The Bitch In The Cellar
Lucius PaisleyLogliner
When a young girl possesses her son, a sceptical anthropologist must help a former priest demon hunter reclaim his faith to fight a demon and save them all.
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Those are good ideas, but definitely ones more suited to a dramatic film.
Unfortunately, I’m not in my Jane Campion period just yet.
Thank you.
Those are good ideas, but definitely ones more suited to a dramatic film.
Unfortunately, I’m not in my Jane Campion period just yet.
Thank you.
I sympathize with your challenge. Exorcism is a well-worked vein of ore — but one that keeps attracting movie makers in hopes of discovering another box-office Bonanza.
There are some takes that I am not aware have been done yet. Such as: Rather than recycle the tired trope of a priest who has lost his faith, why not a priest who is gay and the prime suspect in a molestation scandal? Or what if the best man for the job exorcism is…a woman, a nun, but if she practices her gift, she will be excommunicated? What if the Catholic ritual fails, but an aboriginal ritual works?
Anyway, best wishes with your writing.
I sympathize with your challenge. Exorcism is a well-worked vein of ore — but one that keeps attracting movie makers in hopes of discovering another box-office Bonanza.
There are some takes that I am not aware have been done yet. Such as: Rather than recycle the tired trope of a priest who has lost his faith, why not a priest who is gay and the prime suspect in a molestation scandal? Or what if the best man for the job exorcism is…a woman, a nun, but if she practices her gift, she will be excommunicated? What if the Catholic ritual fails, but an aboriginal ritual works?
Anyway, best wishes with your writing.
Well, a different take on exorcism – The Catholic Rite of Exorcism meets the old horror premise of “reading passages of ancient book causes demons”, kind of thing. An 80’s horror trope attached to a theological “realism” taken into an over the top action movie style.
I get why you’re asking, but at this stage, the words of the logline itself don’t matter since it’s mere building blocks stage. Then once the story is more padded out, make the according changes to the logline.
Since last night, I have padded it out somewhat, changed characters, a little bit of the premise, and am now constructing the new logline. There is a circular plot to it that I’m trying to iron out so I can include it in the logline and as soon as I figure that out, the concerns will hopefully be addressed.
Well, a different take on exorcism – The Catholic Rite of Exorcism meets the old horror premise of “reading passages of ancient book causes demons”, kind of thing. An 80’s horror trope attached to a theological “realism” taken into an over the top action movie style.
I get why you’re asking, but at this stage, the words of the logline itself don’t matter since it’s mere building blocks stage. Then once the story is more padded out, make the according changes to the logline.
Since last night, I have padded it out somewhat, changed characters, a little bit of the premise, and am now constructing the new logline. There is a circular plot to it that I’m trying to iron out so I can include it in the logline and as soon as I figure that out, the concerns will hopefully be addressed.
What is there about the story you have in mind that’s fresh, that differentiates the story from all the other movies that have already been done on exorcism?
I’m only asking the question that everyone who can make a picture happen is going to ask when they read your logline.
My point, my only point, is that If you’ve got a premise that’s fresh, the current iterations of the logline don’t reveal it.
What is there about the story you have in mind that’s fresh, that differentiates the story from all the other movies that have already been done on exorcism?
I’m only asking the question that everyone who can make a picture happen is going to ask when they read your logline.
My point, my only point, is that If you’ve got a premise that’s fresh, the current iterations of the logline don’t reveal it.
There was a whole bunch of exorcism movies a couple of years ago, excuse me if I don’t match the exact title for the right movie.
Anyway, to alleviate concerns of similarity, this is a “oh shit, that exorcism didn’t work, screw it, let’s try to raise the demon then fight it physically and see if that works” situation. The inciting incident of the exorcism itself would probably go for two pages.
So yes, it’s a radically different story than ‘The Exorcist’.
“It?s not just another horror flick exploiting the rite.” – if that were true, the word ‘exorcism’ wouldn’t be in the title. Unless written by John Grisham, nobody gives a shit about courtroom movies.
(An anthropologist, in some form, is always called as a witness or field expert in murder trials.)
The character of the priest demon hunter is now gone, by the way, because it didn’t feel “silly” enough for the story I want it to be. Look for a logline ‘update’ soon.
There was a whole bunch of exorcism movies a couple of years ago, excuse me if I don’t match the exact title for the right movie.
Anyway, to alleviate concerns of similarity, this is a “oh shit, that exorcism didn’t work, screw it, let’s try to raise the demon then fight it physically and see if that works” situation. The inciting incident of the exorcism itself would probably go for two pages.
So yes, it’s a radically different story than ‘The Exorcist’.
“It?s not just another horror flick exploiting the rite.” – if that were true, the word ‘exorcism’ wouldn’t be in the title. Unless written by John Grisham, nobody gives a shit about courtroom movies.
(An anthropologist, in some form, is always called as a witness or field expert in murder trials.)
The character of the priest demon hunter is now gone, by the way, because it didn’t feel “silly” enough for the story I want it to be. Look for a logline ‘update’ soon.
“The Exorcism of Emily Rose” doesn’t borrow from “The Exorcist”.
The dramatic question is not whether the priest can exorcise the demon. The inciting incident is that he fails, she dies, and consequently he’s charged with negligent homicide. The dramatic question is: can the defense lawyer can get the priest off the hook?
It’s not just another horror flick exploiting the rite. The trial entails a clash of substantive legal, ethical, medical and religious issues.
it’s a radically different story than “The Exorcist”.
(Oh, and an anthropologist is called to testify as a defense witness.)
“The Exorcism of Emily Rose” doesn’t borrow from “The Exorcist”.
The dramatic question is not whether the priest can exorcise the demon. The inciting incident is that he fails, she dies, and consequently he’s charged with negligent homicide. The dramatic question is: can the defense lawyer can get the priest off the hook?
It’s not just another horror flick exploiting the rite. The trial entails a clash of substantive legal, ethical, medical and religious issues.
it’s a radically different story than “The Exorcist”.
(Oh, and an anthropologist is called to testify as a defense witness.)
dpg asked – “Assuming mere coincidence, what makes this story different?”
I’m currently retooling the logline to address this concern, plus I didn’t feel that it gave the right impression of the script I wanted to write.
dpg asked – “What makes it stand out from ‘The Exorcist’, etc.?”
If ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’ can borrow heavily from ‘The Exorcist’ and still get made, I don’t think this is an issue.
dpg asked – “Assuming mere coincidence, what makes this story different?”
I’m currently retooling the logline to address this concern, plus I didn’t feel that it gave the right impression of the script I wanted to write.
dpg asked – “What makes it stand out from ‘The Exorcist’, etc.?”
If ‘The Exorcism of Emily Rose’ can borrow heavily from ‘The Exorcist’ and still get made, I don’t think this is an issue.
A Doh! moment.
And the other elements? Mere coincidence or…?
Assuming mere coincidence, what makes this story different? What makes it stand out from “The Exorcist”, “Exorcist II: The Heretic”, The Exorcist III”, “Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist”, and “Exorcist Chronicles”. etc.?
A Doh! moment.
And the other elements? Mere coincidence or…?
Assuming mere coincidence, what makes this story different? What makes it stand out from “The Exorcist”, “Exorcist II: The Heretic”, The Exorcist III”, “Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist”, and “Exorcist Chronicles”. etc.?
?Archaeologist? can?t exactly leap off a page if the word isn?t there.
?Archaeologist? can?t exactly leap off a page if the word isn?t there.
Thanks. That clarifies.
The principal concern I have is that anyone reading the logline may jump to the conclusion that it’s just a knock-off of the book/movie “The Exorcist”. “Skeptical” …”archaeologist”… “priest”… “reclaim faith”… “fight a demon” are key elements in “The Exorcist”. “Archaeologist” in particular was a trip wire in my mind.
Okay, you’re mixing and matching them differently, and the other aspects of the the story may be totally different, but I can’t be sure of that from reading this logline. My standard operation assumption is that producers and directors are speed readers of loglines, that they come to snap judgements and first (and only) impressions about loglines in a few seconds.
Which is my m.o, btw, to first read it like I think (fear?) most producers and directors will and gain a first impression. And my first impression was: knock-off. Which is why it took me a week to mention it.
Then I re-read slower and parsed the logline for a better understanding.
But I assume most producers and directors won’t give it a second, slower read. I presume the 2nd worst case scenario: you have one shot, one reading, a few seconds to make the right impression, to lead their multitasking, easily distracted, overworked minds to the correct conclusion. (The worst case scenario is they don’t read it the logline.) It seems to me prudent to make every effort to avoid a wrong first impression, to prevent their minds from leaping — the default tendency — to the wrong reading.
fwiw.
Thanks. That clarifies.
The principal concern I have is that anyone reading the logline may jump to the conclusion that it’s just a knock-off of the book/movie “The Exorcist”. “Skeptical” …”archaeologist”… “priest”… “reclaim faith”… “fight a demon” are key elements in “The Exorcist”. “Archaeologist” in particular was a trip wire in my mind.
Okay, you’re mixing and matching them differently, and the other aspects of the the story may be totally different, but I can’t be sure of that from reading this logline. My standard operation assumption is that producers and directors are speed readers of loglines, that they come to snap judgements and first (and only) impressions about loglines in a few seconds.
Which is my m.o, btw, to first read it like I think (fear?) most producers and directors will and gain a first impression. And my first impression was: knock-off. Which is why it took me a week to mention it.
Then I re-read slower and parsed the logline for a better understanding.
But I assume most producers and directors won’t give it a second, slower read. I presume the 2nd worst case scenario: you have one shot, one reading, a few seconds to make the right impression, to lead their multitasking, easily distracted, overworked minds to the correct conclusion. (The worst case scenario is they don’t read it the logline.) It seems to me prudent to make every effort to avoid a wrong first impression, to prevent their minds from leaping — the default tendency — to the wrong reading.
fwiw.
Action horror.
Action horror.
What’s the genre?
What’s the genre?
Or if it’s too confusing I can just take it out…
‘When her son is possessed, a sceptical anthropologist must help a former priest demon hunter reclaim his faith to fight a demon and save them all.’
Or if it’s too confusing I can just take it out…
‘When her son is possessed, a sceptical anthropologist must help a former priest demon hunter reclaim his faith to fight a demon and save them all.’
You don’t watch much Star Trek, do you?
Kind of like the character Chakotay in the episode ‘Cathexis’.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathexis_%28Star_Trek:_Voyager%29
The young girl isn’t dead, but she is “disembodied”.
You don’t watch much Star Trek, do you?
Kind of like the character Chakotay in the episode ‘Cathexis’.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathexis_%28Star_Trek:_Voyager%29
The young girl isn’t dead, but she is “disembodied”.
I’m aware of possession by demons in Catholic theology (I assume the priest is Catholic), but I’m not aware of possession by another person, in this case a boy possessed by a girl. Please clarify what that is supposed to mean.
I’m aware of possession by demons in Catholic theology (I assume the priest is Catholic), but I’m not aware of possession by another person, in this case a boy possessed by a girl. Please clarify what that is supposed to mean.
Great point! I thought it weird that a ‘young girl’ had a son who was a skeptical anthropologist. lol.
Great point! I thought it weird that a ‘young girl’ had a son who was a skeptical anthropologist. lol.
Or in case the possessive pronoun makes it confusing…
‘When her son is possessed by a young girl, a sceptical anthropologist must help a former priest demon hunter reclaim his faith to fight a demon and save them all.’
Or in case the possessive pronoun makes it confusing…
‘When her son is possessed by a young girl, a sceptical anthropologist must help a former priest demon hunter reclaim his faith to fight a demon and save them all.’