A Plot and a Theme Walk into a Bar...

Although it is not required to create a complete plot for the film since we will only be creating an opening, I think creating a more intricate plot and developing themes for the movie is going to make the opening more purposeful and realistic. In this way it will flow better into the story that will (unfortunately) never actually be developed into a feature.

LOGLINE: During the height of the Vietnam war, A lonely projectionist with extremely violent behaviors falls in love with and kills the daughter of a prominent politician. Believed to be a politically motivated act, the projectionist is placed at the mercy of a fearful and unforgiving government and public.

The idea of a lonely projectionist losing his mind is a pretty interesting concept because it is someone who sits in a dark room all day and watching the same movies over and over again. He is consistently exposed to movies and media that are glamorized representations of reality. Movies can glamorize love and romance, but also can glamorize violence. When the majority of your life is spent looking at the world through a movie screen, your world view is definitely shifted.

He envies the people in the movies, desperately wanting to have the amount of human connection as they do.

This is more symbolic of the media we consume on a daily basis.  If somebody back in the 50's could go insane from just movies, then the amount of mental instability must be magnified in this day and age. Over consumption of media does not inherently lead to becoming a serial killer, but one could argue that it does have a profound effect on the human psyche.

Another theme that our movie touches upon is how we justify violence. The Cold War was a time of controversial wars for the United States, especially in Asia. Many believed it was the only way to protect a free and democratic world, while others saw them as pointless wars that were killing too many American soldiers.

Trevor and the politician both act as two different examples of this theme. Trevor is a deeply emotional guy who is just trying to seek affection from anyone that will give it to him, but he is also not able to cope with rejection and has a limited perspective on life, causing him to lash out in violent ways. It is almost as if he kills his victims out of love, not wanting to see them go from his life.

The politician is a strong supporter of the Korean War, which means he supports shipping off thousands of American soldiers to die in a war they cannot win.

Both of these men have a lot of blood on their hands. The only difference is that when Trevor is discovered to be a killer, it is hard for the public to understand and empathize with his motives.

WHY THIS MOVIE MATTERS:

Recently, a lot of movies that have come out in the last three or four years have been politically charged because of the extreme political movements happening around the world, particularly in the United States. These movies are highly popular and trendy, taking home the vast majority of the Academy awards the last couple of years, so we think by making a film that includes elements of the United States' political history, we are better able to connect with audiences of today. Some examples of some recent films with heavy political commentary are...