Fences
screenplay for the Logan Brothers' next screen adventure
by Willy Logan
6-1-03 to 6-5-03
1 BCU CLOCK
Fade in. A small clock (probably an alarm clock), with a second
hand, looms in the screen. It is dimly lit, so that the
phosphorescent paint on the dials clearly glows. The time is
4:20. All else is silent save a slight wind. After four or
five ticks, fade to black. Trashy 1990s sitcom-style music begins.
2 CREDITS
The main people in creating this picture are given credit. Their faces
are wooshed across the screen, and they're either sleeping or
laughing. Once the last face has swooped by, fade to...
3 CU JEREMIAH (JIM) AARONSON'S FACE
The introduction of the main character shows his face smashed up
against a pillow, sleeping, breathing through his slightly-opened
mouth. All around is lit. Glimpses of the surroundings
reveal that he is lying on a couch, and there is no one else
around. He does not stir. Footsteps are heard nearby, as
feet wearing tennis shoes approach. The feet stop and their owner
casts a shadow over Jim. Still, he does not stir.
Moabyte (o.c.)
Jim, Jim, wake up.
4 BCU JIM'S FACE
He gradually stirs, and his eyes quickly open. He shakes himself
for a moment.
Jim
Oh, I must've fallen asleep...Moabyte? What
are you doing here?
5 CU MOABYTE (JIM'S POV)
He looms over the camera, and reveals himself as a mid-twenties male.
Moabyte
Moabyte? An assumed name?...What
was I saying?...Oh yes: You are supposed to help me sort through your
mother's possessions.
6 MS JIM
...about as before, only farther out.
Jim
Why, did she die?
7 MS MOABYTE
...about as before. Moabyte is surprised.
Moabyte
No.
8 LIVING ROOM
Moabyte and Jim are on opposite edges of the screen, as Jim edges
himself up from the couch. There are now a variety of other
people
milling about, eating chips, drinking soda, playing board games,
etc. Two people are playing with a toy train on a circular track,
gradually removing links in the track so the circle becomes tighter and
tighter. Before standing up, Jim looks at the clock. It
reads 8:00. He looks away, and then looks back. The clock
has changed, and the time is now one hour earlier. Once Jim has
stood up, he looks around.
Jim
Who are all of these people? And why are you
here, Moe? Didn't you move away a while back?
Moabyte
I decided to come back. These are my friends.
Moabyte directs Jim to a closed door.
Moabyte
This way.
Jim
That's the garage.
Moabyte
I know.
9 APPROACHING DOOR (POV)
The unsteady camera gradually creeps closer to door. The two
people pass the camera and stop in front of the door.
Jim
Wait, why are we going through my mother's effects
if she isn't dead?
Moabyte
I like to think of it as a "new revolution" or a
"proclamation hilarity."
10 AT THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE
Sounds of a manic studio audience laughing off camera can be
heard. Jim
blinks and looks around.
Jim
What was that?
Moabyte
I think of it as a "new paradigm." Synergy,
you know?
More laughter.
Moabyte
The sort of generation that looks at itself in the
mirror.
Even more laughter.
Jim
What is this? What have you done? You
idiot! Go away!
The crowd laughs again. Jim screams in anguish. The crowd
howls in laughter.
Moabyte
I don't see any problem with a laugh track for your
life.
A few chuckles from the unseen audience.
Jim
Where did you put it? How do I get rid of it?
Moabyte
It's in your mind!
Jim bangs his head violently against the nearby drywall until it
breaks. While he was doing this, Moabyte looks directly at the
camera.
Moabtye
Geez, this guy really needs to take anger management
classes.
More frenzied laughter. Once Jim breaks the wall, he turns around
with only a tiny cut on his upper forehead.
11 ESCAPE FROM THE "HOUSE"
Jim
I have to get out of here.
Moabyte
You can't leave! You're a rat in a maze!
More laughter. Jim rounds the corner and heads towards the front
door of his "house." He crashes into an unfortunately-placed shoe
rack, and tumbles to the ground, cutting his chin. The audience
shrieks in laughter. Jim picks himself up from the floor, and
kicks aside the shoe rack. More laughter. He yanks the
front
door open, and sprints outside in broad daylight. He falls off
the
edge of the porch and disappears.
12 JIM FALLING
Up-angle as we find that his house is perched on the edge of a cliff,
and he has just fallen off of it.
13 LS JIM FALLING
He falls down the cliff. The sounds of the studio audience's
laughter dies down and is replaced by rushing wind.
14 JIM FALLING WITH GROUND APPROACHING
Immediately before he hits the ground, cut to...
15 JIM HITTING HIS FLOOR
Jim, wearing pajamas, slams full-force into the carpeted floor of his
room.
16 BCU JIM'S EYES
They awake with a start
17 JIM'S ROOM
He looks around in a daze. He first looks up at his bunkbed, from
whence he has fallen, and then around at his room. Dominating his
space is an enormous bookcase filled with every imaginable volume of
all
descriptions. The desk and floor are cluttered. Jim looks
around for a few more moments, before picking his sore body up from the
floor.
18 JIM AND THE CALENDAR
Jim looks at the calendar (with dramatic pictures of airplanes) in
satisfaction. It is the first week of June, of an undetermined
year. He sighs contentedly.
Cut to...
19 LS JIM AT THE BREAKFAST TABLE
...as Jim eats some manner of boring, cold cereal. His mother,
who looks like she's about to depart on a ten-mile run, is scurrying
around the kitchen. Jim nods in bored acknowledgement.
Mrs. Aaronson
I thought you might
be interested to know that your father is having great success on his
trip. I just talked to him this morning. He called on his
sattelite phone from the Rockerfeller Center. He was visiting
there before meeting with his client. I had considered joining
him
out there in New York, but I thought it might not be the best idea if
we
wanted to save for a new plasma television. We might have been
able to do it anyway. We got quite a windfall when your father
settled those dot-com trials a few years ago. Since you don't
have
any siblings, what we don't spend now will go to you!
Jim sits, still chewing. He picks up the comics page and peruses
it, continuing with occasional "mm-hmms" whenever his mother tells him
something new.
Mrs. Aaronson
Let's see, there was
something else that I thought you needed to know...what was it?
Oh
yeah, that gentleman who lived behind us...what was his name.
Jim
You mean Mr. Moabyte?
What about him?
Mrs. Aaronson
Oh dear, that's such
a terribly bizarre name. Why don't you call him his real name?
Jim
It's an assumed name,
mother. He can call himself whatever he wants.
Mrs. Aaronson
Oh yes, now,
um...hmm...his house is finally getting some tenants, after about a
year.
20 GARAGE
Light floods across the lines of an expensive car as Jim opens the
garage. It is the sort of car that a teenager should not be
allowed to own, but Jim does. He climbs into the driver's seat
and
backs it out of the garage. Dissolve to...
21 FINAL MONTAGE
A dissolve montage of Jim taking his last final, on history. He
is filmed in relief during the duration, focusing the audience on his
efforts. He stares at the paper, blinks furiously, rubs his head,
chews his pencil, etc. At the end of the montage, Jim finishes
the
test and gets up. Dissolve to...
22 FRONT OF SCHOOL
Jim sitting on a concrete landscaping feature and reading a magazine
about airplanes. His friend, Benjamin Matthews (Ben) approaches.
Jim
Ahah, Ben has
finished his test.
Ben
And Ben is amazed
that Jim could finish the test so quickly.
Jim
Jim merely focused
his amazing mental accuity on the task of hand.
Ben
Ben doesn't know what
"mental accuity" means.
Ben
Ben thinks it would
be a great idea to head away from this place and forget it for the rest
of the summer.
Dissolve to...
23 DRIVING HOME
An establishing shot of the expensive car driving along the street.
24 INSIDE THE CAR
Jim is at the wheel, and Ben looks on from the passenger seat.
Ben
Nice wheels.
When did you buy it?
Jim
My parents bought it
for me.
Ben
Ah...I really prefer a bike.
Jim
Bikes don't have AC,
and they don't make tremendous revving noises...Why didn't you ride it
today?
Ben
I pretzelized a wheel
when I went over a drainage culvert.
Ben
I'm pretty much used
to it now.
They ride on for a little longer, before Ben brings up the final they
just completed.
Ben
So...what did you think of that
test...I know you finished it early, but how did you do?
Jim
I think I did pretty
well. I knew most of that stuff already, before taking the class.
Ben
I could say the same
thing, but then I'd be lying. I don't know a lot of that stuff
still. Like ancient history. Who cares? My knowledge
of Ancient Rome does not extend beyond movies.
Jim
Then you don't know
anything.
Ben
Pretty much...Like
who was Trojan. Why do we care? Does this have any
relevance?
Jim
That's "Trajan." The Empire
reached its greatest extent under him. He was also a cruel and
evil emperor, who persecuted Christians and Jews. We went over
that last semester.
Ben
Aren't we supposed to
be able to forget everything that we learned last semester?
Jim
Technically, no.
Practically, yes.
Ben
There was another in
that vein...what was it? Oh yeah, what was the deal with the guy
named Hadrian? What big engineering project did he undertake in
England?
Jim
Hadrian? He was the emperor that succeeded Trajan.
While Jim is talking dissolve to...
24a LS HADRIAN'S WALL
The Emperor Hadrian, in full Roman armor (including a ridiculous red
brush on his helmet), marches slowly and contemplatively along the
wall, which is a pile of stones stretching across the screen. His
red cape billows in the wind behind him. He is played by the same
actor as Jim.
Jim (v.o.)
He visited Britain and built Hadrian's Wall, across the
entire island. It was about three feet tall and completely
useless for defense. But it's still there. It's like the
Great Wall of China. It doesn't really serve any purpose, and it
ten minutes, it's obsolete. There are a lot of things like that
in the world. Like the...
Ben (v.o.)
That was my house!
Startled, Hadrian on the screen looks
over at the camera (to his right). Dissolve to...
24b INT. CAR
Jim is looking at the camera at the same angle and with the same
expression as Hadrian in the previous shot.
Jim
Oops.
Cut to...
25 EXT. CAR
Jim slams on the brakes, and the car stops. He puts it in reverse
and it squeals backwards.
26 INT. CAR
Shooting through the window, so that Ben is framed by Jim. Ben
grabs his things and crawls out of the car.
Ben
Remember last summer,
when we made that movie about getting lost in the mountains? If
you want to undertake any crazy, insane projects, call me first.
Jim
Cool. I'll keep
that it mind.
...As Jim drives away. Dissolve to...
28 SUMMER MONTAGE
A clever dissolve montage of Jim's first few weeks of summer. He
watches a fair amount of television, and we even see the sun rise and
set as he sits in the same place, watching the TV. One network he
views, of course, is Timeline, SnBC. He drifts a little in the
neighborhood pool, as well as swimming around underwater. At the
end of this montage, dissolve to...
29 BOOK MONTAGE
Jim sits in the same place and reads books in this straight-cut
montage, while listening to Beethoven's 5th Symphony. This
montage
consists of closeups of Jim reading the books, and long shots in which
we can actually see the books. The music and Jim stay the same,
but the books change between cuts. At the end of this montage,
fade to black.
30 TICKING CLOCK
Fade in to similar shot as the first shot of the film, except that the
time is an hour or two further advanced than before. After a few
seconds, fade back to black.
31 JIM IN ROOM
The colors are processed for a blue, nocturnal aura. Jim is
standing in his room, in everyday clothes. He is shot through the
doorway with a telephoto zoom. The framing seems to be
constricting him. He walks forward and dodges around the doorway.
Cut to...
32 JIM ON BALCONY
Jim walks along, framed by the railing of the balcony and the opressive
ceiling, which seems to be crushing down onto his head. He walks
out of the light and his face is plunged into darkness.
33 JIM WALKING DOWN STAIRS
Again, the railing and ceiling confine and constrict him. He
opens his mouth to breathe, but gasps like a fish on the creek bank.
He can't breathe! He rounds the bottom of the stairs and
walks out of the field of view.
34 JIM OPENING DOOR
Another telephoto shot shows Jim opening the door to his house, from
outside. Again he is squashed in the frame. But, as he
eases
the door open, he begins to breathe. The lens widens, but the
camera moves closer, bringing Ben out from the foreground, and widening
the door frame. Jim runs out of the door.
35 JIM RUNNING DOWN STREET
But the telephoto lens has returned. Jim runs at a breakneck pace
down his street. But, since he is running towards the camera, he
doesn't appear to be going anywhere at all. At last, he trips
over
a portable basketball hoop and falls onto his face. Cut to...
36 BCU JIM'S EYES
...As he awakes with a start. Dissolve to...
37 THE BREAKFAST TABLE
Jim comes downstairs and pulls out the cold cereal. He begins to
eat it, bored, while reading the comics, but not laughing.
Gradually, he (and the audience) becomes aware of strange noises
from outside. There's whizzing and whirring and buzzing and
chomping and stamping, and the like. Confused and annoyed, he
walks over to the window...
38 JIM AT THE WINDOW
...and yanks open the curtain. Outside, he sees a swarm of
workmen putting up boards, boring holes, mixing cement, and so forth.
His mother walks into the left of the frame with a cup of coffee.
Mrs. Aaronson
They began putting it
up this morning. They asked me last week if it was okay with us,
and we said that it was fine. I didn't see any problem with it.
But, you look distressed, Jim. What's wrong?
Cut for a short moment to the shot of Jim in his room during his most
recent dream, scene 31.
40 JIM AND MRS. AARONSON AT THE WINDOW
Cut back to Jim and his mother at the window. Jim is disturbed.
Jim
Isn't this suppossed
to be an open neighborhood?...
Jim
But it should be.
But...But, what about openness, and freedom?
Mrs. Aaronson
I personally don't
care.
41 INT JIM'S ROOM
...As Jim enters it and sits down, with his back to the door. He
shuffles through junk on his floor, without any clear idea of what he's
doing. Eventually, he comes across his yearbook. He opens
it
up and leafs through it. He eventually reaches his class.
42 CU JIM'S YEARBOOK
...As Jim's finger scans across the faces. He finally lands on
Ben's mug.
43 CU JIM'S FACE
As he recalls Ben's parting words.
Cut to...
44 TELEPHONE CALL SPLITSCREEN
On the left is Jim, dialing Ben's number into his phone. On the
right is Ben's phone, sitting alone in that half of the frame.
Ben's phone begins ringing, and Ben picks it up.
Jim
Good. Do you
have anything to do today?
Jim
It's Jim. I
think you should come over here. I have a batty project in which
you might want to participate.
Dissolve to...
45 JIM'S BACKYARD
Jim and Ben are standing in front of the complete portion of the fence.
Ben is still holding his bike helmet, and he has a serious case
of
helmet hair.
Ben
This is your project?
You want me to help you to build a fence.
Jim
No, no, no, I want
you to help me take it down.
Ben
What? Whose
fence is this? Why?
Jim
The new tenants of
Moabyte's house...
Jim
Moabyte...it's an
assumed name.
Ben
Ah...Why do you care?
Jim
About Moabyte?
Well, he...
Ben
No, you idiot, the
fence!
Jim
Oh, well...you see, I
had this dream last night, I think it was prophetic...
Ben
I've heard this one
before. St. Peter comes down from heaven, hands you the keys, and
then tells the lawyer...
Jim
Watch out, my dad's a
lawyer. No, really, I'm serious. I had a dream of
claustrophobia, a sort of film noir
dream...
Jim
Never mind.
Forget about it. Let's just say that I want to destroy the
fence.
Jim
See over here, Ben,
these are my other neighbors. Notice that I can walk into their
yard whenever I please, arousing the ire of the dog they have chained
in
the back. I can bend over backwards into it. I can bend my
arm over backwards into it.
Jim
Now, observe this,
Ben. See what happens when I try to do this to Moabyte's
property...
Jim
I am rejected by the
fence. It will not let me pass through in brotherly love.
It's like, uh...It's like Hadrian's Wall.
Ben
I get that reference.
Jim
You should.
Will you help me, then?
Dissolve to...
46 INT JIM'S ROOM
Jim and Ben are holding a "war council," to discuss the fence.
They are both sitting on the floor, doing various pointless
things. Jim is holding a clipboard and a marker, and writing
ideas
on it. Ben is leafing through a book, and he has a stack of other
books at his feet.
Jim
So, what do we have
so far, Ben? I have this list. Do you want to hear it?
Jim
Good. The ideas
are as follows:
1) petitions
2) vandalism
3) decomposition, and
4) wood-boring beetles
Ben
That's it?
Aren't you missing one obvious solution?
Jim
Well, divine
intervention worked for the British at Trafalgar, but I don' think the
same will be true for us...
Ben
No, you moron!
Haven't you considered talking to your neighbors?
Jim
Oh, I did, but it
wouldn't be any good.
Jim
They're never around.
They're always off on some vacation or another. I think
they're scared of children.
Ben
So, you've never met
them?
They both pause, and Jim begins eating
something. But soon, they stray off topic and begin talking about
movies.
Ben
Hey, Jim, have you
seen that new movie...what is it?...
Jim
The one with the
British guy and the two FBI agents?
Ben
Yeah, that one.
It's a great movie.
Jim
I know. That
British guy is an awesome actor.
Ben
Really! The
guys who directed it are great, too. They're some crazy brothers
who did some other flicks I've seen. They even did a biblical
epic, but I thought it was too serious.
Jim
A biblical epic?
With that budget?
Ben
They had to be a
little creative. I hear they used a patio furniture box for one
shot.
47 ROOM-CLEANING MONTAGE
Jim has been instructed by his mother to clean his room, which
definately has become rather cluttered. He sits down and gets to
work, throwing stuff in the trash and recycling, and putting other
things elsewhere. But, when it seems that the room is clean, pull
out to show that the junk has just been moved to the other side of the
room. Repeat this, so that the junk moves back to its original
position, so that Jim has accomplished nothing. Dissolve to...
48 EXT. PUBLIC LIBRARY
Since we don't have any good ideas, let's go to the library to gain
inspiration, the boys think. A wide shot of them entering the
library.
49 THROUGH THE STACKS
A tracking shot of the boys walking through the stacks, with the camera
looking down the stacks at the boys walking along the far aisle.
50 READING MONTAGE
This is a straight cut in which Ben and Jim read aloud various passages
from books and such which, when cut together, are ridiculous.
Each
new line represents a different cut.
Ben
Allow me to begin:
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the..."
Jim
"...hobbit-hole, and
that means comfort. It had a perfectly round door like a
porthole,
painted green, with a shiny yellow..."
Ben
"...gold. Often
have you heard that told. Many a man his life hath sold, but my
outside to..."
Jim
"...Be seen, cannot
be felt, cannot be heard, cannot be..."
Ben
"...Nailed to a tree
for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change, a
girl sitting in a small cafe in Rickmansworth suddenly realized..."
Jim
"...That a rich man
shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. And again I say
unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to..."
Ben
"'...tell me,' said the lady. 'The
names of the first two disciples were...'
"'David and Goliath!'
"Let us draw the..."
Jim
"...right stuff and could move higher
and higher and even...that you might be able to join that special few
at
the top, that..."
Ben
"...Destructive fire
which Rome had ever experienced. It began in the Circus, where it
ajoins the..."
Jim
"...pfifltrigg glancing to and fro at
him and at the stone with the unmistakable glance of an artist which is
the same in..."
Ben
"...short, the period
was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest
authorities insisted on its being recieved, for good or for evil, in
the
superlative degree of comparison only."
Jim gives a bemused reaction.
Dissolve to...
51 TELEPHONE SPLITSCREEN
This is similar to the prior telephone splitscreen, but longer.
It also precedes an important scene. The screen is divided
down the middle, with a shot of Jim's phone on the left, and Ben's
phone
on the right. Jim walks over to his phone, picks it up, and dials
in Ben's number. He waits through several rings, and begins to
get
annoyed.
Jim
C'mon, you idiot,
pick up the phone.
Ben
Hello, this is the
Matthews' residence. We can't make it to the phone right now, so
if you'll...
Jim
Cut it out, Ben,
you've tried this one already.
Ben
(disappointed)
Aww, you've fallen
for it before...So, what do you have in mind? Have any new
developments on the rancor fence?
Jim
No, actually, I
borrowed a movie from some people, and I thought you might want to see
it.
Ben
Really, what's it
about?
Jim
It's called Wolfman Jack Meets the Frankenstein. It's a "tragically
hilarious satire," according to the case.
Ben
Cool. It sounds
horrible. When should I come over?
Jim
Well, my mother has
dragooned me into preparing supper, which is a really bad idea, if you
ask me.
Ben
(shocked)
Can you cook?
Jim
(nonchalant)
No. That's why
it's a bad idea. Anyway, it will probably take about an hour for
me to finish the meal, and then you can come on over.
Ben
Sounds great. I
look forward to tasting your cooking exploits.
52 COOKING MONTAGE
Jim heaves a cooking book off the shelf (probably the Joy of Cooking, or some other tome
of a cookbook) and sets it up on the counter. He flips to the
bookmark, and reads the recipe with a confused look. He begins to
get out ingredients (flour, eggs, sugar, salt, etc.) and put them on
the
counter. He puts on some onions to simmer, and then gets out some
eggs to beat. But, he is distracted by the onions, and drops an
egg. It splats on the counter. He takes no notice. Hmm, 1 "t" spoon of salt. Which is
that? I think it's this big spoon. Oh, I can't find the
salt. I guess I'll use this stuff. Oh, here it says two
cups
of sugar. This stuff looks like sugar, but it's poorly-marked.
Okay, put the beans in the kettle. Oh, wait, we don't have
any lima beans. These "soy" beans look about the same. What
else? Wheatgrass.
What in the world is that? Does this differ from the grass
on our lawn at all? I guess not. Oops, there's still a rock
in the grass. Olive oil.
I can't find any, so I'll go for this linseed oil in the back of
this cupboard. An olive is a seed, right? They should be
practically the same. Ah, I'm about ready to get this whole
assembly cooking. What's left? "Add 1 tablespoon
c/cayenne to taste." Ah, a cup
of
cayenne. Now, let's put this on the stove, stir it, and leave
this
nice wooden spoon next to it. Jim turns around and looks
in
the general direction of the camera, looking through the recipe once
again. As he does this, steam rises from the kettle behind him,
and the spoon catches on fire and burns itself away. Now, what have I missed?
53 BEN'S GARAGE
Ben is standing in front of the garage, astride his bike, and
tightening the straps on his helmet. He glances at his watch.
This is about the time Jim wants him to come over. He heads
off.
54 SUBURBAN CORNER
Ben makes ready to round a corner in his neighborhood, and he narrates
to himself, as if he were dictating his journeys to a stenographer.
Ben
It was at this point
in my journey that I thought it might be worthwhile to round this
corner, which I believed would bring me ever nearer to my ultimate
goal,
that is, the home of my companion and mentor Jeremiah. He at that
time lived in an extensive suburban villa that...
Ben stops talking for a moment when he
nearly runs into a Corolla which is pulling out of a parallel parking
place. The owner of the car shouts angrily at Ben. He
swerves around the car and continues forward.
Ben
(angry)
Watch where you're going, you reckless
desperado!
(more subdued and dignified)
During this stage of
my recollection, I was rudely interrupted when I was nearly rammed by a
small, blue car, which I believe to be piloted by one who considered
himself a "demi-deity." I continued forth on my expedition...
A tracking shot follows Ben and his bike along a street. Cut to...
56 SUBURBAN STREET
Now, the tracking shot leads Ben, and he looks directly at the camera
and begins speaking.
Ben
Here I was soon to
face the most perilous facet of my journey: my short trip along the
open
street. This was one that would be as fraught with peril as ever.
The road curves up over a freeway, and it looks tall and steep with the
help of a long lens. As Ben is partway up the hill, he is passed
by a man wearing brand names, gel pants, and without any hair on his
legs at all.
58 MS BEN
Another tracking shot leads Ben riding up the artificial hill. He
glares in scorn at the biker, and then looks at the camera again.
Ben
Even with my defeat,
I remained firm and resolute. I gazed ahead with steely resolve.
"I'll teach that pest a lesson," I muttered under my breath.
59 LS BEN
A still shot from behind shows Ben ready to make a left turn off of the
road. An enormous, gasoline-thirsty Jeep squeals, honks, and
swerves around him, the driver shouting expletives which are drowned
out
by the noise of the brakes, horn, and engine. Ben shouts back
(but
his response is audible).
Ben
Get off the road, you
polluting blight to society!
Once the Jeep has passed, Ben turns (this time signaling).
60 BEN
As he makes the turn. The background swings around behind him.
He looks at the road for a little bit, then looks back at the
camera.
Ben
By far the greatest
indignity was encountered when I was ruthlessly waylaid by an enormous
Jeep, this one piloted by one who without a doubt percieved himself to
be exalted among the gods.
...As Ben enters it from a back path.
62 JIM'S HOUSE AND STREET
Jim's house can be clearly seen, along with the road, which is
barricaded by two permanent rows of two posts each. Ben rides
between them and slaps both of them simeltaneously as he passes them.
Then, he turns into Jim's driveway. He hops off of his bike
and looks at his watch.
Ben
Twelve minutes!
A record!
63 INT JIM'S ROOM
The movie has now completed. Jim and Ben are sitting on the floor
(again), doing typical juvenile things (reading comic
books, eating, sitting about, accomplishing zero, getting bad
ideas). Jim is again sitting on the floor with a clipboard and a
marker.
Ben
Y'know, I don't think
that movie was really my cup of tea.
Jim
Mm-hmm...
Ben
Cary Grant as Wolfman
Jack, and Jimmy Stewart as Frankenstein? I dunno...Anne Bancroft
was surprisingly real as the woman who got bit by Cary Grant, though...
Jim
What haven't we tried, Ben?
Picketing, vandalism, threatening notes, petitioning, rioting...
Ben stares blankly.
Jim
Hand me a random book off the shelf.
Ben, who's sitting near the bookcase, heaves a random tome off the
shelf. It's an encyclopedia, volume R.
Jim
Ah, Brittanica...
As Jim flips through the encyclopedia (slightly reverently), Ben
finishes whatever it is he's eating and pulls a book of quotes from the
overflowing shelf. He opens it up to an arbitrary position.
Ben
"You speak treason!" "Fluently."
Jim
What's that from?
Ben
Some movie I haven't seen.
Jim keeps flipping, moving towards the center of the volume.
Ben
"Half a league, half a league, half a
league onward,
" Into the valley of death rode the six
hundred..."
Hmm...
Jim has stopped his flipping and is examining an article in detail.
Ben
Here we go:
"Idle hands are the devil's workshop."
That's us.
Jim is barely mumbling something.
Jim
The plot against...poisoned
feather...Messalina...Agrippina...the reign of terror...Ahah!
Jim stands up and Ben looks confusedly up at him.
Jim
I've got it!
Ben
Got what?
Jim
Our solution: what did Nero do to Rome?
Ben
Nero...as in the emperor? Didn't
he persecute Christians and build an enormous palace?
Jim
...And?...
Ben
...Uh...
Jim stands up straight and looks slightly upwards and away from the
camera.
Jim
Nero, the last of the heirs of Julius
Caesar, was an insane and cruel emperor.
While Jim is talking, dissolve to...
63 CU NERO
...who is in the same pose as Jim, and probably played by the same
actor. He is wearing a toga and a laurel wreath, and has bushy
eyebrows and possibly a large nose. He is filmed in relief, so
the
lights in the background are unrecognizable.
Jim (v.o)
Taking the throne at age seventeen,
Nero was cruel and abusive, to his wives, his empire, and his
power. He held massive drunken parties at his palaces, and
murdered both of his wives. In A.D. 64, he had plans to create
the
extravagant Domus Aurea, the Golden House. At the same time, he
wanted to deal with a radical new religious sect called
"Christians." History believes that he dealt with both problems
at
once by taking a radical measure.
Cut to...
64 ROME BURNS
Flames lick across the forum, the Capitoline, etc. Nero is
standing in the foreground, looking like a 27-year-old madman. He
isn't watching the flames engulf the city.
Jim (v.o.)
Nero set fire to Rome. The
inferno raged for a day. It cleared ample land for his
palace. As scapegoats, he charged the Christians, torturing them
and putting them to death for a crime for which they were not
responsible...
Dissolve back to...
65 INT JIM'S ROOM
Jim is in the same location and pose as Nero was in the previous shot.
Jim
It's settled. We set fire to the
fence.
Ben
You're a madman.
Dissolve to...
66 CU GAS CONTAINER
The bottom of a large, red gas can dominates the frame, although the
floor of the garage in which it is sitting is also visible.
Groans
precede its getting lifted free from the concrete floor. Pull out
to see Jim's sandaled feet bearing it away.
67 LS GARAGE DOOR
The back door to the garage is open, and Jim is framed in it as he
hauls the up the steps and outside. It is late evening, but there
will be daylight at least for the next hour.
68 LS BEN AND FENCE
Ben, on the right of the frame, is sitting on a rock and flipping
through an enormous book. The fence looms behind him. Jim
walks into the frame with the gas can. He unscrews the cap, and
douses the fence with gasoline. He also gets a little on his leg.
His nose twitches. He puts down the gas can, but tips it
over and spills some on his mother's vegetables. He rights it,
and
turns to face Ben.
Ben
I still haven't found
what I'm looking for...oh wait, here it is!
Ben
Arson, a felony.
What do you say we forget about this idea for a little while?
Ben
Perhaps you have a
point.
69 TICKING CLOCK
This time, the clock is further advanced than before, at perhaps 5:45
in the morning. Morning light gilds its edges. The wind has
died, and now the clock ticks unchallenged.
70 MS JIM AND HIS COMPUTER
An over-the-shoulder shot shows Jim sitting at his computer, typing an
e-mail to the president, in Greek characters. He looks around
suspiciously.
Jim
The name of the man
of whom I refer is Moabyte, an assumed
name, I might add...
Wind blows in his face from an unseen source, and suddenly he screams.
71 CU COMPUTER SCREEN
The screen dominates the frame. The letters now seem to be
melting. The same rushing wind and screaming can be heard.
Jim drops down above the camera, and falls towards the screen.
He's perhaps a centimeter tall. He hits the screen and
passes through it.
72 IN THE DATA STREAM
Numbers and bits and bytes and packets and spam fly at Jim from all
directions. He bats the ones and zeros, and the occasionaly two,
away. He grabs a fly-swatter and fends off a swarm of ASCII
characters. Continually, wind blows at his face. Gradually,
the data stream fades, and Jim is left standing in his house, before
his
front door. He dives for it, yanks it open, and...
73 JIM'S EYES OPENING
...as he awakes with a start. They blink. Dissolve to...
74 JIM'S BACKYARD
Jim picks up a broom and balances it on his fingertips for a moment.
He walks around for a moment with the broom balanced on his
fingertip, before it falls. He catches it, and sets it up again.
For a short while, he contemplates this, before realizing that it
might be neat to do something more challenging. He finds a
frisbee
stuck in a nearby bush, pulls it down, and tries to balance it on the
thin end of the broom. He doesn't seem to be getting anywhere, so
he tries multiple solutions to get it to stay, including spinning the
frisbee.
Frustrated, he stands there for a moment, contemplating going inside.
Then, he hears the sound of some large object crashing about in
the fenced-off yard. He creeps over to the fence and peers
through
the thin cracks.
75 POV JIM
The restless camera roams back and forth to get a better look through
the fence. There is a mechanical creature of some sort wandering
about in the backyard. Jim can hardly see any of it, however.
76 BCU JIM'S EYE
A side shot of Jim's enormous eye as it looks through the fence.
77 CU JIM'S FACE
Another shot of Jim peering, squinting, through the fence.
Cut immediately to...
78 TELEPHONE SPLITSCREEN
Mostly as the previous two scenes, except that Ben is sitting right
next to the phone, idly waiting for it to ring. As soon as Jim
dials the number, Ben almost-too-hastily picks it up.
Cut to...
79 BCU BEN'S EYE
Ben is looking through the fence just as Jim was.
80 CU BEN'S FACE
Ben is framed in nearly the same manner as Jim.
Ben
It's a robot all
right.
Jim
Are you thinking what
I'm thinking?
81 DESCENDING STAIRS
A short shot portrays the two boys descending the stairs into the
basement, with the camera close at their heels. The stairwell is
unlit, but the (unfinished) basement is well lit. In the corner,
beside a ping-pong table, is a computer, which is currently turned on.
Jim sits on a bouncy red ball in front of it, while Ben rolls up
a
nearby office chair.
82 AT THE COMPUTER
Ben
Why does one put a
computer in the basement? What does this have to do with the
robot?
Jim
I use the computer
whenever I need to satiate my hacking desires. And as for the
robot, do you remember when Moabyte installed a main computer in his
house that controlled everything?...
Ben
No...Oh, no, you're
not thinking....
Jim
Oh, yes! I can
hack into the computer system of Moabyte's old house, and instruct the
robot to tear down the fence!
Ben
No, you're insane,
this has gone too far...
Jim
It will be okay.
I know what I'm doing. I've done this sort of thing before,
remember? I'm experienced. We're a team, right?...I wonder
if it's on of those new lawnmower robots. Imagine what that would
do to the fence! I can see wood splinters flying everywhere!
Maybe it's an all-purpose serving robot. In that case, I
could give it a pick, or an axe, or something, and send it...
Jim
Good. My powers
of persuasion are marvelous...
Ben
It's not that, it's
just that everything so far this summer has led up to this. I
can't let the climax of my summer pass me by without my grabbing hold
of
it.
Jim
Well spoken, good
citizen. Now, let's hack into the system.
Jim types, looks at the screen, gets repelled from the system
continually. Include closeups of his hands, face lit by the
cathode-ray glow, etc. At last, he turns away in irritation.
84 4T TH3 C0MPUT3R
Jim glares at the computer indignantly. He looks at Ben, then
back at the computer, then back at Ben.
Jim
My hacking skills
aren't the...
Ben cuts him off. Jim is confused. Jim tries talking once
again, but again Ben cuts him off. Here ensues the "h4x0r" scene,
which involves the characters speaking in hacker jargon, with two sets
of subtitles on the bottom of the screen, one showing how the lines are
spelled (here in parens), and the other proving a reasonable English
translation (in square brackets). They pause between sentences
while typing.
Ben
The jargonxor, Jim?
(th3 j4rg0nx0r j1m????)
[Shouldn't you be speaking in hacker parlance, Jim?]
Jim
Ah. I see.
(4h. 1 s33 ; ) )
[Ah. Your point is more lucid now, Ben.]
Ben
Good. Let's get
to workxor. Where should we startxor?
(g00dx0r!! l3ts g3t t0 w0rkx0r; wh3r3 sh0uld w3 st4rtx0r???)
[Splendid. We should commence our work at once.]
Jim
You're leet.
(ur l33t!!!!!)
[You are elite in the field of computer hacking.]
Ben
Ja. Almost
there. One secondxor.
(j4. 4lm0st th3r3. 1 s3c0ndx0r.)
[I sure am. I'm almost into the system. Wait one second.]
Jim
Coolxor.
Hurryxor.
(k00lx0r. hurr13.)
[That is a good development. Make haste, anyway.]
Ben
Woot! I'm inxor!
(w00t!!!!!! 1m 1nx0r!!!!)
[Superb! I have made it into the system.]
Jim
Doublewoot!...Can we
stop jargonxor?
(2w00t!!...K4n w3 st0p j4rg0nx0r???)
[Exquisitely superb!...May I please cease talking in this ridiculous
hacker language?]
Ben
You insistxor.
(u 1ns1stx0r)
[If you so vehemently insist.]
85 AT THE COMPUTER
...as before, except our character's don't use any more easily-dateable
hacker jargon.
Jim
Good...What have you
found?
Ben
Well, I have full
control over any of the controls of everything in the house.
Jim
Cool! Is the
robot on there?
Ben
Patience. Look
at what we can access! Window shades, automatic interior doors,
lights, music...
Jim
Turn on Beethoven's
Fifth on as high as you can.
With a few keystrokes, the computer registers that the song is now
playing. Ben keeps on typing, but Jim stops him and points in the
direction of the house. They listen, and they can hear muted
noises of the first strains of the German master's most famous symphony.
Jim
All right, look for
the robot.
Ben scrolls down through the list.
Ben
Hmm...microwave,
refrigerator, A/C...where's the robot?
Jim
What's that at the
bottom?
Ben
"Controls for the
Toshiba CyberPooch 1170."
Jim
The "robot" is a plastic dog?
Ben
Such sadly appears to
be the case.
Ben
Well, at least I can
do one thing.
Ben
Program the dog to
ram its head against the fence repeatedly from dusk 'til dawn every
night.
Jim
That ought to annoy the neighbors
sufficiently.
Ben
But, now what do we
do?
Jim and Ben look at each other in frustration for a moment, before Ben
scrolls down the menu one more item.
Ben
Hey, there's
something else!
Jim
(suddenly interested)
What is it?
Ben
"Full controls for
all locked windows and doors."
Jim
You mean we have
the...
86 THE FENCE (NIGHT)
It's perhaps ten at night in the summer, and night has fully fallen.
The boys are perched at the bottom of the fence, ready to scale
its imposing six feet. Fortunately, they have the side with the
exposing cross beams, making this part of the trip that much easier.
They each have backpacks, with various ridiculous pieces of
equipment, like climbing shoes, carbeiners, hacksaws, duct tape, etc.
Ben
After you, Sir
Hillary!
87 UP THE FENCE
A wide angle shot makes the fence appear massive, and perhaps a shade
as imposing as the peak which Hillary scaled fifty years ago. Ben
hopes with all his life that Jim does not equate Sir Edmund Hillary
with
"Senator" Hillary Clinton.
88 INTO THE BACKYARD
The boys make it into the backyard of the neighbors and breathe sighs
of satisfaction. To the left of them in the shot, the dog beats
its plastic cranium against the fence over which they have just climbed.
89 BREAKING AND ENTERING THE HOUSE (THE FORTRESS OF
ANTONIA)
The back door stands prominently in the left of the frame, and the boys
approach it from the right. They crouch down, and listen for
noises. As they hear nothing but the obsessive dog, the crack the
door open.
90 BCU DOOR
Jim's hands grope about along the door for the inner door handle.
He finds it, and eases it open. The camera pulls out a
little, and the house, and indeed the whole frame, is almost entirely
dark. Ben pulls out a flashlight and turns it on, shining it low
on the floor, and not the walls.
91 INT THE BREAKFAST NOOK
...which looks almost the same as that in Jim's house, but it is shot
differently. Ben follows Jim through the door, and they ease the
door shut.
Ben
This house looks
exactly like yours.
Jim
Moabyte's house was
the model for this neighborhood...So, what should we do now that we've
made it inside?
Ben
I thought you had an
idea!
Jim
Not particularly.
You didn't have one?
Jim
...Well, let's see
what's in the fridge.
92 THE KITCHEN
Jim yanks open the fridge and reaches for something, but Ben stops him.
Ben
No, don't steal
anything!
Ben
The explorer's honor
code! Sir Edmund Hillary, you are to leave nothing but footprints
on Mount Everest, and from it you are to take only photographs.
Jim slams the fridge shut, and the room
is dark again.
Jim
Fine. But I
don't have a camera.
Jim
I don't reccomend
making any record of this, lest it get subpoenaed.
Jim
Well, if we are
explorers, let's map out the catacombs first.
The unsteady camera approaches the basement door, in a mirror of the
shot seen at the beginning of the film. Ben and Jim pass it, and
Ben, being on the right, opens the door.
94 THE BASEMENT STAIRS
The camera looks up the stairway, as Ben is lightly sillohuetted by the
light from Jim's unseen flashlight. Ben himself turns on his
light
and shines it down the stairs, first at the camera, and then at the
walls. He begins to descend, and Jim follows him. They both
shine their flashlights about until they reach about halfway down the
stairs. Cut to...
95 FURTHER DOWN THE BASEMENT STAIRS
The camera looks down on the boys walking cautiously down the stairs.
Below, their flashlights light up scores and scores of boxes,
with
a sled on top of one of them. The divine emperor Augustus in
miniature marble can be seen standing on a truncated Corinthian column.
When the boys reach the bottom of the stairs, cut to...
96 INT. BASEMENT
With the camera on the same level as the actors, we can see the boxes
that flood the basement. They are of all size and description.
The boys wave their flashlights about and investigate various
items.
Ben
Somehow, I expected
to find more than just boxes in the catacombs. There's nothing
down here.
Jim
Except for the Divine
Augustus.
Jim
Well, let's get
going. Antiquity notwithstanding, there's nothing down here.
The boys turn around and head up the stairs, shot from below. As
they are nearly at the door with their flashlights, the muffled sound
of
a garage door opening is heard. The neighbors have returned!
98 CU BEN AND JIM
...as they look at each other in shock and terror
99 LS INT STAIRWAY
They stop and crouch down at the bottom of the stairs. They hold
still and listen.
100 MS BEN AND JIM
...as they strain to hear what is happening. The door to the
garage is heard to open. Now, footsteps walk across the bare
hardwood floor, and talking begins. It is that of a man (Tony)
and
a woman (Livia), their voices possessing a slightly snobbish cast.
Tony (o.c.)
Well, we're back to
the ol' "Fortress of Antonia" once again, Livia.
Livia (o.c.)
It's been weeks, Tony.
...mostly as before, except a fair amount closer.
Tony (o.c.)
Yep, and it looks
like no one has touched the place since we've been here.
Tony (o.c.)
Wait, what's this?
Somebody broke this glass!
Ben looks in fright at Jim, who doesn't
return the look.
Livia (o.c.)
That dumb dog of
ours. It seems almost as problematic as a real one.
Livia (o.c.)
In that vein, I
should go downstairs and check on the dog. He should be down
there
by now.
102 CU FEET APPROACHING DOOR
Livia's bare feet approach the door.
103 CU HANDS GRASPING HANDLE
Livia's hand with manicured nails grasps the doorknob and pulls the
door open.
104 LIVIA DESCENDING STAIRS
The place where the boys had been hiding is now miraculously empty.
Livia, sillouhetted again, holds a remote and commands the lights
in the basement to raise. Just as she does this, cut to...
105 LIVIA FURTHER DOWN THE STAIRS
Again, Livia is dark and her surrounding is white, affording us a poor
view of her true face and features. Now, the camera looks down on
her in much the same way that it did on the boys a few minutes prior.
The viewer, but not Livia, notices that a few boxes are sitting
peculiarily.
106 INT BASEMENT
A wide shot reveals the huddled form of the two boys in the far right
of the screen, below some boxes that were fortunately only lightly
packed. Livia heads to the left of the screen and leans over to
look at some sort of unseen electronic dog kennel. She doesn't
see
anything, and turns around to head back upstairs. She carelessly
brushes past the statue of Augustus, and...
107 CU AUGUSTUS
...knocks the statue off of the pedestal.
Cut back to...
108 INT BASEMENT
...As before. Livia picks the emblem of Augustus from the floor
and puts him back on his column. She turns around with the remote
in hand, and is just about ready to kill the basement lights.
But,
she notices that some boxes are sitting oddly. She idly kicks
one,
revealing the huddled form of Ben. She takes no notice, and heads
back up the stairs.
109 MS BEN AND JIM
They wait for Livia to clear the basement, and then head up to their
previous position at the top of the stairs.
110 CU BEN AND JIM
...As the lean closer and closer in an attempt to find what the adults
are saying.
Tony (o.c.)
...Just put the dog
in the house, and keep him there, he'll stay. Or that's what I
thought. How could the dog have disappeared? It doesn't
make
sense!
Livia (o.c.)
Dear, I'm sure he'll
show up eventually.
Tony (o.c.)
Yes, I suppose...hey,
I still have sand in my sandals.
Livia (o.c.)
One should grow to
expect that from a tropical island.
Tony (o.c.)
Yes, it was indeed a
lovely vacation. Far better than my "Fortress of Antonia" here.
There are too many kids in this neighborhood, have you noticed?
111 CU JIM
...As he still listens to the conversation.
Livia (o.c.)
Oh yes, especially
the kid that lives behind us...what's his name?
Livia (o.c.)
Something like that.
112 MS JIM AND BEN
They listen intently and react to the incendiary bombs dropped by Tony
and Livia.
Livia (o.c.)
He's so stupid and
crazy...and immature. I've watched him during the day. He
still plays with a yo-yo. Why can't he just grow up and be
sophisticated? He can drive, so he's at least fourteen. It
really makes me angry when parents try to prolong childhood.
Childhood is nothing great; it's not real!
Tony (o.c.)
I totally agree.
Livia (o.c.)
I mean, I'm serious.
I would sic our dog on that child if it weren't for the fence.
Tony (o.c.)
Are you sure the dog
isn't down there? I could check.
Livia (o.c.)
No, it's okay.
Tony (o.c.)
Really, I don't feel
safe without a dog to protect us during the night. You don't know
what sort of creeps could be wandering around in your house.
Tony (o.c.)
It will only take a
minute...Wait, what's that thumping noise?
Livia (o.c.)
Dear, it's late.
We should go to bed.
Tony (o.c.)
All right, but I'll
check on the dog first thing tomorrow.
Livia (o.c.)
You do that.
Various shots show the boys reacting to the adults' climbing the
stairs. Finally, it seems, the last light has been killed on the
main level. They creek the door open...
114 MS OPENING BASEMENT DOOR
...and look out into the dark house. They slink out of the
basement...
115 MS EXT POWDER ROOM
...and into the ground floor bathroom.
116 MS INT POWDER ROOM
The dimly-lit boys are huddled on either side of the toilet, waiting
for the noises in the upstairs bedroom to cease. Ben is on the
left (near the flush lever), Jim on the right. They whisper to
each other for a minute.
Jim
I really need to pee.
Ben
Hold it. We
can't give ourselves away just because you have to answer nature's call!
117 MS INT POWDER ROOM - LATER
Jim is still awake, grimacing at the prospect of being so close, and
yet so far from his source of relief. Ben, on the other hand, has
zonked out, leaning on the toilet. Jim listens upstairs, and
hearing nothing, nudges Ben.
Ben jerks, and falls into the flush lever. The toilet, in a
violent, booming noise, flushes.
118 INTS HOUSE (FORTRESS OF ANTONIA)
...as the noise of the flushing echoes off of the walls.
119 CU BEN AND JIM
They look at each other in panic.
120 CU BOTTOM OF MASTER BEDROOM DOOR
The lamps in the master suite can be seen to light.
121 MAIN STAIRWAY
Tony comes out of the lit master bedroom, and descends the stairs,
shrouded in shadow. He looks around a little, and scratches his
belly, trying to remember why he is down here. Finally, he
reaches
for the door to the coat closet. Cut to...
122 INT COAT CLOSET
...with Jim and Ben huddled inside it.
123 INT DOOR OF COAT CLOSET
...as it is opened a crack, and then closed.
124 EXT COAT CLOSET
Tony latches the coat closet shut, and then looks around, confused.
Finally, he climbs back up the stairs, and shuts the door.
125 CU BOTTOM OF MASTER BEDROOM DOOR
...As the lights extinguish.
126 INT COAT CLOSET
Ben and Jim look at each other. They listen for a little while,
and hear nothing from upstairs.
Jim
You still awake, Ben?
Jim
Good. Let's get
out of here. These neighbors give me the creeps. They hate
me, and I will return the favor. It's just as well that there's a
fence there.
127 EXT COAT CLOSET
...As the boys slip out of it.
128 MS FRONT DOOR
The boys make ready to open the door, but...
129 CU BURGLAR ALARM
...there's a burglar alarm attached to the door. It's armed.
130 CU BEN AND JIM
...Their reactions.
131 MS BEN AND JIM
Jim whispers to Ben.
Jim
Let's try a window
upstairs. It may not have a sensor in it, like those in our house.
132 INT ROOM #1
...as the boys enter it. The room is nearly identical to Jim's
room.
133 THE WINDOW
They inspect the window frame. A sticker on it warns of its
protection under a burglar alarm. Oh.
Jim
The next room may
have the main computer in it. It's our last best hope for peace
of
mind.
The boys leave the room. Cut to...
134 EXT ROOM #2
The boys, and the camera, approach the door. Ben grabs the
handle, and eases it open. Inside, it's dark, until suddenly, the
light flashes on. Both boys scream.
135 INT ROOM #2
Moabyte, the owner of the house, is framed in the far left of the
screen, with Ben and Jim in the left. He dominates the frame.
In one hand he wields a remote control, in the other, a cigar.
He begins to speak. The boys are paralyzed for a moment,
before they bolt.
Moabyte
Well, if it's not my
favorite former neighbor, Mr. Aaronson, and his accomplice, Mr.
Matthews. By what rare and unexpected circumstance do you come
to...
136 EXT ROOM #1
They run into the first room and slam the door.
137 INT ROOM #1
Ben props a large chair against the door, while Moabyte beats on it.
138 THE WINDOW
Ignoring the rigged alarm, Jim yanks the shades open, unlocks the
blinds, opens the window, and punches out the screen. First Jim,
and then Ben, crawl out the window. The camera cranes up to see
the boys tumbling down the roof and disappearing as the fall.
139 LS EXT GARAGE - NIGHT
Jim and Ben, in that order, fall onto the ground. Jim falls
strangely, and stays on the ground.
140 MS BEN AND JIM AT GARAGE - NIGHT
Ben springs up, and beckons Jim to come, hurry along. But Jim
stays on the ground.
141 CU JIM
He grimaces, and feels his unseen leg.
Jim
I think I sprained
something.
Jim
No, but it does hurt
like all get out.
Ben
Moabyte will be here
any minute. We must get you to safety.
142 CU JIM'S RIGHT LEG
It is bleeding. Jim wipes off a little of the blood.
143 CU JIM AND BEN
Framed about as before.
Ben
I'll stay with you,
Jim, whatever the cost.
144 LS HOUSE, WITH JIM AND BEN
An objective shot of much of the house can be seen. The window
with the missing screen, Ben and Jim (well lit), and the door.
Presently, Moabyte storms through the door, carrying one of the
huge flashlights the boys dropped. A few other neighbors, who
haven't bedded down yet, mill about. Tony and Livia follow
Moabyte
out of the door. Moabyte rounds around the corner and faces the
boys, shining his flashlight on them, and forming an imposing
sillohuette against the garage. Cut to...
145 MS BEN AND JIM
They react to Moabyte's speech, which begins here. He seems to
address his speech to Creation in general, and not just the boys.
Moabyte
What am I doing here,
one might ask? Well, I could certainly ask the same thing of you
two. You've broken and entered, you two. Don't you think
that this will come without retribution.
Ben
Please, Mr. Moabyte,
my friend is seriously hurt, if you could...
Cut to...
146 CU MOABYTE
...who towers over the boys
Moabyte
Silence! I
don't believe I allowed you to talk, you cocky little boys. You
are the reason I'm here, yes, the sole reason. I ostensibly came
to investigate these tenants, but I was really here to find out the
true
nature of your boys' deception. I caught wind of your crazy
antics, trying to set fire to the fence or destroy it by wind, fire,
rain, or the hand of hand of Jupiter himself.
Cut to...
147 LS HOUSE
Moabyte's voice rings across the neighborhood.
Moabyte
But these tenants, I
also looked into them. Their fence was not allowed under the
covenant. A modification of the grounds was not part of the
contract. Your fence, Tony and Livia, shall be dismantled.
The boys, by a certain definition, have won.
148 MS BEN AND JIM
...as they realize that they didn't really want what they wanted.
149 MS MOABYTE
He concludes his speech.
Moabyte
But these same boys
have not entirely won, citizens. They cannot run free from their
mischief. They have to pay for their crimes. Jeremiah
Aaronson and Benjamin Matthews, you shall be sentenced. By the
decree of me alone, I declare your punishment. To pay, you shall
care for the lawn of this property, for the remainder of the summer,
without a salary or any form of compensation. And lastly, I shall
keep the flashlight.
150 LS HOUSE
With the various people doing their various things. Dissolve to...
151 CU WEEDEATER HEAD
...As it rips through some tall grass in the backyard of Moabyte's old
house. It is day, perhaps weeks later.
152 BEN AND THE LAWN
Ben runs the weedeater through the grass.
153 JIM AND THE LAWN
Jim, whose leg has healed properly, grumbles and complains in typical
fashion of people his age. He pulls the lawnmower back and forth
over the lawn, griping about the sun, the humidity, the bugs, the hard
work. He especially hates the divebombing bugs. Cut to...
154 A GNAT'S POV
The camera rises from the grass in front of the immense lawnmower.
It circles deliriously upwards. Throughout this whole shot,
its target is clear: that huge hairless ape with the lawnmower.
The camera zips upwards towards the face of Jeremiah. The
face grows larger and larger, until the eye is seen as the only
possible
target. At the last possible moment, the eye looks right at the
camera, the image freezes, and then enlarges to create the impression
that the camera has flown straight into Jim's pupil. Music starts, and
begin...
155 END CREDITS
The names of all those involved roll across the screen. After a
few names, the manic, insane laughing of Moabyte's laugh track is
heard.
Who gets the last laugh? Once the credits conclude cut to...
156 BCU ALARM CLOCK
Now, the morning sun shines on the clock in full brilliance, bathing it
in its warm glow. The beginning and ends of the film are linked.
The time is 7:07. The mechanism inside clicks, and the
alarm
begins to beep. Fade to black.
THE END.
a screenplay
by Willy Logan
A note to the reader of this
screenplay: This work contains quotations from certain works on which
copyrights are still held. This screenplay by no means intends to
infringe on the copyrights on these works; instead, this means of
expression is protected under "fair use." We hope any copyright
holders viewing this work, or the finished film, will take the
quotations in the good humor in which they were intended.