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THE FIRST TEST OF HDC IDOL 2008-09


- Bloodrayne : It is the year 1955. Universal Pictures have gained a firm foothold based on their monster/iconic horror movies, and Hammer is slowly but surely getting a grasp in the genre. You are an enthusiastic producer with lots of cash, and have the best director of the moment in your pocket. Which movie would you make, and what would be your budget and cast? How will you make your flick saleable with the audiences?

- Bwind22 : You are in the year 1968. George A Romero's Night of the Living Dead looms in the horizon, and the 60s have already produced some memorable Hitchcock classics and several other wonderful horror flicks. You are a budding script writer, and get a call from Hitchcock for a possible script idea. What idea do you pitch to him, and what will your script be of?

Originally Posted by bwind22

Even without an answer to how the looming Night of the Living Dead is relevant to the question, I'll go first since everyone else in my group is too timid. ;)

I'd pitch Sir Alfred Hitchcock one of my favorite stories from Edgar Allan Poe, "The Cask of Amontillado", for a couple of different reasons. First and foremost, Poe's work is all public domain so the studio wouldn't have to worry about getting the rights to it. Secondly, adaptations of Poe's work have already proven popular in that decade with "The Pit and The Pendulum", "The (Fall of the) House of Usher", "The Raven" and "The Black Cat" all seeing big screen releases. Third, anyone familiar with the story is aware that it's a tension-filled revenge tale, which I believe plays to Hitchcock's strong suit as the master of suspense.

For anyone unfamiliar with the story, it goes like this... Fortunato, a wine afficianado, is lured into the basement of his friend, Montresor's (who is also the Narrator) basement with the expectation of finding a Cask of Amontillado (an expensive red wine) awaiting him. Once in the basement, Montresor dupes his intoxicated friend, chains him in a side cellar, then seals up the wall in front of the door, effectively burying his old friend alive inside a tomb in his own basement. As the story winds down, we learn through the narration that it's been 50 years since this event occured. Forutnato's body is still in the basement, sealed behind the wall and Montresor was never caught or punished for the crime. Obviously, that's just the paraphrased version. Secondary characters and subplots would be inserted in order to expand the short story to feature length.

I envision the role of Montresor being played by the great Vincent Price, who's obviously a fan of Poe's work and starred in three of the four films mentioned above. Ideal casting for the role of Fortunato would be Boris Karloff, although knowing what we know now, he may not have completed the film before he died in 1969 so perhaps Bela Lugosi would be the wiser choice, with hindsight being 20/20.

A story by Edgar Allan Poe, scripted by bwind22, directed by Sir Alfred Hitchcock and starring Vincent Price and Boris Karloff (or Bela Lugosi) would almost certainly have been a box office success in it's time and would more than likely still be considered one of the classic films of that era to this day.

- Cactus : It is the year 1931. Dracula has just been released and is doing well. Universal have a winner on their hands, and are already planning a possible sequel. Their rival production company wants you, their Manager, to think up of a dream project which would outscore Universal at their own game. What possible idea can you conjure up, and pitch it successfully to your peers?

Originally Posted by cactus

Ok, here goes...since I'm about to be gone for 4 days with most likely no time to get on here, I'll throw myself on the hand grenade next...


Interesting scenario, to say the least. With the success of Dracula and the tapping of the well of the horror genre, it is our time to carve our niche. The way that we do that is with a little known author at the time, HP Lovecraft and his tale of Wilbur Whateley in "The Dunwich Horror". This tale is of Wilbur and his grandfather reaching out, through dark means, to the ancient race known only as The Old Ones. They are successful in bringing forth an unseen presence that grows within their farmhouse. Eventually Wilbur makes his way to Miskatonic University to obtain an original printing of the Necronomicon, from which he can summon these beings, and is killed attempting to steal the tome. Without Wilbur, the presence grows, breaking free from the farmhouse and terrorizing the countryside, only to be stopped by professors from the aforementioned Miskatonic U.

This provides the audience with good triumphing over evil, but open ended with a wealth of possibilities for future endeavors with Mr Lovecraft and the universe that he has created and will hopefully expand in the future. They are dark stories, for sure, but many of which contain underlying themes of repressed desires, dangerous and unacceptable behaviour. Primal and basic elements of great horror and of which the public would be sure to want more.

Also, we should strive to make this serious. Any attempt at showing creatures, other than the monsters of man, must be avoided, in my opinion. The fear that we should attempt to capitalize upon is the fear of the unknown, man's darkest desires come to life, so to speak.

My friends, this is our chance...do not let it pass us by.

- Dude Guadalupe : You are in 1987, a really talented new director who has been given a most difficult task - 20th Century Fox have been in touch and asked you to make a kickass sequel to Aliens, within 3 years, which would totally bowl the audiences over like James Cameron's masterpiece did the year before. Who would you contact to produce the movie? Your choice of scriptwriter and possible stars?

Originally Posted by Dude Guadalupe

With the success of Predator in 1987, I'd call up Director John McTiernan to jump on as producer for my sequal to aliens.

I would bring back Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett as writers. They did a wonderful job on both Alien and Aliens, so I think it would be a good choice to bring them back.

As for stars, I would bring back those who survived Aliens. Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, Carrie Henn as Newt, Michael Biehn as Hicks, and (assuming the script called for his return) Lance Henriksen as Bishop. This would be for continuity, due to the fact that I can't stand when actors are replaced and the audience is expected not to notice. Any other actors would depend upon the script.

- Freak : You are in 1974. After NotLD, The Exorcist has become a runaway huge hit with audiences screaming out of the theaters. You are a struggling actor trying to make it big on the screen. You heard that a certain young Steven Spielberg (with a great script tucked under his arm) is looking for young actors. How do you get in touch with him, and what audition will you give him to convince that one of the lead roles belongs to you?

Originally Posted by Freak

Ok guess I'll go ahead and throw mine up.don't really want to cause I'm not sure if it what your after but here goes.

Well first I'd call his office and try to set up a meeting and when that failed I'd find out hwere is office his.I'd wait outside all day and wait for him to either leave or come in.I'd jump in front of him and demand he give me an audition casue I am theperfect person for his new movie.

He says that I must first show him what I can do before he even thinks about giving me an audition.

I think hard and then lower my head and prepare myself.I look up and look in right in the face and I begin a piece from Citizen Kane.

There like I said not sire if thats what your looking for and probably not that good but I gave it muy best shot so let the slaughter begin.

- Illdojo : 2007. Rob Zombie has contacted you, a musician yourself, to give him an idea for a possible sequel to his version of Halloween. He is your best friend, and he wont take no for an answer. You only have a vague knowledge of the movie, and he has explicitly said that he doesnt want to do another Halloween II, but rather see a totally original take for the sequel to his remake. Do you have a possible idea to float to him?

- Jenna26 : The year is 1996. Troma, known for their low-budget gorific flicks, have suddenly decided to make a zero-budget shockfest based on cannibalism, with plenty of gore (of course!) and campy humor. As both a director and Makeup In charge, how will you go about your task of making yet another Troma "moneyspinner"?

- Roshiq : The year is 1949. You are a great producer-director with lots of cash to spare, and Universal want you to make yet another winner, a follow-up to their monster hits from earlier years. You suddenly hit upon a goldmine of an idea - The Evil Dead!! What will your cast be of, and how will you go about making it? Remember its the late 40s, era of b/w movies, shock is limited to expressions and acting, minimal gore (plenty of effects which look jaded today), etc.



4 entries by the Ogres so far.