Kosmic
Film International presents
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Kosmic
Film International presents |
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THE PHONE an original screenplay by Mark Whipple Copyright by Mark Whipple Emerald Literary Agency All Rights Reserved. P.O. Box 16088 Salt Lake City Utah 84116 Ph. 801-295-5432 THE PHONE FADE IN: 1 EXT. GRAVEYARD--DAY 1 From a distance a PREACHER stands in front of a coffin and a small GROUP OF PEOPLE gathered around it. The voice of WIDOW is heard. WIDOW O. S. It's a strange story. Most people don=t believe it, I guess, I wouldn't believe it myself if I didn't have the phone bills to prove it. (beat) John said he wanted a phone. I know it=s not much of a story so far except it wasn't just a phone anywhere like in a bathroom or a garage, he wanted one buried with him when he died. At the time, it seemed reasonable enough. So many people are buried alive or at least are worried about being buried alive, so they do crazy things. He wanted a phone put in the coffin with him. I figured, I would humor him and let him have the phone, I mean why not, you only die once. CONTINUED 1 CONTINUED 1 Moving closer, the preacher is finishing up a small speech. PREACHER Ashes to ashes dust to dust. John has laid his old body down to pick it up again when..... C. U. on TWO WOMEN as the preacher continues his speech. FIRST LADY (whispering) She's putting a phone down there. Isn't that the craziest thing you ever heard? The second responds in a snooty way. SECOND LADY (whispering) Does it have an answering machine? FIRST LADY (whispering) I really don't know. SECOND LADY I'll tell you that's when it would be weird. It is quiet enough to hear the preacher again. PREACHER And so we say good by to a loving husband and father, one who was sometimes eccentric but always a friend. CONTINUED 1 CONTINUED 1 (he bows his head) Please Father, protect this resting place and take this spirit to be with you. (beat) Amen EVERYONE Amen. People file past the widow as they start to leave. A few people go to the preacher and offering their hands. FIRST PERSON (to the widow) I'm sorry, we always loved you and John. If there is anything we can do, please feel free to call. WIDOW Thank you. John always thought well of you. I'm glad you came. People start walking back to their cars as the coffin is lowered down. In the distance a telephone truck pulls up. TWO MEN get out of the truck. One being older than the other. OLDER TELEPHONE MAN Let's see, plot 136 is getting the princess phone. CONTINUED 2 CONTINUED 2 SECOND TELEPHONE MAN I haven't ever heard of anything stranger in my life. OLDER TELEPHONE MAN If you stay in this business you'll hear worse. I once put a phone in a dog house. Our's is but to do or die. They walk towards the grave with a princess phone and a roll of wire. 2 INT. WIDOW'S HOME--NIGHT 2 A DAUGHTER and a FEW OTHER PEOPLE are here. DAUGHTER Mom, is there anything you want me to do? WIDOW Oh no, I'll be all right. I miss John, but I guess... The phone rings. WIDOW CONT'D Death is a big part of life. She is strong as she picks up the phone. WIDOW CONT'D Hello. JOHN O. S. Dear, am I ever glad you're home. CONTINUED 2 CONTINUED 2 She is concerned. WIDOW John is that you? JOHN O. S. Of course it's me. Listen I ran into some problems I may be home late. WIDOW Problems? JOHN O. S. Boy I'll say. I'm trapped in some kind of box or something. I think someone's playing a joke on me. Probably Bill, you know Bill is always doing something stupid just to get even. WIDOW Who is this? JOHN O. S. Don't be silly, you know it's me. I don't know what he's got me in but this place is kind of spooky like a coffin or something. I'm sure Bill will let me out soon then I swear I'll be right home. Love you dear. The phone clicks and we hear the dial tone. CONTINUED 3 CONTINUED 3 WIDOW That was John, we buried him alive. We got to get him out of there. 3 EXT. GRAVE YARD--NIGHT 3 The WIDOW, holding a flashlight, stands above the hole with her DAUGHTER. A POLICEMAN stands near them also with a light. THREE MEN from the grave yard are in the hole frantically digging. WIDOW Please hurry, I'm sure he's scared. They dig quickly as they are almost to the coffin. A CLANK of the shovel is heard. FIRST MAN I've hit it. They continue to dig as they uncover the cement box. They chip at the sides to break the seal then take the top off. In lies the casket. They open the top. There lies JOHN and his princess phone. He has a bit of a smile on his face. The policeman gets down in the hole. POLICEMAN Out of the way men. He reaches over and touches John's neck then feels his face. POLICEMAN CONT'D This man is dead. CONTINUED 5 CONTINUED 5 WIDOW He called me no more than an hour ago. POLICE He is very cold as if he's been dead for days. WIDOW We better get him to a doctor. POLICE He's dead ma'am. WIDOW Just get him to a doctor. 4 INT. HOSPITAL--NIGHT 4 JOHN lies on the table. A DOCTOR examines him. There are a few monitoring machines attached to him. The WIDOW stands off. The doctor comes to her. DOCTOR After examining him last week, and once again tonight, I am convinced that he is still dead. WIDOW Will you leave him here, just in case he's just asleep or something. CONTINUED 7 CONTINUED 7 DOCTOR Of course I will. I'll leave him here until you are also convinced that he's dead. WIDOW Thank you. (beat) I'll just sit here with him? DOCTOR Of course. He leaves the room. She sits and gets a distant look on her face. 6 EXT GRAVE YARD--DAY 6 We see a FEW PEOPLE stand around the open hole as the coffin is lowered down into it. 7 INT. WIDOW'S HOME--NIGHT 7 The WIDOW sits alone as the phone rings. She is hesitant to answer but does. WIDOW Hello. JOHN O. S. (upset) Why did you let them bury me again? I was just warming up. WIDOW John? CONTINUED 7 CONTINUED 7 JOHN O. S. Of course it's me, who else did you bury today? WIDOW If this is John, what day were we married? JOHN O. S. That's easy, it's the same day as our anniversary. WIDOW But, what day was that? JOHN O. S. That isn't fair, you know I always forgot our anniversary. WIDOW Oh my, John, it is you. 8 EXT. GRAVE YARD--NIGHT 8 We see the hole and a FEW PEOPLE standing around the grave. The WIDOW stands over it as they uncover the coffin far below. They open it and JOHN still looks dead. WIDOW O. S. I had a trace put on the phone, The calls were coming from his casket. We dug him up and buried him five times before I was really certain he was dead. Sure he still calls and begs for us to dig him up. Sometimes he CONTINUED 8 CONTINUED 8 sounds so sincere that I'm almost tempted to uncover him just one more time. (sounding tired) I don't know what we're going to do with him. (beat) I guess if he is going to abuse his privilege, we're just going to have to disconnect his phone. Everyone is still looking down the hole. A young kid enters holding a large box. YOUNG KID Some one here order a pizza. From the casket, in the bottom of the hole, John has an ever so slightly evil smile on his face. FADE OUT: THE END |
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