01x05 - Hypnotic Eyes

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(LIVELY GUITAR MUSIC PLAYING)

♪♪

♪♪

(OMINOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(QUIET CHATTER)

(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(PHONE RINGING)

(PHONE RINGING)

(AIR BLOWING)

(PHONE RINGING)

Bon, uh...

(LAUGHS)

Sí.

(SIGHS, LAUGHS)

- Yes!
- Yes.

- (DOOR OPENS)
- Ah! sh*t.

- RENÉ: Am I disturbing you?
- No. You scared me.

- Oh.
- Come in.

No, because... I want, I want, I want

to show you something.

It's the original version

of, uh, the scene
we are sh**ting today.

Look.

Look, um...

You know, I-I-I'm quite
familiar with this.

While the Grand Vampire

entertains Werner in the salon...

Irma Vep steals the treasure map

from Mr. Werner's room,

but Moreno intercepts her.

Okay? Look, look, look! (LAUGHS)

It's one of the most
important scenes in the series.

It, it has to be
as striking as the original.

Between you and Moreno,

it has to be sexy.

MIRA: Sure.

Look. Look, look.

- Yeah.
- There is desire.

- There is seduction. Y-You can see.
- Hm.

RENÉ: I just spoke
to Robert downstairs,

you have to understand that
with the Grand Vampire,

they're, they are more like, um...

- business partners.
- Mm.

The Grand Vampire is an older man,

- an, an old fart.
- (BOTH CHUCKLING)

And she's not interested
in him... - Yeah, I know.

- She's totally over him.
- You get it.

- That old fart. Yeah.
- Yeah.

Enter Moreno, you see.

- Yeah.
- Moreno. Sexy.

_

Yes. Sexy. Young.

- Daring.
- A very smooth villain, I must say.

Yeah, but she is a criminal.

She is the dangerous one.

- Yeah!
- But, but Moreno

turns the tables on her...

- Mm.
- And, and from evil mastermind,

she devolves into
a, a damsel in distress.

(GASPS) How dare you?

Yeah, he, he, he humiliates her.

Uh, whoa. That's a big word.

I do not think he humiliates her.

Uh, no, I mean, she's exposing
the audience's own twisted desires.

For me, that's...

quite cartoonish.

That's what makes it...

fun,

entertainment.

True, true, but, um...

you know, wh-when,

when he,

he drags and kidnaps her,

what, what makes this hot,

is that it's very chaste.

Nothing is shown.

- That's true.
- But we can feel the tension.

And, and, and most of all,
it's a great plot twist.

Yeah.

You don't see it coming.

Yeah, that, that's the
scene that stands out.

Y-You can check it o-out on YouTube...

I know. It's, it's the most...

watched clip of "The Vampires" online,
but...

I don't... I don't get it.

It's, it's the ultimate
teenage fantasy.

- (GROANS)
- Uh, boys are scared of girls,

so they fantasize about taming them.

Of, of course, it, it
never happens in real life.

Everything happens in real life.

The good...

the bad...

everything...

in between.

RENÉ: Let's sh**t it.

- Scene B-slash...
- RENÉ: Excuse me.

Gottfried, uh... Gottfried...

you know that Feuillade hit a nerve.

Yes.

This is the beginning of the scene

they almost got banned for.

- Production was shut down.
- Don't worry.

I'll make sure you
get banned, too. (LAUGHS)

- No, no, no, no, no, no.
- (CHUCKLING)

But it's, it's not what I meant, okay?

Stay in control...
Don't hurt anyone, okay?

- I'll try.
- Okay.

No promises.

But keep your animal instinct.

Be dangerous.

Try to surprise her.

- (THUD)
- Stay in control.

- Clap.
- Scene B-slash- . Take one.

(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

(MIRA YELLING, GRUNTING)

- (MIRA SHOUTING)
- Cut! Cut! Cut!

(GROANING)

A-A-Are, are you okay?

Yeah, uh, no,
I hurt myself, but I'm fine.

Fine? Okay, bec-because

I-I-I need to watch the playback.

MIRA: Sure.

Okay, watching playback.

- We'll do it again.
- I'm sorry. I didn't realize.

I was in character.

You got carried away.

I always get carried away.

MIRA: Uh... - It's the
only way for me to act.

This is our first... ugh!
First scene together,

so let me be very clear,

you're gonna have to find
another way to act.

I get into a trance.

MIRA: Yeah, well, with me,

you'll have to lose the trance.

(SIGHS) Self-control... How dull.

But, but if it's your wish...

- MIRA: It is.
- Excuse me.

Okay. This one went wrong.

Sorry, it was boring, okay?

I didn't feel any tension.

We need something more fluid, more...

Yeah, yeah, no. I think I understand

what it is you need and want
and... - Yes. Move like a snake.

Yeah, if, if... Can you
just grab me with the scarf,

and I'll take care of the rest.

You are the lady. I'll happily submit.

- Scene B...
- RENÉ: Please, please.

Wait, please, please.

Gottfried, uh...
we, we sh*t this times.

And I will do it
a hundred more if need be.

I don't doubt it.

But, j-just, uh, keep it simple, uh.

- Try to do it in a, a minimal way.
- (SCOFFS) Come on.

More minimal than what
I'm doing would be catatonic.

Exactly. It's perfect.

Catatonic. That's the word.

It's, it's right on the dot.

Let's do it catatonic.

Super.

Scene B-slash- , take .

CARLA: Mark.

(LIGHT MUSIC PLAYING)

(DOOR CREAKS)

RENÉ: Cut! Next scene!

CARLA: Okay, actors can have a break.

Mira?

What's wrong?

I saw you sneaking in here,
but didn't tell anyone.

(CRYING) It's okay.

- What happened?
- No, I just can't keep it in.

Eamonn. (CHUCKLES)

(GROANS)

Lianna was... pregnant.

She had a miscarriage the other night.

He was a wreck.

And...

- Told him to come over.
- What?

You always said you never
wanted to speak to him again.

Well, I did. (CHUCKLES)

He needed comforting.

Yeah.

He stayed the night.

Do you still love him?

I don't know. I'm so lost.

No, no, I don't, I don't love him.

We, we had three great years together.

I, I loved him so much,
he taught me so much...

He's such an amazing actor.

You know, I c...

can't just erase all that.

But you gave him just as much.

He gave me confidence.

So, muster it up,

and get off your ass,
and go do your job.

Sorry, everyone's waiting
and they're freaking out.

Yeah, I know.

I'm the reliable one.
I can't break down.

I think right now, you're perfectly

capable of pulling yourself together.

Thank you. Ah, f*ck.

(MIRA GRUNTING)

(TENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

So, you are... the infamous Irma Vep.

Quite the catch.

Your ringleader will
have to wait in vain.

I'm keeping this pretty tramp...

for myself.

I don't think you know
who you're up against.

I... am the ringleader here.

You are my c*ptive now.

If you plan on getting close to me,

you'll have to make me love you first.

And trust me, that will never happen.

We shall see.

Now sit.

It would seem you have
run out of options.

Like it or not,

you're mine now...

for the taking.

(GRUNTING)

Don't fight...

Let yourself go.

♪♪

Sweet dreams...

my child.

The treasure map. (LAUGHS)

♪♪

You're mine now.

♪♪

♪♪

- (COUGHING)
- Shh!

- Cut! Let's, let's do one more.
- (COUGHING)

- That one felt really good to me.
- Yeah, I think

we were really into it.

Maybe we could try extending it a bit.

So, o-o-one more take, but where

you really take your time, okay?

Stretch the actions
to, to make it more intense.

It was intense enough for me.

- Just as we rehearsed it.
- Are you, are you sure?

- Positive.
- RENÉ: Oh.

We've done seven takes.
I think we're good.

R-René? This was almost two minutes.

You have more than what you need.

JEREMIE: This one was perfect.

Okay... Okay, l-l-let's do,
uh, some close-ups, now.

CARLA: Okay, close-up
and then lunch break!

(DEEP SIGH)

(CLEARS THROAT)

- Indeed.
- Indeed.

MAKE-UP ARTIST: Here. Okay.

Yeah? Good.

Sorry we kept you waiting,
but we're finally done.

- You okay?
- Yeah, we're just very late.

Well, good thing I don't
have to do much anyways.

- What do you mean?
- Well, all I have to do is

open my eyes and look like a zombie.

Yeah, well, there are a
million ways to do that.

Well, I hope we won't explore them all.

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(ECHOES) Rise up...

It's time for your mission.

Take this treasure map

to the Grand Vampire.

He will mistake you for Irma Vep,

and will rush... to the
hiding place in the woods.

Now I just have to sit back
and wait for you to bring me

the treasure.

♪♪

Shh.

You're my c*ptive.

I will keep you under my spell...

at least until the Grand Vampire

pays your ransom.

I'm sure he will pay a pretty penny...

to keep

such a mesmerizing evildoer

by his side.

Or maybe I should keep you for myself.

Who knows?

♪♪

(INTENSE MUSIC PLAYING)

(VIDEO PLAYS)

(PHONE BEEPING)

(IRMA VEP GRUNTING)

♪ Our one source of energy ♪

♪ Electricity ♪

(CLEARS THROAT)

Uh...

No, no...

CREW MEMBER: What Robert
is trying to tell you is Feuillade

was obviously getting off
on having a strong woman

kidnapped and humiliated.

Well, um... okay.

Well, she's, uh, evil herself, okay?

A, a murderess.

- Mm-hm.
- And, uh, she's involved in things

far worse than kidnapping.

So, it's the same old story?

She had it coming?

She's guilty of her own r*pe?

- But...
- We don't see it the same way.

What we are seeing

is you're sexualizing as*ault.

You have to get rid of that scene.

So, uh, you, you all agree
with the Police Chief

who shut down Feuillade's set
for indecency a century ago?

- That's censorship.
- Did he?

Yeah, he did. Yes.

Because Musidora herself,
uh, went to the Police Chief

and she pleaded the case.

Bravo.

My character is a pervert.

That, that is what is
so interesting about him.

I think we should take it much further.

Yes.

GOTTFRIED: You straight
people are so dull.

- Robert.
- ROBERT: Yes.

- You are a nice guy.
- You're a nice guy, too, Gottfried...

- I really like you, yeah?
- I really like you.

If, if, if I was still gay...

- Yeah.
- You would be my type.

- (LAUGHING)
- CARLA: Please, stop it.

But you are so repressed.

- I-I feel sorry for you.
- Stop it...

- (HONKING)
- (TIRES SCREECHING)

RENÉ: Oh!

- Que bon espresso.
- WAITRESS: An espresso.

Oui.

Sorry, I'm late.

Oh, nothing to be sorry about.

Uh, I-I'm so sorry
for disturbing you so late.

Oh... I hardly sleep during sh**t.

SERVER: Good evening.
What would you like?

Can I have a herbal tea, please?

SERVER: Yeah, sure.

Ay...

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

C-C-Can I ask you
a, a personal question?

Please.

Did you find, uh, the
abduction scene disturbing?

Because they want me to reshoot it.

I watched the dailies

and, um...

no.


It works.

It's sexy.

Yeah, but they say,
“sexy in a perverted way.”

That's Irma Vep's appeal.

She's a sexy villainess.

It's a strong scene.

(LAUGHS) Whatever puritans will say.

Yeah, it turns me on.

Does that make me a pervert?

Yes, it does.

- MIRA: Mm.
- But...

w-w-what do you mean?

I mean that everybody

has dark fantasies.

But, um, usually...

we outgrow them at some point.

- I never did.
- I noticed.

Well, who cares? Uh, it's in
movies. Uh, it's not a big deal.

You can hurt some people's feelings.

And some people are very thin-skinned.

W-W-What can I do?

Well, you can start by...

taking that into consideration

instead of plainly rejecting it.

And then...

let your imagination loose.

Didn't Musidora...

herself, um,

endorse Feuillade's twisted fantasies?

I think she wrote about
that in her memoirs.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

(EXHILARATING MUSIC PLAYING)

(KNOCKS ON DOOR)

(PHONE RINGING)

Such an honor to receive
the illustrious Musidora.

The honor is to be granted a meeting

with the Paris Police Chief.

Please, sit down.

What a pleasure to meet you.

It's like a beam of sunshine

on a gloomy day, in a gloomy job.

- I have, uh...
- Mm-hm.

Come to you to plead

on behalf of my fellow
artists and crew members

of Leon Gaumont's
production "Les Vampires."

We have been shut down
for two months now.

Sorry to be blunt...

but your film is an abomination.

They are ridiculing authority,
my agents, the police,

and insults the laws of common decency.

It is a work of imagination.

I've not seen the films myself...

but I understand there's
a certain catsuit.

Yes. I wear a silk catsuit.

- So I've heard.
- You have excellent informants.

Monsieur Paul Poiret
himself designed it.

Our greatest fashion
designer, and a gentleman.

Oh, it is, uh, very hot...

in your office.

Uh, do you mind if I, um,
uh, t-t-take off my coat?

Please, let me help you.

- I am actually wearing a Paul Poiret dress.
- Oh.

- Please... we'd be more comfortable here.
- Oh.

Nothing in the film
can hurt my modesty.

We never see any skin.

(CHUCKLES) You are living proof
that one can be very suggestive

without showing anything.

Do not make me blush. (CHUCKLES)

It has shocked many
among your audience.

Consider the fact that
we have competition

from, uh, the international
film industry.

America is releasing
"The Perils of Pauline."

It's a French production, uh...

production française. Pathé Brothers.

True, but sh*t in New Jersey

with an American cast and crew,

whereas we are giving jobs

to our own heroic young men

returning from the front.

You have a point there.

Shutting us down puts talented

technicians and artists out of work,

and... gives the edge

to foreign filmmakers.

I understand.

I say this with the utmost respect.

It, uh, could be considered...

antipatriotique.

Well,

you are not only a beautiful woman...

you are also very smart and persuasive.

We will give the film
a closer second look.

I will let you know
what our final decision is.

Yeah.

Don't tone it down too much, though.

You wouldn't want to
disappoint your many fans.

I will see to it myself

it does not happen.

(MUSIC ENDS)

Oh, hi.

Hi... Sorry.

I'm not familiar with, uh, this area.

- Oh.
- I live on the other side of town.

- It's a long trip.
- I know, Bastille. I was there.

- So, yeah, thank you for coming all the way.
- Please, it's okay.

I just need to understand if... (SIGHS)

Have things cooled down
with you and Robert?

'Cause, uh, yeah, we're

having our next scene tomorrow.

And we just want to make sure that

Mira can stay focused

and get her job done.

Umm...

do you like Robert?

Uh, nothing wrong with him.

Because he sees, um,

the Grand Vampire as a... This, um,

evil mastermind.

He thinks he has
to be cold and distant.

- Not for me to judge.
- He's a bit too cold and distant.

- Yeah.
- He's a fine actor.

- A fine actor?
- Yeah.

- You don't think so.
- Okay...

let me tell you a story.

Did you know that, uh, Louis
Feuillade, uh, could be a difficult man?

On set or off set?

No, off set he was a gentleman,

but, on set, he was uncompromising.

So, one day, for some reason,
he got angry with the, the actor

who played, uh, the Grand Vampire.

His name was, uh, Jean Aymé.

One day, Jean Aymé didn't show up.

Louis Feuillade was a, a
good man, but very stingy.

So, the next morning, when,
uh, Jean Aymé came on set...

Louis Feuillade went straight to him.

(WHIMSICAL ACCORDION MUSIC PLAYING)

(BELL RINGS)

(g*nf*re)

(GROANING)

(DRAMATIC STING)

- Wow. Yeah, he was ruthless.
- Yeah. Wow.

Poor Jean Aymé. I mean, that
must've been real hard on him.

You know what? In the
end, it was better for the film.

What do you mean?

I mean, I think it's cool

when Moreno takes over.

Yeah, yeah. F-F-For a moment,

Irma Vep and Moreno were, uh,

the Bonnie and Clyde of the time.

- MIRA: Uh-huh.
- Sexy outlaws.

- Yes, yes.
- Yeah.

So, let's, let's, let's
k*ll the Grand Vampire.

Let's get rid of him,
exactly like Feuillade did.

MIRA: But that's not in the script.

The question is have you
(CLEARS THROAT)

have you discussed this with Robert?

Not, not... No, not, not, not yet,

but, um,

he will know...

soon enough.

(INDISTINCT CHATTER)

♪♪

(MYSTERIOUS MUSIC PLAYING)

(PEOPLE MOANING)

(MUSIC INTENSIFIES)

(PHONE RINGING)

(KNOCKS ON DOOR)

Hey, uh, (CHUCKLES)

what's the fuss?

- Gottfried has disappeared.
- Yeah...

so I've heard.

Everybody seems to be in a panic.

We had to do some fittings
on his three-piece suit.

It's sh**ting this morning.

Not anymore. Problem solved.

I promised Gregory I would
keep track of him last night.

No one else volunteered.

And then I...

put it off to some PA,

and now this poor guy
is gonna lose his job.

Cool down. You don't have
to worry about Gottfried.

He's probably sleeping off
his booze somewhere.

He'll show up.

Where's your dress?

My dress is right here.
They just dropped it off.

Want to see it?

I'll adjust that here.

Yeah.

You look very sexy
without being obvious at all.

- That's what we want, right?
- Yes, it is.

She has to be devilishly sexy.

Well, you are.

I... I might keep it on.

Go to set. Just to get used to it.

Where did you put the g*n? (CHUCKLES)

Uh-huh.

ZOE: Mira?

About what you said the other night.

What?

When I dropped you at your hotel,

you said something.
You remember, right?

You said, “Next time.”

Zoe...

I like you.

I genuinely do, but, um...

this is not my world.

ZOE: You mean Paris?

Yeah.

I mean Paris. I...

(LAUGHS)

I mean René. I mean...

Irma Vep.

♪ Out in the country ♪

♪ Far from all the soot
and noise of the city ♪

♪ There's a village green ♪

♪ Oh, it's been a long time ♪

♪ Since I last set eyes on
the church with the steeple ♪

♪ Down by the village green ♪

♪ 'Twas there I met
a girl called Daisy ♪

♪ And I kissed her
by the old oak tree ♪

♪ Although I loved my Daisy,
I sought fame ♪

♪ And so I left the village green ♪

♪ I miss the village green ♪

♪ And all the simple people ♪

♪ I miss the village green ♪

♪ The church, the clock, the steeple ♪

♪ I miss the morning dew,
fresh air and Sunday school ♪

♪ And now all the houses ♪

♪ Are rare antiquities... ♪