- Script Excerpt -
Popsicle Death©
by
EXT FULL SHOT-GROUND LEVEL STREET CORNER SNOWMAN - NIGHT
It is midnight. There is a light snow falling. CAMERA IS AT GROUND LEVEL
on the street corner and we see the opposite street corner. There is a
street sign obscured by the night which is sparkling and blocking out
some of the left side, FIELD OF VIEW. STREET LIGHTS AND SNOW FALL ARE
TWINKLING. There is a snowman in the FRAME WHICH IS TILTED and half of
his head is missing. There is a TINKLIN GSOUND as the snow falls, as if
pieces of glass are dropping...gently and softly
A CHILD'S SONG can be heard faintly (Murmured by a boy of about 9 years),
the TINKLING MUSIC of a POPSICLE TRUCK is advancing--the FALLING SNOW SOUND
FALLS OFF (Ominously); the boy's SONG FALLS OFF as the POPSICLE TRUCK COMES
INTO VIEW--OUT OF FOCUS and VERY CLOSE-UP in FRAME, just the bottom two feet
of the vehicle show.It is SILENT, EXCEPT FOR THE MUSIC. There is a touch of
an odd kind of SLOWMOTION.As the POPSICLE TRUCK passes, the CAMERA MOVES UP
AND BACK TO SHOW that the obstruction on the left of the screen has been a
STREET SIGN which reads:
"Janus Court, West"
The snow falls, the MUSIC FADES, and the TICKING OF A CLOCK IS HEARD.
INT DISSOLVE TO:
TIMMY's room (The 9 year old heard singing before).It is an upper middle
class, colorful room fixed up like that of any common nine year old's room;
overly contemporary.The dresser clock (We just heard) says MIDNIGHT.
A nearby calendar shows it to be the night of New Year's Eve. These
items sit right next to a signed picture of a man (Timmy's dead Father),
another picture exhibiting Timmy, his Mother and a Priest (Timmy's
Uncle, it is signed: "your Uncle...Father Guy"). A Crucifix is on the
wall.The TICKING FADES and the POPSICLE TRUCK MUSIC replaces it.
CLOSE-UP of Timmy's ear and surrounding hairs. In SLOW MOTION, he stirs and
turns his head TOWARD THE CAMERA, now FACING INTO THE LENS.
FOCUS ON:
Timmy's eyes. They open, he begins to awaken.
EXT
Outside his window. POV looking in, UPSHOT, Timmy bursts INTO FRAME and gazes
out window and around the neighborhood, PAST CAMERA.
INT
Timmy's bedroom, looking out, Timmy in FOREGROUND. The POPSICLE TRUCK appears
as if from nowhere.Timmy EXITS RIGHT OF FRAME while we still look out upon the
street.Gray tones.FOLLOWTimmy down hall with HAND-HELD CAMERA, then BACKING DOWN
STAIRS with Timmy running down INTO CAMERA, SHOT OF FRONT OF DOOR as he swings it
open INTO CAMERA, BLANKING OUT SCREEN.
Timmy RUNNING TOWARD AND OVER CAMERA as he goes out the door.
EXT - CAMERA continues down pathway to street, into the cold wintry night.
Timmy RUNNING AWAY FROM CAMERA ON GROUND AND TOWARD STREET in his pajamas. We see
POPSICLE TRUCK approaching curbside, looming immensely.
We see it clearly for the first time: It is JET BLACK WITH HIDEOUS WHITE LETTERS
ON THE SIDE which say:
"POPSICLE DEATH".
BLUETONES. Inside TRUCK is a BLACK CLOAKED, HOODED FIGURE OF DEATH PERSONIFIED.
CAMERA MOVES UP on Timmy's back from LAST SHOT LOCATION BY MOVING DOWN sidewalk of
home to sidewalk of street covered, of course, by snow.
Timmy's face. Blue-white, night moon, flickering street lights, OPTICAL EFFECTS of
a light night, but dark where the Dark Stranger is, and His TRUCK; he seems to
ABSORB LIGHT, until he gets mad. Timmy is curious, barely apprehensive in a childlike
fashion. A decomposing, skeletal hand offering Timmy a popsicle. Ask Tom Savini about
gross for this effect.
TIMMY
What flavor is it, Sir?
DEATH
(Moves sinuously, like a snake. A repulsively friendly, tall, thin, Rastafarian type)
Black. A flavor glorious in its own respite, boy.
TIMMY
(Confused, worried now)
No, thank you, Sir. I...I've no money, anyway...Sir.
Timmy backs up.
| End of Script Excerpt for Popsicle Death |
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