Fifth Annual Movie-Plot Threat Contest Winner
On April 1, I announced the Fifth Annual Movie Plot Threat Contest:
Your task, ye Weavers of Tales, is to create a fable of fairytale suitable for instilling the appropriate level of fear in children so they grow up appreciating all the lords do to protect them.
On May 15, I announced the five semi-finalists. Voting continued through the end of the month, and the winner (improved by the author, with help from blog comments) is:
The Gashlycrumb Terrors, by Laura
A is for anthrax, so deadly and white.
B is for burglars who break in at night.
C is for cars that, with minds of their own,
accelerate suddenly in a school zone.
D is for dynamite lit with a fuse.
E is for everything we have to lose.
F is for foreigners, different and strange.
G is for gangs and the crimes they arrange.
H is for hand lotion, more than three ounces;
pray some brave agent sees it and pounces.
I is for ingenious criminal plans.
J is for jury-rigged pipe-bombs in vans.
K is for kids who would recklessly play
in playgrounds and parks with their friends every day.
L is for lead in our toys and our food.
M is for Mom’s cavalier attitude.
N is for neighbors—you never can tell:
is that a book club or terrorist cell?
O is for ostrich, with head in the sand.
P is for plots to blow up Disneyland.
Q is for those who would question authorities.
R is for radical sects and minorities.
S is for Satanists, who have been seen
giving kids razor blades on Halloween.
T is for terrorists, by definition.
U is for uncensored acts of sedition.
V is for vigilance, our leaders’ tool,
keeping us safe, both at home and at school.
W is for warnings with colors and levels.
X is for x-raying bags at all revels.
Y is for *you*, my dear daughter or son
Z is for Zero! No tolerance! None!
Laura, contact me with your address so I can send you your prize. Anyone interesting in illustrating this, preferably in Edward Gorey’s style, should e-mail me first.
History: The First Movie-Plot Threat Contest rules and winner. The Second Movie-Plot Threat Contest rules, semifinalists, and winner. The Third Movie-Plot Threat Contest rules, semifinalists, and winner. The Fourth Movie-Plot Threat Contest rules and winner.
Gareth Rees • June 15, 2010 6:40 AM
That’s excellent. If someone’s going to make an illustrated version, it might be worth fixing (or at least improving) the scansion in lines ACHIKNPSVYZ. Here are some slight improvements:
A is for anthrax, so deadly and white.
C is for cars that have minds of their own
and do more than fifty-five in a school zone.
H is for hand lotion, more than three ounces;
let’s pray that some brave agent sees it and pounces.
I is for implants (but wait till you’re older).
N is for neighbors — you never can tell:
are they running a book club or terrorist cell?
P is for plots to explode Disneyland.
S is for satanists, who have been seen
giving poisonous candy bars on Halloween.
(which I donate to the public domain). I don’t have anything particularly good for KVYZ, but I’m sure that other commenters will.