THE CATACOMBS' CURSE
GENRE
FAMILY SUSPENSE/THRILLER ROMANCE OTHER
Core Theme
ADVENTURE WITH MYSTICISM
TIME PERIOD
18th Century,Across Centuries,Future
COMPARABLE TITLES
THE MUMMY, LES MISÉRABLES.
CHARACTER LIST
ESMERALDA. 20+. CHARMING, STRONG-WILLED, HONORABLE, SMART. HER STRENGTH COMES MAINLY BECAUSE OF HER LOVE FOR HER CHILDREN.
GISELLE. 20+. SEXY, MYSTERIOUS, WISE, SKILLFUL. A WELL-DEVELOPED MYSTIC CREATURE.
ALEXANDRE, GISELLE'S HUSBAND. 20+. MASCULINE, PASSIONATE, LIAR, CRIMINAL. LOVES GISELLE DEEPLY BUT IS UNABLE TO TELL HER THE TRUTH ABOUT HIMSELF AND OTHERS.
REMY, EZZY'S HUSBAND. 20+. SMART, MASCULINE, WORKAHOLIC.
ALBERTINE. 80+. GISELLE'S GRANDMOTHER. WISE, ETHIC, GRACIOUS AND EMPATHETIC. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONVINCING GISELLE TO DO THE "RIGHT" THING.
JASPER. 30+. MURDERER OF GISELLE AND ALEXANDRE. GREEDY, MERCILESS.
Logline
When Esmeralda and Remy Alares visit the Paris Catacombs they should have paid more attention to the instructions: Don't touch the bones.
Target Audiences
Age: 18-34,35-54,55+
Target Gender: Universal
Setting
Waterloo, Belgium, Paris 1815- Near Future, New York City, Caribbean Islands, Philippines
Based on a True Story
No
Publishing Details
Status: Yes: self-published
Publisher: Pedaceum Press
Year Published: 2020
Starting Description
1815. Alexandre Guynemer, hired by a London bank, sends a carrier pigeon bearing the news of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo to his wife, Giselle, waiting at Dunkerque. A competitor bank wants the timely news, also. The couple is murdered and their bones interred within the Paris Catacombs.
Ending Description
Alexandre and Giselle, craving revenge and new life, have no intention of returning the bodies they've stolen. Dueling ancient rites and cultural justice unite in a Filipino mountain sanctuary to compel the couple to return life to the unsuspecting, but tenacious tourists, Ezzy and Remy Alares.
Group Specific
Paranormal/Spiritual/Historical
Hard Copy Available
Yes
ISBN
9798676605551
Mature Audience Themes
Nudity
Plot - Other Elements
Happy Ending,Meaningful Message,Philosophical Questions,Twist
Plot - Premise
Overcoming Monster/Villain,Internal Journey/Rebirth,Voyage and Return
Main Character Details
Name: Esmeralda (Ezzy) Alares
Age: 20's
Gender: Female
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Badass,Desperate,Engaging,Faithful,Gracious,Heroic,Underdog,Sexy,Strong Moral Code,Honorable
Additional Character Details
Name: Giselle Guynemer
Age: 20's
Gender: Female
Role: Antagonist
Key Traits: Aggressive,Complex,Desperate,Sexy,Manipulative,Skillful
Additional Character Details
Name: Alexandre Guynemer
Age: 30's
Gender: Male
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Aggressive,Faithful,Masculine,Narcisstic,Manipulative,Secretive,Romantic,Criminal
Additional Character Details
Name: Albertine
Age: 80's
Gender: Female
Role: protagonist
Key Traits: Faithful,Charming,Funny,Gracious,Strong Moral Code,Heroic,Honorable,Leader,Empathetic,Engaging,Selfless,Visionary
Genre
ACTION, SUSPENSE, THRILLER, RELIGION, POLITICS, FANTASY
Brief
An filipino-american couple end up possessed by the spirits of a couple dead in 1815 after visiting Paris Catacombs. As a spiritual battle for life unfolds, a connection between their stories and a greater purpose of justice are revealed.
Overall Rating
EXCELLENT
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: EXCELLENT
Commerciality: GOOD
Franchise Potential: GOOD
Pace: EXCELLENT
Premise: GOOD
Structure: GOOD
Theme: EXCELLENT
Accuracy of Book Profile
The Book Profile reflects the book accurately.
Draw of Story
The story begins in 1815, during Napoleon's Waterloo battle. The brutal deaths of Giselle and Alexandre involve the reader in the search for revenge when they get back into living through the bodies of Ezzy and Remy. The story is creative and characters involved in the narrative are built in a refreshing manner, especially Giselle. It's like bringing Les Misérables' characters back to life exploring spiritual matters and allowing them to seek for revenge and compare how little social justice has evolved since then.
Possible Drawbacks
There are some small typing mistakes which make the book seem unrevised. Some passages related to spiritual possession seem inflated. The relation between Albertine and the priest who kept their bodies for a while could be more developed - specially if you consider the deep social divisions in the XIX century which are clear in Victor Hugo's works.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES HEAVILY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The main reason I would watch this movie is the charisma and mystery of female characters which are well-developed. Also the idea of comparing life in 1815 and now is interesting, especially through the lens of social injustice, slavery and non-catholic focused spirituality.
Fanbase Potential
It could have a large fanbase if adapted because it explores different cultures and beliefs and characters are charismatic and well-developed.
Awards Potential
It could also have awards potential as it is a story that requires great period setting, good acting and special effects.
Envisioned Budget
LARGE BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
THE MUMMY, LES MISÉRABLES
What’s New About the Story
The story is original because it begins with the same setting as Les Misérables but is quickly positioned in today's charming Paris. The spiritual plot is explored in a non-catholic or dogmatic manner. Even though the author has consciously toned down the corruption and bank plot, the matter of social injustice could be more developed.
Lead Characters
Giselle is a very well developed character as she mysterious, charming, smart and powerful, and her origins are well developed. Alexandre is interesting as he is a man of his time and never ceases to be one, and even though apparently adapted to today's world, and is eliminated by Giselle. Esmeralda is also a good and strong character, her origins are complex and well developed.
Uniqueness of Story
It is a rare gem, but the clearer development of the world's general scenario and depiction of lingering social injustices, which is common to big classics and is hinted here, could possibly bring more purpose to the story.
Possible Formats
Film - Streaming, Film - Studio, TV Series - Network, TV Series - Cable, TV Series - Limited Run / Mini-Series, TV Series - Streaming
Analyst Recommendation
RECOMMEND
Justification
I recommend it because this story is complex, well-though, non-cliché, characters are interesting and the plot has a higher purpose and world view.
Brief
Filipino-American couple visit Paris Catacombs and end up possessed by another couple, dead since 1815. As they battle for the right to live, the spirits seek for revenge and find out their fates are connected by the wrongdoings of a greedy bank.
What We Liked
This story is enticing because, even though it seems at first to be about two couples in a spiritual battle for life, it is also about greed, power and social injustices lingering through the times and the devastating power of money in the fate of less fortunate people.
Film: It would also be a good adaptation for a film because the plot has great period settings, mystery, a magical bird creature, enticing characters, spiritual battles and refreshing cultural and religious references from cultures that are original and haven't been explored in movies.
TV: It would be a good adaptation for TV as the battles for the bodies may unfold in several ways and the relation between the characters is developed through time.
Key points: A strong selling point of the story is development of female characters, of diverse origins and complex natures. The strong, powerful and charming Giselle, Flipino-American charming and loving Ezzy and the wise, former-enslaved Albertine, a true moral force in the story. Alexandre is also an interesting character that seems to have come out of a Victor Hugo's romance, surviving Waterloo's battle only to be murdered by a greedy banker - but comes to life again in today's world. The spiritual references are enticing and references of Filipino-Shamanese and voodoo are well placed and portrayed with due respect and accuracy. The bigger plot of of social injustice, greed and selfishness also brings along the frame of a great story.
Synopsis
The story begins in the battle of Waterloo in 1815, through the eyes of a Alexandre Guynemer, who is watching the battle eager to send the news of a winner to his wife, Giselle, so she can retrieve the news in her magical birds to favor an English bank. Even though he is a Napoleon supporter, Alexandre's selfishness makes him betray his beliefs and convincing his wife to do the same. They banker kills Giselle before Alexandre arrives to meet her. Alexandre finds her dead and manages to transfer her body to Paris to rest with her grandmother but, seeking for revenge, gets killed by the same man right after. A few years later, their skulls - Albertine's, Alexandre's and Giselle's - get transferred to the catacombs.
Many years after, in today's world, a Remy and Ezzy, a filipino-american couple visit the catacombs and Remy touches Alexandre's skull, which takes over his body and manages to get his wife, Ezzy, to touch Giselle's skull to get her also back to life. The filipino-american couple end up being possessed by the spirits of the couple dead in 1815.
As Alexandre seeks for revenge, he finds where Jasper, their murderer, is buried and gets his revenge with the help of Hermes, the magical bird. Giselle, however, is not as drawn into revenge and wants to enjoy life in her new body.
Giselle and Alexandre also find out the truth about Nigel, through the knowledge of Remy, and end up tearing down the prosperous legacy of their murderers.
As Giselle finds out about the lies told by Alexandre, she plans to get rid of Alexandre's spirit and brings back Albertine, her wise grandmother. She comes back to life in Remy's body and convinces Giselle to rest in peace and let Remy and Ezzy have their bodies back and live with their children.
Seeking for peace and spiritual protection, they come back to Kalinga, in the Philippines and redirect their lives to help developing countries find equality.