.

"BAS.KET CASli:"

by

Frank Henenlotter

© Copyright 1978
by Frank Henenlotter
 1•

FADE IN
1 INT. PILLSBURY'S OFFICE. 1

The lights are off. The soUJld of a key eaters a lock.

The door opens aad DR. PILLSBURY enters, turning on the
light . The room is a small, old-fashioned doctor's office
where everything looks at least 50 years old.
So does DR. PILLSBURY. He is also extremely upset. Placing
his little black bag o• his desk , but not removing his
coat, he goes directly to a metal filing cabinet, unlocks
it, aAd takes out a medical chart: a aaaila folder stuffed
with papers. He sits at the desk scanniug the pages.
,

CUT TO
2 CLOSEUP of the medical report as he skims through it. 2
The information oa the pages is meallillgless to us since
he flips through them · too fast to study. However , there
appear to be many xerox reproductions of articals fro■
textbooks and medical jour•als, copious ha.d- written
notes ud eve• so■ e photographs we ca.Jlllot ■ake out.
He returns to the notes on the first page. Two words,
ttPARASITIC TERATA" , are underscored aad easily staad out.
So does "DECEASED", eta.aped ia red ink, which obscuree
a section of the notes. Clipped to the top of the page is
a xerox of a birth certificate which the doetor reaoTes.
CUT TO
CLOSEUP DR. PILLSBURY. He raises the birth certificate 3
and we suddenly see that there is not one but two birth
certificates -- the second under the first. He looks at
both, wipes his forehead and returns to the report.
CUT TO
4 CLOSEUP BO?TOM of the first page. There are two doctors' 4
names written there . The first is "DR. HAROLD NEEDLEMAlf"
with a Maahattaa address &lld phone aumber. The other,
"DR. KUTTER", just has "N.Y.C." next to it.
CUT TO
5 PILLSBURY gra9s ~the telephoae, hesitates for a momeat, 5
then diala. A woman answers.
VOICE ON PHONE
Nee,dleman ' s office .
(CONTINUED)
 2.

5 CONTINUED: 5
PILLSBURY
Is the doctor in?
VOICE ON PHONE
This is his answering service. The
doctor isn ' t here,
PILLSBURY
Well how can I reach him? You must
have another number -- his home phone?
VOICE ON PHONE
I'm sorry sir, I don't , Are you a
patient?
PILLSBURY
No! I'm a colleague of his. Surely
there must be some way I can reach him - - ?
VOICE ON PHONE
I! you'll leave your name and phone
number I ' ll have the doctor call you
back . Is this an emergency?
PILLSBURY
Yes! Not a medical one but it's
imperative the doctor reach me as soon
as possible.
VOICE ON PHONE
Fine. Now what's your name and number?
PILLSBURY
Dr. Julius Pillsbury • •• b-u- r - y.
Area code 518 , 395- 7788 , That ' s my
home phone. That ' s where I'll be, And
again let me stress the urgency of the
doctor reaching me as soon as possible ,
I don ' t care how late it is!
VOICE ON PHONE
I ' ll give him your message, doctor.
He puts the phone down and again wipes hie forehead.
Gathering the medical chart together, he clamps it under
hie arm, grabs his bag and leaves.
CUT TO
6 EXT. STREET . NIGHT 6

Outside PILLSBURY' S o!!ice. A small country town whose

stores close at 6 and whose streets are deserted by 7.
A healthy wind is blowing, scattering dead leaves every
where .
(CONTINUED)
 3,
6 CONTINUED: 6

The DOCTOR comes out of his office artd ~uickly crosses

the empty street. He gets into his car (a late model
economy-car that ' s seea better days) and drives off .
DISSOLVE TO
7 EXT, PILLSBURY' S HOME .
A large, old-fashioned gothic; not "haunted house" gothic
but the kind you ' d see in a Norman Rockwell l)aintiag,
Open front porch, white picket fence , etc,
PILLSBURY ' s car drives up and the doctor gets out , Rushing
up the porch steps, he stands before the front door
tumbling with his keys,
A souad, like someone gurling in an echo chamber, suddenly
erupts behind him . But only tor an i nstant. He drops the
keys and spins around.
Nothing. Not a sound . No movement. Just the crickets .
PILLSBURY stands t here staring . Slowly he squats down to
pick up the keys, his eyes still glued to the darkness in
front ot him. Then , quickly, he unlocks the door and
hurries inside.
CUT TO

8 iNT, PILLSBURY'S HOME, LIVING ROOM. 8

He shuts aitd bolts the door, puts his bag and the medical
chart on his desk, and scurries into the kitchea.
CUT TO

9 KITCHEN . 9
PILLSBURY grabs the wall phone and dials.
VOICE ON PHONE
Glens Falls Poli ce. Officer Ryan .
PILLSBURY
This is Dr. Pillsbury , I waat someone
to --
A noise echoes through the kitchen : like something
climbing up the side ot the house , The doctor jerks his
head up , staring at the ceiliag .
CUT TO
 4.
10 EXT. SIDE OF THE HOUSE . 10
Clo~eup of the colUlectio• where the telephone wire enters
the house. An indistinct shadow passes across it as the
line grows taut , gets pulled and is severed from the house.
CUT TO
11 KITCHEN. 11

PILLSBURY hears the phone go dead .

PILLSBURY
Hello? Hello?
(drops the phone)
Oh God . • •
He races i n to the living room.
CUT TO
12 LIVING ROOM . . 12
Going to the front door , he rechecks the lock, this time
puttiag on the chain . Then he moves to the windows,
making sure they ' re locked and pulling down the shades.
That doae, he runs back into the kitchen .
CUT TO
13 KITCHEN. 13
PILLSBURY locks and pulls the shades down oa two of the
three kitchen wiadows, then checks the lock on the back
door. He pauses to look around. Only one more window to
check -- the one over the sink .
He leans over the sink and grabs hold of the lock when
the window shatters as a monstrously deformed hand crashes
through it. There are only four t wisted fingers on it,
each of them 2 to 3 times the size and width of a normal
human ' s. One of the digits is perhaps two inches thick
and stretche& to 7 inches in height, Large swollen veins
aad small suction cup protrueioas cover its baggy skin.
It lunges for PILLSBURY's throat but misses, grabbing the
lapel of his coat. The doctor s'truggles, all the while
screaming, until he pulls himself free and runs back into
the living room.
CUT TO
14 LIVING ROOM . 14
PILLSBURY ruas to a bureau , tugging on a stubborn drawer
(CONTINUED)
14 CONTINUED: 14
from which he removes a revolver and a box of bullets .
As he loads the bull.eta into the gun ' s chamber, the lights
gG off.
PILLSBURY
Oh no • • • no ...
We hear the box of bullets fall and scatter on the floor.
Then the sound of another drawer tugged open and a match--
being struck .
15 PILLSBURY lights a candle when we hear, from elsewhere 15
in the house , another window being slilattered and a loud ,
wet thud. The gurgling noise the doctor heard so briefly
oa the porch now fills the house . An irregular plodding
sound, like someone both stumbling and crawling , grows
louder.
PILLSBURY
(shouting)
I've got a gun!
He bends down , frantically picking bullets off the floor
and inserting them into t he gun.• Finished , he holds the
gun with both hands and thrusts it in front of him .
PILLSBURY
(sltouting)
I ' ll shoot! Get out or I' ll shoot!
He fires wildly i nto the darkness, scattering his shots
in every direction.
On the sixth and last shot there is abrupt silence .
CUT TO
16 CLOSEUP PILLSBURY. He freezes. For about five seconds 16
there is deathlike quiet. He doesn ' t move a muscle . Not
even blink. Nothing.
Then from pr,actically beneath him , that same deformed hand
reaches up and covers the doctor ' s face. It pulls him
downward , out of camera range and into the darkness. His
screaming is blended with the unearthly roar of t lte thing
that ' s got him .
For an instant PILLSBURY lurches up , t r yi rtg to get to his
feet . Hia face and handa are covered with blood , hia
clothing torn and shre·dded . But he is quickly pulled
downward again. The doctor ' s screams now mix with a
tearing and crunchiag as if he were being torn apar t .
17 The camera pans from the fight to the desk where the 17
(CONTINUED)
 6.
17 CONTINUED: 17
doctor's bag and the medical chart are illuminated by the
ca.Rdleligat. Hold on the medical chart as the doctor
screams one last time and his blood spurts across it.
FADE OUT
FADE IN
18 INT . GREYHOUND BUS. 18

Closeup of an attractive young man about 20 years of age.

This is DUANE , our hero. On the seat to the left of him is
a knapsack, not particularly full. On his lap he holds a
large wicker basket, its cover tightly closed and clasped
with a padlock.
DUANE stares out the wi:adow, eyes wide and alert, as the
bus approaches New York City.
CUT TO
19 NEW ~ORK SK¥LINE from the bus window. Dusk. The sun is 19
just going down. The sky is a bright red.
DISSOLVE TO
20 THE BUS pulling into the Port Authority Terminal. 20
CUT TO
21 INT. BUS. 21
INT_ERCOM
New York. Last stop. Please remember
all your personal belongings and thank
you for traveling Greyhound (or whatever
busline.)
DUANE remains in his seat, waiting for the passengers
around him to d~sembark. Then he puts on the knapsack ,
holds the basket tightly in front of him , and gets off.
CUT TO
22 INT. PORT AUTHORITY. 22
*ANE carries the basket to a group of seats, empty except
for a few people asleep. He puts the basket down in front
of him , resting his foot on tlte lid as if afraid it may
suddenly run away. From his knapsack he removes a ·fold-out
map of Manhattan which he clumsily sprawls open across his
lap and the seat •ext to him.
CUT TO
 7.
23 THE MAP, hi s finger crossing it until it reaches the 23
box marked "PORT AUTHORITY" and the -intersection of
11 8TH AVENUE" and "42ND STREET" .

DISSOLVE TO
24 EXT . ST~ET. NIGHT 24
DUANE , still carrying the basket , moves with a crowd
crossing 8th Avenue , caught in the flow of people moving
onto 42nd street. Almost immediately , an Hispanic
follows DUANE , giving his pitch under his breath ~
HISPANIC
Loose joints. Loose joints. Check it
out. THC. Black Beauties. Coke. Smoke.
Joints and bags. Check it out.
Ignoring him, DUANE gawks at everything like the tourist
he is, trying to see it all at once.
CUT TO
25 Movie marquee: SHOCKING BLOOD & GUTS: "THE BABY EATERS" 25

CUT TO
26 A man aiming a Polariod at a young couple who pose and 26
smile in front of a porno store .
CUT TO
27 The neon sign of a huge porno store: "PEEPLAND" with 27
its neon key "turning" in a neon eye .
CUT TO
28 Street people congregating in front of a record store, 28
its disco music drowned out by a portable tape player
carried by a man walking past .
CUT TO
29 Movie marquee: SIXTEEN AND A NYMPHO : "HIGH SCHOOL SLUT" 29
CUT TO
30 DUANE on the northwe st corner of 42nd, facing, TIMES 30
SQUARE. A man handi ng out leaflets for a massage parlor
with a constant "Check it out ! Check it out!" places
a leaflet on the basket .
CUT TO
 8.
31 Billboard with steam pouring out of a .giant coffee cup . 31
CUT TO
32 STREET PERSON, staring at DUANE . 32
STREET PERSON
Hey man, what' s in the basket?
CUT TO
33 The animated lights of the Spectracolor sign on tfte Allied 33
building, almost hypnotic as if flashes out "I Love New
York" then cltanges into a "Crazy Eddie" ad.
CUT TO
34 DUANE, on the corner of 43rd, looks west. 34
CUT TO
35 A dilapidated hotel sign. Not lit but illuminated by 35
street lights.
CUT TO

36 DUANE heads up 43rd, toward the hotel, but stops when 36

he sees the entrance. The building has long been closed
and boarded up. A group of junkies huddle in the doorway .
DUANE quickly walks past .
37 He continues west until he ' s back on 8th Avenue. Pausing 37
as he wonders what direction to head in , he catches sight
of a SHOPPING BAG LADY a few feet away. She is carefully
a.Jld methodically investigating the contents of a t11ash
caa • .DUANE watches her for a moment , then, arbitrarily
heads north on 8th Avenue. He looks up.
CUT TO
38 Hotel sign, extending awning- like from the third story 38
of the building . Dirty, weather-beaten neon letters flash
out "HOTEL BROSNAN''.
CUT TO
39 DUANE staring at the sign. It 's the first hotel he's come 39
to so why not? He enters the hotel.
CUT TO

40 INT. HOTEL BROSNAN. LOBBY. 40

Dirty, flea-bitten, run-down and grungy . At the check- in
desk is the MANAGER , a husky man with his T- shirt and brow
covered with continual sweat. Next to the check- in desk,
(CONTINUED)
 9A.
40 CONTINUED: 40
MANAGER
Coupl'a hours? Coupl'a years? What?
Gimme a hint.
DUANE
Oh. A few days.
MANAGER
By yourself?
DUANE
Yes . Alone . By myself.
DIRTY LOU
All alone in this cold cruel world --
MANAGER
20 bucks a night. In advance. If you
pay by the day it ' s due at noon .
(pauses as he looks
DUANE over)
This is a respectable hotel. I don't
want no junkies .
DIRTY LOU
He's just a kid. He ain't no junkie.
DUANE
I just need a place to stay.
MANAGER
What's in the basket?
(CONTINUED )
 11•

44 CASEY , a hooker, is unlocking the door to her room . 44

Behind her stands a middle- aged BUSINESSMAlf. He passively
watches her, seemingly disinterested. Only when you look
close do you see his hand resting on her rear. She opens
the door aJt.d they eater.
45 DUAlfE looks for 3A, unlocks the door a.ad enters. 45
CUT TO
46 INT . DUAlfE'S HOTEL ROOM. 46
"'
Though larger thaa expected , orte could wither , mold and
rot and be rigAt at ho■e in this atmosphere . The walls
are a depressing dull brown; the rug so worn as to be
functionless ; the bed, lamp table, dresser aad chair
seedy Salvation Army rejects.
DUAl'IE puts the basket on the bed and wiggles his knapsack
of!. He walks to the wiadow and opens it.
CUT TO
47 EXT . HOTEL . MIGHT 47
DUAl'IE at the window. The large "HOTEL BROSlfAN" sign
juts out from the building directly next to his window;
the red neon letters reflecting on his face.
CUT TO
48 IlfT. DUA1'E'S HOTEL ROOM . 48
DUAlfE remains at the window, looki.Jlg out. A breeze stirs
the pathetic little drapes . The noise of the traffic and
street now fill the room , but it's a constant hum and
Cal'l easily be ignored .

He turns from the window to the basket , walks over and

bends down aext to it .
DUANE
We're here .
CUT TO
49 IJJT. LOBBY. 49
The MANAGER and DIRTY LOU are still listening to the fight
on the r adi o as DUANE comes bounding down t he stairs and
over to them .
DUAlfE
A:Ay place around here where I can
get something to eat?
( CONTINUED)
 12 .

49 CONTINUED: 49
MANAGE;R
Nothing fancy I hope?
DUANE
No. Something f ast . A burger . Piz za.
MANAGER
Plenty o! places --
DIRTY LOU A
There's one right across the street . •
DUANE
Great? Thanks .
CUT TO
50 INT. FAST- FOOD GRILL . 50
Small, greasy place that serves pizza, gyros , burgers ,
falafels , franks -- you name it.
DUANE bops in and looks at a bunch of shlsh kabobs
sizzling o.n the grill .
DUANE
Shish kabob, please .
COOK
One?
DUANE
No •• • um • •• t wenty.
COOK
Twenty?!?
CUT TO
51 EXT . STREET. NIGHT 51
DUANE comes out , using both hands to hold his pile of
shish kabobs , each individually wrapped. And despite his
hands being !ull , a man tries to hand him another handbill
for a massage parlor (with a "Check it out? Check it out?")
CUT TO

52 INT . LOBBY. HOTEL BROSNAN. 52

DUANE enters . Both the MANAGER and DIRTY LOU stare
incredulously at the armful of shish kabobs.
(CONTINUED)
 13 .
52 CONTINUED: 52
MANAGER
Are you starving or just excessive?
DUANE
Huh?
DIRTY LOU
You gonna eat them all by yourself?
DUANE
Sure.
DIRTY LOU
But -- that ' s disgusting!
DUANE
(to MANAGER)
You have a phone book I can borrow?
I've got to check some addresses .
MANAGER
Is one enough? Or do you want a pile
of them too?
DUANE
One ' s !ine.
The MANAGER tosses the phone book onto the counter and
watches as DUANE juggles the book and the shish kabobs
in his arms.
MANAGER
Just make sure I get it back.
DUANE
(heading up stairs)
Sure thing .
MA.NAGER
And don't ge t it covered with grease!
CUT TO
53 HALLWAY . THIRD FLOOR . 53
As DUANE gets to t h e top of the stai rs , the BUSINESSMAff
l eaves CASEY's room , still as proper and dignified as
when he ente~. DUANE pays him no attention .
He puts down the phone book and hal! the shish kabobs so
he can get the key from his pocket and open the door . As
he_unlocks it, CASEY comes out o! her room, smiles at
him and heads down the stairs .
CUT TO
 14.
54 IKT. DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM. 54
DUANE enters, rushing to the bed to let the phone book
and shish kabobs tumble onto the sheet. He goes back to
the door, locks it, then takes another key from his
pocket and unlocks the padlock on the basket. He lifts
off the lid as he sits down next to it.
DUANE
Got ' cha something to eat .
He unwraps a shish kabob, holds it over the basket and
pulls out the stick so the pieces of meat fall inside .
Instantly, the basket shakes, accompanied by a loud
munching sound. He drops the meat from two more shish
kabobs into the basket and holds up two more, still on
their sticks.
DUANE
Take your time. There's plenty.
He throws the two of them into the basket , wipes his
hands on the bedsheet, then reaches down to his knapsack
and removes the same medical chart DR . PILLSBURY had
looked through before his death. In fact, Pillsbury's
dried blood still stains the cover . DUANE lies across
the bed and opens to the first page.
CUT TO
55 CLOSEUP of the names: "DR. HAROLD NEEDLEMAN" and 55
"DR. KUTTER" written at the bottom of the page.
CUT TO
56 DUANE flips through the pages of the phone book, looks 56
back at the medical chart, then rechecks the phone book.
CUT TO
57 MEDICAL CHART. Next to NEEDLEMAN's address, DUAKE marks 57
a check. His pencil moves to KUTTER 's name who has no
address other than "N.Y.C."
CUT TO
58 DUANE flips through the phone book again. Suddenly , the 58
eating sounds stop and a shish kabob stick is thrown out
of the basket.
DUANE
Finished already?
He picks up the rest of the shish kabobs and puts them
(CONTINUED)
 15.
58 CONTINUED : 58
in the basket , not bothering to unwrap them or remove
the sticks. The chewing noises immediately continue , this
time mixed with the tearing and crunching of waxed paper.
DUANE resumes looking through the phone book.
DUANE
Damn! Kutter's name isn't listed.
(slams book shut)
Well • •• Needleman must have the
number.
He picks up a shish kabo b not dropped in the basket ,
unwraps it and lies back on the bed . And all the while
DUANE is comfortably nibbling on his shish kabob , the
loud gorging of something inside the basket continues .
Hold for a moment, then
FADE OUT
ADE IN
59 INT . DUANE'S HO~EL ROOM . 59
It is now the middle of the night . DUANE lies asleep in
the bed . The medical report is on the dresser. So is the
basket , unlocked , the lid still off. Though we cannot
see the floor because of the position of the camera, we
hear something pacing around the room. DUANE wakes up
and looks down at the floor.
DUANE
You ' re not going to pace the floor
all night are you?
(pause ; no sound)
No , I don ' t want to talk now. Go
back to sleep.
(he lies back down ;
still no sound)
Aw, c'mon! We gotta get up early,
By this time it's obvious we can only hear DUANE's side
of the "conversation", as there is no other sound in the
room except for the creaking of the floor boards.
DUANE
Yeah , yeah. We ' ve been through this
before .
He sits back up , wipes his eyes and looks at his watch ,
lying on the lamp table .
(CONTINUED)
 16.

59 CONTINUED: 59
DUANE
Look, I'm not gonna stay up half the
night talking. It's 3:30! I'm going
back to sleep.
(bunches his pillow)
I'm not going to debate this! Now
goodnight!
Though we still have heard nothing more than something
pacing around the room -- and rather quietly at that
DUANE pulls the pillow over his head, wrapping it
around bis ears.
DUANE
For Chrissakes shut up! Let me get
some sleep!
(muttering to himself)
Always waits till I'm asleep to
start a conversation --
FADE OUT
FADE IN
60 Manhattan skyline. Daylight. Moniling. 60
DISSOLVE TO
61 INT. HALLWAY. HOTEL BROSNAN. 61
DIRTY LOU tip-toes across the hallway to DUANE's room.
He presses his ear to the door and listens. His hand
reaches down to gently grasp and turn the knob -- enough
to know the door is locked. He looks around, just to
make sure no one's door is open, t hen gets on his hands
and knees and looks through the keyhole.
But someone's door does open. CASEY, on her way out,
sees DIRTY LOU.
CUT TO
62 CLOSEUP DIRTY LOU, straining to see through the keyhole 62
as CASEY creeps up on him.
CASEY
Oh great!
63 He jumps, bangs his forehead against the door and falls 63
on his butt.
 17.
63 CONTINUED: 6;
CASEY
Last week you were in the dumb waiter.
This week it ' s keyholes. Wonderful .
DIRTY LOU
Shhhhh! There's some body in there!
CASEY
I figured that!
DIRTY LOU
A kid! Some young boy - -
CASEY
You can ' t be left alone for a minute ,
can you?
DIRTY LOU
You should see! Got a roll of bills
on him like this --
(motions)
CASEY
Oh gimme a break --
DIRTY LOU
Carrying it around with him! Loose
in his pocket!
CASEY
You got two seconds before I start
pounding on his door.
DIRTY LOU
No, wait
CASEY
One .
DIRTY LOU
I ' m going! I 'm going!
He scrambles to his feet and scurries down the hall .

(CONTINUED)
 17A.
63 CONTINUED: 63
CASEY
(muttering to herself
as she locks her door)
Place is a zoo . Keyhole peepers - -
Roaches the size of dogs - - Tuba
playing at four in the morning - -
Might as well take out the rooms
and put in cages.
She starts to go down the staris but stops, pauses, and
knocks on DUANE's door instead .
64 After a moment or two , DUANE opens it, looking as if he 64
just woke up.
CASEY
Hi. I live just across the hall and
I -- I didn 't wake you , did I?

(CONTINUED)
 18.

64 CONTINUED: 64
. DUANE
It's ok . I slept later than I
wanted to anyway.
CASEY
Sorry about that . Actually the reason
I'm bothering you is -- now don ' t get
me wrong -- I don't go butting into
other people's business - - But some
one's been snooping around your door
-- you know, looking through the
keyhole and all -- So , if youtve got
anything valuable in there money
or something -- just don't go leaving
it around .
DUANE
Oh, right. Sure. Thanks.
CASEY
I mean, can ' t see you getting ripped
off at l east without having a
fighting chance .
(holds out her hand)
Name's Casey .
DUANE
(shaking her hand)
Duane Bradley.
CASEY
Nice to meet you , Duane Bradley. What
the hell you doing in this dump?
DUANE
Uh • •• It was the first hotel I
came to.
CASEY
Obviously a hard man to please.
Where you from?
DUANE
Upstate .
CASEY
First t ime in New York?
DUANE
Yeah.
(CONTINUED)
 19.
64 CONTINUED: 64
CASEY
I knew it! Well, this place stinks
but there's a lot worse. I've been
here about a year. Live and work out
of the same room. Keeps me out o!
the subways. How long you staying?
DUANE
Few days .
CASEY
That's all, huh? Man, the little ol'
lady wao lived there before you --
I taink she moved in when the place
opened. Lived there for ages! Real
cute grandmother type. She used to
tell everyone she was really rich.
Owned oil wells down South. Had
millions but was hiding from her
relatives who were trying to steal
it f r om her. Really!
DUANE
Was it true?
CASEY
You'd swear it after listening to
her. She had these big adorable
brown eyes and in this sad , soft
voice would go --
(imitating)
' They want to hurt me and steal my
money. But I'm hiding from them .
They don't know where I am.'
(regular voice)
She'd even stop strangers in the
street -- people she'd never ever
seen before -- and start pouring
out her heart to them.
DUANE
What happened to her?
CASEY
Well one day -- out of the blue --
she appear ed all dolled up, head ~o
foot, in a wardrobe straight out of
the twenties. Big brim hat, white
gloves , lots of jewelry, even a little
white parasol. And a suitcase . Said
she was leaving for the Mediterranean
and then a trip •round the world.
She paid her bill and left. Haven 't
heard a word from her since .
(CONTINUED)
64 CONTINUED: 64
A momentary silence. Then ,
DUANE
Wow • • •

CASEY
Yeah, well she wap an exception .
Everyone else here is your basic
creep. A couple of bums and a few
assholes but mainly a lot of creeps .
(looks in his room)
What 's in the basket? Going on a
picnic?
DUANE
Picnic? No , no . Haven't the time.
CASEY
I know what ' cha mean. I gotta run
myself . Listen , we'll have to get
together before you leave - - Go for
a drink. I got a lot more weird
stories.
DUANE
Okay. Sure .
CASEY
Catch you later, kid . ' Bye .
(heads downstairs)
CUT TO
65 INT. DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM . 65
DUANE shuts the door and walks to the bed where the map
of Manhattan is spread out. He fold it up , puts it into
his back pocket, tucks in his pants, and goes to the
basket. Clasping the lid shut with the padlock, he picks
up the basket and heads for the door.
DUANE
Let's go. We gotta pay a visit to a
doctor friend of ours.
DISSOLVE TO
66 EXT . W. 18th STREET. 66
A predominantly industrial area. At this time of the day
the street is bustling wi~h activity and traffic. Only one
figure is not moving: DUANE . He stands motion less , his
back against the window of a coffee shop. Holding the
(CONTINUED)
66 CONTINUED: 66
basket to his chest, he stands for a long moment staring
at the building across the street before crossing over
and entering it.
CUT TO
67 INT. LOBBY OP BUILDING . 67
A drab, ugly building . The dingy lobby can only hold a
handful of people. The elevator -- without an attendant
-- looks like an afterthought; it's about as large as a
closet. The flight of stairs across from it seems the
more practical way of getting from floor to floor.
DUANE puts the basket on the floor as he cheeks the wall
directory.
CUT TO
68 DUANE's hand moving down the list of names. There, 68
between "NATE 'S BRASSIERE AND HOISERY" and "NORTON
SPORTSWEAR" is "NEEDLEMAN, DR . HAROLD, M.D . 2nd fl."
DISSOLVE TO
69 INT. NEEDLEMAN'$ WAITING ROOM . 69
What you'd expect of a waiting room in a building like
this : cheap, tacky furnitu.r e, plastic plants, a $2.98
painting on the wall. Even t he magazines are missing
covers.
But contrasting with these dismal surroundings is SHARON,
the doctor ' s receptionist. She is bright, cheery,
bubbling wi th energy and, as far as DUANE is concerned,
the most beautiful girl he has ever seen.
As DUANE enters, SHARON is talking with -- or rather,
listening to -- MRS. PEARLMAN, the only patient in the
room.
MRS . PEARLMAN
• • • Yes! So the drugstore said he
should' ve never prescri bed it to me
in the first place! It was the wrong
drug! I' m aller gic to it!
SHARON
That's terrible! Does he know you're
allergic?
MRS . PEARLMAN
He ought to! This 1s the second time
he gave me the wrong prescription!
(CONTINUED)
 22 .
69 CONTINUED: 69
SHARON
Oh my goodness • • •
(looks at DUANE)
I 'll be right_wi~h fOU.
{pointing)
It's this typewriter.
DUANE looks puzzled. ''Typewri ter 11 ?
MRS . PEARLMAN
But the drug store can ' t change it
' cause it ' s not their fault . He's
got to write out a new prescription.
SHARON
No problem. A patient is in there
with him now but as soon as they ' re
done, I'll .send you in .
MRS . PEARLMAN
Thank you, thank you.
70 MRS. PEARLMAN takes a seat and SHARON turns to DUANE . 70
But before SHARON can speak , MRS . PEARLMAN continues,
this time addressing both of them .
MRS . PEARLMAN
It was terrible! I thought I was
going to die!
SHARON
I know , I know.
MRS . PEARLMAN
First I got dizzy! Then I couldn ' t
breathe! Then my throat felt like it
was on fire!
SHARON
Well you make sure to tell this all
to the doctor.
(turns to DUANE)
Hi . This is the one --
(swi tches on typewriter)
Hear that? It sounds like something
grinding inside . And the carriage
won't return . Yesterday it was
squeaking -- like if a mouse was
caught inside . Real high- pitched
(makes appropriate
sound effect)
(CONTINUED)
 23 .
70 CONTINUED: 70
A PATIENT comes out of the doctor ' s office and leaves .
SHARON
Goodbye Mr . Clayton.
(turns to MRS . PEARLMAN )
Ok, Mrs. Pearlman. He's all yours.
MRS. PEARLMAN
Oh good !
71 As MRS . PEARLMAN hurries into the doct or ' s off ice , SHARON 71
turns to DUANE .
SHARON
Okay . Where were we?
DUANE
I • • • I don't know anything about
typewriters . I just want to see the
doctor.
SHARON
(embarrassed)
Oh! Oh my goodness! I ' m sorry! I ·just
assumed -- I didn ' t think you were
a pati ent . I'm expecting someone to
fix the typewriter this afternoon
and I just thought - -
(pointing to basket)
I figured that was your toolbox or
something.
(starts to laugh)
DUANE
I don.' t even know how to type .
SHARON
It hasn't worked right since I ' ve
been here. He ' s just too cheap to
buy a new one . I should just thr ow
it out . Or shoot it .
DUANE
Uh. • • I don't have an appointment --
SHARON
And you ' ve never been here before or
I would've remembered .
DUANE
You see, my regular doctor is upstate
and I --
( 0.0N'l'TNTTF.D)
 24 .
71 CONTINUED: 71
SHARON
Really! Where?
DUANE
Glens Falls.
SHARON
Is that near Lake George?
DUANE
No . That i s further up.
SHARON
I used to go camping up there all
the time. My girlfriend and I.
Haven ' t had a chance to this year .
(lowers voice)
So why'd you pick this guy?
DUANE
Oh, well, Dr. Needleman's an old
friend of the family . Is there any
chance I can see him without an
appointment?
SHARON
He'd tell you no; friend of the family
or not. But , as you can see, we've
got hundreds o~ patients waiting to
see him so we'll just pretend you did
call • ••
(looks through appointment
book)
• • • and have an appointment for 11:30.
(looks at her watch)
Oh my goodness! You ' re next .
DUANE
(smiling at her)
Thanks .
SHARON
(writing on index card)
What ' s your name?
DUANE
Duane Bradley.
(catches himself)
Oh but don ' t write that . I want to
surprise him . He ' ll recognize the
name right away. Put down something
like Smith. Duane Smith.
 25 .
71 CONTINUED: 71
SHARON
He ' ll appreciate this . He's a
million laughs .
(hands card to DUANE)
And you fill out the rest.
72 DUANE sits next to SHARON's desk, the basket on his lap , 72
on top of which he fills out the card.
SHARON
What's in the basket? Easter eggs?
DUANE smiles but doesn ' t answer.
SHARON
Just visiting New York or -- ?
DUANE
Yeah . Thi s is my first time .
SHARON
So have you gone to t he Empire
State Building yet? And the Statue
of Liberty?
DUANE
No . I haven ' t had the time .
SHARON
(incredulous)
1
Haven I t had 'the time 1 ? !
(loud; seemingly upset)
Well what about Radio City Music
• Hall? Or the UN? Had time for them?
DUANE
(very startled; doesn ' t
know if she ' s kidding
or not) ·
No . • • I . • • I • • •
SHARON ~

What about the World Trade Towers?

Or the Met?
DUANE
It's not that I don't want to but --
SHARON
Any museums? The Cloisters? Chinatown?
DUANE
Actually , I • • • I don ' t know where
anything is .
(CONTINUED)
 26.
72 CONTINUED: 72
A wide grin bursts across SHARON 1 s face. It's obvious
she'd been putting him on.
SHARON
Well, if you need a tour guide , I'd
be happy to volunteer.
Realizing she just set him up for a date takes DUANE a
few minutes to sink i n. When it does, he breakes into
a glowing, if somewhat incredulous, smile.
SHARON
We'll even buy you some 3-D postcards
and an "I Love New York" T-shirt.
MRS . PEARLMAN exits from the doctor 's office.
SHARON
(staring at DUANE)
You' re next .
DUANE picks up the basket and enters NEEDLEMAN's office .
CUT TO
73 INT. NEEDLEMAN'$ OFFICE. 73
There are two adjoing rooms: his office and the
examination room adjacent to it.
As should be obvious by now, NEEDLMEN is not a well- to - do
doctor with a thriving practice. Instead, he's sleazy,
seedy and third-rate . In another life, he 'd be a used car
salesman.
As DUANE enters, carrying the basket, NEEDLMAN is busily
scrawling on some forms and papers from a previous patient.
He speaks to DUANE without looking up .
NEEDLMAN
. Come in, Mis ter, uh • • •
DUANE tosses him the index card.
DUANE
Smith.
NEEDLMAN
( glancing up)
Smith. Right.
(resumes paperwork)
All right, Mr. Smith, what's the
problem?
( CONTINUED)
 28.

74 CONTINUED: 74
NEEDLEMAN
Cough.
( DUANE coughs)
Did that hurt?
DUANE
No.
NEEDLEMAN
Turn around, please.
DUANE turns so his scarred right side passes in front of
the doctor who cannot help from staring at it. When DUANE
is fully around, NEEDLEMAN presses the stethescope to
his back.
NEEDLEMAN
Breathe in.
{pause)
That hurt?
DUANE
Nope .
NEEDLEMAN
Again.
(moves stethescope)
Again.
{pause ; removes
stethescope)
I can 't find anything wrong.
Suppos e you indicate where the pain
is coming from.
DUANE turns to face the doctor .
DUANE
I thought you ' d realize. It hurts
here --
(touching the scar)
-- down the side of my chest.
NEEDLEMAN
But? -- How long have you had this?
DUANE
Since I was 12.
NEEDLEMAN
And it still hurts?
DUANE
Everytime I look at it .
(CONTINUED)
 29.
74 CONTINUED: 74
NEEDLEMAN
I mean physically. It ' s thick scar
tissue. It isn ' t raw . There should
be no pain.
DUANE
There is. Plenty.
NEEDLEMAN
How did you get it?
DUANE
I cut myself shaving.
DUANE smirks -- not at the joke as much as how
uncomfortable NEEDLEMAN is becoming.
DUANE
No, actually it's from some surgery.
NEEDLEMAN
What kind of surgery?
DUANE
Illegal surgery.
NEEDLEMAN
So why come to me? Where ' s the doctor
that performed the operation? I don ' t
know what I can do. He should be the
one to go to .
DUANE
But he's upstate. In Glens Falls .
NEEDLEMAN's head jerks. suddenly , his eyes fixing with
DUANE ' s .
DUANE
Oh! You .lcnow Glens Falls?
NEEDLEMAN
No! Never heard of it.
DUANE
You've been there?
NEEDLEMAN
No! Never!
DUANE
You really should visit . It ' s so
pretty and peaceful up there. That ' s
where I had the operation.
(CONTINED)
 30.
74 CONTINUED: 74
NEEDLEMAN
Then why come here? What do you expect
me to do? Where ' s your family doctor?
DUANE
He's dead . Pillsbury's dead.
NEEDLEMAN
Pillsbury?
DUANE
Very tragic . No one's exactly sure
how it happened . Didn ' t you hear?
NEEDLRMAN
I -- I don't know a Dr. Pil lsbury.
DUANE
You don't? Are you sure?
NEEDLEMAN
(loud ; upset)
Ot course I'm sure! I don ' t know
any Dr . Pillsbury and I ' ve never
been to Glens Falls!
DUANE
But he said you specialized in cases
like mine .
NEEDLEMAN
Well he's wrong! You're wrong! I ' m
not a surgeon -- there's nothing I
can do for you!
NEEDLEMAN yanks oft his stethescope and returns to
his o!!ice.
CUT TO
75 INT . NEEDLEMAN'S OFFICE. 75
He sits at his desk, fumbling with some papers, trying
to look busy . He won't look up at DUANE who enters,
buttoning his shirt.
DUANE
That ' s really a shame . I could 've
sworn it was you he told me about .
Oh well . Guess we ' ll never know --
what wi th Pillsbury dying the way
he did •• •
(CONTINUED)
 31.
75 CONTINUED: 75
NEEDLEMAN looks up at DUANE.
DUANE
He didn't just die. He was cut in
half!
(pause)
Imagine that! The town doctor
getting cut in half. \·low. And in a
place like Glens Fal ls.
CUT TO
76 CLOSEUP DR . NEEDLEMAN, sweat pouring off him. He glances 76
away from DUANE to the basket, his eyes drilling into i t
as if he knows what's inside.
Suddenly DUANE shoots out his hand to the doctor who
practically jumps through the roof -- But DUANE ' s only
holding out his hand for the doctor to shake.
77 DUANE 77
Thanks anyway , Doc .
NEEDLEMAN feebly shakes it.
NEEDLEMAN
Good day, Mister •• • uh
DUANE
Jones . Mr. Jones.
DUANE picks up the basket and walks out .
CUT TO
78 0LOSEUP , a deeply disturbed NEEDLEMAN . Hold . 78

CUT TO
79 INT . WAITING ROOM . 79
SHARON
So what'd he give you? 48 hours to
live?
DUANE
Naw. We just had a nice chat.
SHARON
Was he surprised?
DUANE
Oh yeah. Very.
79 CONTINUED: 79
SHARON
Anyway, getting back to what we were
talking about before I get off
here tonight at six.
(pause)
Hint , hint.
DUANE
Oh - - I'd like to but - - not tonight.
I can't .
SHARON
(shrugs)
Can' t say I didn ' t try .
80 DUANE walks to the door but doesn ' t go out . Instead, he 80
pauses for a few moments with his back to us, then
carefully places the basket on the floor and sprints
back across the room to SHARON.
DUANE
(whispering)
May I call you tomorrow?
SHAROli
(whispering ' cause he is)
233- 3000 . He doesn 't have hours on
Wednesday . I ' ll have the whole day
free.
DUANE
(whispering)
Where do you live?
SHA.RON
(whispering)
I'll write it down.
(writing)
355 West 71st stree t. All the way
at the end of the block.
(pause)
Why are we whispering?
·DUANE
(whispering)
I don't want him to hear .
SHARON
(normal voice)
Who? The doctor?
DUANE
(still whispering)
I'll see you .
(CONTINUED)
 33 .
80 CONTINUED: 80
DUANE takes the paper with her address, scampers back to
the basket, picks it up and leaves .
CUT TO
81 INT . NEEDLEMAN'S OFFICE. 81
-
THE DOCTOR searches through a pile of notes and papers
on his desk until he finds a memo from a few days ago .
CUT TO

82 THE MEMO. After the heading i•ANSWERING SERVICE" is a list 82

of names and numbers , all crossed off except for one:
"PILLSBURY/ GLENS FALLS -- (518) 395-7788. URGENT" which
i .s followed by two question marks.
CUT TO
83 NEEDLEMAN dials the nU111ber. We hear Pillsbury's phone 83
riJ18• No ~swer . As it conti nues ringing, we
DISSOLVE TO
84 INT . MOVIE THEATER. BALCONY. 84
Practically empty. DUANE impassively watches the film ,
the basket on the sea~ next to hi■•
CUT TO
84.A TWO ROWS behind him is a DUDE., d.r essed- to-kill like an 84A
ov~rdone pimp . He watches DUANE .
CUT TO
84B DUANE growing_ drowsy. His eyes keep closing as his head 84B
bobs up.'1, a nd down.
CUT TO
84C . THE DUDE , quietly rtsiag from his seat. 84C

CUT TO
84D CLOSEUP DUANE , his eyes closed, hi,s head slowly nodding. 84D
When his chin touches his chest, he suddenly jerks up,
forcing himself awake . He rubs his eyes -~d glances over
to the basket --
It ' s gone! DUANE jumps up , his head darting in every
direction.
mT'I' IJ'()
 34.
85 LOBBY OF MEN'S ROOM . 85
THE DUDE throws the basket to the floor and kicks the
padlock until the clasp rips off. He bends down, throws
off tke lid -- and screams.
CUT TO
86 "
STAIRWAY 01'' BALCONY . DUANE is running down the steps
when he hears the scream . He charges to t he Men ' s Room .
86

87 Just as DUANE is about to enter , he crashes into the DUDE 87

running out. The DUDE's face is slashed and ~treaked with
blood ; the front of his clothing torn and shredded. He
pushes DUANE out of the way and runs out of the theater .
DUANE enters the Men's Room .
CUT TO
88 LOBBY OF MEN'S ROOM. 88
POINT- OF- VIEW of the thing-in-the-basket: We see DUANE
!r11sh toward us and kneel down. He looks behind him to see
if anyone followed , then quickly puts the lid back on .
Before closing it he peers in.
DUANE
(soothingly)
Not now. Not yet. Save it. Save it •• •
DISSOLVE TO
89 INT . NEEDLEMAN ' S OFFICE. 89
THE DOCTOR is again dialing the phone when SHARON calls
to him. He jumps , not as badly as before , but enough to
tell his nerves are shot.
S~RON
You leaving now or should I not
lock up?
NEEDLEMAN
(hanging up phone)
No • • • No , I ' ll be a while . But lock
up . Lock up anyway.
SHARON
Okay. See you Thursday.
NEEDLEMAN doesn't answer . He redials the number .
CUT TO
 35 .
90 EXT. STREET. NIGHT 90
It ' s now evening . The camera pans from the front of
Needleman ' s building to a doorway across the street .
There stands DUANE, bugging the basket, surreptitiously
watching the building .
CUT TO
91 EXT. NEEDLEMAN'S BUILDING . 91
SHARON exits . She doesn ' t see DUANE or even glance in
his direction as she walks down the street to the subway.
CUT TO
92 DUANE . He bends close t o the basket. 92
DUANE
He didn't come out . He's still in there.
(straightens up)
Okay . We ' ll wait .
C.UT TO
93 INT . NEEDLEMAN 1 S OFFICE. 93
NEEDLEMAN holds the phone with one hand while nervously
tapping a pencil with the other. We hear the phone ring
but no one answers. He hangs up, wipes his sweaty brow,
and pulls out an address book .
CUT TO
94 ADDRESS BOOK. He searches through a page of "K"s : 94
"KANE , KAUFMAN , KENDALL , KLEIN" and , finally, "KUTTER
668- 7936".
CUT TO
95 NEEDLEMAN dials the phone. 95
CUT TO
96 INT. KUTTER'S PENTHOUSE APARTMENT. 96
Living room. Large , elegant and very expensive. A MAN and
WOMAN, both in evening clothes , are having a candlelight
dinner. Behind them is a picture window with a breath-
taking view of the city.
THE WOMAN grabs the champagne from the ice bucket and pours
the MAN another drink .
(CONTINUED)
 36.
96 CONTINUED: 96
WOMAN
C'mon! Have some more!
MAN
No! Really! I 've had enough!
WOMAN
( laughing)
Nonsense ! We're just beginning.
MAN
Listen , i f I have any more - -
WOMAN
That 's all right. I like _you drunk .
You're cute when you slobber .
THE PHONE rings.
WOMAN
Shit . Excuse me for a minute, love .
97 SHE throws down her napkin, walks acro ss the room and 97
answers the phone .
WOMAN
Dr . Kutter speaking.
( This is the first we learn that Dr. Kutter is female . )
CUT TO

97A NEEDLEMAN 911

This is Needleman.
CUT TO
97B KUTTER 971
Who?
(pause)
Harold?
(like talking to a
little kid)
Rarold , I thought I made it clear you
weren't t o call me agai n . Ever.
CUT TO
97C NEEDLEMAN 97(
But something ' s come up! Something's
happened!
CUT TO
 37 .
97D KUTTER 97D
I'm not interested. My dealings with
you are over. Finished!
CUT TO
97E NEEDLEMAN 97E
Will you listen to me! I ' m only
trying to warn you!
CUT TO
97F KUTTER 97F
Of what?
CUT TO

97G NEEDLEMAN 97G

You remember Dr. Pillsbury? From
Glens Falls? Well a few days ago he
left a message with my answering
service that I urgently ge.t in
touch with him .
CUT TO
97 H KUTTER 97H
So ?
CUT TO
97I NEEDLEMAN 971
So today a y.oung man comes to see
me . About 20 years old . Using a
phoney name . Nothing was wrong with
hi m except he's from Glens Falls
and has a deep scar running down
his right side .
CUT TO

97J KUTTER 97J

Please, Harold . I ' m in the middle
of dinner .
CUT TO
97K NEED!J:MAN 97K
He was baiting me! Asking if I knew
Pillsbury! If I was ever to Glens
Falls! Had a basket with him - - I
think he was taping me!
CUT TO
 38 .
KUTTER 97L
Harold , you ' re beginning to ramble.
Why not get to the point.
CUT TO
}7M NEEDLEMAN 97M
It ' s the Bradley kid! It must be
him! He knows who we are! He ' s
tracking us down!
CUT TO
}7N KUTTER 97N
And so what if it is him? What's he
going to do? Complain?
CUT TO
)70 NEEDLEMAN 970
But what he said about Pillsbury
I've been trying to reach him but
get no answer. And this kid says it's
'cause Pillsbury is dead! Murdered!
Cut in half!
CUT TO
l7P KUTTER 97P
· calm down now, Harol d , and pay
attention. Ready?
(pause)
Neither of us know any Dr . Pillsbury.
(pause)
And neither of us have ever been to
Glens Falls .
(pause)
But one of us wants to get back to
her dinner! Goodnight!
SHE slams the phone down and returns to the table. 98
KUTTER
Sorry about that, Cuddles . Now ,
where were we?
CUT TO
99 NEEDLEMAN hangs up the phone and slumps in his seat . 99
Though the light is on in the examination room and the
lamp on his desk is lit , the office is not bright. Rather ,
a dull yellow hangs over the room.
CUT TO
 39 .
100 INT. LOBBY OF NEEDLEMAN ' S BUILDING . 100
All the offices, except for NEEDLEMAN's , have long since
closed for the night . Only a dingy exposed bulb
illuminates the dark lobby.
A WASHWOMAN is finishing a mop-up of the floor. A few
final sweeps with the mop then she plops it into the
bucket and wheels it to the washroom at the far side of
the lobby.
She dumps the dirty water into the sink and runs the
mop under the faucet. That finished she turns on a
portable radio (to loud disco music) and carries it with
her across the lobby, entering a door leading to the
basement . We hear the music getting softer and softer • • •
101 Everything is quiet. DUANE enters , carrying the basket. 101
He tiptoes across the lobby and up the stairway. He
doesn ' t make a sound .
CUT TO
102 SECOND FLOOR HALLWAY. 102
DUANE reaches the top of the stairs and faces NEEDLEMAN's
office at the end of the hall . He removes the basket lid .
CUT TO
103 CLOSEUP of DUANE so we can't see what comes out of the 103
basket as he turns it upside down and gently empties. it
on the floor. We hear a dull wet thud as something hits
the tile and a second , heavier breathing .
DUANE
(in a whisper)
Don't forget his address book .
He tucks the basket under his arm and heads back down
the stairs.
CUT TO
104 CREATURE ' S POINT- OF-VIEW: We are very low, only inches 104
off the floor as we move down the hallway to NEEDLEMAN's
door . Finally , we look up at the doorknob as a monstrous ,
wholly deformed caricature of a hand wraps its enlongated
fingers around it .
CUT TO
 40 .
105 INT. NEEDLEMAN'S OFFICE . 105
NEEDLEMAN is still behind his desk when the sharp crack
of wood splintering and breaking splits the silence .
He practically jlllllJ)S through the roof . Leaping to his
feet , he hesitates for a second, then bolts into the
waiting room .
CUT TO
106 INT. WAITING ROOM . 106
He star es at the door to the hall . Though the door is
still closed, still shut , the doorknob and lock have
been ripped right off -- leaving a wide gaping hole.
NEEDLEMAN gingerly swings the door open and peers into
the hall.
CUT TO
107 HALLWAY . 107
The doorknob , lock and pieces of wood lie strewn in the
center of the hall. There is no sound . No movement .
NEEDLEMAN steps into the hall and cautiously leans over
the stairway railing, looking below . He holds very sti ll ,
straining to hear some sound or see some sign of
movement. Nothing.
So he panics.
CUT TO
108 INT . WAITING ROOM . 108
He charges back inside , slams the doo r shut and barricades
it with everything in the room. First he pushes over the
sofa . Then the chairs. Finally SHARON's desk , which sends
her typewriter, phone and other objects crashing to the
floor. When there ' s nothing left to throw in front of the
door, he runs back into the office.
CUT TO
109 INT . NEEDLEMAN ' S OFFICE. 109
First he slams and locks the door between his office and
the waiting room. Then he spins around, presumably
looking fo r what he can barricade this door with , when he
stares at the phone on his desk . He lunges for it but
pauses to catch his breath. He lifts the receiver and --
The light in the examination room goes out .
 41.
109 CONTINUED : 109
NEEDLEMAlf freezes. His mouth hangs open as he stares
into t he quiet darloless of the room in f r ont of him .
Slowly he puts the phone down. He walks to the doorway
of the room and looks in. No aoUJld or hint of movement.
CUT TO
110 IlfT. EXAMIKATION ROOM . 110
The camera is inside the room looking out. Everything
is black •~cept for the doorway where we see NEEDLEMAN
outsi de, looking in. He reaches into the room , feeling
aloag the wall for the light switch. He leans against
the door frame as he gropes for the switch, then --
blink! -- the light in the room goes on --
AND WE FIKALLY SEE IT! A small , horrible monstrosity
clinging to the aide of the wall -- right above the
light switch and only inches from NEEDLEMAN ' s hand!
Its tiny body is a roUJ1.d, pulsating mass of lumps and
wrinkled flwsh . Two rough veiny arms -- of normal
length a.ad ending with the deformed hands we've already
seen -- extend from it . They are the only appendages .
But most startling of all: protruding from the twisted _
folds of skin is DUAKE's face . Or almost DUAKE ' s face .
The mouth is grotesquely extended and filled with
sharp, irregular fangs • • • But otherwise it ' s DUAKE 's
face. As if someone had grafted his skin onto this
deformed monstrosity.
But we are only affoxded a brief glimpse. For as quickly
as the light goes oa , the CREATURE's powerful arms grab
the doctor by the head and pulls him forward . In 8.J\
iasta.t , the monster is clinging to NEEDLEMA.lf ' s face .
CUT TO
111 CLOSEUP NEEDLEMAlf. One of the CREATURE'S claws holds 111
the doctor arollll.d tae throat. The other claw digs into
his forehead, sending blood streaming down his face .
CUT TO
112 THE DOCTOR whirls around as he tries to pry the CREATURE 112
fro■ him. Miraculously, he is able to do just that --
pull the CREATURE off his face -- and throws it across
the room. NEEDLEMAN charges to the door and unlocks it .
CUT TO
 42.
113 IlfT. WAITilfG ROOM. 113

He charges into the waiti•g room and stops short ,

realizi•g that he's barricaded himself in . Nevertheless ,
he lunges at the furniture blocking the door, frantically
pulli•g it out of the way. He doesn ' t have any trouble
with the chairs or SHARON ' e desk, but the sofa is heavy
aad awkward. He pulls part of it away from the door ,
thea ruae to the other end to push it . As he squats to
push , the CREATURE leaps up from behind it, his arm
stri k1ng lfEEDLEMAlf across the face .
CUT TO
114 CLOSEUP lfEEDLEMAlf . As he clutches his bloodied face , 114
he stumbles backward, trips aad falls. Lying on his back ,
he tilts his head backward an.d looks behind him .
CUT TO
115 THE CREATURE from lfEEDLEMAlf's POilfT-OF- VIEW: It r apidly 115
scurries toward him -- charging directly at the ca.aera --
though the scene is filmed UPSIDE DOWlf , the way lfEEDLEMAlf
sees it .
CUT TO
116 THE CRRATURE climbs o• JfEEDLEMAlf , diving for hie stomach. 116
1'EEDLEMAlf struggles to rise , all the while trying to pull
the monster from his waist. He stumbes back into his office • .
CUT TO
117 INT. lfEEDLEMA.lf'S OFFICE. 117

NEEDLEMA1' plwmele iato a locked glass cabinet , filled

with drugs and surgical tools , which crashes to the floor
ae NEEDLEMAJf falls. The CREATURE still clutches the
doctors stomach , though lfEEDLEMAlf is too stun•ed, his
face too bloody, to do anythi ng ■ore than sit amidst
the broken glass and scalpels .
CUT TO
1 18 THE CREATURE ' s clawe ripping through lfEEDLEM.Alf's shirt 118
and ekia .
CUT TO
119 CLOSEUP 1'EEDLEMAN , screaming, as his blood squirts up 119
into his face .
CUT TO
120 CLOSEUP lfEEDLEMAlf'S STOMACH as the CREATURE rips out 120
his entrails .
CUT TO
 43.
121 OMITTED 1 21

122 EXT . ALLEX. 122

Abrupt silence; just the quiet hwn of the city at aight

ia a fairly deserted area. DUANE waits in the darkness
with the basket, staring up at the fire eseape.
CUT TO
123 INT. NEEDLEMAN'S OFFICE. 123

CLOSEUP of NEEDLEMAN' s face . "Ke lies dead on the floor ,

eyes open aad face up . The camera pans away from him where ,
unexpectedly, we see his legs and bottom torso lying a
few feet from his head. He's been ripped in two .
But the camera doesn't dwell . It continues panning to
a window , now open, leading to the fire escape. The
CREATURE cr awls out it.
DISSOLVE TO
124 EXT . ALLEY. 124
DUAffE helps the CREATURE back into its basket .
DUANE
Did you get his address book?
The CREATURE tosses him the book. DUANE flips through it .
DUANE
Great! Kutter ' s listed ! He ' s got
her address . We ' re in luck .
CUT TO
125 EXT. STREET. 125
We face the alley from across the street . No traffic.
A well- dressed couple leisurely stroll down the sidewalk ,
passing the alley. As they pass, DUAl'{E, carrying the
basket, comes out behind them and silently heads in the
opposite ,direction. Camera holds on the alley , then
FADE OUT
FADE IN
126 MANHATTAN skyline. Morning. 126

DISSOLVE TO
 44.
127 INT. DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM. 127

The basket sits on the dresser , its lid closed. DUANE

is nowhere to be seen until the door is unlocked
and he enters carrying the "DAILY NEWS", a grocery bag
and a cardboard box. DUANE brings everything to the
dresser, removes the basket ' s lid and looks in.
DUANE
I brought you some goodies.
From the grocery bag , he takes out three packages of
frankfurters - uncooked.
DUANE
First , some breakfast.
He tears open the cellophane and dumps the raw hot dogs
into the basket . The ravenous eating sounds start.
DUANE
I also got you a surprise. Don ' t
look till I'm ready.
As he opens the cardboard box, he turns his back on us
so we cannot see what he ' s unpacking .
DUANE
I don't see any reason you need come
with me today. I'm just going to
case Kutter's apartment. Gotta !ind
out if she ' s home or when she ' ll
be back. Maybe I can !ind out where
she works. It's going to be dull .
I figure you ' ll have a better time
here --with this --
He steps aside and we see a tiny black & white te'levision
set. He turns the basket on its side so the opening !aces
the TV .
DUANE
Ta-Da!
He plugs it in and turns it on, flipping the channels
to a game show .
DUANE
Great , huh? Even has a guarantee.
Anyway, I'm not sure how long I ' ll be ,
but if you get tired of watching TV,
I also brought you a paper. Okay?
See you later.
DUANE leaves .
 45 .
128 Cautiously , one of the CREATURE's hands reaches out 128
from the basket to the TV set and spins the channel
selector a couple of times. The knob comes off in
its hand .
CUT TO

129 EXT . STREET. 129

DUANE comes bounding out of a subway exit and runs down

the street . He's far too happy and anxious to get there
for it to be DR . KUTTER that he ' s running to.
130 He charges down West 71st street , heading for the very 130
end of the block - - which is a dead end .
131 DUANE runs into the entrance of a brownstone and rings 131
one of the bells. The door buzzes and he rushes in .
CUT TO
132 INT. BROWNSTONE HALLWAY. 132

He races up the stairs , (there is no elevator). and

knocks on a door . SHARON opens it .
CUT TO

133 CLOSEu:P DUANE . Panting and out of breath , but with a 133
wide , beaming grin:
DUANE
Hi. • •
DISSOLVE TO
134 EXT . LIBERTY ISLAND . 134
The Statue of Liberty looms in the background as SHARON
and DUANE walk toward the waterfront .
SHARON
I gotta get these shoes off . My feet
are killing me!
SHARON plops on a bench overlooking the water, removes
her shoes and massages her feet .
SHARON
That was a rare thrill . Everytime
the wind ble w, I thought it was
going to collapse.
(DUANE laughs)
Well , we ' ve been u p the Worl d Trade
Tower and climbed the Green Lady .
Where to now?
 46 .
134 CONTINUED : DUANE 134
(hesitating)
Listen, I - - don't get mad or anything
-- but I don't really want to see the
city. I only said that. It was just an
excuse. To see you again . I --
(sees SHARON's amused
expression)
You ' re not mad?
SHARON
Mad?
(laughs)
I thought you were taking this so
seriously, I didn ' t know how to get
out of going any further without
slugging you .
DUANE
I thought you wanted to - -
SHARON
(affectionately)
You dummy
(pulls him down on the
bench next to her)
I suggested we tour the city for the
same reason you went along with it.
I wanted to be with you too .
DUANE
You did?
SHARON
Duane --
(shaking her head)
I know an awful lot of guys, Duane ,
but you ' re truly unique. Don ' t they
have girls upstate?
DUANE
(embarrassed)
Well I • • • I keep pretty much to
myself. I don't really have many
friends.
SHARON
You ' re a dying breed , Duane.
135 She bends toward him and gives him a kiss . Not a 135
passionate one ; more like testing him for his reaction.
At first , there doesn't seem to be any reaction .
DUANE just dumbly sta.r es back at her. Then slowly,
(CONTINUED)
 47.
135 CONTINUED:
tentatively, he leans toward her . Within seconds, their
mouths are cemented together with DUANE apparently
catching up on everything he's been missing . But we
suddenly
CUT TO
136 INT . DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM.
Longshot of the room. The CREATURE is still in t he
basket and out of sight. His little TV broadcasts an
afternoon talk show.
The camera dollies toward the basket . As it does , we
FADE IN a DOUBLE EXPOSURE of DUANE kissing SHARON . Some
sort of telepathic communication is happening between
DUANE and the thing in the basket. It knows what DUANE
is doing . It also knows DUANE is not wai~ing for
DR. KOTTER • • •
The DOUBLE EXl'OSURE of them kissing FADES OUT as the
camera holds on a closeup of the basket. For a couple
of seconds there isn ' t a sound . Then , the thing in the
basket screams: the loudest , most unnatural shriek
ever heard! Its arm reaches out, smashes the TV , picks
up the remains and hurls it across the room.
137 The CREATURE leaps out of the basket onto the dresser -- 1:
still screaming -- and throws itself against the wall.
Making fists , it pounds the wall so hard we almost
expect the wall to break. It grabs the edge of the dresser
as it leaps up and down so that the dresser is crashing
up and down with it. In short, it throws a tem~er tantrum.
CUT TO

138 EXT . LIBERTY ISLAND.

Suddenly , DUANE I>Ulls away from SHARON as if a blinding
pain shot through him. His face is contorted.
SHARON
What is it? What ' s the matter?
DUANE
Oh God! Something 's wrong!
He stands, clutching his head with both hands .
SHARON
Duane , are you alrignt?
(CONTINUED)
 48.
38 CONTINUED : 138
DUANE
Something's happening! I gotta get
back fast!
He turns away and runs toward the ferry.
SHARON
Duane, wait!
She hurriedly puts her shoes back on and runs after him.
CUT TO
39 LOBBY. HOTEL BROSNAN. 139
The noise of the CREATURE going berserk can be heard all
over. The MANAGER and DIRTY LOU stare up at the ceiling
as a tenant , MR . BOJARSKI, comes running downstairs .
MR . BOJARSKI
(to MANAGER)
I'm trying to do some writing but
the guy in the room next to m~ine
is going wild
MANAGER
Yeah. I hear, I hear .
The MANAGER g rabs the pass key and all three head up
the stairs .
MR . BOJARSKI
He 's going berserk! Sounds like he's
throwing :furniture against the walls.
And screaming his lungs out --
CUT TO
140 HALLWAY . THIRD FLOOR. 140

The racket is even louder now. The CREATURE's non-stop

screaming brings other TENANTS down the s t airs and
into the hall. The noise is so loud, it seems to come
from everywhere at once .
ELDERLY WOMAN
(sees MANAGER and points
to DUANE ' S room)
In there! In tnere!
The MANAGER pounds on DUANE ' s door .
MANAGER
Open up! Hey! Open up! f T,.._..,.._..,.,-r.t.T'\ \
,,..,.., ...
 49 .
140 CONTINUED: 140
With the pass key, the MANAGER unlocks the door and
throws it open.
CUT TO
141 INT. DUANE ' S HOTEL ROOM. 141
The noise abruptly stops. Everything is suddenly very
quiet. The MANAGER and DIRTY LOU enter while the other
TENANTS peer in.
Everything is in place. Only the shattered TV lies on
the floo r . The basket is on the dresser, right side up,
with its lid closed . The MANAGER has only to glance
around the room to realize no one else is in there .
MANAGER
There ' s no one here .. .
DIRTY LOU
Where's the kid?
MANAGER
He went out early this morning .
MR. BOJARSKI
(from doorway)
I could've sworn i t came from here.
The MANAGER looks down at the broken TV, then opens
closet . It ' s empty except for a couple of shirts.
MANAGER
Well • •• whatever the hell it was,
it ' s gone now.
142 DIRTY LOU catches sight of DUANE's bundle of cash lying 142
on the lamp table. He almost drools . But the MANAGER
catches sight of DIRTY LOU.
MANAGER
Okay , c'mon. Out!
He steers DIRTY LOU to the door .
CUT TO
143 HALLWAY. 143
The MANAGER and DIRTY LOU come out of DUANE 's room.
(CONTINUED)
 so.
143 CONTINUED : 14;
MANAGER
Okay, everybody. It's all over .
Whatever it was, it stopped. It ' s
gone. Now let's clear the hall --
The TENANTS disperse as the MANAGER locks DUANE ' s room ,
then turns to MR. BOJARSKI.
MANAGER
You sure it came from there?
MR. BOJARSKI
I thought so , but -- I don ' t know.
MANAGER
Well, if i t happens again -- I
don ' t know either. C'mon Lou .
DIRTY LOU
Naw. You go ahead . I'm goin' upstairs
and lie down a while .
MR. BOJARSKI goes into his room and DIRTY LOU upstairs .
The MANAGER jiggles DUANE ' s door to make sure it ' s
locked, then heads down to the lobby.
Hold on the empty hall unt il - -
144 Quietly, DIRTY LOU tiptoes down the stai rs and over to
DUANE's door. He inserts a piece of bent wire into the
keyhole and - - click! -- the door unlocks .
CUT TO
145 INT , DUANE ' S HOTEL ROOM.
DIRTY LOU goes directly to the lamp table and snatches
the pile of bills . He doesn ' t pocket it though -- he
coun ts it as his eyes bulge . With the money still in hi s
hand , he opens the drawers of the lamp table -- empty --
then turns to the dresser and
146 The basket ! DIRTY LOU charges over to it . He hesitates 141
a moment to glance to the doorway , then fl i ps the lid
off -- the CREATURE l e aping on him before he can react .
Instantly , blood streams ont o his clothes as the
CREATURE clings to his face . He races to the door, the
CREATURE clawing his eyes .
CUT TO
 51 .

147 HALLWAY. THIRD FLOOR. 147

DIRTY LOU runs to the stairs , his screams almost drowned
by the CREATURE's roar . He tries to pull the thing off
him out falls on the stairway . A moment later, he is up
with the CREATURE now on his back , gnawing his neck .
CUT TO
148 LOBBY. 148
The screams fill the hotel . The MANAGER races upstairs .
CUT TO
149 HALLWAY. THIRD FLOOR, 149
The MANAGER reaches the third floor and sees MR. BOJARSKI
and some other TENANTS looking up the stairs .
MR. BOJARSKI
Up there!
They run up the stairs.
CUT TO
150 HALLWAY, FOURTH FLOOR. 150
The door of DIRTY LOU ' s room is closed; the screaming
from inside abruptly stops . The MANAGER pulls out his
set of keys, but when he can 't find the right one fast
enough, he kicks the door in.
CUT ·ro
151 INT. DIRTY LOU'S ROOM . 151
The MANAGER runs in only to stop dead in his tracks . The
room is spattered with blood. DIRTY LOU is squished
between the wall and his bed, his clothing and body
shredded and almost entirely drenched in red. The camera
pans to the open window --
DISSOLVE TO
152 EXT. 8th AVENUE. 152
DUANE races down the street with SHARON pulling on him.
SHARON
Duane , will you wait a minute
(CONTINUED)
 52.
152 CONTINUED: 152
DU.ANE
I can ' t! Don't follow me!
(he tugs away)
SHARON
What's wrong with you? I only want
to help
DUANE stops short and stares at the hotel.
CUT TO
153 EXT . HOTEL BROSNAN. 153
A police car is .in front of the building; a small crowd
huddled in the doorway .
CUT TO
154 DUANE, looking quite unhinged . 154
DUANE
Oh God! I knew it! I knew it!
SHARON
Duane , will you calm down?
155 DUA.NE runs to the door of the hotel where CASEY is 155
among the crowd .
DUANE
(to CASEY)
What happened?
CASEY
Someone killed Dirty Lou . Ripped him
to pieces. They just took him away .
The cops have been grilling everyone .
SHARON
Duane, I
DUANE
(facing SHARON)
You can' t come in here!
SHARON
Stop it , Duane!
DUANE
I'm telling you it ' s dangerous!
SHARON
You ' re acting like an idiot!
 53.
;5 CONTINUED : 155
He grabs her by the arm and pulls her away from the hotel.
DUANE
You heard what she said - - he was
killed !
SHARON
You're not making sense. There ' re
police inside who --
DUANE
I don't want it killing you!
His expression is so intense , SHARON doesn't argue back.
DUANE leaves her and runs into the hotel ,
CUT TO
i6 HALLWAY. THIRD FLOOR. 156
DUANE races up the stairs and begins to unlock the door
to his room when a DETECTIYE , a COP and the MANAGER
come out of MR . BOJARSKI's room .
DETECTIVE
(to MR . BOJARSKI)
Thanks. You' ve been very helpful.
We 'll probably have more questions
at a later time .
MR. BO.TAHSKI
No problem.
As MR . BOJARSKI closes his door , the DETECTIVE sees
DUANE --
DETECTIVE
Would you hold it for a minute?
DUANE freezes. He's caught. They 've got him . Only a
matter of minutes before they cart him off to jail. ..
DETECTIVE
You live here?
DUANE
Yes .
DETECTI VE
What's your name?
DUANE
Duane Bradley .
 54.
i6 CONTINUED: 156
DETECTIVE
How long have you been out, Duane?
DUANE
Since this morning.
DETECTIVE
Do you have any pets -- any animals
in there?
DUANE
No. Nothing . Why?
DETECTIVE
One of your neighbors , a Mr. Louis
Groff, was murdered a few hours
ago. And we're questioning everyone
in the building. Do you mind if
we come in?
DUANE
No.
But DUANE still doesn't move. The DETECTIVE reaches
down, turns the key and opens the door.
CUT TO
i7 INT. DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM . 157
The DETECTIVE, the COP and DUANE enter. The MANAGER
remains at the doorway looking in.
The first thing DUANE looks for is the basket : it ' s
still on the dresser, its lid closed. Then he looks
toward the window : it's open . DUANE 's so nervous, he's
barely able to mo~e. He stands in the middle of the
room and never moves from the spot.
DETEC1'IVE
Duane, right before the murder, some
of the tenants claim to have heard
noises coming from this room. Like
someone on a rampage . Any idea what
it was?
DUANE
No. I don't know. I was out.
The DETECTIVE glances down at the shattered TV.
DETECTIVE
What happened?
( /"!ON'l'TNTTRn)
 55 .
157 CONTINUED: 157
DUANE
(surprised to see
it shattered)
Uh • •• that was an accident. It
happened last night.
DETECTIVE
And you don ' t own a dog or anything?
DUANE
No .
But DUANE ' s eyes betray him . For an instant, they
nervously glance at the basket. The DETECTIVE catches
this «na walks over to the dresser.
DETECTIVE
Where are you from , Duane?
He places hi» hands on the basket's l id
CUT TO

158 CLOSEUP DUANE . His eyes bulge. He holds hi s breath. 158

This is it ! ! --
CUT TO
159 The DETECTIVE flips the lid off! The basket ' s empty. 159
CUT TO
160 CLOSEUP DUANE . Now he's even more nervous . If the 160
CREATURE's not in the basket, where the hell is it?
DUANE
(stammering)
I'm , uh • • • from upstate • • • Glens
Falls, upstate .
Though he remains frozen to th.e spot , DUANE ' s eyes dart
wildly about the room , searching furiously for where
the CREATURE 's hiding . If it ' s not in the basket, it
must be in the closet. Or under the bed. Or - -
CUT TO
161 The DETECTIVE looks down at the floor next to t he 161
dresser .
DETECTIVE
You always leave your money lying
around like this?
(CONTINUED)
 56.
161 CONTINUED: 161
DUANE
Huh?
(he looks down)
CUT TO
162 The DETECTIVE picks up the wad of bills DIRTY LOU must 162
have dropped.
DUANE (OVER)
It must ' ve fallen off the dresser
CUT TO
163 INT. BATHROOM. 163
The COP enters and walks to the tub. The shower curtain
is closed. He pulls the curtain to one side and looks
behind it . Nothing.
CUT TO
164 The DETECTIVE hands DUANE the money which DUANE quickly 164
pockets.
DETECTIVE
And you've been out all day?
DUANE
Yes. Since around nine.
DETECTIVE
Alone or -- ?
DUANE
(watching COP)
No. With someone.
CUT TO
165 The COP walks to the closet and opens i t. Nothing in 165
there but DUANE ' s shirts .
DETECTIVE (OVER)
If y,o u had to prove where you'd been
and who you were with, would you be
able to?
DUANE (OVER)
Sure.
CUT TO
166 CLOSEUP the DETECTIVE. His instinct is telling him 166
something's wrong here , but what? The kid was out and
(CONTINUED)
 57.
166 CONTINUED: 166
no one else is in the room -- He glances around, sure
that he's missing s omething •• •
DETECTIVE
How long are you going to be staying A
here? W
DUANE (OVER)
Few more days.
DETECTIVE
If I want to come back and look
around again , would that be alrignt?
DUANE (OVER)
Sure .
CUT TO
167 The COP comes over to the DETECTIVE and shrugs - - he 167
can't find anything wrong , either .
DETECTIVE
Okay , Mr . Bradley, thanks for your
help. I! you think of anything that
may help us , I'd appreciate your
getting in touch with us.
DUANE
Yeah. Okay.
The DETECTIVE glances around the room one more t ime,
then he and the COP leave .
168 The moment the doo r is shut , DUANE leaps at it and locks 168
it . Then he races to the window.
CUT TO
169 EXT . HOTEL WINDOW . 169
DUANE leans out, looking up and down the sides of the
building . The CREATURE's not there .
CUT TO
170 INT . DUANE ' S HOTEL ROOM . 170
DUANE pulls himself back in . He 's truly baffled. He walks
to the center o! t he room unsure where to look next .
Where the hell is it?
CUT TO
 58.
171 INT . BATHROOM . 171
The lid over the toilet seat slowly rises, pushed up by
the CREATURE' s hand .
DUANE runs to the bowl and looks in .
DUANE
Are you crazy?!? You could ' ve had
us a r rested ! ! !
As before , only a one- sided "conversation" takes place .
DUANE
No, no! Don ' t blame this on me! I
didn ' t know he'd break in --
(stammering)
What? - - Wait a minute! -- Hold it!
I -- Alright! Alright!
DUANE covers his ears , leans against the bathroom wall
and slumps to t he floor.
DUANE
(defeat ed)
Okay. Okay. Yes, I was with a girl .
Yes, the receptionist. Yes , I lied
to you. No, I didn ' t go to Dr.
Kutter ' s.
(pause)
I knew if I told you you'd get mad.
(pause)
We didn ' t do anything . She just
showed me around . That ' s all .
(pause)
I ' m not deserting you . I just
wanted some time for myself .
72 DUANE l i fts the CREATURE out of the bowl, wraps it in 172
one of the hotel towels , then cuddles it in his arms .
DUANE
Look I've he·lped you with ever ything
so fa.r , haven ' t I? Ki1ling Pillsbur y
was your idea . Comi ng to New York
to get the other t wo was your idea .
Wait! Wait! Let me finish!
(pause)
I ' m not saying that! I --
(pause)
(CONTINUED)
 59 .
'2 CONTINUED: 172
DUANE
(continuing)
No, of course you're right . They
deserve what they get. All I'm
saying is it's been your idea but
I've helped you every step of
the way. I'd never desert you.
You know that. Not after what we've
been through .
(quietly)
We'll always be together.
Hold on DUANE . Then
DI SSOLVE TO
'3 INT. BAR. 173
A rough, brawling 8th Avenue bar. A mixture of Blacks,
Whites and Spanish ; hustlers , junkies, pimps, hookers,
bikers and loud blaring music . Enter CASEY, She walks
the leng t h of the bar greeting and waving to most of
the patrons until she stops short and . sta res , Because
at the very end of the bar sits DUANE, the basket on
his lap ,
CASEY
What the hell're you doing here?
No -- don't tell me. It was the
first bar you came to .
DUANE looks up at her and smiles . He's crocked.
DUANE
Hi , Casey.
CASEY
Oh, baby, are you plastered!
What'cha drinking?
DUANE
Li ghter fluid,
(makes a sour expression)
CASEY
Gotta hand it to you , kid. You 're
doing New York in style. First the
Br osnan and now here . You, uh, come
here often?
DUANE
I don 't even drink.
(CONTINUED)
 60.
173 CONTINUED : 173
CASEY
'l'hat's obvious . You're not still
upset about this afternoon are you?
DUANE
That isn ' t half of it. I ' m so
messed up about a lot of things
And now this girl I've met - - I
don't know what ' s going on any more .
CASEY
She the one you were pushing away
this afternoon?
DUANE
(putting his hands
to his head)
Yeah • • •
CASEY
Looked to me like you overreacted
a bit, huh?
DUANE
But I couldn't let her in! I didn ' t
want her to leave but she couldn't
come in! ••. • Oh, I don't know. --
I ' m not malcing any sense . I don't
even know what I'm talking about.
CASEY
Now that sounds familiar. Tell you
what. Why don't you and your picnic
basket there , take a table with me
i n the back? I got some heavy
boozin' to do and looks like you
could use the company. C'mon .
She helps DUANE off the stool.
DISSOLVE TO
174 TABLE IN THE BACK. Strewn with empty glasses. The basket 174
i s on top of the table with DUANE'a arm resting on it .
Both he and CASEY are not only drunk out of their minds ,
but are in a laughing jag . It takes nothing to send
them into hysterical , uncontrollable laughter .
CASEY
• • • so I throw toothpaste in my
mouth and run out screaming ' Rabies ! '
The guy leaps up and runs out into
traffic bare ass naked !
(CONTINUED)
 61 •

174 CONTINUED: 1'

The two collapse with laughter , DUANE pounding the table .

CASEY
(catching her br eath)
So tell me, what do you do in Glens
Falls?
DUANE
I ' m a sorter.
CASEY
A sort ' a what?
DUANE
No -- a letter sorter . I sort mail .
CASEY
i mailmaz;i? ! Hahahahahahaha!
DUANE
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha!
CASEY
Oh , that ' s great! Hey , I got something
else I ' m just dying to ask you --
Deliberately acting mysterious , she looks around to make
sure no one's listening , then leans forward to DUANE.
CASEY
What ' s in the basket?
DUANE
(leaning toward her)
My brother.
CASEY
Your brother? ! Hahahahahahaha!
DUANE
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha !
CASEY
What •is he? A midget?
DUANE
No , no! We're twins!
CASEY
Hahahahahahahahahahahaha !
DUANE
Siamese twins! Hahahahahahahaha!
(CONTINUED)
 62.

174 CONTINUED: 174

CASEY
That's funny, you don't look - -
DUANE &
CASEY
(together)
oriental! Hahahahahahaha!
CASEY
So what happened? Somebody
shrink him?
DUANE
No , he'·s deformed! Hahahahahaha!
CASEY doesn't crack up this time. "Deformed" is not
exactly a side- splitting pune.hline .
DUANE
A freak! He looks like a squashed
octopus! Hahahahahahaha!
CASEY
(staring at him)
Baby, are you weird.
175 The laughter dies. In its place, years of resentment, 175
bitterness and secPets pour out in a drunken slur .
Once DUANE starts, he can't stop • • •
DUANE
(rapidly)
Our mother died giving birth to us.
He was attached to my right side.
They wouldn ' t let us go to school or
anything. They kept us hidden . We
were the big family secret. Everyone
hated us. Except our aunt.
(he leans toward CASEY
and motions to the
basket)
You see, he doesn't like to be seen.
Not even by me sometimes. He likes
the dark. And you know what else?
CASEY shakes her head . She ' s afraid to interrupt .
DUANE
He talks to me up here
DUANE taps his head.
(CONTINUED)
 63 •.

175 CONTINUED:
DUANE
(continuing)
Without words. I just hear him.
Whispering in my brain. Sometimes
he won't shut up. Talks for hours.
I used to be able to talk to him
like that -- in the head -- but
that's when we were still connected.
Out aunt said it was our special
gift. But since we've been
separated, I can't do it anymore.
(pats basket)
But he can still do it to me . In
fact , - he ' s even better at it now.
He always knows what I'm thinking.
CASEY
(cautiously)
Duane, you're giving me the creeps .
DUANE
They didn ' t want him to live. But
he fooled them. He didn ' t die. He
just got stronger .
(covers his face;
inceherently)
If you only knew what it was like
-- kept hidden from everyone
We're so messed up. Both of us . I
don't know which one of us is
worse. Oh God --
He slumps forward, his head hitting the table.
CASEY
(shaking him)
Duane? Duane?
The camera dollies in to a closeup of DUANE, lying
unconscious ' on the table.
DISSOLVE TO
FLASHBACK SEQUENCE: hazy and colorless -- like an unclear
dream:
176 INT. BRADLEY HOME . NURSERY. 171

The room is !-gll of RELATIVES , all gathered a r ound the

AUNT a_nd the distraught fATHER. A baby bassinet is in the
foreground but no one is near it or even approaches it .
The FATHER, in a crying rage , is held by the AUNT and
DR. PILLSBURY.
(CONTINUED)
176 CONTINUED: 176
FATHER
(loud; emotional)
They said I needed two names for it!
One for the boy and one for the
monster! As if I had two sons
instead of one freak!
(shouting at bassinet) A
It killed its own mother! You want W
a nam..e for it?! How about 'Killer'?!
Or 'Murderer'?! Or 'Deformity'?!
He breaks down sobbing on DR. LIFFLANDER's shoulder.
As the group of RELATIVES surround and try to comfort
him-, the AUNT walks over to the bassinet and looks in.
CUT TO
176A INSIDE THE BASSINET, the INFANT DUA.NE lies asleep. 176A
Growing out of his right side is the INFANT CREATURE,
lying awake and alert. The AUNT reaches in and gently
tucks the little blue blanket around them both.
DISSOLVE TO
177 INT. BRADLEY HOME. PARLOR. 177
The AUNT is speaking with a SOCIAL WORKER, also a woman,
over cups of tea. The AUNT looks extremely uneasy.
SOCIAL WORKER
The boy is how old now? Twelve?
AUNT
You mean boys. There.!!:! two of them .
SOCIAL WORKER
Boys .
{pause)
Yes , of course.
AUNT
{gesturing)
They're upstairs.
CUT TO
177A HALLWAY. SEOOND FLOOR. 177A
They climb the short flight of sta~r.s to the second
floor and walk the length of the hall, the SOCIAL WORKER
talking non-stop .

(CONTINUED)
 64 .
176 CONTINUED : 17
FATHER
(loud; emotional)
They said I needed two names for
it! One for the boy and one for the
monster! As if I had two sons
instead of one freak!
(shouting at bassinet)
It killed its own mother! You want
a name for it? How about 'Assassin'?
Or ' Murderer ' ? Or ' Deformity ' ? Or --
He breaks down sobbing on DR . PILLSBURY's shoulder. As
the group of RELATIVES surround and try to comfort him ,
the AUNT walks over to the bassinet and looks in.
CUT TO
177 INSIDE THE BASSINET , the INFANT DUANE lies asleep . 17'
Loose-fi tting skin from his armpit to waist is connected
to the INFANT CREATURE, lying awake and alert next to
him. The AUNT reaches in and gently tucks their little
blue blanket around them both .
DISSOLVE TO
178 INT . HALLWAY OF BRADLEY HOME.
The AUNT guides a SOCIAL WORKER , also a woman , to the
nursery. From the expression on the AUNT's face, it ' s
something she is reluctant to do.
SOCIAL WORKER
As the boy's aunt , I'm sure you're
doing what you think best . I ' m
fully aware that the local school
board has granted the child a special
dispensation and that you have a
cer tified teaching credential .
However , the State has final say in
all matters and I must examine the
child myself bef0re any tutoring
can be considered a , substitute for --
The AUNT opens the nursery door .
CUT TO
179 INT . NURSERY . 17
YOUNG DUANE , age 6 , is stacking a l phabet blocks on the
floor . He looks up at his AUNT . _'l'he CREATURE , sticking
out of the slit in DUANE ' s clothing , knocks the blocks
over .
 65 .
180 THE . SOCIAL WORK.ER. Her mouth hangs open, her eyes fixed 18(
to the CREATURE on the nursery floor . She is unable to
move. The AUNT closes the nursery door .
AUNT
I think we should discuss this
downstairs
She turns t he SOCIAL WORK.ER around and guides her down
the hall. 1
DISSOLVE TO
181 INT. HALLWAY OF BRADLEY HOME . 181

YOUNG DUANE , now age 12 , opens the door of h is room and

steps into the hallway. He holds the CREATURE as he
walks, since it hangs from DUANE's waist , through a slit
in his shirt, and cannot reach the floor . YOUNG DUANE
motions for the CREATURE to be quiet as they tiptoe
toward the stai rs . As they creep to the banister and
look downstairs, we hear angry voice s from the dining
room.
CUT TO
182 INT . DINING ROOM OF BRADLEY HOME .
Present are the FATHER, DR . PILLSBURY, DR. NEEDLEMAN
and DR. KUTTER.
FATHER
(to NEEDLEMAN a.pd KUTTER)
• • • but the hospital refuses. Despite
my pleading, they won't perform the
operation. Which is why Pillsbury
contacted you two. I don ' t care who
you are or where you came from as long
as this is done now. While my wife's
sister is away. ·
PILLSBURY
(interrupting)
But you must understand the dangers
involved! The hospital refused for
good reason . Removing th~ linking
tissue may not affect Duane .but we
don ' t know about the other one.
NEEDLEMAN
There ' s too much guesswork involved .
It won't let us near it . We can't
X-ray or examine it . We don't know
how it ' s put together . Cutting
into the cartilidge could kill it.
 66.
182 CONTINUED:
FATHER
It's better off dead! What kind of
life will it have the way it is?
PILLSBURY
We' re not going to murder your child
for you.
FATHER
Child?! Duane is my child! Not that
other thing! All I'm asking is that
Duane be made normal. Not live his
l i fe as a freak connected to some
horrible monstrosity. It's too late
to change the other one. But at
least cut Duane from it!
KUTTER
He's right, of course. The boy
should at least have a chance at a
nor mal life .
PILLSBURY
But if we just cut into it
KUTTER
I can't see how removing the
connecting tissue eoul d harm Duane.
At worst , he ' ll grow up with a
nasty scar.
PILLSBURY
Allld the other one? What if it dies?
KUTTER
Doctor, I ' m not even sure it's human .
(to the FATHER)
If you ' re willing to pay for this
and absolve us of all legal
responsibility, I see no xeason why
we shouldn't go ahead with it.
DISSOLVE TO
183 INT. DINING ROOM . 183
YOUNG DUANE is struggling on the dini ng room table, held
down by KUTTER, PILLSBURY and his FATHER as NEEDLEMAN
prepares a syringe .
FATHER
Hol d still Duane! Da111111it! Hold still!
CUT TO
 67.
183A A needle i njected into the struggling CREATURE. 183A
CUT TO
183B DUANE's eyes roll aRd close. 183B
,._CUT TO
183C PILLSBURY and FATHER tying the CREATURE to the table. 183C
CUT TO
l83D KUTTER preparing the coDl'l.ecting tissue. 183D
CUT TO
183E lfEEDLEMAN placillg an oxygen mask over DUAlfE's mouth. 18}E
CUT TO
183.F KUTTER raises aealpel and cuts into connecting tissue. 183F
CUT TO
183G CREATURE wakes and screams. 183G
KOTTER
Hold it still!
NEEDLEMAlf injects another hypo into tae CREATURE as
PILLSBURY and FATHER try to hold it still.
CUT TO
183H Blood !lows from tke partially severed connecting tissue . 183H
CUT TO
183I CREATURE's mouth open and gasping. 183I
PILLSBURY
Something's wrong!
PILLSBURY raises CREATURE's arm, trying to !ind pulse.
CUT TO
183J Scalpel continues to cut the connecting tissue. 183J
CUT TO
183K PILLSBURY holding CREATURE's limp arm. 183K
PILLSBURY
There's no pulse! I can't find the pulse!
CUT TO
 68 .

1831 Blood flows down DUANE ' s side. 1831

CUT TO
183M CLOSEUP PILLSBURY. 183M
PILLSBURY
( It ' s dead !
CUT TO
183N Scalpel severs the remaining connecting tissue. 183N
CUT TO
1830 CLOSEUP PILLSBURY, 1830
PI LLSBURY
Did you hear me?! I t' s dead !! !
CUT TO
183P Blood flows f rom DUANE's side, He opens his eyes ; they 183P
roll to the top of his head . Camera blurs out of focus .
DISSOLVE TO
184 INT, YOUNG DUANE'S ROOM. 184
YOUNG DUANE lies asleep in his bed , his torso bandage d
from airpits t o waist . Suddenly bis eyes blink open and
he jerks up , awakened by a telepathic cry from hi s
brother.
YOUNG DUANE
Y~s , I can hear you .
(pause; no sound)
I understand . Where are you?
(pause ; no sound)
I ' m coming.
He climbs out of bed .
DISSOLVE TO
185 EXT. BACK YARD. NIGHT 185
Clad only in pajama bott oms and bangageB , YOUNG DUANE
walks to the toolshed , At the side of the shed are three
garbage cans . Behind them, propped against t he shed, i s
a plastic trash bag.
YOUNG DUANE
Belial? --
He moves the cans out of the way as the camera dollie s
in on the trash bag , Something inside it moves -- just a
 69 .

185 CONTINUED: 1:

little at first. Then the whole side of the bag bulges

and tears as the CREATURE ' s hand ripe through and remains
outstretched to YOUNG DUANE •
DISSOLVE TO
186 INT . BASEMENT. 1

A large, unfi nished cellar overly cluttered with un-used

furniture, storage cabinets , boxes , garment bags , a
workbench and tools . A single exposed bulb creates dark
shadows over everything.
YOUNG DUANE holds the CREATURE in his arms as he wraps
it in rags, trying to stop the bleeding. The CREATURE
moans and makes low gutteral sounds, obviously in pain .
Suddenly, their FATHER ' s voice fills the cellar.
FATHER
Who ' s down there? Duane? Is that you?
DUANE , holding the CREATURE , scurries to hide .
187 THE FATHER comes down the basement stairs and looks over 1
the railing .
FATHER
Duane? You down here?
He walks slowly toward the workbench , looking for DUANE
among the maze of furniture and boxes .
FATHER
You 're not supposed to be out of bed .
What are you doing down here?
He stops in front of a large electrical table saw.
FATHER
(looking a r ound)
Duane? Answer me!
CUT TO
188 DUANE ' s hand sticking a plug into the socket of a heavy-
duty extension cord.
CUT TO
189 THE TABLE SAW comes to life , its blade spinning at
top speed .
(CONTINUED)
 70 .
189 CONTINUED: 18
FATHER
(startled)
Duane?
CUT TO
190 THE CREATURE grabs FATHER's legs -- both at once - - and 19
jerks them backwar d .
CUT TO
191 FATHER falls forward onto the table saw , the blade 19
buryi ng itself in his chest . His screams drown out the
buzzing of the saw.
DISSOLVE TO
192 INT. YOUNG DUANE'S ROOM. 19

From YOUNG DUANE's POINT-OF- VIEW : We are in the back of

a closet , hiding behind the clothing and toys , but
facing the doorway . Tha AUNT comes into the room and
kneels in front of the closet , speaking softly to us .
AUNT
Duane? It ' s okay. The police have
left . Everyone is gone .
(pause)
Dr. Pillsbur y told them he performed
an emergency operation on your brother
last night . And that your brother
died and was removed from your side
in order to save your life . As for
your father , they believe it was some
kind of horrible accident. There
was even talk of sui cide .
(pause)
I'm not going to ask what really
happened . I know you and your brot~er
have gone through hell. They believe
Belial is dead and we'll let them.
It's safer for him this way.
(pause)
Both you boys needn't hide any
longer. I ' m here to take care of
you . Both of you .
She holds out her a r ms . YOUNG DUANE comes out of the
closet and she embraces him . But she remains kneeling ,
her arms still outstretched until the CREATURE also
comes out and into her arms . She hugs them both.
DISSOLVE TO
 71.
93 INT·. AUNT ' S ROOM . 193
The AUNT sits in an old rocker , her back towa rd us.
Facing her , seated on the floor is YOUNG DUANE. The AUNT
reads aloud from a l arge book whose title we canno t
make out . As s he recites, the camera slowly revolves
around t hem so we will be at DUANE ' s back and fac ing the
AUNT when we fini sh .
AUNT
Art thou afraid?
(pause)
No , monster , not I .
(pause)
Be not afraid. The isle is full of
noises,
Sounds, and sweet airs that give
delight and hurt not .
Someti mes a thousand twangli ng
instruments
Will hum about mine ears; and
sometimes voices
That , i f I then had waked after long
sleep,
Will make me sleep again; and then,
in dre8.l!J,ing,
The clouds methought would open and
show riches
Ready to drop upon me, that , when I
waked , ·
I cried to dream again.
The AUNT looks down. Cuddled in her arms is the CREATURE .
DISSOLVE TO
94 INT. AUNT ' S ROOM . 194
As if asleep, she lies on her bed as DR . PILLSBURY pulls
the sheet over her hea~ . DUANE, now an adult , is crying .
PILLSBURY
There's nothing more anyone can do.
I'm sorry. Slre · was a good woman.
DUANE covers his face sobbing. PILLSBURY puts his arm
on DUANE ' a shoulder, trying to comfort him .
PILLSBURY
Will you be all right? Is there
anyone you can stay with?
DUANE pulls away from the doctor .
(CONTINUED)
 72.
194 CONTINUED: 194
DUANE
We'll be fine. We don't need anybody.
PILLSBURY
'We'?
DUANE
Yeah. Me and my brother.
PILLSBURY -
Duane , I realize how upset you are.
This must be a terrible shock for you.
. DUANE
You think I ' m kidding? Well he ain't
dead. He never was. You thought you
killed him but you didn't.
PILLSBURY
Let me give you something to help
calm you down --
DUANE
Don't worry about me. It ' s you you
better worry about. ' Cause we've
been waiting. Waiting all these
years for the right time.
PILLSBURY
I think I ' d better go --
DUANE
Go ahead and run! It ' ll do you no
good! My brother 's gonna come fQr
you . He ' s not gonna let you get away.
And he ' s gonna get the others, too.
You hear me? Hets gonna do to you
what you did to us. You ' re gonna
pay, you bastard! You're gonna pay!
(breaks down sobbing)
FADE OUT.
(END OF FLASHBACK SEQUENCE)
FADE IN
195 INT. HALLWAY. THIRD FLOOR. HOTEL BROSNAN. 195
DUANE and CASEY stagger up the stairs , DUANE still
hoepelessly drunk. He carries the ba.ake t while CASEY
practically carries him . She guides him up the stairs
and to his door.
(CONTINUED)
195 CONTINUED: 195
DUANE
I'm okay. I'm okay.
CASEY
Let me have your key.
DUANE
No , no. I can do it . I'm alright.
CASEY
You sure?
DUANE
Hundred percent .
CASEY lets him go. He puts the basket on the floor as be
searches his pockets for the key . CASEY unlocks her~door ,
opens it, but doesn 't go inside. She watches DUANE .
He puts the key in the lock but then starts to sway.
CASEY rushes to him, catching him before he falls . She
unlocks his door .
CUT TO
196 INT. DUANE ' S HOTEL ROOM . 196
They enter, DUANE' s arm a round CASEY 1 s shoulders as she V
guides him to the bed. She 's not having an easy tim~
of it -- he's practically asleep a lready. Finally she
flops him on the bed, getting pulled down underneath him
in the process. She wiggles out from under him and
tries to remove his shoes.
Suddenly DUANE jumps up and races to the hall where he
picks up the basket. He brings it in and puts it on the
dresser.
DUANE
Almost forgot him .
He flops back on the bed and is immediately snoring.
CASEY removes his shoes, unbuttons his shirt , and stands
looking down at him. He couldn't have been on the level
with that story. He just couldn't have. She looks at
the basket. A little monster inside it? No. Couldn 't be .
197 She walks to the dresser. His deformed brother inside 197
that basket? Ridiculous ! She puts her hand on the lid
but pulls back . She looks over at DUANE, sleeping
peacefully, then back to the basket when she notices
the medical report l ying nex~ to it . The dried bloo d on
the cover is not easy to miss. She picks it up and opens
tQ the first page.
CUT TO
 74 .
198 CLOSEUP of the birth certificate made out for: "DUANE 198
BRADLEY , MALE, 7 LBS •• • 11 The camera pans to the other
birth certificate: 11 BELIAL BRADLEY , PARASITIC DEFORMITY"
and a large "DECEASED" stamped across it .
CASEY turns a few more pages and comes to an 8 x 10
black and white photo . It is almost unrecognizable
it seems to be a closeup of an eye surrounded by a mass
of t wisted flesh . Some sort of inhuman face • ••
CUT TO
199 CASEY looks back at the basket . She ' s got to open it . 199
She puts the medical report down, places both hands on
the lid , holds her breath and lifts the lid off - -
Hothing. It's empty. Oddly, she isn't relieved . She puts
the lid back on , glances around the r oom, then runs out .
CUT TO
200 HALLWAY. 200
CASEY closes DUANE ' s door and makes sure it ' s locked.
Then she enters her room , the door still open .
CUT TO
INT . CASBl ' S ROOM . 201
,.
Smaller than DUANE ' s and cluttere d with clothing
scattered everywhere .
CASEY enter s the bathroom and undresses . When she comes
out , she ' s wearing only her panties and a loose f itting
T- shirt . She opens the window then walks to the bed .
202 The bed is unmade , its blankets thrown to one aide and
all bunched together. A pair of bright red panties lie
on the pil low. She throws the panties to the foot of
the bed and crawls on the mattress • .Bunching the pillows
together, she snuggles on top of them , grabs the
blankets and pulls t hem on top of her --
r evealing the CREATURE hiding underneath! CASEY sits
upright and screams , too terrified to move.
CUT TO
203 CLOSEUP of the CREATURE . Its eyeball rolls up and down , 203
as if examining CASEY from head to foot , then suddenly
lurches forward , its arms outstretched toward her.
CUT TO
 75 .
204 CASEY leaps out of the bed , screaming wildly as she 204
runs for the door. Before running into the hall , she
glances back to the bed .
CUT TO
205 THE CREATURE still holds its arms out toward her . It 205
throws its head back, opens its mouth and a low gutteral
sound fills the room . Not a scream; more l ike an animal
in pain.
CUT TO
206 HALLWAY , 206
CASEY throws her door open and charges into the hall ,
screaming hysterically . Within seconds , TENANTS fi ll the
hallway. Incoherent , virtually unable to speak , she
keeps pointing to her room. The MANAGER races up the
stairs and grabs her, trying to hold her still.
--., MANAGER
Alright , alright. Easy now, Calm down.
CASEY ,
(stammering)
In my room -- something's in my room
-- on ·the bed
' MANAGER
Easy, Casey , easy.
The MANAGER motions for one of the tenants to hold her
as he enters her room .
CUT TO
207 INT. CASEY ' S ROOM . 207
The MANAGER enters and looks around . The CREATURE is
gone . Everything is as it should be except --
The window is open wider , A strong breeze is blowing
inside. The MANAGER goes to the window and shuts it .
CUT TO
208 HALLWAY, 208
The MANAGER shuts the door to her room and takes CASEY
in his arms.
MANAGER
It's gone now, Casey . Everything's
okay •
•
 76 .
208 CONTINUED : 208
CASEY
(sobbing)
I -- I don ' t want to go back in there .
MANAGER
Okay, okay , you don't have to. You
can stay downstairs. Sleep in my
room. I'll be right outside the
door . Everything 'll be alright.
(to the TENANTS)
The rest of you go back to bed!
He guides her to the stairs.
CUT TO

209 INT . LOBBY. HOTEL BROSNAN. 209

Still holding CASEY, they come down the stairs where
he / escorts her to the room behind the check-in desk.
MANAGER
Okay , now. Just lie down. You 'll be
safe in here .
CASEY lies on his bed. He covers her with the sheet.
. MANAGER
I'll even leave the light on . Okay?
Now go to aieep.
He closes the door to the room and leans on the check-
in desk.
MANAGER
This ain ' t a hotel . It ' s a nuthouse!
DISSOLVE TO
210 INT. DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM. 210

Camera dollies in on the basket , still sitting ·on the

dresser, its lid slowly closing like the coffin lid in
a vampire film .
DISSOLVE TO
211 INSIDE THE BASKET . Closeup of the CREATURE ' s hands . He 211
is fondling something we can barely make out in the
darkness. It looks like a piece of cloth . Slowly , the
CREATURE unravels and meticulously examines the fabric :
CASEY's bright red panties.
FADE OUT .
 77.
FADE IN
'.12 MANHATTAN skyline. Morning. 212
DISSOLVE TO
'13 INT. DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM. 213
DUANE wakes up, still wearing the wrinkled clothing of
the night before. He cringes and holds his head . He ' s
got a beauty of a hangover. Climbing out of bed, he
stumbles over to the dresser and shakes the basket.
DUANE
Wake up. Let's get this over with .
CUT TO
'14 LOBBY. HOTEL BROSNAN . 214
DUANE comes down the stairs , holding the basket. Though
he 's changed his clothes, he still looks awful . The
MANAGER , who spent the night asleep on a chair and looks
as tired and exhausted as DUANE, calls to him .
MANAGER
Hey, Bradley. You -had a call this
morning. A girl named Sharon.
r
DUANE
Sharon? Uh, okay. Thanks.
MANAGER
Up early t oday , aren't you?
DUANE
(nodding to basket)
Yeah , well, I've got to do the laundry.
MANAGER
Didn't you hear the coD1111otion last
night?
DUANE
Huh? What commotion?
MANAGER
Casey screaming.
(pause; watches DUANE
for his reaction)
She saw something in her room .
For a moment there is almost panic on DUANE' .s face.
(CONTINUED)
 78.
214 CONTINUED : 214
DUANE
What was it?
MAN·AGER
I don't know. Maybe she was dreaming.
I 'm just surpri sed all the screaming
didn ' t wake you up .
DUANE
I had so much to drink l ast night,
I was sound asleep. I don't even
remember coming home.
MANAGER
Casey helped you.
DUANE
Where is she now?
MANAGER
In my room asl eep .
DUANE l ooks upset . His mi nd is so fogged about last
night , he ·.doesn ' t want to consider the obvious. He beads
toward the front door.
MANAGER
(calling to him)
Sharon said to call her back.
DUANE
Huh? Oh, yeah. Okay. Thanks.
He leaves , the MANAGER staring at him as he goes .
DISSOLVE TO
215 LOBBY OF A LUXURY APARTMENT. 215
Closeup of elevator doors opening and DR . KUTTER walks
out . The DOORMAN nods to her on her way out.
DOORMAN
Morning , doctor.
She smiles but doesn' t answer.
CUT TO
216 EXT. STREET . 216

As KUTTER walks up t he street., the camera pans to DUANE,

across the street. He bends down to the basket .
(CONTINUED)
 79.
16 CONTINUED: 216
DUANE
She just left.
CUT TO
17 5TH AVENUE. 217

KUTTER walks along the avenue unaware of DUANE's

presence as he ~ollows her.
CUT TO
18 EXT. MEDICAL BUILDING. 218

Large, modern and very clean -- contrasting-greatly

with all the other buildings we've been in so far .
KUTTER enters; DUANE following a . few moments later.
CUT TO
19 INT. LOBBY OF MEDICAL BUILDING . 219

As the elevator doors close on KUTTER, the camera pans

to DUANE who carries the basket to the wall directory .
CUT TO
'20 CLOSEUP of the DIRECTORY. Pan along name: "KUTTER, DR , 220
JUDITH, VETERINARIAN".
CUT TO
121 DUANE. He 's shocked. Angry tears fill his eyes. He 221
bends down to the basket almost unable to speak.
DUANE
She's a veterinarian! We were cut
apart by an animal doctor !
DISSOLVE TO
'.22 INT. KUTTER'S WAITING ROOM. 222

DUANE sits with the basket on his lap between a WOMAN

holding a cat and a MAN with. a huge dog. The dog keeps
sniffing at the basket and growling. A NURSE enters.
NURSE
Mr. White?
DUANE rises.
(CONTINUED)
 80 .

222 CONTINUED: 222

NURSE
(pointing)
The door at the end o! the hallway.
CUT TO
223 INT. EXAMINATION ROOM . 223

This is also the !irst doctor ' s room we've been in that
is clean , orderly and sterile.
KUTTER's back is to DUANE 'as he enters. She is removing
surgical tools !rom the sterilizer and placing them into
the drawer o! a cabinet. She looks up at DUANE and
smiles.
KUTTER
So. Tell me about your cat. You
said on the phone he ' s badly cut.
DUANE
Yes. On his side.
DUANE places the basket on the examin.a tion table.
KUTTER closes the drawer o! the cabinet and approaches
him . She reaches !or the basket .
KUTTER
Let's take a look at him .
DUANE leans his arm across the lid, preventing her from
opening it.
DUANE
Only it ' s not a cat.
KUTTER
Oh? I thought you said
DUANE
And I think I should explain how
he got his cut before you see him.
(pause)
Another vet -- a Dr. Pillsbury
operated on him upstate .
Unsuccessfully.
KUTTER
A Dr. Pillsbury you say?
DUANE
Yee . You know him?
(CONTINUED)
 81.
?23 CO.ITilfUED: 223
!CUTTER
(not the least bit
intimidated)
Ah yes! -- I see. I'm beginlling to
understa.ad aow. You're that kid
Needleaaa warned me about . The
Bradley boy.
{pause)
The freak we separated.
It's DUA:tra who's - intimidated. He turns a bright red.
KUTTER
What a pleasant sur prise after all
these years. You seem to have gone
to a great deal of trouble to find
me. The question is why? I would
assume it's to thank me.
DUANE
(incredulously)
To tha.ak you!?!
KUTTER
Well, after all, I made you nor11al,
dida't I?
DUA.IJE
You did it to kill my brother! Like
a paid assassin!
KUTTER
Oh dear. Hostility.
(slams her fist on table)
Now listen to me you insolent brat.
You've got two seconds to haul your
ass out of my office. I'm not goiag
to be threatened by some adolescent
punk with a smoldering grudge
Unless you've grown something else
you want cut off --
DUANE
You bastard --
KUTTER
Or maybe you wa.at something aewa
back on? A pity it died. Otherwise
I could sew it back on for you and
She stops short and looks at the basket.
( COKTI.IUED)
 82.
223 CONTilWED: 223
KUTTER
What's in the basket?
DUANE
(still reacting)
You despicable, iahuman monster
KUTTER
You haven't brought me aay pet.
-She keeps looking back and !orth !rom DUANE to the basket .
KUTTER
What have you got in there . --
She rips the basket lid off and looks inside.
CUT TO
224 THE CREATURE in the basket. It looks up at KUTTER - - 224
and smiles!
CUT TO
225 KUTTER screams. As she does, the CREATURE ' s claw grabs 225
her jaw, its !ingers inside her mouth. She pulls back
- - inadvertently l~fting the CREATURE out of the basket .
With it cli nging to her mouth , she whirls aroUlld the
room, trying to shake it off.
226 DUAll rushes toward her. She ~wings at him wildly, 226
s■ashing him across the face. He hits the wall and drops
to the !loor.
227 With the CREATURE still dangling from her now bleeding 227
KUTTER leaps !or a cabinet and pulls open a
■outll ,
drawer filled with surgical tools. Among them, scalpels.
As t:1,e CREATURE c.laews her aeck, she reaches out ,
desperately trying to grab oae of the knives.
CUT TO
228 CLOSEUP of the DRAWER. The light glistens off at least 228
two dozen scalpels as KUTTER ' s hand frantically tries
to reach just one --
CUT TO
229 Suddenly, the CREATURE is on the back of her neck. 229
KUTTER tries to pull it off her but instead stumbles
closer to the cabinet and the ' drawer full of scalpels.
As she approaches, the CREATURE pushes her head lower
aad lower --
 83.
230 On eye level with the drawer, KUTTER realizes what is 230
happening. She tries to push away from the cabinet but
to AO avail. Slowly the CREATURE forces her head into
the drawer
CUT TO
HALL CORRIDOR OUTSIDE EXAMINATION ROOM . 231
KUTTER's agonized, e choed screams reverberate throughout
the hall.
The NURSE runs to the examination ' room and bangs on the
door.
NURSE
Dr. Kutter, what's wroag? Ope• up!
Dr. Kutter? Hello? Can you hear ae?
CUT TO
232 INT. EXAMIKATIOK ROOM . 232
KUTTER studs, slightly staggering, but with her back
to us. Th• CREATURE is AO longer on her. The cabinet
drawer lies oa the floor, the blades scattered about.
KUTTER makes ao souad. She just stands in the middle
of the room, swayiag slightly.
CUT TO
233 DUAKE putti ag the CREATURE back into the basket . 233
CUT TO
234 HALL CORRIDOR. 234
The lfURSE is still banging on the door alld calling to
KUTTER as a SECOlfD lfURSE rushes to the examination ro·o ■
with a set of keys.
CUT TO
235 DUANE, raising the basket and e-xiting from another door 235
i• the back of the room.
CUT TO
236 The exaai•atioa roo• door opens and the two NURSES enter, 236
freezing when they see KUTTER, her back still to us.
CUT TO
 84 .

237 CLOSEUP KUTTER. With her back initially facing us , she 237
slowly turns around. As she does, we see six scalpels
embedded deeply ia her !ace. She stares at the camera
!or a moment, disbelieving, then begins to screa.11. Alld
scream. And scream --
CUT TO
238 HALL CORRIDOR. 238
DUAlfE coaes out o! a door at the opposite end of the hall.
He hurries away as KUTTER 's screams continue.
DISSOLVE TO
239 OMITTED 239

240 EXT. 8TH AVENUE. 240

DU.All, carrying the basket , slumps toward the "HOTEL
BROSJJA1'" . His nose a bit bloody from the pllllch he _
received, he looks tired, almost to the point of
exhaustion. Just as he nears the front of the hotel, he
hears someone calling Aim.
CUT TO
241 SHARON, I'UJUliag doWl'I. the crowded sidewalk toward hill. 241
For the first time, she isn't smiling. She looks upset.
CUT TO
242 EXT . HOTEL BROSNAN . 242
The o•ly reason SHARON doesn't throw her arms around
DUANE when she gets to him is because he's holding the
basket out i• front of him. As it is, she presses
agaiast it, ud looks as if she's been crying.
SHARON
Oh, God, Duane. Something awful 's happened .
DUANE
What? Tell me --
SHARON
I've been with the police all morning.

( COlfTIIruED)
 85 .
242 CONTINUED:
DUANE
The police? !
SHARON
Dr . Ne~dleman's been murdered. They
found his body sometime last night.
DUANE
They don ' t think that you ?
SHARON
Oh no . Of course not . But it ' s so
awful . I ' m still shaking . I mean ,
I didn ' t l i ke the man but , God,
Duane , someone killing him 1
I've been a wre ck all day .
CUT TO
243 SHARON ' s breasts pressing against the basket . 24:
SHARON (OVER)
I need to be with someone . I don ' t
want to be alone .
CUT TO
244 CLOSEUP SHARON , her eyes filling with tears.
SHARON
I want to be with you , Duane.
(fighting back
the tears)
I don ' t know why -- especially
aft~r the way you acted yesterday
but I just -- You ' re the first
person I thought of . The only
person I thought of.
(st~rts to cry)
24 5 DUANE can ' t deal with her cryi ng . He doesn't know what 241
to do . He looks around guiltily, as if afraid to be
caught with a crying woman . Finally, he puts his ar ms
over her shoulders.
DUANE
Don ' t - - don ' t cry. It ' s okay . Real ly.
It ' s all r ight now. Come up . C'mon
upstairs .
They enter ~the hotel .
CUT TO
 86.
246 INT . DUANE ' S HOTEL ROOM. 246
DUANE and SHARON enter. He carries the basket over to
the dresser while she stands by the door .
SHARON
(sniffing)
They wanted me to identify the body
until they saw how bad I was taking
it . - - I don ' t understand why I'm
this upset. I just am .
DUANE looks at her from across the other side of the room .
SHARON
And I don ' t know why I kept thinking
of you. But it's all I did . I've
been thinking of you all day. Oh
God, ~ane - -
247 She runs t to him . They embrace and kiss. Passionately. 247
DUANE ' s emot.ions ha:ve been bottled up for so long,
there ' s nothing stoppi ng him now. And SHARON is only
too willing - -
248 They fall on the bed, DUANE on top of SHARON. 248
SHARON
(between kisses)
I love you , Duane.
CUT TO
249 DUANE's hand on her breast . 249
CUT TO

250 THE BASKET . A closeup for a split second only . Then 250
CUT TO
251 DUANE ' s hand moving under her blouse . 251
CUT TO
252 CLOSEUP DUANE . Every sexual feeling he ever suppressed 252
is coming alive inside him . He stops kissing her only
to gulp tor air betor~ again engulfing SHARON's mouth.
CUT TO
253 THE BASKET . Another quick closeup . 253
CUT TO
 87.
t54 CLOSEUP of SHARON and DUANE kissing . SHARON's mouth 254
moves to his ear.
SHARON
Don't stop
CUT TO
!55 THE BASKET . Another split second closeup . 255
CUT TO
156 DUANE rises up, straddling SHARON. He looks down at her . 256
He wants her but there's a slight hesitation .

CUT TO
!57 CLOSEUP SHARON , her arms reaching up , caressing his face . 257
SHARON
Take me . Take me , Duane .
CUT TO
158 THE BASKET. The lid flies off as a loud, ungodly roar 258
fills the room.
CUT TO
DUANE stares at the basket in shock. Hie hands, however, 259
press on SHARONls head and chest, holding her down on
the bed and preventing her from rising or even looking
over at the~ba.s k:et .
SHARON
Oh my God! What's that?!
She tries to get up but can't . At this point , it ' s hard
to tell if DUANE is deliberately holding her down or
just frozen in such a way that all his weight is on top
of her.
SHARON
Duane , let me up!
CUT TO
?60 THE BASKET . The CREATURE ' s head sticks out of ·it , its 260
mouth open wide and screaming . Both its twisted arms
reach outstretched toward ·the bed .
CUT TO
 88.

261 SHARON tries to shake herself free, but DUANE suddenly 26 1

reaches to the foot of the bed , grab~ hold of the sheet ,
and pulls it up over SHARON's head.
SHARON
(screaming)
Stop! What 're you doing? I can't see!!
She continues to fi•ght him and try to pull away, but in
what looks like standard operating procedure for a
kidnapping, DUANE has the bed sheet wrapped completely
over her. He holds her around the waist, lifts her off
the bed, and carries her to the door , her legs kicking
wildly.
SHARON
(screaming}
Duane ! Stop it! Put me down !
CUT TO
262 THE CREATURE's eyeball follows DUANE as he rushes SHARON 262
from the bed to the door. The CREATURE throws its head
further back , screaming at the top of its lungs .
CUT TO
263 Pressing SHARON between himself and the door , DUANE 263
quickly unlocks i t , throws the door open and pushes
SHARON out of the room -- bed sheet and all . No sooner
does she fall on the hallway floor, does the door slam
shut and he relocks it.
264 Then DUANE runs over to the basket and pushes the 264
CREATURE back into it , muffling its screams.
CUT TO
265 HALLWAY. 265
SHARON pulls the bed sheet off and pounds on DUANE 's door.
SHARON
Duane! Open up! What ' s happening in
there? What 's wrong with you?
CUT TO
266 INT. DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM . 266
DUANE presses into the basket with both hands , holding
t he CREATURE down and ou.t of sight, its screaming
stifled. Angry tears roll down his face.
(CONTINUED)
 89,

OONTINUED; 266
DUANE
( to CREATURE)
What are you trying to do to me?
SHARON (OVER)
Duane! Open the door! Talk to me!
DUANE
(shouting to her)
Go away! It won ' t work!
SHARON (OVER)
Are you all right? Open the door
and let me in!
DUANE
(shouting)
No! Go away! Leave me· alone! It won't
work! It'll never work!
DUANE punches the basket , repeatedly beating it.
DUAifE
(to CREATURE)
Damn you! God damn you!
SHARON (OVER)
Duane?! Duane?!
DUANE slinks to the floor sobbing . The CREATURE remains 267
silent in the ~asket as DUANE pounds on the ~loor.
DUANE
Damn you! Damn you! Damn y.ou !
SHARON (OVER)
Duane! Duane!
Covering his •faee with his hands, DUANE curls up on the
floor, ignoring SHARON who continues to call to him and
bang on the door as we
FADE OUT
Hold o-n the blackness un.til a shaft of light horizontally
splits the screen , We are still in
268 INT , DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM. 268
From the CREATURE ' s POINT-OF- VIEW : We are inside the
basket, the lid slightly open , and peering out . It ' s the
middle of the night . DUANE is lying on the bed asleep.
He still wears his clothes and is not under the blankets ,
looking like he just flopped on the mattress and fell
 asleep, We look over at the lamp table to the alarm
clock, It i s almost ;:;o.
CUT TO
269 THE BASKET. Its head sticking out , the CREATURE raises 269
the lid all the way, letting it slide silently onto
the dresser .
CUT TO
270 THE CREATURE drops onto the floor in front of the 270
dresser , making a dull wet thud. The CRE-ATURE freezes
and stares up at DUANE .
CUT TO
271 CREA'NJRE ' S POINT- OF-VIEW: 271
We are so low on the floor that the bed looks gigantic .
DUAl'IE turns over on the bed, though still asleep . When
DUANE is again motionless, we move forward, passing the
bed to stare up at the lamp table next to it. The edge
of the map of Manhattan sticks off the tabl.e. Our arm
reaches up, pulls on the map and it falls to the floor .
We again look over at DUANE. He heard nothing , still
sleeping soundly .
We spread the map open on the floor as our deformed
fingers trace a path from 44TH and 8TH up to 12TH
AVENUE and along the waterfront to 71ST STREET .
We look back at DUANE once more , see that he is still
sound asleep , then move to the open window.
CUT TO
272 INT, TAXI . NIGHT 272
The CABBIE i s giving an animated lecture on the perils
of Uew York Ci ty to his PASSENGER in the back seat as
the taxi speeds down 8TH AVENUE .
CABBIE
It doesn't make sense! Carter gives
the Bronx twenty million do llars
when the bridges leading into t he
city here are- falling apart! The
Queensboro, Williamsburg and
Manhattan bridge are gonna collapse
any day now! It ' ll be just like the
West Side Highway . They won ' t fix
it , they won't tear it down . It just
hangs there , dropping concrete on
people ' s heads!
, ( CONTINUED)
 91 .
272 CONTINUED : 272
Suddenly,. the CABBIE does a double take as he looks out
the windshield.
CABBIE
Holy shit!!! What was that?!!!
The taxi screeches to a halt as the CABBIE and t he
PASSENGER both stare out the side window.
CABBIE
What the hell? Did you see that?! Did
you see that thing?!!
PASSENGER
What? I didn ' t --
CABBIE
Ran right acro ss the road! Never
seen anything like it! Scared the
hell outta me!
A car horn honks behind them .
CABBIE
(now looking out
back window)
Aw shut up·!
Horn honks again and CABBIE leans out the window.
CABBIE
Go on! Blow it out yer ass!
CUT TO
273 CREATURE'S POINT- OF- VIEW: NIGHT 273
We are moving under a block long row of parked cars .
Aa we near 9TH AVENUE , we pause and peer out from
behind a tire. A MAN walks past , not seeing us . We wait.
The rest of the street looks deserted and there is
almost no traffic . We climb up t he curb.
CUT TO
274 EXT. TENAMENT. NIGHT 274
A dirty building somewhere along W. 44TH. A cluster of
garbage cans under an open window suddenly move as they
get pushed apart . One loudly falls over . The lights in
the window go on and a WOMAN ·rushes to the window.
{CONTINUED)
 92.
274 CONTINUED: 274
WOMAN
(strong Spani sh accent)
Hey! Get outta here you --

She sees the CREATURE (out of camera range) and goes

into hysteric13.
WOMAN
Yaaaaaah! Ay Dios mio! Mira! Ven aqua!
Afuera! Ay algo alli! Mira! Mira!
A MAN who obviously jus t woke up stumbles to the window
and looks out.
MAN
What?
WOMAN
Mira! Mira! Lo ve?
MAN
It's a garbage can! It fell! Now
shut up!
CUT TO
275 CREATURE'S POINT::OF- VIEW: NIGHT 275 'e
We are looking down at the sidewalk moving rapidly
underneath us as our arms alternately pull us forward.
We stop and look around , We face the waterfront .
Traffic is almost non- existent and the streets appear
empty. We turn north and move forward,
CUT TO
276 12TH AVENUE. NIGHT 276
A quiet area under the West Side Highway. Seemingly
deserted, there is no sign of movement of any kind until
a woman's scream splits the silence. From an unlit area
near the water, the WOMAN runs across the street
screaming and waving her arms at an oncoming car,
The car pulls t o the curb and two MEN get out. The WOMAN
points to the docks .
WOMAN
(incoherently)
Something ' s over there! Some kind
of animal! This horrible thing with
one eye and - - ran right in front
of me --
(CONTINUED)
 93.
276 CONTINUED : 276
They run to the edge of the dock and look into the
darkness as the camera pans away fro·m them to a deserted
section of 12TH AVENUE under repair. The cam.e ra
continues moving north --
DISSOLVE TO
277 Various locations along the waterfron t area. All are 277
empty , deserted areas where something small like the
CREATURE would have no trouble moving unnoticed in the
night . Each location is accompanied by either a vague
movement in the distance or the sound of the CREATURE ' s
labored breathing .
DISSOLVE TO
278 EXT . SHARON'S BROWNSTONE . NIGHT 278
The camera pans from a closeup of her 4th floor window
down to the street below . In front of her building,
under a street lamp , is the CREATURE . It stands in the
gutter, 011e arm resting on the sidewalk curb , its
body heaving in and out as it catches its breath, its
eye staring up at SHARON ' s apartment .
CUT TO

279 INT. DUANE ' S HOTEL ROOM . 279

DUANE is still asleep on the bed. Tossing slightly , his
body jerks and his face twitches . He ' s having one hell
of a dream ; either a nightmare or -- The camera moves
1n to a tight closeup of his face .
DISSOLVE TO
DREAM SEQUENCE: in the same hazy , colorless style as
the FLASHBACK sequence earlier. We are in
280 INT. SHARON ' S BEDROOM . 280
FROM DUANE'S POINT- OF- VIEW: We stand by the window ,
across the room, watching SHARON sleep . Slowly, quietly,
we move toward her, then stand over the bed looking
down on her. DUANE's hand reaches out and gently caresses
her face, lightly touching her eheelts and lips . 'l'hen
he feels her hair , picking up a few strands and letting
them fall against her pillow .
We look down at her body . Though the sheet is pulled up
to her neck , her shaply figure is clearly outlined
underneath. Again DUANE gently caresses her body, but
( f!l)llf'l'Tlll7TR1))
 94 .
80 CONTINUED: 280
very gently so as not to wake her. One of her legs sticks
out from under the sheet. DUANE ' s hand moves to the leg,
savoring the touch of her skin.
We look back at her face. She still hasn't stirred; she
must be in a very deep sleep. Cautiously, hesitating
slightly, DUANE's hand reaches to the sheet covering her
neck and pulls it halfway down.
She is nude underneath, her breasts fully exposed to us .
Both DUANE ' s hands reach out, wanting to touch, but
afraid to . We bend down, as if a closer look will
compensate for being afraid to touch . But DUANE's hand
does touch; very gently, very slowly . First a finger
rests on the aide of her breast , then another and
another until the entire hand engulfs it.
But our dream now gets bolder. As we pull the sheet
entirely off her , we climp onto the bed, straddling her
much like DUANE did before. Again there is a slight
hesitation until we begin to move up and down, up and
d9wn on this beautiful sleeping nude woman --
CUT TO
INT. DUANE ' S HOTEL ROOM . 281
DUANE twitches more and more in his sleep, his face now
pouring with sweat . Suddenly he springs awake , jerking
up to a sitting position . He wipes the sweat from his
face as he sits there trying to separate the dream from
the dingy hotel room he sits in. But something else:
some kind or worry, even panic, appears on his face. His
head jerks to the dresser and the basket , its lid lying
next to it .
DUANE leaps off the bed and clutches the empty basket .
Then he sees the open window. All at once the reality
sinks in: that wasn't entirely a dream he just had --
CUT TO
?82 INT . SHARON'S BEDROOM. 282
We are in the same position we were in the dream
sequence , from the SAME POINT- OF-VIEW: That is, we are
moving up and down on SHARON's nude body while she
sleeps . Only this is not filmed in the hazy, colorless
style as before . This is only too clear --
SHARON ' a face twitches and her eyes open . She looks
up at us and every form of horror re.gisters across her
face . She screams and screams and screams.
 95 .
283 THE CREATl,JRE , lyi ng on top of SHARON , screwing her . 283
CUT TO
284 INT . DUANE'S HOTEL ROOM . 284
DUANE knows exactly what 's happening. He grabs the
basket and runs out of the room .
CUT TO
285 EXT . 8TH AVENUE . NIGHT 285
DUANE r a ces out of the hotel and char ges wildl y down
the street , the empty basket in his hand .
CUT TO
INT . SHARON' S BEDROOM. 286
SHARON struggles , trying to get up , but t he CREATURE ' s
massive hand covers her face , pressing her down and
muffling her scr eams . The CREATURE continues to screw --
CUT TO
EXT. STREET . NIGHT 287
DUANE , his face contorted with both anger and the pain
of his non- stop , full speed running , races t hrough the
streets. He disregards lights, traffic, everything in
his way
CUT TO
:88 INT . SHARON ' S BEDROOM . 288
SHARON continue s to struggle . The CREATURE , still raping
her, has one hand over her mouth and the other hand
holding her arm against the mattre ss. But SHARON 's free
arm beats the CREATURE and tries t o pull i t off as her
legs kick . Still, the CREATURE remains on top of her .
CUT TO
'89 EXT . STREET. NIGHT 289
A horn blasts and a car skids , almost hitting DUANE
who doesn't notice . He charges down W. 71ST , running
like a madman .
CUT TO
 96 .
:90 EXT . SHAROii I S BROWNSTONE . NIGHT 290
DUANE races up the steps to the front door . We hear
glass break as the door opens and DUANE charges inside.
CUT TO
91 INT . SHARON'S BEDROOM . 291
Closeup of SHARON, The CREATURE'S hand presses tightly
over her mouth. She continues to struggle though it
seems to be entirely in vain . Whether thr ough loss of
air , pain or shock , SHARON's eyes roll to the top of
her head and she f alls back onto the pillow . She is no
longer moving .
'92 As we near t he sound of SHARON's door being kicked in , 292
DUANE rushes into the room and , for a second, freezes .
Because the CREAa'URE is still screwing her . She isn ' t
moving; she ' s either dead or unconscious, Her bQdy
has scratches all over it. There Ls blood on her legs .
And this horrible , deformed monstr osity is still
screwing her.
DUANE leaps at the CREATURE and tries to pull it off . 293
The CREATURE won I t budge . DUANE pul ls and pulls and
finally yanks it off . As DUANE holds the CREATURE , he
stares horrified at SHARON . There is blood all over
her thighs anu pelvis . And dripping from the CREATURE.
DUANE is not the type who deals rationally with a crisis .
Just the opposite. He li t erally throws the CREATURE
into the basket , clamps it tightly under his arm, and
runs from her apartment.
DISSOLVE TO
!94 EX~ . 8TH AVENUE . NIGHT 294
DUANE hurries toward the hotel struggling and fighting
wi t h the basket as if it had a life of its own ,
scr eaming at it in another one-sided argument.
DUANE
(screaming)
How could you?!
(beats tne basket)
No ! Never ! Never again!
(the basket almost
yanks f.rom his hands)
She was pure! She was good ! She
wasn't one of them!
(punches the basket)
You ' re finished! You ' re not getting
loose again !
 97 .
294 CONTINUED : 294
DUANE holds the lid tightly as he enters the hotel ,
CUT TO
295 INT , LOBBY . HOTEL BROSNAN, 295
THE MANAGER , asleep in a chair behind the check- in desk ,
leaps up as DUANE ent er s screaming .
DUANE
Why her? Because I wanted her?
Because she wanted me? What's -wrong
with you?
He slamB the basket against the check- in desk and punches
it again , then heads up the s tairs still ranting .
DUANE
No! I ' ll never let you! No way!
MANAGER
What the hell -- ?
CUT TO
296 INT. DUANE ' S HOTEL ROOM . 296 t--
The door is still open from when DUANE ran out before.
He slams i t shut behind him as he enters.
DUANE
(top of his lungs)
No! I won ' t hear it ! Just 'cau se
you can ' t doesn ' t mean I shouldn ' t !
No! No!
He throws the basket on the bed and continues beating it .
DUANE
Damn you! God damn you to hell!
CUT TO
297 HALLWAY. 297
CASEY comes out of her room , hearing what sounds like
an all- out war in DUANE ' s r oom and bangs on his door.
CASEY
Duane? Duane? Are you all right?
CUT TO
 98 .
298 INT. DUANE'S ROOM . 298
Holding the basket with one hand, DUANE presses the lid
against his chest so the CREATURE cannot get out. With
his free hand, DUANE packs. He throws the ~ew shirts he
had hanging in the closet onto the bed, then picks up
socks and other items of his scattered around the room .
He not only does this fast , but continues to scream
at the CREATURE~
DUANE
(top of his lungs)
Is this the way it ' s going to be
with any girl I like? I have to
worry about you climbing on them?
If I get my hands on you again,
I'll kill you! I swear it! I ' ll
kill you!
With all his belongings piled on the bed, DUANE grabs
the knapsack. He puts the basket on the bed, resting
his knee on top of the lid as he packs .
CUT TO
299 HALLWAY. 299
While CASEY continues to bang on DUANE ' s door , the
MANAGER runs up the stairs with the pass key . He unlocks
the door and throws it open.
CUT TO
300 INT . DUANE'S ROOM . 300
As CASEY and the MANAGER enter , DUANE is startled enough
to jump back from the bed , taking his knee off the basket .
CASEY
Duane, what's - -
DUANE
(screaming at them)
Get out of here!!!
301 Suddenly the lid flies off as the CREATURE sticks out of 301
the basket . It reaches out , grabs DUANE by the crotch
and squeezes!
DUANE screams and doubles over in pain , the CREATURE
leaping out of the basket and onto his head, wrapping
its arms around DUANE ' s throat . DUANE gasps for air and
falls backward against the window .
CUT TO
 99 .
302 EXT . HOTEL BROSNAN. NIGHT 302
DUANE crashes through the window , the CREATURE still
on his head.
CUT TO
303 The CREATURE ' s hand reaching out and grabbing the neon 303
"HOTEL BROSNAN" sign .
CUT TO
304 DUANE jerks to a halt in mid-air, held by the CREATURE ' s 304
arm around his thraat as the CRE~TURE ' s other arm
clutches frantically to the sign. DUANE twitches and
gasps for air , trying to pull himself free. The red neon
letters "NAN" shatter and break as DUANE's body swings
against them.
CUT TO
305 The CREATURE lose.a its grip and slides downward , its 305
fingers sinking into the exposed electrical socket of
the broken letters . Sparks shoot out and the CREATURE
screams.
CUT TO
306 THE STREET . People gather and look up , horrified at 306
what they see.
CUT TO
307 DUANE , still held in a vice grip around the throat , 307
struggles wildly as the sound of electricity buzzes and
crackles behind him . His face bright red , DUANE ' s eyes
roll to t he top of his head as he gradually goes limp .
CUT TO
308 CLOSEUP of the CREATURE ' s fingers unable to pull 308
themselves from the socket as sparks and smoke cover
its hand . Camera pans to its face: its mouth open ,
the screaming eventually stops as its eyeball goes white .
CUT TO
309 DUANE hangs motionless , still held by his throat , as the 309
CREATURE slides down and lets go of the sign . Both
bodies fall to the street.
CUT TO
 "
....~.
'
100.
,,

CUT TO ~..- --
10---...CASEY runs to the window , looks down and screams . The
i ..... .... out behind her •
M:ABA-GER..,_looks
,__
310

511 The two bodies lyin o motionless on the 311

pavement , side by s i de . Soc o :in fact, that
they look as if they were connec
PANS TO
• e eaaera
---
S12 The flickering , buzzing " HOTEL BROSNAN" sign . It ' s 312 _A
last three neon letters smashed , the sign now reads
"HOTEL BROS".
FADE OUT