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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?

- 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?

- 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?

- 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.



The Ogre bwind22 has turned in his answer, which has been critically dissected by 3 judges already.

2 are yet to bash him, after which I will request all Judges to send me their grades for bwind's entry. On a scale from A to E.


All other Ogres, you are requested to turn in your entries before TG day arrives. We will take a break for 24 hours in honor of TG.