Help with a bad guy in horror script

jessegrillofilm · Jul 10, 2008

Hey guys. So I am writing a script that's in homage to 80's horror movies. Think Toxic Avenger, Killer Workout, 976 evil, April Fools day and such. It's what I would call a Horror/comedy. The movie pokes fun at image and the Hollywood life style. It takes place in a Hollywood gym where everyone thinks they are an actor or screenwriter. The girls are covered in make up and most of the guys have frohawks.

The story follows two guys that work at the gym but are trying to break into Hollywood, in reality they are nothing more than extras though they talk like they are Hollywood big shots. A series of murders happen in the gym and the two set out to solve the crime.

In the end we find out that the villain was an extra trying to get a part in a film and was killing off the competition. However I need her to be in some type of costume while she is committing the crimes. It needs to relate in someway to Hollywood stardom and image. Maybe the mask of some actress? Just trying to get some ideas. What would be a good outfit for the villain?

I doubt anyone will steal this idea but if you really think its that great have at it

willfulone · Jul 10, 2008

You mean she is going to dress this way throughout (like Michael in the Halloween movies)?

Or is this a costume she wears only when coming upon victims for the kill?

It may make a difference in what one offers as advice for the outfit.

Let us know.

Christine

jessegrillofilm · Jul 10, 2008

Just when she is going in for the kill. At other times she is just a member of the gym.

alleycat · Jul 10, 2008

I'm not sure if this is exactly what you're asking, but since this is a horror/comedy you could have a lot of fun with it: have her dress as a different character each time she commits a crime. This could either be as some well-known actress (or actor) from the past (Joan Crawford, Elizabeth Taylor, etc.), or some well-known character (Scarlett O'Hara, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, etc.) and then let her quote some familiar move line ("Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."), or some famous past horror character (Dracula, the Creature from the Black Lagoon, etc.). Perhaps in her job as an extra, she has access to a well-stocked prop room.

jessegrillofilm · Jul 10, 2008

Very nice Alley cat. It's going to be a super fun script to write. With corny gore screens like people getting locked in the sauna or having weights dropped on them classic one liners will make the script over the top. I like the idea of different out fits. I think I am going to have many of the killing scenes happen POV.

jessegrillofilm · Jul 10, 2008

Thing is with the one liners is we will be able to tell the sexuality of the killer.

Jon-Luke · Jul 11, 2008

I think it would be interesting to look at her choice of victims and then of course her motivations... Is she killing off people who gave "her job" to more successful actresses... or is she killing off the more successful actresses.
If she's killing off the people who gave the jobs to other actresses then it would be good to have her dress up disguised as the actress who actually got the job (You could play on the metaphor that they are then being killed by the decision they made etc... etc...).
If she's killing off the actresses then the disguise becomes a little more difficult and perhaps it should be something that represents the producers or the hollywood machine in a way... or perhaps one of the tools of Hollywood could become the tool of death (A razor sharp clapper board that cuts off their heads maybe - just throwing it out there in the mix...)

Sounds like a lot of fun - I'd definitely watch your film.

ALG71 · Jul 11, 2008

Back in the early 80's there was a fitness craze after a couple movies. I can't remember the name of the one with Jamie Lee Curtis. I think there was a few more though. And it seemed like every A-list woman had their own work out tape. If it's a fictional gym in Hollywood/LA, maybe the gym has old pictures of all the female stars that once worked out in their gym, or posters of the old work-out tapes.

Maybe dress the killer in the same outfits that the stars wore in the pictures/video box covers/posters. I'm not sure what women wear nowadays at the gyms since I have a generic version of the Total Gym (works just as good as the one on TV, too) at home and don't need to go to a gym. But it can't possibly be the same things that were worn in the early 80's. Leg warmers, torn shirts, loud-colored headbands that matched the 80's outfits? Etc.

Jon-Luke · Jul 11, 2008

ALG71 said:
Back in the early 80's there was a fitness craze after a couple movies. I can't remember the name of the one with Jamie Lee Curtis...

The movie you are thinking of is "Perfect" it also starred John Travolta, Lauren Hutton and Carley Simon.

I also think this is a great "Genre" to do an homage to... There are definitely opportunities for comedy with all the complex aerobic routines and who doesn't enjoy seeing the "prefect people" getting hurt :whip:

Raghu · Jul 11, 2008

First of all I think it would have been more appropriate if you had posted this on the “Share your work” section. It is password protected and only we members get to see it, not the entire internet, so no worries about your concept being stolen.

Secondly your story seems like a straightforward murder mystery. Where is the element of horror? Or, am I missing something?

I feel you can worry about the costume part after you’ve straightened the horror component. It might give you inspiration too!

Raghu.

jessegrillofilm · Jul 11, 2008

I think it would be awesome to have her dress in an 80s workout outfit while doing the killings but I think it would not fit into the theme well. I would also like her sex to be hidden until the end. Girls wear boring stuff to the gym now, lots of juicy pants and tank tops. I was thinking about making it take place in the 80s but I also want to poke fun at modern hollywood stereotype. What do you guys think? Modern day or 80s?
As far as the one liners go I am thinking maybe have her write something every time she kills someone. For example, when they find the victims in the sauna the words "I'm melting. I'm melting" is written in blood on the wall.

jessegrillofilm · Jul 11, 2008

No mystery at all. Its more of "I hope they find the killer before we have the big halloween gym party." You remember all those bad horror movies you watched in the 80s? That's what this is.
And I have only written the layout so I have nothing to share in the share your work form. If some goober wants to take breaks from playing D&D to rip off my low budget horror script he can have at it

Lillyth · Jul 11, 2008

I was going to suggest Britney Spears, but I really like the idea of dressing like the old Hollywood stars...

nmstevens · Jul 11, 2008

Maybe not quite in the right generation, but I remember in the horror magazines I used to read as a kid that they used to advertise those old "Don Post" classic horror masks -- there were a whole series of them -- Frankenstein's Monster, the Wolfman, Hunchback -- all of them (of course, a bunch of those are copyrighted, but some of them aren't).

Maybe she wears not one mask but a series of "Hollywood" masks -- a different one for each killing.

NMS

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