ESCAPE FROM L.A.
Screenplay by John Carpenter
DARKNESS
A pounding, metallic beat begins. Twists of sound in a tightrope
rhythm. The snap of a military snare drum.
SUPERIMPOSE: "1998"
FEMALE NARRATOR
Forces hostile to the United States grow
strong in the late 20th Century.
A DARK TABLEAU - CITY STREET - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT
Graffiti-smeared walls. Fires raging. Automatic weapons fire.
Shadowy figures dash through the southern California night.
FEMALE NARRATOR
A great moral crisis grips the nation as
social revolution and a breakdown of the
criminal justice system threaten society.
A LINE OF POLICEMEN - NIGHT
They stand like sentinels. Black uniforms. Battle helmets.
Gleaming military assault weapons. Bullet-proof shields with large
emblems: the American eagle against a red background, and in bold
letters underneath, "THE UNITED STATES POLICE FORCE".
FEMALE NARRATOR
To protect and defend its citizens, the
United States Police Force is formed.
A GLOWING HOLOGRAPHIC MAP
Of Los Angeles, on the coast of southern California.
SUPERIMPOSE: "1999"
FEMALE NARRATOR
The population of Los Angeles grows to 40
million. The city is ravaged by crime and
immorality. A Presidential candidate
predicts a millennium earthquake will
destroy the city in divine retribution.
The map of L.A. now glows a dark red.
EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES SKYLINE - DAY
A hot summer's day. Heat ripples distorts the towering shadowing
buildings in the dense smog.
FEMALE NARRATOR
An earthquake measuring 9.6 on the Richter
scale hits at 12:59 p.m., August 23rd, in
the year 2000.
Suddenly we are hit by the loudest, booming, rolling concussion
you have ever heard. The buildings begin to shake, swaying wildly.
The Bonaventure Hotel implodes, collapses inward in the thudding,
slamming freight train of an earthquake. The 4-level Interchange
as the Santa Monica Freeway shatters, crumbles, pulling exit
ramps, cars, trees, and nearby buildings with it.
SEQUENCE OF RAPID CUTS
Buildings shaking. Streets buckling. Cars rolling, crashing.
People running. Gas mains exploding. Buildings convulsing and
dropping like tinder against an inferno.
THE SANTA MONICA PIER
As the tsunami sweeps in from the ocean, smacking into the
shoreline like the hammer of God, plunging us into darkness.
FEMALE NARRATOR
After the devastation, the constitution is
damned, and the newly elected President
accepts a lifetime term of office.
HOLOGRAPHIC MAP
Of the United States. A line tracks along the Mexican border, like
the Berlin Wall.
FEMALE NARRATOR
Fearing a massive terrorist invasion from
South America, the United States prepares
for war. The Great Wall is built along the
southern border, cutting off the flow of
illegal aliens.
WHAM!
A TORCH-LIT LANDSCAPE - NIGHT
The ruins of L.A. Rubble, smoke, a lethal wasteland. An army of
terrifying figures climbs atop a mountain of debris. They raise
their weapons into the night sky.
FEMALE NARRATOR
Street gangs, South American terrorists
and the criminally insane capture Los
Angeles, the once-great City of Angels.
ZOOM INTO A HOLOGRAPHIC MAP OF L.A
An unrecognizable L.A. After the big one. Surrounded by water,
L.A. is now an island off the new western shore, tilting on the
edge of the continental plate.
FEMALE NARRATOR
Now an island on the border of
civilization, L.A. is a no-man's land of
chaos, anarchy and darkness.
A red line tracks along the mountainous areas surrounding the
island, defining the perimeter of the armed fortress. Police
firebases and gun emplacements are indicated in the San Gabriel
Mountains.
FEMALE NARRATOR
The United States Police Force, like an
army, is encamped in the San Gabriel
Mountains.
ZOOM INTO L.A.
From the glowing, outlined canyons come the cries of rage of a
million lost souls.
FEMALE NARRATOR
The President's first act as Permanent
Commander-in-Chief is Directive 17:
protect and defend the United States from
this island of the damned, Hell on Earth.
BLACK SCREEN
SUPERIMPOSE: "2013 - NOW"
EXT. DARK OCEAN - NIGHT
TRAVELING SHOT low, across the top of the water's surface. Climb
up the side of a massive, rusted supertanker, abandoned, years
ago. Break over the railing to reveal a gigantic neon sign which
screams "NEW LAS VEGAS." The supertanker has been transformed into
a floating resort.
The camera increases speed, moves past huge billboards displaying
gigantic glitzy ads:
"NUCLEAR NIGHTS IN HAVANA" - an extravaganza with fabulous
showgirls and laser recreations of Fidel's final night.
"MUSEUM OF NIGHT CLUB ARTS" - a virtual reality tour featuring
legendary Vegas entertainers.
"FREE ENTERPRISE WORLD" - a virtual Disneyland for the whole
family.
Now camera flies low through glittering streets and back alleyways
filled with gamblers, neon and glitz.
EXT. ALLEY - NEW LAS VEGAS, 2013 - NIGHT
An alley strangled with tourists, gamblers, hookers, hustlers, and
con men - professional expatriates from the West mingling with
excited visitors from all over the world.
SUPERIMPOSE: "NEW LAS VEGAS OFF THE COAST OF SEATTLE THURSDAY 0330
HOURS G.M.T. "
A Salesman with a chin-mike speaks non-stop, unintelligible
Chinese. A frenzied crowd gathers around him, waving money,
placing bets.
Two men sit at either end of a long table. They are in deep
shadows, facing each other. We only get glimpses of them: One fat.
Mirrored sunglasses. Chinese. His fingers tap on the table. A
cockroach scurries past. Ammo belts. A sheathed combat knife the
size of your arm. .45 automatics in holsters.
The other, dressed in black. An eye-patch. Dangerous. A flash of
two six-guns in holsters. A futuristic gunfighter. The cockroach
dashes past his fingers. WHAP! He squashes it.
The crowd goes nuts, placing bets, yelling and screaming in a
dozen languages.
The salesman places three different shaped, clear shot glasses in
front of the two men. Then he leans over to...
A VAT OF POISONOUS SNAKES. He reaches in, grabs a cobra, pulls it
out. The cobra hisses and squirms. Deftly, the salesman continues
to talk non-stop into his chin-mike as he milks the cobra venom
into the first glass.
He pulls out an ice-pick, jabs it into the snake's throat, and
bleeds a thick green-white liquid into the second glass. Finally,
he slits open the cobra with a large knife, and cuts out the heart
and liver. Tossing aside the dead snake, the salesman squeezes the
heart and liver with his fingers. The juice drips into the third
glass.
Now the salesman stirs the glasses. The poison is clear. The blood
is milky-green. The heart and liver are red. He places the glasses
on the table between the two men.
The two men stare at each other, motionless. The crowd continues
placing bets at a fevered pitch. A titanium white tube floats
above the center of the table. A laser beam of light shines from
one end.
The salesman leans over and flicks on side with his finger,
sending the tube spinning on its axis like a bottle, the light
circling the room before stopping on the fat man's forehead.
The fat man reaches slowly toward the glasses. His hand shakes
slightly. He hesitates. Finally he takes the glass with the red
liquid (the heart and liver), lifts it to his lips, pauses, then
gulps it down.
The crowd explodes. More bets.
The salesman leans over and spins the light tube again, this time
it lands on something black, an eye-patch. Pull back to reveal a
man with an eye-patch.
The man with the eye-patch reaches forward, his hand paused
between the remaining two glasses. He takes the one filled with
milky-green blood and downs it fast. The crowd roars.
One glass left. The two men stare at it intently.
The salesman spins the light tube with more force than before. It
circles again and again, slowing down, speeding up, finally
stopping on the fat man.
The salesman begins yelling over the din of the crowd, shouting at
the fat man. The fat man reaches for the glass of clear poison.
His trembling fingers hover above it. Then he quickly withdraws
his hand.
The crowd reacts, boos, as...
The man with the eye-patch smiles. A slightly, cynical smile. And
without hesitation, he reaches out, grabs the glass of poison, and
drinks it down. The crowd surges forward, but the salesman stops
them with a sweep of his arm. All bets are off.
The two men stand from the table. Take several steps away toward
the end of the alley. Stand facing each other. Two gunfighters.
Flashes of the two men. A piece of a black military boot. A hand
positioned over a six-shooter. Mirrored sunglasses. A sweaty,
trembling lip. And the eye-patched man's one good eye, blue and
clear, staring - hard and calm as a sunny day...
The draw. It happens in an instant. The alley thunders with
gunfire. The guns buck and flash. Then silence. The two men stand
there for a beat, until one of them, the fat man, slumps, falls
face first into the alley, dead.
The crowd goes completely ape shit as SNAKE PLISSKEN emerges from
the shadows of the alley, holsters his guns, grabs his take of the
money...
SNAKE PLISSKEN. Long hair. A black eye-patch. A tight-lipped
grimace. The impression of coiled aggression and intense cynicism.
The toughest, most dangerous man on planet earth. A legend.
PLISSKEN strolls out of the alley into the crowd. He counts his
money, pockets it, as a cigarette girl approaches him. PLISSKEN
stops her, pays for a pack of cigs. As she eyes him...
CLOSEUP OF PLISSKEN'S ARM
... the cigarette girl touches him, pricks his skin with her
fingernail. A drop of blood appears.
PLISSKEN turns, stares after her, as the sound of helicopters
rises from above in the night sky. The crowd suddenly starts to
disperse.
Helicopter searchlights blast down on the street. PLISSKEN is
suddenly caught in the glare. He starts to move away...
KACLANG!
Out of the blackness above a huge steel net drops out of nowhere.
The net slams down on top of PLISSKEN, trapping him, driving him
down to the pavement with its weight... PLISSKEN struggles inside
the net as black figures - United States Police Force Officers -
rush toward him, grab the net, tightening it. More cops move for
him as we SLOWLY FADE TO BLACK...
SUPERIMPOSE: "L.A. FRIDAY 1900 HOURS"
EXT. CONTAINMENT WALL - FIREBASE SEVEN - L.A. - NIGHT
Searchlights sweep down across a column of policemen marching past
a concrete wall. Camera begins to crane up the wall. Sound of
roaring turbines. The howl of the Santa Ana wind.
Camera reaches the top of the wall. Armed police troops stand on
the battlements. Across what looks like an ocean is L.A. The view
is from the Newhall Pass.
Hidden by the Santa Monica Mountains, L.A. glows in the distance
with a hundred fires. Smoke surges from the jagged horizon. Above,
the sky is an angry orange.
ANOTHER ANGLE - TOP OF THE WALL
Res sensor lights glow in evenly spaced intervals. Searchlights
sweep into the darkness. Cannons are in place every 200 feet,
manned by police guards.
EXT. SAN FERNANDO SEA - NIGHT
Water stretches into blackness. This was once the San Fernando
Valley, but now it's all underwater. Pieces of debris - tops of
buildings, the tail of an airplane, a radio tower - stick up above
the surface. We can make out the letters of an old, half-sunken
sign: "SAN FERNANDO VALLEY MALL"
EXT. THE WALL - NIGHT
The wall stretches to the northwest up to the Santa Susanna Pass.
Portions of the 118 Freeway arch up out of the water.
EXT. FIREBASE SEVEN - BEHIND THE WALL - NIGHT
Firebase Seven is a fortified base camp in the San Gabriel
Mountains. It is a sprawling police complex with low concrete
bunkers, gun emplacements, satellite communications, vehicles,
troops, the works. ON A LARGE ASPHALT FIELD, opposite the main
complex is Rotor City - row after row of black, multi-bladed,
totally evil police battle helicopters parked like giant bugs on
the ground.
A throng of policemen gather at the edge of Rotor City yelling and
cheering, their fists in the air. Cops with camcorders videotape
the event. A police anchor reports...
POLICE ANCHOR
He's been the Force's Most Wanted Man for
10 years. Convicted of 27 moral crimes. I
can tell you, the excitement around here
is...
(a great roaring skyward)
Here he comes!
A MASSIVE 7-ROTORED, 40-BLADED HELICOPTER TRANSPORT comes slamming
down out of the black sky and lands. The growing crowd of cheering
cops goes nuts like fans at a football game. They slap hands,
dance wildly.
INT. COMMAND HQ - MAIN CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
A mammoth room filled with high-tech instrumentation. A glowing
holographic map of L.A. fills one wall. Most of the control
personnel have left their work stations and gather around TV sets
all showing the Police Channel: a view of the helicopter transport
sitting on the asphalt and the cheering crowds at the edge of
Rotor City.
A tall, steel-faced officer sits at his desk. This is Firebase
Commander MAC "BIG DOG" MALLOY. Hard, battle weary features.
BRAZEN, a section Lieutenant, comes up.
BRAZEN
Commander Malloy. They're bringing him
out, sir.
Malloy rises from his chair, steps to a nearby TV set, watches the
scene from the Police Channel.
MALLOY
So we finally got him.
EXT. ROTOR CITY - NIGHT
The crowd of cops is growing to a frenzy of wild anticipation.
POLICE ANCHOR
Hold one! The door is opening!
The door of the helicopter transport slowly lowers like a
drawbridge. Out of its black belly comes...
SNAKE PLISSKEN. A steel collar is clamped around his neck. Eight
lengths of chain stretch to eight armed guards who escort Plissken
down the ramp. Plissken is bruised, badly beaten and tortured, his
face a mess, but he doesn't seem to care. A line of battle-ready
cops stand with their guns aimed right at Plissken's head as he is
marched into camp. An army of camcorders move ahead of the Police
Anchor as he scampers along in front of PLISSKEN, interviewing
him.
POLICE ANCHOR
Hello, Plissken. Welcome to L.A.
Celebrating cops cheer as Plissken is lead to...
A SIGN ABOVE A CONCRETE BUNKER - DEPORTATION CENTER
The bunker has one large opening, into which hundreds of deportees
march. Guards in towers monitor the condemned as they trudge out
of fenced-in containment areas, down walled corridors to the
bunker entrance.
The deportees are minorities, the poor, prostitutes, pimps,
thieves, adulterers, atheists - the Morally Guilty, outcasts of
society. Single mothers carry babies. Teenage runaways huddle
together. There are abortion doctors, drug dealers, pornographers,
the prisoners of a massive cultural war.
As Plissken is marched toward the entrance, a loudspeaker blares
out:
POLICE VOICE (V.O.)
You are now entering the Deportation
Center. You have been found guilty of
moral crimes against the United States of
America.
A great cheer goes up from the cops as the Police Anchor conducts
his interview...
POLICE ANCHOR
S.D. Bob Plissken. Special Forces, Black
Light, Texas Thunder. Two Purple Hearts.
Youngest man ever decorated by the
President.
Plissken's face remains so impassive as to be almost blank.
INT. SODIUM VAPOR CORRIDOR - DEPORTATION CENTER - NIGHT
A glowing, vaporous-orange corridor. More cops gather to watch
Plissken as he is escorted into the bowels of the Deportation
Center.
POLICE ANCHOR
You've been convicted of 27 moral crimes,
Plissken. The murder of an Internal
Revenue agent. The kidnapping of a bank
president. Gun fighting for profit. The
list goes on and on...
INT. CONCRETE HALLWAY - DEPORTATION CENTER - NIGHT
Deeper into the Deportation Center. Camera tracks along the
deportees, some bleeding, some wrapped in rags. Plissken, the
Police Anchor, camcorders and the armed escort move through the
dark, low concrete passageway.
POLICE ANCHOR
You used to respect the law. Served your
country like no man before you. Role model
to a generation.
The Police Anchor leans in as close as he dares to Plissken's
face.
POLICE ANCHOR
What happened to you, war hero? You were
the best we had.
STEEL-WALLED HALLWAY - DEPORTATION CENTER - NIGHT
Steel walls. Deeper into the Deportation Center. The deportees
here are in worse shape. Some appear to be dead. Plissken and his
entourage continue along, as the speaker echoes a pre-recorded
message...
POLICE VOICE (V.O.)
You are sentenced to permanent expulsion
beyond the borders of the U.S. You now
have the option to repent of your sins and
be electrocuted on the premises. If you
elect this option, notify the Cleric
Sergeant in your Processing Area.
Plissken and his entourage pass deportees kneeling and praying in
front of cloaked cleric cops, government holy men. Beyond, through
opened doorways, see Death Row deportees being strapped into
futuristic electric chairs.
POLICE ANCHOR
The whole world's watching. Every good and
decent person who works and hard and
follows the rules. What would say to them?
Plissken's expression is blank.
POLICE ANCHOR
What would you say to all of us who
believed in you, who looked up to you, who
thought you stood for right over wrong,
good over evil? Be my guest. What do you
have to say, Plissken?
PLISSKEN
(beat)
Call me Snake.
The guards move Plissken through a doorway, and the huge steel
doors slam shut on the Police Anchor and the camcorders.
INT. CORRIDOR - PROCESSING AREA - NIGHT
Malloy, Brazen, and a 3rd man, tall, charismatic, grim, move
urgently along a corridor.
BRAZEN
ComStat did a psychosearch on him. Used a
database of 5 million sociopathic
personalities. He hit the bottom of the
curve.
MALLOY
Perfect for the mission. Nobody else can
pull it off - not an army, not a man.
BRAZEN
Zero emotional developments. Total lack of
compassion. A highly developed
psychopathic instinct to survive.
3RD MAN
Let's get this over with.
INT. CONCRETE CELL - NIGHT
The cell door slams shut. Plissken turns around. Writ and leg
irons. He looks around.
In the concrete cell he sees a simple table with an overhead light
above it. A watch lies on the table. Plissken shuffles over, picks
up the watch, examines it.
The cell door opens. Malloy, Brazen, and the 3rd Man enter the
room unarmed. The door closes.
Malloy and Brazen move forward, to the edge of the light. The 3rd
Man stays back in the shadows by the door.
MALLOY
How you doin' Plissken?
(no reply)
You like the watch?
PLISSKEN
You assholes didn't bring me here to give
me this for 20 years of dedicated service.
What'ya want?
Malloy looks back to the 3rd Man in the shadows...
3RD MAN
Get to it.
Malloy raises a control unit, pushes the button. The lights go
down and a computer-enhanced image appears on the wall...
INT. PROTOTYPE DEFENSE LAB - SURVEILLANCE CAMERA
From the point of view of a surveillance camera. The lab is huge.
Banks of processors, disk drives, test bays, prototype assembly
areas. High tech. A group of government officials is being given a
tour. Utopia, 17, the President's daughter is among them. Pretty,
virginal, she wears a "True Love Waits" button on her flowered
dress.
MALLOY
At 1030 hours Wednesday, a group of
government officials began a tour of the
Livermore Defense Lab. The President's
daughter, Utopia, was among them.
Plissken continues to watch the image on the wall...
MALLOY
An hour later, she boarded Air Force 3 to
Washington.
The 3rd Man reacts as the image in front of Plissken changes...
INT. MAIN CABIN OF 747 - CAMCORDER
From the point of view of a camcorder. Utopia stands inside the
main cabin of a plush, government 747. In one hand she holds a
black anodized box the size of a transistor radio with a button on
top. In the other, a machine gun.
UTOPIA
(to the camcorder)
To the American people - it is time to
rise up and demand the surrender of the
President and his corrupt theocracy of
lies and terror.
MALLOY
At 1140 hours, she hijacked the plane. We
scanned the videotape on VR. Check it out.
Inside the surveillance room the President stares grimly as Malloy
presses a button. Suddenly the image in front of Plissken spreads
out all around him. He is in a virtual reality re-creation.
INT. MAIN CABIN OF 747 - VIRTUAL REALITY
Plissken stands manacled in the main cabin. A group of secret
service men and congressmen watch as a flight attendance operates
a camcorder. He's videotaping Utopia as she rants into the camera.
She's pent up with such anxiety she's like a panther in a cage.
UTOPIA
Today is Day One of a brand new world. The
days of the empire are finished.
(beat)
To the President - my father, you know
what this is.
She holds up the anodized box with the red button and thrusts it
at the camcorder.
UTOPIA
You know what it will do. Unless you
abdicate your throne by tomorrow night, I
will use it - on you.
CONGRESSMAN
Utopia, please. Give us the prototype. If
something should happen -
UTOPIA
It will be in my hands - and the hands of
my lover.
She says "lover" with all the drama a 17-year-old virgin can
muster. The others are shocked.
UTOPIA
Yes, my lover. My man. The only real man
I've ever known. I'm on my way to his
arms.
She moves to the rear of the main cabin, bends down, opens a small
hatch in the floor, scrambles down...
WHAM! The VR image suddenly disappears and Plissken is again
standing inside the concrete cell. Malloy and Brazen stand in
front of him.
MALLOY
Somehow during the tour, she came into
possession of a prototype transmitting
device. We don't know how.
BRAZEN
Utopia became depressed after her mother's
suicide, began to withdraw into her
virtual reality simulator. She'd punch up
her own little world in cyberspace and
stay in it for days at a time.
(hits a button)
Somebody else was in there with her.
AN IMAGE APPEARS
In front of Plissken: A computer-rendered VR picture of clouds and
sunshine, green grass and happy animals frolicking. A Garden of
Eden. There, coming toward us, is CUERVO JONES. South American
terrorist. Fiercest warrior of the Third World. He wears a
gleaming ancient Aztec battle helmet. Bandoliers strapped around
him.
MALLOY
Cuervo Jones. Shining Path. Peruvian
terrorist. Runs the biggest baddest gang
in L.A.
Cuervo Jones takes off the helmet He is blindingly handsome,
charismatic. He smiles, reaches out his arms to camera as if to
embrace it. The image suddenly pops back to the beginning - it's
on a loop. The image disappears.
The lights in the cell come up.
BRAZEN
Utopia made tapes of her VR experiences,
then tried to erase them. She missed this
fragment on the end of her last tape.
Cuervo Jones must have tapped into the VR
master data bank - and then went prowling
around for innocent blood, someone
vulnerable to corrupt. Utopia was lonely,
looking for something to believe in.
PLISSKEN
Sad story. You got a cigarette?
MALLOY
Shut up, Plissken.
PLISSKEN
What's the little black box do?
MALLOY
Top secret. Only on a need to know.
PLISSKEN
And I don't need to know. So fuck you, I'm
goin' to Hollywood.
MALLOY
That's right, big shot. Unless you do what
we want you're not coming back.
PLISSKEN
So what's the deal, huh? Go into L.A.,
find the President's daughter, secure the
box, and bring 'em both out - and I'm
free?
MALLOY
That's the deal.
PLISSKEN
Tell the President to adopt. I think I'll
like L.A.
After a couple of beats, the 3rd Man appears next to Malloy and
Brazen. He stares at Plissken for a moment, holds up some papers.
3RD MAN
If you bring out the prototype, you'll
receive a full pardon for every immoral
act you have ever committed in the United
States. Just like in '97. Remember New
York, Plissken?
PLISSKEN
(looks at him)
Who are you?
MALLOY
It's the President, for Christ's sake!
PRESIDENT
I give you my word. Put the prototype into
my hands, and you're a free man.
PLISSKEN
I can see you're real concerned about your
daughter.
PRESIDENT
Utopia is lost to me. My daughter is gone.
PLISSKEN
Well, I'll think it over.
PRESIDENT
You're running out of time.
PLISSKEN
I've been doin' that all my life. Might as
well do it in L.A. Everybody else there
is.
MALLOY
Well, enjoy it, war hero, cause you got 10
hours to live.
Malloy, Brazen, and the President turn to leave...
PLISSKEN
Wait a minute, what are you talkin' about?
MALLOY
Having second thoughts?
PLISSKEN
Maybe. But you're not putting any shit in
me this time.
MALLOY
You don't understand. It's already in you.
PLISSKEN'S FACE
As an image of the cigarette girl in New Las Vegas flashes
suddenly. Her fingernail scratches his arm. He tightens.
MALLOY
The cigarette girl in New Vegas was an
undercover cop. She injected you with
incentive toxin. Right now it's swimming
in your bloodstream. It'll start to take
effect in 9 hours.
BRAZEN
It's a strain of the Plutoxin 7 virus.
Genetically engineered. 100% pure death.
Complete nervous system shutdown. You
crash and bleed out like a stuck pig. Not
a pretty sight.
Plissken takes a step toward him. Malloy holds up a large
hypodermic.
MALLOY
Of course there's an anti-toxin.
Neutralizes the virus immediately upon
injection.
(beat)
We'll give it to you, but you have to do
us this little favor.
TWO BEATS...
...and then Plissken attacks the President, hurls himself across
the room, throwing the chain around the President's neck...
Plissken passes right through the President, causing his image to
waver slightly, then falls on his ass.
PRESIDENT
Didn't think we were that stupid, did you?
INT. SURVEILLANCE ROOM
The real Malloy, Brazen, and President stand in front of a laser
camera in a small room offering a view of the cell through a
transparent portion of the wall.
MALLOY
We're holographs.
INSIDE THE CELL
Plissken stares at the three images in front of him, then at the
camera lens on the wall...
PLISSKEN
Get this crap out of me.
MALLOY
I guess we have a deal. Nice to be working
with you, Plissken.
PLISSKEN
(beat)
Call me Snake.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM - COMMAND HQ - NIGHT
Plissken checks through various tactical survival items and
weapons laid out on a table. Brazen watches as Malloy show shim a
high tech submachine gun.
BRAZEN
Very sweet little weapon. Core burner.
Magnesium ammo. 500 extra rounds.
(moves on)
Two 9mm handguns.
(holds up a silver pill)
Oral projectile. Mouth dart. Hold it in
your mouth for ten seconds, the coating
dissolves, it becomes a weapon.
Malloy breaks open the silver pill. Inside is s small, lethal
looking dart.
BRAZEN
Urolite. It'll stun the enemy for several
seconds.
Plissken picks up a small, computerized compass.
MALLOY
Tracer. Utopia has a kidnap chip implanted
in her arm. You can locate her with this.
Brazen hands Plissken a large black clip.
BRAZEN
This clips right onto your 9mm. Ammo
enhancers. Like miniaturized grenades.
Blows through anything.
Plissken snaps the clip onto his pistol, then unsnaps it.
EXT. POLICE COMPLEX - NIGHT
Plissken suits up. Submachine gun, handguns, six-guns. He, Brazen
and Malloy walk quickly across the complex.
MALLOY
L.A. is in a constant state of warfare.
Gangs fighting for the right to rule.
BRAZEN
Heavy Third World connections. They get
weapons, drugs, fuel, choppers -
everything is pumped into the island from
the south.
MALLOY
Some areas have power - they're on line to
San Onofre.
EXT. ROTOR CITY - NIGHT
As Brazen's command helicopter takes off...
INT. COMMAND HELICOPTER - NIGHT
Plissken stares at a photo of the anodized prototype.
PLISSKEN
I'll need to know more about this thing.
MALLOY
Only a handful of people are aware of its
existence. Let's just say it's the
ultimate defensive weapon.
PLISSKEN
Defense against what?
MALLOY
There's a war about to be declared, or
didn't you know?
Plissken shrugs.
MALLOY
Third World wants to live like we do - and
they plan on taking what they want. The
Cubans and Brazilians are ready to invade
Miami. If the Africans and Colombians make
a run at the border, we got a full scale
attack on the United States.
PLISSKEN
So what does this thing do?
MALLOY
All you need to know is get it back here
by 5 a.m.
EXT. WALL - ACCESS TUNNEL - NIGHT
The Command helicopter lands near a large access tunnel inside the
containment wall.
INT. ACCESS TUNNEL - NIGHT
Plissken, Brazen and Malloy walk through the dark, dank tunnel.
Armed guards stand at the ready. A hatch in the tunnel floor
stands open. A ladder disappears down into the darkness.
MALLOY
(points to the open hatch)
You're going over by submarine. One-man
submersible. Nuclear powered.
Plissken arranges his gear, climbs into the hatch opening.
PLISSKEN
Where do I put ashore?
MALLOY
Cahuenga Pass. Make your way up through
the mountains toward the Hollywood Bowl.
You should be able to pick up Utopia's
tracer there.
(beat)
Once you go inside, you're on your own.
(beat)
You know what you have to do with the
girl, don't you?
(beat)
We have to spare this nation her trial -
for treason.
PLISSKEN
So you want me to take her out?
(Malloy nods)
Is that an order from the President?
MALLOY
Let's just say it's what's best for the
country.
PLISSKEN
By the way - who gives me the anti-toxin?
MALLOY
A medical team will be standing by.
PLISSKEN
Not you?
MALLOY
No.
PLISSKEN
Good.
KABLAMM! He fires, ripping hellish blasts at Malloy. There's no
damage. Malloy laughs.
MALLOY
Thought you might try that. First clip is
filled with blanks. Goodbye, Plissken.
Malloy kicks the hatch and it slams down on top of Plissken.
Brazen pushes a control button, sealing it shut.
INT. SUBMARINE BAY - NIGHT
Plissken climbs down the ladder into a small submarine bay. Below
him on a launching rig is a sleek, black one-man submarine shaped
like a dart. The submarine's hatch is open. Plissken climbs
inside.
INT. SUBMARINE - NIGHT
Plissken seals the hatch behind him. He has to lie flat on his
stomach to operate the sub. He quickly hits various switches and
buttons, powering up the cockpit.
INT. COMMAND HQ - MAIN CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Malloy and Brazen move to a surveillance-command post.
PLISSKEN (V.O. RADIO)
Com check.
Malloy picks up the microphone.
MALLOY
I'm here, Plissken.
INT. SUBMARINE - NIGHT
Plissken looks at the wrist watch. It ticks down ominously. Eight
hours and counting down...
MALLOY (V.O.)
Stand by for launch. Ignitor.
(Plissken pushes a button)
Fuel rod injection.
Plissken pulls a lever, watches his dials. A deep humming sound
grows louder inside the sub.
PLISSKEN
She's in the green.
MALLOY (V.O.)
Lock fuel rods.
PLISSKEN
(hits a switch)
Locked.
MALLOY (V.O.)
Nuclear turbine to 75% power.
Plissken turns a throttle-like control with his left hand.
INT. SUBMARINE BAY - NIGHT
Out of the rear tubes of Plissken's sub comes a roaring blue glow.
INT. SUBMARINE
PLISSKEN
75% power.
MALLOY (V.O.)
Hands on switches and counting.
5...4...3...2...1. Launch.
INT. SUBMARINE BAY
The rear tubes roar. Suddenly the sub is shot forward through a
long, circular tunnel.
INT. SUBMARINE
Plissken braces himself as the cabin lurches, vibrates with the
force.
EXT. THE WALL - NEWHALL PASS - NIGHT
A door in the wall opens, revealing the circulator tunnel. In a
roaring explosion, the sub rockets out of the tunnel, shot from
the wall like a cannonball. The submarine is airborne for several
seconds, then drops down, and slams into the San Fernando Sea.
INT. SUBMARINE
Plissken is rocked with the impact. He guides the sub with hand
controls. In front of him on a screen is a schematic diagram of
the underwater landscape of the San Fernando Valley.
EXT. UNDERWATER - 405 FREEWAY - NIGHT
In the underwater darkness, see the broken remains of the 405
Freeway, as the subs creams past, its nuclear wake churning in the
water.
INT. COMMAND HQ - MAIN CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Malloy, Brazen and other cops follow Plissken's course on a
gigantic computer screen.
MALLOY
Plissken, watch your speed. Lots of
obstructions down there.
EXT. UNDERWATER - VAN NUYS CITY HALL - NIGHT
As the sub rockets past the ruins of the Van Nuys City Hall,
barely missing it.
INT. SUBMARINE
MALLOY (V.O.)
Plissken...
Plissken ignores him, carefully maneuvering the sub with his
controls.
MALLOY (V.O.)
Plissken... do you copy?
EXT. UNDERWATER - THE VENTURA FREEWAY - NIGHT
Camera follows the sub as it streaks along just above the
submerged ruins of the Ventura Freeway. See the ghostly shapes of
cars, trucks, busses below, smashed and overturned.
INT. COMMAND HQ - MAIN CONTROL ROOM
They watch the sub, a red blip on the screen, move along the
freeway.
INT. SUBMARINE
Plissken twists his hand throttle, pouring on the power to 90%.
EXT. VENTURA & HOLLYWOOD FREEWAY INTERCHANGE - UNDERWATER - NIGHT
The sub rips through the water, faster and faster, goes into a
hard bank to the right as the Ventura Freeway turns into the
Hollywood. A sign at the edge of the Hollywood Freeway reads:
"SPEED LIMIT 55". The sub screams past.
INT. COMMAND HQ - MAIN CONTROL ROOM
Brazen points to a readout showing the submarine's engine status.
BRAZEN
His reactor's starting to overheat.
MALLOY
Plissken, slow down the sub. You're
overloading the power plant.
INT. SUBMARINE
Plissken glances at the gauge. His nuclear turbine readout: green,
moving to yellow, into red. He pushes it up to 102%.
MALLOY (V.O.)
Plissken...?
Plissken's eye turns back to the computer map in front of him. One
the screen: the red blip representing the sub is headed right
toward a building. Plissken pulls hard on the controls.
EXT. UNDERWATER - UNIVERSAL CITY - THE BLACK TOWER - NIGHT
The sub smacks into the side of the Black Tower, powers through
it, blasts out the other side through a window, tilting and
wobbling. The sub rights itself momentarily but is slammed
downward out of frame by a huge, dark, slimy object.
KING KONG looms overhead - his fist rising and falling with the
currents. Plissken has maneuvered himself into the wreckage of the
Universal Studios Tour.
The sub zips through the King Kong ride into Back To The Future,
passing 1950's signage from that film, dodging a rusting Delorean.
It slams into the open mouth of JAWS, shattering the model into a
million pieces.
The sub continues on, bouncing through the narrow openings of the
Earthquake Ride - broken pipes, cracked sidewalks, split walls -
hard to tell what was the ride and what was The Big One.
INT. SUBMARINE
Plissken hangs on, as small jets of water spray into the cockpit
through tiny cracks in the hull.
EXT. UNDERWATER - MOVING WITH THE SUBMARINE - NIGHT
The sub suddenly tips upward, rising for the surface.
EXT. SHORELINE - CAHUENGA PASS - NIGHT
The sub explodes out of the water, lands belly first on a hillside
with a hard thump.
INT. SUBMARINE
Plissken presses the hatch controls. The sub begins to slide
backwards down toward the water.
INT. SUBMARINE
Plissken struggles, then rips open the hatch, scrambles out. The
sub slowly slips backwards, down into the water. As the rear
exhaust tubes hit the surface, a blast of steam. Plissken leaps
out of the hatch. The sub sinks faster and faster. He scampers up
the side, leaps for ground... and lands on the hillside, as the
sub sinks into the sea, bubbling, churning, hissing.
A bleeping sound. He takes out his pocket walkie, raises the
antenna.
MALLOY (V.O.)
Plissken...?
PLISSKEN
I'm here.
MALLOY (V.O.)
Where's the submarine? It's disappeared
off our screens.
PLISSKEN
It's history. I gotta go.
Plissken clicks off the walkie, pockets it, turns to climb up the
hillside when...
WHAM! Standing above him is a dark figure. Hooded. Carrying
something huge and rounded at the ends.
Plissken raises his submachine gun...
... as PIPELINE steps closer. He's a surfer in a black wetsuit.
Carries a surfboard. A rifle is slung across his shoulder.
Pipeline's face is raw, burned - too many hours surfing in the UV.
PIPELINE
Too bad about your boat, man.
(Plissken doesn't move)
Supposed to be some swells out here
tonight. Big ones.
(beat)
You like to surf?
Realizing Pipeline is no danger, Plissken moves past him up the
hillside.
PIPELINE
You look kinda familiar.
(beat)
You hang out around here much?
But Plissken's moved off into the darkness.
EXT. MULHOLLAND DRIVE - NIGHT - RAIN
Plissken reaches old Mulholland Drive, now dark and desolate.
Shells of houses stand nearby, black and empty. It has begun to
rain.
The sound of gunfire. Plissken ducks behind a tree...
Two old cars come zooming up Mulholland, side by side. Windows
down. Guns blazing at each other. They pass Plissken, continue
down Mulholland, ripping each other apart with gunfire. Plissken
darts across Mulholland, down the mountainside.
EXT. MOUNTAINSIDE - NIGHT - RAIN
The rain pours down as Plissken makes his way down a steep
incline.
CRACK! A dark figure steps out from behind a tree. Plissken spins,
submachine gun ready. It's Pipeline.
PIPELINE
Hey, man. I know who you are. You're Snake
Plissken. Man, I can't believe you're
really here.
More gunfire from above on Mulholland...
PIPELINE
Kind of a bad neighborhood, Snake.
PLISSKEN
Which way to the Hollywood Bowl?
PIPELINE
(points)
Down that way.
Plissken starts down.
PIPELINE
Be careful. Some real strange dudes
hangin' out there these days.
Plissken continues moving, now just a blurry figure in the rain.
PIPELINE
Hey Snake - what're you doin' around here,
man?
(as Plissken disappears)
I heard they busted you up real good in
Cleveland...
EXT. HILLS ABOVE THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL - NIGHT - RAIN
The rain is coming down in a torrent as Plissken makes his way
down the hillside. Then, all at once, the rain lets up, then
stops. The trees drip with moisture. Suddenly, a huge KATHUMP from
above him. Plissken looks back. A huge mudslide is roaring its way
down the hill toward him.
Plissken races down the hill, but the mudslide cascades downward
like a freight train, catches up with him, sweeps him off his
feet... and Plissken goes riding down the hill, rumbling and
sliding in the mud.
EXT. STAND OF TREES - NIGHT
The mudslide hits a flat area near a stand of trees, spreads out,
slows. A completely mud-covered, black Plissken climbs out of the
goo. He's dripping with it. His one good eye shines in the
moonlight. He takes a couple steps toward the edge of the treeline
when...
A VOICE (SPINAL) (V.O.)
Shut-up, fuck! Stop makin' noise!
Plissken spins. He's standing right next to SPINAL, the leader of
the Black Cowboy Gang. Dressed in black, boots with spurs, black
duster, black cowboy hat, he carries an automatic rifle. He looks
just like Charles Barkley.
Plissken looks around, realizes he's in the middle of a small army
of Black Cowboys, crouched behind the trees, waiting in ambush.
Covered with mud, Plissken blends right in.
SPINAL
Take cover, fool.
Plissken jumps behind a tree, looks down the hillside.
PLISSKEN'S POV - THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
Below his position is the Hollywood Bowl. A huge cross is on
stage, and the cross is on fire.
CLOSER - HOLLYWOOD BOWL
A group of white hooded men, the K.K.K., stand in front of the
burning cross holding a ceremony. Next to the cross on stage, a
hooded K.K.K. string quartet begins playing a Hayden concerto.
Plissken reacts.
SPINAL
Let's take him.
A Black Cowboy raises his M79 grenade launcher, as the others
quickly race down the hillside. He fires.
THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
A 40mm armor-piercing grenade leaves a blazing fire trail as it
rockets toward the burning cross and - KABLAMMO! A fireball blows
pieces of the cross into the air. The K.K.K. spin around...
A blast of lightning illuminates the Black Cowboys attacking from
the hills. They open fire. A K.K.K. Grand Dragon is picked off his
feet, buffeted in mid-air, flesh and robe shredded by gunfire. A
hail of bullets hits the K.K.K. They return fire, but are
overwhelmed. They are hit, jerking and twisting. Fire from the
Black Cowboys is withering, racking the hooded figures like bolts
of lightning. The Black Cowboys keep advancing, firing, as it
starts to rain again.
Through the cloudy wash of dribbling rain water, the firefight
continues. Four K.K.K. leap out from behind a row of seats and
jump Plissken, knocking his gun to the ground. In a blinding
flash, using hands, feet, and head, Plissken sends them flying. As
he reaches down to pick up his submachine gun, he sees that the
rain is washing the mud off his body...
AND SO DOES SPINAL, who stands nearby, watching as Plissken is
washed clean by the rain. Spinal raises his weapon, then stops.
SPINAL
Hey. I know you. Snake Plissken.
Plissken slowly stands, his submachine gun in his hand. Behind
them, the firefight is almost over. The K.K.K. scatter into the
rain...
SPINAL
Hey, what's going down, Snake?
PLISSKEN
I'm looking for somebody.
SPINAL
Who ain't?
Plissken pulls out his tracer. It is blipping red, just south of
the Bowl.
SPINAL
Say, is it true what they say about
Cleveland, man?
Plissken doesn't answer. He moves on through the rain...
SPINAL
Later, Snake. Thanks for the help. You can
always shift down and mojo with us
anytime.
EXT. VINE AVENUE - NIGHT
The ruins of the Capital Records building. The rain has stopped
again. Plissken is a lone figure walking along the street. In the
distance, the sound of thumping music.
EXT. HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD AT HIGHLAND - NIGHT
Pandemonium! Music blares. It's the old Supremes hit, "Love is
Like An Itchin' In My Heart." Crowds dance in the street. It's
like a block party. Black, Latino and Native American gangs
celebrate. Plus the usual Hollywood Boulevard street traffic.
Plissken moves through the carnival. Gorgeous hookers stand under
the marquee of the ruined Chinese Theater. The marquee now reads:
"SAFE SEX", "NO CONDOMS NEEDED", "POLYPROPYLENE ORIFICES",
"SATISFACTION GUARANTEED"
One of the hookers struts in front of Plissken.
CLOSEUP - THE HOOKER
Opening her mouth, she gives a sensuous puff. A polypropylene
orifice attached to the inside of her lips expands outward like a
small, pink balloon. She sucks it back in and puckers, kissing the
air. Plissken turns, as the sounds of car engines rises.
HIS POV - COMING DOWN HOLLYWOOD BOULEVARD
... is a caravan of vehicles. The crowd parts to let them through,
cheering insanely. Plissken ducks into an alley, watches...
The caravan passes Plissken's position. Two men on horseback lead
a convoy of rumbling, fuming old cars, buses, motorcycles - all
scarred and ripped and jerry-rigged - bumps down the Boulevard.
Plissken watches from his spot in the alley, as a blonde-haired
hooker joins him, rubs his arm. She has no polypropylene, at least
none that we can see.
BLONDE HOOKER
It's winnin' time, baby. How about you and
I do some celebrating?
PLISSKEN
What's going on?
BLONDE HOOKER
You must be new around here.
(beat)
You look familiar. Have I done you before?
Plissken grabs the hooker.
PLISSKEN
What's happening?
BLONDE HOOKER
Easy, man, easy. It's Cuervo Jones' gang.
Mescalito Justice. He's the big boss man
'round here tonight.
(whispers)
He's gonna take down the police and make
'em kiss his fine ass.
Plissken lets her go, stares...
HIS POV - A CADILLAC
... is perched ten feet off the ground on monster truck wheels.
Severed doll heads are glued all over the hood, and a large
glittering disco ball spins atop the roof, catching shards of
light and flicking them back into the night...
Behind the disco ball stands the real Cuervo Jones, at least. And
there next to him is Utopia. She's dressed in black lace underwear
and bra, garters and stockings. A Playboy fantasy. She holds the
prototype. Delgado, Cuervo Jones' second-in-command, stands behind
her. He is huge and evil. Dressed like Pancho Villa.
Plissken stares as the Cadillac passes. The hooker cheers along
with the rest of the crowd, and doesn't notice that Plissken's
moved off...
Several motorcycles bring up the rear of the caravan. Mescalitos
ride with their women slung behind them. As the last bike passes,
Plissken darts out of the alley, yanks the woman off the back of
the cycle, jumps on.
ON THE MOTORCYCLE
The Mescalito biker turns to react...
WHACK! Plissken takes him out with a head-butt, shoves him off the
bike, hops up on the seat.
KAVROOM! Plissken guns the motorcycle and it roars off, around the
other bikers, toward the head of the caravan. Plissken zooms
along, makes the turn onto La Brea Avenue with the caravan...
EXT. LA BREA AND SUNSET BOULEVARDS - NIGHT
As the caravan turns west onto Sunset, Plissken blasts around the
corner.
ON PLISSKEN
Coming right behind him are four Mescalitos on Harleys - chains,
iron bars, and swords in their hands. Plissken stares up ahead.
HIS POV - THE CADILLAC
... is just a few feet away. Cuervo Jones and Utopia.
Plissken guns it when suddenly two Mescalitos pull up on either
side of him. One of them swings a chain. Plissken grabs it with
one hand, and with his other hand, aims his submachine gun and
fires! The Mescalito and bike go flying, and Plissken holds on to
the chain.
Atop the Cadillac, Cuervo Jones reacts to the sound of gunfire. He
turns to see...
PLISSKEN
As the other Mescalito riding behind him swings a chain. Plissken
swings his. The two chains snap together, intertwining. Then
Plissken squeezes his hand-brake. He screeches to a stop. The
Mescalito keeps going, and is yanked over backward by his own
chain, off the Harley. Finally the Harley flops over, skids,
explodes. Plissken guns it again, takes off after the Cadillac.
Two more Mescalitos pull up on either side of Plissken. They take
aim at him with their automatic rifles. Plissken pulls a sudden
wheelie, lifts the front of his bike up into the air, rides on the
back wheel. The two Mescalitos fire - directly into each other.
They fall and their bikes go crashing to the pavement.
Plissken surges the bike forward, coming up on a Mescalito on
horseback who turns and fires. Plissken ducks and the bullet rips
through the rear tire. The tire blows and the bike swerves out of
control. Plissken leaps from the bike and grabs the back of the
saddle.
THE HORSE
Plissken pulls himself up behind the Mescalito and wrestles for
control of the mount. Plissken grabs the reins and wraps them
around the Mescalito's neck, squeezing until his eyes burst.
Plissken slams his arm against the Mescalito, throwing him off the
saddle, bouncing onto the pavement.
Plissken gallops ahead, circling a lasso high above his head,
pounding down on a biker. The lasso takes flight and finds it
mark, the biker's neck. Plissken pulls the lasso taut, ties the
end to the saddle horn, rides his mount parallel to the biker.
THE BIKE
With one quick yank to the lasso, Plissken pulls the biker off,
jumps on the bike and smacks the hell out of the horse's rump.
THE HORSE
Takes off down the street, dragging the biker by the neck.
THE CADILLAC
Speeds up as Plissken moves up to the Mustang five cars behind. He
swings off the bike and jumps onto the trunk. Plissken climbs up
to the roof, leaps on the hood, then jumps to the trunk of the car
in front - leapfrogging, jumping to the next car, the next car...
MESCALITOS
Lean out their car windows, firing at him, but Plissken keeps
moving toward the Cadillac...
SUDDENLY A HAND
Reaches out a car window and grabs Plissken's submachine gun.
Plissken turns to snatch it back -
WHEN CUERVO JONES
Leaps from the Cadillac and takes Plissken down to the roof.
CUERVO JONES
Snake Plissken.
They struggle. Cuervo raises his machete. Plissken grabs his
wrist, flips him over, knocks the machete off into the street,
smacks Cuervo in the face.
A BOLAS-SWINGING MESCALITO
Comes roaring up on his bike, throws the bolas...
PLISSKEN
As the bolas hit him, wrap around his neck, the balls thunking him
in the face, sending him flying...
KAWHAP! Plissken hits the pavement hard. He skids, rolls, and at
last slams into the edge of the sidewalk. The caravan rumbles away
down Sunset. The hand in the car window still holds Plissken's
submachine gun.
Cuervo crouches on the roof, hissing at Plissken.
CUERVO JONES
Later, Snake. We finish it later.
PLISSKEN
Lies there for several beats, then climbs to his feet.
HIS POV - THE CARAVAN
... disappears up Sunset.
PLISSKEN
Stands alone in the deserted street. The ruins of a supermarket,
cheap motels, liquor stores - all empty, desolate.
He looks over to see the broken remains of his pocket walkie.
After a beat, he starts moving up Sunset, checking his two 9mm
handguns, slipping them into their holsters.
EXT. SUNSET AND DOHENY - NIGHT
On the border of Beverly Hills, Sunset stretches off into the
darkness beyond the intersection. A slight wind blows litter
aimlessly along. There are occasional sounds: Creaks, distant
clangs.
Plissken approaches the intersection. He carries Utopia's compass
homing device. It is silent. The small screen's blank. Then
Plissken glances at his wrist watch.
CLOSE - WRIST WATCH
Three hours gone.
Plissken stands for a moment, staring off down Sunset...
VOICE (V.O.)
Snake Plissken, right?
He spins around.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Sits in an old beach chair on the sidewalk, a map to the stars
sign in front of him. In his late 50's, he's a petty thief, con
man. He's been hustling tourists and everybody else all his life.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Wow! Snake Plissken!
Map To The Stars Eddie listens to WAYWARD WIND by Gogi Grant on a
small, metal-plated portable radio. He clicks off the radio,
rises, walks over to Plissken.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
You're a star in your own right, you know
that? Hey, I'm Map To The Stars Eddie. How
you doin'?
PLISSKEN
Where'd they go?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Man, I'd love to have your autograph,
Snake.
He searches around in his pockets, comes up with pen and paper.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
I've been hearing about you ever since
that New York deal back in the 90's.
You're one smooth operator.
(offers pen and paper)
Could you sign one to Wolf, one to Death's
Head, one to Slasher Smith...?
Plissken grabs him by the throat.
PLISSKEN
Where are they?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Who? You mean Cuervo Jones? He's the man
with the juice, Snake. Got the President's
daughter. Setting up a citywide truce. Big
doings.
Plissken draws a 9mm and points it at Map To The Stars Eddie's
forehead.
PLISSKEN
Location.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Cuervo's got a place near Venice, where
the big birds fly. Nice digs, too. I've
been there, y'know.
Plissken releases him, as suddenly the tracer beeps. On the device
Plissken sees a small red pulsing dot. West.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Nice little gizmo you got there.
(whispers conspiratorially)
Look, Snake. I've got connections in this
town. You need something, I'm your man.
Without a word Plissken turns, walks away down Sunset Boulevard
toward Beverly Hills.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Hey - you can't go there, Snake. You can't
walk through Beverly Hills.
Plissken's figure disappears...
EXT. SUNSET - SIGN - NIGHT
The old Beverly Hills sign. It's been painted over in dripping red
letters: "QUIET - SURGICAL ZONE - STAY OUT"
Plissken ignores the sign, keeps walking down a completely dark
Sunset Boulevard.
EXT. SUNSET BOULEVARD - BEVERLY HILLS - NIGHT
Plissken walks past the once-beautiful mansions along Sunset. Now
they are dark, ruined.
CLOSER - BEVERLY HILLS MANSION
As a twisted, mechanical hand sewn awkwardly to the flesh of the
wrist pulls aside a window curtain. The face behind the window is
in shadows, but we can just make out its pale, discolored
features. The other hand brings up a walkie-talkie...
SENTRY
(into walkie)
Specimen moving west on Sunset.
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL - SUNSET AND BEVERLY DRIVE - NIGHT
Plissken moves into the intersection of Sunset and Beverly Drive.
The ruins of the old Beverly Hills Hotel are ahead and to his
right. He stops, stares down Sunset...
HIS POV - A FIGURE
Emerges from the shadows. This is the gatekeeper. Strange,
mismatched body parts. A black-skinned arm attached to a pale
white body. His face is unnaturally smooth - too many face lifts.
He carries a torch.
GATEKEEPER
Halt!
(beat)
Where are you going?
(no reply)
Are you here for the auction?
BEHIND PLISSKEN
Figures have suddenly moved out into the street, all with
mismatched body parts - heads too large for their torsos, female
body parts mixed with male heads, all sewn together with large,
uneven stitches. Plissken is surrounded.
GATEKEEPER
Welcome to Beverly Hills.
Plissken raises his gun, starts to move, when suddenly a figure
rises behind him out of the shadows...
A MULTI-COLORED FLESH HAND
Raises a lead pipe, brings it down hard...
ON PLISSKEN'S HEAD
THUNK! He goes out like a light.
As Plissken slumps unconscious to the street, the figures move for
him. Their arms lock around him, drag him away with amazing speed
- a pack of wolves on a deer.
CLOSEUP - PLISSKEN - NIGHT
Plissken bolts awake, to find himself tied to a cross. It's
lurching back and forth as though the ground is moving.
EXT. RODEO DRIVE - BEVERLY HILLS - NIGHT
Plissken is being carried down Rodeo Driveon the cross by a throng
of surgical failures. They carry torches. Dressed in tatters.
Their faces look only partially human sewn together raggedly.
Rodeo Drive is a bizarre marketplace of body parts. The once
beautiful storefronts of famous designers are now in shambles.
Human body parts are on display like filets of fish on ice.
Gucci now offers body pieces fashioned from spare car parts and
Armani displays more eclectic, high priced pieces sewn together
like sculptures in their windowfronts. A giant rift runs down the
street's center. Acrid smoke rises.
The throng stops at an intersection, and Plissken's cross is
anchored in the middle of the street. Surrounding the intersection
are patients of every size, age, sex.
Plissken looks over, sees another cross being carried up and
planted right next to his. A beautiful girl is tied to this cross.
This is TASLIMA, 20's, Iranian, the face of a Persian princess.
She's dressed in black leather, and basically has an IQ of around
50.
TASLIMA
Hi, Snake. It's so great to meet you. My
name's Taslima. I'm a fan of yours.
PLISSKEN
Are you crazy?
TASLIMA
A little bit. But pretty soon I'm gonna be
dead. So are you, Snake.
Plissken looks across the street. Our of the ruins of the once
famous red door of Elizabeth Arden come an arm of women facialists
with acid-burned faces from one-too-many skin peelings wielding
knives, saws, horrible-looking carving instruments...
TASLIMA
I can't believe I got caught.
(sighs)
I run with Midnight Jihad. Iranian gang.
Only they kicked me out, cause I screw up
sometimes. I forget stuff.
Plissken struggles with his bonds.
TASLIMA
I left my boyfriend's place tonight, took
a wrong turn...
(sighs again)
Oh, Snake, I'm really kind of out of it
sometimes.
OUT OF THE RED DOOR come more interns and nurses carrying surgical
pans and pushing gurneys to collect dismembered body parts.
The throng of facialists, patients, interns and nurses surround
Plissken and Taslima on the crosses. They move back to the
sidewalks as the auction for body parts cut freshly from Plissken
and Taslima is about to begin. The gurneys are wheeled into place
and set up as large cutting tables. The facialists take their
positions behind the tables waiting to carve fresh meat.
PLISSKEN
What are they?
TASLIMA
They live here, used to be like us. But
after too many silicon implants, their
muscles turned to jelly. The only way they
survive is to have body parts transplanted
over and over again.
(whispers)
Snake, nobody who comes into Beverly Hills
gets out alive.
PLISSKEN
No screamin' shit.
TASLIMA
Oh no, it's the Doctor.
PLISSKEN
Who?
TASLIMA
The Surgeon General of Beverly Hills.
THE DOCTOR, THE SURGEON GENERAL OF BEVERLY HILLS
Steps out into the street. He appears incredibly gorgeous, a hunk
of a man, put together by the finest body parts available in
Beverly Hills - a millennium Fabio - but upon closer examination,
he's got no lower jaw. Instead, there is a rusting metal grid-work
attached beneath each ear. It never moves. He can actually speak
through a metal box attached to his windpipe.
THE DOCTOR
Stands in front of them. He raises his hands to quiet the crowd.
He walks around the cross, admiring the beautiful bodies before
him. He tickles the fine flesh with his right hand, which is made
up of 10 gleaming scalpels which form a 360 degree cutting edge.
THE DOCTOR
I've never seen more beautiful specimens.
There will be no auction tonight. These
body parts will go to those who need them
the most.
The crowd gumbles.
PLISSKEN
Turns his head sideways, to a small hidden pocket near his neck.
With his teeth, he pulls out the silver mouth dart, slips it onto
his tongue, closes his mouth.
The doctor raises his gleaming scalpel hand and steps toward
Plissken.
THE DOCTOR
What a beautiful blue eye. It's a shame
you only have one.
A nurse brings over a small step-ladder. The doctor positions it
in front of Plissken, slowly climbs up the rungs until he is face
to face with him. The doctor looks ready to pluck Plissken's good
eye from its socket with his scalpel tips.
FFFTTT! Plissken spits the mouth dart!
WHACK! The dark hits the doctor squarely in the forehead. He
freezes, his scalpel hand raised, his eyes clouding. He falls
forward.
The scalpel hand swings, misses its mark, and instead hits the
rope tied around Plissken's wrist. WHATCK! The rope's cut!
Plissken grabs the scalpel hand with his free hand, cuts his other
hand and legs loose in a flash and pushes the doctor backward off
the step-ladder.
WHUMP! Plissken falls to the intersection, almost at the same time
as the doctor hits the pavement.
The patients are stunned. Motionless. They stare at their doctor
lying in the street, moaning, moving slightly.
Snake starts to run...
TASLIMA
Snake, help me.
SNAKE
Why?
TASLIMA
I don't know.
Almost on a whim, Plissken cuts her free. Then he runs. Taslima
follows him.
Plissken heads toward a side street, looks over his shoulder, sees
Taslima following...
PLISSKEN
Don't follow me.
TASLIMA
You need help.
PLISSKEN
Like hell I do.
Then Plissken comes to a dead stop.
HIS POV - DOWN THE STREET
Comes a mass of patients right at him. Taslima grabs Plissken,
pulls him with her. They take off down a dark cobblestone
street...
EXT. DARK ALLEY - NIGHT
Plissken and Taslima run as behind them the patient horde gives
chase. They stop at another small alley between two large
buildings.
TASLIMA
Down this way.
They disappear into the small alley.
EXT. SMALL ALLEY - CUL DE SAC - NIGHT
It's long and narrow and completely enclosed by the buildings on
either side. Suddenly Plissken and Taslima come to the end - a 75
foot high four-story building blocking the passageway to Wilshire.
PLISSKEN
This is a dead end.
(looks at her)
You took us into a dead end!
TASLIMA
I just thought you wanted to get away. I
didn't know you wanted to go someplace.
KACLANK! They turn...
The doctor staggers down the alley, the dart still sticking from
his forehead. Behind him, the patients follow...
Plissken shoves Taslima toward a broken window.
PLISSKEN
Go!
He follows Taslima through the window.
INT. SECOND FLOOR BALCONY - NIGHT
Plissken and Taslima climb dilapidated stairs, move along the
balcony railing. A torn and tattered Roy Lichtenstein painting
hangs crooked on a wall. Twenty foot high bright red letters -
"CAA" - lie strewn across the marble floor. Various offices are
wrecked and dark, scripts lay all over the place.
They stop at a dark hallway. Taslima moves cautiously ahead.
TASLIMA
Be careful of the bald cats. They live in
these buildings.
PLISSKEN
The what?
Plissken reaches for his other 9mm in its holder, but his hands
are trapped by the doctor's body. Closer and closer moves the claw
dagger toward Plissken's good eye.
Taslima scrambles, picks up Plissken's 9mm, then stares at the two
men.
PLISSKEN
(yelling)
Are you gonna stand there? Give me the
gun!
Taslima starts to hand it to him. Both Plissken and the doctor
fight to reach it. Finally, it's in Plissken's grasp. He blasts
three times - each one hitting. The doctor shudders, rolls away.
Plissken gets to his feet. He blasts one more time for good
measure, then follows Taslima down the hallway...
INT. FIRST FLOOR - REAR EXIT - NIGHT
They come down a flight of stairs, stop at the rear door.
PLISSKEN
How do we get out of here?
TASLIMA
Sewers. Come on.
She pushes open the door...
EXT. BEVERLY HILLS STREET - NIGHT
Plissken and Taslima run from the building, as a chorus of wails
rises. Patients swarm around the building in pursuit.
Taslima stops at a sewer grate in the street.
TASLIMA
Down there.
Plissken lifts the grating. Taslima jumps in, followed by
Plissken...
INT. SEWER TUNNEL - NIGHT
Dim, greenish light. Plissken and Taslima begin running down the
sewer tunnel. Through the hole behind them drop patients, giving
chase. Plissken and Taslima race through a half-filled storm drain
seeping with slime. They turn a corner into another tunnel, and
run smack into a horde of patients. Instantly, the patients
overpower them. Hands reach out and drag them down...
Suddenly, from down the tunnel comes an unearthly sound, a weird
whispery screech like a demon unleashed from the underworld. It
gets louder and louder. The patients freeze, then begin screaming
and, as the sound gets louder still, they all disappear, escaping
back down the tunnel.
FROM DOWN THE TUNNEL
An eerie light appears, coming nearer and nearer every moment.
TASLIMA
Snake - what is it?
PLISSKEN
How the hell am I supposed to know? This
is your damn city.
Slowly, the light takes form. It is a single, gigantic eye -
floating in pitch-black darkness. It continues coming - growing
larger and larger. Suddenly the sewer begins to echo with a
blasting, ringing sound. Music!
It's incredibly LOUD SALSA MUSIC!
From out of the tunnel drives an ancient golf cart.
On a metal pole in front is a huge, lighted eye such as an
optometrist might use to advertise his services. Salsa music
blares at top volume from loudspeakers strapped to the sides of
the cart. At the wheel of the vehicle is a large man dressed in
jeans, cowboy boots and a flak vest, wearing a gas mask. A lariat
is hooked to his belt.
He pulls up near Plissken and Taslima, shuts off the motor and the
music, lifts a shotgun from the seat beside him, climbs down. He
holds the gun on them.
Removing his head gear, his face becomes visible. He is PENDEJO
BOB, a Mexican wearing sunglasses under the gas mask. He takes off
the sunglasses, and his apparently blind in one eye. He looks like
Los Lobos' lead guitarist.
PENDEJO BOB
What're you doing in here?
PLISSKEN
Looking to get out.
PENDEJO BOB
Good. I want you out. This is my sewer.
PLISSKEN
Which way?
With a grunt of curiosity, Pendejo Bob moves up to Plissken.
Suddenly his blind eye flashes on like a tiny, built-in spotlight.
With it, he examines Plissken's face.
PENDEJO BOB
You're Snake Plissken.
TASLIMA
Yes. Isn't he cool?
There is a clicking sound and the lighted eye is extinguished.
Pendejo Bob extends his hand.
PENDEJO BOB
An honor, Snake. Amigo. They call me
Pendejo Bob.
Plissken doesn't shake. From down the tunnel the shouts and
footfalls of the patients gets closer...
PENDEJO BOB
Those damn patients are coming back. You'd
better climb aboard.
Plissken and Taslima climb into the rear of the golf cart. Pendejo
Bob spins the cart, takes off in the other direction.
INT. UNDERGROUND PASSAGE - NIGHT
The golf cart streaks along through a dark sewer passage. The only
light comes from the eye on the front of the vehicle.
PENDEJO BOB
I use the eye and the music to scare em
off. They're so whacked out, man, it works
great. Chased a whole bunch of em right
off the edge there a few months ago.
He points to a sheer, pitch-black drop-off on one side of the
passage.
TASLIMA
(she peers over the side)
How far down does it go?
PENDEJO BOB
Don't know - never do hear em land.
Earthquake opened it up.
The golf cart creaks into a narrow tunnel...
INSIDE THE TUNNEL
Guards, Hispanics in biker denims, fatigues, with rifles and
sunglasses, line the walls. They watch as the golf cart passes. Up
ahead is a door marked: "SEWAGE RECLAMATION CONTROL"
INT. SEWER RECLAMATION CENTER - CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
The cart pulls into the remains of a mammoth underground control
center. It's lined with ladders, catwalks, machines full of gauges
and levers. A few are still working - most are broken and covered
with dust and grime.
Filling the room is an underground enclave: Men, women, children,
all Hispanic, living in tents and lean-to's, cooking over open
fires next to old rusted cars on blocks, lots of weapons, lots of
sunglasses. Also, high-tech, futuristic rifles, cannons, grenade
launchers - an amazing arsenal. Crates of explosives are stacked
everywhere.
The golf cart comes to a stop and they get off.
PENDEJO BOB
I own this whole place. Used to work here
in the old days. I was right in this room
when the big one hit. What a mess. We were
waist high in shit.
(turns proudly to them)
Everybody else ran, but not me. I stayed
at my post. Now it's all mine. I brought
my whole family, my amigos, down here to
live with me.
TASLIMA
Gun runners.
PENDEJO BOB
Hey, it's a living, baby.
PLISSKEN
Why don't you get out of L.A.? Take a boat
to China, take an airplane to Brazil?
(looks at Taslima)
Earthquakes, death, shit. Why do you stay?
TASLIMA
I don't know. Somehow, I just can't leave.
PENDEJO BOB
Y'know, L.A.'s not such a bad place,
Snake. We got our problems, sure - but
this is paradise, man.
Pendejo Bob leans in close and whispers conspiratorially to
Plissken.
PENDEJO BOB
Say, you need anything, Snake? Guns?
Explosives? I can get you a crate of
hellfire grenades, no problem - five
hours.
PLISSKEN
Yeah. So how do I get to Venice?
PENDEJO BOB
All the sewers are collapsed under Venice.
You have to go topside. Right up there.
He leads Plissken and Taslima to a ladder that goes up into the
darkness. A line of men steadily climb up, one after the other,
carrying crates of weapons.
PENDEJO BOB
Comes out near the Santa Monica Freeway.
Just follow the signs. Get off at the
Lincoln Exit, turn left.
Pendejo Bob interrupts the line of men. Plissken starts up the
ladder, followed by Taslima...
PENDEJO BOB
Nice to meet you, Snake. You too, Miss.
You're welcome down here anytime. Anytime
at all.
EXT. STREET UNDER SANTA MONICA FREEWAY OVERPASS - NIGHT
Plissken, gun in hand, sticks his head out of the open grate.
Taslima follows. The Hispanic men who have climbed up out of the
sewers load their weapons crates into various low-rider cars in
heavily-armed groups. They rumble off into the night.
Taslima points to a freeway on-ramp.
TASLIMA
The freeway's over there. But, Snake - I
don't think it's such a good idea.
Plissken starts toward the on-ramp. Taslima doesn't move.
TASLIMA
The freeways are dangerous.
He keeps walking.
TASLIMA
Goodbye, Snake.
Plissken stops, turns back, looks at her - a half-smile. It's as
close to 'thank you' as he gets.
TASLIMA
Sun's coming up in a few hours.
She walks up to him.
TASLIMA
UV's gonna be bad today. I have a friend
who's got a place near here. We can crash
there if you want, Snake.
(she moves close to him)
I'd love to take care of you. Make you
feel good.
Without an answer Plissken turns and walks away...
EXT. SANTA MONICA FREEWAY - NIGHT
As far as the eye can see there are lines of rusting cars and
trucks, bumper to bumper like a giant junkyard rush hour.
Plissken walks up the on-ramp, onto the freeway. He strides past
rows of junked cars. A few of them have people inside...
There is a Mercedes rusted to its frame, its driver an 80-year-old
in sunglasses, drinking from a bottle. A pickup truck full of old
illegal aliens packed in like sardines. Someone cooks from a
barbecue grill. An RV. An old man sits in the opened doorway,
staring at Plissken as he passes. Two old ladies in housecoats
stare at him through the windows.
CLICK, CLICK! A sound behind Plissken. He spins, 9mm ready...
It's Taslima, running to catch up with him.
TASLIMA
I changed my mind. I'm going with you,
wherever you're going.
PLISSKEN
(gestures to the cars)
What the hell is this?
TASLIMA
The freeway.
PLISSKEN
I know that. There are people in some of
these cars.
TASLIMA
It's where they live. I guess after
everything happened, they just needed to
do what they'd always done before. During
the daytime, they just pull down the
shades on their windows and sleep.
Plissken continues walking. Taslima catches up...
TASLIMA
What are you gonna do in Venice?
PLISSKEN
Find Cuervo Jones.
TASLIMA
No! Stay away, Snake. He's mucho muerte.
Suddenly a shot rings out. Taslima is struck and falls. Plissken
drops between the cars and crawls over to her.
TASLIMA
Run, Snake...They're coming.
PLISSKEN
Who?
She touches his hand and looks at him softly.
TASLIMA
I don't know.
Taslima dies. Plissken stares at her for a moment.
More shots ring out - landing very close to him.
FREEWAY EMBANKMENTS
From out of the heavy bushes along the freeway storm a dozen
Mescalitos moving quickly - firing as they go. Behind them grinds
an ancient garbage truck mounted with a 50-caliber machine gun.
Atop the truck is Delgado. He wears a flame thrower on his back.
PLISSKEN
Returns fire, rolls under a car and begins crawling. All around
him people jump out of their cars, begin firing back at the
Mescalitos.
THE GARBAGE TRUCK
Smashes through a rusting Volkswagen, heading straight toward him.
PLISSKEN
Reaches the edge of the freeway, dives for the bushes.
AS THE GARBAGE TRUCK
Roars past, firing into the vehicles on the freeway, the people
running, screaming...
EXT. SIDE STREET - NIGHT
Clawing his way through the undergrowth, Plissken bursts onto a
side street. Behind him come the Mescalitos on foot. Plissken
runs, firing back every step of the way...
AHEAD ON THE STREET
Suddenly, in the blowing mist in front of him, a car screeches
into view. It's a perfectly restored, 1966 Cadillac convertible.
Candy-apple red. The stereo blasts "Last Night" by the Satellites.
And behind the wheel is Map To The Stars Eddie.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Hop in, Snake!
THE UNDERGROWTH
As the garbage truck bursts through. Delgado is behind the machine
gun, blasting away, burning up the street. Bullets are flying
everywhere as Plissken runs to the Cadillac and dives into the
back seat. He's still not fully inside when Map To The Stars Eddie
roars away in a blaze of rubber and smoke.
DELGADO
Takes aim with his flame thrower... KAWHOOSH!
A GIANT TONGUE OF FLAME
Shoots out from the nozzle like a flaming spear. It streaks down
the street, just missing the tail of the Cadillac as it swerves
around a corner...
INT. CADILLAC - NIGHT
Map To The Stars Eddie races along a dark street. Plissken climbs
into the front seat.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Hey, Snake - that was great. They almost
burned your ass off!
Map To The Stars Eddie drives like Satan himself. Plissken is
almost thrown out as they spin around curves, up onto sidewalks.
Delgado and the garbage truck can't keep up with them. Finally,
the Mescalitos are left far behind as Map To The Stars Eddie slows
down to a cruise of 70.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Too many people know where you're going,
Snake. That's not good. Delgado and his
men were back there waiting for you.
PLISSKEN
Delgado?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Cuervo Jones' right-hand man. One tough
hombre. You don't understand, Snake.
Cuervo Jones wants to unify the island.
We're on the move, man. Big time.
EXT. DARK INTERSECTION - NIGHT
The Cadillac smashes through an intersection, knocking two old
junked cars out of the way.
INT. CADILLAC - NIGHT
Plissken jams his 9mm into Map To The Stars Eddie's ear.
PLISSKEN
Stop the damn car.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
No way.
PLISSKEN
I said pull over.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
All right. Anything for you, Snake.
(beat)
Although I was going to take you to Cuervo
Jones' place.
Plissken lowers the gun.
PLISSKEN
Where is it?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Right over there.
He points. Plissken looks off, as Map To The Stars Eddie hits a
button on the steering wheel with his finger.
ON THE DASHBOARD
A small panel in front of Plissken flips down, revealing a two-
inch machine gun barrel. Before he can do anything, four rounds
rip straight into his chest, blasting him into the seat.
PLISSKEN
Grits his teeth and gasps. His gun drops. Blood runs from four
holes in his shirt. His face grows red as he fights for air.
Map To The Stars Eddie pushes the button again and the panel
closes up over the barrel.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Pretty neat, huh? This is Cuervo's car. He
lets me use it sometimes.
(looks at Plissken)
Not to worry, Snake. You were just shot
with a fun-gun. You feel it?
Plissken gulps for air.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Pure mesh, man. 100-proof artery choker.
Plissken slumps back, collapses in the seat.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Like Cuervo says, when the hit pulls you
down to one inch from death, that is
living, man.
PLISSKEN'S POV - THE DRUG
Kicks in hard. Surreal colors float through the dark, devastated
streets of Venice.
Plissken fights desperately against the drug, but he can't move.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
You should've talked to me first, Snake. I
could've set this whole thing up. I'm
actually Cuervo's agent, you know.
As Plissken sags, losing consciousness, Map To The Stars Eddie's
voice begins to fade...
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
And I'd love to represent you, too. We
could make a bundle together. I know I
could really help your career...I mean,
you're a legend and all - but the last
couple years, man, it's like you've fallen
off the face of the earth.
ON PLISSKEN'S FACE
As the world crashes to black!
FADE IN:
EXT. INTERNATIONAL TERMINAL LAX - NIGHT
Like a giant, scorched daddy-long-legs, the architectural identity
of the LA airport rises above the empty parking lot littered with
the skeletal remains of burned-out cars and airport shuttles. The
wrecks of old 747s lie twisted and bent across the tarmac.
BEHIND IT
Surrounded by Mescalitos with torches and guns, sits the former
Bradley Terminal defaced with graffiti, the sign now reading:
"MESCALITO JUSTICE HALL"
PLISSKEN'S GOOD EYE
Opens. Looks around fuzzily.
INT. MESCALITO JUSTICE HALL - NIGHT
He is in Cuervo Jones lair. Huge. Torch-lit. Plissken lies in the
center of the room, chained to a treadmill. He is surrounded by
Mescalitos.
In one corner of the room is lots of high-tech equipment.
Computers. A VR simulator. Most of the Mescalitos are gathered
around a big screen TV. They watch the 207th Annual Academy Awards
from Carefree, Arizona.
Cuervo Jones strides toward Plissken. Map To The Stars Eddie
scurries along at his side.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Come on, Cuervo. I delivered him, didn't
I? All I'm asking for is what you
promised.
CUERVO JONES
We'll see.
Cuervo Jones stops in front of Plissken. Sees that he's awake.
Holds out a glass filled with red liquid.
CUERVO JONES
Carrot juice?
(no response)
Laced with tequila, Snake. Good for you.
No?
(no response)
Your health.
Cuervo Jones downs the carrot juice. Plissken lifts his head,
grimaces. Sweat pours down his face. He gasps for air.
CUERVO JONES
You're coming out of it, Snake. It hurts
real bad.
(beat)
That's good.
He kneels down next to Plissken.
CUERVO JONES
Dying isn't good enough for you. You need
pain. You'll never make it to where you
want to go without a little pain.
He stands, considers Plissken for a moment.
CUERVO JONES
Snake Plissken. American outlaw. So
typical of American idealism. The old
west, Snake.
Cuervo Jones tosses the glass to Map To The Stars Eddie. He's
beginning to enjoy the moment, performing for Plissken.
CUERVO JONES
Man against the sky. The individual.
Freedom. No wonder they hate you so much
in America, Snake. You remind them of what
they used to be.
Cuervo Jones walks to a door, opens it. Beyond is a huge courtyard
filled with people - families, teenage runaways, the elderly,
illegal aliens, orphans - people with nowhere to go. They are
being fed and cared for by Mescalitos.
CUERVO JONES
Here is the real L.A., Snake.
Plissken lifts his head to see.
CUERVO JONES
The poor. The old. The lost. People
without hope.
He crosses back to Plissken...
CUERVO JONES
Do you know what they want? One word.
Liberation.
(beat)
They want a chance to live - before it's
all gone. They've been hated for too long
-
(smiles)
Now it's their turn.
He gestures to his men, who move to Plissken and begin carefully
unlocking him from the treadmill.
Still wobbly, Plissken crawls to his feet...
As Utopia comes bounding up from the big screen TV. Still dressed
in her racy underwear, she gives Cuervo Jones a kiss. She still
carries the prototype with her.
UTOPIA
Cuervo! LaToya Jackson just won Best
Actress.
Cuervo Jones reaches out to take the prototype from her. She holds
on to it.
UTOPIA
You said I could hold it.
He yanks it out of her hands, more violently than she expected.
Recovering, she casts a contemptuous glance at Plissken.
UTOPIA
Who's that?
CUERVO JONES
You never heard of Snake Plissken?
Utopia takes a couple steps closer, squints.
UTOPIA
He doesn't look like his picture.
(frown)
I bet he's fake.
CUERVO JONES
Now go get dressed. We have things to do.
UTOPIA
Are we going to eat soon? I'm starved.
Cuervo Jones gives her a slap on the butt, which startles Utopia.
UTOPIA
Ooww!
CUERVO JONES
Go on now. Do as I say.
Plissken watches as Utopia walks away, out of the terminal.
CUERVO JONES
I'm going to show her what it means to be
a woman - for the first time in her
pathetic little life.
(smiles)
Given her love, Snake. Everybody needs
love.
He moves slightly closer to Plissken - though not too close.
CUERVO JONES
You want to hook up with us? Join the
revolution? We're all getting out of here
tomorrow night.
(holds up the prototype)
We're gonna rule the world. Come with us,
Snake.
Plissken says nothing. His good eye glares.
CUERVO JONES
No? Too bad. Well, I told you we'd finish
it later. So guess what? It's later.
He motions to his men, who grab Plissken and drag him away...
INT. BAGGAGE CLAIM AREA - NIGHT
The baggage claim area is an industrial wasteland filled with
machinery and hanging cables and wires. A door opens and Plissken
is hurled in. The door slams shut.
Plissken stands a moment, trying to get his balance, when a man
steps out of the shadows. It is Delgado.
DELGADO
You're mine now, Snake. All mine.
Delgado slowly moves towards Plissken, swinging two huge gleaming
machetes around his head. Plissken steps back, glances at his
wrist watch. 4 hours and 20 minutes gone.
PLISSKEN
Shit.
Plissken looks up as Delgado flings a machete at him. He just
barely dives out of the way, rolls on the floor...
Delgado charges toward him, machete poised like a bayonet.
Plissken rips off an edge guard from the baggage carousel and
wings it at Delgado. The machete is blocked with a direct hit. KA-
CLANG!
Delgado is thrown sideways. Plissken runs, launches himself
through the air, twisting his body sideways, and lands a hard kick
right in Delgado's face. Delgado goes sprawling. One of the
machetes CLANKS to the floor...
Plissken grabs the machete, just as Delgado rises...
WHOOSH! Plissken's arm is a blur as he throws...
THUMP! The machete sticks out of Delgado's chest. He looks down at
it in horror, then crumbles to the floor.
EXT. MESCALITO JUSTICE HALL - NIGHT
The caravan is starting up again. Wearing hot pants, a tank top
and full-length mink coat, Utopia is escorted up a ladder by
Cuervo Jones to the opened door of the Cadillac perched up on
those monster truck wheels. The other Mescalitos mount up in their
cars and motorcycles, and roar away from the terminal.
Above, on top of the terminal, see a figure move.
TOP OF MESCALITO JUSTICE HALL
It's Plissken. He grabs an electrical wire and throws it over the
side...
PARKING LOT - A MESCALITO GUARD
Stands watching the caravan pull away. He doesn't see the wire
dangling behind him, and Plissken shinnying down it.
Beat. Beat.
WHACK! Plissken takes him out with one blow, lowers himself to the
ground, takes his rifle.
Plissken quickly moves down the dark street after the caravan.
EXT. THE FORUM - NIGHT
Cuervo Jones' caravan comes rolling down Manchester, into a vast
parking lot toward the Forum. Portions of the gigantic sports
arena have been damaged in the earthquake, but crowds still pour
into the entrances.
The caravan pulls up at the Forum Club entrance. Cuervo Jones,
Utopia, Map To The Stars Eddie and the others enter.
AS PLISSKEN
Approaches, ducks behind an old junked car.
THE FORUM - DAMAGED WALL
Plissken sneaks up to a crumbled, broken wall of the Forum, crawls
inside through a large crack...
INT. LOCKER ROOM - THE FORUM - NIGHT
Plissken's in the backstage area, near the locker rooms. Hear
cheering from the main arena. Slowly Plissken moves to a door,
opens it, steps out...
INT. FORUM HALLWAY - NIGHT
The cheering is louder is Plissken makes his way along the dingy
hallway.
Now the sound of gunfire from someplace up ahead. Plissken tenses.
Suddenly from down the hallway come two Black Muslims carrying a
body on a stretcher. As they pass, Plissken notices the body is
wearing a bloody basketball uniform full of bullet holes.
He moves forward...
INT. FORUM ARENA - NIGHT
Plissken peers into the main arena. A basketball game is underway.
The Korean Dragons sit on one side, the Black Muslims on the
other. They cheer wildly for their respective teams. Pipeline is
in the crowd, enjoying the game...
Plissken moves closer, among the crowd along the baseline. The
whole place is lit by torches and clumsily-wired lighting. Above
his head is the shot clock, slowly ticking down.
There's blood everywhere on the floor. The referees wear bullet-
proof body suits and helmets. Trainers with stretchers stand by.
THE SHOT CLOCK
Ticks down: 5 - 4...
A BLACK MUSLIM
Dribbles the ball towards the basket.
THE SHOT CLOCK
Ticks down: 3 - 2...
A whole row of Korean Dragons with rifles stand and take aim.
THE BLACK MUSLIM
Pulls up into a jump shot, releases the ball into the air. It
sails through the basket just as the horn goes off, beating the
24-second violation.
The Black Muslim crowd cheers. The Korean Dragons sit down.
Plissken watches...
CUERVO JONES, UTOPIA AND THE OTHERS
Moving through the seats on the Korean Dragon side of the court.
Map To The Stars Eddie stands near the baseline, listening to the
game on his silver portable radio...
THE REFEREE
Hands the ball to a Korean Dragon guard. The Korean Dragon
dribbles the ball down court, into the corner and passes it off.
The Korean Dragons can't get a shot off...
THE SHOT CLOCK
Above Plissken's head ticks down: 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1... HONK!
THE KOREAN DRAGON
Guard still has the ball - the shot clock horn has gone off - 24
second violation.
A whole row of Black Muslims with rifles stand up, take aim, and
fire!
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
The Korean Dragon guard is riddled with bullets. He falls dead on
the floor. The Trainers with stretchers quickly collect his body
and hurry off the court.
Ball boys quickly wipe up the blood with mops.
ANNOUNCER (V.O.)
(sound of effect of breaking
glass)
Shot clock!
The Black Muslim crowd is cheering and screaming! "I Love L.A."
begins playing on the loudspeaker.
The players wear do-rags and black uniforms that look a whole lot
like the black leather that Plissken wears. One of the players,
JAMAAL, notices Plissken.
JAMAAL
Hey - Snake Plissken, you knew my brother
Abdul. He was with you in Cleveland.
The other players react, greet Plissken, slapping his hand,
thumping chests, high-fiving each other.
JAMAAL
Welcome aboard, Snake.
But Plissken pays no attention. He sees:
CUERVO JONES AND UTOPIA
Sitting in the Korean Dragon section near the other end of the
court.
CLOSER - CUERVO JONES AND UTOPIA
Sit next to Xi-Ping, the leader of the Korean Dragons, a fierce
man with green and brown psychedelic camouflage on his face.
Utopia watches the game while the two men confer. Cuervo Jones has
a firm grip on the prototype.
CUERVO JONES
The time is now. We are the strongest. If
we go together, the others will come.
(beat)
We go for everything, Xi-Ping. But we go
together. What do you say?
Xi-Ping nodes. They clasp hands...
PLISSKEN
Realizes he's got to get to the other side of the court. He jumps
into the huddle with Jamaal, peering at him with his one good,
cold eye.
PLISSKEN
Your brother died owing me, so I'm taking
it out in trade. I need a favor...
JAMAAL
Sure, Snake. Anything.
PLISSKEN
I need to get across the court now...
without drawing attention to myself.
JAMAAL
Like you ain't gonna stick out like a sore
thumb. But we'll do what we can, Snake.
Use the clock. Screen and roll. Now let's
kick some butt!
The players knock fists. Plissken puts on a do-rag. Yelling, they
move onto the court, creating a shield for Plissken.
JAMAAL
(whispers)
You play much pick-up ball, Snake?
Plissken's watching Cuervo Jones and Utopia at the other end.
JAMAAL
Whatever happens, watch the shot clock,
man.
The referee blows his whistle. A Black Muslim guard inbounds the
ball. The game is underway.
Plissken ducks down the court using the rest of his team as cover.
They go into a set play.
The game is a cross between basketball and kung-fu. Players use
slashing fists, spin-kicks, elbows and hard back-hands. It's full
combat.
The Korean Dragon guarding Plissken chops him. Plissken knocks him
flat. No foul.
Utopia sees Plissken, nudges Cuervo Jones.
UTOPIA
It's that weird guy again.
Cuervo Jones grabs her and heads for the exit...
Plissken sees this, stops playing, moves after them... when
suddenly the basketball lands right in his hands!
JAMAAL
Snake! Shot clock!
THE SHOT CLOCK
Ticks down: 4 - 3 - 2...
A whole row of Korean Dragons with rifles stand up, take aim at
Plissken. Cuervo Jones watches expectantly...
Plissken spins, executes a beautiful-looking jump shot. The horn
sounds just as it leaves his hand...
THE BASKET
Swish. Nothing but net.
The Korean Dragons sit back down, put away their rifles,
disappointed. Cuervo Jones, Utopia, Xi-Ping and their henchmen
quickly leave. The Black Muslims go crazy, and Plissken dashes
toward one of the exits. He stops, sees...
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
With his portable radio, trying to get out of the arena, hiding
behind a crowd of Dragons. Plissken races through the crowd, grabs
Map To The Stars Eddie.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Hey, Snake, man... Great shot!
Without hesitation, Snake whacks him across the jaw. Map To The
Stars Eddie goes down like a sack of laundry. Plissken grabs him
by the collar, drags him off toward an exit...
EXT. FORUM PARKING LOT - NIGHT
Cuervo Jones, Utopia, Xi-Ping and their men rush out to the
caravan of waiting vehicles. Xi-Ping has his own armada of
vehicles and an army of evil-looking guards. Cuervo Jones pulls
Xi-Ping aside.
CUERVO JONES
That man in black. He's very dangerous.
XI-PING
One eye?
CUERVO JONES
Yes. We gotta dump him.
XI-PING
What does he want?
CUERVO JONES
(glances at the prototype)
I'm betting the cops sent him in. Man, I
do not need this. I got a war to win.
ANOTHER EXIT - THE FORUM
As Plissken drags Map To The Stars Eddie out into the night,
crouches behind a row of cars, watches Cuervo Jones' caravan start
their engines.
Plissken shakes Map To The Stars Eddie, waking him...
PLISSKEN
Where are they going?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
(groggy)
Oh, man... You didn't have to hit me,
Snake. I can help you.
Plissken shoves the barrel of his pistol up against Map To The
Stars Eddie's temple.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Bankrupt City. The Happy Kingdom.
(beat)
Snake, Cuervo's hooked up with Xi-Ping. He
is primetime, man - Mister Bad News. The
rest of the city's joining up with 'em.
(beat)
You're shit outta luck, Snake.
Plissken reaches into a pocket, comes out with the large black
clip, slips it on his 9mm pistol.
PLISSKEN
Not yet.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
I could've helped you. We coulda made a
deal with Cuervo. If you'd listen...
Without looking, Plissken slams his elbow into Map To The Stars
Eddie's jaw with a WHACK! He flops unconscious on the pavement...
Cuervo Jones' caravan led by that huge Cadillac on monster wheels,
moves away from the Forum toward an exit. Plissken moves after
them, ducking behind the row of cars...
FORUM EXIST
The caravan picks up speed as it approaches the exit...
Plissken appears behind an old truck, just as the Cadillac moves
past him. He crouches on the balls of his feet, and as the rear of
the Caddy drifts closer, he springs...
And grabs on to the rear bumper. The monster wheels spin like
huge, black scythes on either side of him. Plissken reaches under
the Caddy, finds a purchase on the undercarriage, and swings under
the Cadillac. He hangs dangling above the street by one hand as
the caravan pulls out onto Manchester. With the other he raises
his 9mm and aims it at the undercarriage, right about where the
front seat should be...
BLAM, BLAM, BLAM, BLAM!
INT. CADILLAC - NIGHT
The front seat explodes, bullets screaming upward through the
leather seats, tearing and shredding fabric and flesh, killing the
driver and Xi-Ping instantly!
In the back seat sit Cuervo Jones and Utopia. The Caddy begins to
swerve, the wheel spinning. Cuervo Jones lunges forward across the
seat and grabs it.
Under the Cadillac, Plissken continues to fire: BLAM, BLAM, BLAM,
BLAM!
The front seat disintegrates. Metal, leather, padding fly
everywhere. Cuervo Jones ducks against the door, covering his face
with one hand, still grasping the wheel with the other.
KAWHUMP!
The entire front seat and floor underneath it fall down out of the
Cadillac and hit the street below. The bodies of the driver and X-
Ping flop under the monster wheels.
Plissken swings over to the hole and pulls himself up into the
opening that used to be the front seat. Cuervo Jones stares at him
in total shock, but before he can speak...
Plissken rips the prototype out of his hands! Then jumps into the
back seat next to Utopia. Then grabs her and turns to the side
door. Cuervo Jones releases the wheel for a moment, turns to grab
Plissken...
But Plissken opens the side door, kicks it wide, and with Utopia
under his arm, slides across the seat...
... and sails out of the Cadillac...
CUERVO JONES
No!
Plissken and Utopia fly through the air, and land with a thud on
top of a Mescalito car as the Cadillac begins to swerve wildly.
Cuervo Jones grabs the wheel, desperately tries to control the
Caddy... but fails. The Cadillac careens off the street, slams
into the palm tree, spins around and crashes into the remains of a
hot dog stand.
ON THE ROOF OF THE MESCALITO CAR
Plissken and Utopia roll and tumble. He still has a hold of her,
and she fights him tooth and nail...
UTOPIA
Lemme go...!
INSIDE THE MESCALITO CAR
The driver swerves, hits the brakes... and the car hops the curb,
slides along the sidewalk, burning rubber.
PLISSKEN AND UTOPIA
Are thrown forward. They tumble off the roof... across the hood...
and land on the sidewalk in front of the car. They roll to a stop,
as the car screeches to a stop, inches from their heads, as the
caravan suddenly puts on its brakes.
Screaming tires. Cars jackknifing, spinning in a massive traffic
collision...
Cuervo Jones emerges from the remains of the Cadillac.
Plissken drags Utopia into the street, grabs the lid of a manhole
in the street, pries it up...
Mescalitos pour out of their vehicles, as Cuervo Jones charges
into the street, pointing at Plissken...
CUERVO JONES
Kill him, kill him...!
Plissken lifts Utopia to her feel, hauls her over to the manhole
opening, and dives inside... just as the Mescalitos open fire! The
street around the manhole opening explodes with screaming hot
lead...
INT. SEWER TUNNEL - NIGHT
Plissken and Utopia land in the half-filled storm drain. He gets
to his feet, pulls her with him, and heads off sloshing through
the water. The sound of gunfire echoes above them...
EXT. MANCHESTER AVENUE
Cuervo Jones and the Mescalitos charge the open manhole as Map To
The Stars Eddie appears groggily shuffling up the street from the
Forum...
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
(grins to himself)
Good thinkin', Snake.
He heads off down the street...
INT. SEWER TUNNEL
Plissken and Utopia race along through the water. He literally has
to drag her with him. They turn a corner, go down another slimy
drain away from the main tunnel...
INT. UNDERGROUND PASSAGE - NIGHT
The black belly of the sewer system. Plissken and Utopia move
along, slow as they come to...
THE SHEER, PITCH-BLACK DROP OFF
One side of the passage, the same one we saw earlier on our
journey with Pendejo Bob.
Plissken spins Utopia around, pushes her backward toward the drop-
off, his eye burning into her...
Her feet reach the very edge.
Plissken holds her there. Utopia's face is a mask of sheer terror.
She gulps air in staccato bursts...
Beat. Beat.
Plissken can't do it. He can't push her off.
He releases her, backs up, looks at the prototype, then pulls one
of his revolvers from its holster, cocks the hammer, aims...
UTOPIA
My... father sent you... didn't he?
(beat)
He sent you to kill me...
Plissken raises the pistol. She's dead in his sights.
UTOPIA
Didn't he?
(begins to cry)
But Plissken can't. He can't kill her. The toughest man on planet
Earth can't kill this 17-year-old runaway.
PLISSKEN
Shit.
Plissken sags, clicks the hammer back, holsters the gun. He stares
at her.
PLISSKEN
Get out of here.
Utopia wipes her eyes, confused, afraid.
PLISSKEN
I said go!
Slowly Utopia moves from the edge of the drop off, starts away
down the tunnel, then stops, looks back at Plissken. She stares at
the prototype in Plissken's hand...
UTOPIA
Don't take it back. Don't give it to him.
Please. Let me have it.
Plissken glances at the prototype, then at her.
PLISSKEN
What does this thing do?
UTOPIA
(her eyes grow wide)
No!
KABLAM!
Plissken's shoulder explodes as a bullet tears through his flesh!
He spins, drops the prototype...
... as Map To The Stars Eddie emerges from the darkness of the
sewer tunnel. He holds a gun in one hand, aims...
KABLAM!
He fires again, hits Plissken's leg.
Plissken staggers backward toward the edge of the drop off, as Map
To The Stars Eddie moves quickly forward...
... and snatches the prototype from the wet floor.
Plissken's gun hand is useless, numb from the shoulder wound. He
slowly, painfully transfers the pistol to the other hand, tries to
raise it...
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
So long, Snake.
Map To The Stars Eddie takes aim - a head shot ...
Plissken spins, and dives off the edge...
... down into the drop off...
PLISSKEN'S BODY
Airborne. Falling through black space. Down, down, down, straight
to hell below, until we can't see him anymore as the darkness
swallows him up...
Map To The Stars Eddie steps to the ledge, looks down, as Cuervo
Jones and his Mescalitos slog up through the tunnel.
CUERVO JONES
Where is he?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
He jumped. Down there.
(beat)
He's dead, Cuervo. I did it. I killed
Plissken.
Cuervo Jones looks over the edge, at the silent blackness below.
Then he turns to Map To The Stars Eddie.
CUERVO JONES
Give it to me.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
You said I could be Vice-President,
Cuervo. Your right-hand man.
CUERVO JONES
(extends his hand)
Give it.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Sure, Cuervo, but look here. I've done it
all, man. I killed Plissken, I got your
girl back, I got it all. Just for you,
Cuervo. Just for you.
Dead silence. Cuervo Jones stands with his hand extended. Finally
Map To The Stars Eddie gives up, starts to hand Cuervo the
prototype...
... but slips on the wet floor...
... and drops the prototype with a CLANK!
CLOSE - PROTOTYPE
A red light comes on, blinks urgently.
PROTOTYPE VOICE
(tiny, filtered)
I am now armed and ready for use. Use
extreme caution. The location of the
effected blast area can only be determined
by the orbital position of the SatStar
Ring.
Everyone in the tunnel is frozen, unable to move. Slowly Cuervo
Jones picks up the prototype, stares at it, then breaks into a
smile...
CUERVO JONES
This is turning out to be my lucky day.
(stares coldly at Map To The
Stars Eddie)
Get this asshole outta here.
Several Mescalitos grab Map To The Stars Eddie, pull him back
along the tunnel.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Cuervo, wait. Please...
Cuervo Jones turns to Utopia, who stands numbly staring off at the
drop-off. He walks over to her, then slaps her hard, viciously,
across the face.
Utopia reacts to the stinging slap.
UTOPIA
Cuervo...?
CUERVO JONES
You're my woman, you understand? You don't
let anybody take you away from me without
a fight.
UTOPIA
I tried...
CUERVO JONES
(in her face)
Nobody leaves Cuervo Jones. Not unless you
give your life. You fight till you're
dead. Then I forgive you.
(screams)
Understand?
(shakes her)
Understand?
UTOPIA
Yes...
He shoves her down the tunnel...
CUERVO JONES
Let's go.
The others follow them...
EXT. MANCHESTER AVENUE - NIGHT
As Cuervo Jones and Utopia emerge from the manhole cover, hear the
sound of hundreds of helicopters rise.
CUERVO JONES
(looks up)
Look, baby. They're all mine.
POV - THE SKY
Above Manchester and the Forum is filled with helicopters. All
models, all makes, mostly the older, discarded military Blood
Phoenix 14-bladed attack choppers that scream through the
blackness like scythe-slashing robot bugs. They are on their way
southeast, toward Orange County.
EXT. SKY VIEW OF L.A. BY NIGHT
Looking out at L.A. from above Mount Lee, see the Hollywood Sign,
and wave after wave of helicopters thundering across the city.
ANGLE ON THE TWIN TOWERS OF CENTURY CITY
They're like buck teeth, sheered off and crumbling, stuck up in to
the sky. Chopper roar overhead. A group of vagrants cluster around
a camp fire on the top floor of one of the towers. They're
watching a futuristic big-spin lotto on a large screen TV. The
sound of the choppers brings them to the edge of the building -
the walls of the floors beneath have been torn away. Desk,
furniture, rugs, everything hangs out over the empty space.
EXT. FIREBASE SEVEN - NIGHT
Pandemonium. Troops, vehicles, helicopters, everything is in
urgent motion. A loudspeaker voice blares:
POLICE VOICE (V.O.)
Full stage battle alert. All personnel to
battle stations.
INT. HALLWAY INTO COMMAND HQ - MAIN CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Malloy, the President and Brazen charge down a hallway into
Command HQ. The place is jumping. Full scramble alert.
MALLOY
A sky full of enemy choppers on radar.
Moving over the city to the southeast.
A COM Officer rushes up to Malloy...
COM OFFICER
Commander - massive vehicle and troop
movement on the ground. All major streets
leading to the southeast.
PRESIDENT
What're they doing?
Malloy looks at the President grimly.
MALLOY
Getting ready to invade.
PRESIDENT
(beat)
So where's Plissken?
DARKNESS
Creaking. The WHOOSH of something swinging through the air...
A huge blue eye opens. Looks around.
DARKNESS
Plissken's boot is hooked in a twisted wire mesh...
DARKNESS
And then Plissken swings like a pendulum, hanging from a long
strand of wire mesh attached somewhere above in the blackness.
Plissken's eye blinks.
THE DARKNESS
Begins to reveal details: slimy walls. Below, a black pit of hell.
Wind gushing.
And then a light stabs across the void...
CLOSE - PLISSKEN
... The light hits Plissken's good eye...
The light is from inside the eye of Pendejo Bob. He stands on a
small ledge, at the mouth of a cave leading into the howling pit.
PENDEJO BOB
Hey, Snake. You okay?
(unhooks the lariat)
I heard gunfire down here...
(begins to swing the rope)
Never been down this far before...
(swings the rope in a huge
arc)
Grab this.
Pendejo Bob tosses the lariat. The noose flies across the pit, and
Plissken grabs it with his good hand.
PENDEJO BOB
Now hang on.
Plissken wraps his good hand and arm in the noose, as Pendejo Bob
jerks the line hard. Plissken is in mid-swing, and the rope
jerking pulls him abruptly in the opposite direction...
Plissken's boot slips out of the wire mesh...
And Plissken falls like a brick, stops abruptly as the line
catches, and swings against the side of the pit. He dangles with
only his one good arm holding on to the rope.
Pendejo Bob pulls the line upward, straining against Plissken's
weight. Slowly Plissken rises, a tug at a time, hauled up the edge
of the pit toward the cave above...
... when suddenly he passes another opening, a storm drain below
Pendejo Bob. He swings into the drain, grasps the side with his
hand, and pulls himself in...
Pendejo Bob stares down at his rope disappearing into the side of
the pit.
PENDEJO BOB
Hey, Snake...where are you?
Plissken crawls into the slimy drain, pulls the rope off of him.
Ahead in the darkness is the rushing of water. He turns on weak
legs, back toward the pit behind him. Bleeding. Numb in one hand.
His leg on fire.
PLISSKEN
(yells)
I'm in another opening... Storm drain...
There may be another way up to you...
Plissken crawls along the drain. The sound of rushing water gets
louder.
He comes to the edge of the drain. Right below him is another
drain filled with water rushing through it like a river.
Plissken is stuck. He turns, in great pain, and starts back toward
the pit... when suddenly everything starts shaking. Booming. It's
a small earthquake, a pre-shock.
SNAP!
Suddenly the concrete bottom on which he stands gives way, cracks,
disintegrates...
And Plissken falls backward into the rushing water, and is pulled
suddenly downstream into the drain, disappearing from sight...
PENDEJO BOB
Stands silently above, listening...
PENDEJO BOB
Snake...
(no reply)
Snake!
Booming. The whole pit shudders, shaking. Another earthquake.
Pendejo Bob drops the rope, turns and dashes away down the
vibrating storm drain...
EXT. STORM DRAIN - WILSHIRE CANYON - NIGHT
Black oil-slicked water rushes in the moonlight, out of a huge
opening in what appears to be a canyon wall.
CLOSE ON THE EDGE OF THE DRAIN
As an arm shoots out, clutching the edges of the drain.
PLISSKEN
Emerges from the hole, slides out, tumbles down to a water-filled
canyon bottom. He lies there for a moment, trying to focus his
eye. Stabbing pain in his shoulder and leg. Finally he rises
unsteadily to his feet, looks around, trying to get his bearings.
He finds himself at the bottom of...
THE WILSHIRE CANYON
Straight down Wilshire Boulevard is an enormous canyon, a river
bottom gouged out of concrete in the big earthquake. At least 30
feet deep, it is a vast trough leading past skyscrapers and
buildings above, off into the distance.
Plissken warily glances at his watch: 1 hour 10 minutes to go.
Suddenly Plissken is struck by a pair of headlights. Pipeline's
dune buggy comes bumping along the canyon bottom, sloshing through
water, pulling up next to Plissken.
PIPELINE
Snake. Saw you at the game tonight. Great
shot.
(stares at him)
You look like shit.
Plissken hobbles over to the dune buggy as Pipeline gets out.
PIPELINE
You feel those pre-shocks, Snake?
Pipeline unties the various surfboards he has lashed to the rear
of the buggy. He lifts one down and slings it under his arm.
PIPELINE
Could be a big one comin' any minute
now...
PLISSKEN
Where's... Cuervo Jones...?
PIPELINE
Long gone. You'll never catch up with him
now, Snake.
PLISSKEN
Where?
PIPELINE
Anaheim. Headquarters for everything. The
whole town's gonna be there. Things
changin' fast around here, Snake. It's not
the same as the old days, man.
A thumping sound skyward. More choppers thunder over them, on
their way southeast. Plissken grabs Pipeline with his good hand...
PLISSKEN
Take me there...
But he's too weak. His hand slides off. Plissken sinks to his
knees. Pipeline stares at him.
PIPELINE
You ain't doin' so good, Snake. You need
help.
(bends down, helps Plissken
to his feet)
You should talk to Hershe. She hates
Cuervo. They used to be partners, but they
split up.
PLISSKEN
Who?
PIPELINE
Hershe. She lives downtown with Mojo
Dellasandro in the big boat. Down that
way.
Pipeline points down the canyon to the east.
PIPELINE
She's connected with the Black Cowboys,
and they don't take shit from nobody...
Suddenly that booming, shuddering rumble begins. The canyon starts
to shake. The water in the canyon floor sloshes wildly.
PIPELINE
Yo', man. It's a big one.
And the earthquake hits like a roaring sledgehammer. The walls of
the canyon crack. Plissken and Pipeline are thrown to the ground.
Skyscrapers above them on Wilshire rock and tremble in the quake.
Pieces of the building sheer off, fall. A parking garage caves in.
Thunder shakes the earth around Plissken and Pipeline. The canyon
floor splits open. Water pours into the cracks. Huge boulder-sized
chunks of concrete tumble down the canyon walls.
And then suddenly it all stops.
The booming subsides. The earth stops shaking. Plissken and
Pipeline get to their feet, look around. The water around them
continues to slosh about violently.
PIPELINE
Tsunami, Snake.
His eyes wide, a smile on his face, Pipeline hurries over to the
dune buggy, grabs another surfboard from the back, hands it to
Plissken.
PIPELINE
Surf's up big time.
Now there is another deep sound rising, coming from the west
behind them: A bass roar that slowly climbs from the very bottom
of the register upward, as if some massive wall of doom were on
its way...
Pipeline kneels, positions his surfboard in his hands.
PIPELINE
Get ready, Snake. It's gonna be some kinda
ride.
Plissken looks behind him...
POV - THE FRONT EDGE OF THE TSUNAMI
Is blasting down the Wilshire Canyon, coming right for them. It is
a 25-foot wall of ocean water, moving fast, bellowing like a
thunderclap.
Plissken sees he can't climb out of the canyon in time, moves over
to Pipeline, kneels down...
PIPELINE
Let the front edge pick you up. Don't get
on your board till it peaks.
Behind them, the tsunami slams along the canyon, coming right for
them.
PIPELINE
Don't lose it, man. You slip off your
board and it's the Big Wipeout, you know
what I mean?
The roaring is so loud it's like being on the inside of a cannon
barrel. The tsunami is 100 feet away... 75 feet... 50 feet... 25
feet... It rolls up right behind them...
PIPELINE
Hang on, Snake!
(yells)
YAAAAAAA!!!!
THE FRONT EDGE
Of the tsunami sweeps under them. Pipeline and Plissken push off
from the canyon floor just as the water shovels them upward like a
cow catcher on a train. The water sweeps them up until they
disappear under the blackness...
Until suddenly Pipeline pops up on top of the tsunami, riding on
his surfboard, arms outstretched, feet braced.
And then Plissken pops up beside him, surfing clumsily on top of
the tsunami wave, kneeling on his surfboard.
They blast down Wilshire Canyon at 80 miles an hour. Plissken is
wobbly on the surfboard, but he manages to stay on top of the
wave. Finally, he gets the hang of it, glances over at Pipeline,
who grins from ear to ear.
PIPELINE
Awesome, Snake. AWESOME, man!
Plissken looks up ahead...
HIS POV - MOVING THROUGH WILSHIRE CANYON
Five feet from street level. An old van speeds along what's left
of Wilshire Boulevard, right on the canyon's edge. It veers around
debris in the street, changes lanes suddenly, hell bent for
leather.
Plissken and Pipeline move closer and closer to the van as the
tsunami sweeps them along.
Now they move alongside the van and Plissken stares over...
CLOSER - THE VAN
Behind the wheel is Map To The Stars Eddie, driving like a
lunatic, his teeth bared and set, madder than shit.
Plissken's eye widens, burns.
PLISSKEN
(to Pipeline)
See you later.
And suddenly Plissken shifts his weight, and the surfboard tips
and slides sideways, across the surface of the tsunami all the way
over to the edge, right next to the van. Map To The Stars Eddie
glances to his left...
HIS POV - PLISSKEN
Is surfing the tsunami not 10 feet away from him.
Map To The Stars Eddie stares in absolute horror. Plissken tips
the board again, and slides another 5 feet closer...
AS MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Jams the pedal, and the van screams forward...
AS PLISSKEN
Stands up and leaps from the surfboard...
For a moment he is airborne, leaping across the gap to the van...
and slams into the side of the van. He grabs on to the roof, hangs
on with one hand, his body whipping against the rocking, bucking
side. Map To The Stars Eddie starts swerving, trying to throw
Plissken off.
EXT. VAN - WILSHIRE BOULEVARD
The van shoots back and forth across Wilshire, Plissken dangling
inches from the tsunami-filled canyon. Plissken pulls himself up
and crawls onto the roof...
INSIDE THE VAN
Map To The Stars Eddie pulls his gun, cocks it...
When suddenly Plissken's hand snakes down from the roof, reaches
in the driver's window, grabs his hair, and slams his forehead
into the steering wheel with a THOCK!
Map To The Stars Eddie goes out like a light. He slumps over in
the seat... but his foot is stuck on the accelerator.
Plissken grabs the wheel with his left hand, and manages to steer
the van from the roof. The van lurches wildly, hits a chunk of
concrete in the street, skids, fishtailing violently from the
impact. It smashes against the curb, screeches and bumps along
concrete.
Map To The Stars Eddie's foot is bumped right off the accelerator,
and the van slows to a wobbling, grinding stop.
Plissken slowly climbs down from the roof, opens the driver's
door, shoves Map To The Stars Eddie out of the way, and jumps in.
INT. VAN - NIGHT
Plissken pulls out into the street and speeds off down Wilshire.
Map To The Stars Eddie starts to come around.
Plissken grabs his gun, cocks it, puts the barrel up against Map
To The Stars Eddie's temple just as he comes to.
PLISSKEN
Listen up. I need directions. Downtown.
Somebody named Hershe.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Sure, Snake. No problem.
(groggy)
You gonna kill me?
PLISSKEN
Later.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
I couldn't help it, Snake. I had to shoot
you. Cuervo made me do it, I swear to God,
man.
PLISSKEN
Cease fire with the bullshit.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Right. Keep goin' straight. Two blocks
down, turn right.
CLOSE ON A TV SCREEN
Cuervo Jones' image fills the screen. He addresses the camera,
holds the prototype in his hands.
CUERVO JONES
Abandon your firebases by 0500 hours. Have
the news media standing by for my
coronation. I'm arriving in style.
PULL BACK from the TV screen to reveal we are in...
INT. MAIN CONTROL ROOM - COMMAND HQ - NIGHT
Malloy, the President, Brazen, and the other Controllers and
Police Personnel stare silently at their TV screens.
BRAZEN
He must be bouncing the signal from one of
our communications satellites.
PRESIDENT
That means CableNet has already picked it
up. This thing's going live all over the
country.
CUERVO JONES
(on the TV)
It's a brand new day comin' up this
morning, and I'm just so proud to be
leading the parade. See you soon, putos.
SSSZZZ. The image blinks off into static.
A grim silence.
MALLOY
The prototype appears to be armed, Mr.
President.
(the President nods grimly)
Shall I begin evacuation?
PRESIDENT
Does he know how to activate it?
MALLOY
Well, yeah. All you have to do is push the
button.
BRAZEN
What about Plissken? He could still be -
PRESIDENT
Forget him. He's dead.
MALLOY
That may not be true, Mr. President.
(beat)
He's one tough case. Plissken's been dead
so many times I can't count. But he never
stays down.
A long beat.
MALLOY
There are two choices, Mr. President. Wait
for Plissken, or surrender. It's your
decision.
The President sighs heavily.
EXT. DOWNTOWN L.A. - NIGHT
Jammed next to the remains of the Bonaventure Hotel is the Queen
Mary, permanently dry-docked between the broken skyscrapers by the
Big One.
The van stops next to a huge hole in the side of the ship.
INT. QUEEN MARY - NIGHT
The glow of Map To The Stars Eddie's flashlight takes him and
Plissken deeper and deeper into the hulking remains of the ship.
INT. DECK OF SHOPS - NIGHT
They walk through a dimly lighted area lined with shops. Their
glass display windows are covered with layers of impenetrable
dirt.
INT. LONG CORRIDOR - NIGHT
They enter a long, narrow corridor. At the end is a doorway. There
is light in the room beyond.
INT. VICTORIAN SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT
Plissken and Map To The Stars Eddie enter a long room lit by gas
jets on the walls. In it is a crumbling, Victorian swimming pool.
A heavy mist rises from the pool's surface and hangs over
everything.
At the far end is a group of people. Spinal and the Black Cowboy
Gang. Boots, spurs, dusters, and guns.
Mojo Dellasandro. Jamaican Voodoo witch doctor. A brutal, scowling
face. And a beautiful woman in a bathing suit, her back facing us.
Plissken and Map To The Stars Eddie approach.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Hey, Hershe. How're you doin'?
The woman turns and faces them. This is HERSHE, an absolutely
drop-dead, gorgeous transvestite who looks completely convincing
as a woman but talks in Isaac Hayes' voice.
SPINAL
(eyes brightening)
Hershe - it's Snake Plissken.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Yeah, Hershe. I brought him to see you.
Plissken walks right up to Hershe, has no reaction at all to the
transvestite.
PLISSKEN
I need a favor.
HERSHE
What's in it for me?
Plissken stares, a glimmer of recognition on his face.
PLISSKEN
Wait a minute. I know that voice.
(beat)
You're Carjack Malone.
HERSHE
Not anymore.
SPINAL
You two know each other?
Plissken is seething. Hershe remains calm, glacial.
PLISSKEN
You owe me. You left me holdin' everything
back there in Cleveland.
SPINAL
(astounded)
Hershe, you were in Cleveland?
PLISSKEN
Yeah. With me and Texas Mike O'Shay.
HERSHE
I was called away on urgent business,
Snake.
PLISSKEN
Don't lie to me.
HERSHE
All right, so I made another deal.
PLISSKEN
I got a new deal for you.
Plissken raises Map To The Stars Eddie's gun, aims it right
between Hershe's eyes.
PLISSKEN
You help me, you live.
The others tense, hands on guns.
SPINAL
I wouldn't be doin' that, Snake.
HERSHE
We have a little arrangement. Anything
happens to me, you're dead.
PLISSKEN
I'm already dead.
HERSHE
(long beat)
I see your point. What's the favor?
PLISSKEN
(looks at his watch)
Get me to Cuervo Jones. Get me to the
Kingdom. I got one hour.
HERSHE
Dream on, blue eye.
PLISSKEN
Say goodnight, Carjack.
Plissken cocks his gun, starts to squeeze the trigger...
HERSHE
Wait a minute. All right. Hold on.
SPINAL
Cuervo Jones has more firepower than two
armies. No one gets near him.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
And he's got the prototype. And the girl.
He holds all the cards.
HERSHE
Exactly what is this prototype? What does
it do?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
You push the button, it sends a signal to
a ring of space defense satellites.
They're orbiting bombs. Nukes. They
explode. Huge space burst.
(beat)
EMP. Electromagnetic Pulse. It happens
instantly when a nuke is airburst. EMP
shuts down every power source below the
satellites - instantly. All electrical
devices, computers, cars, airplanes,
cities. It's the dark ages again.
HERSHE
So whoever has it runs the show.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
They were gonna use it on South America,
Africa, Asia - any country hostile to the
United States.
SPINAL
Only Cuervo's got it now.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
And that ring of satellites will be in
position over the U.S. at 5:00 a.m. this
morning.
PLISSKEN
How do you know all this?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
I used to represent the guy who invented
it. I swear to God, Snake. No bullshit.
A long silence.
HERSHE
So what's the deal, gorgeous?
PLISSKEN
We get the girl and the prototype. And we
get out.
SPINAL
All of us?
PLISSKEN
Yeah.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Me too?
PLISSKEN
(stares at him hard)
We'll see.
HERSHE
Why should we leave? I love L.A. Where we
gonna go? What's the payoff?
SPINAL
I'd like to get out but I don't have
enough money.
PLISSKEN
The President's promised to give whoever
helps me 1 million dollars.
SPINAL
Yeah? Greenbacks? I got ten million of
them.
PLISSKEN
Uh-uh. Bluebacks.
This gets everyone's attention.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Aw, come on, Snake.
PLISSKEN
Bluebacks. I'm not bullshittin'. I swear
to God.
HERSHE
I don't know, sounds thin to me.
PLISSKEN
You want to stay here, while Cuervo Jones
rules the world?
HERSHE
(grim)
No, that sucks.
(beat)
How are we getting out?
PLISSKEN
I don't know yet.
SPINAL
Shit.
HERSHE
You always were a loser, Plissken. Makin'
things up as you go along. That's why I
cut out on you in Cleveland. You're just a
bum like the rest of us.
Smoke has begun to drift into the pool area.
MOJO DELLASANDRO
(a soft voice)
Use the air.
They look at him.
MOJO DELLASANDRO
They're burning. Santa Anas. The night
wind.
SPINAL
What're you talking about, Mojo?
MOJO DELLASANDRO
Death from above...
EXT. QUEEN MARY - NIGHT
Plissken, Hershe, Map To The Stars Eddie, Spinal and the Black
Cowboy Gang stand on the top deck of the Queen Mary. Mojo
Dellasandro straps each man into his own hang glider rig. The wind
whips around them. The hillsides in the distance are on fire.
They look like strange oversized moths lined up on the edge of the
deck. The wind picks up Map To The Stars Eddie's rig. He bumps up
and down, side to side, buffeted wildly until Mojo Dellasandro
brings him back down to the decking.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
I don't know about this thing.
PLISSKEN
Don't like it, don't come.
SPINAL
Where'd you get these rigs, Carjack?
HERSHE
My name is Hershe Hernandez, do you
understand, cowboy?
As Mojo Dellasandro passes out various weapons to the men, Map To
The Stars Eddie leans over to Plissken, their hang glider rigs
thumping clumsily into each other. Eddie holds up that small,
metal-plated portable radio he was carrying when we first met him.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
I got an idea, Snake.
(shows Plissken the radio)
This looks like the prototype, right?
PLISSKEN
Yeah, kinda.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
So maybe we can pull off a Texas switch on
Cuervo.
PLISSKEN
If he lets you get close enough.
HERSHE
The wind's up. Let's go.
The men brace themselves. Map To The Stars Eddie looks like he
wants to die.
Hershe looks over at Plissken and grins.
HERSHE
See you in hell, Snake.
PLISSKEN
If I'm late, Carjack, don't start without
me.
With that Plissken launches himself off the deck, sailing out over
open space, then down toward the street...
PLISSKEN
Gliding through the air, as the wind picks him upward. He arcs
away from the street level, up toward the remains of the downtown
skyscrapers. Behind him, one after another, the group takes off
into the wind, diving, rising with the wind.
Map To The Stars Eddie makes a rapid suicidal dive right down
toward the pavement below. He screams like a madman until the wind
lifts him at the last possible second.
EXT. TOPS OF SKYSCRAPERS - NIGHT
The group of hang gliders sweep past the buildings. A bracero
family is having dinner by candlelight two feet from the edge of a
sheer precipice, as the side of the skyscraper they live in has
been torn off. They wave to Plissken as he passes.
Two floors down, someone has hooked up huge speakers and a
croaking male voice is singing a Barbra Streisand hit to a
background track.
A beautiful girl in a sheer diaphanous gown dances far out on a
narrow girder, waving a scarf at the moon.
Plissken and the others now fly in formation, like avenging bats
through the night, except for Map To The Stars Eddie who keeps
rising and plunging violently, barely in control.
EXT. DISNEYLAND - NIGHT
An army of vehicles and people pour into Disneyland - but it's a
Disneyland gone to hell. A huge sign reads: "THE HAPPY KINGDOM"
The gates no longer exist. The overhead tram lies broken on the
ground. Slowly vehicles drive straight inside...
A battered old limousine carries Cuervo Jones and a grim-looking
Utopia past the ruins of the train and around the ghost-town
square of Main Street. Ahead is the fairy castle, broken and
crumbling, like some relic from a nightmare. Around it are the
thrill rides, tossed in to a jumbled mass by the force of the
original earthquake.
Crowds are waiting. Gangs of every conceivable description. Ethic
gangs. Female gangs. Gangs of children. Also families with
hangers-on. As soon as the limousine appears, the crowds begin
cheering.
INT. LIMOUSINE - NIGHT
Cuervo Jones stares out at the masses.
CUERVO JONES
They're simple people. They love a party.
(turns to Utopia)
We're gonna throw them one hell of a party
when we get to America. Right?
Utopia is silent, sullen. Cuervo raises his hand to her and she
jumps, cowering.
CUERVO JONES
Put a smile on your face.
A terrified smile spreads across Utopia's face.
EXT. MAIN STREET - NIGHT
As the limousine inches down Main Street, suddenly a wall of
headlights pop on. 100 or so battered old vintage Chevys rev their
engines, begin bouncing up and down wildly on hydraulic lifts.
Gangs begin cheering, firing their weapons into the air like New
Year's Eve.
At the end of Main Street is a huge open area - almost an arena,
beyond which are parked a literal army of helicopters.
As the limousine stops, and Cuervo Jones emerges, Utopia on his
arm, the cheering begins, a wall of sound through the park. Three
Black Muslims step out to greet Cuervo, dressed in turban-like
headgear and sunglasses, wearing black capes and carrying old
Thompson machine guns. They stop, give the right-handed power
salute. One of them, BIVOUAC, speaks to Cuervo.
BIVOUAC
Cuervo Jones. Welcome, my Brother.
Cuervo Jones turns to the crowd, extends his arms.
CUERVO JONES
Are you ready for the New World?
And the loudest, longest cheer you've ever heard goes up.
EXT. SKIES ABOVE DISNEYLAND - NIGHT
Plissken and the group sail through the sky like silent avenging
angels toward Disneyland below them and several miles away.
PLISSKEN
Glances at his wrist watch. Only 20 minutes left. Map To The Stars
Eddie swings wildly over in his direction, manages to stabilize
his glider for a few moments.
PLISSKEN
Is that what I think it is?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Yeah. The place kept changing owners.
Finally went bankrupt. That thing in Paris
killed 'em.
Hershe and Spinal sweep over next to Plissken and fly in close
formation.
HERSHE
Snake. We need some kind of diversion.
A beat later all of them look over at Map To The Stars Eddie.
EXT. MAIN STREET - THE ARENA - NIGHT
Cuervo Jones leads Utopia toward a large attack helicopter out in
front of all the others. The choppers are all starting up,
roaring, blades turning.
Suddenly shooting down out of the sky is a screaming, yelling, Map
To The Stars Eddie diving out of control, eyes wide as he passes
Cuervo Jones and Utopia.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Cuervo. Hey, man, I made it! I made it!
Wait for me...
KAWHUMP!
Map To The Stars Eddie crash lands into the ruins of a fast food
restaurant - KACRUNCH!
A beat or so later he staggers out of the rig, dizzy and confused.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Hey Cuervo...
Cuervo Jones turns to Bivouac.
CUERVO JONES
Would you please kill him for me?
BIVOUAC
My pleasure.
Bivouac raises his machine gun...
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Cuervo, wait! I got news. There's about to
be an attack.
Cuervo holds up his hand, stopping Bivouac. Everyone tenses. Map
To The Stars Eddie races over...
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
You're about to get hit, Cuervo. It's
Plissken.
CUERVO JONES
You told me he was dead.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
I thought he was, but he came back.
CUERVO JONES
Where?
Map To The Stars Eddie moves close to Cuervo, out of breath,
looking like he may faint...
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Oh Cuervo...
CUERVO JONES
(long beat)
What?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
(stalling)
It's so good to see you again.
CUERVO JONES
Where's Plissken?
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
He's... near.
CUERVO JONES
You're stalling, Eddie.
(grabs him)
Talk, you little gringo!
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
(eyes wide)
Cuervo, look out behind you!
Map To The Stars Eddie suddenly grabs Cuervo as if to protect him,
and manages to wrap himself around the prototype in Cuervo's hand.
At the same moment Bivouac and the Black Muslim open fire on an
old storefront behind Cuervo Jones. The place is shredded.
Cuervo Jones pulls Map To The Stars Eddie up off the ground, and
grabs what looks like the prototype out of his clutches.
CUERVO JONES
You've lied to me for the very last time.
Cuervo Jones pulls out a pistol, cocks it, aims at Map To The
Stars Eddie's face...
KABLOOM! No, not the pistol. A huge explosion rocks Main Street.
WHOOSH! Suddenly out of the night sky Spinal and the Black Cowboys
dive right down across Main Street.
KABLAM! Another explosion sends everyone scurrying for cover.
Spinal pulls the pin on a grenade, throws it...
BLAMM! BLOOM! Explosions erupt everywhere!
Cuervo Jones grabs Utopia, turns to run toward to the lead
helicopter when...
Plissken roars down out of the sky and his him full force. Cuervo,
Plissken and the hang glider go tumbling and crashing in a heap.
SERIES OF FAST CUTS:
Chaos and pandemonium. Hershe dives down over the gangs, ripping
hellfire from his automatic rifle.
People running. Explosions.
Map To The Stars Eddie grabs Utopia.
Plissken and Cuervo Jones get to their feet and have at it!
Through flames and running people Plissken and Cuervo battle.
In Cuervo's hand is a long black knife. Just as he's plunging it,
Plissken steps aside and grabs him. Locked together, they battle
savagely.
The knife cuts Plissken's chest.
Cuervo moves for Plissken's throat.
Plissken smashes him in the face.
They both grip the knife in a deadlock.
From above, Spinal dives down and hurls a grenade. Cuervo and
Plissken disappear in a huge flash of fire and smoke as the
grenade erupts out of the pavement nearby.
When the smoke clears, three things are on the ground. Plissken.
Cuervo Jones. The prototype.
Instantly Plissken and Cuervo dive for the prototype. Plissken has
it, kicks Cuervo in the face, drags himself to his feet and takes
off running (as fast as a man can run with one bullet in his leg)
Map To The Stars Eddie drags Utopia toward the lead helicopter, as
Hershe comes in for a landing.
Spinal comes in for a landing, continues to throw grenades. The
other Black Cowboys land, provide covering fire.
Plissken races for the chopper. Behind him, Cuervo Jones is on his
feet and in pursuit.
Hershe opens fire at Cuervo. Cuervo dives behind a smoking,
burning Chevy.
INT. HELICOPTER COCKPIT
As everyone scrambles in. A Black Cowboy is hit by gunfire, slides
down the bulkhead and out the door.
Plissken jumps in the left seat, takes the controls. Utopia and
Map To The Stars Eddie both climb in the right seat together. The
others are in the back, firing back at the gangs. Plissken pulls
in power.
CLOSE - ROTOR R.P.M. GAUGE
The needle's at 100% plus. Full power.
EXT. LEAD HELICOPTER
The lead chopper shudders, trying to get off the ground. Gunfire
continues.
INT. HELICOPTER
The ship shakes violently.
PLISSKEN
She's overloaded! We're too heavy.
HERSHE
(screams from the rear
compartment)
Somebody get off!
SPINAL
(glares at him)
Who?
All eyes quickly move to Map To The Stars Eddie...
KABLAM!
Bullets rip through the windscreen.
POV - AN ARMY OF GANGS
Is moving, through the smoke, charging the ship!
INT. LEAD HELICOPTER
The ship trembles. Plissken moves his feet, jams in the left tail-
rotor pedal all the way.
EXT. THE LEAD HELICOPTER
Rotates, turns around 180 degrees on the ground, pushed by the
tail rotor force.
THE CYCLIC CONTROL
As Plissken inches it forward...
THE HELICOPTER
Begins sliding across the ground, skids grinding along the
pavement, sparks flying - slowly at first, now picking up speed...
In the cockpit, the ship lurches and jumps and slams! Everyone is
bounced around.
The helicopter moves fast now - faster -
LOW ANGLE ON THE SKIDS
As they rise up, an inch off the ground - then two inches - then a
foot -
Cuervo Jones emerges from the smoke, running ahead of the other
gangs, barreling toward the ever-so-slowly rising chopper...
THE LEAD HELICOPTER
As it lifts - five feet - climbing...
The helicopter pulls away from the charging gangs and Cuervo's
sprinting figure.
POV THROUGH WINDSCREEN
See the Matterhorn ahead, coming closer and closer. Hershe leans
out the door.
HERSHE
We're not gonna make it over the fuckin'
mountain!
The helicopter moves right toward the edge of the Matterhorn, 15
feet... 10... Plissken tries to maneuver out of the way... 8
feet... 5...
The helicopter wobbles over the top of the mountain, the right
skid catching on the Matterhorn's edge! A horrible cracking sound,
and the right skid is ripped off from its front mounting, hanging
half off the ship!
On the ground, Cuervo Jones jumps into one of the waiting
helicopters as now the gangs race into ships and begin lifting off
into the sky. Finally Cuervo's chopper lifts off...
EXT. FIREBASE SEVEN - NIGHT
An alarm horn sounds. Everyone is on the move.
INT. MAIN CONTROL ROOM - COMMAND HQ - NIGHT
A crowd surrounds a computer screen with a small green blip moving
over a grid of L.A.
COM OFFICER
Aircraft leaving the island, sir. It's
passed into restricted space, heading this
way.
Malloy, the President, and Brazen exchange glances.
PRESIDENT
Is it Plissken?
Nobody knows.
COM OFFICER
Commander, I'm getting radio contact with
the aircraft.
MALLOY
Boost it.
The COM Officer flips a switch, and we hear Plissken's voice
booming through HQ.
PLISSKEN (V.O.)
Get ready, shitheads. We're comin' in.
PRESIDENT
Thank God.
MALLOY
(grabs a radio mike)
Plissken - this is Malloy. Do you have the
prototype?
INT. LEAD HELICOPTER - NIGHT
PLISSKEN
(into his radio)
Yeah, I got it.
Plissken glances at the transistor radio in his hand, shoves it in
his boot, reaches his hand out to Map To The Stars Eddie.
PLISSKE
(to Map To The Stars Eddie)
Now give me the real one.
Utopia stares into Plissken's eye.
Map To The Stars Eddie shrugs innocently
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
I couldn't make the switch, Snake. I don't
have it.
Suddenly Utopia reaches into Map To The Stars Eddie's coat and
pulls out the real prototype. She hands it to Plissken
UTOPIA
Now we're even, Snake.
Map To The Stars Eddie makes a lunge for it, but Plissken whacks
him in the face. His head bobs slowly back and forth for a moment,
then he slumps in the seat.
INT. MAIN CONTROL ROOM - COMMAND HQ - NIGHT
Malloy set up in the staging area for landing.
COM OFFICER
Commander Malloy - he's got lots of
company.
Malloy and the others look at the computer screen. Plissken's
green blip is followed by hundreds of other green blips all
rapidly closing in on him...
MALLOY
Battle stations...
The room springs into action...
INT. LEAD HELICOPTER - NIGHT
PLISSKEN
I think we've burned off enough fuel. We
may be lighter enough to hover. Just
barely.
HERSHE
Can you land?
PLISSKEN
No. The right skid's broken. If I try to
set it down she'll crash. I have to stay
in a hoverwhile you jump off.
(beat as Plissken looks at
Utopia)
Hey, Carjack. We gotta hide the girl. Give
her your dress.
HERSHE
(ice cold)
My name is no longer Carjack. Will you
please get that through your fucking head?
SPINAL
Holy shit.
They look, as suddenly the night sky on either side of them is
filled with gang helicopters!
EXT. SKY OVER THE SAN FERNANDO SEA - NIGHT
The lead helicopter is surrounded by enemy choppers. Above, below,
on either side.
Right next to Plissken, Cuervo's chopper pulls up just ten feet
away. Cuervo grins out at Plissken evilly, unhooks himself from
his seat...
On the other side, another chopper with Bivouac and the Black
Muslims pull up. In the rear compartment, a Black Muslim aims what
looks like a huge harpoon gun mounted to the floor.
KAWHAM!
The line shoots out and a gleaming grappling hook slams into the
side of Plissken's chopper, the prongs clawing in, holding. In the
lead helicopter, the Black Cowboys, Spinal and Hershe aim their
weapons.
PLISSKEN
Don't shoot! They can drag us down into
the sea.
Cuervo Jones leaps from the opened door of his chopper, flies
through space, lands on Plissken's door with a WHUMP! He smashes
through the side window and grabs Plissken.
KABLAM! KABLAM! Gang choppers open fire, riddling the rear
compartment with bullets. Spinal and several Black Cowboys are
hit!
Plissken fights Cuervo through the door.
PLISSKEN
(to Utopia)
Take the controls!
Utopia stares at him.
UTOPIA
What do I do?
But Cuervo wrenches the door open, grabs Plissken, and pulls him
out of the seat. Utopia grabs the controls.
The lead helicopter goes wild, lurching and swinging and dropping.
Plissken and Cuervo are locked in a death grip, hanging on to the
doorway, one foot in, one foot out.
Plissken embraces Cuervo and throws them both over the edge...
They fall through space, locked together, until...
WHAP! They are jolted to a dead stop, swinging in mid-air,
Plissken's arm wrapped around the dangling right skid.
The lead helicopter bucks and spins and swings, Plissken and
Cuervo suspended below, struggling to the death, whipped back and
forth by the helicopter's gyrations.
In the cockpit, Utopia grabs the controls. The ship is shaking,
swinging like a pendulum. Hershe is hit with gunfire, flops in the
rear compartment. Map To The Stars Eddie slowly regains
consciousness, stares in horror at Utopia.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Where's Plissken?
Outside, Cuervo clutches Plissken around the neck, struggling and
thrashing. Plissken head butts him, dazing him for a second...
KA-CRACK! The dangling skid is breaking loose from its mounting on
the helicopter above. Plissken and Cuervo Jones stare up, then at
each other, then both begin pulling themselves up the skid,
climbing hand over hand, in a desperate race...
Both men reach the bottom of the helicopter and leap across to the
left skid as the dangling right skid breaks off and falls into the
San Fernando Sea. Plissken and Cuervo kick at each other. Plissken
slides away from him, looks up... sees the grappling hook stuck
into the side of the helicopter...
Plissken swings up, straddling the skid. He reaches up and begins
prying loose the grappling hook. Cuervo's coming right up behind
him, reaching for him, a huge knife in his hands. He raises the
knife - when Map To The Stars Eddie leans out of the cockpit door,
lowers a gun and aims it right at Cuervo.
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
Hey, Cuervo.
Cuervo looks at him, starts to say something, eyes bulging...
MAP TO THE STARS EDDIE
If you get to America - let's do lunch.
KABLAM! KABLAM! The shots hit, and Cuervo buckles, falls backwards
off the skid, plunging downward toward the surface of the San
Fernando Sea... KASPLASH!
Plissken rips out the grappling hook...
AS BOOM!
Map To The Stars Eddie is hit with gunfire, dies, falls out of the
seat, out of the door, out of the helicopter - plunges to the
water below.
Plissken jumps back inside the cockpit.
UTOPIA
Snake, look.
POV THROUGH WINDSCREEN
Police battle helicopters thunder toward them. In unison, the
police helicopters launch their missiles from gun platforms.
Burning, white-sulfurous napalm shells streak across the darkness
and hit enemy choppers. The sky around the lead helicopter is
filled with explosions, waves of rolling fire, falling flaming
wrecks plunging past, as enemy choppers begin to hit the water.
It is a dreamlike, slow-motion ballet. Huge black police gun ships
circle lazily around the enemy choppers, their flex-guns and
rockets spitting blue-white fire. The pound the living hell out of
the enemy choppers. In f.g. Plissken's helicopter sweeps over the
wall.
EXT. ROTOR CITY - NIGHT
Malloy, the President, Brazen and the rest the Firebase watch as
Plissken's helicopter approaches, then zooms right over Rotor City
and heads for the distant treeline.
PRESIDENT
Where the hell is he going?
EXT. SMALL CLEARING - NIGHT
Plissken's helicopter comes in, lower and lower, into a hover five
feet above the ground. Inside, Plissken pulls in all the power
he's got.
PLISSKEN
It's taking all the power we've got to
hover.
CLOSE - ROTOR R.P.M. GAUGE
Shows 100% plus power. The helicopter is in a trembling hover.
Inside...
PLISSKEN
Jump out. Head for the treeline and
disappear.
Utopia stares at him.
PLISSKEN
Go!
Utopia jumps out of the helicopter... lands on the ground and
takes off running into the darkness. Inside...
PLISSKEN
All right, baby. Don't be too rough on me.
We're gonna land.
Plissken slowly drops the collective control. The left skid sets
down, and the ship continues to descend, tips, begins to roll.
Inside, as the chopper rolls over, Plissken braces himself. As the
blades hit the ground, the chopper goes wild. The fuselage jumps
and twists in a grinding fury. Smoke and debris fly. The blades
snap off...
FROM BEHIND PLISSKEN - INSIDE
Looking out the front, the blades smash through the windscreen,
barely missing the top of Plissken's head. Plissken is splattered
with glass, a piece of metal debris protrudes from the fleshy part
of his biceps. Blood pours. The rear compartment explodes into
flames as the engine grinds into the gas tank. Fire billows into
the cockpit, engulfing Plissken...
Outside, Plissken pulls himself out of the door. He is on fire.
Dives away from the copper and rolls across the ground just as the
flaming mid-section of the ship explodes in a roaring fireball.
Plissken climbs to his feet, smoking, wounded...
... as Malloy, the President, Brazen, and a squad of police arrive
in vehicles. They slowly get out...
... as Plissken limps toward them...
PLISSKEN
Where's the anti-toxin...?
PRESIDENT
Give me the prototype.
Plissken reaches into his boot, hands it to the President.
MALLOY
Hold it, Plissken. Now give us the real
one.
Plissken reaches down into his other boot, comes out with Map To
The Stars Eddie's transistor radio. The President hurls the real
prototype away, walks to Plissken and grabs the phony. Plissken
glances at it lying on the ground.
Nobody moves. Plissken looks at their faces.
PLISSKEN
Give me the goddamn shot!
Suddenly everyone begins to smirk. A couple cops laugh.
MALLOY
It was all a fake, Plissken.
Plissken stares at him. More laughter.
BRAZEN
You were injected with glucose. There is
no Plutoxin 7 virus. You were never going
to die - at least not from anything we
gave you.
MALLOY
C'mon, Snake - it's L.A. Everything's
phony, you know that.
Plissken moves toward the President, stops inches away.
MALLOY
Relax, war hero. We took you for a ride,
and you came through. Not bad for a
dirtbag like you.
PRESIDENT
You're free, Plissken. But if you even so
much as break wind on a country road I'll
crush you like a bug.
The President glares at Plissken, turns, walks away.
COP (O.S.)
Commander...
(Malloy looks at him)
Look what we found.
Across the clearing come two policemen dragging Utopia along with
them. They bring her up in front of Malloy. Utopia glances at
Plissken.
MALLOY
You didn't finish the mission, Plissken.
We'll have to do that for you.
Plissken, Malloy and Brazen watch as Utopia is taken away. Finally
Plissken turns to Malloy.
PLISSKEN
Got a smoke?
MALLOY
You're gonna have to learn to respect the
law, Snake. The United States is a no-
smoking nation. No smoking, no drinking,
do drugs, no women unless you're married,
no guns, no foul language. It's a brand
new day for you, Snake.
PLISSKEN
The name's Plissken.
Plissken walks away. Follow his feet as they stop next to the
prototype lying in the grass...
INT. STEEL-WALLED HALLWAY - DEPORTATION CENTER - NIGHT
Utopia is being strapped into an electric chair by her police
guards. The guards step back from Utopia. One of them walks over
to a huge switch on the wall.
EXT. FIREBASE SEVEN - DAWN
TRACKING SHOT WITH PLISSKEN
He holds the real prototype, calmly pushes the button.
EXT. SPACE - DAWN
The ring of space satellites hover silently above the Earth. See
the United States, North America below, as a beautiful sunrise is
beginning.
Suddenly the satellites explode into white...
EXT. FIREBASE SEVEN - DAWN
As the sky is lit white. Malloy, Brazen, and the cops look up. All
vehicles stop. Lights out. Sounds of motors running down.
INT. STEEL-WALLED HALLWAY - DEPORTATION CENTER - DAWN
Darkness. No power. Everyone looks around. Utopia smiles.
EXT. FIREBASE SEVEN - DAWN
The daylight is coming as police helicopters fall from the sky,
crashing. Panic. Policemen run everywhere. A duty sergeant races
up to Malloy...
DUTY SERGEANT
We're being attacked, Commander. The north
wall.
EXT. WALL - DAWN
All of L.A. has arrive at the wall in boats. Gangs lean ladders,
use ropes and hooks - they scale the wall. Pendejo Bob leads the
charge. Pipeline is right behind him.
EXT. TOP OF THE WALL - DAWN
Gunfire. A pitched battle as cops try to repel the horde of L.A.
invaders as they pour over the wall.
EXT. FIREBASE SEVEN - DAWN
The Firebase is overrun by invaders. Hand-to-hand combat. World
War III has begun. Panicked cops race for the trees, abandoning
their positions.
INT. STEEL-WALLED HALLWAY - DEPORTATION CENTER
The Third World warriors free Utopia from the electric chair. She
joins them as they swarm through the halls...
EXT. HILLSIDE - FIREBASE SEVEN - DAWN
Plissken is at the edge of the Firebase, moving out into the
hillside. Camera tracks with him towards the rising sun.
A smile crosses Plissken's face. He tosses the prototype down a
ravine, and walks away into the sunrise.
FADE OUT
THE END
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