Part 2 of my Brave and the Bold Spec Script

ACT I

INT. BATCAVE - NIGHT

THE BATMOBILE PULLS INTO THE BATCAVE AND STOPS WITH A SCREECH. THE ROOF OPENS AND BATMAN LEAPS OUT.

PLASTIC MAN STRETCHES OUT OF THE CAR, MOUTH AGAPE AS HE STARES AT THE MASSIVE CAVE, TWISTING HIS NECK A FULL 360 DEGREES, THEN SPINNING BACK AGAIN.

PLASTIC MAN
Wow. Nice digs. Who’s your realtor?

BATMAN WALKS DOWN THE HALL.

PLASTIC MAN FOLLOWS CLOSE BEHIND AND IS RUBBERNECKING (LITERALLY) TO SEE ALL THE SIGHTS AROUND HIM. HE LOOKS AT THE GADGETS, COSTUMES AND TROPHIES SCATTERED AROUND THE CAVE.

BATMAN
A few days ago...

BATMAN REALIZES PLASTIC MAN ISN’T PAYING ATTENTION. HE LOUDLY CLEARS HIS THROAT.

BATMAN (CONT’D)
Ahem!

PLASTIC MAN STOPS LOOKING AROUND AND PAYS ATTENTION TO WHAT BATMAN IS SAYING.

BATMAN (CONT’D)
A few days ago I noticed that there was a unified increase in crime activity across the city. Nothing meta-human related. Just ordinary street criminals. But they were organized and packing serious hardware.

PLASTIC MAN
So why is the all mighty and spooky Batman interested in a bunch of street criminals? Shouldn't local cops be worrying about it? What?

PLASTIC MAN GROWS A PAIR OF ANTENNAE AND HIS EYES BUG OUT AS HIS HEAD INFLATES TO THE SHAPE OF A LIGHT-BULB.

PLASTIC MAN (CONT’D)
No alien invasions this week?---

PLASTIC MAN CHANGES INTO A GORILLA.

PLASTIC MAN (CONT’D)
Gorilla Grodd away on holiday? You might be going a little bananas in this cave.

PLASTIC MAN CHANGES INTO A GIANT BANANA.

BATMAN
I think there might be more to it.

BATMAN PRESSES A BUTTON ON THE BATCOMPUTER.

VIDEO PLAYS ON THE COMPUTER OF GANGSTERS SHOOTING FUTURISTIC RAY GUNS AT A JEWELRY STORE.

BATMAN PRESSES ANOTHER BUTTON ON THE BATCOMPUTER AND THE VIDEO STOPS.

AN IMAGE OF THE FUTURISTIC RAY GUN APPEARS ON THE SCREEN.

BATMAN (CONT’D)

Some new type of weaponry all the crooks had in common. Far more advanced than what your average street thug carries.

PLASTIC MAN CHANGES BACK TO NORMAL.

PLASTIC MAN
Seems like a little problem to me.

BATMAN
Little problems end up turning into big problems.

BATMAN TAKES A STEP TOWARDS PLASTIC MAN AND GETS RIGHT IN HIS FACE, NOSE TO NOSE.

BATMAN (CONT’D)
And I don’t like big problems.

PLASTIC MAN LEANS BACK, A FRIGHTENED LOOK ON HIS FACE.

BATMAN SITS DOWN AT THE COMPUTER AND BEGINS TO TYPE.


PLASTIC MAN STANDS BEHIND HIM, LOOKING OVER BATMAN’S SHOULDER

PLASTIC MAN
So why do you need me? Other than for my sparkling wit and dashing good looks.

PLASTIC MAN PUFFS OUT A MUSCULAR CHEST AND SHAPES HIS JAW TO BE MORE SQUARE AND MUSCULAR. HE DOES SEVERAL MUSCLE MAN POSES, STRETCHING AND FLEXING LIKE A BODY BUILDER.

BATMAN STARES AT PLASTIC MAN. HIS EYES NARROW.

PLASTIC MAN GULPS AND REVERTS BACK TO NORMAL.

PLASTIC MAN (CONT’D)

Sorry.

BATMAN
I need someone to go undercover. Someone who can appear to look like a criminal and be able to slip away quickly if he were found out. A shapeshifter would be best suited for that.

PLASTIC MAN
You don't exactly have a shortage of shapeshifters in the Justice League. Martian Manhunter, Elongated Man. Why not ask one of them? Even the Question is pretty good at make up and disguises. I’m sure he can set you up with some guy-liner. A nice bit of rouge for those cheeks.

BATMAN TYPES SOME MORE ON THE COMPUTER. A MAN'S PICTURE APPEARS ON THE SCREEN. HE IS A RUGGED MAN WITH A MOUSTACHE AND SULLEN FEATURES. NEXT TO THE PICTURE IS THE NAME EEL O'BRIEN.
PLASTIC MAN LOOKS AT THE SCREEN STUNNED.

BATMAN TURNS IN HIS CHAIR TO FACE HIM.

BATMAN
We also need someone with a criminal record who can gain the trust of these crooks. One of their own. That’s something the Justice League doesn’t have. Sounds like a perfect job for Eel O’Brien.

PLASTIC MAN POINTS AT THE SCREEN. HE TURNS HIS FACE TOWARDS BATMAN.

PLASTIC MAN
How did you find out who I used to be?

BATMAN
You're kidding, right?

BATMAN GIVES THE SLIGHTEST HINT OF A GRIN.
PLASTIC MAN LOSES THE STUNNED LOOK ON HIS FACE.

PLASTIC MAN
Oh right.

PLASTIC MAN CHANGES INTO A MOCK VERSION OF BATMAN HIDING BEHIND HIS CAPE.

PLASTIC MAN (CONT’D)
(in a husky voice)
The Dark Knight knows all.

BATMAN GETS UP FROM HIS CHAIR.

PLASTIC MAN TURNS BACK TO NORMAL.

BATMAN

The League doesn't feel like this is a priority mission. I do. If there was anyone else I could choose for this assignment I would choose them but there isn't. So what's it going to be?

PLASTIC MAN TURNS AWAY FROM BATMAN AND STARES PENSIVELY AT THE FACE ON THE SCREEN.

EXT. WAREHOUSE - GOTHAM CITY - NIGHT

A METAL DOOR WITH A SMALLER SLIDING DOOR ON IT FOR A PEEPHOLE.
A HAND KNOCKS AGAINST THE DOOR.


THE PEEPHOLE OPENS AND A PAIR OF EYES CAN BE SEEN THROUGH IT.

GUARD (O.S.)
Who is it?

PLASTIC MAN (O.S.)
Name's EEL O'BRIEN. I'm here for the meeting.

THE PEEPHOLE CLOSES AND THE DOOR SWINGS OPEN WITH A CREEK.

INT. WARHOUSE-GOTHAM CITY-NIGHT

THE DOOR OPENS AND WE SEE EEL O'BRIEN (aka Plastic Man). HIS NORMAL COSTUME HAS BEEN SHAPED INTO A NICE SUIT. HE IS WEARING A RED THREE PIECE SUIT WITH A BLACK TIE AND A YELLOW VEST. PLASTIC MAN'S NORMAL GOGGLES HAVE BEEN SHRUNKEN TO RESEMBLE SUNGLASSES. HIS FACE APPEARS A

S IT DID IN THE PICTURE ON THE COMPUTER IN THE BATCAVE. HE PASSES THE GUARD AND WALKS INTO THE WAREHOUSE, SLIGHTLY NERVOUS.

THE GUARD EYES HIM FOR A FEW SECONDS BUT THEN GOES BACK TO WATCHING THE DOOR.

PLASTIC MAN/EEL LETS OUT A SIGH OF RELIEF AND WALKS AWAY FROM THE DOOR.

PLASTIC MAN
(Whispers)
So far, so good.

EEL WALKS IN A LITTLE FURTHER AND SEES THAT THE WAREHOUSE IS FULL OF CRIMINALS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD IN VARIED MANNERS OF DRESS TO REFLECT THEIR CULTURAL BACKGROUND.

EEL WALKS OVER TOWARDS SOME BOXES. HE MOVES HIS WRIST NEAR TO HIS MOUTH. WE SEE THAT THERE IS A SMALL MICROPHONE CLIPPED TO HIS CUFF, DISGUISED AS A CUFFLINK.

PLASTIC MAN (CONT’D)
(Whispers)
Plas to Bats. Plas to Bats. Do you read me Bats?

EXT. ROOFTOP-GOTHAM CITY-NIGHT

BATMAN IS STANDING ON THE ROOFTOP LOOKING DOWN AT THE WAREHOUSE. HE IS LOOKING AT THE WAREHOUSE THROUGH BINOCULARS. HE PUTS A HAND TO HIS EAR.

BATMAN
Don't call me “Bats”.

INT. WAREHOUSE-GOTHAM CITY-NIGHT

PLASTIC MAN/EEL IS STILL IN HIS HIDING PLACE.

PLASTIC MAN

Sorry. I'm not yet versed in undercover etiquette. I flunked “Radio Codenames” in Hero School. Anyway, I'm inside. Now what do I do?

BATMAN (V.O.) (Through Radio)
Tell me what you see.

PLASTIC MAN/EEL STRETCHES HIS NECK UP ABOVE THE BOXES AND PEEKS OVER THEM. HE TURNS HIS HEAD SEVERAL TIMES SO HE CAN SEE THE WHOLE ROOM. HE UN-STRETCHES HIS NECK BACK DOWN TO HIS BODY AND SPEAKS INTO HIS CUFF.

PLASTIC MAN
There are more than three dozen bad guys here. They all seem to be waiting for something.

BATMAN (V.O.)
(Through Radio)
Then you had better go over and wait with them.

PLASTIC MAN
I was afraid you were gonna say that.

PLASTIC MAN/EEL GOES OVER TO WHERE THE OTHER CRIMINALS ARE.
    

THERE ARE SNACK TABLES AND GAMING TABLES WHERE THE CRIMINALS ARE ALL CONGREGATED AROUND, MINGLING AND SOCIALIZING. THE DULL HUM OF BACKGROUND CONVERSATION ECHOES THROUGH THE WAREHOUSE.

CRIMINAL #1

I usually don’t work Gotham but you have to go where the money is.

CRIMINAL #2
I got a boy in Metropolis who says the crooks have an even tougher time there.

A PORTLY MAN, VINCENT ROSETTI, IS SITTING AT A TABLE DRESSED IN A FINE SUIT. HE NOTICES PLASTIC MAN/EEL IN THE CORNER.

VINCENT
Eel? Eel O'Brien?

PLASTIC MAN/EEL SEES VINCENT AND TRIES TO SLIP AWAY UNNOTICED, BEFORE HE IS SPOTTED.

PLASTIC MAN
(quietly)
Uh-Oh.

BATMAN (V.O.)
(through radio)
Is this going to be a problem?

VINCENT COMES UP AND GIVES PLASTIC MAN/EEL A BIG HUG.
PLASTIC MAN/EEL LOOKS LIKE HE IS BEING SUFFOCATED. HE ALMOST LOOSES HIS DISGUISE BUT REGAINS HIS CONCENTRATION BEFORE ANYONE NOTICES.

VINCENT
Eel O'Brien! I haven't seen you in years! Where the heck have you been for so long?

PLASTIC MAN
Oh, well, you know, I’ve been around. Doing a little of this, a little of that. Crime stuff.

PLASTIC MAN/EEL MAKES A GESTURE WITH HIS FISTS TO EMPHASIZE HIS TOUGH CRIMINAL NATURE. IT COMES ACROSS AS AWKWARD.

VINCENT
Oh come on, you can tell old Vincent. Where ya been all these years?

PLASTIC MAN
Well if you must know, I was in a chemical accident where I was granted amazing super powers and gave up my wicked criminal ways to fight the forces of evil and pursue truth, justice and the American way.

THERE IS A PAUSE. ALL OF THE CRIMINALS IN THE ROOM STARE BLANKLY AT HIM.

VINCENT LETS OUT A HUGE ROAR OF LAUGHTER. ALL THE OTHER CROOKS LAUGH AS WELL.

PLASTIC MAN/EEL SMILES AS HE LOOKS AT THE LAUGHING CROOKS AROUND HIM.

VINCENT
Ha ha! Oh man, Eel, you always were a kidder.

VINCENT SLAPS HIM ON THE BACK AND LEADS HIM OVER TO HIS TABLE.

THERE ARE A BUNCH OF OTHER THUGS DRESSED AND LOOKING SIMILAR TO VINCENT AT THE TABLE.

VINCENT (CONT’D)
I'd like to introduce you guys to one of the greatest darn guys I've ever known. Eel O'Brien. This guy was one of the most annoying kids back at the orphanage. Making funny faces at the nuns. He’s a laugh riot, am I right?

PLASTIC MAN
Not a lot has changed since then.

VINCENT LAUGHS AND SLAPS PLASTIC MAN/EEL ON THE BACK AGAIN. THE TWO MINGLE AMONGST THE VARIOUS CROOKS AND LOWLIFES IN ATTENDANCE.

EXT. ROOFTOP-WAREHOUSE-GOTHAM CITY-NIGHT

BATMAN LANDS ON THE ROOFTOP AND HEADS OVER TOWARDS A ROW OF WINDOWS. HE KNEELS NEXT TO THEM AND LOOKS TO THE SCENE IN THE WAREHOUSE BELOW.

INT. WAREHOUSE-GOTHAM CITY-NIGHT


THE CRIMINALS ARE EXAMINING LARGE CRATES OF WEAPONS. INSIDE THE CRATES ARE VARIOUS HIGH TECH LOOKING RIFLES AND PISTOLS. VINCENT LIFTS A HEAVY RIFLE OUT OF A BOX AS PLASTIC MAN/EEL WATCHES.

VINCENT
Hey Eel, get a load of this baby. You could really do some damage with one of these, eh?

PLASTIC MAN/EEL TAKES THE GUN FROM VINCENT. A SINISTER SMILE COMES ACROSS HIS FACE.

PLASTIC MAN
Yeah, this is a nice piece of hardware. You could knock over a whole bank all by yourself with one of these. 

EXT. ROOF - WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

BATMAN LOOKS DOWN ON THE SCENE THROUGH A SKY LIGHT. HE PUTS HIS HAND TO HIS EAR TO ACTIVATE HIS COMMUNICATOR.

BATMAN
Don’t get too chummy with these crooks. Remember what your job here is.

A LARGE SHADOWED FIGURE CREEPS IN THE DARKNESS BEHIND BATMAN.

BATMAN (CONT’D)
Find out who is leading this little get together and then get out of there.

INT. WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

PLASTIC MAN PUTS DOWN THE GUN AND TURNS TO VINCENT.

PLASTIC MAN
So, when we meeting the boss man? I’d sure like to get some of these guns and get a crime spree going.

VINCENT
He should be here any second. He’s one of them super types. Likes to make an entrance.

EXT. ROOF - WAREHOUSE - NIGHT

BATMAN SENSES MOVEMENT BEHIND HIM AND TURNS HIS HEAD. A FIST FROM AN UNSEEN ASSAILANT IN THE SHADOWS KNOCKS HIM FORWARD AND HE DOUBLES OVER IN PAIN.

BATMAN
Ugh!


ANOTHER PUNCH HITS BATMAN IN THE STOMACH.

BATMAN 
Huagh!

BATMAN STUMBLES, DISCOMBOBULATED FROM THE PUNCH, TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM HIS STILL UNSEEN ASSAILANT.

BATMAN (CONT’D)
(painful moaning)
Uhh.


A FINAL UPPERCUT PUNCH SENDS BATMAN SAILING THROUGH THE AIR
AND CRASHING THROUGH THE SKY LIGHT OF THE WAREHOUSE.

INT. WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS

A LOUD CRASH AND GLASS FALLS TO THE FLOOR OF THE WAREHOUSE.
BATMAN’S UNCONSCIOUS BODY FALLS TO THE FLOOR OF THE WAREHOUSE, SURROUNDED BY BROKEN GLASS.

PLASTIC MAN/EEL SEES BATMAN HIT THE GROUND.

PLASTIC MAN
(quietly)
Oh no.


ALL THE GANGSTERS CIRCLE AROUND BATMAN’S BODY. THERE ARE
MUTTERINGS AND WHISPERS THROUGH THE CROWD.

GANGSTER #2
Holy hell, that’s the Batman!


THE SHADOWED FIGURE DIVES DOWN FROM THE CEILING. UPON STANDING UP IT IS REVEALED THAT THE FIGURE IS BANE.

BANE
Welcome my friends.

BANE KICKS BATMAN’S BODY.

BANE (CONT’D)

I hope you like the entertainment.

BANE LIFTS THE UNCONSCIOUS BATMAN UP IN THE AIR WITH ONE HAND, GRIPPING HIM TIGHT AROUND THE NECK SO THAT HE JUST HANGS LIFELESS IN THE AIR.

THE GANGSTERS ALL CHEER.


BANE DROPS BATMAN BACK ON THE GROUND WITH A THUD.

PLASTIC MAN/EEL LOOKS AT AN UNCONSCIOUS BATMAN ON THE GROUND AT BANE’S FEET.

PLASTIC MAN
(quietly)
We’re in big trouble.

END ACT I 

Part 1 of my Brave and the Bold Spec Script

Okay, so a while back I put up my spec script I did for an episode of Young Justice (a show that was sadly cancelled too soon). Never wanting to waste anything I write (which most is just sitting on my computer), I thought I would do the same with a spec script I wrote for the show Batman: The Brave and the Bold. If you're not familiar with the show, basically every episode sees Batman teaming up with a different DC Comics super hero. While the previous incarnation of Batman (Batman: The Animated Series) was dark and gritty, this incarnation decided to take a slightly lighter touch with the Caped Crusader. Something more in the style of the 1960s live action Batman series. This allows Batman to team up with a bunch of more wacky characters and have characters like Bat-Mite (a 5th dimensional imp who is an uber Batman fan) show up.
Specifically I decided to write a script where I teamed up Batman with one of my favorite heroes, Plastic Man. Originally I conceived of this team up when on an episode of Justice League Unlimited it was mentioned that Plastic Man was part of that canon. I instantly wanted to team the characters up. Sadly that show was cancelled before I finished the script and so I left it on the shelf only partially written. It wasn't until the incarnation of Batman simply called The Batman introduced members of the Justice League to its cast that I dusted the script off and rewrote it again. Again, The Batman went off the air before the script was finished. Finally Batman: Brave and the Bold debuted on Cartoon Network and I finally finished this script which seems tailor made for this particular incarnation of The Dark Knight. And while I never got the chance to show it to anyone who  produced that show, I figured why not use the ole blog to share another one of my attempts to play in the DC sandbox.

COLD OPEN

FADE IN:

INT. SALOON-NIGHT

A SMOKY BAR ROOM. DEGENERATE LOOKING PEOPLE DRINK AND PLAY POOL TRYING HARD TO KEEP TO THEMSELVES.

TWO THUGS ARE SITTING AT A RED TABLE WITH YELLOW STRIPES GOING DOWN THE CENTER OF IT (LIKE PLASTIC MAN’S COSTUME), EACH WITH A GLASS OF BROWN FOAMY LIQUID IN FRONT OF THEM.

THE THUG ON THE RIGHT IS FIDDLING WITH A KNIFE, PICKING DIRT FROM UNDER HIS FINGERS WITH IT.

THE THUG ON THE LEFT TAKES A SIP FROM HIS BEVERAGE. HE WIPES HIS MOUTH WITH HIS SLEEVE AS HE BANGS HIS GLASS ON THE TABLE.

THUG #1
Okay, so here's the deal. This armored car is going to be loaded with cash. Only a few guards will be riding with it. It’ll be easy pickings.

A PAIR OF GOGGLED EYES AND AN EAR STRETCHES FROM THE SIDE OF THE TABLE OUT OF VIEW FROM THE THUGS, LOOKING AND LISTENING AS EACH OF THE THUGS SPEAKS.

THUG #2
When's the deal gonna go down?

THUG #1 TAKES ANOTHER SIP FROM HIS DRINK. HE LOWERS HIS GLASS.

ONE OF THE EARS THAT FORMED FROM THE TABLE DODGES OUT OF THE WAY OF THE GLASS.

THUG #1
Tonight. You, me and three other guys are gonna split the score.

THUG #2 SMILES AND RAISES THE KNIFE HE HAS BEEN FIDDLING
WITH, GRIPPING THE HANDLE TIGHT.

THUG #2
Sounds good to me.

THE EYES AND EAR DISAPPEAR AND MELT BACK INTO THE TABLE AS IF THEY HAD NEVER BEEN THERE AT ALL.

THUG #2 PUTS THE KNIFE IN THE TABLE TOP, EXPECTING IT TO STICK INTO THE WOOD.

RATHER THAN THE KNIFE STICKING IN THE TABLE, THE TABLE STRETCHES AND GIVES UNDER THE WEIGHT OF THE THUG’S ARM. A LOUD YELP OF PAIN CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM THE TABLE.

PLASTIC MAN
Hey! Watch it!

THE TWO THUGS QUICKLY BACK AWAY FROM THE TABLE.

THUG #1
What the..?

THE TABLE STRETCHES AND FOLDS UNTIL IT TAKES THE FORM OF A PERSON, PLASTIC MAN. HE LOOKS ANNOYED, RUBBING HIS SIDE WHERE HE WAS STABBED. THERE IS NO WOUND BUT HE ACTS LIKE THERE IS, AS IF HE HAD BEEN STUNG BY A BEE.

PLASTIC MAN
That really hurt. You guys need to be gentler on the furniture. Other people use these tables to.

THE TWO THUGS, ALONG WITH EVERY ONE ELSE IN THE BAR, LOOK STUNNED. THEY BOTH BRANDISH WEAPONS.

THE REST OF THE BAR PATRONS RUN OUT OF THE BAR.

THUG #2
It's Rubber Man. Shoot him!


THE TWO THUGS SHOOT THEIR GUNS AT PLASTIC MAN.
PLASTIC MAN STRETCHES LIKE AN S OUT OF THE WAY OF THEIR BULLETS.

PLASTIC MAN
That's PLASTIC Man. Don't you guys watch cartoons? I need to get a better agent.

THE THUGS RUN OUT OF BULLETS. THEY CHARGE AT PLASTIC MAN.

PLASTIC MAN (CONT’D)
Time for new game.

PLASTIC MAN CURLS INTO A BALL AND BOUNCES OFF OF THE FLOOR AND AGAINST THUG #1.

THUG #1
Ugh!

PLASTIC MAN

One point!

HE THEN RICOCHETS OFF THE WALL AND HITS THUG #2.

THUG #2
Agh!

PLASTIC MAN

Two points!

BOTH THUGS DROP TO THE FLOOR, COMPLETELY UNCONSCIOUS.
PLASTIC MAN CHANGES BACK INTO HIMSELF. HE WALKS OVER TO THE TWO THUGS. WITH HIS HANDS ON HIS HIPS HE STANDS OVER THE TWO THUGS AND TRIUMPHANTLY LOOKS AT THE HORIZON.

PLASTIC MAN (CONT’D)
And once again, the day is saved, thanks to...

BATMAN (O.S.)
Plastic man…

PLASTIC MAN STRETCHES HIS NECK SO HE IS LOOKING BEHIND HIM TOWARDS THE DOOR.

BATMAN STANDS IN THE DOORWAY TO THE BAR.

BATMAN (CONT’D)
We need to talk.

PLASTIC MAN’S JAW FALLS TO THE FLOOR AS HIS EYES BULGE OUT OF HIS SKULL AT HUMOROUS PROPORTIONS.
BATMAN’S EYES NARROW AS HE LOOKS AT PLASTIC MAN.

END COLD OPEN 

7 Beloved Characters Who Die Off Screen (Or Did They?)

Deaths in films can be seen as a source of drama. A character the audience comes to love and care for losing their life can bring a tear to the viewers. But when the death happens off screen, one can’t help but feel cheated. A character sacrificing their life for the hero means nothing because we never see it. We see a corpse or sometimes nothing at all, just a inference that said character has passed on. Which leaves some viewers asking the obvious question: Did that character really die?

1.)           Bambi’s Mom

Probably one of the most traumatic deaths in cinema, there are grown men who will admit to crying when this scene in the film Bambi comes up. But for such a traumatic film moment, the truth is we the audience never see it. We hear a gunshot, we see an empty frame where conceivably Bambi’s mother should be, but as far as the actual death, that is unseen. Now true, it probably would have been crass to show a scene of some hunters strapping Bambi’s mom to the hood of their pick up in a kids’ movie, but it does mean that the most important moment in the film is left entirely up to the imagination of the viewer. But we only know Bambi is alone. Mostly because he got such a huge head start over his mother. She’s screaming for him to run yet falls behind. It is completely conceivable that Bambi’s mother abandoned him. Later in the film we meet Bambi’s father who decides to raise his son. Bambi’s mom could have just said “Hey, as soon as hunting season starts I’m ditching this kid and it’s your turn” to the estranged father of her child. For all we the audience know, Bambi’s mom found a nice forest down in Boca where she could sun herself without taking care of a bratty kid.

2.)           Butch and Sundance

These two are the most famous characters that die but we don’t see the death. That’s because the film ends with Butch and Sundance running into a hail of bullets and then the frame freezes but we hear the gunfire. So it is left to the audience to assume our heroes died a tragic yet brave death. But without seeing an actual death or body there is a slim hope of survival. Even the best shots sometimes miss and even the most well maintained gun has the potential to jam. It is conceivable that every shot we the audience here is Butch and Sundance killing their captors and fleeing to freedom. The film establishes that both men are legendary gun fighters. And they also know how to take advantage of the element of surprise. Certainly two gunmen running towards a line of gunmen (who have the advantage of the high ground as well) could shock any shooter enough to give Butch and Sundance the few extra seconds they would need to escape. To reference another movie, The Man in the Iron Mask, the Musketeers charge the riflemen waiting to shoot them hoping that such a display of daring might cause them to misfire. And in that film it works. If it works in one film it is believeable that it could work in another.

3.)           Shane

The death of Shane has been debated by fans and scholars alike. While the prevailing theory is that in the final gunfight Shane took a fatal gun wound and dies as he rides off on his horse, there’s no clear evidence. While Shane’s lack of movement or response to his name seems to indicate he’s dead, again, there is no showing of a fatal wound or clear shot of his dead body. Even the one shot of Shane from the front of the film shows him in shadow. There is a slim chance that Shane rode off, got off the horse and said “I’m glad I’m no longer living with that whiny kid.”

4.)           Fred Weasley (from Harry Potter)

This is the one entry where there is a clear cut body. After the Battle of Hogwarts the Weasley family is seen gathered around the body of Fred and his twin brother George is crying over the corpse of his brother and business partner. But even this death has to be questioned. While body of Fred Weasley is indeed seen in the final Harry Potter book/film, his actual death scene is omitted. So that raises the question, is that really Fred Weasley’s body? As seen in the Harry Potter books and films wizards have several ways to change their appearance. There are spells that can change the hair and skin. Some Wizards are born shape changers (such as Tonks who is known as a Metamorphmagus) who can take on any physical appearance they wish. And of course there is the commonly used in multiple films Polyjuice Potion which allows any witch or wizard take on the appearance of another with just a few hairs being added. And according to the book Goblet of Fire the affects of polyjuice potion do not wear off simply because the user is dead. Barty Crouch Jr.’s mother uses polyjuice potion to impersonate her son, dying in prison in his place. Certainly no one noticed “his” corpse changing back into a woman so it must be assumed the affects continue whether or not the user is dead or alive. So there is the possibility that the Fred Weasley seen at the end of the Deathly Hallows is not Fred but an imposter. While the wizards who serve Voldemort are portrayed as ruthless, they also tend to be cowardly. It is not beyond the realm of belief to assume one of them would try to sneak away from the battle disguised as a Hogwarts student but instead ended up being killed by one of his own fellow Death Eaters. So in the end the question is Where is the REAL Fred Weasley? Only J.K. Rowling knows for sure.

5.)           Lt. Col. Henry Blake (from M*A*S*H)

Perhaps one of the saddest moments in TV history, Radar O’Reilly walks into the OR of the 4077 in the middle of a rush of surgeries and announces that their beloved former commander Colonel Henry Blake’s plane was shot down and there were no survivors. After a brief moment of silence the courageous doctors return to saving lives. It’s sad, it’s tragic, it truly is an excellent moment of television. But again, where is the body? MASH was a show that was never shy about the concept of death. Hawkeye witnessed one of his best friends from home, an ambitious writer, die on the table in front of him. Young boy after young boy would be brought to the camp only to be beyond hope and die (causing the doctors and staff to constantly find new ways to remark on the futility of war). Why have the most traumatic death of the series happen off screen? Perhaps the writers thought the death of a character such as Henry Blake would be too traumatic for us the audience to witness. But at the same time we have seen that the Army as portrayed in the MASH universe is not the most efficient. Characters are mislabeled as dead all the time. Father Mulcahy valiantly saved a young soldier when while performing the last rights noticed he still had a pulse. Both Hawkeye and Trapper John received paperwork informing them that they were deceased. How do we know that Henry Blake was even on the plane that was shot down? Or that the plane was even shot down at all? Seeing how befuddled Henry Blake was throughout the series it is not beyond reason to think he is still wandering the streets of Tokyo trying to find a way home.

6.)           Nicodemus (The Secret of Nimh)

True, the lifespan of a rat is at best somewhere between four and five years so even if Nicodemus did survive, he’d be long dead by now. The Secret of Nimh revolves around Mrs. Brisby trying to move her house before the spring plow starts. Her young son is sick and can’t go outside. In order to do so she must enlist the help of the rats who live in the thorn bush on the farmer’s property. Apparently the rats are all escaped medical experiments from some placed called NIMH and they have super intelligence. They also all revere Mrs. Brisby since her husband Jonathan was also an escapee from NIMH and is also super smart. There’s also a magic jewel and a power conspiracy among the rats, it’s kind of like Game of Thrones with rodents. But the oldest of the rats is Nicodemus. And he is the leader.

Now in the climactic scene of the movie the rats are desperately trying to movie Mrs. Brisby’s giant brick home. This is when evil rat Jenner makes his move resulting in the dropping of the brick and the supposed death of Nicodemus. But here’s the thing, no one sees Nicodemus die. The rats are in such a state of shock when the brick falls that no one was looking where Nicodemus is standing. And it is only when it is pointed out that a bit of Nicodemus’s cloak can be seen sticking out beneath the brick that anyone thinks he is dead. But it is only his cloak that is seen. In a world with genetically altered super rats and jewels that can grant telekinetic abilities, a rat taking off its cloak to avoid getting crushed is not out of the realm of possibility. Now one could wonder why Nicodemus didn’t show himself after the brick was moved and the day was saved if he did in fact survive. Well as it turns out, Nicodemus’s death motivates Justin, the hero rat, to take charge of the other rats and fight Jenner to the death. So his “death” while tragic is a good thing for the rest of the rats.

7.)           Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru (Star Wars)

Every fanboys’ favorite Aunt and Uncle duo, Owen and Beru Lars devoted their lives to raising a young Luke Skywalker and keep him protected from the Empire. Of course, they don’t really do a good job of keeping Luke safe. They keep his last name Skywalker, which unless that is the Star Wars universe version of “Smith” is a pretty big red flag. They also let him go off by himself into the desert whenever he wants. Beyond Imperial patrols or Sand People or Hutts there is just the simple fact that if his speeder breaks down he could die of dehydration in the middle of a desert. From what little interaction we see from Episode IV, Luke hates living with his Aunt and Uncle. And his uncle really only seems to like having Luke around as an extra farm hand. So if given the chance to abandon Luke for a better life, would they take it?

The reason why anyone can believe Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are still alive is once again because we the audience do not see them die. Like Luke, all we see are the charred remains of two humans who were shot down after running for their lives. True, the farm where The Lars live is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. And we do never see anyone else working at the farm (which is probably why Owen and Beru keep Luke around) so it is an obvious assumption for Luke to make that those two burnt bodies are his Aunt and Uncle. But unless Luke gets a DNA swab or judges their dental records, he can’t know for sure that Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru are the ones dead in front of him. And why are the bodies burnt in the first place? Before Luke discovers his “dead” Aunt and Uncle, he and Obi-Wan Kenobi come across an attacked Sand Crawler with many dead Jawas. And we can tell their Jawas because their robes are perfectly intact. So why did the Stormtroopers who attacked the Sand Crawler so much more violent when they attacked the Lars? Certainly dozens of Jawas pose more of a threat than two famers. Why leave the Jawas identifiable but burn the humans to a crisp? One can come to the conclusion that the bodies on the farm were burnt on purpose. Why burn a body? To remove all identifiable traces of who that person is! It is completely believable that Owen Lars recognized the two droids he bought from the Jawas (which he would since he met them both in episode II). Believing that the Empire would soon follow, he and Beru destroyed the farm, placing burnt bodies so everyone assume they had been murdered. People who live in fear usually have contingency plans for escape and Owen said he was afraid of Luke being like his father. Chances are he had many other fears. Since only Jedi come back as Force ghosts, Luke can’t exactly be sure his aunt and uncle are dead. The Lars could be living on another planet, under new assumed identities.

Religion and Hollywood

Another article written for someone else, I decided to take a look at the huge craze in religious based films coming to theaters near you. I also addressed the claim that Hollywood is  a "godless" town. How can a town seen as "godless" produce so much pro-god content?

If you ever spend any amount of time listening to a Christian Conservative speak, not an activity I can ever recommend, at some point you will here them reference the sinful and godlessness of Hollywood. Tinseltown, the Land of Dreams, all elicit comparisons from the Right as modern day Sodom. But while Hollywood may be an easy target for condemnation and ridicule, the truth is The Religious Right is just as imbedded in the Entertainment industry as it is in the hallowed halls of government. The proof is right there on the Silver Screen.

As I sit typing this, the film Son of God is playing at the Cineplex across the street. If the title confuses you, the movie is about Jesus Christ. Yes, THAT son of God. Certainly one religious movie can be viewed as a fluke in Atheist ruled Hollywood, except Darren Aronofsky’s Noah is debuting at the end of the month. So even though Christians will picket Harry Potter as promoting witchcraft to our children, they’ll gladly get the grosses up on a film if it based on the Bible.

And this year is seeing a flood (no pun intended, Noah) of religious themed films hitting the American Box Office. One such film that I actually find offensive is the film God’s Not Dead. While there should be nothing wrong with a film where someone confirms their faith, it seems like this film only does so by bashing Atheists. The main antagonist of the film (played by Kevin Sorbo, of Hercules fame) is such a negative portrayal of Atheism he almost should be twirling a mustache in every scene. And the protagonist’s horrible arguments for his faith are only believable to the already devout and should not work on changing the antagonists mind. It’s Christian propaganda masquerading as a coming of age film that’s been done better in any number of films that never needed to resort to name calling (Good Will Hunting is a thousand times better and never once insults the believer or nonbeliever).

But God’s Not Dead is far from the only religious themed film taking potshots at Atheism. The film I Origins also feels the need to take a character who is a nonbeliever and at every turn bombard him with fictitious reasons why he needs to believe. Because as you will learn if you talk to most religious people about Atheists, all atheists are “miserable and depressed with no meaning to their lives.” So therefore if a character is an atheist in a religious film, the only way for him to achieve happiness is to find religion.

The simple truth is that the surge in religious features has nothing to do with an increase in spirituality; it is simply a moneymaking tactic. The best example of this are the commercials for the film Heaven is For Real. Unlike most trailers for other films that are out in theatres, this film has a number you can call to book group showings. Why? Because church groups will rent out a theatre and see this film, about a young boy who briefly dies and is revived claiming to have seen Heaven. This same tactic of religious groups attending a film is what led The Passion of the Christ to be one of highest grossing films of all time (I sadly doubt that Heaven is for Real will reach the same level, but it will certainly make its money back). While I am sure the filmmakers initial aim was to make a film that was meant to be a touching emotional spiritual tale, they are not above exploiting the faith of the audience to sell a product. And as many arguments are made about the importance of art, art is a product. The selling of that product allows more art to be produced and so on and so on.

Now while one could argue that Heaven is For Real and God Is Not Dead are fringe films due to their low budget, one can certainly not make that argument for Noah. Nor can the argument be made for Exodus which is coming out later this year or Left Behind which comes out shortly after that, starring Christian Bale and Nicholas Cage respectively. Both of those films are large budget films with religious overtones. They are produced within the studio system that so many conservatives claim to be godless and against religion. So against religion that there are nearly as many religious movies coming out as movies based on comic books

But making religious themed films is not a new concept for Hollywood. Lots of films have been produced over the years that have been based on religious texts or had a religious overtone (primarily these films are Christian as they are trying to appeal to an American audience which is also mostly Christian). The Ten Commandments starring Charlton Heston is still to this day one of the greatest films ever made, and was at the time one of the most monumental cinematic undertakings of its time. Studios would not have invested that much time and effort if they were anti-religion. The Passion of the Christ is one of the most financially successful films of all time and gave Mel Gibson the clout to do pretty much whatever project he wanted (and escape numerous personal scandals). Even religious films that try to lightly mock religion like Life of Brian, Dogma, or Bruce Almighty do so with only the most tongue in cheek of mockery and ultimately give more respect to the source material than the so called extremist Christians who denounce such films.

The simple truth is that Hollywood is completely pro-religion. The town itself is bursting with churches and centers of all sorts of different belief systems. Someone once said a new church is built daily in Los Angeles and driving around it certainly seems to be true. The simple fact is as long as there are people willing to see a film about religion there will be people in Hollywood trying to make those films. It is the audience that dictates the subject that is produced. Demand creates supply, not the other way around.