Atomic Julie - THE WHEEL IS DEATH - by Roger Dee

[Mature themes and violence]

A modernization of the story "Hop-Frog" by Edgar Allen Poe, turning it into a 1980s frat house horror movie.

A bunch of pranksters find out the joke's on them.

Written and produced by Julie Hoverson

Cast List Frogger - Brian Lomatewama Lydia - Megan Lane Rex - James Turpin Deanna - Chandra Wade Uno - Justin Charles Buzz - Lothar Tuppan Trey - Danar Hoverson Lucky - Cary Ayers June - Kate Waterous Lisa - Melissa Pang Bob - James Sedgwick Fred - Jonathon del Arroz Dora - Melissa Bartell Kathy - Suzanne Dunn

Music by Persson (available on Jamendo) Editing and Sound: Julie Hoverson Thanks to Glen Hallstrom for sound assistance Cover Design: Dennis Hager

"What kind of a place is it? Why it's a college locker room, in the classic era of frat-house prank films, can't you tell?"

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POE-etic Justice

Loosely adapted from the story "Hop-Frog" by Edgar Allen Poe by Julie Hoverson ([email protected])

Cast: [Opening credits - Olivia] Frogger Lydia Tripp Deanna Dora Bob, Fred, Kathy, June

FRATS: Rex Mason, fraternity head, etc. Uno Buzz Trey Lucky

OLIVIA Did you have any trouble finding it? What do you mean, what kind of a place is it? Why, it's a college campus in the nostalgic era of screwball hijinks films, can't you tell?

MUSIC

LYDIA (Quotes from the original story) I never knew anyone so keenly alive to a joke as the king was. He seemed to live only for joking. To tell a good story of the joke kind, and to tell it well, was the surest road to his favor. Thus it happened that his seven ministers were all noted for their accomplishments as jokers.

AMB LOCKER ROOM

UNO Man! Did you see the look on his face!

BUZZ Like he'd never seen it bald before.

FRATS [Hearty laugh]

TREY That was you guys? Oh, man.

FROGGER [muttered] It's gonna itch.

UNO [less chummy] What?

FROGGER [laughs unconvincingly] When the hair grows back. It itches like a sonofabitch.

TREY, UNO, BUZZ [chuckle]

UNO [pretend serious] And Frogger would know!

TREY, UNO, BUZZ [laugh hysterically]

REX Cut him some slack, dudes. Frogger's our pal. He's a funny guy.

MUSIC

LYDIA About the refinements, or, as he called them, the 'ghost' of wit, the king troubled himself very little. He had an especial admiration for breadth in a jest, and would often put up with length, for the sake of it.

MUSIC

REX Are they gonna get here soon?

BUZZ If Studs and Lucky got everything right.

REX Cool, then. This is gonna be a laugh riot.

BUZZ When the froshes come walking into the rooms, each thinking they're gonna "get a little", oh yeah.

REX Got someone with a tapedeck in each bathroom?

BUZZ Too right! We had to borrow an extra one from Delta pi, but that's cool. It was Deanna made the tapes anyway.

REX Frogger, what'd you get her to say?

FROGGER [sigh, then, putting on a matching tone] I gave her this script. Should be funny as hell.

BUZZ Here! "oh, good! You got my note! I hope you don't mind that I'm a little... kinky. [laughing and having a hard time reading] I want you to undress and [collapses]

REX What?

BUZZ Gimme a minute! [laughing, deep breath] undress and put on my underwear. It's right there on the bed.

BUZZ and REX [hysterical fit]

REX Not laughing, Frogger?

FROGGER Just saving it til I see their faces.

REX [agreeing chuckle] That'll be boss. Hey, you're into all that educated stuff. What's up with this Woody Allen guy?

BUZZ That's that little Jewish nerd, right?

REX This chick I was with last week says he's all hilarious, but I watched this movie - well, some of it, I was mostly macking on another hottie, and it was all like whining.

FROGGER You want the brainhead answer or the real life one?

REX Hit me with the smart one.

FROGGER Woody Allen specializes in observational humor - looking at the angst and neuroses inherent in modern life and stepping aside and commenting on them.

BUZZ [elaborate yawn]

FROGGER But mostly it is just whining.

REX [laughs] I knew it!

SOUND DISTANT DOOR OPENS

BUZZ Shh! Here they come!

MUSIC

LYDIA I believe the name 'Hop-Frog' was not that given to the dwarf by his sponsors at baptism, but it was conferred upon him, by general consent of the several ministers.

MUSIC

AMB PARTY

REX Grab me a brewski Frogger.

FROGGER No problemo.

DEANNA Why "Frogger"? I mean, that's not like his real name, right?

REX Duh. You just gotta see him cross a street sometime. Freaking funny.

DEANNA Why do keep a little toad like that around? Did you like lose a bet?

...