The inter-family dialogue has been trimmed down and altered from the script version to the final cut. For example, in the script, there is dialogue between Rudolph and his parents about the possibility that he could've been staked by Rookery, Freda refers to Gregory as "my little beast", and Gregory has lines (which serve to help illustrate his pro-true-vampirism views and strained relationship with his father).
I would've shot a man to see this happen: "Frederick LEVITATES Rookery high through the air and SMASHES him back into the side of his truck. Rookery slides to the ground."
Frederick and Freda do not pass Tony between them in the final cut; Frederick has hold of Tony the entire time Tony's in anyone's grasp (mostly so Frederick can prove a point and try to scare some sense into the kid; I wish I could say it worked).
Rookery doesn't curse in the final cut (probably because it's a kid's movie, but it's interesting that he is allowed to show other stereotypical signs of eeeeeeeeeevil, such as living in his truck, smoking, kidnapping people...)
In the final cut, Tony doesn't take a seat in the crypt, nor does Frederick (or anyone else, for that matter) pick him up again.
The vision cuts off before Von turns Elizabeth and hands off the stone, where that detail is included in the script.
The final cut is more to the point when it comes to Tony addressing his father's concerns about his sanity. Bob also tries to avoid the subject altogether in the script before finally being forced to address the matter in his heart-to-heart with his son. The script essentially amounts to Bob trying to make himself come off better, especially in the opening sequence of COTLS.
The script has Tony starting to get flashes of Elizabeth in this scene, when he doesn't fully see her until he shares the vision with Frederick in the next scene. However, the script fleshes out the nightly aspect of Tony's dreams and visions, as well as some of the minor details of the interactions between Von and Elizabeth.
Rudolph doesn't wake Tony IFC, and instead all it takes to stir Tony is an open window and a few "Psst"s. The following conversation is also fleshed out more, and Tony prompts Rudolph to take him flying again, rather than Rudolph taking him out on a whim.
The script fleshes out the conversation between Rudolph and Tony concerning the Stone, but only slightly, adding Tony's confusion that they need a stone, as well, in order to complete the ritual.
The conversation between Dottie and Tony has been altered from its version in the script. Hightlights:
Tony IFC initially states that he has had a nightmare the night before, as if it's an automatic response, and then corrects himself literally five seconds later.
Dottie also drops a few more motherly lines as she leaves, namely "Come on, get up. It's time to go to school."
Farmer McLaughlin discovering one of his cows being missing appears later IFC, popping up after Tony says he "could eat a cow."
I didn't realize this before this year, but the McAshton kids do, in fact, call Tony "Vampy" and "wimpy" respectively, but they are so low they can barely be heard.
Tony's insult is longer in the script. IFC he just sticks with "Outta my way, losers."
The biggest thing in the latter half of the scene is that Dottie's and Rudolph's positioning with respect to each other is different from script to screen. Dottie is more at the head of the bed, and Rudolph at the foot. She is not close enough for him to notice the veins of her calf as described in the script. The other thing is that Dottie IFC swaps out "Any friend of yours is a friend of mine" for a remark about Rudolph's funny scent (a call-back to the moment in "Flying" when all three adults are distracted by the unusual scent in Tony's room (Rudolph is in the corner on the ceiling), a scent which Tony doesn't seem to notice. Here it's justified in that his nose is plugged by tissues).
In the script, we can see more of Tony and Rudolph's conversation during their playtime, with Rudolph expressing some confusion over the slang term "to suck" and distaste at Tony trying to feel his way around his mouth in search of fangs (in fairness, the kid probably could contract a blood-borne illness, and besides, it is extremely rude to put your fingers into someone else's mouth, not to mention very, very gross). Also, the conversation about feeding from cows is heard here rather than in mid-air, as per the final cut.
Rudolph has an interesting line here: "I don't think I would have bitten you, no matter what." - File this under curiosities.
Rudolph's reassurance of Tony is at different points in the script and final cut.
Bob and Dottie are more vicious with each other on their arrival at home/in the car concerning Tony's behavior in the script than in the final cut.
Rudolph gets to demonstrate telekinesis in the script, as well, as he locks Tony's bedroom door without even touching it.
Rudolph doesn't get to explain Rookery's heritage and purpose to Tony in the final cut, nor do they have the exchange where Rudolph explains that his father would kill him if he divulged what it was exactly that Rookery wanted to outsiders.
In the script, Tony actually has a scene where he teaches Nintendo to Rudolph during which they have the conversation about age.
In the final cut, Rudolph can be heard discussing his age and other aspects of being a vampire through the crate, though in the script he has to poke his head out in order to properly engage with Tony. (Also in the script, the scene with the crate involves not age, as that was covered earlier, but Tony's wish to become a vampire.)
This was a scene where we got to see a lot more fleshing out of the details and characters and all that, something I really enjoy. The script for this part is an enjoyable experience to read.
Rüdiger, the little vampire, old Aunt Dorothee and Rüdiger's perky sister Anna are preparing for the premiere on Friday in the BBZ.
Picture: SCHMID
BRAKEThe final sprint started, only a few days, then has the Christmas piece of the Low German stage Brake premiere. On Friday, November 30th, the curtain opens by 16 clock "The Little Vampire" by Angela Sommer-floor castle . Guest director is Bernd Poppe and the stage is no stranger. This time he has again placed over backward to properly set the small and large actors in the scene and to prepare a special experience for small and large theater-goers.
Rüdiger, the little vampire, and Anna, his meddlesome sister, are expected on stage at the BBZ and her old aunt Dorothee will be there. Namely, it is constantly in search of their third teeth.
The little boy Anton loves stories of vampires and Dracula. However, he is not sure whether they really exist. Every evening he lies with a flashlight under the covers, reading adventure stories. And then, one day, Rüdiger fluttering in his room. Rüdiger is a vampire and very sad because he is always so alone and no playmates has.
Together with his sister Anna, he makes Anton for auxiliary vampire, flying teaches him, visited the family crypt and fight against the evil cemetery warden vultures Meier, who wants to drive all small and large vampires. Since Anton, Rüdiger and all the other vampires of course, need the help of the audience. Because vultures Meier may not get into the hands Rüdiger and his little feathered friends.
{ID}
2483305
{NAME}
VAMPIRE
{LEVEL NAME}
NWZ/BRAKE/.2
ORIGINAL GERMAN:
Gemeinsam stark gegen Geiermeier
„Der kleine Vampir“ der Niederdeutschen Bühne Brake hat am Freitag im BBZ Premiere
GASTREGISSEUR BERND POPPE SETZT GROßE UND KLEINE DARSTELLER IN SZENE. DAS PUBLIKUM IST GEFORDERT, DEM KLEINEN VAMPIR RÜDIGER UND SEINEM FREUND ANTON ZU HELFEN.
Rüdiger, der kleine Vampir, die alte Tante Dorothee und Rüdigers vorwitzige Schwester Anna bereiten sich auf die Premiere am Freitag im BBZ vor.
Bild: SCHMID
BRAKEDer Endspurt hat begonnen, nur noch wenige Tage, dann hat das Weihnachtsstück der Niederdeutschen Bühne Brake Premiere. Am Freitag, 30. November, öffnet sich um 16 Uhr der Vorhang für „Der kleine Vampir“ von Angela Sommer-Bodenburg. Gastregisseur ist Bernd Poppe und bei der Bühne kein Unbekannter. Auch diesmal hat er sich wieder mächtig ins Zeug gelegt, um die kleinen und großen Darsteller richtig in Szene zu setzen und den kleinen und großen Theaterbesuchern ein besonderes Erlebnis zu bereiten.
Rüdiger, der kleine Vampir, und Anna, seine vorwitzige Schwester, werden auf der Bühne im BBZ erwartet und auch ihre alte Tante Dorothee wird dabei sein. Sie ist nämlich ständig auf der Suche nach ihren dritten Zähnen.
Der kleine Junge Anton liebt Geschichten von Vampiren und Dracula. Er ist sich jedoch nicht ganz sicher, ob es sie wirklich gibt. Jeden Abend liegt er mit einer Taschenlampe unter der Bettdecke und liest Abenteuergeschichten. Und dann, eines Tages, flattert Rüdiger in sein Zimmer. Rüdiger ist ein Vampir und ganz traurig, weil er immer so allein ist und keinen Spielkameraden hat.
Zusammen mit seiner Schwester Anna macht er Anton zum Hilfsvampir, bringt ihm das Fliegen bei, besucht die Familiengruft und kämpft gegen den bösen Friedhofs-Aufseher Geiermeier, der alle kleinen und großen Vampire vertreiben will. Da brauchen Anton, Rüdiger und all die anderen Vampire natürlich die Hilfe des Publikums. Denn Geiermeier darf doch Rüdiger und seine kleinen gefiederten Freunde nicht in die Hände bekommen.
IFC, we actually get to hear what Rudolph says to hypnotize the cow (it's debatable whether this actually worked or not given Rudolph's intense weakness at the time, but if Frederick can rock telekinesis like a boss, then Rudolph should have his own specialty, too, I think).
The advance of the truck on Tony plays differently. The truck starts out in utter darkness, as if waiting for a vampire to be stupid enough to get too close, and then teach it a good, sound lesson. Tony also does not get to his knees as scripted. Also scripted is Tony actively running (running, mind you, not just backing up) to avoid the truck. Actually, this entire scene plays differently than scripted. Some highlights:
Rookery's scripted line is "A wee one. Still a fiend." His actual line is the much more sadistic-sounding "It's just a little one. Well, let's see how you like this!"
The rescue of Tony is much more played out and elaborated on in the final cut. Rudolph swoops in, commanding Tony to shut his eyes as he flies the mortal boy away from danger, and Rookery screams in defiance of this immortal nine-year-old, "Oh, you're very clever, but I'll catch you!" The way it's scripted is incredibly stripped-down.
In the script, it's Rudolph who points out that by this point in the movie, the boys have each saved the other's life. He also drops a snide comment about Tony's Halloween cape ("I wouldn't be caught alive in a cape, except when Father makes me." It also speaks to his own personal feelings about clothing in general and how he probably needs to breathe). Tony also expresses the desire to have a brother in the script, to which Rudolph replies, "Well, now you do." None of this makes it off the cutting room floor, but it would've been nice if it had.
The party scene also plays out a bit differently IFC than in the script. Again, some highlights:
"Proper rhythm" and Bob mentioning he has a brother are all strung together IFC but broken apart in the script (where "proper rhythm" comes in last scene, discussing bagpipe music at the entry to the party).
This is not a discrepancy, but I absolutely had to make note of it, simply because it was so epic. "NIGEL (Sweetness and Light)". Those are literally his stage directions. The script is acknowledging that he's faking it (it kind of has to, I know, but I simply love this segment so much).
In the script, there is more awkward politeness between Dottie and Tony's teacher, leading up to the even more awkward conversation which results in the teacher revealing Tony's "obsession with vampires". We also get a little bit of after, where Lord McAshton tries to make light of everything and pretend it never happened, giving a nice clue that he does, in fact, have "worries".
The phone call is played out essentially the same, but we get a continuous lead-in from the awkward conversation (rather than cutting back to Rudolph and Tony like we do IFC), as well as Lord McAshton's questions regarding Tony's nocturnal habits, giving the aforementioned clue.
This was an interesting scene in the script, as it added a lot to Rudolph's character and situation and also helped develop Lord McAshton as one deeply affected by the past, not just his but that of his ancestors, and suggests that under the veneer he is a deeply superstitious and concerned man.
Aside from the differing transitions from script to screen, the Tony-attacking-the-bear scene plays out somewhat differently: we don't see anything from the bat's perspective in the final cut, nor does Rookery park outside the castle waiting for bat!Rudolph (or any other form of Rudolph) to appear. Also, IFC, Tony makes sure Rudolph is in his view before Rudolph utters a syllable, or pops his nose back into proper human form, for that matter. Also, the teddy bear is left where Tony finished playing with it after he was so rudely interrupted, and just a lot of placing and timing discrepancies from script to final cut. It's also interesting to note that the script mentions a thing called "vampire chatter", as if it's a vampire's secret language, a hold-over from their time as bats. This is never heard in the movie (to my knowledge) but I think it would've been quite interesting.
That's the only major discrepancy/curiosity from scene three (it's actually a series of small but interrelated things). Thus far, though, both script and screen have managed to convey the same messages and get the story to the same places. So far, so good.
In final cut, we open this scene with Rookery just waking up to start his night in his truck (which must be absolutely rank, btw, but that's another story) rather than the truck actually being in motion.
The interior is, in fact, cluttered with a variety of odd pieces, from stakes and garlic garlands to a weird-looking axe, but it isn't a crossbow used in the opening dream. It's a two-fold-pop-out-cross thing. The truck is still crammed full of random-but-useful shit.
In the script, McAshton does not need prompting to discuss the blimp.
In the script, Bob apparently gets the idea that there should be bagpipers greeting golfers at the golf course once it's open. He also has a habit of speaking into a little recording device to make sure he doesn't forget his ideas, which is an element of his work obsession which doesn't get translated into final cut.
In the script, Bob and Dottie have an argument over Lord McAshton's treatment of them (going back to the discussion of "Lord" in scene 1, which Tony likens to calling someone "God", which she goes along with).
In final cut, Tony's fangs are paper (compared to cardboard, but essentially the same) and he doesn't start cackling like a maniac. This was presumably cut so as not to frighten the viewership.
Final notes: the start of the chase sequence between Rookery and bat!Rudolph plays out much differently in the final cut than it does on script. Rookery is already on scene, for example, and he's the one who sets bat!Rudolph off running with the spotlight in the first place before the chase commences. For another thing, the scene cuts off in a slightly different places as well: at Rookery's anger at a severely weakened vampire managing to give him the slip rather than Rudolph being too weak to fly and happening upon Tony. However, that is where we open Scene 3.
Though TLV Abridged is over, and while it was good fun while it lasted, life must go on. However, I'm not quite ready to end the era just yet. So, on a more serious note, I've gone through the script, which is available on the DVD under its DVD-ROM features, and compared to the scene being described and shot, coming up with discrepancies between what was written and what was released to theaters. Following is a list of discrepancies, curiosities, and other noteworthy things stemming from this comparison, in a scene-by-scene fashion which will span several posts.
Scene 1 - Just a Dream
Though this may be just a curiosity rather than anything else, Von is listed in the script as Freda's brother despite carrying her married name of Sackville-Bagg.
Frederick is scripted as having his chant interrupted. In the film, he is able to finish the entire thing and get to the part with the beam of light.
We do not explicitly hear Frederick order the other members of his clan to "fly", though it would make sense if he had and if they did. It would explain how a large number of them survived. Further, in the final cut, we only see Von diving after the stone. There is no mention made of the fates of the other vampires as the battle with the vampire hunter progresses.
In the script, Tony watches the vampire's splash before waking up. This doesn't happen in final cut, and hence we get the impression that Tony believes the vampire is trying to kill him. (Granted, that's a pretty intense moment for the vampires, so it's understandable a nine-year-old sympathizer would get this mixed up in his head, especially with all the messages from society he's getting about vampires being a) nonexistent and b) monsters if they did exist.)
Three things post-nightmare: it's a monkey and not a bear, the castle is not in ruins, nor does Tony bother to turn on the light while scurrying from his bedroom. These are all elements from final cut which differ from how the scene was scripted, for various reasons.
In the script, Dottie calls Tony by his name rather than just "Hon" as she is wont to do in the movie. Also, Bob bitches about how early he has to be up, and while some of this does translate to final cut and you do get the idea, not all of it makes it off the cutting room floor.
I think it should be interesting to state here that Tony's line in the script, after being told that sound is "the wind" is "Or the undead. They're in trouble!" Which fits just nicely with his sympathizer tendencies and status.
"Wave hi to Dad and Lord McAshton" and Dottie's near-death experience are in a different order in the script.
For a case of It's All There In the Script, we get in this first scene a name for the unnamed farmer, McLaughlin, and his line: "Out of the road you sassenach dummies!" Sassenach is a Gaelic phrase for "English" or "an English person", so can be interpreted the same way as "Yank".
In the script Tony has a moment to express how odd it is to call someone "Lord", which is something we in the US don't do, since we don't have "Lords" in the proper sense.
For another case of It's All There In the Script, the village they're driving through is called Dindeen, which, while likely fictional, is a neat little clue to the setting, for those who are interested.
The script is considerably more violent with the way the bullies handle Tony: he gets punched in the gut and otherwise slapped around, rather than shoved to the ground while his stuff gets dumped out and he is forced to be late.
Later on, the script has Tony escorted out of the classroom, where in final cut, he is verbally told, in essence, GTFO.
Concerning the golf clubs and "There's no one to play with", this takes somewhat longer to get to in final cut compared to the way the scene was scripted. Tony also expresses more joy and Bob more remorse about not being able to be a proper father. The script also has the scene end on Bob's "Tiger Woods" line rather than with Dottie kissing Tony on the cheek as per final cut.
And a couple of other things I would like to make mention of: The teacher refers to the comet as Attamon in the script, and not "Forsey" or whatever it is he says as he does in the film version. And I have in my notes somewhere that Tony makes a statement which somehow acknowledges that the script in the script. It took me a moment to decipher this statement, but he expresses in essence that by stating that the undead are in trouble, he is going against the script of society and his parents, which dictates that vampires are monsters rather than beings in need of assistance for some collective goal they might have. Essentially, Tony sees through his parents' bullshit (which they impose for different reasons) and is willing to at least passive-aggressively call them on it.
I had a shocking number of bullet points for this scene, and most are quite minor in consideration. There are no great shifts to the meaning of the scene, as both the script and the scene on tape play out to the same ends and convey the same basic facts about the protagonist, his family, and the world they inhabit. However, to the superfan who has time to go through the script, these changes are very noticeable indeed. I don't seem to mind much, though, but I do find a few of them noteworthy as aspects of canon and contributing factors to the characters and world.
Before we get into the epilogue, I'd like to give special thanks to all the readers I've picked up through the TLV Abridged Project, and all the ones who've been with me since the beginning, both of TLV Abridged and the blog itself. I'd like to thank you for waiting for me for my accidental month-long hiatus a few weeks back, and especially for not giving me any flack about it (that I know of). It truly feels like this is the end of an era, because this was an extensive piece of work and took a lot of time and energy on my part. It's very bittersweet to see TLV Abridged come to an end (even though I will post a page with all the links to all the parts in the very immediate future, and from there you can enjoy all the parts in order (or not) and have them all in one place). So thank you all, and I hope you enjoy the epilogue.
