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FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY
EXT. NEW MEXICO DESERT HIGHWAY - DAY (PRESENT)
A black scorpion crawls towards us on hot tarmac. The sound of
an approaching PICKUP. A tire crushes the life from the
scorpion, CAMERA rising from it to reveal a desolate DINER in the
middle of nowhere.
INT. DINER - DAY
MICKEY KNOX, his back turned to us, is sitting at the counter
finishing his meal. We hear the PING...BANG...of a pinball machine
being played OFF SCREEN.
MABEL, a waitress, comes over and fills Mickey's coffee cup.
MICKEY
What kind of pies do you have?
MABEL
Apple, pecan, cherry, and key lime.
MICKEY
Which do you recommend?
MABEL
Well, the key lime is great, but it's an acquired taste.
MICKEY
I haven't had a key lime pie in ten years.
MABEL
When ya had it, did ya like it?
MICKEY
No, but that don't mean much. I was a completely
different person ten years ago. Let's give key lime
a day in court. And a large glass of milk.
Mabel turns to her right.
MABEL (to someone O.S.)
Should I make that two pieces?
CAMERA PULLS BACK and we see for the first time MALLORY KNOX,
Mickey's wife, sitting on a counter stool next to him. Her back
is to the camera as well.
MALLORY
Nada, Rosey.
MABEL (annoyed)
My name's not Rosey. (points at name tag) It's Mabel.
Mabel exits FRAME.
MALLORY
Whatever.
Mallory hops from the stool, walks over and grabs the JAR next to
the cash register, then dumping out the coins on the counter, she
selects a quarter.
MABEL
Hey, what the hell do you think you're doin'?
Mallory saunters past the COWBOY playing pinball. As his eyes
follow Mallory, he loses his ball.
She walks to the jukebox in the back, inserts the quarter,
selects a song, punches the buttons, a needle lands on a record,
and a hard-hitting rockabilly TUNE cuts through the coffee shop.
(Suggestions: "Let 'er Roll" by Sid King or "Red Hot"/"The Way I
Walk" by Robert Gordon)
Mabel brings Mickey his pie and milk.
MABEL (to Mickey)
She ought not be doing that. That's for
Jerry's kids, not rock 'n roll.
CAMERA moves around to a CU of Mickey. This is the first time we
see him. As he takes a bite of green pie:
MICKEY
I can't take her anywhere.
Mallory starts doing a slow seductive fandango around the coffee
shop. She's really cooking and smoking.
Pinball Cowboy and Mabel are starting to wonder just who the hell
these people are.
EXT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
A dirty pickup truck, sporting a Confederate flag decal, pulls up
to the coffee shop, a DEAD DEER in the back. SONNY, OTIS, and
EARL, three tough-looking rednecks, pile out. Steam rises from
beneath the pickup's hood.
EARL
Goddamn this sonbitch is runnin' hot. Y'all go
inside. I'm gonna check 'er out.
INT. COFFEE SHOP - DAY
The LOUDNESS of the Rockabilly song slaps SONNY and OTIS in their
faces as they walk inside the door. The sexy sight of MALLORY
doing the ubang stomp stops them in their tracks.
SONNY
Good God almighty. What the hell is that?
OTIS
That's a bitch outta hell, son.
Otis and Sonny exchange looks.
OTIS
Take a run at 'er, kiddo.
Sonny heads toward Mallory. Otis moves over to the counter next
to Mickey.
OTIS
Miller, Mabel.
MABEL
Comin' up.
Sonny stands in front of Mallory, trying to copy what she's
doing. Her eyes are closed at the moment, so she doesn't see
him.
Mabel sets the Miller down in front of Otis. Otis takes a swig,
enjoying the floor show.
OTIS (to Mickey)
That's some sweet piece of meat, ain't it?
Mickey turns from his pie and looks at Otis. His expression
betrays nothing.
MICKEY
Her name's Mallory.
OTIS
Mallory, whatever -- who gives a shit. I call
it pussy.
The needle lifts off the record. The song ends.
Mallory opens her eyes and sees Sonny, grinding up against her,
grabbing for her tits.
SONNY
Hells Bells! Don't stop now sugar. I'm just
getting warmed up.
Sonny gives her his best shit-eating grin before turning to Otis.
Otis gurgles out a laugh.
OTIS
Hey, I think she's sweet on you.
Sonny turns to Mallory.
MALLORY (sweet)
Oh, are you flirting with me?
She starts to sing "Shitlist" by L7. Sonny doesn't understand as
she punches him hard in the face, spinning him around. More
punches follow as she wallops him all over the diner.
A new song automatically drops on -- Patti Smith's "Rock 'n Roll
Nigger" or L7's "Shitlist" pumping the room to a new peak of
murder and insanity.
Mallory grabs the back of Sonny's head and SMASHES it down on the
table, cracking the linoleum.
MALLORY
Don't fuck with my dance! Goddamnit Mickey, why
do they fuck with my dance, goddamn is it be-
cause I'm so cute? Why are they fucking with me?
Otis jumps off the counter stool, but Mickey's hand clutches hold
of his shoulder.
Otis spins around toward Mickey, loaded for bear, and points his
finger at him, threateningly.
Before any threat can be made, Mickey whips a large buck knife
out from its sheath, and in a flash, SLICES off Otis' finger.
Otis' finger drops on his boot. He grabs his aching hand. Blood
flows from the wound.
MICKEY
Just because my woman's mopping up the floor
with your buddy is no reason for you to join in.
Mickey makes five lightning quick SLASHING SWINGS. The buck
knife slips back into its sheath. At first, there seems to be no
difference with Otis. Finally, blood flows from the slices made
in his face and chest. Otis collapses.
The SHORT-ORDER COOK in a hairnet charges out of the kitchen at
Mickey, wielding a meat cleaver and screaming.
Mickey whips out a .45 automatic from a shoulder holster inside
his jacket and FIRES.
BULLET'S POV: Heading fast toward Short-Order Cook's face. It
HITS. Short-Order Cook puts his hands to his face and falls to
the ground, screaming.
Mickey spots Earl, who's standing outside the plate glass window.
Earl's watched the whole shebang.
Earl mouths "Fuck!" He turns and runs for it.
Mickey hurls the knife through the plate glass window, which
SHATTERS. The knife PLUNGES deep into Earls back. He hits the
ground dead.
Mickey turns to Mallory. She's sitting on top of Sonny, SLAMMING
his head repeatedly on the floor. He's dead, she's still singing.
MALLORY
..."you made my ... shitlist!"
MICKEY
Honey.
Mallory looks up at Mickey. She gets off Sonny and moves to
Mickey's side.
Mickey trains his .45 on Pinball Cowboy, who's shaking in his
cowboy boots. Mickey aims at Mabel, who's clutching the coffee
pot, crying.
MICKEY (to Mallory)
Pick one.
Mallory does eanie, meanie, minie, moe, pointing back and forth
from Mabel to Pinball Cowboy. Twice the jingle lands on the
cowboy, but Mallory adds another phrase...
MALLORY
Eanie, meanie, minie, moe, catch a redneck by
the toe. If he hollers, let him go. Eanie,
meanie, minie, moe. My mom told me to pick the
best one ... and you are it.
...so that she ends on Mabel. Mabel's dodging around screaming.
Mickey FIRES the .45. The bullet CHINKS through the coffee pot
Mabel's holding and explodes, THUNKING her in the chest. She
hits the floor dead.
Mickey and Mallory join hands and walk over to the Pinball Cowboy
who stands in a pool of his own urine.
MALLORY
When you tell people what went on here, tell
'em Mickey and Mallory Knox was here. Say it.
COWBOY
Mickey and Mallory Knox.
MALLORY (to Mickey)
I love you Mickey.
MICKEY
I love you Mallory.
They kiss. Holding hands, Mickey and Mallory walk out of the
cafe.
TITLE SEQUENCE
INT. CONVERTIBLE CAR - MOVING - DAY (PROCESS SHOT)
"Rock 'n Roll Nigger"/"Shitlist" blends into a PROCESS SHOT of
plates of the Southwest USA (Shiprock, buttes, mesas, Rio Grande,
Indian Reservation), mixed with the Midwest, Alaska -- the
country on the move.
The Song Track acquires a second and possibly third song, all
clashing on the track at the same time (possibly older fare like
Duane Eddy's "Rebel Rouser" or Shangri-La's "Leader of the Pack"
with some "Madame Butterfly" thrown in). The TITLES splash over
this with big Rock Hudson/"Giant" '50's-style block lettering.
In the foreground (possibly grainy, black-and-white 16 mm,
"Breathless" style cinema verite), MICKEY drives a 70's type
American muscle car fast (Suggestions: a Plymouth Cuda, Dodge
Challenger, Coup de Ville Cadillac). Buffalo grass blurs by.
White clouds.
Then some RAIN. The top is down. They are wet and laughing. A
bottle of tequila lays between them. She turns the radio up
louder...and louder. Micket drives faster ... and faster. The
car feels like it's taking flight. The wind, the music --
everything merges.
The CAR crashes off the road, through a barbed wire fence,
fishtails -- races on, mowing through brush.
Mickey floors it and howls to get 400 horses under control.
MALLORY yells. Can you believe? Can you see Life in Death?
EXT. NIGHT - STARS
A vault of Southwest Stars, clean as milk, pouring down on the
TWO LOVERS in the middle of nowhere. Mickey peeing in the dark.
Softer Music (Cowboy Junkies' "Sweet Jane" style).
MICKEY
Goddamn! Looks like the world's comin' to an
end, Mall.
Mallory is dancing barefoot on the hood of the car. As she
sings/talks, the stars become light-moving explosions into the
earth.
MALLORY
(dreamy, looking up)
I see angels Mickey ... comin' down for us from
heaven. I feel their feathered wings ... I see
you ridin' a red horse, drivin' the horses,
whippin' 'em -- they're spittin', frothin' all
over the mouth -- comin' right at us...I see
the future...and there's no death
Mickey...cause you and I are angels.
She gets out of the car. Mickey, buttoning up, turns to look at
her for a moment.
MICKEY
That's goddamn poetry...damn I love you Mall.
In the shadows, we see her little devil grinning back at him, as
she pees. Light on her flanks. She's singing "Ain't Nobody's
Business" by Billy Holiday.
TITLES END.
EXT. WINSLOW/GALLUP - DAY
MICKEY and MALLORY drive into a quiet one-street town on Rt. 666.
EXT. MOTEL - NIGHT
The car is parked outside a cheap MOTEL in the middle of nowhere.
The sign reads "FREE HBO."
INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
MALLORY is drying her hair, in a slip.
MALLORY
You wanna go out? Get somethin' to eat?
No answer. The TV's on to "Thelma and Louise" blasting it out
with the cops. MICKEY has a copy of TV Guide in his hands, worn
out.
MICKEY
Nah, let's stay in, (he looks off to the
corner) we got plenty action here.
MALLORY (stepping out of the bathroom)
You know what I been thinkin' bout?
MICKEY
Course I know. You been thinkin' bout rollin'
round that big sunflower patch outside Tulsa.
He flicks the channel. To "Badlands" -- another shootout.
MALLORY (pleased)
How'd ya know?
MICKEY
And you been thinkin' bout cutting your hair
short.
She steps on the bed and sits on her knees, snuggles. She puts
her head on his shoulder and he traces the line from her eyebrows
down through her nose and chin. She's like a cat, purring,
nestling for his warmth.
MICKEY
And you been thinkin' bout us settlin' down --
on a boat in the middle of a big lake, with a
dog and a juke box.
Mallory wraps her arms around his chest, nibbles his neck. What
she never felt in her father's house -- a warmth.
MALLORY
Oh, Mick, I love it when you can read my mind.
I bet I know what you been thinkin' bout?
Mickey flicks to "Scarface" -- the chainsaw scene.
MICKEY
Yeah, why they make all these fuckin' stupid
movies. Don't they believe in kissin' anymore!
I tell ya out there in Hollywood somebody's a
taco short of a combo plate.
He gives her a big kiss. She smiles.
MALLORY
Oh mercy.
MICKEY (laughs)
You're so cute. I love you, right down to
your... (notices)... where is it?
Her wedding ring is missing. He glares at her hard, grabbing
her wrist.
The CAMERA suddenly hauls ass from the bedroom back through the
bathroom door and careens towards the sink. It STOPS at a soap
dish. There, bigger than life, is Mallory's WEDDING RING. A
diamond to light up the sky.
Her hand comes into FRAME, grabs it and exits FRAME.
Mallory jumps back in bed with Mickey, waving her ring.
MALLORY
Calm down Mickey! I just took it off so it
wouldn't snag when I washed my hair, goddamn.
Mickey flicks the remote to a "Game Show" -- a new refrigerator,
a miniature swimming pool, and a new car are given away in a
rapid sequence. Mickey throws her perturbed looks inbetween:
MICKEY
Even if that ring pulls out every hair on your
head, it never comes off. If it scratches my
face, it never comes off. If it tears out my
eyes, it never comes off. Every great thing we
do, starts with these.
Mickey clicks their wedding rings together. Mallory, excited,
kisses him in great slurps of lust as Mickey flicks to a "Nature
Show" -- Insects devour insects. Who eats who, and where.
MALLORY (sexy)
If you put it that way.
She makes love to him under the sheets.
On the TV, a praying mantis swallows a bug.
Mickey, a love crazed guy, splits his looks between the TV and
something in the corner.
MICKEY (to TV)
"Jeesus, look at that...my god!"
MALLORY
Stop lookin'...will you stop lookin' at her!
It could be the TV he's looking at; we're not sure.
Mallory stops humping him, looks at her ring. He blows some hair
out of her eyes.
Mallory, frustrated, gets off him, throws a jacket over her slip,
adjusts her highheels.
MALLORY (going out)
I'm goin' for a ride. See ya' later.
MICKEY
Hold it? Weren't we going to do something with her?
CAMERA PANS, with Mallory on the way out to the corner of the
motel room. A young GIRL is tied up, her mouth taped shut, her
eyes bugging out of their sockets, she's so scared.
MALLORY (going out)
Later...
MICKEY
Prude.
Mickey closes his eyes. The TV light washing his face with
another trip to Hawaii.
EXT. EDGE OF TOWN - NIGHT
MALLORY drives, top down, through a truckstop town. It's a hot
night.
EXT. GAS STATION - NIGHT
COYOTE catch MICE drawn to the street lights. A little outside
town, MALLORY'S pulled into an all-night gas station. Bugs fly
around the neon. The radio in the car is on to something like
"Ted Just Admit It" from Jane's Addiction.
A YOUNG GAS ATTENDANT slides out from under a Corvette he's
working on in the garage. He puts on his greasy cowboy hat and
walks up to her car.
MALLORY
Fill 'er up.
TIME CUT:
He pumps the gas. She walks over to check out the Corvette. As
he comes over,
MALLORY
Nice 'vette.
ATTENDANT (nods)
That'll be seventeen bucks lady. Say, don't I
know you?
Mallory leans into his face, a yearning. She takes his hand,
feels it.
He looks, wondering, surprised. There's something so needy, so
desperate in Mallory's child-like eyes.
She takes his hand and runs it up inside her shirt, muttering.
MALLORY
Why don't you just feel me...tell me you want
me...think I'm sexy?
His hands feel her up. She presses her lips to his neck,
nibbling.
A brief flashing image of MICKEY passes before her eyes. It's
him in front of her.
MALLORY
...come on, say it more...
His hands get rough, taking the lead. She doesn't want that.
She pushes his head down, deflecting his agressivity. (..."go
down") Camera dwells on her leaning back on the Corvette as he
is he is beneath her.
But he is rough, and pops his head back up and smothers her on
the top of the hood. His blackened hands starting to push and
knead her roughly.
ATTENDANT
Oh baby! You are sexy!
She is increasingly agitated, coming out of her reverie. This is
obviously not Mickey.
He spreads her hard across the hood and spreads her legs in a vee.
ATTENDANT
Holy shit! I can't believe this...can I get ya
autograph? You're Mallory Knox ain't yal
MALLORY
Yeah. And you're dead.
She kicks him hard, freeing her legs. He falls off the hood. She
gets the gun from her purse and fires an angry SHOT into him.
She is ranting as she kicks him and steps over him.
MALLORY
Next time don't be so fuckin' eager...that was
the worst fuckin' head I've ever had in my life.
She scoops the cash out of the night register at the pump.
MALLORY
Goddamn! You deserve to fucking die!
INT. GAS STATION - DAY
Peering at Mallory's underwear, JACK SCAGNETTI expresses
reverence, moving his attention to the hood of the Corvette,
dusted with crime powder. He's a cop, one of the best. He
consults a LOCAL COWBOY SHERIFF.
SCAGNETTI
Jesus, a perfect ass... you can even see the
crack... that's the back ... arm...her
head...fuckin' dry saliva drops still on the
fender.
He drops down to examine the DEAD ATTENDANT.
SCAGNETTI
...poor bastard was eatin' her when she did 'im.
He looks in the attendant's mouth, pulling out a small pocket
knife. Using the tweezers, he removes a pubic hair from the dead
man's mouth. He holds it to the light, looking at it intensely.
SCAGNETTI
Mallory Knox...meet Jack Scagnetti.
INT. MICKEY CAR - (MOVING) - INDIAN RESERVATION - DAY
CU of a rear view mirror -- MALLORY'S eyes looking.
MALLORY
Fuck...fuckin' cheese!
The camera now revolves in the mirror to rack MICKEY, driving,
also peering seriously into the mirror.
MICKEY
This fuckin' guy's got me worn down to a bare
fuckin' nub.
The mirror -- A NAVAJO PATROL CAR is shadowing them.
INT. INDIAN CAR - DAY
Closer -- stoic INDIAN EYES under a tribal baseball cap. Just
looking, tagging -- not on the radio or anything.
INT. MICKEY'S CAR - DAY
CU on a state road MAP showing Indian Reservation symbols. Up to
MALLORY.
MALLORY
Be cool -- take the next right. Looks like a
town out there.
MICKEY
All I see is desert.
MICKEY turns onto a dirt road off the Highway. A cloud of dust.
They look back.
The Indian slows to a crawl, watching them...then goes past, down
the main road.
MICKEY (relieved)
That's right Cochise, go eat some more fried
bread...Gimme some more mushrooms.
Mallory reaches for the mushrooms -- gives him a couple of dry
chewy puips. He gnashes on them. The radio's been playing
something zonal like "Alive" by Pearl Jam or "Dizz Knee Land" by
Dada.
EXT. DIRT ROAD - LATER - DAY
They have run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. Red earth.
Sky. Clouds. A thrush calls out a song.
MICKEY is staggering, besotted with mushroom power. Sticks his
gun in his belt, begins walking up the road looking for gas.
MICKEY
Shit. Right now I'd go down on a lawman for a
gallon of gas...do I have something on my nose?
MALLORY (sings it)
"Guess it's farther than I thought."
MICKEY
Snakes, birds, nothin' out here. "Turn right?"
Turn right to what? You fuckin' stupid bitch.
She punches him right in the face. Then she kicks him to the
ground. On the ground he tries a savate kick. She sees it
coming, jumps over him and lands right on him, gun in his
forehead.
MALLORY (mocking)
"You stupid bitch! You stupid bitch! You stupid
bitch!!" Don't call me bitch. My father called me that.
Once too much. You're losing it, Mickey.
He has a tooth loosened.
MICKEY
Sure Mall, take it easy...it's me, your lover,
not some demon.
MALLORY
How do I know that? Take off your pants and
gimme your money...now. I'm serious.
MICKEY
Mall! I don't have to be dictated to by a woman...
MALLORY
Shoes too.
She fires. Into the ground. Right next to him. He hops to comply.
MICKEY
What are you gonna do? Leave me. Just cause I
don't have the goddamn same puritanical belief
systems you do! What the fuck is that gonna...
She fires again. Speed it up. He senses she's really pissed.
MALLORY
Mickey, you gotta get respect for me...turn
around and drop your knickers. I want to see
your ass up in the air.
MICKEY
Mall! What the hell game is this!
She fires again. The shots bring the sound of BELLS jingling.
They look.
On a KNOLL fifty feet away stands a flock of RAMS.
Conversely, the Rams' POV is of a near-naked man and a woman with
a gun in the desert. The Chief RAM tears out after Mickey.
MICKEY
What the fuck!
He starts to run.
MICKEY
Shoot it! Goddamn Mall, shoot the fucker!!
Mallory laughs as the ram closes on Mickey. But the Ram comes to
an abrupt stop as it hears the WHISTLE.
A FIGURE now stands at the top of the knoll with the flock of
sheep and a YOUNG BOY. The ram trots back towards him.
Mickey looking. Mallory puts away the gun.
The Figure is an OLD INDIAN.
Mickey crossing himself, half joking.
MICKEY
Rejoice...for he hath found his sheep which
were lost in the desert
(pointing)
Hey, Chief, we ran outta gas...our car's up the
road apiece.
The Indian knows something. He says nothing, continuing down the
hill and across the road with the Young Boy, the ram and about 30
sheep.
Mickey, throwing on his clothes, follows with Mallory, their
dispute forgotten for now.
EXT. DESERT HOGAN - DAY
MICKEY AND MALLORY approach a hogan -- a mud and log structure,
twenty feet across. A PICKUP is parked nearby. A scruffy DOG
alongside a PICKUP barks as they approach; a DONKEY is tied to a
pinon tree and SHEEP wander.
The YOUNG BOY stands in the breeze watching them.
Mickey knocks at the open door.
MICKEY
Hi...so look we got tobacco, lots of tobacco...
you got any gasoline we can buy?
No answer.
MICKEY (looking at the donkeys, to Mallory)
We can always snatch the donkey and ride outta
here.
MALLORY
Maybe he don't speak English.
INDIAN
Come on in.
Mallory and Mickey look at each other and step inside.
INDIAN (his only English)
Come on in.
INT. HOGAN - DAY
It's dim inside but cozy. The old INDIAN sits on a rickety old
bed with a horsehair mattress, sheep skins and an Indian blanket.
A worn aluminum kitchen table occupies the middle of the room.
Bays of dried ears of corn, squash, melon and beans lay on the
dirt floor. Chilies and dry mutton hang on wire strung on one
side of the room. A pile of cedar wood is stacked by an old
franklin stove, a covered pot on top. Scraps of cotton hang over
the windows, various photos of family and friends, and feathered
Indian gear hang from nails pounded into the wall. It's very
quiet.
INDIAN
Come on in.
He motions for them to sit in an overstuffed chair.
MALLORY
Thank you (pointing to herself) I'm Mall-o -
ry...That's Mi...ckey.
Everyone nods and smiles. MICKEY and MALLORY show another side
of sweetness and politeness. The YOUNG KID coming in and sitting
down next to the OLD MAN.
INDIAN (in navajo)
When are you leaving?
Mallory signals they don't understand.
INDIAN (in navajo to the Boy)
Good looking woman...uh...Man's got things in
his head he can't get out...demons. Too much
TV...Trouble follows that one.
MICKEY (to Mallory)
This is like the twilight zone or something.
The Old Man walks over to some pictures on the walls, hands one
to Mallory of a YOUNG COUPLE back in the 1940s or 50s.
[PAGE 17 MISSING]
INDIAN BOY (navajo)
Can you help them grandpa?
INDIAN (navajo)
Maybe they don't want to be helped. They both
fly too close to sun. Now they are falling to
earth. That is why they have come here. My
prayers would mean nothing in their world.
He stokes the fire, feeds the snake again. He studies a crystal
in his hand.
INDIAN (navajo)
Once there was a woman who went out to collect firewood.
The snake is crawling over to the Indian who reaches down and
picks it up and puts in his lap.
INDIAN (navajo)
You want to hear the story too don't you old
man... O.K. (continues) She came upon a
poisonous snake frozen in the snow. She took
the snake home with her. She put the frozen
snake on her favorite blanket by the warm fire.
She fed it and nursed it back to health. One
day she picked the snake up and it bit her on
the cheek. As she lay dying she asked the
snake, I loved you, why have you done this to
me? The snake answered, "look bitch, you knew
I was a snake."
He chuckles, as does the Boy. It's very quiet. The sound of the
fire.
Mickey has fallen asleep. The Old Indian begins to SING.
Mallory is awake, watching the Indian. The room, shadows
dancing. It is the first time she can remember feeling peace,
almost like family. She starts to drift off.
Mickey is dreaming out loud.
The Old Man stands and takes the snake to the door. Opening it,
he lets the snake out.
INDIAN (navajo)
Go be a snake.
Mickey's nightmare is getting heavier. He's moaning and sweating.
The Old Indian takes his feathered hat of f the wall and puts it
on. He opens a wooden box and takes out a white eagle feather
and a bundle of medicine.
EXT. HOGAN - NIGHT
The OLD MAN and the BOY with him now make offerings to the four
directions, to the grandfather spirit, the stars, the earth, the
mother, praying, singing. His face and hands are marked with
white ash and colors so the spirits will recognize him.
INT. HOGAN - NIGHT
As we hear the mounting sounds of the prayer, we see MICKEY'S
face dreaming, sweating.
The OLD MAN is now leaning over Mickey and MALLORY in half light,
shaking the rattle and waving the burning sage over Mickey to
chase the demons.
We push into Mickey's eyes.
DREAM IMAGERY -- death, murder, shit...a WAR FOOTAGE. In
Bosnia...a decapitated BODY sitting in the corner of the room,
just sitting as if alive, as if about to rise up...A MAN slaps a
WOMAN. A BABY cries...shooting...a MURDER VICTIM screaming "Oh
god no! Please no!" BIRDS fly backwards...A MONSTER with a knife
in its hand coming at us, the face of the Demon!
Suddenly TWO SHOTS explode off the walls of the hogan.
Mickey is awake, stunned, sweating -- the gun in his hand.
Mallory sitting up.
The OLD INDIAN stands still over Mickey. Everything stops.
Then staring into the Beyond, he falls to the ground.
Mickey is shocked, howls.
MICKEY
Ahhhhhhhhh!
MALLORY (screaming, feeling the merge)
Ooohhh my God... Mickey YOU KILLED HIM!!!
They look down at the dying Chief.
INDIAN (quietly, in navajo)
You thought coming here was an accident...this
was no accident...I saw this demon in my dream -
- 20 years ago. I was waiting...I forgive you.
The Old Indian dies.
MALLORY
This is bad Mickey.
Mickey walks outside, in circles, ranting to himself.
EXT. HOGAN - NIGHT
The last of the moon is disappearing behind the earth. The lone
dog howls.
MICKEY with the gun in hand runs to the Indian's PICKUP truck,
jumps in. It won't start. He catches a glimpse of something in
the rear view mirror. The DEMON FACE over his own.
MICKEY (spooked)
SHIT!
He leaps, scrambles out of the truck, looks in the back for gas.
A 5 gallon can. He shakes it. Half full of gas.
MICKEY
Mallory!
INT. HOGAN - NIGHT
MALLORY is covering the dead INDIAN with his blanket.
MICKEY (O.S, desperate)
Mallory!
EXT. HOGAN - NIGHT
On the horizon, we see the YOUNG BOY standing there looking. He
runs away.
MALLORY walks past MICKEY, heading elsewhere.
MICKEY (carrying the can)
We got gas, baby.
She says nothing, pissed.
MICKEY
Come on Mall -- it was an accident. This whole fucking
thing is crazy (catches up to her, spins her).
MALLORY
Don't you feel anything!...Something else has
taken over Mickey. I don't know what's real
anymore. I'm scared. That was bad! Maybe we were
led into the wilderness by the demon.
MICKEY
There's no demon -- just us.
She looks at him.
MICKEY
I'm sorry bout the old man. I really am. But
you gotta be strong Mall. I need ya. Now come
on. The car's this way.
Mallory walks away.
MALLORY
I felt at peace last night. It's over Mickey!
I'm going any place but with you. You got no
real feelings. You're just as dead as all of 'em!
Mickey follows. A sudden rattle in the night.
MICKEY
Wait a minute!
Mickey flicks a lighter.
A big RATTLESNAKE.
They walk around it. She wants to get away from him, doesn't pay
attention.
He flicks his lighter again.
MORE SNAKES.
Mallory keeps walking faster and faster. Mickey tries to grab
her. She breaks away.
MALLORY
Lemme alone! I'm outta here.
We hear another RATTLER. Mallory screams out. She's bit!
MICKEY
OH GOD NO!
He starts shooting into the ground.
Mallory lies there stunned, hands to her ears.
MALLORY
Stop it...STOP IT.
Mickey rips off his shirt and wraps it around a stick, soaks it
in the gasoline and lights it, making a big torch in the night.
There are SNAKES coming at them from all directions.
MICKEY
Holy Shit! What the fuck have we done!
Lighting the way with his torch, he hauls Mallory up and hotfoots
it out of there, snakes popping their rattlers everywhere.
A huge RATTLER sinks its fangs into Mickey's leg. They're both
bit. He keeps moving, spitting the torch into the snake's face.
INT. CAR - MOVING - HIGHWAY - NIGHT
Mickey driving past a ROADSIGN saying "GALLUP."
MALLORY is delirious.
MICKEY
You'll make it Mall. Badasses don't die ...
Indians got a saying I read. It says you're
either stronger than the poison or you die. They
get bit, they run... fast as they can. They
either drop dead right then and there...or they
live. We're gonna live Mall -- a long, long time.
PAST A CHEAP MOTEL on the outskirts of town -- says "U SLEEP
MOTEL. $7.50 the night. Free Hot Tubs. Porno Films on Cable."
The CAMERA stays with the motel, letting the car whip past.
INT. MOTEL ROOM - NIGHT
JACK SCAGNETTI, in undershorts on the bed, is drunk, sweating,
eyeballing a friendly YOUNG WOMAN. She's awkward, a little
nervous but she's down to her undergarments, looking at the
CLIPPINGS of "Mickey and Mallory" spread over the table and
dresser, pictures of crime scenes and his book -- "Scagnetti on
Scagnetti." A half empty bottle of vodka. A gun, handcuffs and
a police badge.
PINKY (worried)
...my name's Pinky...
(no answer)
Say are you a real cop? Or are you some kinda
freak or something? I don't want no trouble.
SCAGNETTI (mumbles)
Ya...I'm a real cop.
Pinky smiles. The light from the TV fills the room with a
strange aura. The sound is off. We hear MUSIC from the next
room. TRUCKS pass by outside.
PINKY
You're not qonna hurt me are you?
SCAGUETTI
I never hurt anybody in my whole life. I'm the
law. I'm your protector. You don't ask me any
more questions, Pinky...step up on the
bed...move slowly.
Not sure what he wants, Pinky steps barefoot up onto the bed,
standing over him, a foot on either side of his torso...she's
slowly bending, spreading, arching like a young woman remembering
childhood ballet dreams, her eyes closed...
He moves his hands up her legs and ass, exploring, continuing up
across her shoulders. Around her neck, bringing her down. Closer.
SCAGNETTI
Come here, give big Jack a kiss...just keep
lookin' at me now...just keep lookin'...don't
close your eyes...y'ever been strangled?
Head LIGHTS wipe across the wall. A TRAIN passes.
A different rhythm now. Her eyes. His hands around her neck.
Strangling her. She is terrified, struggles.
An ankle with a thin gold chain. A flailing arm kicks over the
night stand and lamp.
Falling, rolling. Stale green motel carpet...she heaves,
staring. Slender leg kicking, fists pound at his face as he gets
on top of her. Fingers tear flesh. Not a word is spoken. Her
eyes never close. Fingers tear at his cheeks.
The TRAIN has passed. Silence. The TV blinks. The radio plays
softly in the next room (people partying, laughing).
His face.
EXT. GARBAGE DUMP - EDGE OF TOWN - NIGHT
The HOOKER'S separated body vanishes in plastic bags in a large
dumpster.
SCAGNETTI looks around, impeccable in a clean suit, shiny
cufflinks. He crosses back to his car, revealing an ancient
DRIVE-IN next door.
EXT. DRIVE-IN MOVIE - NIGHT
The last show. A Goldie Hawn-Steve Martin picture is playing --
giant closeups, a comedy.
MICKEY and MALLORY are slumped against the driving wheel,
delirious, struggling for breath, sweating heavily.
MICKEY
When's this over? We gotta get outta here,
Mall...we...
MALLORY
Angels Mickey... I see angels
On Goldie Hawn. (ANIMATION SEQUENCE begins here -- TBD)
MICKEY
Ya, I see em.
MALLORY
They're guarding us. Each step we're
together...Oh God...it's perfect. We're gonna
make it Mickey...we're gonna...
MICKEY
Goddamn Mall, that's poetry.
Mickey slams the car into drive, plowing forward out of the
parking spot, smashing the movie meter.
He sideswipes into another car, screams, anger. A PERSON stepping
out to confront.
Mickey slams his car backwards into the angry person, crushing
him. Then he zigzags his way through the parking lot past the
faces of Goldie and Steve.
EXT./INT. "DRUG ZONE" - NIGHT
It towers over the deadbeat western landscape like a vision of
the future -- gleaming white cube of fluorescent power -- sacred
Aztec Gods within -- offering aisle after aisle of nicely colored
packages of American D...R..U...G...S.
HIGH ANGLE moving on MICKEY staggering down one aisle ... looking
(presumably) for snake venom.
The same goes for MALLORY in her aisle -- face now green with the
sickness, cotton-mouthed. Time is running out...her breathing
labored, short -- a sound from hell.
MALLORY (pleading)
Mickey, I'm so cold...I'm goin' now...
Staggering, falling in the aisle...
MICKEY
No you're not! No you're not! Get angry! Mall--
Mickey in his aisle looking through the rubbers, pulling out a
handful, staggering down a football-field aisle towards the
counter that looks as far as an oasis in the Mojave.
ON TV:
At the CONTTROL BOOTH, a nine-inch COLOR TELEVISION plays in
CLOSE UP. A pumped up MUSIC CUE peaks as we see:
PHOTO: Charles Manson
TITLE: "AMERICAN MANIACS"
PHOTO: Charles Whitman
PHOTO: Richard Ramirez
PHOTO: Ted Bundy
TITLE: HOSTED BY WAYNE GALE
PHOTO: David Berkowitz
PHOTO: Henry Lee Lucas
TITLE: PRODUCED AND DIRECTED BY WAYNE GALE
Following a series of shots of WAYNE GALE in the field (VIDEO
SEQUENCE), the young commando journalist stands on the yellow
line of Highway 58. His accent AUSTRALIAN STREET:
WAYNE TV
Welcome to another episode of "American
Maniacs," where we chronicle the mayhem, the
brutality, and the violence of that peculiarly
American creation -- the serial killer.
PULL BACK to reveal an enormous POLYNESIAN DRUGGIST, 300
pounds, watching a portable TV on the counter of the control
booth. He's behind a hi-strength glass and raised up a couple of
steps. His eyes, at this late hour, nervously wander to his
SURVEILLANCE SCREEN -- revealing:
ON SURVEILLANCE MONITOR:
Mickey and Mallory, separate aisles, alone in an enormous sea of
fluorescence, foaming.
ON THE TV:
WAYNE TV
Tonight I'm standing on Highway 666 -- running
through towns like Cortez, Colorado, Shiprock,
and ending in Gallup, New Mexico. To some it's
a beautiful stretch of the American landscape,
but to Mickey and Mallory Knox, who are still
at large, it is literally a candy lane of
murder and mayhem...
The moments are expanding in the Pharmacist's eyes as -- not
yet, but almost -- thoughts begin to cross over into neighboring
compartments.
HOME MOVIE MONTAGE -- TV
On the TV -- a MONTAGE OF Home Videos. These are films of Mickey
and Mallory living a normal life.
-- MALLORY -- very introverted -- with her PARENTS who look
really weird -- doing something weird like feeding the fish. Or
all three are smiling, Mallory in the middle. Her father holds a
chicken drumstick. Mallory's taking a bite out of it.
-- MICKEY in his high school yearbook photograph or elementary
school. Very innocent, sweet. Possibly a photo in Santa's lap.
WAYNE TV
Once they were average citizens, living drab,
nothing-ever-happens lives, but then these
sweethearts began a cross-country murder spree
that has lasted only three terrifying weeks but
has left.
-- PHOTOS: BLACK & WHITE of bloody VICTIMS -- both men and women
-- PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE of a bloodstained police chalk outline.
WAYNE TV
...forty eight known bodies in its wake.
Including...
TIGHT over the DRUGGIST in enormous diopter as MICKEY approaches
the CONTROL BOOTH, staggering.
A PHOTO OF MALLORY'S PARENTS -- MOM and POP.
WAYNE TV
Mr. and Mrs. Ed Wilson -- who are -- or rather
"were" -- Mallory's Mom and Dad!
The Pharmacist's terrified eyes carry from the television to
Mickey trying to get his attention out the booth. Up close
Mickey looks like shit, pale, sweating, waving a handful of
rubbers at the Druggist. His mouth voicing words through the
ventilated "bullet-proof" glass:
MICKEY
Hey you... 'scuse me? Aloha?
The Pharmacist in zombied terror approaches.
MICKEY
Hey! Chief -- this rattlesnake took a chunk
out of us a ways back. My lady friend and I are
pretty sick...I think we're dyin', but you
never can tell these things... so how's 'bout
ungluing your fat ass from the boob tube and
getting us some snakebite juice, okay??
The Pharmacist nods and silently pushes the ELECTRONIC ALARM
beneath the counter with his fat finger. In a daze of his own,
he complies with Mickey's request, meandering to the medicine
shelves.
ON THE TV:
WAYNE in front of a 7/11 store.
WAYNE TV
Mickey and Mallory started off as armed
robbers, but their idea of robbery is a little
different than you or I -- in fact it is an
assault.
ON TV CONT.
INT. 7/11 STORE - DAY
This scene is shot through the store's black and white
SURVEILLANCE CAMERA high angle corner.
MICKEY and MALLORY are in the 7/11, cocking their shotguns and
shouting things.
MICKEY (on video)
Money! Money! Money! Fast! Fast! Faster!
Faster!
MALLORY
Mickey!
Mickey shoots a CUSTOMER.
Mallory blasts the Young CLERK who flies into a comic book rack.
MICKEY (not noticing the TV, impatient)
You fuckin' find it yet?
The Pharmacist, stalling, fiddling with bottles, ultranervous
about the naked TV staring at Mickey, trying to distract him.
PHARMACIST
Have...have you tried the hos... hospit...tal
yet.
MICKEY
What the hell is this?
(sicker)
You fuckin' find it yet!
WAYNE TV
They'd storm in with shotguns and kill every
customer in the place without hesitation. But
they always leave one clerk alive. To tell the
tale of...
ON TV --
The surveillance camera revealing Mickey and Mallory tearing out
the 7/11 leaving one OLD INDIAN behind.
CUTTING to PHOTOS, BLACK and WHITE, of:
MICKEY and MALLORY -- high school sweetheart photos
Staring right back at him. It finally reaches MICKEY who can't
help but be flattered.
WAYNE TV
Mickey and Mallory!
MICKEY
I'll be damned. (then) You piece of shit!
He goes for his gun.
The Pharmacist, all 300 pounds of him, hits the floor in one
giant sumo fireball.
Mickey blasting the window with his gun -- bullets careening off
the hi-strength glass.
MICKEY (come alive)
MALL!!! COPS! Get the fucking car out front!
I'll get the snakeshit!
Mallory, reinvigorated by the mention of "cops!" -- gets back to
her feet and with pure, groggy will tears herself outside like a
cyborg.
Mickey with successive gunblasts, shatters the COUNTER GLASS and
climbs in...
The Pharmacist, hands hitting the ceiling, begs for his life.
PHARMACIST
Ppppppplllll.....eeeezzzee.
MICKEY
Snake juice!
The Pharmacist shits --
PHARMACIST
We don't carry...hosppp...ital... I'm the only
clerk left...I'm the onnnnlllly clerk left ...
Mickey trashing the counter in any case, cramming every
prescription drug into a shopping bag, comes close.
MICKEY
Yeah, but you forgot one thing...
PHARMACIST
Whhhaaaat's th...thhhaaaat?
MICKEY
If I don't kill you, there's nothing to talk
about, is there?
The Pharmacist gets it.
MICKEY
Fuckin' squid!
Blows his 300 pounds through the gut. Octopus flesh flying in
gobs in every direction. Mickey tears out of there...
FLYING POV CAMERA -- ripping down the aisle, Mickey's POV --
there's a honk from outside.
Mickey tearing past vitamin displays, knocking down a rack of
stuffed animals. His strength is fading. Snake juice coursing
through his veins.
FLASH -- THE DEAD INDIAN
FLASH -- THE SUN. BUDDHA...some sign of spiritual hope.
He gets to the door, swings out through the glass. Sees it:
EXT. PHARMACY AND PARKING LOT - NIGHT
Mallory is slugging it out toe to toe with a COP. Another COP
lies on the ground at her feet, dead. TWO COP CARS.
THREE MORE COPS in windbreakers are tearing up - simultaneously
spot MICKEY in the doorway. They hit the pavement pulling their
guns.
Mickey is faster. Whipping down, his .45 out, blazing away...
Tearing a hole through one COP...
Taking out ANOTHER with a headwound.
Bullets CRASHING through the pharmacy glass, shattering the
frontage of the store.
INT./EXT. PHARMACY - NIGHT
MICKEY scrambling back into the aisle, protected. Looks back and
sees:
COP (O.S.)
Throw your gun down! And get on the floor!
Now!
AN EXIT PATH -- out the rear of the store.
But back to MALLORY as she is engulfed by TWO MORE COPS,
altogether beating the shit out of her with guns, fists,
nightsticks, and dragging her behind one of their cars.
The look on Mickey's face. Heartbroken. He's gotta stay. He's
gotta go down with her.
MICKEY
Awright! Awright! I'm coming!! But don't
fucking touch her! You hear me or you got a
few more dead pigs on your hands!
COPS, crouched behind protection, looking at each other.
MALLORY (yells)
Mickey! Take off!
COP (O.S. to Mickey)
Okay! Okay! She's secured!
Their POV -- Mickey's TWO GUNS come skittering out from behind
the aisle.
Mallory, blood pouring out of her, looks, moved by his action --
MICKEY
(standing, arms in the air, full exposure)
So...come'n get the big bad wolf.
SCAGNETTI suddenly appears from behind one of the cars -- nice
suit, a gun in his hand, the "look." Even down to the fingernail
scars on his cheek.
A LIGHT pops on. A LOCAL NEWSCREW filming as:
Three more COP CARS arrive. POLICE are pouring in.
SCAGNETTI
(on bull horn)
Put your hands where I can see them. Step out
into the light and lay down on the ground.
Now...
With Scagnetti in the lead, the video camera tracks behind the
THREE COPS in windbreakers crashing towards Mickey, guns drawn,
overdoing it a bit for camera in a "COPS" TV docudrama style. A
"recreation" already of an event that is just traspiring.
Mickey has a smile on his face as Scagnetti hauls him around and
cranks up his arms behind his back, trying to cuff him.
SCAGNETTI
You're outta business Knox you fuckhead!
You're gonna die, you piece of shit!
Mickey, never out of surprises, joker smile and all, wrenches one
hand free. He whips out his BUCK KNIFE and swings it behind him.
He hits COP 1 in the eyes. COP 1 screams and falls on the
ground. Blood smears his face and hands.
COP 1
My eyes! My fuckin' eyes are out!
Scagnetti has jumped back, alarmed.
SCAGNETTI
Don't kill him! I wanna fuck him! He's mine!
Mickey stands there, knife in hand, toying with them. As he
drops the knife:
The TWO OTHER cops pull out their TASER GUNS and fire lots of
volts into Mickey's torso. It's an extraordinary sight!
CU on Mickey on fire, electrified, spinning, spinning...till he
sees stars, millions of stars.
The CAMERA WHIRLING with Mickey as he crashes to earth.
Unsatisfied, the Cops pull out their clubs and beat him
mercilessly -- with all the pent-up righteous rage of so many
good men killed in the line of duty against this raging
psychopath asshole. Galaxy bandit. Forever outlaw to the race
of man.
The NEWS CREW films. In the wake of Rodney King, the Cops don't
really pay attention.
Mallory, bloodied to her pulp, watches from the ground, on her
knees, arms squeeze-cuffed behind her, a nightstick through her
elbows. She SINGS to herself.
Scagnetti crosses to her, jerks her up by the hair, examines her
as coldly as a bug.
MALLORY (sings, ignoring him)
"These boots are made for walkin
That's just what they're gonna do
One of these days these boots are gonna
walk over you"
She doesn't bother to look at him.
FADE TO BLACK:
ACT TWO
EXT. BATONGA PRISON - DAY
SUBTITLE: "A YEAR LATER"
TWO MEN move toward us -- SCAGNETTI and a Deputy Warden,
WURLITZER, in uniform.
WURLITZER
...always wanted to meet you Scagnetti. I
respect you and you know what, I even bought
your book and I read the whole goddamn thing!
As they walk past us, revealing the medieval-looking prison in
background, they come to a standing tower of a man, Warden
DWIGHT McCLUSKY -- suit and tie, a man of iron from another era
-- with another Deputy Warden, KAVANAUGH, in uniform.
WURLITZER (introducing)
Warden...Jack Scagnetti.
McClusky giving him an iron handshake.
MCCLUSKY
...Dwight McClusky. Welcome to Hell.
Scagnetti playing top dog, supercop cool.
SCAGNETTI
Good to meet ya Dwight. How the hell are my
two favorite assholes?
MCCLUSKY
We got the two rat fucks back in there. I
guess you wanna see em.
INT. PRISON CORRIDORS - DAY
A door slams, giant reverb down the halls. Echoes of keys
clinking, eyes of GUARDS. McClusky waves his arms as he moves
and gates slide.
As they move, we sense a tense prison -- the nervous demeanors
and eyes of GUARDS, silent scary PRISONERS in close proximity.
The TWO DEPUTIES, Wurlitzer and Kavanaugh, tag along, wary
protection, despising the inmates, ADLIBBING to their many
requests.
MCCLUSKY
I seen you on TV. I even went and read your
goddamn book. I'm impressed. That E. Scarwin
case was something. You put an end to a
nightmare, Scagnetti...
SCAGNETTI
It was no big deal, Warden, just business as usual.
MCCLUSKY
I'm surprised Hollywood ain't found you yet.
Your story would make a better movie than that
"Serpico" shit. But I tell ya Scagnetti, in
all my years in the penal business -- and I
tell ya that's no small number Mickey and
Mallory Knox are without doubt the most
twisted, depraved group of shitfucks it's ever
been my displeasure to lay my eyes on. I mean,
these two rat fucks are a walkin' reminder of
just how fucked up our system really is.
SCAGNETTI
Don't get me started, Warden.
MCCLUSKY
Dwight, you call me Dwight, Scagnetti. You up
to date?
SCAGNETTI
They been separated since incarceration --
couple of places?
MCCLUSKY
Semanko and Jessup...
SCAGNETTI
They killed a shitload of inmates and guards?
MCCLUSKY
Three inmates, five guards and a shrink all in
one years' time.
SCAGNETTI
Psychiatrist?
MCCLUSKY
Yeah. Mickey's better half -- Miss Mallory
strangled his ass when he made the dumbass
mistake of askin' her what her parents done to
her -- and she done it all shot up on
tranquillizers!
FLASHBACK -- PRISON CELL - DAY
The dead PSYCHIATRIST lying on the floor, tongue sticking out of
his face. MALLORY cuffed to a chair, beaten, right into CAAERA
at the milling, freaked out COPS:
MALLORY
You gonna give me some more time? I already
got life. What else you got? Death? I'd like
to see you fuckin' try! I haven't met one
motherfucker here who's shown me shit!!
They WHACK her good.
BACK TO:
INT. PRISON CORRIDORS - DAY
SCAGNETTI (sarcastic)
Oh yeah. Her parents. Her father was doin'
her. So she drowned him in a fish tank.
FLASHBACK - INT. MALLORY LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
CLOSE on a home aquarium with fish swimming around. Suddenly
Mallory's FATHER'S head is shoved into the tank.
SCAGNETTI
The mom they stuffed a sock in her throat and
torched the bitch!
(laughs, cynically)
Her kid brother they left alive.
FLASHBACK - INT. MALLORY'S PARENTS' BEDROOM - NIGHT
Mallory's MOTHER mouth is stuffed with a sock, held down. A gas
nozzle pouring gasoline all over her.
BACK TO:
MCCLUSKY
Yeah. My old man beat the tar out of me -- but
I didn't kill him.
SCAGNETTI
Well, it was because they wouldn't give 'em
their blessing to get married.
MCCLUSKY
You gotta be kidding!
SCAGNETTI
No. Ain't love grand?
MCCLUSKY (roars)
"Ain't love grand." Ain't that the truth!
It's like that other lie -- "love makes the
world go round."
They laugh together as they go past a new door. A nervous GUARD
whispers to Deputy Wurlitzer.
Suddenly FOUR GUARDS come out of a cell, carrying a badly bloodied
PRISONER. He's been stabbed over and over. They hustle him past
McClusky and Scagnetti who keep talking, ignoring the filthy looks
thrown at McClusky from every PRISONER in the cell block.
MCCLUSKY
...so how does a guy like you become a
specialist in psychos?
SCAGNETTI
Well, Dwight, for starters I'd recommend having your
mother killed by one. After that happened, I developed
a rather keen interest in the subject.
MCCLUSKY
What the hell happened?
SCAGNETTI
I was born and spent the first part of my life in Texas.
MCCLUSKY
You don't have an accent?
SCAGNETTI
I don't wanna talk like those assholes.
MCCLUSKY
My mammy was from Texas.
SCAGNETTI
I meant y'know, the assholes I grew up with who
beat the shit outta me...Anyway, one day when I
was five, my mother took me out to play in the
park. Well, that just so happened to be the
same day that Charles Whitman climbed up to the
top of University of Texas tower and started
shooting strangers.
MCCLUSKY
You was with her?
SCAGNETTI
Sure was. You see, the thing is I didn't hear
the shots. I didn't hear any of 'em. One
minute I'm walking with my mother and then all
of a sudden her chest explodes. She hits the
ground, right? I'm just lookin' at her. Her
forearm flies off. Then her hip explodes.
Now, I'm not hearing any of these shots. All I
know is my mother is falling apart in front of
my eyes...
MCCLUSKY
What about you, son?
SCAGNETTI
Some hero grabbed me and threw me behind a
bush. It took them all goddamn day to get
Charlie. So, that meant I spent all Goddamn
day lyin' flat on the grass, being eaten alive
by fuckin' ants and thinkin' "What the fuck
happened to my mom?" Ever since I've had a
strong opinion about the psychopathic fringe
that thrives today in America's fast food
culture. I tend not to exhibit self-discipline
becoming of a peace officer.
MCCLUSKY
You got a right Jack. Say, you don't mind,
d'you, if I call you Jack--?
SCAGNETTI (ignores the question)
Not at all. But I tell you what it is. These
fucks think they're special -- Daddy yanked
their dicks, Momma never game 'em a hug -- so
they have carte blanche to take innocent life.
(McClusky nods intensely)
They think they're invincible. I never caught
a killer yet who ever dreamed he might get
caught. And they all look the same when I
catch 'em -- like little kids with their hands
in the cookie jar.
MCCLUSKY
That's my observation as well. We have an army
of shrinks who talk about mania and
schizophrenia and multiphrenia and obsessions.
But it's all bullshit. It's Pride! Arrogance!
Somewhere, somehow they get the idea they're
better than everyone else -- it makes me sick.
And Mickey and Mallory Knox are the sickest
I've ever seen.
INT. DINING AREA - DAY
They walk through the spotless dining area. The PRISONERS eat
silently, each one more uptight than the one before him.
The Guards on the catwalks above sense something in the air,
nervous, nodding to the Warden who makes AD LIB INQUIRIES as he
moves.
MCCLUSKY (to prisoner)
Y'all right.
WURLITZER (nervous)
Don't go down that corridor, chief.
McClusky changes direction.
KAVANAUGH (whispers)
Not there either, boss.
MCCLUSKY waits.
SCAGNETTI (shrewd)
So why me, Dwight? What's this really about?
MCCLUSKY
You feel the silence, Jack! The silence in the
air?
SCAGNETTI
...yeah?
MCCLUSKY
The one thing you don't want in prison, Jack,
is silence.
Camera coming to rest on a huge BLACK INMATE. He's not eating.
He's not chewing. He's not blinking. The inmates on either side
of him look like they might shit their pants.
The MAN he's looking at is nervous, jacked up on speed.
NERVOUS MAN
Don't focuking you look at me, motherfucker!
The Black Guy goes for him --lunging across the table with a fork
aimed at the jacked up guy's throat.
But McClusky beats him to the punch -- twisting a personalized
medieval instrument of torture -- a thumb cracker or something,
over the inmates' fingers -- breaking them backwards.
The Black Inmate's face shows the agony he is feeling. As he
finally releases the fork.
GUARDS now surround the TWO PRISONERS and cart them away.
As McClusky renews his walk with Scagnetti, reinvigorated by the
incident.
MCCLUSKY (to Guards)
Put him in F Block for the month. Then bring
him to me.
SCAGNETTI (impressed)
Jesus Dwight! You should be on "American
Gladiators."
MCCLUSKY
...30 minutes every day, just shake and roll it.
(shaking his body tai-chi style)
...doesn't take much...someone goes for you,
you go right for the throat Jack!
(feints for Scagnetti's throat with a flat palm)
...a chop that paralyzes...you know I got an
office I'm gonna show ya Jack, it's so good I
don't wanna go home at night. I got a
secretary 23 fuckin' years old.
WURLITZER
Yolanda Bingham.
MCCLUSKY
Got an ass on her like...
KAVANAUGH
...two perfectly round scoops of vanilla ice
cream.
MCCLUSKY
My coffee cup...
WURLITZER
...which says The Boss on it,
MCCLUSKY
...might as well be a bottomless pit.
KAVANAUGH
She puts the fuckin' waitresses at Sambo's
shame.
WURLITZER
And we ain't talkin' lukewarm water poured over
old grounds.
MCCLUSKY
So, tell me why would I want to leave paradise
to come down here and breathe this air and
smell the smell of a bunch of losers?
(pauses, holds Scagnetti's eye)
Cause of you, Jack...
(indicates the prisoners)
Mickey and Mallory did this to 'em. Got my
whole prison worked up.
WURLITZER
Like sharks to chum bait.
MCCLUSKY
Smell of blood drives 'em nuts.
WURLITZER
80 percent of these assholes are violent offenders...
KAVANAUGH
We're over 200 percent capacity.
MCCLUSKY
This ain't a prison anymore Jack -- it's a timebomb.
SCAGNETTI
So ship 'em out.
KAVANAUGH
Nobody wants 'em
WURLITZER
No state!
MCCLUSKY
I'm even talkin' hellholes where the warden's
hard as a bar of iron. No one wants these
assholes behind their walls, dealing with 'em
WURLITZER
Day in
MCCLUSKY
Day out.
SCAGNETTI
So fry 'em.
MCCLUSKY
Fuck we tried! And each fuckin' time they kill
somebody new we got to start the whole legal
process all over again.
WURLITZER
It eats up two to three years.
KAVANAUGH
Mickey is fuckin' diabolical.
MCCLUSKY
He knows...
INT. WOMAN'S CELL BLOCK - DAY
MCCLUSKY
What's his name?
KAVANAUGH
Pete.
MCCLUSKY
Pete, open it up. We got a visitor for the song
bird.
A BUZZER sounds. A door clanks open. Soon as it does we hear a
FEMALE VOICE singing "Walking after Midnight" by the Cowboy
Junkies.
SCAGNETTI
So, sounds like a hemorrhoid you can't get rid
of, Dwight.
MCCLUSKY (smiles)
Even hemorrhoids can be cut out Jack. That's
why we're shipping 'em for testing to Nystrom
with you.
SCAGNETTI
Nystrom? Lobotomy Bay?
MCCLUSKY
Vegetable land. Home of the criminally insane.
SCAGNETTI
That hasn't been done in years.
MCCLUSKY
We got a first stage ruling. It won't stick
with all these asshole do-good shrinks around,
but it gets them under your control for a few
hours.
SCAGNETTI
Yeah? And then...?
MCCLUSKY
The public loves you Jack...youre a celebrated
lawman. You busted "M&M." Twenty six years on
the force, a bestseller out in paperback.
WURLITZER
A modern day Pat Garret with a deadly axe to
grind with maniacs...
(Scagnetti puffing up)
MCCLUSKY
You're a livin' breathing icon of justice and
that's why you were chosen to deliver Mr. and
Mrs. Knox. We -- the Prison Board -- we know
that once you get 'em on the road...if anything
should happen...
WURLITZER
an accident
MCCLUSKY
a fire
KAVANAUGH
an escape attempt
ALL
...anything...
MCCLUSKY
Jack "Supercop" Scagnetti would be there to
look out for his public's best interests.
SCAGNETTI
I'm getting the picture here.
MCCLUSKY
...and of course nobody in their right mind
would cry for those two pigfuckers if they
happened to take some lead. A lotta lead.
(Scagnetti thinking)
You write the script, Jack, call it "Showdown
in Mojave: The Extermination of Mickey and
Mallory," I don't give a shit ... I'll give you
my two best men (indicating) Kavanaugh and
Wurlitzer. (corrects their names and faces).
WURLITZER
We got a special dislikin' for these punkolas.
MCCLUSKY
Have we found our man?
Hold on Scagnetti as he walks up to Mallory's glassed cell --
very white, very medical. Inside we hear singing. An old
friend. Still fascinating to Jack.
MCCLUSKY
...So here she is...you know her, you love
her, you can't live without her...Mallory Knox.
INT. MALLORY KNOX CELL - DAY
MALLORY (a year older) sings.
MALLORY
"I go out walkin' after midnight
in the moonlight just like we used to do."
MCCLUSKY
Hey Knox! Somebody out here wants to meet you.
MALLORY
"I'm always walkin' after midnight
searchin' for you..."
Mallory just keeps on truckin.
MALLORY'S POV: We stare at MCCLUSKY and SCAGNETTI for a second.
Then, like a bull, we charge/DOLLY straight at them. Mallory
screams O.S. We SMASH headfirst into the bars. Mallory's POV
flings up, looking at the ceiling, then falls backward.
MEDIUM TIGHT SHOT of floor, Mallory falls into FRAME, out cold.
CU on Scagnetti through the cell bars.
SCAGNETTI
Jesus Christ!
CAMERA PANS to McClusky smiling.
MCCLUSKY
Don't worry about it. She does it all the time.
BACK TO: Mallory on the floor, still unconscious with blood
trickling out her scalp.
MCCLUSKY (O.S.)
Follow me.
SCAGNETTI
So, uh...where do you keep the other half, Warden?
McClusky walking through ANOTHER DOOR.
MCCLUSKY
We got his stinkin' ass in the deepest, darkest
cell in the whole dungeon. But it just so
happens we can't see him right now. Cause he's
got a special visitor.
SCAGNETTI
Who's that?
MCCLUSKY
Wayne Gale.
SCAGNETTI (surprised)
Wayne Gale! That TV scumbag.
MCCLUSKY
We call 'em "Media," Jack. Why, you don't like
the media?
SCAGNETTI
A worm in my blood stool's got more attraction
to me. This guy lives to fuck cops over.
MCCLUSKY
Can't say no to the media. You want the job
Jack? Then come say hello.
INT. JAIL -- SPECIAL VISITING ROOM - DAY
WAYNE GALE, the young, energetic commando journalist is testing
a small tape recorder, accompanied by a FEMALE ASSISTANT, JULIE,
and TWO GUARDS. His Australian accent on, he manages to include
everyone in his monologue. Including his face -- which he likes
to bounce off every reflecting surface he sees, continually
checking himself. A natural-born narcissist. A BLACK INMATE is
working in the room.
WAYNE (sympathetic)
How ya doin' brother? Doin' some hard time?
What you in for?
INMATE
Murder.
WAYNE
I'm with you. (into recorder)
Testing one...two...three...over. Oh man this
place brings back memories. I did my first
network interview in this place. Remember
Sonny "The Beast" Maricopa.
They shake their heads.
WAYNE
Years ago. Great welterweight. But dumb --
like all these killers, couldn't count the eyes
in his head. Beat his bimbo girlfriend to
death, then mutilated her. Ever box?
DEPUTY WARDEN
A little. Back when...
WAYNE
Yeah. I was nowhere near as good as Sonny
but...I could hit. I had some power. Some
moves. I was a dancer...
FLASHBACK - INT. GYM - DAY
A sudden disconnected image of WAYNE beating a bag, lathered
up, a real anger expressing itself.
BACK TO WAYNE - PRESENT
WAYNE (Cont.)
Anyway there I was just another punk kid from
the streets of New York, got a free ride to
Columbia, got out of school, kissed some ass
over at CBS, and my first pony out the gate I
get to interview Sonny Maricopa. That was
something.
During this, Wayne's expression tightens as he hears the
approaching SLAM of doors and the CLANKING of chains and now the
sound of "his" FOOTSTEPS:
WAYNE
Ohhhkkkaaaay.....showtime
The gate slides open. MICKEY KNOX is led in by TWO DEPUTIES,
wearing a blue jumpsuit with a thick and wide leather belt around
the waist and metal rings built into each side. Long sturdy
chains with handcuffs on each end are wrapped across his body and
through the rings, binding his arms to his sides. His hands and
feet are double-cuffed.
The DEPUTIES have their guns drawn, ready to blow Mickey in half
at the slightest provocation. Yet for a man wrapped and bound in.
chains, Mickey seems strangely in control of his environment.
He is seated roughly on the prisoner's side of the glass.
Wayne starts to smile but something weird happens. The smile
gets stuck on his face. He can't stop smiling his all-American
you-must-love-me smile. It just hangs there, embarrassing and
noticeable to everyone in the room.
Mickey waits -- what's wrong with this guy?
Finally Wayne gets control of his nerves.
WAYNE
Hi, Mickey. We've never been introduced, but I'm...I'm
Wayne Gale. (starts to laugh again) Oh jeesus! Oh god!
MICKEY (cutting it short)
Hey. I know who you are. You're famous...
WAYNE
Hey I could say the same about you. (smiles) I
want to thank you for seeing me. (Mickey waits)
I have a television show. Every few weeks as
part of our look at current America we profile
a different serial killer. You don't mind if I
call you a serial killer, do you?
MICKEY (shrugs)
Technically, mass murderer.
WAYNE
Whatever. The episode we did on Mickey and
Mallory was one of our most popular ones.
MICKEY
Y'ever do one on John Wayne Gacy?
WAYNE
Yes.
MICKEY
Whose ratings were higher?
WAYNE
Yours.
MICKEY
How 'bout Ted Bundy? Ever do one on him?
WAYNE
Yes. Yours got the larger Nielsen share.
MICKEY
Good. Yuppie piece of shit.
WAYNE
What I'd like to do --
MICKEY
How 'bout Manson?
WAYNE
Manson beat you.
MICKEY
Yeah, it's pretty hard to beat the king.
WAYNE (indicating Julie)
Julie, my producer...and I...
(Julie nods; she's mute)
...we've been waiting to do a follow-up episode
on you for a long time. And that time has
definitely come
(encouraged, Julie makes a strange, grunting sound
of approval)
I feel it's apparent to anyone who's hip to
what's going on that the Prison Board has
thrown the Constitution straight out the
fuckin' window. You and Mallory may be killers
but nuts, insane? NOT. You're being
railroadedinto a hospital for the sole purpose
of turning you into a vegetable. Now some
people are saying, "So what." I am not one of
those people. If we avert our eyes while they
do this to you, we give them permission to do
it again whenever they see fit. Today, they
wipe clean your mind because they feel your
actions are dangerous, tomorrow they wipe clean
my mind -- or dump me in syndication -- because
they feel what I say is dangerous. Where does
it all end? That's my angle.
No response from Mickey.
WAYNE (looks at Julie and back to Mickey)
My problem Mickey, is you don't exactly inspire
empathy. I'm all alone on this. I need your
help. I have interviews with the Prison Board,
with Warden Dwight McClusky -- and I'm telling
ya Mickey, they look bad. The two
psychologists they used for their kangaroo
court won't talk to us -- which also looks bad.
I have an interview with the judge at your
trial Bert Steinsma, and the psychologist and
famous author Emil Reignold -- both of which
discount the notion you're insane. What we
need now is YOU. You haven't talked to the
press since your trial. Now a few days before
you get transferred to an asylum, you give an
exclusive to Wayne Gale. We're talking a media
event here. A 40/50 share. We run this during
the Sweeps, the network'll be creaming for it,
promos on the Super Bowl -- (new idea) hey,
I'll even ask 'em to program it same day as the
Super Bowl! Right after it! They might go for
it. Television history. The first sit down, in-
depth interview with the most charismatic
serial killer ever, one day before he's being
shipped to a mental hospital for the rest of
his life. This is Wallace with Noriega, Elton
John confessing his bi-sexuality to Rolling
Stone, this is the Maysles Brothers at
Altamont, this is the Nixon/Frost interviews.
INT. OBSERVATION BOOTH - DAY
Watching them through one-way glass are the WARDEN and SCAGNETTI.
WAYNE
Every sonofabitch out there witha TV's gonna be
looking at you Mickey, listening to your words.
Sell 'em on your sanity. You're composed, you're
articulate, you may be a cold-blooded killer but
you're obviously not a nut. We'll shame 'em into
dropping the whole thing. Whattaya say?
MICKEY
You got any gum?
Wayne has a duty free bag filled with items -- gum, multi-
vitamins, fruit shakes, health food.
WAYNE
Gum, spearmint, big red? Multi-vitamins? I even
got a fruit shake.
MICKEY
You got a guitar you can give me?
WAYNE (hopeful)
I'll bring a guitar next time!
MICKEY (pause)
You talked to Mallory about this?
WAYNE
She won't see me Mickey. Now you're not
supposed to know anything about what's going on
with her, but since you two been sentenced,
Mallory hasn't spoken one word. All she does
is sing.
MICKEY
She sings? What does she sing?
WAYNE
Songs. "He's a Rebel" "Leader of the pack,"
that Dusty Springfield tear-jerker, "I Only
Want To Be With You." Her behavior's the main
thing the doctors used against you. So even if
she'd see me which she won't, I can't put her
on camera anyway. If I ask her, Mallory, are
you insane?" And she starts singing, "Dead
Skunk in the Middle of the Road," that blows
our whole case.
Mickey cracks a smile. The GUARD comes over to take him away.
DEPUTY
Time, motherfucker!
WAYNE (jumping up)
Wait a minute! Wait a minute! Civilization
rules here, civilization! Let him answer
me...Come on Mickey, whaddaya say? Time is
running out...
Pause. Mickey being pulled up by the Guards, strangely in
control. CAMERA suddenly TRUCKING in on him -- a bizarre sound
as if a plan has now kicked off in his malevolent mind.
MICKEY (quietly)
I say, go for it...
He exits with Guards. Wayne stunned, turns to Julie.
WAYNE
"Yes!" Am I God or what! This saves us,
Jules, this saves us. That asshole didn't know
it but we were over, we were history,
shitcanned. This gives us another whole
season! Takes us to the end of the year! I'll
renegotiate with network, million dollars more
on the contract, maybe Sunday night, maybe you
get a little more money...One fucking "Yes,"
Yes! Yes! Yes!
INT. OBSERVATION BOOTH - SIMULTANEOUS DAY
SCAGNETTI has the opposite reaction.
SCAGNETTI
Why the hell you lettin' that scumbag do this,
Dwight?
MCCLUSKY
Relax. If I don't, we'll be excoriated in the
press. If I do, it'll be weeks before they
clear it.
WURLITZER
Legal, appeals.
MCCLUSKY
And M & M are gonna be post toasties before
that ever happens, right Jack? And no one's
gonna give a flying fuck about two dead losers.
INT. VISITING ROOM - DAY
The WARDEN, followed by SCAGNETTI, enters the room, smiling.
MCCLUSKY (to Wayne)
Everything all right Mr. Gale?
WAYNE, seeing the Warden, switches character instantly.
WAYNE
Warden McClusky -- a man made for the camera.
Too bad James Arness just kicked off. And Ted
Danson's busy. He would've been just perfect
for your life story.
MCCLUSKY (chuckling)
How 'bout Johnny Cash? Is he available? Maybe
you know Jack Scagnetti -- he's gonna be
helping us with the transfer.
Wayne, affable, shakes hands. Scagnetti treats him like vermin.
WAYNE
Of course. America's favorite cop. "Scagnetti
on Scagnetti" great book -- makes me want to do
one of my own. You paved the way Jack...
SCAGNETTI
And you shit on it you little turkey-neck.
WAYNE
Turkeyneck, eh? Am I? You better get back on
the stairmaster, Scagnetti.
MCCLUSKY
Boys boys.
WAYNE
Heh heh Jack isn't too fond of our show; we
sometimes give the B.O.D. to the defendants.
You know "human rights" --
MCCLUSKY
B.O.D.?
WAYNE
"Benefit of the doubt"
SCAGNETTI
What doubt? Mickey and Mallory are turds, you
little sissy. Australia is a penal colony,
isn't it. The only doubt I got is you --
MCCLUSKY (contains him)
Uh Jack! ... Jack's sort of our avenging angel
you might say.
WAYNE
In any case, he says yes.
MCCLUSKY
I figured he would. But I want to keep contact
with the population to a minimum.
EXT. PRISON CORRIDOR - DAY
The WARDEN shuttling the GROUP back out into the CELLBLOCKS,
towards the exit.
MCCLUSKY (Cont'd)
They hate Mickey Knox in here. They see him as
a publicity hound. It's bound to stir 'em up.
It's gotta be done my way.
WAYNE
No problem. Just give me a big room and I'll
take it from there. We're "stealth"
journalists.
As they walk off, we hear:
WAYNE (Cont'd)
My crew is the crew that got inside the Shining
Path for a face to face with Abimayel Guzman
while the BBB was stuck at the airport
scratching their nuts. If I were you, chief,
I'd worry more about the promos that start
hitting the air next week. You're a
national face, Warden -- a real hero to the
American public. You run a
damn impressive ship here. And...frankly, who
knows? Something like this could launch a new
career in public office for you. So I'll have
my producer Julie call you in the morning to
work out the details. I got a plane to catch
right now to New York.
CUT TO:
INT. MICKEY KNOX CELL - DAY
CAMERA drifting to MICKEY lying on his bunk. A high security
single cell. Lawbooks, no pinups, a fax, a telephone,
television. He writes Mallory a letter.
MICKEY (V.O.)
Dearest Mallory...You once told me I had no
feelings. You were right and you were wrong.
I got more feelings now than I ever had before.
I never missed someone like I miss you. My
cell is so cold. At night I get the chills.
pretend you're lying next to me,holding me from
behind with your leg draped over mine and your
arms wrapped tightly around me. I lie in my
cell...
WIDE SHOT off the cell.
DISSOLVING TO:
INT. MALLORY'S CELL - DAY
Not knowing where we are, CAMERA moves across a wall into a CU of
MALLORY.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...and imagine kissing you. Not making love,
just kissing for hours and hours on end. I
remember everything about our time. I remember
every joke you ever told.
INT. MICKEY CELL - DAY
CLOSE UP of the LETTER being written over the WIDE SHOT of the
cell.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I remember every secret you ever shared.
Shared or revealed? I think shared is proper.
I remember every single time you laughed.
ECU of Mickey, mouthing the words as he writes. We can hear
Mallory's laugh -- a distant haunting echo.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I remember every meal we ever ate. I remember
your cooking. I remember watching David
Letterman.
We hear the echo of television laughter.
MICKEY (V.O.)
I remember driving fast behind the wheel of the
Dodge Challenger.
The sound of the Dodge Challenger swells as we...
INTERCUT TO:
INT. MALLORY'S CELL - DAY
MALLORY is moving her body in the middle of the cell to a music
only she can hear, then begins to sing "All of Me" (B. Holiday)
in slow acapella, using the cell as the stage and a man who isn't
there as her audience.
MALLORY (singing)
I'm no good without you
Take my lips I want to lose them
Take my arms I'll never use them
You took the part that once was my heart
So why not take ALL OF ME.
MICKEY (V.O.)
You, baby, by my side. Your bare feet up on
the dash, singing along with the radio, "He's A
Rebel," "Ring of Fire," "Groove Me,"...and
your dancing, my God, your dancing. I lie on
my bed and go over every day, every minute of
our happiness. Every day take a day of our
time and go through it hour by hour. I don't
jump ahead either. I take it as it comes, and
I live that day again. That way when I get to
our first kiss...
DISSOLVE TO:
FLASHBACK
INT. MALLORY'S PARENTS' LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
The set is sitcom TV format. The lighting is flat, the
performances and timing are TV. It is SHOT in three camera
SITCOM FORMAT -- possibly BLACK and WHITE, harkening back to an
earlier era in Mickey's mind. The time when he first saw TV.
MICKEY (V.O.)
...they're not just memories. I feel that joy
again. And I am no longer in prison. We're
together again. And when my head hurts and I
can remember no longer, I write you letters and
send them telepathically to your heart.
MALLORY gets a big handful of AUDIENCE APPLAUSE as she comes down
the stairs, dressed to the nines, punky, sexy, ready to trot --
yet a sweet girl's expression, maybe with braces.
MALLORY
Hello Dad, how was work?
DAD is a strange-looking hombre, seated at the table, exhausted
and angry in a dirty undershirt.
DAD
Work? What work! I'm unemployed. Three years.
I'm unemployed.
(LAUGHTRACK)
MOM is always-smiling with cracked-egg eyes, serving him a large
salt cracker with pea soup.
MOM
You look nice, Mallory.
Her younger brother, KEVIN, is doing his homework at the table.
KEVIN
Yuck. She looks like...uccckkk.
(LAUGHTRACK)
MALLORY (ignoring Kevin)
Thanks Mom. I'm late. I'll be back by midnight.
DAD
What are you wearing? A broom stick in a trash
bag. A few pounds lighter and you'd be Miss
Ethiopia. Where the hell do you think you're
going?
MALLORY
To the John Lee Hooker concert. With Donna. I
told you yesterday.
Dad rises and tracks her across the living room. She's evidently
not going anywhere tonight in his mind.
DAD
First off, you don't tell me anything, you ask
my permission. Second, you can't go out in
that whorehouse dress. Third, you can't go out
at all. You didn't mow the yard.
Mom keeps her smile intact. But Mallory loses her schoolgirl
sheen and becomes the Mallory we know and love.
MALLORY
That piece of shit lawnmower is fucked! How am I
supposed to use it?
Dad backs her into the wall, puts his hand on her face, his thumb
on her lip. She's scared.
DAD
You fuckin' little douchebag cunt, you watch your
language in front of your mother. I'll kick the
shit outta you just like I do her. Just remember
you stupid bitch, you shit brown just like me.
Mom just shakes her head at Dad's shenanigans and keeps setting
the table.
BROTHER KEVIN
Mom do we have any croutons?
MOM
Sure Kevie.
At the base of the stairs, Dad feels around Mallory's ass. She
writhes in disgust.
DAD
This is my house. It doesn't matter how much you
wag your ass in my face. If it's in my house,
it's my ass. Got it? So take it upstairs and
take a shower. Make sure it's a good shower.
Cause I'm coming up after to see how clean you are.
Mallory runs upstairs really upset. Dad reconfigures himself,
sits back down at the table.
MOM
Don't you think you were a little hard on her, dear?
(LAUGHTER)
BROTHER KEVIN
Yeah Dad. Mallory can't fix a broken bobbypin.
How's she gonna fix a lawnmower? (LAUGHTER)
DAD
I'll show her a...little "tenderness" after I eat (wink).
When I get up there, she won't see my face for an hour.
LAUGHTER. The DOORBELL ringing. Dad gets up but Mom stops him.
MOM
That's probably Donna. I'll break the news to
her. Don't let your macaroni get cold, Ed.
But when Mom opens the door, it's MICKEY who steps in, dressed as
a meatman with a big box of beef, blood all over his apron. The
APPLAUSE is deafening. GIRLS in the audience SCREAM his name.
Mickey hangs five for the recognition as he puts down the beef.
MICKEY
Delivery for Ed Wilson.
MOM
What on earth is it?
MICKEY
It's beef lady. Fifty pounds of beef.
MOM
Well...wait here. I need to have a word with
my husband (exiting to kitchen).
Mallory stands on the stairs, getting a good look at him. His
apron smeared with old blood.
MALLORY
Who are you?
MICKEY
I'm Mickey. Who are you?
MALLORY
I'm Mallory.
MICKEY
You're "beautiful."
(Mallory melts at the appreciation, a look of
embarrassment at the camera)
You a big meat eater, Mallory?
MALLORY
I can be.
MICKEY
You always dress like that, or were you waitin' for me?
MALLORY
Why would I be waitin' for someone I don't even
know?
MICKEY
Well...maybe something's inside you told you to
get ready...ever think about that?...Fate. You
believe in fate, Mallory?
MALLORY
Maybe..
MICKEY
You don't look too happy. How bout we go for a
ride?...Talk about it.
She smiles.
INT. KITCHEN - NIGHT
MOM is scolding DAD, her hands on her hips.
MOM
You promised your doctor, Ed -- no more meat.
DAD
I eat what I want! So what! This food here (her
food) you pray after you eat.
Mom cries.
MOM
I just don't want your arteries to clog up and
then you'll keel over at the table.
DAD
Don't fuckin' cry. It turns me off!
MOM
I haven't cried in 20 years and you still
haven't touched me...
(big laughter)
DAD (pointing at Kevin)
What about him?
MOM
You thought you were in Mallory's room. That's
why we have Kevin.
KEVIN
What?
MOM
(going back to the Living Room)
I'm sending it back. I don't care what you do
to me.
The SOUND of BURNING RUBBER.
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
MOM and DAD RUN out. The beef remains, with a note which Dad
grabs.
DAD
"Out with the meat man. Back before dawn.
Love Mallory."...that cunt!
MOM (at the window)
They stole your car!
DAD
That meatman cocksucker! I'll get him too.
Call the cops!
INT. PRISON -- VISITING ROOM - DAY (TWO YEARS LATER)
MALLORY, 2 years older, the braces gone, is visiting her love,
MICKEY, who's taking on convict mannerisms -- early stages that
are refined into the later, more famous Mickey. He's doing 2
years for car theft. They are embracing, sitting down, in a room
full of reunited FAMILIES.
NOTE: The shooting style reverts back to 16 mm black and white --
two young lovers.
MICKEY
Everything I see, I see you Mall.
MALLORY
I know baby. I'm goin' crazy too...
MICKEY
Even ugliness looks beautiful cause of you. Even
though I'm here, I visit you every night.
MALLORY
I know Mickey...I can't break away from you
either, but you gotta listen...My Dad is moving
us away so you can't never find us. He's
insane...He knows you're getting out next
month. He got a doctor to say you raped me and
he's gonna bring more charges.
MICKEY
He can't keep me away from you.
MALLORY
He says if you ever show up he'll kill you.
MICKEY
When's this supposed to happen?
MALLORY
He won't say. Look, I've gotta go. If he
finds out I'm gone he'll beat me...I just
wanted to see you...I love you Mickey. Please
don't forget me.
MICKEY
It's cool. It won't matter where he takes you,
to Timbuktu...I told you we're fate. They can't
stop fate...Nobody can...it won't matter.
She looks at him deeply.
MALLORY
Bye.
MICKEY
One of these nights, I'll be coming to see ya.
On Mickey's face as she exits.
EXT. FARMLAND - DAY
A BLACK CLOUD rolls in. The WIND is blowing. A STORM is brewing.
MICKEY is part of a Jail WORKCREW breaking MUSTANGS -- guarded by
ARMED MEN on horseback (with shotguns)
Suddenly a large FUNNEL CLOUD touches down. A TORNADO zigzags
crazily up the road--more and more immense. The end of the world.
The WORKBOSS is yelling for the men to get back to the bus.
EVERYONE is running for the road.
The TORNADO is moving in fast.
But Mickey, lost in all the blowing and confusion, has taken off
down the road, heading straight at the tornado.
One of the GUARDS takes off after him...fires a shot.
Mickey is running his ass off, straight into the twisting
devil...obviously a PROCESS SHOT is looming here.
The HORSEMAN is gaining on Mickey, fires again. But the horse is
spooked by the storm and THROWS the Guard.
As the Man hits the ground, he discharges the shotgun right into
himself -- blowing his chest out.
Mickey is last seen as a tiny man disappearing into the TORNADO --
arms extended as if he were embracing Death itself.
INT. MALLORY'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
She lays in bed, hears a car SCREECH up. Knows it's him. Runs
downstairs. Tonight will be the night!
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
DAD is watching wrestling on TV in his underwear ("go on, break
his arm! Do something! What do we got here...2 fuckin' faggots!
Kill each other!") But it is no longer the sitcom style -- we are
in 16 mm hard-edged film format.
DAD (to Mallory running to the door)
Where the fuck do you think you're going! Get
back upstairs!
MALLORY
I'm going OOOUT!!
The door BLASTS OPEN. MICKEY -- all fucked up from the storm,
cuts, bruises, is on Dad like lightning struck a demon.
Hitting him with a tire iron.
MICKEY
Hey Jack, Mickey's back.
But Dad doesn't go down. He fights back.
Tipping the scale, Mallory jumps on her dad's back -- liberated
at last -- kicking him, tearing his eyes out! It goes round and
round.
Mickey hits him again. Dad's dazed.
They stuff his head in the fish tank. They hold him down. Dad
drowns.
MICKEY
Where's the old bag?
INT. MOTHER'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
MOM comes awake from an open-mouthed snore -- terrified eyes as:
MICKEY stuffs a sock, soaked in gasoline, into her throat,
shutting her up.
The rest of her is sprayed with gasoline from the can Mickey is
holding.
CLOSE UP of a MATCH being lit.
MALLORY holds it in front of her face for a moment.
MOM begging for her life with her daughter. Her words muffled by
the sock:
MOM
Oh God. Don't please don't Mallory!
Mallory tosses the match. We hear ignition.
INT. STAIRS/HALLWAY - NIGHT
Mickey and Mallory exit the room on the run, freezing as
Mallory's little brother, KEVIN, stares at them in his nightshirt
from the hallway.
Mallory makes a farewell gesture.
MALLORY
You're free!
They run out.
EXT. MOVING CAR - NIGHT (PROCESS SHOT)
MICKEY and MALLORY flying blind to their freedom. Outrageous
STARS whirl and collide above them.
MALLORY
Wherever we go, whatever happens Mickey, when I
look up at the stars, I'll know you're looking
at the same ones.
MICKEY (sweet)
The same ones, baby.
MALLORY
Mickey.
MICKEY
Yeah.
MALLORY
You make every day like kindergarten.
EXT. RIO GRANDE GORGE - DAY
They're standing by an old iron BRIDGE looking down into an enormous
100-foot drop into the feisty waters of the Rio Grande.
All their last clothes and possessions sail over.
MALLORY even lets her favorite teddy bear go.
MICKEY takes both her hands.
MICKEY
Mall, it's time to grow up, we got the road to
hell in front of us...will you marry me?
MALLORY
Oh Mickey I been ready for so long, but where
we gonna have our wedding Mickey?
MICKEY
Right here. This is our church, Mall.
They notice, for the first time, the beauty of the land and water
around them. They look at each other.
MALLORY
Oohh. I'm so excited!
(goes to the car and pulls out a headdress)
I got the perfect thing.
Mickey takes out his knife and slits his left hand.
He takes Mall's right hand and slits it.
MALLORY
Oh, it's not what I had in mind.
They clasp their hands, mixing blood. He hikes Mall and himself
up closer to the railing so they are looking directly down into
the plummeting gorge.
They watch as the blood drips from their hands into the river
below (ANIMATION OPTION). Mickey pulls out the two wedding rings
he's been saving.
MALLORY (quietly)
...we'll be livin' in all the oceans now.
MICKEY
God...before you and this river and all the
things we don't know about...Do you Mickey take
Mallory to be your wife, to stay with her and
treat her right -- till you die?
(answering himself)
I do.
A TRUCKLOAD OF INDIANS drive by looking at these gringos.
MICKEY (Cont'd)
Mallory, do you take Mickey to be your husband,
and love him till you die?
MALLORY
For all eternity until you and I and you die and die
and die again. Till death do us part! Yes, yes, yes.
MICKEY
Then baby...we're man and wife.
He puts the rings on their fingers. And they kiss joyfully.
INSERT - TELEVISION FILM - "AMERICAN MANIACS"
WAYNE GALE is once again standing on HIGHWAY 666 right next to a
shot-up roadsign.
WAYNE TV
...after that there was no stopping Mickey and
Mallory. They tore up the countryside with a
vengeance right out of the Bible. In the
course of 3 weeks that stretched down this
Highway -- 666 -- to some a beautiful stretch of
American landscape, to others the fastest
distance between Cortez and Gallup, but to
Mickey and Mallory a candy lane of murder
and chaos. As they slaughtered 48 people --
innocent people, people they never met before,
total strangers -- all killed to fill the
fantasies of these love-crazed narcissist
psychopaths...
INT. TELEVISION STATION - DAY
WAYNE GALE is looking at himself on tape with his CAMERA and
EDITING CREW and JULIE, the assistant. They're in an editing
"session," rolled up sleeves, coffee, cigarettes, donuts, bagels.
A mirror is close by.
WAYNE (involved)
...not bad, not bad. Maybe trim that look...
and go for the close-up there when I say "love-
crazed-narcissistic etcetera."
DAVID (bright young editor)
...we really raped and pillaged the first show
to do this.
ROGER (cameraman)
...but we changed the order around so it wasn't
super obvious.
DAVID
...it still needs a new intro in my opinion
Wayne, you can't cannibalize yourself all the
time or...
WAYNE
Repetition works, David, you think those
schmucks out there in zombieland remember
anything. It's junkfood for the brains. It's
filler, fodder -- just build for the interview.
Keep using that word -- "Live Interview."
Anticipation, David -- that's all it's about,
the next bite of chocolate, the next car, the
next vacation, the next life, next -- that's
all. 'Just do it.'
DAVID (making a tape cut)
Heil, mein Fuhrer!
DEBORAH, another assistant, hands him a cellular phone.
DEBORAH
Your sensei...
ON TV
INSERT COLOR POSTCARD OF CHICAGO
WAYNE TV (V.O.)
...they began their crime wave in the poorer
suburbs of Chicago...and they finally caged
here at this All-Nite Pharmacy in the small New
Mexico town of Jerome -- not far from the
Navajo Indian Reservation.
EXT. PHARMACY (REPEAT) - NIGHT
Actual NEWS FOOTAGE of the apprehension, repeated. Tracking in
wildly behind the THREE WINDBREAKER COPS & SCAGNETTI on MICKEY,
clobbering him for camera.
PHOTO: Police Academy BLACK and WHITE PHOTO OF OFFICER GERALD
NASH.
WAYNE TV
Patrolman Gerald Nash was just the first of
twelve peace officers that Mickey and Mallory
murdered during their reign of terror.
PHOTO: BLACK and WHITE photo of Gerald Nash and his partner
DALE WRIGLEY, dressed in their uniforms, arms around each other.
WAYNE TV
Gerald and his partner Dale Wrigley were parked
at...
PHOTO: BLACK & WHITE snapshot of DONUT SHOP.
WAYNE TV
...this donut shop, Dales Donuts. When --
INT. DALE WRIGLEY HOME - DAY
Interview with the real DALE WRIGLEY. His name appears below him
on the screen.
DALE
...This '68 Cadillac Coupe De Ville (or
alternative) pulled up about three spaces away.
Gerald -- three weeks out of the Academy
came walking out with our coffee and --
(begins to tear up)
my bear claw. When the driver of the car asked
him something...
EXT. DONUT SHOP - DAY
A cinema verite recreation of the crime, a la "COPS," shot in 16
mm color. Moving in fast on TV GERALD, who has little
resemblance to the photograph of Real Gerald.
DALE (V.O.)
Gerald started giving him what looked like
street directions. When he finished, the
driver waved him "thanks," brought up a shotgun
and --
Pandemonium! The shadowed figures of TV MICKEY and TV MALLORY
firing a blast. TV Gerald flying backward with pumped "sound"
effects.
TV DALE, another actor type with little resemblance to the real
Dale, is jumping out of his car, gun pulled, in futile anger as:
TV Mickey peels his car out -- leaving a really bloodied corpse
of TV Gerald on the pavement, bear claws and donuts and coffee
heaped over him.
BLACK & WHITE PHOTO of Alfie's DONUT SHOP. A white grease
pencil circles where REAL GERALD is shot. We hear another
shotgun BLAST and a SCREAM over this.
BLACK & WHITE PHOTO of MICKEY and MALLORY standing next to
each other, guns in hand, smiling into camera. We hear
LAUGHTER and a car PEELING OUT over this.
INT. COP CAR - MOVING - HIGHWAY - DAY
TV DALE is pursuing MICKEY and MALLORY -- FIRING rounds out his
side window as he drives.
TV DALE (into radio)
I am currently in high pursuit! Send back up!
Send back up!
INT. MICKEY CAR - MOVING - HIGHWAY - DAY
TV MICKEY is weaving back and forth on the road like Steve
McQueen in "Le Mans." TV MALLORY is hanging out the window,
FIRING her shotgun, laughing her head off. She sees something
that gets her attention.
WAYNE TV (V.O.)
...in the ensuing chase, they even managed to
kill American marathon bicyclist, Bryan Smyj,
who was in the wrong place at the wrong time,
only because...
Mallory passing a BICYCLIST decked out in colors, flying down
the road, sucking on a water bottle. Threatened by the vehicles
barreling down the road at war, he shoots Mallory the finger.
Like a skilled trap-and-skeet shooter, Mallory whips her shotgun
left, tracks the fast-moving target, and gleefully BLASTS the
Cyclist off the bike, then whips her shotgun back onto the
oncoming Cop.
EXT. HIGHWAY - DAY
As the CYCLIST flies off the road, the TWO CARS whip through the
FRAME, one at a time, SPITTING gunfire.
REAL MALLORY (V.O.)
...well I always wanted to take a shot at one
of 'em...they're not so easy to hit.
ON TV (CONT'D):
EXT. BLEACHERS - DAY
TV WAYNE stares at us a few beats, sitting in some school
football bleachers.
WAYNE TV
Sick, isn't it?
(mournful pause)
Renaissance psychopaths that they were -- and
obviously bored with conventional robbery and
murder, they would always leave one clerk or
one policeman alive...to tell the tale...of
Mickey and Mallory.
WAYNE (between dialogue, on the cellular)
And cut there. Pop to the "Maniacs" logo,
ding, ding, two commercials, AT & T and Reebok
with any fucking luck, and we come back on: da
da introducing "The Schmuck Fans"
(into phone)
...sensei...Taru pleeze. How can you even think
that? I would never advance to a brown belt
without doing the work, I would not!...Please
let me come in and talk to you, please. I feel
like shit...Network just told us we're goin'
live next week -- Super Bowl Sunday. 80-100
million people. I gotta be together for this
one, taru...Stress? I invented the word.
Please don't turn me away...sensei?...sensei?
(cuts off, to Julie)
My life's falling apart. I sense it. It's
coming to an end.
JULIE (sign language)
You're so dramatic.
ON TV
WAYNE TV
...and famous they became. Worldwide, loved,
adored by their fans, driven by the madness of
media, the dragon grew more and more heads ...
EXT. COURTROOM STEPS (MICKEY'S TRIAL) - DAY
In a LARGE CROWD gathered outside Mickey's and Mallory's trial,
WAYNE interview THREE LONG HAIRED GUYS, cinema verite style,
jumpcutting their response time.
KID 1
Hot.
KID 2
Hot.
KID 3
Totally hot.
KID 1
Mickey and Mallory are the best thing to happen
to mass murder since Manson.
KID 2
But they're way cooler...
KID 3
They're romantic, I dunno...
KID 1
I'm not saying y'know I believe in mass murder
or that shit, but...
KID 2
Don't get us wrong.
KID 3
We respect human life and all...
KID 1
Yeah it's a tragedy but...if I was a mass
murderer, I'd be Mickey and Mallory.
JUMP TO:
EXT. LONDON STREET - DAY
"Man in the Street" interview style. TITLE CARD reads "LONDON."
A BOY and a GIRL, dressed like the Knox's.
LONDON BOY
You take all the great figures from the
States.. Elvis, Jack Kerouac, James Dean, Jim
Morrison, Jack Nicholson...add a bloody pale of
nitro and you got Mickey and Mallory. They're
like rebels without a cause, except they have a
cause. Only nobody knows what it is.
LONDON GIRL (screaming)
Their cause is each utter!
EXT. TOKYO STREET - DAY
TWO JAPANESE TEENS dressed like the Knox's speak in Japanese
which is translated in English.
TRANSLATOR V.O.
Keep the faith, Mickey and Mallory, keep the faith.
EXT. PARIS STREET - DAY
TWO FRENCH TEENS, also dressed like the Knox's, speak in English.
FRENCH BOY
Mickey and Mallory have a love that's L.A.M.F.
FRENCH GIRL (in English)
They are super cool!
INT. PSYCHIATRIST OFFICE - DAY
WAYNE is interviewing Dr. EMIL REINGOLD who talks to us with an
impressive manner. His name on a TITLE CARD underneath.
DR. REINGOLD
...Mickey and Mallory's operatic devotion to each
other. In a world where people can't seem to make
the simplest of relationships work and the slightest
emotional commitment is considered devastating,
Mickey and Mallory have a do or die romance of a
Shakespearian magnitude. To the country's youth, 75
percent of whom are coming from broken homes, they
have an us-against-the world posture which youth
loves. And they've taken that posture 10 steps
beyond. Mickey and Mallory have shocked a country
ntimb with violence. They've created a world where
only two exist and anybody who inadvertently enters
that world is murdered...
Wayne going at it on a cellular conference call.
He knows the footage, bored.
WAYNE (in phone)
Bill...Bill listen to me...if you advertise that we'll
hit a 75 awareness. By Wednesday! By Saturday we'll be
85, 90 climbing...by Sunday morning only homeless
morons living in parks won't know we're there! We'll
eviscerate "60 Minutes" -- they'll be a spark in a
distant galaxy fart. We're LIVE Don, hello! Anybody in?
Right after the Superbowl! We got 'em in their houses,
angry, the Game's just sucked (it always does), and
they wanna see this guy Mickey. What makes him tick! Is
he like me! The guy wants to tear apart his wife! His
best friend he wants to kill. Recent statistics show
that more husband-wife beatings take place during and
after sports events than at any other...listen, Bill,
this is Don King and Muhammed Ali in the Jungle,
Michael Jackson at the SuperBowl! The most talked about
event in television history. Books will be written ...
So? Who cares, it's a book for chrisakes, who the fuck
reads a book. Don Don listen to Jim, talk to Don -- who
can stop live TV? Nobody. You blow this and NBC'll be
eating your lunch next season, and I'll be there too
... With Letterman. And you'll be cleaning out gorilla
shit and reptile cages in pet stores, you better
fuckin' believe me for once. Cause ... 'cause I am
outta here!...I'm out unless...unless yeah...you
know...yeah...at least a mill...maybe 2 we're talkin'
now...should've signed me a month ago. Peanuts! Fox
was offerin' more. Lobotomy Bay. Right...yeah right...
ON TV CONT'D:
DR. REINGOLD (Cont'd)
Insane, no. Psychotic, yes. But to suggest
that they're insane gives the impression that
they don't know right from wrong. Mickey and
Mallory know the difference between right and
wrong. They just don't give a damn.
WAYNE TV (in front of courthouse)
It was Dr. Reingold who Mallory Knox strangled
six months after this interview.
FREEZE FRAME ON REINGOLD
WAYNE (to the editors)
Rrrrrnnnnggg. Commercial. How to brush your
teeth. How to get an enema, how to live
longer. Fanfuckingtastic! But less of the
shrink. Keep the teens, the long hairs, love
the cop at the donut shop, love the Warden,
he's so dumb McClusky, he still thinks he's the
good guy. Cut in right when he's on that
horrific fuckin' laugh. Freeze frame on the
laugh (the Warden displays a rictus of francis
bacon madness on his face)...don't even let him
answer. Fuck him. He's such an idiot. Then cut
to me talking with the Huns...
JULIE (sign language, subtitled)
Should we shoot film on Mickey? For posterity?
Maybe a PBS; gives us library value; give us
some respect for a change, maybe an Emmy?
DAVID
Fat fuckin' chance.
WAYNE
Yes! Great idea Julie! Same time as the video. I
see... high contrast sixteen millimeter black and white.
And I mean black and white, where the black's black and
the white's white. For history. For prosperity.
DAVID
Posterity.
WAYNE
You're right, David. Prosterity. Film!
ON TV (CONT'D):
INT. GOLD'S GYM - DAY
WAYNE TV
...Even their victims fell in love with Mickey
and Mallory!
WAYNE'S standing in a GYM. Behind him MUSCLE MEN and WOMEN are
working out; their GRUNTS fill the BG. Wayne turns off camera
into an ECU of two heads belonging to the famous bodybuilder
twins, SIMON and NORAAN HUN. Their names appear in a subtitle
card below screen.
WAYNE
Simon and Norman Hun, what do you think of
Mickey and Mallory?
SIMON
I admire them.
NORMAN
I do, too.
WAYNE (confused)
But how can you say that?
SIMON
They're mesmerizing.
NORMAN
Have you seen "Pumping Iron?"
WAYNE
Yes.
SIMON
Then you've seen the scene where Arnold
Schwarzenegger is talking to Lou Ferigno.
WAYNE
Yes.
NORMAN
Through the power of the simple word --
SIMON
And a snake-eye glare --
NORMAN
-- and a snake-eye glare, Arnold was able to
totally psyche out any confidence Ferigno had.
SIMON
He squashed him mentally before physically
defeating him.
NORMAN
He had the edge. The mind's edge.
SIMON
Mickey and Mallory have that edge.
NORMAN
They've hypnotized the nation.
SIMON
Schwarzenegger was the king of the edge before
they came along
ZOOM BACK to WAYNE.
WAYNE
Yet you two are both victims of Mickey and
Mallory?
SHOT now ZOOMS back to reveal that both Simon and Norman are in
wheelchairs (their legs maimed or gone).
SIMON & NORMAN
Yes.
WAYNE
How can you say you "admire" them?
NORMAN
It's like this, Wayne. Two people are standing
in a dark room waiting for the other to attack.
These two people can't see each other, yet they
know they're there. Now, they can either stand
in that dark room forever waiting until they
die of boredom, or one of them can make the
first move.
WAYNE
Why can't they just shake hands and be friends?
NORMAN
They can't because neither knows if the other
is a deranged senseless killer like the knoxs.
So, you may as well make the first move.
WAYNE
Obviously they made the first move.
NORMAN
Unfortunately, yes.
SIMON
But you see, that's okay, Wayne.
WAYNE
Why?
SIMON
They passed the 'edge' along to us, Wayne.
WAYNE
How so?
SIMON
By taking away our legs. Now we have to fight
harder to get ahead than anyone else in the
gym. Probably the whole city. They gave us
the fighting spirit. Before this happened I
was content. Now I'm pissed off. Now I'm half
a man and I've got to work like the devil to
get whole again.
WAYNE
But you'll never be whole again.
SIMON
Never is a very long time, Wayne. A word only
the weak use. I'm not a sore loser. Even if I
don't have a leg to stand on, I'm going to get
up and fight this world until I'm on top again.
NORMAN
That's the Mickey and Mallory way.
SIMON
And that's the way of the world.
NORMAN
They're just shocking the world into
remembering the primal law.
SIMON
Survival of the fittest.
WAYNE
One last question, boys. Usually Mickey and
Mallory kill all their victims except for the
lucky one. How come they let you two survive?
The brothers pause, turn to Wayne.
NORMAN
They had us hogtied down during one of their
house-raids, and they were taking chainsaws to
our legs before they were gonna kill us.
FLASHBACK - INT. HUN BROTHERS' HOUSE - NIGHT
MICKEY and MLLLORY are carving the BROTHERS up with chainsaws --
hidden in shadows. A demonic humor to the scene.
BACK TO SIMON. The sound of the CHAINSAW echoes over:
SIMON
Just for fun, I guess.
NORMAN
And then Mallory stops Mickey and says, "Hey,
these are the Brothers."
SIMON
Mickey stops sawin' on my leg and says, "Oh my
God, I'm your biggest fan."
FLASHBACK -- Micky's look of genuine admiration as he stops
the sawing.
NORMAN
Apparently, they've seen all our films.
SIMON
They were especially influenced by "Conquering
Huns of Neptune."
NORMAN
So Mallory calls 911 and they took off.
SIMON
They actually apologized.
CUT TO:
ON TV
EXT. COURTHOUSE - DAY
WAYNE standing outside the deserted COURTROOM.
WAYNE TV
...The couple proved so popular, a motion
picture glamorizing their exploits is now in
the works with Bruce Willis and Demi Moore and
Brad Pitt starring...and even MTV got into the
act with the new hot single, debuting at number
32 in the charts and climbing now to
#3... "Murder Me!"
MUSIC pumps in (possible L7's "Shitlist" or Pearl Jam's "Alive")
MTV MONTAGE
TO BE DETERMINED, in conjunction with the Clip/Song (that could
be titled "The Ballad of Mickey and Mallory" or "Natural Born
Killers.") In this spoof, we see a VIDEO MICKEY and a VIDEO
MALLORY -- they dance, they kill, they kiss. Moody atmospheric
lighting.
AD LIBS to be determined.
During this, WAYNE is on the phone in a corner with his WIFE.
WAYNE (softly)
...look honey, I don't know what you think you
found...but it isn't what you think it
is...There is no Mai Ly -- that's a restaurant!
What do you mean going through my drawers?...
(firmly)
Look we'll discuss this later. Put Jimmy on.
I'll be home late...About ten. I got network
to see tonight...I'll tell you later but it
means big bucks. Yeah! Put Jimmy on...
(pause, his son comes on)
...hi Jimmy, it's your Pop! Yeah so, you going to
Judo? When...Oh I thought that was today...how
was school?...Oh next time, you kick his ass.
Daddy'll show you...Daddy loves you very much.
(gooing and kissing sounds)
ON THE TV:
WAYNE outside the COURTROOM (PRESENT). The MUSIC gathering like
an ominous cloud.
WAYNE TV
Unfortunately, the story didn't end with their
capture. It just became more surreal. Their
subsequent trial turned into a sick circus...
JUMP TO:
FILE FOOTAGE (Mickey's Trial): -- grainy large CROWD
circling the courthouse, a very mixed bag.
WAYNE TV (V.O.)
As spectators, reporters, law students,
tourists, gawkers, the devoted and the demented
were drawn to the Illinois courthouse like
moths to a flame. The Mickey and Mallory Knox
murder trial was such an event that it made the
crime spree that preceded it pale by
comparison. The nation caught Mickey and
Mallory fire.
CUT TO:
CLOSE UP -- an INTENSE COP in the CROWD outside the COURTHOUSE.
WAYNE interviewing him live (FILE FOOTAGE)
INTENSE COP
(referring to crowd behind him)
And these assholes (BLEEP) are making heroes
out of this scum sandwich. You wanna know who
a hero is? You wanna know? I'll tell ya who a
Goddamn hero is. Mike Griffin. Mike fuckin'
(BLEEP) Griffin is who these misguided assholes
(BLEEP) should be revering. You know why Mike
Jerome Griffin is a hero? I'll tell ya why.
Because he was killed in the line of duty. Do
you want to know how he died?
WAYNE
Yes.
INTENSE COP
I'll tell you. Mike Jerome Griffin was killed
in the line of duty by these two scum-sucking
(BLEEP) degenerate douche bags! (BLEEP BLEEP)
CUT TO:
EXTERIOR COURTROOM (PRESENT) - DAY
WAYNE walking, into camera, looking back at the courthouse. The
location is desolate.
WAYNE TV
The very first thing that was strange was the
decision of Mickey's to act as his own counsel.
Now this in itself is not unheard of; for
instance, Ted Bundy acted as his own counsel as
well. What was unexpected was how spectacular
Mickey's performance would be.
INT. JUDGE'S DEN - DAY
WAYNE interviews JUDGE BERT STEINSMA in his courtroom office.
WAYNE TV (V.O.)
We spoke with Burt Steinsma, who was the
presiding judge during the Knox trial...
JUDGE STEINSMA TV
When he said that I got a headache that
lasted five days. But I breathed a sigh of
relief when Mickey showed up and he was very
prepared, and proved to be an excellent amateur
lawyer.
INT. WANDA BISBING'S OFFICE - DAY
WAYNE interviews state prosecutor WANDA BISBING, a stern woman in
her forties.
WAYNE TV (V.O.)
However, this opinion is not shared by the
state's prosecutor on the case, Wanda Bisbing.
BISBING TV
Oh that's rich. Considering that Mickey Knox turned his
court into a mockery and personally made him look like a
fool, I'd say that's very benevolent of Judge Steinsma.
As far as Mickey being an excellent lawyer, maybe I'm old
fashioned but when I went to law school, we were taught
the object was to win the case, which I did.
INT. TELEVISION STATION - DAY
WAYNE is back on the phone, very secretive.
WAYNE
...something wrong? What?...she's not onto it,
no. You're paranoid. Look...Mai Ly, Mai Ly!
Just don't put anything on paper -- ever...I
gotta see you...tonight!...I got the watch, it's
the Ebell...don't worry -- it's got 3
carots...all right 10 o'clock!
ON THE TV
WAYNE TV
...but of course the twist to the tale
is...Grace Mulbery.
FRONT PAGE NEWSPAPER HEADLINES read: "MICKY AND MALLORY KILL SIX
TEENS DURING SLUMBER PARTY!" In smaller bolder face under it:
"One Teen Escapes Killer's Clutches." On the front page is a
PHOTO of the teen who escaped. It's seventeen-vear old GRACE
MULBERRY. CAMERA moves into a CU of the photo.
WAYNE TV (V.O.)
Of the six teens murdered that night, seventeen-
year old Grace Mulberry was the lucky one left
to tell the tale. This haunted young lady
summoned up the courage to take the stand, and
tell what she saw that horrible night -- and
then allowed herself to be cross-examined by
the man who killed her brother and girlfriends.
EXT. COURTHOUSE - (MICKEY'S TRIAL) - DAY
As it was then. A circus.
GRACE, her FATHER and BISBING emerge from the sedan in front of
the COURTHOUSE and start up the steps. Microphones and cameras
are thrust in their faces.
Grace is afraid to face the crowd. Her head darts in the
direction of each question, but she doesn't answer.
FEMALE ORIENTAL REPORTER
Miss Mulberry! How does it feel to be the only
survivor of Mickey and Mallory's reign of
terror?
FAT MALE REPORTER
Miss Mulberry! Has the experience marked you!
WAYNE
How do you feel about Mickey cross-examining
you?
Grace and her Father shove their way through the crowd. We hear
the cry of:
VOICE (O.S.)
Mickey and Mallory!
CAMERA whips towards the bottom the steps as MICKEY and MALLORY
step out of the van, in chains. The REPORTERS race down the
stairs. The FANS go apeshit. As they are led up the stairs by
SHERIFF DEPUTIES.
REPORTER 3
Mickey, how do you feel about cross-examining
Grace Mulberry?
MICKEY
I'm keen with anticipation.
FEMALE ORIENTAL REPORTER
What do you think of this turnout Mallory?
MALLORY
I never had so much fun.
WAYNE -- a year younger -- is there alongside Mickey and Mallory
BLACK REPORTER
What's your favorite pastime?
MICKEY
You mean aside from what I'm being tried for?
(Mallory elbows him in the ribs playfully) Oh
I'd say watching TV.
The REPORTERS in unison:
REPORTERS
What's your favorite show?
MICKEY
"Have Gun Will Travel."
WAYNE
Do you have any regrets Mickey?
MICKEY
Yeah, I always regretted we never got around to
looking up my old history teacher, Miss
Bainbridge. Now there's a big bad bitch not
good for herself or nobody else.
WAYNE
But if you had to do it all over again, would
you do anything different?
(swinging the mike to Mallory; CAMERA following)
MALLORY
Yeah, I'd kill the jury.
CUTE REPORTER 4
Do you have anything to say to your fans!
MICKEY
(looking into CAMERA; big smile)
You ain't seen nothin' yet.
EXT. COURTHOUSE (PRESENT) - DAY
WAYNE by himself on the courthouse steps, to CAMERA:
WAYNE TV
No, apparently not. Grace Mulberry gave her
tearful testimony. Then it came time for
Mickey Knox's cross-examination.
INT. WANDA BISBING OFFICE - DAY
BISBING TV
Grace was terrified of Mickey. You have to
understand most of their victims were normal
people with normal lives that nothing out of
the ordinary ever happens to.
CUT TO:
INSERTS -- COURT SKETCH shows Bisbing standing at the bench in
front of Judge Steinsma with Grace on the stand. Mickey sits
with Mallory at the defense table.
BISBING (V.O.)
Then out of the blue, they're dealing with the
devil incarnate. It was extremely difficult
for us to find survivors who would take the
stand and testify when they knew Mickey would
be cross-examining them.
INSERT COURT SKETCH of Mickey looking like the devil incarnate,
cross-examining Grace.
INSERT COURT SKETCH of a terrified Grace. CAMERA closes on her
face. The distinct sounds of a court in session can be heard in
the BG.
BISBING (V.O.)
Grace was every bit as terrified, every bit as
haunted. But she felt her brother Tim and her
five girlfriends were counting on her...
CUT TO:
INT. COURTROOM (MICKEY'S TRIAL) - DAY
The camera cranes up over the sketch to GRACE, in tears.
WANDA BISBING (wrapping up)
No further questions your Honor.
CAMERA dollies towards a MEDIUM OVERHEAD TWO SHOT of MICKEY and
MALLORY. Mickey pauses, sketching something on a piece of paper.
Mallory looks over at it, still unseen.
JUDGE STEINSMA
Defense?
MICKEY (extending the moment)
As a matter of fact, your Honor, I do...have
some questions ...
Holding the pencil to his lips, he stands and leaves the drawing
behind, exiting FRAME.
Mallory looks at it. A SKETCH of a man stabbing a woman.
CLOSE on Mickey as he crosses to GRACE.
CLOSE on GRACE'S eyes as they look downward.
CLOSE on JUDGE STEINSMA as he shuffles paper on his bench.
CLOSE on BISBING as her eyes follow Mickey across the court.
CLOSE again on Mickey studying Grace, the pencil pressed to his
lips in thought.
CLOSE on Grace as she pulls from a reserve of strength. Clenching
her hands, her eyes come up and lock hatefully on Mickey.
MICKEY
That's one helluva story, Miss Mulberry.
GRACE
Maybe to you.
Mickey paces in front of her, like a caged tiger.
MICKEY
Grace...I hope you don't mind if I call you Grace.
CAMERA dollies tighter on Grace. Once locked onto her eyes, her
head drops forward and we:
FLASHBACK
INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
ECU of GRACE'S eyes as her head is yanked back into frame. The
CAMERA pulls back to reveal her eyes wide with fear, a gag in her
mouth and a knife pressed against her throat. SOUNDS of
squealing murder victims in adjacent spaces. The night of the
murder. A slaughter-fest of squealing TEENAGERS.
MALLORY'S got the knife to her neck.
MICKEY is wandering around, in a daze, in a black leather jacket
over a white t-shirt covered with blood. Blood on his face, a
knife in his hand. He turns to camera with the same deadcalm:
MICKEY (at the murdersite)
Grace...I hope you don't mind if I call you
Grace.
BACK TO:
INT. COURTROOM - DAY
CLOSE on GRACE in a daze.
CLOSE on MICKEY smiling at her.
MICKEY
Grace?
Uh...yes.
MICKEY
I'd like to ask you about your murdered
brother...Tim? His martial arts abilities?
How long had he been studying?
GRACE
Uh...he started when he was in the seventh
grade, so that would make it nine years.
MICKEY
And what was the color of Tim's belt?
GRACE
The style of fighting that Tim studied didn't
believe in belts.
CLOSE on BISBING listening. Grace is doing better than she
thought.
MICKEY
Is that a fact? Well, then, Grace could you
tell us what form of martial arts it was?
GRACE
It was Jeet Kune Do.
MICKEY
Jeet Kune Do...Now I did some research on that
form of fighting, and I found out that Jeet
Kune Do was a style developed~by Bruce Lee.
Did you know that?
GRACE
Yes. That why Tim studied it. Because it was
Bruce Lee's fighting style.
CLOSE on the COURT CLERK'S HANDS typing.
MICKEY
Now, I think it would be safe to say that
anybody who studied the fighting style that
Bruce Lee developed -- arguably the greatest
fighter in the history of martial arts --
anybody who studies that for nine years, that
would be a fella who could defend himself.
Would you describe Tim that way, Grace?
GRACE
Yes I would.
Mickey points at Grace with the pencil in his hand.
MICKEY
Point of fact, weren't Tim's hands and feet
considered weapons like guns or knives? Am I
correct on that point?
Grace's eyes on -- a CU of Mickey's HAND holding the pencil.
GRACE
Yes, you are.
CU of MALLORY listening.
MICKEY
Yet in your testimony just now, you described
that Tim...
CAMERA moves into a tight CU of Grace. Her eyes widen.
MICKEY (O.S.)
...kicked me four times in the head.
FLASHBACK -- INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
TIM, in a rage, cuts loose and hammers MICKEY with four punishing
kicks in the head!
BACK TO COURTROOM - CLOSE ON MICKEY
MICKEY
...and his trained Bruce Lee kicks had little
or no effect.
FLASHBACK - INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
CAMERA is LOW ANGLE as TIM backs up after his attack.
We INSERT a High School class RING he wears on his right fist as
he steps into a fighting stance, ready for Mickey to drop.
MICKEY, however, spits out a stream of blood, and smiles at him.
BACK TO COURTROOM
CLOSE on GRACE. We move down and see she is twisting the same
High School RING nervously in her hand.
CLOSE on MICKEY noticing the Ring and her attachinent to it.
MICKEY
Then, after shrugging off four blows to the
head like I was Superman, I lifted Tim-nine-
years-of Jeet-Kune-Do Mulberry off the ground
and threw him across the room.
Mickey, with arms raised over his head, pantomimes throwing Tim's
body.
FLASHBACK - INT. GRACE'S HOME - NIGHT
WIDE SHOT as TIM flies into FRAME, CRASHING into the living room
wall.
BACK TO COURTROOM
We quickly PAN down a number of items with white evidence tags on
them. We stop at Mickey's BUCK KNIFE. Mickey's HAND comes into
FRAME and picks up the knife.
MICKEY
Then I took...
CU of MICKEY as he brings the knife into FRAME.
MICKEY
...this knife and proceeded to tear your
brother limb from limb. And your brother,
whose hands are lethal weapons--
CLOSE on WANDA BISBING as she stands.
BISBING
Objection, defense is intimidating the witness
with the murder weapon.
JUDGE STEINSMA (O.S.)
Sustained. Mr. Knox, put the knife down.
Mickey is locked on Grace.
MICKEY (Cont'd)
-- had little to no defense.
GRACE (yelling)
I don't know how you did it, but you did it!
JUDGE STEINSMA
Mr. Knox! The knife!
Mickey glances to the Judge, then slowly places the knife back on
the table.
MICKEY
How do you think a human being could possibly
be capable of doing something like that?
CLOSE on MALLORY watching.
GRACE (yelling)
I don't know!
Mickey locks eyes with Grace, moves very close.
MICKEY
Now...I don't believe that Grace. I think you
have a definite opinion on how I was able to do
those things you described. Now, I'm going to
ask you again. And I want you to remember you
are under oath.
Grace collects herself.
MICKEY (O.S.)
In your opinion, Miss Mulberry, how was I able
to murder your brother Tim Mulberry in the
manner described?
Bisbing waits for the answer.
The Judge looks down at Grace.
Grace looks back into her open palm. CU of the ring.
Mickey bearing down on her, waiting.
We DOLLY tighter on Grace as she looks up at Mickey timidly.
GRACE (softly)
You're not human.
Mickey smiles.
GRACE
I thought about it a lot. And the only thing I
could figger' is you're not human...You're a
vampire, or the devil or a cyborg or something
like that. But you're not human.
Grace breaks down. Putting her hands to her head to stop the
pain.
Mickey rolls his pencil in his hand, then CAMERA tilts up as he
leans down into a CU, smiling at her.
MICKEY (softly)
Thank you. Grace, there is one other thing...
GRACE (softly, into her lap)
What!...
Mickey smiles.
MICKEY
Do you believe in fate?
GRACE
What? I don't know.
MICKEY
Well do you believe you have any choice when
it's time for you to die?
BISBING
Objection. What does this have to do with
Grace Mulberry?
MICKEY
You know what this has to do with Grace
Mulberry? I'll tell ya what it has to do with
Grace Mulberry. It's her time!
Grace tearfully looks up and meets Mickey's demonic glare as he
plunges his PENCIL deep into her chest. Grace's eyes go wide as
Mickey's vicious attack continues.
CAMERA whips to a CU of Bisbing jumping up screaming as
PANDEMONIUM breaks out in the courtroom in SLOW MOTION.
CU pencil puncturing Grace's blood-soaked chest.
CU Judge Steinsma slams his gavel, directing the Sheriff DEPUTIES
in SLOW MOTION.
CU of the DEPUTIES running towards Mickey in SLOW MOTION
ECU of Grace. A Tear rolls out of her widened eyes in SLOW MOTION
CU of Mickey. His attack is unending.
Grace goes limp.
As the Deputies reach Mickey from all sides, the pencil breaks
off inside Grace in SLOW MOTION.
SIDE ANGLE as Grace's head falls back into a CU. As her mouth
plops open and as her eyelids close, they pinch out a tear that
rolls down her cheek in SLOW MOTION.
CU of Mickey's torso as the Deputies wrestle him away from Grace.
The bloody broken stump of the pencil in his hand.
CU of Grace's hand dropping into frame, and as her fist opens,
her brother's high school ring falls out in SLOW MOTION.
CAMERA follows Mickey's bloody pencil stub falling from his hand.
Flitting the floor next to the ring in SLOW MOTION.
CU of Mallory jumping up and down on the table like a puppet,
singing "Mickey and Mallory sittin' in a tree..." Deputies
grabbing her.
Mickey turning to the Judge.
MICKEY
No further questions your Honor.
Mickey's POV of a large DEPUTY stepping in front of him with a
riot club.
LARGE DEPUTY
Lights out prick!
Deputy swings the club.
CUT TO BLACK:
ACT THREE
EXT. PRISON - DAY
SUBTITLE READS: "SUPERBOWL SUNDAY"
WAYNE unloads his cameras with CREW and VANS. A major mobile
setup, yards of cable, lights.
INT. MICKEY'S CELL - DAY
MICKEY'S pacing back and forth in his cell, talking to himself in
the mirrors, over the washbasin.
MICKEY
...You know. 'I'm gonna just rip off your dress
and squeeze your titties.' Then Little Red Riding
Hood whips out her .357, sticks it in the Big Bad
Wolf's face and says, 'No, you're not. You're
gonna eat me...just like the story says.'
LAUGH SOUNDTRACK -- the sitcom running in his head.
JUMP TO:
MICKEY
...and the Polish guy says, 'That's nothing.
When I get through with my Hanna, I get up, wipe
my dick on the curtain, and she hits the roof!'
LAUGH SOUNDTRACK
JUMP TO:
Mickey's pretending he's calming down a hysterical audience.
MICKEY
No...please...thank you...you're too
kind...no...please...
KAVANAUGH opens the cell door.
MICKEY (hands in the air)
How ya doin' today Kavanaugh?
INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - DAY
WARDEN McCLUSKY strides through his kingdom, trailed by SCAGNETTI
-- in a foul mood of indigestion and nausea. WURLITZER follows.
SCAGNETTI
How the hell did you let it go "live" Dwight --
for chrisake!!
MCCLUSKY
I couldn't stop it, it just got out of hand.
It don't change a thing Jack! We're gonna move
the scumbags tomorrow morning -- a little ahead
of schedule, that's all.
SCAGNETTI
You know Dwight--when I do these two ratfucking
douchebags, I'm going right up there with Jack
Ruby. In the Hall of Fame. I'll be world famous.
MCCLUSKY
You'll be bigger, Jack -- Oswald was a pussy...
(cocking his ear) Do you hear it, Jack?
SCAGNETTI
Oswald might've been a pussy but he was a great
shot (listens)...yeah, it's...
MCCLUSKY
...dead quiet.
Now we notice it. Like the vacuum before the storm.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY
McCLUSKY and SCAGNETTI enter, past the TECHNICIANS setting up two
cameras, lights, cable; ASSISTANTS, GUARDS all over the room.
WAYNE is checking his makeup and stubble in a mirror with a
MAKEUP PERSON as he walks and talks with his cameraman, ROGER.
WAYNE
Then maybe take him to the window, Rog...
(pretending the cameraman is Mickey)
So, Mickey, 'if you were let outta jail today,
what's the first thing you'd do?'
(pause)
Little shit like that. I don't wanna have to
feel I gotta stay in the chairs. We're after a
cinema verite, anything can happen, truth-
twenty-four-times a second kinda feel...Hi
Dwight. How goes? Can I just have a little
word?
He takes the WARDEN aside; Scagnetti dropping back.
SCAGNETTI
So Dwight, I'm gonna catch myself a little word
With Mallory. The air in here's...y'know, a
little phoney for my taste.
Scagnetti exits.
WAYNE (to Scagnetti)
Yeah, you do that Jack. Nice suit.
(to Warden)
Now Dwight, I don't know if you've ever been on
a set before --
MCCLUSKY (proud)
Ya know, I was. I was...
WAYNE (acting surprised)
Really?
MCCLUSKY
I was on the 'Dukes of Hazzard' set about 8
years ago. I knew this guy who...
WAYNE
Well...small world. Well then you know how it
works. What we're about in this talk business
is intimacy, Dwight. We're about two people
having a conversation. I want a trust to
develop. If you're thinking about all this...
(indicating the bustle of the room)
you're not going to relax, we'll be talking
at each other instead of "to" each other...
(pauses, Dwight waits; Wayne switches gears)
Which brings me to ... what I wanted to talk to you
about...I have to get Mickey Knox to relax-- to
share what he's never shared before. How Dwight
can we expect him to do that when we got more
deputies per cubic inch looking up his asshole
with shotguns than he has photosynthetic spores?
MCCLUSKY (turning on Wayne, short)
Well, just what the hell do you expect me to
do, Wayne?
WAYNE
Lose 'em. Leave 'em outside. I'm getting rid
of my crew. Just me, the cameraman, the
soundman, that's it. Intimate. Dark.
Shadows. Truth.
MCCLUSKY
Wayne, do you have the slightest idea how
dangerous Knox is?
WAYNE
Dwight, I assure you I am very familiar with
Mickey's career.
MCCLUSKY
Since he and his wife have been in custody,
they've killed --
WAYNE
I'm sure I know the facts as well as you do
Dwight.
MCCLUSKY
Well lemme clue you in on one fact you don't
know. If I take my men out, Mickey Knox is
gonna snap your pencil fuckin' neck like a
fuckin' twig.
WAYNE (sensitive)
Dwayne...Dwight...One--fuckin' I grew up in a
very tough neighborhood in Sydney, and I've
handled some pretty rough customers in my day.
Mickey Knox don't scare me.
MCCLUSKY
You're a dreamer, son...you're a dreamer.
WAYNE
Two--I'm a journalist, and I'm prepared to take
that risk. Grenada, Panama; I was dodging 'scuds
in Baghdad, Dwight. Three--it ain't gonna happen.
Believe me when I tell you, it's in Mickey Knox's
best interest to play this game according to
Hoyle. (pause) Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
We've gotten into an adversary relationship here,
which is not what I want...
MCCLUSKY
No!
WAYNE
Seriously Dwight, look at this...
(counting the DEPUTIES in the room)
Six...seven.. eight. Jesus Christ Duane, they
hate him. He hates them. We got hate in the
air. Even you and I feel it. I gotta explore
Mickey. Columbus didn't know he was looking
for America. He was looking for India. He
needed to be left alone, trusted, he...
MCCLUSKY
What in the goddamn hell are you talking about?
WAYNE
Two guys?
MCCLUSKY
Okay. I'll take two guys off.
WAYNE
No, no, no, no. I mean only two guys.
MCCLUSKY
I can't do that. Five guys.
WAYNE
Three.
MCCLUSKY
I'll cut it in half. Four guys, but that's it.
INT. RECREATION ROOM - PRISON - DAY
Elsewhere in the prison, the boring SUPERBOWL winds down with the
Quarterback dropping to his knees, running out the clock and
"timeouts" being taken.
A LARGE CROWD of silent PRISONERS is gathered as the "AMERICAN
MANIACS" PROMO comes on:
INSERT TELEVISION FOOTAGE -- LOGO
A SHOTGUN GRAPHIC explodes through the screen and reveals file
footage of MICKEY and MALLORY, supering to WAYNE GALE waiting,
standby, "live."
TV ANNOUNCER
Right after the "Game," stay tuned for a special
"American Maniacs" on W-A-T-C-H. Mickey Knox is
the most dangerous man in America, but Wayne Gale
isn't afraid to meet him one on one to learn what
48 people died for: is this man insane or does he
belong where he sent so many others: in the
grave? Be sure to stay tuned for...
The SCREEN of the TV EXPLODES as something heavy (a machine tool
wrench) is thrown through it. We hear an INMATE:
INMATE
Mother fucker!
The INMATES are throwing whatever they can now at the TV as the
WHISTLE goes and the GUARDS rush in with sticks.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY
TV INSERT -- LOGO for "AMERICAN MANIACS" rolls to loud cue-in
MUSIC and ANNOUNCER.
TV ANNOUNCER
...and now Wayne Gale goes one to one with
Mickey Knox. Straight from Batongaville
Penitentiary -- on the eve of Mickey Knox's
lobotomy. Is he or isn't he? Let America be
the Judge...
CUT TO:
MICKEY'S face -- in a chair, real calm, no handcuffs, a pleasant
smile.
MICKEY (TO THE GUARD)
How ya doin' today?
Across from him is WAYNE, with a serious intensity, half-glasses,
consulting his yellow legal pad notes, Mike Wallace-style.
WAYNE TV
Mickey Knox. Thank you for this time. I have
a few questions I'd like to start with, do you
mind?
MICKEY TV (smiles)
Let's roll the fuckin' (BLEEP) dice, Wayne.
WAYNE TV
Mickey Knox, when did you first start thinking
about killing?
CAMERA now in the room, rolling off Wayne to reveal Mickey and the
setup. It's made to look like a one on one but we now see
McClusky's DEPUTIES, among them WURLITZER and KAVANAUGH, are quite
close, just out of camera range. Mickey is cool as a feather.
MICKEY
Birth... I was thrown into a flaming pit of
scum...forgotten by God (laughs).
WAYNE
What do you mean by that?
MICKEY
What do I mean?...I mean I came from
violence... it was in my blood. My Dad had it.
(chuckles)
You know. Eat, Shit, Fuck, Kill, Die... it was
all my fate...my fate.
INSERT TV MONITOR -- the words are BLEEPED immediately.
Wayne's excited, Mickey's rolling right out the gate.
WAYNE
No one is born evil Mickey, it's something you
learn...Let's talk about your father? How he was
murdered? You were 10 years old when he died is that...
Mickey's mood immediately changes, darkens.
MICKEY TV
I didn't kill my father...and I don't want to
talk about that shit...
He throws a box of donuts at the camera.
JULIE signals excitedly from the monitor - a head set sending
messages to her. More people turning on. Thumbs up to WAYNE,
excited.
MICKEY
Please.
WAYNE TV
OK OK Mickey, let's go on to something else. I
understand Mickey Knox is reading the Bible these
days?
MICKEY
Ya?
WAYNE
The teachings of the Bible seem inconsistent
with your actions -- Christian values.
MICKEY
I don't know why. The Bible's full of killings.
WAYNE
But what about God, does he have the right to
judge you?
Wayne's eyes scooting everywhere, motioning to McClusky to get
his men out of the background when Mickey's on camera.
MICKEY
God created me...if what I did was so bad why
didn't he stop me...why didn't he protect me
when I was a kid...He's doing it, not me.
WAYNE
Mickey, how can you look at an ordinary
innocent person...a guy with kids...and shoot
him to death... how can you do that?
MICKEY
Innocent? Who's innocent Wayne?...it's just
murder man. Everyone does it, all God's
creatures ...in one form or another...I know a
lotta people deserve to die...
(a look at McClusky who is impervious)
WAYNE
Why do they deserve to die?
MICKEY
Everybody got somethin' in their past, some
guilt, some sin, some awful secret thing...I
think people who deserve to die are those
people who are not living in the first place.
I think there's a lotta people walkin' round
right now who are aiready dead and need to be
put outta their misery.
WAYNE
...sort of "everyone meets their serial killer
half way"? Is that what you're saying?. The
theory that the Jews wanted to be victims
walking into the gas chambers at Auschwitz;
that even genocide at some level's agreed
upon...?
MICKEY
The wolf don't know why he's a wolf, and a deer
don't know why he's a deer...God just made it
that way...
WAYNE
...You're talking now about "predators" Mickey.
You're saying the world itself is predatory.
When a mountain lion takes down an elk, it's
because it's the elk's time to go, and all the
b.s. liberal agenda about saving the animal
herds only overpopulates the balance of nature?
Maybe you're right Mickey Knox, maybe you're
right.... Corporate
predators. Enviromental predators. Nuclear
predators. Life is a hunt. I've seen it
Mickey. I was there. When the shit (BLEEP)
hit the fan. At Grenada. I saw it all go down
at Grenada...
Mickey bored. Julie signalling frantically to Wayne to cut the
jab. Wayne sees the signal,
WAYNE
...so tell me Mickey, any regrets? Three
weeks. 47 people, not cool.
MICKEY (corrects)
...48. Ya, I'm sorry I got Mallory into this
mess. Prison and all. She doesn't really
deserve it.
WAYNE
Anything else?
MICKEY
I'm sorry the Indian got killed.
WAYNE (consulting his notes)
The next to last victim. The one whose
grandson testified at the trial that his
grandfather was trying to help you...
MICKEY
He saw it...
WAYNE
He saw what?
MICKEY
The Demon...He saw the Demon.
Mickey is deep into the memory. Wayne's puzzled.
WAYNE
So what happened?
MICKEY
The whole deal was a mistake. I didn't mean to
kill him...The old man was trying to help us...
WAYNE
So what happened?
(fiercely, aside, to McClusky)
Dwight, will you get those two assholes outta
there! It's supposed to look like me and
Mickey alone!
MCCLUSKY (aside)
Don't call my men assholes.
WAYNE (aside)
Shhh! I didn't mean they were assholes. I mean
"get 'em outta here!"
McClusky signalling to Kavanaugh and Wurlitzer to step back.
Julie signalling fiercely for quiet.
WAYNE (to himself, re: McClusky)
Asshole.
MICKEY (meanwhile deep into it)
...there was a fight in my dream, see...it's
the same dream I've had since I was a
kid...it's hard to move...like I'm made of
lead...I taste metal in my mouth...Then...the
Demon comes after me.
WAYNE
What does it want...your soul?
(no answer)
What does it do?
MICKEY
It kills in this case something good.
WAYNE
So as long as you're bad...it won't kill you.
MICKEY (somewhere else)
...after the old man, we were gonna stop
killin'. The old man took it out of us.
WAYNE
...but you both've killed on the inside?
MICKEY
The Demon lives in here. Everyone's got the
demon. It feeds on their hate, it cuts, rapes,
kills...it's the alien man, it uses your
weakness, your fear...only the vicious survive.
WAYNE (skeptical)
So that's why you're reading the Bible, you're
looking for help? Hard to believe, Mickey.
MICKEY
You mean if Jesus could raise Lazarus from the
dead maybe he could help me?...No dice. (pause)
You know the only thing that kills the Demon?
...Love. That's why I know Mallory is my
salvation. She was teaching me how to love.
It's like being in the Garden of Eden...
WAYNE
"Only love can kill the demon." Hold that thought.
COMMERCIAL MUSIC cues in. Pause for a BREAK.
CUT TO:
INT. MALLORY CORRIDOR - DAY
The silence is vast...As SCAGNETTI'S feet go past, drawn
inexorably to her cell. TWO GUARDS accompany him.
INT. MALLORY CELL - DAY
DOORS open -- SCAGNETTI'S POV marching in.
SCAGNETTI (O.S.)
Rise and shine Mallory!
MALLORY, asleep on the bunk, springs into a fighting stance. If
you've seen a panther in a zoo, you understand the attitude
Mallory brings with her everywhere she goes.
CAMERA whips back to Scagnetti and the TWO GUARDS -- with
shotguns trained on her.
GUARD
Turn around and face the wall!
SCAGNETTI (approaching her)
That's all right fellows, we want to have a
little talk is all...
Pulls a chair out, indicates for her to sit. She doesn't.
GUARD (nervous)
Mr. Scagnetti, don't get close to her. She'll
kill you!...One way or the other, she'll kill ya!
Scagnetti ushers them to the door.
SCAGNETTI
Relax fellows, read my book. Now I met some
women were really crocodiles in my time but
this little lady--I think she's gotta sweet
streak for me.
Scagnetti pulls his gun out and gives it to the Guard, pushing
the door closed on him.
GUARD
Sir, we're not allowed...
Scagnetti closes the door on them. Alone with Mallory.
SCAGNETTI
Smoke? (she stares)
I know you smoke.
A look of steel. He gets closer, gentle.
SCAGNETTI
You know I'm not here to hurt you, Mallory. I
wanna be your friend. And if I ever met a girl
who needs a friend, it's you. You're a very
pretty girl...but I'm sure people tell you that
all the time.
Mallory doesn't respond. Scagnetti takes the cigarette from his
mouth, puts it between Mallory's lips. She smokes.
Scagnetti relaxes. Step one. Hold on a C.U. of Mallory.
SCAGNETTI (O.S.)
I was reading the file on you. You know what
it said? It said during your trial, whenever
they put you on the stand, no matter what they
asked, your answer was always the same... "I
love Mickey." It also says that when they gave
you a polygraph "I love Mickey" was the only
thing you said that registered as the truth ...
Scagnetti appears at the side of frame next to Mallory.
SCAGNETTI
Who are you supposed to be? Squeaky Fromme? Is
Mickey your Charles Manson? Or does he just got
a big dick? That's it, isn't it? Mickey's got
a big donkey dick. But you ain't seen mine. You
never been fucked by the real Prince Charming.
Scagnetti changes to Mallory's other ear. He's playing with a
cobra here, and he knows it. It turns him on, deeper into his
sexual obsession with murder.
SCAGNETTI (pressing close)
Can you remember the last time you fucked? Huh?
What I want you to do is close your eyes
and remember...remember the last time ol' Mickey
gave you the high hard one. Are ya thinking about
it? Good. Remember it. Don't ever forget it
cause it ain't never gonna happen again. Cause
when they get through with all that electroshock
shit they got lined up for you two, Mick's dick
ain't gonna be worth shit. Course you're not gonna
give a particular shit either. Cause when the good
doctors get through givin' you the zap...you won't
know where the hell you are. They'll just put you
on a window sill and water you every other day.
Mallory looks at him with steel, then yawns. Drops the cigarette
on the floor
CU of cigarette hitting the floor in SLOW MOTION. We can still
see the red, burning end.
CU of Mallory's bare foot rising off the floor in SLOW MOTION
CU at floor level of Mallory's foot coming down on top of the
cigarette, then grinding it out -- SLOW MOTION.
Scagnetti watches this, gulps.
INT. RECREATION ROOM - DAY
Where the television was first smashed; the tone has shifted from
insurrection to riot Instead of subduing the PRISONERS, the
SEVEN GUARDS are now in full retreat, swinging nightsticks over
shield. The Prisoners, all desperate angry men, attack them --
bring them down.
INT. LAUNDRY ROOM - DAY
The RIOT is spreading. The MEN take one of the GUARDS and throw
him into a huge spinning WASHING MACHINE and slam the door on
him, watching him go round and round.
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY 162
The interview winds down. JULIE very pleased -- a big "thumbs
up" for WAYNE who gleams. Dollar signs all over his brain.
WAYNE
You have ultravision Mickey...you see things
others don't. You see the shadows. Tell us.
Describe Mallory, Wayne...I mean Mickey.
MICKEY
Describe Mallory? Okay. She's my wife, she's
pretty, she's got brown hair, two eyes, two
feet...
WAYNE
Don't play dumb with me Mickey. You know what
I mean. Describe Mallory.
(points to his head)
What's up there?
(points to his heart)
What's in here?
MICKEY
That's indescribable.
WAYNE
Well, riddle me this Batman. How do you feel
about the fact that you're never gonna see
Mallory again?
MICKEY (smiles)
Says who?
WAYNE
Says the United States Government of America.
MICKEY (laughs)
When have they ever been right?
WAYNE (pressing)
Then was it really worth it?
MICKEY
Was what worth it?
WAYNE
Was massacring all those people worth being
separated from your wife for the rest of your
life?
MICKEY
Do you think up all these question or does it
come from some central casting for reporters?
WAYNE
No Mickey, I can't let you get away with
rhetoric. Answer the question. Was it worth
it? You haven't seen, heard, or smelled
Mallory in a year? Was it worth it?
MICKEY
Was an instant of purity worth a lifetime lie?
Yeah, it was.
WAYNE
Excuse me, did you say an 'instant of purity'?
What was that instant of purity? The bodies
you left behind?
MICKEY
That's only part of it. I mean, its a big,
big part. But it's only the chorus, it's not
the whole song.
WAYNE (passionately)
Please explain to me, Mickey, where's the "purity"
that you couldn't live without in 48 people who
are no longer on this planet because
they met you and Mallory? What's so fucking
(BLEEP) pure about that? How do you do it!!
CAMERA ZOOMS in on a pore-catching CU of Mickey. Pause.
ECU profile of DEPUTY WURLITZER on the intercom, hearing the news
of the riot for the first time. His expression shows. He
signals to MCCLUSKY who goes to the phone.
MICKEY (meanwhile)
You'll never understand. Me and you, Wayne, we're
not even the same species. I used to be you...then
I evolved. From where you're standing, you're a
man. From where I'm standing, you're an ape...I'm
here...I'm still evolving...and you, you're stuck
somewhere else man. You're presenting a reflection
of yourself. You buy and sell the Fear. You say
why? I say why not?
WAYNE (with Mike Wallace intensity)
Awright, Mickey...now let's cut the BS, let's
get real. Why? Why this "purity" you feel
about killing? Why forchrissake, why!!!!
MICKEY (laughs)
...I guess...Wayne...you just gotta hold that
ol' shotgun in your hand and it all 'comes
clear to you like it was for me that first
time. That's when I knew my one true calling
in life.
WAYNE
And what's that Mickey?
MICKEY (smiles)
Shit, I'm a natural born killer.
COMMERCIAL MUSIC plugs in.
WAYNE (ecstatic, to himself)
GREAT!! Oh fuckin' brilliant! DID YA GET THAT!
JULIE (sign language)
Through the roof! The whole country was
watching. I heard 80, 90 share!!!
WAYNE
Oh Jesus, we'll be famous...how can I top this!
McClusky freaking out on the phone.
MCCLUSKY
Where! For the love of Pete! Shitfire Leroy!
Okay...Okay.. Mobilize the men. I'm on my way.
Hangs up, to the room.
MCCLUSKY
CLOSE DOWN ALL THE CAMERAS! We got a riot
going on in the Rec Room in B Wing.
WAYNE
Is this a joke? Are we finished! We're live
for chrisake. We got another 10 minutes! 200
million Americans are...!!
MICKEY takes it all in.
MCCLUSKY
You sure as hell are finished! They got guns,
hostages, explosives. Close it down now!
WAYNE (disappointed as hell)
Then could we go with you and film it?
Dwight, forchrisake! "Live!"
MCCLUSKY
You stay here and you shut up! I got to see what
the hell's going on down there before I can let
you film anywhere, it all started cause of your
goddamn peckerhead show in the first place!
WAYNE
(following him out, trying to grab Roger)
But the world is watching Dwight -- you can
never get 'em back! You'll be famous. It's
history! Dwight!
MCCLUSKY (to Kavanaugh and his men)
This asshole's still tryin' to tell me what I'm
gonna do in my jail. Fuck him! This
nanderfuck don't know what he's dealing with
here, but we do. And he ain't gonna be
responsible, we are. So keep your shotguns on,
your fingers on the triggers, and be ready to
fire at a moment's notice! Phil, Frank you
come with me! Jim you stay here. Let's go!
McClusky, Wurlitzer and DEPUTIES 3, 4 exit--leaving THREE GUARDS
and Kavanaugh with the LIVE CREW...and Mickey who pops gum,
smiles...
INT. RECREATION ROOM - DAY
Pandemonium. PRISONERS holding GUARDS hostage, working their way
out the ROOM, into a CORRIDOR.
INT. CORRIDOR - DAY
The PRISONERS storming the GUARD CONTROL CENTER. SHOTGUN blasts
from the GUARDS kill SEVERAL MEN but they are so desperate they
get into the Tower anyway, piling over the bodies of their dead
comrades.
INT. CONTROL CENTER - DAY
The MEN ransack the keys, hitting the electric locks and controls
-- kicking open several NEW CORRIDORS at once. Men running in
all directions.
INT. MAIN TIER - DAY
TWO INMATES chase a SNITCH -- throw him off a railing.
INT. MAIN TIER - DAY
The "telegraph" hits the 5-Tier MAIN ROOM. The MEN there start
to go crazy, running down from all levels, attacking the GUARD
TOWER in the center of the room. SHOTGUN BLASTS are fired.
CAMERA TRACKING OUT -- the noise of a buffalo stampede grows
through the prison. Madness is coming!
INT. INTERVIEW ROOM - DAY
Everyone's nervous, locked in, hearing the noise. WAYNE stares,
dying to get out, be part of the action.
JULIE nervously eats donuts.
The THREE GUARDS shift nervously, shotguns ready, eyes looking
out.
MICKEY strolls a bit, smoking, in the middle of a stupid joke no
one really listens to, stretching.
MICKEY
...so the mother says to the sister 'Okay, you
can go to the drive-in movie with Bobby as long
as you take Little Johnny.' The sister says
okay. They go to the drive-in, they come back.
The Mother gets Little Johnny and says, 'Okay,
what happened? Where did ya go?' Johnny who
can't talk, goes...
Mickey, as Little Johnny, draws a square in the air, and acts
like he's driving.
MICKEY
Mother says, 'The drive-in movie. What did
they do?'
Mickey, as Little Johnny, acts like he's kissing.
MICKEY
'They kissed. What else?'
Mickey, as Little Johnny, squeezes imaginary breasts. The guards
relax, listening. It gets their minds off the outside riot.
MICKEY (surprised)
'He felt her up? What else?'
Mickey, as Little Johnny, acts like he's undressing.
MICKEY (dumbfounded)
'They took off their clothes? What else?'
Mickey, as little Johnny, pantomimes a fucking motion.
MICKEY (angry)
'They did that! What were you doing?'
Mickey, as Little Johnny, vigorously jacks off.
MICKEY (as Mother)
'Little Johnny, NO!!!
Everybody in the room breaks up. As Mickey finishes the punchline
he steps in front of KAVANAUGH, laughing, and SLAMS his elbow in
his face. Kavanaugh staggers. Mickey grabs his shotgun, rips it
from his grasp, then bashes him in the face, swivelling to
confront:
The THREE other GUARDS reacting.
Mickey SHOOTS DEPUTY 1 in the chest, blowing him off his feet.
He flies across the room and lands in a thudding heap.
DEPUTY 2 raises his gun, fires.
Mickey fires simultaneously, dropping to a crouch.
Deputy 2 crumples into the wall, firing off another blast -- SLOW
MOTION.
The stray blast takes the SOUNDMAN right in the chest, blowing
him across his equipment.
Mickey takes a hit in the shoulder, spins, pumping the slide.
DEPUTY 3 fires, missing -- hitting one of the TWO VIDEO CAMERAS.
It cracks.
Wayne terrified, running for a corner.
ANOTHER CREWMEMBER, the boom guy, goes crashing down, hit,
screaming
CU of ceiling being blasted.
Mickey spinning on Deputy 3.
MICKEY
Drop it -- put the gun down.
Deputy 3 (DUNCAN HOMOLKA) is a tired and old guard, very scared.
He drops it.
MICKEY
Smart move ... open the chamber. Empty the
shells! Everyone raise your hands.
SEVERAL TECHNICIANS shoot up their hands.
HOMOLKA's shells hit the floor.
MICKEY
Wayne! Where the fuck are you?
Wayne in the corner, cowering, thinks Mickey's gonna kill him.
MICKEY
Get up! Get a camera.
WAYNE
Uh...uh...where's Scotty?
ROGER
He's dead.
MICKEY
... and unless you wanna play follow the leader,
shut up and do as you're told.
(to Homolka)
You...toss it.
Homolka tosses his shotgun over to Mickey.
MICKEY
Hands behind the head!
Mickey grabs the burly Kavanaugh, who's on his knees, by the
collar.
MICKEY
On your belly, Kavanaugh, the fun's just
beginning.
KAVANAUGH
You'll never get out of here, Knox. You're
dreaming -- they'll mop you in a bucket.
The battered Kavanaugh glares back at him, drops down. Mickey
bends over him and takes hold of his right hand.
MICKEY
I am the most dangerous man in the world,
Kavanaugh.
Mickey snaps the trigger finger on Kavanaugh's right hand.
Kavanaugh screams.
MICKEY
And when the most dangerous man in the world
tells you to do something, you oughta think
twice before refusing.
Mickey snaps the trigger finger on Kavanaugh's left hand.
Kavanaugh screams. ("Fuck you!")
MICKEY (points at him)
You're the law.
(points to himself)
I'm the law breaker.
Kavanaugh shuts up.
MICKEY (to Roger)
You...you got a camera?
ROGER
Uh, both cameras are shot to shit!
MICKEY
Too bad for you.
ROGER (quick change)
Uh uh we can get an image. Got a video
shoulderpack! Remote Beta.
MICKEY
Good. Put it on your shoulder. We're going
out. All of us. One big party. Shoot
everything I do. (pregnantly) Got it?
ROGER
You bet.
MICKEY
Wayne, tell your station we're going to resume
our broadcast "alive." Make it happen Wayne.
WAYNE (with feigned enthusiasm)
No problem, chiefo, you got it!
As Wayne reaches for his cellular phone, Mickey notices something
in the back of his belt, under his loosened and frayed shirt.
Mickey reaches for it.
MICKEY
What the hell is this Wayne!
It's a 40 calibre Glock semi-automatic. States of the art. But
Wayne will not give it up so easy. Quick as a wink, Wayne goes
for Mickey's wrist -- tries to put him into an aikido sweep-down
move -- accompanied by a fierce SHOUT.
WAYNE
Eeeeeeyaaahhhhhh!
Nothing happens. Mickey just stands there, grins -- then smashes
Wayne in the face with a straight arm.
Wayne hits the floor, in GROANING pain.
Mickey brandishes Wayne's gun.
MICKEY
You're a naughty boy bringin' this in here,
Wayne. What would the lawman say?
Turning his attention back to Kavanaugh, Mickey propells him out
the door.
MICKEY
Get me to Mallory -- and she better be in one
piece.
INT. MALLORY'S CELL - DAY
SCAGNETTI
OK, spread um!...I'll show ya I'm the bad
motherfucker here!
MALLORY smiles and suddenly starts to dance. Spreading her arms,
undulating her belly. She's a natural born dancer.
SCAGNETTI watches her, fascinated, misunderstanding. He peels
off his shirt.
SCAGNETTI (changing tone, intimate)
I know you... I saw what you did to that kid at
the gas station... I know what you like.
MALLORY
Yeah?...what do you think about...right now?
Mallory is weaving like a cobra around him, getting close but
never touching him, making him sweat. Pulling his pants down half
way, he takes her seat.
MALLORY
Tell me what you want...
Scagnetti is screaming with lust and murder. His head revolving
360 degrees around the back of the chair to watch her. He can't
help himself. He's not thinking straight. He's lost it.
She gets in his face, very close. About to kiss him first with
her belly, then with her lips.
We even think she might be going along with him. He's moving his
lips closer to hers. She smiles -- that long slow orgasm of a
smile.
Then she nails him. Smashing into his face with a headbutt.
Breaking his nose in an explosion of blood and pain. Scagnetti
lets out a horrible SCREAM. She tears into him.
EXT. MALLORY CELL - DAY
The TWO GUARDS fumble with the keys to open the cell door.
INT. MALLORY CELL - DAY
The TWO GUARDS burst through the door to find SCAGNETTI face down
on the ground.
MALLORY'S standing, her foot pressed against the middle of
Scagnetti's back, pulling his arms behind him trying to break his
back. His body is bending like a branch, and he's screaming.
The TWO GUARDS are on top of her like tornadoes, beating the shit
out of her with their shotguns.
She slugs it out with them. Is Scagnetti alive... Barely
crawling on the floor, a crumpled wormlike moan escapes his lips.
INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - DAY
MICKEY at the helm of WAYNE, JULIE, TWO HOSTAGE DEPUTIES and a
party of FOUR TECHNICIANS hustles down a corridor of the prison
past SCREAMING INMATES flying in all directions.
INT. PRISON KITCHEN - DAY
A SHADOW of a PRISON GUARD stumbles into frame, followed by a MOB
of other SHADOWS carrying nightsticks and bars. Suddenly we are
out of shadows as:
The MOB catches the PRISON GUARD and stuffs him, mercilessly into
one of the LARGE OVENS, turning up the heat. He SCREAMS
horribly, the sound carrying over:
INT. ANOTHER CORRIDOR - MAIN TIER - DAY
This SCENE is a TRAVELLING CU that never leaves MCCLUSKY --
trailed by WURLITZER and STAFF. We can make out activity on the
edges of frame and we can vividly hear the sounds of chaos all
through the prison.
MCCLUSKY
Get two men up on that tier. And I want men
with rifles all along the walkway.
WURLITZER
Capt'n
MCCLUSKY
Where do the air ducts lead?
SMITHY
Over there. But they'll hear somebody
approaching thru 'em.
MCCLUSKY
Then turn the power back on. The machines
supply us with the cover noise we need.
Smithy, get on it.
SMITHY
Right away Capt'n!
McClusky snatches the walkie talkie from him, talks into it.
MCCLUSKY
Bergman, you in place?
BERGMAN (O.S.)
Sure am, Capt'n. Nothin' clean yet.
MCCLUSKY (into walkie talkie)
Pass this on to your teams...the second they
get a lock on a blue, they're to take the shot.
Do you understand?
BERGMAN (O.S.)
That's a big ten-four, Capt'n.
MCCLUSKY
It's that or death, Bergman! Do it!
CAMERA follow MCCLUSKY as he heads in another direction.
MCCLUSKY
Wurly, are the sharpshooters in place?
WURLITZER
Yeah.
MCCLUSKY
You sure?
WURLITZER
I think --
MCCLUSKY
Never say you think when you know, or you know
when you think...What do you think, Wurly? How
many explosives do you think they have in there?
McClusky now reveals the MAIN TIER in utter pandemonium. He barks
out.
WURLITZER
It's hard to say Capt'n.
MCCLUSKY
Take a wild stab!
WURLITZER
I'd say enough to destroy this wing.
MCCLUSKY
The entire wing?
WURLITZER
That's my opinion.
MCCLUSKY
Jesus Harold Christ. How'd I let this happen! I
was too soft, Wurly...When I get my prison back,
there's gonna be hell to pay!
WURLITZER
There's gonna be hell to pay!
MCCLUSKY
Pure Hell!
CUT TO:
ON TV:
SCREEN FILLS WITH STATIC
INSERT TITLE CARD: "SPECIAL REPORT"
TV ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
We interrupt this program to bring you a
Special Report.
INT. NEWS ROOM - DAY
Title Card recedes in frame to expose an active NEWS ROOM in the
BG. News Anchor ANTONIA CHAVEZ is lowering herself behind a desk
while adjusting her earphones.
CHAVEZ TV
Good afternoon, I'm Antonia Chavez and this is
an W-A-T-C-H Special Report. (fingering earphone)
I'm being told that we're taking you right now
live to Batonga Penitentiary where Wayne Gale
continues his interrupted interview in the
middle of a full-scale riot.
INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - MALLORY WING - DAY
VIDEO FOOTAGE of WAYNE caught in MICKEY'S HOSTAGE TRAIN ~- is all
handheld and harshly lit. Wayne's crouched, moving backwards,
trying to reassert control over the situation as well as his own
terror. The relationship he has to his mike and the camera
certainly helps.
WAYNE (into camera)
This is Wayne Gale reporting live from Batonga
where you can tell by the blood and carnage all
around me that the final chapter in the book
called Mickey and Mallory has not yet been written.
An incredible war has broken out here in Batonga,
unlike anything I've ever seen! Grenada. The
Gulf...Batonga will stand alongside them as...
The CAMERA swings wildly on ROGER's shoulder to catch MICKEY
edging up to the exterior of MALLORY'S CELL -- about to break in.
CONVICTS screaming continue to run by CAMERA without direction
occasionally flitting to a stop to stare or to make a face in the
camera, chased off by Mickey's gun.
INT. MALLORY'S CELL - DAY
SCAGNETTI is holding his bloody nose, screaming, blood all over
his face.
SCAGNETTI
She broke my fucking nose! That bitch broke my nose!
He glares over at MALLORY who lies with the shit beaten out of
her in the corner.
GUARD 1 has his shotgun barrel placed in her mouth.
CU on Scagnetti. He's a hand grenade with the pin pulled as he
walks over to her.
SCAGNETTI
Hold her!
He grabs a can of MACE from GUARD 2's belt and brings it up to
Mallory's face, as she's propped up by the Guards.
Mallory and Scagnetti trade looks.
Scagnetti gives her an intense blast of mace right in the face,
eyes, and all over her body.
Mallory crumples to the floor, SCRAAMING in agony.
TWO SHOT of the Guards looking down at her. We can hear
Scagnetti still SPRAYING her. They can't look at this anymore.
Mallory wiggles on the floor as Scagnetti keeps spraying her.
CU of Scagnetti's bloody face smiling.
The DOOR whips open and MICKEY steps through aiming the shotgun.
MICKEY (to Mallory)
Honey I'm home!!
He blows GUARD 1 away.
CU of Mallory -- she hears it, but can't yet see.
GUARD 2 is whipping up his gun, FIRES a round as he is hit and
BLOWN across the room.
Right next to Mickey, TECHNICIAN 4 (we will work backwards as
they are eliminated) takes a hit in the gut. Mickey spins to
confront:
The CAMERA dollying down to the "Scag" crouched over Mallory, his
gun pointed right at Mickey about to fire.
Squatting, Mickey has the shotgun trained on Scagnetti.
They're positioned across from each other on opposite sides of
the room.
Nobody fires.
We DOLLY PAST the faces of both WAYNE and ROGER, inside the room
now, filming this LIVE. They both hit the deck flat, as do the
OTHER HOSTAGES.
Just the Two Men. The Showdown.
CU on Scagnetti's face
CU on Mickey's face
CU on Scagnetti's finger putting pressure on the trigger, then
CAMERA moves up to a CU profile of his face.
OVERHEAD SHOT of Mickey. CAMERA moves down in front of him into
a CU of his face.
MICKEY
Looks like we got a Mexican standoff.
SCAGNETTI (not backing down)
Slide the shotgun over here, asshole, put your
hands behind your head, your forehead on the floor
MICKEY
Or what? You'll wound me? I can blow you in
half Scagnetti an' ya know it.
SCAGNETTI
I've never wounded anything in my life. I got
you locked right between the eyes, Knox. I've had
you locked from the "jump" you fuckin' phony.
MICKEY
If you don't drop that toy, I'm blowin' you in
half on three. So, if you got me locked, take
the shot. One...
DOLLY in on Scagnetti's gun in FG, past the gun, to his face
CU of barrel of shotgun.
MICKEY (O.S.)
Two...
SCAGNETTI
Come on! Shoot me! I was just fuckin' your
girlfriend. She came so hard she broke my nose.
DOLLY continues closing on Scagnetti's face
Wayne watches, beyond himself. Television nirvana.
Roger filming
ECU on Mickey's face
MICKEY
Okay Scagnetti...you win.
Scagnetti is in pig heaven as MALLORY, reddened with mace, looms
up behind him with a prison fork clasped in her hand. She yanks
Scagnetti back by the neck and drives the fork deep into his
throat.
ECU the back part of his head. We hear the sickening sound of
the fork plunging into his throat. His head jerks back
violently, farther into frame, still held by Mallory
ECU of Scagnetti as his face is racked with pain. He gurgles,
eyes bulging.
She lets him go, stands.
Wayne and his TV audience unbelieving.
She looks down at him. Raises her foot and pitches him over onto
the floor, trembling, still alive. He tries -- through the
remainder of the scene -- to get back up on his knees, the CAMERA
trembling from his POV on:
Mallory running into Mickey's arms, passionately kissing. This
kiss has been a year coming. Now they're doing something
everybody told them they would never do again.
WAYNE (on TV, getting into it)
This kiss has been a year coming. They're doing
something everybody told them they would never do again.
At this moment they are the only two people on earth.
We are enraptured too. Roger's CAMERA does a 360 around the
loving couple.
MALLORY (inbetween kisses)
It's taken you so long to come to me.
Scagnetti from a FRONTAL ANGLE spoils the scene with his GURGLING
SOUNDS as he climbs to his knees. The two lovers look down at him.
Mickey, distracted, cracks open his shotgun, showing it to be
empty as he reloads it.
MICKEY (smiles)
Lost your touch Jack. You had me. Two shells.
Two guards.
Scagnetti realizing it. His POV:
Mallory looms over him.
MALLORY
Get the picture, ya fuckin' squid?
She lifts her foot and sets it down on the CAMERA, covering the
FRAME.
CU of Scagnetti as his face is shoved down to the floor by
Mallory's foot. She grinds her foot into his face. Scagnetti
gives up the ghost in that position.
INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - MAIN ROOM - DAY
CU of MCCLUSKY'S SHOES cutting a mean path down the hallway.
CAMERA rising to his face. A computer printout of several
hundred pages in his hands.
MCCLUSKY (O.S.)
What's this?
WURLITZER (O.S.)
A list of prisoners.
TILT UP to McClusky's face, exasperated.
MCCLUSKY
What the fuck do I need this for -- I asked for
a list of hostages.
WURLITZER
The hostages? How'm I supposed to know.
MCCLUSKY
Just get it! What I gotta tell you everything!
WURLITZER
I'm working on it.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - DAY
MCCLUSKY turning into a GROUP of DEPUTIES clustered around the
VIDEO MONITORS
MCCLUSKY (urgent to Deputy)
What are those, gates? Try closin' 1-2-3 again.
GUARD (at controls)
They're still jammed open sir...(rapid fire)
We got fires in 5-6 north...the Psych unit
looks like a zoo. They're slaughtering each
other. All our informants are being tortured.
ON THE FIVE MONITORS:
MCCLUSKY sees mayhem: Cons fighting cons, fires, yelling, water
flowing from broken toilets and sinks. Cons are pounding out
steel mesh windows with pipes. Rape and murder. In the Psych
Unit: violence, sexual perversion, people dancing, crying,
climbing. Everyone feels the demon's arrival.
Even McClusky.
NAPALATONI (O.S.)
Capt'n!
McClusky glances at him, then back at the monitors.
MCCLUSKY
What is it, Napalatoni? (mispronounces name)
NAPALATONI (corrects name)
Mickey and Mallory Knox are loose.
McClusky looks, remembers.
MCCLUSKY
What do you mean they're loose?
NAPALATONI
They're armed, they got the Wayne Gale crew and
Kavanaugh and Homolka. Scagnetti's dead. They
got cameras and they're on TV right now!
McClusky holds a frozen look, as if a fuse has blown and his mind
has shut down.
MCCLUSKY
Jesus Harold Christ on a fuckin' crutch, is
this happening to me?
CUT TO:
INT. MALLORY CELL - DAY
DIOPTER SHOT - Wayne's personal phone rings loudly. Everyone
looks at it. Wayne slams it to his ear.
WAYNE
Yeah!
MICKEY uses the camera crew's gaffer tape to tie the HOSTAGES (3
TECHNICIANS, WAYNE, JULIE, KAVANAUGH and HOMOLKA) to each other,
in a train pattern. ROGER is given a short leash with camera.
MICKEY
What's your name?
HOMOLKA
Duncan...Duncan Homolka.
MICKEY
Okay, Duncan Homolka, step forward. Keep
coming. Put your solar plexus right against
Kavanaugh's butt... Grab his arms...
They squeeze together. He wraps them.
MICKEY
We're gonna go through some heavy fire. We're
gonna march down the hall and right out the
building.
KAVANAUGH
You don't have a chance in hell. If they have
to kill us all they will.
MICKEY
Police psychology, Kavanaugh. You know the way
I feel about cops, but you don't know how I
feel about my father. So when you sound like
him, that makes me feel like hurting you...
A tense moment.
MALLORY
Come on Mickey -- we don't have time for this
shit. I wanna get outta here before this
place blows up.
During this Wayne is pleading on the phone, guietly. Mickey in
BG, tying the hostages, casts an amused glance.
WAYNE
...look honey, nothing happened, I swear! I've
been faithful...since that incident...I don't
know what you think you found. Look we'll talk
about it when I get home...about two hours...is
Jimmy okay?...Of course I'm not okay...this is
worse than Baghdad...listen if I get through
this Delores, it's all straight sailing from
now on... I love you.
MICKEY (to Wayne)
Hey Romeo, you say something about a news van.
WAYNE (clicking the phone off)
Sure Mickey, we have a van.
MICKEY
Where's it parked?
WAYNE
Out front.
MICKEY
Let me have the keys.
Wayne point to JULIE, who digs through her pockets and tosses the
keys to Mickey.
MICKEY
How come you never talk?
ROGER (the cameraman)
She was born without a tongue.
MICKEY (repulsed)
Oh my God! (to Julie) Sorry.
Julie shrugs her shoulders like "what're ya gonna do" as Mallory
tapes her up.
Wayne approaches Mickey like he is insane and has to be handled
gently.
WAYNE
Mickey, can I talk to you alone?
MICKEY (taping a hostage)
No.
WAYNE
This is crazy. You can't escape like this.
MICKEY
Probably not, but we're gonna give it the old
college try.
WAYNE
We'll all be killed!
MICKEY
Exciting, isn't it?
Duncan Homolka starts to cry. Wayne's cellular phone RINGS again
in his pocket. Everyone stares.
WAYNE (interrupted)
SHIT! No one has this number!
(slamming the receiver to his ear)
MICKEY (continuing to the others)
Now, when we get out there, you do what we say
or it's shotgun city. If we say move, you
move. If we say left, you move left. If we
say right, you move right. If we say mole, you
dig a hole. Got it?
During this, Wayne pleads on the phone with 'the other one.'
WAYNE
...She called you???...Oh shit! She doesn't
mean that...Mai Ly, it's not "either-or,"
that's bullshit...It's not evidence...Mai Ly I
can't talk to you like this...look I'll be
there as soon as I can...Two, maybe three
hours, we'll settle this, I promise...I
promise...what do you mean 'is this real?' Do
you think this is a show? They're dead people
here, honey. I gotta go!
MICKEY
Wayne! Wagons, hoooaaa!
The hostage train moves out! Roger hauling the video camera.
Mallory grabs Wayne around the neck and jams her pistol up to his
head as he pockets the cellular phone.
MALLORY
Let's go. Tongue in two faces.
INT. MAIN TIER - DAY
CAMERA flies down CONVICTS running. They hang a GUARD off the
railing by his neck. He dangles there.
INT. BARBER SHOP - DAY
CONVICTS are cutting the throats of the SNITCHES in the barber
chairs. Smoke is pouring out everywhere.
INT. MAIN TIER - DAY
TEARGAS is fired at the CONVICTS as the GUARDS rush the 5-story
MAIN TIER, retaking it.
A CONVICT FIRES a teargas grenade right into the head of ANOTHER
CONVICT.
Out of this morass of smoke and gas, MICKEY and MALLORY lead
their CARAVAN, blasting both GUARDS and CONVICTS who try to
attack them.
CAMERA MOVES with them through smoke, flame, gas, dying bodies --
as if it were a process shot behind them. There is no stopping
Mickey and Mallory.
TECHNICIAN 3 and TECHNICIAN 2 go down, dead, wounded, dropping
out of the caravan.
KAVANAUGH is wounded
JULIE is wounded, but can't yell out. It's sad
ROGER'S VIDEO captures it all. The FOOTAGE we see through his
camera is very similar to Vietnam footage. It's shaky, real
harsh, and it captures the pandemonium of battle.
The soundtrack is a mad mixture of yelling, crying, laughing and
gunfire.
MORE DEPUTIES appear, tracking them.
The wild CARAVAN runs in the other direction, FIRING behind them.
TECHNICIAN 1 goes down and Mickey's HIT in the leg, but keeps on
running and FIRING. Mallory sees this and screams.
MALLORY
Mickey!
MICKEY
Don't stop.
Roger's CAMERA right alongside them.
ROGER
Man, oh man!...this is better than Vietnam!
INT. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE MAIN TIER - DAY
MORE DEPUTIES appear at the other end of the HALLWAY, catching
Mickey and his crew in a treacherous CROSSFIRE.
Mickey and Mallory get back to back with each other, using their
SHIELDS firing from the rear and the front.
DUNCAN (hysterical)
Please don't kill me! Don't kill me!
Wayne's hit in the ass and ear. Anger in his face. ("Fuck! Fuck!")
Julie is killed, geysering blood all over Mickey and Mallory.
Roger's camera WHIP PANS from that to catch a DEPUTY hopping
around the corner. The SCREEN FLASHES WHITE with a BLAST.
Roger's HIT, and the VIDEO CAMERA goes haywire, reeling out of
control, then THUNKING to the ground. Roger screams O.S.
CAMERA lies on the floor, video still recording. Roger rolls into
FRAME screaming.
MICKEY
Get the camera! Get the fucking camera!
Wayne, angry beyond his character, reaches down inside himself
and grabs the gun off a dead Deputy -- and fires a blast at an
oncoming DEPUTY who drops. He fires at another, and another!
WAYNE
YOU BASTARDS! YOU FUCKSHITEATIN BLOODY BASTARDS!!
As Mallory swipes the camera from the dying Roger
Mickey firing cover for her, sees Wayne has gone nuts.
Kavanaugh is hit again, looks like he's dying. It looks bad for
the hometeam, but suddenly:
OWEN is there. A mild looking man in convict's uniform, calm,
emotionless, with his thinning hair he could pass for an
accountant. In one arm is a 12-gauge. On his other arm is a gas
grenade launcher.
He's blasting down the approaching DEPUTIES, letting gas grenades
blur the corridor.
The Deputies scatter.
Through the smoke, Owen looks down at Mickey.
OWEN
Come on. This way!
The Knox's jump up and holding Duncan and propping Kavanaugh,
with Wayne tailing, they run down a NEW CORRIDOR that Owen leads
them to.
Deputies are lying on the ground, wounded and screaming, or dead
and silent.
INT. TUNNEL - DAY
On the run:
MICKEY
Who the fuck are you?
OWEN
I'm Owen.
MICKEY
What do you want from us?
OWEN
I want you to take me with you.
MICKEY
Right now we're not goin' fuck anywhere.
OWEN (smiles enigmatically)
Follow me!
Turns into a stairwell.
INT. STAIRWELL - DAY
MICKEY
Where does this go?
OWEN
To the front entrance. The ground floor.
A look between MICKEY and MALLORY. They can smell it -- Freedom!
DUNCAN is hyper-ventilating against the wall. KAVANAUGH looks
like he's dead.
WAYNE is pumped, yelling.
WAYNE
It was great! It was fuckin' great!
Mickey patches his shoulder up.
MICKEY
I'm proud of ya! (gives him a high five) got
the feeling now??
WAYNE
I'm alive! For the first fucking time I'm alive! Thank
you Mickey. Let's kill all these motherfuckers!
Mallory takes the gun away from him, gives him the video.
WAYNE
No! No!
MALLORY
Sorry Wayne, you're not centered. You keep
shooting with that.
MICKEY (grabbing Kavanaugh)
Let's go!!!
They tear down the STAIRS. Two flights. Freezing as:
INT. LOWER STAIRWELL
MCCLUSKY stands at the bottom of the stairwell, surrounded by a
TEAM OF DEPUTIES, their guns pointed right at MICKEY and the
Caravan.
MCCLUSKY
End of the line, Knox. Drop 'em!
Mickey grabs KAVANAUGH, props him. HOMOLKA tries to make a run
for it but MALLORY grabs him. OWEN has suddenly vanished.
McClusky's POV -- Kavanaugh dies right then and there.
MCCLUSKY
He's dead, dickweed! You got shit, asshole! Fire!
Several shots are fired. Mickey discards Kavanaugh and grabs for
Homolka. But Mallory is faster, grabbing Wayne and propelling
herself in front of Mickey on the narrow stairs.
MALLORY
Back off ya squids or I'll blast him! Back off
or I'll blast him!
None of the Deputies lower their guns, but they appear less
likely to start shooting.
WAYNE (begs)
Don't shoot! I beg you, don't shoot! Please,
please, please.
MCCLUSKY (steps forward)
Shut up Gale! Ya prick! Now Mickey, Mallory,
just let me say --
MALLORY
You shut up! I don't wanna hear it.
MCCLUSKY
I'm sure you realize Mallory if you kill this
prick, you...
MALLORY (jerks Wayne)
Put your hand up!!
Wayne automatically sticks his right hand up
Mallory SHOOTS a hole in it. Wayne SCREAMS bloody murder. The
deputies jump back.
MALLORY
...I said SHUT UP!
McClusky shuts up. There's a silent standoff.
Tears are streaming down Duncan's face as the Caravan retreats
back up the stairs to the next flight.
Owen runs up again out of nowhere, mysterious.
OWEN
I made a path!
CUT TO:
INT. PRISON SHOWER - DAY
OWEN leads into a SHOWER--dead people everywhere, water gushing
from the broken showers. MICKEY wonders, with a look at Owen, who
did this.
DUNCAN is out and out hysterical, urine stains on the front of
his uniform
WAYNE furious at MALLORY, staunching the blood from his hand with
a piece of his shirt.
WAYNE
Goddamit what the hell's wrong with you! I was
beggin for you guys.
Mickey's pacing, ignoring his wound.
MICKEY
Think...think...think.
Wayne's cellular phone RINGS once more. Exasperated he grabs it
with his bloody hand.
WAYNE
YEAH...
Mallory leans up against the wall, holding her side with her hand.
Blood trickles out between her fingers. We now see she's been
shot.
Over Duncan's impassioned clamor they hear McClusky YELLING
up the stairwell.
MCCLUSKY
Sixty seconds and I'm coming up!
INT. LOWER STAIRWELL - DAY
WURLITZER
Dwight, forchrissake! The fuckin' zoo's
explodin' and you're didlin' with these two
pukes, we got more imp...
MCCLUSKY (grabs and shakes Wurlitzer)
These TWO. These are the ones. They are gonna
die today! You hear me, Wurly -- I'm gonna
wipe this scum off the face of the earth if
it's the last fucking thing I do.
INT. PRISON SHOWER - DAY
MICKEY ties off a tourniquet on his arm, next to MALLORY,
totally exhausted. Both of them shot, in pain. He puts his arm
around her.
WAYNE is yelling over the dying cellular battery:
WAYNE
Blow it off bitch! You hear me...I ain't never
comin' home. I'm free of you. I'm alive! For
the first fucking time I'm ALIVE. So guess what
-- You Piss Right Off!
He cuts off and presses "recall" on another number.
OWEN sidles up to Wayne.
OWEN
You're the greatest, Mr. Gale...you've done a
lot for people.
WAYNE
That's okay mate, thanks a lot.
"Mai Ly" comes on the line.
WAYNE
I finally done it. I left my wife!
MICKEY (to Mallory)
You done good Mall! Whatever happens, know I
love you...know I loved you more'n I ever loved
myself...
MALLORY (tender)
I know...(then) We're not getting outta here,
Mick! So, I say the hell with going back to our
cells. Let's do a Butch Cassidy and the
Sundance Kid. Run down these stairs shootin',
go out in a hail of bullets, an' take as many
of these motherfuckers with us as we can.
Lovey, dovey now, they touch and feel each other. Mickey cries,
then laughs.
MICKEY
That's poetry...but we'll do that when all else
fails.
He has a plan, his exhaustion lifting. He stands, confronts the
hysterical DUNCAN HOMOLKA.
MICKEY
You married?
DUNCAN
Oh I don't wanna die!
MICKEY
Are you married? Do you have kids?
Duncan nods pathetically.
MICKEY
Good.
Mickey squats in front of Wayne who finishes his call.
WAYNE (on phone)
Mai Ly, we're gonna fuck all night scuba
fuckin' doo!!
Mickey takes a roll of gaffers' tape from his shirt, sticks
strips of them to the wall.
MICKEY (to all)
...the only way we're gonna get all the way to
the front door is if they don't want to kill
you two more than they want to kill me.
(to Wayne)
On your knees, journalist --
(Wayne complies)
Now, say I tell those guys down there if they
shoot or make a move, I'm killing Wayne Gale.
And they shoot or make a move anyway. Now say
by some freak accident, you don't die, you
live through it. What would you do?
While Wayne speaks, Mickey props his shotgun under Wayne's chin
and wraps the gaffer tape around the barrel of the shotgun. Then
he wraps it around Wayne's neck.
WAYNE (going with it)
What would I do? Me and my Network would sue
the entire Sheriffs Department and Prison
Administration for flagrantly disregarding my
safety. I would go straight to my buddy, the
Governor, I'd go to "Bill" himself, I'm a
friend of Bill's, I'd go to Mike at 60 Minutes,
I'd expose myself, I'd make sure everyone of
these sons of bitches down there ends up on the
unemployment line. In fact I'd sue every man
down there personally.
Mickey tosses the tape roll to OWEN and Mallory and gestures to
Duncan.
WAYNE (Cont'd)
...I would make it my life's ambition to bring
Dwight McClusky and the entire prison system to
its knees. I would do expose after expose on the
brutality and the conditions and the inhumanity
that exists here. Just take me with you!
Mickey stands with Wayne as he tapes his trigger hand to the stock
of the shotgun.
MICKEY
Calm down Wayne. That's what I thought. And
how many people watch "American Maniacs"?
WAYNE
On average forty million.
MICKEY
'Every week by forty million people'! Have you
won any awards?
WAYNE
Are you kidding? The Golden Globe. The Edward
R. Murrow Award...Working on a Pulitzer.
Owen and Mallory are taping Duncan similarly.
Mickey grabs the video camera and lifts it to his shoulder.
MICKEY
'Respected journalist' -- you wanted reality?
You got it.
He pushes Wayne down the stairwell.
INT. PRISON STAIRWELL (GROUND FLOOR) - DAY
MCCLUSKY waits with his DEPUTIES.
Empty FRAME on STAIRWELL
VOICE OF WAYNE
My name is Wayne Gale! I am the star of
'American Maniacs.'
WAYNE comes into view, camera in his hands -- filming himself.
MICKEY'S right hand is taped to the trigger and stock of the
shotgun that's wrapped firmly to Wayne's neck.
WAYNE (Cont'd)
...watched by 40 million people every week! I
am a respected journalist, winner of the Edward
R. Murrow Award among others!
McClusky freezes, not knowing what to do except throttle Mickey
with his bare hands, which he would do if WURLITZER were not
holding him back.
His Deputies pause, hesitating, as they realize if they take out
either MICKEY or MALLORY, that Wayne or DUNCAN would die.
NOTE: The scene's intercut between VIDEO FOOTAGE and color 35 mm.
WAYNE (Cont'd)
You are on camera. We are Live (the camera
barely turning). If anybody puts me in danger,
my network will sue Dwight McClusky and the
entire Sheriff's Department and the Governor
himself. My estate will sue every officer
personally who fires. The network's law firm
is Sinclair, Marshall, and Milchan.
OWEN whips his gun left and right in clownlike loops like Harpo
Marx, smiling. DUNCAN HOMOLKA simply cries and begs for his life
to be spared.
DUNCAN HOMOLKA (indecipherable)
PPPleeezzeee dddooonn'tt killl meeee!
But Mickey knows what he's doing. This has an effect on the
Deputies.
MALLORY (yelling)
Make a path!
The wall of Deputies starts moving backwards.
INT. FINAL CORRIDOR - RECEPTION AREA - DAY
It has become a dance. The CARAVAN on one side taped to the mast
of their ship, moving as if under one tent -- MICKEY, DUNCAN,
MALLORY, WAYNE, OWEN and their guns and eyes...
Across from them a PHALANX of GUNS and LAWMEN -- moving in
syncopated unison, a parallel track out the STAIRWELL into the
FINAL CORRIDOR approaching the RECEPTION AREA to the prison.
Freedom!
Wayne keeps yelling, Duncan blubbering; the Deputies keep their
guns trained but they give ground -- parting like the Red Sea.
Mickey's eyes see ut.
So do Mallory's. They share a look.
OUTSIDE. Birds. Trees. No bars. CAMERA moving on it. Coming
to MCCLUSKY who stands his ground at the door.
MCCLUSKY
How far do you think you're gonna get?
MICKEY
Right out the front door.
MCCLUSKY
That'll never happen.
MICKEY
It is happening.
The Caravan marches forth. Wayne and Duncan keep shouting their
mantras. Nobody dare to move on them.
Wayne stops his speech to take a breath.
MALLORY
Don't stop!
Wayne starts up again.
The Deputies are completely frustrated. Mickey and McClusky are
nose to nose.
MCCLUSKY (to Mickey)
I will personally hunt you down, blow the head
off your fucking-whore-wife, and plant your
sick ass in the ground all by myself.
MICKEY (cool)
Another day perhaps, but not today, Warden.
Mickey leaves FRAME.
McClusky looks like he's going to pop his cerebral cortex. He
begins a heart attack.
Mickey and all exit the building.
The Warden, bucking with pain, looks up the Corridor where Mickey
and Mallory have just come from. What he sees is his worst
nightmare.
Coming right at him are a HUNDRED ANGRY PRISONERS, shotguns,
sticks, numbchuks, razors, broken chairs waving, climbing over
the corpses of their fallen comrades, withstanding the hail of
fire from the Guards -- reaching for Dwight McClusky who is
lifted over their heads, having his heart attack, moved from hand
to hand like at a rock concert, then all we see are the tops of
his shoes as he is held upside down and torn to pieces.
CUT TO:
EXT. WOODS - DAY
A fogged moment of light strikes film and settles into an ECU of
WAYNE -- gasping a little too dramatically from his wounds.
Mallory's pointing the camera at him; she's laughing at what he
says.
The Scene that follows intercuts a normal format with cinema
verite style shot through the video camera. Sometimes the lip
sync is off.
WAYNE
This is Wayne Gale -- unfortunately no longer
"live." I'm wounded and all my crew is dead.
MALLORY
Look up, look at me. That is so good.
WAYNE
Mickey Knox's plan worked. We walked out the
front door, into a news van, and made our get-
away. When we were followed by patrol cars,
Mallory Knox killed Deputy Sheriff Duncan
Homolka and tossed his body out the back.
The wind is blowing through the pine trees above. Insects buzz.
A vee of wild geese fly overhead honking, heading north for the
summer.
WAYNE
Mickey told authorities over my police band
that I would surely be next if they didn't give
up the pursuit. Why helicopters weren't
employed, I don't know. My only thought is
that it all happened too fast for arrangements
to be made. We've just pulled off to the side
of the road to do this interview. Tensions run
high --
Mickey screams O.S.
MICKEY (O.S.)
We ain't got all fuckin' dayl
WAYNE
Without any further ado, Mickey and Mallory...
Wayne takes the CAMERA from MALLORY, while MICKEY, his wounds
like Mallory's taped, paces in and out of FRAME; in the BG,
gradually leaving frame, is OWEN.
WAYNE (O.S.)
Mallory, what did you think of Mickey's plan?
Did you think it would work?
MALLORY
Well, it wasn't 'till we got to that ground
floor that I totally realized they weren't
gonna shoot 'less we shot first. When we got
out of the stairwell, I remember thinkin: 'Oh
my God. This just might work.' But Mickey knew
it would work all along. There wasn't any
doubt in his mind.
WAYNE (O.S.)
What did you think then?
MALLORY
I wondered how long it would be before we'd get
to be alone together. And I wondered if I
could wait that long.
WAYNE (O.S.)
Did you have anything to do with the riot?
MALLORY
We had nothing to do with that riot. That riot
was just -- whatchamacallit --
Mickey can be heard faintly in the BG.
MICKEY
Fate.
MALLORY
What he said. We just didn't know jack shit
about any riot. How are we supposed to organize
a riot when we've been in fuckin' isolation for
the past year, Wayne? Just bleep out the fucks
and jack shits. Fuck, fuck, shit shit.
(laughs) I mean it's not like we care...If
they wanna say we masterminded the whole thing,
let 'em. It won't exactly keep us up at night,
Wayne. But the truth is...it was fate.
WAYNE
...and Fate it was!...and this is "American
Maniacs."
Mickey's snapping his fingers in the B.G.
MICKEY
C'mon, c'mon, let's hurry this up.
WAYNE (O.S.)
So, what's next?
MALLORY (holding Mickey's hand)
Well, now me and Mickey are gonna take it easy.
Just enjoy each other's company...
MICKEY
Gotta go...
WAYNE (O.S.)
Wait! But how do you intend to disappear? You're
probably the most famous couple in America.
MALLORY
Well, back in slave times they had a thing
called the underground railroad. And we got a
whole fan club out there just waitin' to be
conductors (to the camera) So, you kids out
there, keep the faith. Cause Mickey and
Mallory will be comin' to your town real soon.
WAYNE
So...
MICKEY
Okay, end of interview.
Mickey approaches Wayne. CAMERA goes a little haywire as Wayne
lowers it.
WAYNE
Okay, just let me swing around and film myself
asking the questions. And then I'll do my
little wrap up and we're off.
Mickey takes the CAMERA from Wayne, and while he speaks, he
balances it on a fence post.
MICKEY
Oh, we're gonna do a little wrap up, all right
Wayne. But it won't be you starin' in the camera,
lookin' dumb, and actin' stupid. Instead, you're
gonna be starin' down the barrels of our shotguns
and we're gonna be pullin' the triggers.
Wayne forces a chuckle. Mickey steps away from the CAMERA and
into a THREESHOT. Actually a FOUR SHOT with Owen there at first,
but again he slides out. The NEWS VAN is parked in the EG.
WAYNE
That's a joke right?
Mickey pumps the slide on his shotgun. Mallory grabs her shot gun
from off the ground.
WAYNE
Just wait one fucking minute.
MICKEY
I said I'd give you an interview. Now unless
I'm mistaken, we just did an interview
(to Mallory)
We did an interview, didn't we?
MALLORY
Looked like an interview to me.
WAYNE (sincere)
Wait! I don't know, but I kinda felt during
this ...this whole escape that a kind of bond --
(Wayne is shaking)
...developed between the three of us. We're
kinda in this together, don't ya think?
MICKEY
No. Not really. You're scum Wayne. You did it
for ratings. You poured gasoline on the fire.
You didn't give a shit about us or about
anything Wayne except yourself. That's why
nobody really gives a shit about you Wayne.
That's why they didn't deploy helicoptors!
WAYNE
Mickey! What about the Indian?
MICKEY
What about him?
WAYNE
Didn't you say you were finished with killin'?
"Love beats the demon?"
MICKEY (sharing a look with Mallory)
I am. And it will...
(pause)
It's just that you're the last one, Wayne. You
gonna feed on your own misery.
WAYNE (new tone)
So big fuckin' deal, that's show business. Who
cares, so I'm a parasite....it's a "cruel
world" out there. You were wronged. So what
else is new? The day you killed, your ass
belonged to us. You did what you had to do.
So did I. We're married.
(Mallory laughing)
Think about it. The point is we can do a
Salmon Rushdie thing next, books, talk shows,
all remote, we move around, duckin' and
bobbin', then we come up for air once in a
while. Donahue, Oprah, Playboy...the mystery
avengers, do you know how big you could be?
MALLORY
Does he have an "off" button? Can we take out
his batteries?
MICKEY
We got a better idea. How bout we kill you?
WAYNE (incensed)
Jesus Christ! What are you nitwits? You can't
kill me! Without television you're nothing,
nothing...two kids, I made you Mickey, you owe
me. Without me you're on the bus to fuckin'
diznee land.
MICKEY
(John Wayne voice to Mallory)
Let's make a little music Colorada.
WAYNE
Wait! Wait! Don't Mickey and Mallory always
leave somebody alive to tell the tale??
MICKEY
We are.
(points in camera)
Your camera.
WAYNE
NO!!!! You can't shoot me. I AM WAYNE GALE.
My lawyers...
Mickey and Mallory PUMP rounds into Wayne, whose body dances like
a puppet before collapsing to the ground.
Mickey and Mallory kiss each other passionately.
Mickey slips a new WEDDING BAND on her finger -- and one for
himself. Mallory is really happy.
They climb into the News Van. They drive away.
Wayne's body lies peacefully in FRAME as the CAMERA rolls out of
film.
FADE IN:
INT. "AMERICAN MANIACS" NEWSVAN - DAY
MICKEY drives. MALLORY rides shotgun. The CAMERA moves and
reveals OWEN in back. Mallory strums Mickey's guitar.
OWEN
I liked Wayne.
MICKEY
He's resting, Owen.
OWEN (cryptic)
You know he'll never die...This is exciting!
How'd I do back there?
MICKEY
Not bad for a first timer
MALLORY
You got a real mean streak in ya, Owen.
That'll get you where you wanna go.
OWEN
I never knew I had it in me. Comin' as I do
from the fire and all... (a look) What about
you folks? You think you'll be able to lie low?
MICKEY
We're gonna give it a try, we love each other,
that's fo' sure.
OWEN
Love -- you can't beat that.
MALLORY
I had a dream last night. We stood on the back
porch for a long time...(looking at Mickey)
listening to the rain and thunder...the sky lit
up...we was feelin' the warm air from Mexico...
MICKEY
Poetry...
OWEN (grinning)
Mexico? Never been...
MICKEY
And you ain't goin' either, Owen. We promised
you a ride out, that's it. We're droppin' you
next town.
OWEN
But you promised you'd take me with you!
MICKEY
I lied...
OWEN (very disappointed)
Too bad...I'll tell you what I'd really like,
though.
MICKEY
What's that?
OWEN
I'd really like a taste of old Mallory over
there. I never got with the wild kind before.
Mickey turns his head to see if Owen's joking.
MICKEY
You can't talk like that, Owen. Mean streak or
not, I don't wanna hear that kinda talk.
OWEN
I'm serious though. I'd love to take her for a
test drive. What do you say, Mallory? Are you
interested?
Mallory turns around with her gun loosely pointed at Owen.
MALLORY (mocking singsong)
Oh god -- can you feel my breasts? Can you
spread my ass? How's your pussy looking? Is
this for real? I swear I'd love to contain
myself but people like you...
Owen pulls his own gun up.
OWEN
Now, there's no reason to talk angry, Mallory.
You'll make me think you don't desire me.
MICKEY
All right! That's enough bullshit! I don't
like the fact you induced my wife to talk this
way...Put the guns down and can it.
Mallory puts her gun down. Owen doesn't.
OWEN
Do you do everything he tells you?
MALLORY
Oh yeah, like a dog on a leash.
(to Mickey)
Oh my god this is like Murphy's Law.
Everywhere we go, there's some weirdo.
OWEN
Is that what's standing between you and me?
Mickey telling you what to do?
MALLORY
You better pull over and dump this prick before
I really get mad, Mickey
Mickey pulls to a severe stop, turns.
MICKEY
All right Owen...
He is staring down the barrel of Owen's gun. Owen has a crazy
grin on his face.
SPECIAL EFFECT: Owen now has the face of the DEMON!
Mickey understands. He laughs.
Owen pulls the trigger, a BLAST fills the screen.
Mallory turns in STOP MOTION, looking at Owen with vengeance in
her eyes. She SCREAMS at what she sees. ANOTHER BLAST fills the
screen.
CUT TO BLACK:
MUSIC UP -- Patti Smith.
THE END