The following are preliminary, sketchy notes which can serve as the basis of a very interesting movie. If you pass this on to anyone or use this material yourself, please be aware: I waive all copyright protection with one exception: The right to disseminate this piece as blogged here.
The following elements aren’t in any particular order.
Title for a proposed movie: Jihad - the movie
Tag line: “What would you do if you suddenly had the means?”
Opening: On three consecutive black screens, the following appear in white letters:
Screen 1:
In western societies, the Muslim term jihad is often translated as "holy war".
However, the broader meaning is “struggle.”
Screen 2:
Shaman are intermediaries or messengers between the human world and the spirit worlds.
Screen 3:
“I am part of a Buddhist sect which has exactly one member – me” – Rex Shawman.
Rex Shawman: The protagonist is an American male in his early thirties, who is employed in the movie industry. His skills include computer graphics, special effects, and film editing. His name is a play on words: Rex is Latin for king, and Shawman is similar in sound to shaman, which is exactly what he is.
Contrast: Throughout the movie, we’ll “read” Rex’s mind as he sits in silent, solitary, stonefaced meditation. Which immediately cuts to him in social situations showing an animated nature and expressive face.
Thought: “Are there any real people? Are there only actors? Which role shall I play today?”
Scene: During a stand-up monologue in a night club, Rex asks his audience, “What was Barack Obama’s first official act as President?” [NOTE: This act occurred immediately after he took the oath of office as detailed here:
Scene: During another stand-up scene, Rex asks his audience: “Do you know the true story of how Guinness stout was created?
“Once upon a time there was a farmer who owned a small cottage in the Irish countryside. He collected water which drained from his rainspout into a small wooden bucket. The wood was fairly rotten, though, and it made the water taste woody. Then the farmer got an idea – some say he was moved by mischievous spirits to do what he did next. Which was: He picked up a handful of black top soil and threw it into the bucket. He added another handful of peat moss and a few rusty nails. In one more bit of perverse inspiration, he added a handful of manure.
“Then he let this concoction sit for a couple of days in the hot sun – to age as it were. Then he strained this sewage, so as remove all particulate matter. And then, again moved by mischievous spirits - for no sane man would do what he was about to do- he drank this unlikely brew.
“[pause] What I’ve just described is pretty close to what Guinness actually tastes like. Wouldn’t you say?”
Casting: The entire cast should be unknowns.
Scene: Rex is kneeling in meditation, facing a flickering candle. He’s thinking and we can hear what he’s thinking:
“Now what? I’m not sure…got to lay low for a while. I’ll think of something. I want to do something … but not just any old thing. And I don’t want my plan to be thwarted. Can’t do or say anything to give myself away. They’re listening.”
Scene: One year later at a CIA-run black prison outside the US
Rex looks up into the camera and an off-screen voice asks, “What did you mean when you said “they’re listening?””
“The average American doesn’t realize how much he’s scrutinized. And once I won all that money, well…that changed everything. Every single move I made would be spied on. All in the name of national security, you know. All that money made me a potential security risk.”
Broad outline of plot:
Rex is a solitary Buddhist practitioner – “I’m not much of one for groups.” During his meditations, he’ll break silence by reading aloud certain passages of the Buddha’s highest teaching – The Lotus Sutra. This paints a picture for us as to where he’s coming from.
While out with friends, he joins them in visiting an open meeting of the Soka Gakkai International. At this meeting, Rex is challenged by an SGI member to chant for 100 days for “anything you want…pick something… chant for it…and see what happens.”
Even though he sees SGI Buddhism as heretical to his own understanding, he accepts the 100-day challenge. He buys a lottery ticket, which he holds in his hand just before he starts chanting alone. He says to himself: “Here is my vow: If I win the lottery, to prove I am not greedy I will not accept the money. I will destroy the ticket and not tell a soul about this.”
So he does win…but he doesn’t destroy the ticket. Instead, he makes another vow: “I can’t destroy this ticket. I must accept the money because I have a feeling I can do something enlightening with it. Enlightening for the whole world.”
He stashes most of his $100M winnings, not changing his lifestyle except in one respect: He opens up a small night club. “I work behind the scenes in movies, but I always enjoyed performing before a live audience. So I opened this small club to give myself and others that opportunity.”
After much struggle, Rex knows what to do next. He opens a bigger club, with a sign over the door: “All good conduct is welcome here.”
This bigger club, in one of its more expensive rooms, attracts well-heeled and influential regulars. These are taped via hidden cameras over a period of several months. This footage is secretly edited and manipulated by Rex to show panic and death resulting from a faux arson. Rex has gone through great trouble to learn as much as possible about his more notorious patrons, so he can narrate their bios as they die.
The resulting 10-minute movie is screened as a premiere titled Jihad. Essentially, Jihad is a mini-movie about a terrorist firebombing of the very same room in which the film is being shown, featuring the very same people who are watching this film. As the film unfolds its death scenes, including “terrorists” in black using flamethrowers on their victims, Rex is shown in the form of a hologram walking calmly among his dying guests. A freeze-frame of each one, engulfed in flames, is introduced by Rex. For example:
“Here we have well-known publisher Mr. So-and-so. He’ll soon meet his maker. But what was the nature of his jihad – his struggle? For truth? For God? For justice? Or only for the benefit of Israeli propaganda? [pause] Good Lord, nothing stinks worse than burning human flesh but…we all must make sacrifices.”
We see the 10-minute film unfolding but we do not see the audience watching it. But we do hear their murmuring, an escalating din of panicked voices, and chairs clattering noisily as guests scramble for the exits. We don’t see the live guests – only the film – but it’s not immediately clear if the live scene is “imitating art.”
Jihad ends and the lights go on. We see an empty room – empty except for Rex – with scattered chairs and other signs of flight but…clearly… no sign of any mass destruction caused by fire.
Rex picks up the phone, calls the police, and says, “I wish to turn myself in.” He hangs up the phone then aims a triggering device at an overhead sensor, which causes the room to explode in flames as Rex walks out a back door.
An initial decision is made to try Rex for an act of terrorism, especially since he had arranged in advance for this footage to stream to the internet via a number of outlets. This streaming took place shortly after his arrest.
However, since Rex’s actions had become an instant cause célèbre, it is decided to make him disappear. By secret order of the US
During his secret interrogation, Rex makes several claims:
· “I wanted to show I could have killed those men but … I am not a murderer.”
· “I made the film Jihad to make a point – several points, actually. Like…here I am, willingly in prison, willing to give up $100 million. Most westerners could at least see some redeeming social value in this, but they’d be indifferent to a suicide bomber killing a few dozen civilians.”
· “The whole point of jihad is liberation.”
Most of the time, Rex is in solitary confinement during which time he talks to himself. Not merely thinking to himself but speaking, so that any hidden microphone could hear him.
Thirty years later, he’s released from the prison, not able to access any of his previous fortune [seized as booty in the War on Terror]. Why is he released? “New administration in Washington
Last scene: He’s an old man sitting alone on a park bench in the spring. Another old man walks up to the bench and sits down next to him.
“I know who you are,” says the stranger to Rex.
“I know you know who I am but…who are you?” – Rex.
“I was one of your jailers. I watched you for five years.” – Stranger.
“Ah, I knew someone had to be watching me. Tell me, you guys still have the Global War on Terror thing going on?” – Rex.
“That? Oh yeah. It will never stop, you know” – Stranger.
“What’s the big focus now?” – Rex.
“Brazil
“Stop…no more…I don’t even want to know” – Rex.
“You said something in solitary. You said, ‘The whole point of jihad is liberation.’ Did you, personally, attain liberation?” – Stranger.
“It was never about my personal liberation. It was about…yours.”
Steven Searle for US President in 2012
Founder of The Independent Contractors’ Party
“It’s entirely possible that movies won’t be made in the distant future; instead, people could read sketches like this, using their imaginations to connect those dots. Hell, it’d be a lot cheaper” – Steve.
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