Present For Luna, Version No. III

An original screenplay

Version No. III

Written by Eva Tunik

FADE IN:

1. INT. LIBRARY AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. NIGHT

Spacious, Gothic-style ancient library at dusk. Light from candle flames spreads unevenly over floor-to-ceiling bookshelves. Through an arched window a huge full moon is visible against scattered clouds. Bare tree branches knock against the window. Moonlight illuminates a cloth-covered writing desk by the window. Various items are laid out on the table: hourglass, skull, ink bottle, melted candle in a copper candlestick, scrolls. A dozen ancient leather-bound books are stacked in two piles. A layer of dust covers the table. A clock chimes. A HAND IN A WHITE GLOVE places a burning candle in the candlestick and wipes the dust off a book’s cover revealing the title "Lunar Ring." Hand In A White Glove opens the book. Inside on yellowed parchment is an illustrated map of the world covering two pages. Zoom in: the British Isles; Zoom in: red dot for the city of Oxford; Zoom in: University of Oxford. On the page in black Gothic script, one letter at a time, appears: "Over the ends of the Earth, to distant seas, once upon a time, there lived a vampire."

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– Over the ends of the Earth, to distant seas, once upon a time, there lived a vamp… Sorry, wrong book.

Hand In A White Glove closes the book and places it on the table. A small cloud of dust rises. Hand In A White Glove picks up another book and wipes the dust from its binding. The title "A Present for Luna" appears on the cover.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– Voila!

Hand In A White Glove opens the book. Inside on yellowed parchment is an illustrated map of the world covering two pages. Zoom in: the British Isles; Zoom in: red dot for city of Oxford; Zoom in: University of Oxford. On the page in black Gothic script, one letter at a time, appears: "Over the ends of the Earth, to distant seas, once upon a time, there lived a Student of psychology."

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– Khe… khe… the dust…
(coughs, clearing his throat)
– …a Student of psychology.

Page flips to an animated illustration of Oxford University. Through clouds, wind, rain, flying leaves and rowan berries “pan into” the Oxford library window.

Text on the page: "One dull yet unpredictable autumn afternoon, more precisely, at the junction of Dwindle-flame and Rowan-hail, an especially diligent Student came across an article by British scientists about the effects of adrenaline on the laws of sexual attraction."

An animated illustration: Student sits at a table in the library, reading a book and doodling hearts in the margins.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– One dull yet unpredictable autumn afternoon, more precisely, at the junction of Dwindle-flame and Rowan-hail, an especially diligent Student came across an article by British scientists about the effects of adrenaline on the laws of sexual attraction.

A raven caws. In the animated illustration: Student is distracted from his book, turns his head, and looks at a couple of ravens on the windowsill. Above Student’s head appears a thought bubble containing an image of a light bulb. The bulb lights up and transforms into a skull; the skull transforms into a heart. An arrow pierces the heart; the heart cracks and bleeds.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– Student suddenly remembered an ad he’d seen in the student paper for a competition organized by a tour company. First prize was "a romantic Halloween night for two in Dracula’s Castle, where no soul had slept for 70 years.” What a happy coincidence!

A page flips and an animated illustration appears: A sheet of paper flies past the table. It’s a competition entry form and on it is the image of Dracula's Castle in the middle of a heart. Student catches the paper, fills in the questionnaire, then folds it into an airplane and throws it up in the air. Paper airplane takes a turn and zooms above a row of bookshelves to fall into a box of completed questionnaires.

A page flips and text on the page reads: "Brave Student has decided to propose to his sweetheart, but first he’s going to scare her a bit…"

An animated illustration of Girl and a three-headed fire-breathing Dragon appears on the page. Dragon spews flames at Girl. Girl raises her arms, protecting her face, and screams.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– Brave Student has decided to propose to his sweetheart, but first he’s going to scare her a bit…

Dragon’s scales are shaped like coins and his tail is shaped like a handle. Girl pulls the tail-handle and plays "slot machine" (one-armed bandit) with Dragon’s three heads. She pulls Dragon’s tail-handle. Dragon heads are reels that spin, and images quickly flash in his eyes. The result appears on Dragon’s tongues. Girl’s first attempt yields a skull and two coffins. Her second attempt: two black roses and a ring. Her third attempt: three rings! Jackpot! Sound of slot machine hitting Jackpot. Sound of coins falling. Dragon’s scales crumble and form a pile of coins at Girl’s feet. Girl joyfully jumps up and down in place, laughs, and claps her hands. Collects coins. Student runs “into frame,” gets down on one knee, and holds out his hand to Dragon. Dragon’s middle head spits out a ring into Student’s palm. Student offers Girl the ring. Girl tosses away the coins she won, takes the ring, and puts it on her finger. Dragon rises into the sky and flies away. Student and Girl hold hands and wave at him. The ring slips from Girl's finger and flies in the sky with Dragon.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– That’s the spirit!

A page flips. A ring falls in the middle of the book, casting a heart-shaped shadow in the candlelight.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– Amor vincit omnia! Student won the prize of course.

A page flips and an animated illustration on a questionnaire-airplane unfolds in the form of two tickets dated October 31st to Bucharest, Romania, and a list of prohibited items: garlic, silver, mirror, cross. Displayed text blinks: "Congratulations, you’ve won the prize – a horror-mantic Halloween night at Dracula’s Castle!"

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– Unsuspecting Girl hastily packed their bags, while Student plotted the perfect blood-curdling, vampire-style proposal.

A page flips and there’s an animated illustration of Student watching Girl. He furtively opens a box and looks at an antique ring inside it, closes the box, and slides it into his pocket. Girl packs a suitcase, then another suitcase, then a third. She jumps on one of the suitcases, trying to close it.

Hand In A White Glove turns the page and an illustration of the world map appears. Paper Airplane is moving along a dotted path from London to Bucharest. Clouds cover the world map. Zoom in on the red dot for Bucharest. Clouds completely cover the map and the red dot.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– That fateful evening, as the sun set over the roofs and fields of Transylvania, a horse-drawn carriage raced Student & Girl into the unknown.

A page flips and an animated illustration appears: Sunset in Transylvania. The sun’s last rays are touching the treetops. A two-horse carriage travels on a road through a forest. The carriage passes a signpost reading "To Dracula's Castle". On it sits Raven ¹1. Raven ¹1 turns its head after the carriage, spreads its wings and flies away. The little carriage continues onto a country road. On a hill in the distance sits Dracula’s Castle, and surrounding it are fields, trees and a few small houses. Dogs are barking. Raven ¹1 flies in the sky. Raven ¹1 rises up to the castle. Bird’s eye view from the roof of Dracula's Castle. Raven ¹2 sits on the roof, watching the carriage approach. Sun sets on the horizon. Windows of houses light up. Raven ¹1 flies over and sits next to Raven ¹2. The carriage pulls up to the entrance and stops. The carriage door opens forcefully. Student jumps out and helps Girl out of the carriage; she steps out and looks around. Girl raises her head and looks at two ravens on the castle roof.

NARRATOR (V.O.)
– Student is looking forward to the surprise, and Girl is happy to be on a spontaneous adventure. Meet our heroes!

On the massive entrance door is a hand-shaped knocker. Student uses it to knock on the door. Girl holds his hand. A raven caws.

The end of the animation.

FADE IN:

2. INT. LOBBY AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. SUNSET

Sound of the entrance door rattling open, then slamming shut. A spacious lobby with a large oak door and semi-circular staircase. The sunset glows orange in the windows. Tall BUTLER (70) in a tailcoat locks the entrance door. DARION (25), a mulatto in beige corduroy trousers and an Oxford Blue sweater, and long-haired blonde LUNA (25) in a coat stand in the center of the lobby, look around and up. At Luna’s feet are two large travel bags. BLACK CAT stares at the guests from the first floor staircase.

DARION
– Good evening! My name’s Darion. This is my girlfriend …

LUNA
(interrupts)
– Luna. How charming!

BUTLER
Good evening! If there is anything good about Halloween…

DARION
(winks at Luna)
– We’ll make pumpkin pie from pumpkins, like lemonade from lemons!
(looks at Luna’s bags)

BUTLER
– Your rooms are waiting for you, Sir, Madam! Dinner is at nine…

With great effort, Darion picks up the bags; he can barely carry them.

3. INT. STAIRCASE TO THE FIRST FLOOR. EVENING

Butler holds a lantern and leads the way up the stairs. Darion barely makes it up the stairs with the bags. Luna follows.

DARION
– What did you pack, a pumpkin? Two pumpkins?

LUNA
– Don’t ask me for shampoo.

Black Cat is the last to walk up the stairs. He jumps and pounces on the bag’s strap as it drags on the steps.

4. INT. BEDROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. EVENING

A small bedroom with a window. There’s a double bed in the center covered with a thick blanket. There are candles on a dressing table next to the mirror. Next to the bed are the bags. Luna drops her coat on the floor, undresses, throws her clothes on the bed, and walks to the bathroom.

5. INT. BATHROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. EVENING

Gothic-style bathroom. A full moon shines in the window. On the marble sink is a freshly folded white towel. Luna enters, looks in the mirror, and smiles at her reflection.

6. INT. BEDROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. EVENING

Black Cat jumps from the cabinet onto the bed. Black Cat watches steam coming from the bathroom door. Luna sings B.S.

7. INT. BATHROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. EVENING

Luna opens the tap in the shower, sticks her hand under the stream, and enters the shower. Her silhouette is visible behind the shower curtain. Luna showers and sings a song. The air fills with steam. Luna closes the tap and steps out of the shower. Through the thick steam, with her eyes closed, she grabs a towel and wipes her face. The towel leaves red streaks on her face. Luna opens her eyes, sniffs the towel and frowns. There are red spots on the towel. Luna wipes the misted mirror but doesn’t see her reflection in it. On the floor is a pool of red ink, an empty ink bottle, and red cat paw prints.

8. INT. BEDROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. EVENING

Luna comes out of the bathroom wrapped in a towel. On the bed is a rectangular cardboard box with a ribbon and a note written in red ink. The box contains a red evening dress. Luna takes it out and puts it on. Black Cat climbs into the box and chews the ribbon. Luna admires the gown in the mirror. She turns to face the cat.

LUNA
– How do I look?

There’s a smaller box on the bedcover. Luna touches the box.

LUNA
– And what do we have here?

Luna opens the box and takes out a black orchid - Dracula Roezlii - shoulder corsage. She goes to the mirror, fastens the orchids to her dress, and admires her reflection.

Luna turns to Black Cat.

LUNA
– I suppose you chew on orchids too? Yes, you probably come at a price…

BLACK CAT
– Miau!

There’s a shoebox on the bedcover.

LUNA
– Another one?!

Luna opens the box and takes out Louboutin shoes - high heel black patent leather pumps with red soles. A clock chimes. Luna flinches from the loud sound. The clock strikes nine times. Luna touches the shoes.

LUNA
– Ñhic.

Luna looks at the Louboutin shoes.

LUNA
(to Black Cat)
– I'm hungry, are you coming?

Music starts playing: Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata at a very slow tempo. Luna puts on the pumps, looks at her legs in the mirror, and smiles at her reflection. She takes a candle in a candlestick from the dressing table and walks out of the bedroom.

9. INT. CORRIDOR AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. EVENING

Long corridor serving as an art gallery for the castle owner’s portraits. Luna passes the paintings, looking at the faces. Among the portraits is one of Luna. Music is playing loudly now. Luna enters a lighted doorway.

10. INT. DINING ROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. EVENING

In a corner of the dining room is a self-playing piano and a self-playing violanchelo. In the center is a festive table set for two. The candles go out and the music stops. A chandelier lights up over one end of the table. Luna enters the circle of light. On a plate is a menu and a card with the name "Luna" written on it. Darion, in a tuxedo and mask, disguised as an elderly Butler, brings a tray with the first course: tomato soup served in a pumpkin with a glass eye floating in it.

LUNA
– Where is Darion? I won’t dine alone!

DARION
(removing the mask)
– But you're hungry! Or did you eat those two pumpkins that we dragged along??

Luna laughs. Darion pulls the chair out for her. Luna sits down. Darion moves his chair and sits at the other end of the table, decorated in vampire-halloween-romantic style. Centerpiece – a skeleton with black orchid bouquet in a skull at the Darion’s side of the table.

DARION  (COUNT’D)
(admiring the table decoration)
– Chic!
(sipping the soup)
– My great-grandmother's recipe…

A glass eyeball pops up as Darion stirs a soup with spoon.

DARION (COUNT’D)
(moving the glass eyeball in the soup with his spoon)
– …not the eye though! Take half a dozen ripe “oxheart” tomatoes, scald them, remove the peel. Chop an onion, saut;e it in butter, add the chopped tomatoes and bell pepper, stir, add rosemary, Sorry, no garlic today… Curious about the second course? Maybe it will be us… By the way, you look gorgeous tonight - what a dress! I've never seen it.

LUNA
– Yeah. Right.

Butler enters in a frock coat carrying a tray with a cloche. He places it in the middle of the table and raises the lid.

On the tray is a pulsating heart. Darion and Luna laugh. Butler cuts up the heart and divides it on two plates. Butler pours wine and leaves the room. Darion and Luna eat. Darion taps his wineglass with his knife. Luna puts down her fork. Darion raises his wineglass.

DARION
– To the host!

Luna raises her wineglass and smiles.

LUNA
– Yes, thank you for your hospitality!

Darion puts his wineglass on the table, removes the cloth napkin from his knees, and puts it on the table.

DARION
– Excuse me, I need a minute…

LUNA
– Another surprise?

DARION
– Surprises are like kittens - there can never be too many.

Darion stands up, walks to the fireplace, takes the hourglass from the mantelpiece, turns it, puts it back, winks at Luna, and exits the dining room.

The sand falls in the hourglass. The fire dies out. The clock strikes midnight. Luna hugs her shoulders, rises from her chair, and goes to the fireplace. She looks at the hourglass. Luna shivers. The sand continues to fall. Luna looks back and walks out of the dining room.

11. INT. CORRIDOR AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. NIGHT

Luna walks down the corridor. The faces in the pictures hanging on the walls are illuminated.

LUNA
– Darion!

Luna looks at Darion's portrait on the wall.
Luna quickens her pace and runs down the stairs to the lobby.


12. INT. STAIRCASE AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. NIGHT

Luna quickens her step, then stops. She removes one shoe and holds it in her hand like a weapon, leaves the other on the floor behind her, and runs. Ahead of Luna a silhouette flashes in front of an illuminated doorway.

LUNA
– Darion!

Luna runs up the stairs. Luna runs along the corridor.

13. INT. DINING ROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. NIGHT

Luna enters the dining room. The room is transformed: the furniture is covered with sheets, and cobwebs are everywhere. Luna stirs the cold embers in the fireplace with a poker. In the light of the full moon, the place is dusty and deserted. Wolves are howling and owls are hooting B.S. Luna takes the poker and runs out of the dining room.

14. INT. BEDROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. NIGHT

Luna runs into the bedroom. The bed is gone. Two coffins are in its place. One is closed and moving slightly. Luna rushes in fear to the coffin and rips the nailed lid off with the poker. Darion is lying in the coffin. He sits up and laughs. Music starts playing. Luna bursts into tears.

LUNA
– Darion!

DARION
– Come on, now we’ll have dessert. You love dessert.

Darion stands up, takes Luna’s hand, and walks her out of the bedroom. On the way, he picks up the pumps and hands them to Luna.

15. INT. DINING ROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. NIGHT

Everything is still festive in the hall. There’s a tray covered with a cloche in the center of the table. Darion lifts the lid and reveals dessert: a chocolate marzipan hand wearing the wedding ring. Darion gets down on one knee.

DARION
– This is an heirloom. It belonged to my great-grandmother. Luna, I love you so much. Will you marry me?

Luna pulls the ring from the dessert, licks her finger, and slides the ring on. A rooster crows B.S.

LUNA
– Yes! But I’m totally exhausted!

DARION
Tonight, you’ll sleep like the dead.

Darion takes Luna in his arms and exits the dining room.

16. EXT. YARD AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. NIGHT

Dracula’s castle visible from outside. All windows are dark, except the windows of dining room. Silhouettes of Dorian and Luna are visible.

17. INT. BEDROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. NIGHT

Carrying Luna in his arms, Darion enters the bedroom and places her on the bed, removes the pumps and massages her feet. Luna opens her eyes, looks up at the ceiling, and her eyes widen.

18. INT. BEDROOM AT DRACULA'S CASTLE. MORNING

A faint rustling and scratching sound can be heard coming from a varnished black wooden coffin. There’s a knock and the coffin starts to shake from the inside. The cover is being pounded from the inside in rhythmic strokes. It starts to shiver, lifts up, slips off, and falls onto a second coffin. A strong hand grabs the side of the coffin. It’s Darion, dressed in a tuxedo. He quickly sits up and looks around, his hair disheveled, his eyes wide. Darion rubs his face with his hands. In the center of the deserted bedroom are two coffins, covered in dust and cobwebs. Darion jumps out of the coffin. He grabs the fallen lid and pushes it aside. The cover of the neighboring coffin shifts from the impact and splits. From it falls a mummified skeleton hand with an engagement ring on its fourth finger. The ring slides off the finger, falls on the stone floor, making a loud ringing sound, and spins. Darion throws off the coffin lid. Flies emerge from the coffin, making a noise that echoes. The mummy in the coffin is wearing a new, bright red evening dress and a shoulder corsage made of fresh Dracula Roezlii black orchids. Darion kneels next to the mummy. Music begins to play, Darion grabs his head.

DARION
– Lunaaaaaaaa!

The sound echoes in the empty room. Darion leans over the mummy. He picks up the ring from the floor and holds it in his hand. Tears stream down his cheeks and drip onto the ring.

Luna enters the room carrying a breakfast tray. Darion looks at Luna, his eyes round with surprise.

Darion drops the ring. It falls with a loud clatter on the stone floor, spins, and shines in a sunbeam on the floor.

LUNA
– No need to shout, I'm not deaf.

Luna puts the tray on the windowsill.

LUNA (CONT’D)
– And stop throwing around my jewelry.

She picks up the ring from the floor and puts it on her finger.

LUNA (CONT’D)
– Cat got your tongue?

Black Cat enters the bedroom and rubs against Luna’s ankles.

LUNA (CONT’D)
– Speak of the devil…

Butler enters the bedroom, removes a wig, wipes off makeup, and straightens his back.

DARION
– Professor?!

PROFESSOR
– At the beginning of the school year, you each filled out a questionnaire and checked the box allowing us to conduct psychological experiments without your knowledge. Here are your results.

Professor pulls out an official Oxford University envelope from his pocket. He turns it over in his hand, then puts it back in his pocket.

PROFESSOR
– But you’ll have plenty of time to get acquainted with your results. I'm forced to keep you both in the castle until the next couple…

Professor-Butler, goes to the door. Black Cat follows. On the threshold Professor-Butler stops and turns around.

PROFESSOR
– Breakfast is in one hour, in the library.

Professor-Butler and Black Cat leave the bedroom.

A raven caws outside B.S. On the windowsill sit Raven ¹1 and Raven ¹2. Darion and Luna look at each other.

DARION
– What were you saying about shampoo?

Luna frowns and sighs.

The End.

FADE OUT:

November, 2016