Saturday, September 8, 2007

Black Mist: A Screenplay Set In Occupied Japan (Part Six)

JIM AND GARY

are watching from around a corner.

JIM

I got an idea.

EXT. TEMPLE COURTYARD

Casey notices Noriko looking suddenly depressed and downcast.

CASEY

What's the matter?

NORIKO

I miss Toshio. Robert, do you mind if I go into the temple by myself? I'd like to burn some incense and chant for my brother's spirit.

CASEY

Go right ahead. I'm dying of thirst in this damned heat. I'll going to see if I can hunt up a couple of cold bottles of that Mitsuya Cider and see how far my fifteen words of Japanese will get me.

NORIKO

I'll meet you in the temple in a little while.

CASEY

See you in a few minutes. Chant a few prayers for me, okay?

Casey strolls out of the courtyard in search of a soft-drink vendor.

FROM AROUND THE CORNER - JIM AND GARY'S P.O.V.

Noriko climbs the steps to the TEMPLE. The darkness inside swallows her up.

ANGLE ON JIM AND GARY

as they emerge from the shadows and hasten to join Noriko in the temple.

EXT. TEMPLE COURTYARD - a few minutes later

Carrying a pale-green bottle of Mitsuya Cider, Casey returns to the sun-drenched courtyard and mounts the steps for the temple proper.

INT. TEMPLE

It's a shadowy cavern constructed of dark wood, decorated in overtones of red and gold. It's cool inside, and incense fills the air. Casey strides through it, looking for Noriko.

It's empty.

CASEY

Noriko! Noriko?

He can't find her. We can hear the faint CRIES of children playing outside.

A GOLDEN EARRING

lying next to the altar catches Casey's eye. He kneels and picks it up.



CASEY

Jesus, it's hers.

Slowly he stands up. He looks around the altar to see if there's any more evidence. STICKS of INCENSE are scattered around. Also there are the dusty footprint of GI boots—TWO of them.

CASEY

Snatched in broad daylight. What is this, the Thirties?

EXT. TEMPLE COURTYARD

Dashing down the temple steps, Casey runs into the center of the courtyard and halts, looking this way and that. No unusual activity is visible. No strange noises. Kinosaki is placid.

He runs to the PLAYGROUND FENCE. In desperation, he addresses the CHILDREN.

CASEY

Suimasen! Suimasen! [Excuse me!]

The CHILDREN look up wonderingly.

CASEY

Woman! Did you see the woman? Oh shit, what's the word for "woman"?

Frantic, he points to the TEMPLE and makes walking motions with his fingers. He speaks slowly, hoping to be understood.

CASEY

Where did she go? Where—did—the woman—go?

The children exchange looks among themselves. They know what happened.

LITTLE BOY

GI-sans! They come! Two! Take away lady!

He holds up two fingers.

CASEY

Two? Where did they go?

He holds a flattened hand to his brow like an Indian scout to indicate that he's searching. A LITTLE GIRL points in the direction of the center of town, toward the train station.

CASEY

Arigato gozimas.

He delivers a hurried bow of thanks and charges off.

EXT. KINOSAKI STREET - MOVING SHOT - WITH CASEY

as he runs pell-mell through the narrow side-streets, desperately seeking Noriko and her two GI kidnappers. But she's gone.

EXT. KINOSAKI TRAIN STATION - OVER-THE-SHOULDER SHOT - WITH CASEY

as he comes to a running halt in the marketplace plaza. He looks wildly about.

He's attracting attention. A few JAPANESE look at the gaijin-san who's in the big hurry. Except for Jim and Gary, Casey's the only Westerner we see in Kinosaki, or anywhere else in this Sanin Coast section of Kansai, for that matter. This area is clearly all-Japanese.

CASEY

(panting)

Has anybody—has anybody seen—suimasen

We see Casey standing in the middle of the plaza, his mouth working as he tries to implore help from passersby. But it's useless. He speaks no Japanese, and TWO COPS standing off to the side at the train station are starting to study him with some interest.

He can't afford a passport check, much less a detailed police-station grilling. So he backs off, and beaten, begins to walk away from the train station.

CASEY

And I think I'm so goddamn smart.

EXT. MRS. IKEDA'S HOME - IZUSHI - A HALF HOUR LATER

After parking his car, Casey climbs out and approaches Mrs. Ikeda's home. He looks tired and defeated.

A WHITE LETTER-SIZED ENVELOPE

is taped to the front door. Written on it in pencil is simply the word, "Casey."

Tearing it off the door, he rips it open and fumbles open the piece of lined notebook paper inside.

WHAT HE SEES

Scrawled in block letters, in pencil, is the message:

DROP IT OR WE'LL CUT HER THROAT

CATCH YOU LATER

MEDIUM ON CASEY

His legs slowly give out under him, until he's sitting on the front-door stoop, staring at the sheet of paper in his hands.

CLOSE ON CASEY

It's his moment of despair. He's ready to give up. Covering his face with his hands, he bends forward, sweating in the summer swelter.

CASEY

Oh shit, what am I gonna do?

We think he may be about to break down and CRY when he hears

A VOICE

(O.S.)

Yankee-san! Yankee-san?

He looks up slowly. He's had it.

WHAT HE SEES

A young JAPANESE BOY, about 10 or 11, staring at him. He's wearing a blue Yankees baseball cap and is holding onto his bicycle.

CASEY

Scram, kid, Yankee-san here is fresh out of candy and chocolates.

BOY

Looking for your friends?

Casey is so taken aback, he speaks Japanese instead of English.

CASEY

Suimasen? I mean, excuse me, what are you talking about? What friends?

The BOY nods to the letter he's holding.

BOY

GI friends. I saw them leave letter on Ikeda-san door.

Casey stands up quickly.

CASEY

Where did they go? Did you see?

BOY

They went Monkey Mountain.

CASEY

Monkey Mountain? How do you know? Why not Kinosaki?

BOY

GI-sans live in old temple on Monkey Mountain. I see them there. Most Izushi boys, they scared go there. Say tengu lives there, eat little boys alive.

CASEY

Tengu? You mean mountain demons?

BOY

Hai. Some boys go up there, never come back.

CASEY

Where is this Monkey Mountain?

BOY

In Takenohama. Not far.

CASEY

Would you take me there? It's very important.

BOY

Sure. We go tengu-hunting?

CASEY

Yeah, we're going to go tengu-hunting. But first, us tengu-hunters have got to get some supplies. Let's stop by the village grocery store and the gas station.

They strike off for the grocery store.

CASEY

What's your name?

BOY

Tetsuro. Matsumoto Tetsuro.

CASEY

Tetsuro-san, where did you learn English?

TETSURO

In Osaka after war. GI-sans teach me.

CASEY

A fellow Yankees fan. A man after my own heart.

He grins and tugs the cap a little over Tetsuro's eyes. Tetsuro smiles up at him.

INT. GROCERY STORE

Casey is paying for some items at the register: steak knives, black pepper, a Zippo lighter, dishcloths, and candy bars. An ELDERLY JAPANESE WOMAN is ringing up the merchandise.

Tetsuro

Strange stuffs. This for tengu-hunting?

CASEY

Yeah, since I can't get my hands on a gun around here. Here.

He hands Tetsuro a candy bar.

CASEY

An army can't fight tengus on an empty stomach.

EXT. GAS STATION

Casey is filling up a large RED GAS CAN while an ATTENDANT looks on. Casey nods over to some wooden cases of Coke stacked against the wall.

CASEY

I think we could use some Cokes, too. Don't you think so?

TETSURO nods quickly.

EXT. SANIN COAST ROAD - ON THE WAY TO TAKENOHAMA

CASEY'S CAR is negotiating the narrow, treacherous mountain road that hugs the Sanin Coast. It's a breathtaking view; off to the side, the Pacific Ocean is vast and sparkling, but Casey is essentially driving along a cliff, and instead of a metal guard rail, the steep dropoff is only protected by a flimsy rope.

Ahead is the unnamed mountain next to the village of Takenohama, towering and massive. It's wild and covered with exploding vegetation.

INT. CAR

Tetsuro is sitting in the front with Casey. His BICYCLE is in the back seat with their recent purchases. They're swigging Cokes.

CASEY

Tetsuro-san, why do they call this Monkey Mountain?

TETSURO

Because lots of wild monkeys live there. What you call—apes? Very dangerous. People live there, have to lock house at night, keep monkeys out.

Casey glances out the window and grins.

CASEY

Monkey come take your wife. After wife know monkey, wife never come back.

TETSURO

Excuse please?

CASEY

Nothing. Nerves. Just nerves.

EXT. SANIN COAST SEASHORE - NEAR TAKENO

At the base of the mountain, Casey comes to a stop along a beautiful stretch of white-sand beach. The waters of the Pacific lapping at the sands are clear and sparkling.

Casey parks off to the side, under a concealing stand of trees. There is no one around. He and Tetsuro get out of the car and remove their purchases from the back seat; they leave the bicycle in the back seat. They leave the car unlocked.

Casey lugs the GAS CAN and Tetsuro carries two six-packs of COKE BOTTLES. Casey follows Tetsuro up a pathway that leads up the mountain.

EXT. PATHWAY

They're quickly swallowed up by a rain-forest-like atmosphere. Thick vegetation closes in around them as they begin to make their ascent up the mountain.

In the trees around them, birds are calling out to one another and monkeys are chittering.

EXT. MOUNTAIN

It's late afternoon. We can see the declining light hitting the trees. Birds are flying in and out of treetops.

EXT. PATHWAY - FURTHER UP THE MOUNTAIN

They pause to rest by a cluster of rocks. Casey opens two Cokes and they drink. Casey is saving the empties.

TETSURO

You ever hunt tengus before?

CASEY

Yeah, in Washington, D.C. We have a lot of tengus there.

EXT. PATHWAY - FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER

Dusk is beginning to filter down through the treetops. They stop by a creek, and Tetsuro leads Casey off the pathway, following the creek.

EXT. CREEK

They arrive at a mound of rocks, surrounded by thick vegetation. Peeking around it, they can see

THE TEMPLE

which has a bivouac set up outside it. CANVAS-COVERED TRUCKS and JEEPS are parked together. The abandoned temple is occupied by the twelve members of the Kramer Team, a primitive Special Forces unit.

WHAT CASEY SEES

Jim is delivering a chalk-talk to the assembled members of the team. He has a large MAP set up on an easel depicting a crossroads, and he's holding a pointer. Off to the side, Noriko is sitting in a chair, her wrists bound in front of her. Jim taps the crossroads with his pointer.

JIM

The intersection of Toyooka Road and Negima Lane. The road outside Toyooka where MacArthur will be arriving tomorrow at 4 P.M.

Jim taps the areas inside each of the four corners.

JIM

Each of these corners is provided with natural cover—rocks and vegetation. Each corner will have an emplacement.

Jim indicates each of the four corners individually.

JIM

A machine-gun nest here. A flame-thrower post here. A bazooka team here. And a hand-grenade squad here.

He turns back to his audience.

JIM

We'll hit him from all four sides at once, so there'll be no chance of escape. And in the open countryside, there'll be no one around.

Any questions?

EXT. CREEK

Casey whispers to Tetsuro.

CASEY

I want you to go back to the car, get your bicycle, and ride to Kinosaki. Tell the police that you've found the men who wrecked the train at Matsukawa, and they're going to kill MacArthur-san when he comes to Kinosaki tomorrow. Here's my ID.

He hands Tetsuro his photo ID from the Chronicle.

CASEY

Tell them Robert Casey sent you, and show them this. They'll show up. Understand?

Tetsuro nods quickly.

TETSURO

But I won't get back till dark. You be okay?

CASEY

Yeah, I'm going to be busy rehearsing Night on Bald Mountain. You just take care of yourself, okay?

Nodding, Tetsuro scurries off down the mountain.

MEDIUM ON CASEY

as he begins pouring gasoline into the empty Coke bottles. He's making Molotov cocktails.

CASEY

All right, Robert. Let's see if we can avert World War Three.

EXT. CREEK - TWO HOURS LATER

Casey is sitting, crouched in the dark, in his hiding place behind the rocks and vegetation. He's watching the temple while waiting for the authorities to arrive. Crickets are chirping all around him.

EXT. TEMPLE

The temple is now illuminated by torchlight and dim Coleman lanterns. The TEAM is busy loading wooden boxes of ammunition into the canvas-covered trucks.

INT. TEMPLE

NORIKO is still seated in the chair with her hands tied before her. JIM is standing not far from her, cradling a semi-automatic rifle in his arms. GARY is with him, holding a Bren gun.

EXT. CREEK

Rising to his feet, Casey picks up the gas can and the Molotov cocktails and leaves his hiding place.

MOVING SHOT - WITH CASEY

as he creeps around the back of the base camp. We follow him through the woods as he leaks a trail of gasoline from the gas can behind him, laying down a fireline behind the camp.

EXT. WOODS

Casey finds a vantage point behind the camp located on higher ground; it's a slightly elevated area, screened by trees and vegetation. Before him the base camp is spread out, but no one can see him. He begins filling up the rest of the Coke bottles with gasoline and stuffing dishcloths into them to serve as fuses.

EXT. TEMPLE

The TEAM continues loading boxes into the trucks.

EXT. WOODS

Casey checks his watch; it's 8:00. He gets out his Zippo lighter.

From farther down the mountain, faint sounds begin filtering through the trees.

EXT. MOUNTAIN - DOWN THE SLOPE

It's the POLICE SEARCH PARTY, accompanied by a JAPANESE CIVILIAN POSSE, come to capture wanted murderer Robert Casey and the villains of Matsukawa. There are about thirty of them, carrying lanterns and flashlights and talking among themselves. The police are carrying guns and the posse—farmers, mostly—have armed themselves with everything from rusty shotguns to pitchforks to long wooden kendo swords.

EXT. TEMPLE

The TEAM catches wind of the approaching posse. They hear them.

INT. TEMPLE

GARY

Who the hell is that?

JIM

Company. Get ready for an engagement.

JIM steps out of the temple, slipping his rifle off safety.

EXT. WOODS

Casey stands up, a Molotov cocktail in his hand. He's listening to the posse intently.

EXT. TEMPLE

JIM barks orders to the other men.

JIM

Men, the enemy is trying to sneak up on us. Let's enlighten them.

The men start going for their guns.

EXT. WOODS

Casey flicks his Zippo and ignites the fireline. The GASOLINE JUMPS into FLAME, creating a shimmering wall of fire roaring on the ridge behind the camp.

EXT. TEMPLE

The men react, wheeling around with the guns in their hands.

JIM is shocked.

JIM

Incoming!

EXT. WOODS

Casey lights the first Molotov cocktail and hurls it down on the CANVAS-COVERED TRUCKS loaded with ammo. He tosses a second Molotov cocktail down on the roof of the TEMPLE.

EXT. TEMPLE

The CANVAS-COVERED TRUCKS catch fire and the ammunition EXPLODES. The MEN are thrown into a panic.

The temple roof catches fire and NORIKO runs out of the temple for safety. Sighting her, GARY wheels around, bringing his rifle up.

EXT. WOODS

Casey throw a third Molotov cocktail down on Gary.

CASEY

(yelling)

Noriko! Up here!

EXT. TEMPLE

Spotting the Molotov cocktail flying down on him, Gary instinctively fires on it. But it EXPLODES and FLAMING GASOLINE rains down on GARY, setting him afire. Screaming, he rolls around on the earth, trying to put the flames out. Noriko starts running up the hill to meet Casey.

EXT. WOODS

Casey runs down the hill to meet her.

EXT. TEMPLE

Acting swiftly, JIM puts GARY out of his misery by shooting him. Then he sees NORIKO running up the hill and he brings his rifle up.

MOVING SHOT - WITH CASEY

as he throws his last flaming Molotov cocktail at JIM.

ANGLE ON JIM

as he dives to the earth and rolls out of the way. The Molotov cocktail hits the dirt and explodes into flame. JIM is unscathed.

NORIKO

is running toward Casey.

JIM

scrambles to his feet, bringing his rifle up to shoot her. He's only about six feet away.

CASEY

throws a handful of BLACK PEPPER into JIM's eyes, blinding him. While JIM drops his rifle and claps his hands over his eyes, screaming, CASEY THROWS HIMSELF AT JIM, a steak knife raised in one hand.

THE KNIFE

flashes down.

JIM jerks away in time, but the knife slams into the fleshy part of his right bicep. Gnashing his teeth, he bellows and smashes an elbow across Casey's face. He's still blinded, and tears are running down his face.

A NEW ANGLE

The BASE CAMP is now in total disarray. The TEMPLE and the TRUCKS are roaring with flame, and now the POLICE SEARCH PARTY and the POSSE are entering the camp. The two groups begin exchanging fire.

JIM'S P.O.V.

through tear-blurred eyes as he sees TWO TEAM MEMBERS struck by gunfire and hit the dirt.

CLOSE ON JIM

waving his arm and groping for his rifle.

JIM

Regroup! Regroup!

BULLETS chew up the dirt at his feet.

ANOTHER ANGLE

NORIKO is helping CASEY to his feet.

ANGLE ON JIM

Firing back at the enemy, JIM runs for one of the JEEPS and jumps inside.

EXT. TEMPLE

The search party is coming out of the woods and into the clearing. We see a few of the POLICE and FARMERS fall under the withering rain of GI gunfire.

ANGLE ON JIM

as he revs up the JEEP and speeds away. He wrenches onto a rutted track leading down the mountain and wastes no time fleeing.

ANOTHER ANGLE

After he severs her bonds with a knife, CASEY has to yell at NORIKO to make himself heard.

CASEY

Go hide in the woods! I've got to go after him!

Snatching up Gary's fallen Bren gun, he takes off down the rutted path after JIM.

EXT. PATH - MOVING SHOT - WITH CASEY

as he races pell-mell downhill, gripping the Bren gun. TREE BRANCHES slap his face.

EXT. PATH - DOWN THE HILL - MOVING SHOT - WITH JIM

as his JEEP BOUNCES down the narrow path. It's rocking and rolling. He's clenching his teeth, his eyes are burning, and blood is leaking out of his arm.

EXT. TEMPLE

The firefight continues. One of the TEAM MEMBERS riddles a FARMER with bullets. Then another FARMER hurls a PITCHFORK into the killer GI's back.

Alarmed by the flames and the gunfire, a PACK OF SCREAMING BABOONS comes racketing out of the woods at the top of the mountain. Shrieking, they begin dropping out of the trees and attacking. A couple land on two GI's backs and bite their necks savagely. In response the GIs begin shooting the baboons.

EXT. MOUNTAIN

JIM's JEEP emerges from the pathway at the end of the mountain and bursts out into the beach area. He swerves onto the Sanin Coast road we saw Casey on before.

EXT. TEMPLE

Overwhelmed, the remaining TEAM MEMBERS surrender. They begin throwing down their arms and placing their hands on their heads. The TEMPLE is seething with flame, and corpses from the firefight litter the earth.

EXT. MOUNTAIN

Panting, Casey comes running out of underbrush surrounding the pathway exit. He's drenched in sweat and gasping for breath. Dashing over to his car, he jumps in, starts it, and roars after Jim.

EXT. SANIN COAST ROAD

JIM'S BLURRED P.O.V.

The road comes SWIMMING at him. It's pitch black, and the narrow, curving mountain road is treacherous and dangerous.

A NEW ANGLE

Casey is in hot pursuit. Hunched over the steering wheel, he peers into the darkness.

ANOTHER ANGLE

JIM'S JEEP is swerving and unsteady.

UP AHEAD

A POLICE ROADBLOCK has been set up.

JIM'S BLURRED P.O.V.

A POLICEMAN is waving his arms, signaling him to stop.

JIM

floors the accelerator.

EXT. POLICE ROADBLOCK

JIM smashes through it. The COPS fire on his rear windshield as it disappears.

WITH JIM'S JEEP

further on down the road as it SKIDS. It almost slides over the cliff and into the Pacific.

WITH CASEY

as he stares ahead with steely determination in pursuit of Kramer. After he shoots through the roadblock himself, he does his damnedest not to fly off the road and into oblivion. The road is very tight.

WITH JIM'S JEEP

as he almost collides with a FARMER riding an OX-CART who comes at him out of nowhere in the darkness. He swerves and almost loses control of the Jeep.

ANGLE ON JIM

Tears are running down his cheeks. He can hardly see.

JIM

Fucking road, I can't see

WITH CASEY

as he zooms ahead. He's closing in on Jim.

ANGLE ON JIM

He spots Casey's car in the rearview mirror. The headlights are bearing down on him.

WITH CASEY

Casey begins leaning on his horn and speeding up to close the gap.

ANGLE ON JIM

He steps on the gas to evade Casey.

EXT. ROAD - FIFTY YARDS AHEAD

Invisible in the darkness, a LINE OF FALLEN ROCKS is strung across the road. They're big.

JIM'S JEEP HITS them violently and goes into an immediate tailspin. As the Jeep swings around, the REAR WHEELS jump off the roadbed, hanging over empty space, and the Jeep TIPS BACKWARD.

ANGLE ON CASEY'S CAR

Almost too late, Casey SLAMS ON THE BRAKES. As the rocks come rushing at him, he turns the wheel to the left so he collides with the mountain wall on the left as opposed to spinning off into space on the right.

CLOSE ON JIM'S JEEP

as it tumbles off the cliff and FALLS. We follow its descent until it CRASHES on the ROCKS below and EXPLODES.

ANGLE ON CASEY

Having rammed into the mountain, he's sitting slumped behind the wheel, blood tricking out of his cut scalp. He's losing consciousness.

EXT. ROCKS - PACIFIC OCEAN

We see the surf SURGING and SEETHING around the blazing remnants of JIM'S JEEP lying scattered on the rocks.

EXT. CASEY'S CAR

As Casey passes out, we can hear the SCREAM of a POLICE SIREN approaching; RED LIGHT thrown off by revolving police CHERRY LIGHTS bathes Casey's car.

CASEY

(V.O.)

They never found Kramer's body. I was told there was no way he could have survived that crash, but you know me. I'm a skeptic.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. BATTLEFRONT - NORTH KOREA - NEAR the yalu river - DECEMBER 15, 1950 - DAY

Onscreen we read:

NORTH KOREA - NEAR the yalu river

DECEMBER 15, 1950

We fade in on a frozen country road. The Chinese have just entered the war—in overwhelming force—and the Americans are beating a retreat. A long line of U.N. TROOPS is roaring down the road as fast as possible; TRUCKS and JEEPS are speeding ahead blindly, and TROOPS are marching almost into a run. It's a dignified rout.

MEDIUM ON CASEY

wearing a winter parka and a fur hat. It's freezing. He's walking along the side of the road along with some OTHER WAR CORRESPONDENTS and GIs when a JEEP full of GIs whizzes by.

Casey does a double-take. One of the GI passengers in the Jeep looks like a dead ringer for JIM KRAMER, but the Jeep is speeding so quickly, it's impossible to be sure.

CASEY

(V.O.)

Later, in Korea, I could sworn I saw him again. But it would have been impossible, right? Unless you believe in ghosts.

The retreating COLUMN continues down the road, stretching back as far as the eye can see. MOUNTAINS loom in the background; otherwise, the men are racing across a barren, forbidding plain blanketed with snow and ice.

CASEY

(V.O.)

The cops released me after they heard Noriko's story and saw all the evidence at the base camp. But justice never went any farther than that. Nobody touched Gordon or Valmont or the higher-ups behind them. Nobody lost their place in Who's Who.

Noriko and I lasted until June 1950, when war broke out in Korea and I got shipped over there as a war correspondent.

Casey claps his gloved hands together to keep them warm as he marches in lock-step. Frosty breath is issuing from his mouth.

CASEY

(to himself)

Kramer, wherever you are, I hope you're happy. The Chinese are in the war. And we're gettin' creamed.

GI

Whudja say?

CASEY

I said, I wonder how long it'll be before we start using germ warfare to beat 'em back.

GI

Germ warfare? You kiddin'?

CASEY

Wait and see. I'm takin' bets.

ANOTHER GI

Who gives a shit about germ warfare? I just wanna go someplace warm. Where, I don't care. India, Singapore, Malaya

Another war correspondent chimes in. He wears thick black hornrimmed glasses and a mustache.

war correspondent

How about French Indochina? Lot going on in Saigon these days, you know.

CASEY

Is that a fact?

FADE OUT

THE END

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