{"id":1515,"date":"2009-10-30T19:26:44","date_gmt":"2009-10-31T02:26:44","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wwwold.sketchwar.org\/?p=1515"},"modified":"2009-10-30T19:26:44","modified_gmt":"2009-10-31T02:26:44","slug":"frank-defeats-the-ghost-of-pure-evil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/?p=1515","title":{"rendered":"Frank Defeats the Ghost of Pure Evil"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here’s my take on the “Haunted House” edition of Sketchwar; it’s a sequel to this sketch<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\n

[In case there is any doubt: yes, this is a cartoon.]<\/p>\n

FADE IN:\u00a0<\/p>\n

TITLE CARD: “Frank Defeats the Ghost of Pure Evil”<\/p>\n

INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT<\/p>\n

FRANK, a cat, sleeps in his basket.<\/p>\n

He wears a collar with a name tag attached.<\/p>\n

He also wears a cat-sized jester’s costume. With bells.<\/p>\n

He is not happy about this.<\/p>\n

The basket sits next to a sofa with high armrests, and his large water bowl sits next to the basket.<\/p>\n

HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS fill the living room!<\/p>\n

A fake skeleton leans against one wall.<\/p>\n

A giant bowl of candy sits on an end table by the front door.<\/p>\n

A large ficus tree is done up with orange lights.<\/p>\n

Orange and black candles provide eerie light.<\/p>\n

Frank drifts off to sleep.<\/p>\n

Nearby, OLIVE (30s) holds a large drink and talks on her cell phone.<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

I know! A Halloween party! And Frank has his own precious costume.<\/p>\n

Olive exits, still talking.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

Both senior VPs are bringing their kids.<\/p>\n

CLOSE ON FRANK<\/p>\n

A chill wind blows through the room, but Frank doesn’t quite wake up.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

I bought so much candy.<\/p>\n

And then, out of nowhere, a FAINT BUT TERRIFYING HOWL. Frank stirs, still asleep.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

Uh-huh.<\/p>\n

Another, LOUDER HOWL.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

Uh-huh.<\/p>\n

Frank stirs himself awake. He looks around groggily. We PULL BACK to REVEAL:<\/p>\n

THE GHOST OF PURE EVIL<\/p>\n

A ghostly monster, about a foot tall, drifting through the living room, HOWLING with evil glee!<\/p>\n

Frank is wide awake now.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

I know. I call it “schmooze-ertainment.”<\/p>\n

The ghost approaches the ficus, and reaches INTO it with his ghostly hand.<\/p>\n

The ficus suddenly SHRIVELS and DIES!<\/p>\n

The ghost CHUCKLES contentedly.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

Exactly. Dinner parties are where a woman like me can thrive.<\/p>\n

After a few seconds of strenuous effort, the ghost successfully yanks his hand free from the tree.<\/p>\n

Frank jumps to his feet, afraid.<\/p>\n

The little bells on his costume JINGLE.<\/p>\n

The ghost WHIPS HIS HEAD AROUND at Frank!<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

A new wine bar? Do tell!<\/p>\n

The ghost chases Frank around the room!<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

Oh, that’s just Frank, running around again.<\/p>\n

Frank jumps at the front door and frantically scratches at it as the ghost gets closer, closer, closer....<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

You can’t go out, Frank!<\/p>\n

At the LAST SECOND, Frank darts under the ghost and hides...<\/p>\n

UNDER THE SOFA<\/p>\n

... where he flattens himself to the floor and scans the room repeatedly.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

I picked a jester, ‘cos it’s silly, just like Frank!<\/p>\n

Then, just as soon as he feels kind-of okay...<\/p>\n

... the GHOST emerges through the bottom of the sofa!<\/p>\n

LIVING ROOM<\/p>\n

Frank runs out again, the ghost following steadily behind.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

One second, Tiffany.<\/p>\n

Olive STOMPS into the living room carrying a water pistol.<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

Frank, what are you doing?<\/p>\n

The ghost turns. Sees Olive. SMILES.<\/p>\n

Frank looks at Olive.<\/p>\n

Frank stares dead at the ghost, like a dog pointing.<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

What are you looking at, Frank?<\/p>\n

Oh, crap.<\/p>\n

She doesn’t see the ghost. Back to the phone:<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

They are going to love the decorations.<\/p>\n

The ghost approaches Olive. Closer. Closer. Then...<\/p>\n

Frank jumps in between them!<\/p>\n

He makes a ruckus to get the ghost’s attention.<\/p>\n

It works! The ghost looks at Frank instead of Olive!<\/p>\n

Then Frank piles into the skeleton, which clatters to the floor.<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

Oh, no.<\/p>\n

Frank lies there, a bit dazed, as the ghost closes in.<\/p>\n

Then, just as the ghost is almost touching him...<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

BAD KITTY!<\/p>\n

Olive squirts the water pistol at Frank and exits.<\/p>\n

Frank winces at the spray, and then sees:<\/p>\n

The GHOST, slumping away in pain, with a STREAM OF FIRE burning STRAIGHT THROUGH IT where the water passed through.<\/p>\n

The fire smolders a bit and goes out.<\/p>\n

The ghost turns around and looks at Frank.<\/p>\n

Pissed. Off.<\/p>\n

OLIVE (O.S.)<\/p>\n

I’ll call you back.<\/p>\n

The chase begins in earnest now.<\/p>\n

The ghost was just toying with him before; now it’s FAST.<\/p>\n

Frank runs across the room, desperately clambers up the sofa, and then...<\/p>\n

WAITS.<\/p>\n

He just sits there.<\/p>\n

The ghost appraoches. Stops. Grins. Saunters up to Frank. Reaches a hand INSIDE FRANK’S CHEST.<\/p>\n

Frank shudders. Does nothing for a long, long second. And then:<\/p>\n

Frank THROWS HIMSELF OFF THE SOFA.<\/p>\n

The ghost, unable to wrench his hand free, falls right with him.<\/p>\n

Frank lands on top of the ghost.<\/p>\n

The ghost lands in the big bowl of water.<\/p>\n

After a split-second:<\/p>\n

FOOM!<\/p>\n

An explosion of short-lived flames, and an unconscious, faintly-smoldering Frank flies across the room.<\/p>\n

Frank lands in the big bowl of candy.<\/p>\n

The end-table topples to the floor.<\/p>\n

Candy scatters everywhere, just as:<\/p>\n

The DOOR OPENS, revealing the PARTYGOERS and their CHILDREN, all in various costumes.<\/p>\n

CHILDREN<\/p>\n

Trick or treat!<\/p>\n

CHILD DRESSED AS A GHOST<\/p>\n

Ooooo!<\/p>\n

{It sounds a lot like the real ghost.}<\/p>\n

The children immediately gather up the mother lode of candy.<\/p>\n

CHILD #1<\/p>\n

I got a candy bar!<\/p>\n

CHILD #2<\/p>\n

I got a lollipop!<\/p>\n

CHILD #3<\/p>\n

I got a dead kitty!<\/p>\n

Other children SCREAM at that.<\/p>\n

Everyone makes room for Frank. He’s motionless. His singed jester’s costume continues to smolder.<\/p>\n

Olive runs in.<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

One of the decorations must have caught fire -- Frank?<\/p>\n

No response.<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

Frank?<\/p>\n

And then:<\/p>\n

Frank rouses himself awake.<\/p>\n

CHILD #1<\/p>\n

The cat that gave us candy is okay!<\/p>\n

CHILDREN<\/p>\n

Yay!<\/p>\n

OLIVE<\/p>\n

Oh, we’ll have to get you out of this costume.<\/p>\n

Frank exudes relief.<\/p>\n

FADE TO:<\/p>\n

INT. LIVING ROOM – NIGHT – LATER<\/p>\n

Frank is back at his basket, with a little bandage wrapped around one arm, as the dinner party, with Olive, the partygoers, and their kids, continues.<\/p>\n

Frank is drifting asleep as one of the kids approaches.<\/p>\n

CHILD #1<\/p>\n

(whispers)<\/p>\n

Psst!<\/p>\n

The child drops a bit of salmon in front of the basket.<\/p>\n

CHILD #1<\/p>\n

(whispers)<\/p>\n

Here’s some salmon from the table, Mister Cat!<\/p>\n

The child wanders back to the crowd.<\/p>\n

Frank eats happily.<\/p>\n

CHILD DRESSED AS A GHOST<\/p>\n

Ooooo!<\/p>\n

Frank nudges something out from under him -- it’s the water pistol! -- and into firing position.<\/p>\n

He points it here and there, eyeing the room warily.<\/p>\n

Then he falls back asleep.<\/p>\n

FADE OUT.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Peter’s take on the “Haunted House” edition of Sketchwar: “Frank Defeats the Ghost of Pure Evil”.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[91],"class_list":["post-1515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sketches","tag-haunted-house"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1515"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1515\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sketchwar.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}