Case Study: Bannister

BANNISTER (40s), an archaeologist who retrieves people’s memories arrives to work. He greets SPARKY (60s), his partner, who informs him that MAE (late 20s), a client, is waiting. She asks for Bannister’s help in finding her lost keys. He leads her into his office and she undresses and gets into a tank filled with dark water. Sparky brings in the kit and Bannister puts the various pieces into place. He injects Mae with a syringe, and she loses consciousness. Bannister leads her through hypnosis, conjuring up a hallway full of doors that each contains her memories which project onto a screen. Earlier that day, Mae gets ready to go out. She runs into her neighbor and his dog on the way out. Later, at work, she looks desperately for her lucky earrings;

Bannister makes his way through the city, he passes a BETEL-STAND where a BETEL-GIRL (20s), sells hallucinogens. He reaches the COCONUT CLUB, Mae’s work. He watches her sing and returns her earrings once she is done with her set. They flirt. He confesses that he’s never revisited his memories. They discuss the memories he’s seen, the crimes, the sex, the various human vices and oddities. They go to her apartment and Bannister kisses her. The next morning Mae makes the two of them “dinner.” They have sex but suddenly Bannister is yanked out of the memory. He has been reminiscing much to Sparky’s worry. Sparky tells him that Mae isn’t coming back. Four months earlier, Mae surprises Bannister with “breakfast” at his office. The memory shifts and he exits his office and runs into a battered Mae. She confesses that she was once a betel-girl and a junkie. Back in the present, Bannister locks up his work and walks off into the

She gets into a cab and Bannister joins her. They discuss a case and she offers him the job. He gets out of the cab and finds that everything reminds him of Mae. He gets to his office only to be scolded by Sparky for being late. Sparky informs him that they are low on money, and Bannister tells him that he will take Avery’s job. Later, Bannister arrives at a condemned Chinese restaurant. He is let in by HARRIS, a Fed. He gets out his tools while Avery stands guard over FALKS (40s), the witness. He performs reminiscence on Falk to retrieve the necessary evidence for the case. Memories of Falks going about various crimes. Bannister becomes distracted when he sees Mae in one of the memories. Avery attempts to prompt Falks which causes him to blank. Bannister brings him back and directs him to his memories of Mae. He watches Mae go off with BIG JOE, a kingpin to get betels and later drug and knock out Falks. Angered by the memory, Bannister quits the job and storms out. He reaches Mae’s old apartment and finds Cindy. She reveals that she used the spare key to get into Mae’s