STORY

The Devil’s Bargain is a story for young people, a “Bright Lights and Big City” for Generation Z. Andy is 20 years old when the story begins. Pauline is 18, and Rose is 23. The story is a pure fantasy. The idea that a person can be in two places at once comes from quantum physics and enables Andy's creation of Roxy, an Internet platform for virtual concerts. The idea of a Skin that can make every desire come true comes from Faust and creates a life-and-death struggle for Andy that propels the story from melodrama into horror. Music is pervasive throughout. Andy plays the piano like a young Keith Jarrett, and the Roxy concerts include opera, pop music, and rock-and-roll. New York City provides the essential backdrop. To pay his rent in Brooklyn, Andy performs at the Blue Note Jazz Cafe in Greenwich Village. The view of Manhattan from his window fuels his ambition. Andy falls in love twice, first with Rose, the Southern belle who steals his company and leads him to wager his life with the Devil; and second with Pauline, the young painter who predicts his future and is unable to save him. In Balzac’s novel, the Skin kills the hero. In the movie, Andy's ingenuity enables him to stay alive while being in love.