HSBMR Studios 1 You are in the process of filming The Odyssey, but you are already over budget and behind schedule. The studio executives have told you that you must cut scenes. Reviewing Books X, XI, and XII, which key scene MUST you include in order to keep the plot line intact? Rewrite/script the key scene, including significant quotations. In your script notes, include brief explanations about why you chose that scene and any suggestions for filming (set design, etc.) that might help to lower the cost. If you feel that one scene isn’t enough, consider utilizing flashbacks or verbal references to other events by key characters. SCENE NOTES Scene Title: The House of Hades Scene Summary: Odysseus travels to the River of Ocean in the land of the Cimmerians. As Cercê told him to do so, he performs sacrifices to attract the souls of the dead. Elpenor is first to appear to Odysseus. Elpenor begs Odysseus to give him a proper burial at Cercê’s island. Odysseus then speaks with Tiresias, the Theban prophet. The prophet tells odysseus that Poseidon is punishing the Achaeans for the blinding of his son Polyphemus. Afterwards, he reveals Odysseus’ fate, which is that he will return home and take back his wife and palace from the suitors. Then, he is to make another trip to appease Poseidon. He tells Odysseus to not kill the flocks of the sun when he arrives at Thrinacia. If he does not do as Tiresias instructed, then he will return home with a lot of suffering and he will lose all of his crew. After speaking with Tiresias, Odysseus calls upon other spirits. He speaks with his mother, Anticleia, who tells him about how she died of grief while waiting for his return and what is happening in Ithaca. He then meets the spirits of various famous men and heroes and hears the stories of their lives and deaths. Reasoning: This scene is extremely important because it not only gives the audience a taste of future events, but also gives them an idea of Ancient Greek customs. Notice how Odysseus carefully prepares the sacrificial pit, so he doesn’t upset the gods and spirits. He formally addresses Theban Teiresias, and has a respectful tone of voice throughout the conversation. After the prophet has spoken, Odysseus immediately asks how he can get his mother to recognize and speak to him. This reveals some more information about Greek culture; he is loyal to his family and his elders. Loyalty is also a trait that is common throughout heros, a fact which further proves Odysseus’ heroic nature. Odysseus’s character also developed greatly in this scene, the audience sees him sob over a lost crew member and his mother. This scene makes Odysseus miss his family, and makes him double his efforts to get home. This scene changes how the audience looks at Odysseus, and makes him a more relatable character who is going against the power of a god just so he can go back home. Effects: Costumes: Odysseus will be wearing his ‘Hero’s garb’ outfit (tunic, breastplate, helmet, belt, weapons, and sandals), the two soldiers will be similarly dressed to Odysseus but without the helmet, the ghosts that have speaking parts should be dressed in traditional greek tunics (gray scale, NOT white), and the ghost extras will be wearing the gray scale tunics but also grey chiffon veils. Tunics, however fancy they seem can be made cheaply without taking any toll on the products quality. After all, they aren’t made of bedsheets if we keep our mouths shut about it. With the popularity and mass production of replicas of greek armor, we’re sure we can either find some cheaply made or contact a reenactment company that might let us lend some of their equipment. Set Design: We will be using a closed room for setting with a green screen covering the walls so that the background can be edited in later. Fog machines will be utilized in order to give it the spooky “death” effect, and the Props HSBMR Studios 2 Department will create the props needed (flasks, dead bull, etc.) Our green screen will give the audience a full view of the beach and Calypso’s island, our editing department can handle all the nuances that should be added in. Music: We will use the soundtrack “Generic Royalty­Free Spooky Music”. Also, in the part where Odysseus meets his dead mother we will be using the song “Welcome to The Black Parade” to emotionally reach out to the audience. Courtesy of the emo member of our staff’s ipod. New Script: SCENE: Opens on ODYSSEUS digging a hole on a dark and foggy beach. He takes 3 flasks from his side and pours them into the pit one at a time. He then takes out a drawstring bag, reaches inside, and sprinkles a flakey substance over the pit. ENTER TWO MEN, carrying a bull’s body between them. They bring the body to Odysseus and silently watch as he slits the throat of the victim and lets the blood fall into the pit. TWO MEN EXIT with the body, and the ground begins to rumble. ODYSSEUS: [looking around, panicked] What is this madness? [SPIRITS begin to enter, slowly fading out of the darkness in the background. SPIRITS walk toward the grave. ODYSSEUS draws his sword and places it over the grave, and the SPIRITS shy away from it. One SPIRIT walks forward, unafraid of ODYSSEUS.] ODYSSEUS: Who goes there? ELPENOR (SPIRIT): Tis I, Elpenor. I was among your crew for many a year before I passed. I broke my neck when I fell from Calypso’s roof in my sleep. ODYSSEUS: [Flashback to the isle of Aiaia and Cercê. Flashes of all the events on the Island go by] Ah! Ephenor! How I weep over this terrible tragedy! ELPENOR: Odysseus, you must provide a proper burial for me, or else you face the wrath of the dead. You shall return to the marvelous isle of Aiaia and must burn my body with all my weapons. From there, you must build a barrow by the vast and tumultuous sea, so men of near and far may hear the story of an unhappy man. Then plant my rowing oar upon the mound. Never forget me, my prince. Will you do this for me? ODYSSEUS: HSBMR Studios 3 Be sure I will do this for you, my faithful companion. [EXIT ELPENOR. THEBAN TEIRESIAS’ SPIRIT, holding a golden rod, approaches ODYSSEUS] THEBAN: Odysseus? What has brought you to the home of the dead? ODYSSEUS: Necessity. I seek your powers of foresight. Please, my prince, tell me the truth of my journey home. [ODYSSEUS moves his sword away from the pit. THEBAN moves forward and drinks the blood] THEBAN: You seek to return home, but the Earthshaker shall not fail to see you, because he is furious that you blinded his son. Nevertheless, you can still return home if you restrain yourselves on the island of Thrinacia, for there you shall find the great herd of Helios’s cattle. If you sail past and do no harm to the docile creatures, you will return to Ithaca. If you harm the animals, you will lose your ship and your crew will die. However, you will still make it back to Ithaca. When you return home, you will find the craven men have taken your palace in an attempt to marry your wife. Do not fear, for you are the strongest of men and you will kill them all. Once you have killed them, you must take an oar and travel until you find a strange land where the men have never heard of the sea and don’t mix salt into their food. There you shall meet a person who will tell you that you have a winnowing shovel. You will then plant the oar in the ground and make a sacrifice ­ a ram, a bull, and a boar pig ­ to Poseidon. You will return home and make a solemn sacrifice to the Gods. Only then will your death be painless. ODYSSEUS: The Fates have spun a crude and unyielding thread. But tell me something else please. I see my mother over there but she knows me not. How can I get her to realize who I am? THEBAN: You must let her drink let her drink. Only then will she remember you for who you are. ODYSSEUS: Thank you, my prince. [THEBAN EXITS. ANTICLEIA moves forward and ODYSSEUS lets her drink. ANTICLEIA recognizes ODYSSEUS immediately.] HSBMR Studios 4 ANTICLEIA: [wailing] My son! I have spent many seasons waiting for you to return home, but alas! it was all in vain! ODYSSEUS: [weeping] Mother! I have missed you so, and my heart yearns all the more now that I see you have joined the Underworld. Who was it that killed you? I swear upon the River Styx, I shall avenge you! ANTICLEIA: No, my son, for it was of my own heart that I died. I became sick with worry and heartache, waiting for you to return home. Do not weep for me, for the dead are not worth the tears of the living. Return home, my son, and reclaim your palace and your wife. [ANTICLEIA EXITS, Odysseus reaches after her] ODYSSEUS: Mother! [ODYSSEUS collapses, sobbing. SPIRITS begin to run around, chant, and scream] ODYSSEUS: [standing up] I have overstayed my welcome. I must leave this dreaded place. Hopefully I will not return for a long time. [ODYSSEUS EXITS] END SCENE