TBF, Mags, you have been doing a lot of the heavylifting for the quest, so this will be in good hands.
To be clear to everyone, this is just me burning out on imagination of the quest, since my muse has been hitting me over the head a lot with so many different ideas that I just can't find myself too interested in this.
I'll still hang out here, though, since this still does have a sepcial place in my heart.
I'd like to thank you all for making this a wonderful experience while it lasted.
I'd also like to thank @Magoose, @Fluffy_serpent, and @Martin Noctis for doing so much to help prepare and write this quest. I couldn't have done it without you all.
If you're an actor dating another actor or just some sort of celebrity couple in general, I have to imagine there's a massive amount of social pressure from fans and the general public to adhere to the same level of wholesome love or else one of you or both are failures and don't really love each other.
Huh geuss we dodge a bullet with the paparazzi reward huh but i can't imagine this silence lasting too long. Thou i imagine they will be careful how they spin the yarn or risk facing liabel and or slander
ok if we get gold in the olympics, he'll be world famous, if we then after all that release five dates and it goes well that increase is just gonna compound, if star wars was released after THAT then the unimaginable legend both star wars and the MC will be is crazy. Yeah people will talk abut that time like they do about princess diana today. No one that was alive during this time will forget it.
Who owns the rights to the Silmarillion? we should work on getting those before our grand adventure into LOTR
Also LOL Even now a days the amount of money paid to politicians by lobbyists is disgustingly low. You would think buying a vote would mean millions, but its as easily done as a few thousand......
Christopher Tolkien completed the Silmarillion based off his fathers world building notes and early drafts of it. He made several mistakes during it, such as when he stated Gil-Galad was the son of Fingon instead of Orodreth and left out Idril going berserk when she saw her fathers death. The Tolkien estate even today has yet to sell the rights to it.
Also LOL Even now a days the amount of money paid to politicians by lobbyists is disgustingly low. You would think buying a vote would mean millions, but its as easily done as a few thousand......
Christopher Tolkien completed the Silmarillion based off his fathers world building notes and early drafts of it. He made several mistakes during it, such as when he stated Gil-Galad was the son of Fingon instead of Orodreth and left out Idril going berserk when she saw her fathers death. The Tolkien estate even today has yet to sell the rights to it.
And let me tell ya I'm one hundred percent glad they did… the very fact that something like Golum or ring of power could be made with little to no respect for the source material, makes me fear what ever could have happened if they decided to take the butchers knife to some of the greatest stories both Tolkiens ever wrote!
My pitch of "The Slender Man" was the first one I made for the thread, and looking back on it I feel that it was a bit too rushed and clearly lacking in details. So, I decided that i woulld try making the pitch one more time, this time researching about the Mythos (and the parts which were added later) to go back to basics and incorporate them here.
One thing I want to mention, is that I feel this movie is going to be a short one, as I feel the best horror movies usually don't last up to 2 hours or more. One of the best characterisics of true horror is the slow feeling of increased anxiousness, where you're not sure if what you're looking for is actually there, where the thing that is chasing you has no weaknesses or any way to be stopped or defeated. Which is why I think Slevderman fits perfectly into the role.
So, here goes, my rewrite of my pitch:
Movie Pitch: The Slender Man
GENRE: Horror/Suspense
SUBGENRE: Mystery/Dark Fantasy
FORMAT: Movie
Captain Samuel Finch: Tough no nonsense Captain for the Fairfield Police. Professional, calm, and dismissive of any argument that is not backed by evidence. He assigns the case of Anna Jarskin's death to Detective McCullough, while also demanding regular reports of what he's found.
Detective Eric McCullough: Veteran detective with wide experience in the field, he is also divorced. He takes the case before discovering the connection there is with his family, the enthusiasm for finding the truth has him discovers about the "Slender Man" and dive deeper into just what it is, not knowing the disastrous consequences.
Anna Jarskin: An award-winning journalist and the one person who brought to light the guilty party from the children abduction case two years back... She was found dead by hanging herself, no notes, no information, just some notebooks she made sure to burn and a mysterious disappearance for the last two years.
Sarah Langdon: Anna's childhood friend, a writer by trade who received a call from Anna a week before her death. An introvert by nature, shy and bookish as well, she is a suspect of the death of Anna by Detective McCullough due to actions she took in the past. She is trying to research and find the truth to clear her name.
Aaron Smith: A surviving victim from the "Slender Man". He changed his name so that no one would find out about him, and made sure to hide himself in one of the most remote areas, inside a cabin near the woods. Twitchy, constantly scared, he knows the most about the "Slender Man", but also does not want to speak about it.
It's dark in the night, not even the moon is visible, and a woman is walking through the streets of Fairfield. She looks skittish, looking from side to side as if making sure no one is following. With her is a small backpack that she clutches with her hands like a lifejacket in the ocean. She walks into a run-down hotel who clearly has seen better days and pays for a room, signs her name (Anna Jarskin) and is given the key. Anna quickly goes to her room, makes sure that the windows are closed and blocked then removes a bunch of notebooks from the back pack, along with some matches and a rope. Anna then throws her notebooks into the trashcan she finds in the bathroom and sets them on fire. She then uses the rope to hang herself.
We see the same room, but now with the police investigating it, the body is no longer there. Detective Eric McCullough makes his first appearance, looks at the room and asks for the details; the victim's name is Anna Jarskin, photographer by trade, and missing person for over 2 years now. Detective McCullough asks if there's anything more, they give him the remains of the burnt notebooks they found. Much of what was written was destroyed, but one of the staff found her before the entirety of the notebooks were burnt.
Detective McCullough interviews the staff about the night before, Anna, and why they went to look for her. The interrogation brings more information to light; Anna seemed to be panicking, as if someone was coming after her and was on the verge of finding where she was. She asked for the smallest room there was, and with as small a window as there could be. They don't know anything about the notebooks though, only that they were in the middle of being burnt when they found her body.
Detective McCullough returns to the station, meets with Captain Samuel Finch to reveal what he found; they have suspicion to believe the victim was being chased by someone, but why she took her own life is still a mystery. Not to mention where she was for the last two years. They discuss that the answer may be in the notebooks. Detective McCullough wants to research them more, Captain Finch agrees, but at the same time reminds him there's a time limit if no other evidence can be found.
McCullough starts researching Anna Jarskin, seeing into her work, friends, and family at the end. Everyone paints the picture of a well-adjusted, cheerful and determined woman who was not afraid to go into places where others would balk at; Her family is crying when talking about her life with them, the editor at the newspaper where she worked at.
Both sides give a piece of information.
The family mentions about a friend Anna had, how they were thick as thieves growing up, they'd been best friends but they had a falling out, coincidentally it was 2 years back before she had disappeared. Anna had been forced to get a restraining order, though she never told them the reason why they suddenly broke their friendship off.
The friend's name was Sarah Langdon.
Meanwhile the Editor mentioned how Anna was fearless when looking for stories and uncovering the truth, something which made her many enemies...sometimes within the newspaper as well. Detective McCullough starts interviewing a bit more of the staff in the newspaper, and finds a darker side; Anna was ambitious, unscrupulous, and was not afraid to do anything to further her own career. Everyone has a story of how she screwed them over as she looked for more opportunities, which is how she found about the abduction case two years back...
This makes Detective McCullough start and feel something beyond just professionalism. It turns out the event talked about is the child abduction case where 14 children disappeared, then were found dead two years ago...among them was his own. It turns out that Anna had been the one who'd discovered who the culprits where, and had exposed them; a group of "New Age" cultists who'd gone crazy.
Detective McCullough returns to the Police Station where he's told they manages to recover something from the notebooks. A single page that is burned in the edges, with a drawing in it...
Detective McCullough sees the image and believes that it might be the clue he needed. Never Alone, like someone was always looking and watching her. He start researching on what leads he has, even looking on the information of said cultists who may have looked at her for revenge. He finds a name, buried under all, the name of an old member who'd not been there, and had left the group a long time ago...
Sarah Langdon.
He looks for the address before leaving for the apartment. It's night out, and during his walk to the car he feels someone's there. He looks around but sees nothing and no one. There is tension in the air, like something may happen as he enters his car and leaves, still with no one appearing in the parking lot, as it remains still with no sound at all.
Detective McCullough arrives at the apartment of Sarah Langdon, he enters the building and look s for the number which is in the 4th floor. Once there he knocks the door, and is allowed entry once he shows his badge. Sarah speaks with Detective McCullough, she's nervous as he asks her about her past with Anna, the questions become more probing as they move closer to the time where they had their falling out, trying to find more about what may have happened.
As the questions grow sharper Sarah becomes more anxious, eventually Detective McCullough asks her about the cultists and the day of the children's abduction, which has Sarah jump from her seat and run, Detective McCullough going after her. She manages to give him the slip by taking the elevator, the Detective running down the stairs until she reaches the bottom, where the Detective manages to catch up to her and arrest her on the spot, taking her to the station.
As he's moving the patrol car, there's a "blink and you'll miss it" moment where the side mirror shows an image which has the detective turn and see...nothing. After a moment he turns back and drives to the station. From behind something is seeing him leave, but nothing can be seen there.
Detective McCullough is back at the station reviewing the evidence once more, the information on the "cultists" and the abduction of 14 children. He starts having flashbacks to the time, when he and his wife were happy, he and his son just playing and having fun. Then the disappearance, the many nights trying to find the one responsible, and the discovery that his son was...
He breaks out of the fugue before it can consume him, and is summoned to Captain Finch's office. Detective McCullough is reprimanded for acting so recklessly and without solid evidence. Detective McCullough tries to argue about what he found, but Captain Finch does not listen as it can't be used to arrest her as he's done, or even keep her for so long. Detective McCullough is angry, mentioning that she's hiding something due to her reaction when he asked about the abduction. Captain Finch think this is becoming personal to Detective McCullough and tries to remove him from the case, but Detective McCullough refuses.
Captain Finch finally agrees to keep him in after a heated back and forth, but Sarah can't be kept locked in so she's released. Detective McCullough looks at her, knowing there something suspicious, something she's hiding.
Detective McCullough starts going over the evidence once more, spending his time in between finding everything he can about Anna, and stalking Sarah; seeing her patterns, the people she meets, etc. During one night where he's reviewing his work at home he looks once more at the evidence, walking through his home as he tries to shake off the fatigue, he looks at the pictures he's had framed; those of his wife and son before the entire tragedy.
Once more there's a feeling of wrongness, like there's something with him in the house. Detective McCullough grabs his gun and goes looking for whatever may be inside. He moves from room to room, always a quick movement on the edge of his sight, a small noise, just pushing him from room to room, each time more desperate. A quick shadow moves out of sight, the anxiety increases as whatever may be looking for him just seems to appear and disappear from sight, until Detective McCullough finally leaves the house and calls the police.
The police arrive and inspect the entire house, telling Detective McCullough that there's no one inside, they've spoken with the neighbors as well and they haven't seen anyone nor heard anything suspicious. The police think that the case may be having an impact on him, but Detective McCullough argues he's fine and that there was someone in his house. The Police leave, doubtful, as Detective McCullough once more enters, looks around a bit more and finds nothing, then goes to sleep.
When he opens his eyes, Detective McCullough finds himself in a forest...
Detective McCullough does not know how he got there, or why was he even there, he does notice he has a flashlight but doesn't know how long it can last. He starts hearing a voice, a voice giggling and laughing as it calls to him. Detective McCullough recognizes the voice, it's that of his son! Detective McCullough calls out to him, running in the direction he hears it. Moving through the forest quickly, turning the flashlight on and off when it gets too dark.
Through the forests, there are moments where he can almost see something on the edge of his vision, not sure if it's a tree or something else, but it's there. The same feeling, the same pressure he felt on his home, but he can't think on that at the moment as his son is there. He notices that on the trees are pieces of paper, papers with drawings seemingly made by a child...
The papers don't make much sense...or they make too much sense as he once more runs when he feels the presence right behind him. Both the sound of his son's voice and the presence behind push him to run, trying to find his son before the presence does, he move through the forest, the flashlight battery runs out, he looks frantically at all sides, util one moment he looks at...
And he wakes up. Detective McCullough is scared but tries to push the dream out of his mind. He goes on to his usual stake out for Sarah, but his mind is not into it. He's now feeling the same pressure, the same climate as when that...thing was looking at him, it makes him itchy, anxious, like at any moment that...Slender Man could appear...the radio station is on and static starts sounding from nowhere as...
A knock on his window startles him, he looks and sees Sarah, who demands to know why he's here. Detective McCullough tries to find an excuse, but Sarah does not believe him as she's seen him following her on occasions and she wants him to stop. Detective McCullough confronts her on the suspicions there are with Anna's death, and how she's still a suspect. Sarah is angry, arguing back, both of them are yelling now, until eventually Sarah agrees to tell him the reason why Anna came to see her.
Two years ago, when the abduction happened, Anna had been the one to cover it. Her story had accused a group of "New Age" cultists as the one who had abducted and killed the children, but that had been a lie. Sarah had been one of said "cultists" and she had been the one to introduce them to Anna. They were a simple peaceful sect who didn't even believe in killing or eating animals. Anna needed a big story however, so when she found the bodies of the children, she made a story accusing her friends, then when Sarah tried going to her for answers, she was threatened with being implicated, and set a restraining order on her to make it seem as if Sarah was the unhinged one.
Detective McCullough is incredulous at hearing that, he argues that she would've been discovered but Sarah argus back that Anna was always good at covering her tracks, as well as manipulating others around her. She was always two faced, but you wouldn't know it until the moment came when she turned on you. Detective McCullough remembers all the stories and comments about her he got from Anna's colleagues at the newspaper.
He asks Sarah why did Anna went to see her, Sarah mentions she is not sure; at first, she thought it was another of her schemes and tricks since she talked about asking for help, how she sounded desperate. But Sarah had seen her act that way before, so she just shut the door and refused to interact with her. She did not see her again until she was told she'd killed herself (which was the reason why she was so nervous when he came to ask her questions). Detective McCullough is stunned, Sarah gives him a folder with all that she has on Anna, of their past together, and asks him to please stop contacting her.
Detective McCullough is once more seeing the evidence back at the station, though he's more irritable and jumpier than before, feeling he's being watched by that Slender Man of his dreams. He can't get it out of his head, almost seeing him when a colleague calls his name and jumping back, crashing into another desk, bringing both down. He speaks with Captain Finch who is debating to bring him out of the case as nothing else seems to suggest this is anything more than a suicide. Detective McCullough argues back, both sides end up nearly shouting at each other. McCullough pleads for just a bit more time, Captain Finch agrees to give him two more days, but after that he's closing the case.
Detective McCullough walks through the station, everyone whispering and talking about him. He once more tries to look back in Anna's past; the evidence from the abduction case and what Sarah also gave him...and he finds something that catches his eyes in both; First, in the documents Sarah gave him there's a picture of them playing as children near a forest; Lenton Forest as it shows, but he would recognize that forest wherever it may be called, it's the same one as the one in his dreams.
The second one are the photos from the children in the abduction case, the last ones taken of them before their disappearance...
It's that same person that appeared in his dreams. Detective McCullough shows it to his colleagues and the captain, but they don't see it. They think he's either too tired and seeing things, or that he's projecting something into some smudges. Detective McCullough is undeterred and angry as he storms out of the Police Station and into his car. There's a chase as he once more "sees" the Slender Man, each time closer though he doesn't see him move. He drives out quickly, moving as fast as he can to the Forest in the pictures.
When Detective McCullough arrives, he finds he can't take the car further so he needs to walk. He follows the trail deeper into the forest till he arrives at a home. He goes inside, calling to see if there's anyone there, but no one answers. He walks through the two-story home, seeing no framed pictures or anything that shows someone lives here save for the furniture and a working fridge. As he moves through it, he starts seeing drawings on the wall, words that either warn or make no sense, and...
"Who's there?" A voice startles Detective McCullough, who turns and finds...an old man, who doesn't look at him but keeps his eyes on the ground.
Detective McCullough introduces himself; the old man walks through him as he does the same ("Aaron Smith") looking everywhere near the ground, and very jumpy all around. He invites the detective to sit while he makes some refreshments and turns on the nearby radio. During the process he never once lifts his head, always knowing where everything in the pantry above is. The sound of music fills the room as Detective McCullough asks him about Anna and what the drawings on the walls are, his behavior lately being twitchier and more erratic.
At first, he does not want to talk about it, but Detective McCullough mentions the Slender Man as well, which has Aaron drop the cups where he was making tea in fear, then speak about it to the Detective. It is not a man, he does not know what it is, but it's not a man.
Taller than the average human with an oddly proportioned body. Faceless, no hair no facial feature that make him recognizable, with skin unnaturally pale long arms and legs, always wearing a black suit...He describes him without Detective McCullough having to say anything. The says he pities him as he's already dead, he just doesn't know.
Just like he told Anna...
Detective McCullough demands answers, Aaron slowly sits, and explains; he did meet Anna, both when she and her friend usually cam for visits, and later on when she came looking for him 2 years ago. The first time, for a little while, he was able to feel something beyond fear every day as he helped a couple of girls who'd gotten lost and heard his stories before he could take them to their parents.
He shpuld've known HE would take an interest.
"Who...? The Slender Man?" Aaron looks like he wants to argue again, but holds it, and explains.
The Slender Man, he's not sure from whence it came, he just knows it can't be killed. He's seen many try and never work. Detective McCullough is angry, he's not making sense, Aaron is still alive, but Aaron replies he does not know why he remains alive, but he did ever since the abduction...the one from 1928.
Detective McCullough has never heard of it, but Aaron mentions how no one did. It's only now when more are being reported thanks to the growing media...something he's sure it will want as well. The Slender Man is drawn to the children, he can draw them in to a secret location where he then...he remembers, he remembers the blood, the dead, all around him. He was just a child, yet he survived. "Look Up" he heard but he wouldn't do it. A childish impulse in him, just telling him that if he didn't look, he couldn't hurt him, repeating itself in his mind over and over again.
The Slender Man disappeared, but he still feels his presence occasionally. He's still coming, waiting for the moment Aaron looks up, waiting for a moment of carelessness. Once you look at him it's all over; the moment you see him he starts stalking you, feeding into a loop where the more he's seen the more he appears, until finally...
"And Anna?" Detective McCullough asks.
"Another victim, another toy...I don't know anymore. His purpose, his methods, he's beyond anything I've been able to understand..." Aaron replies.
There's the sound of something breaking, the sound of cicadas growing outside, the radio's music is being filled with static sounds as...
Aaron still looks down, but there's a tightness to him, a pressure and fear in his eyes as he mutters just one word.
"Run"
Detective McCullough runs, out of the house, into the forest. Once more, it all seems like his dream; it's dark out, the flashlight in his hand, but it's all different now. He knows something's chasing him, something that shouldn't be, but is. Many times he has to double back when he sees the Slender Man may be in his path and try to take another route. Detective McCullough is cornered, he can't go any other way and the Slender Man is coming when he hears a voice; It's Aaron, shouting at the Slender Man and with his head up. He yells at McCullough to run, desperately as the Slender Man changes targets, disappearing and giving Detective McCullough another chance.
He runs, all the way to his car, all the way hearing the shouts from Aaron as the Slender Man finally catches up to his longtime prey. The sound of cicadas now stronger, almost as if laughing. Detective McCullough reaches his car and drives out as fast as he can, all the way to Fairfield once more. He arrives at the police station, the night shift startled when they see him frantically come in and ask for Captain Finch. They tell him the captain's not in, and also that Detective McCullough is not allowed inside either. The captain has put him on leave due to his erratic behavior lately.
Detective McCullough loses it as he yells at them; they need to prepare, the Slender Man is coming, the real killer, but they all look at him as if he's crazy, or lost it due to the pressure and the nature of the investigation. They try to calm him down but he keeps on yelling, talking about how he's after him, just like...just like all who know of him. That's why Anna burnt it all, why she killed herself. She wasn't through enough...
The Night shift is nervous as they hear his mutterings, try to reach him once more, but he draws his gun on them, and orders them to take him to the evidence and archive room. They're scared, try to reason with him, but he shoots at the ceiling and demands it once more. They lead him in as everyone looks at them. Detective McCullough holds on to his gun as he takes all mentions of Slender Man he can find, as well as the pictures, and pointing his gun at them leaves the Police Station.
It's a race against time, Detective McCullough drives like a man possessed, turns on his car radio to music at the highest volume, careful for any sudden static sound. He reaches a petrol store where at gun point, he demands as many Kerosene he can carry to his car. Meanwhile the Police Station is calling all units to stop Detective McCullough and apprehend him. When the news of the robbery at the Petrol Station arrives, they also send the information to the incoming Units.
A car chase develops, one where the Police Units are trying to find Detective McCullough, while he tries to avoid them, as well as the Slender Man when he notices the radio growing Static. Detective McCullough arrives home, and turns on every light he has, bringing in all the Kerosene then closing the doors and windows. The Police vehicles are told Detective McCullough was seen at his house and change direction to it. Meanwhile Detective McCullough is quickly covering the house in Kerosene, the radio inside at full volume, static sounds are starting to appear.
Detective McCullough starts setting fire to the top of his home, then goes down, the static now overcoming the music completely. He's inside the living room, All the lights turned on, as he grabs every bit of evidence containing Slender Man, as well as what Sarah gave him, and starts burning it, static sounds growing, the Cicadas sound now being heard as well. The lights start turning off, from the furthest to the closest, one by one, as if announcing its arrival. Detective McCullough sets the room on fire, the last he sees is Slender Man's silhouette as he yells at it, the police arriving at a burning home.
It's morning now, police and firefighters are at Detective McCullough' home where the fire has finally died down. Both sides are discussing what's going on with their own superiors. Captain Finch is at the location talking with the officers and looking at the home. He mentions it's a shame they couldn't stop it, or help Detective McCullough before he went off. He asks if anything was recovered, but they all come negative; every piece of evidence he took was burnt down.
Captain Finch has them all go back to the station. As he's going back to his car, the radio on, he steps on a piece of paper, looking down he bends and grabs it...
He looks at it for a while longer, all the while the music from the radio in his car starts being interrupted by static sounds.
The End.
Credits: During the credits, for a moment they're interrupted by Static, before an image of Slender Man makes a quick appearance before it all goes back to normal.
A.N: So, here's my expanded version of my previous Pitch. A bit short, but as I've mentioned, I think Horror Movies should not be that long. I think this can work nowadays, especially if we have the Slender Man make only sporadic apperances, and make sure that when he does is not for too long, keep the mystery and mystique as long as possible.
Life had a way of taking priority away from his interests, but before today h'd never have imagined one like this; in his arms, he held a total stranger and Dave knew with every fiber that he loved her deep and true.
Her name was Julia, and she was his daughter.
It'd taken Farah and him by surprise, to learn in the eighth month of pregnancy that they were expecting, forcing them to scramble to get everything in order; it'd hurt him to know Farah had, even for a moment, been afraid of his reaction, but he was quick to accept them and shared with her a kiss, a promise, his fears, hopes and dreams, and a ring...at which point they learned the child was trying for preme status. That mad dash had resulted in a quick ceremony in the hospital's chapel, with Bruce, Carrie, George, Marcia and Feet as witnesses.
From a druggie to a respectable family man...who'd have thought?
A few days later, Bruce helped the new family move into a larger apartment (neither had previously had the space necessary for a child), his old apartment, with Dave having helped make the space comfortable for their daughter and, after a brief moment of panic, make a weeks worth of meal prep for the both of them. It'd taken awhile, given Farah's lethargy and Julia's rambunctiousness but they'd managed it somewhat peacefully.
"Mind if I hold her?" Bruce had asked hesitantly a time later, a wistful look briefly flashing over his face, as Julia grew restless in Dave's arms.
"You know how to-" Dave almost asked, before acquiescing and gently showing him how to properly his girl.
Bruce bounced her gently in his arms, getting her comfortable, before beginning to sing what could have been a lullaby in a gentle bass.
Villainous, infamous, Anne Bonny (hey-ey-ey)
Villainous, infamous, Anne Bonny (ey)
Villainous, infamous, Anne Bonny (hey-ey-ey)
Villainous, infamous, Anne Bonny (ey)
Born in Ireland, scandalously
Bastard daughter, to a prosperous lawyer
Shunned suitor and society
For the love of a pirate boy"
When he finished minutes later, Dave couldn't help but stare at the man he'd been proud to call friend.
"Why- no, how do you know Abuela Carina's lullaby?"
It'd been such a strange thing to find that you perhaps shared blood, no matter how distant, with a friend through the knowledge that you both knew the same lullaby, the story of the Pirate Queen Anne Bonny...and yet it still changed nothing. Everything was the same as it was before, friends of the salt and spray and co-workers besides, not to mention your current sleep deprivation and greatest joy. Where Dave went, so did Julia in the babybjorn, usually asleep against his chest as he kept a consistent and steady work output.
Of course, George had been quick to give the both of them, him and Farah, paid parental leave (two months in his case!), so his current work was mostly reading to Julia a series of stories he'd collected from his research on piracy. Currently, he was reading from one of archeologist Cassandra Morgan, who seemed to be the current rising star of Pirate Academia(?), about a dig site in the Caribbean that she believed potentially held Aztec gold that had been stolen by the Inquisition.
As he continued reading to Julia, a plot thread began to slowly crystalize of a Wild Hunt upon the High Seas, born of the cursed gold they'd stolen from worthier men and unleashed upon the Caribbean's shores. How they condemned the best and worst of them to the waters for daring to question their greed...and the realization of their folly. About part way into his musings, he realized he was describing them out loud to his daughter, who had found them comforting and had fallen asleep cutely against his chest.
Kissing her head, he gently hurried to get the laundry done before she could wake up.
The days continued like this, Dave treasuring each and every moment with his daughter as he let Farah rest, pulling various material off the shelves to read to her, even delving into the material he had yet to go over, like that old journal by a one H. Turner, that contained a multitude of old sailor's tales and shanties of dubious origin and yet contained one of the only accounts of the Captain Sparrow, the supposed crewmate of the infamous, villainous Anne Bonny and Mary Reade who'd fought back the British Marine tide, he'd been able to find outside Cassandra Morgan's work...and he'd delved deep into pirate lore. But for now, all that mattered was that these stories brought a kind of peace to the spitfire that was his daughter.
God, was he lucky or what? A/N: If anyone can spot the reference, I'll give them a cookie. No, nothing PotC related.
International Box Office: $27,000,000
Lucasfilm Unlimited Profits: $13,000,000
It had been a while since a good Godzilla movie had been released to the public. In fact, Toho had been concerned that their most profitable franchise was not getting the recognition it deserved, with most of the attention going to already finished ones like the Lone Wolf and Cub series. Things had been getting hectic back in Japan, with the Producers from both franchises arguing about which movie deserved another distribution, and rumblings for other employers mentioning how another franchise could take center stage as well; something about a blind swordsman.
Anyway, Mike made sure to take as much advantage over the inner fighting in Toho, with the next film in the Godzilla franchise being the winner, and with the demand from Toho that you give the King of Monsters the comeback he deserves. Mike was quick to assure them that it would be done.
Big words Mike, now if you were able to keep them...
To be fair, Mike did put out all the stops like he does with all your previous distribution deals. Promotions about the King of the Monsters and his comeback to the big screen. Magazine interviews and images of the many new antagonists and protagonists of the film. Jet Jaguar did make an impression on those who read them, wondering if he was going to be a new ally or enemy. And there was not that much to do to convince Theaters to show the movie, they knew very well that every Godzilla film always delivered in the end.
In the end, it all came down to the movie itself, and the results were...something alright.
Oh who are you kidding, it's freaking hilarious!
Short, fast paced, if you can call it in any way, it's that it is a kid's film that just so damn entertaining that any moviegoer can be guaranteed a good time just seen the shenanigans both Godzilla and the humans (and the Seatopians, can't forget them) get into; The story of three scientists creating a robot called Jet Jaguar, whose armor is in pure bright colors. An underwater Kingdom who sends a giant monster to destroy Earth because of the Nuclear Bombs testing, yet the monster can barely walk and needs help from Jet Jaguar to even know where he's supposed to go. Jet Jaguar then being sent to get Godzilla, and help him fight by growing into a giant robot with the scientists amazed that it could even do that.
And don't even get you started with the physics defying "Godzilla Flying Kick". You don't think you've heard a theater room laugh so hard in a long time now. You can get where they were going with this film, a criticism of Nuclear Power and the dangerous tests that come from it, but the message gets lost during the entire extravaganza of colorful and campy battles, old enemies returning to fight, and the "Jet Jaguar Song" they put near the end. Heck, you're wondering if this entire movie was actually a set up for a new franchise involving Jet Jaguar considering he has more screentime than Godzilla itself.
You haven't even mentioned how Gigan makes an appearance because of course he does! Frankly, the entire audience loved the movie from beginning to end. The first act is a bit slow but is held up by the comedy and absurdity of the situation, while the rest of the movie is pure fast action Kaiju battles that is just pure popcorn entertainment. What more can you ask? You don't know, except that you'll be going to see it again like many of the moviegoers have been doing.
Well, perhaps it's not the comeback that Toho expected, but it's a comeback nonetheless. Audiences in America once more go to the movies to see the King of Monsters, and the growing Japanophile fanbase for movies have accepted this new entry into the franchise
Now if only you could say the same bout the critics, because if there was a single weak spot into this new entry into the franchise then it was them. Perhaps they had grown spoiled by all the deep emotions, tragic past and deconstruction of what it means to be a good man that were shown in the Lone Wolf and Cub movies, but they certainly did not expect this, and they were angry. They excoriated the film to heaven and back, calling it the lowest denominator in the entire franchise, cheap children's entertainment that should not be taken seriously, and for those that liked Kaiju movies they have gone so far as to describe it incredibly, undeniably, mind-numbingly bad and one of the poorer moments in the history of kaiju films.
Geez, tough crowd. And that's without even mentioning the many attacks at the acting (give them a break, they're children!), the costumes (It's a rubber suit, what do you expect!) and the special effects with it mostly being stock footage from previous films (...okay they got you there), they just seem to find fault with everything and anything. Geez, can't you just sit down and enjoy some mindless Kaiju battles between an underwater kingdom monster, an earth monster and a space monster along with a giant robot?!
There's even those who are accusing you of sabotaging the movie and it out like this, apparently just because you happen to support the use of Nuclear Power and the movie is criticizing its use. Not even remembering that this movie was done over 3 years ago. Yeah, top notch journalism right there guys, you make them real proud with every word that comes out of your mouth.
Whatever, it might not be the success Toho wanted, but it is a success nonetheless.
Sad that the critics didn't like it but as long as the audience loves it and is willing to put their asses in the seats I could care less what the critics have to say.
[]Tell You a Tale of a Pirate Queen (Anne Boney's story has become very well known within the Lucasfilms office.
[]Sometimes, That is Going to be A Good Time (Dave and company begin writeing a pirate movie in their spare time, nothing will come of it right now)
Sad that the critics didn't like it but as long as the audience loves it and is willing to put their asses in the seats I could care less what the critics have to say.
My pitch of "The Slender Man" was the first one I made for the thread, and looking back on it I feel that it was a bit too rushed and clearly lacking in details. So, I decided that i woulld try making the pitch one more time, this time researching about the Mythos (and the parts which were added later) to go back to basics and incorporate them here.
One thing I want to mention, is that I feel this movie is going to be a short one, as I feel the best horror movies usually don't last up to 2 hours or more. One of the best characterisics of true horror is the slow feeling of increased anxiousness, where you're not sure if what you're looking for is actually there, where the thing that is chasing you has no weaknesses or any way to be stopped or defeated. Which is why I think Slevderman fits perfectly into the role.
So, here goes, my rewrite of my pitch:
Movie Pitch: The Slender Man
GENRE: Horror/Suspense
SUBGENRE: Mystery/Dark Fantasy
FORMAT: Movie
Captain Samuel Finch: Tough no nonsense Captain for the Fairfield Police. Professional, calm, and dismissive of any argument that is not backed by evidence. He assigns the case of Anna Jarskin's death to Detective McCullough, while also demanding regular reports of what he's found.
Detective Eric McCullough: Veteran detective with wide experience in the field, he is also divorced. He takes the case before discovering the connection there is with his family, the enthusiasm for finding the truth has him discovers about the "Slender Man" and dive deeper into just what it is, not knowing the disastrous consequences.
Anna Jarskin: An award-winning journalist and the one person who brought to light the guilty party from the children abduction case two years back... She was found dead by hanging herself, no notes, no information, just some notebooks she made sure to burn and a mysterious disappearance for the last two years.
Sarah Langdon: Anna's childhood friend, a writer by trade who received a call from Anna a week before her death. An introvert by nature, shy and bookish as well, she is a suspect of the death of Anna by Detective McCullough due to actions she took in the past. She is trying to research and find the truth to clear her name.
Aaron Smith: A surviving victim from the "Slender Man". He changed his name so that no one would find out about him, and made sure to hide himself in one of the most remote areas, inside a cabin near the woods. Twitchy, constantly scared, he knows the most about the "Slender Man", but also does not want to speak about it.
It's dark in the night, not even the moon is visible, and a woman is walking through the streets of Fairfield. She looks skittish, looking from side to side as if making sure no one is following. With her is a small backpack that she clutches with her hands like a lifejacket in the ocean. She walks into a run-down hotel who clearly has seen better days and pays for a room, signs her name (Anna Jarskin) and is given the key. Anna quickly goes to her room, makes sure that the windows are closed and blocked then removes a bunch of notebooks from the back pack, along with some matches and a rope. Anna then throws her notebooks into the trashcan she finds in the bathroom and sets them on fire. She then uses the rope to hang herself.
We see the same room, but now with the police investigating it, the body is no longer there. Detective Eric McCullough makes his first appearance, looks at the room and asks for the details; the victim's name is Anna Jarskin, photographer by trade, and missing person for over 2 years now. Detective McCullough asks if there's anything more, they give him the remains of the burnt notebooks they found. Much of what was written was destroyed, but one of the staff found her before the entirety of the notebooks were burnt.
Detective McCullough interviews the staff about the night before, Anna, and why they went to look for her. The interrogation brings more information to light; Anna seemed to be panicking, as if someone was coming after her and was on the verge of finding where she was. She asked for the smallest room there was, and with as small a window as there could be. They don't know anything about the notebooks though, only that they were in the middle of being burnt when they found her body.
Detective McCullough returns to the station, meets with Captain Samuel Finch to reveal what he found; they have suspicion to believe the victim was being chased by someone, but why she took her own life is still a mystery. Not to mention where she was for the last two years. They discuss that the answer may be in the notebooks. Detective McCullough wants to research them more, Captain Finch agrees, but at the same time reminds him there's a time limit if no other evidence can be found.
McCullough starts researching Anna Jarskin, seeing into her work, friends, and family at the end. Everyone paints the picture of a well-adjusted, cheerful and determined woman who was not afraid to go into places where others would balk at; Her family is crying when talking about her life with them, the editor at the newspaper where she worked at.
Both sides give a piece of information.
The family mentions about a friend Anna had, how they were thick as thieves growing up, they'd been best friends but they had a falling out, coincidentally it was 2 years back before she had disappeared. Anna had been forced to get a restraining order, though she never told them the reason why they suddenly broke their friendship off.
The friend's name was Sarah Langdon.
Meanwhile the Editor mentioned how Anna was fearless when looking for stories and uncovering the truth, something which made her many enemies...sometimes within the newspaper as well. Detective McCullough starts interviewing a bit more of the staff in the newspaper, and finds a darker side; Anna was ambitious, unscrupulous, and was not afraid to do anything to further her own career. Everyone has a story of how she screwed them over as she looked for more opportunities, which is how she found about the abduction case two years back...
This makes Detective McCullough start and feel something beyond just professionalism. It turns out the event talked about is the child abduction case where 14 children disappeared, then were found dead two years ago...among them was his own. It turns out that Anna had been the one who'd discovered who the culprits where, and had exposed them; a group of "New Age" cultists who'd gone crazy.
Detective McCullough returns to the Police Station where he's told they manages to recover something from the notebooks. A single page that is burned in the edges, with a drawing in it...
Detective McCullough sees the image and believes that it might be the clue he needed. Never Alone, like someone was always looking and watching her. He start researching on what leads he has, even looking on the information of said cultists who may have looked at her for revenge. He finds a name, buried under all, the name of an old member who'd not been there, and had left the group a long time ago...
Sarah Langdon.
He looks for the address before leaving for the apartment. It's night out, and during his walk to the car he feels someone's there. He looks around but sees nothing and no one. There is tension in the air, like something may happen as he enters his car and leaves, still with no one appearing in the parking lot, as it remains still with no sound at all.
Detective McCullough arrives at the apartment of Sarah Langdon, he enters the building and look s for the number which is in the 4th floor. Once there he knocks the door, and is allowed entry once he shows his badge. Sarah speaks with Detective McCullough, she's nervous as he asks her about her past with Anna, the questions become more probing as they move closer to the time where they had their falling out, trying to find more about what may have happened.
As the questions grow sharper Sarah becomes more anxious, eventually Detective McCullough asks her about the cultists and the day of the children's abduction, which has Sarah jump from her seat and run, Detective McCullough going after her. She manages to give him the slip by taking the elevator, the Detective running down the stairs until she reaches the bottom, where the Detective manages to catch up to her and arrest her on the spot, taking her to the station.
As he's moving the patrol car, there's a "blink and you'll miss it" moment where the side mirror shows an image which has the detective turn and see...nothing. After a moment he turns back and drives to the station. From behind something is seeing him leave, but nothing can be seen there.
Detective McCullough is back at the station reviewing the evidence once more, the information on the "cultists" and the abduction of 14 children. He starts having flashbacks to the time, when he and his wife were happy, he and his son just playing and having fun. Then the disappearance, the many nights trying to find the one responsible, and the discovery that his son was...
He breaks out of the fugue before it can consume him, and is summoned to Captain Finch's office. Detective McCullough is reprimanded for acting so recklessly and without solid evidence. Detective McCullough tries to argue about what he found, but Captain Finch does not listen as it can't be used to arrest her as he's done, or even keep her for so long. Detective McCullough is angry, mentioning that she's hiding something due to her reaction when he asked about the abduction. Captain Finch think this is becoming personal to Detective McCullough and tries to remove him from the case, but Detective McCullough refuses.
Captain Finch finally agrees to keep him in after a heated back and forth, but Sarah can't be kept locked in so she's released. Detective McCullough looks at her, knowing there something suspicious, something she's hiding.
Detective McCullough starts going over the evidence once more, spending his time in between finding everything he can about Anna, and stalking Sarah; seeing her patterns, the people she meets, etc. During one night where he's reviewing his work at home he looks once more at the evidence, walking through his home as he tries to shake off the fatigue, he looks at the pictures he's had framed; those of his wife and son before the entire tragedy.
Once more there's a feeling of wrongness, like there's something with him in the house. Detective McCullough grabs his gun and goes looking for whatever may be inside. He moves from room to room, always a quick movement on the edge of his sight, a small noise, just pushing him from room to room, each time more desperate. A quick shadow moves out of sight, the anxiety increases as whatever may be looking for him just seems to appear and disappear from sight, until Detective McCullough finally leaves the house and calls the police.
The police arrive and inspect the entire house, telling Detective McCullough that there's no one inside, they've spoken with the neighbors as well and they haven't seen anyone nor heard anything suspicious. The police think that the case may be having an impact on him, but Detective McCullough argues he's fine and that there was someone in his house. The Police leave, doubtful, as Detective McCullough once more enters, looks around a bit more and finds nothing, then goes to sleep.
When he opens his eyes, Detective McCullough finds himself in a forest...
Detective McCullough does not know how he got there, or why was he even there, he does notice he has a flashlight but doesn't know how long it can last. He starts hearing a voice, a voice giggling and laughing as it calls to him. Detective McCullough recognizes the voice, it's that of his son! Detective McCullough calls out to him, running in the direction he hears it. Moving through the forest quickly, turning the flashlight on and off when it gets too dark.
Through the forests, there are moments where he can almost see something on the edge of his vision, not sure if it's a tree or something else, but it's there. The same feeling, the same pressure he felt on his home, but he can't think on that at the moment as his son is there. He notices that on the trees are pieces of paper, papers with drawings seemingly made by a child...
The papers don't make much sense...or they make too much sense as he once more runs when he feels the presence right behind him. Both the sound of his son's voice and the presence behind push him to run, trying to find his son before the presence does, he move through the forest, the flashlight battery runs out, he looks frantically at all sides, util one moment he looks at...
And he wakes up. Detective McCullough is scared but tries to push the dream out of his mind. He goes on to his usual stake out for Sarah, but his mind is not into it. He's now feeling the same pressure, the same climate as when that...thing was looking at him, it makes him itchy, anxious, like at any moment that...Slender Man could appear...the radio station is on and static starts sounding from nowhere as...
A knock on his window startles him, he looks and sees Sarah, who demands to know why he's here. Detective McCullough tries to find an excuse, but Sarah does not believe him as she's seen him following her on occasions and she wants him to stop. Detective McCullough confronts her on the suspicions there are with Anna's death, and how she's still a suspect. Sarah is angry, arguing back, both of them are yelling now, until eventually Sarah agrees to tell him the reason why Anna came to see her.
Two years ago, when the abduction happened, Anna had been the one to cover it. Her story had accused a group of "New Age" cultists as the one who had abducted and killed the children, but that had been a lie. Sarah had been one of said "cultists" and she had been the one to introduce them to Anna. They were a simple peaceful sect who didn't even believe in killing or eating animals. Anna needed a big story however, so when she found the bodies of the children, she made a story accusing her friends, then when Sarah tried going to her for answers, she was threatened with being implicated, and set a restraining order on her to make it seem as if Sarah was the unhinged one.
Detective McCullough is incredulous at hearing that, he argues that she would've been discovered but Sarah argus back that Anna was always good at covering her tracks, as well as manipulating others around her. She was always two faced, but you wouldn't know it until the moment came when she turned on you. Detective McCullough remembers all the stories and comments about her he got from Anna's colleagues at the newspaper.
He asks Sarah why did Anna went to see her, Sarah mentions she is not sure; at first, she thought it was another of her schemes and tricks since she talked about asking for help, how she sounded desperate. But Sarah had seen her act that way before, so she just shut the door and refused to interact with her. She did not see her again until she was told she'd killed herself (which was the reason why she was so nervous when he came to ask her questions). Detective McCullough is stunned, Sarah gives him a folder with all that she has on Anna, of their past together, and asks him to please stop contacting her.
Detective McCullough is once more seeing the evidence back at the station, though he's more irritable and jumpier than before, feeling he's being watched by that Slender Man of his dreams. He can't get it out of his head, almost seeing him when a colleague calls his name and jumping back, crashing into another desk, bringing both down. He speaks with Captain Finch who is debating to bring him out of the case as nothing else seems to suggest this is anything more than a suicide. Detective McCullough argues back, both sides end up nearly shouting at each other. McCullough pleads for just a bit more time, Captain Finch agrees to give him two more days, but after that he's closing the case.
Detective McCullough walks through the station, everyone whispering and talking about him. He once more tries to look back in Anna's past; the evidence from the abduction case and what Sarah also gave him...and he finds something that catches his eyes in both; First, in the documents Sarah gave him there's a picture of them playing as children near a forest; Lenton Forest as it shows, but he would recognize that forest wherever it may be called, it's the same one as the one in his dreams.
The second one are the photos from the children in the abduction case, the last ones taken of them before their disappearance...
It's that same person that appeared in his dreams. Detective McCullough shows it to his colleagues and the captain, but they don't see it. They think he's either too tired and seeing things, or that he's projecting something into some smudges. Detective McCullough is undeterred and angry as he storms out of the Police Station and into his car. There's a chase as he once more "sees" the Slender Man, each time closer though he doesn't see him move. He drives out quickly, moving as fast as he can to the Forest in the pictures.
When Detective McCullough arrives, he finds he can't take the car further so he needs to walk. He follows the trail deeper into the forest till he arrives at a home. He goes inside, calling to see if there's anyone there, but no one answers. He walks through the two-story home, seeing no framed pictures or anything that shows someone lives here save for the furniture and a working fridge. As he moves through it, he starts seeing drawings on the wall, words that either warn or make no sense, and...
"Who's there?" A voice startles Detective McCullough, who turns and finds...an old man, who doesn't look at him but keeps his eyes on the ground.
Detective McCullough introduces himself; the old man walks through him as he does the same ("Aaron Smith") looking everywhere near the ground, and very jumpy all around. He invites the detective to sit while he makes some refreshments and turns on the nearby radio. During the process he never once lifts his head, always knowing where everything in the pantry above is. The sound of music fills the room as Detective McCullough asks him about Anna and what the drawings on the walls are, his behavior lately being twitchier and more erratic.
At first, he does not want to talk about it, but Detective McCullough mentions the Slender Man as well, which has Aaron drop the cups where he was making tea in fear, then speak about it to the Detective. It is not a man, he does not know what it is, but it's not a man.
Taller than the average human with an oddly proportioned body. Faceless, no hair no facial feature that make him recognizable, with skin unnaturally pale long arms and legs, always wearing a black suit...He describes him without Detective McCullough having to say anything. The says he pities him as he's already dead, he just doesn't know.
Just like he told Anna...
Detective McCullough demands answers, Aaron slowly sits, and explains; he did meet Anna, both when she and her friend usually cam for visits, and later on when she came looking for him 2 years ago. The first time, for a little while, he was able to feel something beyond fear every day as he helped a couple of girls who'd gotten lost and heard his stories before he could take them to their parents.
He shpuld've known HE would take an interest.
"Who...? The Slender Man?" Aaron looks like he wants to argue again, but holds it, and explains.
The Slender Man, he's not sure from whence it came, he just knows it can't be killed. He's seen many try and never work. Detective McCullough is angry, he's not making sense, Aaron is still alive, but Aaron replies he does not know why he remains alive, but he did ever since the abduction...the one from 1928.
Detective McCullough has never heard of it, but Aaron mentions how no one did. It's only now when more are being reported thanks to the growing media...something he's sure it will want as well. The Slender Man is drawn to the children, he can draw them in to a secret location where he then...he remembers, he remembers the blood, the dead, all around him. He was just a child, yet he survived. "Look Up" he heard but he wouldn't do it. A childish impulse in him, just telling him that if he didn't look, he couldn't hurt him, repeating itself in his mind over and over again.
The Slender Man disappeared, but he still feels his presence occasionally. He's still coming, waiting for the moment Aaron looks up, waiting for a moment of carelessness. Once you look at him it's all over; the moment you see him he starts stalking you, feeding into a loop where the more he's seen the more he appears, until finally...
"And Anna?" Detective McCullough asks.
"Another victim, another toy...I don't know anymore. His purpose, his methods, he's beyond anything I've been able to understand..." Aaron replies.
There's the sound of something breaking, the sound of cicadas growing outside, the radio's music is being filled with static sounds as...
Aaron still looks down, but there's a tightness to him, a pressure and fear in his eyes as he mutters just one word.
"Run"
Detective McCullough runs, out of the house, into the forest. Once more, it all seems like his dream; it's dark out, the flashlight in his hand, but it's all different now. He knows something's chasing him, something that shouldn't be, but is. Many times he has to double back when he sees the Slender Man may be in his path and try to take another route. Detective McCullough is cornered, he can't go any other way and the Slender Man is coming when he hears a voice; It's Aaron, shouting at the Slender Man and with his head up. He yells at McCullough to run, desperately as the Slender Man changes targets, disappearing and giving Detective McCullough another chance.
He runs, all the way to his car, all the way hearing the shouts from Aaron as the Slender Man finally catches up to his longtime prey. The sound of cicadas now stronger, almost as if laughing. Detective McCullough reaches his car and drives out as fast as he can, all the way to Fairfield once more. He arrives at the police station, the night shift startled when they see him frantically come in and ask for Captain Finch. They tell him the captain's not in, and also that Detective McCullough is not allowed inside either. The captain has put him on leave due to his erratic behavior lately.
Detective McCullough loses it as he yells at them; they need to prepare, the Slender Man is coming, the real killer, but they all look at him as if he's crazy, or lost it due to the pressure and the nature of the investigation. They try to calm him down but he keeps on yelling, talking about how he's after him, just like...just like all who know of him. That's why Anna burnt it all, why she killed herself. She wasn't through enough...
The Night shift is nervous as they hear his mutterings, try to reach him once more, but he draws his gun on them, and orders them to take him to the evidence and archive room. They're scared, try to reason with him, but he shoots at the ceiling and demands it once more. They lead him in as everyone looks at them. Detective McCullough holds on to his gun as he takes all mentions of Slender Man he can find, as well as the pictures, and pointing his gun at them leaves the Police Station.
It's a race against time, Detective McCullough drives like a man possessed, turns on his car radio to music at the highest volume, careful for any sudden static sound. He reaches a petrol store where at gun point, he demands as many Kerosene he can carry to his car. Meanwhile the Police Station is calling all units to stop Detective McCullough and apprehend him. When the news of the robbery at the Petrol Station arrives, they also send the information to the incoming Units.
A car chase develops, one where the Police Units are trying to find Detective McCullough, while he tries to avoid them, as well as the Slender Man when he notices the radio growing Static. Detective McCullough arrives home, and turns on every light he has, bringing in all the Kerosene then closing the doors and windows. The Police vehicles are told Detective McCullough was seen at his house and change direction to it. Meanwhile Detective McCullough is quickly covering the house in Kerosene, the radio inside at full volume, static sounds are starting to appear.
Detective McCullough starts setting fire to the top of his home, then goes down, the static now overcoming the music completely. He's inside the living room, All the lights turned on, as he grabs every bit of evidence containing Slender Man, as well as what Sarah gave him, and starts burning it, static sounds growing, the Cicadas sound now being heard as well. The lights start turning off, from the furthest to the closest, one by one, as if announcing its arrival. Detective McCullough sets the room on fire, the last he sees is Slender Man's silhouette as he yells at it, the police arriving at a burning home.
It's morning now, police and firefighters are at Detective McCullough' home where the fire has finally died down. Both sides are discussing what's going on with their own superiors. Captain Finch is at the location talking with the officers and looking at the home. He mentions it's a shame they couldn't stop it, or help Detective McCullough before he went off. He asks if anything was recovered, but they all come negative; every piece of evidence he took was burnt down.
Captain Finch has them all go back to the station. As he's going back to his car, the radio on, he steps on a piece of paper, looking down he bends and grabs it...
He looks at it for a while longer, all the while the music from the radio in his car starts being interrupted by static sounds.
The End.
Credits: During the credits, for a moment they're interrupted by Static, before an image of Slender Man makes a quick appearance before it all goes back to normal.
A.N: So, here's my expanded version of my previous Pitch. A bit short, but as I've mentioned, I think Horror Movies should not be that long. I think this can work nowadays, especially if we have the Slender Man make only sporadic apperances, and make sure that when he does is not for too long, keep the mystery and mystique as long as possible.
Pretty good stuff. Great entry and a hopeful start to the Slenderverse where we can hopefully do Marble Hornets style found footage films in the late 80s or 90s. I do wish we had one or two more scenes of Slenderman and another victim to show him as a threat, though to be fair I've been spoiled by Slender Man ARGs and am used to hours of content instead of an hour and a half. One suggestion I do have is that whenever Slenderman appears on screen, the actual movie footage starts to blur and pixelated with the static noise to show that Slenderman is so powerful he's warping the movie's perception of him and affecting the camera man like the ARGs. Might be a bit too ambitious, especially if we get it out this decade, but if Marcia somehow works magic and we manage to get that then I think this movie could go in the annals of important touchstones in cinematic history.
Life had a way of taking priority away from his interests, but before today h'd never have imagined one like this; in his arms, he held a total stranger and Dave knew with every fiber that he loved her deep and true.
Her name was Julia, and she was his daughter.
It'd taken Farah and him by surprise, to learn in the eighth month of pregnancy that they were expecting, forcing them to scramble to get everything in order; it'd hurt him to know Farah had, even for a moment, been afraid of his reaction, but he was quick to accept them and shared with her a kiss, a promise, his fears, hopes and dreams, and a ring...at which point they learned the child was trying for preme status. That mad dash had resulted in a quick ceremony in the hospital's chapel, with Bruce, Carrie, George, Marcia and Feet as witnesses.
From a druggie to a respectable family man...who'd have thought?
A few days later, Bruce helped the new family move into a larger apartment (neither had previously had the space necessary for a child), his old apartment, with Dave having helped make the space comfortable for their daughter and, after a brief moment of panic, make a weeks worth of meal prep for the both of them. It'd taken awhile, given Farah's lethargy and Julia's rambunctiousness but they'd managed it somewhat peacefully.
"Mind if I hold her?" Bruce had asked hesitantly a time later, a wistful look briefly flashing over his face, as Julia grew restless in Dave's arms.
"You know how to-" Dave almost asked, before acquiescing and gently showing him how to properly his girl.
Bruce bounced her gently in his arms, getting her comfortable, before beginning to sing what could have been a lullaby in a gentle bass.
Villainous, infamous, Anne Bonny (hey-ey-ey)
Villainous, infamous, Anne Bonny (ey)
Villainous, infamous, Anne Bonny (hey-ey-ey)
Villainous, infamous, Anne Bonny (ey)
Born in Ireland, scandalously
Bastard daughter, to a prosperous lawyer
Shunned suitor and society
For the love of a pirate boy"
When he finished minutes later, Dave couldn't help but stare at the man he'd been proud to call friend.
"Why- no, how do you know Abuela Carina's lullaby?"
It'd been such a strange thing to find that you perhaps shared blood, no matter how distant, with a friend through the knowledge that you both knew the same lullaby, the story of the Pirate Queen Anne Bonny...and yet it still changed nothing. Everything was the same as it was before, friends of the salt and spray and co-workers besides, not to mention your current sleep deprivation and greatest joy. Where Dave went, so did Julia in the babybjorn, usually asleep against his chest as he kept a consistent and steady work output.
Of course, George had been quick to give the both of them, him and Farah, paid parental leave (two months in his case!), so his current work was mostly reading to Julia a series of stories he'd collected from his research on piracy. Currently, he was reading from one of archeologist Cassandra Morgan, who seemed to be the current rising star of Pirate Academia(?), about a dig site in the Caribbean that she believed potentially held Aztec gold that had been stolen by the Inquisition.
As he continued reading to Julia, a plot thread began to slowly crystalize of a Wild Hunt upon the High Seas, born of the cursed gold they'd stolen from worthier men and unleashed upon the Caribbean's shores. How they condemned the best and worst of them to the waters for daring to question their greed...and the realization of their folly. About part way into his musings, he realized he was describing them out loud to his daughter, who had found them comforting and had fallen asleep cutely against his chest.
Kissing her head, he gently hurried to get the laundry done before she could wake up.
The days continued like this, Dave treasuring each and every moment with his daughter as he let Farah rest, pulling various material off the shelves to read to her, even delving into the material he had yet to go over, like that old journal by a one H. Turner, that contained a multitude of old sailor's tales and shanties of dubious origin and yet contained one of the only accounts of the Captain Sparrow, the supposed crewmate of the infamous, villainous Anne Bonny and Mary Reade who'd fought back the British Marine tide, he'd been able to find outside Cassandra Morgan's work...and he'd delved deep into pirate lore. But for now, all that mattered was that these stories brought a kind of peace to the spitfire that was his daughter.
God, was he lucky or what? A/N: If anyone can spot the reference, I'll give them a cookie. No, nothing PotC related.
Pretty good stuff. Great entry and a hopeful start to the Slenderverse where we can hopefully do Marble Hornets style found footage films in the late 80s or 90s. I do wish we had one or two more scenes of Slenderman and another victim to show him as a threat, though to be fair I've been spoiled by Slender Man ARGs and am used to hours of content instead of an hour and a half. One suggestion I do have is that whenever Slenderman appears on screen, the actual movie footage starts to blur and pixelated with the static noise to show that Slenderman is so powerful he's warping the movie's perception of him and affecting the camera man like the ARGs. Might be a bit too ambitious, especially if we get it out this decade, but if Marcia somehow works magic and we manage to get that then I think this movie could go in the annals of important touchstones in cinematic history.
I debated about doing that with the film, but eventually decided against it due to 2 reasons:
First, I don't know if we have the technology for it, which is why I only went for a quick scene near the credits where we show the static and a quick image of his face. That way if the tech fails then it's only by the credits and not for long.
Second, that kind of stuff works better in ARG's and found footage, as you mentioned them, so I think we could try some found footage film later on, perhaps with Slenderman or any other new monster or creature.
Yeah it is, but Toho, from what I understood, wanted the KIng of Monsters to have the comeback of the King of Monsters, not a comedy where everyone is laughing at the monsters and at himself as well.
Personally, i feel that if they wanted that, they should've made a movie that was not geared for children.
Aside from that, it was truly gut busting hilarious!
Quick question, can we linetail this for Hikes and Pilgrimages? And if yes, do Pilgrimages offer the same or similar benefits to Praying?
[] Take a Walk: Dad always said that the best ways to get inspiration are by walking, talking, and being open-minded. So you'll try that. DC: 10 (You are just going for a walk, what could be really said?) -[] Hike the John Muir Trail: An exciting and inspiring adventure that will take us through one of the most remarkable natural environments in the world - the John Muir Trail. This stunning 211-mile journey through the Sierra Mountains in California will offer us more than just an opportunity to explore wilderness. The hike will also be an opportunity for us to become more environmentally conscious and to appreciate the natural beauty of our planet. Knowing that the trail was named after John Muir, one of the earliest and most influential environmentalists in American history. Muir's writings and advocacy played a key role in the creation of many national parks and wilderness areas, including Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia National Parks, which the trail passes through. Hiking through alpine meadows, past towering granite peaks, traversing rushing rivers, and summiting high passes. We will need to pack out everything we pack in, carefully adhering to the Leave No Trace principles. We will also have the opportunity to learn about the wildlife that calls these mountains home, the effects of climate change on the environment, such as reduction of glaciers, and the work done to conserve these places. You plan to immerse yourself in this pristine wilderness, you hope to be reminded of the importance of protecting the planet.
-[] Walk the Camino de Santiago: Hoping to undertake a unique and inspiring adventure that will take us on a journey of self-discovery, spiritual reflection, and appreciation of the natural beauty of Spain - the Camino de Santiago. This 500-mile trek across Spain is more than just a hike; it is an opportunity to connect with nature, meet new people, and delve into the deep-rooted history surrounding the Camino. Knowing that the Camino de Santiago is one of the oldest and most significant pilgrimage routes in the world, attracting people from all walks of life for over a thousand years. This trail, also known as the Way of St. James, has been used as a spiritual route to get to the Cathedral of Santiago in northwestern Spain where it is believed that St. James' remains are buried. The journey will consist of quaint Spanish towns, stunning vistas of green hills and deep valleys, and ancient monuments which hold significant religious and cultural value. Along the way, we will experience a unique blend of languages and cultures that add to the richness of the Camino community. We will also immerse ourselves in the Spanish lifestyle by savoring their delicious cuisine and interacting with visiting pilgrims, discovering the beauty of togetherness. The Camino de Santiago is an adventure that challenges people to contemplate their connection with nature and spirituality in a deeper sense which is why it attracts a diverse mix of people from various cultural, religious, and social backgrounds. Additionally, there is a strong community among the pilgrims where kindness, sympathy, and mutual help are values that are highly cherished.
I also have ideas for other trails and pilgrimages, such as:
- Alta Via High Path (Italy)
- Amathole Trail (South Africa)
- Appalachian Trail (USA)
- Araku Valley Trek (India)
- Bibbulmun Track (Australia)
- Daisetsuzan National Park (Japan)
- Great Wall of China (China)
- Kamikōchi (Japan)
- Kilimanjaro (Kenya)
- Killarney Park (Canada)
- Laugavegurinn/Fimmvörðuháls Pass (Iceland)
- Mt. Kenya (Kenya)
- Otter Trail (South Africa)
- Tonquin Valley (Canada)
- West Coast Trail (Canada)
- Yoshida Trail (Japan)
- Jesus Trail
- Marian pilgrimage of Neviges
- Werl pilgrimage
- Divine Mercy Sanctuary in Kraków
- Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fátima
- Basilica minor of the Dormition of the Mother of God of Ľutina
- Levoča-Mariánska hora
- Holywell, Wales
- The Way of St. Andrews
- The Way of St. Davids
- Our Lady of Kibeho, Kibeho, Rwanda
- Our Lady of Akita
- Seoul Martyrs Way
- Our Lady of Manaoag
- Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Shrine of Our Lady of Mariapoch
So, if I understand this correctly, at the moment we have Star Wars and 5 Dates in Editing, Rocky ready to be released, Close Encounters of the Third Kind and Carrie still in Production.
At the same time we have Marathon Madness, The Playground and the Kung Fu Kid ready to begin Production.
In movie Scripts that are done and ready to begin Production as well there are: Prince of Persia, Solomon Kane, The Slender Man, Moonlight Diner, Deliver Them to Evil, and Dracula: Blood Origins.
Not bad at all.
So, should we try for another production, or wait until we release one of our movies first?
