Writer's Workshop

A while ago (wo, nearly two years at this point) I started up a Dracula script (and you can read the first part and get into the whole story) and that went really well. I'm very happy with how that script turned out and while likely I'd edit a few things around a bit (this is a workshop, afte all) if I were to do anything more with it, I knew I at least wanted to revisit the world of that script down the road. I had ideas for a trilogy of stories and I just needed to write them. The first of those two follow up scripts starts here with Bride of Dracula.

Seriously, though, I'd go catch up on the story first before you get into this script. While this will be a fairly self-contained story we may have some moments that call back to the previous script (such as the opening scenes of this movie) and if you don't want to be confused you'll want to go see all that happened before. With that out of the way, let's go meet the Bride.

Bride of Dracula: Part 1

FADE IN.

EXT: FRENCH STREET, SHOPPING DISTRICT, EVENING, PRESENT.

We move slowly along the street, watching various people move about. Dress is early 1940s, and the people moving around, in couples or singularly, seem to travel in hushed tones. We do see a couple of German officers, soldiers in the Nazi party move around, and while some people greet them warming, most tend to avoid their gaze. As the camera pans up we come to a small cafe.

MUSIC: Fade in light, jazzy music with a French singer.

From the cafe a young woman comes out. We don't see her face but she leans back into the cafe.

LUCY:

(In French) Oh yes, Monsieur Toussaint. It was a lovely time. Tell your wife “goodnight” for me.

SFX: Mumbling

To the mumbles barely heard Lucy laughs and responds.

LUCY:

(laugh) Oh, you dirty old man. I'll see you tomorrow night!

LUCY bounces off, a spring in her step on this lovely spring evening. She moves along the street, waving at some people, stopping to look in stalls or admire shop windows. Then she turns a corner around a different street. The camera, however, holds for a beat as we see a couple of men, GERMAN SOLDIER 1 and GERMAN SOLDIER 2, come into frame and follow after LUCY.

EXT: FRENCH STREET, SHOPPING DISTRICT, EVENING, PRESENT.

As the camera pans around, we catch sight of LUCY as she continues walking down this must less populous street. As she walks she sees a thirdman, GERMAN SOLDIER 3, up ahead, smoking a cigarette. She looks over and must not like what she sees as she cuts across the street to walking along the other side. GERMAN SOLDIER 1 and GERMAN SOLDIER 2 follow and as they pass GERMAN SOLDIER 3 he stubs out his cigarette and joins the men.

Sensing trouble LUCY picks up her pace but the men continue to follow, laughing to themselves. She spares a glance back, wide eyed, and then turns to them, stumbling into the mouth of an alley.

GERMAN SOLDIER 1:

(In German) Where are you headed, fraulein?

LUCY shakes her head.

LUCY:

(In French) I'm sorry, I don't speak German.

GERMAN SOLDIER 2:

(In French) It is past curfew. Where are you headed at this time of night.

LUCY looks at her watch.

LUCY:

(In French) But it isn't...

GERMAN SOLDIER 3:

(In French) You would argue with us?

LUCY:

(In French) No, I just... I was heading home.

GERMAN SOLDIER 2:

(In French) Well, you can spare a couple of minutes for us, I'm sure, madame.

The Germans approach closer, pushing her further back towards the alley.

GERMAN SOLDIER 1:

(In German) She can spend some time with us.

GERMAN SOLDIER 2:

(In German) I'd love to see how she tastes.

They edge LUCY into the alley and they all disappear down into its depths while our view stays outside.

LUCY:

(In perfect German) Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you.

SFX: Male scream.

Blood splashing along the wall of the alley that we can see. There's a lot of yelling, one man tries to run out but is grabbed back in. There's some gurgling, and then just the sound of feeding.

FADE OUT

FADE IN

EXT: CASTLE DRACULA, COURTYARD, DAWN, PAST.

MUSIC: Dark and ethereal music starts.

We see, from an overhead shot zoomed way out, the ending of DRACULA recreated. We watch as the group of characters – JOHNATHAN, MINA, and LUCY – are all clustered around DRACULA in his courtyard overlooking the cliffs of the Borgo Pass. Two bodies, ABRAHAM and QUINCEY, lay dead on the ground. The master vampire, who has a death grip on MINA, lashes out, hitting LUCY, sending her careening over the cliffs down below. The camera slowly zooms in as it tracks across the action, watching as she stumbles and falls.

JOHNATHAN picks up a cross, his arm catching fire, but he uses it to fend off DRACULA. JONATHAN grabs DRACULA and presses the cross the vampire's head. MINA then grabs DRACULA's head and roughly twists it off, beheading him. The vampire falls, and MINA and JOHNATHAN stand aside, the glow of dawn slowing pouring over them. JOHNATHAN moves to the cliff, dragging MINA with him, and as the camera pulls in closer, we she her try to pull away as sunlight catches both of them, setting them both on fire. Their bodies burn to ash, the embers floating into the air.

We follow the embers down the cliff face and they slowly float, steadily bringing the body of LUCY into view. She lays there, looking quite dead, blood trickling from her mouth, one arm cast out limply. A couple of bit of ash float down and land on her face, her eyes closed and not moving. As we come close we watch as the sunlight trickles into view, edging towards her outstretched hand. As it touches, sparking fire along her fingers, her eyes snap open before she crawls, faster than any human, out of view.

CUT TO BLACK

And now the opening title comes up, dripping with blood, as embers float by: BRIDE OF DRACULA. Then the title catches fire and blows away with the rest of the ash, leaving only black.

LUCY:

Your eyes are like burning sapphires.

FADE IN.

INT: DANCE HALL, FRANCE, NIGHT, PRESENT.

We fade in on a male face, BARRETT, and his eyes are quite blue indeed, like the cerulean sky.

MUSIC: A swing number fades while a woman sings in French.

The rest of the party comes into view as we see a regular night at the dance hall, men and women dancing to the lively beat.

BARRETT:

(laughs) I'm fairly certain I'm supposed to say a cheesy line like that.

LUCY:

Oh, so you speak English.

BARRETT:

Yes, mademoiselle.

LUCY:

(laughs) Please, I am no more French than you are. English, yes?

BARRETT:

Quite, and I assume from your accent you are as well.

LUCY:

No... I'm not really much of anything anymore. I was German once long ago but that's a country I hardly recognize anymore.

BARRETT nods, then sips his drink. He looks over at her at the small table they're at notices her own drink.

BARRETT:

Your drink is empty. Shall I get you another?

LUCY:

No, thank you. I shouldn't... drink anymore tonight.

At this point a young woman, RACHEL, comes up from the dance floor, giggling and out of breath.

RACHEL:

Brother, we came here to have a fun night out!

BARRETT:

I'm actually having quite a nice time, sister.

RACHEL turns to LUCY and smiles.

RACHEL:

Yes, I can see that.

She holds out her hand.

RACHEL:

Since my brother, BARRETT, hasn't already introduced me to his lovely friend, I'm RACHEL. RACHEL RENFIELD.

LUCY holds out her hand as well and they shake.

LUCY:

You may call me LUCIA. LUCIA DRACO.

RACHEL:

An unusual last name.

LUCY:

It was my husband's. A form of it anyway. I've traveled a lot since then.

BARRETT:

You're married?

LUCY:

In a sense. And not anymore.

BARRET:

Ah.

She winks at him and he sips his drink again out of embarrassment. RACHEL looks at the two of them.

RACHEL:

Well, are we going to go dance or what?

BARRETT:

Well, I hadn't-

LUCY:

I suppose we should. If only for appearances.

She holds out her hand and BARRETT takes it. She then leads him out onto the dance floor as RACHEL dances off and finds another gentleman to spin her around the dance floor for a time. The two of them, LUCY and BARRETT, stand awkwardly and stare at each other.

LUCY:

I will admit I do not know the steps.

BARRETT:

Well, I can guide you. I get dragged out to these placed by my sister regularly.

LUCY:

Excellent.

Instead of placing her hands in his she puts one against his face and looks deeply into his eyes. Then she begins to lead them around the dance floor, suddenly knowing all the right moves. They spin off into the crowd, laughing together.

CROSSFADE.

INT: BALLROOM, CASTLE DRACULA, AFTERNOON, PAST.

The packed dance hall gives way to the decrepit ballroom of the past. It's quiet for a moment, just dust settling in the darkened hall, before the main doors burst open, letting in the light of day. In walks R.M. RENFIELD, followed by a few local workers, and the lawyer moves around as if he owns the place.

RENFIELD:

This is a good staging area. I want the crates piled along the walls here. We can then open and assess the contents and decide what to setup here and what to eliminate. I want a list made of everything we're keeping so we can assess value for liquidation.

WORKMAN:

Yes, sir.

RENFIELD:

I'm going to inspect the libraries. There might be things valuable still here from the previous move.

RENFIELD walks off as people start to bring crates in.

INT: KITCHENS, CASTLE DRACULA, AFTERNOON, PAST.

RENFIELD walks through the room, looking around at things, when he hears a noise.

SFX: Scuffling sounds.

He pauses and listens, and he hears more scuffling.

SFX: Scuffling sounds.

Heading towards a door, he puts his ear against it then, when he doesn't hear further, opens the door slowly, revealing nothing but darkness below. He walks out of frame but we stay focused on the darkness, seeing nothing. Eventually he comes back into frame, a torch in hand, lighting the way into cellars without any sunlight beyond. Seeing nothing, he heads down into the dark.

INT: CELLARS, CASTLE DRACULA, AFTERNOON, PAST.

RENFIELD walks down the steps into the cellar below, looking around. He sees plenty of rat corpses, and other dead animals, and plenty more bones of tiny animals that died long ago. The cellars themselves are sturdy in construction, showing little of the wear that the rest of the castle suffered.

SFX: Scuffling.

Tuning his head to the noise, RENFIELD walks further into the cellars. As he passes through one section he turns and sees a girl, LUCY, dressed in tatters, her eyes shining like a cat's in the light. As RENFIELD comes closer LUCY moves away, animalistic in her movements as she tries to get away from the light of the fire. RENFIELD backs off a step, moving the torch away, and LUCY comes back towards the man, teeth bared.

SFX: Animalistic noise.

A deep, guttural noise comes from the vampiric girl. She makes as if to lunge, so RENFIELD swings the torch back into view and the girl backs off, clearly afraid of the light.

SFX: Footsteps on stone.

WORKMAN comes into view.

WORKMAN:

Ah, Mr. RENFIELD. We had some questions and I wasn't able to find you. Why are you in the-

The WORKMAN looks over and sees LUCY.

WORKMAN:

My god! Is that a girl!

RENFIELD:

Your powers of observation are uncanny.

WORKMAN:

What is she doing here in this horrible place.

RENFIELD:

I do not know but clearly she is in need of care. Warmth and sustenance.

RENFIELD moves the torch away and takes a step back.

RENFIELD:

Help the poor girl out, won't you?

WORKMAN nods and moves over to the girl. She looks up at him, then over at the torch which is now much farther away. Suddenly she lunges for the man, grabbing him and wrapping herself around him as she takes him to the ground. He screams as she tears into his neck, splashing blood across the floor. His screams die out, becoming just gurgles as he feeds. While this happens, RENFIELD finds a large stone to sit on, then patiently waits as the man dies and the girl has her fill.

When she looks up next, LUCY seems more herself. Drenched in blood and still wearing tatters, yes, but there is some humanity within her eyes once more.

RENFIELD:

Ah, I see you're back with us. Excellent. So, which one are you.

LUCY:

...what?

RENFIELD:

I know our Lord Dracula had a couple of ladies in his company. Miss Mina and a Miss LUCY. So, which one are you? Or are you someone else?

LUCY wipes blood from her face and licks her hand. Then she realizes what she's done as she looks at the blood, and te body, and backs off a step.

LUCY:

Oh god... oh god.

RENFIELD waves the torch at her.

RENFIELD:

Your name, girl.

LUCY:

I... LUCY... What have I done?!

RENFIELD:

To me it seems like you finally had your first good meal in days. Already the color is coming back to you and, if I do say so myself, your natural looks are returning.

Indeed as the blood settles into her system the natural vampire glamor begins to take hold once more, making LUCY look much more beautiful.

LUCY:

I'm a monster!

RENFIELD:

You've a vampire, like Lord Dracula. Did he not explain all this to you.

LUCY:

He... killed me.

RENFIELD:

Well, be that as it may, you are the sole survivor here and, as per the will he had me establish, I was to pass his property and deeds to his brides.

LUCY look up from the body.

LUCY:

We didn't marry.

RENFIELD waves a hand at the body.

RENFIELD:

Considering what you just did I think Lord Dracula did indeed make you one of his brides. At least, in the way he explained it to me.

LUCY:

Who are you?

RENFIELD:

Ah, do forgive me. I'm R.M. RENFIELD, Lord Dracula's lawyer. As I hear so often, I'm my own kind of blood sucker. But then, Lord Dracula was quite clear that my assistance would grant me favors. I had assumed those favors were null and void with his death.

LUCY's eyes drifted back to the body.

RENFIELD:

I assume he is dead. You say you don't know? Because all we found outside were two corpses and a pile of burned bones.

LUCY shakes her head.

RENFIELD:

Well then that does make you the heir to the estate. Shall I put your name down as LUCY Dracula, then?

LUCY:

I'm sorry, what?

RENFIELD:

I'm your lawyer, dear, and you are the Lady of this estate now. So let's get you up, get you dressed, get you fed, and sign some paperwork. We have a lot to do, dear.

LUCY looks back down at the body.

RENFIELD:

I have a feeling you'll need to get used to that, dear. There are plenty more of those in your future.

End of Part 1:

So let's talk about the writing process. After I finished the first script, good old Dracula, I knew I wanted to do this film next. I knew it was going to focus on Lucy, and the scene of her waking up in the ravine at the bottom of the cliff came to me first. The rest of it, though, took a lot longer to parse out. I toyed with a number of ideas -- having Refield be like a father figure to her, acting as her overseer as she did her own version of Carmilla on some poor household. I also thought about having Lucy's mother come looking for her, and Lucy strugling to balance her old life and her knew.

What changed that was the next scene I saw in my head: her killing three Nazis in an alley. Once that came to me I knew I had to set this in Occupied France during World War II, and that gave us time, setting, and a new cast of characters to set up with Lucy -- Renfield would likely be dead, as would her human mother. Where we went from there, though, we'll explore in future installments.

But yes, it took about two years for these ideas to gel together, and thus why it took me a while to get to the second script in the series. Brain juices have to get pumping before I can do anything.