And Now The Return of Another New Slideshow (Sort of) [**Now featuring alternate versions of scenes - see replies #60,#82,#116,#138,#157,#180,#224,#240,#280,#372,#526**]

[Gothick]

The dialogue in the scene at hand now is interesting because, to me at least, it strongly implies that Angelique Collins (in NoDS) really was a Witch.  I've seen stuff written about the movie that describes the story as being about "the ghost of a wronged woman unjustly accused of Witchcraft" and I don't think that's the story the movie actually tells.

It also implies that there's an element of sorcery involved in the hauntings, which is certainly borne out in how certain sequences are shot.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

I was saving this discussion until after we finish the script.    But what I will say now is the odd thing is that the script seems to present evidence that Angelique was a witch AND that she wasn't (though the evidence that she wasn't is only in the 129 minute version of the film). But like you, I lean more in the direction of thinking that she was.    And I'll advance that theory after we finish the script...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Picking up Scene 119 where we left off, with yesterday's quote, Strack's response to the possibility of mobs with firebrands gathering outside Collinwwod -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Strack: 'I promise you it will come to that. And soon. The strange death of Reverend Herridge. After his sermon denouncing her --'

- coming up, followed in the script by today's quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Laura: 'You yourself heard her say she would settle with him for that --'

- coming up.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, the only difference in Strack's quote is that he says "So soon after his sermon denouncing her --" But as is probably obvious given today's graphic, Laura's quote is dropped in the film, so we have no idea if anything about it might have been different or if it was even filmed. Though unlike the quotes that were definitely dropped before filming, Laura's quote is not crossed out in DC's script, so infer from that what you will... However, I do wonder if Laura's line was dropped so as to make it more ambiguous as to whether or not Angelique was a witch? I guess we'll never know...

And when it comes to any differences in the directions and the descriptions, there aren't any of either in the script for this section. Though I do love how Laura is actually breathing heavily while Strack warns Gabriel - it's almost like she's sexually turned on plotting Angelique's demise!    And Sarah is once again seen listening under the table -

- at the tail end of Strack's warning, after he mentions the strange death of Reverend Herridge.

And we'll deal with DC's next notes after tomorrow's quote comes up...

[Uncle Roger]

I think that if Angelique had turned out not to be a witch, the audience would have felt terribly cheated. Unfortunately, we don't see enough of the 1810 setting to see what her relationship with Gabriel, Laura and Sarah actually was.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It will be interesting after we get through the whole script. One scene comes right out and says Angelique wasn't a witch - but at the same time that seems to contradict so many other things that are said and implied...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing Scene 119 with today's first quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Gabriel: 'But the scandal...'

- coming up, followed by today's second quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Laura: 'There will be no scandal.'

- coming up.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, what Gabriel actually says is "Yes, yes, but...but the scandal..."

And when it comes to any differences in the directions and the descriptions, there aren't any of either in the script for this section. However, DC has a note in his script that indicates that Gabriel crosses to the window as he expresses his fear of scandal, and Gabriel does indeed do that - but something that neither the script nor DC's notes mention in that Laura's line is once again delivered off screen, this time, as can be seen in today's second capture -

- because Gabriel remains on screen.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing Scene 119 with today's quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Strack: 'We have selected four men from the estate, all of whom have seen proof of her witchcraft...they have sworn to remain silent forever.'

- coming up.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, what Strack actually says is "We've chosen four men from the estate, each of whom has seen proof of her witchcraft...they've sworn to keep silent forever."

And when it comes to any differences in the directions and the descriptions, there aren't any of either in the script for this section. However, DC has a note in his script that indicates that after there's a close-up of Gabriel (which we saw did take place in the capture showcased in reply #350), the camera would move back to go in on Strack (though the note says "Trask") and Laura (though the note says "Samantha"), and as can be seen in today's capture -

- that's exactly what happens as today's quote takes place.

And as for the content of Strack's quote, it would certainly seem to provide proof that Angelique is a witch. Well, that is IF the four men are really telling the truth and aren't lying, or being coerced, or being paid to say what Strack claims. And while the script gives absolutely no indication of any of those three, it will contradict the men down the line...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Continuing Scene 119 with today's quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Laura: 'Gabriel -- if we must, we'll do it without you.'

- coming up.

And when it comes to any differences in the dialogue, there aren't any because today's quote is delivered exactly as scripted.

And when it comes to any differences in the directions and the descriptions, there aren't any of either in the script for this section. There also aren't any notes in DC's script concerning today's quote. But I do have to say that I just love how Diana Millay gives a tilt to her head just as she tells Gabriel that they'll do it without him:

And the interesting thing about today's quote is that it reveals just how determined Laura is to side with Strack and to seal Angelique's fate even if Gabriel isn't on board. Would it be such a hard thing to then imagine that Laura might not coerce or pay the men to give evidence against Angelique? And Scene 67A (the piano scene) would certainly seem to show that Laura is disgusted by Charles and Angelique's affair and she holds Angelique responsible. Though, as I said yesterday, there's no indisputable evidence in the script that Laura or anyone else actually conspired against Angelique and falsely accused her of witchcraft (although Scene 67A clearly shows that Laura really does believe Angelique is a witch and that she's bewitched Charles). But subtleties could be construed...

[Gothick]

Beautiful shot of Diana there.  It's intriguing to imagine a version of the story where Laura framed Angelique for witchcraft to get her revenge on both her rival and Charles.  But if you accept that, it doesn't really explain certain things that happen in the 1971 narrative that imply that sorcery is at work.

Unless LAURA was the Witch...

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

It's intriguing to imagine a version of the story where Laura framed Angelique for witchcraft to get her revenge on both her rival and Charles.  But if you accept that, it doesn't really explain certain things that happen in the 1971 narrative that imply that sorcery is at work.

And there's a chief problem when it comes to Angelique not being a witch. 

Unless LAURA was the Witch...

Wouldn't that be fascinating?! But it's probably not likely - especially when events after Angelique's death don't exactly benefit Laura. Quite the opposite...

[Gothick]

True about Laura's fate.  However, some element of a frame-up would help explain her derisive, hysterical laughter at Angelique's funeral--a wonderful moment...

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

When I first saw NoDS I had no idea why Laura was laughing at the funeral. But informed with the knowledge that Charles and Angelique had an affair, the second time I saw it I figured she was laughing at Strack's description of Angelique as the "Loyal and loving sister-in-law to Laura." However, years later when a very generous friend shared a copy of Grayson's script with me, I discovered that the script actually has a scene in which Quentin offers his own theory as to why Laura was laughing - one that I never would have guessed because, as the film stands, there isn't enough info in it to even come close to drawing Quentin's conclusion. And the interesting thing is that the scene that offers his conclusion isn't even in the 129 minute version of the film. Darren Gross has often wondered why in the world DC cut the scene because Darren considers it an important scene - and I agree. But apparently only DC knew why he cut it...

And speaking of scenes that aren't even in the 129 minute version, one such scene will be coming up very soon in the script, with another to follow not all that long after it. But more on that once they come up...

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Wrapping up Scene 119 and moving beyond (using Grayson's script), beginning with today's quote -

Page 60/Scene 119 - Strack: 'The evil must be driven from the land -- before it destroys us all.'

- coming up, followed in the script by:

GABRIEL                       (a sigh)                  You are right.  There is no other                  way.                         Strack        Sarah reacts, as Trask moves to the window, looks        down and nods. 120    EXT - COLLINWOOD - DAY                            120                             STRACK'S        THROUGH THE WINDOW - TRASK'S P.O.V.        Four strong men stand staring up at the window.  At Strack'sTrask's nod, they move off in the direction of the        house.

And as far as differences in the dialogue go, Strack actually says "This evil" - and Gabriel actually says "You're right."

And as far as differences in the directions and the descriptions go, there aren't any of either in the script that pertain to the dialogue, however, DC's script has a note that indicates that Strack (though it's still Trask in his script) crosses to Gabriel as he warns that the evil must be driven from the land, and as can be seen in today's capture -

- that is what happens - but what neither the script nor DC indicates is that while Strack is saying "before it destroys us all", as can be seen in this next capture -

the camera is actually on a close-up of Sarah - and while DC's script also has a notation that Gabriel isn't suppose to appear in the shot until after Strack is finished with his warning, obviously, as can also be seen in today's capture, that is not the case - and as can be seen in this next capture -

- Gabriel remains in the shot after Sarah's reaction to Strack's warning and before Sarah's reaction to Gabriel coming around that there is no other way - but DC's notation also indicates that the camera would whip to Sarah and truck in on her reaction to Gabriel's decision, however, the shot of Sarah's reaction is not whipped to, and as can be seen in this next capture -

- the framing of the shot remains the same as the previous shot of her and there is no trucking in - and after Sarah's final reaction shot, not only don't we see Strack go anywhere near the window, Scene 120 is actually dropped in all versions of the film.

And one thing that's interesting about Scene 119 is that there's much more of Sarah in it than is indicated in the script. But as we'll soon see, adding more of Sarah is a situation that will be quite dramatically reversed because all sorts of her stuff will be dropped left and right before too long...

And finally, the original slideshow for NoDS included this line -

NoDS: Scene #119 - Gabriel: 'You're right. There is no
other way.'

- because it was quoted in the Fest's 1999 Movie Calendar, upon which the original slideshow is based.

[Gothick]

Great shot of Strack today.  Thayer was so perfect in that role.  Of course, I know Jerry would have nailed it, too, but the nuances would have been quite different.

G.

[Mysterious Benefactor]

Dealing with the next two scenes in the sequence (using Grayson's script):

121    INT - GALLERY - DAY                              121

And that's when today's first quote -

Page 61/Scene 121 - Gabriel: 'What of my brother Charles?'

- comes up, followed by today's second quote -

Page 61/Scene 121 - Strack: 'He must learn the lesson of the damned. He shall watch her die.'

- coming up, followed in the script by:

Strack        They look at each other.  Trask turns, leads them        from the room.  Sarah is panicked.  She leaves her        hiding place and tiptoes to the corridor. 122    INT - CORRIDOR - DAY                              122        SARAH'S P.O.V.        Strack               Laura        Trask, Gabriel and Samantha stand at the head of the                                           Strack        stairs.  As the four men appear, Trask and Gabriel        lead them up to the tower leaving Samantha stand-        ing alone.                          Laura

And as far as differences in the dialogue go, there aren't any because the dialogue is delivered exactly as scripted.

And as far as differences in the directions and the descriptions go, it's interesting how DC covers having dropped Scene 120 because following Sarah's final reaction in Scene 119, instead of seeing Strack move to the window, we see Sarah's POV of Strack walking away from Gabriel, but as can be seen in the following capture -

- Strack actually moves in the opposite direction away from the window (), but from that we then see, as can be seen in this next capture -

- Strack is moving away from apparently having been at the window, and he moves toward Gabriel, who, as we can see in the next capture -

- is on Strack's opposite side from where we last saw them in Scene 119 (apparently it must have been quite the dance that Strack did to first walk in the opposite direction from the window but then to walk from the direction of the window - and all in the space of under three seconds of screen time - but if we're feeling generous, maybe we'll just chalk it all up to the marathon editing session imposed by James Aubrey ) - and also, I love the wide-eyed expressions on Laura's face as she looks at Strack after Angelique's fate has been sealed -

- and then to Gabriel -

-and then to Strack again -

- as Charles' punishment is decided - and while we do see Sarah's panicked reaction to hearing Angelique is going to die, we don't actually see Stack turn and lead Gabriel and Laura from the room nor do we see Sarah leave her hiding place and tiptoe to the corridor - and Scene 122 is another that is dropped from all versions of the film - though if it had appeared in any version of the film, like Scene 85 (Angelique is taken from the tower), not four, but only two of Strack's henchmen would have shown up.

Also, DC has a note that before he asks about Charles, Gabriel walks to the table and then turns to them, though that's pretty obvious given the captures I've already shared.