Comments on: Empty Coffin http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/ Nigerian & Ghanaian (African) Movie Reviews Fri, 11 May 2012 10:28:10 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Nollywood http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-2/#comment-117030 Nollywood Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:34:23 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-117030 @JohnGana I mean Frank and Abdul from Venus Productions rip off most of their scripts and are known for doing so, @JohnGana I mean Frank and Abdul from Venus Productions rip off most of their scripts and are known for doing so,

]]> By: Nollywood http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-2/#comment-117029 Nollywood Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:27:18 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-117029 @JohnGana From what you have posted I do not see the similarities. I would be interested in seeing the full thing. you can mail me at iluvnollywood@gmaildotcom @JohnGana From what you have posted I do not see the similarities. I would be interested in seeing the full thing. you can mail me at iluvnollywood@gmaildotcom

]]> By: JohnGana http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-2/#comment-116963 JohnGana Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:30:44 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-116963 I wonder what else they are blatantly plagiarising in Nollywood... I wonder what else they are blatantly plagiarising in Nollywood…

]]> By: JohnGana http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-2/#comment-116962 JohnGana Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:28:06 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-116962 Unfortunately this story was taken directly from an unproduced script posted on screenwriters website in 2003. I know this because I've read the original script written by Sean Atkinson and under the title of The Diary. Here's the logline from the site:   The Diary, by Sean Atkinson (2003) Genre: Thriller, Drama, Obsession Gretchen's family's fortune is depleted.  To her discontent she is married to a wealthy landowner, a handsome recluse with a troubled past and a terrifying and mind-bending secret.   Just as some have commented on this forum that the plot reads like Charlotte Brontë's Jane Eyre, The Diary is similar because it is set during the same time period and has similar elements in the story as well. Here's the opening page:   FADE IN:   Silence. Our world is in absolute darkness.   IN THE DARKNESS: Around the edges light begins to invade, breaking the darkness. It is not white light but shades of blue and it moves like water - flowing and rippling as it engulfs the black. More light continues to flow into the darkness, it seems random and uncontrolled, but more and more we can see that the darkness is contouring to taking a form.   The sounds of crashing waves intrude on the silence and it becomes clear that we are under water and that the blue light is nothing more than the sun's reflection over a body of water.   EXT. UNDER WATER - AFTERNOON We DESCEND further and now the shape has taken from. It is the disturbing sight of a WOMAN'S BODY floating limp with the current under the water. We cannot see her face clearly. The sounds of the ocean deep are drowned out by the sound of a young woman's voice-   GRETCHEN (V.O.) I am dead now. I know this and I accept it. If there is a God, might there also be a devil? And if so at which table shall I be seated? For in this life I have done good deeds...and bad.   CLOSE ON A GOLDEN HEART-SHAPED PENDANT That floats freely around her neck, chained to her by a fine necklace.   GRETCHEN (V.O.) (CONT'D) All of this caused by a book - a journal. It should have been nothing to anyone but to me, it's owner. But I was to learn that even this simple diary would become of great significance in the lives of others, and also to my very own. We stay with the floating body in silence for a moment longer before-   FADE OUT:   Once again we are in darkness.   SUDDENLY, a single flame ignites out of nowhere and banishes the darkness. It quivers for a moment and then begins to burn strongly. From the burning reflection on glass we can see that the flame is incased in a gas-lantern. The lantern is placed carefully on a solid wooden platform. Light gives way to-   INT. A BEDROOM - NIGHT The wooden platform is in fact a large oak desk. An ink well and several pens lay scattered across the counter. A jewelry box, an array of perfume bottles of all shapes and sizes sit amongst the tools of this writer. This is the desk of a lady, one of considerable wealth.   A BEAUTIFUL JOURNAL One with a leather cover is laid carefully onto the counter. The cover is opened to reveal pages and pages of diary entries. The daily experiences of this person, her dreams, ambitions, sights, tastes and loves are all listed with dates. Raw emotion spelled out in ink.   A PEN DIPS INTO THE INK And begins to write on a fresh page. The words flow easily - a word becomes a sentence, a sentence into a paragraph.   GRETCHEN (V.O.) (a diary entry) Dear diary, it has been less than a week since the funeral of my late husband and although the mourning period has only just begun, my mother has already begun the search for my new husband-to-be.   CUT TO:   INT. A BATHROOM - HUSBAND'S HOUSE - DAY A tub sits to one side of this elegant bathroom. Two locked double doors sit only metres from the tub. CLOSE ON THE SIDE OF THIS TUB where the frantic sounds of knocking, 'jiggling' of the two locked doors and calls to "open up" and "let us in" from the other side may be heard.   GRETCHEN (V.O.) You see, I was only married six months before the unfortunate accident involving my husband's wrists and a knife which resulted in his premature departure from this earth.   A BLOODY ARM falls limp before us. A deep gash along an artery allows blood to gush onto the tiles below. A knife 'clangs' onto the floor beside the pooling blood...   Like I said, it's an unproduced script so it had it's flaws. Nevertheless, if you've seen this movie and can confirm the plot similarities with Mr. Atkinson's script, then you'd agree with me that there's plagiarism involved. The Diary was written in 2003. Empty Coffin was released in 2009. You see what I'm getting at?   I am yet to watch Empty Coffin to note all similarities. However, I'll resist the urge because I already know from the premise that this script isn't original and was plagiarized. I don't know if the screenwriters Nkechi & Terry Emeka Emeodi do this regularly (I hope not) or if Director Emeka Hill Umeasor was aware of this. Either way, it's not good and speaks volumes of Nollywood screenwriters. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!!!   Anyone interested in reading Sean Atkinson's The Diary to compare and contrast can email me at youbadassmutha@yahoo.com.  Unfortunately this story was taken directly from an unproduced script posted on screenwriters website in 2003. I know this because I’ve read the original script written by Sean Atkinson and under the title of The Diary. Here’s the logline from the site:
 
The Diary, by Sean Atkinson (2003)
Genre: Thriller, Drama, Obsession
Gretchen’s family’s fortune is depleted.  To her discontent she is married to a wealthy landowner, a handsome recluse with a troubled past and a terrifying and mind-bending secret.
 
Just as some have commented on this forum that the plot reads like Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, The Diary is similar because it is set during the same time period and has similar elements in the story as well. Here’s the opening page:
 
FADE IN:
 
Silence. Our world is in absolute darkness.
 
IN THE DARKNESS: Around the edges light begins to invade, breaking the darkness. It is not white light but shades of blue and it moves like water – flowing and rippling as it engulfs the black. More light continues to flow into the darkness, it seems random and uncontrolled, but more and more we can see that the darkness is contouring to taking a form.
 
The sounds of crashing waves intrude on the silence and it becomes clear that we are under water and that the blue light is nothing more than the sun’s reflection over a body of water.
 
EXT. UNDER WATER – AFTERNOON
We DESCEND further and now the shape has taken from. It is the disturbing sight of a WOMAN’S BODY floating limp with the current under the water. We cannot see her face clearly. The sounds of the ocean deep are drowned out by the sound of a young woman’s voice-
 
GRETCHEN (V.O.)
I am dead now. I know this and I accept it. If there is a God, might there also be a devil? And if so at which table shall I be seated? For in this life I have done good deeds…and bad.
 
CLOSE ON A GOLDEN HEART-SHAPED PENDANT That floats freely around her neck, chained to her by a fine necklace.
 
GRETCHEN (V.O.) (CONT’D)
All of this caused by a book – a journal. It should have been nothing to anyone but to me, it’s owner. But I was to learn that even this simple diary would become of great significance in the lives of others, and also to my very own. We stay with the floating body in silence for a moment longer before-
 
FADE OUT:
 
Once again we are in darkness.
 
SUDDENLY, a single flame ignites out of nowhere and banishes the darkness. It quivers for a moment and then begins to burn strongly. From the burning reflection on glass we can see that the flame is incased in a gas-lantern. The lantern is placed carefully on a solid wooden platform. Light gives way to-
 
INT. A BEDROOM – NIGHT
The wooden platform is in fact a large oak desk. An ink well and several pens lay scattered across the counter. A jewelry box, an array of perfume bottles of all shapes and sizes sit amongst the tools of this writer. This is the desk of a lady, one of considerable wealth.
 
A BEAUTIFUL JOURNAL One with a leather cover is laid carefully onto the counter. The cover is opened to reveal pages and pages of diary entries. The daily experiences of this person, her dreams, ambitions, sights, tastes and loves are all listed with dates. Raw emotion spelled out in ink.
 
A PEN DIPS INTO THE INK And begins to write on a fresh page. The words flow easily – a word becomes a sentence, a sentence into a paragraph.
 
GRETCHEN (V.O.)
(a diary entry)
Dear diary, it has been less than a week since the funeral of my late husband and although the mourning period has only just begun, my mother has already begun the search for my new husband-to-be.
 
CUT TO:
 
INT. A BATHROOM – HUSBAND’S HOUSE – DAY
A tub sits to one side of this elegant bathroom. Two locked double doors sit only metres from the tub. CLOSE ON THE SIDE OF THIS TUB where the frantic sounds of knocking, ‘jiggling’ of the two locked doors and calls to “open up” and “let us in” from the other side may be heard.
 
GRETCHEN (V.O.)
You see, I was only married six months before the unfortunate accident involving my husband’s wrists and a knife which resulted in his premature departure from this earth.
 
A BLOODY ARM falls limp before us. A deep gash along an artery allows blood to gush onto the tiles below. A knife ‘clangs’ onto the floor beside the pooling blood…
 
Like I said, it’s an unproduced script so it had it’s flaws. Nevertheless, if you’ve seen this movie and can confirm the plot similarities with Mr. Atkinson’s script, then you’d agree with me that there’s plagiarism involved. The Diary was written in 2003. Empty Coffin was released in 2009. You see what I’m getting at?
 
I am yet to watch Empty Coffin to note all similarities. However, I’ll resist the urge because I already know from the premise that this script isn’t original and was plagiarized. I don’t know if the screenwriters Nkechi & Terry Emeka Emeodi do this regularly (I hope not) or if Director Emeka Hill Umeasor was aware of this. Either way, it’s not good and speaks volumes of Nollywood screenwriters. SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!!!
 
Anyone interested in reading Sean Atkinson’s The Diary to compare and contrast can email me at youbadassmutha@yahoo.com. 

]]> By: Kay http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-1/#comment-41645 Kay Fri, 07 Jan 2011 05:06:30 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-41645 Where can I rent or purchase this movie I seen part of it and I am dying to finnish it? Where can I rent or purchase this movie I seen part of it and I am dying to finnish it?

]]> By: Nollywood http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-1/#comment-20879 Nollywood Mon, 25 Oct 2010 12:36:21 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-20879 Really? I guess maybe this storyline in parts is one that will have been used over and over again in the past in other genres but it was most def a first in Nollywood that I have seen. You thought Ufuoma was boring... awww I've always liked her... Really? I guess maybe this storyline in parts is one that will have been used over and over again in the past in other genres but it was most def a first in Nollywood that I have seen.

You thought Ufuoma was boring… awww I've always liked her…

]]> By: tammy http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-1/#comment-20754 tammy Sun, 24 Oct 2010 22:52:05 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-20754 i saw the movie a while ago, it actually seemed to have lifted alot of the storyline from Mary Higgins Clarke's "a cry in the night". but when i was getting to the point of screaming deja vu, they added some more "flava" and it went in a different direction. i enjoyed the movie, and zach orji looked yummy as well. he was convincing as the psycho husband,i liked it. Some scenes were over acted and all, but its a whole lot better than alot of the movies i have seen recently. i always thot ufoma was boring and i would always turn off a movie once i saw she was in it. but there was something about the start of the movie that kept me glued....ad im glad i saw it to the end. Sorry Ufoma :) i saw the movie a while ago,

it actually seemed to have lifted alot of the storyline from Mary Higgins Clarke's "a cry in the night". but when i was getting to the point of screaming deja vu, they added some more "flava" and it went in a different direction. i enjoyed the movie, and zach orji looked yummy as well. he was convincing as the psycho husband,i liked it. Some scenes were over acted and all, but its a whole lot better than alot of the movies i have seen recently. i always thot ufoma was boring and i would always turn off a movie once i saw she was in it. but there was something about the start of the movie that kept me glued….ad im glad i saw it to the end. Sorry Ufoma :)

]]> By: Nollywood http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-1/#comment-19305 Nollywood Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:12:25 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-19305 If you are not in London I don't know. I buy all my movies from the same place. If you are not in London I don't know. I buy all my movies from the same place.

]]> By: Nollywood http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-1/#comment-19304 Nollywood Mon, 18 Oct 2010 19:11:03 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-19304 Minor details do make up a film though, and films are HORRIBLE when there is a lack of attention to detail. Minor details do make up a film though, and films are HORRIBLE when there is a lack of attention to detail.

]]> By: tope http://nollywoodforever.com/empty-coffin/comment-page-1/#comment-19145 tope Sun, 17 Oct 2010 16:58:12 +0000 http://nollywoodforever.wordpress.com/2009/09/22/empty-coffin/#comment-19145 Oya abeg, biko, where can I watch this movie? Oya abeg, biko, where can I watch this movie?

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