Wednesday 6 April 2011
Film Studies, Screenplay
FADE IN
1. EXT. CORN FIELD, HOME OF THE STRANGE MACE AND THE ROCK. DAY 1.
Sunlight shines off the bright Mace stuck in the oddly shaped Rock in the middle of the Cornfield, golden corn glisten in the sunlight. He stands by the oddly shaped Rock with a proud look on his face, with gleaming front teeth with a few gaps, he looks over at the Mace then looking down to his hands, smiling.
He then walks towards the stone with his hands held high on his way to grasp the handle of the mystical mace. He then pulls the mace, with a firm grip and pulls aggressively. As he continues to pull for the next few minutes he decides that this is a lost battle, until the last second when the mace comes flying out smacking him in the head.
Several hours later the man awakens and ponders where he is, he wakes up in a unfamiliar area with brick homes, solid rock roads and in a new suit of strange cloth armour, he sees a group of peasants as, he gets up and begins to walk over to them.
KING
Greetings peasants, where exactly am I?
ANGRY PEASENT
What did you say? Peasant, I’ll show you who the peasant is!
KING
Yes, I’m talking to you good peasant.
ANGRY PEASENT
For the last time bruv! I aren’t no ‘peasant’
KING
But you’re wearing the most ridiculous clothes I have ever seen; therefore thou must be a peasant. Also peasant what is that strange banner you wear a white tick? What house does thou represent!
ANGRY PEASENT
That’s it I’m calling my bro and his mates and there going to bat you!
The teen reaches into his pocked and pulls out a mobile phone and begins to call his brother to come with his friends.
KING
What is that strange item? Be gone Wizard!
The strange man runs down the street away from the angry Teen screaming ‘GUARD’ and ‘EVIL WIZARD’. He finds himself in a stranger area where everything is unfamiliar to him.
The man sees another man in a black uniform with a pointy shaped crown with a badge on it. He walks over to him trying to find out again where he is.
KING
Excuse me sir! Who are you?
POLICE OFFICER
I’m a police officer, out on patrol.
KING
I am the King of England, lost in this place.
POLICE OFFICER
King of England? And my mother’s the Queen of Sheba
KING
Oh pleased to meet you Prince.
POLICE OFFICER
Right, that’s enough move along before I bring you in for disturbing the peace.
KING
How dare you sir! I challenge you to a duel!
The King then slaps the Police Officer across the face with a glove, demanding that he would show up at this place at noon with a long sword. The Police Officer then arrests the King for disturbance of the peace.
POLICE OFFICER
Right mate, that’s assault. You’re coming with me to the nick.
KING
Unhand me vile peasant! Or I shall decree a state of war upon your family!
The King heads towards the Policeman in an aggressive way, he then trips over and bangs his head on the concrete floor knocking him out unconscious for a few hours. Meanwhile the Police Officer had a ambulance check him out and then hauled him off to the cells for the time being.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
2. INT. POLICE STATION. EVENING 2.
SEVERAL HOURS LATER
The Lost King of England later wakes up inside a small cell type room with a firm mattress and a strange full metal door with a hatch. The King ponders where he is, to which he has no reply to the to where he is right now.
KING
Where am I, what kind of sorcery is this? Hello!
KING
I am the King of England, you cannot do this to me, and I am your Lord and ruler! I demand you release me at once.
The hatch is opened to which another man dressed the exact same way as the Police Officer speaks.
POLICE SERGEANT
Right bud, were going to have you checked over by our special ‘doctor’ to see if your in a well mental state.
KING
What arte thou saying peasant? Do thou believe that I am bonkers?
The Police Sergeant closes the hatch aggressively and leaves the Lost King to ponder in his thoughts and to calm down a little before they do anything else. The King falls to sleep and hopes that this is all a dream.
A HOUR LATER
The Lost King opens his eyes as he sees a bright light and men dressed in white suits enter his cell. He ponders their presence and screams ‘I shall not wear that white backward jacket! Unhand me vile creature’. As he struggles more the men begin to take action and put a jacket on him securing his arms and legs a he is carried out into an ‘metal war machine’.
KING
What is this contraption you vile creatures?
MENTAL WORKER
Don’t worry sir everything will be ok. You will be safe with us; no one can hurt you anymore.
KING
Where am I, what country is this! I want to be back in England with my castle and my horse, my country and my people!
MENTAL WORKER
Look’s like this guy is worse then we thought we better get him commissioned and in the hospital straight away.
MENTAL WORKER ASSISTANT
Yes let’s hurry, he is beginning to give me a headache.
KING
I AM YOUR LORD AND RULER! RELEASE ME AT ONCE, OR YOU SHALL FACE THE CONSEQUENCES!
FADE OUT
FADE IN
3. INT. HAPPY CARE MENTAL FACILITY. NIGHT 3.
MENTAL WORKER
We’ve got another one to check in here. He thinks he is the King of England (laughter)
KING
I am the King of England and I command you to release me at once you disgusting man! Or as the rules of the throne I shall banish you to France! A horrible place!
MENTAL WORKER ASSISTANT
We need to get this one checked in as soon as possible, before he hurts some one.
RECEPTIONIST
All right we just need his name and his next of kin so we can inform his family.
KING
I am King Arthur Pendragon, wench! King of England, the rightful ruler of the throne and your Lord and Master!
MENTAL WORKER
Looks like were just going to hope some one has lost him and we can file him as a missing person found I guess. If he won’t co-operate let’s put him in cell four.
RECEPTIONIST
Ok I will make a report. Here are the keys, try not to hurt him.
The two men take the King of England down to cell four. Where they lock him in to what it looks like he will spend the rest of his days in the strange and unfamiliar land. The King struggles as he is being pulled which leads the men into putting him to sleep for a while with a injection.
FADE OUT
4. INT. HAPPY CARE HOSPITAL. NIGHT 4.
LATER THAT NIGHT
A bang can be heard from outside the King’s cell. He shouts at whatever beast that wanders these halls that not to enter because he shall smite the beast and make it rue the day. A woman’s voice can be heard from outside.
RECEPTIONIST
(Low voice)
I know who you are your majesty and I know why you’ve been sent here. I am apart of an ancient organisation that saw your return to England to save us all.
KING
Finally, some one is speaking some sense!
RECEPTIONIST
(Low Voice)
Please sir, we must quiet down to get out of this place safely, and my name is Sarah.
KING
(Low Voice)
Apologies Lady Sarah. I have a few questions though.
SARAH
Yes your majesty I bet you do. However we must leave this place first. I shall answer any questions you may have later.
KING
Great now lets leave this retched place. It sickens me.
SARAH
Yes of course sire. We must go immediately to the headquarters in middle England. We must not alert the guards so let us go now and quietly.
The pair begins to run through the halls away from the cells towards the back door of the facility, until they see some strangely clothed men enter the building wielding swords and wearing some strange symbol on their chests. The pair climbs into the vents and hide there until the strangely clothed men have passed. As the pair runs for safety they begin to talk.
KING
Who were those men? Their symbol seemed strangely familiar.
SARAH
They were foot soldiers templar’s of our enemy organisation the Templar’s. They want the evil that is coming to destroy the world so their leader can craft it a new.
KING
Ok, but what are they doing here?
SARAH
They are probably here to kill you my lord. As you are the only one who can stop this evil, and from your parade around the streets earlier a lot of people heard you are back.
They end up at Sarah’s car as the Templar’s begin to shoot at them both.
SARAH
Get in my Lord! This will take us to be we want to be.
KING
What are those cannons in their hands? And I will not enter that cold metal beast! One almost maimed me earlier.
SARAH
It’s a car sir. It’s safe I swear you can trust me; we must get in before those men shoot us dead. Think of it as a modern day horse.
The King looks at the ‘metal beast’ again for a few more seconds before replying.
KING
Oh well, when you put it that way. Ok I trust you. Where are all of the horses anyway?
Both of them step into the car as they begin to drive off.
KING
This is a strange beast. How does it work? What sort of crafter created this machine?
SARAH
It’s a car sire. They were invented years ago and they made horses obsolete.
The King looks behind him and sees the Templar’s. He thinks that they look like his loyal knights and attempts to wave them down as they begin to shoot at him he runs.
KING
I believe I see those knightly dressed peasants behind us are dressed like my loyal soldiers.
SARAH
Hold on your majesty, looks like we are in for a bumpy ride.
The two drive out of the car park in the car and towards the motorway, however the Templar’s attempt to chase them, Sarah pulls a button and activates a cloaking device and pulls of the motorway at the next exit, losing the Templar’s.
5. INT. HAPPY CARE HOSPITAL . MORNING 5.
SEVERAL HOURS LATER
The King and Sarah drive to a location in the countryside of England, the King looks out the window and sees familiar landscape as he smiles, he then looks at a tractor and frowns and remembers it’s not his home. They drive on further down the road.
KING
No, not here – what happened to my wonderful castle? Who did this to my architectural masterpiece?
SARAH
After you disappeared so many of your so loyal friends siege your castle to claim the throne for them selves, however your son managed to hold them off, for a while.
The King looks shocked at what he just heard as he looks towards the sky and a tear sheds from his eye. He then grinds his teeth and begins to look angry.
KING
Why have you brought me to this place, the memories here are too strong.
The two leave the car and enter the castle site, as they enter the old throne room a button under the chair s pressed as they slowly start to move underground.
KING
What the?
SARAH
Welcome to the Preservation Society. Welcome to the year 2010
The pair begins to walk towards a giant metal door as Sarah announces a password, which opens up what is sealed within; the pair then walk towards a table surrounded by other society members who all wear the same mark.
KING
How did I get to this vile time?
SARAH
Legend says it’s a deep hidden power in your bloodline, along with some others.
Film Studies, Presentation Script
How British slapstick comedy has developed from the twentieth century to the present day.
Presenter: Sir Norman Wisdom was one of the biggest comedy stars of his genre and of his time. Nominated for an Oscar, best supporting actor, he had also earned a BAFTA for Most Promising Newcomer in 1954, his performances on Broadway in his later career also got him nominated for a Tony Award, however his biggest award he achieved was his knighthood in the year 2000. He was a big star and today he is still a big star of the comedy Genre, we've seen this through his work with Lee Evans in the 1990's.
( http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936295/awards - http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0936295/bio )
Video Clip: Norman Wisdom's The Early Bird trailer, directed by Robert Asher (item 10).
''..The slapstick legend stars in another slapstick comedy with mischief and gags throughout''
Video Clip: Monty Python and the Holy Grail trailer, directed by Terry Gilliam and Terry Jones (item 11).
''..The comedy crew return with a mystical and magical, low budget film set to split your sides in a medieval fashion''
Video Clip: Rowan Atkinson's Johnny English trailer, directed by Peter Howitt (item 12).
''..The legend returns in a James Bond style comedy with a license to thrill''
[Lights brighten again]
Presenter: Today we are going to investigate the development of the slapstick comedy genre from the early 20th century to our present day and look at it's star's, comedians and legends. My focus film will be Norman Wisdom's the Early Bird which was Sir Norman's first comedy film in color, my first related film Rowan Atkinson's Johnny English and Monty Python's magical and mystical Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
First of all in the old time, when slapstick comedy would of been the most popular genre around most of the world with the likes of Charlie Chaplain, Norman Wisdom and others I would say that the period of this slapstick comedy was quite innocent. As it involved gags and jokes, unlike some comedies today which include a lot more violence, sexual scenes gone wrong and bad accidents.
We look at a scene from Norman Wisdom's The Early Bird for an example of the slapstick. ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6BN-MFQ0qI&feature=related )
As we progress through time to the era of Monty Python Slap Stick comedy we find that the comedy start's to get a lot more violent, perhaps it is how the comedy developed over the years, or perhaps the comedy genre needed a new look. We are not sure why the comedy developed to become more violent and bloody.
We look at a fighting scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhRUe-gz690 )
Then as we get more to the modern day slapstick comedian's film's we find that they can get even more rude and violent. For example one of the fighting scene's from Johnny English which shows gun fight's between the actor's go wrong. This show's us the more modern day slapstick comedians. We can also see the sexual scene's through the film which you would not have had in a original slapstick film.
We look at the opening scene from Johnny English ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nc8yCP_SbOU )
We also see how the slapstick comedy has developed through the internet, for example in the golden days of slapstick comedy we would not have seen a official website dedicated to a specific film such as Norman Wisdom's the Early Bird because the internet was not around back then. However nowadays most films including slapstick have official websites were fans can go and leave comments of what they liked and did not like and then if the developers and director want to improve on for a sequel they can see what the audience thought of the film by looking at the forum pages.
We then look at the official websites for Johnny English and Monty Python and the Holy Grail, there is no website for The Early Bird as the internet was not around then.
(MP - http://pythonline.com
JE - http://www.johnny-english.com/ )
We see a lot more sexually orientated scenes in slapstick comedies of today, however it would be very rare or never shown in the golden age of slapstick comedy, however in our more modern films like Johnny English and Monty Python and the Holy Grail it is a common theme in the movies today, as it is in most movies nowadays from the comedies to the actions.
Something that has stayed the same in the slapstick comedy genre is the type of actor we have to entertain us throughout the film. For example in all three film's Norman Wisdom, John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson all act or look a little strange or goofy to keep up the laughter.
In some slapstick comedies you find comedy groups like Monty Python that all work together to write, direct and produce great and funny slapstick comedies, low budget of course. However in the past like in the time of Norman Wisdom's Early Bird it would of been a rare sight because the studio's would of payed for everything needed for the film, and make the actor's their 'property'.
Another point on how the slapstick comedy genre's today are similar in a way to the old fashioned ones are that in The Early Bird and in Johnny English the leading actress's are good looking girls for the goofy lead actor to fall in love with or marry at the end. Or used for some twisted comedic ending for the grand finale.
Slapstick comedy has also not changed in the way they usually have a male main character. I believe it is very rare to find a female main character in most films nowadays and in the past nevermind the slapstcik genre. Well there are no main character's that are involved in slapstick in my films. An example of this would be in Johnny English the female main character even though this is a comedy film is mainly used as a sort of femme fetal.
Some times there can become cult followings over a film or a actor in certain countries across the world for their comedic acts and feeling's the people feel towards the actor. For example Norman Wisdom developed a cult following in Albania because his film's were one of the only film's aloud to be shown in Albania at the time and the people loved them and in turn loved Norman Wisdom for his brilliant 'British Humor' Albanians claim to have a similar humor to the British and this is one of the reasons he is seen so high of. However more modern day film's like Johnny English acted by Rowan Atkinson do not seem to have cult followings or such.
A lot of comedies nowadays seem to be portrayed during a certain time and this is usually in the medieval time period’s around the world, mostly England during this time. For example Monty Python’s The Holy Grail is set in this period as is a series called ‘Black Adder’ which is acted by Rowan Atkinson set through periods of British history. However films during the golden age usually seemed to be set during the present time period, probably because there was a lot going on at the time and they could use this to their advantage.
So overall we discover that a lot of thing's such as theme's and such have changed over the years since the golden age of comedy, there is a little less self inflicted slap stick and a little more 'sex joke' slapstick in which involves the lead male and lead female. We have also initiated some thing's have stayed the same such as the main character's, their 'goofyness' and the way it is advertised and portrayed over the internet.
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