What are you talking about? MONSTER This truth that you hide. (glowers) The truth you draw, Conor O’Malley. The truth you dream. CONOR No. No way- MONSTER For this is why you called me. CONOR Called you? I didn’t call you- MONSTER You will tell me the fourth tale. You will tell me the truth. CONOR And if I don’t? Its mouth ROARS impossibly wide, and hundreds of branches emerge from it like tentacles trying to reach Conor´s face. Cut TO: 44. Omitted4 4 45. 4A Omitted 46. 4A 5A Omitted 49. 5A Omitted6 6 50. ExT. conOR’S HOUSE DRIVEWAY - MomenTS LATER7 7 Conor drags the wheelie bin to the curb to leave it for the dustmen, wipes his hands, looks back to the house. ConOR Right. 51. 27 Omitted 54. 27 INT. CONOR’S BEDROOM - AFTERNOON27 NEW 27 NEW Conor enters his room and throws his rucksack to the floor. He removes his clothes and checks out the bruises on his chest and stomach. He changes his clothes and looks out the window. 55. EXT. conor’s bacK GARDEN - the next morning28 28 The rain has stopped. It’s a cold, clear day. Conor warily walks across his back garden to an OLD IRON GATE in the back fence. 56. InT. conor’S KITCHEN/sittinG ROOM - the NEXT DAY29 29 Conor enters through the kitchen and sees his GRANDMA (mid- 50s, crisp, professional, VERY ungrandmotherly) standing with her back turned to him in the sitting room. Mum, red scarf tied around her head, sits on the couch looking into a box. She glances up and sees Conor, causing GRANDMA to turn. Grandma (crisp, not entirely friendly) Ah, there’s the little man. Mum (still looking in box) Jesus, Ma, let him have a childhood first. (pulls out a terrible wig) Where did you say you got these? GrandMA Clearance of a very nice old people’s home. They’re turning it into flats and I’ll be the agent. Mum gives Conor a look of comical horror Grandma can’t see. Conor smiles. Grandma looks to see if she’s being made fun of, but Mum’s face immediately goes serious again. GranDMA (CONT’D) They’re clean. MUM Thanks, Ma. Conor shares one last conspiratorial look with his Mum. GRANDMA They’ll be warmer than those scarves. It’s not exactly summer anymore. In case you haven’t noticed. Mum (quietly defiant) I like my scarves. GraNDMA (to Conor) Your mother needs some tea. Green, no sugar. I take mine black. Conor looks at his Mum at this command. She rolls her eyes and nods. As he leaves, Grandma turns back to Mum. GranDMA (CONT’D) Now then, Elisabeth, my girl. What are we going to do with you? 59. InT. conor’s kITCHEN - MOMENTS LATER30 30 Conor waits for the kettle. He looks out the window, where the yew tree sits innocently atop the hill. He hears raised voices from the sitting room. 60. EXT. CHURCHYARD HILLTOP / CONOR’S HOUSE - MORNING30A 30A He stares HARD at the tree while his mum and grandma argue and the kettle whistle gains in intensity. GranDMA (o.S.) ...this has gone on far too long, these things need to be discussed- Mum (o.S.) Ma, I know what I’m doing- GRANDMA (o.S.) Yes, all those marvelous impulsive decisions that never affect your life at all- MUM (o.S.) Says the woman who schedules her toilet breaks. Seriously, Ma? We’re having this conversation now? GRANDMA (o.S.) I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I just- MUM (o.S.) Go help Conor with the tea or I will literally go insane. Kettle whistle sound stops as Grandma enters kitchen. She regards Conor, hands on hips. GranDMA (beat, all business, voice low so mum can’t listen) You and I need to have a talk. Conor stiffens. This isn’t the first time for this. ConOR I’m making tea. GRANDMA Conor- CONOR I’m making tea. GraNDMA (snapping) We have to- (beat, gathers herself) I’m not your enemy, Conor. I’m here to help your mother. 61. InT. conor’S SITTING ROOM - conTINUOUS31 31 Conor enters the sitting room. Grandma is helping Mum up from the floor, Mum is in serious pain. Mum (gestures to mantel) I need the Oromorph- GRANDMA (looking) Which one? Conor steps forward, points. ConOR That one. For the stabbing pains. Quick, grim beat for Grandma and Mum that Conor knows this, then Grandma grabs a LIQUID PAINKILLER from the mantelpiece and starts to dose her daughter. Mum pants as she swallows it, trying to catch her breath, ride out the pain. Grandma rubs her back. GranDMA It’s okay, darling, it’s okay, shh, shh, shh. Grandma looks up at Conor, her face set and unreadable. 64. InT. conor’s sitting room - that evening32 32 Grandma sets a meal, heavy on the celery, down in front of Conor and his Mum, who looks much more tired. They eat on trays in the sitting room. Mum A tray where joy goes to die. GraNDMA It’s good for you. MUM When in history has that ever worked? Grandma’s not listening. She’s looking back at the projector. GRANDMA Are you just going to leave that hunk of junk in the middle of the sitting room? MUM It’s not a hunk of junk. Dad loved it. Grandma snorts, a little dismissively. MUM (CONT’D) But all those classics. King Kong, Frankenstein- GRANDMA When exactly do you think I was born? I was 18 years old when Star Wars came out. I have about as much interest in boring old films as Conor probably does. (to Conor) Right? ConoR (quietly) King Kong was pretty good. GRANDMA (shaking her head, to Mum) You and your father. Always chasing butterflies. Mum Yeah, well, you were always there to remind us we had chores to do. 65. GRANDMA (stung) And made sure there was food on the table. Mum holds up limp celery, giggling with Conor. Grandma sees. GranDMA (CONT’D) Shall I just make you ice cream sundaes that you’ll throw back up? (grabs pizza box, still there from before) Or order pizza that’ll make sure you’ve only got empty calories to face more chemo with? Mum What’s wrong with food that makes me happy? Can’t you let me enjoy life a bit? GRANDMA (shocked) Yes! I want you to enjoy it for a long, long time. MUM (warning her about Conor) Ma- GRANDMA Why is it so bad that I’d like you to take care of yourself? MUM I don’t know, is it so hard to remember I’m a grown woman and can make those decisions for myself? GRANDMA (shaking her head) The irony of it. No one wants to be like their parents, but we all expect our kids to be exactly like us. (almost to herself) No wonder it’s always so hard. Mum (mumbles) Daddy liked pizza. This really hurts. Grandma stands, gathering the trays, even if they aren’t finished. Mum (CONT’D) (regretful) Ma, I’m- 66. Sounds fade up Nightmare sounds, wind, roaring screaming, rising again in crescendo to: 69. InT. conor’S SITTING ROOM - that night34 34 Conor sits up, sweating, panting again. The sitting room is dark. Conor calms himself where he sleeps on the settee. He looks around the dim, untidy room. We can see plenty of get well cards on the shelves, plus tumbles of smart chicklit, his mum’s CD collection (90s rave, Massive Attack, Blur), some of her drawings. Conor glances impatiently at the clock display on the DVD player. It clicks over from 12.06 to 12.07. A breeze tousles Conor’s hair. He listens for the Monster. And listens. And listens. Nothing. The clock ticks over to 12.08. He sees a pen rolling across the top of the DVD player. Other things, including his shoe, start rolling towards the kitchen. Conor gets to his feet, blanket wrapped around him. He goes into... 70. Int. conor’S KITCHEN - conTINUOUS35 35 ...the kitchen. The kitchen roll and a cup from the table are rolling towards the door outside. It rattles, too. Conor opens it. 71. CONOR You’re as old as the land and you’ve never heard of sarcasm? The monster doesn’t know how to answer that. ConOR (CONT’D) (giving up) Never mind... I saw you when I was talking to my grandma, and I thought... MonsteR You thought I came to topple your enemies. Slay your dragons. Conor frowns. This is obviously true. ConOR Or at least help me with my grandmother. But all you want to do is tell me stupid stories. MONSTER Stories of how I toppled enemies. Stories of how I slew dragons. The Monster leans down until its face is close to Conor’s. MONSTER (CONT’D) Let me tell you a tale of when I came walking. Let me tell you of the end of a wicked queen and how I made sure she was never seen again. The Monster looks up to Conor’s bedroom, where grandma sleeps. Conor follows his gaze. ConOR Go on then. The Monster grins his evil grin. The Monster puts his hands on the ground. Branches, leaves, twigs start to twine around Conor. A branch with leaves covers Conor’s eyes. MONSTER What do you see? CONOR Nothing. There are leaves in the way. MONSTER Use your imagination. What do you see? 74. BlaCKNESS, conor’s vision - conTINUOUS36 36 We cut to blackness, what Conor is seeing. There’s nothing. Then there’s a small light. CONOR I see a spark. MONSTER Yes? And? The spark seems reflected on water. CONOR No, it’s water. It’s watercolour. MONSTER Keep looking. A world starts to appear: the light on the water becomes the sun reflected on a brook. Pull out to see that - though the world is an abstract, water-colour-like landscape, we can recognise the hilltop behind Conor’s house with a younger, smaller yew tree on it. ConOR Whoa. MonSTER Whoa, indeed. We zoom up to... 75. EXT. First Tale Hilltop - DAY37 37 ...the water-colour hilltop itself, turning to look down at an empty valley below. All the modern houses and roads are gone, but there’s a small VILLAGE and a looming CASTLE. The abstract style remains for the entire tale. MoNSTER (V.O.) Long ago, before this was a town with roads and trains and cars, it was a kingdom. ConOR (V.O.) Here? We don’t even have a Tesco. We race down the hill, over the village and towards the Castle, swooping over moats and turrets before finding a window, rushing through it and... 76. Ext. first tale battlefield 1 - day - conTINUOUS40 40 A battlefield of armies fighting. Monster (v.O.) The king had lost all three of his sons in battle. To giants. A FIRST SON of the king is killed by a giant. 79. ExT. first tale battlefield 2 - daY - contINUOUS41 41 A different battlefield in a different place. Monster (v.O.) To dragons. A SECOND SON of the king is killed by a dragon. 80. ExT. first tale battlefield 3 - day - continuous42 42 A final battlefield, one army fighting another led by a terrible wizard. Monster (v.O.) To armies of men led by great wizards. The battle commences, hard-fought and chaotic. 81. InT. first tale THRONE ROOM - day - conTINUOUS43 43 The King sits forlorn on his throne again. MonstER (V.O.) The king’s sole remaining heir was his orphaned grandson. ANGLE ON: the toddler PRINCE, playing with a wooden toy dragon. The King watches him affectionately. Pan to reveal a QUEEN, sitting to the King’s right. MonSTER (v.O.) (cont’d) The King had taken a wife in peacetime, his first having died of heartbreak at the loss of all her sons. The KING leaps from his throne to play with the PRINCE. The QUEEN watches, detached. MONSTER (v.O.) (cont’d) (CONT’D) And if the new Queen’s tongue was a bit sharp, she was at least young and fair and made the King happy. We pull back out the hallway we came in and into: 84. Ext. first tale countryside - day - contINUOUS44 44 The young prince runs playfully through the countryside, the King in pursuit. These images continue as the Prince ages: the Prince with a dog, the Prince hunting his first stag, the Prince winning his first joust as a 17-year-old. Monster (V.O.) The Prince grew until he was nearly a man, winning the love of the kingdom for his gallantry and good heart. But one day, the old king fell ill. In the audience for the joust, the king suddenly collapses. 85. InT. first tale THRONE ROOM - day - contINUOUS45 45 The King, now in a sickbed tended by the Queen. MonSTER (V.O.) Rumour began to spread that he was being poisoned by his wife. That she was an evil witch, bent on taking the throne for herself. The Queen gives the King medicine. Or is it poison? MonSTER (v.O.) (cont’d) But the King loved her and even with his dying breath, he begged his subjects not to blame her. The King has his dying breath. We rush back out of the throne room to... 86. ExT. first TALE COUNTRYSIDE - night - contINUOUS48 48 ...a stormy night. The Prince saddles a horse and helps up the Farmer’s Daughter. Monster (V.O.) He took the farmer’s daughter and they rode away into the night- They ride through the storm, before taking shelter on... 89. ExT. first TALE HILLTOP - night - conTINUOUS49 49 ...the hilltop where the yew tree stands. The Prince and the Farmer’s Daughter shelter at the base, under blankets. MonSTER (v.O.) Stopping only to shelter themselves under the branches of a yew tree. They slept. Sleeping is pretty clearly not what they’re doing under the blanket. ConOR Yeah, I don’t think they’re sleeping. MonsteR (V.O.) They slept. Eventually. The Prince and the Farmer’s Daughter sleep. The image stills as time passes and... 90. ExT. first TALE HILLTOP - DAY - contINUOUS50 50 ...the sun comes up. The Prince wakes. MonstER (V.O.) The next morning, the Prince woke. “Arise, my beloved,” he said. The Prince mirrors the Monster’s words. MonSTER (V.O.) (cont’d) But the farmer’s daughter did not stir. The Farmer’s Daughter slumps. CLOSE ON: The Prince’s bloodied hand. MONSTER (V.O.) (CONT’D) Which was when the Prince noticed the blood. ConOR (V.O.) Blood? The Prince stands. Blood everywhere. MONSTER (V.O.) Someone had killed his beloved in the night and made him look like the murderer. “The Queen!” he cried. “The Queen is responsible for this treachery!” The Prince mirrors the Monster’s words. Men approach from a distance. MonSTER (v.O.) (cont’d) He saw men approaching and knew they’d been sent to arrest him. Conor (v.O.) And the queen would be able to rule on her own! I hope this story ends with you ripping her head off. The Prince looks around in panic. MONSTER (v.O.) There was nowhere for the Prince to run. His horse had been chased away. He turned to the only place he could look for help. The Prince looks up at the yew tree. ConOR (V.O.) You? 91. ExT. conOR’S BACK GARDEN - niGHT - conTINUOUS52-52A 52-52A Conor pushes away the leaves and looks up to the Monster. ConOR Good! She deserved it! He turns to the upstairs bedroom where his Grandma sleeps. ConoR (CONT’D) I don’t suppose you can help me with her? I mean, I don’t want you to burn her at the stake or anything- MonSTER The story is not yet finished. Conor turns to the Monster, confused. CoNOR But you said the Queen was never seen again. MONSTER Indeed. The Monster puts the leaves back over Conor’s eyes. We rush back into... 94. EXT. First TALE HILLTOP - DAY - conTINUOUS53 53 ...the Castle burns in the background as the Monster, still holding the Queen, walks away from it. MonSTER (v.O.) I carried her far enough away so that her people would never find her- The Queen looks quite safe in the Monster’s hands. MoNSTER (v.O.) (cont’d) To a village by the sea, where she began a new life. 95. ExT. conor’S BaCK GARDEN - nighT - conTINUOUS54 54 Conor is outraged, pushes the leaves away again. Conor But she killed the Farmer’s Daughter! How can you save a murderer? He tries to step back from the Monster in dawning fright. ConOR (CONT’D) You really are a monster. MONSTER I never said she killed the farmer’s daughter. I only said that the Prince said it was so. The Monster twists some branches into a frame. Conor watches it like a television. We move through the frame into: 96.