129 pages

English

The Elephant Man

script-cinema - Christopher De Vore , David Lynch , Eric Bergren

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129 pages

English

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Tout savoir sur nos offres

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Description

Movie Release Date : October 1980

Sujets

Dráma

Informations

Publié par	script-cinema
Nombre de lectures	2
Licence :	En savoir + Paternité, pas d'utilisation commerciale, partage des conditions initiales à l'identique
Langue	English

Extrait

"THE ELEPHANT MAN"

Christopher De Vore, Eric Bergren

and

David Lynch

Based on

"The Elephant Man, A Study in Human Dignity"

Ashley Montagu

BLACK

FADE IN: ABSTRACT DREAM

CLOSE-UP of a gold framed miniature portrait of JOHN MERRICK'S MOTHER (tune or melody over her picture, heartbeat), which DISSOLVES TO CLOSE-UP of real Mother smiling A shadow comes over her face. CLOSE-UP of elephant ears, trunks, faces moving.

Dark, heavy feet stomping elephant trumpet, rearing up.

Powerful hit and the Mother falls. Darker. Trunk slides over Mother's face and breasts and stomach, leaving a moist trail.

MOTHER’S POV of elephant's mouth, eyes, skin. Mother's face twists and freezes in a blurred snap roll.

BLACK again. Knock, knock sound. Curtain opens to horrified faces.

CUT TO BLACK AND SILENCE

CIRCUS

FADE IN TO steam shooting out of a huge old half-rusted calliope. The music is very loud and raucous. Moving up and back we see the black awning entrance to the freak tent, where FREDERICK TREVES, Resident Surgeon and Lecturer on anatomy at the London Hospital, is standing with his back to us observing the posters of the freaks.

Coming along a muddy walkway at the side of the tent is Treves' wife, ANNE, and their two DAUGHTERS. The shrill over- whelming music seems to engulf her.

She looks discomfited, vulnerable, and protective of her daughters. The girls, oblivious to any fear, are finishing their chocolate sweets.

CLOSE-UP of Treves looking at a poster.

He hears:

#1 DAUGHTER Poppa!

Treves turns and looks down to a chocolate-covered face. He smiles at the children and Anne.

Anne sees the dirty faces and begins cleaning one of them. The other daughter looks into the freak tent.

#2 DAUGHTER Poppa... may we go in there?

ANNE

Alright... Your turn.

She turns the girl away from the freak tent and begins cleaning her face.

Her kerchief pulls and distorts the little daughter's face. Suddenly the girl sees a ring of elephants in the distance.

#2 DAUGHTER Oh,look M-ummy! Elephants!

ANNE

Oh, elephants! We'll go see them.

She stands.

ANNE

(to Treves)

You won't be long?

TREVES

I'll join you shortly.

She takes the children off toward the elephants.

Treves watches them go for a moment, then turns and we go with him into the dark freak tent. He pauses to pay admission at a small booth, then disappears within.

DARKNESS. We hear what could be the trumpeting of an elephant.

Treves parts the black canvas and enters the main part of the tent. Off to his left he sees a man wrapped in a black cape, holding a conch shell aloft and blowing powerfully into it. The tent is dimly lit with flickering oil lamps. People mill about through the weaving corridors. To Treves' right, he sees a sign reading, "The Deadly Fruit of the Original Sin," over a small, very dark corridor.

Treves enters the passage and disappears into the shadows.

The corridor has a series of flaps and turns to disorient the spectator.

Treves carefully pushes his way through and arrives at the inner chamber.

In a roped-off space stands a small stage set at eve-level, with curtains on three sides. On the stage is a bell jar filled with grey-murky fluid lit from behind with casts an eerie glow in the chamber. Suspended in the fluid is the life-sized body of a baby-doll with the attached head of a large snake. At the join of head and body is a blob of unidentifiable organic matter. It is obviously phony, but the effect is still very disquieting. At the bottom of the jar, in the muck, sits an apple with two large bites out of it. Behind the jar is a painting on the order of a religious triptych, portraying Adam on one side, Eve on the other, and the tree flowering over the jar.

Treves' impassive face is bathed in the watery glow. He studies the strange object with a critical eye. In the passage we hear movement, and an OLDER GENTLEMAN enters. He seems visibly impressed with "The Deadly Fruit of the Original Sin."

OLDER MAN

A wicked birth...

After a moment, Treves quietly leaves the inner chamber.

As he pushes his way through the corridor, the noise grows and becomes a cacophony of strange sounds. He exits and hears a booming roar and the rush of air as a series of twelve candles, mounted in a row on a ten-foot stand, are blown out by "THE INCREDIBLE WIND-MAN." His BARKER steps up and talks to the people.

BARKER

Ladies and Gentlemen, his lungs are larger than this mammoth blacksmith's bellows. So great is his power of exhalation, rivaling even that of the Great North Wind, that he will now challenge two grown men to attempt to hold the bellows shut as he applies the mighty blast of his herculean breath! Are there any volunteers?

A few people raise their hands. The Barker scans the crowd and then points over the heads of the volunteers to TWO MEN toward the back.

BARKER

Ah! I see two likely lads! Come forward! Come forward! Pit your strength against the Mighty Wind- Man!

During the above, The Incredible Wind-Man removes his cape, revealing his great barrel chest and pot-belly supported by spindly, white, hairless legs.

As the Barker sets the "Volunteers," the Wind-Man walks about the small platform, huffing and puffing and blowing on the conch shell.

The "Volunteers" set, the Wind-Man steps up to the end of the bellows, takes an enormous breath, and twirls his black handlebar moustache as a signal to the Barker.

BARKER

Gentlemen... Are you ready?

THE LADS

Yes we are... Right... etc.

BARKER

Ladies and Gentlemen!... Let the demonstration begin!!

The Wind-Man clamps his mouth to the bellows, and with great show begins to exhale, savagely stamping his feet. The Two Lads struggle obviously, and then pretend to be forced apart.

The Barker triumphantly lifts the Wind-Man's hand. The Wind- Man ceases to blow, removes his lips from the bellows and the Two Lads instantly collapse together on the floor.

BARKER

Ladies and Gentlemen!... "THE INCREDIBLE WIND-MAN!!!

The crowd cheers, while the Wind-Man puts the conch shell to his lips and proudly stamps his feet, circling about the Two Lads.

Amidst this applause, Treves smiles indulgently. He moves on, looking for something genuine.

TWO BOBBIES move through the crowd, intent upon a certain destination. Treves conveys a casual interest in them.

Treves moves on to A BEARDED LADY who combs her beard, busily chewing tobacco and spitting into a spittoon.

Treves continues to work his way through the crowd. Up ahead he sees the Bobbies.

BOBBIES

Make way! Make way!

They round a corner.

WOMAN (V.O.)

Oh yes they are, they're yours alright.

We hear the laughter of a crowd.

Treves moves closer to see a FAT LADY seated in a chair on the next platform.

On each knee she holds a DWARF. They are dressed as babies. A SKELETON MAN stands beside her.

SKELETON MAN

I refuse to believe it! I will not accept it! Those babies are simply too ugly, they cannot be mine!

The crowd laughs uproariously.

SKELETON MAN

I don't want them! Get rid of them! I don't want to see them!

FAT LADY

Darling, don't be difficult! Let's take our sweet lovely children on an outing.

SKELETON MAN

We'll take these miserable whelps on an outing, alright! We'll take them to the zoo... WHERE THEY WILL STAY!

From the direction the Bobbies have gone, we hear several screams.

FAT LADY

(pausing at the screams)

Children save yourselves! Prevail upon your Pappa!

The two Dwarves get down from her knees and approach the Skeleton Man. They kneel and tug at his thin legs.

DWARVES

Poppa! Poppa! Poppa, please!

At this point, a FATHER holding his YOUNG SON in his arms passes by Treves.

The Young Boy clutches his Father's neck in fear, hiding his face.

FATHER

(out loud, to no one in particular) This is too much! They should not allow it! They should not allow it!

Treves, very curious now, along with several others, make their way around the corner.

Before him, Treves sees an agitated crowd staring at something that from his point of view he cannot see. Brushing past him is a WOMAN pulling a small, confused and frightened LITTLE GIRL. Getting closer to the commotion, he sees four BOBBIES standing with a well-dressed alderman, arguing with the OWNER of this particular exhibit.

A distraught, almost hysterical WOMAN is ineffectually striking the Owner with her fists about his head and shoulders, crying weakly and incoherently.

WOMAN

Beast, Beast...

Treves is just about to see whatever it is that is causing the alarm, when one of the Bobbies says:

BOBBY

No! That's right out! Drop the curtain!

As the curtain drops, Treves just glimpses baggy trouser cuffs and two horribly deformed, root-like feet. The distraught Woman has been pulled away from the Owner and is sobbing on a Bobby's shoulder.

OWNER

You can't do that! I've got my rights!

ALDERMAN

I have the authority to close you down, and I'm doing just that!

In the crowd, Treves notices a YOUNG BOY staring open-mouthed, blankly at the curtain. Treves pushes through the glut of people to join the Boy and get a better view. The curtain is actually a large canvas.

On it is a life-sized portrait, crudely painted, of a creature that could only be possible in a nightmare. It is the figure of a man turning into an elephant. The transformation, however, is not complete; there is still more of the man than beast. Palm trees in the background suggest the jungle habitat in which this Perverted object might have once roamed.

Filled with curiosity, Treves moves toward the curtain.

ALDERMAN

This exhibit degrades all who see it, as well as the poor creature himself.

OWNER

He's a freak! How else can he live?

ALDERMAN

Freaks are one thing. No one objects to freaks, but this is entirely different. This is monstrous, and ought not to be allowed. These officers will see to it that you are on your way as soon as possible. Good day.

The alderman turns and leaves the tent.

OWNER

(to himself)

...Movin' again!

He shakes his head in disgust.

Now at the canvas, Treves tries to lift the edge to get a peek inside the wagon, but the meaty hand of the Owner clamps down on his wrist.

OWNER

Have a care, guv'nor.

The two men look at each other for a solid moment.

TREVES

Forgive me...

Treves backs away and returns his gaze to the painted canvas.

FADE TO BLACK:

OPERATING ROOM - THE LONDON HOSPITAL

We see a bellows pumping air into the open grate of a cast iron stove. We hear moaning in the background. The coals flare to a fierce glow. From the mouth of the stove protrude the handles of several cauterizing irons, their heads imbedded in the coals. Up above the irons, Treves stands by a waist- high operating table covered with black leather. His face is illuminated by an oil lantern held by a nurse.

The room is fairly dark owing to the oppressive overcast sky seen through two windows. There is also a large sink, a cupboard containing dressings, gags, manacles, emetics and other unattractive things, and two hard chairs.

TWO STUDENTS and two other DOCTORS, MR. FOX and MR. HILL, are present. The two Students are pulling with constant pressure on a rope tied to the patient's leg. Treves and Mr. Fox are working on a chest wound caused by a machine accident. There are gear-wheel marks getting progressively deeper as they near a great open gash. Mr. Hill places a cotton mask over the patient's nose and mouth and applies drops of chloroform. The patient struggles, but soon his moans subside and he is unconscious.

TREVES

How long has this man been here?

FOX

Three quarters of an hour.

TREVES

Mmmm. Hodges, Pierce come closer. Mr. Hill, take hold of the rope please. It's a machine accident. I expect you'll be seeing a good deal of this.

The two medical Students come forward. They stare uneasily at the gaping wound, which bubbles each time the man takes an agonized breath.

Treves and Fox quickly and expertly tend the wound as Hodges and Pierce look on.

TREVES

(off handedly)

Abominable things these machines. One can't reason with them.

FOX

What a mess.

Treves now notices that the student's faces have gone a trifle ashen.

TREVES

What got you into medicine, Hodges?

HODGES

My father, sir. He's built quite a successful practice. I hope to take it over one day.

TREVES

Is that your case as well, Pierce?

PIERCE

Yes sir. Though of course I do have a great desire to help my fellowman.

Treves smiles at them knowingly.

TREVES

Of course you do realize that medicine has changed quite a bit since your father's time. In those days we didn't even wash our coats. In fact, the sign of a truly accomplished surgeon-- was his black operating coat, so stiff with dried blood and pus that it could stand up by itself in the corner. I've still got mine upstairs... You don't mind blood, do you?

HODGES & PIERCE Oh no, sir. (etc.)

TREVES

Good, that's one thing we've always plenty of.

HALLWAY

A hospital MESSENGER BOY, dressed in a blue uniform and a can is making his way down the hall. He stops and looks into an operating room much like the one we have just seen.

Inside, the room is empty. The Boy closes the door and continues on to another operating room. The Doctors move with great urgency around the operating table. Blood is draining down into a white porcelain bowl. A Woman can be heard moaning. The Boy looks carefully, but finally closes the door and continues on his way.

TREVES' OPERATING ROOM

There is a hissing sound and steam from the cauterizing of the wound comes up obscuring part of Treves' face. The patient is being held down firmly by the other men.

The door opens and Treves looks up. The Boy pops his head in.

BOY

Excuse me, Mr. Treves, sir.

TREVES

Yes?

BOY

I found it.

TREVES

(studying the Boy carefully) Did you see it?

The Boy shakes his head slowly, "No."

TREVES

I'll be with you in a moment ...

The Boy closes the door.

FOX

(quietly)

I say Freddie, what are you about?

TREVES

Oh nothing... nothing of any great importance.

AERIAL SHOT from third floor of the London Hospital looking down on the hospital square.

Below, Treves is walking briskly across the square, through a gate and into the slums beyond.

The aerial shot is actually FOX'S POV, and now we see Fox filled with curiosity, watching the figure from a window.

Looking down from above and to the side of him, we follow Treves walking through a cobblestone street still wet from a recent rain, covered with horse manure and filth of all sorts. The air is smoky from meat burning fires.

Rounding a corner, we see and approach the painted canvas sign of "The Elephant Man" covering the front of a small, dingy shop. The door of the shop is windowless and padlocked. Treves walks into the picture, studies the whole scene for a moment, goes to the shop door and finds that it is padlocked.

Treves tries to look under an edge of the canvas. To his left he sees a SMALL BOY watching him intently.

TREVES

Do you know where the proprietor is?

He holds a coin out. The Boy nods, snatches the coin and then disappears around the corner.

Treves turns back to the canvas.

A PUB

A noisy pub, long and narrow. Benches run the length of the back wall, with small tables up against them. Men are clustered around the bar, talking in groups.

We see the Boy standing at one of the tables talking to the Owner, greedily consuming his lunch as he listens. The Boy gestures outside.

OUTSIDE THE PUB

The Boy comes out the door, quickly followed by the Owner hurriedly putting on his coat, fumbling with a riding crop, the last of his sandwich stuffed in his mouth.

AT THE CORNER

The Boy and the Owner are carefully looking around the corner at Treves still in front of the portrait.

OWNER

He's not a peeler...

BOY

No, I don't think so.

OWNER

No... I don't think so.

They walk into the street.

IN FRONT OF THE SHOP

The Owner and the Boy walk up to Treves.

TREVES