LostDogma
10-27-2003, 11:16 PM
INT. HOUSE - NIGHT
Cozy, and a little dark, especially here in the front room.
A Lawrence Welk music book sits on the piano.
Two big BOWLS OF CANDY sit on a table near the door.
Most of the light comes a TV blaring commercials for...
An Old Man on a recliner. This is GRANDPA VICTOR LOHAN. He
has wrinkled, tattooed arms. Grandpa looks like a “hard-ass”
for life until he smiles, LAUGHS - heartily.
DING DONG.
INT. BASEMENT
Huge, nice, mahogany paneled and mostly carpeted. A HAMMS
BEER LIT DISPLAY glows above the bar.
A TOY TRAIN SET MOTOR HUMS.
Off center, toward an inner wall where the carpeting ends and
a DOOR blends in with the wall, stands
Dein, a boy of twelve, possesses a naturally pissed-off look
and deep-set eyes. He watches a mint condition Lionel train
set travel around a sweetly crafted mini-Happy village.
Next to him is a WOODEN TOY BOX. Dein pulls out a dirty old
naked BARBIE-TYPE DOLL.
DEIN
(in a girlish voice)
Can I ride on Grandpa’s death express?
Dein lights her hair on fire with an OLD-FASHIONED LIGHTER
and puts her in the train TRAIN SET.
Barbie makes it one loop around the village and falls.
Dein puts a G.I. Joe doll on the train.
DEIN
Dude, me too, and set me on fire.
Dein flicks the lighter - nothing. Flicks again, nothing.
DEIN
Lighter fluid.
Dein looks around. He grabs a SCREWDRIVER from the bar
counter.
Dein PRIES at the knob’s lock. CLICK. The knob TURNS.
Dein opens the door, the weather-stripping SCRATCHES over the
floor. He turns on a light switch lighting...
A fix-it man’s dream closet. A BUG ZAPPER and Fly strips
hang from the ceiling. Flies BUZZ about even so.
Dein looks around the shelves. No sign of lighter fluid.
DEIN
What’s with the flies?
Dein crouches to see...
A FLY slithers under the bottom of a section of paneling
KEYS HANG FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BENCH.
Dein climbs on the bench and checks out the panel. WHACK!
Dein nearly falls, then catches himself. He looks back.
It’s A LEVEL - fallen from the bench.
Back to the panel. He pushes. It move... ever so slightly.
Dein moves the panel more. It slides to the left. Revealing
A RED DOOR with a gold doorknob.
Curious Dein turns at the knob. Locked. Ah, but...
Dein crouches by the work bench and grabs a handful of KEYS.
Dein tries key after key. CLICK, it opens...
Darkness.
CLICK - lights on a room very much like a McDonald’s
playground except that...
Mannequins, five in all, the size of kids wear bloodstained
Halloween costumes. Each “mannequin’s” head is covered with
a similar black hood. And these mannequins have been placed:
sitting at a table or finishing a slide.
More fly strips and a BOX OF AIR FRESHENERS sits in the
corner.
Upon closer inspection, the mannequins are decomposed bodies.
CUT OUT NEWSPAPER PICTURES, one for each “mannequin”, have
been pinned to each mannequin.
One has a black & white picture, of a YOUNG BOY with slicked
over hair - straight from the 1960’s.
Fear strikes Dein like a cold sweat.
Dein’s fear turns to sickness. This is beyond messed up and
he shouldn’t be here.
In this silence, A SLIGHT DING DONG reverbs.
INT. FRONT ROOM, HOUSE - NIGHT
Grandpa stares and smiles at TWO LITTLE KIDS dressed as sailors, to whom he’s
just given candy. He sucks on a mint. Sucks hard.
KID A
Thank you.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Come back, come back next year.
The kids leave. Grandpa Victor closes the door.
Grandpa Victor heads back over to a door and opens it.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Dein! The show’s about to start.
With no response, Grandpa Victor heads down the stairs.
BUM. BUM.
INT. BASEMENT
Dein panics as he closes the Red Door. He falls over the
bench.
BUM. BUM.
Dein hyperventilates, gets up and straightens the area.
BUM. BUM.
Dein turns the light off on the fix-it closet.
BUM.
GRANDPA VICTOR’S VOICE
Dein, what in the “h-e double hockey
sticks" is going on? Your show’s on.
Dein exits the closet and shuts the door - but he doesn’t
have time to check it. He picks up the screwdriver and slips
it in his pocket.
BUM.
Grandpa Victor stands. His breathing - vexatious.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Come on, upstairs. We’ll open a bag of
chips. You want some soda?
Dein nods.
FLIES enter the room. Many flies.
One lands on Dein’s forehead. Dein lets out an involuntary
whimper and brushes it away. His eyes show so much fear that
there could only be one reason -- behind him.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Lock the door.
Dein looks behind him and nods.
DEIN
Mom should be home soon. I - don’t feel
well.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Grandpa loves you, Dein. Tell me what’s
wrong. What were you looking for?
Dein stares. He can’t take it any longer...
DEIN
Lighter fluid. I have to go.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Where?
(with a smile in his voice)
Come on. We can talk about whatever you
want to talk about. We’ll make some tea.
Dein nods -- still very scared.
Grandpa Victor heads upstairs.
Dein looks around for an exit - a window. Nothing but
paneling. He takes a big deep breath and heads upstairs.
UPSTAIRS
Dark. Dein darts for the Front Room where
Grandpa stands with the remote.
GRANDPA VICTOR
What did you see Dein?
Dein continues toward the front door, avoiding eye contact.
Dein tries the front door, but - nothing.
GRANDPA VICTOR (CONT’D)
Your Grandpa loves you. Even when you
were little - remember - me taking you
and your sister to the public pool?
He works the locks on the doors. One unlocks.
GRANDPA VICTOR
This is our secret, Dein...?
Dein nods. Another unlocks. Grandpa gets closer.
Dein unlocks the final lock, but turns back.
DEIN
When did Grandma die?
GRANDPA VICTOR
Long before you were born.
Grandpa closes in - the look of a paternal love in his eyes.
Dein lets his only get close, and then whips out a
screwdriver and stabs with all his might. And it lands...
In Grandpa’s neck. It knocks him back - very surprised.
GRANDPA VICTOR
You hurt me?
Dein’s out the door.
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
Dein runs. His breath dances in the cold night air.
WHAM! It’s Grandpa pushing him down into a coating of snow.
Grandpa hugs Dein - tighter and tighter.
GRANDPA VICTOR
(repeating)
Why did you go in there?
Dein’s air fades, but his hand moves and he pushes on
Grandpa’s face.
HEADLIGHTS illuminate these two.
Dein looks over and waves...
A CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES.
MAN’S VOICE
Hey.
[c
The original title Flies - just kind of sucked too much.
Cozy, and a little dark, especially here in the front room.
A Lawrence Welk music book sits on the piano.
Two big BOWLS OF CANDY sit on a table near the door.
Most of the light comes a TV blaring commercials for...
An Old Man on a recliner. This is GRANDPA VICTOR LOHAN. He
has wrinkled, tattooed arms. Grandpa looks like a “hard-ass”
for life until he smiles, LAUGHS - heartily.
DING DONG.
INT. BASEMENT
Huge, nice, mahogany paneled and mostly carpeted. A HAMMS
BEER LIT DISPLAY glows above the bar.
A TOY TRAIN SET MOTOR HUMS.
Off center, toward an inner wall where the carpeting ends and
a DOOR blends in with the wall, stands
Dein, a boy of twelve, possesses a naturally pissed-off look
and deep-set eyes. He watches a mint condition Lionel train
set travel around a sweetly crafted mini-Happy village.
Next to him is a WOODEN TOY BOX. Dein pulls out a dirty old
naked BARBIE-TYPE DOLL.
DEIN
(in a girlish voice)
Can I ride on Grandpa’s death express?
Dein lights her hair on fire with an OLD-FASHIONED LIGHTER
and puts her in the train TRAIN SET.
Barbie makes it one loop around the village and falls.
Dein puts a G.I. Joe doll on the train.
DEIN
Dude, me too, and set me on fire.
Dein flicks the lighter - nothing. Flicks again, nothing.
DEIN
Lighter fluid.
Dein looks around. He grabs a SCREWDRIVER from the bar
counter.
Dein PRIES at the knob’s lock. CLICK. The knob TURNS.
Dein opens the door, the weather-stripping SCRATCHES over the
floor. He turns on a light switch lighting...
A fix-it man’s dream closet. A BUG ZAPPER and Fly strips
hang from the ceiling. Flies BUZZ about even so.
Dein looks around the shelves. No sign of lighter fluid.
DEIN
What’s with the flies?
Dein crouches to see...
A FLY slithers under the bottom of a section of paneling
KEYS HANG FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE BENCH.
Dein climbs on the bench and checks out the panel. WHACK!
Dein nearly falls, then catches himself. He looks back.
It’s A LEVEL - fallen from the bench.
Back to the panel. He pushes. It move... ever so slightly.
Dein moves the panel more. It slides to the left. Revealing
A RED DOOR with a gold doorknob.
Curious Dein turns at the knob. Locked. Ah, but...
Dein crouches by the work bench and grabs a handful of KEYS.
Dein tries key after key. CLICK, it opens...
Darkness.
CLICK - lights on a room very much like a McDonald’s
playground except that...
Mannequins, five in all, the size of kids wear bloodstained
Halloween costumes. Each “mannequin’s” head is covered with
a similar black hood. And these mannequins have been placed:
sitting at a table or finishing a slide.
More fly strips and a BOX OF AIR FRESHENERS sits in the
corner.
Upon closer inspection, the mannequins are decomposed bodies.
CUT OUT NEWSPAPER PICTURES, one for each “mannequin”, have
been pinned to each mannequin.
One has a black & white picture, of a YOUNG BOY with slicked
over hair - straight from the 1960’s.
Fear strikes Dein like a cold sweat.
Dein’s fear turns to sickness. This is beyond messed up and
he shouldn’t be here.
In this silence, A SLIGHT DING DONG reverbs.
INT. FRONT ROOM, HOUSE - NIGHT
Grandpa stares and smiles at TWO LITTLE KIDS dressed as sailors, to whom he’s
just given candy. He sucks on a mint. Sucks hard.
KID A
Thank you.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Come back, come back next year.
The kids leave. Grandpa Victor closes the door.
Grandpa Victor heads back over to a door and opens it.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Dein! The show’s about to start.
With no response, Grandpa Victor heads down the stairs.
BUM. BUM.
INT. BASEMENT
Dein panics as he closes the Red Door. He falls over the
bench.
BUM. BUM.
Dein hyperventilates, gets up and straightens the area.
BUM. BUM.
Dein turns the light off on the fix-it closet.
BUM.
GRANDPA VICTOR’S VOICE
Dein, what in the “h-e double hockey
sticks" is going on? Your show’s on.
Dein exits the closet and shuts the door - but he doesn’t
have time to check it. He picks up the screwdriver and slips
it in his pocket.
BUM.
Grandpa Victor stands. His breathing - vexatious.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Come on, upstairs. We’ll open a bag of
chips. You want some soda?
Dein nods.
FLIES enter the room. Many flies.
One lands on Dein’s forehead. Dein lets out an involuntary
whimper and brushes it away. His eyes show so much fear that
there could only be one reason -- behind him.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Lock the door.
Dein looks behind him and nods.
DEIN
Mom should be home soon. I - don’t feel
well.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Grandpa loves you, Dein. Tell me what’s
wrong. What were you looking for?
Dein stares. He can’t take it any longer...
DEIN
Lighter fluid. I have to go.
GRANDPA VICTOR
Where?
(with a smile in his voice)
Come on. We can talk about whatever you
want to talk about. We’ll make some tea.
Dein nods -- still very scared.
Grandpa Victor heads upstairs.
Dein looks around for an exit - a window. Nothing but
paneling. He takes a big deep breath and heads upstairs.
UPSTAIRS
Dark. Dein darts for the Front Room where
Grandpa stands with the remote.
GRANDPA VICTOR
What did you see Dein?
Dein continues toward the front door, avoiding eye contact.
Dein tries the front door, but - nothing.
GRANDPA VICTOR (CONT’D)
Your Grandpa loves you. Even when you
were little - remember - me taking you
and your sister to the public pool?
He works the locks on the doors. One unlocks.
GRANDPA VICTOR
This is our secret, Dein...?
Dein nods. Another unlocks. Grandpa gets closer.
Dein unlocks the final lock, but turns back.
DEIN
When did Grandma die?
GRANDPA VICTOR
Long before you were born.
Grandpa closes in - the look of a paternal love in his eyes.
Dein lets his only get close, and then whips out a
screwdriver and stabs with all his might. And it lands...
In Grandpa’s neck. It knocks him back - very surprised.
GRANDPA VICTOR
You hurt me?
Dein’s out the door.
EXT. HOUSE - NIGHT
Dein runs. His breath dances in the cold night air.
WHAM! It’s Grandpa pushing him down into a coating of snow.
Grandpa hugs Dein - tighter and tighter.
GRANDPA VICTOR
(repeating)
Why did you go in there?
Dein’s air fades, but his hand moves and he pushes on
Grandpa’s face.
HEADLIGHTS illuminate these two.
Dein looks over and waves...
A CAR DOOR OPENS AND CLOSES.
MAN’S VOICE
Hey.
[c
The original title Flies - just kind of sucked too much.