Indiana Jones IV

FADE IN:

Int. desert cave—DAY

A figure resembling INDIANA JONES walks down a long hallway with two guides flanking him holding flashlights and looking nervous.  They have been walking for a while and the passage is becoming more dusty and full of cobwebs.

One of the guides ARI stops to take a rock out of his shoe.

ARI

Ouch! Why is this passage

so long? And why is it

getting colder?

The figure resembling Indiana stops and throws a level on the ground. He turns around to face the other two and is revealed to be JASON, a twenty-something kid with a cowboy pistol instead of a whip.

JASON (laughing)

We’re getting deeper guys,

so bundle up.

ARI

If you knew it was going to

be cold why didn’t we bring

torches instead of these things?

JASON

I’ll never understand this

obsession with torches people

have. You’re just like my dad,

living in the past.

ARI

Archaeologists are supposed

to live in the past. Where

is your father anyway? I would

feel much safer with him here.

Jason is indignant and turns away without responding.

CUT TO:

INDIANA JONES is sitting in bed drinking coffee and reading the paper. He has a sprained ankle. SALLAH enters and pours himself some coffee.

SALLAH

So Indy, do you know where

your son is this morning?

INDIANA

Probably sleeping one off.

SALLAH

Well Indy, you can be happy

young Jason isn’t quite the

drunk you think although in

this case you may wish he was.

Indiana get up and starts getting dressed in a hurry.

INDIANA

Alright Sallah what did he

do now? He hasn’t been

gambling again, has he?

SALLAH

No, no nothing like that.

He has simply stolen three

of my best camels and two

of my worst guides.

Indiana looks alarmed and starts looking through his luggage.

SALLAH

He headed southwest

apparently into the desert

so I thought-

INDIANA (holding up an empty briefcase)

The ruins of Bedua.

CUT TO:

INT. Desert cave—DAY

Jason and guides have come to a stone wall blocking the passage and are examining everything nearby with flashlights.

ARI

Maybe this is a sign.

JASON (irritated)

A sign of what exactly?

GUIDE #2

We shouldn’t be here.

JASON

You should be more concerned

with what we can do not what

you think we should.

The two guides look at each other uneasily.

CUT TO:

EXT. Entrance to ruins of Bedua—DAY

Five Arab men with rifles sit on camels in front of the entrance.

ARAB #1

Do you think they will figure

out how to open the chamber door?

Arab #2

Perhaps not but he is American,

no? He will blow the door up to

get what he wants.

Arab #3

Now what makes you think

Americans are so destructive?

The group starts laughing loudly at the joke.

CUT TO:

Indiana and Sallah are riding through the desert.

INDIANA (curious)

Sallah how do you know where

we’re going?

SALLAH (coughs)

Well Indy I’ve been keeping

copies of your maps because

you do have a rather strong

tendency to get captured.

They suddenly hear the sound of laughter and pull the horses to a stop. They crawl up to the top of a sand dune and see the five Arabs.

EXT. Cave entrance–Continuous

The Arab men sit under some ruins next to the cave entrance. Some of them start loading and cleaning their rifles.

CUT TO:

INT. Blocked passage—DAY

ARI (shining his flash light down a hole)

I think I see a lever down

there but we’re going to need

a long stick to reach it.

JASON (rolling eyes)

Oh yes there are plenty of

long sticks in the desert.

Jason thinks for a moment and takes his pistol out and shoots into the hole. The door starts to rise.

EXT. Cave Entrance—DAY

ARAB #2

See what I told you!

EXT. Top of sand dune—Continuous

INDIANA (muttering)

Any excuse to use his gun.

SALLAH

You know Indy I think they

will be shot at when they

leave the cave.

INDIANA

Yeah I get that same feeling.

Indiana sees the camels Jason has brought and decides to create a diversion.

INT. Cavern—DAY

Jason and guides have entered a large elaborate cavern and they stand there speechless shining flashlights up and down the wall. After a few seconds the door behind them starts to close. They all run for the door and make it out just in time.

                        ARI (looking at the broken lever)

              Well this has been a productive

              day.

EXT. Cave Entrance—DAY

Jason’s group emerges into bright sunlight and chaos. Camels are running around wildly, with Arabs chasing them. Bullets are also flying from the few Arabs not chasing camels. Indiana and Sallah ride in and grab Jason and the guides and escape through the mazelike ruins.

INDIANA (yelling over the noise)

You’re a real pain in the

ass kiddo!

JASON

At least I haven’t been gambling!

FADE OUT.

This nonfiction work by Erik Larson has strong potential to be a successful three part series on HBO or Showtime. Each part would fill an hour and a half time slot and would premier on Columbus Day due to the fact that the fair itself was a celebration of Columbus’s arrival in America and also inspired the national holiday.  The first part of the series would focus on the events leading up to the fair, the second part would show the events occurring during the fair, and the third part would focus on the events after the fair centering on the investigation of the serial killer.

Plot Summery

Although the book goes into excruciating detail about the designs and trials of the architects, it would be best to avoid this plot line as it will most likely only be interesting to people with a subscription to architectural digest.  The fair and its novel architecture would be mainly a visually exciting background to the main story of a charming, methodical psychopath, “Dr.” Holmes.

            The first part of the series would show the killer as he establishes himself in Chicago by defrauding creditors and construction workers.  There would be great contrast value in showing his construction of a “gloomy castle” complete with sound proof vaults, gas chambers, and a crematorium and the construction of the grand Romanesque buildings for the fair.  The killer also had several relationships during this period, all of which ended with the disappearance of the women involved.  One possible subplot that could be explored is the union struggles associated with the construction and the rise of Mayor Harrison, who would be killed by an altogether different kind of lunatic at the beginning of part three.

            The second part of the series would show Holmes as his hotel filled up with victims.  He appears to have done the majority of his killing during the fair because of an abundance of visitors to the city. We also see him romancing his victims by taking them to the fair and enjoying the exhibits before taking them home and killing them.  Holmes also has creditors piling up and letters from his victim’s families coming in as well.  One darkly humorous part of the story is the fact that Holmes sold his victim’s skeletons to medical schools as a way to dispose of the bodies.  Again there is a great contrast between Holmes canvassing the fair for victims and historically famous people visiting at the same time such as Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley as well as visiting dignitaries.

            The third part of the series would show primarily the detective work that led to the arrest and execution of Holmes.  The final part would begin with the murder of the mayor at the hands of a disturbed lunatic and the deterioration of both the economy and the once majestic white city. This would set the tone for the more disturbing elements uncovered during the investigation of Dr. Holmes.  The investigation itself would be compelling because of the techniques used in those days compared to the criminal justice system we are used to seeing on TV or film.  There is no forensics, profiling or even fingerprints so the detective simply went to an enormous number of hotels in many cities, asking questions and showing low quality black and white photographs.  One novel aspect of criminal investigations was the unrestricted access the press had to crime scenes.  This would be effective in showing the progress of the investigation in conjunction with colorful headlines.

Author

The author has had great success with his previous book “Isaac’s Storm”, a non fiction national best seller about the Galveston hurricane in 1900.  Reviews of “The Devil in the White City” often compliment the author’s ability to take historical events and show them in an accessible and interesting way.

Genre

The serial killer Genre has been very successful with films like “Seven” and “Taking Lives”, among other films.  Particularly successful have been the ones where the killer is outwardly charming and inwardly disturbed and homicidal.  This series would not be as graphic as the average serial killer film mainly because the killer used gas and suffocation with explicit violence and gore occurring rarely.  This would make it more acceptable for the mainstream audience.

Casting

Dr. Holmes—Vince Vaughn (has played a serial killer in two films), Jeremy Irons

            –Both actors can be very charming as well as very disturbing and dangerous

Mayor Harrison—John Goodman

Burnham (inspired Architect)—Television actor fitting description

Olmstead (oversaw fair) — Donald Sutherland

Promotion

The first major promotional possibility would be with Westinghouse INC, whose founder George Westinghouse introduced large scale electric power at the fair, outbid Tomas Edison for the concession and also pioneered the alternating currant system.  Because Westinghouse is now a large corporation, it would be a significant product placement.

Another product placement strategy would be to tie in the consumer products first presented to the public at the fair.  Aunt Jemima’s Pancake mix, Cream of Wheat, Quaker Oats, Juicy Fruit Gum, Cracker Jack, Shredded Wheat, and Pabst Blue Ribbon were all pioneered at the fair.  The fact that these products have been in popular use since 1893 gives the product placements added power.

Advertising for the series could be placed across all media platforms.  As HBO is part of Time Warner, the possibilities for cross promotion are huge.  Ads could also be placed in the monthly cable bills of HBO subscribers.

Like it did with “Rome”, HBO could make several short ‘making of’ specials.  These could include a virtual tour of the 1893 exhibition, an examination of the working conditions and labor problems leading up to the great depression.  HBO could also include interviews with cast members and historians.  These specials would also be available online and on demand. They would serve to create buzz and give the viewer more context that will not be shown in the series itself.

The book is a #1 national bestseller and a finalist in the national book award and as such, an audience for the series already exists.  A new edition with the movie cover and perhaps a short promotional DVD with extras and previews would insure readers’ interest in seeing the series.  All this could be co-financed with the publishers as the series would in turn provide increased book sales.

The potential for DVD extras is also significant because there is an abundance of material that could personalize the fair for viewers.  A copy of the original fair maps, an admission ticket, or a replica of the Ferris wheel could all aid in creating a unique package fans of the series would want.  There could also be expanded documentary extras in this area.

                                                WZBC

                             PSA: BIKES AND BOOZE—30 SECOND

Begin with testimony:  SO I SHOULDN’T EVEN HAVE BEEN WALKING BUT I NEVER HEARD OF A DUI FOR BIKES, PLUS I WASN’T EVEN GOING THAT FAST…..BUT YEAH I RAN RIGHT INTO A CURB AND LANDED ON MY FACE.

“Sound of bicycle skidding”

EVERYONE HAS BEEN TOLD HUNDREDS OF TIMES NOT TO DRINK AND DRIVE.  YOU’VE SEEN THE VIDEOS.  YOU’VE HEARD THE STATISTICS AND HOPEFULLY IF YOU ARE DRUNK YOU WON’T GET BEHIND THE WHEEL.  BUT HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THE DANGERS OF DRUNKEN BICYCLE RIDING?  REMEMBER KIDS, BIKING DRUNK IS NOT A SAFE ALTERNATIVE TO DRIVING DRUNK.  SO THE NEXT TIME YOU’RE THINKING ABOUT PEDALING HOME DRUNK, JUST THINK ABOUT HOW MUCH HARDER IT IS TO BALANCE ON TWO WHEELS WHEN YOU CAN’T EVEN BALANCE ON TWO FEET. 

Patricide

10/30/06 6:00pm

ANN:               Good evening the time is six o’clock and we start off tonight’s news with a disturbing death in Mattapan.  Brian Lee, a resident of Boston, is in custody and will be arraigned today on charges that he murdered his father. Lee will be charged in a West Roxbury court based on gruesome evidence police have found at two separate crime scenes.  A Roxbury woman has found body parts outside her home and the police have discovered the torso of an elderly man at Lee’s Mattapan home.  Neighbor Donald Barlow remembers the relationship between father and son as strained, a fact that led the father to request a restraining order from his son.

TAPE:              “He seemed a bit off…I think his father was really terrified of Brian”

ANN:               Brian Lee had been seen driving his father’s car as well as possibly disposing of evidence by friends and neighbors who are needless to say, shocked by the crime.

Forest Fires

10/30/06 6:00pm

ANN:               California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is visiting the fire ravished town of Twin Pines today, where firefighters are gaining an upper hand on large wildfires that have been raging for several days.  So far the blaze has killed four firefighters and left one badly burned. The fires have also destroyed more than 30 homes in the state.  Authorities say that the blaze, which has scorched over forty thousand acres so far, was set by an arsonist and at this point the police have no leads in the criminal investigation.  Despite the massive scale of the fires and the possibility of high winds, firefighters are confident they will have the blaze under control by tomorrow night.

TAPE:              “It’s the bottom of the ninth, so we want to make sure we hit it out of the park and win this thing”

Shell Shock

10/30/06 6:00pm

ANN:               Turning now to the Iraq War, we look at one of its most important casualties, the health of veterans.  Some soldiers come back from the war and renter civilian life with no problems, but many are still very much affected by the experiences they have had in the middle east.  Andy Wilson is one of those who still carry the war around with them.  He has post traumatic stress disorder and it has driven him to attempted suicide. He not only has problems finding work and interacting with his family, but also suffers from headaches, depression, and fatigue. There are many who feel that the military should recognize these mental problems and provide aid to veterans while others believe aid should be reserved for those with physical injuries.

TAPE:              “Maybe they should come up with some thing for us crazy guys. I don’t know. But we have wounds that we’re going to carry for the rest of our lives.”

ANN:               The response that was given to Wilson by his captain was that there is nothing wrong with him.

Bridgewater triangle

10/30/06 6:00pm

ANN:               In supernatural news, people are revisiting the mysteries of the Bridgewater Triangle, a part of Massachusetts known for Ghost and UFO sightings.  Stretching from Abington to Freetown to Rehoboth, the triangle’s paranormal activity is often linked to the violent takeover of the land from the Native Americans.  Some of the more interesting sightings include prehistoric fighting birds, a bear-human hybrid and a lunatic truck driver who speeds and honks his horn at everybody.  While the trucker may just be the average Massachusetts driver, many people like teacher Chris Balzano believe that the area has strong supernatural energy.

TAPE:              “I’ve seen cycles of tragedy and what might be a negative force popping up in different forms”

Pats and Vikings

10/30/06 6:00pm

ANN:               In sports today, the Patriots will take on the Minnesota Vikings in the Minnesota Metrodome.  The largest challenge for the Patriots will be the unfamiliarity of play in this rare appearance in Minnesota.  The dome creates a strong home field advantage and the Pats will have to be prepared for this. One of the ways they are doing this is by practicing with loud music playing and using signals instead of audible communication.  Brady and Belichick are both confident they can overcome the obstacle of very high volume.

TAPE:              “It’s all about communication… there’s a rhythm of a center when he brings his head up to snap the ball”

Weather

10/30/06 6:00pm

ANN:               And now for the forecast. Today will be comfortable with a high of 62 and a low of 42. It will be partly cloudy and winds will start out strong in the morning but will go down by the afternoon.  Tomorrow we will have a high of 69 and a low of 48 with plenty of sun and the possibility of more strong winds. For Wednesday we have a high of 66 and a low of 43 with clouds moving in early and a possibility of showers later that day.  All in all the week is shaping up nicely so get out and enjoy it before the Boston winter arrives.

:60 second radio spot, Student Solutions

 MUSIC “LOVE AND MARRIAGE” UP AND UNDER 

VOICE ONE               Hey everybody this is your house speaking and I’m sorry to say I

 have a few complaints, First of all my gutters have too many leaves in them, second my

front hall has a stain on the carpet….(VOICE FADEOUT)

VOICE TWO              Does your house complain too much?  Does it whine about the dirt

and messes it finds?  They can be very particular about their appearance and oftentimes

think that their owner should be cleaning them constantly.

VOICE ONE               …Additionally, my shower drain is slightly clogged and I don’t

want any Drano because it hurts my pipes…

VOICE TWO              If this incessant complaining is getting on your nerves, we have

 just the solution, Student Solutions.  We are a cleaning company started and run by

 students from your local colleges and universities and all profits go to pay tuition costs. 

Support higher education and we guarantee that after Student Solutions is finished

cleaning, your house will shut up for at least a week.

VOICE ONE               Student Solutions! Oh you shouldn’t have, but I certainly do

 deserve it.

VOICE TWO              So if you need help around the house or yard please give us a call

:60 second Radio spot,  The MBTA

 SFX TRAFFIC, CAR HORNS, SCREECHING, PEOPLE YELLING 

SARAH           This traffic makes me want to buy a bulldozer and go through this

gridlock like a bowling ball.

JEN                 That’s not a bad idea (PAUSE) we would probably get to work on time.

SARAH           Oh no!  We ARE going to be late and I was late for class yesterday too.

JEN                 I suppose we could always take the T

SARAH           Yeah but the T is so slow and crowded, plus it smells funny sometimes.

JEN                 Well it’s not exactly the Ritz but it can’t be any worse than where

 we are now.

SARAH           It’s not that bad

JEN                 Are you kidding? (INCREDULOUS) We have moved five feet in the last

 Ten minutes, your air conditioner is broken-

SARAH           (INTERUPPTING) No it’s not broken, I just don’t want to use up my gas

sitting in traffic.

JEN                 Ok whatever, you’re still breathing in exhaust like its some kind of

SARAH           Yeah I know but things could get better

JEN                 Oh? What do you see happening that would make this commute better?

SARAH           Gas prices could go down, they could finish the big dig…

JEN                 So you are waiting for peace in the Middle East and the largest

 construction screw up in history to work itself out?

SARAH           Fine, lets try the T and see how it works out, I can’t afford any more tickets anyway.

ANNOUCER   Riding the T will save you time and headache as well as ease the stain on

 your wallet. Look for a coupon valid for a free day on the T in this Sunday’s Globe and

Herald.

Dr. Death could be made into a feature length film but the story and the number of characters make the book more suitable for a crime drama episode.               The main characters are Alex the narrator and his friend and colleague on the homicide squad, Milo. Alex is a physiologist who does consulting work with the LAPD.  A “doctor” Mate resembling Jack Kevorkian has been brutally murdered and cut to pieces and Milo has caught the case.  There are three main suspects in the crime: Richard Doss, a prominent businessman whose wife was killed by Mate. A serial killer called Michael Burke whose existence is introduced by an FBI agent Fusco. Mate’s son Donny, who is a homeless criminal type. The killer is Michael burke, who “discovered” the body of Dr. Mate. He is killed by agent Fusco before being arrested. The story begins with Alex and Milo examining the scene where Mate was murdered, a parking lot on a deserted road. They spend a good deal of time examining the scene where they talk about the mind and motivations of the killer. The scene is chaotic, with CSI type people running around.  They also interview the people who found the body, one of whom turns out to be the killer.  This is a brief interview because the “witness” is not a suspect until near the end.We see the other side of Alex’s professional life after this as he talks to an old patient Richard Doss who needs counseling for his daughter.  Richard Doss is immediately a suspect in the story because Mate killed his wife and he was extremely angry.  Doss is bossy and obnoxious and very happy to hear Mate has been killed.            Since the story revolves around the search for Mate’s killer, it would be effective to have a montage of the research Alex does on Mate.  We discover that Mate was an attention seeker and might have killed for personal satisfaction rather than for moral reasons.There is a growing tension between Alex and Milo concerning Doss because Alex wants to keep his patients confidentiality and Milo thinks he is a prime suspect.The second suspect is introduced by a visit to Mate’s house where the landlady reports a bum sneaking in.  Mate’s previously unknown wife is near the house and tells Alex and Milo about her son with Mate, who might be hostile towards his father. The son Donny is now a suspect and his whereabouts are unknown.An FBI agent Fusco contacts Alex and Milo and says he has something that could help their investigation.  They all meet at a coffee shop where the agent gives the pair a large folder on a Michael Burke.  The FBI man acts strangely and we don’t know why at this point.  According to Fusco, the killer is probably Burke, who has been a serial killer for a long time and many of his victims were similar to the patients of Dr. Mate. Both Doss and Donny Mate become more suspicious as the story progresses. Doss becomes a more suspicious character because of the therapy Alex has with his daughter, who reveals how unbalanced her father is. Donny becomes more suspicious when they find a gruesome painting done by him at his father’s house.During a therapy session with Doss’s daughter, Doss is arrested for hiring someone to kill Mate.  A former employee made a deal with the police and told them that Doss hired him to kill Mate.  The former employee did not go through with it but the detective thinks he may have tried again.Finally looking through the file agent Fusco gave him, Alex finds a clue that makes it seem very likely that Michael Burke is the killer. Alex sees a hypodermic needle in an old crime scene photo that matches one found at the scene of Mate’s murder.Alex has a meeting with Doss, who claims that he did hire someone to kill mate but that when that didn’t happen, he didn’t attempt it a second time. We don’t know if he is lying at this point.Mate’s son appears, beaten up and taken to an LA hospital. The man is mentally unstable and a drug addict but an intense questioning session with Alex reveals that he probably did not kill his father.  He wanted to but he didn’t get the chance.While searching for the elusive lawyer of Mate, Alex stumbles upon the dead bodies of the lawyer and a friend of Mate. They are tied to a tree and are carved up just like Dr. Mate and the victims of Michael Burke.  At this point it is pretty clear that the person from Fusco’s files is the person who killed Mate.  Milo believes that Burke was a covert assistant to Dr. Mate, which would explain why he killed the lawyer also.  There is a problem with agent Fusco because when Alex calls the FBI to talk to the agent, two other FBI agents tell him that agent Fusco has gone AWOL and is under investigation.  It appears that Fusco believes Michael Burke killed his daughter and has taken the case too personally.With this new information in mind, Alex and Milo take another look as Fusco’s file to find a fresh lead.  Through discussions about the motivations of the killer, Alex notices a similarity in the descriptions and statements of the people who found many of the victims.  One statement in particular catches his attention and we get a flashback to the witness at the scene of mate’s murder.  Alex has solved the case but the killer is still out there. Alex and Milo can’t find anything on the killer so they go searching for a lead on the girls he was with. They manage to locate the girl’s sister who tells them how creepy her sister’s boyfriend is and a few places they might be able to locate her.Milo and Alex go on the search immediately because they believe that Michael Burke is planning to kill the girl.  Eventually they trace her car to a remote cabin in the woods and they approach the place with caution.They sneak up and spy on the cabin where they see the killer and the girl.  It appears that the killer is planning another murder and just as Milo is about to jump out and arrest Burke, he is killed by a sniper rifle.  The killer of Burke is assumed to be the renegade FBI man Fusco.

The case has been solved and Alex and Milo return to write their reports on the serial killer Michael Burke. Richard Doss goes to jail for the attempt to hire someone to kill mate and the other suspects are released.  Special agent Fusco has taken revenge and is not captured or proven to be the shooter.

Scene I

FADE IN:

EXT PARKING LOT WITH VAN AND ORANGE CAR   DAY

MILO is sitting on hood of orange car and ALEX pulls into parking lot in own car.

MILO

Alex.

ALEX

Big guy.

Going cowboy?

MILO

My Georgia O’Keeffe period.

Milo laughs and turns to look at van

ALEX

No attempt to conceal.

Milo shrugs and walks to the van

MILO

We know where the van came from.

The rental sticker traces back to an avis in Tarzana,

Mate rented it last Friday, got the weekend rate.

ALEX

Preparing for another mercy mission?

MILO

That’s what he uses vans for, but so far

no one has come forth claiming mate stood

him up.

ALEX

I’m surprised the companies still rent to him.

MILO

They probably don’t. The paperwork was done

by an Alice Zoghbie, a right to die activist who

is out of the country as of Saturday.

ALEX

She rented the van and split the next day?

MILO

Apparently. I called her and the machine said she

Will be back in a week. She’s on my to do list.

(taps notepad)

ALEX

I wonder why Mate never bought a van.

MILO

From what I’ve seen so far he was cheap.

He’s got a budget car and a barren apartment,

He used to use cheap motels.

ALEX (nodding)

He liked to leave the bodies on the bed for

The maids to find. I saw him on TV defending

 himself, saying the setting doesn’t matter.

MILO (suspiciously)

You’ve been following Mate’s career?

ALEX

Didn’t have to, he wasn’t exactly media shy.

Any tracks of other cars nearby?

Milo shakes his head

ALEX

So you’re wondering if the killer drove

Up with Mate.

MILO

Or parked farther down the road, or

Left no tracks, or forensics missed something,

I mean no one even noticed the damned

Van and its been sitting here for hours.

ALEX

What about shoe prints?

MILO

Just the people who found the van.

ALEX

What’s the time of death estimate?

MILO (looking at watch)

Between one and four am, Mate

was found just after sunrise.

ALEX

The paper said the people who

found him were hikers, they sure were

up early.

MILO

Couple of yuppies walking the dog,

 they were headed up the dirt road when they

noticed the van.

ALEX

Any other people come by? There is a large housing

development nearby.

MILO

High-priced development. Guess the rich

get to sleep in.

ALEX

There might be someone else we missed.

MILO

Its possible but how many cars have you seen

on this road?

Alex turns and looks at deserted road

MILO

And even if someone saw the van there

is no reason to stop and look inside, it just doesn’t stand out

ALEX

It stood out to the yuppies.

MILO

Their dog wouldn’t stop barking at it

so they went and looked and I think its

 safe to say they won’t be taking this path

again.

ALEX

That bad?

MILO

Dr. Mate was hooked up to his own machine.

ALEX

The Humanitron.

MILO

Yeah I figured the machine would be high tech but

it looks like a failed grade school science project.

ALEX

It worked.

MILO

It worked fine fifty times and that’s what I

have to go on, fifty potentially angry families.

I have a long list.

ALEX

Maybe Mate hooked himself up to

the machine

MILO

The machine was just for show, the

killer carved him like a turkey and Mate

probably bled to death during the cutting.

ALEX

Lord.

MILO

He was castrated and there were eight other cuts

using a scalpel or scissors, Squares, like the killer

was playing around.

ALEX

Proud of himself. He preformed surgery

and it sounds like a mess. Are you sure

there’s no blood outside the van? (looking around)

MILO

Not one speck, this guy was extremely careful.

ALEX

The killer wanted the body to be found, he

left everything in the open, like he is saying look at what I did.

What was the body position?

MILO

Laying on his back head near the front seat.

ALEX

Mate prepares the van, the killer uses it.

What a power trip.

MILO (after thinking for a minute)

There’s something that needs to be kept quiet,

the killer left a note nailed to Mate’s sternum

“Happy traveling, you sick bastard.”

Scene II

INT PSYCHOLOGIST OFFICE   DAY:

ERIC and Alex are sitting in chairs facing each other.  Eric looks at boards games

ERIC

 Hey lets play candyland, see who gets to the

 top of the mountain first.

ALEX

Nothing wrong with having a sweet life.

ERIC (emotional)

Everything’s a punch line with you, making

your fucking point. Well thanks for the

fuckin insight doc!

The intercom buzzes and the receptionist comes on.

RECEPTIONIST

Sorry for interrupting you but we have a problem out here.

INT WAITING ROOM:

RICHARD and STACY are standing next to two cops, KORN and DEMETRI as Alex and Eric enter.

RICHARD

These two gentlemen are waiting to take me to the police station

KORN

Hey doc, nice place.

RICHARD (mad)

You know him!

ALEX

What’s going on?

KORN

Like Mr. Doss said, we’re taking him in.

ALEX

For what?

KORN

Questioning.

ALEX

In regards to?

DEMETRI

This is not your business. We interrupted you

so Eric can take his sister home.

STACY

Daddy?

Richard looks away and doesn’t answer.

RICHARD

First I’m calling my lawyer.

KORN (sighing)

Fine.

RICHARD

This is Richard Doss, please get max on the line…

Whats that? When?… ok its really important  that

I talk to him…No no I can’t get into it right now,

 just call him in aspen…I’ll be at the west LA police

station.

DEMETRI

Let’s get going.

Scene III

EXT RURAL ROADSIDE WITH ONE CAR PARKED NEXT TO MAILBOX

ALEX and MILO are standing next to the car looking up the driveway.

MILO

No sense announcing ourselves, lets

 see if we can get a view of the cabin.

CUT TO: EXT PATH COMING THROUGH FOREST LEADING TO VIEW OF CABIN WITH TWO CARS IN FRONT

Alex and Milo crouch behind some bushes with a view of the cars and the front door of the cabin.

CUT TO: SHOT OF CABIN WINDOW WITH TWO PEOPLE MOVING AROUND.

MILO

                        Separate cars…

ALEX

Maybe she is going to work early.

                                                MILO

                        He might have evidence here so I can’t

 mess up the search warrant.  Maybe we

should back off for now.

                        ALEX

                        She might be in danger.

PAUL ULRICH comes out of the door with coffee in hand. He walks over to the car and pops the trunk, pulling out a black bag.

                                                MILO

                        Not good.

CUT TO: CU OF PAUL AS HE IS SHOT IN THE CHEST

Two more shots and Paul is down on the ground. Milo jumps out of the bushes with gun drawn and looks around franticly.

                                                ALEX (whispers)

                        Fusco.

FADE OUT

Manhunt

A small time drug dealer accidentally kills a cop and makes a run for the border to avoid arrest.

            A drug dealer is making a deal when he decides to rob the person he is selling drugs to. There is a short struggle during this altercation and the buyer is killed unintentionally by falling on a rock.  The dealer is freaked out but believes he has gotten away with it.  Later on, the dealer finds out from watching the news that the dead man was actually an undercover police officer.  Knowing that he will probably be charged with murder, he decides to make a run for Canada. Barely evading the police at his own house, the dealer travels a distance with the help of accomplices.  The second accomplice turns out to be another undercover who promptly locks him in the trunk and drives the car backwards into a wall

                        MANHUNT Fade in:EXT. secluded area in a park–DAYJAY is leaning on a tree smoking a cigarette. There is a backpack on the ground next to him. Fred enters and shakes hands with Jay. FREDWhats good man? JAYIt should all be good dude, you came back real fast… I hope you’re not gonna say you short. Fred hands Jay an envelope. FREDNo its all there don’t worry. JAY(looking in the envelope)Oh I’m not worried. Jay suddenly drops his cigarette and punches Fred in the stomach. JAYI have a monopoly on this neighborhood so I don’t want to see you around anymore ok? Fred is bent over and nods. Jay hits him again, sending Fred sprawling. Jay turns away and puts the envelope in the back. Turning back around, Jay sees Fred’s unmoving body on the ground. JAY(concerned)Oh shit. Jay nudges the body with his foot and sees blood on Fred’s head. JAY(rapidly)Shit shit shit! Jay walks away quickly and nervously. CUT TO: EXT. parking lot–DAY Jay gets in his car and screeches off. FADE TO BLACKFADE IN: INT. cluttered living room–NIGHTJay is smoking a joint and his hand is shaking. The TV is on the news. NEWSMANThe body found earlier today in ThorndenPark has been identified as Officer Fred O’Neill, a member of the New York State police Drug task force.  Jay picks up the phone and dials. JAYHey man I need your help, I fucked up man…like really bad. VOICEIf you fucked up why would you think your phone is safe to talk on? The voice hangs up and Jay drops the phone on the ground.  There is a loud banging on the front door. POLICEJason Sizemore, we have a warrant for your arrest! Jay grabs the backpack and runs out the rear window of the apartment. CUT TO: EXT. Porch–NIGHTJays runs to the door and knocks, breathing heavily. Tim Open the door. TIMDamn Jay I just saw your mug shot on the news JAYIt was an accident man, I just- TIMYeah yeah I know you don’t have the balls to intentionally kill anyone and no one would kill a cop if they could avoid it.
JAYMan this is fucked, I think I need to get to Canada. TIMNot a bad idea.  I’m not drivin you across though…I could give you a ride up north but I’m not crossing the border with your ass in the trunk. JAYThat’s fine, I got a buddy who can take me across the lake. TIMI’m goin to bed then, we’ll get up early. Tim goes to bed and Jay sits on the couch, unable to sleep. FADE TO BLACKFADE IN: INT. Moving car–DAY TIMSo where is this guys meeting us? JAYHe should be just around the corner there. CUT TO:    EXT. Parking lot–DAYThe car pulls into a lot next to another car with PETE in it. Jay and Pete get out of the cars. CUT TO: INT. Car–DAYTIM(to himself)Good luck Jay. CUT TO: EXT. Parking lot–DAYTim drives away.JAYHey Pete thanks for meeting me. PETEDon’t give me that happy bullshit, You killed a cop from what I see on TV. You think I need that kind of heat? JAYWell I wasn’t asking you to do anything for free. Last I checked it was your job to sell drugs. PETEIs that what’s in the bag? JAYYep and its all yours once I’m out of this country. PETEHmm how about you tell me who you pick up from? JAYThat’s not how things work. PETE(irritated)Fine get in the trunk, I sold the boat so we’re takin the back road. Jay gets in the trunk PETEOh here is a flashlight in caseYou’re afraid of the dark. JAYHaha thanks. The trunk closes. CUT TO EXT. Parking area with brick wall–DAYPete gets out and walks to the trunk. PETE(tapping the trunk)Jay you are a terrible judge of character, I work for the FBI. JAYSon of a bitch! PETEIf you give up your connection in Canada, I might be able to put in a good word. JAYFuck you! PETEMight be able to avoid the death penalty. Jay pauses before answering JAYHis name is shelly and he has bars in Ottawa on the south side. PETEThanks Jay, too bad I can’t blow my cover by bringing you in. Jay starts yelling and Pete walks back to the front of the car and drives it backwards into the wall. FADE OUT.