"CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND" (1977)

CLOSEENCOUNTERS OF THETHIRDKIND

W.\..a.t..SCTTl-:F.CANYON-SOUTHERNIUM-BRIGE,'!'Ol\Y

A te:ri!ic explosion sendsearth, boul~~=s and gr~cite slabs hunc=ecs of feet in all di:ectior.sas •••

~ half do%en A--::nycate:;,illareart}',.:.oversshovelar:dscOO?as -:.r.eCc:-':)sof·A......ny:£:ir;inee:scomeoutofhidingtothelongcay ahead •

'Fl..!J!.TOBI.ACKCR.EDITSON BLACK VER"!FAST - THEN THE St.AC~

A cluster of p~e tt::·homes,two cc1rc;arages,medallio!'lliving.The. i::-ateUOIS~of what mcst :)eeve:ydog in the neigh.bor.hood.br:.ric;s c~t a sleepy coupla.;.,=~~ clods~ut of his hou~ewith a tw~lve~ gauge trap shotgun, his wife en his heels. lieaims the gun skyw~:d.

W:U-i: Don't hit anything.

J:TJSBANO Plug :-;:·ol.!rears.

The do;s s-:cpbarking. E·1~!';{thingisstill• Across the st:eet ~::o:..:t a.do:e~ neigh!:lo:s~urztinto happy a??lause. The man smiles ane takes a:bi~ l:ow. The dogs sta:t barking al! over again.

WI='E I'c calling the cops.

C!.CSE - PUMPKIN I!lwn;oo~·

I CLOSC - 'B~R-~YGUILE:~- NIGHT It!TEP.!OR ( Four y~a: ole ~~==Y is h~ving a ~estless night. h gentle brecz~ :lares his bangs. A h1iIR?.Il...Gsmmointerruptsthis.Little Ba=ry's eyes eo~e open as a soft red glow plays on his face.

On the nightstand next to his bed, one of Barry's battery toys has co~e on. !tis a Frankensteinmonster "ho raises his hands as if to strike when its pants fall down and its fac~ blushes ~ri;-htred~

E~rry sits cp in bed and looks aro~nd him.

All of his battery toys are working in eiffe:ent places arocncl the room. Tank, rocket ship, police car, 747, drunk chugging brew.

Playing a scra~ehy "Sesame Street" .record. ...softly.

Bar:y c;et.soutcf bed an~ looks out the window. In the distance the SOUUO of barking doc;s~The backyard is dark and utterly still.

The bedroo~ is at the far end of the hallway. Barry ~eves forward, curiously. He t~=ns into the livin; area.

This ==-'O!':lisc.i::-~,saveasi):tywattbluenic;htlight.Sor:letr.jng howe~a= is out of place. All the windows are open and iight is bra~~~in; thrc~;h ~~e laced curtains. Four year old Barry looks a;ai:i....

TUE :~o::TOQQjtIS WIDE OPEl;- TUE FORCH LIGiiTIS SP!LLINC 1:;.

U!TI:R!C~- THE KITCHE~·l-!JIGHT

A SLO\, PAZ:·sho·...·sDar=ytheroon.Oneeagain the windows are O?en and t~e roon is bree:i··The baekdcor is adjar and rattling·against t~e safetv chain. PA11DO~-;-:;toshowthecog door. It is cor:tpletel}' off its hinges ancllying on the floor.

ll~looks U? and reacts ••• a weak light opens across the little·

~,GLE - REFRIGERATOR

The door is swinging O?en. There is foodstuffs in a messy pile around t~H:icebox door.

· Helooks in another direetion and is suddenly startled. Fear is just.as suddenly replaced with a kind of shy playfulness. Barry giggles and locks away ••• he turns .backand.laughs, sla?S his · side, turns away and looks back again ••• bursts out laughing. A game is·being played ou~. Little Barry roe's back and forth like a chimpanzee as if imitating what he is watching. He covers his eyes and peek-a-boos. He.spins on his bare heels. He cocks his head to one side a.Ddrotates it in slow sensuous movements. He is havins a wanderful" tL~e.

UT:E:.R!OR-r-:AST:E?.BEDROC!t-HIGHT

JIL!,I.;?JCUILERisthe attractive mother of Barry and is asleep in th~ riex~roon. What awakens her i~ the soune o! her son's laughing.· She tur~s ove= in her ced and fixes a look at the luminous cloc~. It's l:35 ~1. Jill tu:ns on the be~side la~p and sits up. The laugh~~; seems to be e~inating frornthe backyard. Jill jumps out of bed and goes to the window.

Ba=ry is ridin; his tricycle in the backyard in the middle of the n!ght. Ee is hysterically happy.

On he: eist~=becl~x?ression and almost going unnoticed, all the lights in tho house flic~ off.

~crman Greenhouse iz young, gocd looking, and drilling enor~ous hole~ in thewall. It is going to baa sliding glass door. Right now you cculc. drive a tru=k.through the open den wall. A happy Ch.rist::ast::e, blinks in the corner. It is December.

No:TJan is about to res·ponclwhe:1thene>:tdoor neighbor yells over t.he::e:1ceS?eakir.gtohio through the hole in the wall.

.. Everyti..i~yourun t!latthing there's a

bli::ard on televiiion.

(.. Befo:-c?!o::..i.ancananswer,oneofRonnie's co-conspirators, ?-tilcired, l sticks her head into tte room.

z.tILOP~O We need your vote.

RO!mit Do you know w!\attirneit is?

{ Hildrec is about to c=y. Norma~ is ~bout to speak when . ... . ( Cight year old T=Ly Cr~enhouse enters the fray in his pajamas. 1:e is holcin; ~ Tex~s ~c=~et c~tculator .

JtONNIE Why a=e.n't you asleep?

Ten year old B:ad '.":Unsintotheroom, his arms laden down with school books and looseleaf notes.

With that, he hu=ls his book~ all over the floor of the sawdust st:ewn den.

It r:.ngslike the start of a new roc.nd.

Trying to contain his tsmper through chipping enamel, he .~urns his power drill on and makes some mc=e holes. By this tim~ everybody is ~·ellingat once. The w0t:1er:fromtheki4::henette move i:itothe work area and the meeting continues. Ronnie answers the phone, listens.

She:holds the fho~e up to Morman who takes it and sandwiches it between his shoulder and ear. The voice en t~e othe= side c~n be tea=d sho~tir.gthrough the din.

Dist=ict O?erato= Fleisr..r.:ar.fo:you.·

o.o. -'.:.Green.house.Thiscallis 2-ll _ for all Line Foreman in ~he Tolono Dis~rict ~o report to thei= Dispatcher's Office. We've got a a dral~ on the prL'na::-yvoltage.we'velost half a bank of transfo:-:nersatthe Gilmore sub-station• •This outage is working its way up thP.radial feeder~ to the residen'l.ials,Soput ~our pants on while you've still got light. Supervisor Grimsby perso~all7 asked.me to phor.eyou.

CLIC~! The,p.o. hangs up.

~~::-:::ianisrathe=stunned.It's··notJQStthe phone call; it's the whole eve~ing. He stand~ with tiledial tone bu:zing out of en~ hand and the drill screa:ninqin the other hand. It is at this precise r.\Oment1:.hatallthelights go out and the r!rill winds eown leaving a stu..~neiroomand a soft dialtone. ·

NOR!-'..AN The Department of Water & Power of the City of Tolo:10,Indiana, wishes ~-ouall ·pleasa..'1t dreams and a good night • .

INT~R!OR - .APA..~TM.E~TBUILDINGCOP..RIDOR-HIGH~

A..~elderlybespec~acled nan leaves his apart:r.ientinagreat rush. Ee carries in his left hand a briefcase and in his right a head protector stenciled Dw"'?-SUPERVISO?..G:tI?-'.SBY.lleconfrontsabc1r.k of elevators and p=esses the down button. The elevator arrives al:t.ostL~.:ediately.T~edoor opens a~d Supervisor GrL~sby ~teps i.~.The coor closes. A rncrnentpasses.The blackout hits the corridor with t.."lespeedoflight. ".:'he mechanicalh'"HIRRt:'lftheautoI:\aticlift wi.~dsdow-n.A mu:fled voice echos f:om the darkness.

A hanc reaches in to discover a regular junk food factory. GrcEnhcu~~ puils out so~e pretzels a::'1~takesahandful. He is so haP?Y to be ou~ of the house that he beg :..nstornu.'":'.blea::'lc:ht.!."TlV!CK!!.rlWRE::~C!::'sso:;.:; "TI!EN!CHT Ti!ZLIG!:TSWE~:TOU':'INGEORGI;.".liiscivil ser·..·iceban:; raaio rig h~~s police culls ~no signs of thegrowing e~erger.cy.

Past -:ave=:-1sandPut-n'Takes the lowly patto~"lslinethe siee- wa!ks, some with candles and flashlights, blinkinq in the night. Soce kids a.reyelling a~ Greenhouses' plainly rnarl-:edDept.of Water a.n~Power car. He has not turned on his own headlights•

Green~o~se.:hinks they are cheering his job. liewaves back, gives a.-iokay sign.

IN"!'ZRIOR-MONITOR SYSTEMS CONTROL NIGHT

~his is the crain center of the local DWP. A bank of phones are :L9lgingcontinuously with only one ?OOr assistant to answer them al:ldsho~this finc!ingsto a group of trouble technicians who keep an update on a wall display ~oar~. A completely harried Load Dispatc~er called IKE spots Greenhouse .enteringthrough the main

Am I glad to see you.

IlCE A 27 r.1line failed at the Gilmore sub-station. The breakers opened and w~ beqan losing feeders. We want to pick up the sys':e.rnbeforefolksstart shaving but the cockar.ia.-:ienetworkhasn'ts'toppec falling.

ASSIS1'A!1T Tciono is da:k. Eve:ything is coming aow:i.

Il~ I'll dump the whole city if I have to.

GP.ZENHOUS~ Where's the General Su?er?

Stuck on an elevator betwesn floers a~ his fucking apa:tme~t house. He's ~ryin; to run t.~in~s£: ~hose lit~le trouble phones. •

We can't ca::y this ~uch load.

and ove:loac. Con Ed's asking to be cut free•.

ASS!STANT The=e's a fresh impedance coming in. It's not an overload - it's a drain.

Greenhouse takes a s~e~~ o: paper and starts writin~~

GREEtuiOUSE Shoot it off to me.

ASSIST~!T Coordi~ates Denver-is, A??le-12. Lines M-Mary -10 th:-oughH-!-lary-12.

GRE:E:~U!Ot.1SE Roll the red w;::gonsaw.1splicingcrews. I' 11 neec;a high wire act. i\.'ld9ivemea ne~work. rnapI can rea~.

He h&s a n~two=k ~ap s~read out over th~ $teering wheel ash~ sea=:hc!:.fo=~~e:·::;:-cbl~::t _coorciinatcs.Polic:ecallssta:t sqcab~ling th=o~gh.

6-10 Six-ten go'ec dispatch.

G:eer.househas heard this. He pic~-:sU?his car phone •

... GR:EElaIOUSZ Ike! Have you rest.credpower to Tolono over.

GRE!:?lHOUS~ The police a:-ereporti~g lights 'inTolono. Send sot:lebodydownthere to check.it out.

-IKE Forget it. Tolono .isas blac~ as the inside of that elevator shaft.

CLICK. Greer.hcusesqui:itscut the win::.shield.Ahead ofhim is a ;low 0£ whit~ anciam=er lights. ;;,shegets closer a :i•cllow Dtu cher=y picka:-and other su~pc:t vehicles icle in neutral off to one site of the highway. n 1in~ of power poles stretch to a =~~al infinity.

No=-:.:.:1emergesf:-c~:"liscarchewingon some licorice. Twelve

li~~~.e:t,-se·.·e:al'c;=u:itnovicesanda ta.l!blaci:man c:allei: J;:.c::s,);:allsta:eatGreennouseas t:1oughwaiting his reac:~ion.

1( Jackson looks U?. Th~ linemen and grun~s look up. Finally Gre~nho~se looks U?·

JACKSOl~ Why would ar.yboeysteal three thousa.nd feet .oftransmission cable?

.. GREENEOiJSE It's the high cost of copper. Stu!f's wo~·tha fortu.'"le.

Greenhouse goes to his car. The radio flashes.

POLICE OlSPATCH VOICE See the com~lair.antat Tolono South. Christli'.aslightshavestarted a minor brush fire.

GREENF.O~S:C Ike! It's Greenhouse.

Gr..EEta!OU!-iE I'm here at Harv-t.en.Th~ t.=ansrniss:ion line has been s~olen ri~~~ off the pole.

·CP..E:i:NHOUSE: It look~ ·like vanda!smade a vary slopp~· splice at the terminals, then · bac~ed inn truck a~d p~lled out ~11 the grour,ds.

If~L:. ne,:er1:iindt:iat.t·it='!"CgoingtotrJ•to pick I.!?th~sy~ta:no:iehour frcr.inow.

GREE:UHOUSE One hour - how is that possible?

The inticing police calls replace Ike's thicJ;voice. No:rnan stares a~ his dashboard making up his mind. He looks devilishly in Jackson's direction.

GREEUIIOtJSE How'd you like to sign on this o;,s.ration fo~ about an hour.

Greenhouse is already closing the car door and star~ing the engine.

JACl~Sot: . (bcgi~ning to panic) Me? F.unth .isshow?I'm a ju."1iorlineman. My las~ Civil Service exam was in March.

JACKSOl-l Who's go~na li~ten to me. I'~ not even seniority. I'~ not even white.

GREE:IrnOUSE One hour. You got to crack :.:.?1c\·.'hip.Burn the ~ic~ish~ oil. co it like T.~.T. One hour.

Greenho~se makes a U-turn a~d wav~s towu~ds Jackson reass~:ingly•

Jackson t~rns to face a~out seventeen veterans waitin; ~o be told \.:hat~odo. He scre\,"Sonhis cou:ac;ea!ldpoints a long fin1er at·· the naked power pole ..

The ~H'Pca: speec.suncer a sign that locates TO!.OUOl~ MILES.

Greer.houseturns up the volU!i.eonhis Hul ti-Channel receiver. Police in co~versation crackle out.

( ..

OFFICER LONGL~ (V.O.) U-fiva. Longly ove:.

Grec:-.:!o·.1se-.:iullsoveronther.arro~-:o:f-rarn?'landtea:-sa":soma l~ca: road ;a?t. O~ening one over the dashb~ard only to :eject it for a:-:.::ther.;..brightg:oupof!'lignt.ea."':'\sappt!arso\·a::liss:·1onleer and c~t the back windo~. G:cenho~se a~~ent:y waves an arm and t~e autc~~bile lights p~ss hin on the lc!t.

LOL1G!..Y We'll ne~d ~o~e as~is=anc0 finding ~~o~'lar's • • t: , • ' • s~o~t1ng =~~n of!. Cc~;lc o_ ~un~rcc pcop~e in their ~.J.'s :hin% it's s~t~rdnr ni~ht cu~ hc~e.

( (

cri:::t:~mouSE (pouring over m~p) russy·.-,illow.Ora:1g=.D-five.H-34.

His two finge:s ~ee~ and he takes off in dust.

EXTERIO?. - DARK::t?:E:ONE!GHBORHOOO-?-!!G.!IT

Greenho~se s ea= crawls along looking for street signs.

EXTERIOR - DARKENED NEIGHSORHOOO

Greenhouse signifies his·interest ~y making an abrupt u-~urn.

CLOSE - P...~DIO

LO?:GLYIsVOICE \Je'reon the reservoir grid, heading No:-th~ast. HCJldon. Heading Northwest on Cottontail.

EXTI:t'.ICP.-~l-.!~r:t::-:i:o~?:.IGHEC~i:~oo

Gree..housesigni~ics furth~r interest by ~u}~i~g"nether U-t~rri.

~·· INSID! CREt~HO~SE'S CAR

He is blarLketedby ro.admaps.

GRE.E:tmOUSE Coft, Ccmrne=c:e•••Connecticut ... . COTTO:iTAIL! !!

EXTZR!OR -,ST?..EETSorSUBURBIA - NIGHT

Graenhouse's two-tone s~dan is just a checkered blurr racing tl:lrou;hthenight. A steady flow of police calls a.'!\assesadrenalin wit."lconfusion.

BUSINESS DISTRlCT - NIGHT

Peo-olestanc.inaaro~md \1ithflashlighti:;.Parkedcars with their heac!la.~psshining.The rest is in the dark. A total power O\!tage.

FARM cotmTY EIGir.·:;\y-G~EtNP.OUSE

He tu:ns into a rutted road, shines his spotlight on the street sign. He checks his map. It confuses hi~. Greenhouse backs on~o the main highway and stops, pulling the map closer, twisting ~ha gooseneck intensor la.r.tpcloseenoughto :>urna hole.

A bank~= lights from an approaching vehicle can be seen fron the rear ~i~dow. Ttey tlr~wup very close and sto?. Gre~nhcuse is ocl1

as he po~rs ove= th~ w=inklec map. F.~absently sticks out his left hane a~d begins to signal, "go arou~~".

Fe: a ~ornent,nothing ha?pens, then, soundlessly, the super hign- bearns;omply •.• risi~g ver~ically out of sight leaving earkness behin·.!.

Gree~~~~se hasn't seen this. Then there is this noise. It is like the rattling of tin. Greenhouse looks around. He shines his spot- light on the road.sign.

ANGLt - ROAD SIG~

tis vibrating s~ f~st that th~ l~ttcrs see~ to ~ultiply and ~~per- impos~. H~ looks a;~in ~ith an al~o~t cc~ic~l "huuuh?'".On th~~ note { his spotlig~:, intcnzor light, and hc~dlights glow a faint a:be: \ then lJlacl~.

•

CLOS!

GREENHOUSE: (deadpan) I'm not ~-nused.

·-

CLIC!:!The entire area for thirty yards·around his car is bathed in the brightest light imaginable. Greenhouse tries to look at the top o: his windshield, but it hurts, his eyes cannot .acjust•. He goes for,,hisrac.io.It is dead. Greenhouse is too scared to budge: Just his eyes move. Nothing more. Falling open at the . hinges, the glove coo?artrnentrattles as everything metallic begins s~icking together. k :ox of paperclips cornesundone and dozens fasten themselves to the roof of the car. The ashtray empties it- self out as though -suckedweightless by a current of air from out- siee - and CLICK! T!lehotlight is gone. Faperclips rain down on hir: fro:nthe rooftop. The sign is no longer shaking. A DISTA?tTra :.tling causes Gree~house to swing arou~d in his seat. His highbeams, spotli;ht, lamp, etc. come cack to life. Down the road, the=e isa rcuR WAY STOP. The si;ns are dancing to and fro, vibrating sovio- lently that the metal a=ound the edges cu=ls against the force. CLICI~!The intersection a hund:e~ yards ciownthe road is awash in the same·intense ·light.But only for a second; CLICK! And in the · aark,the sign~ a:e ~o longer-moving. All is still. Not even a h;nt f.,,_,......of a breeze.

FOUR·\·iAYSTOP- NIGHT

The raeio is making no~ses that sount like overload -excitement.

( \_

•

EXTCR!OR - SITE er TP.EOVERHEAD REPAIR - NIGHT 4 • A ~ini-generator is servicing the area with harsh working illu.-:-.ination·.AmaJ'!\.'nothcoilofhightensionwireisunspcoling to~ard the steel towers. Jackson is completely in control. Everyone is wor~in; under him at full speed. A workman hollers his way and holds a phone toward him.

WORI~MAN Receiving station wants the man in charge.

Jackson steadies ~i=.self.This better be good. He clears his voice t with no nonsense . ..-·

JACKSO?~ Just one of the guys.

I \·~erelocked in and ready to pick up. How can it take two hours to st:ing a hundred yards o! c~ble. Put Greenhouse on.

Ji\CKSON Per~it me to call him for you. (Jackson pu~s the phone to his lips anc cuts loose) GREENHOUSE - ! GRtEKHOUSE - I.

·..

EXTERIOR - 24 HOUR MIGETY JOE YOUNG TRUCK STOP - NIGHT

Three blue and white County patrol units idle side by side, the occupan~s $raokic;and pacing outsiee. Greenhouse paints a ri~bc~ of smoking rubber. Some of the cowboy truckers be;in to saunter down the tu=na.boutto sea what·~isgoing down. ~

GRE.ENi!OUSE (to the three) You the guys seen the moon move?

( Big harvest moon. -.....

BE:GAL (the op~onent in the fiqht) Went behind so~e clouds.

Beaal takes out his wallet, opens it, re~oves his driver's license. Ee-flashes it in front of Hayes nose.

Greenhouse is eupho=i= behind the "high" of th~ experience. ~0 c~l~ listens with half an ea=, more interested in \e:hoa.~ongthega£:;e:-~d / truckers were witnesses. (

---

Sit~ing on the hoods of their pat:ol cars watching the distant horizon. Some c! the truckers a:e tryi~g to make side bets, first with Hayes ~hen D..~ongs~the.~selves. ·

A squaking static NOISE, alerts Gree~house. He brushes past the moon betters· tothe radio in his car.

·-

D!SPATCKD. What's your location?

LONGLY'S RADIO VOIC~ Just of! the Tele.~ark.Expressway,and east toward Harper Valley, just past the Raintree Smi:t:lerPlayground.

Greenho~se blin.~stwice.

G!'J::ENBOUSE (lo~~ to the world) Oh ffYGod, I know where that is.

'-.

CLOSE - ?.OAOS!GN

Telema:~ ~x~:essway. ZOOOOOOOOOM. The:e goes Greenhouse at nine~y plus.

Greenhouse floors.it. The C~.MER.~pansup through the windshield. The mylar green freeway sign tells us the EAST lIARPERVALLE~ zx:T 'is three miles ancl"closing.

L0~1GLY'SRAD!O VOICE We've got the ~obile racar :r~cking them at forty-five miles an hour. You can take this for what it·1sworth. That ha?pens to be.the e;<actspeed limit around here.

t

CLOSE - E::PR~SS~ ·:A.1·SIG~i

l~RPER V~LL!Y EXIT - EAST

ZOCOOOO~! Greenhouse trades paint with theguard rail before yawin; a hard to starboard turn.

..

ROADSIDE ANG!.E

Greenhouse's car bends to the left and into fertile Indiana cow country. A road sign tells you tha~ theOhio State Line is not far a.i.ead•

Greenhouse clir.~sa sli;h~ hill that promises a vista for miles beyo~d. He gets to thecrest and stops, leaning forward to see over the das~oare.

COtntT?.YS!DEFRO~!G?.EEN'HOUSE:IsV!E:HPO!~i'T-CRESCt:!lDO·suHMIT-UI-Gr!T

The country highway isruler straight and goes forever. And that is all there is to see.A hollow face s~~:enly appears in his flattenins h1ghbe~~s. Greenhouse s~cks in a screa~ and freezes. The app~riticn smiles toothlessly and float~ toward his rolled up window. Beyond him is a family of six sitting in a flatbed truck. Two si~ year old twin girls recli~e on~at~resses right there on the shoulder of the highway. A fat teenage~ boy in bib-overalls stares through binocula:! scann::.:icthestarcust o•:erhead.The old farl':l.e=sr.-.ilessomernoreanc. Green~~use manages to catch his heart and roll down the win;ow.

You dcnrt hav~ to tell rnenothing son, I know why you're here.-

GRC1:1:uous:e: Engine trouble?

OLD Fl\Rl·lI:R Oh, we sper.dtwo, three nights a we_ek watching 'em pass over.

•

Greer.~ouseviews this sweet 'Bradbury' setting through spinnin~ eyes. Barry, the little boy from earlier, is content with build- ing dirt mounds at the roadside. His young mother, Jillian, stares at Greenho~se. Suddenly a breeze comes U? and everybody's hair is ·s--eptbehind t.~eci.Alleyes go downwi~d towa%J the magnificent val.lej,"vista•

Ttl:'ningalso to look downwind an·d.. . . .

FOCR com:-s~EO OP..~~GELIGHTS,EACH ArPROXI!·!ATE~Y15FEET IN ~I}.l-m'!'!.?..,M.:::RELYTWOFEETABOVETHEHIG"ffi~Y•••SPEEDINGSOUNO- USSLY. THE~ BEGIU TO St?.S:RA.TEASTHEYNEA.~Ci.RECNHOUSE'SUNITTr.AT BLOC~S TF..EROAD.TEE:!PASS 1'.NASI!....."C'NTBLUP..RAl?DSOMEr-r:!A'l'AWKWARDLY REJOIN AGAI~~ R!:CED::NGL'-:TOTH!:DISTAJ.'JCE.

BAP,.RYGUIU:R {ju.bila."lt) :Icecrea.-ncones!

Casually ar.dfull of pride, the old fa._-..xernodshisheadand cl:.cks tis tou."lge.

OLD FA?.MER They ca~ fly rings around the moon, but we're yea=s ahead of 'ernon the highways.

ZOOM - ! ZOOM - !

Two L~c.ianaPolice units 4;..~atGreenhousehasbeen monitoring break wine at one hu.~d=edplus.

This is nuts!

A thi:e :neiana c=uiser trys tc close the qap. Greenhouse puts his car in gear and u-tu:ns afte: them. The old farmer shouts to be · lea::::!.

l CLO FA?.!U:R ~ . Keep it to.yoursel!. They'll cancel

your Medi-Cal.

'

NTI:RIOR- GR.!I::;!iO,USE'SC.l.R-NIGHT (( ~e reaches fer t~e radio, thinking better of it, and ac=elerates instead. Gree~house cans~• the chase in prog=ess two miles up the road. Just pin points of colo=: orange and red and white police stro=.es. He listens to the radio feedbacl:between the three 'l!nitsahead.

...

LOt:GLY'SRADIO VOICE (talking to Bay Station) We'll be in Ohio in another two minutes. Contact Rochester Police. See if they have ~ car on 51. If that's a negative, we'd sorta like to stick it outto the next filling station. \ BAY STATIOH VOICE (after two beats) The Captain says nothin doin'. He wants to seeyou back at Baj'Station swimming in coffee.

A real farm boy voice overrides the Bay Station Dispatcher. It is the officer in the trailing car.

·oEWITT

The so-n so's just keep on followin' the. :oad. They keep_on followin' the road. Look out.

PREt•;ITTIsVOICE We got the state line comi~g up. Slow down Dewitt. Dewit~. Slow down. State line, Dewitt~ Dewitt.

Eleven cozy toll booths =at~ec in ultra-modern fluo~escent. An ald~rly watchman sits co~!ortably in the lane three kiosk buried in a Reader's Digest. The second hand on th~ .wallclock ticks through 5:35 ~1 and stops on a fraction. Hhat occurs next sends the watchman to hi'!;toes,his head spinning.

:LEVI:~:P.!:D\'!0Ln':'I0:tLIGHTS;\cco:-:?,'\!lI~OB'li\CLi•J!GS':-0!:;\r..:..P.:IIS t·mJ\TH,,PPEI!S~-:Ht::;..VEHICLE:TRIES'!'Os:::AKTHP.Oi:GH\'!I'!'[,Ot.iTPU~-:I:-:G

t

Goggle-eyed, the:watch.~anspins around looking for n~"':\e:-ousgate crashers. There is nobccy around for miles - saving ••••••

WIDE:ANGLE

Prewitt-and Longly's police cruisers sei~e up their radials and stop short of Ohio. Dewitt's green police uniL never even slows: It blurrs Prewitt's vision and slices through Toll Gate t3.

LONGLY'S P.Q.V.

U? ahead in rural Ohio, the road takes a hairpin right. But this time the tan;erine !ights i~nore the turn and continue str~ight · ah'ead.!.ockedinon this, Dewitt similarly ignores the turn and· flies through the guare rail and into Ohio air space. A.~o.s. $5000 crash is :iE:ARD.

FINAL Al·?G!.E

-

l·"P.COSH!-·Greenhouseisgoing twice as fast. He slows only enough to maneuver into t~e ;7 lane and plunk one guarte!~into the wire .. catcher. The red light changes to green and he is just.a couple cf taillights inside the ltate o~ Ohio. (,

n;TERIOR - J'..IRTF.?2Fr:CC?:TRO!.'I'OHER-coxHCt-:ICIPALAIF.r-OR'i'-HICi-17

A bank of . ra~arscannerscasting a gr~en glow over the faces cf ~ix ~ir Traffic Cont=~:ler~. A steady st=ea~ of garbled "b~ck talk~ fro~ the open spaakers clc$e by. From the =~sy fl~or of blin~ir.gli~t;s and sti!tic,Ci\.:·i.E:::"'..:..select!:.ayoung:a~ofthirt}r-one,tired~r·?worn thin bv t!~egroc,;·.·eo:hisprore~sion.He is wcrking on the lu.gn alti:u~e radar se::toron t!ie1nidnightshi:t. Call him Harr~·.

Across -:.:i~roo:n.in.otherc,anwaves,m~rm.

OT11ER?W-1 Harry, tai·.eover-:he!\edI:yeon Vf!F 122.54. I'~ on hand line and ian't budge.

..oo~s•into·1~u.s•::cc?c,t·r1~gers·.....,:c..._\·:o-·,:ay...._.,..l....y•t·......h,-.,.,--.._...hes~-.,==-~·.:,.___ ?"\O;,n,\'OICI:c:;ho~·;;,\pilot.

(

T~·:A

(

Cox Municipal, do ~o~ h~ve tr~ffic fer c11..!:-':'i·:;~32? ·,

•

~arry peers into his scope. His keen eyes show us two blips, one weaker th~n t~e otha:, c~t appearing close together.

TWA 32, I have no kno..,.ntrafficinyour vicinity, but I a.'Tlpaintingaraw tar.get off to your ten o'clock position. Not painting a trans?onder, however. !t must be at the low altitude 3ecto=. Do you Roger,

Ti·;A We'd like to acivis~1;hatthe target could r.ot be at low altitude. It is above oe, descending throu;h my 33,000 now.

liARRY There are onl~ltwo aircraft under my guidance. TW~. 32 and American Sl 7fifteen miles behind you. TWA 32, sive me a descriptiCJnof the target.

( position. The target is brilliant. Bright

colort ••• alternating white to red.

Some of the cont:oller!:in the tower look up from their wo:-k.T:,e loo= Na:shall casually steps over, c::kir.ghis head toward Harry's cup. A seconc voice inter=up~~ on tha two-way feeder••.

AHERICi\?-l THA 32. American 5.l7monitoring on the VEF. Oo yo~ have your lan~ing .lightson?

Tt-11'. Say again. Say again.

A!·:ERIC6\N Advis~ us if you= landing lights are on.

liJ'.P.!tY Co::.::-1un.ici?~ltr~fficto~:.!ricar.517.You ~re fi!tc~n milos ap~rt and going in t~e s~~e ~i=~cticn! ~o you concur with this sighting'?

( Th1::raiss:atic pat;:;e.t:oraspon:se.

P-:\RRY {to A.~erican517) Do you see anyching from your ten o'clock position?

Suddenly, the coffee boy kicks;open the door with his only free appenc:.age.Anamazing .balancingact wi~"'lcoffeeanc.danish.

A:.'iEiU~I {tight lipped) Exactly what TWA said.

HAimY (equally flat) Oo you want to report a OFO?

The coffee boy is just as suddenly relieved of his burden anc hustled out of the =oo~. Another studiec pause and •••••

TW~ ~egative. We do_n'twant to :eport.

a~~Y ~ 32. I am pai.~tingthis ta=get coming at you f:om eight miles, ten o~clock position.

TWA confirmed.

• E.~Y Proceeeing northeast, bound from its earlier altitude.

TWi\ A descending configuration at about twenty degrees c:f my horizon.

HARRY

(

Cox Municipal confir:r.ac.

\

t

The Dir~cto= of Gc~u~d Operations enters with his pass key. suedenly, everybodl·is painting the t~rgsts on their rcspcctiv~ r devices.

CLOSE - O!R.tC':OROrG~Ot!HDOPERATIO?iS

He snaps up a headset and pencil mike.

?~oanswer.

D.G.O. · This is the Director of Ground Operations. I've bee~ informed t~at·the report they make you ·filehas been significantly reduced in page count.

( .. .. TWA · · ,-~- I That's great news, Day-Go, but I got a

date in Santa Fe and ortlarsfrom .t-1iaini.

lU'\F.nY How long arc you going to k~~? them up the~e?

( '

•

CUl'TO

I:XTE:l!OR-T;.R:-L?\C-NIGHT I

A pair of blinding landing lights.seem.to hover just before tou:hing do.-rn. •

AN'G:U:- FtEDE:RROAD

A tignt squadron of four-wheeled vehicles wait in th~ dark wit.~ thei: engines rwr~ling.

...

The TWA 32, a 727, touches down, engines reverse, and it roars to a trundle and vee:s onto a narrow connection where a mini brute airpo:--tvehicle with flashing yello..;beaconguides the jet plar..e towhat appears to be a dead end of blue runway iights. The en;ines wine do;.;n.Every~~ingis still.

FZEDER RO~~ t ___ ~ ·---- All vehicles hit t~ei= high!:lear.isandtakeoff,racing through t.11.e night toward the d=ydocked airship. Two of the cars, '75 La Salles, f have Fede:-alLicense plates. One of the vehicles has a piggy-back boarding ra."':p. I

INTERIOR - TWA 32 - N!GRT

The wil~ee passengers watch bleary-eyed as the r~~p extends to become cetal st.airs.The stewardess o~ens the..forwarddoor and six burly :e~ rise into the salley area. Two of the men, offi~iously dressec, cisa?pear into the pilot's cabin while the other four re.'tlain.e.t."paraderest".T~eya:-ealldressed as business executives, but sc:at~ing makes you wish you could see their shoulder holsters.

:XTE~!C?.-TWA 727 - NIGHT

Angle t=ward Mr. Lacombe. Once you see the frenehman, you'l! not easily forget him. H~ i~ chic! he is severe, he is very comfort~~le with hi:r!.self.Hespeaks to his Assistant in.French. En~lish sub title~ follow.

( _., (

__,.:.-:.,':'~---··- - ------- ..····-·.'---·---.

L.~CotGE Flying is a 20th Century converiience, why should ~he modern desig~ of ~irpo=ts

r- ~e any ciffere~~ than t=ain stations o:·

bus depots.

...

?:I.OT•SCABIN DOOR - T~rA3 2

The pilot, co-pilot7 radio man and flight engineer are leaving the cockpit under escort, hurrying down the rarnpto the waiting cars. The four b~si~ess executives hurry to replace the crew and close the cockpit door behind them.

MR. PUBLIC RELA~!ONS is wearing Air Force trousers, shirt ar.dtie ~it.ha casual sport un~form jacket. He looks like the only reason- able can in the lot. His eyes tell all the passengers thatevery- t.1-iingisokayeven before he :aises the Public Address michrophon~ to his lios. i\noffi=io~s number t~o man stands next to him, reaches inside nis coat pocket, pulling out a co~pact stack of (: ..--....·IEM car~~ and a to~nd clu.~pof black test pencils.

·POBLICR!:LAT!O:iSMAN Folks, I apologize on beha!: o: the Air Force Resea=ch and Oevelopme~~ Cor.imandfor the delay in your flight schac~le. On your slow descent th:cugh 30,000 :e~t, you flew t.'rougha restricted corrido~ where classi- fied governmen; testing was being conducted. I'm going to ask all passengers with cameras, exposed film ca~isters or eve~ boxes of un- exposed fi~'il,toturn them ove: to me at. this ~ime, in retur~ for which you may fill out a small -cardwith vour n~~e and address. Your slides and prints will be developed and re- turned to you within the next twoweeks at our expense.

!'he:Pu:>licRelations!·!annodsandthe £our busi:1essmen go to wor}:.

~he passengers explode, protesting. "Hh~t·s this all abo~t?« ••

"What right does - ! ••• "Can Ispeak to - you?"•• "Hey,sir". ( (

'

27 - A .

EXTERIOR - CO?..:~F!£L:J-PRE-OA'i'f""N'

Be is looking .heavenward.·Hiseyes welling over. His nose d.ripi).L-,g f=eely;·He ~s unexplic:a::,lystartingto.cry•

..

~IUM -·GP.EENROUSE

Be is sitti~~ on the roof of his ear, his legs dangling over the window·wipers. Eis eyP.sda~ting from one pa.=tof the sky to another•

...

W'ID~R- GP.EENHOUS~

~he car is sitting in a dirt fu...~owsurroundedby acres of corr.husks and irrigation. He is still looking, and reacting becausa ••••••

•;ISTA- GP..E.OlHOUSE,TZ!::EARTH&TUESKY

The vis~on is re~arkable - and scary. Lavender da~m isbre~king .on the eastern hori:on~ Overhead, crops of.puffy white clouds, hundreds of them, are drifting with the p:-evailingeasterly winds. So.t:.eof these clo~ds start to glow ultra-violet from within, detaili~g their strata a~d volwr.e.A..,dthisis happeni!'lgfromclaud to clou~ as six pinpoints of light play geophysical hide and seek all Qver the dawn- i:lgPer..nsylvaniasky.

The SOu"liOofdistant JET AIRCRAFT and -:.~eejetstreams paint the S~j· from out of the north. It spoils ths c.o::ient.Thenocturnal lights t1ck off. One stays on & is disr.iaying_initsspeed, t:ajectoi-y& ki:ie-

from mid-heav~ns to far horizon in 2~ sec:ondsflat.·The jets; thrnc ·· conven~ional Venom Interceptors,splay off in three directions. The sky has q~own too blue to supportstar life and our impression is that ~e have jus~ sat throu;h t.~emost awesome Planetariwn spectacle in broad ~e..~o:y.· · I

:IIGP.S~OT- GRE~·1HCUS~

Sittir.;in his car, far belowus.

( \

·, \ , •

.....

INTERIOR - I_NDIJ\.NABAYSTATIONPOLICZ OE:P,'\RTME?.lT~R.~.I}ii~-t0?.11:ttiG

t This is the p=ocessing roo~. A blizza=~ of mid-rnornjngactivity c:o::tpliraent.ecbyse:c:etariesanduniformedpolicemenchecking in, checking out, writing reports. And lea~ir.ginto their night :eports are officers Longly & Prewitt, the tea.~that first pursued the noctu:: phenome~on.to·tne Ohio border. This is probably the first tir.iethese men ha·.reeve:-enjcj,edthiskind of parer work. Oaybright -lightnins & thunder rattles the windows. •.

GREENP.OUS!:

Withou: the aid of a tY?ewrite::-,Greenhouseispenciling in his story. He still pu..lpsfroi.~~xcitei;,ent.Touchinghishead,Norma_n pa11sesand presse:z1::-ackaknawingheadache.

-. GRl:ENBOUSE Got any aspirin?

PREw-ZTT If Longly hadn't beenwith me I would have s~ne psychi~tric. ..

Just about ~ow, a eoor bursts open across t.~eprocessing room. Dewitt er.tergesfromthe Ca9tain1 soffice, his a::-mina sling and a bandai; on his forehead. Tr.eCaptaL~ has a pox on his ~orning.

~~e fl~staree COffir.\a~dertu::-nshislooksonPrewitt& Longly behind their typewriters.

CAPTA!ll (loud to his s~creta:y)

( When Flash Coreen & Buck '-ogersare

do~e, get their behinds in here. t

Dewitt is vanq~i!:)l1et.l.s:·-.-.ki:-.ghish~aclhema~csfort.hedc,~r.The two officers snag a piec~ o! him and Dewitt stops to look do~ni c:azed.

EXIT DEWITT. Prewitt:; Longly f~::.=~nervouslooks. And if fingers cc~ld tip-tee, that's wh~t happens next. Somuch for God~s truth! Out from their t7pe~riters go the I.F. 102 file reports - in go fresh or.es."Prewitt& Longly pound the keyboard likeFerrante and Teicher.

·1!..CSE-GR.EElrnous:::

0£ the Bay Static~ ~.D •

.._. :NT!:P.IO~-REC!:IV!H'GSTATIONTROUl:!!.EROOM-MORNING

ke is staring th=ou;h a crack in adoer marked EM1:RGEt~C'iEXIT.

Eve:-:r·=~estops":orkto catch a glimpse. Ike steps bilck.Graenho\t!.:e stands in the backgrounc. He is still carrying his notes and ske~:~as. The Sf~~RPF..EPORTofheels on metal stairs gro~s LCUOtR. I};ep~:ls on a CU? of cof:ee nervously. The stair~ell door ~ails open a:::c!SU?tRVISCaGP.!!!SE.Ystandswindedand circled in r~"":\pled fa ti~-~~.

SUPl:RVIZOP.GRI!lS~Y

( Greenho~se flayI see you in my office. \

The Supe:viso= sludges off. Greenhouse, wearing hi~ sleepless night, e~te:.-sG:i::-tsby'sconservativearenaandstarts to·close the door- behinc hir...The ·Supervisornea:.-lyfaints.

SOPERVISOR GRI?1SBY For Gods sake, don't close thedoor!

...

I:XTEP.IOR-MIDD!.ECLASS RESIOENTI.r..!."NEIGI!:SORH0.00-DAY

A green Chevy station wagon turns intoa open carport and stops next to a Vri'"bus.Ron!'lieGreen~ouseemergeswith t.hegroceries. She bounces U? the garden wlak ~:,.dsmacki.ntothe arms of Jackson.

~ackson is speeding on a naturalrush.

aon.~ieu..~locksthe front door and Jackson pushes through it and tm:ns c.c·...-:ithehall.

tO?mIE When he's on the night shi:t, he'll sleep till Mike Douglas.

She follows him to the bedroorndoer. Jackson puts the packages down a~d ~..necksgently.

ROtl11IE {noticing how dis- traught he is) He's such a lig~t sleeper, he'd hear

I

·-you if h!!were home. Something

\

happened didn't it?

'

JACKSO~ The General Super busted hL" for leaving the line. It's only te~pc:ary, he's got too much seniority, bu'tUorman wants to rr.akeitpermanent.

Ronnie can't take it all in right away•

... ·RONNIE Norman said that?

Jackson turns the knob. The bedroom door is loc};ed.Ronnie I s eyes sta:e, trying to comprehend.•

RONNIE -

The only time we ever lock the door ••• {a new concern, a q-Jestioninsmoment that brings a cot of anger to each corner of her mouth) Oh this is ridiculous. No~an! 'Norman! (to Jackson, ingenuously) Go ahead, you bette~ open it.

' JACKSON (. .Butit's locked• ...;'-··

Jackson steps back, takes a brenth, ane hurls himself at the pine- wooc. It cracY.s.He steps back again. Ronnie is biting her finger- nails woncering what she will find.

CR.h.S!:!T!-.elocksu:-renclersandtheslabflies into the room pushing ahead a :ush of air that curls the pages of two years wor ·tho': Playboy ;-taga.zinesthatlitterthe unslept in double bed. Nor Nerrnan. Ronnie shakes her head at the ~agazines and moves in a circle, un- balaneec. Ronnie ~resses her ear to the bethroorndoor. Her hand tries the kno~. Locked!-He~ breath quickens as she turns hopelessly towa~e. Jackson. Her eyes well up and she isreally scared now.

JACl:SO?l This'll . costyou too.

( 1: '

t

Cha=ging at his own reflection in the full length mirror on the dcj= the room see~s to explode and ••••

Ronnie squeezes through the sparkling ~hords of glass nnd sucks

-\~GLE- GRE!UHCUSt --- ...

,isibility but it becomes apparent that Norman is fully dressed in the tub. Jackson pulls him upright and begins slapping his cheeks. ~~nnie is sp~~chless and rivited.

JACKSON" Run some cold water. (slapping Norman's cheeks) Wide awake now. Eyes wide. (to Ronnie) See if he's taken something.

·:,

·ROt:NIE . (returning with colc tap water) Sominex and Alka Seltzer. That's all w~ eve= k2ep.

Jackson sipher.sthe cold water on Norr.;.an'sevesandhair and moves hi.r.iintoapool of bathwatl?ron the tile floor. l-1ebeginsto ccrnc:: around.

Ror.nienotices Playtoy Hagazine. A Pla~"::lateoftheMonth with ~outainous ~reasts looks up at her frc~ the puddles.

l~ormanco:ies:ully awake.

aONNIE {crying,confused, · insistent) Al: the doors ~ere locked.

liesmiles at them beth - happy and content beyond beli~f. T~cn l~oks at the ~al~s of his h~ncls.Thev mvstcriousl~ host s2co~d ~ccr~c ~~r~~ t.i1c1tht!.~ealrcadrbli~tarcclfromthe soaki:19.l!o:-r.\.ansniles..ag~i~ and holds them out fo:-Rcnnia to see. /

(

GREttlIIOUS,

( Souveni:.

t

CLO.SE- DR.Essn:c~-lIP..?.O~-DAY '·

Ronnie is ~aking he=self up. Her ritual.includes inspecting the age in her face. She still look~ twenty-one.

CL~S! - NOR:·L.ll.N

·...

He is measuring her, fightinq hirns~lfinside to tell her about his e>:perience.He isalmost doubled ove=·in thought. Waiting· for the right m~ment.

RO!mIE _

My mother's face is the same asmine. .. I collected all of her photographs 'i from when she was twenty until her I fifty~fi:th birthday.

II Ronnie fans o~t thirty photos of various sizes on the dressing table. :-:o::::inansenseshisopeningandpushes closer to Ronnie who begins pressing her cheeks back as if trying to soooth out invis- able lines. II

GREENHOUSE

Do you want to hea: the craziest t~in; l'.1 th~t happened to me last night?

jI ROUUIE My cheeks will be the first to d=op•

hands.

Horman co:"lpliesandRonnie positions tr.a=so they are pinching back her ears an~ pulling ti;ht he: cheeks.

RONNIE

~ow look at Mom at thirty-one and coi':':.pa:ethisto:-1om·attwenty.Look how the lips start turning in.

Liston to me for a second, okay?

j ROI·mIE Okar. '

1:orrn.:lns::i.iletiath•.a:wicle-eyedinnoce?nce,hc1vinggivenhimherur.- cEvi'<ledattention.lieclcclrshis voice, avoids her look, sr.-:ilcs,.in:l p~oceeds t~ have nothin; to say.

•

ROMNIE

I

Norma..."1• • .I'msmilingmywayinto ea:l~·mi:lc.leage.

<r

G:R~~nous::: So~ething ha?pened to me - !Do you give a shit - ?

Ee= ·:acefalls. She se~~s ready to sh~tte~ at the next lo~e noise. I

~ RO~'NIE

Is i~ going to be bad news?

GRttNBOUSE La.stnight thinqs happened.! don't k.~owwhere to start. Ifelt a •••• great ••• innercalm. You k..~owthe ·feeling sitting ina scaldi=.gbathtub when it's snowingout.

( \_

:io::::Danshiftsinmid-sentence. He begins i~provising against the acts. l!ege~~ly touches her face and draws her skin tight toward t..,etemplesagain.

-- GREENHOuSE

(~tarting slowly this-time) Get a sitter. ·

w~at for?

GP..EENEOUSE •. After ten years of m~rriage,can't r

.. take you to someplace lonely & mysterious

and park under the stars?

EXTERIOR -Th'"EC~SCENDO SUM.MIT- UIGHT

Nor::ian'sChevy station wagon is parked where the farmer's pickup was t.~enight before. A sprinkling of distant city light~ ad a soft touch of roma~ce to this desolate setting. nonnie Greenhouse supplies the rest.

?;:~RICR- C~ STATICU WAGON

She is devouring her husband like vou.~;lovers doing it for the first ti.:ne.Therewill be not.~irigieftofhim to taKe home in a doggy baq •.

CAMERA CLOSES IN as Ito~"liepressesbeck his deni:nshirt exposing cool flesh. No.:manju~t doesn't have his heart in it. When she is net kissing hi~, he is stealing careful looks through the windows at the sta=d~st and distant rolling hills. When she is kissing him, hL~ eyes just refuse to close.

Ou"'XSIDE-rt-:.-ECAR

h brisk current of air bends the grass at the side of the road. No::'!.lan'she~dappearsatthe side window, his face ge~~ing r.~shed against the slass as Ronnie takes him up on it .••

\, '

TI:t:::Cf.!T:,CLOSEo::.RO);Nu:·

She is sound aslcc? i':"Irearofthe wagon. CAME!'.!\W!THO!"'.At·:sto

is as wo:n thin as ~hat he's got on. He is ~tood up and feeling betrayed. Walking back to the car, swea~ing throu1h his breath, Uorr.-~anweildsale; and kicks the side .~oor. ·

C~OSE - RO~~!E·

Sl)ewakes up··S:R.:::A.:·1ING.

RONUIE • Oh rnyGod. t-rnattimeis it?

CLOS!:- GREENHOUSE

r~ll c: finality and =esolve.

ROfillIE (lookingat the dash clock) And it's a new babysitter. She's probably called all the hospitals. We told het midnight and she has school in four hours.

I • CLOS:C::-G?.ZE~~HOUS?:

He looks up one last time and mouths :aornat_hingobsceneat t.hesky.

J...titletell..;us:.:.~.'l'O::irtvSSO'BRAZIL.

t.:e:-the~:.•a.2orasrive:-,onethousandmile:.fromSao?a..ilo,co::Ieth:-ea 'tlilqo1.:~3'piloteda:idpac:!l.lledbybushnatives.Astheri11e:-:1oacs draw nearer, ~hr~e white ~en can be seen.One in each boat.

MR. 1.1..co:-iEEemerge:.so.:l.'.~ai:;inhisownjungle:sweat.I!aisi"'-·:11~ciat~ly recogniz~ble as theaffabla gent who confiscated exposed fil~ f:orn -checiviliar1.p.:1ssengi::rsn::ioardtheT~·:AflightatCoxl·~u:,icipal ( Airport. =xcitodl¥, threeof eha nat~ve guides ?Cint toward the d~cse \ _:;u:iglc:-cgio~s.Lc,.cor..:;,i;?s::eakstothcrnintheirn tivetc-ungcs.'r:-1'!'

n~t;ve!';coo;:,lya~clprc-=.uc~..,aclH:tes. ·

,

36-A

,\1-JGU:-OEUSEJU:IGL!:IN'!ERIOR

h1IACr~ Cf~OP- S?~J\S~- The contingent of hikers blaze arn~:shy trail w~ere no man has gone before.

C!.OSE--L:•.COM~E

Exuding con!idence and ent~usiasm as he plows through the ha:ked =ush. He .movesfaster and faste~. The point man with the machete is er.courage· to speed up operations as-Lacoffl!:>epressesagainsthisbare .heels and

..

A ilUG!:JmiGU:C!.EARING

Cne at ·atirne,the men emerge, Lacombe pushi~g out ah~ad of ~veryone else to be the first to see ••••••

OVI.:RL.;.CQM!:E'SBACKTO

This used to be :o~est jungle as dense as the undergrowth ju~t en- countered. It (s ~ow a perfectly flat clearing, one hundred yards in circumference.·The area has been a_lmostsurgically peeled back r~~ealing in the ve=y cen~er of the circle and standing wingtip ,to wingtip •••.•

Fr\12'NAT:!GRUl-Wi'ri-i?-31\VENGERTORPEDOBOMBEHS RIGH'lOUT OF \10?.LO WA.R"!I.They look factory fresh and p::-oudtobe propelle= drive:,. Next to the landloc::ecformation is a TWIN ENGI!1ED }IART!UM~.Rn:EP. FLYINC BOAT P.Z'I.TRO:.?L.•Ul':.ITISCO~!PU:':'::::LYCOv"tREDWITHANGELHA!R. '!'hese::onc:andthirdArn.eri::an.smovecloserto Lacombe. '!heg=ay haired official lcoks trulyflabergas~ec.

GRAY HAIRED }lAN It's Flight #19, isn't it?

j.ACOMBF. Long way from FortLauderdale.

ne wall~sforward a few steos and touches the angel hair c!'ii??in; f=om th: w~ngs of the::t-l.i\RT!t!:-1.ARI?lERFL'iii,GPJ'~7?..0LI'!.i\t:E.l!f?turr:.:i smili~; with~ bc1ijh enth~ciasm.

u~co:mc Thi!a one C~!:;e:giftwrapped.

( \

t

36 - B

Y·

NTE~!OR - G~r:!-IHOLIS:ED.EDROC:·!-OAl:':l

CLO.SE - THE CE:I!.U!G

Two points of light con·.,ergeandli}:eciot=painted on opposite ends o! a phonograph record, they t=ave~se t~e indoor sky and -•••

..

·Norm1'lnand Ronnie are tucked away in their bed, starin; at.the ceiling. Norman points two six-cell flashlights. Ronnie is awe- struck with innocent wonder as Norman finally rec:i:eatosthephe-· nomeno~ of the nig~t before.

t

G?.Ef.::-:liOUSE

~ It .tu:~edoff its lights ~hen othe: cars I

passeJ, just !i}:ea rh~osta4:on the ;:Hning room fixture, l~aving only a dark hole in the s~y. I k~pt thinking of the Slue hngel~ except this woul.dstrip t!~ wings of! any- thing ~he military could buil(.

iie·e.e:.nonst.ratesbypropellingthe·lightbeam.rapidlyacross the ceiling. Without slo~ing down, he performs an impossible ltO des=ee tur:i.·Sucking·ab~ontlyon her fi:i;ers,Ronnie breaths a slow "W~w". tlorrnar.£licksoffthe flashlights and for a full ten seconds nothing is said. ·· ·

GREE!~HOUSE {justas quietly) What.

r..otm!E

t

Don't tell this to a lot of people.

(; A lot of people would have to be

marriad to you before they'd believe it.

)

GRJ:E?:HOt!SE

' I I'm not asking you to ac:ept itright ·off~

nONNIE (wanti11gt.ohell') That's c~ay. l have.

G?.!:!:?a!OOSE (looks at her for a long mor.1ent) Well shit, Ronnie, you're not very excited.

RONllIE: Iclicln't.seet:.heo.1..n•[,·1:J.y,t!le=c's proLably a vety nntaral cxplannti~n •.••

t Gi'.r.r.1met:~.E

(he's up in :,cc!)

( l!old it! Ho!.dit! You eon't boli~ve

one ~ord I've said.

~-

.. \ •: t

-~:- 38

No:.:iansur;:,resseshisang:yenergy and slaps his .cheekagainst the pillcw so.th~t he is facing Ronnie·.whonow sits up in bed. A new a..~dcuriousmood colors over him. He has leveled his vision on Ror..nie'shealthybreasts. But, strangely, not in a.nyway sexiJ.al.

Ronnie hu.~kersdo~~ between the sheets so th~t h~r breasts silhouette agai:1s~a shaft of moonlight on the beige d:::esser.GRZEKHOUSEWATCSES TE:::Sl!...liOt..~':TEA?;oIS:-tYST.E:RIOUSLYT~-.:S&'!XEDcYIT.

GREEltBOUS!:. (offhanded) I'm not gonna lose any sleep over it.

,Ronnie takes herself tc.,hir.\andCAM.ERAsecsher figure filling the scru::n:.Shedigs close to him and smiles.

E:crI:RIO?.-THE?:E!GEBORHOOO- EAALY S.ri.'Z'tJRDAYMORMING

Ron..~iea:ldNor.:ianwearingsweatsuits, jog their morning mile, A neigh.:iorwashinghis car _.aveshello with his spray-jet. lier.nan nods ba.c~a~d ~onr.ieca:ches up behind. She keeps pace with his ·footfalls,getting so close to his heels tha-t·ina fun-loving way sr.esh~ffles out of step and squashes his tennis shoee righ~ off the s~.,eatsocks.Explodir.gwith laughter, Ronnie passes hi1n., runnir.;-backwa:dsand making faces, Horman is not amused. Sha ·shru;sat his silly gray mood, sticks out ~er ton;uG,· turnsane wa.,,esa'=somefriends digging at the sh=u.bsfor the morning papa=. A car has been followi~a them. It edces for~ard now and makes it3 I.:ove•••and Creenhouse -iss 1.1ddenlyina:neeoff with a lem.-:\

:ior.na:i.Jleismore-:ha.nreminiscentof loveable George Fishbeck.. George hole::.'.l?acard. It isupsidedown bu-cNorman can read ZYZ~-i!'I'NESSt·ZI::hS-z~KOPCiiANNE:L4.

Nor.nanshakes his head. Jie'snot interested. ~!otat all. He begins jc,ggingfast.er.

Here comes Geo=ge leaeing the c~arge!

...

·G:eenhouse realizes ~~e ca.~erais turning and a mich:ophone is £indin; its way under his ·chin.

Ncr::ia.n:-everseshir:selfandjogsthe other way, leaving old George be!l.ind.

Ncr:an is in heat ove: this. Ronnie, not use to seeing her husband ip a bl.:.r.drage,clamsup and falls further back.

( Ronni~ is f:ail when it comes to loud noises, scenes, tem?er~. She ~ eoesn't know Norman like this and it shows all over her. '

t

TE£ GOOFY GOLF G~EE:tl f- ' . l It is a lazy Satareai at the brunch hour and an inter family gu.tne~ingprogresses with an obvious lack of enthusiasm. T~e S'.l.."n I total of twenty-two folks, the dividend of six families, the men I ~egrega·tedaway f:c:':'lt!'l~women,dealingo-utthesameold c;ossip. I

i~on:iiewai~sher turn to T-off. A miniature windmill invites skill° and timing by putting the J:,allthroug:~an·opendoor between swipas cf the rotating blaces. -As thewomen pow-wow, Ronnie looks beyond them to the next game hu=cilewhere I~o=r:ianl::irc.iashisthirdshot•.

'i C~CSE - GR:::ENEOUSE

:Hei"'!::r.'t?ayingatte:itiontothejocularad-libs frcm·his !::)eering buddies. We watch as he stares at his children in an adjacent fa.i:way.

Gf;.E:;:?U-IOtJSE'SP.0.V.

He has strong sons. Brae isthe popular leader and is showing one of the sc~ller child=en how to putt.

CLOSE - G:U:ENF.OUSE

He s=iles secretly and and allows his line of vision to drift ~p.· Ue lookf at the sky. A.."ldlooks.And looks.

CLOSE - ROW.J!E

She is watchir.gt~is. Peeks.where he is s~aring, ~rowing increas- "inglydisturbed cy·such behavior.

C~CSE - GR!EN3CUS~

A£ he acci~ently .looks into the sun a~d sneezes.

-Sackto aa=th C:.<Jain,t:crnnntwirlstheclub lil:a,TackNicholas ant! ac!,.l:essest:,oball.He loo!~sup to chP.ckout the obstacle CC\!rsg

A miniature ~cuntnin with a cro~ning peak similic:.rtothg ~a~c~rhorn. ( 0~scurin; tha tin1 c~ve is a waterfall th~t justifies this hurdl~~ ~ ' ~~·.:irf i;_,e•

•

CLOSE - GREE~HOUSE

Nor.:-.anc;etsreadyto putt when something pulls his attention hack toward themountain and waterfall. It is a pleasa:itsetting '1ndthe falling water is like music. No sooner does he set himsel~ does his attention drift back and ••••

·?Jor~anis sweating. ~is concentration shattered. He cannot hit the ball at the ~ountain no matter how hard he tries ••• so he strikes out wilcly and the d:ive earooms off a ledge and rolls back to his feet. Ee·swin~~ again, really driving it. It mi~~e~·the hole and rebcu.~ds off a craggy ledge. Inexplicaoly, he swats again ••• and again •••

CLCiE - RO?tt-:IE

HoZcing herself and absolutely motionless. Everyone is motionless as ......

CLCSE - G!U:ENHOVSE

Ee is killing th: ball.

C!.OS't-TOBY & BRJ~D

Watching their father. This is no ganieanymore and the beys do not smile.

CLOSE - GRE~NHOUSE

Winded, he fists t~e golf ball and pit:~es it strai~ht at the par five opening. ·1tgoes in,.rattles abou-:,and spins onto the g:-een, rolling ••• rolling ••• right into the hole. Greenhouse is the least st.:.=prisedathissu?ershot.

Dave, t~e jock who has bee~ keepin; score, sidles up to Norman and t=i~s to pie:ce the silence by i~toning officiously:

Fif~y cons~rv~tively d=esscd rn~nare filing i~. All of the~ dis?lay photo-idc::nt.ific.:i.~iononL:1cirLlac}:·l"-~els.Theyarceachhanc!ec w:1atloo;~slH~c fancy p::-ogrc:imsinsilvc:-leaf.Themood is less rfrmal th.in~he drcs~ Co::-.::.er.t~~ndjo};~sarecircul~tee./\?.;>ara:1:ly ..i·iatisaboutto ti't,: ·:..~r,r:ouldhavebt:cn?':l<1nuged.i.nrnuchle.;s'

A~~CLS- S:·t~~LSTAG:S

o::'1e:gent:.e;.ientaketheirseats.A.r:tongthe:-:tisMr.I,::icc~beandhi~ Brooklyn translato:-assistant. They are accorded the hushed courtesy of r.?.nj(,ingofficialsa.-nongenlistee.men.Theentirerow stands until they are comfortably seated.

A Lyndon Johnson type tries adding a flash of Oxford to his con- trclled Dallas dialect as he takes the stage and posi~ions a microphone.

M.C. (too close to tJie. microphone)

Are we all here?

SOMEONE IN AUDIENCE

Some of us were won~ering that about you, sir.

Ger.erallaughter i:r.cludingtheTexa!lMaster of Ceremonies.

M.C.

l made you come in you: Sunday suits cause I'm ca~ned tired of swea: stained shirt-sleeves f:om i·!ontgomeryWard.

laughter.

M.C. (continue~)

W-e'llsta:t on page one ar.d=eac.in unison to the end. So withou~·~urther

ado ••• lights - !

T~e ho~s~ lights decline only slightly. The curtains on the stage pa=t. T~-e=eis a COr.\?licatee"iamana!toogSynthesizer·and tenConcc:-::. speakers stac~ed stags lef~ and right. A ne=vous musi~ian-technician

e~:ran~e. ?olite whistling and funny applause accompani~s hirn.li~ tak~s a seat behind t~ekeyboare an~ opens his sheet music.

He l.:e;i:1~l.;ypl.:i:ti~c;!our=~t~~:-~~s:;onantc:-.ortls.i!'.:pla:,·sfour ~ore, this ti~e acci~antly nclo~ic. The a~dicnce never watch~s hi~ ;.;er:cr::-l.Th~i=~1:1csc:i:aloci:c~:':>nthemusicin!rontcfthem.

•

CLOSE:- r:R.LACO!lEE

i~sigh:-rcads, r.:ovinghislips slightly as j_fsp~akinc;with the r.-.usic.c;..:-:;:r,..\;-:CVESTOHl:-1.A~anwal}:sdow,,theisleandshuffles through scru:,ehedimees ane:shined shoes to ha.ndLaco:nbe a sealed ~elex. Laeo:n!:>elooksU?fro~ his sheet ~usic, opens it and reads it privately. He raises an eyebrow. It is stunning news of sorne sort. Lacombe rises to leave as four rno:etonjc cho=ds are struck .....barely meloc.icbut terribly simple,..andslightly catchy.

CUT TO

I?:TER!OR- GR!l::iniOUSELivn;GR00:-1-NIGHT

Green~ouse is alo~e at the piano. He can't play a note but idly plucks one key at a time as he th1nks thin;s over. He closes one eye and looks at the sheet music. He tries the other eye. They appear to be bothering hi~. The mindless single tone music is suddenly, perh~?S ironically, the same four tonic chords just hea:e. He ?lays the pattern again •••still preoccupied with his vision. Brad t~-:-.blesintotheroom exci~~d and out of creath.

Greenhouse pretends ~o be busy but his attention is almost ~s keen as ~rad ar.dTcby stupified b:,1thep=cscnce of Ho:nand Dad on TV. The news cor.~entatorflash~s on. There is an absurd c:o~ic- bco% rencering of a ilyin; .sau:eron the rear projection screen behind hi.~.

TV C0~1!-1EliTA.TC?. It is one thin; ~hen anonyr.·,:~scitizens obse:ve so:nethi::;in theeve::i::.qskythat should not be t..:.:are.·sutinadifferentlight it is all thec:=e remarkable ~hen a local Trouble Fore~a~ :=o:na loca! power co,·:~:>any stakes a simila= :lair:.!;or::ti:ln·Greenhouse declined to cc~=-~r.ttoourcrack field re- portc= :,uthis ~-,::1w=ittantesti.~onyto police !ilcs ycst~rday st~ted that thi~ thi=ty-o~e year oltpower engineer chased a lighted object at hi;h ~?ee~s t~~t he dcs- crilad as, ~~n u=sidc~cwn ice cream cone- shn_;:.ec!objcc':-·..-ithaglo•.1i:igorangesherbert do::'iou.

Oh you dic!!'l't

.. •., •

TV COi-:?-!E:NT;\:Ort He furthe~ stated that for~ifte~n ~iles he tracked t~~ objects, finally cros~ing the state line into Ohio where they dis- appeared into the clouds fro~ a standing

_____start in four seconds flat.

·..

Tr.eTV i.oa.g~£witc~esover to crack fiele reporter, GEORGE:. He.is sta!'ldingatthat ::_ou:-way_st ·opreadingfror:iatearsheet.

GtORGE From his o~-;nwrittenstater.tentandI ~uo~e, "Some kind of btight light 1it up t.hesix r:iileroadwhere it intersects with Cottontail. The stop signs vibr~~ed violently. There was the sensation of weightlessness and the soles of my feet beg~n to bu=n".

Back to the studio.and \ .

TV C0!-!!·1E:NTATO?. It was shortly after this nocturnal encounte:-that Norman Greenhouse was deactifiec !:o~ the Indiana ~apartment

-··

of Wate= ~ Power, by Supervisor Oarrly Gri.osby~ho made sure to_e~?hasize that his actic~s had no connecti~~ with the contents of Greenhouse's ?Clice report.

The news d:ones on. Ronnie leafs thrc~;h TV Guide, then tosses it on the co=:ee table.

G!'-F!:!H!Oli5r. Don't ans•.-:-3rth~phonesteniq!,t.

13:\J'\O Are they !or real?

{_

'l'OI:!Y

i

I'm sca:-t?c!. t

GREEN~OUSE You mean it's only ce - !

..

I ( GI'.EENEOUSE

They're old enoug~ to r..nowwhat'sgoing on out there.

I . I RONNIE

You're not old enough to know t.hat.

Nor::ianhurries out of the room and into the kitchen and out of the side door. Ronnie watches down the hall. She hears the ·engines~art I ~d the ear scree=~ in ==ve:se and o!! into the night. (. '-J I!lT!:RIOR-CErvY 5':'ATIONWAGOH- NIGHT

Beyond t~e tintec windshield is a breathtaking display of starlife on this clear antlh1.1..'"i.idevening.Norma~driveswithpurposeand directicr. as he nears his special des~ination and •••••

EXTER!O?.- CRESCE!·iDOsu~.;~!T-UIGHT

Reachir.; the crest of ~he highway, the Ohio farmers red ~ickup truck :.sa familiar sigh-:.But he is not alone tonight. Others laveco:1g:egated. A Oodi;a~!otorhome,and I-E Tractor, and several Volks~ai:ns a=e parked alo~gside the road, beset with a rag-tag a!so:-t~h?~tof star c;azerscomfo:-tahlyensconced in alu.-ninurnpatio c~airs an= oceasion~lly ?eering at the horizon through field glasses ·a~ if~ai~ing fo: some phantom parade to pass. Two

t ( \: I

,

~- ' yo~~gsters have er=ecte~ a ho~ernadereflacting telescope nnd tbl';:!:armer'solc!est~onadjustshis 35r..:nl..ikromatfromthe root of the cab. 'r-h~sr,iritualolc farmer !:ltepsontothe a~phalt and pee:s a?~=ehensively ~t theaark station ~agon _tha~has parked ~cross the road.

..

G=eenhouae open~ thedoor and feelsunwanted as he steps away f:ou his vehicle.

OLD FAPJ,~E:R

nothing is wrong h~re. Hobody is hu:'i:.. Don Itneed an~· hel?.GoodlJye. Thank }'OU. Good.b:,•e.

Reco,;~i:ing-:.hefros"tydai=y fa:"itlcr,Hormanextenc.safriendly- ye~ ~~!:ly enthusiastic hand that the old boy kind 0£ looks at side":.a1s.

G'?.E:ENiiOt,;SZ:

Don't you remeober me?

·Tha farme:--doesn't. iie~ooks at him suspiciously. ·····

OLD FAR!-!ER (spoken as i: it

• were a curse) You ;..irForce'?

GRE!.NiiOUSE

OLD FAP.l~R

Y~u= hair. Cut too short for your a;e.

A SO~NO ma~~s ~veryone look toward th~ north~rn skies. Jet airc:aft :an he hea=~ passi~g in-the rarificd distance.

FARMERIs !!:Oii

We'll be up ~ere ~11 nigh~ if that keeps 11•

'-t"'.

Gm ;:!QUSi:

( Kho arc th~so pee~:~?

'

• (

OLD F1~k:·i~R

Why~ this is the S.P.I.~.G.O.A.E.

GRZENHCUS!:

\..;ha~sthat?

OLD FA~·l::R I

Ti,a.tsthe Society :'orThe People Interested InWhat's Going On

,

Aro~n~ nere. You gotta signthe guest list i!you wanna ~tick ~round. t

GiU:E:NEO:JSE:

How come?

OLO FARMER

It's the rules. Tn~re's also a $3.50 cover charge goin'.

,

A wallet isproeuced and the $3.50 is in the old far~er s.hnne be!ore be can say ..••

OLD :'ARHER

Ycu won't ze disappointed.

He wanee:5 ov~r to six senior citize~s saat~d around a card ~able on tl~egreasy shoulc1.e:-.Fouro!them ar~ ;laying canasta• .Eighty, I if sr:es a i·ear,GRhC.EYsmiles up at l·:o=::nr..

G?.Et~;HotiSE

:io- ! \.;henc!oestheshow start?

E:!..O:::?.LYHAN (without gla~cing up ro~ .....,.1.sca.:-as-) f

Soon as you leave probaSly. '

GrtJi:EY (to the ru~e g~nt)

~hat is u~kind. ~p~lo;ize. l

I::LD!:~l,~~!·!i\l:

t

(!ahrugs£ ~ighz)

' l n s":lrry. (

I. ,

~hir.kinghe's found a friend,Norman kneels by theelderly lady who is the Queen of Needlepoint.

Her whole face lights up as thoughhe's toldher themeaning cf life. ·

I • • GRACEY ··· (a'tear inboth eyes) Oh, I hope so.Don't you - ?

\j ~~- He igno=es her. So G=acey hefts a volcr.:e-sizedleatherettephoto albu.~and opens it to the first page.

I took these all bymyself.

,~orma.neases c:loseto see between the ?ages. Pressed beneath the protective plastic a.resix ?Olaroid color snapshots. Each shows nothi~g:ore than a S?lash ct overex?osed yellow - or a slit of white - or a~ area of out-of-foc:usblue. Simple photographic erro=s.

Norr.:a~leavesGracey with a pat on the shoulder and jogs to his car. He retu=~s with a s~all instarnaticcamera and finds a fence post to s~uata;ainst. E~citedly, he loo}:soverhead and waits with t~e others.

JILLI1~:r They :'leverco;-:;~t:-,at\:ay.Startlool;ing out to·.·:.ar<lsthe\·:est.·

I·:cr:?:anisnotsic!et:-ac1:edb}'thisunco~~onlyattracti\'ctwenty-six y~,;1::-ol:!.

,,·, t

SC

JILLIAN

You know what to look for •••or are you jus~ looking - ? .

GRE:ENHOUSE

··I've been here bc~ore.

·.. JILLIAU Yeah - quite a place. You never know

what's coming down the roac..Last week

it was a co~pla yellow bagel-shapes and yesi~rday a kinda floureseent pickle thing. W~at you saw - what'd it look like? ·..

GREEmiOOS?; Dessert.

; ...~.... ('

':'heyaw}~warc.lyshakeha11c.s.Normanis nervous around attractive woman he's not married to.

G?.1:E:?lnOTJSE (he looks down at his feet) Hi there!

ANGLE - E;J>.RYGUIL~R

He is en :~s rear end in tte topsoil with a pint-sized sand bucket, ·rnakir.gli~tlemountain's on Norman's foot.

l-1ydirtykitl.

GRC!:?l!iOvS! Ar,yboc!yknowwhat':;happening out here? ..

( JILLI/u;

Whatever's going on st~rted around Uallo•..,e,a:n.nutevE!rsine'!thatnational E:nquirerpe:~onsta=t(::d~::eringcc1sh:noney E&~ ~ur phcr~~. t, ry hn~ ~ouhlc~.

GREEmrous::: ~7hatis this guy c1llabout?

JILLI;:..:J You'll ceet hi~ when hegets here. Ee hasn't missed a nigh~ &o far. He'll takeyour name and addre~s and off.!rone n-w"'ldredl::>uc:ksaroll. One fifty !o=movie film.

GREEtll!OUSE (refering to old faroer) . I think I acci1ently signed up already!

GREElUiOGSE What's your name?

Jillian Guiler.

They sha~e hands a;ain.

JIL!.IAN Iknow • .T~eTV ==ally put the sc:ews on you. Some ne~s guy s~iles in the wrong place - :aises an eye~:ow here and there - tha~'s all it takes. That's whay after rny!i:st encounter I wouldn't talk to anybody.

G?..EtitHOCSE (finding a sou: mate) Wha-:was ~-tlike?

JILLil~J

[ ~or~an is r~a~y to tu:st open ~ncltell ~er ~verything.

JILL!l,:i

f I've bE:~nhaving t=oul:.leslcc?i:1;. ·,

-~..,-_:·.:;(;..r._,·-~~!t~·:. G!'.J:E1?HOUS!:

So have I .·Yo_uknow• • .when ·Ido·. f doze off, it eoesn't feel like

sleeping. All of a suddan· it's morning again.

JILLIAN

Hy dreams are bright yellow. I . walk aroun,.ii~tlier.,andc::a.n't .o'pen my eyes wider than a sc;uint. -.

-~ GREENHOUSE .

I've.been jumpy alot ~= the ti~e.

JILLIAl~:·.

Me. too,· But,I do:-4'tknowwhat from.

GREENHOUSE

I want to keep active but I'm bored ~i~h ~y job.

JILLIAN

I quit mine. I've been painting in

C·,:.: ~

watercolors a lot. Do your eyes water sometii.\es? ·.•,,• - ··1~~-·...:.{."_i.~

··..k-·.....__.. G~:::!•iHOUS~ ..~~'~1::1~~ (axploeir.ghappily)

·- -· You ought to feel the irritation in the right eye on a sunny day. • .';-:-.41,L

JILL!AH .....··~-~-.............

Su?ern ,arketlighti~gdoes it~~ rne. Office lighting is worse. Wou!i~'t

it be ~onderful if after all this we found out t.heqover:--.."':\entwaseY.peri- ,,..

~enting with a new fangled sec=at gadget.

G~.EHP.OOSE (aftera pa•.ne) ~o it ~ouldn't. It ' ~bea r6tten let cown. --··- -.·,

Th~ !armer's sun straig~~anz and s~outs to be heard.

(

•

--·-·------------------ ---- -------..-~--...-r·-

FA..~.HSOY

Here they come - ! Out of the north west -

A hush ca.=kensthe gathering. The two boys man tr.eirtelesco:,~·s '' like anti-aircraft battery. The fa!"m.boydoublechecks his shutter speed. Gracey holes her cawa:::aupand stands behind her chair.

...

J'I•.N~l,!:-OLDOAIP.Yf~.!·!~?.

He lifts up a hand painted cardboard sign that rea~s: STOP ANO BE FRII:HDLY. -

JILLIAN

There - !

In the !ar distance where the black hills gather •nd the road melts away, t~10c.elicate?i:-i;oints··oflightconve!"geandgrow relentle$sly brighter as they ~ake their low altitude approach.

JILLIA!-1

I heard·sc~ewtere ••• 'TheUniverse is not onl:tstranger than we i~agine,

it is strar.gert~an we:!!:.L~;ine •

A chill ru~~ through ~o=~an and he is s~~dcnly aware of bein; out- of-coo:s a~c ender tte ~tars. The nig~~ see~s darY-ernow. Italways is ~fter gnost stories. Then ••••

GREE:UHOUS:E t's like a dream, is~'t it.

',

r JILLIAN

Sometimes I get so scared I pretend that's all it is!! {shecurls herself aroi.;.ndl2or~anCl!'loles tight) Can! ~orro~ 7our ar~?

l

t

Will they stop ~~~n.they see u~?

JIL!..U·.iZ If tho:,,c!c,:;c;.i:c:.:cr!..C!Heurir.c;

• your true~ shoes. , ' '

GP.2'i.C:E:Y

Te.arsare ru:minc:rdo•..inh::rcheeks.Shegen..iflects,muttersapraym:-, ar.dsteadies h~r·c~aera like a pro.

BE'YO~'D.AL!.THIS'IEE:WHITELIGRTSELONGATE &'10FLA..=..ELIKEAh"EI.i:::=.~S TO:R.CS.

JJ:LLIAisi (stoned on the ex~erience} I'llbet the American Indians felt like this when the first sails ca."ileoverthe horizon•

.. CLOSE:- GP.!:~rnous.=:

His entire body is t.remblingo~~ of control. He aims his camera b~t it refuses to steady. This is as ~lose to a religious experience as Non.an has ever enco\!Iltered.

T:!l':ASS:E:HB!..ED

The people stir as an u.'1·;.1sualqualityofsomropermeatesthe air. (: It is a rhythmical .noise.~lowingagainstthe ,dnd - louder now.

t.'l:cughallas they interpret the internal combustive pounding and ••• t.~etwo .blindinglights.swallow everything up.

Air is displaced - the sky whites ou~ - and the lights becom~ two AIR FOaCE EEL!CO~TZ?~ that descend upcn the gathering, beating hot air on them, sucking di:t anc feather"t.,eightdebrisupinto the . swirlina convectionsas t.~escreamina ~achines oanuever around each other u.;tilthe ultimate ~an made cyclone sends al\uni~~~chairs, card ta:>les,blankets and picnic lenvings.in a violent uphe~vel.

The ni;-'.:.4:peoplerunforcover.The dairy fa::'ffler's·"3eFrienc.ly"si;n · .beatsU? against his face unti~ he ·isforced to hide in the cab of r.ispicjcu?.

CLOSE - GREENHOUS!

Bucking towa:d his car ha spots the speed limit sign. !tis ~ibr~~ing beneath the severe rotor ~-,c1shandremindsNormar.of his first enc:0 1.lnter The similarity is too remarkableto discotLLt! (

T.apped insic::eher vw a:-,dtryinc;tostar-:the engine.

A!cne now and stranead beneath the pounding rotar wash, Gracey fcebily attem?tS to g~thar her.blo~n photo piece collection. She c~ases t.~es1~apshotsback and forth, atterr.ptingtosnatch them rig~i.toutof the sky, and cissin; and cryin; yet t:nmi;id- tuily determined.

·..

WIDE V'I.tt·~

Car engines s.tartand everyone peels out. Greenhouse ta}:inc;this all in,·bewildered and fighting·~ad, he observes the two assault HU~YS rise vertically and hover overh~~~- their quartz-iodide searchl~"i\psstabbingat the re:-,•ainingsediment.Then,both ma:nines turn a lSO and beat back the way they came.

CLOSE - G~~ZNHOUSE

Viewing this with a mixture of sorrow and hatred.

Ct1TTO

I EXTE~IOR GREENHOUSE HC:1:E-M0~7I!iG

t. ..,...;.__.Grcenhcusestartshis A.I-1.jog.He watches his own breath and paces hi~self ~ith each puff. Behind hi~, Ro~nie starts from the ho~s~ dressed :or her :nile.Their LREA':'Him::;isuneventhismorning. It. overri'4esany furt.he=morning sounc:s.

1-.!~GLE-SIO!:i·:AU~_;.:-;!)SI:::BYSID!:ao:-:zs

R~nnie catches up and falls into step. They do r.ot·speak.Ronnie looks fr:~ sile to side.

nomu::.:'s::'JVING?•o.v .

The nei~~!)o=:10odappearsi.;nusuallyquietthis morning.

CLOSE - ~~ttNHCUSt

He is ~&%i~g notice pf thisoccasion too.

I h~d a tal~~it~ Dr. ~~ynole~ after you stor~ec!OiJ.to! t!:cho-.::o.1:0:hasthi:; c:az:,•~otic~ about~:hc1tyou sa•...-.Itis cal lae Isa::o~-.-~r=>h.::,1c::-.~r.on.ii~sa·1sthe brain rct~ins i~~c~~~~ion fro~ i~~an:y lont1bo:o:-·J·VO\.!!.-r.:c:-;o:..,isa:;l":torecall it.-Th~ lnr;; circui~:-thi:tgyou sa~ g~tting

'

Rom:u: (con't)

closer and closer pro~a~ly r€?=esents your mother's trcast ~ich its·promise of food. \:hensatisf~ec, ::r·ou,theinfant, , lose interest in the ~reast, which gets smaller and smaller ane finally vanishes away. Since a bre.istis a disc s.hapeit could rnean •••••• ~

G~.EEm:ousE (turningaround & ··jogging .ba:kwardsso he can let her have it)

t c_ouldmean I'rr.notmy ;!other'schild. · It could mean every night there are a couple of hundred of us watching Hom's tits co~ing in low over ·tbeTolono County foothills.

He tu:r.sfacing :or~ard and pours on the s~eed out-distancing Ronnie in seconds.

ROHNIE:

You're such an ass.

TllROt:GliAKITCH!::Nh'!~i~0~-7-AllQi'.;DI:SC!UP'.:'~mu:ALO~;::;THtRC!:-r.ct:TE

'

The ~af~odil yellow c~rtains are parted by unseen hands to glimpse at the t:-:oru~~ers. I~rARC. S.sink~.-ate:a:1c.SAP..S.~?_;WALTERSont:"le TCD~~ SHOW.

TliRCUGllJ..t:~:;CLOSEDGA?,.:i.c;!:

~he elec~=~c whirr of the opening garage door shows Ronnie and Nor~an jo;;ing by. Beth look over but nobody appears.

Self ccns:~ous :1ow,eisturbed. Looking from house io house hopef~lly.

~r- .r-,rr -\,J.·---

( Gr·.::~r.::c".isc.:1-:.ea:-st::cfi:'ljtc:lcc::p-:,i~~0:1!'C'1!i':?'~out.ere:-:trc~,itic~. l!cr-~l!s!.:i=tcth~g~t:!:-t!:.:o:-:inhi!:Cht:~,.:.---·.-,4lgr:'lr-.,ur.c!leZtnsC·i.itthe win1cwMhere a stoical s~in ~~a~ed Corporal g:-ce~shi~ mcch~nically.

'

CORPO?..:'\L

Yes sir.

GRE!:?lHOUSE

The Civilian Infor.na:.ionCenter, please. .

... CORPOR.~

New Air Fo=ce re~=uiting?-

,• GRZENHOUSE

Not today thanks.

Recrui~ing stationand information central are·in that tall structure. Parking is in the lower levels.

The c6=poral cr~~s a g=een civilianvisitor care under the wind~ shield wiper.

C~?.?ORAL

Please lock your car. The base does not assu.~e res?onsibility for items lost or stolen during yourvisit. Go'ed.

NEW ANGLE

The Chevy ~-:agonmoto:::spasta copse of pt:ssywillow trees to a sup-ar:moderr:building, twe!':.tystoriesofcubicle window space and smoked qla.ss.

CLC§!.:-St;:!.:>I!:GDI?J:CTO~'f

Greenho~se st~eies the directory, starting with the "O" listings a~d ~oin; U? an~ eo~n the files until he is hopelessly confused.

G:ae:l!louseis alor.eir.t~~ lift. Ee pus:iesfor the 24th floor. The elevator doer closes and Green~ous~ ~at=~es the floor indicators.

( CLO!'.i!:-!! ·;O!c;..To~!.:!:Gi::-s

20 - 21 - 22 - 23 - ·2.;.Th~elevate!:"stC?Sand Grc2:ihousei.\Ovestc • tl·,eC:ou:l~coo=s.0\.!tth,...._.conoto~en.l!a•.-:nitsamomentlo:igc=. The ~oors ::;ti-11ao~e'" ·"?o;,e:i.Hegiv':!sitt·,:omoresecor.c~ t:·.t:!'!i•••••

( cru:r:m:ious:E

Oh Jesus ..•.

Ha pounds on the eoor with his fists.

Then ~e finds the e~ergency telephoneand picks up the receiver but a hand appears out of nowhere and tou~heshim on his shoulder. F.e spins and alci6st~hrieks.

-..

RZV~RSE P.O.V.

About fiftee~ peo?le arewaiting to come through the ope~ reversible doors to the ele·:ator. They are as er:iba:-rassedasGreenhousemust be.

l-1J\Nm•rnTAPPED It's okay - a lot of peoplemake the same mistake.

G:eenhouse hur=ies past everyone, staring at hjs feet a~d disappears ..._.·through a eoor rr,a:ked:!NFOP.HATIONCENTER•

IH'!'!?.!O?.-INFOi'.:-:A'!'!C!·lCE?,TER-DAY

Here is a.c:ombinati~nwaiting room an:::!.nfornationdesk.A goodly nu.-n=-erof?eople are fingering throug:i;..irForcerecruitment magazines and othe:-;..r.:iedServicespa=a:;:hernalia.Greenhouseeases into this austere setting which is by t~e way library quiet. He approach:s the i:-i:ornationadjutant,a loud nasal lady pinched against -::i.ewallbra slab of marble eesk, designed for inforr.,ation o!ficers talf her size.

(looks up quickly and decides what he wants) Air Force Recruiting is thi:d level o-three.

CREE!~ilOUSE (l~ughs poli:cly, patiently) I'm not here for that. ::o,I'r.here

I to see so~~body about .•• I was look-

ing at t~~t ai:~ctory in the lcbby ~nd I coul~~·t find ~n ~re~ i~ the ~ir Force where :.,•ouhanc!lcallcft;.hasc••.• (gestures wildly, not flnding • the··· ~~ but finc!i=-,g.c:igrc.Jt ...."1

,( GREENHOUSE {con't)

out loud) •.•

You know •.• you know. When a jet flies overhead··- low enough overhead you know right.away what it is ••• oh, that's a Continental 727 •• oh, that's a jwnbo THA with ~-i'.bassadorservice.But~,hen something buz:es over you and.:. and it doesn't have any wings ••••

The nasal lacy takes an exhausted breath and shows how loud she can really be.··

.. I?rrOP.HATION Do y~u want to report an UFO?

}.NG!..E-P~ACTIONS

The room lights up. People lower their magazines, cigarettes are snipped in mid-c:ag.

GP.l:El~HOUSE (turnsto the room - just.

'.(;.. a$ demonstrative} UO, I DO~J'TWANT TO REPORT A UFO. '-·

(turn·sbackto Information with the most plaintive, beseeching eY.pressionand whis?ers)- Shh. Yes I do ••••shhh. I do. Yes.

IN:'ORNATION (she'snot being mean, she just has this extraordi~ary sonorous voice) Go to fifteen. Ae:ospace Defense Command. :Room thir-:y-sixeleven.

~reenhous~ ,oesn't know ~hether. to say thank you or j~st shit. He leaves :o= the elevator in a hurry.

Th9 room~~l of awakening interests buzzes in his wake •.• a few ~CC?le ac:u~lly a??=oac~ 'information' with growing concern.

IHf'OR:-1.ATIO:r

, ~it down until you'ra called. Please ,.

peoolc. Th~re is nothino goino on here.

\

reoplo please tlon'tde this! -

INTERIOR - AERO~?AtE DEFENSEco~~~ND (

Starti~g CLOSE o~ G=eenhcuse. ne is obviously in a sitting positi.,n. It seems c-.sthough a.thousand critical eyes are bathing over hir.t.

In fact as theA.~GLEWIDENS, only four other people (three men antl a woman) are waitir.g like Greenhouse anp each keeps his eyes to himself, afraid to look any~here beyond The clock on the wall.

On collective inspection the~e people are stereo typically the ty~es of UFO rc?orte=s that orye wouldimagine exists in the world today. The flourescent lighting is giving Norman a bac h~adache. He reaches in a pocket for so~e Exceerin and dry swallows five tablets. The·para- noid looking woman sitting next to him sticks out her he.ndand u.,r.nan is~obliged to tap two tablets into·it. She works up some spit and s,-,allowswithouta sir.tplethankyou. ~uc:1.denlythecorridordoor bursts open ane a silver haired Air Force Colonel erner~esin his full regali~. He smiles at the =eceptionist.

Goodnight Colonel Dax.

The Colo~el turns and exte~ds a hand toward the paranoid loo~ing woman sitting ne~t to Greenhouse. She rises tiredly ar.dtakes his hanc!, turns to .thereceptionist.

WOM.~?-1 Goodnight Marian.·

Clic~, c~i:k .... a sublininal flash cuts throuch the darkr.e~s~nd makes a: i~?ression on the viewer ••• was it a bird er a pla~e.

-lAJORBE:?lCi!Lt:Y'SVOICE Go.

G!tr:E't!JI('HJs£ A bird, flying. Gc~sa rn~ybe.

Flash! Was it th~ moo~ or a st~cetlacp. (

MAJOR Bt:t:CULCY'SVOICE Go.

I (

GRE:E!H1.OUSE

Uhhhh ••.• streetlight.

Fla~h! Was it the sun or a Florida orange.

MAJOR BtUCHLEY'S·YOICE

Go.

GREENHOUSE

Orange. The fruit, not the color.

Flash! Was it a flying sauce: ••• or a flying saucer.

GRE;NHOUSE

II llhhh ••·••UFO?

That lastpicture flashes back and stays on the wall screen.

MAJOR !ENCHU:Y

II No,Mr. Greenh01.:.se.That'saflying saucer. M.ade of pueter, made in Ja?an and thro\·m across the room by one of ~Y children•.

Sure eno~gh. It's a saucer and it's flying through a kitchen•

I like to toss that in once in a while iI to show folks we're not all polished brass about ~hese things. ,I

GRE::~HHOUSE (he's not laughing)

That's pretty g.ood.How'c I r::.a;teout? ;t

~ou missed every one. If

GREENHOUSE

t Eow's that possible? lt

MAJOR BEUC:ILEY

This is really interesting Mr. Greenhouse. You happcr.cdto select the si~ple metaphor for each conventional object I showed you.

G!U::=llHOUS:t (!~eling concerned)

What i c:-:peri~nce<lontheSi:-:::ilcI!ighw~y ) star-tlin sig~t lo~gcr than half a second. ~ l I ) t

t MAJOR BENCHLE:Y

You're taking this too literally.

f

GR!:ENHOOSE ,.reyou afraid to say ·anythingbecause you: people feel the hu.~anrace is not

M.~OR EENCB!.FY If technological contact was ever achieved, I'm sure we could live with it. We live in the shaao~ of atomic anihilation in nine minutes. However, ,~..r.Gree~!'lcuse,inall . ::iytwentyyears with :\'t'IADCandJA!iAP-145,· . there has been no intlisputableproofof the physical existenceof thesethings.

GREENHOUSE: Mr. !3enchley - believer.,e- Ididn't want to see this.

MAJOR BE?JC~~t The onlv \•·avtoconvince the scientific co~unity i;· topresent s~ecific evidence concisely. !f the evidence isgood, the casewill stanc:up anu the exis"te~ceof ~xtraordi.naryphenomenon will have to be taken seriou~ly.

This i~ toomuch for Norman ~o bear as he leaps to his feet ;es:uring -wilcl:,·.

GP..E:ENUOUSE J\l·1Tii:E!::VIDENCE.t.JmIH,\NT TO BE TA.ia:NSERIOUSLY.

'

MAJOR B:ENCHL:EY

I

I. wish·I'd seen it. For twenty years I've

((

wanted to see one of those thi~gs witnout having to account for it. But if I'm going to be oper.minded enough to consider the possibility that these witnesses are seeing t.~efantastic, then one must be prepared to exar.iineaplethora of evidence connected with the stories of fairies, ghosts, angels and demons. The evidence is clearly similar.

Cf!enced bv Greenhouse's rude change of subject. Benchley is curt or the remainder of the scene.

"..AJ'ORBENCELEY 'Itwould be easy·for me to lie and say yes to that. You'd walk out of he=e wit.~a down to earth answer in your pocket. This isn't the case and I will not mislead you.·

..Theroom falls s·ile!lt.MajorBenchley sips some water and watches Greenhouse waiting fer a reaction• ...........

(cefeated, tired) What a.boutmy report?

Major Benchley be;i~s to wind this ceetL~g up.

MAJOR BE:NCEL.:.-Y There is no ast:onomical explanation for it.

Gl'.EENHOlJSE 'h'hatabouta field investigation?

MAJOR BENCF.LE:Y The:e is nothing that warrants it.

How will you classify my report?

MAJOR BE:!?CHLEY Oniden~ified.

(

GS

GP...E:CliHOUSE

The u:"tidentifiedflyin;object~ have Leen iden~i:ied - -asunidentified.

Graenhcuse rises to leave. He is beginning to doubt verisiQilitude. II When he is at the door, the Majo= chimes in.

·..

MAJOR BENC?.L~Y

What happened to you . ishappeningto a

lot ~f people who think it s a religion. It isn't you know. "Unidentifieds" do not exist as a direct .physicalthreat to our national security"•.Wedon't be- lieve in them here. We encourage you not ·to.

EXT~i!OR - CORRIDOR -DAY

Cre~nhouse is waiting for the express elevator. He is alone with his shreadec thoughts. He knots a fist and bops the 'down'button c:,.;ain.

':'heele·.Jatordoorsopenand Norman charc;~sout, fi::zli_ngmac. ne stops at ~he soft d=ink oachine looking !or a way to cool off. l 1ausingtorefresh he catches sight of an openi:"tgin the wall. It is the·caster c~~trol circuit panal. :~ is used by the main- tenance c!epart:!\e:ita.saneasyaccessto o:!ice lighting.

Greenhouse waits fo= a couple of janit:=s to depart with their Hcover fl~or waxer. Sip?in; on his Ora~ie Crush, he leans near the ci:c~it brea~e:s and -is~nstantly =~~iliar with the office diagra~ o~ the adjacent par.al.Norman is smiling now. Ileflips ilswitc~ • . •readsthe dia~=a:nand flies another. As his smile ova:flo~~ a~e his fin;ers dance along ~he hundreds of switches.

- ,,........~:~CLASSAO:·!!?:!ST!'J:..":'!0~-JIW!LO!!!G-NIGHT

noa~ing ~~c of the flouresccnt s~bterran~an garage, Norman f:ash~s t:1a!;r.a:.;;-· ,trgrinandflashesoutti,ecivilinnentr~r.cc.!)e:op1.e· a:-:::l::cc:ir:ningtoccncrc.::cl~a.Thesi.inhcilt.1.?dCorpo?:alwanc.~rs ~i=~ily, squinti:'lgtt~ro~ghthe.:tlus}:.O:hcrsgav:kund1:;hi;ffleuso~=

(

•

\IV

( S?ecifi~ windows have ~een turned on ..•·other~d~rkened. ~hat r~mains spells UFO across the entire face of t~e Pease Air Force A~ministration Facility.

A B~ST OF SU~LIGP.T ..

White sand dur.asoscillate to the vanishing point. 1,title appea:s in the lowar portion of . thepictuJ:'e.

"GOBI D~SI:R'!',.-HOtZGO!.IA"

The sky sucks hea~ ~~ves from ·thewhite sand. It must be 135 degrees in.the shade •••.if you can find any.

A Ul::ITtONATIOHSS1'.NDROVERwith its :ather stupified crew waits !:or an u:unarkeihelico;:te=that is just now settingdown behinc.it. t·.;erj,•- thin; goes white as the chopper descends and ••••••

Al'!Gr.E-U?Jl·i.AR:~EDCEO?PER

Lacombe er:lerges\.:earingsafarifatigues and carrying a· ca?:terawrapped in protective c::ellcphane.Hegasps at the furnace r.aatandgu~ckly cover:3:iiseyes with a pair of Ror:-~=1goggles.Emerging frombehind him are at least twenty ;..mericanpl'2-inclothedsoldiers,officials and Army engineers. They are all looki~g in the~same direction.·They all carry the.same expressions -UTTER c;~oTIC SURPRIEE - !

Laco~e leacisthe way squintingwith e:.-:-athroughhisdouble-tints.

One ~an actually ;e~u!lects his disbel~e: and . . ..

Ever~ro:1ewal};sfor-.:ardfinally••• ta.::in;·the.AHGLE.'!'OINCLtJD!:•••

n the ~orst reaches of the·desert wasteland is an ir:lpessiblesight.

There is a 425 ~o~t freighter lying on it~ starboard side against t~e flat~e::-.a:.c:.unes.Itisthe~1.s.t-11.Rit:ESUL?HURQUE:E:U. I One stc=~~d individual be;ins to read sor:\eprintout l1ardcopy to tte rest c: ~te.gathering.

STUm~E:OHJ\N As far as we knew, t~c 15,000 long to~s of~olten ~ulph~= arc perfectly i~tac~.

CHIEF tz:cim:ER Gentle~en, it can~t be ~oved.

I ( SF.'CO:-H:>!!:70!>~'..t\':'IO::OF'FIC!::R

It hns i.>cc.:n~:idclj•accar>t;adth_e."tCuban sycpnthiza=s confiscated it en route !:cm t Deaurnont,7r:::~s,to::o::.foU:,Vi:ginia.

L.?...CON.SE: We ce:tainly can't leave it here.

CHIEF ~NG!?U:ER This looks like a job for Superman ... not the Corps of Army Engineers.

EXTERIOR - TEE C?.:::SC:ENDOSUH!1IT-NIGHT

Greer..houseison hi~ way to a ·majordrunk. Inhaling Bucweiser, he sta~c.son the cente: line of the divided highway, his Smm·movie ca:ne=aready for action. His car is pulled off to one side a.~dthe headl~~ps a:e blazing. The night is clear and millior.sof stars dust the sky. Norman walks in a circle looking strai;ht up and t:ying to stay on his feet at the same time.

A.~EODY HOH!:- ? (no answer) C'MON YOU GUYS - BE NICE.

·(;

:Selooks \!?and do~rnthe road. Suddenly everything just seems to stop. T.heair g=o\,Sstatic. Norman re:.nforceshimself with anot.-:e= swallow, clears his throat, anc sta:ts to sing in his best baritcne voice:

(

t

G7-A

·Beyond Nor.:ian'srightshoulde...somethingis happening in the sky. v Four extre~-alydim o::-ar.geglobesa:-erisingfrom a dense thicket.. I, !·IQR:,L~i;St::s'l'H!S\':Ri'SLm·lLY.HISSONGCO;·iESTOAB?.EATl!LES!jHs\LT. T.tis h~::-dtojudge distance at night but it is enough to set his fGet in rno~ion- P-U~iNINGTOHnP.DTHERISii~G-GLOWS.

Three additonal lights rise,airily to j9in the others. They have a· cim,flickering quality neve.:-beforeencduntered.

CLOSE - NOR!-Lh.l-1

R~nning with a desire so s-rong that it almost brings tears to his eyes. Anothei"globe rises above ·thethicket and Norman plunges into the bra.'nblesandthe dirt, getting lost ::.mmediatelybutnot giving a darn.~.Overhead,the dim glo~5 are drifting toward the Tolono foothills but to Greenhouse this doesn't count. This thicket is where th~y are coming frorn.Greenhouse stops to gather his senses ar.dthe world of sou:-,dstopsalso.

tis so quiet then - something else is in this thicket with him.

c:.OS!- G?.ZENHOU$E

~e spins and a splas~ of silver catches the frinaes of his night vision•.•.•'·1·o=man~..ries..._-::,..~O--1~his.brea.,...'-1sohecan...hearbeyondhis. wila b=ea~hing. A~othe: crackle of move~ent, this time very ~ear. He exhales to cat:h another breath and suddenly, off guard, some- thing rnetalicand low to the g=ound explodes into hirnand off into the night.

GRE:::N?.OtiS!SC?.ElJ·tS..:'\s.acondwhis}:ofcolorsparJ-:lesoasthim.Then t thi=c. H~ turns to =u:"\t:ieothert-•a::-...·::::1somethingblockshis path. It is silver a~d S?i:1dlyshaped a:~ recessed in much darkness. It turns frightcnec and runs the othe= ~ay. Crazied by now, Greenhouse starts to run after i~.

GRE!NHOUSE

Please do:i'tgo.

T~=eadi~; ~is way pn~~ hazards·and obst~cles, Nor~an chas~s th~ sha?~ and is ~=-=·.=allyguiningonit when the sha~c chanc;esco·..irseanc collaps~s .?::~erGrea:.hOl!!:iC'sfallinglegs.norm'1ng=absa hancl:ul o= ~ilv~= nnd brings it face to !~ce.

GR!:!.?rnausr; (hystericalwith discovery) Hhcrc c!oyou co~c from - ! Who arc you - !

(

S!IA?E •• • I'm T~rry C:~~cr. I'm f-o~ 3~~3 North Olive hvenue.

For~ second Ko~~an is blinded by his own obsessed beliefs as he shakes th~ littl~ boy at both shoulde~s.

Gr>.EEm~ous:::

What do j'OUwant - !

TERRY

I war.~'-togo•nome ....Tlm ahu.'nan... beine.

·.-

Slowly, !'lor~anisco:ning·a:ound~o this cold fact. He fingers the silve:y stuff.~rou~clthe boys head and body. I

GREENHOUSE

What the hell's this?

TZAAY" .

It's Reynold's Wrap and Alcoa Aluminum. Don't hurt me •.• we were just messing around.

Nor::1anloosasnhis c;ri?and the little boy is gone. He g~ts to his feet shaking his head.

Shit. Shhhh-it. Shhhhhh-it.

;.i-lGL!-Tf!!S~Y

T:1reeof the flicker:.:1gglobesare des:e::::.ing.Asthe:irst one almost

uir.

He sta~ds !~ the ~iddle of ~he road, 1n the middle of the night~ drunk, di:zy a~: ::~ltlingpolyet?ij•le~eplas~icbag,crossed·strawsand :>irthday candles :::::ingan orange flickering hot air baloon. Sadistically he ~queezes ~~= air out of t~e bag until the fla~e touches the plastic and the ...:hcle:-::,~t=apticnxr.eltsinbluefire.Helooks.atthe street sign that was ~~~rating tha night the helicopter houvered close. ~nd sudca::ily,::or~a~issu::.kenwithc:.01.1.!J~,

{

'

FOUR B.!:.INDING!.IG:!TSEXPLODETOW.:\?.OH!:tFilOMTHESOU'l'H. (

CLOSE -GR!:'.::!rnOUSE

He ju.":l?Sforhislife and collapses fac.efirst into the dirt sho~lcer as ••..• -

,\NG!.:E-ROAD

::;ev~ntymi!esan hour. 1-Io::-rnanrealizeshe'sbee:1dupedand hollars toward the dL~inishing tail ligh~s.

Graenhouse turns:away. He has never appeared so defeated as right ~ow. Only now does he notice the tucket sized mound of topsoil and clay that li~tle Barry Guiler was erecting around his feet the night before. Greenhouse explores the v~rtical dirt rnound••.•and £eels inexplicably uncorntortableas he stueies its affluted sides and carved top. Just as s~ddenly, Gree~~ouse feels an etherial so=t of fascination. So~gthing is drawing hi~ to g~ze deeper at this. He blinks. He tastes the perspiration, struggling to understand ~hat is ha~~enino.--...tohi~.

INTERIOR - GRE!~HCUSE LIV:NG ROOM - N!~~T

~ ,.... ..oon-i;~..spills th=ough :he picture window~ a~nnin; water can be r.earc:.

'I'he:wate:-soundscan-~ct::-acedtothe end of the hall.

t

t C!.r.,sr::-13.1\T:moo:•!DOOR

The water is at its loudest point. But another more disturbing sound cc~es from within. A man is crying.

RONNIE appears, listening at the door. She knocks twice ••• very softl~t. ..

I '

RO?--i"NII:·

Swee~_heart.

(no answer)

Norman, please open the door•

BRA.D& TOBY in their pajamas stand in the hall next to their bedrocm.

BRAD

II ROi-mIE I (her 3:00 AN confusion

makes h~r snap at them)

B~th ycu~~sters hop back ir.side,leavin; the door open just a crack. l f;.cnnieshootsby t!"le::-.a..,dintothekit::l:en.Sher~ttlesa=oundin a darken·eddr ·a,,"e:-,=eturning\.tithahut~~=knife.Insertingthe ,I blur.te::-,di~tothe;~::.o:,,shesprmt;st::slockand the door sw~nc;s open. t

CLOSE - SEo::t:R

I Falling full tilt into the tub. I I t CLOSE - ..==~·--:"--·..

~ap wats~ overflowing.

GRC:.!!i!OUS.r:

\ (tryi1~gtoSLlil,e.th:-oug:-, I cho;:~:.ltenrs)

It's lH:e thehiccu~s. I sta~~C?,.! c~n't so;op. '

/U

RONNIE: (shewhiffs the be•r &

( her syt\pat:ii'turnstocoal)

Norman sticks his head under theshow~r. When he pulls out, P.Qnniehands him a towel but is too _scar.edtogo over and hug the tears away. Another spasm of silent crying vibrates through hirnas he forces aspirin into his mou~h.

GR.E:ENHOUSE

What s·happer.i~gto me - !

.. . RONNIE

All this nonsense is turning this house upsidedown.

GREEt-lHOUSE I think, maybe -it's all a joke. Except look how I'm not laughing.

SudFenl:r, t.hebat!lroo!':'I.doo:-isthrownopentherestof the way ~nd li~t~e Srad screams hysterically, defending himself against -thei~a;e o! his broken do~n father.

BR}'i.O You c~y baby - ! Cry baby! Cry bciby!

h.1r!i~ghirn::;elfto·.·:«rdshisroor.t,h-zslansthec.01.:>rfivetimcE ~a~ting to crack it loos~. Toby runs after his brother, hysterical, t!.'n::'latised.

NT.CRIOR- TH! BEOROO:-t (( The crying has stop?ed but his trecbling intensifie~ as he collapses onto the bed. Ronnie has no idea how tc deal with , this. She beats on the nattress with her tiny fists.

RONNIE

There is nothing wrong with you! C'mon ..• walk it off. I'll make the coffee while you walk it off.

..

?~o:rnangra:)sherright hand ane.won't let go.

GREENHOUSE

I need you no·...·•

I hate you li}~ethis•'

Nor:!'.a~=eachesouta~d pulls her into bed.

GRE:ENHOUSE

I need you now.

He !olds h~= into his arl":'lsandhistrem:,lingseem!,topulsate right th=ou;h her and Ronni~ is really ~~capable of bearing up to this.

RC:~iIE

Ch don't. Let ms ~~ll someone. Oh Norman, please ec:•t.

His fin;e=s rip at h~r ni;~~;own, openiri;out the back.

·ROt:!cIE I don't wan_;to scream.

:,ex,:,he-;=ir-sthemat~:-ialarounc her shoulda: :inc?Ulls. The tat'teredro:-:1:i,1n~s::inhe:ra:.-::istohersiuc~nnd1:0::m.insli:!es C:o~:r:.hertoh~rbr~asts and, occ.ilyE:nCJugh,hisan:d.etyflows cut or hi~ .•. and ...

Rcnr.iestarts to -:r~rr.l.ilt::r.c,·:•.•hertaethchat~erir,;,silent ( i;,;obs~,rac:}:ir1q-;~i:?rbocl:,,.She:is:lclplessM,dllo::-rifiud•..lH;i:? a ctild being ra?ed.

(( CLOSl:- DEC~OO!·lt·:n:oc,~-;,-l!ICHT '· A pinpoint of in~e~se light burns through the branches of the g=apefr~it tree. With in:re~sing brilliance, leaf and branch shadows are projected onto the ceili~g and walls. Birds sta:t to sing, and Ronnie blinks awake in the direct flood of sun light. She turns over en her pillow. She is alo,tieinbed.

TH'E:"DOORTOTHE Fi\H!LYRoon

Rennie, ~ow i~ terricloth :obe, ~tands listening to Captain · ::Kanga:oofrot:lthe ·TVinside.Sheopens the door. Brad and To:>y a:e crosslegged on the throw rug•. Allhas been forgotten from the ~vening before.

TOBY

Dad's fixing the train set. He's gonna add on ~ine feet of track.~e's gonna build a tunnel and hills and it's gonna be done before school's out.

GR!:EN~OUSE- CLOSE

At ho~e in his handiwork, he smiles peacefully and nods to himself. Ronnie doesn't know this man. \.

ROUNIE

Go to school you guys. I want to ~alk to yo'.!rfather.

B?~D It's not time yet.

RO?mIE

·\'iatchTVin the "ther room.

Ro~nie h~stles the complai~ing boys into the hall an~ closes the do~r behi~d he=. She is utterly resolved.

Norman is .:.naguaree~ meed and hasn't the ene·r;yto lock horns \-rithany:::oc!y.

Gru:r.m?OUS:E (inaudiblewhisoer) Scme night huh? ·

normn:

(

(justns quietly) You'r~ wrecking our house.

t

GREEUHOUSE

I

Weli ... tha~'s news.

r

··-in the .skyI want to run·an~ hide.

I want.you to see a psychiatrist. Diane Holmes has a friend~·· and he is a doctor at the V.A. Hospital ••:.

II GREENHOt:SE

You're kidding .. . . . . .

RONNIE

You·wouldn t think so if! took the boys and st"ayedwith Hornand Dad at -:heCape until you felt like-being a =~~ily again.

I I ,GREENHOUSE .

We are a fa.."!lily.Nothinghascha~ged.

·(

She leaves the.roo~. Greenhouse ean fael her slipping away forever. He's on his feet and followi:'\aherdow-:'lthehall.She disappears into .thei=bed::-oornandcloses~the doc=~ ?-iormangentlytouches tha knob to ~?en it when he~ears the distinct CLICK of the lock. Fear pumps ra;e into-both fists and he beats twice on the softwooa door, yelling once at the top of his lungs ••••

·-

Th~ ou4:burst l~aves Norr:lanwinded.Ilabeats his forehead between his hands and hears the slidi~g glass door in the bedroom open then shut. leruns town the hall just in time to see Ronnie through the ki tchcn.

i \ I

'

window making a hcadlong·dnsh for the Chev~ wngon. She pu~hes ~rad ( .:ind~obvinto the car ~hc.:nclofhernnd start!:the enCfir.e.Ho=!':'.nn ht.:.:-1sop·en-::iefrontclcorl.>Lttistoolate.Ronnie·is-bc1cl:ingup out of tha driveway _andin her panic ba~ks th~ full distance cf the street ~nd bounces over the curb and onto the opposite sidewalk, up- sat~ing a row of trashcans, before straightening thewheel ~nd Rccelerating away. ·

..

CLOSE - GREENHOUSE

H~tching her depart. He turns and ~otices his n~x~ door neighbor wat~=inc;·-:.hes:irubswithanembarrassing smile 0;1his face.'!'ha. g.,ju:yn~ighborwaves his sc;:uirtinghoseand just seems toblurt out •.••

NEIGHBOR

Whad'ya say S?aceman.

GREENHOCSI:

Blow it O..~your after burner!

--

'l'h~neighborredc:enesand turns awa~,concentratir.gon tr'i.Inr:tir.gthe hedges. Greenhouse loo!:sat his gareen of a=aelas, geranicas and hydrenas. A nadde~in; inspiration seizes him. Using both banes to twist, yank and sha~:eloose, Greenhouse uproots the·gerani~ ·,•hi?p- ing the soiled plant around his head to loosen the clodded tcpioil. T!'leFIJ·!ILYROOMwine.owisbarely O?en bu~ :iormcinin~arts a hanc and raises it all the \·:a·.,.Hahurlstheu-or:>c':ed:,,Jsh.!:nmediatel·J attacking a~Ot~er s~=~b, the innocent-~a~;hbor l~OY.Son :rem a sa!er vantage point while his wife stic~s her head out an up~tairs window, hair wrapped in a towel.

Green~o~sa reappears at the windo~, this tihlewith ah enormous rose b~s~ an~ ~~arts to jam it through the openin;•

'l'hewifeis blowin~ h~r hai.rc1rywith a·jct of hot air st~nding ne:-::: to ner ~·..:.z:aneir,the·frontyurd.Along c:.:t~:11;ioncoret.::-clil:.r.-::; a.:tc::h~=.'l'hcr.~allrr:,:tnri;;csfro~hi~red,w~it~s.blue!minitruck

c:recnhou;ci~ n £>oiledsight, ~;ho\'l.11inh,rnc.1,scoopingtt~cl~r<;~ chunl.ncf g::L'is;;.,_nclca:thnnddC?Ol::iit;ir.gthemt?sst~u·oughtheCj?Cr~ window as fast QS he can. (

ClO~= - GREE~SOUSC

H~sworl:cd ·U?n lathe::• • •nowti.:.~nswild-cyec.withanew thought.

GlU~I:~U!CUS.E Chicl-;enwire.....'

He is looking at.his next door n~ighbors-..

GREt:~:uoust (louder}· Chickenwire .•• !

I. He sta=ts ~ve:::tother:i.!-1.rs.i!arris,the·I"!cighoordryingherhs.ir, brandishes the hairblower at Noman like a gun.

MRS• fj"'.P.RIS Not another step . • .if?-A.rs.Greenhouse was home to see what you're doins.

GR!:E~HOUSF.: You've beer.using it tc fence the ducks in. I'll pay you for it.

?-IR.HAR?.IS (anything to sate this ~ad~an) ~ou can take ~hatcve:'s leftover •••• i::1theba=l:.

Norman skips off, ?3.::i3in;acementi>c::.:.,·e:nc:ircledi.Jychickem-:ire anc1.sportinga l.lo:enpetchtcksand ti".Z:~--:-noisychicJ:s.t,or:nar. pli.!:lgesi~~othegarnge. ~:.!r:~agingsc:-::~sspilla::d -echountil Nor:nane::ie:gi:!swith•llengthoflefto•:e=wir~ f,~n·=ing.Dut he is- not sa~is:i~d. He o~uses a~ thi::duck~ond and meas1Jre!'the sit- i uation.~~ qrunts hiL a~v~ov~l and ri~s t~c chickcnwire from its stc1Jq~5.:'.::d.s-:a~les,rolli~9itintoanunderarmslab and 1>oir~tin9 I· a hard fi~;er at th~ esca?e prone birds. ~

GR~r.NHOUSI: Stciy!Stay!

;,:-.r.l!"le'~~"I!rrunnin-J1J.:1c:khome.Thel.>ii·d!iseati:cronfoot.T:-ie H.ir.:-is'aftcrthc:-n.

( '

•

( File::.incongruouslyone atop the.other,all of theFamily aoo:n furr.itureclo;s the hall.Greenhouse ereerges~ith twodesk lamps and l~ys them on top of the Ineianarocker which s~ays back and forth atop the pan table folded~? and restingovP.r the studio couc!'l.SOU!TDSofa ,~id-morning soapcontinue tr.roughout•

...

EX'!'Zr..IOR-GREE~~30CSEFRONTYAR!:l-ANGLETm·TA.R!::>FAMILYROOMWI!TDOW

Greenhouse cliri~ingout, his face and clothes grimeywith dirt. U:1- Si)oolil'.\gt.he·•qardenhose,hedepositsthenozzle end into the fa.'Uily room and :uns around the side ofthe house and twists on agenerous flow o::water. .·.. .. 0~ his .:e~urnthrough thewindow he looks behind hi?:1••••

GR.!:ENEOUSE'SP.O.V.

It could pass fo= a block party. Several dozen onlookers line the sidewalks a:.d st:-eetpu.~pingeachother furiously !or clues.A Tolono County Police Ca: noses through the buzzing th:-ongand two fa:r.iliarfaces ali;~t.·It is Prewitt & Longly.The two buady officers vho alte:ed t..'.eirsightingre?ortearly on.

Lon~lv ane Prewitt exchar.gea worried look and trot toward Greenhous~.

Pl'L~TT Hey Mr. G=eenhouse, wait .up.

Greenhouse scra..-,:Olesintothehousea~: slams the wi.~dow,twistinq t!lelatch.Longly & ?rewitt talk tc !:i::.throughtheglass.

LC!-lGLY Take our advice·- give up la.~dsc~?ing.

Green~o~se stares back at the~ i.~placably.

PP.EW!TT (reee:ing to gabbing onlookers) You w~nr.alet us in so we ca~ aiscuss this co~pl~int outta the wind.

(

II

P:ewitt cups his hQnds a~d presses his nose against the giass trying to see in. Greenhou::;.ajerksthecurtains together and gazes at the. (( policemen through the c~broi~e:y. The two helm~ted shadows convers~ ·privately and wal};quickly out of viaw. Greenhouse jumps. Pourin,q..it on, h~ sprints for the front door just as Prewitt & Longly arrive and reach out to com1:in. But Norman is mo.r.tentsquickerandlocks the door-knob, sets the chain. •

,LO?lGLY

we'::eon your side•.

Frewi~t whispers a sche~e tc-~ongly. The two officers glance at Nc-rmsin.whorivitsthl.rnback.?:obodymoves. All is still. Prewitt ar.dLonglr speed b:-e?~-:intwodirections. Greenhouse snaps and rl.!ns.·Longlyheadingfor the side door and Prewitt the back. I-!orrnan is i~ches behind the first officer in the thirty yard dash to the side door. Horman wins and presses the lock button, slipping on the wa:-:edtilefloor and losing precious seconds on a crash course to the rear of the house.

Prewitt a:rives before !'li.mandstartsthe sliding.door back.

??.Zi·T!TT

You're neighbors phoned in a com?laint. He didn't as}:to come.

GRJ;!NHOUSE (cal~ing hi~self)

Su=e P:cwitt. Let's talk out here. ...

.....

He!puts a friendl,Yhand .orrPrewitt'sl:ac:.:andescortsh.L-:tback o"..ltsice.

G~:::1-mousi:

~ou'll wn:i.:.toseeit my ,,.:aybecause... .

He piv~t~ i=acefull~·and giant steps back inside closing and locr.ing th;:sl.:.c:.:.r.;glassdoor.

GiU:E:NHOtJSE (y6llin~ th~ough the glnss)

rr I!:Nom: OF YOUR 1.w:;1i1css•••

t.

I.O?~GLY What tha fuck is·..,._thyouGreenhouse?

GREE!ntOUSt: Whateve.::-youper.ciledinon the night repor: isn't gonriamake.me forget that vou saw thc:nfirst. -

Prewitt & Longly shut up. hn'1in theensuing loss for words, Greenhouse closes the cu=tains leavincthe brother officers ·sta=ing at their own =eflections.

FRONT OF THE HOOSE

Jackson is getting out of his car. Prewitt and Longly are trying to quiet the rabbid M~s. Harris anddisburse the thrillseekers all at the same time. -

Just then, Ronnie wheels in her e=ive~ay SOU~DING the horn. People barely ~ak~ ~ai for lar. S~nsinc an accid~nt or worse, Ronnie leaves ·theengine running a.le runs tot-he house, Jackson following behind.

ANGLE - FRONT COOR

Ronnie tries the door. !tis locked.

~onnie f•.1:-.:.~eswith~ersetof keys, =~~=s t:.herighto:ieand unlocks the~oor. C~INK! Th~ chai~ is set f=o=-~~e inside.

RONHI:: You open it.

I , t:~·ve sa:~ thi~ ~=~a~geraent~e:ore. Jackson steps back looking for ·leg roe~, ?OSitions his foo~ and kicks at the door. The chain gives ~ay and ~=~nie r~ns p~st hi~ into the house. I

i\:·!G!..C-;:..:-.r.!.t-.'i\'i ) , She gar.psoutlouc\iltthe pile of room fl.!rnishi.ng:;inthoh'1ll.••not }~:iO\·:ing,..,.hi:l.ttoc:,q;:,P.ctnc~:t;Ronniefines!'lcrsolfstaring·1,:itr.npr.i=~- Ji,·:m~ivoclislJelicfutthe·clo~ctlfm:ii .lvroomi:1norllndthesmrnosof t l:,\: ·i:•ll:Rif·JG,RUt-:z-:u:c\·7:".TCn,A!-:OTE!.r.:V!S10:!C";i\:-iC5HOl·:si~:::iclc.Ji\C~:S~I\ ( u.ppe~:-gill:hersideilnc.setshirn!:lc!for.abrc.:tkin.Ronnie'sh.:ir,c!goes quickly to tha c.ioor~:nobr~O'.-.'und~hat:urnsitgently.Thedoor i!;Ut\- Lccked. She slowly pus~as it open.

t

Are revealed ~s the ~oor swines wid~. Their re~ctions are violent. ( Ronnie cov~rs her mouth iriho~ror but~ scream filters through the 'tightfingers and another then another.

WP.i~TP.om.;IESF.ES-CLOSE NORM.AN

..

He is a shambles! Face and boclycongealed in mud-pack, Greenhouse sits cross legged at the foot of his creation. A spiraling oountain ri£~s out of the family room rug. Mad~ from chickenwire and garden s~akes and lacquered over wit~ paper mache and sculpted from garden earth an~·sedimen~, this towering model fills the 16 X 15 foot li·1ingarea and reaches the full nin'!feet t\'lthebeam ceiling. It is at once t~rrifying and inspired. The deta:......:~·,gisim?ec:cable.~. stand.of firrtrees twisted and plar.tt:dfromhis own garden-shrubbery,. a valley sicieof genti_yrolling grass, four affluted vertical walls for~inga plateau at the top, and on the down·side.of the mountain a box canyon enclosing a peaceful Shargri-la valley. ~eyond this,· Norman himself, sagging breathlessly benea~h this grotesque ci:~del and lcokingthe part of the rnischievouskid caught in the act. The ·TV.set sp.i:sout its mindless weekc:aybabble as ••••

CUT To· I

:)emolished, speechless.

FULL S!:O'r-3:onoo:-1

The close~ c::Ronnie's si~e of the roe.::.isopen.E.-r.ptyhangersdangle .. in S?ace.

The first ~~:ee drawers are hanging open, emptied out.

It looi;sli~c somsc~e has bro~en in and ransackad the place. CrobY.ec era~~r~ e~;ticd, ~nd b~okshclvcs disshevelcd. The closot h~s b~c~ ,... cleaned 0 --·

T!10opan r:cdicincc:ubina~l1a!:c:11!:io>Jceni:nloaded.Onl!lsomeE:-:ccc1r~:1 • ~nd r..Lottlcc,fr.1outhw~sh~nc.lcoughr.\cdic:incrcr:t.:\in.,'\h:rncircc:i.chcs ( -:.i·:~1·n:~:l:lo:.c:cthemir:-orcc!chestandtJorrnons1.;1;uresoffwithhis reflection, bleary-eyed, ~nshuven, ~nd flecked with dire.

'

UP i\NGLE - Gnt:ENTIOUS.E'SC!Ti\OEL

'.r_. \' ·Tlv.?impos.ingsum.i\itsmudgestheceiling. It cocld pass for the real.thing if it weren't for an occasional newspaper headline th.:1tfiltersThrough the coating of mache and mud.

6nce again, Norman squats at the gentl~ slopin~ base, watching llismountain aga~n, sipping beer antlglaqcing at the TV set.

..

CLOSE -TV SCRE~N

A mid-day soap·ope=a. Life is tough everywhere.

CLOSE - TV SCP.EEN

TheTV set acts like the face of a clock tick1ng the hours. MI!<E. DOUGU.S and guest celebrities watch the AM.AZI?jGKRES1'!Nper!o~ feats of_magic and extrasensory percepti~n.

c:.osE- NO?..!·Ll\.N

Listless and full of s~r=encer. Ee lets the TV carry hL~·thro~gh th~ cay.

l-._ ',/ -.......- CLOSE - '!"ISCR.E~N

Ala!'lLadd · isstalli:-ig:o:-tirlewhilehesharesa eigarette and gun; h~ patiotis~ with Se~ Young, an E~?e=i~l Japanese cf:icer in the · movie·"Ci1ir.a".Thereis ar.earthshakini;-!::~:-stofTNTanc!the S'..lrro1.::1:::.- ing cliffwall~ bur:.rtheJa?anese colu.--:-.:i.a:-:.::AlanLaddinsmoking rubble.

Eyes d:~=-==-~;tosleep, he half listens to . . . .

CLOS==

Goce: Pyla =uining hi~ Sar;eants "cindcrella·liberty", or whateve~.

er.CSE- G~!:!;:NIIOU~I::

lliseyes arc almost clos~d. Time passes in mic=o-s~cond~.

{ ,·

t

FULL SCREEN - TELEVISION

Co:-densinghou=s in toseconds, the images tick nn •.• cartoon:;,Star Trci~~y:1dicutedei=)isod<?s,TheRifleman,.Graham l~crrthe Galloping Gourmet, local news ...disaster trivi~ ••• people, places, cor.,_rner- ci~ls •.. it all melts into a tastelesspuree of terrestrial paulum.

I CLCSE - GREENHOUSE

~ Bleary-eyed.and ·ina state of grave -depression, he looks at his. mou:ita~:'1.o.s.WALTERCRONKITE isbeginning his 7:00 PH network nawscast.

•t•I WALTER CRONKITE'S VOICE . ~.

the widest area evacuation in the history ~ of these controversial A..'t-fflyrailshipments.

·wamsutterWyoming ~as thi victim of this 'I latest railroad rnisha~. Charles nacoonnel I• is on the scene for a·live report.

'I CLOSE - NOru-tr,,N

.. lielooks ·at~he T'Vpic~ure, a passing glance, but reacts as if hit ' . (.1 by a jackham..ier..A·:fi=st,Norman refuses to beli-evewhat.he is seeing. But there ~tis again. Norman ris~s to get a better look and tips ove: ~he co~f~e table on which :ests what looks to be enough spent beer to fuel a Super Bowl c=owd~ He slides in front o! t:ieTV pictu=e ar.:!waits.

MacDONNEL .

T~ousands of refugee civilia~s are flooding ~r.eoutlying distric~s spurre~ on by rumors ~~at the seven tanke:cars that ~verturned at theWalkashi Needles junction wer~ filled ~~capacity with escaping G-M nerve gas.

~i~utes b~fore we were forced to evacuate. ~hat is being termed as the hot zone. Our ~inocular c~weras took these pictures of the cisaster scene.

1~ !i~l""ertelephotonewsc:nmornC:ilpt!uresthedc-molishcdstiringof tank cars ~nd ~1u~d:edsof yard£ of twisted cross timber antlrails. :.~~ju£t bcyon<l~his si:c.:ibledisastar,.inchorcdiria blue mist. ~~d rising 9cn:ly cut of the lowlands, we view~ ~niquely f~~iliar ·'Iii... .sigh~.ITIS,\ ·ROOTEDlH:.n·t:.OUI'LICtlTIONCcTU!,;r-:OU!!Tti..INTHAT f 1·

ZR:C.E:NHOUSE:Hl\SCO!;ST!'U.iCTEOIH'l'UETVROOM•••TRUE·INEVERYOE:'!',\IL Ht;T?-:OST7!::!..L.Ii:GEYI'rSTREE'l'RUi!KA?PEAR/\NCE!~NDOTHERTOPOCP..~PU!C,U, Tt·:ISTS;,:rnTUi'.11S. (

C!,OSE- GR::ENHO!JSE

This mindboigling =evelation just about transforms him. He looks again at his own scale model rccreation.·.uoreenergised than dazed, Norman begins to·laugh. He cannot stop L~i'hself.Grabingand shaking a ca~ of warm beer, Norman pops the pulltop and toasts his rnouncain, thefoaming spray bathing the caked on mud and causes a minor -avalanche.

Ef..Ci~TOTI!ETVSCREEN

One last CLOSE OP look to confirm that the oountain is called WAMSUTTER and is as far away as Wyo~ing.

A :SI.AC:::£iHH!T~TVSET- FULL SCREEN

A carry on bag is bei~g x-rayed at the Co~ ~unicipal·Air?ort. The luggage just scanned faee~ out a~ opening on to a conveye= belt. A hand reaches around the stra? and it is Nor~an. Turning to go, he almost knocks a fe~ale security agent to th~ ground as he hurries I; . past her and double times it down the sterile corri~or to t.'i.eTt·iA t '-.. boarding gates.

IUTERIOR GRE~NHOUS:.D1:li-?·L'.CliE!·10t;N':';,.r:-:-DAY

The TEU:?Ho~:Eis blasting out at tha er.:~-:...,roo.:i.Theminiature 1ii:lmsutterr-!o~:,tainstandsaloneinall== its makeshift majcst:r--

INTERIOR - .:!LLIA.UGU!LZ:R'S:!OUSE-o;.,y

She is p~=??iring, out of breath, bedazzled by something as she waits f9: ::::~anto ar.swerhis phone. It keeps rir,gingand ringing. Slaming ~~= ?!lonei~to its e:-adle,Jillian bends cown and picks up a plaid t=?~al bag ~nd bounces out of the room and past her old fa=~e:-qr.a~~fatherwho is holding little .BarryGuiler on his la?. She kiss~s :~e old man and leaves the house. The CAMER.~ al!justs to inclu:::=?.;illian'swntcrcolornth~tline the wall:>.Every p~.i.ntin::i is uhout :-::-..::SUTT.ERMOU1:T;'..!!?.

IliTER!O:R-TUA DO,\Rl1I1·!~GA7ECHECr~IHcou::T:Ert-U!GliT

Gre~nho~se .l.Sseenat some distance.;,..st.:-ungermightthink that he is c~r.:-ying~heavy flight insurance policy and a bomb. Ifever there was a.cand~c.1.:iteforflun~ingth~1\irHar ·!jhal'spsychologicalp,:-ofila • . . •G-reenhoilscisabouttoqualify. Ci\.t!!:nJ\!•U!..L~DACI~tor~veali1 plain clothes security ~gent watching the check in procedures. Ue reaches into his pocket and presses a pal~ sized cl~ctronic device.

·... •

CHECK IN COUNTER

Onshaven,eye'sblooeshot:,clothing rumplec'l,Greenhousejuggles with his ticket and ~andbag, ~ropping the bag, then the ticket, then straight~~ing up too fast and stepping on the feet of the lady waiting behind him• .. The ticket checke= carefully scrutinizes this man just as a red light ~ppears unde.rhis compute= cons~le. He types something into the corr:rn:ter.ItisNorman's full name as written on the ticket to CHE~ANNE, WYOl-!IUG.

WIDE SHOT - THE BOAROI~G AR~A

Green~ouse is pacing, waiting to board.

P.}.•SYSTEM

\.,__.- Mr. Greenhouse. ::r.1-lorrnanGreenh.:luse. White court~sy telephcn,.

....

G:-eer,housea??!."Oach~s_netelephonewhen a tall bu~ines~rnc1nblccks· t.is~n.:.y.·

EtJ~r::r:sS?-!A..~

~::.Greenhouse?

G~'C"':"~,mousc (wary)

That's right.

BOSI!:ESSi'.AN

~.!.rportsecuritywould like .to ste·al t-.~·onlinutes0£your4:ime.

NTEI"GOR- '!W\sr:ct.mr~·yliOLDn:::;r..co:!

r.:::acnhousais:;itti:-:c;on~·:inylcouch,su1:rc,u1~dcdbycl~venplain clot.hct.!Securityn.:i.::sl"l~lsanda · coupleofT:mStewnrclosscs.

SECURITY·~1

/\.rc·youbeingrntatinCheyer.ne nr. Greeenhouse?

GtU:ENHOUSE. O:eeps looking ~t the door)

Sure. Hy siste:-ismeeting we.

SECURITY 32

Your drive:'s license expires two weeks. ~ere ·you aware of that?

GPJ::ENHOUS!:

Of course I'rnaware of that. It's my

SE:CURIT~43

Does your wife know you're here?

GREEUHOUSE:

Look, fellas-!I'rnclean. No bomb, no contrab~~d, no flight insurance. I don't want you:-gocda~"'l.airplane••• Iwant ~he:e it's going!

SECURITY ?.4

We're sor:::-yM:.'Greenhouse,!:.utflight number 694 .!.Cl:':C=::-:!luni:ipalA:.r?ort on schedule. <~ '·· (checking hisrwatch) Sixminutes ago.

N~:man sinks ~ack int~ his seat, puts ~:.zhands ~ehind his head, and sho~e=s the roo~ with a thousand wa:~ s~ile th~t seems to say, • 'Well, fuck you'.

Cl~anGhava~, hair·coo=ed back, coll~= tu:nc= out. Greenhouse ~merge~ a ne~ :a~ a~~ walks to~a=es :he Unitee check-in counter like Alec Gui~ass.

~he tni~a~ F:icntlshipthunders down -therun~3Y and ~l~sts into the In.:!ian~nigh:.

:\<.:bi?vy·.-1agon...ju~tlikethehor:-,cr:,ocicl.•.rocl:ctsc.owr.therc:i~t? I \ \-~ithI-lor::-.an,itthewhc:-:1n:~cbln.:;tsoutorthec!.:\r}~gar.:iqcandinto I ~ splendid Wyoming oornin;.

'

l'!T!::RIOR-THEl-11\GOt:-CAY

Norrean isdriving on·the i:it.erst.:itC:!atsixty.At.thesarr.t:tir.tehe (( ispouring over a Shell map ~hat cover~.the steering wheel c:.m!par:. of ~he c!ash.1\ flexible strc•.,·punctllrcsthemapthrough which Norrnan~lurps his strawberry mill~shakcbreakfast and with his one f.r-eehandoutlines travel routes in.green pentel. Uhistling LEAVIt:c CliE:t.AHNE,tio::-manpushestl'lespeedometer.ov-:rthe70M.P.H.ma:k•

... -...

J\NOTH:::RANGLE- LATER

Greenhousewitnesses the first wave of escaping refuc;eeG.A lineu:=, of truck~, jeeps, station wagons and recreational vehicles loaded to the caryop with lugga~ anc incidental belongings pass No:::'I:!.anin the oncoming lanes. Greenhouse fiddles with his car radio and finds sorn.s..localnews. ··

RADIO

••• and thousands of .othersare homeless. The? U, S.A--::,,.yHate=ialCor.-..ma.ndhasis:;ued these new area restrictions: All roadways north of Cro~hea=t 6n Interstate 25. All roads leadi~g into th~ Grand Tetons west of Heetetse. All :m~lti-laneundivided full traffic interchang~, gravel, local and historic stage r:ads south of Cocy and (; as far east as Burlington, as far w~st as Yellowstone Lake.

DISSOLVE

EXTERIOR - o:~EHORSE:'Z'C'i•m-DAY

Gree~~ous: is gassing u~ at ~n ARCO S7~~!0~- An e~dlcss =ibton of autc::uooilasisstalled at the cattle c:ossing \laiting:or ••••

Thousanes o: beef cattle are being herd~d th:ouqh to~n by panicky trail boss~~ and ranch h~n~s. One major stockholdet is directing cperatic~s out the =ear window of his chauffer driven Continental Li?nbui:ine.

·T~egas jccky attending to Greenhouse an~ eight other~, marvel at a differe~t spectacla:

G1\S.:roct:r-:Y

You don't see that evcryd~y.

I \_

'

Approaching the rcf~gee cattle and actunlly ~crging with the~ are (( h-..1r.c!rec.~sofsprinis~ee?p.Theysaltthecattle herd rn~~;ingthe saddleb.:lcY..c!rivers.crc:izynndt-.irnir:.gtilechaufferedstock!io!der beet reu.

STOCKHOLCtR

· -Get your wooly faggots away fr.or:,my

prime cuts. ..

.. B::.tGreenh:>usehasfr1:;tenedonanother oc:dity.On the cu~b next to the divide~ hi;hway is.a hawker and hi~ stringbean family sellin~ parakeets and canaries to a brisk '~orth-south' trade.

HAW:<ER (a crandiose spiel) Deadly X c:M ne!:'vei~sis colorles~ and odorless. When you= e~ss dialate and you= ·nose b·ec;instc'.:'.U~,you'regonnaregret not own.ir.gonecf these earl~·war-ning syste:s. t;he~you got bloody discharge

(; .___..

fro:.\thenose a~:5.mm·.th.Whenvour muscles Seize Up S0ISS yOU.'l!m.taraSS;'OUrSelfin you= pants, you'll req:e~ ~ct havin' a canary ;~a=anteed to :all o:: ~is perch ho~rs ~e~o:e you do.

An hour later, G::-eenho-.:.saisagainor.~i.:.s.way.Trafficstillpassinc; in tr.eo~cc~ing la~e. His racliois on to an all-~ews station. Ke turns to study so~et~ing in the seat next to ~irn.A pair of stupie can~ries in a cheap wi:e cage star~ singing ~he pastoral symphony. Nor~an ~:!!fs the air ane tcuches his ~ost=il to see if it's ~unning.

CL':JSE-:.:~DS

Lo:kcd i~ a du~t.

,\m.ijormili~a.1.·:rro.:\cl1:lock.Uni:crr.\e~soldi~r~oftheAirN~tional r.~ardfoi·rr.ahU.'7iil?"lcordonacres~:ourl:1nc::.ofinterstatehigh~1lly. o~:ic!"officiousuniformed :)~l~scnnalof:th~Arr:ty~-tatcri.alComr.'la:1C:: g~ from c~r to car, quc~tion to quc~tion.

Gr~e~house p&rks b~hind a piggy bac~ carnp~rand gets out to stretch

hi.zlegs. The young uniformed of:ic~r j.:stahe~c!of him can t shake loose from ~hree int~nse wcmen in t~e.v~hicle up ahead.

WOMA?JPRO'T.ESTER

l~t!wanttotal de~oxificati-onof these gases.

YOUNG OF:'ICE:R

The man to talk to is Lt. Colonel O'Neil of the Chemical Corps.

WOZ.-.ANPROTESTER

:Ihyin this nuclear.aC1edoP.sthe U.S. al3o need chemical and bioio;ical weapons? How r..~chisenou.-;h?

YOUNG OFFICER

If that· dcesn'twork trv the office of A...-r.is ·Ccntro1 ar.dDisa:w.""narnentStateOepart=:ent , Washington o.c..

HO!·W;PROTE:STE?. .

Is it true t~at ~hey test these t~ings on prison i~~~tcs and conscie~ticus objectors?

YOUNG OFFICE~

If th~t doesn't wor~ trr Wyomin;s Second Ois~rict Co~gressrnan.

Ch::,p-c:lop-:ho?-ChC')p.;..nAir·ForceCarc;o=~cpi=)erheadsinthe di=~ction o~ the da~;~= zone. Greenhouse shades his eyes ~nd follo~s its nothe=ly app:-oa:~•.·:henashadow:-iseso,•e:rhi=nanc:!cutsof.Ethe vie\.·,Alu.":'..berjZtckcfasoldierisfaci::him dow:1.

SOL?:>I:::P.

You have next of kio ir.th~ red zone buddy?

'I GRE:~::HOUSE

(inti~idatedby his size)

sure. ~Y ••.sister.

~1e soldie= produce~ _aclipboard a~d a list of n~m~s alpha~atically.

W~nt's her nnrn=?

GRtr.~:uousc

'r.tsures:-:.a'sout.t«' therebynow.

•

SOI.DIER·

Wa got everybocy out before noon yesterd~y. What's the nn~e and I'll· t~ll you where she's relocat~~-

I'll find her.

·.. SOLDIER " (intuitively suspicio~s)

Not likely. ':here'sr.1ore'ntwenty evacuation·stations across the

I

Greeiihcuseducks iii~~1~car and starts the motor.

GRE:EUHOUSE

Smith.

SOLDIER

We've got orders to shoot anybody looting around he-:eSmith. Pass it on •.

Ji.sGRee:i.ho'.lsepeelsawayanothersoldiersidles up to his lwnber jac~ buddy. I

'(·1

SO!.DIEF.f 2-

Another scavenger?

SOLDIER

·Sweetr.eart,! can smell 'em in a hurr~cane.

-

The stree-=sa.:eswa:ming with the hon,elessand the displacec. r:varv- where cac?e:s, trailers, are parked in the alleys and along the curb.

£vorywhere ~aybright signs tell him - NO VACANCY. And strangest of all, rnAnyct t~o peopl~ are carrying bird cnges with parakoe~$, canaries, l~'lcbirds,cockitills, wild pig~on~, to tell them if the. ~u~ is S?reading.

O.,J

Graenhouse is lo~dcd for bear. At the cas~ register ha pays !or one slea?ing bag, one frame and k~a?sack, a flast1lightand a c~nt~en.

/

PROPRIETOR

You don'. twannabe campin,·out in this weather. Not this week you don'b.

GREENHOUSE

Just how far ate we fro~ the t=ain wreck?

PROPRIETOR

Not far eno".l;h..::·if·df ehea:-dandArmyguy say this 1as c~n be·leth~l 'asfar as fi:ty miles from the distribution point. A puff of wind and·another five miles; ?eopl~ could be twitchi·:-i'alloverthe s~reets by morning.

G:iU:ENHOUSE

Jesus

A small crowd has gathered to hear this.

Pi10PRI:E:TOR

Whole tanker load of anthrax and c~fever upset itself alon~ with all the rest. How that's ju.sta ru.";!.orbutitpa~,sto:e safe.

The proprietor re?.chesbehind the c~unte= and hefts a box of gas r.as~s,Army issue.

PROPRIETOR

I aot a li~ited surply of ths~e gas ~asks. Hakes you a.w:ul~gl:,·b'.!t::,·o-.i'l.!.breatha li tteleasier.·?~ow,the A.-m~··,:antsmeto charge you ret~il :ates. Tha~'s ~ixty-five ;ot my heart in th~ right.place: .•••

GrcC"nhci'.!5!!~ot:,rsslowlyalongtheemptyasr')halt,looking for an :ivem.tci~la:-.d.Hepus!:.c~~eirtstage :oad but blocking it is an 1\.:-my jc~p an6 a :o~plc o~ tircclGI's. Observin~ t!iemout of the rcarview r.:i::rcr,:-:o=~~:"lkeep:;lM.oi:i:-:c;~headuntilth~jeepisoutcfsig:!t.He pull~ ~:ff-:1·.e:-oatl~m1stopsnc:-:ttoth~bc1rbcci\dra fencinCJ.~pani~; the tnilc;a~e,::c:-1::i~npi·oducesawirP.cutt~r.Ee!ooi:s1Jpzinddo·,!:1:he: h.i.c_J:n··nyli:Steninqf.orl:r.n.f!ic.Tht:rcisnon~.'!crynervous,t•!or~:l.!i , ~r?roachc!lthe td.t"cfc:-icingnn:extcmdsthe cutters. ~N:P! BOHC! Th~ I fence starts to tli~int~g~~te. \_

'· --~-'-.,;

°"· ' ...,~"

EXT~R!OR - H!DC OPEN ~PAC~~ - DhY _(( Nc,r~ianbetttle~th~s'.:~i?:-.i.119wh£cl..Thetire~pu:npo·,1erpc.,rtholc:. a•,.•.\,_;·1arr,...tr.")-'•1•,,.,..1··1e1t.···"¥1-..,,c.;c;.1Mr:~r'_._.,'"'-·,,•u·1_._.' 1lt:.-..._V"J".:~·t'",l'cr••;11~~._...oJ.1-·1--.:orof•·f...a.l1'c c,-:1ge,!ig!'lliugtostayupri9hton tt.~irpa.cc:4.CRU!!CII!t!o::-m.1n's head sma:;hcsagainst the !u.rutop.T,itit·li:!hische~tbumpsagainst the wheel. Just aheae is the st3ge ro~~ -Gorman turns onto it nnd :;tops,looking over his ehoulc.le.rbae?<th-ewayh~came. The jeep and Army sentrys must be mile:;away. Ilechc~ck.sthe:anarie::;for signs of weakening.

D~zed and blinking from the hairy cro~s country detour. One of the bird~ starts to c!lirpbut 11.:.s't)artner?ecl:.shimonthebeak tc keep him quiet.

A moei=rnroadsign ?U':~WAHSU'!TI:::RMou:;-r;..n.;tWP.!'lty1:1ilesfurtheron. The·Chevy wagon shovels eust as it gathers speetl fort~~ oi; plunge ahead.

CLC~E - !~S~?.T

The needl+!is almost :iciir:gonempty. -

EXl'~l:t!O~-?.OADS!D .::::·JOO;..:-reGl=\S

?,ormanis !=e.rvic,;in;hisca::-.Thearea:.s':otaliyuesertcd. Eerie country.~3stern m~si~ se~ps out of the :eu~try Etcr~ and~ de$ertc~ Union ~aci:ic uininc ca: :;lleu ilE~sz~·s. Lockin: off the aasoli~c pu~p, No=~£n move~ ~uicklr to ~he~ini~; c~r. Al~ng the co~nter is a pie ca:-:-:::1.!seland!:>eycn.:.~hescrvir.~JIJ::?e.,nnoldJl.n,anarefril1C?r~-tcr ril~tle:st.:-.=ougr.itsai.!to-·.:.~:rost.cycle.:r:.~tan~lyhungry,hec!lttack~ t,\epie ::o·.:.~ter.nis.:>ent.:orjunkfoot=at~trn!>.Hepocket~ ,;illscrts of ca:-a:-::-:ls,HarsDars,5:..-::?okes,.:..~~·tsfromthecashr~;istercour:ter. And ir.t::okitchr--nh1:...fincs.ii1}:inc;:-size,;Ile::brewHationalsa!.a1ni hangin; .:='=lilthe<;e.iling.

ANGLE - r~sn REGISTCR

Ht?ou:::s.:::;it,hi!imoutl,fullc.,':s.:tlmn.iu?\Jc:hc:.:.:sc.i\.casu.:illva~~- 1-~J-,·,·1.....,_,n.....ui·_c.,,J-..."',·"'.l._7.,<'.•'~1~.1··,r..•(!_,_..tJ,,•"'l'·• ·,•• ,,,t1·~....,~J.,1·.·,...•.•1,.,·t...c.;_rs• t•-1 · ~-l11.::n9-··--:........,., ~·cr.ch.2suuttoop,:n Li~c.:CcLShl;o:-~.No:-m.:\11?~•:u~c.:!>the!·?()S,\L~:.:u:..to;1. r~l.ldl:\i~ic.oOitFALLo·,n.:n·;111::01m.:n.!::.:!.Lt.it?:~th.:1t,th~c.l!:hboxi!:c...~;ty. r;crm.:in:un:,;outs.ice~i=oppi11,;foo<.h~tuf![rc.ii;ihi!:pcckc.:t!:,i.Jendln'-J~o ( r<?truivcw!l.1th:?c.:inwhenlieS.:!t:!S.t.t. ·

·, '

CLOSE

FreC':!zingthemarrowin his bones.

11:rsr.o.v.

1. tinvme.ad.owlu=k is •i:.witchingspasmoticallybythe side of tho road. It !lies.ir.tothe clira few feet, th9n plops back to earth, its wings working backward~.

Worman sp.Ltsout a hunk of sct.larnianaclearshis mouth. 1:esuddenly 1·eme:nbersaboutthe canaries. He r-Jstiesi.:.othecar.andpullscpen th~·doo=~-

...

CLOSE - Ci\iU~:t!ES

Frighi:cn,adbyhis sud:ianapp'!arance,they flutt.erall c,,.·erthecage and it's h~rd to t~ll if they are ju~t scarod or actually dying. And as if all this were too ~uch to ~andle, a third distraction ma~es Horman sta:-idawayf=om hi~ car and lo·:>kd.:>wnthe·highway.

SOUND - Chop-chop-ch~?-chop-chop ••••

A squadrcn of transport h~licopt9rs, flying h~zardouily low to the (L grcu~e grow £reinmosquito.pin?oi:it:::.toroa.::-lngdragon~liesane zocm overhead.

flying scrnewhathigher t:~~antl1erestare two fle.t~l-:in<;chO?:?'==sthat carry ~lus~ers of portable ch~mical toilet~ froratheir undercarr~~~ s..1ppo=ts.

Hc-rrr.anwatchesesone of th-.!!,elicopt:ers,c:inl·drFore~n:.icy,h::aa~s for:::ai;ionar.dr~·~urn:s,IiE,\:>!~~GSTR.A:::GI:TFOR~:oru-1.?\.:~.!!or:r,anlc:oks~? tl~cug~ the swirl and shzi.kesl·.ise:;e!:.

The'tw.:>flier~,a~ seer.'thro:ig~,thes~ntinted b.:bble,.:trewearing oxygen ~asks and sealad goggles. One of ~he operators picks up a c~ra~raand s:na?:3pic~ure.:;of?Jo:rnanbelo:,;.No:-r:a.~co<:$netknow"-ha-; to do. So he waves at:the~. TlH~j'•.:nveback.r-:orr:ianreaehesintohis ?o:!~~t~r.dta?:cs011':.u:.tt?ndoll.:iruill.1:E:?!:howsittct.hehovering rn1chinaand pointi::tothe gc:!.~pump.Oneof t!lt'!f~d.arsgiveshin c1 'thu::-.!.>sup•sign.Tluanth~helicopterspit~sc•.,.itsaxis.incruc:es nwal',to clos<l-thegal)with th-:rc:.tof .thesqu.:idron.

\·:he=1t: ·1ed~~t!'iattlesNor;;mnre;:t=nctsthegazolincnosllfromhi~ t."!1:~enclraplnc~:.;i::..Heputst~~~tc-ndoll.:ir~ontopoEthe 'low lc.:1d'pU!nJ:Jnndonto~o: t!l=it"srn.'.lllrock.Helool:~b.:i:knl:tho \ ro~dci~c where the m~"dow l.irkwnz. It i~ gone. rcrh.'.lp&blc~nn~ay by ~h~ he~vy rotor wnsh.

Th~y seem tq hav~ r~covcrod but their ncrv~~ ar~ ~hot. Their little (( b:~csts.flutter unchecked.

He slips on tha ga~ ca~~, adjusts the strap~ in t~e bac~. Ilisbreath- ing soun~s hollow and ~~tnlic. lieturns to check the ~ird~.

CLOSE - CA~ARI£S

They tak~ one l~ok at his sloping face a~d freak.

:XTER!O?..-COU!:T?.Y?.OAD-LATEDJ\.Y

Greenhouse rips the roa: at ni~ety miles an hour. He er.eeks~~= re- ch~cks the canaries because all ~l~n; the hi;hw:y is livestcck deat~. -Cow~ and crows. Sheeps and sparrows. ~n occasional ecad rabbit.

cr..-:is:::G?..!:E:NHOUSE

Ee s_eeszc.ioethingU?ahaac;'.thatpinshiz ears bac}: "-lidiL'Tlostrr.al:-'!s

h"imwhispe: ah.-ie:..

......· GF~!:NHOtS!:'SP.0.V.

The rag-geC:treetrunk appearance of ~--iar.-:sutterpc_akbala:'\eedona downslope o! Shasta fir and a~ thescd~red ~a~e, th~ c~~~in; rc~~~ntz· cf scmcarllilva1.rccisaster.~u::Grl?enl'iour.c"issti:.ltco:ara•.:.avto::-.~::e; cut rr~chi~sry,le~ alone railroad track.h smile ir.h~s eyes fills t~a sas~ask havi~; ~ad~ it this f~=- and ...••

So~~thi!'lgalseis C:Or:'linghi!.wa~·.,..._inpenet=2.tible'.-!nlloffourwl1eele~ r.i.ichinerey.charge:;up.~heroactomeet him h.~aden a.r,d•••••

l\.NGL!:-~-:!DZ

T.:1,~yareenhi:r,ce:for~he c~n do anrthi~g. Si>:c:~b-·eeor.olinevnm. -:.,.i.t:1milita=v~erialnumbersal'ldsoecialbluecrrilllic:ht3cut hirr. off. A d~zen·man in ~~if-cont~ined·comfort ~uifs, wi~h·!1elm~tsand oxyge~ packs, a11·of thi~ hcr~~tic~lly s~~lad in a tind of !~il,- cc~e pouring out of cve:y~h~rc Qnd ..•.

( A golclen!:Cldic::-withRec Crebs i~s:-..;!li~Jwldsupcl

I G=c'?nhouseroll5 do,·.mhis window .:>.ndsteps·out:.ofhiscar: ("

c:t-:.EI:m-rousr: If c.inaries co\.!ltltal:~they'tl::.ayt!i,;: only ~a~ in the air i~ from you guy~

I. farting ~=o~nd nllday.

Another rne~ich~s open€d the pas~enger door and removed the bird •I -:age.Ee walks around the frontof_ the c.irwith •••

ANGLE - CAHAR!!:S

The birds are dead en the bottom of the ~age.

All at once he is not feelini uell. ~ided by the tinfoil soldie:s, the.rear doors of the van cpen,·th~n clo~e on t:o~-mau.~nqir.ecri~ga ·stylish U-t.urn,ths vehicle ~otor:.tcward the site of m~.!-!StJT'1'!:R NOU~~TAI!;•

,...7'. ...,-:, T...."'T'•.•.,_J,;.!)

EXTE:?.'.i:OP.- -·-..

The sun fl~res, then dips beh!nd the m6untains e=est ~~sting a pur?le p::.11overthe r:tab:z:1iftbivouacarcc:1con::is;;inc:-cf!1s:-Meti::al!·.1 sealed, wi~Gc~les~ trailors a:d a fleet of draS 9:~e~, u~~~rlea econoline vans. O:"leo:the vnn:lpulls to a s~op·ilnether~;:,.rc:1:,crs swingwide. Greenhouse is dr~ss~d in a life su~pcrt sui: and is \.-is:.,~tlawafr::-ytl·,ctwogoldenmedics..Ahalic9fJtersi:o-:i:,slowand G:c~nhous~ ha~ onl~ sccon~s to ot~~r~~ ~~~tit i~ transportin; ~oz~ns Qf lo~ slungcrates la~~lcd COCA-COLA, tefora h~ is seal~~ off in~i~~ ~ cof !in sized :-oo!"",inanatljacer.teightyfoott.:ailer.iffecticn.:it::!l:· stamped!,OLIDAY :nm.

~ go!.ci-~nrnec.iceit:;acro~nfr.::,rn,~o~ar..Somehowwegetthedistinct f~eling that the rne:icis core of a turnkey.

G~e~nhouse feels ridiculcu~ just sitting and h~ving nothing tc ~ny. He ~miles at the ~edic-through his fac~rnRsk.The me~ic looks aw~y wittout ~miling t~ck.

r.rmr:NHOUs= (chu:-k!ingto !1imsel:) C£tn\leS:'!~okcin!lcre7

t

:orc::ponse. (~

C.fil:EN!!OtiSE \·:hatdoyou cloif you gcttz:.g,:tir.!:lc.

m, response.

·LOUD CLICK! The door tc the tr~iler springs open an~ another . figure in golden ?rotective attire st~ps in. The young medic is·up and ou~ t:.edoor i:ia silve:::yflas;1.!-1R•.LhC•)~D!:replace:: him in 'theseat ac=oss :rom lj:-e~r.h~us~.(Thisis the g:?ntleman· who you will recall.conviscateclfiln and ca.".lera~·!recthe civiliar~s·aboardthe TW}.flight at Cox .Mur.icipa.learlyin.the sche:na":.a)•

LACOt-!B!: He hav~ precious lit~le times~ ~e'll· ~ide- track ~he fo:T.lalitias.I'm~obert ~aco~.be. I neee answers frcm you that ·areex?ressly honest, ~i=e~t, ~nd tot.he ?Oin~. ~.r~n't you aware cf the dangers to you: lifeby exposing yourself tC"lthetoxi!:i.sinth~ e.ir?

.... I chance::!it.

Ll\CCl'ISE ~o what end.

{lying) • was !coking :or~on~one . . .

L.~cor-m:: May I «sk whom?

GR.~EJTROCS!: r.iysister.

cnr:r::NHOUSE, She wasn't there.

Ll\.COi\!DI:: Ga e:,..

t

GP..E.l!N!!OUSE The Nitional Guard guy ncve= heard of her.

IJ\COH:CF: Go on.

GREEN:tOuSE That's all ther~ i~.

LAC0t1BE You personally "'·enttoeach C~? . . . each reloc~~ion.:ncility.

T~ere are thi.::-teen.?-!a.-n3foc.rofthem.

Long pause ~s Greenhouse looks down at t.he"flooi::.

GRE::::,rnouSE: Well • . •okay• • •thetow.~o: Reliance.

Go o:'l.

GRl:!:HHOt:S::: nnve I b~s~ee any l~ws c~min; here?

Ll'.COMBE Onl~tif ye-?..!are!:iblep::one,r-~=.Gre:e~house. Att.em?tec.suicideis considered c:a.=din·a1sir-. by SO!ne.

GP.EEN!!OL'SZ I'm alive. We're talking.

LACOaDc if th~ prevailing winds Yere blcwing south instead of north, this conversation wouldn't _beworth ha.vine;..

GlttENHOtJSZ There's :1ethingtr-ongwith·the air. ... .

Ll\COH!:E (sha=ply inte=~sted) Hhat mc1.k,~sfO~sa~,that?

( I

t

G.m:I::l·n!OUSI:: Oh ... just somet.hingI h.:ippentoknew.

L.:lcombegla.::-esatt·Iorman.Ucreachesout anclopens the trailer doo:-.

L.l'\.COH!lE Nhy con't you remove you: mask·a:\dmake a liar out of me.

i:o~manlool~s out the open door. ?taybethe a·irdoes seem rarified ·••• or· isit ·the·aus% hour. liescrew·sup his =ourag~ but somethir.g;=,egins to change. Fcz,rt:iefirst time r;orrnanshowsdoubt. In seconds he sifts thro-.!gheverything that has happened to him ••• and samples defea~ at all the sorrowful al~ernatives. ...

La:o~.be closes and locks the doer. He next di?S into a manilla envelope and proeuces a dozen color polaroids ••• each shows a face through the face~ask of a life support suit.

Laco:.ibeca:efullysc=utinizes t-!ormanwhorer.tainsthestoic th=oughout. ( . ..:""'-· There is a knock at the door. Lacombe rushes through his rc~-:.ine.H:? removes a heavy sheet of poster puper and unravels it. Tu:ning it toward ~or~an, ca=eful to note his reaction•.••••

CLOSE - !'~.!NTI:-lG

is a skillee lifelike randering, the only incongruity existing in the sky overhead where three yellow suns have been included.

CLOSE - GR.I:ENIIOUSE·

The instinctual inplanted reaction. Norman is drawn into the wat~r- color.

C!..OSE-L.i\CO~t0E

J it possible •.. this man is smiling.

L.i\COMDE

I

Good boy, Norm~n.

(

'

The knocking at-t~e door persi~ts. A KZY is heard in the lock.

'

t Li\COMCE

J'ustwait.·

L.lcombehalf unfolds a second painting but the door swings wide and two golden chemical engineers step inside and help Norman to his feet.

CHEMICAL Et-lGINEER;l Com-Sec B-Y-0 says take them to Evac aeiiance ind a bus ride home.

L~CO~-IEE. (sorely disappointed) R~ght this minute?

CHEMICAL ENGIN:CZP.il Even sooner•

The dual rotors of the assault Huey slice through the air, purring at·idle. Greenhouse is l~d to the sliding fuselaga loading door.

\: .._. ,., LACOMBC

(to the two engineers) Don't let him leave until I see Wild Bill.

CH!:MICALI:NGni=ERt2 That's okay by me. All we gotta do is stick him on board. ·

Lacoi:\begoesto the cockpit ar,dwaves his artr.s,shoutingthrough his suit.

The pilot knows Laco!"beand shrugs his helplessness pointing ~o his he3dEet3, indic~ting that is where his orders are coming from.

1ncom~e per~ists in a fiv~-fing~r c~erci~e until the pilot nods des- pi~e hircselfnnd Lacom~e ilO?Stow.1rd~ sl'r.aliquansethutwhe=e a CDGillac Liiou~ine is parked. ·

t

...

CLOSE - HEL!CO~TER DOOR I / n glo~ad hana ~liees it open - nine faces l6ok out at us. The sn~pshot \( . f~ces. Norrn~nsteps inside and joins the.party. I

!·iTCRIOR-QUl\HSETJIUTIIEJ\OQUJ\RTERS-IJUSI~

A batte=y of twelve inch color rno~itors~how the u..,-,,ionPacificcie- , I rc1ilrnentandthe emergency activity surrounding it. WI!.OBILL HALSH

I I

i~ spea}:ingat the box phone when Locor.'lbebargesin-.Hehas a · s:ightly monotonous drawl that reminds us of those ground control voices at ~he Houston Space Center.

L.~COMBE. The fielc spotters found another ga~e crasher.

LACOt•IBE You have to send them back. I won't argue with you. I'm going with thern.

v"i:".ldBilllineshi.-:i'-=?inhissights.

~; ··--

W!LO SILL Horseshit - !

LJ\COH3E An hour ~go I was sura it was a suicide club. But I've tnlked . withthesepeople now and none of thea know each othec. That'·sa hard fact.

LACOMBE: 'l'hreeexhibits.

L.:,.cornbere:novest~·:owatc=colorsi!.nd~.pal~si:ecitwodimensio~~l so~p carving of HAMSUT':'I::nZ·lOUNTAIH.Hepl~c~s.:irticlesenWile! Hll1s desk.

·.. \

I LACOMBE .

Each renee:i~g has one t:::.".·=incom."!lon.

f It was cra!tec bv ~eo~le ~~o never saw I ..- -

o= hea:e of t·ia.itsutter?·toul"'.tilinbefo:elast night. Th.isis r .emark.l.l::>le!;\boardthat helicopte: =ic;htnow are ten strangers who have had a thouc;ht,a vision implan~ed in their rnemo:::=,.·-forsome ofthemit chnnged thei= lives. i\llthiltwas le -ft was :he though: of this ?lace - this - mo\.lntainanda c:iving sense of belong~ng Now ~ake the odds - for every person a.boardthat helicopter - ho~ many othe:::s in your cou.,t=yhave also been touched in some way, t~t for cou~tless reasons could not be here tonic;ht.How many implantees missed the 7:00 news and never made the p~ychic cor.nection. ·

·This isn't =espectable science.- it's horseshit psychology.

Wild Bill cor.sicersthis. He shakes his head ane starts ou~ of the hut.

E:XTEP.IOR-HUT

•.rwotransporthelicopters f!y -verhead. They are carrying a Gooehew Ambula~ce in each of thei: heavy du=y slings. Reaching towa=d .the mo':.l.~tain,theysoondescendto the other side revealing for the first time a rat~er ~~usual :or:natienof pu:fy whi~e cloues, drif~i~g with the prevailing winds.

( yard seminar ~hen it's over. (

.. ' · •

INTERIOR - HUEY i:FLICO!:'TER-DUS,~

(( No one t.:ll}~s.So1-lor:-:i.:i~doesther.1ostc_our~geousnetofhislif~. u~ start:; to unsr.u.pthescaling faster.er~,-,hichconnecthis bra:ath- ing halmet to his body suit. With each I'OPPit!GSOUtiOothersWiltch until every ey~ i~ glued on Norman's activity. Nort:1anpullshard and his ·nelrnetslitl~sover his cars. Ue pusl~eshi::;hnirback nnd takes a breath. 'l'heothers are hot:rificd.Ilebreaths again. As sudd~nly, fingers:nre nt work ilndJILLIAN GUILER shnkes out her tur.bledown hair and waits for the worst.

CLOSE - RUSSEL COOK

His heaegaar comes off rev~aling a man in his early sixties.

c:.osz - cor.LINo•co:mo?.

Hat in hand, a bull Irish character who at first holds his·breath,' then sa~ples the air with tiny snorts until he breaths easie=.

:LOSE - BESSIE & IR~ FOGELSON

Husband a:id\·1ife.Reallyold. Haybe ·la taseventies.Ira is te.rm.:..nall: ill with cancer.

CLOSE - TEE ~!NAL FOUR

Two men .andtwo women follow suit. They a.rethe last to eonc:ecleand like m~st everyone else, are late middle age and desperate ir. -appearance. So:neare perhaps terminally ill, others display a shell- shock appearance at having been soci~lly disloc~ted for p~rhaps ·ye~rs. They never make eye contact, and are on the down side o! physical E:l:,hausticn.OnlyJill,Collin the Irit:h.-nan,and?!orii,an seem to h~ve ~ny spit left.

EXTE!UO!'t-HUEY nr-:!.ICO?TER

1-IildD.illH.:tcL«ughlin.::ignals:orthehelicopterpilot: to i:-:.c:-c,i~c ( hi~ rote.:-pitch.ind'J~to~,tof here.

t

..

\

L.~COMBE

You will neverreach Nirvana standinc;- on your head.

CLOSE - ROTOR BL~2'ES

They approach high R.P.M.'s

CLOSE - G?.!:ENEOUS~

liewheels on the ga~ :he:ingandshouts above the noise.

Ga:EENEOOS:E: Who's for staying - !

Jill raises he= ha~d. Collin raises his.And Bessie & Ira wave theirs

GRJ::ENr.OOSE You will have to keep upwith me and :U!l ve:y fast.

·1

·Suddenly the door slides closed behind hir.l.Greenhousedesperat:ly (; ~~--- usas his arm as a door jam and the soc.moo::SPL!NT:C::\!NGBom:o·.,er- rides .the engine whirr. Norman screams in pain and the medic opens the door to fi~c everyone without protective helmets. His eyes widen and he looks over at Wild Bill and Lacombe.

~hemedic ~s fi;~ting with Gree~house eve: which direc:ion the door shoul~ travel.

CiR:::ENHOOSE (to the gathering) NOW - ! RON FOR TEZ MOtntTAZN--!

Greenhouse st=ikes out ~nd smashes the me:ie i~ the necY.w~~h his foot. Lacor.tl'::leanctviicBillturnjustintim~ to see this an; ••••

Greenhouse, Jillian a~d Collin vault ove= the fallen soldie= sp:ir.~- ..:.n; ·towa:dtheheavyti:n:ierbrush300yards uphill at the base cf Wa."!lsutterMount.l:!.in.!r.lanc:Bessiehobbleafterthemwithno c:i::,.~:a of escape. Wild Bill r~ns to the helicopter and sees th~ five re- <. rnaininqtravele=s, e~c:iwit.ho1.:tthei:helmets.Ilesla.-:tstheme~.:?.l doc= a~d spi~s on Laco::'.!>e.

I'

WILD DI!..:i:. Oh horseshit, ~,ve we got problems - !

((

l\t!CLE-O!>ENF!!:!.O-STECP GR!\DE

No::manfalls to the ground holding hisbroken shoulder giving Collin and Jillian tL~e to catch up.

G~EI-?HOUSE (outof shape) We can't stay here. Go on to the tree line and wait forme there •. (toJillian) Are you followingQe?

The~·obey without a :nomeritshesitation. 1;orman,catching his l.lreat!'i looks back ove= his shoulder to the Chemical Salvage Op_e=ations below.

Lc~king at the tree line through binoculars. In the back~rounc three helicopters rise verticallj',each testing its powe:ful Quartz-Iodide sea=chlights. About a dozen special forces units load their ordana~c~s with 7.62 Uato round ball ~rnmunition.They c.irryGas operatec semi- automatic M-l4's with M-2 infrared sniper sites.

L.l\COMDE No sir, there wasn't enouc;htime.

r

bymidnight. ~ha~'s riota lot of

I time either, but you've bought it. (

t

Two way speake: ?hone is placed next to Lacombe and Wild Bill ane a voice crac.klesout a:.them. {( I

VOICE -MajorMacLau;hlin.

WILD BIL!. (he stiffins) Yes sir. Speaking sir~

VOICE. In situations that at first glance see.'tlhopeless,wecust extract the 'signal'· fromthe 'noise'.

VOICE Do a pho~ogrcUT'.met=icanalysisofthe nort~ern face. Use in£rared.

Wile 3ill makes a face as if to say, give me~ credit.

--.

VOICE Is t.11.atLacom,j:e'.?

VOICE (apause, then ••• ) Wait one. I havean incoming. . {speakingon another phone)· Yes sir.

{_

'

' :.. '."'

\lileDill 'nc<lsknowlingly ar.c.lcrinkleswi~hsntisfaction..·rverybociy ·hasa bo~s a=oun~ here.

The helicop"te=3 huve taken off and·th<::_:;;:,ecialforcestea!!\isalreac run~ing fully eg~i?ped into the fiel<l.

VOICE Okay Wild i3i-ll~Uerc'sthe sco·reat the half. He want a verifiable explanation for the leak in security. Ue are.assuming that the principals ir.question here are out of adjustment and won't lis~en to reason. If

- dust the er.tirenorthern fa~e with G-E two eleven. It's fast acting,.extre~aly · local, and should detoxify in several hours. ove=see operation yourself anc keep us informed.

(( - not mine.

UP.l\?!G!.!:-Wll.!-!SU~TER-HIGh'"T

Through the fir trees the top of Wam~utter's pe3k stanes out aqainst the fi.!llmocn.From this perspective it appears insu:.not:ntable.

Selow it, three we~ry travele:s trudg~ up 38 degrees of loose topsoil and pine needles. Th~y can see t~oir way clear.until a cloud covers ~he moon.

THE VISU,\LQtJ.U.ITYOFtUGET SE:COHESTOO Oil.RI<TO~GIST~R.

Jillian walks into a tree and slides down to its roots, losinq p=ecict ~·ards.beforecat:hin; a hold of some unc.e:-growth.Collinalso !itu.-:tbl!!~ and falls. l-Jorm2'.nUEARIHGthissto:::,sdeadinhistracks and watcr.~c ihe sky: •

F.0. V.- w;...,1sUTT!:I'!PE:A.K

I T!!.I:HOONSLIPSOUT OF TI!!:C!.OUO;\NOTIil!idtE:1\If.;\GAI,.;0Isc:rmADL~.

(

~tl~denly,th~ -t=~~o: helicop:.crslight up tha uppe:-rno:;tregioncfthe ~o~ntnin to? and be~in to rn~nuev9:in an~ out of-ha:d to see areas.

CO!.L!H They've given us~ lot of credit.· That's a good t\·tohoi.;=sonfoot.·

GnI::ENHOUSE (pointing) Do you ~P.ethat notch in the mountain?

s~re enough -off to one side is another passage to the other side.

COL!.I!-1 Not i:ithe c.ark.Net wi-=.h somanyclouds cove=ing the moor.,

GRE!:HP.OUSE We'll res~ i~ the ea=k - and ~ake double ti::':'lei::th-a.moo:\lig~t.·~-re'11paceour- selves. Let tha clouds cecide how.long it'll take.

J!LLI.~N (pointi~g at the peak} There go f~u= more.

A fo:T.atio~c: rec.anc.g:-ee!lhelicopterlights and ~he accor.ipan:,,i:ig SOUNDS hove:-above ihe platea~ anc.d~sc~~e to the other side of t~e ~ountain. ~

J'ILL!A!l There's ano~her ravine that leads up hill, ..•. anc it's an easier climb. .!.rem~ober from my painting .•. it starts on the north- east face and ••••

CO!.L!N \,hatdo you think is on the o:.hc::-sida?

(

Th&reIs a bo:._canyon.!tIs rir-1.'!\edwithtrees and hiking truils.

((

J!LLI.'\!l I never imagined th~t. I'd just color the one sic.e.

COLL!!! Same here.

Jillian sm:i.leswarr.ilyjustasthe :noonappears to show G::-eenhouse how.really lovely she is.

GR.E:ENHOUSE (has to tear ~i!':\sel!away)· Double tL~e. C'rnon.

EY.'1'ZRIOR-E!VO'f:'ACA?..E.?\.~.1.:0r.E!..OPAD-HIGHT

A clutch cf A=my e~ginea~~ relay ten gallon s~ainless steel cani~t~~: of nerve gas to the wait.in;helii:opter.Th~ men wo:k gingerly and in silence. "JilcBill s':andsne:i.r:n~-.-atchini;the6r.iera~i,:,n.i!e::-iec:<~ his watch and looks up at t::.e~ou:1tain. •

··- CLOSE-~A SNIPERSCOPE

A young soleiei of t~e special fcrces airnshis H-14, s~uinting thrc~s his infrared scope. He ?aints th~ forest region wit~ graceful s~eeps of his o~dina~ce.

H!i>.TTHE!'NFP.A?.EOs;;r;s·

Hulti?le swi=ls of color. Organic ~ea::-c~v•namat~t?rre;istc.:-sa bright orange and red. A t~ousan~ birds·;l;ep in the brar.chesof hundretlsof fir trees. The faint l~~ir.os~ty~akes the solarized ~:ees look liJ~eChrist.-nas •

TIM~E~ LINZ - SOLO!~~S

The do:en special forces have fanned out and rnovesteadily U? the mountain.

The mo6n is oasked by a thick ~loud.

ANGLE - ST£Cjl'I'.CR?..A!N

All at once, ~rcenhouse, Colli~ and ~illi~n f~ll to the 9rounrl, c~- h..:\uste-c,br.cnthl~ss.

t

\; '

COLLIN r hope it's a big cloud.

(( i ·.J!othJ'illianancz:o:rnana:-esilouctt.osac;ninstthofain·tgu~litr of amoonl~~s night. •.

Her fa:e glows again from the moonlight.

'..

t·:!D!:ANGLE

Casting faint shadows, the group picks up whe:-eth-eyleft of! •••• running wildly fer the r.otchat the s~"Tu-:tit.

':'r.RO::.iGH!l>u?-.Ti.?.ZDSCO?E

Th:-e-:retlf ·ig'..!res='..!nnin;U?hilla;ainstaroyalbl'ueba.ckg:ounc.. I= is only a deer.· ' I I {~ '!?.E.SOLD!E::t ' . ·,_ E~ picks up his walkie talkie and speaks in a low voice.

I 1I

SPECI.;L:'ORC~S Pyramid ~o ~ah~~a.

I. WI!..ODIL:!:.'SVOICE

· Bahama go'ed.

SFEC!~.Lr'O?.C!:S llothinc;toreport from mid-station. I'ci need th:-eeciinesthe gro~,d force -to cover this whole mountain in one hour.

WILD BILL'S vo:c~ (~ftcr a p~use, he continues gritr.ly) Be advise~ you will return to base-li~e at once. 'l'h<ltoeans!1a;;.ling-1.th~oti.1e= way.

I C!,CS!- HILD ~I!.L ( t

l·IIT.DHI!.!. Gat eve:ybody off the north~rn fnce. Call t:1(.:da:.-l~sid1~ofthemoonandta11 'cm we're proce:eilingwithextrc::rneprc:ju:iice.

((

Wile Bill lights ,Lhi!vana,th~n watches the w::,c:1":!nr.,a~chburnslowly toward his fin;ers. Ju~t as it i~ abou~ to singe, the SOUNbS of pro- pelle:- bla.ciesr.lutoutthr:?flarne.Ro~or-washslicksback his ha,i=and he looks towards •.•••

CLOSE ·- LAC0:·13!

:ieis-sitting with five other nond~s:::,:-iptProctorandGa::tbletypes i~·t!'leblacl:Cu~illaclioousi:ie.He reaches a hand out the win'1ow and gives Wile:.Eillth~ thu~bs ·UPsign.

CLosr:- HILO S!L!,

•

Suddenl~·,t:,ecar he sits in sta:::tstorit;e.vertically••• goin; highe: and higher until the sling is visible and the'helico?ter ( tr'ans-oortir.cit.Lacnm::-at'Ollsu::,the'!.•1indo•..,e.stneCacillacrna.!-~es (( ; a ~i~:air sfarboa:d turn and hea~s towa.rcltheother side of the r:iour1tain.

J.lCVI~~G~.:.,CLE-T::ETR!C

S.......,.,1__._.,,.,._,i·...••gIs0-._,_._0..1.·-.:,s·, ; ,,_----a\-•l;-•".-•ngIt·.-,ey_to...--....,.._!"et'l'l'"·,._,_._....-.::el\re..-i·n-;,,n.1.·ntu1.·ti'•.•-. ~ace agai~st ti~a.

liepoints to an Army enginee= w!.oin turn gives the cll.!althur.1bst:?tc I I

I tically ~nd pivots towar~ its mission. The six death canaster~ S?arkling in the moonli;ht.

Hclding hi!.inju.:-ada::-r:1.,hedig:.i.ntoc:hcmount~in,hisGX!,:):essi:>n indicating that their goal is in sight. I

(

She looks-u,..ian..1~~esthe.t.urrirnitnotch,turnstoColli:"i.

CLOSE - COL!..It:

..

Collin is in such poor physic:ilcohdition t!,c'.lthetrailsthe.:\b:,· fifty :r"~rd~.Ucstop~ to cntch his br_ea~!1,but·changes hismin~ and races after tham.

l\NGL~- TEE:Tn~~:cnLii1El\TTHE rURT:iESTE:t-;oOF'!RE~:cnTH.FACIHG HOUNTA.!N

A p~r!ecfly terrible explosion of noise and the assault chopper trims the tree ~ops, its po~e:ful ~elly-li;ht shining t.~eway.

ANG!.:C:

Alreacy they can hear the dis:ant rotor-blades when themou~tain is

look back fer C~llin.

• Gm:EN::0U5~ It's just up awa1•s.C'mo1~.

<.

COLLit,IsVOIC::: (pantinghard) No wait ••• the deal was •••the cloues eecide.

The chopper so~~c grows louder ~Y th~ seco~d.

· GRE~NHOO.:E You're in the clea=ing •.~he'll S?Ot you.

COLLIN'S VOIC= ·Fuck 'em ...so what's he gonna ~o •• land on me?

I. CLOSE - TREE ~OPS

The helicopter flies lowover a tree ton ••:moment~ later Meadcw larks begin c=op?ing :rom the~r~nches iike flies z~p?ed by Black Flag.

I {

ANGLE - '!'EESKY I The moon i~ t~J;ingit~ time, ta~sing the tip cf the rne,nderingcloud (( anc?....•.. , I CLOSZ - GRE~HHOUSE .:.J'·ILL!l\!!

Slowly •... moor.lighttegin~ to play on·their faces. They turn and ,I break into a firialheadlong crawl for th~ top. I

;1.?:GLE-CO!.LI:-1

Slowly.stand~ up and brushes himself off. Even no~the light of the helicopte= is closing inover Colli~'s shoulder.

GREE~~F.Ct!~~'S~.0. V.-T!!ESt:?-1t1IT

It is only fifty i~=ds uphill. n carpet of loosi bedrock welco~~s the~. ~o=~a~ tnka~ two stcos and =~lls ••. he slides cast0Jillia~ ~nd back ~he way he came u~ .•• gathering sp~ed untli ~is h3~d c~tches a loop of U::Lcil!=brus~andbreak:;hisfall. ..... Jillian eo~sn't know what to d~ ... she hear~ the ~pproeching helico?te: and look~ up at their goal. She decides to walk ~ow~ t~e ~ountain ~nd h~lp ~orman.

CREEi-H!Ou.5Z NO - ! ST;.~THERE - ! ST;~y'l'.HZ:U:

Greenhouse ha.:;recovered and is le«?ing \.Tith~llhe has in r12s~r·1e U? the r.:.oun:ainside.l'lowthehelicopt<arcan be seen oviilr:,.;orrna:i's right shoulder.

Jillian extends her han~ ••• nnd ~aits.

No.rr.:anpourir.giton ••• he reaches out with his.

CLCS~ - COLI.Ill

lie coulc!:1'tca:el-:!ss.lieiswaU:in~. The h-alicc;,terisso close it totally outlines him in a co:ona of light. Collin se~cs to b~ g~sturing ••• 'j~st go urc~nd rne'.

(

• .:

GREI:t~iiOUSEE.JILL!1\N I Their luintlsunitctoc;c!::her~ndl:.h1]yfighttheloosebedrock toward (r the notc11:;ur,,.rnit-tliep~a=chli~.fi:f;.ju.stnowoutliningt.:ieirstrc;,~:.:-ig I sh~p·.a-s,·and.•.•.•

CLO~E - CCLLil;

'!'heassaultchopper zooms over hi::tancli:nahl"st·of after-wash that musses h-ishair arldclothing. Ile.continu-esto,...·alkar.idp::obal:>ly· tloesn'teven·notice that his head is invol~,.tarilytwi-:.chingtoor,e s~de.

THE SUMMIT

z-:o:T.1anar.dJillian::takeittotheto?, The knoll on the other sic!: o! th!!rnou.nta:.nisfrash~·1ithdei·1,andvarysteep. Jillian and ~ei::na:1 lose th~i= footing and start to coast do~n on the scat of their pa~ts.

•.

SLI~Im;

while heading towares a snarl of timberline veg~tatio~. They stop a~d I rise ~lowly to their feet on ground de~ply cushic1~tlby many seaso~'s w~rth o~ fall3n h3mlock needles. • (.'

i,ndtr.::ou,;hndenseblind, r.taybefi::tyya.r.dsoverflatgrount!,cc:':les a ha:~ of lig:it.It is ce-::-tninlyne·,.,a~dperhc:?Safir~alc;oalthat encoc.ragesNorman and J'illia:'la.nc.preventsthe~from.resting.

r~endingthe way, Nor~a:,icr:i.oresthe .painf=om _hisin~rtleftar.nas h~ I tears a passage ti1=0ughthe thi:kl!twhile Jillia!'l.dodges.a.n-:lhopsover branches that whip ~~~k at her face and body. t

P.O.V..

And the ligh~ grows stendily brighter •••the deep growth b~;inning ~o thin oct. Always that glow just a few yards further and ••••

Ri~ping his way ~long, groaning ~nd ~hee~ing and ehall~ngi~g tha pain.

•

......

'l'P..t'\Vi:!,J.r?G1~.0.V'.

(( ":iheac.Uongadvanc~ aCJainsta lutticawork of ·.:ct~dsuntiltheyhave cleared any furthe:-o::st~c!.e.3nncicancotmtthe shafts of .l.ight stabbir1gat the mist. from .:isourceju~t"below the tip of this 0_1.1tcrcr- platea'uand .•...••

CLOSE - GREENHOUSE & JILr.IA?T ,

Cheeks almost touching they pee~<ovC?rthe edge and look c1ownupo:, ...

FLOOP.OF TI-='.EBOXCi\,·iY•JN

The area of exact si:c and artificiallv flattened to three-hund=ee yards eas-:-west, '::wohundt"ec.north-south.Powerful,\·crkingli;ht:; fro~ stadium sized steel poles ill\.lrninatet~eer~tireboxcanyon region, proJec~ing rnultipl~~hadows from the over thrce-hund:ed ~=ound personnel who bl.lsythenselvesin a var:..~:yof-:ech:1olc-1 .~.cal funct:.:ms. !t rese:':'.blesasa::1dlotfootballfield.T!,erearedc::en:s of ve=tical lines, li::ea -carefullyprog.=arr.r:.edmathematicalqric. Nobod:,•seems to dara walk ir.this ar~a. A cordon of t.111!:ulancesand severc:.lmcb:.lehome trailers C'lUtlin~theeast facing ?erinuaters. Alcns thewest facing sideline is Tent City. Scattered.within bot~ end zones a:e~any tons worth of stainless :sta~lscientlfi: hardware. It rcssmbJ.es a stockpile of seconc5.waverein:or:::emcntsfro...a.joi~t Army-Ai: Force ~ssault O?~ration. ·· ·-·

No less ~han a tho~sanc came:-asform a line fifti•yards ~-.ric~.'!'-!n· rnen~ande= ~~ck an~ fo=th caking U?datcd judggments. A:1industri~l hi;h-speed 35~~ mc:ticnpicture cevice is =~a.diceju!:.tafew yarc':.s further down the line. It has the ca?abi!ity cf spinninq off 3000. frames pe= second. ·

CLOSE?.;\HCL!: /

T\o;osp·ectcm~t.ersanc.aphotoelectricalcamera rese~:>lingbig bazooka:. encasee in cement ~nd piloted by a co~ple of men srnckingcisarcttc~ in white shirts with their sleeves roll~d up. ttostof the perso~nel i re~em:>lewhita collar ~or~e:s flndo: c!os~r inspection it do~sn't look lil:et~,ereis a military man n:noric;stthem.

l!cc.in'tdige:t this as his ayes chug-:-,"l-1ugthe-:j;gs:i..1l.i.routfift:i· yards below. I

(

'<.. "',.. -~ J ~ ~ \ ;

BO~:CANYO~!OP1:P...Yl'IO~? .\:

"'\.'.·;

Six wo:kers h~re carry thr~e Ya~aha moag synthes~zer~ thirty ya~- ' onto Lhc re~trict~<lpl~ying field,·wi~~s ~nd ~xtensicn ccrdz t~~iling hehind tha?.l.J\..:::implaccor.olin~vanntarts\lp,,.ndfollowstt':.cr.t~u.t. Itsraar doorz ar,-;op~.iH::e<lamltenConcordcutdoocsp~akersarc remcve,'i.

l\.baldingwhite collar wod~er flips '1s,.;ritchandplays:;everal:iotes. Ileis encour~gcd by light applause and bre~ks into a corny renditio~ of uoo:-:RIVER. A voice shouts at him critici::int"Thisabilitiesand ~cattered laughter is heard. The ~usic stops•. - ·

A gentle chime is signal to= everyone to st~p w~~t they are do!r.gane lock into t:iec:-:y.Irr.mediately,the!:lankofoverheadlights is·co\:.se -~ leaving only tiny ::-eci.·,,n~kir.g.lightstocolorthefieldbelow.

...

C!.OSE:- J!!..I.!Ali1'-.~:oG?.ZE~J:-iCt!SE

They·t~rn a:ou..~dandlook at the sky also.

'!HE:::::GHTSKY

Planets, sta=s anc const~llation~. It is still and ~acni€ice~t. Particularly visible a~ this hcur of night i~.the cQn;t9llation ORIO~, '!'.HEHiJ!iTt:R,mad::Ui?oftwelvesta:-~ofvarj•ir.gd·:!CJJ;eesofir.agnitl.lde.

tis one of the mcst PO?Ular st~r g~cupings in our univer$e.

So it will ~ome as a broad shock wten thesP.stars be;io t.orcnrra.:-:ge

I

themsP.lvcsbefore cur very eyes. O=ion s belt, sword, shoulder~ ~:nc. leg~ converging to a ve=y bright point before splaying ofl in twelv~ directicns and :orming t.hemost popular pf .::llccnstellati~n:.,TE~ DIG Oil'P'F!R.

;.,rpr.;~usEis:!r:,;:-.i,frorr,thea!.semblyinthe:o::-:cn.nyonareaanc1•••.• I. t THE N!GHT SKY ' The EIG :>IPP:ERfo::na~ioritipsove=,hancll?forward until an au=o:a nf col~r see~s to S?ill o~t of it like cel~sti~l milk.

I

J\!\.HSi\NOOOHSc~nbe 1-n:A..-w1:rc::'lthebo~canyona:-ea.Itsjustlike a half time show.

CLOS'£- CrtI::ENHOUSC

U:'lccrt.;linwhethe::-!icisnwc:ikeor.nrcn:ni:,g.1'-.lc,nP.tyel.oudi~C!;c:,:-~cc t? an area of ~ky directly ov~rho~d. Two f~~t coving points of lig~t brgin to.revolve ar~u:,dit until the cloud is ~et swirling. Cthe~ I ( p~int~ of colnr joint~~ 5wirlinq vn?or~ n~d begin to b~cklight i~. Th~ cloud ~oon re~:mblc~ the C~therine whQ~l oE tha 'ncnr'upirnl' \.. :1~uul..:lct!l.:'lt.:u:~:::-C')nCi~!:!i.!.;•.!illr,~cogr.i::efrc;~!!cssicr!;l(;ISlji. r,!.~a

,

•.

conitcll~ti;n c~n~s Venatici. A single point of light takesup · a pi:isi tionwithin·thuouter!ipiral~'tr:tnn,1corn:n:::n:;esbliral:inl:ion;jndoff p~::.-!1af.1Sinclic.J.ting'hc,,,,E::!'• {( I

I J ill.ianba;in~ to visibly l:rerable.Greenhouseis struc}.down \-tit.h wt:.onc.er.Visibleinthe clisean'ccbt.?tt,een·1:h~rnar~aformatioiiolthr~e i bl.nzing ort\ngalights. 'j;'hey,1:-~flyi1,g~m1;erC>"..1::.lylaw·~nciwillpass

'i overhead iiist!conc.ls.Gi·een~ouse&.Jillianturnt:cse~ ther:t-andduck low ir,the g1:assas th~ir imagoesoi·e:re·>:pcsec1ndr.1elafror.1.ti1e's!::a.:c:-1- li.ght'intar.sit~·ofthe descendir.gglobel:iuntil\vefeel that a collision js_eMine~t. Dut that i~ ~ot the c~sc her~. Instead, ~he t=io of lu.-ninescantr..~chil'H!Srle·sct:?ndstowardthoboxcanyor.valley and hove~ tw~~ty feet nv~rhgad.

The two ~ement encased specto;nete:-sbeginp=oducinq CC"l~puteriz-:!d ~~i~t outs as i= link~d in con~unicatio~. T~e objects run thro~sh the color S?ectrurnf=o:-:l:J.l"':ra-violettoinfra-rad.Wehea:enginee:-s VOICE !ro::1t!i-ea:::-e:aarcun5the.~pec-:o~ete:s.;;ei~s.ho~tin,;towi:lrd the rm...sician-engin~e=whohas'i:.ak~nclseatl.Je:1fndtheYa.~ahasyn- t!1esize=. .. .•

How a~ou~ a slow alt~rnating ;atte~1 toward the cool range please, with hcs!tstin~ on chroma :::-aJ14,chrc~ayello~ 12 an~ the ilur:1.inar,tpoint.

J!:J\!1C!.AU!:>Er~!Hri!STHIR'.:I::s,r~=? ·JC'HA!mR!:S~-tB:.;:!!:,I!.!.!.'\:! S}i~.I~!i?t:~?.E•.ITISI!!SJOB'l,OIl~TE:3..?.!l~!'':!IZr-:z:~r.,!si;LAL·:GUAC~INTO l·lUSICl~l.·sT;~-:·Z!·U:?!':'S.

I

,.:m:~ucr..~c::,z

"Four-sixte~nths plural on fiv~. four-eighths on ~-6-J-5. Th=ee rais~ 3-i-1-5. Lower th:eu.

The sweaty ?:1usicic1.r.engi!'\ecrpoiseshisfingers~ndpl.::.ysanu.~~e=of ~tonal scunds. The music blures out of .tneConco=d ::pe.al:ers.

;'.!.-LN:01:cz·:m::CLOE:i::'.;co~:r>r..~t',i·:oSH!!'':TI!!::!~COLOR~F!-CT~1t:i!Il,\C!:T!ll: OTI!E!t\·~.f\~,!'AUSI~!C01:n~:,,~ELLO\"!i,l'Il?Oi\\"LI~I?':'~i:i!TI:,Llt-1'l"IL'l'!:E~!-:T:Z:.!:: ~COTn;..LLF!ZL~I!jE"\'C:!.;Tur.LI.i."~;\TH~0I!TU!.'!!ti'\-VIOI.l:T.1\.!!!."Cm::t-;::;;,.P.:~{:; ;.wu:Tr:S!l!~':'!SCLo~n::c.!t;Tm:'n!:.,·.c::L!GI!T'•

( \

•

\_ ,, \

Sornethin~P.lse iii.comingdown from the sky. They are the tiiZearidsh, of ics cub~s but r~dl~te such in~~nse light that cveryon~ i~ the ficl must put on he~vy pol~roia gl~~ses. About three-hundred of these brilli~~t ~ube~ descend inn feather 1ight ruoh ~nd perform simply ~1ma:i:-igthreec.1im~n$iOnfeat.s.'l'heybranst:orr:itheg~therin;.Thizys-:-!a together in a f l,~rn:.ngpyra.":1.idoflight,croat-:!aswirlingvortexout which pours luminescent dust; smaller pinpoint:sized cubes that settl ove::cve,·ythinglike fireflies on a hot Si.-4.nr.\e:e,,ening.Thelighted dust se~tles on everyones heacland shoulder~ and comme~ses twink!ing while the larger cubes outline the valley arena in a configuraticn that rct!'lincsusof lci.ndinglightsat major ai=ports. BLINJ~-DLim:- BLitH:.'l'!~ecubesqo from hot red-to ultra violet to or~nge. It:.'sli!~a a-!ii;-na:.TINK-Tim~-Trm-:.The lighted danc::.ruf~inpecple•sr.airand on thei: clothing changes hue from ~hite to blue to bright orange and st~rts a slow fade.

Arca scient~sts are running frantically trying to perserve samples before the elements dissolve into thin air. They help pick them off each other with tweezers and conventional soup spoons. Microscope came~as have been set up and sume of these specl;sare being ph:::>t:>- gra?hed on the dirt play field.

CLOSE - GP.EENHOliSZ& J!LLI~i·

Like everyone else down below, there is lighted dust on their finge=s a:'leintheir hair. Greenhouse is deli:::iouswithdis-covery.He cups f.i~ ' I hands as, one by one, the pinpoints dissolve into nothing. (~;

I

MJ\CROINSERT -G?..E:SHi-iOUSESHANDS

\-_

One fi~al micro-cube re~ains. It is so bright that his c~pped hancs reflect lighto!f his face. The ~ic:o cube doe~ som~thing e~trao:dinaf It fines itsway underneath the skin in·Uorman's opan ?alrnwithcut i causing·the slightest tinge of pain. .uewatches it travel arount!the, inside of his hand, up a finger, down to the wrist, into a vein. The vei~ glows bright·blue ns the speck of light :uns its course arou~d the hand and fi1,ally,sadly, fades out leaving everything dark and silent an.dmystical.

THIU:!:HUSICAL SOUNDS BLARE DOHN FROM so:-U::mratmINTHESi<Y. I The musical engineer·imitates the sky tones. A computer Vilnbehind hirr int=oduces a young floor manager who runs shee~ music back ~nd fo=th. Hegives~,~ musicn~_engineer four bars of something else t~ pl~v. Heavy decisions arciorig!n~ting from in~ide thnt c~~?u:cr v~n. T~e musiclll anginee: reads the notes ~nd plays the~ outri;!,ton the k~y boa=c..The Concord Rpeclkerst-i:-o.Jdc~sttheearthlysound~.Ir..:r.e:.;.nt~l::", a diamontlformation of eg9 shaped self lu~in~sccnt o~jects st~rt to desca~d, twirling ~ne changing color ~lon; t~c way..

• J\NGI.E-~R'C!:NTiOUSi:,\i·ff'I,7!LLI.!\N (

Gr.conhou::.er.lU~t-~ctcloser.ii-:!sta:-t!::tocl.i?i::.,ciow:itheli?oft::~

,

-~

plateau ridge b.utJillian sto.1:-'~him. I (( JILLil\.H •.

T!'l.ey'llsaeyou.

GR!::ENIIOUSC Watch me. Ztep whera I step •.C'mon.

GREENHOUSE

It is::'l te!'lough.

CRE:i::~iHOUSESTZ\.RTS'!'OLOWERHIHSE!.F.Itsaten foot d.:opto another grassy outcropping. He chances i~and lets ao. Greenhouse falls awk- wardly, flopping cow:1on his back and biting off a scream f:ornhis already injured right arm.

VEP.Yc:.osESHO'!'

Laco~~e steps from the compu~er van. He p~ts on a sun screen pair of gla3ses and looks into the sky. The floormanager comes over with sheet.:nus ic,pape::clndpencilat the reac.y.The two of them .ire I · joinedby Jean Claude~

<c

JEAN CLi'WDE

I Start clgainon the Solfeggio. Play"the tonic

l-J-5-1. 1-3 plus 5.One minus three minus.

The floor manager sc:iboles as·fest a~ ~ean Claude can spea~ and hurries·~he scale to the~usic~l engi~eer. He sight reads it with the

heard~ Then he flicks the speakers to on and plays the configuration•

EXACTLY ON CUE THE DIAMOND FOR!1.l\.TION0:O!:>JECTSSTANDOLiENO~?IO "F!.U'!'Tl!?."TOWARDTHEGRom;DLI:i::Z::r'ALLINGLEAVES•

Lacombe smiles. He is exhausted. Ue smiles ac:ain- about fiftee!'lyear worth. Cl\.MEI'.A?ANS.toanupright ice bucket and a magnum of !-!l.:m~ Champagne.

i\NG!.E-.B.i\'!''!'EnYOF'CN·lERi\SCL!CI~!NGA\·:,Y{

i\nopercitor looks eowr.cithis arms. i\ll·ofthe lu1iris stan:Hn; er-. end. Static elect:-icit.ycrcickle:at·h:-ouQhthemildh1.::nidity. {

t

W~tching through sun goggles theyc~n feel their ~kin cr~wling. T~e i:,\lRONTOP OF Tm:rn IiEJ\.1)SS'l'Ai-iOSEP.l:C'L'·,'\r,DUEi-HJ5INTHE:PRECISE DIRECTION 0~ THE t:GGSIIAP!:DOCJ!::CTS1\STI!EYcr.ncLEOVERHEAD.

CF\l-tER.1!,.TECIINICIAN

Ileis in cha:ge of three hundred sensitive auto driven industrial ·camerasbut still has tiwe to steaia personal I?hoto.withhis sto=e >ought.KodakInstamatic. ·

..

ANGLE - GnEENHOUSE

Clim.binc;downthe box canyon. Slip;,ing. Back peed.ling.Edging alor.q a narro~ S?lit in the mountain.

~OUR O:E:LIGHT~l.iLCF.IMES~.RI::F.E..n.ROFROMTHEOVERHEADSKIES.

C~OS! - WILD BILL

r.esteps 'fromthe computer van and hands a piece of paper to Jea~ Claude.

·ANGLE- ?·:t!SICJ\.Lt:t-lGINEER

le~ods and replays the notes o~ce to himself, then ~ith the speakers tur!'ledfullon fo:- everyone to hear. HE STRIKES TUC KEYS.

THE CUBOIOS that are acting as landing co~ordinants once Dgain change color to a white magnesiu.~ intensity.

:Vt:!.YDODY·TENSESUP}UiOLOOKS S:Ki"W~RO.

CI.03E- G:JJ:::NHOUSE

Almost to thevnllay flat~ he pnuses in the harsh glow and looks tcw~rds the east rim of the box canyon cliffs• .

;~Sta;IS RISING OVER TII:!LI!>O!:\·:AMSUTT!::11CANYO:-J.l'~FIR.E-OP.J\t:G~OC,TtC': ;-..T:i:.~1\STi:'IFTYYAR.OSLONCCREEFSl!IGIIEnSTI!.r.••••••••

{

,

..·

C~OSE - G~ECWiCU~!

(( Hu g~~ps at its ~ize and ·brilli~ncc.

The o=ange light spilling over onto everyone waiting below. And n hush thickens over many of~h~ assembled.

l-iAMSUTTE!tCA?TYONR!t-1

..

~he c=anqe crescent continu~s to rise until we are finally aware that there is tnorehere thu.tmeets.th~ eye. ·

THE F!RE OR.~,JIGEOBJECTIZONLY A oortEI>P.OTRtJTIONRESTI!?GONTOPOF 1-. SUPER STRUCTURE TH..;THUSTBE THO HUHORED YJ\RDSI??DIAMETER. IT IS J~HODD BALL TYPE OF M;..C!IINETl~.TKE:SE:·!BL!:SNOTHINGEVE?.F.£PORT!:O 1'0Tl!E PRESS OR SCI-FI BUFFS. DOCTO~ zr::us.sCOULDHAVEDESIGNCO -!T I FO?. A.r..I.OFITSCOLO?..E'ULECCENTRICITIES.LIGHTBEA:-1SSTABDOZENSOF YAP.DS I~ EVI:RYDim:cTIO~JFROM A TIIOUSi\l!DPORTLIKEOPE~!INGS.Pi\R'!'Y L:GHTS REVO!,V!::A.not.mo·ITSDUTCI!rERI!lE~!:nS.OOZt:?rSOFSTROBECE~i!C.!:S ST!!tGTH~ !:".:.'ES.ITISSUCHI',TASTE!.ESS'llIZZl~R~i\NOInPoss:BLEOEV:CE TI!.Z\.T.ITDOE:St~'TSZEHLIKEITSiIOliLDDEREAL..LETA!.,ONECAPABLZ0.: FLYI~lG.

--·· HILD BILL

I'd give up half my commission to kno~ the ultr~physics of that sucker.

LACO~SE . (breathless wit~ wdrds) I believe they are brenking the second law of thercodynamics right before our very eyes.

, ANGLE - FI.ELD't·;QR!<E!tS

..

They watch with a r'1reas!:iortmentofincredulous e~pressions. One man s43ems-tobe crj•ing.Other!:istepbackwards a!ithis flyirigcarni\~al ca.:twheelsover the box cilnyonand gets ready to set itself cown inthe middle of the concourse.

T9~ CUBOIOS th~t ac~ as lnnding co-o=din~nts ~;nin change color.This ti:\leahazy blue. l'I!Et-1o·rm~nSUI!)l\ckno\.rlcclgesbyioit'1tingtheeriss- c=oss blue light p~t~e=n ~11 along her underbelly. Or.caagain, the :cboitlsre-set.~ different value and configu~~tion ~ll tog~tncr.·The r-~OTIIEn.SHIPfollowssuit'1nc.lSOUNOLCSSL'."l:Jcginsu.p-::!rfeetclE:ara.ii: approach. I

(

J.J.~

..· \ '

CL')SE - G.:U:.ct-mousr:

l!cJ.vingarri,,ed.::.tthebot~omofthe canyon. tteis ·watchingall or thi~ only fifty feet behind the3first row of scic:ntificpersonnel.

'I Even as MOTHER SlIIris touching down her external P.A. system sings o~t a short melodic arrangement.

Jeun Claude is breathless and harcly able to speak but smiles through h adreniia:i.rush at Wild Bill and I.acorn~~-

JEA!1CLAUDE It's a beautiful hello like Mozart•

WILD ijlLL Hello them back.like Merle Haggard.

JEAN CI.J\UDE (to musician engineer} .

twice.

Themusician nods and with.trembling hands repeats the greeting we just hearc i~ amino= key. Repeats it again.

I

~~ ANGLE - GRZENHUUSE ··- ' He is careful not·to be seen but wants d~sperately to ~et a·closer look. J~ starts forward nonchalantly. A hundred frozin human hea~s st!ll. block his view.

DCST_is rising i~ a 15 foot circle and a technician steps into the area t= i:nvestigate.He tak.esa short ·bounceon the balls of his faet and a~ if on a trampoline, sails seven feet in the air.

I I TECHNICil\N 'I

Got a negative gravity zone ••• about 30%.

' l11st:urnentsandgauges are ~ushed to the spot to probe, measure and ,I document.

't'heyforr.tastraightline nnd enti:!rthei·tOTncnSiII!'th:ouqht!ner.see:-. cpening. .i\lli:.still.Nol.:-odyevend~:-esmovea mt.u~cic.Thequiet. I grows l\nn,.arving.D!J.'\STI'NCrROH'l'IIEMOTli!:::':?.Slt!PCOMEFIVEMUSIC:\!.·:c:;Es.

C

Antl everybotlyjust about jumps out of their clothes. I (( CLOSZ - It-!SIOJ:·rHEco~,iPUT.CRVl\N

The computar di;est~ the~~ tones nnd prints out the me~sage. A ycang 'i t~chnician speaks into~ pencil mike.

YOUNG C0!1PUTERTE:Cl!NICIAN Greetings. Greetings. Uello. Hello.

l·7ILDDILL ·· (out of the corner of his mouth) I thought we went through all that. ,,

,I Lacor.t.:>eshr~gs.Helocks to Jean Claude. Jean Claude sh..-ugsnndlocks to the musician engineer. •

The Yamana beats back the simp~e greeting.

I ELASTim; OUT O:'THE F!.ASH!NGMOTHER SHIP CO~lESANOTHE?.S'ZRIESOF UO:'ES THIS TIME IN INTERVALS il.N!:>RH'!THM. (( ...,"'---

LACOMBE: (hearing this) I don't get it.

tl' WILO BILL

Give it back to them. Note for note.

II T~e musician at the Yamaha doesn't understand any of t~is either. He c!oeswhat 'he'stold. THIS TIME 'l'HE!tEARE·rm::SAMENOTESDUT Tllt i?.lI:lT:C·l :'.?-10THEINTERVALSSOUNDNORE ENTHUSIASTIC.

- ;,m:;L:E:-TI!!MOTIIERsn:a,

/,llif.still. I.lLJ\STINGFP.OMTHEMOT!!EnSIII?J\Gi 1,INCONESTHE:st...:,,zt-JO'rEs

I

(

t

..' \ LACO!-t!3:':

I

(to Yamaha musician)

(( Ag~in. Turn up your volume.

The Yamaha returns the volley of music.

·rHEMOTI-iE:nSll!PRr:PEATSHERSELF£VENBEFORE YA!-IAHAISFINISHED •.

Yarna~arepeats th~ g.:-eetingsteppingon MOTHER SHIP's last notes. ?·lOTHER·SHI?ove:lapsthe last two notas at the end of the Yamaha

and repeats herself. ~amaha cuts off MOTP.ERSHI? s last th.:ee not~s _and,·my God, they are actually jaming.

Everythin; stops - ! You could hear someone swallow. The Yamaha ~usician looks over his shoulder for instructions. He is shining with sweat.

The coneition of light inside the MOTHER SHIP is only slightly better than looking point ~lank into a sodium vapor sear~hlight.

I Everyone adj~sts his polaroids as the rising light ~rawls up their leg to thei= faces ar.dwhites out all expr~ssion. :(; ':'HE?.EISAFIGURE:"ST~NDINGIN A FLOOD 0: BACK!..IG!-rTSOHARSHTfl:'\T!T CAtiS.ESI!·L:..GEDISTORTION,MAl~I!-!GTHE:FIGUREAP?:E:ARLI:,~PIPECLE1\l -iZ?.S N T:iESHAP:::Or).R:·1SAl~DLEGS.

':'HE.FIGURE3EG!!!STOHOVE FORN.;?..OOUTOFTHE l-!OTHERS!'!IP,Gri.IN!NG l~OSTURZAND GIRTH ;..HD••••

IT LOOKS HU:-Lll.N.AR!·lSANDLEGSANOWEARINGAN OUTOATE~ UNITED STATES I I NAVY FL.;KJACKET.

C!..OSE-GR!:ENHOUSE ' I

1-tehasfound an opening in the sideline c=owd and sees ••••••

Lacombe tu:ns to a · rnanseatednextto him.

L1,COMBE C~n you tell who i~ is yet?

I. '!'hemanseated ne~:tto him quickly lool-:snt the figure t.hrou;hu.~~':. of tripod binoculars. In f:ont of him isa po~;t:erboarclwith'l'WOm::-;:·F'.: ( SNAPSHOTS OF PEO!'LE'SFAC~S. He speed sca:'\sth~ photos. \

-~

SPEED ~C1\NN~R Charles ·1·nylor,.tJ.s.!-:•l!ijZ1.ck~clDecember S.th,194~, so~th of C:hic};cnShoals,Dermuda.

WIDi:1\NGLE- THE !-lf.!::T!NG

Wild Bill steps forward to greet the man.

Taylor has a eupho=ic ease irithe manner inwhich he speaks. H~ is surprised by none of this. EIGHT OTI!!:RFIGURESAPP~;..R!N THE OPENING OF ·TH::!-!OTHERSHIP.l\llofthem a:e young Naval Ai:-rnenand are dressed in post WWII flying outfits.

Wile - Billbeginsshaking their hands. All of them are·mil~ly at ~ase about being back home •

.........

•7\DOZENOTI!E:RSAPPEARAT '!'HESH!?'SOPEN!i.JG.;~FEH \·;Qi-lEUi.JOi·l,.=.1.1J. MOSTLY H!:i-c.AND.EE:r'CR.ETOOLom;AVf;RIT,\DI..EEXODUSOFHUi·l.At-15COi·!E POURING OU'!'OFTHE NO~nEK SH!P ;..NDI:iTO'+'HEt-~OHI!;GEVJ::~!t-iG.

THE HOTSER SHIP REl'EA'l'SH.!::R'l'ONEPOEH.THEYlu -1''\r..A?.£~·EATSf!!S;.~:vTH~ HUSIC GIVES ?0:-1:!?i\!H:>CEPJ::HONYTOTHE "IU.:TURNitiG.HUSONtRSOFTii·lE.

Every scientist and technician who can leave their ~osts doe~ sc to shake hands with th~ heroes. It is a·welcome h~rnec~lebratio~ only slightly sub~ued in _theenormous presen~e of the MOTHER SHI?.

(ciurinahand2:1hc:ikes) Einstein was probably one of the1~i. (back tu the P.O.T.'s) Graetings. Enjoy the trip? So:nefun, huh? Conc;r.n~ulations!

,

'

Three i•iED!CALl'E~SONSarewaving the evacue:~stoward th~ waitin-; c""rgohelicoptor!ipa=l:eclontht:g=D.~_zy_outski:;:ts. l

r ' N!::D!CALOFE'ICr:ns \

Ger.tle:nen.Debriefing is tili~way ••• right· this wa':J·.·Oel.iriefingoverhere.

I

CLOSE - ~P.EENHOUS£

1:e is j~st one of the crowd now. He appears a little touched, but final~y and quietly at;home. liestops as five 1-iavalAirmenarrive next to a Goodhew A.~~ulance.One young flyer steps by the iicen~e plate.

~0!.iNGFLYER This is a joke right?

CLOS:::-LACOKSE -··· He turns, \.,"atchirigthisandbecomingve=y inte;-ested.·

YOu~G FL~ER · It says '76'.

MEDICAL CrFICI::R Debriefing over here gentlemen ... right this way.

YOUNG·FLYER (suddenly lost & frightened) But it can't be '76'. My wife's waiting for me in PalrnBeach. I have child=en in Florida.

l-IEDICi\LOFFICER You'll know·more at the debriefing.

1\!~GU:-FIVC li!·!!lULAm:::s-:..owS~OT

All of thG license pl~tes say '7G'. Just as suddenly hclf a dozen hand~ e.iterthe shot and pres:;adhesive tape over the yea=. ( I._

t

L"'l.C0t·i3:Sr..W!LD·BILL

(

WILD llILi. You can ~~~e dawn your riudic calenders. Recordetlhistory starts right here• ..

'But·Lacombe is watching something beyond Wild Bill•

CLOSE - CREEt1HOUSE

Ncrman wan~ers by a l~rge tent and peeks in.

I INTERIOR·- TENT - cm:.ENHOUSE··s.I>.o.V.

A Catholic Priest is adr.\inisteringl~st rites to a s-roupa nine youn; men wea:ing hospital type angel robes. Twenty I~ores~ilcrly clad boys.are sitting 6n wooden benches with their heads bowed in thc~;ht, praye: o: meditation.

TEE;SOUND O:'R.E;V!!~Gli.::.:t.:::coPTERSP.O'I'ORSOVERRIDESTHEC!L'\?lTINGOE'Lr.S': nI=zs.

i\NGLZ:-GrmEHHOUSE

Iled~cks out of the tent anc b~~ps into Lacoml:.ewho·hasbeen stan~i;.~ right behind hi~.

LACO~!BE (paternally) lfaat is it you want N':)rman?

Graenhouse is not st~rtled by hi~. He gives no inclicaticnof looking -fora way to eccape. He simply smiles up at Lacombe and Sil~·sinthe Ii _ingenuousmanner:

GREENIIOtJSE Iwant to know.that it's really hap?ening.

FIV!:~ON!C C110?..CSl3~STOUTF!tO~'l't!El-10'.!'IIERSI!I!'.Laeombea·nd Greenhouse turn.

·uIGUANCL~ - ALL

Somethins else is coming out of the carnival cra!t. I Tn:y IIti:1.1\NOIDI!t."'\C!::!;CCLLCC'l'INTm:nLn:t.INC'j'fiR!::!:liOL'O0:':!'1:Et:OT:!Er. Sll!P.T!l:i:YC.:\STLat.:,:;r;IGZ:l':~td':.F!~![!;IlADO: ·:s0'/!:~'!'I!C!!t,;M.1'\.!:c:,~:·1!t:~!~!~ AS T!II:IRNU:-~~!:!{S!N..:.'.~l::,\~:r:TOPEl'.!!i\i'S;\m.::~oru~b. '

,I ~·

The Y~~~ha music~~n is hn~dad ~ome complic~ted ~heet music and at !irst is too ~west:-uckto p~rforr.\.l\harshcorn.rnandfromso:r.ewherowithinthe :-;tunneclgath,~·~inglosser~shi::;fingersnnd·hestartstoplay the soi:ie-

Tlieblinding thrc~hold is j~med with th~.tiny occup~nt~.

The .Americans wait thi:tj,·yardsoutside•. ·I It looks li;:ea stat~doffuntil the Yo.m3.ha.mu:.;icea _sesandtheMOTHER SHIJ:res;,onds .withth:ee simple .B:.ASTS.Itis like the starters

m1E HUUOIU:OHtJ:-W!OIDOCCU:?ANTSLE.J\.VETHEMOTHERSF.IPANOFAH OUT" I~T i\L~ OIR!:CTIOI:S.T!!£iSEEHTO SE FLOATING TOWJ'.ROTHEAPPREI-:ENSIVEHUDDL!:: OF AME'.aICAflOFFIC!AL~·. ...

THBRE IS NO ORDER OR SYill-1:ETP.YI?tTHEIR:CEHJl..VIOR.THEY.'\RELI!~ECIULOr..!::N LET LOOSE IN A TOY FACTORY. Tr!EYSWA.'IU-1LIKEAUTSALLO'.':C:RT:iEFA:•iC¥ T·ER.~S':'~!ALa;P.r>t·1AP.EANOTHEFP.OZEU'ti?TIG?.T'SCIEt:TIFICPE~Otmi:L. TH!:YREACH OU'l'Af'!DTOUCHWI'!'HSPI?!DLYi1.R.~ST~·lIC~TUE!.E:~iGTEOFTHI:!~ Tl\PE?.EOPHYSIQtn:s.AFE:WOF TH!:AMERICAN TEP-"1B~E1\K",.::-:onu~rIHFE.11.!'•• Tl!ZYA?.E!)tiRSU!:OE!"TF.ECu"''!UOUSOCCU?ANTSt-n·:O.Cl..!·?MOVE,;ITH:'LOIO .,!1.:;nTz:irniGSPEE:O.t70~00Y!:."VERGi::TSAGOODLOOK1-::THEUr'ONAUTS.-THE MOTHE::'.SHI~ISTOO B?.!GHT~•.NOTHEY,AREIN SII.IlOC1::TTEIUMOSZPART. 'CPZATt!RIHAl-iuS'REACHOU'IA?10.FONDLE!..O'IIHGLY. . . • ··

SEV!R..~LOCCO?A?-;,:sAP.EE:O:PLO?.!:-TGT!I!:G~OI!lA!U:1-.SOFTHP.£~STATl:LY Oi:FIC!AI-STOOFR!GiiTE:NEOTO:C:VI:t~RE~!ST1'?.:CFOP.ZPLAY.

·THIS SHOULD BE 130THBE!~UTIFtiLA~IOOISTURSit-?G':OWATCH.AFEt·1?EOl'l.E CCNN:;:CT~::)t-lITI!THE:DEF..r\VIORI.i\LSC!ENC!:SAr.E'l'OlJCHINGBAC:<ANOtrrr.E~ THIS !~.?PZ?·iS,THEOCCUP.i\:lTSSEE:H';'0PEP.I\A~~!JSWOON.

CP-,Y:'ES0:COCA-CO!..AARI:OPEN::oDY" M!:HBEP.SOFTl!EWA~YG:aomiOcnEi·l ANO AS THOtJGHTHE OINN.tRDELL WE:ru=;mrnG,OOZE?-'!SOt:'OCCli?Al~'l·;;~GATllE?. i:.r~OUNO.o~;~BP~.VEC?.!:~·?\·:O:C-:ERPOPSTI-IE·j'IULLTCP;..~10HJ\N'OSAC~1TOA

1;/\!Z~t.Moacu:rc~sl\LLOVERTHEPLACE:IN THE HOST TUPJ-T£0Oi:1MANNC~ Ul.a.~U!1\!3LI::•.LAUGHit!C,TIIE:GROUNDCl'..!;;H'WOP.KERPOPSt·lOf'J::~'Oi?SANOPASSES '!'HEHOUTLI~ ·T!iZ"ltiE~GOING OUT OF STYLE•

Those twent:y~·oun;men in 'theirangel robes and carry:.nc:cuffle ~-~-:rs pa.racebravely 01.ttofthe tent headir.c;towarc:1theHO'IHE:R.SHIP.

Th~y p~ss i frightened Pri~st who is ~n his kn~es ganuflecting l1i~ vz::lvation.TtIR~l::T!H\'OCClT!'i\HTSCANDESE:l!HJUSTfir.YONOHii-1:?·!IT1'.'!!?1u HIS EV!:RY!IIOr;JSGF.STU!tEru 'I'I::rtFtc±U?;!SON.

·J

,I

·. ' :

1~?iGLE-LACO~lBE

neing r:iu::hrr.orerl?ce?tiveth.!nmostanyoneel_!.~,Lacombeis th~r:\Ost populc1.rrccipient:ofcreaturo b(:havior.!iei3 Grnothercd by two ciozon pairs of •feelc.=s'and is 1:cturningth,:gestur~s as ·fast as he can.· He looks \.ipand!ji':~ilcsto.1ardss.o:net:.hing.ilewaves.

CLOSE GP.E!::lHIOUSE

He is s1:'lilir,gback.C.A:·itnAPULLSAUAi"re~ealingthatGreenhouse is wearing a~ angel robe and rnarehin;toward TIIE1-lOTIIEP.SHIPwitr.the twenty young volunt~ers. WE IlAV:Cl!EVr:RSE:E:I·!1:IHsonLISSFliLl.Y.?.£S01.VE~

J.s·rnotmAUTS'FROn.I:t-:Tz:~:r.i.;G~!-!E!·lOTH!::~SHIP.l\.G;~GGL~OFHEWOCCCPl~·!TS SCl?.!1.CCNDGRZ~NHOUSE~.NOESC<.:~-rHIHTOWARD'l'HEASTHECEL!HBRIGHTOP!:?i- HG TO BE 'l'HE::'IF.STO?·l:SOAP.0.

SCIJ:!DT~\CJ<-MUS!C

We hear ~he oric-ir.al\0'srec::orc!inc;6~JI~lMil:YCRICY..ETsinqi:ig "~·!"':iENYOU\·:ISHUPO!i;._S°:i:'h?.".

JI1,.,~1ItffCRICKET When you wish ~~on.-a.sta=..• Hakes no difference w~o you are ••• J.nythin;~·our:heartdesires will·come to you.

F.NGLE- t-!OT:!!:RSr.IF

The i~side light burns briq~ter and b:i;h~c: as one after another the twenty volunteers disap?~ar into the brilliant cpeni~;.

GF.t!:N~cos:;TU?.:~s~!,Ct~ONE!-?\.STTI:1z1\H~LOCKSUPTOWAP..O~EEHOUl-iTA~N RIDGE.

JIH...!INYCRICl:.ET If ~-o,.1r?:eartisinyour d:ea.rns•••• No request is too extreme •••• · l·lhenyouwis!'\u~ona star as.dreamers do.

I!IGH7&.NCLE:-!l'UESI':CE

Greenhouse t!isappea:s intothe MOTHER SiaP as the oec~p.!.ntstouch ~nd brush and ~aross each other and everybody.

-· (

•

•.

cHonus Angels high -.she brings to those who·lova ~ the sweet f~lfillment"of.their secret longings.

HIGH JI.TOPWN1SUTTZR RIDGE

J!LLIA!-TSTJ\UDS?:OW.She looks ricwnat tht?plnyful, loving, frightened chaos and feels some of the fu1.lfillment• • • •Sherc:1.isesa ·mino:i-~ camera and tnkes themost impoj;"tnntphotograph·inthe history of the world!

nrJLLE:!!OCREDITS. . .1'.?10REPRISEO:'SC?iGOVERFIF:'EI:!·l!!IGS ltESOLU:!C~-:COLOR?i-iOTOGR.AJ?i-rSOFJ!l,L!l~~-i'S"I~~DIS~U'!'ld3L~PROOF".

'\.

..