EXTENDED SYNOPSIS
Vignette #1 – The Drawing Room
A young black woman, BANQUO, dressed in a 1970’s business suit, lies sprawled on a wood floor with blood on her back. She gets up, stumbles, picks up her papers and briefcase, and heads to the corner of what appears to be a large decaying gothic drawing room. She sits down and begins to write. One by one, our NARRATOR introduces six characters – ranging from a young socialite to an old dowager – all of whom contribute little to society, but believe they are superior to the next – for no valid reason. As they socialize, BANQUO continues with her academic exercise. None of the other characters notice her; nor does she interact with them.
Vignette #2 – The Ballroom
In a ballroom with parquet floors and traditional English oak paneling resembling the padding of an insane asylum cell, two lovers – CHARLOTTE LOUISE BEAUFORT and SPENCER PLOUGH – perform a dance that is both beautiful and despondent, as our NARRATOR describes their co-dependent relationship. He needs her money, and she needs his affection. It’s a familiar archetype of how the need to preserve status triumphs over love – and it’s one we’ve seen throughout time (think Henry the 8th and Anne Bolelyn; or Trump and Melania). BANQUO walks past them, unnoticed, in the background.
Vignette #3 – The Great Hall
In the Great Hall, our NARRATOR introduces four men representing the powerful – those of the Royal Court and legislative bodies, religious influence, and old money. These are the archetypes of how power incestuously seeks only to retain it through any means necessary – yet another seed planted by the old European power culture that has been engrained into America’s foundation and persists today. BANQUO stands in the corner reading. She remains unnoticed until she accidentally drops a book, eliciting a disapproving glare from THE DUKE OF HARDEDGE. She quickly leaves the room. Their useless reminiscing and scheming are suddenly interrupted by a scream heard off screen.
Vignette #4 – The Woods and Hell
The fourth vignette takes place in the dark Woods which represents an environment where the white power establishment carries out the ugly “behind the scenes” acts that are necessary to retain power, distract from their true nature, and continue as they are. With masks covering their faces, all the characters from the previous vignettes gather around the dead body of BANQUO. She lays on the forest floor with a sword plunged in her back. Unsurprisingly, no one appears to care; they are unapologetic. The NARRATOR explains that instead they are pleased with the distraction as it diverts attention away from their own malfeasance onto the film’s strawman, BANQUO. They really should be in hell…
…but in Hell even the DEVIL will not accept their souls as they are beyond an evil that even he can endure. The DEVIL raises his arms to banish them to suffer the worst fate – being themselves – and he slams shut the gates of hell to them.
The rooms start to spin like a carousel showing no sign of ending - with BANQUO killed over and over again in a different manner with every turn. However, through snippets, BANQUO begins to assert herself. No longer ignored in the background, she begins to rebel and challenges the other characters in the various rooms.
Vignette # 5 – Great Hall (post end credits)
LORD FLATBOTTOM, alone in the Great Hall, looks around to find someone – anyone. Seeing no one, he sits down, extremely confused. He may not know it yet, but his time is coming to an end.