Olga Boyko - The Chronicles of the Counts Dracula-Cardie. Adapted from Baron Olshevris novel «Vampires»

The American servant bows to the count and countess.

Nettie jumps, bristles up and rushes at him.

The old man drives her away with a crutch, which he holds in his hands

COUNTESS MARIA

Nettie has never behaved like this before!

COUNT FREDERICK

Petro, take the dog away.

Petro grabs Nettie by the collar and drags her off the terrace.

The American Servant bows, handing Count Frederick a large sealed envelope.

Count Frederick opens it and reads a few lines to himself, then turns towards his wife

COUNT FREDERICK

(continues)

A coffin, bearing the mortal remains of our American relative is due to arrive at the castle in accordance to his wishes. He wanted to be buried in his home soil.

Countess Maria nods silently

COUNT FREDERICK

(continues)

Are you the same servant who is mentioned in this letter?

The American Servant bows in acknowledgement

AMERICAN SERVANT

My Lord, when can I bring the coffin?

COUNTESS MARIA

Tomorrow, if you wish

The American Servant bows to the couple and leaves

COUNTESS MARIA

(continues)

Who was that relative, dear?

END OF THE MEMORIES

EXT – VENICE, LIDO CANAL – SUMMER EVENING

BEGINNING OF GROWN-UP CARLO’S MEMORIES

A gondola glides noiselessly along the water. Last rays of the setting sun reflect on the canal. All around, laughter and singing can be heard from the neighboring gondolas.

CARLO (27 years old): a son of Count Frederick and Countess Maria, an educated young aristocrat, has lived away from home for almost 20 years.

Carlo gazes at the water, lost in thought

TITLE: 1852

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

My mother died when I was already in Nuremberg. She was so beautiful, and yet she died so young. To this day I don’t know what illness took her to her grave.

END OF THE MEMORIES

INT – LARGE LIVING ROOM OF THE CASTLE, GROUND FLOOR – DAYTIME

BEGINNING OF YOUNG CARLO’S MEMORIES

Young Carlo and Count Frederick talk in the living room of the castle. Carlo cries, standing in front of his father

TITLE: 1832

COUNT FREDERICK

It is your mother’s wish.

YOUNG CARLO

But why? Doesn’t she love me anymore?

INT-LUCY’S ROOM, NIGHT

Lucy sleeps peacefully in her bed when a big black cat moves crouching towards her. It arches its back and pounces on the child, mutilating her face. Lucy screams from pain and fear and tries to fling the cat away but the animal keeps attacking.

The door flies open and Catherine, the washer-woman Marina and the female cook rush in. The cat hides under the bed

CATHERINE

What is wrong, young lady?

Lucy sobs. Marina sees the blood and flings up her hands in horror. The cook presses a hand to her own mouth to stifle a scream. Catherine hugs the child

LUCY

Ooow, it hurts. That horrible cat hurt me! Why didn’t you help me?

CATHERINE

We came running as soon as we heard you.

Maria and Frederick come into the room. Frightened, Marina makes a hasty curtsey. The cook leaves the room backwards

COUNTESS MARIA

What is happening?

She looks at her daughter and pales. Maria sits down on the bed. Frederick casts Marina an angry look. She takes a few steps backwards

COUNTESS MARIA

Are you alright my dear?

LUCY

No! I am hurt and I am scared!

Blood drips from her face onto the pillow

COUNTESS MARIA

(speaking to servants)

Bring water and bandages. Hurry!

(speaking to Lucy)

Who did this to you?

The little girl starts to cry

LUCY

(in between sobs)

A cat…it was so…huge… and scary.

Maria looks around, then nods to her husband. Frederick picks up a burning candle and looks under the bed. A drape between the bed and he window moves. A sound of beating wings can be heard. A dark shadow moves into the night

COUNT FREDERICK

Calm down, dear, there is no one.

LUCY

The cat had the same evil eyes like the nasty old man from America.

The girl is calmed down by her parents and put back to bed

INT-MARIA’S ROOM-A VISION

Maria is on her bed, moaning, tormented by a nightmare. Lucy’s ghost forms at the foot of her bed

LUCY

Mommy, help me! Please, I am scared, I am going to die soon. Don’t leave me, please. Save me!

Maria wakes up and sits upright, breathing heavily

INT-MARIA’S ROOM-MEMORIES

Maria embroiders by the window. Michael, Petro and Catherine rush into the room. They are clearly disturbed

MICHAEL

Something bad has happened, my lady.

COUNTESS MARIA

What’s the matter?

MICHAEL

Your husband, my lady!

The Countess rises from her chair abruptly

COUNTESS MARIA

What is wrong with Frederick?

MICHAEL

His Highness has had a fall from a horse…

COUNTESS MARIA

Is he alive?

MICHAEL

Yes, but he is badly hurt.

Maria tries to run out of the room but faints.

She opens her eyes and sees the gloating smiling face of the American servant

AMERICAN SERVANT

So my lady, you haven’t worn my present yet? What a pity, the necklace has some wonderful properties and it could help guard your loved ones from harm…

Maria nods hopelessly

AMERICAN SERVANT

A wise decision, my lady. One can never run from one’s destiny.

EXT – LIDO, VENETIAN CANAL – SUMMER DAY

Venetian canal. A gondola glides quietly along the waves. Carlo stands in it, dipping an oar into the water.

TITLE: 1852

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

I can still see my mother clearly, tall and slender with rich golden braids.

Maria’s face, framed by two thick braids is reflected in the waters of the canal

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes, continues)

Her blue eyes are looking at me with such love. I can feel them still, but what? Another eyes are looking at me, but they are not my mother’s calm blue ones, but black and passionate.

The image in the water changes, Maria’s blue eyes darken and become brown eyes of a STRANGE WOMAN (aka Rita, 19 years old), she is soon seen sitting in the nearby gondola. Rita and Carlo exchange glances and he is clearly smitten.

The camera shows only Rita’s eyes for now, the rest of her face is obscured

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes, continues)

I want to see her again!

EXT – VENICE, LIDO, SEAFRONT – SUMMER EVENING

Rita walks along the seaside (the camera shows her back, her face is kept hidden from the viewer).

She is followed by her nurse CECILIA (45 years old), the Italian, Catholic.

RITA: 19 years old, a beautiful Venetian, impoverished noblewoman. Selfish, self-confident, pampered. Rita has beautiful white skin and dark hair.

CECILIA: 45 years old, Catholic. She speaks only Italian.

Carlo watches them from a quiet spot on a nearby bench while writing a letter to Alf

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

I found her, my black-eyed girl. She is so dazzling!

(pause)

Just think of a description of a legendary Venetian beauty, but even then think not of her but of her shadow.

RITA

(shouting playfully)

Carlo, come to us!

CARLO

Right away.

He keeps writing

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes)

I am not going home alone. Rita is coming with me, we are to be married!

RITA

(calling)

Carlo, Carlo, we are waiting for you!

CARLO

I am coming.

He keeps writing

CARLO’S VOICE

(behind the scenes, continues)

You are asking me about the coffin that I had written to you about… yes it was Grandfather’s coffin, brought by his old servant from the land of the Aztecs.