Renfield
Plot Outline

Opening in a traditional British park where parents take their children for a Sunday outing. Off to one side is a man (Renfield), dressed in hospital clothes reciting Walt Whitman's "I Sing the Body Electric." The man has an almost maniacal look on his face and parents hold onto their children tightly as they watch. A police officer and a doctor discuss the man and determine that it might be risky to go after him by themselves and they'll wait for the attendants to help. This sets the stage that there is much more going on than first appears. The attendants arrive and escort the man away from the podium as the man finishes the poem. Concluding the poem, the man screams that something has hold of his soul and he doesn't know what he wants. As the man is escorted by the hospital attendants, there is a Punch and Judy show going on. When the man looks over, the puppets turn into Dracula biting the neck of a young woman (Mina) and this serves as a harbinger of the man's visions. Upon arriving at the Insane Asylum, Renfield is named. The attending physician offers Renfield hope for a better life here but Renfield, sensing the path that awaits him, just mutters that he thinks he will die here and goes into the asylum.

Days later, an audience is present in the asylum watching the mental patients and making fun of them. This was a common practice of many insane asylums to generate money. The Director of the asylum (Dr. Seward) has just returned from holiday and is disgusted at this practice and evicts all of the viewers. He then goes through the patients and discusses the cases briefly with his assistant. Renfield is included here because of his peculiar habit of catching flies, putting them in his pocket, and making marks in his notebook. He is an odd study and nothing is known about him except that he is very literate and intelligent. The incident that attracted attention to Renfield was because he attacked a butcher who killed a family. It wasn't for the heinous crime that Renfield attacked the butcher, it was because as Renfield put it, "he was not the true messiah."

Introduced here is Lucy who is loved by all for her beauty. She waltzes in the insane asylum, totally oblivious to her surroundings as she is used to having everything centering around her. As they return to discuss the patients, Seward remarks that the small castle near them has been purchased by a Count from Transylvania. This sets Renfield into a trance upon hearing the name of Transylvania and we see his first visions which include the terror seen by Jonathan Harker at Dracula's castle.

Seward is examining Renfield and puts him into a trance and we see more visions. Renfield pleads for help yet at the same time declares his love for his "master." Seward leaves, still wondering what the significance of the flies are. As Renfield is in the room alone, he practically prays to find the understanding of what everything means when the voices he usually hears in his head suddenly emit from a fly. Renfield declares his loyalty but he still doesn't understand to whom or what.

Mina is introduced and mention is made of her fiancee (Jonathan Harker) who is on business in Transylvania. Mention of a ship approaching which is odd because of the coming storm and the ship seems to be almost drifting. Renfield meets Mina and is smitten by her presence. Through out the story, a lily is used to symbolize his love for her. The lily represents purity and that is how Renfield sees Mina.

Later that night, the ship crashes on the shores near the asylum. A giant black wolf is reported to have jumped on shore immediately upon crashing. Renfield is called in to assist moving the cargo. The ship is deserted except for a single body, the Captain, who is tied up to the wheel. He has been dead for three days. Renfield, the only one who can read Russian, recites the journal of the Captain. The journal reveals the cargo was 50 boxes of dirt in crates from Transylvania. The crew reported sightings of a strange man on the ship and one by one, they were killed. The Captain was the last and he tied himself to the wheel to keep the ship on some kind of course to England where hopefully, help would come. But it was too late. Renfield realizes what no one else could. The "Master" has arrived.

In the next few days, the black wolf is reported to be terrorizing the area causing the death of a resident. Lucy is seen sleepwalking at night and continually heads near the castle by the asylum. Renfield understands what is going on and begs his "master" to join. Renfield is given a taste of sucking blood through a vision and experiences an almost orgasmic climax. Mina continues to worry about her fiancee as she hasn't heard anything from him for quite awhile and Renfield continues to talk with Mina.

Renfield is put into a straight jacket because of his actions. First he almost attacks Lucy because "she understands." Then to Seward's shock, the discovery of the flies is understood. Renfield has been eating the flies. Later Renfield accumulates the flies and feeds them to spiders and the spiders to a sparrow. Renfield then eats the bird, claiming that he now as all of the lives of the flies, spider, and bird. A classic example of nature's food chain.

Lucy becomes ill and anemic but no medical cause can be associated with it. Seward calls in his old mentor, Professor Van Helsing to help him. Meanwhile, Renfield continues his discussions with his "Master" but still fails to fully understand what is required of him. All Renfield knows is that he is to serve. Visions of flies and spiders talking plague him. The mysterious master sends 1000's of red eyed rats to Renfield, promising "all these lives to give to you." But Renfield fails to understand.

Mina is summoned to Budapest where her fiancee mysteriously turns up. Harker is near death and almost mad with tales of horror about his escape from Transylvania. Renfield feels loss at Mina's departure which tempers his enthusiasm for discovering the secret that his Master has offered. Blood. Renfield now understand that blood is the life and he attacks Seward with a knife, licking the spilled blood off the floor. While it is pure elation for Renfield, Seward is concerned. However, Seward's attention is directed more to the failing Lucy who continues to decline even with blood transfusions.

Renfield finally meets his Master as Renfield comes in when Lucy is sucking blood from Dracula. That is the final threshold, now Lucy can become one of the undead.

When Lucy has her funeral, Renfield now knows he will be next. It is a delightful anticipation. However, when Lucy visits Renfield, Dracula intercedes and states that Renfield must serve in other ways, he is not to be one of them. It is Mina, who is scheduled to return, who will join them. Renfield is both crushed and in despair. First off, his immortality has been denied and Mina will now have to suffer Lucy's fate.

The connection of Harker's experiences and Renfield's dreams becomes clear to Van Helsing. Van Helsing now understands what it is that the humans face. Lucy's tomb is violated and upon discovering that she remains alive (or un-dead), she is killed and her head cut off so that she can truly join the dead in everlasting peace.

Mina visits Renfield. Renfield can smell Dracula's blood in her and both realize that she will soon join Dracula. Mina, not knowing who else to turn to, pleads with Renfield to help her. She states that she wants to grow old, have children....live a normal life. She doesn't want to become like Lucy. With resolve, Renfield agrees that he will help her.

Seward and Van Helsing are committed to bringing an end to Dracula. When Renfield paints the walls of the asylum with blood from a sheep, it becomes clear to all that Renfield is the key for Dracula's entry (remember, Dracula must be asked to enter) but Renfield's feeble attempt at "Passover" can not hold back the hypnotic powers of Dracula.

Dracula comes in through Renfield's window to finish his claim on Mina. Renfield offers himself as a servant forever if Dracula will spare her. Dracula only agrees to let Renfield live (as a human) for past services rendered. Renfield attempts to stop Dracula and a struggle ensues. Although aided by his resolve and the strength of a madman, Renfield is no match for Dracula. Dracula breaks his back and Renfield slips into his final mortal life. However, Renfield has been blessed by visions and conveys one to Dracula. It is a scene of Harker, Van Helsing, and Seward destroying Dracula. As Renfield's life ebbs away, the struggle has brought the attention of the others. Dracula must flee for now Mina is protected. It is obvious that Renfield's actions prevented Mina from becoming one of the undead.

The closing scene is over the grave of Renfield. It is about a year later. The monster has been destroyed and Mina and Jonathan are the proud parents of a little boy. Seward and Van Helsing still fail to understand Renfield's importance in stopping Dracula but Mina realizes. She places a lily on Renfield's grave. As the seasons pass quickly, we see in the following spring, a new lily has sprouted on Renfield's grave, a symbol of his undying love.

Renfield — Sample Script

Transcripts from the patient Renfield as recorded by Dr. J. Steward

It was dark, so dark that I could feel it pull at me, trying to suck me in. I could only see his shadow...a shadow in the deep darkness. He promised me things but not in words. I saw things that weren't really there.

I saw flies, great big fat ones with steel and sapphire on their wings.

I saw moths...big moths with skulls and crossbones on their backs. Their wings were just flashes of gray in the night.

There was a whisper that I did not hear...yet I could catch the sound of the words somehow.

"Rats, rats, rats," the voice said. "Thousands of them...millions of them. All lives! Every one of them a life! All red blood!"

I looked out the window and a dark mass spread over the grass, coming towards me like the shape of a flame of fire. I could see 1000's of reds...their eyes blazing red.

"All these lives I will give to you....worship me...worship me..."

Then a red cloud, like the color of blood, closed over my eyes and I woke from a sleep I never slept.

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