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| 日期：2006-8-7 19:13:18 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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House on Haunted Hill
By
Dick Beebe
Story by
Dick Beebe & William Malone
Adapted from the screenplay by
Robb White
Blue Revisions: 13 Jan 1999
Production Draft: 2 December 1998
NOTE: THE HARD COPY OF THIS SCRIPTS CONTAINED SCENE NUMBERS.
THEY HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR THIS SOFT COPY.
FADE IN:
BLACK SCREEN
And in the darkness, a TICKING sound is heard. Soft and
steady -- soothing -- and then a BANG!
SMASH UP ON:
INT. HOSPITAL - BASEMENT NURSE'S STATION - NIGHT
A HAND punching a CARD into the huge, ticking TIME CLOCK on
the wall: 7:00 a.m.
PULL BACK TO REVEAL - A bleary-eyed MALE NURSE beginning
his day. Alone inside a small wood and glass cubicle, he
rips off yesterday's day-at-a-time calendar page, revealing
today's date: October 11, 1931.
Goes to the Victrola inside the cubicle. Cranks the turntable
up to speed. Puts the huge needle down on a spinning 78: we
hear the song crackling through the empty halls of the
hospital -- depression-era Muzak: Horace Heidt & His Musical
Knight's "Keep Your Sunny Side Up"
The Nurse sharpens the last of a half-dozen pencils to needle-
points, sits down at his desk, and begins the tedium of
jotting entries into a tall stack of Patient Records.
Beat. And then he hears a soft, almost paw-like tapping on
the glass. He looks up: a PATIENT with a heavily bandaged
head is standing there, his eyes as dull and lifeless as
marbles.
The Nurse waves the Patient away. Goes back to his work.
Beat. And then the tapping is heard again. The Nurse snaps
his head up, about to bark at the man -- but the words stop
dead on his tongue:
Standing on the other side of the glass are now two dozen
patients. Likewise bandaged, staring silent and dead-eyed at
him.
Unnerved, the Nurse's finger slowly stretches towards a
buzzer-button just below the desk-top. It never makes it.
Because --
A HAND - lashes into frame and grabs the Nurse's fingers. The
Nurse looks up.
In addition to the mass of Patients outside the cubicle,
there are now six of them inside it, surrounding him. The
Nurse's eyes shoot to the still-locked doors of the cubicle,
and he utters one confused word --
MALE NURSE
-- how -- ?
-- and then someone rams all six of his needle-sharp pencils
eraser-deep into his throat.
The Nurse gurgles and staggers -- falls back against the
Victrola, hitting the turntable crank as he goes down,
causing it to start spinning like a pinwheel.
"Keep Your Sunny Side Up" now blares through the halls triple-
time, sounding like a thousand manic chipmunks. And to the
beat of that tune, the Patients smash the CONTROL PANEL
inside the cubicle until it shorts-out and explodes! Which
pops open
INT. PATIENT CELLS -
- and sends dozens more wild, raving Humans rampaging through
the hospital, while EVERY ELECTRIC LIGHT in the place strobes
maniacally, and ORDERLIES & OTHER NURSES are chased down like
rabbits by Patients and beaten to pulp, and
INT. "THERAPY" ROOMS -
- filled with devices that look straight out of the Spanish
Inquisition are trashed to toothpicks, and some of the STAFF
are forced into devices and tortured as PATIENT RECORDS are
spindled and ignited -- flaming torches used to set
everything in the place ablaze, and A WOLFPACK OF PATIENTS
kamikaze down-
INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
-- fling open a set of double doors marked "Cerebral
Hygiene," shouting: "Vannacutt!" And we see --
INT. CEREBRAL HYGIENE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
-- two people in surgical scrubs: the moustached Doctor
named VANNACUTT and a FEMALE NURSE wielding a 16mm camera. As
the two whip around, startled by the shouts, we see the
object of their ministrations: A PATIENT on a gurney being
filmed as his internal organs are slowly and methodically
extracted -- while still alive.
And then all hell breaks loose as the WOLF PACK descends:
DR. VANNACUTT manages to yank down a LEVER on the wall
labeled "Lockdown" before he's swallowed by the Mob;
From somewhere in the house, we hear heavy gear, cables and
doors loudly shutting down the house.
The NURSE is clubbed to the floor with her own camera. And
amidst all the vengeful shouts and wails, a curious thing
happens:
As one of the Patients picks up the Nurse's blood-spattered
camera and puts it to his eye, the image on screen abruptly
SMASHES TO:
INT. CEREBRAL HYGIENE ROOM - CONTINUED - GRAINY BLACK & WHITE
-- and dead silence -- and we find ourselves watching old
soundless 16mm footage of what happened next: a blur of
scalpels and saws as the Patients viciously vivisect
Vannacutt and Nurse, who've been crammed together on that
same gurney. The B&W CAMERA PUSHES IN TIGHT on Vannacutt's
screaming maw -- and suddenly we hear SOUND AGAIN --
-- but, for some reason, it's not a human cry, but the
CROWING OF A ROOSTER -- and when we PULL BACK OUT we see that
what we're now watching is the Crowing Rooster and four
blazing camera lenses that was the logo of the old PATHE
NEWSREEL. The stentorian VOICE OF PATHE booms OVER:
VOICE OF PATHE
October 11, 1931: Los Angeles!
Dithering, Bernard Herrmann-like strings swell up.
CUT TO (B&W)
A PATHE NEWS HEADLINE CARD: "HOSPITAL OF HORROR!"
CUT TO (B&W)
EXT. THE HOUSE - NIGHT - NEWSREEL FOOTAGE
A WHIPLASH PAN from the ocean to a GRANITE BUILDING high atop
the Pacific Palisades. Smoke and flames shoot from every
window and door as Firemen look on helplessly.
VOICE OF PATHE
A conflagration of Biblical
proportions incinerates nearly
everything and every one inside
what was once Tinsel Town's most
celebrated psychiatric facility:
The Vannacutt Neuropathic
Institute. But the secret this
inferno burned free was far more
frlghtening than any picture that
Hollywood could ever produce!
CUT TO (B&W):
EXT. THE HOUSE - MORNING - NEWSREEL FOOTAGE
L.A. Sheriff's and Coroner's Investigators poking through the
Institute....
INT. THE HOUSE - VARIOUS ROOMS - MORNING - NEWSREEL FOOTAGE
QUICK CUTS OF GRUESOME IMAGES:
-- BODIES manacled to walls; rows of SKULLS riddled with
drill-holes; a huge VAT filled with blood
VOICE OF PATHE
-- a Sanitarium of Slaughter supervised
by a surgeon gone mad --
CUT TO (B&W)
ECU -- a formal PHOTOGRAPH of the man himself, mustache
waxed, eyes intense as a mesmerist's, seeming to stare a hole
right through us --
VOICE OF PATHE
-- Richard Benjamin Vannacutt --
and --
INT. LIMBO SET -
-- suddenly, stepping right through VANNACUTT'S FACE and
strolling solemnly towards us in bright video-taped color is:
CHRISTOPHER LEE. He addresses the CAMERA:
CHRISTOPHER LEE
-- murdered by his own patients before
every one of them perished in the
blaze. Ironically, the only humans
to escape the conflagration --
-- behind him, we see SILENT NEWSREEL FOOTAGE of five
people.
EXT. THE HOUSE - MORNING (CHYRON INERT)
-- three ORDERLIES, two NURSES -- clothes and faces sooty
and singed, each coughing up a storm as they're treated at
the scene --
CHRISTOPHER LEE
-- were five of Vannacutt's equally
sadistic Staff, all of whom, until the
day they died, insisting that they were
only following "Doctor's Orders."
BACK TO SCENE
The SCREEN behind him goes black.
CHRISTOPHER LEE
But our story doesn't end there. For,
some years later, the gutted interior
of the Institute was refurbished as a
private residence. It has yet to be
inhabited. Many say because the spirits
of the vile Vannacutt and his Victims
still walk the long corridors inside
this place now known, simply, as: "The
House On Haunted Hill."
A sudden SMASH of shrill, discordant HORNS scares us out of
our skin -- and behind Mr. Lee, an IMAGE is seen again:
EXT. THE HOUSE - NIGHT (TO BE SHOT AS PART OF A LATER SCENE)
...high atop a bluff, swaddled in shadows cast by a full moon
that seems to have one of Vannacutt's eyes piercing down on
it.
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Charming.
INT. ROLLS ROYCE LIMOUSINE - TRAVELING - DAY
CAMERA PULLS BACK FROM A SMALL WALNUT SHROUDED TELEVISION
SET... revealing a savagely beautiful young woman, EVELYN
STOCKARD-PRICE, sitting like the queen of fucking-England in
the back of her limousine. She's been watching all this on
the 12" TV set inside the limousine, a look of perverse
amusement on her face.
ON THE TV: Mr. Lee smiles for the CAMERA.
CHRISTOPHER LEE
I'm Christopher Lee. More of
"Terrifying, But True" in just a
moment --
EVELYN
No need, baby.
She zaps the TV dead with a button on the armrest.
EVELYN
You just gave me exactly what I needed.
She reaches for the phone.
EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DAY
A beeping CELL PHONE is retrieved from a coat pocket, punched
to life, and brought up to the lips of
STEVEN PRICE - a 30ish bespectacled man.
While not handsome in the classical sense, he still exudes an
incredible appeal -- the kind that comes from incredible self-
confidence, more money than God, and the most maniacal
imagination in recorded history.
PRICE
(into phone)
Price.
(listens; sarcastic)
Evelyn, how nice...
(beat, listens)
Well, that is fascinating -- but I'm
gonna have to get back to you -- they're
trying to shoot me here.
PULL BACK TO REVEAL - Price buttoning the phone dead as a
NEWS CREW of two videotapes him: an ENG Cameraman named
BENNY and a 20-something Katie Couric wannabe with a
microphone in Price's face -- KIRSTEN SAVAGE.
They're all standing amidst a sprawling landscape of
futuristic-looking buildings and rides: a spanking new theme
park. We see the great steel arch that bears the place's
name:
TERROR-INCOGNITA
A New Adventure From Steven Price
KIRSTEN
Business or pleasure, Mr. Price?
PRICE
My wife. Where were we?
KIRSTEN
Your roller coaster that is, quote:
"unlike any that has ever come before
it."
PRICE
Absolutely. No cheap thrills. A genuine
Journey To The Brink Of Madness.
He gestures grandly towards the huge and extremely tall
expanse of steel girders and tracks in front of them.
KIRSTEN
Sorry, but it just looks like a generic
roller coaster to me. What's the
gimmick?
Price beckons them to an elevator at the base of the ride.
PRICE
Ever seen one that starts at the
top? 20 stories worth of top?
KIRSTEN
And then what happens?
PRICE
(smiles)
I think it's something better
experienced then described.
The Elevator door whooshes open. He bids them enter.
PRICE
After you.
INT. ELEVATOR - CONTINUOUS
The DOORS CLOSE and the elevator starts up. Through small
ports in the sides they see the beams of the roller coaster's
superstructure dropping down past them as the cabin rises.
KIRSTEN
Sources have told this reporter that the
real reason your Park's opening has been
delayed was a near-fatal accident on one
of the rides here. Comment?
PRICE
I wouldn't be opening this place
tomorrow if every single thing down to
the beheaded Beanie Babies hadn't tested
100% safe.
-- he's cut off by a loud GROANING sound like metal under
stress.
BENNY
What the hell was that?
PRICE
(all confidence)
Growing pains: new steel's gotta bend
and stretch a little before finally
settling in.
Another GROAN. A yelp escapes from Kirsten's mouth.
PRICE
Don't worry. In the fifteen year history
of Price Amusements we've yet to lose a
single customer.
The GROANING stops. But Kirsten and Benny remain nervous.
KIRSTEN
First time for everything.
PRICE
I've designed and built six of these
places -- take my word for it,
everything's fine.
BENNY
(nervous)
How long 'til we're out of this thing?
PRICE
Five, ten seconds, we're almost to
the top --
-- the elevator LURCHES to a DEAD STOP.
Kirsten and Benny look at each other -- anxiety on overdrive.
Price tries to reassure them, but he's not looking real
relaxed anymore, either.
PRICE
Look: even if, God forbid, something
...unexpected...should happen, there's
always the safety cable --
-- and now the cabin is rocking: sharp and nasty spasms that
are buffeting them into each other --
BENNY
-- that does what?
PRICE
Keeps the cab from just --
-- he sees something out the window --
PRICE
-- oh, shit --
A loud CRACK! The cabin starts dropping -- fast. All three of
them scream.
OUT THE WINDOW: we see the SUPERSTRUCTURE of the roller
coaster flying by. The sound of cables screeching free of
pulleys.
Benny's camera is wrenched from his hands and bounces around
the cabin. Kirsten's eyes are crazed with terror.
KIRSTEN
Do something!
PRICE
Like what?? This isn't supposed
to be happening!!
The scenery outside the window is a blur.
BENNY
OhJesusohChrist!
The ground is coming up to meet them; the noise inside the
cabin is deafening.
Benny starts jumping up and down; Kirsten is pounded to the
floor. Price braces himself for impact.
KIRSTEN
Please! Something! Oh-God!
PRICE
Maybe if I --
With all his strength, Price throws himself across the cabin
and stabs an unmarked button on the elevator control panel --
-- the cabin suddenly stabilizes --
-- the elevator door opens --
EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY
-- revealing the cabin to be just where it should be: high
atop the roller coaster, right across from the dock where the
cars depart. They never fell so much as an inch -- all an
illusion.
The expression on Price's face has changed to a wicked grin.
He looks at the two terrified souls on the elevator floor:
PRICE
From here on, it gets really scary.
A MAN IN OVERALLS (SCHECTER) stands on the dock, waves the
News Crew towards a rear car.
SCHECTER
Room for two more.
The front car is already full with People strapped in so
tight they're immobile.
TIME CUT TO:
INT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY
Price still on the departure dock, punching up a number on
his cell phone. In the b.g. we can see the cars containing
Kirsten, Benny and the others, zooming at incredible speeds
on 45 degree banks, upside-down loop-de-loops, the works. All
with screams of sheer pleasure accompanying.
PRICE
(into phone)
Alright, Princess: now what were
you babbling?
He listens for a moment -- then his eyes crimp shut with
disgust.
PRICE
(into phone)
Congratulations: on a scale of one-to-
ten, you just hit a 73 on the Perversity
Meter. I don't suppose for once we could
just celebrate at some nice, quiet
little restaurant --
Schecter taps Price on the shoulder.
SCHECTER
Houston, I think we may have a problem.
PRICE
(into phone)
Evelyn, go stir your cauldron or
something for a sec.
Price turns and watches in the distance as the coaster car
takes a screaming hair pin turn.
EXT. ROLLER COASTER - MOVING - DAY
Kirsten and Benny in the rear car, wild with delight --
-- until they see the front car derail, snap free from
theirs, and go hurtling into mid-air. Screams of panic heard
from the People in that car as they plummet to their deaths.
Kirsten screams with horror, Benny retches, as their car
continues to zip along the track and out of our sight.
EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY
PRICE
Problem where? Looked good to me.
SCHECTER
"Dummy 6" keeps losing his arm.
PRICE
So disengage his Flail Arm Mechanism
and just make him a screamer.
VOICE ON PHONE (EVELYN)
Steven!!
PRICE
(back into phone)
Here, dear -- with a suggestion --
INT. ROLLS ROYCE LIMOUSINE - TRAVELING - SIMULTANEOUS
Evelyn is livid, as she listens to Price on the phone:
PRICE (V.O.)
-- forget it. Last birthday the Manson
Family Ranch, the year before that:
Jonestown.
EVELYN
Oh. You think this is a request. Well,
think again. I'm telling you: "Haunted
Hill" is exactly where we're having my
party this year. You'll find the guest
list on your desk by the time you get
back --
INT. PRICE'S OFFICE - NIGHT
CLOSE ON a two-page document with the title "Guest List."
It's being turned into spaghettini by a large document
shredder.
PAN OVER TO - Steven Price typing mile-a-minute on a
computer, talking to himself as he inputs his own Guest
List.
PRICE
You want it, Precious, you got
it: the party of your very short
goddamn life.
A tentative DOOR-KNOCK heard O.S. behind him:
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Uh, Mr. Price? The Dreamworks people
are getting a little...antsy.
PRICE
Tell 'em I'm right there.
He mouses his cursor up to a box marked "SEND", the list
disappears, his hard drive starts chugging, and he gets up
from his chair and exits. CAMERA remains on the working
screen.
Beat. And then a SHADOW flashes across the screen for a
moment.
Another beat. And the sound of clicking computer keys is
heard. A "message box" appears on screen:
ARE YOU SURE YOU WANT TO DELETE guestlist.doc?
The Cursor clicks on YES. ZAP! A blank screen. And then the
keys start clicking again, and we see a new Guest List being
typed in.
Starting with the name:
Ms. Jennifer Jenzen
Executive Vice-President of Marketing
Paragon Pictures
MATCH CUT TO:
EXT. FILM SET - DAY (WE NEED TO RE-WORK THIS SCENE FOR
LOCATION)
The name "Ms. Jennifer Jenzen" etched in gold-leaf cursive on
the top of a small CHROME AND ONYX-INLAID CUBE.
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Gorgeous.
PULL BACK - and we see MS. JENZEN -- a rodent-eyed, thin
lipped 30-something Exec who only needs "Screaming Bitch"
stamped on her forehead to complete the picture. She's
sitting staring at the Cube, the elegant paper it came in
torn to shreds on her desk.
JENZEN
So what the fuck is it?
She's addressing her "assistant," a lovely, but harried-
looking young Woman of 19, SARA WOLFE.
SARA
I don't know, Ms. Jenzen.
JENZEN
Well, who's the damn thing from?
SARA
(shrugs)
Messenger just dropped it off.
No return address.
JENZEN
You didn't think to ask?
SARA
I was in the middle of --
JENZEN
-- being utterly fucking useless,
what else is new.
Sara's face flushes with anger, but she keeps her cool.
SARA
There's something there on the side --
She's pointing to a small, SILVER CRANK jutting out of one of
the Cube's sides. A legend is etched beneath it:
Rotate Once To Operate
JENZEN
I'm aware of that.
Well, she is now, anyway. She twists the crank and a tinkling
music box-like TUNE begins to play: Lennon/ McCartney's
"Birthday," but in 3/4 time, like some schizoid Viennese
waltz.
JENZEN
It's not my goddamn birth --
-- and she stops herself in mid-word as, suddenly: the top
of the Cube pops open like a jack-in-the-box! And, slowly,
like it's on some mini-hydraulic lift, ANOTHER CUBE,
identical to this one, starts to inch up into view --
-- which has its own tiny SILVER CRANK in its side. But
etched beneath this one is a warning:
Do Not Rotate Under Any Circumstances!
Without a nanosecond's hesitation, Jenzen reaches out her
hand --
SARA
-- I wouldn't --
-- and turns the smaller crank. Beat. Nothing happens.
JENZEN
-- no kidding: that's why you're
making ten bucks an hour and I'm --
-- and BANG! A SKELETAL ARM comes FLASHING OUT from the
smaller cube and SLASHES HER FINGER with a RAZOR!
JENZEN
Jesus!!
-- it's no more than a paper cut, but it's bleeding and it
hurts -- and then they both see written on the tiny razor:
Learn To Follow Instructions!
Sara can't help herself -- lets loose a little snort of
laughter. Jenzen goes ballistic, smashes the lid shut on the
Cube.
JENZEN
You think this is fucking funny??
SARA
No, no, it's just --
JENZEN
-- well, here's a better one: you're
fired.
SARA
What?
JENZEN
And here's your goddamn severance!
She slams the Cube hard into Sara's hands.
CUT TO:
INT. SARA'S CUBICLE - JUST AFTER (WE NEED TO RE-WORK THIS
SCENE FOR LOCATION)
The Cube sits in a wastebasket next to the desk that Sara's
angrily cleaning out. She's SLAMS her entire blotter into the
trash -- which hits the Cube's crank and starts the music
playing again. Sara, startled, looks over -- and sees:
AN ORNATE IVORY-COLORED CARD - begin to ascend from the
Cube. It starts with the words:
Now Try And Follow These:
And then all we see are Sara's wide, growing-wider, eyes as
she reads the rest.
SARA
...wow....WOW! Hey, Ms. Jenzen -- ?
JENZEN (O.S.)
Are you still fucking here??
Sara starts to flush with anger again -- and then stops, a
small smile coming to her lips as she continues to stare at
the card.
SARA
On my way out. Thanks for the
valuable parting gift.
She snatches the ivory card and stuffs it in her purse.
SMASH TO:
INT. HEARSE #1 - MOVING - NIGHT
Where Sara Wolfe sits, decked out in near-dead-ringers
clothes and hair-do as we last saw on Jennifer Jenzen: black
silk suit, stiletco heels and an up-sweep -- holding that
same ivory-colored card in her hand:
Steven K. Price
COMMANDS YOU TO ATTEND
A Very Unique Birthday Celebration For
Mrs. Evelyn Stockard-Price
And then the CAMERA WHIPLASH CRANES BACK from Sara and the
vehicle in which she's sitting, to reveal the grand vista of:
EXT. WINDING ROAD - NIGHT
which snakes crazily up the Pacific Palisades, the crashing
waves of the ocean seen in the background. We see that the
vehicle Sara is riding in is the lead car of a MOTORCADE
comprised of four '50's vintage HEARSES.
MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
The man's insane.
And we whip back towards the source of this voice:
INT. HEARSE #2 - MOVING - NIGHT
where we see this Man's well-tanned hand holding the same
ivory card, which continues:
Terror, Humiliation, Perhaps Even
MURDER
Will Be The Entertainment
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Don't get much better than that.
INT. HEARSE #3 - MOVING - NIGHT
where we see the well-manicured hands of this Woman, her left
holding an 8mm Camcorder; her right, the same card:
With ONE MILLION DOLLARS Paid
To Those That Survive The Entire Night
YOUNG MAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
Terrific: what's the catch?
INT. HEARSE #4 - MOVING - NIGHT
where we see hands of a Man barely out of his teens, his
muscular right hand holding that same card as well:
Inside the Walls Of
THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL
Suddenly the screech of brakes is heard -- Hearse #4 jolts to
a halt. The invitation flies from the Young Man's hand and to
the floor, the rest of its text unread.
EXT. "THE HOUSE" - NIGHT
We see the reason for the sudden stop of the cortege. An
ancient CHRYSLER K CAR is parked clear across the road,
barring the entrance to the gate of a razor-wire security
fence that encircles the premises. Beat. And then a short,
slight MAN steps out of the vehicle. In the glare of the
Hearses' headlights his features look cadaverous. Between
that and the fact he's jittering like a hummingbird on speed,
he makes a pretty unsettling presence.
The Man walks slowly towards the hearses, beckoning the
riders out.
MAN (PRITCHETT)
This is the end...by car anyway.
What with the '94 quake and El Nino,
the driveway's been pretty much
destroyed. 'Shame. Have to hoof it
from here.
The well-tanned Man from Hearse #2 steps out: DR. DONALD W.
BLACKBURN -- he could be anywhere from 19 to 90. The only
thing that's clear is all the cosmetic surgery he's had makes
him look like George Hamilton, circa 1962. He asks the
obvious:
BLACKBURN
If you don't mind me asking... Who are
you?
PRITCHETT
Name's Pritchett. Watson Pritchett.
I own the house, my father built it.
And now I just need to get you into
it. So...
The Camcorder Woman steps out of Hearse #3: a Jenny Jones-
clone named MELISSA MARR, 27.
MELISSA
Where's Steven Price and his huge,
throbbing checkbook?
PRITCHETT
Not with you, is he? Well, I'm sure
he'll turn up any second now... If
you'll just come along...
The Muscular Young Man from Hearse #4 steps out: a good-
looking specimen named EDDIE MOSES, 23.
EDDIE
I wanna know first: to what do I
owe this honor? I mean, I never
even heard of this guy.
PRITCHETT
I'm just the Greeter -- and
in that capacity, I now urge you
all strongly to --
And then Sara-as-Jenzen regally alights from Hearse #1.
SARA
But the million bucks each, that's
for real?
PRITCHETT
(a forced chuckle)
It better be -- he still owes me
$25 grand for renting the place
for the night! Here, let's get
you some illumination so you
can make your way safely!
He grabs a flashlight from his car and shoves it in Sara's
hand.
PRITCHETT
Just point and walk, sis -- the
place is right up --
-- and as if on cue, a battery of magnesium floods suddenly
light up the night like high noon, revealing the House in all
its glory.
PRITCHETT
(startled)
...there.
Sitting high atop a bluff over the Pacific, a sprawling
grey-stone structure. One-third Eames, to one-third Wright,
to one-third Bauhaus.
It might look innocuous in the daylight, but right now it
looks like Albert Speer's Playhouse. And underscoring the
creepy ambience is MUSIC now blaring from speakers perched
atop the gate: Marilyn Manson's screeching Goth-metal cover
of "Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of These)".
BLACKBURN
Nice touch, Pritchett: subtle.
EDDIE
As a tumor.
PRITCHETT
Wish I could take the credit, but --
SARA
-- guess we know where Mr. Price is
now.
PRITCHETT
He must've beaten us all here!
EDDIE
'Less the place really is haunted.
PRITCHETT
Nonsense! Just bad press. All the
deaths that occurred inside --
my own father's included -- all
perfectly normal fatal accidents.
MELISSA
You better be wrong. I didn't
come all this way for "normal."
She starts making her way up the disaster of a driveway. Dr.
Blackburn and Sara look at each other and shrug.
They start likewise walking towards the house. The only one
left is Eddie. He stares at the little man.
EDDIE
You're totally full of shit, aren't you?
PRITCHETT
(brightly)
You'll never know 'til you walk
through that door!
Eddie dismisses him with a flap of his hand and sprints to
catch up with the others. Pritchett yells after him:
PRITCHETT
You wouldn't consider getting my check
and running it back down here?
No response. Beat. Pritchett gets out of his car.
PRITCHETT
Didn't think so. Asshole.
He starts jittering his way up the drive.
INT. GRAND FOYER - SOON AFTER
Cold. Flinty. Two stories high and domed, with a stained
glass skylight topping it. Despite their varied states of
confusion, the four Guests stop in their tracks as they
enter, struck dumb with awe.
EDDIE
...Jesus H. Christ.
MELISSA
So where's the party?
SARA
Looks like we're it.
BLACKBURN
More to the point. Where's our host?
MELISSA
More to the point: what in the
name of fuck is that?
She's pointing up at the stained glass skylight. It seems to
depict a Man with dozens of hideous creatures hovering round
his head. And above them all looms a huge something with
wings and flaming claws.
BLACKBURN
More of Price's spook-house bullshit.
PRITCHETT (O.S.)
Not at all!
They turn to see Pritchett's head poking through the doorway
-- putting as little of himself as possible inside the house
proper.
PRITCHETT
Part of the original structure. When it
was still an asylum. Guy who ran the
place -- Dr. Vannacutt -- found it
"inspirational." From some German
cathedral a million years ago: "Driving
the Demons From the Mind."
BLACKBURN
I'm moved beyond words.
MELISSA
The hint of still weirder shit
to come, I can only hope.
She whips the Camcorder to her eye and starts recording every
detail of the skylight. Dr. Blackburn rolls his eyes.
Pritchett starts calling loudly:
PRITCHETT
Mr. Price? Mrs. Price? Somebody? Hello??
BLACKBURN
Pritchett, take it down a couple
hundred decibels, what is your
problem?
PRITCHETT
Problem? No problem -- just want to get
my money and get on home -- you know,
things to see, people to do?
He laughs weakly; starts shouting again:
PRITCHETT
Mr. Price?? Mrs. Price??
Melissa Marr continues to shoot up a storm of tape in the
room, as overexcited as a five-year-old who's lost her
Ritalin.
MELISSA
I knew this whole place'd be pure gold!
Pritchett, point me in the direction of
the goddamn ghosts! If I can get
something bizarre enough on tape, I
think I can parlay it into getting me
some kind'a Robert Stack "Unsolved Most-
Wacked-Out Home Videos" gig. No more
five afternoons a week of sex-change-
Nazis-and-the-lesbos-that-love-'em.
EDDIE
You've got your own TV show?
MELISSA
The guy whose hair I do has his own TV
show. All I've got is a blow-dryer and a
dream.
Sara's staring at something that's making her more nervous by
the second:
SARA
Uh, excuse me -- but does anybody know
any logical reason why those little
demons would be moving?
She's pointing to the skylight.
MELISSA
Where?
She whips her camera up at the stained glass. Zooms in. Tense
beat. And then lowers the camera, sighing in disappointment:
MELISSA
...birds. Just seagulls or something
walking on the glass, goddammit.
EDDIE
Cheer up: before the night's through,
I'm sure one of us'll get hacked to
pieces by somebody or something.
VOICE (O.S.)
I may start right now.
All heads turn again -- standing in the open front doorway,
dressed absolutely to kill is a not-terribly-pleased-looking
EVELYN STOCKARD-PRICE.
EVELYN
Who the fuck are all of you??
-- and right on that beat: the huge dome of STAINED GLASS
above them all EXPLODES!
All heads whip up -- as time seems to stand still -- and it
begins raining COLORED SHARDS in the foyer.
MELISSA
Oh...my...God....
IN SLOW MOTION -- We see the rest of the Guests
instinctively start to duck and cover against the deluge --
all except EVELYN who's staring up at the descending
projectiles with a profound look of annoyance on her face.
EDDIE - notices that a huge DEMON-HEADED GLASS SHARD is
hurtling, razor-point-down, for Evelyn's head! With an
athlete's reflexes, he hurls his body at hers --
EDDIE
-- Jesus, lady! --
-- tackling her to the floor, the giant SHARD missing her
skull by literally a hair. It plunges six inches deep into
the parquet, THWANGS like an arrow into a target.
Beat of absolute sheer STUNNED SILENCE. And then:
MELISSA
Wow.
Everyone else stares at Evelyn, who's not moving.
SARA
Is she...alright?
EDDIE
I thought she was dead. For sure.
EVELYN
Not even fucking close.
(seething; to Eddie)
Get...off...of...me.
It's like being spit at by a cobra; Eddie doesn't have to be
told twice. Leaps off her, and Evelyn slowly, angrily gets to
her feet, a trickle of blood coming down her cheek from a
small cut there. A VOICE is heard from somewhere O.S.
VOICE (O.S.)
Not dead now, but soon.
All eyes look up to see: STEVEN PRICE perched on the balcony
rail above them in formal wear, legs crossed, cigar in hand,
blowing out smoke through highly bemused lips.
PRICE
She's been marked for it. The House does
that. Happened to Pritchett's father.
Likely happen to you all. Isn't that
what you told me, Mr. Pritchett?
PRITCHETT
(looking away)
I can't remember at the moment.
Blackburn applies his handkerchief to Evelyn's bleeding
cheek. She recoils:
EVELYN
Don't touch me!
PRICE
I'm impressed: I don't think Evelyn's
ever said those words to anything with
genitalia.
EVELYN
I'm not laughing, Steven.
PRICE
You shouldn't be -- you were nearly just
killed, sweetheart.
(to the guests)
And now that our birthday girl is
finally here, let the games begin!
EVELYN
Haven't they already?
Price just smiles.
PRICE
Sure is a funky old house, ain't it?
She glares back at him, steaming.
EVELYN
Could we have a word?
PRICE
Oh, I think we're going to have several.
Evelyn doesn't have to be invited, she's already stomping
halfway up the stairs. Price smiles down at the Guests:
PRICE
This'll just take a moment -- you'll
find food and booze in the main salon,
knock yourselves out.
Evelyn grabs him hard by the arm and yanks him back into the
shadows; they disappear from sight. The Guests just stand
there.
EDDIE
So, what? The thing with the glass?
Price did that?
MELISSA
I hope not.
SARA
Of course he did, for God's sake.
(beat)
Didn't he, Mr. Pritchett?
PRITCHETT
I can't comment until I get paid.
BLACKBURN
I'm surrounded by idiots.
Blackburn walks off into the Main Salon near the Foyer. The
others shrug and follow him, except for Pritchett, who shouts
upstairs:
PRITCHETT
Mr. Price???
No response from anyone. Pritchett's eyes jitterbug all
around him -- he sees he's standing there alone. As
nonchalantly as he can, he quick -- steps towards the Salon
and the others -- passing right by a barely perceptible
black dot in the wall, no larger than a dime --
TRAVELING THROUGH WALLS
-- and we PUSH IN on this DOT, until we're inside it, on
the OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL and see that's it's connected to a
COAXIAL CABLE, which we FOLLOW past ancient, decaying beams
and mortar, past VERMIN -- rodent and insect, both -- that
skitter maniacally right in our faces -- and then right
into the innards of the multi-wired CABLE itself -- emerging
out near...
A VIDEO MONITOR
-- that's atop a table with several other monitors and a
literal Circuit City's worth of electronic and computer
equipment, all of it inside a --
INT. SMALL GRIMY ROOM
-- in which sits Steven Price's engineer SCHECTER, in his
coveralls, eating a sandwich, as he mans Haunted House
Central Control. He hits a combination of keys on the
computer. On one of the Monitors we see a door somewhere
inside the House rapidly open-and-shut, open-and-shut.
Nods with satisfaction, then YELPS! as he spots a MILLIPEDE
wriggling out of his tuna salad, straight into his mouth.
SCHECTER
Jesus!
He flicks the insect away, nearly gagging. It lands on
another VIDEO MONITOR that is trained on a room on the upper
floor of the place. Some space that looks like it was going
to be a bedroom, once upon a time: a lot of strange, ultra-
modern furniture: all of it metal and of bizarre angles and
shapes. And then into that room storms Evelyn and Price.
PUSH IN on that video screen and suddenly we're there:
INT. EVELYN'S BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
As Evelyn slams the door behind her.
EVELYN
I gave you a goddamn guest list two
pages long -- where the hell are they?
PRICE
Shredded. Sorry. Decided to whip up one
of my own: a group so hungry for money
that they'd be willing to do anything. I
thought you'd be more comfortable with
your peers.
EVELYN
I guess it was stupid of me not to
expect something this twisted from you.
Well, congratu-fucking-lations, Steven:
Round One, you win.
PRICE
Well, not quite. See, those people down
there: they aren't the ones I invited.
EVELYN
Then who are they?
PRICE
You tell me. I don't know how you
managed to hack into my Mac, but: bravo.
EVELYN
What are you talking about? You
think I invited them?
PRICE
Sure know it wasn't me. And if you say
it wasn't you -- then who the hell did,
Evelyn?
EVELYN
It you really loved me, Steven, you'd
find a way to drop dead in the next
three seconds.
PRICE
Finding ways for me to die at these
things is really your deal, isn't it?
The "O.J." knife with the not-quite-
retractable blade? Your "Jim Jones Kool-
Aid" that was exactly that?
EVELYN
All accidents until proven otherwise.
He goes to her and begins brushing her hair with his
fingers.
PRICE
You know how happy I'd be if that was
really true, Evelyn? And how positively
goddamn delirious if you weren't fucking
every living thing in our area code at
the same goddamn time!
EVELYN
Which part of that fantasy turns you on
most: me with other men -- or just the
other men?
PRICE
You know everything you do gets me hot.
His grip on her hair suddenly tightens and twists.
PRICE
-- just not always in the sexual sense.
EVELYN
You're hurting me.
PRICE
I know.
She jabs his hand with a plasma-red, Dragon Lady-length
thumbnail. He lets her go and sucks on a knuckle -- she's
drawn blood.
PRICE
Now, there's the simple country gal I
married. Let's go back down and greet
your guests -- show them the real you:
corny as Kansas on the Fourth of July.
EVELYN
My guests were shredded. It's your sick
little scene now, Steven: enjoy. I'm
going to go run scalding water on the
places you just touched me, and then I'm
calling a cab.
She storms into the bathroom adjoining and slams that door.
CUT TO:
INT. MAIN SALON - JUST AFTER
Just off the foyer. The furniture, though dust-caked and
rotting is antique Deco and sumptuous. Liquor and a lavish
buffet have been set out on a sideboard that looks like one
of Dali's limp pocket-watches. As Price enters the room
grimly, he's descended upon by an angry Pritchett:
PRITCHETT
Mr. Price: I've done everything we
agreed on, your guests are all here and
in one piece -- my 25 thousand now,
please.
Price produces an envelope froa his jacket and taps it.
PRICE
Right here, Mr. Pritchett. As well as
five other bona fide, bank drafts for
one million dollars each. Made out to
cash.
EDDIE
And we get this money when?
PRICE
The second the sun hits tomorrow
morning. Assuming you have stayed the
entire night - and you're still alive,
of course. Any other questions?
SARA
Yeah. Why's there five checks?
There's only four of us.
PRICE
You're forgetting my lovely wife; she's
part of the same winner-take-all as the
rest of you.
SARA
What're you talking about?
PRICE
Oh, sorry. Detail I guess I forgot to
mention. You die, you lose. Your check
gets divvied-up by those still amongst
the living.
BLACKBURN
What are you playing here, Price?
PRICE
A very, very scary game. But then look
at the bright side: if there's only one
of you still upright at dawn, you'll be
leaving here with five million dollars
in your pocket.
EDDIE
This is nuts.
PRICE
Yeah. But, hey, anybody who's not
"comfortable" with the rules, you're
free to walk, anytime. Seven digits
poorer, goes without saying.
PRITCHETT
I'm ready now.
PRICE
Alright, Mr. Pritchett, let me just
sign the damn thing.
Price sits at a rusting octagonal wire-and-steel desk, knifes
open his envelope, and produces a pen.
PRITCHETT
Two "T"s at the end of the name.
Price looks up, puts the pen down.
PRICE
Just for the record: what are the rest
of your names?
BLACKBURN
Donald W. Blackburn, M.D.
MELISSA
Melissa Margaret Marr, Celebrity.
EDDIE
Eddie Moses, Communications Attache --
which translated from ancient bullshit
means: I work for a Messenger service.
Beat. All eyes have now turned to Sara, who's just standing
there nervously.
PRICE
And you, young lady?
She blurts out the lie as one word:
SARA
Jennifer-Jenzen-Executive-V.P.-
Paragon-Pictures.
PRICE
Very good. Well, I think I can say with
complete honesty: I've never heard of
any of you.
EDDIE
Then what the hell are we doing here?
MELISSA
How'd you make your guest list, Price:
throw darts at a phone book?
PRICE
You're not my list.
BLACKBURN
I got an engraved -- literally --
invitation -- with my name --
PRICE
-- I'm sure you did.
SARA
This is all maybe getting a little
too strange --
PRICE
-- I wouldn't worry, Ms. Jenzen: the
unexplainable will probably explain
herself before too long. In the
meantime, let's all relax, have a drink,
the evening's young --
PRITCHETT
-- it's getting older by the second.
Mr. Price, if I could just please have --
PRICE
Sorry, Pritchett, here you go.
He signs the check and hands it to Pritchett who spins on his
heels and starts quickly for the foyer.
PRICE
I think you're gonna miss the bash of
a lifetime --
PRITCHETT
-- my loss --
PRICE
-- even if I give you a million as
well?
PRITCHETT
Wouldn't know what to do with it all --
-- and then, suddenly, we hear the distant sound of heavy
MACHINES at work. Pritchett freezes for a moment.
PRITCHETT
Oh, no.
SARA
What's going on?
CUT TO:
INT. GEAR ROOM -
Heavy rusted GEARS somewhere in the house, CRUNCHING as
they begin to turn.
CUT TO:
INT. GRAND FOYER -
Where Pritchett is sprinting like a madman to the exit.
PRITCHETT
Please -- God-in-Heaven, no --
CUT TO:
INT. MAIN SALON
The NOISE inside the room, inside the entire house, is
deafening. Price senses something:
PRICE
The windows --
Pritchett makes the long run across the huge room towards:
CUT TO:
INT. GEAR ROOM
The ancient LEVERS snapping down like punches.
CUT TO:
INT. MAIN SALON
BAM! The windows being sealed off by heavy IRON PLATES
slamming into place.
CUT TO:
INT. GRAND FOYER
BAM! The front door being likewise sealed by a descending
IRON PLATE -- nearly decapitating Pritchett.
PRITCHETT
You can't do this to me!
INT. VARIOUS LOCATIONS (NOTE: TBA)
BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Every window, door, and portal of
any kind in the house likewise being slammed-sealed shut.
CUT TO:
INT. MAIN SALON
-- where everybody stands silent, breathless, and not a
little afraid, as the sound of SLAMMING IRON is heard echoing
everywhere in the distance.
CUT TO:
INT. GRAND FOYER
Pritchett making a literal last dive for the one window in
the foyer that is still partially unsealed, its iron plate
closing fast --
PRITCHETT
-- NOOOOOOOO!!! --
-- BAM! The ancient LEVERS smashing down all the way to the
concrete floor: mission completed.
CUT TO:
INT. MAIN SALON
That final BAM! resounding in the Main Salon. And then
silence.
MELISSA
Now that is enter-fucking-
tainment!
Eddie Moses tries to yank up one of the plates -- all he gets
for his efforts is two handfuls of rust.
EDDIE
This thing's going nowhere.
BLACKBURN
If this is someone's idea of a
joke --
-- an agonized SCREAM in response; it's coming from the
Foyer --
PRICE
-- Pritchett's not laughing.
CUT TO:
INT. GRAND FOYER
Price & Guests entering and greeted by the sight of:
Watson Pritchett - Hair wild, clothes torn, SCREAMING as he
tries to pry the cast-iron plate off the Foyer window with
his bare hands --
PRITCHETT
-- NO! NO! NO! NO! NO! --
-- he's ripping his fingernails off, blood coursing down his
arms. PRICE runs to him, yanks him from the window and to the
floor.
PRICE
Pritchett!!
Pritchett stops screaming, looks up at Price in utter terror.
PRICE
Blackburn! His hands, do something!
Blackburn races over, takes one look. Yells to Sara:
BLACKBURN
Bottle of vodka on the sideboard:
get it!
She races into the other room. Blackburn takes his
handkerchief and puts it on Pritchett's wounds. Pritchett
doesn't so much as whimper, keeps staring at Price. In a
daze:
PRICE
Pritchett, what the hell just
happened here?
Pritchett looks up at him, eyes not quite focused.
PRITCHETT
Lockdown.
Sara dashes back in with the bottle of vodka.
SARA
What does that mean?
Blackburn takes the liquor and begins cleaning/disinfecting
Pritchett's wounds.
PRITCHETT
A mechanism. From the old Asylum. For
Emergencies. Sealed the whole place
shut. Top to bottom. That's how come
they all burned to death in '31. Dr.
Vannacutt threw the switch. If he was
gonna die, they all were gonna die,
and so they were toast.
MELISSA
No wonder they're still pissed off.
PRITCHETT
The only ones who survived were five of
Vannacutt's staff butchers.
BLACKBURN
Why in God's name wasn't this thing
removed years ago??
PRITCHETT
It was on my Dad's list of "things
to do." But the House did him first.
EDDIE
You said that was an accident.
PRITCHETT
I lied. The House is alive and
we're all gonna die.
BLACKBURN
Oh, for chrissake --
SARA
-- uh, excuse me, just one quick
question? How long before this damn
thing unseals itself?
PRITCHETT
Don't know that it does.
SARA
Well, then, how 'bout maybe we
call someone?
PRITCHETT
Hasn't been a telephone in this
House in over 60 years.
Blackburn, Price and Melissa Marr all chime in unintentional
unison:
BLACKBURN/PRICE/MELISSA
I've got my cellular.
SARA
Well, flip a coin and somebody dial 911!
PRITCHETT
Won't do any good.
SARA
Why not?
And then, simultaneously, we hear the same beep-beep-beep
from the three cellular phones and see the same flashing
message on their LED screens: "No Service - No Service - No
Service."
PRICE
Must be those plates -- interfering
with the signal somehow.
PRITCHETT
Not the plates: the House. Why is no one
listening to me?? It's alive! And once
it's made up its mind, it won't let
anything out.
EDDIE
So, what? You're saying we're stuck
here the rest of our lives?
PRITCHETT
A cleaning crew's supposed to arrive
at 9:30 tomorrow morning -- I think
the power of the house fades at dawn.
EDDIE
-- well, let's hear it for small
miracles --
PRITCHETT
-- but I imagine we'll all be mutilated
beyond recognition by then.
MELISSA
Goodbye, bad times -- hello, Prime Time!
She starts shooting tape again -- everything and everybody.
SARA
There is something seriously screwed-up
going on here, and I don't believe it's
about ghosts --
WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)
-- oh, it sure ain't, sweetheart.
Heads turn: walking slow, smug and regal down the great
staircase into the foyer is EVELYN STOCKARD-PRICE, her coat
discarded, her neckline loosened -- she realizes she's here
for the night.
EVELYN
Take a bow, Steven, you've outdone
yourself tonight -- scared holy hell
out of even me.
BLACKBURN
If that's the fact, Price, okay, you've
had your fun -- now open the goddamn --
PRICE
-- asking the wrong guy -- wasn't me
who closed it.
EVELYN
Sure it wasn't. Hey, anybody else here
make their living with thrills'n'chills
for the kiddies? Don't raise your hands
all at once.
PRICE
Huh. And here I had a completely
different theory.
EVELYN
Really? Well, let it rip.
PRICE
Oh, no-no-no -- much more bang for
everyone's buck to nail the bitch --
EVELYN
-- the sadistic prick --
PRICE
-- in the act.
SARA
Uh, excuse me? Don't think I'm not
having the time of my life watching
this train wreck that's your marriage --
but this isn't what I had in mind... I
want to know that we can get out of here
if we need to.
PRITCHETT
Believe me, we need to.
SARA
Pritchett, this "lockdown" thing --
it's gotta have like a master control
-- you know machinery, gears, whatever --
somewhere in this place?
PRITCHETT
The basement -- but, believe me,
you don't want to go down there.
SARA
No, you don't want to go down there. I
am going down there. And I'm going to
find reverse on this thing and floor it.
PRITCHETT
You'll never find it, it's a maze down
there.
SARA
Well, that leaves you with two options
then, doesn't it: either show me where
and maybe we get out of here -- or it's
spend-the-night-sleep-tight.
Pritchett leaps to his feet.
PRITCHETT
It's actually very easy when you
know the way.
EVELYN
A word of advice, honey? God knows what
kind of freak-outs Steven's got set to
spring in this place. If I were you, I'd
bring something to protect yourself
with. Baby, don't you think now's the
time to I break out your "party favors?"
Price suddenly looks uneasy.
PRICE
What are you talking about?
EVELYN
Must be getting old, Stevie -- you're
repeating yourself -- this is the exact
same set-up you used for the Son-Of-Sam
Hunt back in '94.
(to Sara)
Girlie, open up that casket there
and see what you find.
Sara glares at her, but does as she's told: goes to the large
ebony casket that supports Evelyn's BIRTHDAY CAKE. Sara looks
back at Evelyn suspiciously... then sets the cake aside and
lifts the lid.
Inside that, seemingly free floating in space, are SIX MINI-
COFFINS -- no more than eight inches long, their doors
likewise propped open, revealing inside each a gleaming new
GLOCK 9mm AUTOMATIC. Each pistol black gunmetal in color, of
course.
EVELYN
Ooooh, nice: firearms this time.
MELISSA
The warped factor here just gets
bigger and bigger.
EVELYN
Steven's sense of humor just makes you
want to bust a gut, don't it?
SARA
I'm in stitches.
Sara takes one of the guns and attempts to eject the
magazine. Nothing happens. She looks:
SARA
The clip's been welded shut.
EVELYN
On all of them, probably.
Evelyn takes one of the pistols and points it at her husband.
EVELYN
So how's a girl to know if these
things are loaded, baby?
PRICE
Only one way I can think of, Sweetheart.
Tense beat, ala Eastwood and Hackman staring each other down
at the end of "Unforgiven." Then Evelyn lowers the gun.
EVELYN
No. I think we'll let the young
lady have first crack.
SARA
I don't want a gun, I just want
out. Let's go, for God's sake.
PRICE
I'll meet you down there.
EDDIE
(to Sara)
Take the gun.
Sara takes the pistol from Evelyn, and Pritchett
unenthusiastically beckons Eddie and Sara towards a hallway
leading to the basement. Price trots towards another door off
the Salon.
EVELYN
And where are we off to, Mr. Price?
Check the wiring on the animatronic
Mummies?
PRICE
A simple leak, if it's okay with you.
And he disappears down the hall. Melissa Marr jams a
cigarette in her mouth.
MELISSA
Wow...
She flicks her lighter, sparking a flame to life --
SMASH TO:
INT. BASEMENT STAIRWAY - JUST AFTER
-- a flurry of crackling SPARKS showers Watson Pritchett as
he twists the '20's vintage knob light switch. He leaps back
with a frightened yelp.
We see a brief BURST OF LIGHT from the ancient sconces on the
walls, revealing a series of moldy, cobwebbed and rubble-
strewn basement gallery, and a series of five glass cases
filled with the mummified remains of human bodies... One very
odd human figure rides upon a mummified horse.
INT. BASEMENT GALLERY
An odd multi-walled gallery from which five corridors lead
out, extending like the spokes of a wagon wheel --
-- and then every LIGHT down there SHORTS OUT with one loud
SIZZLING POP! Total darkness. Beat.
PRITCHETT'S VOICE
Y'know, this'd actually be funny -- if I
didn't know for a fact I'd be pleading
for a quick, painless death in the next
few seconds.
SARA'S VOICE
Could somebody please just gag him
or something?
Sara reaches into her bag and pulls out the flashlight
Pritchett gave her earlier.
EDDIE
You're a handy little thing to have
around.
Suddenly, a terrible cracking sound is heard above Sara's
head. She aims her light at the large beam overhead. Just
then, the beam gives way. Eddie pulls her away just in
time.
SARA
And you're not really as large and
useless as you seem.
EDDIE
I'm better than that.
SARA
Don't push it.
She thrusts the flashlight into Pritchett's hand.
SARA
Now take us where this damn thing's at.
INT. SMALL GRIMY ROOM - SIMULTANEOUS
Price bursts through a hinged panel and whisper-shouts to
Schechter behind the computer/video console.
PRICE
-- hey! Next time give me a couple
seconds notice before you wing a gag
like that!
SCHECTER
The lockdown thing.
PRICE
I mean, not that it didn't give Evelyn
the kind of coronary I had in mind,
just...
SCHECTER
-- it wasn't me.
PRICE
Rewind that.
SCHECTER
I was just sitting here -- it happened.
I had nothing to do with it.
PRICE
Then who did??
SCHECTER
No idea. I didn't even know the damn
thing still worked!
PRICE
It works.
SCHECTER
Maybe it was just its time to finally
fall apart.
PRICE
No. Somehow -- I don't know how --
she did it.
SCHECTER
Pretty amazing feat: all that shit
down the basement and your wife's
up in the bedroom the whole time.
PRICE
Don't take your eyes off her for a
second. I think she just declared War.
INT. MAIN SALON - SIMULTANEOUS
Evelyn, a huge drink in her hand, holding forth to a not
terribly interested Dr. Blackburn. Melissa Marr's oblivious,
Camcorder to her eye, slowly dollying herself out of the
room.
EVELYN
We'd've been splitsville years ago, with
me the richest single woman in recorded
history -- but Steven doesn't "believe"
in divorce.
BLACKBURN
Not too big on it myself -- but then
again, not on marriage either.
EVELYN
Oh, he's got no problem with that:
I'm his fourth.
BLACKBURN
I'm confused.
EVELYN
No need for divorce and that messy
division-of-assets thing when they kick
before you do.
MELISSA
All three of his previous wives
just up and died?
EVELYN
Damnedest thing: each one, freaky little
"accidents" --
INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS
Sara, Eddie and Pritchett continue searching.
SARA
You should really open this place to the
public, Pritchett -- a spa for people
without enough stress in their lives.
PRITCHETT
I said we shouldn't come down here. Very
treacherous -- physical and metaphysical
levels, both. There've been no
refurbishments to this part of the house
-- it's exactly as it was in 1931.
VOICE (O.S.)
Is that a fact, Mr. Pritchett?
They all whip around -- spooked to the max. Pritchett shakily
trains the flashlight on who or what's behind them: Price.
PRICE
Sorry.
SARA
Good way to get your head blown off.
PRICE
I'll try not to remember to warn Evelyn.
They soon pass a broken wall. Rubble and debris litters the
floor. Pritchett moves them quickly past the spot. This
doesn't go unnoticed.
EDDIE
What's in there?
PRITCHETT
(too quickly)
Nothing.
Sara takes the flashlight from Pritchett's hand and aims it,
into the dark hole beyond.
ANGLE ON THE DOOR
The light glints on a HUGE STEEL DOOR. A grime-covered
WINDOW is set at eye-level. A black mold corrodes away the
edges.
SARA
Nothing? That seems like quite a door
to hold back "nothing".
Pritchett just stares at the door for an uncomfortably long
moment...
EDDIE
What is it? What's in there?
PRITCHETT
(finally)
The Soul of the House. Everything that's
corrupt about it... My father trapped it
in there just before he died. You see,
he purchased the house to restore it...
We were going to live here... Nothing
can live here. I was just a kid... The
first time I saw it, I thought it was
beautiful... It was just a dark mist
turning into the corner of the room...
then it started to move... then death
started to happen... First the workers..
six in all... then my father...
SARA
Ghosts killed your father?
PRITCHETT
Not ghosts... at least not what you're
thinking... Vannacutt used to dump the
bodies of his failed experiments
somewhere in the house...
SARA
And you think it's in there?
PRITCHETT
Accumulated evil... festering for
decades...
(switching gears)
But I'm a drunk... so don't listen to
me.
EDDIE
So you're saying as long as that door
stays locked, we're okay?
PRITCHETT
Hell NO!! The House will kill ya!
Pritchett's oblivious: he's shining his light back down the
corridor -- at its terminus it splits into four new
corridors.
PRITCHETT
I think we go down there and take a
right.
The trio follow Pritchett. WE remain staring at the STEEL
DOOR. Almost imperceptibly -- or is it the darkness playing
tricks on us? One of the streaks of mold seems to have grown
longer.
CUT TO:
INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Pritchett leading the three others down a new corridor,
clearly clueless as to where the hell they are. Shines the
flashlight up to find they're in --
INT. ELECTRO-SHOCK ROOM
a small room containing a large leather table with a myriad
of mildewed buckle-straps attached. Behind the table: a
monolithic brass and wood DYNAMO that looks powerful enough
to keep Orange County lit for a year.
PRITCHETT
Electro-shock therapy. There's several
of them hooked together... Dr. Vannacutt
liked to zap his patients in multiples
of ten. More enerqy-efficient or
something. Let's try a left.
They turn left. A small, barely noticeable arc of electricity
zaps from a dangling, half-severed wire.
CUT TO:
INT. SATURATION CHAMBER ROOM
Pritchett dead-ended in another room.
PRITCHETT
Damn-it-all! This is the Saturation
Chamber! Left again!
He all but yanks Price along with him, Price blurting as he
disappears from frame:
PRICE
What's a "Saturation Chamber"?
EDDIE and SARA linger, staring at the big, cast-iron capsule-
shaped contraption. We hear Pritchett's Voice in the
distance, explaining:
PRITCHETT (O.S.)
New wrinkle on an old theory for
treating schizophrenia. 19th Century, I
think: what would drive a sane man mad
should make a madman sane. The Vannacutt
version was: bombard the patient with
aural and visual stimuli far more
frightening than any hallucination they
could ever produce, it'd traumatize 'em
back to "normalcy."
EDDIE
Did it work?
Eddie looks up: Pritchett and Price are nowhere to be seen.
EDDIE
Hey! Where'd you guys go?
PRITCHETT (O.S.)
Left, goddamnit!
SARA
(grabbing Eddie's arm)
C'mon -- I've got like zero interest
in getting lost down here.
He guides her out of the room and down --
INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
-- to his left.
PULL BACK -- And we see, simultaneously, Pritchett, Price
and flashlight walking down the corridor that was to their
left -- Eddie and Sara walking down the one that was to
their left: a long, snaking passage going in the completely
opposite direction.
CUT TO:
INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Eddie and Sara navigating the various twists and turns in the
darkness.
EDDIE
Hey, Price! Pritchett!
Sara's gaze falls on: A RAGGED HOLE above their heads,
broken into the wall of the corridor. CABLES and WIRES can
be seen inside the hole.
SARA
Lemme try something. Gimme a boost.
Eddie grabs her by her butt. She bristles.
SARA
-- hey, pal, that wasn't code for --
-- and with his considerable strength, lifts Sara in the air
so she's sitting on his hands like a chair --
EDDIE
-- where you need to go?
As much as she tries to stifle it, Sara lets loose a giggle.
SARA
Three steps forward -- I want to get up
there.
EDDIE
Why?
SARA
This whole place can't be wired
to just one circuit --
CUT TO:
INT. CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Pritchett and Price taking a hard right into --
INT. GEAR ROOM
We recognize the rusted gears from the "lockdown" sequence.
PRITCHETT
Bingo!
He shines the light through the cavernous space: an immense
mechanism of cams, pulleys and counterweights. Price stares
in absolute awe -- this is something straight out of the
Industrial Revolution.
He eyes the bank of long-handled, mother-of-pearl tipped
levers.
CUT TO:
INT. WALL - CONTINUOUS
Sara with her hands deep in the recess behind the wall
sconce, yanking and re-connecting wires until -- she gets
a spark.
INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - SIMULTANEOUS
It burns her fingers and she yelps -- but the lights in the
corridor FLICKER ON for a moment. And then again. And again.
It's a lousy source of illumination, but...
SARA
-- better than nothing. Down, big
fella'.
Eddie lowers her back down to earth -- his hand lingering for
a moment on her bottom. Their eyes meet for a nanosecond.
SARA
Thanks.
EDDIE
Most fun I've had all day.
SARA
You need to get out more.
They start walking down the weirdly pulsing corridor.
EDDIE
So, who are you really?
Sara stiffens for a second. Then, calmly:
SARA
What? Deep down inside?
EDDIE
Start with the name you were born with,
and we'll work forward from there.
SARA
I told you already: Jennifer Jenzen,
Executive V.P. of --
EDDIE
I don't think so...
SARA
Why not?
EDDIE
Most of my business is making deliveries
to high rollers. And I have yet to meet
one Executive who could tie their own
shoes -- let alone rewire an entire
house. You don't fit the bill -- not
even close.
SARA
(grinning)
There's always exceptions.
EDDIE
Not in the movie biz. So, c'mon,
gimme the truth.
Ahead of them, Sara sees the corridor splits into two.
SARA
The truth is, if we keep taking rights,
we're going to have to end up where we
started.
She beckons him to follow her, starts walking down the
corridor to the right.
SARA
Look, we're all gonna be out of here in
a little while and go our separate ways,
all a million bucks richer. What's it
matter who I am or who I'm not?
There's no response from Eddie.
SARA
Okay... So let's say, hypothetically,
I'm not exactly who I should be -- okay,
so you're right, you're a genius, I
don't know anybody who could've ever
seen right through me like that --
does that end the discussion?
No response from Eddie.
SARA
Alright, look: my real name is Sara,
and I'm a secretary -- was, anyway -- to
the real Jennifer Bitch who was invited
here, and now you know and I'm begging
you don't tell anybody, 'cuz I'm out of
a job and could really use even a tenth
of that money, okay?
No response from Eddie.
SARA
Can I just get a "yes" or a "no"??
She turns: Eddie's nowhere to be seen.
CUT TO:
INT. GEAR ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Pritchett and Price stand in the "Lockdown" control room,
staring at a rusted lever that Price has snapped off.
PRICE
We may have to...look for other
means to get out of here.
Price looks around the room.
PRITCHETT
What happened to what's-their-names?
CUT TO:
INT. BASEMENT CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Sara trotting down one CORRIDOR --
SARA
Eddie...?
INT. BASEMENT - ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Sara moving and picking up speed:
SARA
If this is your idea of funny, think
again!
INT. BASEMENT - ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Sara moves even faster:
SARA
In fact, you're really starting to
piss me off!
INT. BASEMENT - ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
And suddenly, she slams on the brakes -- because at the far
end of this Corridor, she spots:
EDDIE - quick-stepping right-to-left through the
intersection ahead.
SARA
Hey, pal: game called on account
of boredom, let's go --
And then she sees: in the strobe-flicker of light, his EYES
look devoid of pupils, as though replaced by something
METALLIC.
SARA
Eddie...??
Eddie keeps walking, turns into another corridor and
disappears from sight.
SARA
What is your problem?
She runs after him.
CUT TO:
INT. BASEMENT - ANOTHER CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
Sara again spots Eddie at the other end.
SARA
Hey!
He keeps on walking, turns into a room, disappears from
sight.
SARA
You know, I was actually starting to
like you, you creep!
Nonetheless, she chases after him into --
CUT TO:
INT. MORGUE ROOM
Sara stops, scared. God-knows what this room's purpose was
long ago, now it's just a space filled with enormous glass
tanks, vat-like things filled with BLOOD. But no Eddie. She
shouts to the air:
SARA
Okay, you win. You've successfully
creeped me out.
-- and then her EYES GO WIDE as she spots
EDDIE -- perched above a Vat -- he's teetering, his
equilibrium like a marionette's -- in danger of dropping
right into the Vat!
SARA
What are you doing --
-- Eddie drops like a stone into the Vat.
SARA
-- Eddie!!
She scrambles up to the top of the Vat, looks down into it:
nothing but that thick opaque muck -- but there's SOMETHING
ROILING beneath it. Sara plunges her arms down into it --
SARA
-- Eddie! Eddie! Oh my god!
-- BAM! Something does -- yanking her down hard into the Vat
-- and continuing to pull -- she's to her shoulders in it --
and her head's about to go in --
SARA
-- Eddie!!
VOICE (O.S.)
Over here.
Sara darts the one eye still above the muck-line behind her.
EDDIE MOSES -- is standing in the doorway, a completely
baffled expression on his face.
EDDIE
What's going on, you lose something
down there?
SARA -- looks back down into the Vat in horror. Lets out
a scream. Whatever's in there releases her arms and she
goes tumbling ass-over-teakettle down to the floor, her
arms released.
Eddie runs to her, takes her in his arms, sopping himself in
the same blood.
EDDIE
What are you doing? Are you okay?
Sara has no answer.
INT. THE MAIN SALON - SHORTLY AFTER
Pritchett enters the room. The blood-caked Eddie and Sara
stumble in, right behind them. Pritchett grimaces...
PRITCHETT
Now it's marked the two of you.
EVELYN
I suppose it's too much to hope that
all that blood means --
A grim-faced Price enters.
EVELYN
(disappointed)
-- nope, he's still alive.
She pours herself another huge drink.
PRICE
Evelyn, could you just zip it for a
moment? It looks like we're stuck here
'til morning -- let's make the best of
it.
EDDIE
Best of a nightmare.
SARA
There is something very not
normal going on here!
PRITCHETT
This? This is nothing. You've only been
dealing with the House itself. You have
no idea what you're tinkering with.
Sooner or later, the darkness that is at
the core will get out... One of you
will release it... Not meaning to, of
course... then...
(singing)
...Bye, bye, Miss American Pie...
SARA
Pritchett, what is this "core of
darkness"?
PRITCHETT
I thought you understood.... It's the
souls of Vannacutt's dead... The
insanity... The horror... Victims burned
alive... All that pain percolating
somewhere in the house for seventy-some
years...
(singing)
...singing this will be the day that I
die... This will be the day that I....
He makes a beeline for the sideboard.
BLACKBURN
There must be some other way out.
PRICE
Well, until that's found, I think it's a
good idea we all stick together.
(turns to his wife)
Or wouldn't that fit into your plans,
baby?
EVELYN
Fine with me. Just somebody then better
go and round up Melissa Marr.
PRICE
Where is she?
EVELYN
Stalking the wild poltergeist.
INT. HALLWAY - SIMULTANEOUS
VIDEO IMAGE: A DARKENED HALLWAY rife with grainy shadows.
The image cruises down the corridor, peering into the
twisting passageways that intersect our path as we drift
like some Flying Dutchman.
INT. HALLWAY - SIMULTANEOUS
and we see that we've been watching from the POV of Melissa
Marr's CAMCORDER. She's gliding up and down the hallway,
eye glued to the viewfinder, taking in every square inch of
the place.
POV CAMCORDER
The bumps and pits in the carved-stone CORRIDOR walls are
becoming more vivid.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Melissa seen taking a left into ANOTHER HALLWAY.
POV CAMCORDER
an ODD SHADOW plays in the corner at the end of this new
hallway. The CORRIDOR appears to grow smaller, more
claustrophobic.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Melissa letting loose a half-uneasy, half-exhilarated gulp.
She stops walking. Slowly lowers the Camcorder, scans the
end of the hall with her naked eye:
Other than having the creepy ambience as the rest of the
house, the hall appears normal again: large and long without
a trace of anything extraordinary. She returns her eye to the
viewfinder.
POV CAMCORDER
the SHIFTING SHADOW she saw before disappears into an OPEN
DOOR at the end of the hall.
MELISSA (O.S.)
Curiouser and curiouser. We're talking a
fifty share, minimum.
-- just then: a murmur of MANY VOICES heard around her.
ANOTHER ANGLE
Melissa lowers the CAMCORDER, eyes darting everywhere,
scared -- but she sees nothing. CAMERA back up to her eye.
She moves to the doorway. As she turns the corner, we see
the PATTERN ON THE WALL. It is really a painting done in
ANAMORPHOSIS - it has now become a terrible Gothic demon,
ready to strike.
POV CAMCORDER
We reach the vault-like door and peer down the steps that
disappear into a pool of darkness. The VOICES heard again.
Indistinct basso. Emanating from somewhere below. We
descend down the stairs.
INT. BASEMENT - CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
MELISSA comes to a stop at the bottom of the stairs: her eyes
go wide at the sight before her.
WILD IMAGES painted by some long-dead madman, start on the
floor, sweep up across the wall and onto the ceiling.
SHE PEERS CLOSER, sees: that they're images of torture and
death painted in blood. MELISSA stares at them, wide-eyed.
She puts the camera back up to her eye.
POV CAMCORDER
the IMAGES come alive: WRITHING in AGONY, what passes for
their mouths open wide in silent screams. Melissa is awe-
struck:
MELISSA (O.S.)
Fuck me bald.
She moves down the corridor to a room at the end. A sign
proclaims "CEREBRAL HYGIENE". As she nears, the voices grow
louder. And now mixed in with them are terrible MOANS.
INT. CEREBRAL HYGIENE ROOM -
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