Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Case Study No. 0624: Alan Dinsdale

Scooby Doo Mystery Mayhem Walkthrough Part 1
10:06
Here goes the first of my commentaryless walkthroughs. This is one of my favorite games.
Tags: Scooby Doo Mystery Mayhem Shaggy Velma Fred Daphne Dinsdale Peabody Ghost Costume Clue Food Walkthrough
Added: 2 years ago
From: SecondShrooboidBrat
Views: 53,447

["Episode 1: The Haunting of Hambridge" appears on screen, as the scene opens inside the Hambridge University Library at night, where the security guard hears a noise before being attacked by something off camera]
[cut to Scooby and the gang driving around inside the Mystery Mobile]
FRED: Alright, we're almost there!
SHAGGY: Where? The malt shop?
VELMA: [chuckles] Don't you guys ever think of anything else?
SHAGGY: Sure! Like, sometimes we think of breakfast ... or lunch!
SCOOBY: Reah! Runch!
DAPHNE: So, what's the story this time?
VELMA: My old neighborhood librarian, Mister Dinsdale, has just been put in charge of the Hambridge University Library. But it seems the library is full of ghosts!
SCOOBY AND SHAGGY: [gulp] Ghosts?!
FRED: A haunted library? Hmm, interesting.
[cut to the gang walking up the steps of the library, where the older African American male librarian is waiting for them]
DINSDALE: Velma Dinkley, you're late! And speaking of late, you still owe a two-dollar late charge on "The Junior Detective Handbook!"
VELMA: But that was in the fourth grade ...
DINSDALE: [clears throat] We'll solve this matter later, Miss Dinkley. Now, it seems that you and your friends have made quite a name for yourselves dealing with ghouls and ghosts.
FRED: We always get our monster!
DAPHNE: Or man in a monster suit, as it usually turns out ...
DINSDALE: Is that so?
[he opens the library door to reveal that it's been overrun with glowing ghosts and floating furniture]
DAPHNE: Jeepers ... or maybe not!
FRED: Okay gang, you know the drill. Let's split up and get to the bottom of this mystery! Shaggy, you and Scooby check out the basement ...
SHAGGY: Hey! Like, why do we always get the basement?
SCOOBY: Rasement? Ruh-uh!
SHAGGY: Like, no way! There's always freaky stuff in basements!
SCOOBY: Reah!
[an elderly bald man walks up behind them]
PEABODY: I'm so sorry, but we've ... lost the key to the basement.
SHAGGY: See? We can't go, there's no key!
DINSDALE: Allow me to introduce Walter Peabody, my assistant. He's in charge of restoring old books.
FRED: Nice to meet you, Mister Peabody.
PEABODY: The pleasure is all mine ...
VELMA: A missing key? Let's keep an eye out for it, guys!
SHAGGY: Yeah? Well, you can look out for keys ... We're lookin' out for ghosts!
SCOOBY: Reah!
[cut to Scooby and Shaggy exploring the library by themselves, when they see a large blue ghost]
SCOOBY: Gulp!
SHAGGY: Zoinks!
[the ghost floats out of sight]
SHAGGY: Like, you go look around, Scoob ... I'll wait here!
SCOOBY: Rhat? Rou're a roward!
SHAGGY: A coward? Me? Why, I resent that! I have sensitive nerves ... Would a coward boldly go through that door over there?
["Walk to the door by using the control stick" appears on screen, as they enter through the door and find themselves in another room with a camera]
SHAGGY: Look Scoob, a camera! Wanna take a picture to keep as a souvenir?
SCOOBY: Reah!
["Cameras are used to save your progress" appears on screen, as they pick up the camera]
SHAGGY: Like, groovy! Now, if things get too scary, we can always remember happier times!
["Lose all your cool and you will restart where you last saved" appears on screen]
SCOOBY: Raggy, rook! Rostumes!
SHAGGY: Hey, maybe we can put these on to confuse the ghosts ...
[they pick up the bedsheets and wear them in order to walk past the blue ghost]
SCOOBY: Raggy, you rook funny!
SHAGGY: Like, look who's talking ...
[they find an old photograph on the floor]
SCOOBY: Raggy, a crue!
SHAGGY: Like, you're right, Scoob! This looks like a clue!
["You found a clue" appears on screen, as they bring the photo to Velma]
VELMA: Great, you found a clue! Remember, at any time, you can look at all the clues in this episode file. Get enough clues and you'll unlock special bonuses too!
[the player selects "A photo of Alan Dinsdale", which shows the librarian as a young man standing in front of the Washington capitol building]
VELMA: [in voice over] That seems to be a young Alan Dinsdale in Washington DC. You can see the capitol in the background.
[the two leave and continue exploring the library, when they enter a room with a couple of book carts strewn about]
SHAGGY: Like, that book cart's blocking the way ... Hey Scoob, maybe you can squeeze under those tables and push the cart from the other side.
["Press A to crawl through narrow spaces" appears on screen]
SHAGGY: You go in, Scoob ... I'll wait here for ya!
[Scooby crawls underneath the tables]
SHAGGY: Good job, Scooby old pal! Now try to push those carts outta the way.
[Scooby goes to the book cart (which is more of a dolly) and pushes it away from the shelves, which allows room for Shaggy to make his way to the other side of the room]

[...]

[after exploring some more of the library, Scooby and Shaggy peek into a hallway where another "ghost" (who looks a lot like a man wearing one of their bedsheets) walks past them]
SHAGGY: Phew, we almost got spotted by another one of those ghosts!
[the "ghost" walks up to a door at the end of the hallway and (rather than materialize through it) takes out a key to unlock the door and walk through]
SHAGGY: Is it just me, or did it walk kinda funny?
SCOOBY: A ghost ... ralk?
[they cautiously approach the door and push it open]
SHAGGY: Well, I think we found a way into the basement!
SCOOBY: Gulp!
[cut to Shaggy and Scooby entering the basement, consisting of several bookshelves with real ghosts floating around]
SHAGGY: Like, this must be the old library that old Mister Peabody was talking about ...

[...]

[Scooby and Shaggy use the "Hideout Key" to enter a locked room, where they find a lone book (with a skull on the front cover) sitting on a podium in the middle of the room]
SHAGGY: Like, look at the freaky book, Scoob!
[he picks up the book, as Scooby starts sniffing around the other end of the room]
SCOOBY: Raggy!
SHAGGY: What did ya find there, Scoob?
[he walks over and picks up a piece of paper]
SHAGGY: Hey! Like, maybe it's a clue ...
[the blue ghost suddenly materializes through the wall]
SCOOBY AND SHAGGY: Zoinks!
[it floats towards them]
SCOOBY AND SHAGGY: Ahh!
[Shaggy drops the book in fear, and (as the ghost floats over it) a ghostly hand reaches out and pulls it into the book Ghostbusters-style]
SCOOBY AND SHAGGY: Whoa!
[the book snaps shut, as the two calm down]
SHAGGY: Like, that book just gobbled up the ghost like it was an eggplant and marshmallow sandwich!
[he laughs, but Scooby begins sniffing the air]
SCOOBY: Randwich? Where?
[Shaggy picks up the book]
SHAGGY: Like, hey Scoob, let's show this ghost-gobbling book to the others ...
[the exit the door, and find Velma crawling around on the floor on all fours]
SHAGGY: Velma! Like, what're you doing here?
[she gets up, revealing that she's not wearing her glasses]
VELMA: Shaggy? Scooby? Is that you? I can't see anything without my glasses! I was following a rather strange-looking ghost, when I tripped over a book and lost them. Can you help me find them, please?
[they head off and find her glasses on the top of a bookshelf]
["You found Velma's glasses, bring them back to her" appears on screen, as they head back]
SHAGGY: Here ya go, Velma.
VELMA: Thanks, Shaggy.
[she looks down at the book]
VELMA: Hey, what's this?
SHAGGY: It's a groovy old book me and Scoob found.
[Scooby nods]
SHAGGY: And like, when I say ghosts are into this book, I mean ghosts are "into" this book!
[he hands the book to her]
VELMA: From the looks of it, I'd say it's a medieval grimoire ...
[she opens the book and looks through it]
VELMA: Hmm, it's missing a few pages ... Interesting. There seems to be some instructions on how to capture spirits. It says here that you need to have the right page to capture the right kind of creature.
[cut to a closeup of the book]
VELMA: [in voice over] Right now there's only one page, the ghost page. All the pages for other monsters are missing.
[cut back to Velma]
VELMA: The more pages we can find, the more kinds of enemies we can gobble up! But it says here you need to charge up the book with magical whisps first ...
SHAGGY: Like, how do we do that?
[cut to a closeup of the book]
VELMA: [in voice over] Just walk up to them. Or, if you can't reach them, open the Tome of Doom and they'll be drawn to it, as long as you face them.
[cut back to Shaggy and Scooby]
SHAGGY: Okay, so like, how do we capture the ghosts?
[cut to Shaggy and Scooby standing in front of the blue ghost]
VELMA: [in voice over] It says here that if a ghost passes in front of the open Tome of Doom, it will automatically get hooked.
[Shaggy opens the book to suck in the ghost]
VELMA: [in voice over] Once you've got it, you have to reel the enemy into the book by bringing its energy down.
[cut back to Shaggy and Scooby]
SCOOBY: Roovy!
VELMA: Hey guys, try catching the ghosts over there. Be careful, though; if you get attacked, the ghosts might break free.
[they run off and start looking for ghosts]
SHAGGY: Like, I knew we should've stayed in the childrens' section!
[they suck up a ghost, but then bump into another one which scares them]
SCOOBY: Yikes!
SHAGGY: I just remembered, my books are overdue!
[they use the book again to suck up the ghost]
SHAGGY: Like, that was close!

[...]

[Scooby and Shaggy show Velma some more clues they've found lying around the library]
VELMA: Great, you found a clue!
[the player selects "A telegram for W.P.", which shows an old fashioned letter]
VELMA: [in voice over] Hmm, this was probably addressed to Walter Peabody. It says "Package received, check is in the mail. S.D."
[the player selects "A crumpled note", which shows an old piece of paper]
VELMA: [in voice over] This note is about the security procedure used to secure the display cases in the lobby.
[the player selects "Footprints", which shows a photograph of footprints]
VELMA: [in voice over] Hmm, ghosts don't leave footprints ... and certainly not footprints from brand new work boots!
[the player selects "A receipt", which shows a piece of paper]
VELMA: [in voice over] This is a receipt for a high quality leather bookbinding, the kind you would use to restore an ancient book.

[...]

[Scooby and Shaggy run into Daphne and Fred]
DAPHNE: Hey guys, we were looking for you ...
FRED: Did you find any clues?
SHAGGY: Boy, did we ever, Fred!
[he holds up the book]
SHAGGY: Like, check out this groovy old book! Velma says it's a "grim-roar!"
SCOOBY: Reah, a rim-roar!
[Velma and Mr. Dinsdale enter]
DINSDALE: That's "grimoire" ... This particular one is quite rare and infamous. It's known as ... the Tome of Doom!
[a thunderclap is heard]
SCOOBY AND SHAGGY: The Tome of Doom? Gulp!
[they begin tossing the book back and forth]
SHAGGY: Here Scoob, you hold it!
SCOOBY: Ruh-uh! You hold it!
SHAGGY: No way, you hold it!
SCOOBY: No!
DINSDALE: The odd thing is that we already have a Tome of Doom, right over there ...
[he points to the exact same book, held under glass in a nearby display case]
VELMA: Hmm, one of them must be fake!
FRED: Interesting. If only we had some more clues to go on ...
[Velma turns to Scooby and Shaggy, who are still tossing the book between one another]
VELMA: Cut it out, you two!
[they stop, and Velma notices some papers fall out of the book]
VELMA: Hey, what are these?
SHAGGY: Oh, just some papers Scooby found ...
DAPHNE: What are they, Velma?
[she takes one and reads it]
VELMA: Hmm, looks like receipts, from a book binder's shop ...
SHAGGY: [points off camera] Zoinks! Look up there, it's that ghost again!
[everyone turns, as the camera cuts to the "ghost" (which looks like a man wearing a sheet) ducking into a nearby doorway]
FRED: Come on, gang! Let's try to capture it! Shag, you and Scooby head up the balcony in case he doubles back!
[everyone else runs off, leaving Scooby and Shaggy alone]
SHAGGY: Like, if Freddy wants to go chasing after ghosts, that's fine by me! We'll just stay here and, uh ... look at pictures of food.
[he goes to grab a book off the shelf, as Scooby looks the other way]
SHAGGY: Hey, a cookbook!
[cut to the "ghost" pushing the bookcase from the other side of the wall, revealing a hidden entrance which he pulls Shaggy into]
SHAGGY: [from off camera] Scooby Doo!
SCOOBY: [turns around] Raggy! Ruh oh!

[...]

[Scooby eventually finds Shaggy, and they are both able to track down the "ghost" speaking to the blue ghost]
PEABODY: [in ghostly voice] After them! After them, I say!
[the blue ghost does nothing]
PEABODY: [suddenly afraid] Stay ... Stay away from me! Ahh!
[he opens a door and runs off, then cut to Scooby and Shaggy high-fiving as they stand above the fallen "ghost"]
SHAGGY: Good work, Scooby-Doo!
SCOOBY: Hee hee hee!
[cut to the rest of the gang and Mister Dinsdale walking in]
DAPHNE: Way to go, guys! But why is the ghost still here? Shouldn't your magic book have gobbled him up?
SHAGGY: Beats me, Daphne.
[he shakes the book, as two security guards walk up and grab the "ghost" by the arms]
SHAGGY: I think it's busted ...
VELMA: I don't think so, Shaggy. I think this ghost didn't get sucked into the book, because he's not really a ghost at all!
FRED: Is that so? In that case, let's see who the ghost really is ...
[he pulls off the sheet to reveal that the "ghost" is actually Mister Peabody]
ALL: Walter Peabody?!
DINSDALE: Peabody, I'm quite disappointed ...
VELMA: Well, I figured it out when Shaggy showed us that receipt from the book binder's. Peabody, being responsible for book restorations, didn't want anyone to find out that he had a fake Tome of Doom made, while he kept the real one for himself!
PEABODY: And I would've gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for you meddling kids and your pesky dog!
[the guards take him away]
DAPHNE: But why would he do such a thing? And why did he rip pages out of the real Tome of Doom?
VELMA: That I don't know ... yet.
DINSDALE: Well, perhaps I could hire Mystery Inc. to find out about those missing pages.
FRED: That would be great, Mister Dinsdale ... but we have another assignment to take care of first.
[he looks down at his notepad]
FRED: At the Milton Brothers Movie Studio.
VELMA: Meanwhile, I could look the Tome of Doom over, and try and find out why Peabody tried to steal it.
DINSDALE: Very well ... as long as you don't bring it back late.
[Velma gives a nervous laugh, then cut to Mister Dinsdale waving goodbye as the gang drives off]
DAPHNE: So guys, I'd say we did a pretty good job of solving this mystery, don't you think?
SHAGGY: Yeah, but that Dinsdale is one creepy crawlie!
[cut to outside the Mystery Mobile, as it rounds a corner and drives out of sight]
SHAGGY: [from off camera] Like, he's scarier than a ghost!
[a young woman wearing a green trenchcoat walks into the scene, ominously watching the car drive off before walking away]

[...]

[the gang are driving the Mystery Mobile towards Shermantech Industries]
DAPHNE: Now we know that Shermantech is behind all of this! But why?
VELMA: According to my research, Shermantech is using all of that land to build giant antennas ... I wonder what they could be for?
FRED: Well, there's only one place we'll find the answer to that ... Shermantech headquarters! I've already called Shermantech, and arranged for us to get on a tour of their facilities.
VELMA: While Freddy, Daphne and I are taking the tour, Shaggy and Scooby will sneak off and look for--
SCOOBY: The rafeteria?
VELMA: No, clues! Specifically, clues about antennas ...
SHAGGY: Like, there could be antennas in the cafeteria ...
VELMA: Oh brother!
[cut to the gang inside Shermantech headquarters]
TOUR GUIDE: Welcome to Shermantech!
DAPHNE: Do you think we'll be able to meet Mister Sherman?
TOUR GUIDE: [fidgets] Uh, Mister Sherman is a busy man ...
[Travis Sherman enters the room]
SHERMAN: No, no! Not that busy!
FRED: Mister Sherman? It's an honor!
SHERMAN: May I introduce my chief scientific officer ... Selena Drake!
[the mysterious young woman in the green trenchcoat (now wearing a lab coat) enters the room]
SELENA: We're currently working on some exciting new technologies ... Perhaps you'd like to see them?
VELMA: Of course ... especially if it involves low frequency electromagnetic waves!
DAPHNE: Uh yes, they're our favorites!
[Velma nudges her, as Mister Sherman clears his throat]
SHERMAN: Well, why don't we start?
[as they turn and start walking out to begin the tour, Daphne whispers to Shaggy and Scooby]
DAPHNE: Alright you two, now try to find as many clues as you can ...
[everyone exits, as Shaggy and Scooby sneak off through a side door]

[...]

[Shaggy and Scooby have destroyed the mind control device, which Drake and Sherman were using to brainwash Fred, Daphne and Velma]
DAPHNE: [groggily] Wh-Where are we?
SHAGGY: Like, you guys were mind controlled by that Sherman guy!
VELMA: So, the giant antennas were for amplifying alpha-wave modulation ... or in layman's terms, mind control. Ingenious!
SHERMAN: Enough!
[he turns to his guards]
SHERMAN: Seize them!
[one of the guards, wearing a hazmat suit that covers his face, steps forward]
DINSDALE: No.
[Sherman continues addressing the gang, apparently oblivious to this insubordination]
SHERMAN: You'll rue the day you messed with ...
[he finally realizes that the guards aren't moving, so he turns to the guard in the hazmat suit]
SHERMAN: What did you say?
DINSDALE: I said no.
SHERMAN: [angrily] Just who do you think you are?!
[the "guard" takes off his helmet, revealing that he's actually Alan Dinsdale]
ALL: Mister Dinsdale?!
[the librarian holds up a badge]
DINSDALE: That's Special Agent Dinsdale, if you don't mind ...
VELMA: Jinkies! All this time, I thought you were just my local librarian ...
DINSDALE: What, I can't have a second job?
[he walks up and puts Sherman's hands behind his back, while another guard walks up and does the same to Drake]
DINSDALE: Travis Sherman, you are under arrest for fraud, conspiracy, and book tampering!
DAPHNE: I don't understand.
[Shaggy holds up the Tome of Doom]
SHAGGY: Like, is the book overdue?
VELMA: It's quite simple, you guys. Agent Dinsdale was investigating the peculiar land acquisitions at Greenwood Development, but he couldn't get a good lead. So he let us have a go at it, and kept tabs on us the whole time.
DINSDALE: Sharp as ever, Miss Dinkley ... I'm sorry I had to lead you on like this, but Sherman was just too big to touch without solid evidence.
SHERMAN: I would've gotten away with it too, if it hadn't been for--
SELENA: Sherman, you fool! You should've let me deal with those kids when I had the chance!
[she steps on the guard's foot (causing her to let go) and makes her escape]
DINSDALE: Don't let her get away!
[she runs through a door, as everyone follows in pursuit]
SELENA: Let's see how you meddling kids handle this!
[she takes out one of the ripped pages from the Tome of Doom, summoning a Fire Ghost]

[...]

[Shaggy and Scooby are able to defeat the Fire Ghost, and capture it in the Tome of Doom]
SELENA: No, this cannot be!
[two guards come up and grab her]
SELENA: Let me go ... Blast you meddling kids!
[they take her away, as Mister Dinsdale approaches Shaggy and Scooby]
DINSDALE: Shaggy, Scooby, I wanna thank you both for your help. We couldn't have done it without you.
SHAGGY: Like, it wasn't easy, y'know ... We've been attacked by ghosts, shadows, mummies--
SCOOBY: Zombies!
DINSDALE: Aww ...
[he pulls a box of Scooby Snacks out from behind his back]
DINSDALE: Would some Scooby Snacks make it all better?
SCOOBY AND SHAGGY: Scooby Snacks!
[Shaggy takes the box and hugs it]
DAPHNE: How did you--
DINSDALE: I did my homework.
[Shaggy goes to open the box, but a ghostly hand reaches over and pulls it off camera]
SHAGGY: Hey, what gives?
[cut to Scooby using the Tome of Doom to pour the contents of the box into his mouth]
FRED: Using the Tome of Doom to snatch away snacks ...
VELMA: Now that's one for the books!
SCOOBY: Rooby Dooby Doo!
[everyone laughs, as Scooby winks at the camera and the scene fades to black]

---

From wikipedia.org:

"Scooby Doo! Mystery Mayhem" is a 2003 video game based on the Hanna-Barbera/Warner Bros. cartoon character Scooby Doo. It was created by Artificial Mind and Movement, THQ and Warner Bros.. This is the second Scooby-Doo video game to feature a laugh track.

Story

The gang is called by Velma's former school librarian, Alan Dinsdale (voiced by Jeff Bennett), to solve a mystery at Hambridge Library. He thinks that the villain is not a man-in-a-costume, but a supernatural being because of all of its supernatural happenings. He introduces his assistant, Walter Peabody to the gang. The gang split up and look for clues: Velma looks in the lobby, Scooby and Shaggy look in the basement and Daphne and Fred look in the Archives. A while later, after searching, Shaggy and Scooby find a thick book called "The Tome Of Doom" on a secret floor. They bring it to Velma who analyzes it. Along the search, Scooby finds three clues: a mysterious telegram from "S.D", and a letter. The three find Fred and Daphne, a scared Daphne tells them that she followed several footprints which lead her to a ghost, which lead her to a room, then she got locked in the room by a hooded figure. They try to find Mr Dinsdale who mysteriously disappeared. They also encounter the hooded figure who they find out is Walter Peabody. Mr Dinsdale comes and is shocked to find his own assistant to be a menace. They all question him. But there are still mysteries still to be solved. Who is "S.D"? Why did Peabody rip out papers from the "Tome Of Doom"? Mr Dinsdale hires Velma to investigate the mystery further at the Miltons Movie Studio.

Velma explains to Shaggy to the gang that the book has potential energy and needs more energy if decreasing with wisps. At the movie studio, Robert Zabrinski is trying to buy the studio from the Milton Brothers. But they object. Zabrinski stills has hope and gives them a phone card. Later, the gang split up and looks for clues. Hours later, at midday, Shaggy finds a phone card, but this one smells like cologne, a popular perfume. They also find that one of the brothers have disappeared. The other brother encounters the horrific "Red Knight". They blind him by studio lights, they take off the mask to see it is Robert Zabrinski. It is explained that Zabrinski was trying to buy the studio. He used cologne to attract people for popularity. The missing Milton brother was trapped by Zabrinski, who dressed as the Red Knight, who saw him and wrapped him up in bandages and locked him a cage. One of the clues: which was a brochure from Western Theme Park is revealed that Zabrinski was trying to buy the park as well. The gang drive to Western Theme Park.

They find Johnny Channayakpatra and Mindi Stiles. They again for on the same day split up for other clues. Three hours later, three discoveries are found: a picture of Robert Zabrinski and Mindi Stiles dancing in the Salon, a one-way ticket for Mindi Stiles and a mysterious "pink princess" is wondering on the streets of the park. She gets annoyed of Shaggy and Scooby following her so she uses her power to kill them, but accidentally, she transforms into a tornado. She sucks up Daphne. With the power of the "Tome Of Doom", the book defeats the "pink princess" who is Mindi Stiles. Obviously, someone was summoned by Robert Zabrinski to sabotage the park and scare the park workers and visitors there, so Zabrinski could buy it. Meanwhile, at a secret base, called Sherman-Tech Headquarters, a woman gets a call from Walter Peabody that he hasn't said anything to the police, another person, hidden in the shadows says that Zabrinski was a weak link. So, since three have already been arrested, he "moves on with the plan".

In the afternoon-evening, the gang go to an abandoned house in the middle of nowhere. The house was haunted by the living dead and scared all the members of the house. The house is also surrounded by bayous, swamp-like lakes which crocodiles live in. The gang split up. Scooby finds a letter with the sender's name smudged because of the mud and water. Daphne finds a yellow key to open another yard which is zombie-filled. Mysteriously, Fred has found a camp of army men who can fend off the zombies with laser guns. Scooby and Shaggy fight the zombies and their originating starting point, vortexes with the power of "The Tome Of Doom". Later, the master of the camp is run by a Jeremy Rhodes who works at Greenwood Development, a society of people who study the paranormal. One of the clues is a book which is about geographical studies about Colorado. The gang drive to Colorado, which has changed to a land of newly installed satellites and transmitters. Fred have booked a tour at the Sherman-Tech Headquarters, which all the clues eventually ended up to. There is Travis Sherman and his chief executive officier, Selena Drake. While Fred, Velma and Daphne take the tour, Shaggy and Scooby split up. Later, they find the Spooker 3000, a laser gun that can fend off any enemy. They also encounter weird men in lab coats and hoods. Also, clues: a map of California, a computer disk. They find Daphne, Fred and Velma who have been possessed by Selena Drake and Travis Sherman.

The truth is finally revealed: "S.D" is Selena Drake. Travis Sherman was the person who hired Peabody, Zabrinski and Stiles, and created the voids at the bayous. Selena and Travis send the possessed three to try to kill Scooby and Shaggy, they disable the mind-possessing machine in a couple short hours. Fred, Daphne and Velma have been restored to their true selves again. Unexpectedly, Mr Dinsdale comes in, followed by the lab-covered men. It is revealed that they were Mr Dinsdale's agents, revealing that he is one too. Velma is surprised to find her own librarian a secret agent. They arrest Sherman, who confesses it's over with the evil plans to Selena. This is implying that the transmitters in the land were going to "transmit" the possessing waves around the world, possessing every type of intelligience. Selena insults Sherman for his actions, and releases from some ripped pages of "The Tome of Doom", fire ghosts. But her plan, fails after the gang seal the ghosts in the tome. Now, completely insane, Selena releases the strongest spirit of the tome, the Fire King. After discovering that the Fire King is not as invulnerable as they thought, they manage to seal it. Selena, fearing her arrest, runs through to the monrail. The gang ride it as well and manage to catch her. The police arrive and take Selena to the mental asylum. Scooby and Shaggy confesses their need for food, because of a day of hard work, and once again and as always, Mystery Inc has stopped another villain's plans.

Case Study No. 0623: Coolsville High School Librarian

Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins - Part [6/9]
10:00
Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins - Part [6/9]
Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins is a movie that was first aired on September 13, 2009, the 40th anniversary of Scooby-Doo. It is a television movie produced by Warner Premiere, directed by Brian Levant and distributed by Warner Home Video based on the hit Hanna-Barbera cartoon classic, Scooby-Doo. The film is an origin story for Scooby and the Mystery Inc. gang, revealing how they met and the events of their very first case. The music is scored by Academy Award-nominee David Newman, who had previously scored the theatrical films. The MPAA gave the film a PG rating for "some mild peril."
Despite being a television movie, it is in the same canon as the theatrical films.
Set in Coolsville, Ohio and begins as the cast is introduced on the school bus. Shaggy is a nerdy outcast who is frequently picked on by a jock, normally by getting tripped every morning on the bus. Fred is the quarterback of the football team and the jock's friend, but disapproves of him picking on Shaggy. Velma is an outcast geek, and Daphne is in the drama club. At school, Shaggy's trouble is trying to get his locker door open results in him falling in a trashcan and rolling into the Principal's office, though this is clearly not the first time. Principal Deedle suggests that Shaggy try to find some friends and says he should take up a hobby like his: philately (stamp collecting). Meanwhile, a talking Great Dane named Scoobert trying to get adopted at an adoption fair, during which he is reluctantly adopted but ruins the chance by pouncing the man and licking him. At the end of the fair he's crammed into a cage and loaded into the back of a pickup truck. Scoobert falls out and begins to wander through a graveyard, but a strike of lightning resurrects a pair of ghosts. In a blind panic, Scoobert runs off and leaps into Shaggy's house. They instantly become great friends, and Shaggy nicknames the dog "Scooby."
Shaggy attempts to smuggle Scooby to school disguised as a kid; however, when a jock trips Shaggy (again), Scooby bites the jock's leg, which starts a fight that quickly involves Shaggy, Fred, Velma, and Daphne; both Shaggy and Fred attack the jock to protect Scooby, and Fred unintentionally disturbs Daphne and crushes Velma's science project. All four of them get six weeks of detention when the bus driver, distracted by the commotion, crashes into the school's flagpole, knocking it over and smashing into the windshield of Vice Principal Grimes' new car (oddly enough, the jock who started everything is not punished at all). As the four are in detention, they discover they share an interest in mystery stories, but all quickly get on each other's nerves. Suddenly, the two ghosts appear. The ghosts chase them into the gym during the pep rally and a third mysterious ghost, the Spectre, appears, telling everyone to leave at once. The principal decides to close the school, but the vice principal deems the incident a prank caused by the gang out of revenge for their detention, and he changes from the charge of detention to suspension.Knowing that they need to find the ghosts in order to prove their innocence, the gang decide to join forces and go to the cemetery, where they discover the tombstones. After researching, Velma determines that the ghosts were the founding faculty of the original school. The two were about to bury a time capsule when the Coolsville flood occurred, taking their lives and destroying the school the current school is built on top of. Deciding to investigate further, they explore the school at night to find more clues. The Spectre orders the other two ghosts to scare them away. They possess a pair of football player mannequins and follow the gang. Fred fights one of them off while Velma and Daphne escape, leaving Shaggy and Scooby locked up in a freezer. They are freed the next day by Vice Principal Grimes, who believes them to be involved with the events of the previous night, including an explosion and other vandalism. When Velma, Daphne, and Fred stand up for Shaggy, Grimes decides to completely expel the gang from the school, and vows to arrest them for trespassing if he ever sees them on school property again.
he gang, learning the suspects while Scooby does a little urination, dresses up as new students so they can return to Coolsville High School to investigate further. The librarian and janitor are the gang's prime suspects, as they have both expressed displeasure with their jobs. Both of them appear to not be involved with the incidents, however.
Nick Palatas - Norville "Shaggy" Rogers
Frank Welker - Scooby-Doo (voice)
Robbie Amell - Fred Jones
Kate Melton - Daphne Blake
Hayley Kiyoko - Velma Dinkley
Gary Chalk - Vice Principal Grimes
Shawn Macdonald - Principal Deedle
C. Ernst Harth - The Janitor
Lorena Gale - The Librarian
Daniel Riordan - The Dark Specter (voice)
Tags: Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins
Added: 1 year ago
From: TheHunter3350
Views: 40

[the gang is serving detention in the Coolsville High School Library, as the elderly female librarian addresses them]
LIBRARIAN: [sighs] The rules for detention are the same as they are in the library. That means no talking, no texting ...
[Shaggy takes out a sandwich]
LIBRARIAN: And no eating!
SHAGGY: No fair! So, like, what the heck are we supposed to?
LIBRARIAN: Try reading a book.
SHAGGY: Ugh.
[the librarian walks away and begins muttering to herself]
LIBRARIAN: Bad enough they cut my budget, now I've gotta do double duty with a bunch of illiterates!

[...]

[Velma (suspecting the librarian of being behind the haunting of the school) hides in the book return slot to spy on her, as the librarian enters a room marked "Authorized Personnel Only" and pulls out a knife]
LIBRARIAN: Soon, this school will vex me no more!
[Velma gets out and hides behind some shelves to get a better look ... but finds the librarian is only using the knife to open a letter]
LIBRARIAN: [reading] "We are pleased to inform you that Coolsville University Library would like to offer you a senior position on our staff" ...
[the librarian almost jumps for joy]
LIBRARIAN: Huzzah! Books without pictures!
[she runs excitedly out of office, as Velma tries to sneak out and investigate further, but she knocks over a box which contains an old-looking book]
VELMA: [quietly] Jinkies, what do we have here?
[cut to outside the office, as the librarian is heading back for the door]
LIBRARIAN: [to herself] I'd forget my bun if it wasn't attached to my head ...
[as the librarian opens the door, Velma quickly hides the book behind her back]
LIBRARIAN: [surprised] What're you doing? Students aren't allowed back here!
VELMA: Uh ...
[she quickly takes on a thick accent]
VELMA: Um, exchange student. Very lost.
LIBRARIAN: Is that a Russian accent I detect?
[Velma quickly nods]
LIBRARIAN: How wonderful! I spent a semester studying the language at the University of Moscow ...
[she smiles and begins speaking quickly in Russian]
LIBRARIAN: [translated] I had so many wonderful times in Moscow. The people are magnificent. And I love the smell of Moscow in the Springtime.
VELMA: Uh ...
[she mumbles something in Russian]
VELMA: [translated] Yes. It would be unfortunate if you had no nose.
[the librarian pauses for a moment, then laughs]
LIBRARIAN: Oh, I missed the Russian sense of humor! That was a good one!
[Velma takes the opportunity to quickly run out of the office]
LIBRARIAN: Oh, wait ... Dasvedanya.

[...]

[the gang gathers at Fred's house to discuss the case]
FRED: The librarian did it?
VELMA: Nope, she seems to be innocent. But I did find something in a box of old books. Take a look at this.
[she takes out the book she found]
VELMA: It's a three volume set of books about the supernatural.
[Fred takes the book and reads the title]
FRED: "Volume One, Ghostly Hauntings, a History."
VELMA: Mm-hmm.
[Daphne opens the book and begins reading]
DAPHNE: "Volume Two, Common Spells, Curses and Hexes"?
[Shaggy peeks over her shoulder]
SHAGGY: "Volume Three, a Practical Guide to Raising the Dead and How to Use Them For Your Own Evil Purposes"?
[he looks up]
SHAGGY: That's the one we need to get our hands on!
VELMA: But it's missing ... And look who checked it out last.
[Daphne takes the due date card out of the back of the book]
DAPHNE: Vice Principal Grimes?

---

From wikipedia.org:

Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins is a 2009 reboot to the theatrical films, Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. The TV film is an origin story for Scooby and the Mystery Inc. gang, revealing how they met and the events of their very first case. It was released on DVD and Blu-ray on September 22nd.

Premise
Unjustly accused on staging a spooky practical joke complete with ghosts, four unlikely high school students (and one Great Dane) team up to clear their good names after they are suspended from school. The kids must now solve the mystery of the haunting of Coolsville High before their parents are informed that they were expelled.

Synopsis
On the bus going to Coolsville High, goofy teenager Shaggy meets Fred after his bullying friend trips him down the aisle. He is then introduced to Velma and finally Daphne. The bus arrives at school, without any further interaction between the four. Shaggy later has a talk with Principle Deedle about his lack of friends, and Deedle gives Shaggy a book on stamp collecting called Philately (which the principal is obsessed with).

Meanwhile, after not being adopted at a pet adoption fair, the Great Dane Scoobert Doo accidentally falls out of a truck and wanders into a graveyard. Two ghosts scare him away, and he bursts into Shaggy's bedroom window. Shaggy nicknames the dog "Scooby" and says he can stay at his house. Scooby agrees.

The next day, Shaggy tries to sneak the (clothed) Scooby onto the bus with him. Their cover is blown, however, when Scooby bites the ankle of a bully. A fight breaks out on the bus, and because the driver is distracted, he crashes the bus into a pole (which smashes Vice Principal Grimes' windshield). Shaggy, Velma, Daphne and Fred are all sentenced to detention for causing the distraction, while Scooby remains tethered outside.

While an argument breaks out among them during detention, the weather turns cold and books start flying off the shelves. Two ghosts come and scare the kids into the pep rally where a third ghost appears telling everyone to leave. They then disappear. Vice principal Grimes accuses the four kids of pulling a prank, and suspends them.

The gang then follows Scooby to the graveyard, where he saw the ghosts, to clear their names. At the graveyard, two suspicious graves (Prudence Prufrock and Ezekial Gallows) are found and Velma makes a rubbing of them.

The next day, the kids meet up in Shaggy's basemant. Velma tells them about how the two graves were the founding faculty of the old school, which was wiped out in the Coolsville flood just before 1900. They decide to go looking for clues at the school that night.

Once they arrive, Velma finds a sticky fluid beneath where the third ghost appeared. The ghosts of Ezekial and Prudence then posses two football mannequins and attack the group, who split up and are chased by the ghosts. Fred discovers another clue, the gymnastics harness, which would allow the specter to 'fly'. During the chase, Shaggy and Scooby are locked in the school's freezer, but the rest of the gang escapes.

The next day, Velma, Freddy and Daphne return when they realize Scooby and Shaggy are gone. Grimes discovers the two in the freezer, along with a lot of damage caused to the school by the ghosts. Although the gang is expelled, Velma reveals the liquid they found can be used to make a smokescreen like the third ghost had used. Shaggy would later tell them about two possible suspects, Otis and the librarian.

The gang comes back later in the school day wearing disguises to spy on the suspects. Fred and Daphne find out that Otis just wants to be a dance star. Velma not only finds out that the librarian got a transfer, but that Vice Principal Grimes checked out a book on raising the dead. The gang decides to go to Grimes' house, but they do not have a car or licenses to drive all the way to Coolsville Mountain where he lives. They take Daphne's van, after Shaggy reveals he was held back and has his license.

Searching at night at Grimes' house, they find information about a time capsule in the book on raising the dead. The ghosts further attack, and the teens are knocked out by the Specter. They awake back at the school, where the Specter has blown a hole in the floor of the gym that leads directly into the old school (which was buried in the flood).

The Specter, keeping Scooby and Grimes as prisoners, forces the gang to search underground for the time capsule. The gang goes down into the old school, but trick the Specter into coming down to carry the capsule out of the hole. Unnfortunately, their plan backfires when they try to lock him up in a flooded room. The Specter steals back the capsule, but unleashes Ezekial and Prudence on them.

As he looks for a spell to get rid of the ghosts, Shaggy accidentally releases more ghosts onto the town. Meanwhile, Scooby breaks free of his bonds.

Shaggy eventually manages to banish the ghosts (who were not in control of their actions), and Scooby arrives jut in time to tie up the specter. But when the gang unmasks the Specter, he turns out to be... Principle Deedle. He had wanted a rare misprinted stamp buried in the time capsule. After the exposed Deedle is sent to prison for his actions, the gang is personally awarded by Grimes (whom they rescued) and are welcomed back into school.

With the mystery over, there is nothing to bind the friends together anymore and they start to go their separate ways. Just then, Velma comes back and informs them of some "strange goings-on at the museum." They now set off to solve another mystery along with Scooby-Doo!

---

From wikia.com:

The librarian (played by Lorena Gale) works at the Coolsville High School library.

She was a suspect because she had a book that explained how to release ghouls from the grave, but she was later proven to be innocent.

Case Study No. 0622: Mrs. Shusham

A Pup Name Scooby-Doo Season 3, Episode 6- The Ghost of Mrs Shusham
12:23
A Pup Named Scooby-Doo: Shaggy and Scooby-Doo are haunted by The Ghost of Mrs. Shusham, the librarian of the old Coolsville library who wants an extremely overdue library book back, "Pizza Parrots Meet the Butter Bean Bunnies".
Tags: Scooby doo
Added: 1 year ago
From: guio89
Views: 313,635

[scene opens with Scooby Doo and his friends in their treehouse, when a female "ghost" suddenly appears in the doorway]
SHUSHAM: I want my book!
SHAGGY: Like, oh no! It's the ghost of Misses Shusham!
DAPHNE: Misses Shusham? Weren't you the librarian at the old Coolsville Library?
SHUSHAM: That's right! Shaggy Rogers has my book, and I want it back now!
SHAGGY: Like, do something Scoob!
SCOOBY: Yeah Scooby, do something ... uh, oh yeah, that's me!
[he quickly changes into a lady cop uniform, and begins yelling in a high-pitched voice]
SCOOBY: Misses Shusham!
SHAGGY: Like, it's Misses Dewberry from the New Coolsville Library Book Patrol!
[Scooby runs over and takes the book of the ghost's hands]
SCOOBY: Aha!
SHAGGY: Uh oh, Misses Shusham! You tore a page in your book!
SHUSHAM: Well, I ... Well ... Well, I--
SCOOBY: That's no excuse!
SHAGGY: Like, you'd better pay, before Misses Dewberry has to take away your library card!
SCOOBY: Don't push me!
SHUSHAM: Alright, alright! I'll take care of it ... Return my book to my library before midnight, or else!
[the ghost turns and leaves]
SHAGGY: Like, did you hear that, Scoob? We're gone! History! Heading for that big pizza parlor in the sky!
SCOOBY: I heard, I heard!
FRED: What book is the ghost talking about?
SHAGGY: Like, well, it happened a long time ago ...
[cut to a flashback of Scooby and Shaggy speaking to the (living) librarian at the old Coolsville Library]
SHAGGY: Like, thanks for the book, Misses Shusham!
[she quickly holds up a "No talking!" sign]
SHUSHAM: Shhh, no talking in the library!
SCOOBY: Okay ...
[he licks the sign]
SHUSHAM: No puppy slurping allowed in the library!
[the pup turns to leave]
SCOOBY: Sheesh, what a grouch ...
SHAGGY: [in voice over] But one day, when I ran inside to get a snack, Scooby accidentally buried the book in the backyard!
[cut back to the treehouse]
SHAGGY: And then, they closed down the old library, so I never could return the book!
DAPHNE: Oh, you two. Why would a ghost librarian want that book?
SHAGGY: Like, "Pizza Parrots Meet the Butter Bean Bunnies" is a classic!
SCOOBY: Yeah, it's the greatest! Huh?
[Scooby looks down and finds a book]
DAPHNE: That's the book Misses Shusham had!
[Velma looks at the book with a magnifying glass]
FRED: What're you looking at, Velma?
[Daphne looks at where Velma is looking]
DAPHNE: It's from "Bernice Binder's Used Books" ...

[...]

[the gang enters "Binder's Books" and the woman inside starts screaming at the sight of them, before eventually composing herself]
BERNICE: Pardon me, I thought you were the ghost of Misses Shusham!
SHAGGY: She was here lookin' for us, Scoob! Now I know I'm a wanted boy!
SCOOBY: And I'm a wanted puppy!
FRED: And I wanna know what the ghost wants!
BERNICE: I bought a bunch of books when the old library closed. She wanted one that I didn't have.
SHAGGY: Gulp! Like, that's our book, Scoob!
SCOOBY: Oh no!
DAPHNE: What happened to Misses Shusham when the library closed?
BERNICE: Nobody knows. She disappeared ... until her ghost showed up, that is.
SHAGGY: Did you hear that, Scoob? She came back just to get us!
SCOOBY: Aren't we lucky?
BERNICE: Oh, she won't hurt you ... she'll just follow you, curse you, and haunt you until the day you die!
[Shaggy and Scooby both faint at the news]

[...]

[the gang has entered the abandoned library to try and solve the mystery, when Misses Shusham appears and starts chasing them]
FRED: Oh no, it's a dead end!
SHUSHAM: Now for some overdue revenge!
SHAGGY: Like, hold it right there, Misses Shusham!
SHUSHAM: What?
[he takes out a book]
SHAGGY: Like, Scoob and I need to take a quick peek at this book!
SCOOBY: Yeah!
SHAGGY: "101 Easy Ways to Catch a Ghost Librarian" ...
SHUSHAM: Very well, hurry it up!
SCOOBY: It says "Grab a shelf" ...
SHAGGY: Like, yeah. And "shake real hard!"
[they shake the nearby bookshelf, causing all of the books to fall on top of Misses Shusham, trapping her]
FRED: Great job, you two!
SHAGGY: [laughing] Like, book 'em Scoob-o!
SCOOBY: Right, Shagg-o!

[...]

[with the "ghost" subdued, the gang move in to reveal her identity]
SHAGGY: Like, the ghost is none other than ...
[Scooby pulls off her mask]
SCOOBY: Bernice Binder!
BERNICE: Bet you think you're real bright, don't you, Mister Smarty-Pants?
SHAGGY: Like first, she fanned Scooby with his dinner napkin from the clubhouse. And then, he found Binder's bookmark in the Rare Book Price Guide!
[Velma looks in the price guide]
VELMA: Jinkies! "Pizza Parrots and the Butter Bean Bunnies" is a rare book!
DAPHNE: Oh, I get it. That's why Miss Binder wanted it so badly.
FRED: Yeah, so she could sell it in her shop and make a lotta money!
BERNICE: Yes, and I would've gotten away with it, if it weren't for these two--
[a copy of "Crime and Punishment" falls on her head]
VELMA: Jinkies, I'm proud of you both!
SCOOBY: Aw, it was nothing Velma!
SHAGGY: Like, yeah! And besides, Scoob and I learned something important ...
SCOOBY: Really important!
[cut back to the treehouse]
DAPHNE: I'm glad you two are reading something other than comic books!
SHAGGY: Like, thanks to these library cookbooks from the New Coolsville Library, Scoob and I can make lots of diffferent-flavored pizzas!
[he laughs, as Scooby pulls a pizza out of the oven]
SCOOBY: A whole lot!

---

From tv.com:

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo
Season 3, Episode 6: "The Ghost of Mrs Shusham"
Written by Bill Matheny
Air Date: Saturday July 13, 1991

A ghost librarian bullies Shaggy into returning a long-overdue library book.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Case Study No. 0621: Staff of the National Library of Australia

Thriller
5:26
Staff from the National Library of Australia performing Thriller at the 2008 staff Christmas party
Tags: Thriller NLA
Added: 3 years ago
From: wwwnlagovau
Views: 202,801

National Library of Australia
2008 Staff Christmas Party

"A Library Thriller"
(a miscellany of "You know who's")

[scene opens with a stereotypical female librarian (bun in her hair, thick glasses, pink cardigan sweater, carrying a stack of books) looking around nervously, when zombies begin appearing to the sound of Michael Jackson's "Thriller"]
[the zombies surround her, then start dancing as a librarian dressed as a young Michael Jackson (red leather jacket, white glove, etc.) wheels a bookcart into the scene]
[she puts her books on the cart, then climbs on top as "Michael" wheels her around]
[he stops and joins the zombies in dancing, while the librarian gets off and cowers behind the cart]
[four more zombies appears (pushing their own bookcarts covered in cobwebs) and join "Michael" in a choreographed number]
[a few of the zombies pull out some long sheets of paper (with shelves drawn in magic marker and "West Stacks" and "East Stacks" written on them) to simulate the zombies chasing the librarian through the library]
[the zombies eventually corner the librarian, but she suddenly starts to mimic their moves and ends up dancing along with them]
["Michael" then walks up and steals some of her books off the cart, so she takes off her glasses, lets down her hair, pulls off her sweater, and begins using kung fu moves to fight the zombies]
[the remaining zombies place their fallen brethren on the book carts and wheel them away, leaving the librarian alone with "Michael"]
[they circle each other, then the librarian kicks him in the stomach - causing his wig to (accidentally?) fall off - and takes back the books before standing over him in triumph]

---

From nla.gov.au:

At the 2008 National Library Christmas party, staff from the National Library of Australia performed their own take on Michael Jackson's "Thriller". The performance was placed on YouTube and had great success. With the recent death of Michael Jackson I thought it would be interesting to show what has happened to the traffic of the performance over the past week. Here is a graph showing the traffic for the past month. It's gone from 20 or 30 views a day to a spike of well over 1000 views as people went to YoutTube searching for Michael Jackson video clips. The majority of these views came from people searching YouTube for "Thriller".

It's interesting to compare this to many of our own search services that saw no spike in people looking for Michael Jackson related material. The service that should be the most obvious place for people to search, Music Australia, received only 2 searches for Michael Jackson. Although this is primarily a service relating to Australian music and musicians, we generally see many search queries for overseas artists occurring.

Now this starts to paint a pretty bad picture: YouTube = lots, Library = little. YouTube truly is a global website, while the National Library of Australia focuses on Australian content.

So should we be reacting to international events like this and actively promoting whatever resources we have available on our website (however limited they may be) or can't we compete with the likes of Google and YouTube with their global reach and the surge of traffic they get when users are desperate for information? We can't compete with them on the "up to the minute" news, but we should be able to provide pathways to the resources we have. If we do provide them, will people come?

Case Study No. 0620: Betty Palmer

Willard Library Ghost
1:59
Access USI news reporter Jennifer Rodgers talks about a ghost at a local library.
Tags: Access USI Jennifer Rodgers ghost Willard Library.
Added: 2 years ago
From: AccessUSI
Views: 25,532

[scene opens with a young male reporter ("Jody Smith, Access USI News") speaking directly to the camera]
JODY SMITH: With Halloween a few days away, many students have been getting into the spirit of the holiday by checking out the local haunted houses. However, as members of the Access USI and "820 The Edge" discovered, there is at least one place in Evansville that the haunting always happens.
[cut to an exterior shot of Willard Library]
JENNIFER RODGERS: [in voice over] At one hundred and twenty four years old, Willard Library has a rich history, and each year thousands of people come to Willard to experience a little piece of it by participating in the Grey Lady Ghost Tours.
[cut to a young female reporter ("Jennifer Rodgers, Access USI") standing in front of the library entrance]
JENNIFER RODGERS: Tonight, Access USI with members of "820 The Edge" came to Willard to see if we could have one of our own personal experience, by taking a ghost tour given by Betty Palmer, a Willard librarian for almost thirty years.
[cut to another exterior shot of the library]
JENNIFER RODGERS: [in voice over] Our tour began with the story of the first sighting of the Grey Lady.
[cut to an older female librarian ("Betty Palmer, Willard Librarian") speaking directly to the camera]
BETTY PALMER: The ghost was first spotted in around 1937, in the basement when the custodian came in early in the morning to fire up the furnace.
[cut to footage from inside the library]
BETTY PALMER: [in voice over] The custodian went from the locked part of the building to the unlocked part, and he saw a lady all in grey, from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. And he was frightened, dropped his flashlight, and when he came back up again she was gone.
[cut back to the librarian]
BETTY PALMER: One of the very few people who have quit the job here because ... because he was afraid.
[cut to footage of the USI students sitting in the library]
JENNIFER RODGERS: [in voice over] After being filled in on the legend, we were led throughout the library to see where the first encounter had taken place, along with more recent sightings and stories.
[cut to the librarian pointing to a chandelier]
JENNIFER RODGERS: [in voice over] One of which involved the Grey Lady's favorite chair, which is often found pulled out from the table, even after just being pushed back in.
[cut to the librarian talking to the students]
JENNIFER RODGERS: [in voice over] While some students sat in the chair in hopes of having a personal encounter with the ghost, our tour was unfortunately unfruitful.
[cut to a closeup of a camera on the wall with a sign reading "Video Cameras In Use!"]
However, if you would like to spot the Grey Lady for yourself, the library has live twenty-four hour webcams set up throughout the haunted areas, with comment sections to submit your findings.
[cut to footage of the stacks]
JENNIFER RODGERS: [in voice over] Who knows? Your story may make it in the lineup for next year's ghost tour ... For Access USI, I'm Jennifer Rodgers.

---

From lib.in.us:

The Grey Lady ghost was first reported to have been seen in Willard Library in the late 1930s by a custodian. Since that time, those looking - and not looking - for the apparition have reported unexplained events and sights.

* The Grey Lady was last reportedly sighted on August 10, 2010 in the basement hallway by the Assistant Children's Librarian.
* Psychics visiting the library in 2007 say they were able to verify that a ghost has been there, and paranormal investigative groups have brought in equipment designed to locate it.
* Several library employees have reported seeing the ghost, including Margaret Maier, Children's Librarian, and Helen Kamm, Library Assistant.
* During a visit to the library, lecturers from the University of Southern Indiana say they saw the ghost peering into water.
* Policemen responding to a security alarm at the library spotted two ghosts in an upstairs window of the library.
* A library patron reported an encounter with the Grey Lady in the library elevator, and a local weathercaster also reported an encounter with the spirit.
* Hundreds of people look for the Grey Lady every October, during Ghost Tours sponsored by the library. Eight hundred curious individuals attended the first such tour in the late 1990s, which have been a popular annual event ever since.

Unexplained Occurrences:

* Water turned on or off
* Smell of perfume
* Feeling of cold
* Noises
* Books and furniture found moved
* Feeling of touch on hair and earrings
* Odd items found in library

---

From libraryghost.com:

More than 110 years old, Willard Library is the oldest public library building in the state of Indiana. The library, housed in a beautiful Victorian Gothic building in Evansville, is nestled gloriously near the downtown area of this southwestern Indiana city of 130,000 people, providing a sharp contrast with the modern high-rises and six-lane freeways.

The Willard Library Ghost Cams were inspired by the question "Is Willard Library Haunted?" It has become a fascinating, and somewhat credible, legend that drives thousands of people to search the library for remnants of lost spirits. The site is a virtual ghost hunting mecca. Take a virtual tour of the library with Greg Hager, Willard Library Director, and see if you can locate the cams hidden in the building. Libraryghost.com offers three cams for your ghost hunting pleasure. The Children's Room cam , Research Room cam , and the Basement Cam refresh every 20 seconds. According to reports from visitors, some of the most frequent encounters with the legendary Lady in Grey have occurred in the children's reading room in the basement of Willard Library.

The library has been investigated by several organizations including MESA (multi-energy sensor array), TAPS, and other teams looking for ghosts.

The first reported incident happened sixty years ago to a library employee who trekked through the snowy cold for his nightly duty. Since then, countless other employees and patrons have reported seeing this apparition, each giving an eerily similar description. Is the legend true? We'll leave that for you to decide.

---

From indianapublicmedia.org:

Among the landmarks that figure prominently on an Indiana ghost-tracker's map is the Willard Library. The stately brick edifice in downtown Evansville has such a reputation for paranormal activity that the library, in partnership with the Evansville Courier and Press, has installed surveillance cameras or "ghost cams" in the reportedly haunted rooms.

Opened in 1885 to serve patrons of all classes, races and sexes, the Willard is the oldest public library building in the state. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Gothic structure was built with funds donated by Willard Carpenter. The nineteenth-century Evansville philanthropist had come to the city from his native Vermont to work in his brother's dry-goods business. Making a fortune in real estate, Carpenter supported local churches and homes for the poor, and invested extensive personal funds to bring the railroad to Vanderburgh County. An influential Democrat, Carpenter served on the city council for 30 years.

Carpenter passed away in 1883, having designated a substantial portion of his estate as an endowment for the library. One early winter morning more than fifty years later, a janitor showing up to stoke the furnace claimed to see an apparition of a lady in a grey gown. Since then, subsequent sightings have been reported—especially in the Children's Room—of a lady in Victorian attire, accompanied by a strong scent of perfume or the sudden gushing of the bathroom faucet.

Many believers suspect that the Grey Lady is the restless spirit of Willard's estranged daughter Louise Carpenter, indignant about having been left out of her father's will.

Case Study No. 0619: Margaret and Mrs. Pritchard

S.4 Ep.10 Maniac at Large Part 1
10:00
1
Tags: Maniac at Large
Added: 3 years ago
From: HaydenC27
Views: 22,675

[scene opens with the Cryptkeeper sitting in a chair, with his back to the camera]
CRYPTKEEPER: City life got you down, kiddies? Looking for a home on the "derange?"
[he turns out (revealing that he's dressed like a real estate agent) and speaks directly to the camera]
CRYPTKEEPER: Well, look no further, because I've got exactly what you want! It's a charming "tomb with a view" ... Think of it as your own "little house on the scary!"
[he laughs, then acts as if the audience is responding to him]
CRYPTKEEPER: You're not interested? What's the matter? Afraid you can't get a "morgue-gage?" Oh well, that's exactly how the woman in tonight's tortured tale feels ... She's upset because there's a killer loose in her neighborhood, in a putrid property I call "Maniac At Large."
[cut to the inside of a public library, with the camera focused on a mural entitled "Knowledge Is Power", before it pans around the various patrons and stops on an old man reading a newspaper (with headlines like "Maniac At Large" and "Serial Killer Strikes Again, 7th Victim Found in Park") ... until a young tough stabs through it with his switchblade, then takes the paper while smiling]
PUNK 1: You through with the paper, old man?
[the frightened man stammer and nods]
PUNK 1: Thought so ...
[he walks over to a table with his fellow hoodlums, as an elderly female librarian (who had been pushing a bookcart) stares at them]
PUNK 1: Hey, check this out! Another stiff in the park!
PUNK 2: Hey, cool!
[she looks over at the male security guard]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Grady!
[she marches over to the gang, as a young female librarian standing behind the front desk looks on]
MRS. PRITCHARD: What's going on here?
[she pulls away the paper, to reveal that one of them has carved "EC Homies" into the surface of the wooden table]
MRS. PRITCHARD: You're defacing public property ... Rub that out, right now!
[one of them whispers into another one's ear]
MRS. PRITCHARD: What was that?
PUNK 2: [smiling] No eraser ...
[the security guard hands her an eraser, as she whispers at them through clenched teeth]
MRS. PRITCHARD: How dare you behave in here like you do in school? Grady, escort these boys out of the library ... They may return when they're ready to act like civilized youngsters!
[the hoodlums merely snicker at her]
PUNK 1: Yeah Grady, take us out!
[he grabs one of them by the arm, so they all run for the exit (nearly knocking over the young librarian as they hoot and holler)]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Margaret, would you please attend to that?
[the head librarian hands her an eraser and begins rubbing out the graffitti, when she looks over and notices the headline on the paper ... as she moves the paper, she finds the switchblade underneath, and carefully folds it closed before quickly pocketing it (at this point she notices a male patron nearby watching her and smiling)]
[cut to Margaret standing at the front desk, when an old homeless woman wanders in singing "Old MacDonald Had a Farm", causing Grady to get up from his desk]
GRADY: Bessy ... Bessy!
[as the bag lady walks behind the desk and stares at Margeret, Grady takes her and gently leads her back outside]
GRADY: Come on, Bessy ... Here we go. Outside now.
MARGARET: What a sad life ...
GRADY: Yeah, and dangerous, with that killer walking around the streets. I tried to get Misses Pritchard to let the street people stay in here until they get that guy ... You know how far that got!
MARGARET: [whispers] You don't like Misses Pritchard much, do you?
GRADY: I don't care for the way she treats people ... She's always bossin' everybody around, like she's so damn high and mighty!
MARGARET: Well, she is a little ... abrupt.
GRADY: Yeah well, you only been here two weeks. You know, it does get worse ... I mean, you really don't wanna work late tonight, now do ya?! I mean, considerin' what's been goin' down in the neighborhood!
[Margaret shakes her head in confusion, as Pritchard appears from her office on the upper level and eavesdrops]
MARGARET: Wait, work tonight? No no, Misses Pritchard didn't say anything about that to me.
GRADY: [whispers] Y'see?! She's already got authorization for overtime for both of us! I heard her, on the phone!
MRS. PRITCHARD: Chat chat chat! You two are as bad as the children ... Margaret, could I see you for a moment in my office?
[cut to inside Pritchard's office, as she stares through a window at the "Knowledge Is Power" mural]
MRS. PRITCHARD: I have to look at that mural each morning to remind myself that I work in a library ... not a sewer. You should've seen Park Lane twenty years ago, people used to dress up to come in here. Now, we have to hire security guards to protect the books from the people.
[she motions for Margaret to sit down]
MRS. PRITCHARD: You really shouldn't distract Grady, dear. He has a somewhat limited attention span as it is. You encouraging his companionship doesn't help matters.
MARGARET: Well, I wasn't encouraging him, we were just ... talking about working late tonight. I didn't know about that.
MRS. PRITCHARD: Yes, it must've slipped my mind ... Well, I need you to help me with the inventory for the city book sale this weekend.
[she hands her a large brown folder, but Margaret doesn't move]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Is there someone that you need to call? You never mentioned your family, do you need to call home?
[she suddenly gets very nervous]
MARGARET: No! Uh, I mean, that's alright. I'll stay.
MRS. PRITCHARD: Oh ... Well, good.
[she takes the folder]
MRS. PRITCHARD: I'll order in sandwiches. We can have a picnic!
[Margaret gets up to leave]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Oh, and Margaret ... Do try to keep your voice down. Library manners don't come naturally to all of us. Just remember, if you want to talk, you're welcome to come in here and talk. But out there, we must be little mice.
[she nods, then exits the office (right before letting out a sigh of anger to herself)]
[cut to later in the night, as the library is cloaked in darkness]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Grady, didn't I ask you to reset the timer lights? It's dark out ...
GRADY: I'm gettin' to it ...
[Margaret carries a stack of books up onto a ladder and begins reshelving them, when the male patron from before (the one who saw her pocket the switchblade) approaches and startles her]
MARGARET: Oh, you startled me!
[he holds up a book entitled "Alone With the Devil"]
PIPKIN: Can this be checked out? There's no card in it.
[Margaret drops one of her books]
MARGARET: Reference books are for library use only. Would you give that one to me?
[he picks it up and hands it to her]
MARGARET: Thank you.
PIPKIN: Shame, really. Such a fascinating book. If the police were to read it, they might understand what kind of man their serial killer is ... Well, that's what they think he is. A serial killer, but he's not. No, serial killers are hunters looking for a particular kind of victim. Not our killer. His victims have got nothing in common, apart from the fact they're all men. That's pure coincidence, really.
[she gives him a funny look, then continues shelving]
PIPKIN: I have a theory about his next victim. Interested? You ought to be, 'cause the next one's gonna be a woman.
[she quickly climbs down the ladder and tries to sort some catalog cards at a nearby desk, but the man follows her]
PIPKIN: I mean, what sets him off? That's what I keep thinking about. I mean, it could be the city that does it. Y'know, livin' in such close quarters, with so many strangers. People ya hate, all of them wanting to hurt you before you hurt them. We're like rabbits in a warren. They panic when they're frightened, they get all frenzied, and y'know what they do then? They eat each other!
[she drops her cards in alarm, as Misses Pritchard walks up behind them]
MARGARET: [whispers] I can't talk now.
PIPKIN: Oh, I ... I quite understand.
[he turns and leaves]

[...]

[Margaret confronts Misses Pritchard about feeling unsafe in the library]
MARGARET: Misses Pritchard, there's one more problem. Now, I don't wanna get Grady into trouble or anything, but he has been ... drinking! It just seems to me, with everything that's been happening in the past few days, that we oughta have a real security officer.
MRS. PRITCHARD: I have tried to replace Grady, but he is a civil servant. It's almost impossible. So, I've pretty much decided to deal with him in another way.
[she checks her wristwatch]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Oh goodness, look at the time.
MARGARET: But what're we going to do? We need protection--
MRS. PRITCHARD: You are over-reacting, dear. This serial killer business sells a lot of newspapers.
MARGARET: Aren't you afraid?
MRS. PRITCHARD: I think that everybody in this world gets what he or she deserves. If you put out fear and negativity, that's what comes back to call on you.
[she picks up a nearby microphone and speaks into the intercom system]
MRS. PRITCHARD: The library is closing in ten minutes ...

[...]

[Misses Pritchard has gone out for sandwiches, leaving Margaret to lock up herself, when she notices Pipkin is still sitting at a desk]
MARGARET: Oh! Sir, the library's closed!
PIPKIN: Already? I had no idea! I've made such progress today ... Y'know, murderers are so fascinating when you get to know them. Can I show you something?
[he takes the book "Murder Guide to London" and opens it to a black and white photo of an older man]
PIPKIN: John Reginald Halliday Christie. Doesn't look like a killer, does he? But he was ...
MARGARET: Oh.
PIPKIN: And a necrophiliac to boot ... Not like our man. Whatever our man looks like.
[he adjusts his glasses and puts on his trenchcoat]
PIPKIN: I mean, for all we know, our killer could be some dapper little man in an old trenchcoat and who wears little round glasses.
[he chuckles]
PIPKIN: Then one day, he snaps and goes berserk ... Yeah, I can see our man working himself up into quite a little frenzy. That's what you have to do to kill with a knife, y'know? Like our man always does.
[she quickly grabs a stack of books and tries to leave, but he follows]
PIPKIN: I mean, it's harder than you think to slash a man's throat. You gotta get close, close enough to feel their breath on your hand. Close enough to look into their eyes and see the blood spurt out--
MARGARET: Please! Stop ...
PIPKIN: Oh, I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to upset you.
MARGARET: I, I do need to close up. I have other work to do tonight.
PIPKIN: Oh, you're working late by yourself?
MARGARET: Yes ... No! I mean, Misses Pritchard is working late also.
PIPKIN: Oh, I thought she went out.
MARGARET: She's coming right back.
[he smiles]
PIPKIN: Would you like me to stay until she returns?
MARGARET: No! I mean, uh, we have a security guard.
PIPKIN: Oh, I thought I saw him leave ... Y'know, it wouldn't be very smart with all this unpleasantness in the park. Y'know, the murder last night took place just about this time. Some poor homeless person, wandering all alone, asks the wrong stranger for some change and--
[he makes a slashing motion across his throat, startling Margaret]
MARGARET: You really must go, it's after hours!
[he turns to leave, but then pops up at the front desk holding a book]
PIPKIN: Oh! Um, I forgot to check this book out. Um, could you leave it somewhere handy so I can get it when I come back?
MARGARET: Come back?
PIPKIN: Tomorrow.
MARGARET: Oh! Tomorrow ... Till tomorrow.
[she puts the back behind the desk]
PIPKIN: I've really enjoyed talking to you ...
[he turns and leaves]
PIPKIN: [from off camera] I'm not going anyplace after all ...
[she looks up from the desk, then cut to Pipkin standing in front of the exit]
PIPKIN: Locked in.
[she laughs, then goes over to the door with her key]
MARGARET: Oh! I'm sorry, I forgot ... Goodnight.
PIPKIN: Goodnight. Be careful now.
[he walks out, and Margaret locks the door behind him]

[...]

[a homeless man is pounding on the door asking Margaret to let him in, so she goes to the phone and tries to call for help, but the line is dead ... then the lights go out, when Margaret hears someone trying to force their way in through the emergency exit]
MARGARET: Oh!
[when she goes to try and barricade the door, she accidentally trips the alarm, and covers her ears at the noise]
MARGARET: Ahh! Stop it!
[the alarm stops, and she hears someone pounding on the front door again]
MRS. PRITCHARD: [from off camera] Margaret? Margaret!
[she runs over and unlocks the door]
MARGARET: Oh thank god, you're back!
MRS. PRITCHARD: What in the world is going on around here?
MARGARET: He was first at the front door, then he was at the back! It was that crazy man, that ... that maniac! He wanted me to open the door for him, but of course I wouldn't do that! He was huge, he was all hunched over!
MRS. PRITCHARD: Oh, that's Mister Garvin. I let him in after nine, he works late ... Poor man, he has some kind of bone disorder.
[she bends down and picks up a couple of books on the floor]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Y'see? He was just dropping off some books ... Calm yourself, dear. I am sure that there is no one out there.
MARGARET: No, he is out there. I know that he is. I tried to use the telephone, but that maniac cut the wires!
MRS. PRITCHARD: I turned the phone off.
[Margaret gives her a harried look, absent-mindedly pulling at her hair]
MRS. PRITCHARD: The switch is underneath, I'll show you.
MARGARET: You cut the phone off? On purpose?
MRS. PRITCHARD: It's so distracting, and ... Well, we are closed, after all.
[Margaret closes her eyes, trying to clear her head]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Come on upstairs, dear. I wanna talk to you.
[cut to inside Pritchard's office]
MRS. PRITCHARD: I know you're upset about these murders, but I can assure you, you're quite safe here. The newspapers have built up this "maniac" character. He did this, he did that, what nonsense! What if it isn't a man? It could just as easily be a woman.
[she laughs]
MRS. PRITCHARD: That'd surprise everyone, wouldn't it?
[she motions for Margaret to sit down, but she's still on edge]
MARGARET: Where's Grady?
MRS. PRITCHARD: Hm?
MARGARET: You sent him away, didn't you? Maybe ... Maybe you killed him.
MRS. PRITCHARD: What?
MARGARET: Yeah, you hated him ... You hate everyone. You said yourself, people get what they deserve. And you think he deserved to die!
MRS. PRITCHARD: You think I'm the murderer?
MARGARET: Now you wanna kill me!
[she gets up and tries to leave, but Pritchard grabs her]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Oh, this is ridiculous, calm down!
MARGARET: Don't touch me! Don't touch me!
[she grabs Pritchard and throws her against the desk]
MRS. PRITCHARD: What're you doing?!
[Margaret grabs her by the neck and starts choking her]
MRS. PRITCHARD: Let go of me!
[Margaret throws her down into the chair, then takes out the switchblade and stabs her]
MARGARET: I knew you were after me! Just like all the others!
[as Pritchard screams, Margaret stabs her again and again]
MARGARET: Like all the others ... but I'm not afraid anymore! I showed you!
[Pritchard falls silent, as Margaret slowly walks towards the window]
GRADY: [from off camera] Miss Pritchard? I was checking the back doors when I heard the alarm ...
[he opens the door to discover the gruesome scene, while Margaret calmly stares out the window at the mural]
MARGARET: Well, I guess I hafta resign. Move on again ...
[she chuckles]
MARGARET: I liked it here, but this city made me nervous. Y'know, so much crime. I don't like being afraid all the time.
[she laughs again]
MARGARET: I'm sorry about giving such short notice.
[she turns to Pritchard's corpse and smiles]
MARGARET: I hope you won't think too badly of me ...
[cut back to the Cryptkeeper]
CRYPTKEEPER: Well kiddies, I guess that's "knife in the big city" for you ...
[he laughs]
CRYPTKEEPER: Boy, do I feel sorry for Margaret ... Looks like it's just one dead end job after another!
[he laughs]
CRYPTKEEPER: You'll be happy to know that I made a sale ... The "ne-ghost-iations" were fierce, but after I threw in a couple of acres, the rest was easy!
[he laughs]
CRYPTKEEPER: There goes the "neigh-boo-hood!"
[he laughs]

---

From wikipedia.org:

Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO. The title is based on the 1950s EC Comics series of the same name and most of the content originated in that comic or the four other EC Comics of the time (Haunt of Fear, Vault of Horror, Crime SuspenStories, and Shock SuspenStories). The show was produced by HBO with uncredited association by The Geffen Film Company and Warner Bros. Television (all part of a production consortium officially called Tales from the Crypt Holdings).

[...]

Season 4 Episode 10
"Maniac at Large"
Director: John Frankenheimer
Writer(s): Mae Woods
Original Airdate: August 19, 1992 (HBO)
Source: Crime SuspenStories #27

A shy, timid librarian (Blythe Danner) becomes obsessed with a serial killer and believes that she is his next victim. Also stars Adam Ant, Obba Babatunde and Salome Jens.

---

From tv.com:

Tales from the Crypt
Maniac At Large
Season 4, Episode 10, Aired Aug 19, 1992

A shy library clerk is obsessed with a serial killer fearing that she will be the next victim.

Blythe Danner ... Margaret
Salome Jens ... Mrs. Pritchard
Clarence Williams III ... Grady
Adam Ant ... Pipkin

EC Comic Connections:
* Story adapted from Crime SuspenStories #27, Feb-Mar 1955. Art by George Evans. This was the final issue of Crime SuspenStories.
* The punks in the intro carve "EC Homies" in the table. This is possibly a reference/tribute to EC Comics, publisher of the Tales from the Crypt comic books.

---

From chud.com:

WHAT IS IT?

A mousy librarian is left alone in a big spooky library with only reports of a serial killer and her overactive imagination to keep her company.

WHO'S RESPONSIBLE?

While Robert Zemeckis would appear one last time in Season 6 (mostly to play around more with special effects and techniques he'd developed for Forrest Gump), this episode marks the last time Crypt would have a truly big name director who wasn't already involved with the show. And what a name! John Frankenheimer, more known for classic thrillers like The Manchurian Candidate and Black Sunday, isn't exactly the first person you'd think to direct a show like this, but it turned out to be a great fit anyway. The episode was written by Mae Woods, who wrote Walter Hill's previous two episodes. Makes me wonder if this was originally supposed to be a Hill episode. It stars Blythe Danner (The Prince of Tides, Meet the Parents), Clarence Williams III (The Mod Squad, Tales From the Hood), and Adam Ant (If you don't already know who he is, just buy Kings of The Wild Frontier right now and thank me later).

HOW IS IT?

One of the things that keeps Crypt interesting is the parade of familar silver-screen faces, behind and in front of the camera, being brought down to the lowly world of cable television. After covering 50+ episodes it's become clear that great film director does not always equal great television director. That's why we can have lackluster episodes from brilliant filmmakers Walter Hill and William Friedkin and brilliant episodes from TV directors like David Burton Morris. But the best results come from those who have done both; those who can adapt to the fast paced high pressure world of television while still maintaining an artistic vision. This is definitely true of John Frankenheimer, who cut his teeth on anthology shows like Danger, Climax!, and Playhouse 90 long before he went into films like The Birdman of Alcatraz and Seven Days in May. And it boy does it show. While the star-power and limited sets indicate this wasn't a big-budget episode, Frankenheimer makes the best of it with fantastic lighting, tracking shots, and all sorts of other stylistic techniques you wouldn't think possible on a show like this, and it really makes the episode sing.

In a single glorious tracking shot (opening on a mural depicting the library as the last bastion of goodness in a dark and twisted world) we're introduced to the world of the episode and the characters that inhabit it. We see the cavernous library main hall, with the light cascading through its large arched windows rendering it creepy even during the day. We see the creepy nerd Pipkin (Adam Ant) contently going through stacks of reference books on serial killers (much to the dismay of a nearby priest). We see the security guard Grady, seemingly viewing every patron with equal amounts of boredom and disdain. We see an old man reading about the most recent victim claimed by a serial killer. We see a HILARIOUS (more on them later) bunch of hoodlums stealing his paper, and we see head librarian Mrs. Pritchard's (Salome Jens) blood boil as she witnesses it, calling Grady to deal with them. In the background, we can even barely see the meek and mousy librarian Margaret (Blythe Danner), clearly anxious about Mrs. Pritchard's anger. It may seem like I'm spending a lot of time on this brief introduction, but short films (particularly genre short films) are all about economy storytelling and in the opening 2 minutes John Frankenheimer has already established location, scenario, all the characters and how they relate to each other. The rest of the episode works because of this.

As Margaret is cleaning up after the vandalous delinquents, even pocketing a switchblade they left behind, she sees the newspaper headline loudly proclaiming "MANIAC AT LARGE", setting her even more on edge than usual. Not that she needed the help; there's no shortage of anxiety-triggers in this spooky old library. There's the creepy patrons (including a homeless woman singing "Old McDonald" in a childlike whisper), there's the fact that she has to work late that night to inventory the library (apparently by herself?), and, of course, there's Mrs. Pritchard. Mrs. Pritchard is your essential headmistress type, harsh, stern and condescending, but there's a distinct early-90's "fear of juvenille deliquents" flavor to it as well, that had a resurgence with the rise of gang violence in the 80's and 90's. But she's nothing compared to Pipkin, who bothers Margaret as she's stocking books. Adam Ant plays Pipkin as an Aspergers-type, with an obsession with serial-killer minutea and too socially retarded to realize how much all of it is upsetting Margaret. He's also set-up as a clear suspect for the killer, but this episode is less about any story than it is about ratcheting up the tension on our poor lead, so it doesn't really go anywhere with it. Either way, Adam Ant proves himself an extremely capable actor, relishing his upsetting monologues.

If the first wave of tension climaxes with Pipkin's creepy serial killer rants, the second comes shortly after when Margaret sees the shadows of a man stabbing something in the basement. She freaks out and calls Grady to check it out, but he decides to use their time alone in the basement to drink from his secret whiskey stash and come onto her. Again, she's not safe anywhere or with anyone. Even when she calls down a detective, already there investigating the theft of some typewriters, all he finds is a cut-up book of nude photography. Which is still pretty creepy, when you think about it. Either way, Mrs. Pritchard mostly ignores Margaret's concerns and complaints about Grady, telling her that it's almost impossible to fire a civil servant but that she's decided "another way to deal with Grady", making her killer suspect number three, after Pipkin and Grady. She goes out, to pick up some sandwiches, leaving Margaret alone in the library with Pipkin, who was accidentally locked in when the library closed. He gives another creepy monologue (laying it on extra thick, going as far to describe the killer to be physically identical to himself) before finally leaving.

Then a homeless man, played by cult actor Irwin Keyes (you may not know the name, but you definitely know the face) starts pounding on the door yelling for help. Margaret overreacts, of course, screaming and running to call the police. But the phone lines are cut! And then the power is cut! And then the backdoor starts to shake, as if someone is trying to force themselves in! And then the fire alarm goes off! It's a pretty fun sequence that manages, through the tension already set up, to be ridiculous without feeling too much like a Naked Gun movie. Then, as suddenly as it began, it all stops and Mrs. Pritchard is at the front door trying to get in. Margaret lets her in and breathlessly tries to warn her about the killer outside, but Pritchard is having none of it. Then SHE begins to lay it on thick, admitting that she cut the phone lines (because "they're so distracting, and we're closed anyway") and proposing the theory that the killer may not be a man at all, but a woman.

Margaret accuses Mrs. Pritchard of being the murderer and before Pritchard can get a chance to defend herself, they get into a struggle what ends with Margaret stabbing her to death with the deliquent's switchblade, screaming "I'M NOT AFRAID ANYMORE!" Grady comes in to witness the aftermath as Margaret, having finally cracked, dreamily stands by the office window, giving a strange monologue about she doesn't like living by the city so she has to give her resignation. As far as endings go, it's a little unsatisfying. With all the talk about the serial killer, the great and spooky library set, and the significant tension already established, there was definitely a better climactic set-piece to be had than two old women grappling in an office. Even the stabbing of Mrs. Pritchard is disappointingly tame and bloodless. But it at least makes sense, which puts it one over most Crypt endings.

DOES IT HATE WOMEN?

The fact that women are overwhelmingly play the hapless frightened victim in horror films is of course sexist, but you certainly can't say that's Crypt's fault. This episode's pretty safe.

ALSO WORTH NOTING:

* That gang of hoodlums really is hysterical, like a checklist of ridiculous 90's deliquent cliches. Backwards caps? Check. Of vaguely Asian ethnic origin? Check. Walkmen? Check. Gets their kicks from reading news articles about murder? Ok, that's not a cliche but it's a big check. The best part, though, is their name they carved into the table: The EC Homies. I couldn't make this shit up.

* This episode also features a pretty good score (for once!) by Rocky composer Bill Conti.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Case Study No. 0618: Kelly Reiss, the Vegetarian Librarian

Vegetarian Librarian Gumbo Zombies - Director's Cut
3:52
The scarier director's cut of VL GUMBO ZOMBIES!!

In June 2010 we were excited to have this video screened at the 1st Well Slept Film Fest inside the historic Gateway Theatre in Jefferson Park, IL. For future WSFF events check out http://www.wellsleptfilmfest.com/

...and of course more Vegetarian Librarian fun at http://www.veglib.com
Tags: zombies zombie makeup Halloween scary haunted undead gumbo voodoo Night of the Living Dead Jefferson Park VL Illinois Chicago Vegetarian Librarian vegan librarian
Added: 2 years ago
From: VegetarianLibrarian
Views: 555

[scene opens with a young female librarian walking calmly through the park, when she stops and speaks directly to the camera]
KELLY: What a beautiful fall day! Perfect for some gumbo ...
[she continues walking, failing to notice that a number of zombies are suddenly following her]

The Vegetarian Librarian: Gumbo Zombies

Starring the VL, Kelly Reiss
With Jess Flynn Rambo
Tyler Flynn Rambo
Graham Jordan
Jessica Douglass
Johnny Misfit
and Rich Salamander

Music by Mr. 666
Directed and Edited by Jason Waclawik

[cut to some stock footage of a zombie horror movie, then to inside Kelly's kitchen as she stirs a pot of gumbo on the stove]
KELLY: The gumbo's done. Let's serve it up.
[as she takes a ladle-full of gumbo and pours it into a bowl, a zombie starts climbing through the nearby open window]
KELLY: What's that noise?
[she leaves and heads for the front door]
KELLY: Someone's at the door ...
[the door suddenly opens, and she screams as zombies start to come walking through]
KELLY: Get back, zombies!
[cut to a large group of zombies surrounding her in the kitchen, as she tries to fend them off with her spoon]
KELLY: Get back! Get back!
[footage from the zombie movie starts to play over the footage of Kelly, as she makes her stand in the corner of the room]
KELLY: Get back, zombies! Get back! Get back!
[she throws a bowl of gumbo at one of the zombies, who starts screaming and writhing on the floor]
ZOMBIE 1: Ahhhh!
[after convulsing on the floor, he suddenly wipes some of the gumbo off with his finger and decides to taste it]
ZOMBIE 1: Uhhhh ... Mmmm!
[the other zombies start grabbing at the gumbo on him and begin eating it]
ZOMBIE 1: Ahhhh!
[Kelly sees this, and suddenly has an idea]
KELLY: Gumbo!
[cut to Kelly with a basket of muffins, handing them out to each zombie as they pass by]
KELLY: Don't forget your corn muffins!
[they grab at the basket's contents, then cut to the zombies shuffling down the street and away from the house]
KELLY: [from off camera] Zombies, begone! Hope we don't see anymore of you tonight!
[she enters the scene and chucks a muffin at the "retreating" zombies, then cut to several zombies eating bowls of gumbo as they walk away]
ZOMBIE 2: Uhhhhh, it's really good!
ZOMBIE 3: You've really outdone yourself this time! Yaaarrrgh ...
["veglib dot com" appears on screen, then cut to Jason walking into the kitchen, as Kelly has her back to him and is working on something at the stove]
JASON: Kelly, that was crazy! Is there any, uh, gumbo left--
[Kelly turns to reveal that she has become a zombie, and stabs him with a knife]
JASON: Ahhhh!

---

From upchicago.com:

Scrumptious smells are escaping out of Kelly Reiss's Logan Square kitchen in Chicago. On the inside a flood light from Home Depot lights up the stage and husband Jason Waclawik mans a hand held camera as Kelly, the self proclaimed Vegetarian Librarian, cooks up some creativity with a side of vegetables.

"About three years ago the phrase 'vegetarian librarian' gave rise to the idea of filming DIY cooking demos," explains Kelly. After letting the idea "marinate" for a while Kelly (a research librarian at the Chicago Center for Green Technology) and Jason (with a background in film and media) began producing webisodes called, "The Vegetarian Librarian."

Not to be confused with other cooking shows the Vegetarian Librarian is far from your bland Martha Stewart type. Local Indie/Rock band Strawberry Horsecake developed the theme song and can be heard throughout many webisodes, while all other music used is created by local Chicago artists and friends. Some of the most unconventional and artistic of the webisodes include "Gumbo" and "Master of the English Muffins" both from season 2. During Gumbo Reiss strolls through Palmer Square Park on a beautiful fall day and is compelled to make gumbo. Meanwhile zombies emerge from behind tall trees and lurk in the background. Back in the kitchen the absent minded VL finishes her hearty dish when she hears someone at the door. The undead must have rounded up a few more of their own frightening kind with a freaky fetish for gumbo. As they attack the VL she finds her only defense is to pour the gumbo on them. Her ploy works and she sends them on their way with a bowl each and corn muffins to follow. This spooky Halloween themed webisode is entertaining and dishes on how to create a seasonal meal or an anti-zombie potion, which ever you may need.

Whether shot in locations unique to Chicago such as the Hideout, Palmer Square Park, Salon Miniscule, Atlas Recording Studios or in her own kitchen Reiss cooks up delicious recipes mixed with amusement. Now in her third season the Vegetarian Librarian promises more taste bud pleasing recipes along with more vegetarian/vegan blog content for fans. When not fulfilling her vegetarian side Kelly entertains her librarian side by feeding her brain with information from the Center for Books and Paper knowledge at Columbia College. And when out for some vegetarian cuisine Kelly frequents restaurants like Sultan's Market, El Cid, Karyn's on Green or Handlebar. Being a very smart vegetarian Reiss has found some unique places to find her ingredients. You won't find the VL shopping at any ordinary grocery store but you might be able to sneak a peak into her grocery cart at the Green Grocer Chicago on Grand Ave, the Logan Square Farmer's Market on Sunday, a speciality Korean store called Joong Boo Market, or Whole Foods in Lincoln Park. So if you run into the Vegetarian Librarian at any of her favorite Chicago niches ask her what she's cooking up next.