Halifax
At 9:05 a.m. on December 6th, 1917, a munitions ship
exploded in Halifax harbour (Nova Scota, Canada). It was the
largest man-made explosion until Hiroshima. The disaster has
been well chronicled, especially in Canada. Yet despite
gripping elements of irony, tragedy, heroism, intrigue, and
potential for special effects, Hollywood has ignored the
event.
Irony: 150 victims of the Titanic sinking (1912) were
buried in Halifax. Tragedy: Over 2,000 were killed, hundreds
blinded, and thousands maimed or crippled. Victims included
residents who were viewing the ship collision and ensuing
fire, which caused the explosion. Families were wiped out.
Many school children were killed.
Heroism: Tales of heroics are abundant. One of the most
riveting is that of train dispatcher Vince Coleman, who
sacrificed his life to telegraph a warning to approaching
passenger trains.
Intrigue: The historical timing (World War I) generated
widespread conjecture that Germany was responsible for the
explosion. While later discredited, the suspicion persisted
for years.
-- Script Pitch III Host Commentary --
Lee's Analysis:
These are just facts, and so to get a better idea of
potential, Id need to see these facts woven into the
plot, and the plot is what I dont see.
