DAILY PROMPT on Word Press
Missing Sequels
If you could create a sequel to one favourite (standalone) movie, which would it be? How would it build on the original?
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Image from the Net
THE RETURN OF THE BIRDS
by John Yeo
I am not much of a movie buff, but my favourite candidate For a sequel would be an Alfred Hitchcock, movie from 1963 entitled “The Birds”, this is a horrific take of a buildup of bird power, beginning to frighten and attack humanity. We are left with a feeling that the birds are massing and gathering to launch a full scale attack on humanity and take control of the world. The build up and massing of thousands of different species of birds at the end of the film, leaving an open- ended horrifying ending, is a wonderful candidate for a sequel. Many would say however that to attempt to interfere with a work of such outstanding brilliance and try to write a sequel is pure sacrilege.
My sequel would continue with the random and increasing attacks on the population, leading to the involvement of the military. Much slaughter of our avian attackers would then begin by all means possible, including flame throwers and gas. The response from the birds would be to mass together and enter buildings and attack the occupants from within. There would be terror and fear reigning throughout the land as the casualties mounted and the authorities were powerless to defeat these random attacks.
Mitch and Lydia would survive and there would enter a new character, a hermit from the wilderness of the Rocky Mountains.
Gabriel would arrive with two huge Eagles circling above his head and offer to rid the leading aggressive birds of their leaders, leaving the hordes of feathered attackers in disarray.
There would be a huge price to pay for this solution however, Gabriel requests a huge area of land with a palatial property and an income to be paid for the rest of his life. Some would hesitate to pay any price at all, leave alone this unrealistic demand made by Gabriel. Members of the government would finally agree to his demands as the attacks by the birds inside the buildings became almost impossible to stop.
The action then would go something like this ……
“Gabriel then blew on a very high pitched whistle, the response from the Eagles was instant and soon there were a large number of these huge birds in the skies attacking and destroying the leaders of the fearsome flock of attackers.
Within hours it was all over and some semblance of normality had returned to the lives of the beleaguered populations. A peace settled on the community for a settled period of months.
Gabriel approached the leaders and requested his agreed price for the miracle of the return to peace and normality. There was much discussion and the upshot was a much smaller offer than he had requested. A few thousand pounds and a medal of honour, with the freedom of the land forever.
Gabriel was very irate and demanded his reward without success. The leaders just laughed in his face. The result was devastating as Gabriel drew a trumpet and blew hard and long, one note, silent to the powers of human understanding.
There was a guttural squawking from a flock of Crows and a screeching of large Seagulls as a huge flock of birds massed to attack. The birds were back and menacingly massing to begin to attack the citizens again.”
The sequel would finish with a concerted attack on a large public arena during a well-attended sports final, the birds would attack suddenly from all directions. The casualties would be huge from this totally unexpected surprise attack. The army and extermination teams would race to the area but they would arrive to find not a single bird in the area. Then fighter planes would appear; to discover the flocks had separated and we’re now scattered over a very huge area.
Copyright (c) written by John Yeo ~ All rights reserved.
(With grateful thanks and respect to author and producer of the original masterpiece)
I really let my imagination run riot with this prompt. I think this is the sequel that would be impossible to make.
