Slaphead

Description

Slaphead is a black comedy about a bullied teacher, Mr Crinkly, confronting his assailants. It's set entirely at his private school. Regularly picked on, with a focus on his dire comb-over, the students take it one step too far; covering him in glue and hair trimmings whilst on his way to a blind date. The teacher's dark imagination runs wild - making up the bulk of the second act, but he chooses to look inwards and take the high-road. Though that doesn't mean the bullies will get away with it scott free...

Both bullying and understanding the consequences of your actions are constantly topical and exciting themes to explore. Why not put a teacher at the centre of the bullying story for a change?

In limiting the number of locations and the cast size we intend to free up resources to focus on production value; creating a beautiful, albeit moody, private school environment with slick, fluid and mobile cinematography. References for the story range If..., some of the Ealing comedies such as Kind Hearts and Coronets, Scent of a Woman, Shawshank Redemption, Heathers and Old Boy.

Biblical Connection

Taken from Kings 4, Chapter 2, Verses 23-24: [23] And Elisha went up from thence to Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, youths came out of the city and mocked him, saying: Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head. [24] And looking back, he saw them, and cursed them in the name of the Lord: and there came forth two female bears out of the forest, and tore of them two and forty boys. A little extreme maybe, but the message is clear: don't make fun of people (in fact, the message in the overall context is likely to be regarding the prophet Elisha. It seems more fair to apply it to people generally). Prophet Elisha is characterised by Mr Crinkly here, a private school geography teacher. The two and forty youths a much smaller group of his students (2 girls, 4 boys). The two female bears the two beautiful strangers. All fairly literal, including the punishment itself, until Mr Crinkly tries to turn the other cheek. The conclusion is a little more subtle, but the message is the same; there'll be consequences if you make fun of someone.