DISSOLVE TO:
2 EXT. JUNGLE COASTLINE - DAY (MAGIC HOUR) 2
Through a collage of shimmering HEAT-WAVES, a dark,
OTHER-WORLDLY OBJECT drops INTO VIEW, backlit by the
fiery, ORANGE-RED sphere of a setting tropical SUN,
heading slowly towards us, floating, as if suspended by
the rising heat of the jungle.
Continuing to approach, the shimmering object resolves
into a MILITARY ASSAULT HELICOPTER, its ro
DISSOLVE TO:
INT. VAN ORTON MANSION, BATHROOM -- MORNING
The emotionless face of NICHOLAS VAN ORTON, just today 40,
looks upon itself in a mirror. He brings an electric shaver
across his chin, shuts it off, wipes his face with a towel.
INT. VAN ORTON MANSION, MASTER BEDROOM -- MORNING
Nicholas crosses. The bedroom is spacious, devoid of
clutter. A weight-machine in a far corner. A big T.V.
shows
DISSOLVE TO:
BALLET OF ODD SHAPES
and exotic colors -- like a living abstract painting --
tropical fish moving in the f.g... Aquarium fish -- fish we
know -- fish of the lesser depths, as we RISE UP TOWARD the
surface...
Then nearer the surface still, fish dart and flee before a
distant RUMBLE... that GROWS LOUDER AND LOUDER...
HELICOPTER
ERUPTS INTO WATERY VIEW as it blasts across the ocean...
C
dissolves into thousands of glowing lines.
??
11 REAL WORLD 11
??
A video game called "BERSERK," in which a human character
throws a glowing dot at monsters in a maze; we see a quick
glimpse of the screen, then cut to a group of people staring
down, LAUGHING.
12 OMITTED 12
13 ELECTRONIC WORLD 13
??
Another game in progress, from a LONG SHOT. A version of
Jai Alai, in which the two players stand s
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. NEW JERSEY AIR BASE - DAY
American P-40 fighters blast through the air, props screaming
and wind singing by their wings.
There are eight pilots in their individual seats, and we
focus on two: RAFE MCCAWLEY has grown lean and handsome.
And DANNY WALKER is very much the same.
Their planes start swapping positions in the formation; while
the other guys are flying along in a tight l
. to a large factory building, park and go up a flight of metal stairs on the side of the building. Jeffrey steps into the shadows and watches them. At a metal landing they stop. He sees them standing on their tip toes in order to see something in the distance. The man with the alligator briefcase is laughing with the Yellow Man at what he sees. He grips the Yellow Man on the shoulder. Jeffrey ca
there. The pigeons wheel above the plaza. We FOLLOW, finally losing them to the sky. SLOWLY that sky BLEEDS from gray to blue.
And as we PAN BACK DOWN...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. MARSH - SUNSET
Were no longer in a plaza, but in a vast marshland. Not in the past, but in the present. The sun sparkles over the water. Two silhouetted figures move past in the distance. One walks a little behind the other.
metal rise into the sky covering the view of the Las Vegas casinos and their signs.
Music in: J.S. Bach - St Matthew Passion.
Aces body comes flying in - extreme slow motion. His body twists and turns through the frame like a soul about to tumble into the flames of damnation.)
MAIN TITLE SEQUENCE.
INT. TANGIERS CASINO FLOOR - NIGHT
Vignette of ACE: through rippling flames, we move in on ACE ROT
metal forms can BE SEEN descending around the shuttle. Like the tolling of a bell, a BASSO PROFUNDO CLANG reverberates through the hull.
CLOSE ON THE AIRLOCK DOOR
Light glares as a cutting torch bursts through the metal. Sparks shower into the room.
A second torch cuts through. They move with machine precision, cutting a rectangular path, converging. The torches meet. Cut off. The door falls inwa
metal handle. It gives him a shock and he enters.
Cut to the cubicles. Peter goes into his. He picks up papers, turns on
the computer and sits down.
NINA
Corporate Counsels Payroll, Nina speaking. Just a moment.
(repeats that over and over)
Bill comes up to Peter.
BILL
Hello, Peter. Whats happening? Uh we have sort of a problem here.
Yeah. You apparently didnt put one of the new coversheets on