THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS
Written by
Peter Straughan & Jon Ronson
10/21/08
1 BLACK 1
SUPERED TITLES READ:
More of this is true than you would believe.
FADE IN:
2 ...CLOSE ON A MAN'S FACE... 2
He is STARING at us with fixed concentration. He is
sweating slightly in the summer heat. We hold for a
moment. Silence, apart from the soft swish of an unseen
ceiling fan.
WIDE SHOT - the Man, wearing military uniform, sits at
his desk in his office, still staring straight ahead.
SUPERED TITLES appear, reading: General Putkin, United
States Army Intelligence SED. Arlington, Virginia. 1983.
The General's assistant, LIEUTENANT BOONE, sits at his
desk, working. After a moment Putkin seems to come to a
decision.
GENERAL PUTKIN
(SOLEMNLY)
Boone?
LIEUTENANT BOONE
Yes General?
GENERAL PUTKIN
I'm going into the next office.
LIEUTENANT BOONE
Yes sir.
The General stands up, smooths down his uniform, steps
out from behind his desk and begins to walk. Boone
watches, with some trepidation, as the General increases
his pace. He quickens to a jog, his face set with
determination.
He breaks into a run...
Then he slams into the WALL of the office, rebounds and
lies splayed on the floor.
He stares up at the wall balefully.
GENERAL PUTKIN
Damn it!
2.
3 EXT. FORT BRAGG - DAY 3
General Putkin is being driven in a jeep through the vast
military base. He has a band-aid over his injured nose.
SUPERED TITLES read: Special Forces Command Centre, Fort
Bragg, North Carolina.
GENERAL PUTKIN (O.S.)
I have been having ideas,
gentlemen. Challenging ideas. And
when I thought about these ideas I
thought about who in the U.S Army
would be most receptive to my
challenging ideas.
The Jeep pulls up at the SPECIAL FORCES COMMAND CENTRE.
The General gets out, a brief case in his hand and
surveys the centre.
GENERAL PUTKIN (CONT'D) (O.S.)
(CONT'D)
Which section of the military is
always straining to reach the peak
of their physical and mental
capabilities?
4 INT. SPECIAL FORCES COMMAND CENTRE - DAY 4
General Putkin stands in front of a room full of seated
SPECIAL FORCES OFFICERS.
GENERAL PUTKIN
You are, gentlemen. Special
Forces.
The assembled Officers nod modestly.
GENERAL PUTKIN (CONT'D)
I want to talk to you about Mind
Wars, gentlemen. War...With...
MINDS...
His audience stare at him. With a flourish he produces a
BENT FORK from his briefcase.
GENERAL PUTKIN (CONT'D)
How'd you like to be able to do
this? What if you could teach
soldiers to do this? Would you be
interested?
Silence.
(CONTINUED)
3.
4 CONTINUED: 4
GENERAL PUTKIN (CONT'D)
(changing tack)
Or, or let's say you have a unit
operating outside the protection
of mainline units. What happens if
someone gets hurt? How do you deal
with that?
He surveys the blank faces.
GENERAL PUTKIN (CONT'D)
Psychic healing! Protect the unit
with hands-off healing. Using the
mind to heal.
Silence. Putkin senses he is not convincing his audience.
GENERAL PUTKIN (CONT'D)
Let's talk about time! What if
time is not a point but a space
and at any one instant we can be
anywhere in that space! (Laughing)
Physicists go nuts when I say
that!
Silence. He is growing desperate.
GENERAL PUTKIN (CONT'D)
Animals! Stopping the hearts of
animals! This is the idea I'm
coming to you with. You have
access to animals right?
Special Forces look like they've had enough. A tough
looking officer - MAJOR JIM HOLTZ - stirs.
MAJOR HOLTZ
No sir. We don't have access to
animals.
5 EXT. SPECIAL FORCES COMMAND CENTRE - DAY 5
A dejected General Putkin climbs back into his jeep.
Lieutenant Boone, in the driving seat, looks at him with
sympathy.
BOB (V.O.)
In 1983, when Special Forces told
General Putkin that they weren't
interested in his ideas...that was
a lie.
6 INT. SPECIAL FORCES COMMAND CENTRE - DAY 6
The BENT FORK sits on the table in the EXTREME
FOREGROUND, a window in the background.
(CONTINUED)
4.
6 CONTINUED: 6
BOB (V.O.)
And when they told him they didn't
have access to animals...that was
also a lie.
We FOCUS on the window - a shaky ZOOM taking us towards
an abandoned looking HOSPITAL BUILDING half hidden by
trees.
7 INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - DAY 7
We TRACK forward into the shadowy interior into a large
space which we now see is full of...GOATS.
BOB (V.O.)
The hundred goats in the disused
hospital building had been
secretly flown in from Central
America so as to avoid customs.
Special Forces weren't worried
about the General hearing the
goats because they'd been de-
bleated.
The GOATS stare at us, their mouths silently opening and
closing.
BOB (V.O.) (CONT'D)
This is the story of those goats.
We CLOSE ON the unblinking EYES of one GOAT, then...
DISSOLVE TO:
8 INT. LOCAL NEWSPAPER OFFICE - DAY 8
Bob sits typing at his desk in the modest office. He
wears glasses, is attractive in a fresh-faced,
enthusiastic kind of way. SUPERED TITLES read: Ann Arbor,
Michigan, January 2003.
BOB (V.O.)
My name is Bob Wilton. Imagine me
back in Michigan, where I was born
and raised. I studied journalism
at Western in Kalamazoo and then I
got a job at the Ann Arbor Daily
Telegram. I wrote a lot of stories
about competitive food eating
contests.
He looks at the photograph of his wife Debora on his desk
and up to where she stands, photocopying in DAVE the
Editor's office. Dave is chatting to her. He has a
PROSTHETIC ARM. Bob watches his wife, smiling.
(CONTINUED)
5.
8 CONTINUED: 8
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
(SADLY)
Look at me. So young. "The past is
a different country. They...do
things there."
We PAN to the next desk and Bob's over-weight colleague
RON, who sits eating a hot-dog.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
This is Ron.
Ron suddenly pitches violently forward, thudding face-
first into his desk.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
He's the man who died.
9 INT. OFFICE - LATER 9
Bob is clearing Ron's desk, putting his possessions into
a box.
BOB (V.O.)
My wife, Debora, told me later
that Ron's death had been like a
wake-up call for her - what people
used to call a memento mori.
Bob sits down, feeling a little ghoulish, at the dead
man's desk. He notices a large INDENTATION on the leather
in front of him - the mark left by Ron's forehead. He
touches it, fascinated.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
That massive coronary had reminded
her that life was too short to
waste any chance of true
happiness.
Bob rests his own forehead, experimentally, onto the
indentation, and sits there, face down on the desk. His
eyes wander over to where Dave and Debora are talking in
Dave's office.
BOB'S P.O.V - Debora's hand BRUSHES against Dave's,
LINGERS just a fraction too long.
Bob frowns.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
A week after the funeral she left
me for my editor.
6.
10 INT. BOB'S HOUSE - NIGHT 10
Bob and Debora and Dave talking. Bob is drinking. We JUMP
CUT to Bob crying, smashing a lamp, Debora shouting at
him.
BOB (V.O.)
(A sad chuckle)
It seemed like such a tragedy at
the time. We couldn't see beyond
our little lives to the great
events of history unfolding out
there in the world.
JUMP CUT to Dave holding Bob in a head-lock with his one
good arm. Debora is sitting, head in hands.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I was like a child. Or a Hobbit,
safe in the Shire.
JUMP CUT to Bob alone in the trashed room, exhausted and
drunk, watching Bush's STATE OF THE UNION SPEECH on TV.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Or a blonde farm boy on a distant,
desert planet, unaware that he was
already taking the first steps on
the path that will lead him
inexorably towards the heart of a
conflict between the forces of
Good and Evil.
PRESIDENT BUSH
(on TV)
Americans are a resolute people,
who have risen to every test of
our time. Adversity has revealed
the character of our country, to
the world, and to ourselves...
Bob wipes his eyes, stares at the screen.
BOB (V.O.)
Had I known where that path would
lead, had a soft wind from my
future brought me the name of Bill
Django, I might never have gone.
But as it was, I did what so many
men have done throughout history
when a woman has broken their
heart... I went to war.
We hear the opening of a period song as we...
7.
11 TITLES 11
As the titles and song continue we see U.S TV footage
from the Iraq War - a dizzying MTV montage, war made pop-
video. Shots include...
""Shock and Awe" air attack on Baghdad
Caravans of U.S troops snaking through the desert
Fighter plane video of an Iraqi fighter jet being
destroyed on the ground
Oil Wells ablaze
PFC Jessica Lynch being rescued by Special Forces.
MNBC Promo - American-flag-draped photomontages with the
words "Our hearts go with you".
Apache Helicopter attacks and destroys an Iraqi tank.
TV Presenters debate "Who is the Hottest Scud Stud?"
Soldiers plant an American flag with Iwo Jima-like
DETERMINATION
American troops pull down a huge statue of Saddam Hussein
in central Baghdad. An American flag draped over the head
is hastily replaced by an Iraqi flag.
BLACK
FADE IN:
12 INT. HOTEL ROOM - DAY 12
Bob sits on the bed talking to Debora on the phone.
BOB
Yeah, no it's been...well, I won't
lie to you Debora - it's been
pretty damn hairy.
DEBORA (O.S.)
(over phone, not as
concerned as Bob
would like)
Yeah. We've been watching it on
Fox.
(CONTINUED)
8.
12 CONTINUED: 12
BOB
Yeah, it's not, uh... I've seen
things that you shouldn't, you
know...
He shakes his head sadly.
BOB (CONT'D)
Pretty damn hairy.
DEBORA (O.S.)
Well I don't even know why you're
there. You're not exactly war
correspondent material are you?
BOB
(STUNG)
Well, I think it's important
people get an accurate picture of
what's...
DEBORA (O.S.)
(to someone else)
What? Yeah.
BOB
(LISTENING)
...what's, uh, happening, so...is
that Dave?
DEBORA (O.S.)
Yeah. He says Hi.
Bob stares out of the window, nodding, afraid he might
start to cry.
BOB
Oh, that's, that's...
He BEATS his head off the wall for a moment.
BOB (CONT'D)
Okay. Gotta go. We're moving out -
heading up north to cover the
fighting there...
13 EXT. KUWAIT CITY - HOTEL - DAY 13
Bob walks out and puts his sunglasses on, staring around
the quiet POOL-SIDE area. He sighs, sits down on a a
sunlounger, starts to read his book. TITLES READ "Kuwait
City, Kuwait, Spring 2003."
JOURNALIST (O.S.)
You missed the war?
9.
14 INT. HOTEL LOUNGE - DAY 14
Bob is drinking coffee with two gung-ho type war
correspondents.
BOB
Yeah.
They laugh.
SECOND JOURNALIST
How?
BOB
(EMBARRASSED)
I've been stuck here. They've only
just given me the green-light. So
I'll probably head over there
soon. I'm just working on this
story about American contractors
coming over for the re-build.
The Journalists look bored.
BOB (CONT'D)
Yeah, I think they didn't want me
going over because I'm not
embedded.
SECOND JOURNALIST
Yeah, they don't like the unilats.
The troops think the unilats'll
stab `em in the back. When you're
EMBEDDED
you form a bond with the soldiers.
You're like one of them.
FIRST JOURNALIST
(to Second
JOURNALIST)
You see action?
SECOND JOURNALIST
Went into Baghdad with Charlie
Company, Second Brigade, Third
Infantry Division...
FIRST JOURNALIST
The thunder run? Heard you had it
pretty bad.
SECOND JOURNALIST
Could say that. Technicals all the
way, RPG's, fuckers were firing
anti-aircraft guns at us...
(CONTINUED)
10.
14 CONTINUED: 14
FIRST JOURNALIST
You know a Private First Class
Zuchero?
SECOND MAN
Zook? I was standing next to him
when he took a hit...
Bob sits ignored, feeling inadequate as they continue to
swap war stories.
15 EXT. HOTEL TERRACE - NIGHT 15
Bob sits drinking more coffee.
BOB
(To Waiter)
So what's a useful phrase?
KUWAIT WAITER
La termi, ana sahafi.
Bob repeats this.
BOB
What's that mean?
KUWAIT WAITER
Don't shoot, I'm a reporter.
He walks off. Bob sighs, continues DOODLING in his
notebook. We see he has covered the page in stylized
drawings of EYES. He notices a A MAN IN A BASEBALL CAP
sitting at the next table.
BOB
(SHYLY)
Hey.
MAN
(without looking up)
Hey.
Bob reads the logo on the baseball cap.
BOB
DeWitt Resources. Arkansas.
MAN
(BEAT)
Right. We make trash cans.
BOB
You over here for the conference?
Looking for a contract right?
(CONTINUED)
11.
15 CONTINUED: 15
MAN
I guess.
BOB
What's your pitch?
The man considers this. He looks up and we see his face
for the first time - handsome, older than Bob, tanned, a
moustache, a slightly haunted expression. This is LYN
CASSADY.
MAN
Well...we're real cheap.
Bob waits for more, but that's it. He holds out his hand.
BOB
Bob Wilton.
LYN CASSADY
(SHAKING)
Skip.
BOB
Could I bum a smoke, Skip?
Lyn shoves the packet across the table. Bob sits down
across from him, pats himself down for a lighter, glances
over to where the two embedded Journalists are joking
with some Marines. Bob watches them jealously.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
I sat there watching those
reporters and realized I didn't
want to be me anymore. I wanted to
be them. I wanted to face peril
and stand witness to the fall and
rise of nations.
Suddenly the TERRACE LIGHT above them flickers and goes
out. Lyn and Bob sit in the dark.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Everyone gets everything he wants.
Like the man said. I wanted a
mission.
BOB (CONT'D)
(patting his pockets
in the dark)
Oh crap, can't find my...
A LIGHTER ignites in Lyn's hand, eerily lighting the
lower half of his face, his eyes hidden by the brim of
the cap. Bob leans forward to light his cigarette and
finds himself staring at the CONFERENCE I.D Lyn has
pinned to his shirt. The name on the badge reads LYN S.
CASSADY.
(CONTINUED)
12.
15 CONTINUED: (2) 15
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And for my sins, Fate brought me
one.
He stares at the name as he puffs on the cigarette,
vaguely troubled by a memory.
BOB (CONT'D)
(SUDDENLY)
Lyn Cassady...?
DISSOLVE TO:
16 EXT. GUS LACEY'S HOUSE- MICHIGAN - DAY - THE PAST 16
Bob pulls up in a car outside. SUPERED TITLES READ:
Monroe, Michigan, 1997
GUS LACEY (O.S.)
This is the home learning course
we're putting out, which is very
popular.
17 INT. GUS LACEY'S HOUSE - DAY 17
Bob is interviewing Gus Lacey at Lacey's dining room
table. Gus has a sun-bed tan and odd hair. His nervous
looking MOTHER sits beside them. Gus is holding up a
VIDEO CASE for Bob to see - the cover, illustrated with a
picture of Gus, reads "Free To Roam - Learn E.S.P from
the master!"
GUS LACEY
Then there's the seminars. When
I'm not teaching I spend a lotta
time, right here, remote viewing.
BOB
Right here?
GUS LACEY
The kitchen table. That is
correct. That's where my body is.
But my mind...that's, you know...
He gestures to the horizon.
BOB
Wandering?
GUS LACEY
Wandering. Roaming. Yeah.
BOB
So what have you seen lately?
(CONTINUED)
13.
17 CONTINUED: 17
GUS LACEY
Lately I've been watching the Loch
Ness Monster in Scotland, England -
which it turns out is the ghost of
a dinosaur. That's an exclusive
for you.
BOB
Okay. Wow.
E.C.U of Bob's notebook - on which he has written You are
Crazy.
BOB (CONT'D)
So...when did this all start for
you Gus?
GUS LACEY
It started when I was a kid. I
used to lie on my bed and RV my
cousin, Irene, undressing at
night. Then, when I was in the
army I joined Bill Django's unit.
He trained me and the rest, as
they say...
BOB
Right. I don't know who that is.
Gus gives a dreamy smile.
GUS LACEY
I can't really talk about Bill.
BOB
So what did you do in the army?
GUS LACEY
We were Psychic Spies mainly. That
was our initial tasking but...once
they realized what they were
sitting on, the forces at work...
He stops, his face darkening.
GUS LACEY (CONT'D)
We were trained to kill animals.
BOB
(BEAT)
You mean, what...with your...?
GUS LACEY
With our minds. That is correct.
Just by staring at them.
(CONTINUED)
14.
17 CONTINUED: (2) 17
BOB
(BEAT)
Huh. What kind of animals?
GUS LACEY
One of our unit stopped the heart
of a goat.
BOB
Wow.(Beat) I don't know what to
say.
GUS LACEY
The power they unlocked in us...
(Beat, sorrowfully) Last week I
killed my hamster. (Beat) You
wanna see?
18 BACK OFFICE - LATER 18
TV SCREEN - playing a home video of TWO HAMSTERS in a
cage.
Bob and Gus sit watching the TV. Gus' mother hovers in
the background.
GUS LACEY
You ever seen a hamster do that
before?
BOB
Well, I've never owned a hamster
Gus, so I don't know what...
GUS LACEY
Look at the way it's glaring at
its wheel. Usually that hamster
loves its wheel.
BOB
Maybe some of the readers have
hamsters so...
GUS LACEY
Good. Then they'll know how rare
that is.
BOB
Yeah, I guess any hamster-owning
readers will know what's
aberrant behavior and, uh,
what's...Oh, shit, he's down!
ON TV one of the hamsters has fallen over.
(CONTINUED)
15.
18 CONTINUED: 18
GUS LACEY
Yeah, he's down. At this point I'd
been staring at him for about
three hours.
The other hamster falls over.
BOB
Oh my God! You've dropped both
hamsters!
GUS LACEY
No, the other one's just fallen
over.
They watch in silence. Then the hamsters get up and start
eating.
GUS LACEY (CONT'D)
(switching off the
TV)
Bizarre. Right?
BOB
Well...it didn't die. I thought
you said you killed it?
GUS LACEY
(SHEEPISH)
Yeah well...(He gestures to his
Mother) Mother said no. She said
you might be a bleeding-heart
liberal. She said "Don't show him
the hamster dying. Show him the
tape where the hamster acts
bizarre instead."
Bob looks to Gus' Mother who manages to look nervous and
defiant at the same time. Gus stares at the blank TV,
sips his coffee.
GUS LACEY (CONT'D)
This was nothing. You should have
seen the Skipper at work.
BOB
Who's the Skipper?
GUS LACEY
Lyn Cassady. After Bill he was the
most psi-gifted guy I ever met. He
was like an Occultic force. (Beat)
I think he runs a dance studio
now.
(CONTINUED)
16.
18 CONTINUED: (2) 18
BOB'S NOTEBOOK - as he writes down the name LYN
CASSADY...
DISSOLVE TO:
19 EXT. HOTEL TERRACE - THE PRESENT - AS BEFORE 19
ON LYN'S NAME TAG
Bob straightens from lighting his cigarette, stares at
Lyn.
BOB
Do you...do you know a Gus Lacey?
Beat. Lyn gets up and walks away.
BOB (CONT'D)
Lyn? (Beat) Skip? (Beat) Lyn?
20 INT. HOTEL CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER 20
Bob hurries to catch up with Lyn. He follows him around a
corner and skids to a halt. Lyn is facing him, standing
on one leg, hands raised above his head in an odd martial
arts stance. He emits a threatening croon. Bob raises his
hands nervously.
BOB
Whoa!
LYN CASSADY
You working for Hooper?
BOB
Hooper? No. I work for the Ann
Arbor Daily Telegram.
LYN CASSADY
How do you know about Lacey?
BOB
I interviewed him a few years ago.
He'd been appearing on this radio
talk show.
Lyn relaxes his martial arts stance, shakes his head
ruefully.
LYN CASSADY
Little prick...what'd he tell you?
BOB
He said he joined Bill Django's
unit in the army and was trained
to, to, uh remote view?
(MORE) (CONTINUED)
17.
20 CONTINUED: 20
BOB (CONT'D)
And he said the Loch Ness Monster
was the ghost of a dinosaur. Who's
Bill Django?
LYN CASSADY
(shaking his head in
DISGUST)
Did he show you his "Home Study
Course"?
BOB
Yes.
LYN CASSADY
(walking off down the
CORRIDOR)
Yeah I bet he did.
BOB
(hurrying after him)
Are you...? Do you mean you
corroborate his, uh...? Because,
see, I thought he was just an
idiot?
LYN CASSADY
(RUEFULLY)
He is an idiot...or he was...he's
dead now. He was a paranormal
whore. Always trying to get into
the spotlight, yak, yak yaking. We
took an oath. We don't divulge...
BOB
But you're saying there was a
secret unit?
Lyn stops, turns and stares at him.
LYN CASSADY
We...don't...divulge.
21 INT. LYN'S HOTEL ROOM - LATER 21
Bob and Lyn are talking, passing a bottle of Scotch
backwards and forwards between them. Both are drunk.
LYN CASSADY
Okay. Let me ask you something.
What color were the chairs in the
hotel bar?
BOB
(BEAT)
Uh...?
(CONTINUED)
18.
21 CONTINUED: 21
LYN CASSADY
You were in there for hours. What
color were the chairs?
BOB
Um...brown?
LYN CASSADY
They were green. How many lights
are there in this room?
Bob starts to look around.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
A Super Soldier wouldn't need to
look. He would just know.
BOB
A Super Soldier?
LYN CASSADY
A Jedi Warrior. He would know
where all the lights were. He
could walk through a room and tell
you how many power outlets there
were. People are walking around
with their eyes closed. At Level
One we were trained to instantly
absorb all details.
BOB
(BEAT)
What's a Jedi Warrior?
LYN CASSADY
You're looking at one.
BOB
You're a Jedi Warrior?
LYN CASSADY
That's correct.
BOB
What does that...? I don't think
I...
LYN CASSADY
(PATIENTLY)
I'm Sergeant First Class Lyn
Cassady, Special Forces, retired.
In the eighties I
was trained at Fort Bragg in a
secret initiative code-named
Project Jedi. The objective of the
project was to create Super
Soldiers.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
19.
21 CONTINUED: (2) 21
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Soldiers with Super Powers. We
were the first
generation of the New Earth Army.
BOB
(BEAT)
You've got super powers?
LYN CASSADY
That's correct.
BOB
Hold on, let me...let me just...
He takes out his NOTEBOOK, fumbling, trying to get into
journalist mode.
BOB (CONT'D)
Okay, so, so you're saying you
were a Psychic Spy, like Lacey?
LYN CASSADY
We prefer the term Remote Viewer.
BOB
How does that work?
LYN CASSADY
Different Jedi had different
techniques. Mel Landau used to
visualize packing all his cares
and worries in a little suitcase,
to clear his mind. Steve Cuttle
used to read Bible verse...
BOB
What about you?
Lyn thinks about it.
LYN CASSADY
Well, I find drinking helps. Also
if I'm listening to classic rock
music.
BOB
Yeah? (Beat) Like who?
LYN CASSADY
I like Boston. Boston usually
works.
Bob jots this down in the notebook.
BOB
(WRITING)
What other powers did you
practise?
(CONTINUED)
20.
21 CONTINUED: (3) 21
LYN CASSADY
Invisibility.
BOB
(Taken aback)
Invisibility?
LYN CASSADY
Yup. That was Level Three.
BOB
Actual invisibility?
LYN CASSADY
Well...yeah, that was the goal.
But after a while we adapted it to
just finding a way of not being
seen. When you understand the, the
linkage between observation and
reality, you learn to dance with
invisibility.
Bob tries to follow this.
BOB
Like camouflage?
LYN CASSADY
It's not like camouflage. We also
practised Phasing. Crossing from
particle to wave, from the
physical realm to the plane of
energy. Solid objects seem to pass
right through you. It's starts
with a breathing exercise...
Lyn makes a weird shallow PANTING SOUND.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Then you think black. That's the
nothingness.
Bob watches him solemnly as he continues his weird
panting.
BOB
I don't...can I be honest, Lyn? I
don't know what to make of this. I
don't know what to say. This is
amazing stuff. (Beat) How would
you...I wanna...could I write a
story about this?
Lyn stops panting, takes a swig of whiskey, stares at the
bottle, suddenly taciturn.
LYN CASSADY
Not going to happen.
(CONTINUED)
21.
21 CONTINUED: (4) 21
BOB
No, but see, I've been looking for
a story Lyn. I was going to
write about the re-build contracts
but this...this is even better and
I...
LYN CASSADY
Not going to happen.
BOB
All I'm saying is we could talk
some more tomorrow and...
LYN CASSADY
I'm shipping out tomorrow.
BOB
You're going home?
LYN CASSADY
Going to Iraq. There's this
factory we might be partnering
with in Al Qaim.
Bob's face falls.
BOB
Oh.
They sit in silence for a moment. Lyn passes Bob the
whiskey. He takes a swig, his mind whirring...
BOB (CONT'D)
(SUDDENLY)
I could come.
LYN CASSADY
(BEAT)
What?
BOB
I could come with you, maybe,
and...
LYN CASSADY
Bob, I don't want to be a story,
okay? I don't need the attention
and...
BOB
No, listen, we could change names,
stuff could stay off record and...
(CONTINUED)
22.
21 CONTINUED: (5) 21
LYN CASSADY
It's a war over there Bob. Okay? A
war. I can't be looking out for
you.
Bob flushes with annoyance.
BOB
Well you know, you don't...
I look after myself. Okay? I look
after...And I've been
in some pretty hairy situations
before. I'm not, you know...I'm a
journalist, Lyn. You understand?
He slaps his notebook for emphasis.
BOB (CONT'D)
A journalist. I go where the story
is.
BOB (V.O.)(CONT'D)
I was an American. I was Resolute.
I wanted adversity to reveal my
character to the world. And to my
wife. And to that one-armed cunt
Dave.
Lyn is staring at Bob's notebook. He takes it from Bob
and examines Bob's DRAWINGS OF EYES.
LYN CASSADY
What's this?
BOB
What? Nothing. I was just
doodling.
Lyn examines Bob - something DIFFERENT IN HIS ATTITUDE.
BOB (CONT'D)
What's the matter?
LYN CASSADY
(BEAT)
Nothing.
He considers for a moment, struggling with himself, then
seems to reluctantly come to a decision. He reaches into
the bag on his bed and pulls out a dog-eared BOOK. He
hands it to Bob.
Bob examines the book - on the cover is a picture of Da
Vinci's Vitruvian Man and the title Pentagon Report
92245. The New Earth Army Manual.
Bob stares at the book. He opens the first page and
reads...
(CONTINUED)
23.
21 CONTINUED: (6) 21
BOB (V.O.)
(READING)
The U.S Army doesn't really have
any serious alternative than to be
Wonderful!
Bob looks at the DISCLAIMER at the bottom of the page.
BOB(V.O.) (CONT'D)
(READING)
This does not represent the
official position of the United
States Army at this time.
Bob looks up at Lyn who nods gravely.
LYN CASSADY
You wanted to know who Bill Django
was? (Beat) He's the man who wrote
that book.
22 EXT. EXPRESSWAY - IRAQ - MORNING 22
Lyn's CAR roars down the expressway into Southern Iraq,
passing A TANK which sits by the road-side.
23 I/E. CAR - MORNING 23
Lyn drives. A hung-over Bob sits reading the New Earth
Army Manual.
BOB
(READING)
The New Earth Army is a banner
under which the forces of good can
gather. The courage and nobility
of the Warrior, blended with the
spirituality of the Monk.
24 EXT. ROAD - DAY 24
The car passes oil fields, beyond the buildings thinning
out into the desert.
BOB
The Jedi Warrior will follow in
the footsteps of the great
Imagineers of the past - Jesus
Christ, Lao Tse Tung, Walt
Disney...
25 I/E. CAR - DAY 25
Bob is still reading.
(CONTINUED)
24.
25 CONTINUED: 25
BOB
(READING)
The role of The New Earth Army is
to RESOLVE CONFLICT world-wide.
Jedis will parachute into war
zones, utilizing sparkly eyes
technique, carrying symbolic
flowers and animals, playing
indigenous music and words of
peace...
INSERT: An illustration of a SOLDIER CARRYING A LAMB and
some LILIES - with what appears to be some kind of
loudspeaker strapped to his shoulder.
BOB (CONT'D)
What's the sparkly eyes technique?
Lyn raises his shades and twinkles his eyes at Bob for a
moment.
BOB (CONT'D)
Okay.
LYN CASSADY
You see it?
BOB
I think so. (Beat) Lyn?
LYN CASSADY
Yeah?
BOB
Who is this Bill Django?
Lyn draws on his cigarette thoughtfully.
LYN CASSADY
I don't know where to begin.
26 EXT. VIETNAM - DAY - THE PAST 26
LOW ANGLE - a YOUNG BILL DJANGO - military buzz cut and
all - trips out of a HOVERING HELICOPTER and falls, head-
first down towards us.
WE FREEZE FRAME on his YELLING FACE just before it hits
the camera.
27 INT. CAR - AS BEFORE 27
Lyn exhales smoke.
(CONTINUED)
25.
27 CONTINUED: 27
LYN CASSADY
Bill always said it started for
him when he fell out of a
helicopter in Vietnam.
28 EXT. VIETNAM - DAY - THE PAST 28
Bill hits the ground, which is luckily mainly composed of
MUD. He lies stunned as MORE HELICOPTERS lower around him
and his PLATOON begin to debark. The Helicopters barely
touch the ground before they take off again. SUPERED
TITLES read: Vietnam, January, 1973.
Bill gets up onto his knees and examines his M-16 - the
barrel clogged with earth. He pokes his finger into the
muzzle trying to clean it, then finds he can't get it
back out again.
BILL DJANGO
Oh, man...
He tries to pull his finger free, glances up and FREEZES.
Ahead of Bill and his Platoon is a WALL OF DEAD AMERICAN
TROOPS - rotting in the sun.
His men stand staring at the wall aghast. A PRIVATE
beside Bill snaps and opens FIRE, yelling wildly.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
(over the gun-fire)
Knock-it off! Chris! Knock-it off!
Bill grabs him with his free hand and shakes him, his M-
16 hanging painfully from his other hand.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
Will you knock it off? (Climbing
to his feet) Jesus. What do you
think...?
THUNK. A SOLDIER standing next to Bill drops, the back of
his head sprayed over nearby soldiers.
SILENCE.
Everyone stares at the dead man. Another shot rings out -
another SOLDIER DROPS. The others flinch, scan the tree-
line ahead of them.
SOLDIER
(POINTING)
VC in black pyjamas! One hundred
meters! It's a woman!
The WOMAN is jogging across the tree-line ahead, weapon
in hand.
(CONTINUED)
26.
28 CONTINUED: 28
BILL DJANGO
(trying to free his
HAND)
Okay!
Silence. Long pause.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
Well!?
SOLDIER
What?
BILL DJANGO
What the fu...! Why isn't anyone
firing?
His men stare back at him, frightened.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
TAKE HER OUT!
The Soldiers open fire - a deafening roar. The Woman
keeps on running as the foliage above her head is
shredded by bullets. NO SHOT COMES CLOSE. Bill watches
amazed.
BOB (V.O.)
Every single one of Bill's men
fired high. They instinctively
hadn't wanted to shoot another
person. Later Bill would come
across a study by General S.L.A
Marshall, which revealed that only
15-20 percent of fresh soldiers
shot to kill. The rest
aimed high, didn't fire at all, or
pretended to be busy doing
something else.
Bullets still flying above her head, the Woman stops
running, crouches down and RETURNS FIRE.
Bill is SHOT, stumbles backwards and falls into the mud,
his finger still stuck in his M-16. He lies there,
staring up at the sky, his expression one of puzzlement,
as a huge blood stain spreads over his chest.
BILL'S P.O.V - the edges of our vision darken down as the
sound FADES OUT. The darkness flows inwards, as if an
IRIS IS CLOSING DOWN - until only a PIN-POINT OF WHITE
LIGHT remains in the centre of the sky. We begin to move
towards the light, slowly at first and then faster and
faster. Just as we are about to reach it, a VISION OF THE
FACE OF the VC WOMAN appears, filling the white disc.
(CONTINUED)
27.
28 CONTINUED: (2) 28
VC WOMAN
(SOFTLY)
Their gentleness is their
strength.
We begin to sink back down again, faster and faster until
the circle of white light has disappeared all together
and we are in DARKNESS...
FADE IN:
29 INT. MILITARY HOSPITAL - THE PAST - DAY 29
Bill lies in his bed, staring sadly at the other
casualties in the ward - amputees, spinals, burns...
BOB (V.O.)
Recovering in hospital, Bill wrote
to General T.L Cornplow, Vice
Chief of Staff for the Army,
explaining that he wanted to go on
a fact-finding mission to explore
alternative combat tactics. The
Pentagon agreed to pay his salary
and expenses for the duration of
the journey.
We hear the opening of a period song as we...
CUT TO:
30 EXT. HIGHWAY - THE PAST - DAY 30
...as the track continues we see Bill in civilian dress,
driving down the Pacific Coast Highway.
BOB (V.O.)
What Bill hadn't told the Pentagon
was that he was really looking for
the answer to the riddle of his
vision. How could his men's
gentleness, their general lack of
interest in killing people, how
could this be turned into a
strength? How could love and peace
help win wars? Bill knew where to
go to find out.
MONTAGE SEQUENCE BEGINS
31 EXT. GROUNDS - DAY 31
TRACKING past a row of HOT TUBS - each filled with naked
people hugging.
(CONTINUED)
28.
31 CONTINUED: 31
We find an uncomfortable Bill in one tub filled with
EMBRACING HIPPY MEN. Self-consciously he strokes his buzz-
cut. SUPERED TITLES READ: Naked Hot Tub Encounter
Sessions, Santa Rosa.
32 INT. ROOM - DAY 32
Bill and another MAN are arm-wrestling, SCREAMING. Other
MEN stand around screaming also. TITLES READ: Primal Arm-
Wrestling, Sacramento.
33 EXT. POOL - DAY 33
FOUR PEOPLE are floating on their backs breathing rapidly
and loudly. Each one is supported by a partner. Bill,
his buzz-cut growing out, floats amongst them, sobbing
uncontrollably. TITLES READ: Reichian Rebirthing, San
Jose.
34 EXT. HILL - DAY 34
A PLATINUM HAIRED WOMAN is leading a GROUP OF RUNNERS,
including Bill, down the hill. They run in an odd way -
prancing like horses, their eyes closed, arms raised,
smiling ecstatically. TITLES READ Beyond Jogging
Movement, Stockton.
One of the group runs into a tree.
35 INT. ROOM - DAY 35
Bill lies on his side on a gurney, his hair longer now.
We can't see what is being done to him, but he is sobbing
uncontrollably once again. TITLES READ Higher Essence
Colonic Irrigation Therapy, Monterey.
36 EXT. HOUSE - DAY 36
LONG SHOT - A GROUP OF BARE-CHESTED MEN, including BILL,
stand on the roof of the house. TITLES READ The Whole Man
Movement - Auburn.
A LEADER gives Bill a signal and he jumps off, falls
fifteen foot to the road below. He hurts himself quite
badly.
37 INT. ESALEN INSTITUTE - DAY 37
Bill sits amongst a large MEDITATION GROUP, long-haired
and bearded, indistinguishable now from the San-Francisco
Bay area Hippies all around him. TITLES READ: Esalen
Institute for the Advancement of Human Potential, Big
Sur.
(CONTINUED)
29.
37 CONTINUED: 37
ARROWS POINT at various MEDITATORS around the hall,
identifying them as BOB DYLAN, GEORGE HARRISON and HENRY
MILLER.
Bill senses someone staring at him and glances over to
the Meditator next to him - Aviator shades, a baseball
cap pulled low, empty cigarette holder clenched between
his teeth. The Meditator continues to stare intently at
him.
Then opens his coat to reveal the Magnum .45 strapped to
his chest.
Bill smiles nervously. An ARROW identifies the gunman as
HUNTER S. THOMPSON.
BOB (V.O.)
Bill disappeared into the New Age
Movement for six years.
Bill feels Thompson staring at him. He smiles nervously.
38 EXT. FORT BRAGG - MAIN GATES - THE PAST - DAY 38
It's 1980. Bill walks down the road towards the entrance
gates. His long hair is braided. He has an EYE painted on
his forehead.
BOB (V.O.)
Like all Shamen before him, he had
traversed the wilderness. Now he
was returning to his people, a
changed man.
The SENTRIES at the gate check Bill's PASS suspiciously.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
He brought with him his
confidential report - The New
Earth Army Manual.
The Gates swing open and Bill passes through.
DISSOLVE TO:
39 EXT. DESERT - DAY 39
Lyn crouches revolving a curious aluminium CONE towards
the sun. Bob sits by the car, reading the manual. He
looks up, watches Lyn.
BOB
(BEAT)
Does it direct your powers?
(CONTINUED)
30.
39 CONTINUED: 39
LYN CASSADY
What?
BOB
The cone. Does it direct your
psychic powers or something?
LYN CASSADY
No.
BOB
What does it do?
Lyn takes some BURGERS out of a cooler box and puts them
into the cone.
LYN CASSADY
It cooks supper.
He examines the stove approvingly.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Solar. Utilizing the power of the
universe - no pollution, totally
renewable. This is like New Earth
Army technology.
Bob picks up the Manual and starts to read. Lyn watches
him.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Pretty mind-blowing, isn't it?
First time I read it, I was
like...what the fuck?
BOB
Yes. (Beat) But...
He stops.
LYN CASSADY
What?
BOB
Nothing.
LYN CASSADY
Go on - what?
BOB
Well it's just...it's hard to
believe the Pentagon paid for
this. I mean, it's very
interesting, but there's nothing
in here that's actually
about...fighting?
(CONTINUED)
31.
39 CONTINUED: (2) 39
LYN CASSADY
The New Earth Army was tasked with
preventing conflict. We're a force
of peace, not war. Bill realized
if you want to change the world,
you've got to start by changing
the armies. He was the one that
started the research into non-
lethals.
BOB
Non-lethals?
Lyn flicks away his cigarette.
LYN CASSADY
Check this out.
He takes a yellow PLASTIC BLOB from his pocket with a
flourish.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
The Predator.
BOB
(LAUGHS)
The Predator? (Beat) That's a
plastic blob, Lyn. (Pointing at
the blob) That's a...
Before he can finish Lyn has slipped Bob's finger into a
hole in the middle of the blob and twisted it.
BOB (CONT'D)
OH! OH FUCK! OH...FUCK!
LYN CASSADY
You see? You're mine now. The
Predator is completely
biodegradable. It's friendly to
the earth but it can hurt you in a
hundred ways.
He takes the blob off the finger and rubs it's serrated
edge down Bob's temple.
BOB
OWWWWWW!
LYN CASSADY
It has warrior functions.(Beat)
And it looks a bit funny. This is
New Earth Army technology.
Lyn sticks the Predator in Bob's ear and hauls him to his
feet. Bob yells with pain.
(CONTINUED)
32.
39 CONTINUED: (3) 39
BOB
Stop it! Stop hurting me!
Lyn stares at the blob fondly.
LYN CASSADY
I bought it on line. What's cool
about it is that you could see
this lying on the ground and you'd
never know it had such lethality.
Bob holds his ear and pants for breath. Lyn's face lights
up.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Eyeballs.
40 EXT. DESERT - DAY 40
An empty landscape, as Bob's shout drifts across the
sands...
BOB
No!!!!!
41 EXT. DESERT - SUNSET 41
Bob watches the RED DISK of the sun dip below the
horizon.
Lyn checks the meat on the stove looking pissed off. It's
still raw.
BOB
I think it's officially night now.
Lyn kicks at the stove.
LYN CASSADY
(MUTTERING)
Piece'a shit.
42 INT. CAR - DESERT - LATER 42
Bob and Lyn sit in the car. Bob is reading the Manual,
eating cold beans from a can.
Bob suddenly notices Lyn has taken a small black case
from his bag and is preparing an INJECTION.
LYN CASSADY
(Off Bob's look) )
I've got Crohn's. The steroids
help.
(CONTINUED)
33.
42 CONTINUED: 42
Lyn injects himself, packs everything back away in his
back-pack. Bob sits, shivering. Lyn finishes, stares up
at the stars thoughtfully.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Sometimes there's a need,
Bob. Sometimes people are calling
out for something, even if they
don't know it themselves. And then
a man like Bill appears out of
nowhere, because he heard the
call....
DISSOLVE TO:
43 INT. FORT BRAGG - NIGHT - THE PAST 43
A CIRCLE OF OFFICERS including MAJOR HOLTZ sit around
BILL who has surrounded himself with a pseudo-forest of
plants. There are candles everywhere. His face is
painted. SUPERED TITLES read Fort Bragg. 1980.
BILL DJANGO
I'd like us to begin this with a
mantra. If we could all breathe in
and then out, holding a long
"eeeeee."
The OFFICERS stare at him. There are sniggers. Bill
stares them down.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
Breathe in...(they comply) and
out...
OFFICERS
(EMBARRASSED)
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
ee.
They finish. Bill nods, smiling, stares around at them.
BILL DJANGO
We are a Hollow Army, gentlemen.
Vietnam has crushed our soul. We
are traumatized and melancholic.
We are ashamed. That is why I have
brought you to this place of
Sanctuary. Here we can mend our
wounds and dream our dreams. My
dream is of an America that
will lead the world to paradise,
an America that no longer has an
exploitative view of natural
resources, that no longer promotes
consumption at all costs. I
believe this is America's destiny.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
34.
43 CONTINUED: 43
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
But to achieve it we must become
the first Superpower to develop
super powers. We must create
Warrior Monks - men and women who
can fall in love with everyone,
sense plant auras, pass through
walls, stop saying mindless
cliches and see into the future. I
want you to JOIN me in this
vision. (Beat) Be ALL you can BE.
Bill finishes. We TRACK along the OFFICERS' FACES -
really not sure what to do or say. We reach one officer
who looks like Lee Marvin. This is BRIGADIER GENERAL DEAN
HOPGOOD. His eyes are shining with excitement.
BOB (V.O.)
Amongst Bill's audience that night
was Brigadier General Dean
Hopgood, from the Defense
Intelligence Agency. For some time
the General had been concerned
about information he had been
receiving about Soviet research
into psychic powers.
44 EXT. POOL - DAY - THE PAST 44
Wearing trunks, the Brigadier General lounges by his
pool, engrossed in a PAPER-BACK BOOK titled Psychic
Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain.
BOB (V.O.)
According to some stories the
Soviets were psychically
spying on American bases
and had designed "psychotronic
generators" - machines capable of
bombarding the President with
negative energy.
45 INT. LABORATORY - DAY - THE PAST 45
Two DIABOLICAL-LOOKING RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS are wiring up
some KITTENS to a MACHINE.
BOB (V.O.)
They were also conducting sadistic
experiments to see whether animals
had psychic powers.
46 ANOTHER LABORATORY 46
Another DIABOLICAL SCIENTIST is wiring up the KITTENS'
MOTHER.
(CONTINUED)
35.
46 CONTINUED: 46
BOB (V.O.)
Could they, for instance,
telepathically detect that their
babies were distressed?
47 FIRST LABORATORY 47
With a gloating smile one of the Scientists approaches
one of the KITTENS with a lit CIGARETTE. The kitten gives
a pitiful MEW as the Scientists LOOMS over it.
48 EXT. POOL - DAY - THE PAST 48
Brigadier General Hopgood can't read on.
BRIGADIER GENERAL HOPGOOD
Sick bastards...
49 INT. OFFICE - DAY - THE PAST 49
Brigadier General Hopgood is briefing two senior Pentagon
OFFICIALS.
OFFICIAL
But why did the Soviets begin this
type of research?
BRIGADIER GENERAL HOPGOOD
Well sir, it looks like they
heard about our attempt to
telepathically communicate with
one of our nuclear subs - the
Nautilus - while it was under the
Polar cap.
OFFICIAL
(BEAT)
What attempt?
BRIGADIER GENERAL HOPGOOD
There was no attempt, sir. It
seems the story was a French hoax.
But the Russians think the story
about the story being a French
hoax is just a story sir.
SECOND OFFICIAL
So, they've started psi research
because they thought we were doing
psi research, when in fact we
weren't doing psi research?
(CONTINUED)
36.
49 CONTINUED: 49
BRIGADIER GENERAL HOPGOOD
Yes sir. But now that they are
doing psi research, we're going to
have to do psi research, sir. We
can't afford to have the
Russians leading the field in the
paranormal.
The Officials consider this gravely.
49A INT. FORT BRAGG OFFICERS QUARTERS - DAY 49A
Bill looks in a mirror as he admires his new insignia.
BOB (V.O.)
Two weeks later the Army adopted
the slogan Be All You Can Be and
appointed Bill Commander of the
first New Earth Army Battalion.
50 INT. CAR - THE PRESENT - DAWN 50
Bob wakes, stiff and cold, in the front of the car. He
sits up and looks around, trying to work out where he is.
Suddenly he realizes he is ALONE. Afraid, he scans the
landscape around him - featureless desert stretches to
the horizon.
BOB
(SOFTLY)
Lyn?
51 EXT. DESERT - CONTINUOUS 51
Bob jumps out of the car, panicking and starts to run in
a random direction.
BOB
(As he runs)
Oh God. Oh God.
He stops, staring at the immense empty landscape ahead of
him.
BOB (CONT'D)
LYYYYN!
LYN CASSADY (O.S.)
What?
Bob turns and sees Lyn in a YOGA pose on the roof of the
car.
(CONTINUED)
37.
51 CONTINUED: 51
BOB
I didn't...I thought...What are
you doing?
LYN CASSADY
Salute to the Sun.
He finishes and jumps down.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Okay. We're Oscar Mike. (Getting
up) That's "On the Move" soldier.
52 EXT. DESERT ROAD - EARLY MORNING 52
The car cuts across the vast landscape, the day already
heating up.
53 INSIDE THE CAR 53
Bob is writing in his notebook as Lyn drives. He notices
Lyn keeps looking up at the sky.
BOB
What are you doing?
LYN CASSADY
Cloud bursting. Keeps me in shape.
Bob stares up at the clouds.
BOB
Really? Which one?
LYN CASSADY
(POINTING)
That one.
Bob tries to work out which cloud he means.
BOB
That one?
LYN CASSADY
No. That one. The big one.
BOB
Isn't that one too far away?
Lyn looks at Bob like he's crazy.
LYN CASSADY
They're all far away.
(CONTINUED)
38.
53 CONTINUED: 53
He concentrates on the CLOUD again. Sure enough, it thins
and fades until it has DISAPPEARED. Bob stares - not sure
what to think.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
And it's gone.
Lyn, smiling up at the sky, doesn't notice that the car
is veering off the road a little.
BANG! The two men are slammed forward as the car hits
something, Bob smacking his face off the dash.
54 EXT. DESERT ROAD - DAY 54
We see the car has run straight into a large ROCK. This
is pretty much the only vertical feature in the otherwise
flat landscape.
The two men stand staring at the wrecked front of the
car. Bob is holding a handkerchief to his bloody nose. He
looks at the car, stares around him at the desert
stretching out.
BOB
Jesus Lyn. You had like the whole
desert to drive in...
Lyn rubs his face ruefully.
LYN CASSADY
Yeah. I'm sorry about that Bob.
Must have got a little bi-
locational there, you know? But
don't worry. Someone'll come along
soon.
55 EXT. DESERT ROAD - DAY - MUCH LATER 55
A sweating Bob sits in the shadow of the car, tossing a
COIN. Lyn sits smoking.
LYN WHEATON
Heads.
BOB
(checking the coin)
Right.
He tosses again.
LYN WHEATON
Heads.
(CONTINUED)
39.
55 CONTINUED: 55
BOB
(CHECKING)
Right.
He tosses again.
BOB (CONT'D)
What's your record at this?
LYN WHEATON
Two hundred and sixty four. Tails.
BOB
(CHECKING)
Right. That's pretty...
He stops, listening. We hear the sound of an approaching
ENGINE. The two men turn to see a WHITE PICK-UP TRUCK
approaching.
BOB (CONT'D)
(scrambling to his
FEET)
Oh thank Christ.
Bob scuttles into the middle of the road, waving
frantically. The pick-up slows and pulls over. A YOUNG
IRAQI MAN looks out at them.
BOB (CONT'D)
Can you help us? We drove into a
rock. Could you take us to a town
or someplace?
Smiling, the Iraqi gestures to the back of the pick-up.
BOB (CONT'D)
(RELAXING)
Thank you! Thanks so much!
He grabs his case and climbs up onto the back of the
truck. Lyn stares at the driver, then, with a sigh picks
up his bag and follows Bob.
56 EXT. DESERT ROAD DAY - BACK OF TRUCK 56
As the Truck bumps off down the road, Bob and Lyn sit
down and find themselves facing TWO YOUNG IRAQI MEN.
BOB
Hi! Hello there. Thanks so much
for this.
The two Young Men smile in a friendly fashion.
(CONTINUED)
40.
56 CONTINUED: 56
BOB (CONT'D)
(LAUGHING)
Don't know if we would have lasted
much longer. Phew!
One of the Young Men nods, smiling. He reaches casually
forward and takes Lyn's BAG from him. Lyn just sits
there, resigned as the Young Man roots through the
contents.
BOB (CONT'D)
(OBLIVIOUS)
Yeah, it gets pretty hot out here,
huh?
The Young Man takes out a ROCK COMPILATION CD from Lyn's
bag and inspects it.
YOUNG IRAQI
(to the other)
Deep Purple.
They laugh.
BOB
(laughing too)
Oh, you speak English? Great. Deep
Purple. Right. You guys like Deep
Purple? You like rock or, or...
He suddenly notices the Young Iraqi is holding a HANDGUN.
The Driver leans out the window and shouts something over
the roar of the engine. The Young Man next to Lyn takes
off his scarf and starts to blindfold Lyn with it.
BOB (CONT'D)
(smile fading)
Lyn? Is this...is this...?
LYN CASSADY
(WEARILY)
Yeah.
57 INT. ROOM - NIGHT 57
Bob and Lyn, their hands tied, sit on a mattress in the
otherwise empty room, lit by a shaft of moonlight from
the small window above them. From next door comes the
faint sound of a period song playing. Bob is losing it.
BOB
We're going to die! I'm going to
be killed by Al Qaeda!
(CONTINUED)
41.
57 CONTINUED: 57
From the next room we hear the Young Iraqis start to sing
along to the track, laughing. Lyn listens.
LYN CASSADY
I don't think they're Al Qaeda.
BOB
Oh what the hell do you know? You
don't know! You don't know
anything! And this is all your
fault!
LYN CASSADY
Bob, there's something I have to
tell you. When I said I was
retired from the unit, that was a
lie. I'm on a mission. DeWitts was
just my cover. I've been
reactivated. I couldn't tell
you because this is a Black Op,
but...I think you have a part to
play. I think that's why you're
with me.
Bob collapses face down on the mattress.
BOB
(MUFFLED)
You're an idiot. You want to know
why I'm with you? Because I got
drunk. (Starting to cry a little)
I got drunk and I just wanted to
get into Iraq so I could prove to
my wife I wasn't...just once that
I...And now I'm going to die.
She's right. I'm such a...
He dissolves into misery. Lyn watches with sympathy.
LYN CASSADY
Have you heard of Optimum
Trajectory before? (No answer)
Your life is like a river, Bob. If
you're aiming for a goal
that isn't your destiny, you will
always be swimming against the
current. Young Ghandi wants to be
a stock-car racer? Not gonna
happen. Little Anne Frank wants to
be a High School teacher. Tough
titty Anne. That's not your
destiny. But you will go on to
move the hearts and minds of
millions. Find out what your
destiny is and the river will
carry you. Now sometimes events in
life give an individual clues as
to where their Destiny lies.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
42.
57 CONTINUED: (2) 57
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Like those doodles you just
"happened" to draw?
He unbuttons his shirt and reveals an EYE tattooed on his
chest - very similar to the one Bob had drawn. Bob looks
up.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
This is the Ajna chakra - the
third eye - the symbol of the
Jedi. When I saw you'd drawn
it...well, the Universe gives me a
sign like that, I don't ignore it.
You're meant to be here
with me, Bob. The Jedi inside you
sensed that.
Bob stares at the EYE.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Now listen to me. I don't think
these guys are FRL's or Mehdi
Army... I think we're talking
standard criminals here, okay?
What they're gonna do is try and
sell us on to another group. We
can't let that happen.
BOB
How are we gonna stop them?
There's three of them! And they've
got guns!
LYN CASSADY
We're Jedi, Bob. The Jedi don't
fight with guns. We fight with our
minds.
BOB
What do you mean?
LYN CASSADY
Let's say we have no choice but to
fight with these men. Then
we use visual aesthetics to
instill psychically in the enemy a
disincentive to attack.
BOB
(BEAT)
What do you mean?
LYN CASSADY
Okay, you lock eyes with one of
them, you go into a monotone and
you say "No, I'm not going to
attack you." You totally relax
your body and your voice. And then
you rip out one of his eyeballs.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
43.
57 CONTINUED: (3) 57
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Or you use a pen, stab him in the
neck, create a fountain of blood,
I mean really a fountain, get the
blood to squirt on his buddies.
That's a psychic disincentive,
right there.
Bob thinks about this, a little nauseated.
BOB
We haven't got a pen.
LYN CASSADY
(SIGHS)
You're missing the point.
(Standing up) Here let me show you
something. Stand up.
Bob stands up reluctantly.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Choke me.
BOB
Oh...I don't want to Lyn.
LYN CASSADY
Choke me. What am I gonna do?
(pointing at his throat) Just
here. Choke. Choke.
BOB
I don't think I...there's sharp
edges around here...
LYN CASSADY
C'mon...(making quotation marks
with his fingers) "Attack me."
Bob stares at him, a little annoyed by this.
BOB
What's with the quotation fingers?
That's like implying I'm you
know...only capable of ironic
attacking or...
LYN CASSADY
Quit jawing, Bob, and choke me.
BOB
(BEAT)
Well, if I choose to choke you,
what are you going to do?
LYN CASSADY
I'm going to interrupt your
thought pattern.
(CONTINUED)
44.
57 CONTINUED: (4) 57
Bob thinks about this then raises his hands to choke Lyn.
Lyn THROWS him - sailing through the air. He crashes
down into the floor behind Lyn.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
See? I hardly moved. Physics wise
there's not much going on. It's
the psychic energy that's
important. (Beat) You okay?
BOB
(in pain)
Sharp...edges...
LYN CASSADY
(helping him up)
You felt fear didn't you? Before
hand?
Bob massages his back, impressed despite himself.
BOB
Yes.
LYN CASSADY
Would you say that level of fear
was abnormal for you?
Bob thinks about this.
BOB
I don't know. I was pretty
terrified anyway but the fear I
felt on the run-up to the choking
did seem, you know, unusual.
LYN CASSADY
(PLEASED)
You know why? It wasn't you. It
was me. I was inside your head.
Fighting with the Mind.
Suddenly the door opens and one of the Young Iraqis comes
in, smiling.
YOUNGER IRAQI
Okay. We go.
58 EXT. DESERT - EARLY MORNING 58
The White Pick-Up bounces over the sand. Bob and Lyn sit
in the back with one of the Young Iraqis, who has Lyn's
back-pack.
BOB
(SOFTLY)
I'm sorry I freaked out, Lyn.
(CONTINUED)
45.
58 CONTINUED: 58
LYN CASSADY
That's okay. You learnt a lesson.
"Whatever you fear most has no
power - it is your fear that has
power."
BOB
(IMPRESSED)
Huh.
LYN CASSADY
Oprah.
BOB
Uhuh. (Beat) You really don't work
for DeWitts?
LYN CASSADY
Just my cover.
BOB
(BEAT)
Gus Lacey said you ran a dance
studio. That was just cover too,
right?
LYN CASSADY
No. I do run a dance school. I
love dance.
BOB
Oh. Okay. (Beat) And you're really
on a mission out here?
LYN CASSADY
In time, Bob.
BOB
(BEAT)
Were you just kidding me back
there - about me having some Jedi
in me?
LYN CASSADY
We learn to recognize our own kind
after a while. You ever dream
about flying?
BOB
Yes.
LYN CASSADY
That's one of the signs.
BOB
Do you really think so?
(CONTINUED)
46.
58 CONTINUED: (2) 58
LYN CASSADY
Don't you? Haven't you always
really felt you were different?
Bob considers this.
BOB
Yes. Yes I have.
LYN CASSADY
That's the way it is for us. We're
the ones who don't fit in as kids.
BOB
Have you always had powers?
LYN CASSADY
Kind of. They used to call me the
Jinx.
BOB
Why?
59 INT. GROOM LAKE, NEVADA - DAY - THE PAST 59
Two TECHNICIANS study COMPUTERS. TITLES READ "AREA 51"
Groom Lake, Top Secret Test Flight Base, Nevada. 1983
TECHNICIAN
(Excited. Into
MICROPHONE)
Foxtrot-117 has launched. Tracking
now. Charlie-Oscar 31.8066667...
Lyn (30's), in uniform, walks past and both computers
INSTANTLY CRASH.
VOICE
(over speakers)
We just lost contact! Request
status? Oh Crap!
The TECHNICIANS turn to stare after Lyn. We hear a SIREN
begin to wail.
60 INT. OFFICE - DAY - THE PAST 60
Lyn stands nervously to attention in front of a very grim
looking Brigadier General Hopgood.
BRIGADIER GENERAL HOPGOOD
Did you crash those computers?
Lyn opens his mouth to lie, but one glance at Hopgood's
forbidding countenance changes his mind.
(CONTINUED)
47.
60 CONTINUED: 60
LYN CASSADY
(MISERABLE)
Yes sir.
Beat. A SLOW GRIN steals over the General's face.
BRIGADIER GENERAL HOPGOOD
(SOFTLY)
Far fucking out...
Lyn blinks. This wasn't the reaction he'd expected.
BRIGADIER GENERAL HOPGOOD
How'd you feel about a transfer
son?
61 INT. EX-MESS HALL - FORT BRAGG, NORTH CAROLINA - DAY 61
A small group of JEDI RECRUITS, Lyn amongst them, stands
facing a stern Bill Django in the abandoned-looking
building. The walls have been decorated with COSMIC
MURALS.
BILL DJANGO
I am Lieutenant Colonel Bill
Django. From now on, you
will speak only when spoken to,
and the first and last words out
of your mouth will be "Sir, yes,
sir!" Do you understand?
RECRUITS
Sir, yes, sir!
BILL DJANGO
If you complete this course you
will be a Psychic Weapon, an Angel
of Death, our enemies Worst
Nightmare! Until then you are
Nothing! Less than Nothing! Do you
understand?
RECRUITS
SIR, YES, SIR!
BILL DJANGO
(CHUCKLING)
Yeah, I'm only kidding with that
shit. Okay, what shall we do now?
He stares around the men, expectantly.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
(clapping his hands)
Hey! Lets dance!
48.
62 INT. EX-MESS HALL - DAY 62
The Jedis are DANCING to some rock, encouraged by Bill.
BILL DJANGO
Okay! Give it everything you've
got! That's it!
The Jedis start to dance more frenetically, eyes closed,
jumping about the room, waving their arms...
Bill notices Lyn, shuffling self-consciously from foot to
foot.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
What's your name son?
LYN CASSADY
Lyn Cassady sir.
BILL DJANGO
Where you from?
LYN CASSADY
Opelousas, Louisiana, sir.
Bill stares at Lyn, taking in his orphan air, his hunted
look.
BILL DJANGO
Tough place to grow up?
Lyn shrugs, embarrassed. Bill nods.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
You've gotta free your feet before
you can free your mind, Lyn.
LYN CASSADY
(EMBARRASSED)
Not much of a dancer sir.
Bill examines Lyn's face through narrowed eyes.
BILL DJANGO
But that isn't true is it Lyn? You
can dance. It's just someone told
you not to.
63 BEDROOM - 1965 63
A TWELVE YEAR OLD LYN - is dancing away to a track on
the radio. His FATHER weaves drunkenly past the door and
stops, watching.
(CONTINUED)
48A.
63 CONTINUED: 63
LYN'S FATHER
Stop acting so fucking QUEER!
He throws his beer can at Lyn and walks on. Lyn stares
after him, upset. The RADIO abruptly catches FIRE.
64 INT. EX-MESS HALL - DAY 64
Bill watches Lyn with compassion.
(CONTINUED)
49.
64 CONTINUED: 64
BILL DJANGO
Well, I'm your commanding officer
Lyn, and I'm ordering you to let
the dance out!
Lyn starts to dance with a little more abandon.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
C'mon goddamit! DANCE! Let it go!
Let it all go!
Lyn starts to go for it. And it's true - he CAN dance.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
(with approval)
Welcome to the Heroes Journey Lyn.
Lyn smiles shyly.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
(to the room)
Okay remember everyone, we don't
officially exist as a unit so I'm
afraid there's no coffee budget.
Bring your own coffee. Oh, and no
solid food for the first week.
As the track continues we...
CUT TO:
65 OMITTED 65
MONTAGE SEQUENCE BEGINS
66 EXT. FORT BRAGG - DAY 66
UNIFORMED SOLDIERS march double time across the parade
deck.
SPECIAL FORCES TROOPS
"I don't know but I've been told
Eskimo Pussy is mighty cold..."
67 EXT. - DAY - JEDI WARRIORS 67
...marching, chanting a mantra.
JEDI WARRIORS
Ommmm...
50.
68 INT. MESS HALL - DAY 68
Soldiers shovel in mouthfuls of creamed potato and steak.
69 INT. MESS HALL - DAY - JEDI WARRIORS 69
...sipping their vegetable juice.
70 EXT. FIELD - DAY 70
The Jedis stand watching a JEEP driving down a course
marked out on the field.
71 INT. INSIDE THE JEEP - DAY 71
Bill sits next to a nervous JEDI TRAINEE who is driving.
The Jedi is BLINDFOLDED.
BILL DJANGO
(CALMLY)
Okay, you're doing very well. Now
feel the next bend...
72 EXT. ON THE FIELD - DAY 72
The Jedis SCATTER as the jeep swerves erratically off the
course and drives straight towards them...
73 INT. CLASSROOM - DAY 73
SOLDIERS examine a DIAGRAM of BATTLE TACTICS.
74 INT. JEDI CLASSROOM - DAY 74
The Jedis examine a blackboard on which Bill is writing:
"Before going into Battle the JEDI utilizes A) Yogic Cat
Stretch. B) Primal scream and leap. C) Belgian waffle. D)
Ginseng E) Amphetamines."
75 EXT. FIELD - DAY 75
The Jedis stare doubtfully at the bed of HOT COALS in
front of them. One JEDI stands ready, his feet bare.
BILL DJANGO
Okay, only when you're ready.
The Jedi nods nervously, hesitates, starts to WALK ON THE
COALS, almost immediately starts to SCREAM.
(CONTINUED)
51.
75 CONTINUED: 75
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
(ENCOURAGING)
Think cold! Think real cold!
76 EXT. FORT BRAGG - ROOFTOP - SUNSET 76
Bill leads the Jedis in the EARTH PRAYER as they face the
setting sun.
JEDIS
Mother Earth, my life support
system as a soldier, I must drink
your blue water. I pray my boots
will always kiss your face and my
footsteps match your heartbeat. I
am yours and you are mine. I
salute you.
77 INT. EX-MESS HALL - EVENING 77
Bill leads the Jedis in another dancing session - rock
music blasting - the men dancing in a variety of nerdish
and demented ways. Their uniforms have been supplemented
with odd, personal touches: hats, badges, sunglasses, a
poncho...
We find Lyn dancing in blissful, idiotic abandonment.
BOB (V.O.)
After years of feeling like an
oddball Lyn had finally found a
home. At last he was amongst men
who prided themselves on being
different.
78 EXT. BRIG. GENERAL HOPGOOD'S GARDEN - DAY - THE PAST 78
Bill leads the Jedis and Brigadier General Hopgood in a
complex YOGA MOVE. We CLOSE on LYN.
BOB (V.O.)
These were Golden Days for Lyn.
There was something so noble and
pure in Bill's vision that the
Jedis felt themselves inspired to
be more than soldiers. In a world
torn apart by greed and hate they
would be a force for good, for
peace.
A BUTTERFLY lands on Lyn's outstretched hand. He watches
it with a gentle smile.
(CONTINUED)
52.
78 CONTINUED: 78
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
For the first time in his life Lyn
felt truly happy.
The Butterfly flits away and lands on an APPLE in the
tree overhead.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Then into the garden a serpent did
come.
79 INT. DINNER PARTY - NIGHT - THE PAST 79
GUESTS sit eating dinner around the large table.
Brigadier General Hopgood is talking to his WIFE. He
turns back to find the FORK in his hand BENT DOUBLE.
He looks in amazement at the man sitting beside him -
LARRY HOOPER.
BOB (V.O.)
Larry Hooper was a failed Sci-Fi
writer from Colorado, recruited to
the Jedis after Brigadier General
Hopgood met him at a spoon-bending
party.
Other guests laugh and applaud.
80 EXT. FUNCTION ROOM - NIGHT - THE PAST 80
A WEDDING CELEBRATION is in progress. SCOTTY MERCER - one
of the JEDI RECRUITS - is dancing, beaming with his new
BRIDE. Guests - Lyn and the other Jedis amongst them -
stand watching, clapping and cheering, a boisterous
atmosphere of bonhomie. Larry watches the revellers with
contempt.
BOB (V.O.)
Right from the start he had made
himself unpopular with the other
Jedis.
Scotty and his wife are walking off the dance floor.
Larry stops him to shake his hand.
LARRY HOOPER
Congratulations Scotty. I'm sorry
it doesn't work out for you two.
Scotty's face falls. The other Jedis glare at Larry. One
of them makes a move towards him but Lyn holds him back.
53.
81 INT. MESS HALL - DAY - THE PAST 81
The Jedis eat at one table. Larry sits alone and shunned
at another table. Lyn walks over with a tray, hesitates
seeing Larry alone.
BOB (V.O.)
Larry made it quite clear that he
despised most of the other Jedis.
Feeling sorry for him Lyn sits beside Larry. Larry
flushes red.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
But Lyn - Lyn was different.
(Beat) He really hated Lyn.
82 INT. PSI EXPERIMENT ROOM - DAY - THE PAST 82
Scotty, Larry and Lyn sit focusing on a wall of SMALL
WOODEN CUPBOARDS. Each cupboard has a letter and number
printed on its door.
BILL DJANGO
A-9.
The three men focus on the cupboard in question.
SCOTTY
It's...it's something cylindrical?
I think it's a pencil?
BILL DJANGO
Okay. Larry?
Larry rolls his eyes up in his head, speaks in a high
wavering voice with a bad cockney accent.
LARRY HOOPER
This is Larry's Spirit Guide,
Maud. I'm looking into
the cupboard now and I'm
seeing...I'm seeing...a tin mug?
BILL DJANGO
Lyn?
Lyn stares at his hands, focused. He looks up suddenly,
puzzled.
LYN CASSADY
It's a man on a chair.
Bill unlocks the little cupboard and takes a photograph
of the Lincoln Memorial. There are murmurs of admiration
from the watching Jedis.
(CONTINUED)
54.
82 CONTINUED: 82
LARRY HOOPER
(BLUSTERING)
Oh, no, wait. See, I thought you
said K, not A!
Bill ignores him, smiles at Lyn.
BILL DJANGO
Bravo Zulu, Lyn. Outstanding.
Larry looks daggers at Lyn.
83 EXT. FIELD - DAY - THE PAST 83
Lyn is walking calmly over the HOT COALS as the other
Jedis watch, impressed.
84 INT. GYM - DAY - THE PAST 84
Bill is leading the Jedis in AIKIDO.
BILL DJANGO
Aikido is a vehicle for
harmonizing ourselves with the
Universe and the Way. Look upon
these sessions as an opportunity
to discover yourself and your
training partner in a loving
environment.
LATER
Larry flails violently at Lyn. Lyn FLIPS him with ease.
Larry gets up and CHARGES bellowing at Lyn who FLIPS him
out of the frame. Bill joins Lyn.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
(addressing the
watching Jedi's)
Notice how Lyn's circular motions
turned Larry's
aggression back upon him. Good
work Lyn.
A CHAIR flies through the frame, just missing Lyn's head.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
(without looking at
HIM)
Larry, go outside, calm down.
85 INT. REMOTE VIEWING ROOM - DAY - THE PAST 85
Lyn lies on a couch drinking a beer, staring at a large
BROWN ENVELOPE. Bill sits beside him with pad and paper.
(CONTINUED)
55.
85 CONTINUED: 85
Lyn opens the envelope and stares at the PHOTOGRAPH of
the NATO GENERAL inside.
BOB (V.O.)
After a year's training, Lyn was
given his first tasking. A senior
Nato General had been kidnapped by
Red Brigade members in Italy. Bill
was unofficially
asked if his unit would be able to
help find him before it was too
late.
LYN CASSADY
(CONCENTRATING)
We're north of Verona. It's a
little town. There's a lake
nearby. I can see a Cinema. Across
from the Cinema is a shop or,
or...it's a cafe. He's in the
apartment above. The town is
called...it's something sweet.
(Beat) Dolce. It's called Dolce.
Bill looks proudly over to where an important looking
OFFICIAL watches from the next room. The Official looks
impressed.
BOB (V.O.)
It's true that the unit never
found out whether any of their
remote viewings were accurate or
not. Nevertheless from that moment
on Lyn's reputation soared.
86 INT. EX-MESS HALL - DAY 86
Lyn stands in front of the other Jedis.
BILL DJANGO
Rank, medals...these things mean
little to the Jedi. But growth in
spirit, in wisdom, in psychic
power, these things earn our
respect.
He presents Lyn with an EAGLE FEATHER.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
Native Americans believed that
when one received an Eagle
feather, it was the mark of love,
of gratitude and ultimate respect.
Only true Human Beings may carry
the Eagle feather.
He gives the feather to a deeply moved Lyn, as the other
Jedis applaud. Larry watches Lyn with HATE.
56.
87 INT. REMOTE VIEWING ROOM - DAY - THE PAST 87
Lyn lies on the couch, drinking another beer, the Eagle
Feather on a chain around his neck. A period song is
playing in the room.
BOB (V.O.)
The word soon got out in the
intelligence community that there
was a sergeant at Fort Bragg who
could find whatever you needed
found. It was as if Lyn could fly
anywhere in the world without
leaving his room.
We TRACK INTO LYN'S EYE - UNTIL WE ARE INSIDE HIS MIND.
LYN'S MIND P.O.V - We move towards the wall.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
As Bill Django said - the Force
truly was strong with this one.
As the song breaks into the chorus we burst through the
wall, into freedom...
88 EXT. THE SKY - DAY - THE PAST 88
As the track continues and we RACE over the land, flying
faster and faster, free as a bird, swooping up towards a
huge SUN, until the screens WHITES OUT and we...
DISSOLVE TO:
89 THE SUN - RISING - THE PRESENT 89
...as the Pick-up with Bob and Lyn in the back pulls up
next to another TRUCK.
Two MEN dressed in black with their kaffiyeh covering
their faces stand by it staring at them. In the back seat
of the Truck sits a blindfolded IRAQI MAN.
The Driver of the Pick-Up crosses to the TWO INSURGENTS
with a half-gallon bottle of WATER and passes it to them.
They drink and confer briefly in Arabic. He turns and
gestures to the other two Young Iraqis who push Lyn and
Bob down from the back of the pick-up. Lyn stands still.
YOUNG IRAQI
(gesturing again)
Etaharrak!
BOB
Lyn?
(CONTINUED)
57.
89 CONTINUED: 89
LYN CASSADY
(GENTLY)
It's okay, Bob. We're not getting
into that truck.
The First Young Iraqi gestures more angrily at the Truck.
YOUNG IRAQI
Edkhol!
LYN CASSADY
Don't move Bob.
BOB
(scared, whispering)
Are you going to use the Blob?
LYN CASSADY
Let's hope it doesn't come to
that.
One of the Insurgents stirs and says something softly in
Arabic. The other laughs. Angrily the First Young Iraqi
takes out a HANDGUN and levels it at Lyn.
YOUNG IRAQI
EDKHOL!
Lyn raises one hand towards him.
LYN CASSADY
You can put your weapon away.
You're not interested in us.
The Young Iraqi points the gun at Bob who starts to walk
towards the truck.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
(FIRMLY)
Stay where you are Bob.
Bob stops.
BOB
Shit...shit...
LYN CASSADY
(to the Iraqi,
CALMLY)
We can go about our business.
Apparently having had enough one the Insurgents pulls his
own GUN out and aims at Lyn. The tension builds. Suddenly
Bob remembers the phrase he was taught.
BOB
(BLURTING)
La termi, ana sahafi!
(CONTINUED)
58.
89 CONTINUED: (2) 89
Immediately everyone stares at Bob. The Insurgent OPENS
FIRE at him.
Terrified Bob, dives across the sand. The Young Iraqi
behind him also scrambles for cover.
Still firing, the Insurgent is suddenly aware of Lyn
sprinting towards him. Before he can turn to aim at him,
Lyn LEAPS into the air, spinning around, face contorted
as he emits a bizarre SHRIEK.
We FREEZE-FRAME ON HIM, HUNG IN MID-AIR.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Now at the time I thought Lyn was
having some kind of fit here.
Later I discovered what he was
actually doing was performing the
Echmeyer technique.
90 INT. DOJO - DAY - THE PAST 90
CLOSE on a man who looks like WOODY ALLEN in a jungle
hat. He has his eyes closed in IMMENSE CONCENTRATION. A
bead of sweat runs down his face. SUPERED TITLES read:
BEN ECHMEYER.
BOB (V.O.)
Ben Echmeyer was a Vietnam vet
with sixty-three confirmed kills.
He remains the only non-Korean to
achieve the rank of Master in Kwa
Ra Do. He was one of the Jedi
teachers at Fort Bragg.
REVERSE
SHOOTING from behind Ben to the rows of JEDI RECRUITS
watching with expressions of mingled admiration and
horror.
BOB (V.O.) (CONT'D)
It was said he could have a tug of
war with a dozen men and not move
an inch.
We PAN DOWN the back of BEN and find he is NAKED from the
waist down. A SAND BAG is somehow hanging between his
legs.
BOB (V.O.) (CONT'D)
He was also able to lift bags of
sand on hooks hung through his
scrotum.
A RECRUIT raises a hand.
(CONTINUED)
59.
90 CONTINUED: 90
JEDI RECRUIT
Sir, what's the practical
application of this?
91 EXT. ARMY BASE - DAY - THE PAST 91
OVER-HEAD SHOT - Ben lies on the ground staring up at us.
We hear the sound of an approaching engine.
BOB (V.O.)
Another demonstration involved
letting a recruit drive a jeep
over him. This, in the end, was to
be his undoing.
Next second a JEEP roars straight over Ben, going at
sixty miles an hour.
We FREEZE FRAME on the JEEP.
BOB (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Before his untimely death Ben
caused quite a stir by advocating
his controversial "shock and awe"
knife attack method.
92 INT. DOJO - DAY 92
Ben leaps spastically in the air, spinning and shrieking,
a knife held in one hand.
BOB (V.O.)
The approach was hailed by some
knife aficionados as revolutionary
but criticized by others who
believed that the leaping and
spinning might lead you to
accidentally stab yourself.
TRACKING ALONG BEN'S TRAINEE JEDIS - as they watch his
display.
BOB (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Lyn Cassady, however, became a
firm convert to the style.
We reach LYN who TURNS TO CAMERA.
LYN CASSADY
Ben, you're not forgotten. The
knife you gave me lies next to my
beret. God bless Ben Echmeyer.
60.
93 EXT. DESERT - EARLY MORNING 93
We UN-FREEZE ON LYN - as he whirls and shrieks towards
the Insurgent. Bob watches amazed from where he lies on
the sand.
BOB (V.O.)
Of course, Lyn didn't actually
have a knife with him at this
particular time...so I still think
what he did was kinda...reckless.
The Insurgent, understandably startled, flinches
backwards, trips over the water bottle and falls on his
ass.
Lyn scoops up the gallon bottle of water and begins to
POUND the fallen man with it. The Young Iraqi moves to
intervene but Lyn smacks him in the face with the bottle.
The BLINDFOLDED IRAQI IN THE TRUCK manages to open the
door and stumbles out, claws his blindfold off and races
away over the sand.
The second Insurgent is distracted for a moment by his
victim's flight. When he turns back Lyn has scooped up
the Insurgent's GUN and is aiming it at him.
Beat. Nobody moves.
94 EXT. ROAD - MOMENTS LATER 94
The sun is rising as the PICK-UP TRUCK roars over the
sand and swerves onto the road.
INSIDE THE TRUCK
Lyn drives. Bob is leaning out of the window, staring at
the road behind them.
BOB
(pulling his head
back in)
They're not coming! We're okay! Oh
God, we're gonna be okay!
The Truck crests a hill and we see the IRAQI MAN running
desperately down the road ahead of us, his hands tied.
LYN CASSADY
There he is.
He puts his foot down and the truck roars after the
running man.
(CONTINUED)
61.
94 CONTINUED: 94
TRACKING SHOT - pulling the IRAQI MAN, running for all
he's worth.
Lyn leans out of the truck window as he drives up behind
him.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
(yelling over the
ENGINE)
Sir? You're okay! We're Americans.
We're here to help you!
Terrified the Man sprints faster. Lyn tries to pass him,
but the Man veers at the same time and the truck CLIPS
him, sending him flying.
IN THE TRUCK
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Oh crap!
BOB
What happened?
LYN CASSADY
(BRAKING)
I think I just ran him over.
95 EXT. ROAD 95
Lyn runs over to where the MAN lies moaning on the road,
his head bleeding.
LYN CASSADY
Sir? Are you okay? (Beat) Bob,
give me a hand here will you?
Bob gets out and the two lift the Iraqi Man and begin to
carry him back towards the truck.
They stop listening to an approaching rumble.
BOB
Oh shit! Oh shit, they're coming!
They scuttle faster back towards the truck, the Iraqi Man
dangling between them.
Next second, two GLEAMING WHITE SUVs crest the hill and
roar towards them. Seeing the road blocked by the truck,
the SUVs screech to a halt and several MEN IN FLAK
JACKETS AND SUNGLASSES tumble out in formation, aiming
their M-16's at Lyn and Bob.
ARMED MEN'S P.O.V - Lyn and Bob stare at them before
dropping the bound Iraqi on the ground. Bob waves
nervously.
(CONTINUED)
62.
95 CONTINUED: 95
We hear the opening of a period song as we...
96 INT. S.U.V - DAY 96
LAPTOP SCREEN
We're rushing over a CGI DESERT, between the CGI rivers
Tigress and Euphrates towards a GLEAMING CITY rising from
the sand.
NIXON (O.S.)
Then I say "There it is. The
Future!"
Bob and the Iraqi Man sit beside TODD NIXON - a suit. Lyn
sits behind in between two of the PRIVATE SECURITY
GUARDS, who are nodding along to the music playing in the
car.
Nixon, holding the LAPTOP for Bob to see, watches the
screen, moved.
NIXON (CONT'D)
We play this on these big screens
at the conferences, you know? This
trumpet music blasting out. Every
time I see it, it gets me.
He glances over at the Iraqi Man who is holding a
dressing to the cut on his forehead, pale and shaken.
NIXON (CONT'D)
You a businessman, sir?
The Iraqi Man nods.
NIXON (CONT'D)
Yeah, Ali Babas have been
targeting locals lately.(Holding
out his hand) Todd Nixon, Army
Small Business Office.
IRAQI MAN
(SHAKING)
Mahmud Daash.
NIXON
Ask me what business I'm in,
Muhammad.
MAHMUD DAASH
(WEAKLY)
Mahmud. What business are you in
sir?
(CONTINUED)
63.
96 CONTINUED: 96
NIXON
Right now, I'm in the Quality of
Life business.
Nixon nods, smiling, pleased with the line.
NIXON (CONT'D)
(To Bob)
We've got 25 million Iraqis out
here who wanna be independent,
wanna make something of their
lives. But more than anything else
they wanna buy stuff. Cell phones,
digital cameras, leisure suits -
you name it. If it sells in
Boston, then we can damn well sell
it in Baghdad! (To Mahmud) Am I
right Muhammad? (To Bob) He knows
what I'm talking about. We've got
Halliburton, Parsons,
Perini...just in the primes.
We're gonna have Macdonalds, we're
gonna have Starbucks...No
corporate tax. It's a gold-rush.
Oh, and by the way, fuck the
French! (Laughing) Did you hear
that shit? Chirac wants to bring
French contractors in? Can you
believe that? Hey, Phil? Raise one
hand if you like the French.
THE DRIVER
(their double act)
Raise both your hands if you are
French!
He raises both his hands.
NIXON
(LAUGHING)
Yeah, okay...watch the wheel Phil.
(To Bob) Year Zero boys.
Bob nods politely.
THE BACK SEAT
Lyn prepares an INJECTION for himself. He feels the
Security Guard beside him watching. He notices the name
of the company on the man's badge - Krom Security.
LYN CASSADY
(making conversation)
What's Krom?
The Security Guard continues to watch him through his
mirrored shades.
(CONTINUED)
64.
96 CONTINUED: (2) 96
SECURITY MAN
(Texan accent)
God of War.
LYN CASSADY
(INTERESTED)
Really? Is that Norse?
SECURITY MAN
Conan the Barbarian. S'in the
movie.
Lyn injects himself.
LYN CASSADY
Right.
Lyn notices the Chilean Security Guard on his other side
has a tattoo on his arm - "Viva Pinochet!"
DRIVER
(SUDDENLY)
Okay. We're in Indian Country.
Check six.
The SUV's are approaching a town and other cars have
appeared on the road. The Security Men on either side
instantly lean out of their windows with their M-16's -
aiming them at the cars which swerve out of their way in
fear.
NIXON
(To Bob)
I was pretty down for a while
about not getting any trigger time
in this war Bob, but you know what
I've learnt? Our greatest weapon
against evil is commerce. When
these people have quality consumer
items they will no longer want to
kill Americans.
He turns to gaze at the TOWN they are now driving into.
NIXON (CONT'D)
We're not gonna rest until there's
a satellite dish on every one of
THOSE
roofs.
Behind him the sound of CARS BRAKING AND SWERVING
continues.
65.
97 EXT. TOWN - GAS STATION - DAY 97
A LONG line of cars are waiting for gas - Iraqi men,
women and children, suffering in the heat. Many of them
have been there for hours. The SUVs approach.
98 INSIDE THE SUV 98
The driver of the first SUV radios Nixon's car.
FIRST DRIVER (O.S.)
(Over radio)
We've got a line for the gas
station here. Are we waiting?
NIXON'S DRIVER
(into radio)
Negative. We'd be way too exposed.
We're taking the station. Go in
fangs out.
He accelerates.
99 EXT. GAS STATION - CONTINUOUS 99
...as the two SUV's roar up, horns blaring, M-16's
bristling from the windows. The lead SUV rams the car at
the head of the line and sweeps it out of its path.
Nixon's SUV barrels through the gap and screeches to a
halt by the pumps. The THREE SECURITY MEN roll out
showily, machine guns ready.
TEXAN SECURITY MAN
Secure the perimeter!
The men fan out to the corners of the station, while the
first SUV blocks the road and more SECURITY pile out,
guns raised to cover the line of cars. There are howls of
protest from the waiting Iraqis.
Inside the SUV Bob, Lyn and Mahmud watch in astonishment.
TEXAN SECURITY MAN (CONT'D)
Give her the go-juice, Eddy!
CHILEAN SECURITY MAN
I filled her up last time.
TEXAN SECURITY MAN
Bullshit.
NIXON
(cheerfully, out of
the window)
He did fill her up last time Gary.
(CONTINUED)
66.
99 CONTINUED: 99
TEXAN SECURITY MAN
With respect sir, bull-fucking-
shit. I tanked her last time.
THIRD SECURITY MAN
Every time! Can we get some sort
of fucking system so we don't...
We hear a sudden, sharp POPPING sound. Immediately the
Men drop into CROUCHES, scanning the area.
TEXAN SECURITY MAN
(YELLING)
Contact! We've got contact!
He opens FIRE - IMMEDIATE CHAOS: people scream, duck
down, some cars reverse desperately and collide with the
cars behind. The other Security Men join in the shooting.
THIRD SECURITY MAN
(SHOOTING)
Where? Where's the shooter?
100 ACROSS THE STREET 100
Another SUV - identical, but black, is passing, hemmed in
by traffic. A stray BULLET from the gas-station pings off
it's armor plating. Immediately it screeches to a halt
and a NEW DETACHMENT OF SECURITY MEN roll from the car -
same flak-jackets and Oakley sunglasses but different
color uniforms.
NEW SECURITY MAN
(into radio)
Contact! We're under fire!
The New Detachment open FIRE blindly in the general
direction of the Station.
101 GAS STATION 101
...as bullets smack off the parked SUV.
THIRD SECURITY MAN
Two o'clock! Two o'clock!
All the Security Men turns and begin spraying bullets
across the road. Car windshields and windows explode.
INSIDE THE SUV
A scowling Nixon has slid low in his seat.
NIXON
(muttering to
HIMSELF)
(MORE) (CONTINUED)
67.
101 CONTINUED: 101
NIXON (CONT'D)
Trying to help you fucking
savages.
Mahmud, Bob and Lyn are lying flat on the seats.
MAHMUD DAASH
My house is not far. We could walk
from here.
Bob flinches as another bullet ricochets off the SUV.
BOB
Sounds good Muhammad.
MAHMUD DAASH
Mahmud.
102 GAS STATION 102
As machine-gun fire from across the street strafes the
station and Nixon's Security men return fire blindly.
FIRST SECURITY MAN
(yelling into Radio)
Krom One this is Freedom Frontier.
We are under attack. This is a
FUBAR situation. Requesting Kiowa!
Behind him Lyn, Bob and Mahmud crawl across the station
on their hands and knees, bullets zipping past them.
103 EXT. STREET - MOMENTS LATER 103
Mahmud leads Bob and Lyn at a crouching run down the
street, amongst the crowd of Iraqis fleeing the gunfire
behind them. We hear the whup-whup of a helicopter as a
Kiowa Warrior passes over head.
Moments later we hear an EXPLOSION as the helicopter
opens fire with a MISSILE...
104 INT. MAHMUD'S HOUSE - EVENING 104
TRACKING along a wall, past a crooked WEDDING PORTRAIT -
a smiling Mahmud and WIFE, the glass broken...
BOB (V.O.)
Muhammad led us to his home which
it turned out had been robbed in
his absence.
We TRACK past a row of BULLET HOLES in the wall, a
section of smoke damaged wall paper.
(CONTINUED)
68.
104 CONTINUED: 104
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And also accidentally set on fire
by a US tank. Neighbors told him
his wife had
left, they weren't sure where she
had gone.
We reach Bob, Lyn and Mahmud eating at a low table. The
windows behind them have been partially boarded up.
Mahmud is sunk into a profound depression. Lyn looks
tired, pale. They eat in awkward silence.
LYN CASSADY
What is this?
MAHMUD DAASH
Taameeyah.
LYN CASSADY
They're really good.
Bob nods politely. Mahmud nods, sighs.
BOB (V.O.)
I understood he was going through
a lot, but considering we had
saved him from kidnappers I still
thought his welcome could have
been a little warmer.
Lyn clears his throat.
LYN CASSADY
I'm very sorry for running you
over, sir.
Mahmud shrugs.
MAHMUD DAASH
It was an accident.
LYN CASSADY
(BEAT)
And I apologize for that security
detachment. Please don't think all
Americans are like that.
Mahmud nods. Beat.
MAHMUD DAASH
I apologize for the kidnappers.
Lyn demurs softly.
(CONTINUED)
69.
104 CONTINUED: (2) 104
LYN CASSADY
Not your fault sir. I mean we get
kidnappers in America too,
so...you know. There's always, uh,
bad apples, right?
The men eat in silence for a moment. Mahmud stares
blankly at his plate, looking crumpled and lost. Bob
watches him, faintly irritated. Lyn tries to think of
something comforting to say.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
(CAREFULLY)
Akhir il ahzan. (May this be the
last of your sorrows.)
Mahmud looks at him, startled perhaps by the unexpected
Arabic phrase.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
Did I say it wrong?
Mahmud shakes his head, moved but embarrassed.
MAHMUD DAASH
No...that was right.
They eat in silence.
105 INT. MAHMUD'S HOUSE - BEDROOM - NIGHT 105
Lyn and Bob are sharing a bed. Bob looks out of the
window and notices a CLOUD over the moon. He concentrates
on it, trying to "bust" it. Nothing happens. He sighs,
looks over to Lyn who is staring at the wall, lost once
more in dark thoughts.
BOB
Lyn?
LYN CASSADY
What?
BOB
What are you thinking?
LYN CASSADY
Just Mahmud. People try to build
something of their lives,
something lasting, something
good... but there's always someone
wants to smash it up...
DISSOLVE TO:
106 OMITTED 106
70.
107 INT. REMOTE VIEWING ROOM - DAY - THE PAST 107
BOB (V.O.)
Lyn was thinking of Larry Hooper
and the part he had played in the
destruction of the New earth Army.
But, in fairness, the Jedis' own
eccentricities hadn't exactly won
them many allies in the Army.
A JEDI - TIM KOOTZ - lies on the couch in a TRANCE, Bill
sitting beside him with pen and paper.
BOB (V.O.) (CONT'D)
For example, there was Tim Kootz
who, on being asked to ascertain
the whereabouts of General Manuel
Noriega, had replied...
Tim jerks awake from his trance.
TIM KOOTZ
(FIRMLY)
Ask Angela Lansbury.
BILL DJANGO
(BEAT)
What's that Tim?
TIM KOOTZ
Ask Angela Lansbury.
Bill looks up to an CIA AGENT observing from the next
room. The Agent frowns.
108 INT. CORRIDOR - DAY - THE PAST 108
Bill waits a little anxiously. The CIA Agent walks up to
him.
CIA AGENT
We asked Angela Lansbury.
BILL DJANGO
And?
CIA AGENT
She said she didn't know where
General Noriega was.
109 INT. STAFF CAR - FORT BRAGG - DAY - THE PAST 109
MAJOR GENERAL JACK GILLING is being driven through the
base. As he stares out of the window his expression
suddenly changes to one of amazement.
(CONTINUED)
71.
109 CONTINUED: 109
BOB (V.O.)
Or there was the time Major
General Gilling was visiting the
base and saw Jedi trainee Clifford
Hickox...
RUSSELL'S P.O.V - we are driving past the training
course. A bare-chested, long-haired Hickox is dancing
around a wooden pole to which he is attached by two long
wires and metal hooks which are stuck in his bleeding
nipples.
BOB (CONT'D)
...practising the ancient Sun
Dance of the Sioux Nation.
110 INT. EX-MESS HALL - FORT BRAGG - DAY - THE PAST 110
Bill is introducing a young, fresh-faced recruit -
LIEUTENANT NORM PENDLETON to the other Jedis.
BOB (V.O.)
The Jedis survived such minor
scandals, protected, it was
rumored, by a President who was a
fan of both the Star Wars films
and the paranormal himself. But
then, one summer,
a young, likeable Lieutenant
called Norman Pendleton was
recruited to the New Earth Army...
Larry Hooper examines the new recruit with interest.
111 EXT. FIELD - MORNING - THE PAST 111
Larry and Norm are jogging together, deep in
conversation.
BOB (V.O.)
Larry Hooper wasted no time
befriending the newcomer.
Desperate to compete with Lyn,
Larry had been doing research into
the infamous CIA MK-ULTRA
experiments which he believed
could enhance his own psychic
powers.
112 INT. REMOTE VIEWING ROOM - DAY - THE PAST 112
Norm sits on the couch, smiling innocently as Larry
wheels an ELECTRONIC DEVICE on wheels over to the couch.
(CONTINUED)
72.
112 CONTINUED: 112
BOB (V.O.)
All he needed was a lab rat to try
them out on, check if they were
safe.
Larry, making sure Norm can't see, is pouring a massive
dose of LSD into a DRINK. He gives the glass a quick stir
and turns, smiling, to Norm with it.
113 INT. REMOTE VIEWING ROOM - DAY - LATER 113
Norm lies tripping on the couch, rigid, wide-eyed,
wearing headphones, connected to the electronic device,
which emit disturbing electronic frequencies.
Larry stands at the light switch, turning the red bulb
overhead on and off, eagerly watching Norm's reaction - a
modern day Frankenstein.
BOB (V.O.)
It turned out they weren't.
114 CLOSE ON LARRY - LATER 114
...cowering terrified under the couch, as the sound of
GUNSHOTS fill the room. Norm's NAKED LEGS stride past
him.
115 EXT. FORT BRAGG - DAY 115
A NAKED AND DEMENTED NORM walks through the base, firing
random shots at scattering soldiers with his Beretta. He
finds Bill blocking his way.
BILL DJANGO
(GENTLY)
Norm? Give me the gun, Norm.
Norm starts to cry. Then he puts the gun into his
mouth...
116 INT. DISCIPLINARY HEARING - DAY 116
Norm's father - MAJOR GENERAL PENDLETON - stares fixedly
to where Bill and Brigadier General Hopgood sit in the
hearing - his expression filled with icy rage.
BOB (V.O.)
Norm's father, who it turned out
was pretty high up in the
Pentagon, wanted blood.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
73.
116 CONTINUED: 116
BOB (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Although the Jedis were pretty
sure Larry was responsible,
nothing could be proved and when
he was called to the disciplinary
hearing Larry made sure to smear
Bill with everything he could...
117 LARRY TALKING BEFORE THE HEARING 117
...looking every inch the neat, professional soldier.
LARRY HOOPER
Lieutenant Colonel Django used
funds from the project's black
budget to procure prostitutes...
The OFFICIALS listening register shock and dismay. Bill
stands up, outraged.
BILL DJANGO
That's a lie!
LARRY HOOPER
...and also drugs for himself and
his men.
Bill jumps to his feet again.
BILL DJANGO
That's a...(catches himself) Well
the hooker thing is definitely a
lie!
The OFFICIALS look at him as if he were SATAN himself.
BOB (V.O.)
Brigadier General Hopgood resigned
and died some years later. Bill
received a dishonorable discharge.
118 OMITTED 118
119 EXT. FORT BRAGG - DAY 119
Bill, a broken man, is walking off the base. He reaches
the gates and sees Lyn waiting for him.
BILL DJANGO
Continue the work, Lyn. The World
needs the Jedis, now more than
ever.
Lyn can't speak. Bill hugs him and walks off, the gates
closing after him.
74.
120 INT. FORT BRAGG - BARBERSHOP - DAY 120
The Jedis sit having their hair shaved with electric
clippers. The Jedi's NEW COMMANDER - MAJOR HOLTZ - not a
shred of New Age sympathy in his regulation heart - walks
down the line, examining his men coldly.
BOB (V.O.)
After Bill left, Major Holtz of
Special Forces took command of the
Jedis.
Lyn stares at his reflection as his long hair falls to
the floor.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
And nothing was ever the same
again.
DISSOLVE TO:
121 INT. BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING - THE PRESENT 121
Bob wakes up, listening to the sound of Lyn's laboured
breathing.
Across the room Lyn sits, sweating with pain, preparing
an injection. We see he has used the LAST OF THE
MEDICINE. He injects himself, his breathing beginning to
ease and sits staring at the empty VIAL. Bob watches for
a moment then shuts his eyes, feigning sleep.
122 EXT. ROAD - DAY 122
Lyn and Bob are waiting on the quiet road which is
studded with burnt out CARS.
Mahmud drives an old Renault out of a warehouse and over
to them. He gets out the car and hands Lyn the keys.
LYN CASSADY
I really appreciate this sir.
123 INT. CAR - MOMENTS LATER 123
Lyn watches Mahmud in the mirror as they drive away. He
stands in the middle of the road, staring at his feet.
They drive on.
124 EXT. DESERT - ROAD - DAY 124
As the car cuts across the landscape.
75.
125 EXT. DESERT - ROAD - LATER 125
The car has pulled over at a junction.
126 INSIDE THE CAR 126
Lyn sits staring out at the emptiness, looking, perhaps
for the first time, worried.
BOB
(PEEVISH)
Jesus Christ. We could'a bought a
map if you'd said.
LYN CASSADY
Bedouins have been navigating this
desert for centuries without maps.
You can use a wrist-watch in
conjunction with the sun.
BOB
Well?
LYN CASSADY
What?
BOB
(EXASPERATED)
Well...use your watch.
LYN CASSADY
I haven't got a watch.
BOB
Oh for the love of...Here...
He gives Lyn his watch. Lyn looks at the watch and turns
to stare at Bob.
BOB (CONT'D)
What?
LYN CASSADY
This is a digital watch, Bob.
BOB
So? That's...
LYN CASSADY
So you need a watch with hands for
Christ's sake!
BOB
Well how the hell am I supposed to
know?
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
76.
126 CONTINUED: 126
BOB (CONT'D)
You're the navigation expert here.
You told me you could find the
way.
LYN CASSADY
Will, if you'd just be quiet for
a...
BOB
Turns out you haven't even got a
watch! Now what the hell are we...
LYN CASSADY
Will you shut up? I don't need a
watch. I'm using Level Two.
BOB
(BEAT)
What?
LYN CASSADY
Level Two. Intuition. We were
trained to make correct decisions.
Somebody runs up to you and says
"There's a fork in the road. Do we
turn left or do we turn right? And
you go...(snapping his fingers)
"We go right!"
Bob stares at him.
BOB
Just...instant?
LYN CASSADY
Instant. (Snapping his fingers)
Just like that.
BOB
WE'VE BEEN SITTING HERE FOR HALF
AN HOUR! HOW'S THAT "INSTANT?"
Lyn abruptly starts the engine and takes the right turn.
BOB (CONT'D)
Oh, it's that way?
LYN CASSADY
(GRIMLY)
Yes. It's this way.
BOB
Right. Now you know.
127 EXT. DESERT ROAD - CONTINUOUS 127
HIGH ANGLE
(CONTINUED)
77.
127 CONTINUED: 127
Below us the car drives off into the empty landscape,
getting smaller and smaller. Then...
BOOM. We see the flash of the explosion and the Renault
is flipped like a toy car. A ribbon of black smoke rises
into the blue sky. Silence.
128 EXT. DESERT - LATER 128
BOB's P.O.V - We are stumbling forward towards a sand
berm. We hear the sound of heavy breathing.
BOB (O.S.)
(CROAKING)
What...what happened?
Lyn is staggering over the sand with Bob on his back. He
is holding his backpack. Bob has a gash on his forehead
which is bleeding. Under the blood his face is white. In
the distance, behind them, we can see the column of black
smoke rising.
LYN CASSADY
IED.
BOB
(BEAT)
What?
LYN CASSADY
Improvised Explosive Device.
BOB
Oh Jesus.
LYN CASSADY
You're okay Bob. It's gonna be
okay.
BOB
I can't believe this. Great
fucking intuition Lyn. I
can't...put me down. I can walk.
Put me down.
Lyn puts Bob down. Bob keels sideways onto the sand and
lies there, wheezing.
BOB (CONT'D)
Oh, Jeez. Oh, Jeez.
LYN CASSADY
Alright, c'mon...
He hauls Bob to his feet, puts his baseball cap on him
and pulls him onto his back. Bob hangs there limply as
Lyn sets off again.
(CONTINUED)
78.
128 CONTINUED: 128
Lyn reaches up and gropes at Bob's face, removing his
spectacles. Bob doesn't notice.
BOB
Where are we going? We should stay
with the car so the army can find
us.
LYN CASSADY
Fedayeen will find us first.
BOB
Well, I disagree. I totally
disagree.(Beat) The Federal what?
LYN CASSADY
Fedayeen Saddam. Paramilitary.
Fellas who probably laid the IED.
They could be on their way now.
Hold this Bob.
He passes Bob his backpack. They stagger on in silence
for a moment, Bob jogging up and down on Lyn's back. Lyn
snaps the legs off Bob's glasses, uses them as improvised
divining rods to scan the sand ahead.
BOB
What are you doing?
LYN CASSADY
Could be IED's or mines around
here. I'm checking for
disturbances in the telluric
current.
BOB
(still dazed)
Are they my glasses?
Lyn doesn't answer, keeps on walking, struggling a little
under the weight. Beat.
BOB (CONT'D)
Jesus, it's hot. I'm so hot.
(Beat) Aren't you hot?
LYN CASSADY
(not unkindly)
Bob? It's pretty important you
keep your mouth closed, okay? You
can lose a lot of water through an
open mouth.
He staggers on with him.
79.
129 EXT. DESERT - LATER 129
Bob trails after Lyn, his shirt tied around his head,
breathing hard. Lyn is still scanning the sand.
BOB
I can't breathe properly. I
can't...Oh boy...
He staggers, manages not to fall.
LYN CASSADY
You're okay.
BOB
I think I'm bleeding to death.
LYN CASSADY
You're not bleeding to death, Bob.
It's shock, okay? It's just the
shock. It'll pass. You're gonna be
okay.
BOB
If we'd stayed at the road we
would be safe now! Now we've got
no water, no food or, or...
(noticing Lyn's scanning) Will you
forget about the fucking tantric
currents?
LYN CASSADY
(PATIENTLY)
You're going to be okay.
BOB
Stop saying that! I just got blown
up! I'm in the middle of a desert!
I'M NOT GONNA BE OKAY!
LYN CASSADY
Bob, you're suffering from shock.
If you start panicking now your
heart's gonna stop.
Bob stares after him incredulously.
BOB
(losing it)
Is that...is that supposed to calm
me down?! (hurrying after him) You
know what color the seats were in
the frigging hotel but you
can't...you wanna observe
something Lyn? Observe the fucking
bomb in the middle of the road!
(CONTINUED)
80.
129 CONTINUED: 129
Lyn walks on without answering. Bob notices the sun is
sinking.
BOB (CONT'D)
Wait a minute. That's west. Al
Qaim's in that direction. We're
going the wrong way.
LYN CASSADY
The mission isn't in Al Qaim. It's
somewhere near Al Qaim.
BOB
Where?
LYN CASSADY
(BEAT)
I don't know.
BOB
Is that...is that...is that a
joke? We've come six hundred miles
and you don't know where we're
going?
LYN CASSADY
If the exact whereabouts of the
Target was known it wouldn't take
a Jedi to find them, would it?
Bob watches Lyn stare around him, looking pale and drawn
and, for the first time, afraid.
BOB
Who gave you the mission Lyn?
(Beat) Lyn?
LYN CASSADY
Bill did.
BOB
What?
LYN CASSADY
Bill did. He appeared in my
trailer two months ago. A psychic
projection. I could hear him
calling my name.
Bob is so staggered by this for a moment he can't speak.
BOB
(SOFTLY)
Oh...Oh Jesus.
LYN CASSADY
He needed me.
(CONTINUED)
81.
129 CONTINUED: (2) 129
BOB
Oh Jesus. Oh Jesus Lyn. There's no
mission? We're in the middle of
the desert because you heard
voices? There's no one here!
There's no-one fucking here.
Lyn starts to walk off but staggers and falls.
BOB (CONT'D)
Lyn!
Bob rushes to him, kneels beside him. Lyn clutches his
stomach, grimaces.
BOB (CONT'D)
Is it the Crohns?
LYN CASSADY
I don't have Crohns.
BOB
What's the matter with you?
LYN CASSADY
I'm dying.
Bob stares at him, stunned.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
I've been murdered.
130 EXT. DESERT - NIGHT 130
Lyn sits staring up at the immense MOON above them.
Bob sits watching, huddled against the cold, in the
shelter of some rocks. Lyn gets up, stumbles back over to
him and lies down, struggling for breath, white with
pain.
LYN CASSADY
It's gone Bob. I can't find him.
I've lost my power. It's the
curse.
BOB
What curse?
LYN CASSADY
(With profound
SADNESS)
They took this... beautiful thing
we'd been building and they
corrupted it. They destroyed the
New Earth Army.
(CONTINUED)
82.
130 CONTINUED: 130
BOB
Who destroyed it?
Lyn stares at the stars above, remembering, grief
stricken.
LYN CASSADY
I did.
DISSOLVE TO:
131 INT. EX-MESS HALL - FORT BRAGG - DAY - THE PAST 131
The Jedis, now indistinguishable from other soldiers,
stand white-washing over the COSMIC MURALS. Major Holtz
stands watching.
MAJOR HOLTZ
Yoga is not the business of the US
Army, ladies. Drumming circles are
not the business of the Army. And
love and peace is most certainly
not the business of the Army. So
you girls better start thinking
about how you CAN engage in the
business of the United States
Army, which, in case you have
forgotten, involves winning
fucking wars!
BOB (V.O.)
When the dust of the Pendleton
Affair had settled it revealed a
surprising victor.
132 INT. MAJOR HOLTZ'S OFFICE - DAY - THE PAST 132
Larry stands to attention in front of Holtz, a REPORT
held under one arm.
BOB (V.O.)
Major Holtz regarded Larry Hooper
as a patriotic whistle-blower and
the one sound fruit in an
otherwise dubious barrel of
apples.
LARRY HOOPER
It's some scientific research I've
done for possible offensive psi
applications sir. (Beat) I did
show the report to Lieutenant
Colonel Django, but he didn't seem
interested.
Holtz snorts angrily.
(CONTINUED)
83.
132 CONTINUED: 132
MAJOR HOLTZ
(MUTTERING)
I bet he wasn't.
He takes the report and begins to look through it. Pause.
He looks up slowly at Larry.
MAJOR HOLTZ (CONT'D)
We have men who can do this?
LARRY HOOPER
(a sly smile)
I think I know one sir.
Holtz ponders the report, tempted.
MAJOR HOLTZ
But we don't have the resources.
LARRY HOOPER
Well sir...there is goat lab?
133 INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - DAY - THE PAST 133
The building we saw at the top of the film. A hundred
GOATS stare silently at us.
BOB (V.O.)
Goat Lab was originally created as
a clandestine laboratory to
provide in-the-field surgical
training for Special Forces
soldiers.
We BOOM down to reveal that many of the goats have their
legs in PLASTER.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
The goats would get shot in the
leg with a bolt gun and then a
trainee would have to dress the
wound successfully. Goat lab
actually used to be called Dog
Lab...
134 SMALL DOG STARING AT US 134
...with big, brown eyes.
BOB (V.O.)
But it turned out most soldiers
didn't feel good shooting dogs in
the leg...
A SOLDIER stares doubtfully down at the dog, bolt-gun in
hand.
84.
135 EXT. NEVADA TEST SITE - DAY - THE PAST 135
A Goat stands tethered in the desert. TITLES read "Nevada
Test Site, Frenchman Flat, 1951."
BOB (V.O.)
...whereas the army had long felt
fine about doing stuff to goats -
even testing atomic weapons on
them.
We hear the drone of an AEROPLANE high, high above. The
goat looks up...
136 INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - DAY - THE PAST 136
Lyn stands facing the goats. Holtz and Hooper watch him.
Lyn STARES. One of the goats STARES BACK. Lyn STARES. The
goat STARES BACK. Lyn STARES.
And the Goat falls over.
MAJOR HOLTZ
(SOFTLY)
Holy shit.
Beat. The goat gets back up, shakes itself and walks off.
Lyn slumps.
137 EXT. DESERT - NIGHT - THE PRESENT 137
Bob listens transfixed.
LYN CASSADY
This was the real deal, Bob. I was
at the Gateway. Afterwards I
realized I'd got injured.
BOB
Huh?
LYN CASSADY
Sympathetic injury I guess. I was
bruised all over.
BOB
So, it's not that the goat fought
back?
LYN CASSADY
(SADLY)
Goat didn't have a chance.
BOB
But...that was it?
(CONTINUED)
85.
137 CONTINUED: 137
LYN CASSADY
I wish it was. Hooper told Holtz
we should try the experiment
again. Only this time they
said...kill the goat.
138 INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - DAY - THE PAST 138
Six GOATS - each wearing a NUMBERED BIB - stand in a
small bare room. A SOLDIER is setting up a VIDEO CAMERA
in front of them.
139 INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - SECOND ROOM - THE PAST 139
Lyn sits in another bare room. Holtz and Larry Hooper
stand watching him. Lyn is also being TAPED. A SOLDIER
walks in carrying an envelope. Holtz takes the envelope
and draws from it a piece of paper. He shows it to Lyn -
the number FOUR.
MAJOR HOLTZ
Take out number four.
Lyn stares at the number.
BOB (V.O.)
Lyn said he had no intention of
killing the goat.
140 EXT. DESERT - NIGHT - THE PRESENT 140
Lyn flushes with indignation at the memory.
LYN CASSADY
There was no way! What had the
goat ever done to me? It was
totally against the way of the
Jedi. I was just going to pretend
to try so they would say, "okay -
it can't be done" and forget about
it. But then, as I sat there, I
felt this, this pulse start inside
of me and...I couldn't stop it.
He turns to look at Bob, haunted.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
You know what I keep thinking?
141 INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - LYN'S ROOM - THE PAST 141
CLOSE ON LYN
...as he stares, concentrating.
(CONTINUED)
86.
141 CONTINUED: 141
LYN CASSADY (V.O.)
Maybe deep down inside some dark
part of me wanted to see if I
could do it?
142 INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - GOAT ROOM - DAY - THE PAST 142
VIDEO FOOTAGE
Grainy, flickering black and white footage of the six
goats in the room. Suddenly one of them goes down.
143 INT. ABANDONED HOSPITAL - LYN'S ROOM - THE PAST 143
A soldier runs into the room. Holtz, Hooper and Lyn turn
to him, the atmosphere electric with dread and
anticipation.
SOLDIER
(SOLEMNLY)
The goat is dead.
The three men stare at him.
MAJOR HOLTZ
(HOARSELY)
Goat number four?
SOLDIER
(SURPRISED)
No. Number five.
144 EXT. DESERT - NIGHT - THE PRESENT 144
Bob stares at Lyn aghast.
BOB
Collateral damage?
LYN CASSADY
(eyes glistening)
Collateral damage. (Beat) That was
it. I'd used my powers for evil
and it was like I brought a curse
upon us all. Like that poem where
the guy kills the seagull and they
make him wear it round his neck.
Every night
I'd dream of that goat in its
little bib, it's mouth opening and
closing but nothing coming out...
Bob shakes his head, stares out into the darkness.
(CONTINUED)
87.
144 CONTINUED: 144
BOB
The silence of the goats.
Lyn flicks a suspicious glance at Bob, but is reassured
by his solemn expression.
LYN CASSADY
I finished my tour and I quit. I
walked out of the unit and I never
went back.
145 EXT. FORT BRAGG - DAY 145
Lyn, wearing civilian clothes and holding a suitcase, is
walking off the base. He reaches the gates and turns for
one last look at the place that has been his home.
BOB (V.O.)
But before he could leave Larry
arranged one last parting gift.
Lyn tuns back to the gates and finds Larry Hooper
standing in front of him, looking WIRED.
LYN CASSADY
What do you wan...?
Before he can finish Larry CHOPS his hand down in an odd
blow onto Lyn's forehead. Lyn staggers back a little,
holding his head.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
What the hell?
Larry has already darted around him with a crazy laugh
and is running madly back into the base. Lyn stares after
him, stunned.
LYN CASSADY (V.O.) (CONT'D)
It was the Dim Mak.
146 EXT. DESERT - NIGHT - THE PRESENT 146
Bob looks at Lyn, puzzled.
BOB
The Dim Mak?
LYN CASSADY
The Dim Mak. The Quivering Palm.
The Death Touch. It's like this
legendary, martial arts move. It
was forbidden in the New Earth
Army. Larry had got it from a mail-
order book.
(CONTINUED)
88.
146 CONTINUED: 146
BOB
What does the Death Touch do?
LYN CASSADY
(Beat, patiently)
It kills you Bob. With one touch.
BOB
Jesus.
LYN CASSADY
There's a story that Wong Wifu,
great Chinese martial artist, had
a fight with some guy and had him
beat when the guy gave him this
light tap, and Wong looked at him
and the guy just nodded. That was
it. He'd given him the death touch
and Wong died.
BOB
Then and there?
LYN CASSADY
No. Eighteen years later. That's
the weird thing with Dim Mak - you
never know when it's going to take
effect.
He flops back, too tired to talk anymore. Bob watches him
as he falls asleep.
DISSOLVE TO:
147 EXT. DESERT - MORNING 147
The same horizon, the dunes now burning under the sun. We
TRACK back and find Bob and Lyn lying asleep, lips
cracked, dehydrated, exhausted. Faintly we hear a sound -
a tinny BELL. It gets closer. Groggily Bob opens his eyes
just as a GOAT walks into the frame and walks past him,
the bell tied around its neck. Bob lies, watching it
pass, trying to work out if it's a hallucination. He
struggles to his feet and sets off up the berm he's been
lying at the foot of.
The goat walks on ahead of Bob, crests the top of the
berm and disappears from sight.
Bob reaches the top of the berm and stands, swaying,
staring down at something.
CLOSE ON BOB'S FACE - stunned.
89.
148 EXT. BERM - DAY 148
Bob is dragging a barely conscious Lyn up the berm,
following the goat. He staggers, barely able to put one
foot in front of the other.
At last we crest the top of the berm and find ourselves
looking down on a WATER-HOLE, fringed with palms. The
goat stands drinking. It stops to look up at us.
149 EXT. WATER-HOLE - DAY 149
Bob and Lyn collapse into the wet mud of the hole. Bob
manages to cup some water into Lyn's mouth and then his
own. He rolls onto his back, stares up at the burning
sky.
We hear a dull roaring, muffled, growing in volume. A
HELICOPTER is approaching...
FADE OUT.
In the BLACK we hear a VOICE.
ARMY BROADCASTER (O.S.)
(in Arabic,
SUBTITLED)
In America if I do not like my
cell-phone company I change them.
I am in charge. This is consumer
power.
150 INT. ARMY BASE - INFIRMARY - DAY 150
OVERHEAD SHOT - Lyn and Bob lie side by side in beds,
both hooked up to IV's. Sunlight slants through the
shutters on the window in the cool room. The voice is
coming from a SPEAKER on the wall.
ARMY BROADCASTER (O.S.)
This is democracy. Let us work
together for that. And please stop
shooting at those who are only
here to help.
Lyn opens his eyes, looks around him.
ARMY BROADCASTER (O.S.) (CONT'D)
This is an old one from Cat
Stevens. (Correcting himself)
Yusef Islam. That's Yusef Islam.
Lyn looks at the door and for a second there's a FLASH OF
A FACE staring in through the glass. Then it's gone.
(CONTINUED)
90.
150 CONTINUED: 150
Over the speaker comes the sound of a period song.
Lyn sits up, staring at the door. Bob stirs in his bed.
BOB
Lyn?
151 INT. ARMY BASE - CORRIDOR - DAY 151
Lyn walks unsteadily out of the room, towing his IV drip
behind him.
The door at the end of the corridor is just CLOSING. Lyn
sets off down the corridor. Bob appears in the doorway
behind him, towing his own IV.
BOB
(HISSING)
Lyn? Where are you going?
152 ANOTHER CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER 152
Lyn passes doors, glances into the rooms beyond...
LYN'S P.O.V - the room seems to house a PRINTING PRESS. A
SOLDIER stands with his back to us, watching LEAFLETS
fire out of the press.
We pass to the next room which seems to be a RECORDING
STUDIO - the walls covered in shelves of CD's. A SOLDIER
sits with headphones on playing an electronic keyboard...
153 EXT. ARMY BASE BUILDING - DAY 153
Lyn emerges blinking into the light. He stares around
him. The song is playing over speakers, echoing eerily
around the base.
A door slides shut with a clang nearby and Lyn turns to
locate the sound.
A trail of FOOTPRINTS leads across the sand to a HANGAR
nearby.
Lyn heads off across the sand, dragging the IV. Bob
emerges behind him.
BOB
Lyn!
Lyn reaches the sliding doors of the building and drags
them open and stands staring into the gloomy interior.
Bob catches him up.
(CONTINUED)
91.
153 CONTINUED: 153
BOB (CONT'D)
I don't think we should...
He stops following Lyn's gaze...
INSIDE THE BUILDING
The place is full of GOATS.
Lyn and Bob stare at the animals. Slowly Lyn advances
into the darkness, peering around him.
In the shadows at the back of the building a figure
STIRS. Lyn walks slowly forward until he can make out the
man - old, bearded, worn and wasted by years of heavy
drinking. It's BILL DJANGO.
Lyn stares at him.
LYN CASSADY
(CHOKED)
Hello Bill.
Bill smiles hesitantly.
BILL DJANGO
Hello Lyn.
Lyn is too choked with emotion for a moment to answer.
LYN CASSADY
This is Bob.
BILL DJANGO
Hello Bob.
Bob is too amazed to reply.
LARRY HOOPER (O.S.)
Oh good...
Bob and Lyn turn to find Larry Hooper standing in the
doorway behind them.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
...the gang's all here.
Lyn stares at Larry - shocked.
154 INT. BASE - PSIC HQ - DAY 154
Larry and Bill are showing Bob and Lyn around. A few
CIVILIAN WORKERS are working at computers behind them.
LARRY HOOPER
This is primarily a Psyops base.
(CONTINUED)
92.
154 CONTINUED: 154
BOB
Psy for psychic?
LARRY HOOPER
(CHUCKLING)
Psy for psychological, although
the irony isn't wasted on me.
Radio broadcasts, leaflets, that
sort of thing.
Bob picks up a LEAFLET.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
Oh, that's an Iraqi Psyops leaflet
they dropped on us.
BOB
(READING)
"American Soldier - your wives are
back home having sex with Bart
Simpson and Bert Reynolds."
LARRY HOOPER
Yeah, hadn't exactly done their
homework there.
Lyn is staring at Bill who is looking a little vacantly
at the racks of CD's. Larry notices.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
How'd you find us, Lyn?
LYN CASSADY
I remote viewed you.
Larry smiles a little mockingly.
BOB
If this is Psyops what are you
doing here?
LARRY HOOPER
I said primarily Psyops. This is a
restricted area, you understand?
Everything you hear and see stays
secret or you go to prison.
Bob nods a little nervously.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
There are individuals in the
current administration who are
looking for...creative solutions
for the War on Terror.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
93.
154 CONTINUED: (2) 154
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
They're far more open minded then
their predecessors, and they've
out-sourced experimental research
to my company.
He indicates the PSIC name badge he's wearing.
BOB
"Sick?"
LARRY HOOPER
It's pronounced psi-ike. Psychic
Systems International Corp. Turns
out certain people had heard about
the New Earth Army and were
interested in some of the work we
were doing back then. They got in
touch with me, I got in touch with
Bill.
LYN CASSADY
(To Bill)
You're working for him?
Bill frowns at the CDs, not seeming to hear.
LARRY HOOPER
Bill's been looking into
subliminal messaging. (Selecting a
disc) This is one we've designed
to play to our own troops before
combat.
He puts the disc in a player and presses play. We hear a
burst of a period song.
BOB
There's a subliminal message in
this?
LARRY HOOPER
(reading the CD)
This is..."Don't get drunk before
firing heavy machine guns." We've
got all sort of products in
development.(To Worker) Tell them
one of our new ideas.
PSIC WORKER
Air bag mine?
LARRY HOOPER
Air bag mine. Non-lethal mine,
catapults the fucker up into air.
(To another) Gimme another one.
2ND PSIC WORKER
Blast target with pheromones and
then release Attack Bees.
(CONTINUED)
94.
154 CONTINUED: (3) 154
LARRY HOOPER
Excellent. Attack Bees. The Forces
of Nature! Another.
1ST PSIC WORKER
Project Achilles. We mutilate
enemy corpses and...
LARRY HOOPER
We're not doing that anymore!
(Throwing an eraser at the worker)
Idiot!
He turns back to Lyn.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
The point is we've got a budget,
we've got supporters. I'm
rebuilding the New Earth Army.
Only this time without the hippy
crap.
Bill stands up and starts walking a little unsteadily
towards the door.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
You okay Bill?
BILL DJANGO
(Without turning)
Gonna get some ice-cream.
Larry waits until Bill has left before turning back to
Lyn.
LARRY HOOPER
You get the odd flash of what he
used to be but... he's pretty
burnt out with the booze.
Larry shakes his head in apparent sorrow. Then he notices
some candy on a desk.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
Ooo, Twizzlers.
He picks it up and starts to eat it.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
(To Lyn)
You want one?
Lyn shakes his head, trying not to show the emotions he
is feeling.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
(Watching him)
God, I love these things...
95.
155 INT. BASE - CORRIDOR - DAY 155
Bob helps Lyn down the corridor. Lyn suddenly stops,
listening. There is a faint sound of MUSIC coming from
somewhere nearby.
156 INT. BASE - CELL CORRIDOR - DAY 156
Lyn walks down the corridor, Bob following. At the end of
the corridor is a single door with a SPY-HOLE. The loud
music is coming from there. We can hear now that it is an
annoying children's show song or heavy metal.
We TRACK towards the door...
Lyn hesitates then slides back the SPY-HOLE cover and
peers in.
LYN'S P.O.V -
An IRAQI PRISONER sits huddled in the cell, illuminated
in the flashes of a powerful STROBE LIGHT OVERHEAD.
SONG (O.S.)
(Lyrics from chosen song.)
The prisoner looks terrified, and despite the whimsical
music the whole scene is horribly sinister.
Lyn steps away from the spy-hole.
BOB
(ANXIOUSLY)
What? What is it?
LYN CASSADY
It's the Dark Side.
157 INT. ARMY BASE - TENT - DAY 157
Lyn sits on his bed, as low as we've ever seen him. Bob
watches him, concerned.
BOB
What are you going to do?
Lyn stares at the wall.
BOB (CONT'D)
Lyn? What are you going to do?
LYN CASSADY
It's too late...I'm dying, Bob.
(CONTINUED)
96.
157 CONTINUED: 157
BOB
Oh, you're not dying! I don't
believe you can kill someone with
a mail order Dim Sum. You can't...
LYN CASSADY
Dim Mak.
BOB
Whatever. I don't believe you can
just...
LYN CASSADY
It's cancer.
BOB
...just tap someone and
...it...(Beat) What?
LYN CASSADY
I mean, I know it was caused by
the Dim Mak. But...it's...you
know...it's cancer. That's what
the doctors say. Different ways of
looking at...different names for a
reality or, or uh...
He lapses into silence. Bob is stunned. Lyn lies down.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
I shouldn't have come Bob.
Shouldn't have come.
Lyn pulls the EAGLE FEATHER from the chain around his
neck.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
...Give this back to Bill...I
don't deserve it.
Bob stares at him.
158 EXT. BASE - DAY 158
Bill Django sits cross-legged in the sand, drinking from
a bottle of whiskey, watching the sun set.
Bob marches up to him, stands awkward but determined.
BOB
I think you should go and see Lyn,
sir. (Beat) he needs you.
Bill doesn't answer.
(CONTINUED)
97.
158 CONTINUED: 158
BOB (CONT'D)
The man crossed a desert to see
you again.
Bill takes a long drink, stares at the sky. Bob watches
him with mounting frustration.
BOB (CONT'D)
You know, he told me all these
stories about Bill Django, and I
was pretty excited to meet you,
but I've gotta tell you...you're
one big disappointment.
Bill doesn't react. Bob starts to walk away then turns
back, and throws the FEATHER down at Bill's feet.
BOB (CONT'D)
He told me to give you that back.
I don't know why. Its supposed to
be a mark of honour isn't it? I
don't see how you deserve that.
Beat. Bill turns to look at Bob for the first time. He
takes a long drink.
BILL DJANGO
(BEAT)
It isn't real.
BOB
What isn't?
BILL DJANGO
The feather. Twenty thousand
dollar fine for taking an eagle
feather. This one's off a turkey.
You just die the tip black. (Beat)
Don't tell Lyn.
Bill stares at the feather.
BILL DJANGO (CONT'D)
None of it was real.
BOB
(ANGRILY)
That isn't true. That isn't true.
He looks around for inspiration - notices a LONE CLOUD
floating in the sky.
Bob places his fingers on his temples and STARES at the
cloud, focuses, desperate, hopeful...
Bill notices and watches, curious.
Slowly, the cloud fades and DISAPPEARS.
(CONTINUED)
98.
158 CONTINUED: (2) 158
Bob can't believe it. He looks at Bill who is staring at
him. He has tears in his eyes.
159 INT. ARMY BASE - TENT - NIGHT 159
Lyn lies sleeping. Larry sits at the foot of his bed,
smoking a cigar. He watches Lyn for a moment, then COUGHS
deliberately. Nothing. He repeats the cough - louder. Lyn
wakes.
LARRY HOOPER
Oh. Didn't mean to wake you.
The two men stare at each other.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
Heard you weren't feeling well?
LYN CASSADY
(BEAT)
Just tired.
LARRY HOOPER
How'd you find us?
LYN CASSADY
I told you. I remote viewed you.
LARRY HOOPER
(SMILING)
Scotty Mercer told you, didn't he?
LYN CASSADY
No.
LARRY HOOPER
Yeah, he did. We told Scotty we
were coming over here, asked him
if he wanted some work.
LYN CASSADY
I haven't seen Scotty.
LARRY HOOPER
That's funny, because he told me
he'd run into you and mentioned
that there might be some jobs
going with us over here. (Beat)
Isn't that why you came, really,
Lyn? You want back in, don't you?
Lyn stares at him, disturbed, afraid this might be true.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
It can happen. You've only got to
say the word. Could be the new
Golden Age for Psi research.
(MORE) (CONTINUED)
99.
159 CONTINUED: 159
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
You, me and Bill, back together
again. Just like the old days.
Larry closes his eyes, trying to remember something.
LARRY HOOPER (CONT'D)
Mother Earth, my life support
system. As a soldier I must drink
your blue water, live inside your
red clay and eat your green skin.
Lyn listens, moved despite himself.
160 EXT. BASE - NIGHT 160
Bill and Bob stand on a picnic table, under the full
moon. Bill is leading Bob through some YOGA POSITIONS.
Both are drunk.
LARRY HOOPER (V.O.)
I pray my boots will always kiss
your face and my footsteps match
your heartbeat.
161 INT. ARMY BASE - TENT - NIGHT 161
Lyn can't help but join in the prayer.
LARRY AND LYN
Carry my body through space and
time. You are my connection to the
Universe...
162 EXT. BASE - NIGHT 162
Bill and Bob both stand in a difficult position -
balanced on one leg.
LARRY AND LYN (V.O.)
...and all that comes after. I am
yours and you are mine.
As we watch Bill slowly topples forward off the table and
crashes out of sight below.
163 INT. ARMY BASE - ROOM - NIGHT 163
The two men finish the prayer.
LARRY AND LYN
I salute you.
(CONTINUED)
100.
163 CONTINUED: 163
LARRY HOOPER
(BEAT)
Don't make a decision now. Tell me
in the morning.
He pats Lyn's leg, walks out.
164 EXT. BASE - NIGHT 164
Bob is holding a concussed Bill who has a cut on his
head.
BOB
Bill? Bill are you okay?
Bill opens his eyes suddenly.
BILL DJANGO
I just saw Timothy Leary.
BOB
(BEAT)
Timothy Leary's dead.
BILL DJANGO
I know. He's had an idea.
165 INT. CORRIDOR/KITCHEN - NIGHT 165
Bill and Bob head down the corridor. They pass a SOLDIER.
SOLDIER
(SALUTING)
Good evening sir.
BILL DJANGO
(MUMBLING)
Getting some ice-cream.
They walk on and reach the doors to the KITCHENS. The two
men hesitate, look at each other...
Then Bob walks in.
166 INT. BASE - CANTEEN - MORNING 166
PSIC WORKERS AND PSYOPS TROOPS are all eating breakfast
together, talking, laughing.
Bob and Bill sit drinking coffee. Lyn appears with a tray
and sits down beside Bob.
(CONTINUED)
101.
166 CONTINUED: 166
They eat in silence for a moment. Lyn turns to look out
of the window to where Larry Hooper stands outside in the
early morning sun, smoking a cigar and drinking coffee.
He turns and notices Lyn, raises his cup, smiles. Lyn
looks troubled. Bob suddenly leans into Lyn.
BOB
(SOFTLY)
Don't eat the jello.
Lyn turns to Bob puzzled.
LYN CASSADY
(BEAT)
What?
BOB
Don't eat the jello.
Lyn tries to puzzle this out but is distracted by Larry
outside who seems to have noticed something in the sand
at his feet - a small insect of some kind. He begins to
watch it with strange fascination. After a moment he
sinks to his knees in order to get a better look at it.
One of the SOLDIERS notices and starts to laugh softly.
His neighbor looks at him as if he's crazy then begins to
laugh himself. Lyn looks around him, sensing the strange
atmosphere creeping through the room.
LYN CASSADY
What's going on?
BOB
We put LSD in the jello.
Lyn turns to stare at him.
LYN CASSADY
What?
BOB
Bill showed me where Larry had
bottles of LSD. So we put it in
the jello mix last night.
BILL DJANGO
(SUDDENLY)
And in the water.
Bob turns to stare at him.
BOB
What?
BILL DJANGO
I put it in the main water tank as
well.
(CONTINUED)
102.
166 CONTINUED: (2) 166
Bob stares at him, aghast.
BOB
But...we've drunk the water.
BILL DJANGO
(THOUGHTFULLY)
Yeah.
He pours himself another coffee.
ARMY BROADCASTER (O.S.)
(Into microphone)
The weather? The weather is going
to be HOT!
Through the window we see Larry get on his belly to get a
better look at the bug.
167 INT. RADIO STATION - MORNING 167
The DJ SOLDIER has gone off script. A PRODUCER is trying
ineffectually to pull him away from the desk.
ARMY BROADCASTER
(Into microphone)
I'm guessing. I mean, I haven't
looked at the, the thing but I'd
say it's going to be fucking HOT!
Hot. Hot. Hot.
The Producer pulls and releases the DJ's headphones so
they slap against his head and starts giggling.
ARMY BROADCASTER (CONT'D)
That hurt Greg, you fucking dip-
shit. (Laughing too)You fuckity
fuck dip-shit fuck-hole.
(Remembering something) Hey!
Music!
He hits a button.
168 EXT. BASE - MORNING 168
CLOSE on a LOUDSPEAKER - blasting a period song out over
the base. We BOOM down to where two SOLDIERS are dancing,
tripping.
ALL OVER THE BASE
Soldiers are wandering around, talking, some falling to
their knees, weak with laughter. Some stand alone,
staring with a beatific smile at the sky.
(CONTINUED)
103.
168 CONTINUED: 168
As the music plays on a STRYKER ARMORED VEHICLE drives
around the corner of a building, a SOLDIER standing up,
arms raised, in the gun turret.
The Stryker screeches into a clumsy skid, the Soldier
having to hang on. The Stryker roars off again, heading
straight for the GATES of the base.
SOLDIER
(calling down into
the vehicle)
You're going to hit the gates.
You're going to hit the gates.
The Stryker veers left and smashes through the perimeter
fence and out into the desert.
SOLDIER (CONT'D)
(CALMLY)
It's okay. You missed them.
169 INT. RADIO STATION - MORNING 169
The DJ and the Producer are wrestling over the sound
desk, laughing.
170 INT. BASE - CORRIDOR 170
Bob and Bill walk towards the cell block.
BOB
(ANGRY)
Don't you think it might have been
more sensible if we hadn't drunk
the fucking water?
BILL DJANGO
That might have aroused suspicion.
But don't worry. Over the years I
have built up a massive tolerance
to all narcotics.
171 INT. CELL - MORNING 171
An IRAQI PRISONER looks up startled as the door to the
cell is flung open and Bill stands, filling the doorway,
bare-chested, wild-eyed and wild-haired.
BILL DJANGO
In the name of the New Earth Army
and loving people everywhere I'm
liberating this base!
104.
172 INT. GOAT SHED - MORNING 172
Lyn slides open the door to the shed and begins to shoo
the goats out into the light.
173 EXT. BASE - LATER 173
As the music continues Bob, Lyn and Bill appear leading a
column of nervous IRAQI PRISONERS out of the building,
towards the gates. Lyn and Bill are holding BABY GOATS in
their ARMS. A tripping Bob is holding bunches of flowers -
it's as close as they can get to the illustration from
the New Earth Army Manual. Lyn holds up a hand to stop
the procession.
Larry stands in front of them, a GUN in his hand, his
face blank.
Lyn and Larry stare at each other. Then, unexpectedly,
Larry starts to cry.
LYN CASSADY
(SOFTLY)
Give me the gun Larry.
Larry starts to raise the gun to his mouth. Pauses.
Scratches his head.
LARRY HOOPER
Wow. I'm hungry.
He wanders off.
ARMY DJ (O.S.)
(Over loudspeaker,
LAUGHING)
Hey! More music! (muffled) Get
off, will ya?
Over the loud-speakers we hear the opening of a period
song.
LYN CASSADY
(Beat, relieved)
Okay, let's go.
174 FLATTENED SECTION OF FENCE 174
Bob and Lyn stand at one side, Bill at the other,
beckoning the prisoners through, hugging the prisoners as
they pass through.
LYN CASSADY
We're very sorry. Ma'assalama.
(CONTINUED)
105.
174 CONTINUED: 174
One by one the Iraqis walk out through the broken fence,
staring around them suspiciously, expecting a trap.
Nothing happens, no one shoots them.
LYN CASSADY (CONT'D)
(WAVING)
That's it. Keep going.
Ma'assalama.
The Iraqis start to hurry away over the sand.
Beyond them we can the Stryker, driving in circles in the
desert, a NAKED SOLDIER stands whooping on top.
175 EXT. BASE - LATER 175
Bob, tripping heavily, is staring with fascination at the
sand trickling through his fingers. Suddenly we hear the
building whine of the HELICOPTER engine starting up. Bob
looks up, puzzled.
176 HELICOPTER 176
Bill and Lyn sit in the chopper, Bill at the controls.
Lyn is holding the flowers.
Bob appears, hurrying over.
BOB
(CALLING)
Wait! Wait for me! Where are you
going...what about the mission?
LYN CASSADY
(Over the sound of
the engine)
You are the mission Bob! You are
the mission! Tell them what
happened!
The helicopter begins to rise. Bob stands swaying,
staring up. Lyn smiles sadly through the window, raises
his hand.
The Helicopter RISES - HIGHER AND HIGHER. Bob waves
goodbye.
BOB (V.O.)
At the time I was hurt that Lyn
hadn't taken me with him. But now
I know it was because he and Bill
had already seen what was to come.
106.
177 EXT. DESERT - DAY 177
As the helicopter flies off into the blue.
BOB (V.O.)
Nobody knows exactly what
happened. The official
story is that their helicopter
must have crashed, either because
they were hit by an RPG or
because...well, that's what
happens when you fly a helicopter
while you're tripping on acid. All
I know is they've never been seen
since. Like all Shaman they
returned to the sky.
The helicopter disappears altogether.
DISSOLVE TO:
178 INT. MICHIGAN APARTMENT - EVENING 178
WEEKS LATER. Bob sits typing, frowning with
concentration.
BOB (V.O.)
When I got back home I wrote the
story up. Everything.
179 EXT. OUTSIDE BOB'S OLD HOUSE - EVENING 179
Bob sits in his car staring at his old home, across the
road. Through the window we can see Bob's ex-wife Debora,
eating dinner with Bob's ex-Editor - Dave.
BOB (V.O.)
I sent it to the newspapers, the
radio stations, the TV stations,
because that was what Lyn wanted
me to do. The people needed to
know.
180 INT. BOB'S APARTMENT - EVENING 180
Bob sits watching a Today style show on TV.
BOB (V.O.)
I was ready for whatever they
would do to me. I was ready to
disappear. I was ready to go to
prison. I was a Jedi and I was
fighting for the New Earth Army.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
107.
180 CONTINUED: 180
BOB (V.O.) (CONT'D)
(Beat) But they didn't put me in
prison. They did something much
worse.
ON TV
NEWS ANCHOR
(CHUCKLING)
And finally, US forces in Iraq are
using what some are calling a
cruel and unusual tool to break
the resistance of Iraqi POWs, and
many parents would agree! Some
prisoners are being forced to
listen to Barney the Purple
Dinosaur sing the I Love You song.
I think after an hour of that
they'll spill the beans! Don't
you? Let's go outside to Al for
the weather.
Bob watches, ashen.
181 INT. NEWSPAPER OFFICE - DAY 181
Bob is working for another small town newspaper. He sits
at his desk, staring fixedly ahead at the wall.
BOB (V.O.)
That was it. That was the only bit
of my story that ran anywhere. And
it was a joke. And if I ever
needed proof of how the Dark Side
have taken the beautiful dream of
what a nation could be and had
twisted it, destroyed it, that was
it.
Bob stands up. He starts to walk down the office, his
face set with grim determination.
BOB'S EDITOR
Bob?
BOB (V.O.)
But I won't stop. I won't give up.
Bob quickens his pace.
BOB (CONT'D) (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Because when I look at what is
happening in the world, I know
that now, more than ever, we need
to become ALL that we can BE.
Bob is running.
(CONTINUED)
108.
181 CONTINUED: 181
BOB (CONT'D)
Now, more than ever, we need the
Supermen.
Bob rushes towards the WALL. Just as he is about to hit
it we FREEZE FRAME. We hear the opening of a period song.
BLACK
THE END
| Men Who Stare at Goats, The
Writers : Peter Straughan Jon Ronson
Genres : Comedy War
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