PARALYSIS
Feature Screenplay, 106 pages
Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Written by Dan Cassell
| Score: 44.58 |
| 3 Reviews |
| Score: 44.58 3 Reviews |
A haunted pathologist is coaxed into ending his self-imposed exile by the unexplained 'reanimation' of a 'corpse' mid-autopsy. Still beset by tragedies of his very recent and dark, distant past, the investigation leads him to encounter, explore and ultimately endure a fate worse than death.
MysteryOccultParanormalPsychologicalSupernaturalTime Period: PresentSpecial Effects: Minimal SFXTarget Audience: Adult
Have you ever lay awake in bed at night and found yourself unable to move?
Are you overwhelmed by sense of dread as you struggle to breathe?
Does a dark, threatening figure approach from the other end of the bed, coming ever closer as you fight desperately to awaken?
If the answer is yes, chances are you’ve experienced Sleep Paralysis.
Surprisingly common, though much overlooked, Sleep Paralysis is regarded as nothing more than a harmless neurological disorder. After all, no matter how terrifying it may seem at the time, you always wake up at the end…
What if you didn’t…?
SHORT SYNOPSIS
Whilst still in mourning after the tragic suicide of his wife, pathologist CAIRO is coaxed into investigating a horrifying affliction that renders it's victims literally petrified, imprisoned in a near-death state from which they cannot be roused.
Cairo delves deeper into the mysteries surrounding this terrifying state, specifically what, or who, is causing this. Along the way, he picks and probes the festering wounds of his own shattered personal life. This leads to his wellbeing and sanity beginning to disintegrate as he unearths shocking, ruinous truths about the root cause of the condition, and himself, that ultimately places him in jeopardy so dreadful that death itself may be a grateful blessing.
GENRE
A silent, psychological, supernatural, horror film.
INDUSTRY INTEREST
PARALYSIS was entered into the 2015 Blue Cat feature screenplay completion where it reached the semi-final stages, placing among the top 2% out of nearly 5000 entrants. It was lauded for its ‘disturbingly beautiful descriptions’ of the scripts visual elements, and commended for telling a feature length story without the use of any dialogue.
WHAT IS BEING SOUGHT
Obviously I would love to pique a producer or director’s interest so as to further the prospects of the script actually being developed and made. However, speaking realistically, what I am more concerned with is using PARALYSIS as a showcase of my writing and storytelling abilities, leading to future collaboration with film industry professionals on potential projects.
Weekly Top Ten List
Weeks on Chart: 3
Peak Position: #7 (August 20, 2018)
