SMALL

 

 

(This is the working script to my next mini movie – it is a remake from an earlier film. Expect the film to be different as I edit)

 

Scene 1: Toy company

 

MASTER SHOT:         Bill in front of desk marked Vice President

            BILL:   What do you mean you have to let me go?       

                        Do you forget that we go back to kindergarten together, Ritchie?

                        I know the economy is bad. But I don’t make THAT much money here.

                        No, I don’t want another job for less money

                        I got my pride you know

--- exit, old fashioned elevator

--- door to the street

 

Scene 2: New York City Street

            St. James Hotel

            NYC bus

            Times Square

            Wino talking to himself

            Panhandlers

            Prostitutes

            Video game store with “a historic game in the window”

            BILL:   My God, I haven’t seen one of those in years.

 

Scene 3 (alimony’s late) in car

Drives over the GW bridge      

Cell phone rings

He picks flips open the cell phone

BILL:   Hello?

            I know I’m late on my alimony.

            I’ll get it to you and soon as I get paid

(close up of bills on passenger’s side seat that includes IRS and other over due bills)

 

Scene 4: CAR SIDE OF HIGHWAY

                  Car dies on side of the highway.

            Tries to start the car, but it won’t

BILL:   damn these modern cars.

(He looks over at a 1950s photo of him and Ritchie.)

            They made cars better back then

(Shot of him walking away from car with hood up to a bus stop bench, sitting, as a bus pulls up)

 

Scene 5: On the bus

(George Washington Bridge outside)

(He looks at the old photo again and shakes his head.)

Bill:       What happened to us

            Back then a car was a car and buddy was a buddy, and my girl was my girl

            I even thought I could make something of myself, be somebody important someday.

            If only I could go back to that.

            Wait a minute!

            Maybe I can!

(he presses the buzzer to get off the bus)

 

SCENE 6: The ruined amusement park

 

(the bus pulls away leaving him standing in front of the ruined gate. He stares in disbelief)

 

BILL:   My God!

            What happened to this place.

            Me and Ritchie used to come here all the time. We got drunk here. We played around here.

This is where I met my wife, where I proposed to her

 

(he closes his eyes – flashes of memory of the park and the people show – then he opens his eyes and the park is in ruins again. He sees the wrecked carrousel building and makes towards it, and then goes inside.)

 

 Scene 7: Zolar

 

 (Bill glances around the dark interior, and then sees the Zolar machine in the corner. He laughs)

 

BILL: You want to tell my fortune?

            Don’t bother. I know what it is.

(He looks at it again)

            Ah, what the hell I got nothing to lose

(He fishes in his pocket for a coin, puts this in the slot. The machine whirrs. The eyes light up. A card drops into the tray. Bill picks it up. It says: “Your wish has been granted”

 

            What wish?

            Stupid machine.

 

(He walks away, not noticing the plug is not in a socket. He pushes open the door to find that the carnival has come to life outside)

 

Scene 8:  The amusement park

 

(He is stunned as he walks. He sees the rides and other things, and then sees a sign saying “you must be this high” and it’s taller than he is.

 

BILL: This is nuts.

            I wanted to go back to when I was 20, not Twelve.

I was miserable at 12.

            That stupid machine screwed everything up.

 

SCENE 9: Streets of Cliffside Park

(Bill rushes through the streets, see kids in leaves, the high school, the malt shop, even some kids playing ball. He heads for one particular house then goes around back to knock on the window)

 

BILL: It’s me, Ritchie.

            Let me in.

 

SCENE 10: YOUNG RITCHIE’S HOUSE

 

BILL: I’m telling you, Ritchie.

            I might look like the same old me but I’m all grown up inside.

            You got to come back with me to the amusement park so I can get back to where I belong.

            Back to when we’re all grown up.

            Yes, we’re still friends.

 

Scene 11: BACK TO THE AMUSEMENT PARK

 

(shots of the amusement park. And a shot of bill)

 

BILL: Ritchie?

            Where did you go?

 

(People push by Bill rudely)

 

            Hey, stop that.

            I don’t remember ever feeling this small, even when I was this small

            Where is that machine?

(Then he sees the building and rushed into it. Everything is bright and cheery and he has a hard time locating the machine at first. Then he sees it near the rear of the building, rushes to it, fumbled for another coin, which he shoves into the slot of the machine)

 

            I want to go back.

 

(The eyes glow. The card drops into the slot saying “your wish is granted.” Bill closes his eyes. When he opens them the room is in ruins again. He goes outside to the ruined world there, pulls out his cell phone and pushes a button)

 

BILL: Ritchie?

            Is that job still available?

            Great!

            I’ll take it.