For the part of SAINT FRANCES of the Hollywood Sign
BACKSTORY ON THIS CHARACTER
This is her in one of her grandest manifestations. All you have to do is imagine her in this costume, and inside her beautiful bubble. She can choose the color for this costume herself? But the design should be identical down to the crown, wand, shape and ornamentation. This is for continuity’s sake, for HOLLYWOOD’s sake. The best costumer and designer in HOLLYWOOD should be able to reproduce this from the footage in the film. The character of SAINT FRANCES OF THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN comes from a very, very long line of the oldest magicians on earth. Some people in the movie business are descended from them too. They go all the way back to the first MAGIC LANTERN. And perhaps even earlier than that. Somebody in HOLLYWOOD is going to remember who this character is. In some ways all the technology we have now is going to make that bubble easier, but, I wonder if there is somebody still alive in Hollywood who remembers how that was done in the first place — because it was a work of magic. Absolute magic. And, when I as a writer saw this character as a very young child I knew who I wanted to be in this lifetime. It’s like that with characters, and children. The first characters we are introduced to help shape us as human beings.
SAINT FRANCES OF HOLLYWOOD will always be alive. Because she comes back when she is needed the most.
This is one of the reasons why I as a writer am using those montages in black and white in the sky in this film.
The HOLLYWOOD STARS that line HOLLYWOOD BLVD. are there for a reason. It’s so that we can never forget.
In this incarnation of herself as herself, we have seen the guise she costumes herself in. A humble, homeless woman with tremendous heart and attitude who lives at the foot of THE HOLLYWOOD SIGN. She’s black, with fabulous cornrows and dressed like ST. FRANCIS OF ASISSI. (Without quite as many folds in the drapery…!) this time around. Anyway, she embodies his qualities.
What I am going to try and attempt in this film as a screenwriter is a work of mythopoesis that is coming from deep Depth Psychology. Very deep. Know that this character is a force of not only magic but good! Always. I could say reams about this particular actress and perhaps I shall at some point, but, when I first saw her as a character called Celie… I cannot tell you.
It is Celie’s grin, grit, and well, all of it — that I see as I am writing this character. I saw Celie put her finger to her lips with her head tipped just so, and those eyes. Those eyes. So, all this actress has to do is just be herself in this film. I’m serious. It’s the same with the characters of JASPER and STEWIE.
I want to tell you something I saw in Walter Halsey Davis’s screenwriting class. I walked in on something the actors were doing. He had a group of four people or so and they were just making expressions. It was unbelievable to me, watching. It was! Also he was talking about how sound effects are made, or used to be made. I just looked at them and I said, “You guys are so magic.”
THE THESPIANS! (Because you truly are!)
I want to try and write a screenplay that is worthy of what Walter Halsey Davis taught me. And what I saw.
So, since I am a trained Depth Psychologist from Pacifica Graduate Institute, just know that I am not going to take an actor past a place they can’t go. I am using some stereotyping in this film on purpose. But, what I intend to show is HUMANITAS.
I worked with hundreds of clients and I have seen and heard everything. Well, almost!
So have no fear, okay?
I am going to write in some scenes that are difficult, but, I won’t be choosing actors for those scenes, that I haven’t already seen do a scene like that.
The part in the bubble is me as a therapist, only, somebody else is playing it! xxoo! Because actually, it’s her too!
*authors note on this, a funny aside… I met a writer at that conference who is so much like this actress is I thought it was a reincarnation of her, no kidding! Her name is Anita and she hails from Oakland. I’m going to tell you who this actress depicted above is. She’s also Tom Joad’s Mother in THE GRAPES OF WRATH. That scene where she is doling out the food. You know the one. I know you do.
You see, this actress was born two years before me, and she comes from my gen. The best fuckin’ generation in the world.
When I look at that face of hers? The word that comes to mind is HONESTY. No kidding. VALIANCE is another.
Also, I’m am going to use some verbiage that might sound stereotypical at times? But I trust these actors to change the lines to something better and more suited to the moment okay? That will be the same for any actors in this film. Consider the words as a costume… I aim aiming for vernacular.
EXT. DUSK. HOLLYWOOD SIGN
ST. FRANCES has given our HERO a viking costume that she rummaged from the plastic bags she stores her belongings in. She appears to have a campsite up there made of plastic tarps, old blankets, stuff that she has foraged for or scrounged. We see a few bottles of alcohol too, emptied. It’s semi-tidy. Life is hard, but she is full of magic and very strong. She has survived so much in life you cannot imagine. She lives alone, but she knows many of the people in her ‘hood. Sometimes they gather together and have a party, and they tend to share the things they have with each other. Some of the children who live in camps nearby have been hiding in the chapparral behind the bushes watching in amazement to see this naked man on a horse riding into their midst. ST. FRANCES likes the kids to call her Sistah. That is how they know her. So they watched Sistah give the stranger clothes. That’s just who Sistah is. She shares what she has with anyone who needs something. Sort of a good Samaritan, in a sense. The kids have never seen her in her real guise yet? Because, she reserves this?
HERO
I’m so fucking hungover I don’t even know what hit me. Christ, I have a headache.
he sees the bushes rustling where the kids are hiding
What the fuck is that?
ST. FRANCES
My homies. I calls ’em my munchkins. Come on out you little muchkins.
We see a group of kids of all races emerge.
I want you to meet somebody
Whass your name mister
she says this while she is scratching her forehead and looking quizzically at him.
HERO
I have no idea, anymore.
ST. FRANCES
Well, I guess I’m just gonna have to call you the Viking, then. Thass how your lookin’ now the way I see it. Come on out and meet the Viking, my muchkins. It’s okay. C’mon. C’mon now, don’t be shy.
He looks hungry, don’t he?
The kids nod their heads in unison.
I s’pose he needs sumthin to eat, huh. What do you kids think?
They don’t say anything, but just get closer to Sistah, watching him.
She is clasping her hand to her mouth suppressing the biggest grin.
Go on now, go wrassle sumthin up. Go on, go on
She shooes them off with a wave of her hand.
Let’s see what we can do for this Viking of ours.
~
THE LAST HOLLYWOOD VIKING — by Valentine Bonnaire — copyright 2010 — all rights reserved
VALENTINE BONNAIRE - WRITER 