Should we count this week leading up the 31st as Halloween week? How about something with monsters or vampires? It could be scary and serious or funny and ridiculous like this one: Vampire's Kiss (1988) http://movieclips.com/KBmWh-vampires-kiss-movie-a-few-minor-confessions/ Peter: Well, the fact is I did murder someone last night. I turned into a vampire. It's a long story. Sharon: Goodness. Dr. Glaser: Peter, people get murdered every day in this city. Do you think the world is going to stop? Peter: I guess, but the police and everything. What if they find me? Dr. Glaser: Would you stop worrying and just get on with your big romance. He hasn't even been arrested and the big lug is carrying on. Get out of here, the both of you. Have a wonderful life together and I will take care of the cops. Get out, both of you. Out, out, out. Shh! Shh! Peter: Thank you very much, Dr Glaser. You are a gem.

Monsters perhaps, Teddy? I had a suggestion, much more tame: Lies. When a character knowingly tells one.

Yeah, lies. That's good. Many variations on that theme. White lies, necessary lies, funny, devastating, politicians, husband/wife. Now I have to find Nicolas Cage lying. After watching that Vampire's Kiss clip I had a craving for over-the-top Nic Cage-isms. Not the bees!

Fargo (1996) http://movieclips.com/nATDo-fargo-movie-lundegaards-dealership/ JERRY'S OFFICE Jerry is worriedly pacing behind his desk. At a noise he looks up. Marge has stuck her head in the door. MARGE: Mr. Lundegaard? JERRY: Huh? Yah? MARGE: I wonder if I could take just a minute of your time here - JERRY: What... What is it all about? MARGE: Huh? Do you mind if I sit down - I'm carrying quite a load here. Marge plops into the chair opposite him. MARGE: ... You're the owner here, Mr. Lundegaard? JERRY: Naw, I... Executive Sales Manager. MARGE: Well, you can help me. My name's Marge Gunderson - JERRY: My father-in-law, he's the owner. MARGE: Uh-huh. Well, I'm a police officer from up Brainerd investigating some malfeasance and I was just wondering if you've had any new vehicles stolen off the lot in the past couple of weeks - specifically a tan Cutlass Ciera? Jerry stares at her, his mouth open. MARGE: ... Mr. Lundegaard? JERRY: ... Brainerd? MARGE: Yah. Yah. Home a Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox. JERRY: ... Babe the Blue Ox? MARGE: Yah, ya know we've got the big statue there. So you haven't had any vehicles go missing, then? JERRY: No. No, ma'am. MARGE: Okey-dokey, thanks a bunch. I'll let you get back to your paperwork, then. As Marge rises, Jerry looks blankly down at the papers on the desk in front of him. JERRY: ... Yah, okay. He looks up at Marge's retreating back. He looks back down at the papers. He looks over at the phone. He picks up the phone and dials four digits. JERRY: ... Yah, gimmee Shep... Theheck d'ya mean?... Well, where'd he go? It's only... No, I don't need a mechanic - oh, geez – I gotta talk to a friend of his, so, uh ... have him, uh ... oh, geez...

Frida (2002) http://movieclips.com/JFc8r-frida-movie-more-affection-in-a-handshake/ Frida: It's not like you to be late for lunch, Diego. Diego: Uh, I was at the ministry explaining why a history of the Mexican people is an appropriate subject for the Mexican National Palace. Frida: Again? Diego: When I work, they scream about my politics. When I don't work, they scream about the delays. It's a farce. Frida: Ugh. Diego, son of a bitch! That model, huh? Diego: Yes. It was just a fuck, that's all. I've given more affection in a handshake. Frida: Well, that makes me feel so much better. Was she good, at least? Diego: Not very. Frida: Too bad. She had such a great ass. When you get home, take a good bath. We're going out tonight.

This is a complicated lie and a huge spoiler. The Brother's Bloom BLOOM Please tell me that's makeup. Thell me that's cackle-bladder and you just pulled off the perfect con. Please. STEPHEN You said it, not me. Can I get a ‘wow’ for this one? BLOOM You son of a bitch. STEPHEN You did it. You're done here. I want you to promise me you'll never come back to St. Petersburg again. Tastes like tin foil. Alright here’s what I want you to do. Bang Bang split? BLOOM Yeah. Clean exit. STEPHEN How? BLOOM Car bomb. STEPHEN Okay. Penelope? BLOOM Outside. STEPHEN Good. Here’s what. Take Penelope back to Helsinki, get that flight to Rio. Play out the whole "on the run from vengeful Russians" thing, that'll be fun for her. Play it like I'm dead, actually. That'll add some gravity to everything. And I'll see you when I see you. BLOOM When? STEPHEN I don't know. Not too soon, I hope. Last thing you need is me hanging around. Anyway, how am I going to top this? Bloom, pick a card.

Lies is a really good one. I also like Teddy's suggestion of doing something Halloween-ish for this coming week. How about dialogue that's genuinely scary/creepy without any explicit reference to violence? A recent example of this would be the famous "Friend-o" coin-flip scene from No Country For Old Men: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhXJcfczNIc

Not to squash my own suggestion -- which of course we can do later -- but with Halloween coming, it does seem like we should be able to do something tied to it. What about "When Monsters Speak?" Frankenstein, Dracula, Dr. Zaius (Planet of the Apes), Michael Myers (Halloween... actually not sure if he talks or not), how about Hannibal Lecter, Freddy Krueger... Anything there?

I might also suggest: Charade DYLE I'm sorry I couldn't tell you the truth, but I had to find out your part in all this. REGGIE Alex -- how can you tell if someone is lying or not? DYLE You can't. REGGIE There must be some way. DYLE There's an old riddle about two tribes of Indians -- the Whitefeet always tell the truth and the Blackfeet always lie. So one day you meet an Indian, you ask him if he's a truthful Whitefoot or a lying Blackfoot? He tells you he's a truthful Whitefoot, but which one is he? REGGIE Why couldn't you just look at his feet? DYLE Because he's wearing moccasins. REGGIE Oh. Well, then he's a truthful Whitefoot, of course. DYLE Why not a lying Blackfoot? REGGIE (confused) Which one are you? DYLE (entering, smiling) Whitefoot, of course. L.A. Confidential. DUDLEY Edmund, a word with you. We received a tip this morning. Did Vincennes ever mention the name Rollo Tomasi? Exley tries to look like he's thinking as Jack calls from the grave. Screaming the name Dudley! EXLEY No... Where'd the tip come from? DUDLEY Anonymous. Probably nothing.

Shadow of the Vampire MAX SCHRECK The woods decay. The woods decay and fall. The vapors weep their burthen to the ground. Dinner. You set a very mean table. No rats. There was a time when I fed from golden chalices but now -- don't look at me that way! In my old age I feed the way old men pee. Some times all at once, sometimes drop by drop. I told you! I feed erratically. Often enormously. The Addams Family GIRL SCOUT Is this made from real lemons? WEDNESDAY Yes. GIRL SCOUT I only like all-natural fruits and beverages, organically grown with no preservatives.Are you sure they're real lemons? WEDNESDAY Yes. GIRL SCOUT Well, I'll tell you what. I'll buy a cup if you buy a box of my delicious Girl Scout cookies. Deal? WEDNESDAY Are they made from real Girl Scouts?

I'd like to suggest something along the lines of capturing cultural clashes. I don't have lines ready to paste here, but this comes to mind from My Big Fat Greek Wedding: He doesn't eat meat/He don't eat no meat? What you mean he don't eat no meat? Silence and gawking. That's ok, I make lamb."This works on the surface, but also because in greek (I've learned) lamb is distinguished from "meet." I'm working on a screenplay now and trying to capture moments like this, but in an Israeli setting. "Cook" for example, is a rather generic verb, in english, for going from a raw to a cooked state. In Hebrew, cooking is distinct from baking. Can this be a topic for discussion and examination? One theme that comes up is how suddenly in these cross-cultural settings, someone from a "majority" cultural group suddenly feels lost and confused, but can't quite articulate, even to themselves why. We see this is even across classes in Meet the Fockers. Anyway, that'd be my wishlist- thx, ruth