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Current Talk '24 I / Re: Happy 50th Anniversary, Night of Dark Shadows
« on: September 15, 2023, 05:54:06 PM »
Revisiting how Scenes 47 through 50 are scripted:
Though thanks to Darren's Gross' Restoration Web site and the fact that he's shown them, we do know that they and the following scene have been recovered.
...
47 INT - GALLERY - DAY - LOW WIDE ANGLE 47
Tracy stands near the window sipping a cup of
coffee as she leafs through an old book. CAMERA
starts a SLOW TRUCK IN ON HER. As we get closer,
we see that she senses something. She turns and
looks out the window.
48 EXT - GROUNDS - DAY - HER P.O.V. 48
Standing amongst the trees, staring up at her,
is Gerard. With him are two vicious-looking black
dogs, both straining at their leashes. ZOOM IN TO
HIS CLOSE-UP.
49 TRACY - CLOSE-UP 49
as she reacts and turns away from his gaze. It
is obvious that he has upset her.
End of scene.
And there are still no differences between the way DC's and Grayson Hall's scripts are written up to this point.
And as for what might be different when it comes to the directions and descriptions, again, we have no way of knowing at this point because those scenes do not appear in the film as it currently stands.
Though thanks to Darren's Gross' Restoration Web site and the fact that he's shown them, we do know that they and the following scene have been recovered.
...
50 CARLOTTA - MEDIUM ANGLE 50
as she ENTERS the room carrying a tray with fresh
coffee she sees Tracy by the window.
50 CONTD CONTD 50
And that's when today's quote -Page 17/Scene 50 - Carlotta: 'Is anything wrong, Mrs. Collins?'
- comes up.
... Grayson's script has extensive notes for this scene, and we'll get into all of them as the scene unfolds. But for now, the first notation is that Carlotta is happy because things are going so well.
...
Picking up where we left off, beginning with:
TRACY - CARLOTTA
And that's when yesterday's quote -Page 17/Scene 50 - Tracy: 'There's someone down there just staring up at me. Who is it, Carlotta?'
- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:
Carlotta puts down the tray and comes to Tracy.
TRUCK with her so that the two of them are framed
in the window. In the B.G. we can see that
Gerard is no longer there, but Tracy does not
know this since her back is to the window.
And that's when today's first quote -Page 17/Scene 50 - Carlotta: 'There's no one there.'
- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:
Tracy turns to look out.
And that's when today's second quote -Page 17/Scene 50 - Tracy: 'There was a man. With two black dogs.'
- comes up.
...
... Carlotta's explanation:Page 17/Scene 50 - Carlotta: 'Oh, Gerard. Gerard Stiles. My nephew. He's the caretaker-handyman. He keeps the horses, too. I don't know what I'd do without him.'
... Grayson's script has extensive notes for this portion of the scene. She writes that Carlotta should intimidate Tracy even though she's also wondering what Gerard has done and whether or not he will screw things up - Carlotta must also stop Tracy's curiosity and be short with Tracy - plus she should lead Tracy from the window, sit her down, and serve her her coffee.
...
And as for what might be different when it comes to the directions and descriptions, again, we have no way of knowing at this point because this scene doesn't appear in the film as it currently stands. But if Grayson's notes are an indication, if Carlotta actually sits Tracy down and serves her coffee, that would be different from what's in the script.
Also, I believe Carlotta's lines here are the only place in the script that we learn that Gerard is her nephew so, as the film stands now, that relationship is unknown. (Though many DS fans were probably aware of it before even seeing the film because it was mentioned in some of the publicity leading up to the release and possibly even after, as we'll see once some of that stuff gets posted...)
Wrapping up the current scene:
They look at each other for a moment.
TRACY
Oh - I see -- Well, it was just
that those dogs ...
And that's when today's quote -Page 17/Scene 50 - Carlotta: 'Those dogs are very important to the security of the estate, madam ... now, is there anything I can get you?'
- comes up, followed by the script continuing with:
TRACY
(embarrassed)
Oh - no. Nothing. Everything
...Everything's just fine.
End of scene.
... in Grayson's script she writes that Carlotta has the subtext that she manages the estate so why does Tracy ask when she should leave it to Carlotta and Carlotta will take care of it. And with DC's script, he notes that when it comes to Tracy's last bits of dialogue, the camera is to pan to her as she looks away.
...