I have been asked to write a Movie Script.

Why me? Well evidently the movie industry is in crisis and they are
desperate. They must be very desperate.

It is to have a contemporary setting in the South of England to avoid
the need for any expensive sets or costumes and it should be a
BLOCKBUSTER!

Forget computer graphics, heists, serial killers and all that rubbish.

I am toying with the idea of a couple who get locked into a
supermarket ... maybe drawing inspiration from Metropolis and Modern
Times.

Over to you!

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Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 14 Dec 2004 02:07 PST

Possibly a group of people, each with a pressing reason to escape.

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Clarification of Question by probonopublico-ga on 19 Dec 2004 05:59 PST

My thanks to one and all.

I've now got it going.

Bryan --

Pick up some aspect of the life of Arthur Conan Doyle.  The New Yorker
magazine two weeks ago did a great article on the death of Richard
Lancelyn Green, a Sherlock Holmes scholar, and emphasized the "curse"
of those associated with Holmes -- including the author, Doyle:
http://www.newyorker.com/online/content/?041213on_onlineonly01

There's enough mystery and conundrum around Doyle to do a series of movies!

Best regards,

Omnivorous-GA

Oh, I meant to include the Google search strategy so that you won't
have to go to the newstand.  Go to www.newyorker.com and do a site:
search for "Sherlock Holmes."  It has the article and an interview
with the author.

Best regards,

O.

Idea #2: fill in the missing information by scripting what happened
the 2 weeks leading up to Rudolf Hess's arrival:
http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=371670

I'll gladly do the stunt piloting!

How about the people locked in include a lottery winner who still has
the ticket but has not yet claimed. He's got it with him. Other
characters, a pretty blonde, a thief, a thug, an old woman would vie
for his attention in a myriad of ways.
Lots of opportunities for twists

Hi, Omni

Very many thanks for your suggestions.

However, dramatising historic events is big budget territory, as
interesting as your ideas are.

Right now, a contemporary setting is important. Also, I want some
sympathetic characters and I can't conjure up any sympathy for Rudy,
however noble his intentions.

Your offer to pilot me around is most welcome and is warmly accepted.

Any ideas for Flight Attendants?

Hi pr1s0ner-ga

YES! You are on the right lines but ... a Lottery Winner? Such folk
have 6 months to claim their loot ... Of course, having cashed in, he
could be stocking up for a celebratory party. This would allow the
Deadly Sin of Greed to play a part. Maybe there are seven folk who are
entrapped, each one a sinner.

The pretty blonde could be preggers with the birth imminent ... from
an adulterous liaison!

Very many thanks!

Bryan

Most supermarkets operate on the JIT principle
- so there is little scope for 'Modern Times' style machinery in an
automated warehouse. Pity - because that could be interesting.

I would suggest giving your 'couple' a profoundly good reason for not
making a noise, like witnessing something rather daunting, say a
couple of security guards sticking a body in a deep freeze.

Voices, footsteps, witnessing a few very dubious activities, rather
like stumbling on grave robbers.
Perhaps a finale with the protagonists having stockpiled some Molotov
cocktails in a 'perch' only to find that the brandy is under proof -
but Vodka works
  (for the wicks you could immortalize the phrase 'Always wear cotton knickers' )
- you could even get 'product placement' sponsorship
- although it would probably be 'product non-placement'

The jist of it could be a bunch of low level people running their own
inferior (outdated, junked) goods through the outlet and erasing the
sales from the till records before the midnight upload.

Just for laughs the computer guy who 'rearranges' the sales records
could look like a Neanderthal.

The general description for this activity is 'Totting'

The title: 'Totting in Dangerfields' would get the Gateway/Somerfield
chain up in arms - always good publicity.

Also a chance for memorable catchphrases:
eg: the corpse - 'better stiff than floppy'  
    (ans: to why don't we shift him now)
also: 'just don't give up the day job - while you're doing the Nightshift'
or:   'Don't drive a Merc when you're making money' 
      'Mervin will thaw out after his accident' 

Perhaps also the Neanderthal hacker's comments:
  Like: 'we're f*cked when they go real-time'
  or:   'don't thank me for the backdoor - PayPal Mr Gates'
        'Today is yesterday - when I say so'

And the boss's:
        'sh*t food is just vaccination for bad 'good food' '
        'We're in the recycling business'

Just a thought


Pretty low budget,

Hi, Jerry

Very many thanks!

You will the first to get a mention when I am making my Oscar acceptance speech.

Bryan

> I can't conjure up any sympathy for Rudy, however noble his intentions.<

Bryan --

You don't need sympathy for him: it could be a tale of Machiavellians
(Hitler-Hess) being out-maneuvered by an opponent even more
Machiavellian than they could imagine.  It could be a one-man tale,
told from the jail cell -- though the historical drama of a flight
across enemy territory just as radar is coming into use is worth the
extra budget.

And reviewers would find no end to links to modern times, even if you
didn't intend any . . .

Oh, and I don't believe that he had any flight attendants in the fighter plane.

Best regards,

O.

A homeless couple (insert tragic back story* here) usually stays in or
around a mall as panhandlers (and the occasional, very clever
shoplifters).  They were locked in one night as a result of hiding
from the security guards.  The weather outside was quite miserable and
the two had a relatively fun time exploring the mall.  They discovered
many crawl spaces between floors, connecting back rooms etc. that even
those who work in the mall would not have knowledge of.  They live
there for a while, making use of the food in the grocery store, the
facilities and even the games and toys (usually repackaged them before
morning).  Slowly they invite more homeless friends there until a
nocturnal society is created.  The original couple gets into an
argument prompted by the malicious tendencies one shows toward the
employees and patrons of the mall.  The society is divided, each
taking a different section of the mall.  The hostility between the two
groups grows into a total war making use of all the malls stores. 
Toys used for reconnaissance, monitoring of the security cameras, more
dangerous weapons such as broken bottles and kitchen knives emerge
(each night they cover all tracks, murder weapons are placed back on
the shelves etc. both sides follow the rule that no one goes out
between 7AM and 10PM and no trace is left behind).  The two sides end
up killing each other, save the couple, who after seeing the chaos
around them forgive each other and leave the mall.  In the end dozens
of bodies are hidden on the battlefield, between walls and under
floors whilst the mall patrons walk about completely oblivious of the
chaos that ensued.

*The backstory must somehow tie in to the fate of the mall society to
give the viewer the impression that the couple is off to create
another failed community as they walk off into the distance.

-Fractl

Wow ... Many thanks for all the brilliant ideas ...

First, the Omniscient Omni ...

YES ... the Rudy concept is great but it needs work. I see this as a
vehicle for Tom Cruise and Will Smith who go undercover in wartime
Germany and kidnap the Deputy Fuehrer. They hijack a Zeppelin and take
him to The Octagon where his expertise is used to defeat Hitler.
Meanwhile, a lookalike is parachuted into Scotland as a decoy. After
the war, the real Hess has plastic surgery and lives happily ever
after as a Hollywood producer.

Second, Fractl ...

YES ... A reworking of Les Miserables would be great on condition that
Andy Lloyd Webster doesn't write the musical score.

Third ... Frde remains closest to my heart.

So, now we have an abundance of ideas.

Hell, someone is sure to be disappointed on Oscar night.