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Title: SPELLBOUND

Reference number: 7479

Date: 1992

Director: d. Brian Saberton

Sound: sound

Original format: super 8mm

Colour: col

Fiction: fiction

Running time: 14.20 mins

Description: A short amateur comedy which tells the story of a woman who finds an ancient spell that brings two ebullient and disruptive monks from Melrose Abbey forward in time to the present day.

Note from Mr Saberton: This film was made for the Strathclyde Film Event on the theme of "Out of the Past". It tells the story of a woman who finds an ancient spell that brings two ebullient and disruptive monks from Melrose Abbey, forward in time to the present day. It was filmed at the home of Bryan & Evelyn Law. The effect of the Monks disappearing at the end had to be done in camera by doing a fade out as they walked, then back-winding the film and fading in again on the scene without the monks. During this process the other three members of the cast had to stay completely still and the camera had to be held in a fixed position. This film won the competition. This film also won the Choice of the Clubs Competition in 1994. This film also won the WS Smith Trophy for best film in the SAM Members Competition 1992/93.

Paper archive records relating to the Dalziel Camcorder Club are held at the National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive.

Credits: cast Jennifer Lundie (Abigail Elersom), Michael Moran (Graham Elersom), Bill Farquharson (Brother Robert), George Morice (Brother Allan), Vincent Picozzi (Vincent), Colette Picozzi (Colette)
sc. Bill Farquharson, Brian Saberton
camera Bryan Law
lighting Bryan Law
ed. Brian Saberton, Bryan Law
sd. Brian Saberton, Bryan Law
titles Jean Ballantyne
production assistant Evelyn Law

Shotlist: [shotlisted from VHS - manual control track]

title - Abigail sits in her living room looking at a collection of old books - her husband Graham comes downstairs and argues with her about the books, then goes off to work - as Abigail looks at pictures of an abbey, a shadow appears on the wall, and two monks, Brother Robert and Brother Allan appear in the room - Abigail is confused as they explain that they are in search of a spell - the telephone rings and Abigail tells her friend what has happened, then ushers the monks out of the house, where one is nearly run over by a car - they run back in the back door (5.01) Abigail tries to get them to leave, but they insist on finding their spell - they see the television set and are astounded - Brother Allan admits to a 'pressing need' and runs out to the garden to urinate, but Abigail drags him back in, to the amazement of her neighbour, and drags him upstairs to the toilet (7.56) meanwhile downstairs Brother Robert is helping himself to a decanter of whisky and offers some to Brother Allan (8.47) Graham returns home to find the two drunken monks in the house - Abigail and Graham argue about who brought the monks to the house, and their friends arrive early for their evening game of Scrabble - Abigail ushers the monks into another room to hide - their friends Vincent and Colette settle in the living room, but the monks can be heard praying in the other room - Vincent looks through one of the old books and finds the spell that the monks have been looking for - as he reads it out, the monks disappear from the room, having taken the full bottle of whisky with them - Colette assumes it is one of Graham's practical jokes, but Abigail and Graham are amazed and can only stare - c/u shot of the book as the spell disappears - ecs - The End (14.20)