| The Tale of the Last Dance | |
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| Season 7 , Episode 10 | |
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| Air date | May 21, 2000 |
| Written by | Mark D. Perry |
| Directed by | Jim Donovan |
| Episode guide | |
| Previous The Tale of the Photo Finish |
Next The Tale of the Laser Maze |
The Tale of the Last Dance is the Tenth episode of the Seventh Season of Are You Afraid of the Dark?, as well as the Eighty-Eighth episode in total.
Cast[]
Midnight Society Cast[]
- David Deveau as Andy
- Daniel DeSanto as Tucker
- Kareem Blackwell as Quinn
- Elisha Cuthbert as Megan
- Vanessa Lengies as Vange
Story Cast[]
- Jennifer Finnigan as Tara Martin
- Jason McSkimming as Michael
- Audrey Gardiner as Jane
- Adam Frost as Scot
- Paul Hopkins as The Lurker
- Gilbert Larose, Jr. as The Lurker's Stunt Double
Intro[]
The Midnight Society, has just gotten the campfire going. Now Megan asks who will be taking their turn for the night. Andy walks in saying that he is and he has a special surprise. Andy sits on the Storyteller's chair. Then out of the bag he reveals he's taken up playing the violin. Quinn, is annoyed and expresses disgust saying: "Uh oh". Vange is amazed asking him if he really plays it. Andy says he's being taken lessons. However e didn't say anything until he knew for sure that he was going to enjoy playing it. Megan is really happy for him. She says that it's sweet because not many guys play the violin. Quinn says that he knows Andy is terrible. Because he' has already heard him play.
Andy, begins playing a song and it's horrible. The song is off-key and earsplitting. Vange, Quinn, Megan and Tucker can't stand the sound. So they all ask him to stop. Quinn says he told them he was right. Then Vange tells Andy to perhaps begin a stamp collection. Andy accepts the fact that. he wasn't too good. Therefore he admits it saying that he knows he doesn't sound so good. Quinn insults him. He tells him that it sounded like a rusty gate, Megan defends him saying that he wasn't so bad for a beginner.
Andy says he knows he was bad. Because it's hard learning to play an instrument. Also it's harder to get good at it. Since it takes tons of practice to get to where people will enjoy listening to you play.
Andy then explains that his story is about a musician who plays really well. Everyone really enjoys hearing her play. However, someone enjoys hearing her play so much, that they'll do anything to get her to play for only them.. and that means ANYTHING!
Andy opens the pouch and tosses in a handful of the campfire dust. This makes the fire more intense while he submits his story for approval for The Midnight Society. He calls his story "The Tale of the Last Dance". Then he begins his story.
Story[]
Andy tells a story. It takes place in a town called: Warrenville. In this town, for years the big recreational center has been a very popular pastime for children and teenagers. There was aerobics, weightlifting and musical lessons and recitals. However, times have changed. Nowadays the building has begun to literally fall apart. Soon everything would change. Instead of renovating the building, it was going to be torn down. In its place a new strip mall was going to be built.
For many people like Tara Martin and her friends, they never believed that something so strange was going to happen. Not to a place they had known and loved for so long. Also Tara had no idea just what surprises awaited for her. Before the building would be torn down.
Tara is performing a recital playing her violin. Then suddenly water drops on her music notes from the ceiling vent above. This also makes her notice that her boyfriend Michael has been asleep. Also that he seemed to bored and uninterested. Michael suddenly takes off, leaving her feeling upset and discouraged for the rest of her performance. Just as she finishes, a sketching pencil falls on her music notes from the ceiling vent above. Everyone claps and applauds her and she happily bows to them.
Then on her way out, her friends Jane and Scot congratulate her on her well done recital. She thanks them, but is ashamed to say that she feels that she just made her boyfriend fall asleep. Her friends encourage her not to feel bad. Just because Michael is a jerk. Later Tara meets Jane in the cafeteria. Here they discuss the program the building is having the night before it is torn down called: "The Last Dance". Now Michael and Scot join them.
Tara is mad and pushes Michael away. She tells him that she assumed that he left to go work out. Michael apologizes saying that he needed to go do something. Since he couldn't stand sitting down the whole time. Jane snaps at him about the fact that he should have been supportive, by watching the whole recital. Michael apologizes saying that he can't stand old classical music. Also he doesn't believe that there is a future for her playing classical music. Michael crumples up a picture, Tara chose for "The Last Dance" advertisement flyer. Then he rudely says she could have used a much better picture of herself. The whole time that Tara and her friends were talking, an unseen creature was stalking her from a ceiling vent above. Then suddenly the tiles break and almost fall on them. Michael and Scot cover Tara and Jane just in time.
In the locker room, Scot tells Michael that he's been very rude and unsupportive to Tara. He says that he's just trying to be truthful to her. He just wants to make sure she doesn't get her hopes up. Because many talented people, just end up busking for money. Although he does believe she is talented. He just doesn't want to see the same thing happen to her. Then suddenly Scot notices a huge tear on the back of Michael's leather jacket. Michael is furious to see someone or something tore it. Scot sees a huge hole in the locker. So he thinks it might have been a big rodent.
In the girls' locker room, the unseen creature stalks Tara again. Tara reflects about all the good times she's had over the years. Then about how she's really going to miss the place. Jane says that it is just time to move on. Hearing this Tara agrees that maybe it's also time to move on, from her relationship with Michael. She feels that he just doesn't get how important her music is to her. When suddenly she discovers her violin has been stolen. Tara looks inside the broken air vent. Now she suspects that someone might have sneaked in. So she goes off to report it to security.
In the cafeteria, Tara is upset to say security couldn't do much to help her find it. Michael is more upset about his torn jacket. Which he paid a lot of money for. Tara is really upset because she had her violin for years. Now it's gone and she can't perform at "The Last Dance" program. Michael just suggests to rent one of them. Tara is mad for him being so insensitive. Because a violin is a valuable thing. You cannot just rent them like they are bowling shoes.
That evening, a hooded hunchbacked monster known as The Lurker (the unseen creature) steals food from the cafeteria. The Lurker retrieves Tara's crumpled picture and takes it for himself. Then soon the dance is beginning. Tara is still upset that she can't perform. Both Jane and Scot express their sympathy and support her. Michael on the other hand, just wants them to all enjoy the party and dance. For being so insensitive, Tara just storms off and leaves. Jane tells him he is such a doofus and goes to find her. Michael then realizes she's upset because she can't perform.
Tara, is siting in a dark room, feeling really upset. when she hears a sudden noise. She slowly checks the dark hallway and finds it's an old heating register making hissing sounds. Jane walks around the halls, calling out to Tara to answer her. Suddenly Jane looks up and something pours a bucket of red paint all over her.
Jane screams her head off, and Tara can hear her scream from a distance. Tara runs off to go help her. But she finds nothing but a spilled puddle of red paint. Now she gets frightened when she realized something poured it from the ceiling vent above. Suddenly she bumps into The Lurker. She's horrified and screams her head off. The Lurker leads her underground to his hideout. When she gets there she is informed that he's a mutant freak. One whom has secluded himself from the world to the underground below. Tara is warned to not run away. Since it is very dangerous underground.
Michael and Scot go off to find Tara and Jane. Since they've been gone for so long. They find Jane drenched in red paint. Jane is sobbing and tense. Now she mentions that something came out from the ceiling vent and captured Tara. Michael sees red paint footprints and begins following them. Michael soon crawls into the ventilation tunnels. Then he crawls around them to see where Tara could be.
Tara is amazed by all the beautiful sketches and drawings The Lurker has made of her. She nicely asks him to let her leave. With the promise not to tell anyone. The Lurker nicely asks her to stay. He reveals that he has made her a surprise feast (with the food he stole). Tara is too scared to eat. She just wants to know what he wants from her. The Lurker tells her, for many years he has watched her from behind the walls. There he has watched her grow up to become a fine and amazingly talented young woman. The Lurker says he's been preparing for many years to meet her. He explains that since the building will be torn down the next day, he had to bring her to him tonight. Then finally he could tell her how much he appreciates her and the music she plays. Because after tonight the building will be gone. Then he will never see her again. She then tells him she now knows he was the one who dropped the sketch pencil on her during her recital. The Lurker apologizes for the interruption he caused.
The Lurker returns her violin to her. She is thrilled to have it back in one piece. She is so happy that she agrees to play for him. However only if he'll show her his face. The Lurker is very reluctant, because he feels he's hideous. This is because he also has warped webbed hands, long claw like fingernails and a hunched back. The Lurker slowly takes off his hood. It turns out that he's actually good looking (although he needs a haircut). Tara is no longer afraid of him. Now on his request she begins to play Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. Which he enjoys hearing immensely.
Michael continues crawling through the air ventilation shaft. He comes out and hearing the music Now he realizes that he's close to finding her. After she finishes, The Lurker is crying tears of joy. The Lurker says she plays beautifully. Therefore anyone who can't see that is a fool. Michael just happens to be standing outside. He overhears them talking about him. Michael feels awful when he hears The Lurker say that he doesn't appreciate her and her talent. Tara begins to think maybe Michael is right, and there isn't much of a future playing classical music. The Lurker, is pretty concerned to hear her say that and hopes she doesn't mean it. The Lurker then asks her to stay with him underground. Tara laughs about it saying that she could play all day if she did. Hearing this he gives his word to always adore her forever.
Then suddenly The Lurker gets angry and starts screaming! The Lurker screams that no one will take Tara away from him. The Lurker locks Tara in a gate against the wall. Then Michael approaches him, and tries to get him to let her go. The Lurker refuses, because he doesn't want her going back to someone who doesn't love her and appreciate her talent. Michael threatens him to let her go immediately or else. The Lurker runs off with the violin telling him to catch him if he can.
Michael lets her out and he carefully tries to lead them back to the surface. When suddenly The Lurker ambushes them on the bridge. The Lurker snaps that he won't let him take her. Now they begin wrestling and pushing each other back and forth. Tara screams for them to stop fighting. Then Suddenly The Lurker, trips and falls over the bridge. Now he is hanging for his life on the railing (possibly about to fall into a bottomless pit). The Lurker, tells her that he's too heavy for her. For his last words he tells her to never give up her dreams and that he'll miss her. Also that he's not afraid to die. Tara is really upset. So she begs Michael to help her pull him up. Michael runs up at the last second and helps pull him back up and saves him. The Lurker apologizes for what he did and runs off. Tara asks Michael why he saved him. Michael returns her violin to her and says he did it for her. Tara is so happy he saved her new friend they reunite and hug.
A little later, The Lurker is upset thinking Tara's gone forever. When he gets home to his hideout, Tara is waiting for him. She asks him if he would like to have the last dance with her. The Lurker is speechless and thrilled. He happily agrees, and they dance for a long time. Then a little later, he heads off to another location.
Ending[]
Andy ends his story, simply by saying: The End. His friends are all happy and smiling. Megan says it was beautiful. Andy then picks his violin back up. Now both Quinn and Vange express their disgust and beg him to play again. Tucker takes off and leaves saying: "No offence man, but bye!". Then Vange and Quinn quickly follow him.
Megan stays behind, Andy is about to put it down. However she is still supportive of him and asks him to go for it. Megan squints, preparing to embrace the awful music. Then suddenly Andy begins to play his violin beautifully! He also plays the same song from his story: Pachelbel's Canon in D Major.
- Andy's last story.
- One of eleven episodes where the New Midnight Society didn't leave and douse the fire with the water-bucket (Megan was listening to Andy play the violin).
- Inspired by Gaston Leroux's novel The Phantom of the Opera. Possibly inspired by Victor Hugo's novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame as well (Michael calls the mutant Quasimodo, meaning at least reminds him of it).
- Paul Hopkins, who portrayed The Lurker, previously appeared in the show before. He first appeared in the original series episode "The Tale of the Long Ago Locket" as Lt. William.
- Gilbert Larose, Jr., who was The Lurker's Stunt Double, was also a stunt double in the episode "The Tale of Highway 13" for the character Craig.
- Jason McSkimming (Micheal) was in the Goosebumps episode Deep Trouble as Luis.
- While The Lurker's age is left ambiguous, Paul Hopkins was about 33 when this was filmed.
- Blaise Borgoen Léonard - The Violin Consultant