I Am Frankelda: Movies about Writing

You want to see something pretty? You want to see something creepy? You want to see something pretty creepy? Watch I am Frankelda.

This is a prequel to the television series from a couple of years ago that was on HBO in the states. The two main characters are Frankelda/Francisca (voiced by Mireya Mendoza) and Herneval (voiced by Claudis Bridgforth). They grow up separately, their lives crossing here and there. Francisca is an orphan whose grandmother emotionally abuses her and knocks down her dream to to be a writer of scary stories. Herneval is the prince in a land of nightmares where the citizens, called Terrors, are fading away. It’s the job of the head nightmare writer, Procustes (voiced by Luis Leonardo Suarez) to keep people in Frankelda’s world interested their stories so they are saved from oblivion. However, Procutes has writer’s block. Instead of taking responsibility, he blames humans for not liking his stories. Even monsters can’t handle criticism.

Despite her grandmother constantly trouncing on her dreams and telling her that no one will buy horror stories written by a girl, Francisca still believes she can succeed as her mother has always encouraged her before dying of tuberculous (did I mention that this takes place in the 1800s?). Her town is home to an editor who is also the father of a boy she grew up with. The editor cruelly rejects her stories without reading them and Francisca runs to her grandmother’s grave for a good cry. She decides to try again under the pen name Frankelda. Prince Herneval finds her, reminding her that they met as children when he’d cross into the real world. He begs for her help in writing nightmares that will terrify modern humans who are so interested in science and logic. He tells her that he’s her biggest fan. Let’s face it. Most writers would go with him if he said that.

When arriving in Herneval’s world (after a break for a song), Procutes shows up. He starts by flattering Frankelda, then reads her stories. He asks what motivates her and she says, “To escape reality.” She basically says that it’s comforting for her to write when things are bad. Where Herneval only praises her, Frankelda sees Procutes harsh, yet kind sounding judging of her work as truth. She spirals about her writing and Herneval has to bring back her confidence. He does this both because he honestly loves her writing, but also because he’s falling in love with her. Despite her obvious feelings for him, she keeps feeling that he’s lying to her just to use her stories. Meanwhile, Procutes is planning a coup with other Terrors in order to kick Herneval’s parents off their thrones.

I won’t give away the whole story, but the ending is very bittersweet. Mostly, the story is about confidence in being a writer, overcoming self-doubt, understanding the difference between criticism and sabotage, and listening too the people who care about you instead of the haters. Also, so pretty! There were a couple of unfinished plots so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel.

Frankelda's Book of Spooks: Movies about Writing (Copy)

You want to see something creative and original?

Well then, "Let’s summon the writer”, as this show says.

Frankelda’s Book of Spooks is an award winning Mexican stop-motion series about Frankelda, a deceased author who needs readers for her stories or she will fade away. Her sharp-toothed talking storybook, Herneval, doesn’t see it that way, thinking that sharing stories will awake something terrible. You see what they’re doing here? Huh? Huh?

Okay, yes, the metaphor for being a writer is pretty obvious. Each episode has our ghost-host tell a story that usually a lesson for children mixed with some nasty critter or supernatural terror. I’m not gonna lie. Some of these tales were impressively scary for a kids’ show. Spoiler warning: Things never turn out well for the children in her stories which Herneval points out doesn’t seem fair. The book is like her conscience, attempting to protect you, the audience, from whatever Frankeleda’s latest story is . . . and from whatever is keeping them trapped in a scary old house.

SPOILER ALERT: As the reader, you hear a final story about a girl named Francesca Imelda who is expected to do all of the domestic duties for her father and older brothers after her mother dies and wicked Aubela moves in with them. Her escape is story writing, something she does at the most inconvenient times just like any other young writer. Her biggest fan is a owl-child (Herneval prince of the spooks - yep, the book used to be a really neat owl-prince) that lives in her house, but she thinks is a dream. By the time she’s grown, Francesca feel confident enough take the most perfected of her horror stories to a publisher, who instantly tells her that it’s unladylike. She leaves the office crying, declaring that she will quit, until she attempts to cross out her own name and ends up creating the name Frankelda. The prince of the spooks, also now grown, shows up at that moment to plead with her to help him create new nightmares so his people will not fade away. He essentially kills her in hopes that she will replace his current nightmare writer. Something went wrong and the prince was turned into a book. The original nightmare writer trapped him and Frankelda in his consciences and that’s where they have been ever since.

As an author , Frankelda is obsessive, tragic, and does not take criticism well. She doesn’t care if she puts her audience in danger for her art and her own freedom. And she will never stop writing.

Insert maniacal laughter here.

Frankelda's Book of Spooks: Movies about Writing

You want to see something creative and original?

Well then, "Let’s summon the writer”, as this show says.

Frankelda’s Book of Spooks is an award winning Mexican stop-motion series about Frankelda, a deceased author who needs readers for her stories or she will fade away. Her sharp-toothed talking storybook, Herneval, doesn’t see it that way, thinking that sharing stories will awake something terrible. You see what they’re doing here? Huh? Huh?

Okay, yes, the metaphor for being a writer is pretty obvious. Each episode has our ghost-host tell a story that usually a lesson for children mixed with some nasty critter or supernatural terror. I’m not gonna lie. Some of these tales were impressively scary for a kids’ show. Spoiler warning: Things never turn out well for the children in her stories which Herneval points out doesn’t seem fair. The book is like her conscience, attempting to protect you, the audience, from whatever Frankeleda’s latest story is . . . and from whatever is keeping them trapped in a scary old house.

SPOILER ALERT: As the reader, you hear a final story about a girl named Francesca Imelda who is expected to do all of the domestic duties for her father and older brothers after her mother dies and wicked Aubela moves in with them. Her escape is story writing, something she does at the most inconvenient times just like any other young writer. Her biggest fan is a owl-child (Herneval prince of the spooks - yep, the book used to be a really neat owl-prince) that lives in her house, but she thinks is a dream. By the time she’s grown, Francesca feel confident enough take the most perfected of her horror stories to a publisher, who instantly tells her that it’s unladylike. She leaves the office crying, declaring that she will quit, until she attempts to cross out her own name and ends up creating the name Frankelda. The prince of the spooks, also now grown, shows up at that moment to plead with her to help him create new nightmares so his people will not fade away. He essentially kills her in hopes that she will replace his current nightmare writer. Something went wrong and the prince was turned into a book. The original nightmare writer trapped him and Frankelda in his consciences and that’s where they have been ever since.

As an author , Frankelda is obsessive, tragic, and does not take criticism well. She doesn’t care if she puts her audience in danger for her art and her own freedom. And she will never stop writing.

Insert maniacal laughter here.