"MARS ATTACKS!" (1996)

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MARS ATTActcs!

Original screenplay by Jonathan Gems

Rewritten by Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski

Suggested by images on "Mars Attacks" Topps Trading Cards

No portion of this script may be performed, reproduced, or used by any means, or quoted or published in any medium without the prior written consent of Warner Bros.

Producer: Larry-Franco FIFTH REVISED DRAFT Director: Tim Burton

November 12, 1995

WARNER BROS. © 1995 4000 Warner Boulevard WARNER BROS. Burbank, California 91522 All Rights Reserved

MARS ATTACKS!

FADE IN:

A farmhouse (with porch,garden and outbuildings) over- looks a two-lane road. Across the road is a wide empty field -- deep in shadow. All is quiet.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "4 MILES OUTSIDE LOCKJAW, KENTUCKY. TUESDAY, MAY 9 - 6:57 P.M."

The sound of a TRACTOR is heard approaching. An old tractor comes INTO VIEW, driven by an elderly HILLBILLY FARMER.

MR. LEE, a Filipino in his late 40s, comes out of a side door of the farmhouse. He is carrying garbage.

He goes down the path to the trash cans next to the mail- box. He waves to the Hillbilly, approaching on the tractor.

The Hillbilly comes to a stop. He frowns and wrinkles his nose.

Mr. Lee sniffs. He can smell it too.

The THUNDEROUS ROAR of a thousand head of STAMPEDING CATTLE becomes audible in the distance.

The RUMBLING ROAR GETS CLOSER. It's coming from behind the house. The sound becomes DEAFENING. The ground shakes.

1 CONTINUED:

HRS. LEE, her two children and dog run out of the house. The children are screaming. They join Mr. Lee at the tractor.

A herd of burning cows appear from behind the house and stampede across the garden -- like a river of flame. Mrs. Lee pulls her children up on to the tractor,

The cattle gallop past them and away across the wide field -- into the night.

Then there's a strange THROBBING NOISE.

In the distance, rising through the sky, is a flying saucer! The flying saucer shoots straight up at hyper-speed. For a moment it is a silver dot in the nightsky ... then it is gone.

START OPENING CREDITS.

The curve of the Earth BISECTS the SCREEN. We can see part of the continental United States -- much of it ob- scured by cloud-cover. A tiny silver dot appears through the stratosphere. The silver dot travels across inter- planetary space. Then the silver dot shoots out a flare.

3 EXT, SURFACE OF MARS 3

A crater opens up and a flying saucer rises out of it, Further off, another crater opens and a second flying saucer emerges. Then, more craters open and more saucers rise out of them. A hundred flying saucers ascend through the thin Martian atmosphere -- and enter the blackness of space.

SERIES OF SHOTS OF MARTIAN ARMADA

as it journeys through space. The planet Earth comes INTO VIEW.

END OPENING CREDITS.

,,,,,...._4 EXT. WHITE HOUSE -DAY

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "WASHINGTON, D.C. - MAY 10 - 11.25 A.M."

JAMES DALE -- the President of the United States, examines b&w photographs of the Martian fleet.

Watching him are PROFESSOR DONALD KESSLER -- a know-it- all British scientist. GENERAL DECKER, a four-star military hawk. GENERAL CASEY, a humanistic African- American general and JERRY ROSS -- a younger, eager and faintly sleazy press secretary.

5 CONTINUED: ·5 ,,,.....,

Looking critically at the room is FIRST LADY, HARSHA DALE. She is accompanied by a HALE DECORATOR and female assistant and trailed by her sullen, alienated, pretty 17-year-old daughter, TAFFY.

Swatches of different furnishing fabrics have been thrown over the furniture.

,,,.....,6 CONTINUED:

She turns her back on Taffy.

Las Vegas. We can see the Luxor, the Excalibur, theMGM Grand ...and Caesar's Palace.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "LAS VEGAS, NEVADA -TUESDAY, MAY 10 - 4:30 P.M.

A camera flashes. BYRON WILLIAMS, 55, is a big, gentle- manly African-American -- and the ex-heavyweight boxing champion of the world. He is dressed as a gladiator and works as the official greeter at Caesar's Palace Hotel. He is having his picture taken with three elderly NUNS. The Nuns are very excited.

NUN#l Thank you, thank you!

8 CONTINUED: ·s ,-...

NUN #2 I saw you fight Sonny Liston in '69!

NUN #2 Oh yes! We've always been fight fans -- haven't we, sisters?

NUNS #1 and #3 Oh yes!

He bows politely. The Nuns nod and smile.

Byron walks through the busy casino. At the slots, an ELDERLY SLOTS LADY plays three machines, clutching a plastic bucket of nickels. ART LAND and his wife, BARBARA, walk INTO FRAME.

Art is a hard-edged moneyman working on the biggest deal of his life. Barbara, his sexy, ex-model, trophy-wife is a recovering alcoholic who has recently embraced all things "New Age."

Byron goes to a blinking house phone. A CASINO MANAGER (Mr. Bava) is watching him suspiciously. Byron picks up the phone.

A big room divided into many small cubicles in which telephone operators, wearing headsets, answer 411 calls. In one of the cubicles is LOUISE WILLIAMS, a warm, sympathetic African-American woman in her forties. She is upset. On her workstation is a framed photograph of her twin sons Cedric and Neville (16).

INTERCUT.

The casino manager stares ferociously at Byron.

She presses a button on her console, terminating the call, and sighs.

CLOSEUP PHOTOS

of Cedric and Neville.

WASHINGTON) -DAY " CEDRIC is aiming an old pistol. He pulls the trigger. BLAM! A tin can flies off the low parapet wall. There are two other cans next to it.

He gives the pistol to Neville. They're both dressed in "gangstah" fashions.

Cedric watches as Neville grips the gun with both hands.

BLAM! Neville FIRES. The next can flies off the wall.

They low-five.

Sitting at a booth are Art and Barbara. He drinks a Scotch.

12 CONTINUED: · 12

A beautiful shot of Manhattan.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "NEW YORK CITY - TUESDAY, MAY 10 - 7:50 P.M."

I ,,,.....,14 INT. MTV STUDIOS AND CONTROL BOOTH - SAME TIME

On a TV screen a ROCK VIDEO SCREAMS. We PULL BACK revealing a row of identical TVs.

In a control booth, busy technicians prepare for a live show. A large sign says: "MTV UNPLUGGED." An anxious MTV CORPORATE GUY comes INTO FRAME, his CELLULAR PHONE RINGING. He flips it open.

Across the studio is the MTV newsdesk. Working at a desk- top computer is MTV reporter, NATHALIE WEST, 26. She is cute, sexy and hip. Her chihuahua dog -- Poppy -- sits on her desk. Nathalie glances over at the Corporate Guy and realizes something big is happening. She picks up the phone.

CNN -- a well-oiled, quietly humming news operation. Attractive, conceited CNN reporter JASON STONE, 32, is admiring himself up on a monitor.

His PHONE RINGS. He answers it, and Nathalie's voice shouts.

15 CONTINUED:

Jason's feelings are hurt.

Suddenly a door behind Jason opens. A CNN BOSS runs in.

TV

is full of static. Suddenly the presidential seal comes on. President Dale appears. He is trying to look relaxed: in an armchair, wearing his blue suit, in front of a roaring fire.

ANGLE ON JASON

and other CNN reporters crowding round a TV.

President Dale addresses a TV camera. Watching him are the First Lady, Jerry, Professor Kessler, Generals Decker and Casey, Mitch (the Secret Serviceman) and other White House staff. ·

16 CONTINUED: ,-..,

Jason and other CNN Reporters shout out their theories.

CNN REPORTER #1 He's not running for re-election!

CNN REPORTER f2 They've balanced the budget!

Taffy has papered the walls with posters of famous people who have committed suicide,or died tragically. Her favorite is Kurt Cobain. Taffy is sitting on her canopy bed, holding a teddy bear, eating Cheetos.

This is a small, white-trash town. The center of town is an intersection containing a gas station on one side and a mini-mall on the other. In the mini-mall is a donut shop.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "PERKINSVILLE, KANSAS - WEDNESDAY, MAY 10 - 5:32 P.M."

The donut shop is empty except for a ragged, dribbling, bearded HOMELESS MAN who's nursing a cold cup of coffee and reading an old newspaper. Behind the counter, a depressed HISPANIC WOMAN wiping the counter very slowly. At the back, near the sink -- surrounded by metal trays of raw donuts -- a man in his early 20s is watching an ancient b&w TV. This is RICHIE NORR.IS. He is wearing a Kurt Cobain T-shirt, smoking a joint and watching President Dale on TV.

A banner is stretched across the alley which states: "This area is under police surveillance." There is also a sign, which looks like a no-parking sign, but which simply has the word: "DRUGS" -- with a diagonal line through it. IN one corner of the alley, three young African-Americans are doing a drug deal. CEDRIC and NEVILLE are sitting by some dumpsters, smoking cigarettes and listening to a GHETTO BLASTER. The PRESIDENT'S VOICE comes out of every station they try.

People sit in rows looking up at the large TV screens which usually show horse racing but now all show the face of President Dale. The Casino Manager watches, standing by a poster announcing: "TOM JONES - LIVE AT CAESAR'S PALACE" -- with a photo of Tom Jones and the play-dates: "May 11-20." Cindy, the waitress, stands with a tray of drinks, watching the big screens. Next to her is Byron.

Everyone's jaw drops.

The newsroom is chaos. Everybody runs around, crazed. Jason barks orders.

More chaos. Nathalie screams into the phone.

Every single gambler is glued to a TV. Forgotten at the craps table is an obnoxious RUDE GAMBLER with a toupee. He holds dice in his hand.

The beautiful but sad Barbara watches TV in her lavish modern house, with its "New Age" decor -- candles, etc.

Her eyes are shining. She is breathless with excitement.

DAY

On the perimeter fence is an advertising board -- showing an artist's rendition of the completed hotel -- and the words: "Coming soon! THE GALAXY HOTEL AND CASINO. Another LandMark Hotel." Beyond it is the real hotel - - partially built -- the only completed section being its tower, crowned by a saucer-shaped restaurant.

Art is watching TV in his unfinished office. On a table is a scale model of the hotel. A sign says: "Art Land's GALAXY HOTEL."

,....

The President addresses the cameras.

Taffy watches TV ..•

The Presidential Seal appears on the TV.

NIGHT

The casino is strangely quiet. Nobody speaks.

Early dawn. A closed-up newsstand.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "NEW YORK - THURSDAY, MAY 11 - 5:26 A.M."

A truck goes by. A pile of tied-together newspapers lands with a thump on the sidewalk. It's The New York Times. The headline, accompanying one of the pictures of the Martian fleet, is: "EXISTENCE OF INTERPLANETARY LIFE CONFIRMED." ·ROAR of a second TRUCK. Whap! A second pile of newspapers lands on the sidewalk. This time it's The Post -- with the same picture on its front page -- and the headline: "MARTIANS! ! ! ! "

,...._

Jason and Nathalie are having breakfast and devouring the papers. Jason reads the New York Times -- Nathalie reads The Post.

The PHONE RINGS. POPPY BARKS.

She hangsup and resumes reading her paper. Jason looks at her impatiently.

JASON

Poppy seems to smile. Jason sulks.

,,,,..... A small trailer park off a dirt road. Outside a battered trailer, surrounded by a yard filled with junk including a dusty red pickup -- is a big old refrigerator.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "PERKINSVILLE - THURSDAY, MAY 11 - 9:37A.M."

The trailer door opens. Richie Norris comes out, opens the fridge, takes out a box of donuts and goes back into the trailer.

Assembling the component parts of a rifle at high speed.

NEW ANGLE

BILLY-GLENN NORRIS, 28, (a meathead) is blindfolded and shirtless. His father, GLENN NORRIS, 52, a farm laborer, is timing him with a stop watch.

Billy-Glenn pulls off his blindfold.

SUE-ANN NORRIS, the mother, 48, overweight, wearing a slip, her hair in curlers, is reading a story in the Weekly World News. It features photos of burning cattle and of the Lee family. Headline: "Kentucky Fried Cattle!" Caption: "Aliens did this to my cows!" GRANDMA NORRIS (88) sits in a corner. She is senile. Sue-Ann absently wipes the spittle from her chin.

On TV it's the news. Newscasters are full of the Martian story and showing the Hubble photographs. Billy-Glenn's army uniform is hanging on the wall. Richie stands at the door, holding the box of donuts.

35 CONTINUED:

Richie passes around the box. They all take one.

They ignore her.

Glenn burps.

ESTABLISHING·SHOT of the Galaxy Hotel and the construc- tion site.

Two builders are putting up a plaster-board wall.

Art is on the phone.

•

whole building full of that virtual reality shit. This is gonna be the best hotel in Vegas!

The exclusive Georgetown Golf Course. Humorless General Decker and three fellow MILITARY BRASS are golfing.

MILITARY BRASS fll So what'd the President say?

MILITARY #2 George Bush would never let this happen.

Decker glances sideways at the goofy caddies. He gestures -- and the military guys step over. Decker lowers his voice.

Cedric and Neville are looking in the window of a gun store.

39 CONTINUED: ·39

Three HOOKERS stroll by, chatting.

HOOKER #1 So would you screw a man from Mars?

HOOKER #2 Yeah -- but no kissin' on the lips.

A black limo pulls up. The girls run over, and the back window glides down.

HOOKER #1 Hey, baby, you want a date?

The Hooker leans in and we see Jerry in the back of the limo. He smiles.

In the blackjack pit, Cindy takes drink orders.

Byron Williams walks by in his gladiator outfit. He approaches the Casino Manager.

40 CONTINUED: ·40

Byron pauses uncomfortably.

I

I

Byron is taken aback.

The Casino Manager walks away. Byron is crestfallen.

The DIRECTOR and a TECHNICIAN sit at the control desk, observing the floor of the studio -- where a makeup per- son is touching up Nathalie and Kessler -- who are seated in a small, jazzy set.

41 CONTINUED:

DAY

Poppy lies in her lap.

Nathalie finds the intellectual Kessler extremely attractive.

Kessler finds her extremely attractive, too.

An ASSISTANT DIRECTOR signals them.

The makeup person hurries off. The Assistant Director signals Nathalie. She spins perkily to camera.

42 CONTINUED: ·42 ,,,__

The President, the First Lady, and Rusty the dog are watching TV. ON TV: Kessler is speaking.

The apartment is cheap, but neat and clean. Louise is watching TV and drinking a cup of coffee. The door opens and Cedric and Neville shamble in -- and head for their room.

Cedric and Neville look at their mother reluctantly.

Overlapping --

44 CONTINUED: ·44 ,-....

CEDRIC/NEVILLE No, Mama.

Hlii-i~•~&:!d¢Ll&QiCSJ.___

:..:*t:t28~,

,,,.....

CEDRIC/NEVILLE No, Mama.

CEDRIC/NEVILLE No, Mama.

Nathalie and Kessler chuckle together and exchange sparkling glances.

Jason watches the TV with two·other CNN reporters.

Reporter #1 shrugs. "What can you do?"

f

tremendously exciting. We're on the brink of a Copernican change -- a new Renaissance. Think of

I it! The knowledge, the new

ideas! It's going to change

I

everything. And we must be open to it. Embrace it! After all,

,

we are being given a very, very big present.

Suddenly the monitor flashes and the image of Nathalie and Kessler gets distorted. The DIRECTOR freaks.

DIR£CTOR Oh, Christ! What's wrong with the picture? Go to camera two!

CREWMAN #1 (pounding a button) I can't. It's busted!

The picture gets more distorted. Suddenly a PHONE RINGS! CREWMAN #2 grabs it, listens, then turns pale.

CREWMAN #2 It's engineering. Something's jammed our signal!

They all turn to the monitor, helpless. The pixels on the TV start changing.

ON TV. Bit by bit, a new image appears ...

47 CONTINUED: ·47

He gets up and fiddles with the TV, trying to fix it.

Maybe it's the cable?

Jason looks around the back of the TV -- nothing. He pounds the TV with his fist. The head and shoulders of a Martian come into focus. Behind him is a large Martian flag. This is the Martian Ambassador. His head resembles a human skull -- but with an enormously swollen brain -- and vivid crimson eyeballs.

(shocked) What's~?

Byron and Cindy are staring at the bar TV -- as are also a bartender and six tourists.

Byron's reaction is cool -- almost a statement.

Taffy is on her bed, now hung with sheets so it's like a tent. She peers out.

Richie, smoking a joint, watches the TV at the back of the shop.

50 CONTINUED: ·50

The depressed Hispanic woman is behind him, eating a donut.

The President and the First Lady are watching TV, Their pet GOLDEN RETRIEVER, Rusty, GROWLS at the screen.

The scary Martian talks.

The DOG, Rusty, WHIMPERS and hides behind the sofa.

FIRST LADY

,-... (appalled)

I do not want that thing in my house.

Nathalie, Kessler, the makeup person, the cameraman and the Assistant Director are gaping at the studio monitor -- showing the Maritan. Nathalie clutches Kessler, frightened. He puts his arm around her.

CONTINUED: -52 ,..... 52

Kessler is puzzled.

ON TV MONITOR

The Martian bows. Then he draws a big circle in the air.

Richie and the silent Hispanic woman are watching the b&w TV and sharing his joint.

Suddenly -- flash! -- the Martian is gone. STATIC.

A crowd watches the big screens of the sports hall stunned. The static is replaced by Nathalie and Kessler, clutching one another. POPPY is BARKING angrily.

The Reporters are crazy with excitement about the Martian. They all talk at once. Jason watches Kessler and Nathalie onscreen as they disentangle from one another.

Three easels hold charts. Chart#1 is a bad drawing of a Martian measured in centimeters. Chart #2 has photos of Martian flying saucers. Chart#3 is a drawing of Mars and Earth with connecting lines and vectors.

Professor Kessler speaks -- using a pointer.

30 •

I• 56 CONTINUED: ·56

I friend is a carbon-based life-form.

Two:· he breathes nitrogen and

I Three: the large cerebrum, here .••

(points) ••• indicates telepathic potential.

I Seated at the conference table are the President, Jerry, Generals Decker and Casey and DOCTOR ZEIGLER, a German linguistics expert. t

' KESSLER

Potentially, yes.

Decker scowls all the way through the meeting. He is not happy. ,...._

Kessler stands to one side, as Zeigler crosses to where an elaborate computer is set up.

,..... 56 CONTINUED (2) ·56

He flicks a switch and the video terminal blinks on.

He presses a button and the voice of the Martian Ambassador is heard. Doctor Zeigler adjusts some controls. Computer tapes revolve, and then a synthesized voice speaks.

The men try to puzzle out a meaning. Decker looks around

confused and idignant.

Doctor Zeigler scratches his head. Everyone is baffled.

An A.A. meeting is in progress. Twenty recovering alcoholics sit in folding chairs listening to Barbara, standing up front. They are all smoking cigarettes.

57 CONTINUED: -57

Everyone claps.

She smiles triumphantly, tearfully. The crowd cheers.

At the bus stop, Billy-Glenn is dressed in the uniform of an army Private. He loads his duffel bag into the baggage hold. The Norris family and his girl friend are seeing him off.

Richie shakes his hand.

58 CONTINUED: ·58

,,..._ He gets on. The bus door closes and the bus drives away. The Norris family turn and start off down the road -- with Sue-Ann pushing GRANDMA's wheelchair.

The Girl Friend glances at him, through tear-streaked eyes.

Richie stares at the ground, gloomy. He's had this all his life.

58 CONTINUED: (2) ·58

Grandma is seat-belted into the passenger seat of the red pickup. Richie is very fond of his grandmother.

(Typical of senility, Grandma will suddenly have lucid moments -- like this one.)

She starts to slip away again.

Richie sighs and concentrates on driving.

The pickup drives through the gateway to the retirement home. A sign announces: "LAWRENCE WELK RETIREMENT HOME."

Richie and an Asian nurse (MRS. DONG) push Grandma in the wheelchair through a lounge filled with old people watching the Lawrence Welk show on TV.

They go down the corridor and stop outside a door. The Nurse opens the door with a key and Richie and Grandma go in.

The room -- which overlooks a garden peopled with geriatrics -- is cluttered with Grandma's memories including her favorite cat, Muffy -- now stuffed.

Grandma wheels herself over to the record player. The record on the turntable is "SLIM WHITMAN AND HIS SINGING GUITAR -- VOLUME TWO." She TURNS itON.

Grandma, with trembling hands, drops the needle on the disc.

,-... RICHIE

If you need anything any donuts or anything -- call me, okay?

Slim Whitman sings: "I'M CASTING MY LASSO TOWARDS THE SKY." Grandma closes her eyes and smiles blissfully.

A line of cars is being checked through the White House gate.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "WASHINGTON, D.C. - FRIDAY, MAY 12 - 9:28 A.M."

Jerry is facing a crowded press conference.

,,,,,...._65 CONTINUED:

He points at Jason -- who has his hand up.

Jerry points to a JOURNALIST in Armani suit and glasses.

The President comes on to the podium, and Jerry steps down.

Many Journalists have their hands up. He points to an ASEXUAL-LOOKING WOMAN.

Byron, in jogging clothes, is sitting at the kitchen table, leafing through a scrap-book of press clippings. He has just finished a micro-waved, single-man's meal -- and sips from a beer bottle.

ON SCRAP BOOK

As he turns the pages, we see press clippings reporting his triumphant bouts with fighters like Joe Frazier, Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali.

66 CONTINUED: ·66

Byron turns to the last page -- which contains a small clipping stating: "Ex-champ arrested for spousal abuse." He sighs deeply and closes the book.

Byron is jogging down the street.

Suddenly a dark limo glides around the corner and begins tailing him. Byron glances back. The car inches closer.

Wary but unafraid, Byron suddenly stops. The limo pulls up ... and Art Land leans out, grinning charmlessly.

Byron raises an eyebrow.

Art and Byron sit in back.

,,,..., 68 CONTINUED: "68

A screen is filled with racing numbers.

Three NASA men and General Decker crowd around the radar.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "WASHINGTON, D.C. - SATURDAY, MAY 13 - 4:58 A.M."

A sleepy President Dale, Generals Decker and Casey -- and Professor Kessler are gathered. The President is in his bathrobe.

70 CONTINUED: ·70

General Decker turns red with outrage.

Decker storms down the corridor.

A door opens. Taffy sleepily pokes out, in a nightgown, rubbing her eyes. ,,,,..._

Jason, Nathalie and Poppy are sound asleep. Suddenly the PHONE RINGS. POPPY springs up and BARKS. Jason fumbles for the phone.

He slams down the phone and leaps from the bed. He yanks a suit from the closet. Nathalie groggily turns over.

72 CONTINUED: ·72

The PHONE RINGS again. POPPY BARKING. Nathalie answers it.

She hangs up and smiles -- pleased.

The desert is silent. A cactus stands alone. Suddenly a LOW WHIR... and MILITARY HELICOPTERS rise from behind the dunes! They soar in through the bright blue sky. Across the desert ARMY VEHICLES SPEED across the sand.

IN JEEP - GENERAL CASEY

rides in back. He talks proudly into a military phone.

A line of cars moves along a desert road --past a sign saying: "WELCOME TO PAHRUMP."

In a Mercedes is Barbara.

The helicopters arrive at the landing sight. Soldiers hastily erect barriers around the perimeter. Private Billy-Glenn hammers a fence-post into the ground. A giant banner is being erected: "Welcome To Earth.

General Casey confers with two COLONELS, one Hispanic, one white.

The Colonels salute smartly.

Doctor Zeigler is assembling his translating computer. General Casey strides INTO VIEW.

General Casey gazes up at the sky.

HIS POV

The sun -- shining brightly.

OUTSIDE BARRIER

a crowd of civilians gathers. They all radiate excited anticipation. Inside the barrier a stage has been erected -- on which a military band is tuning up.

Barbara Land is sitting, cross-legged, on the roof of the car, inside a circle of stones, candles and smoldering sage. She is chanting her mantra.

Media trucks and reporters get ready. Nathalie stands on the MTV truck. Poppy peeks out of her pocket.

Nearby, Jason stands on the CNN truck, speaking into camera.

SERIES OF SHOTS OF CROWD ,-, including a kid wearing an "alien" hat --with antennae.

ON Jason through TV monitor.

Barbara meditates on top of her car. A strange, unearthly NOISE makes her look round •..

A MAN IN A WHEELCHAIR looks round and points up.

·79

79 CONTINUED:

All heads turn. A child clings to his mother and gapes. Nathalie West stares. Scores of video cameras get whipped out. Sound of approaching SPACESHIP GETS LOUDER.

SPACESHIP'S POV

a BIRD'S-EYE VIEW of the landing site -- which is ringed by stationary helicopters.

BACK TO SCENE

Soldiers gaze upward -- motionless, awed. Billy-Glenn's jaw drops.

HIS POV

The flying saucer blocks out the sun.

BACK TO SCENE

The spaceship descends. Its crablike landing gear unfolds. In the crowd everybody stares.

ON GENERAL CASEY

speaking into a walkie-talkie.

WIDE SHOT - LANDING SITE

The helicopters lift off as the massive saucer descends.

VIEW FROM GROUND

the descending spaceship, surrounded by ascending helicopters -- a kind of aerial ballet.

Barbara, her candles lit and incense burning, gazes awestruck. The massive saucer settles on the ground. The ENGINES speed up to a high-pitched WHINE, then CUT OFF. There is no motion. It is ominously quiet.

,,,...,. The Hispanic Army Colonel speaks into a walkie-talkie.

The President, First Lady, Taffy, General Decker, Jerry, I and Professor Kessler gawk at the TV. Rusty, the dog, I sits at the President's side.

Nathalie is standing on top of the MTV truck -- micro- phone in one hand, the other hand trying to control her hat. A cameraman is filming her. They are parked near ,,...._ the barrier -- surrounded by onlookers. Suddenly, a deep THROBBING comes from the spaceship. The crowd murmurs.

A GRINDING of GEARS. The spaceship DOOR SLIDES open and a ramp glides out and extends downwards.

ON JASON

talking to camera.

The crowd gasps.

ON NATHALIE

General Casey stares in wonder.

83 CONTINUED: ·83

The ramp reaches the ground and stops. Everybody peers at the empty doorway. The MARTIAN AMBASSADOR appears. He wears a perspex dome over his.megacephalic head, breathing apparatus and a long red cloak. There's a sharp intake of breath from the crowd.

The Martian Ambassador comes down the ramp, followed by twelve Martian guards. Jason and Nathalie are too stunned to speak.

SERIES OF SHOTS - PEOPLE WATCHING SCENEON TV

84 RICHIE 84

watching TV.

85 CAESAR'S PALACE BAR 85

Byron watching TV.

86 PRESIDENT'S DOG 86

RUSTY -- BARKING at the TV.

87 TROOPS 87

are "on parade." The Martian guards come off the ramp and spread out opposite them. General Casey steps forward and extends his hand. The Martian Ambassador reacts with suspicion, folding his arms across his chest. It's a dangerous moment. Then General Casey has an idea. He draws a big circle in the air.

The Martian Ambassador relaxes, steps forward and starts speaking.

Zeigler twirls some knobs, presses a button, and the COMPUTER SPEAKS.

"i" SYNTHESIZED VOICE (V.O.)

Greetings. I am the Martian Ambassador.

87 CONTINUED: · 87

(takes a breath) Greetings. I am General Casey, Commanding Officer of the Armed Forces of the United States of America. On behalf of the people of Earth -- Welcome!

The President and his group are pleased.

Decker snorts derisively.

,,,..._ Doctor Zeigler translates Casey into Martian. The crowd waits expectantly, Jason holds his breath. The Martian Ambassador speaks! Billy-Glenn is in awe. Doctor Zeigler hits buttons, translating the Martian once again.

SHOTS OF CROWD

delighted. General Casey beams, The Colonels smile.

Barbara throws up her arms ecstatically,

The kid with the "alien" cap starts applauding, Every- body starts applauding. A HIPPIE is joyful.

91 CONTINUED:

He pulls out a white dove and tosses it into the air. The applause increases. The people clap harder. The dove flies over the Martians. The Martian Ambassador looks worried. The dove approaches. Its reflection ap- pears in the Martian Ambassador's dome. He pulls out a RAYGUN and FIRES! The dove erupts in flames and drops, charred, to the ground. There is a stunned silence. General Casey's eyes widen.

GENERAL CASEY

•I Get down!

The Martian Ambassador BLOWS a hole in General Casey's stomach! All the Martians start SHOOTING! The two Colonels and Doctor Zeigler are disintegrated. The Hippie stops clapping as he combusts. A Martian fires ' his flame-thrower-like weapon at a frightened rattlesnake. A Martian with a WEAPON shaped like a • tennis racket FIRES light-rings at a TANK -- BLOWING it • UP.

President Dale and the First Lady gape in horror.

ON TV

Martians FIRING. People running for their lives, screaming in panic.

A Martian FIRES at a HELICOPTER flying overhead. It EXPLODES.

The Martian Ambassador sweeps up the ramp and disappears into the spaceship. Billy-Glenn aims his pistol at a Martian.

He FIRES. The bullet bounces off the body armor of the Martian, who turns to face Billy-Glenn.

He turns and grabs a nearby American flag -- and offers it to the Martian.

93 CONTINUED: ,,,,....,_

The Martian raises his RAYGUN. The CNN cameraman sees this and pans over -- just as Billy-Glenn and his flag get HIT. We see Billy-Glenn explode THROUGH the viewfinder.

Nathalie dithers on top of her camera truck, clutching Poppy. A Martian FIRES -- the TRUCK is BLOWN over. Nathalie is thrown to the ground. Jason jumps off his camera truck and crawls to where Nathalie is lying, unconscious.

She opens her eyes. She's alive!

He reaches out to take her hand. Nathalie moves her hand towards his.

CLOSE ON THEIR TWO HANDS

clasping.

A Martian steps INTO VIEW and FIRES. WHOOSH! Jason's flesh evaporates. He becomes a skeleton. Nathalie screams! She is holding Jason's severed hand! She drops it. Poppy runs INTO FRAME, grabs the hand in her mouth and trots away with it.

A Martian SHOOTS --hitting a soldier. He falls. Before he dies, he FIRES --and hits the MARTIAN in the head. His dome cracks open and fills with gas. He SQUEAKS and staggers ...

Glenn and Sue-Ann Norris watch TV -- shocked.

Louise, Cedric and Neville watch TV -- amazed.

A crowd at the bar, including Art and Cindy, watch the destruction on TV, open-mouthed.

,..._ 97 EXT. LANDING SITE -DAY

Poppy, the hand in her mouth, trots up to a Martian -- who picks her up. A Martian picks up the charred dove. A Martian retrieves Jason's hand and looks at it. Two Martians lift up the dazed Nathalie. Nathalie is carried up the ramp into the flying saucer. Martians board the spaceship. The ramp retracts.

Barbara -- on the roof of her car -- cries hysterically and shakes her fists. Then she falls to her knees.

The flying saucer rises OUT OF FR.AME. The landing site is a burning, smoking graveyard of devastation.

President Dale and his group are in shock.

The President is too shocked to speak.

The President is exasperated. He turns to his wife.

99 CONTINUED: ·99

They all mull this over. Jerry Ross flicks channels on TV.

They all turn.

ON TV

Dr. Carl Sagan is being interviewed by Larry King.

INTERCUT:

99 CONTINUED: (2) ·99

ON EVERYONE

watching TV. Everyone is frowning.

A newspaper vending machine gets loaded. The headline screams: "MARS TRAGEDY." Below this is a photo of Billy-Glenn holding the flag. The image has a mythic, heroic Iwo Jima quality. ,,,,....,

At the bar, customers watch the bar TV -- which is showing footage of the Pahrump Massacre -- with conunentary.

The volume from the fervent gambling is deafening. The Elderly Slots Lady is playing as usual. She is wearing a T-shirt displaying the "Io Jima" picture of Billy-Glenn and his flag, and the phrase ".AmericanHero."

Byron, in gladiator costume, has his picture taken with three KOREAN BUSINESSMEN.

KOREAN MAN #1 Thank you thank you! You are greatest champ ever!

KOREAN MAN #2 Number one left hook!

The Koreans bow and hurry away.

Cindy passes by with a tray of drinks, sees Byron and grins.

101 CONTINUED: ,,,,....._

Byron nods. Cindy goes. Byron looks at the madness surrounding him and shakes his head.

A small room of radio and satellite equipment. A nerdy TECHNICIAN with headphones sits at a transmitter. Next to him is another translating computer. Standing over him are the President and Professor Kessler.

Kessler presses a button -- and computer tapes turn.

The Technician presses a button. The President speaks into a microphone -- reading from a script.

A large satellite dish turns slowly -- pointing at the sky. It gleams palely in the moonlight. Sounds of BEEPING.

speaks into the microphone.

PRESIDENT (V.O.)

I So lets us sit down together, in

friendship ...

I I In a high-tech chamber, opposite a furturistic radio, sits a nerdy Martian radio operator. He hears the message through his headphones and writes it down.

I

Two Martian scientists are looking at the charred dove on a specimen table. Scientist 11 pokes at it with a thin, metal baton. They are freaked-out by it. The Martian radio operator passes by, holding a note. FOLLOW Martian radio operator. He goes through a door.

The Martian radio operator hurries past a row of giant glass eggs containing biological specimens from Earth: a cow, a giant squid, a pig, a sheep, a clown, a camel and Nathalie West in her underwear holding her chihuahua.

The Martain radio operator comes into the control room. The Martian leader is sitting, looking at "Miss May" in a copy of Playboy Magazine. He looks up.

The back yard is a gorgeous fortress. High walls sur- round a large pool which reflects blue light everywhere.

Barbara staggers around, eyes glazed. She has the face of someone who has seen the End.

She sees a whiskey bottle sitting on a table inside the house. She shudders, then goes in.

,,,...... Art paces, speaking pompously into a dictaphone.

He looks up.

,-.... Barbara goes berserk. She shouts, impassioned.

She grabs the whiskey bottle and marches out. Art goes back to his dictation.

Professor Kessler and the nerdy Tech hover, exhausted, over the radio, waiting... when, suddenly, lights blink -- and MARTIAN TALK comes out! Kessler perks up.

Jerry bursts in on the President, waving a note.

112 CONTINUED: ·112 ,..._

,..._

ON: body of MARTIAN killed in Nevada -- its brain rup- tured. Kessler and three surgeons examine it.

Three Martian scientists are gathered around a furtur- istic chair. Our view is partially blocked -- but we can see Nathalie's body, in her underwear. Many tubes sprout out of her body. Another Martian passes by -- carrying a specimen jar filled with fluid. In the jar is Nathalie's head, alive, eyes looking around! The group of scientists part -- revealing a full view of Nathalie. Her body now has the head of her chihuahua!

Martian Scientist #1 attaches circuit grips to her toes. ELECTRICITY BUZZES through her. The CHIHUAHUA HEAD BARKS! NATHALIE'S HEAD in the jar SCREAMS!

,-,.. A somber, forlorn military funeral for Billy-Glenn. A stoic soldier plays "Taps," while Glenn, Sue-Ann, Grandma (in wheelchair), Billy-Glenn's Girlfriend and Richie surround the coffin. Hushed STRANGERS crowd nearby. T-shirts emblazoned with the "Iwo Jima" picture of Billy- Glenn. Sue-Ann turns her face away and starts quietly sobbing.

Glenn shakes his head, distraught.

STRANGER #1 Imagine ...dying while fightin' for our flag.

STRANGER #2 There ain't many heroes.

Richie looks around. He whispers.

NEW ANGLE

There are hundreds of onlookers and media -- there to see the "hero" buried.

Louise is making breakfast for Cedric and Neville -- who are playing a violent video game on TV in the living room. The PHONE RINGS. Louise picks it up.

Byron, in pajamas, is on the phone.

INTERCUT.

117 CONTINUED: ·117 ,-...

'BYRON How about you?

'BYRON Kids there?

They scramble into the kitchen. Neville gets there first.

'BYRON Who's that? Neville?

'BYRON How's it going?

'BYRON You taking care of your mother and being a good boy?

117 CONTINUED: (2) · 117

Cedric grabs the phone from his brother and pushes him away.

,,__ BYRON

Cedric? Gimme your mother again.

Louise wipes her hands and takes the phone.

She puts down the phone. Byron smiles.

On the newsstand, the New York Post headline shouts: "MARTIANS TO ADDRESS CONGRESS."

On Capitol Hill, excited spectators wait eagerly.

SUPERIMPOSE CAPTION: "CAPITOL HILL, WASHINGTON, D.C. - MONDAY, MAY 15 - 11:07 AM."

Policemen patrol, keeping the spectators behind the bar- riers. One cop holds a sign saying: "NO BIRDS." Cop #2 holds a sign saying: "NO APPLAUSE."

Suddenly a WHIRRING ABOVE! Everyone looks up. Some people start to clap -- then remember they shouldn't. They laugh and watch the flying saucer descend.

It makes a perfect landing on the Capitol grass. The spectators are thrilled.

Far away is a row of tanks. General Decker, angry, is siting in one, staring into field glasses. A COLONEL is with him.

The ancient, Southern SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE addresses Congress from the podium.

President Dale, the First Lady, Taffy, Mitch (the Secret Serviceman) and Jerry Ross are watching a TV,

120 CONTINUED: ·120 ,,,....._

The Martian Ambassador walks down the aisle -- followed by his Martian guards. The Congressmen watch and wait with bated breath. He steps up to the podium -- filmed by a bank of TV cameras. Professor Kessler's eyes glitter expectantly. The Martian Ambassador taps the microphone. Then he reaches under his cloak. The Congressmen react alarmed. But the Martian Ambassador only pulls out a speech. The Congressmen laugh with relief. Then the Martian Ambassador turns his head to his men -- who are now ranged behind him. Turning back to face Congress, he pulls out a RAYGUN and starts FIRING! The Martian guards whip out WEAPONS and SHOOT in every direction. Congressmen dissolve! Kessler faces the Martian Ambassador -- pleading.

Whap! The Martian Ambassador clubs Kessler with his raygun. Kessler goes down. The Martians decimate Congress. Two Martians pick up the unconscious Kessler.

The President and Jerry Ross stare at the carnage on TV.

122 CONTINUED: · 122

Barbara sees the massacre of Congress on TY -- surrounded by patrons of the hotel. An intense thought crosses her mind. She quickly downs a shotglass.

Decker shouts into a mobile phone.

Smoke comes out of the windows of the Capitol building.

NEW ANGLE

The Martians go up the ramp into the spaceship.

Grandma and a group of old people are watching TY.

She laughs.

in tank and troops.

127 CONTINUED: · 127

Soldiers SHOOT at the Martians. BULLETS BOUNCE OFF THEM. The door closes, the ramp retracts, the SPACESHIP WHIRS -- and ascends.

TANKS FIRE. SHELLS HIT the FLYING SPACESHIP and EXPLODE harmlessly. General Decker angrily shakes his fist.

The spaceship zooms away at high speed.

Richie, holding a donut in one hand and a paper cup of coffee in the other, gapes at the TV. The Hispanic Lady, his co-worker, is behind him.

The war room is a mass of activity. PHONES RING con- stantly. Military types push deployment symbols around the floor-map of the world. On a big wall map, lights indicate troop positions. Seated at the large round table are the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, and Navy, Airforce, Marines and Army Chiefs, General Decker and Jerry Ross. The President takes his seat.

He bangs the·table. He is a bit delirious.

CONTINUED: · 129

He hands him a piece of paper. The President takes it •

• PRESIDENT • What's this?

l

not gonna start a war.

DECKER

I The war's already started! We

gotta nuke 'em now. Right now!

,,.._

Decker is stunned. The President addresses the others.

Jerry looks at his watch.

The screen is filled with the image of the Presidential Seal. The image is replaced by that of the President, soberly dressed, behind his Oval Office desk.

Barbara is packing a large backpack and two suitcases with food and supplies --and watching TV.

A class is watching TV -- supervised by an African- American teacher. Most of the kids are black or Hispanic, and clearly from the ghetto. Among them are Cedric and Neville.

132 CONTINUED: · 132

The Presidential Seal comes on.

Martians are watching a giant TV. They are fascinated by the Presidential Seal -- maybe because it's a bird. Who knows?

Six Martian scientists with weird tools work on two experiments. On one operating table is Professor Kessler. He has been completely dissected -- but all of his body parts are still alive. On another operat- ing table is Nathalie's head -- now loosely attached to the body of the chihuahua.

Kessler opens his eyes and painfully looks around. He sees Nathalie.

134 CONTINUED: · 134

She gives him a sexy smile.

Jerry Ross comes out of the White House, carrying his briefcase. He is tired. His driver steps out and opens the limo door.

Then Jerry sees something.

,,,...._ Standing outside the gates is a glamorous GIRL, with a big beehive hair-do, gazing at the White House. She wears an elegant and very sexy gown -- which has a faintly other- worldly quality.

Jerry crosses over to her.

The Girl looks at him, chewing gum.

The Girl shrugs prettily and adjusts her dress.

135 CONTINUED: ·135 ,,,...._ The Girl nods sexily. Jerry is enthralled, but trying to hide it.

Jerry and the Girl stand in the shadows of the Colonnade. He taps on the French doors.

A Secret Serviceman (MITCH) approaches.

As he unlocks the door, Mitch casually checks out the Girl's body.

Jerry and the Girl stroll along a gilded corridor of paintings. He leans close to her.

They turn a corner.

The Girl nods.

,.....

They look at a smiling portrait of Dwight D. Eisenhower. Taffy passes by, eating a carton of ice cream.

TAFFY

•

Ah, the midnight tour •.. (leans in to the Girl) Make sure he wears a condom.

Taffy wanders away. Jerry pulls the Girl aside.

,.....

to see it?

She nods, chewing. He reaches for a hidden door ...

The door opens and Jerry ushers the Girl in and turns on soft lights. Inside is a bookcase, sofas and a tropical fish tank.

Jerry goes to the bookcase and presses a secret button. The bookcase revolves into the wall, revealing a fully- stocked bar.

The Girl is examining the fish tank. He peers at her through the glass.

She smiles sexily. He fixes the drinks. She looks around the room, swaying sensuously. She is fascinated by a bronze statuette of a naked girl. The Girl compares her body with the statuette's. She starts unbuttoning her dress.

He carries the drinks to the sofa. She takes them -- puts both on the floor -- and pulls him towards her. She presses her lips on his. They make out on the sofa.

Jerry comes up for air.

He puts his finger in her mouth.

She bites down hard.

Jerry screams in pain. She has bitten off his finger!

The Girl spits the finger out of her mouth. It lands in one of the glasses -- the liquid bubbles!

Jerry runs to the phone -- moaning. Panicked, he punches in 911 with his good hand.

The Girl is having trouble breathing. She swiftly picks up the bronze statuette, strides over, and whacks him on the head. Jerry is killed instantly. She drops the statuette and grabs desperately inside her purse and takes out a stick of blue gum. She frantically unwraps the stick of gum (which is bright blue) and pops it in her mouth. As she chews, her breathing returns to normal.

She scratches her head. Her hair is irritating her. So she rips at her hairline, and it peels off -- revealing, under the beehive, a giant brain. She is a Martian!

She takes a raygun out of her purse -- then rips off the bottom of her dress (so she can walk easier) -- and strides out.

The Martian Girl looks at amap on the wall of the interior of the White House, then heads off.

Half way down the hall, she breaks one of her heels and bends down to take off her shoes.

Behind her, a Secret Serviceman comes INTO VIEW. He takes off his dark glasses -- the better to admire her shapely rear end. Sensing something behind her, the Martian Girl peers under her armpit.

The Secret Serviceman reacts with shock to her face. She FIRES! He is blown across the room. He grabs at a nearby American flag. It tears as he slides, dead, to the floor.

The Martian Girl kicks off her other shoe -- which flies through the air and bounces off the Secret Serviceman's head!

Quietly, the bedroom door opens and the Martian Girl steps in.

The President and the First Lady (her hair in curlers) are asleep. Their dog, Rusty, is asleep at the foot of the bed. The Martian Girl reacts with fear at the sight of the dog.

She touches the side of the large ruby ring on her finger. The ruby covering slides open revealing a small electronic eye.

The dog's nose quivers ..•then he wakes.

The Martian Leader, flanked by subordinates, watches a large crystal-ball-like monitor. It shows a fish-eye view of the President's bedroom.

ON MONITOR

the Martian Girl aims her RAYGUN at the sleeping President. RUSTY BARKS! The Martian Leader and his men spring back -- scared by the dog.

I"" Rusty leaps at the Martian Girl who FIRES missing the President and the First Lady (the blast hits the bed between their bodies). Rusty fastens his jaws on her thigh.

The President and the First Lady wake up. She sees the Martian Girl and screams. He hits a button on the head- board. An ALARM WAILS.

The Martian Girl kicks the dog across the room a piece of rubber thigh in his mouth. She FIRES at him. Rusty is reduced to bones in an instant.

The First Lady ducks down under the bed, where she sees Rusty's steaming skull!

The Martian Girl is about to shoot the pajama'd President when WHAP! she's hit in the head by Rusty's skull -- thrown by the First Lady.

The President grabs the Martian Girl's gun-arm. They st1.uggle.

Mitch bursts through the door.

The Martian Girl grabs the President and puts her raygun to his head. The ALARM STOPS sounding. The First Lady gets behind Mitch.

The Martian Girl pulls the President backwards towards a doorway and kicks it open. Mitch keeps his weapon trained on her.

The Martians look at Mitch on the curved monitor.

The Martian Girl and her hostage back into the room. There are closets and a covered bird cage. She keeps chewing. The Girl bumps into the bird cage. The cloth slips off -- revealing a small PARAKEET on a perch. Startled, it SQUAWKS. The Martian Girl jerks, alarmed, and SHOOTS the parakeet.

144 CONTINUED: · 144

The President drops. Hitch SHOOTS the Martian Girl in the head. BLAM! Her brain explodes, splattering the wall. Her body hits the floor, twitches, then goes still. The President is covered in slime and brain gook.

The globe monitor goes dark. The Martian Leader reacts with rage.

Nathalie and Kessler are on display shelves. Nathalie is still half-dog and Kessler is a tray of limbs and organs.

Three DOCTORS and a nurse in hospital gowns are doing an autopsy on the Martian Girl. A LAB TECHNICIAN comes in, holding a specimen jar.

147 CONTINUED: ·147

""' DOCTOR #1

Yes, what is it?

DOCTOR #2 Nitrogen!

DOCTOR #3 So that's how it could breathe in our atmosphere!

A large metal iris in the floor opens revealing a large globe. The globe ascends. On top of it stands the Martian Leader.

NEW ANGLE

The globe rises into a great hall -- lined with galler- ies, in which hundreds of Martian warriors are assembled. Two giant robots watch the globe ascend and stop in mid-air.

A light switches on inside the globe -- revealing on it a map of the earth. The warriors cheer!

The Leader launches into an impassioned speech. He waves his arms. The mob goes nuts. Martian flags are raised.

Everyone screeches back in unison. It's like a Nuremburg rally. The Leader makes a circle in the air with his arm. The warriors follow suit.

The Leader reaches under his cloak and brings out a flame -- which burns (not harming him) in the palm of his hand.

The warriors gasp! As the globe descends to the floor, the Leader theatrically touches the flame to the Earth Globe on which he is standing. The tiny planet erupts in flames.

Huge cheers!

CLOSE ON MARTIAN LEADER

Flames lick up around him -- not harming him.

148 CONTINUED: · 148 ,,,....., CLOSEUP -HIS HEAD

which DISSOLVES into an image of the planet Earth.

Scores of flying saucers ENTER the FR.AME-- heading for Earth!

The Martian attack has begun!

Ten flying saucers descend on Washington.

People stare up at the descending saucers -- astounded.

• I ,,,....., Mitch runs in.

The President is on the phone -- with him are the First Lady and Taffy. THROUGH the window, behind them, a saucer is landing.

The hallways are full of secret servicemen talking into their radios. Mitch, Secret Servicemen #1, #2 and #3, the President, First Lady and Taffy are running.

I""' A school tour is in progress. The female TOUR GUIDE addresses the high school teacher and his class -- including Cedric and Neville.

Sound of something CRASHING. The Teacher, Cedric, Neville and several students look 'round.

I""'

A Martian steps into the room and BLOWS away the Tour Guide. The students scream and run for the exits. The Martian BLOWS away the Teacher.

Two secret servicemen come through a doorway -- FIRING. The Martian SHOOTS them both. Their guns land near the boys. Cedric grabs up a GUN and SHOOTS the Martian in the head!

Smoke is everywhere. Mitch hurries by with the President and the First Lady.

156 CONTINUED: ·156

A Martian steps from a doorway and FIRES -- hitting Mitch in the arm. Mitch falls but instinctively SHOOTS back. The Martian dodges it, then blasts a deathray across the wall and ceiling!

A vulgar red chandelier breaks loose. The First Lady gasps.

It plu111111etsdownand crushes her.

The Martian raises his raygun. Suddenly THREE BULLETS FIRE into him! The Martian's head blows up!

Wounded, Mitch turns. Cedric and Neville are standing behind him, guns smoking! Mitch stares in amazement.

,,...._ President outta here!

Another Martian appears. Cedric and Neville swing 'round in one synchronized move and BLAST him!

Mitch and the President hurry out through a doorway. Cedric and Neville grin at one another and low-five.

Three jet fighters fly past the Capitol and the Washington Monument. They approach a flying saucer. The saucer FIRES at a JET -- BLOWING it UP.

A Boy Scout troop gazes up at the saucer as it SHOOTS and BLOWS UP the second JET.

Two Martians are looking at a globe monitor showing the Boy Scouts and the monument.

,-..._ The saucer SHOOTS the base of the monument. The Boy Scouts run as the monument cracks and falls towards them.

The Boy Scouts turn and run away from the direction of the toppling monument.

The saucer hops over the falling monument catches it on its rim -- and flips it back over. So it CRASHES on the Boy Scouts!

Five flying saucers approach Las Vegas.

Sounds of SIRENS and CAR HORNS and DISTANT RAY GUN BLASTS and EXPLOSIONS.

Two tourists run past, looking up, alarmed, at a flying saucer coming towards the unfinished hotel.

Tables are laden with food and drink. The model of the Galaxy Hotel sits on a table. Art gives his presentation to a group of investors.

The investors are distracted by the disturbing SOUNDS outside.

163 CONTINUED: · 163 ,,,....,

A flying saucer appears outside the window behind Art. The investors are struck dumb!

The flying saucer FIRES at the hotel! KABOOM!

,-... 165 INT. ART LAND'S OFFICE - DUSK 165

Everything BLOWS UP!

Art Land's Galaxy Hotel collapses.

Tom Jones and his band are on stage performing "It's Not Unusual." The audience is loving it.

Sound of TOM JONES singing is heard faintly from the theater. Byron is on the phone.

Louise, scared, is on the phone.

SOUNDS OF WAR from outside. Cedric and Neville are peeking out the window, guns in hand.

An EXPLOSION rocks the room. Cedric and Neville duck. The phone goes dead.

Byron tries to get a line -- but it's no good. He takes a deep breath and thinks.

Nearby, the Elderly Slots Lady is pumping nickels into a machine. Not far from her, the Rude Gambler i~ playing a machine and sipping a drink. Cindy goes by with a tray of drinks.

The CASINO MANAGER, in suit and tie, is standing half-way up the main staircase addressing a crowd of anxious guests. Behind him stand two Roman soldiers.

Byron is trying the phone again.

He looks 'round. It's Barbara -- hurrying towards him.

TOM JONES is singing "She's a Lady."

Suddenly, the audience's faces undergo a change of ex- press ion. Behind Tom Jones, two Martians appear onstage and start copying his dance movements.

Tom looks 'round and is startled by the sight of them.

The band, ashen, comes to a ragged halt.

The Martians OPEN FIRE. People leap for the exits. The band bolts offstage. Tom Jones ducks a death ray and runs into the wings.

,...._ Tom Jones runs for his life. A Martian chases him. Tom knocks over a stage light as he rushes to the stage door. A RAY GUN BLAST EXPLODES near his head!

He pushes through the stage door. The Martian follows.

Cindy is serving the Rude Gambler a glass of whisky. A door bursts open and Tom Jones comes out, breathless.

Byron and Barbara react alarmed.

Suddenly a DEATH RAY EXPLODES through the door! Everyone scatters, except for the Slots Lady, who continues working her machine -- oblivious.

The door falls off its hinges and a Martian steps out. He aims his ray gun at the Slots Lady.

Suddenly Byron appears and throws a furious right hook straight into the Martian's glass helmet.

The Martian shrieks! Green gas pours out. He staggers, falls and dies, twitching on the floor.

Tom Jones and Barbara come out from behind the slot machines.

Tom Jones picks up the dead Martian's ray gun and examines it. Byron takes the ray pistol from the dead Martian's belt.

The Rude Gambler appears cautiously from behind a slot machine, followed by a shaken Cindy.

RUDE GAMBLER

' You and me both, honey.

TOM JONES

I

We've got to get out of here.

l

BYRON

• You know how to fly a plane? I

They all look at Barbara.

Citizens runs screaming -- pursued by two Martians. Martian #1 is carrying a translation device -- which keeps repeating: "HAVE A NICE DAY. HAVE A NICE DAY." Martian #2 FIRES. A citizen is blasted into a skeleton and falls. TWO CARS SMASH into one another. The Martians keep FIRING.

ESTABLISHING SHOT of the trailer park.

CLIPPING - NIGHT

of the "Iwo Jimo" photo of Billy-Glenn. The Norris trailer is now a shrine to Billy-Glenn.

,,,.....178 CONTINUED: · 178

WIDER

There are many newspaper clippings and photographs of Billy-Glenn and a bronze bust of him. Glenn and Sue-Ann are loading shot-guns. The trailer door opens. It's Richie, breathless.

•

GLENN

t

You're kidding me!

•

I'm gonna get Grandma.

t

He hands Richie a .45 revolver . •

I to outer space already. Here, '

the shells are in that box on

I ,,,..... the table.

Sue-Ann snaps her shotgun barrel shut.

of the world on the floor in the center of a round room. The room glows by emergency lights. On the big board, blinking green lights indicate Martian forces amassing in every country. The President sits at the round table, his head in his hands.

179 CONTINUED: ·179 ,-..

The Military Aide picks up the phone in front of the President and gives it to him •

• MILITARY AIDE

It's the French President. He says it's important. He's got some good news.

He takes the phone. The Military Aide presses a button.

' PRESIDENT • Hello, Maurice? Comment ca va? I

In a magnificent state room, looking out of an elegant window at the Eiffel Tower, is the FRENCH PRESIDENT on the phone.

The room is filled with French politicians, the Martian Ambassador and four Martian soldiers -- all sitting at a large conference table.

President Dale is alarmed.

The sound of RAY-GUN BLASTS, HUMAN SCREAMS and SHATTERING GLASS come from the PHONE! The President is holding the phone away from his ear.

,...., 182 INT. ELYSEE PALACE (PARIS, FRANCE) -DAY 182

The Martians SHRED the French Cabinet with RAY-GUN FIRE! Outside the window, in the distance, a flying saucer FIRES at the base of the Eiffel Tower. The Eiffel Tower falls!

Four flying saucers SHOOT UP Las Vegas.

Martians march down the street, SHOOTING at everything that moves. A Martian carrying a translating device with speakers passes by. Sound of TAPE REWINDING, then:

t Two tourists run, terrified -- and are dropped by DEATH- RAYS.

Byron, Tom Jones, Barbara, the Rude Gambler and Cindy cross the street between burning cars. They pass a burn- ing tour bus. A Martian appears from behind the bus and aims his weapon. Tom Jones FIRES his RAYGUN. It hits the Martian's AIRTANK -which EXPLODES!

ESTABLISHING SHOT of Trailer Park.

The bedroom is a '7Os love nest, with lava lamps, fairy lights and a disco ball. THROUGH the window, two Martians watch the love-making COUPLE lasciviously.

CLOSE ONMARTIANS

Their domes fog up. The Woman sees the Martians.

She points at the Martians in the window. Small wind- shield wipers inside their domes are going at speed -- wiping the glass clear!

,-... Sound of RAY-GUN BLASTS. DOGS BARK. Glenn and Sue-Ann stop preparing their weapons.

Glenn and Sue-Ann peer out the windows. Richie sees the truck keys on the table and grabs them. He opens the door.

He closes the door behind him.

A weird HUMMING NOISE comes from above. Glenn and Sue- Ann look up.

A flying saucer appears over the trailer park. Richie drives away in his pick-up.

The saucer has an inverted "U" shaped giant magnet hang- ing from its undercarriage. The trailers are sucked up into the air·by the giant magnet. The trailers bunch up on the magnet's arms.

The trailer is now upside-down everything is falling about. Glenn and Sue-Ann scream!

Weird Jaw-like crushers unfold from the undercarriage of the spaceship, and "clap" together on the trailers -- smashing them into a mangled ball!

Sounds of SPACESHIP with magnet. Richie drives as fast as he can down the dark road. He looks, with fear, in his rearview mirror.

IN REARVIEW MIRROR: The spaceship with the giant magnet drops the ball of crushed trailers to the ground.

The President is sitting at the round table, his head in his hands, sunk in depression. General Decker is holding a piece of paper and trying to get his attention.

He puts a pen in the President's hand.

With great heaviness, the President signs the paper.

The silo sits in the middle of the desert. Suddenly, a DEEP RUMBLING sound and a NUCLEAR MISSILE SHOOTS out of the ground and into the sky!

Everyone in the War Room tensely watches the missile on the large monitor. The President's face is ashen.

If"" Martians look through the window at the approaching missile. They gabble to each other, gesticulating wildly, A Martian nods and pulls a lever.

A hatch opens .•.and a balloon floats out. It has two little antennae and a trumpet-like nozzle. SLOW MOTION: the MISSILE gets within a few yards of the spaceship, then DETONATES.

The force of the EXPLOSION rocks the spaceship. The Martians fall over.

SLOW MOTION: The EXPLOSION SPREADS. Smoke forms. But then the bobbing balloon's nozzle opens and sucks the explosion in. It sucks all the gas -- expanding as it does so. Once it's finished, the weird balloon floats back into the space-ship. The hatch closes,

Everyone is watching the spaceship on the screen -- appalled.

The image on the screen blacks out for a moment -- to be replaced by a view of the interior of the Martian space- ship control room.

The President and his staff watch as the MARTIAN CAPTAIN takes the nozzle of the balloon into his mouth and breathes in. Then he speaks. His VOICE is now high and squeaky! The Martians crack up laughing. Then the screen blacks out. Everyone is stunned.

ON MITCH

His arm in a sling.

Richie's pickup races along the highway. Chasing him is a giant robot!

The robot is 20 feet tall, made of metal, with two legs, a glass bubble for a head (inside which a Martian can be seen, operating the controls) -- and three retractable metal arms which end in three fully-articulated giant metal fingers -- or "pinchers."

Richie has the pedal to the metal. IN the REARVIEW MIRROR, the giant robot is gaining! Richie, desperate, looks around for some means of escape.

THROUGH side window, in a field, opposite the entrance to the home, is a row of power lines. He turns the wheel.

Richie drives off the highway and into a field. He bumps along the uneven ground -- towards the power lines.

The giant robot follows and catches up to him fast! Richie swerves violently under the power lines. The giant robot goes after him... and collides with a pylon tower! POWER LINES break and dance around SPARKING! Big sparks rain on to Richie's pick-up. The robot's "pincher" arm grabs the tower -- and is immediately hit by 1000s of volts! The robot shudders and vibrates as the electricity surges through it. Richie's truck speeds back towards the highway!

Soldiers in a Jeep flee from a Martian. The Martian FIRES! The JEEP CRASHES near to three cannons deployed across the road -- and serviced by three gun crews.

Above, a flying saucer FIRES at a TALL BUILDING -- which BLOWS UP -- toppling onto the cannons and gun crews below.

Byron, Tom Jones, Barbara, Cindy and the Rude Gambler are at a tall wire fence, beyond which are some low industrial buildings and an industrial site housing a company named, "YesCo." Byron is squeezing through a broken fence,

203 CONTINUED: ·203

Barbara, Cindy and Tom Jones squeeze through the fence opening.

Sounds of WAR. Keeping their heads low, Byron, Barbara, Tom Jones, Cindy and the Rude Gambler weave their way through an extensive junkyard of old Las Vegas signs (a massive Silver Slipper, a giant, bulb-encrusted Aladdin's Lamp, etc.).

The sky is full of TRACER FIRE from distant Army ARTILLERY -- trying to shoot down the flying saucers.

204 CONTINUED: · 204 I"""

Tom looks at him doubtfully.

ON RUDE GAMBLER, BARBARA AND CINDY

following behind.

The Rude Gambler runs away.

I"""

The Rude Gambler runs past a giant fish and a bucking bronco sign.

He freezes. Less than ten feet away, a Martian is staring at him.

He glances around there's nowhere to run. He puts up his hands.

The Martian doesn't move.

205 CONTINUED: ·205

He takes off his watch and offers it to the Martian.

KAPOW! The Martian reduces him to a skeleton with one RAYGUN BLAST! His BONES CLATTER to the ground.

BLAM! The MARTIAN'S HEAD EXPLODES!

ANGLE ON BARBARA

inside the "O" of "The Golden Nugget" sign. Her raygun is smoking. She is Joined by Tom Jones.

Byron and Cindy appear.

She points.

THEIR POV

THROUGH a gap between signs can be seen the airfield -- a hangar -- and a crushed, burning plane.

Sounds of FIRING and SCREAMING. An old man in a wheel- chair speeds INTO FR.AME-- he is on fire! An old lady with a "walker" hobbles away as fast as she can from a Martian. The Martian FIRES!

Four Martians come down the corridor. A door opens and a NICE OLD LADY steps out. Behind her are three nervous people.

The four Martians FIRE!

NEW ANGLE - FOUR MARTIANS

continue down the corridor.

,,,..... Martian #1 opens the door to Grandma's room and peeks through,

He turns to the others and indicates for them to come over. He puts his finger to his lips and goes "Shhh!" The three Martians look through the crack in the doorway.

Grandma looks like Whistler's Mother -- sitting on a rocking chair, wearing headphones -- which are connected to her record player. She is knitting a shawl. The three Martians look at each other and grin.

Richie drives as fast as he can down the highway.

The three Martians tip-toe into Grandma's room -- each carrying a piece of equipment. Quietly, trying not to giggle, the Martians begin assembling a large death-ray gun.

General Decker tears a sheet of paper from the computer printer. The President sits depressed at the table. The others sit around -- gloomy. General Decker approaches him.

I

I

Manhattan is burning! Two FLYING SAUCERS fly THROUGH the FRAME -- FIRING. A SKYSCRAPER CRACKS and FALLS.

,-...

Crowds run screaming down the street. Above, a FLYING SAUCER FIRES! People are turned into skeletons! Others run, screaming and panicking. A BABY, alone, lost in the crowd, CRIES with terror!

Flying Saucers over London! A FLYING SAUCER FIRES at "BIG BEN" -- BOOM! It EXPLODES.

Natives look scared as a flying saucer approaches a hillside on which are dotted the famous giant stone heads of Easter Island. A mechanical hand is lowered from underneath the flying saucer. It is holding a ball. The hand throws the ball -- which knocks over six of the giant heads.

The three Martians in the cockpit, leap and "high-five." It's a strike!

In the parking lot, a crowd of tourists see a spaceship fly up to the carved heads of the Presidents. A zig- zagging BEAM PULSES from the ship -- into the stone faces. Clouds of smoke FILL the FRAME.

The tourists run, petrified, to their cars and drive away as fast as they can.

ON MOUNT RUSHMORE

The smoke clears -- revealing that the heads have been re-carved into the features of hideous Martians!

Richie drives his pickup right up to the front porch of the main building. There are bodies of old people on the lawn and porch steps. He stops and gets out -- holding his .45.

Richie carefully approaches the front door and opens it.

,,...._ RICHIE'S POV - LOBBY

a scene of destruction -- broken furniture, scorched walls, dead bodies ...Richie takes a deep breath and goes in.

Terrified, Richie walks down the hallway to Grandma's room. He steps over two skeletons and reaches the door to Grandma's room. Very carefully, he pushes open the door and looks through.

The three Martians have finished assembling the large DEATH-RAY GUN which is pointed straight at Grandma's head. Martian #1 sees Richie at the door and FIRES. WHOOOOSH! Richie ducks. The DOOR above him DISINTEGRATES. Grandma turns her head sharply at the noise -- pulling her head- phone cord out of the socket on the record player. The room is filled with the sound of SLIM WHITMAN YODELING! A queasy expression crosses the faces of the Martians. Their eyeballs bulge out, their cerebra vibrate and small green capillaries burst in their brains!

221 CONTINUED: ·221 ,,,,,..... Richie gets up, staring. Grandma peers at her visitors, adjusting her spectacles. The Martians' brains expand and contract rapidly. They squeal! Martian #l's brain explodes inside his dome. He dies.

Martian #2's brain explodes inside his dome.

Martian #3's brain explodes and he drops dead.

Decker paces around the War Room, holding his pistol.

Everyone stops what they're doing and holds their breath. The PITTER-PATTER of TINY FEET becomes FAINTLY AUDIBLE. Then -- BOOM! An EXPLOSION BLOWS a HOLE through the WALL!

A PULSATING green ORB is tossed through the hole in the wall. It rolls, ominously, to a stop in the center of the room. Everybody ducks under chairs and tables. The Martian Leader and six Martian officers stride in. They cover the war room with their weapons. The Martian ~eader walks over, picks up the orb and shakes it.

CLOSE ON ORB

A little model of a baby Martian becomes visible inside it -- with snow falling. It's a Martian snow globe toy!

222 CONTINUED: · 222 ,,,,...._ BACK TO SCENE

The Martians laugh.

Decker gets up, a gun in each hand.

He FIRES both PISTOLS at the Martians. The BULLETS BOUNCE off their body ARMOR. The Martian Leader barks an order. Three Martians rush him -- grab him, disarm him and push him against the wall ...

The Martian Leader takes out a tiny little GUN. It looks like a Crackerjack toy. The Martian nervously steps away from Decker. The Martian Leader FIRES! A weird light emanates from the gun -- hits Decker and shrinks him down to three inches high!

The military, under the tables and behind chairs, watch, astonished, as DECKER runs, SQUEAKING across the floor, towards the Martian Leader. Decker shakes his little fists.

The Martian Leader steps on him!

Terrified, everyone runs for the doors. The Martians FIRE! The humans glow -- and drop. A Martian aims at the President. Mitch (his arm in a sling) throws himself in front of him and takes the fatal BLAST! The President steps forward. All fear has gone. He speaks from the heart.

The Martian Leader holds up his hand to his troops. They lower their weapons and listen to the President.

222 CONTINUED: (2) ,-...

The Martian Leader seems impressed. He offers the President his hand. The President, surprised, shakes it. The Martian Leader's hand detaches from his wrist and scurries up the President's arm -- to his shoulder. (NOTE: the hand has a mechanical tail -- curled up like a scorpion's tail.)

The scorpion-tailed hand scurries over his shoulder. He tries to brush it off. Then the hand tenses its fingers -- the tail uncurls -- and jabs its sharp point into the President's back.

The sharp-pointed metal tail comes through the President's chest. He looks down, horrified. The spike-tail tele- scopes out of his chest!!! The President falls backwards, dead, onto the floor-map of the world. The spike-tail's tip flips open. A Martian flag snaps out. The Martian Leader and his troops look at the dead President with the Martian flag impaled in his chest. All is quiet.

Richie is driving. Grandma is on the passenger side. Between them on the bench seat, is a RECORD PLAYER -- wired to the car battery. The SLIM WHITMAN ALBUM is PLAYING.

,,,..._

Much of Perkinsville is burning. Richie's pickup truck comes down the street. There are two big SPEAKERS in back -- blaring out COUNTRY MUSIC.

Three Martians are looting. Martian #1 is carrying a TV. Martian #2 is carrying a box of donuts. They look up apprehensively -- then fall to the ground, clutching their heads -- squealing!

Richie and Grandma grin in triumph.

The town of Perkinsville burns behind them.

WAR sounds are more DISTANT now. Byron, Tom Jones, ,,,..._ Barbara and Cindy enter the dimly-lit hangar.

Before them is a white twin-engined Cessna.

Tom and Barbara get into the plane. Byron and Cindy cross to the hangar doors.

A hand puts a needle on to a record.

Sound of SLIM WHITMAN YODELING. Animated circles pulse out the radio tower -- representing radio waves.

Tom Jones leaps into the pilot's seat and starts flicking switches on the instrument panel. Barbara watches him anxiously.

Tom Jones accidentally turns ON the RADIO -- which is playing the SLIM WHITMAN yodeling SONG. Barbara frowns.

He TURNS OFF the RADIO.

Byron and Cindy have trouble unlatching the doors.

The plane ENGINES COUGH into life. The propellors turn! Byron unhitches the complicated latch.

Cindy and Byron pull open the doors. On the runway, the Martian Ambassador is addressing a squad of fifty Martians·. Cindy freezes.

They slide open the doors.

Tom Jones and Barbara gape at the Martians.

Byron looks at the Martians. An angry, violent rage is coming over him. His eyes burn. Cindy glances at him anxiously.

He pushes her.

She runs towards the plane. Byron glares at the Martians.

Byron lopes out of the hangar towards the Martians.

Tom and Barbara watch anxiously from the cockpit.

Cindy appears in the cockpit.

233 CONTINUED: · 233 ,,,.....

Oh, God!

Byron marches towards the Martians.

The Martians turn to look at him and raise their rayguns. He drops his ray-pistol on the ground.

Byron jogs away from the hangar --and puts up his fists.

The Martian Ambassador approaches him.

He punches the Martian Ambassador in the head. The Martian Ambassador drops his raygun, but comes back and boxes Byron. Byron dodges and weaves -- then lands another hard left hook. The Martian Ambassador is dazed, but recovers.

Byron moves further away from the hangar.

The other Martians chatter in their weird language, and form a circle around the fighters.

NEW ANGLE -PLANE

taxis out of the hangar.

Tom Jones, Barbara and Cindy look devastated. They are horrified at the prospect of leaving Byron.

,,.... Byron has led the Martians even further from the hangar. He boxes the Martian Ambassador and smashes his dome with a vicious uppercut. The Martian Ambassador dies -- squealing. The other Martians are shocked. Three Martians move in on Byron. He knocks one down -- dodges another -- gets hit -- recovers -- knocks down another Martian... four more Martians join in. Byron fights furiously! Another five Martians join the fight. It's too much. Punching like a madman, he cannot stem the tide of Martians!

NEW ANGLE - PLANE

speeds along the runway and lifts off.

Byron is hit from all sides. Then the Martians swarm over him -- like ants on a carcass.

The plane rises into the sky.

Tom Jones, Barbara and Cindy stare out the window.

THEIR POV

The Martians move away from Byron. His body becomes visible -- lying on a wide white line -- painted on the tarmac. His arms are on a second painted line --which bisects the first line. Seen from above, the image is like Christ on the cross.

Tense, her eyes wide.

Sounds of WAR OUTSIDE. In their barricaded apartment, Neville keeps lookout at the window, guns in hand. They look round at Louise.

MONTAGE

A woman turns ON her RADIO.

A group of Monks listen to the RADIO and tape the song on a tape recorder.

with huge speakers mounted on it, moves down a damaged highway. A flying SAUCER falls from the sky and CRASHES into the Caesar's Palace Hotel.

flies over Westminster Bridge -- broadcasting the SONG through specially mounted SPEAKERS. A platoon of Martians who are crossing the bridge fall dead.

with mounted speakers fly above the city, broadcasting. TWO FLYING SAUCERS wobble, drop and SMASH into each other before CRASHING to the ground.

Two Puerto Rican kids push a shopping cart containing a GHETTO BLASTER. Four Martians run away from them -- their heads exploding!

END OF MONTAGE.

The Martian command ship is pursued by a jet, with speakers mounted under its wings.

The Martian Leader and four Martian soldiers clutch their heads and fall to the ground. The floor tilts suddenly at 45 degrees.

,,,,....,246 CONTINUED: "246

All the SPECIMENS slide off the shelves and SMASH on the floor. Kessler's head smashes and his organs are pulled from their life support tubes. The Martians shriek in their death-agonies.

Nathalie falls -- SMACK! -- and her head comes detached from its chihuahua body. Her head rolls next to his head.

The Martian Leader's head explodes!

With her last breath, she kisses him on the lips. They die.

The command SHIP CRASHES into the OCEAN -- bubbles for a moment on the surface, then sinks.

The remaining fleet of 40 flying saucers leaves Earth's atmosphere -- and heads back towards Mars.

The sun peeps over the mountains. A ROBIN, on a branch, fluffs out its feathers and begins to SING. Emerging from the mouth of a cave, come Barbara, Cindy and Tom Jones. They look out, blinking, at the new day.

People are cleaning up. A man goes by with a wheelbarrow filled with two dead Martians. A woman sweeps the street. Two men are repairing a shop window.

250 CONTINUED: ·250

A line of people fill a dumpster with black plastic bags of garbage. Fires burn in the distance. No one is talking. The silence is extraordinary.

The sun sets over the burned-out city. On the steps of the half-destroyed Capitol building is a small crowd in the glare of TV lights.

Six Marines in crumpled, dirty uniforms stand behind Richie and Grandma Norris. They are lit by TV lights and being filmed by a student TV crew. In the crowd, watching them proudly, are a handful of survivors -- including Louise, Cedric and Neville, their guns stuck in their belts.

On the steps, holding two medals, is Taffy. Behind her are two elderly mailmen.

She hangs the medal around Grandma's neck -- and kisses her on both cheeks.

Taffy moves along to face Richie. Richie looks at her. She's beautiful. She looks athim looking at her -- and blushes. Then she recovers herself and...

She puts the medal aroundhis neck. And is about to kiss his cheek, but hesitates. She isvery attracted to him, and it makes her shy.

251 CONTINUED: · 251 ,,,,..._

She kisses him quickly on both cheeks.

Richie pulls out a crumpled piece of paper and hesitantly addresses the crowd and the camera.

LOUISE, CEDRIC AND NEVILLE

Their faces grim. They are thinking about Byron.

BACK TO SCENE

He glances at his speech.

People have trouble following what he is saying but they like it anyway! Taffy gazes at him, her eyes shining.

,,....._ 251 CONTINUED: (2) · 251

The crowd applauds!

The crowd cheers!

He steps down. The crowd continues applauding.

Richie looks at her, shy and excited.

ANGLE ON GRANDMA

looking at Richie and Taffy with love.

ANGLE ON CROWD

FAVORING Louise, Cedric and Neville.

WIDE ON WASHINGTON

-- in ruins.

PAN UP TO the night sky.