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FADE IN:
INT. ALICE'S - NIGHT - EXTREMELY CLOSE ON
a moving wall of muscled skin, tinged blue by moonlight.
Four claw-like scratches are raked across this landscape in
bright red. Throaty, guttural MOANS drift up from somewhere.
Are we in heaven? Or hell.
TIGHT SHOTS ON
A delicate hand caressing a muscled bishop.
A woman's leg entwined around a man's.
A cascade of red hair falling across an unshaven cheek.
Two faces pressed tightly together in a kiss.
The faces belong to ALICE and DAN, and as their moans build
to a crescendo we realize it isn't pain we're hearing but the
opposite. Afterwards...
ALICE'S HANDS
gently rove Dan's back, tenderly caressing the scratches
they've just made.
CLOSE ON ALICE
her relaxed, happy face gazes up from the pillow. She turns
and smiles at Dan.
Dan sleepily smiles back, then gently reaches out to caress
her shoulder. Their eyes hold for a moment. Alice leans
over and kisses him.
ALICE
I'm going to take a shower.
Dan nods and closes his eyes, still smiling. Alice climbs
from bed. FOLLOW HER.
INT. ALICE'S BATHROOM - NIGHT - ON SHOWER DRAIN
Water pours down into the drain from the shower. TIGHT on
Alice's HEAD AND SHOULDERS as she steps INTO FRAME and stands
under the cascading water.
IN THE SHOWER
The hot water streams down onto Alice's face. She scrubs
herself clean. The water beats down on her shoulders and
back. She rinses her hair. Shakes her wet head.
THE DRAIN
gives an odd gurgle, like something had backed up the
plumbing.
ALICE
glances down. Nothing. Turns back the jets of water. The
pressure builds up a little. She turns it down.
THE DRAIN
the gurgles again. The water starts to back up, rising
around Alice's feet.
ALICE'S POV
She notices. Leans down, perturbed, as the water reaches her
ankles and tries to clear the drain. No success. The water
continues to back up.
ALICE
Oh great. The drain monster strikes
again.
ALICE
stands back up now, a little apprehensive. As the water
rises to her knees, the pressure from the shower jet suddenly
DOUBLES! Gallons of water now BLAST into the shower. Alice
tries to turn it off but the handles come off in her hands!
She tries to open the shower door. IT WON'T BUDGE! She's
trapped and now the water is climbing to her neck! Frantic,
Alice POUNDS on the glass!
THE SHOWER
Completely full. Alice stands inside, completely under
water, slamming her fists against the door, in desperation.
Suddenly...
INT. CORRIDOR OF DOORS - NIGHT
the door opens. But it is no longer Alice's glass shower
door. It's one of the heavy doors in the asylum. As it
opens toward CAMERA, Alice stumbles out of the STATIC WALL OF
WATER into a dark room. The door closes behind her and melts
into the wall.
Alice looks around. She is in a dark empty corridor. Two
doors flank both ends of the hallway. One opens.
Alice tries to peer beyond it. Darkness. Slowly, she gets
to her feet and steps through it...
ANOTHER DOOR
further on, opens, beckoning her forward. And another door
beyond that. And another. Cautiously, Alice moves down this
corridor of invitations until...
INT. ASYLUM - TIGHT ON ALICE
as she steps through the last door. Shadows and light play
across her face. She looks around. What she sees sends fear
into her eyes. This is where Amanda Krueger was raped. The
asylum.
PULL BACK
slowly down the length of this nightmarish room. Fingers of
lights stab up from crusting floor grates and reach through
the thick, murky air toward a dark cathedral ceiling, who's
beams appear to be made from the bones of some unearthly
creature.
CAMERA CONTINUES BACK
revealing beds and mattresses crowded along the walls. Old.
Filthy. Some torn to pieces. We can make out the figures of
men lying in them. And others milling around. These are
AMANDA'S HUNDRED MANIACS. All dressed in the garb of 1940's
mental patients. Some pace aimlessly. Devoid of sanity and
purpose. Others sit, lost in their own private hells. No
one has noticed Alice. Yet. At the end of the room...
CAMERA CRANES UP, CONTINUING BACK
revealing a staircase that leads to a huge IRON DOOR. Two
ORDERLIES hover on the landing before it, gazing into the dim
scene below. One of them pokes his finger into the dark,
silently counting. The other is eager to go.
ORDERLY #1
Come on, will ya.
ORDERLY #2
Shut up, you'll make me lose count...
eighty-two, eighty-three...
ALICE
looks down at herself. Now she is dressed in an old
fashioned nurse's uniform. White and starched. There is a
name tag over her left breast. It reads: AMANDA KRUEGER.
Alice barely has time to react when she hears the first
orderly impatiently say...
ORDERLY #1
Close enough. Let's call it a hundred
and call it a day.
We hear the SOUND of RUSTY HINGES as the heavy door starts to
swing closed. Alice looks up. Starts moving toward it.
ALICE
No...WAIT!
ON THE DOOR
As it slams closed with a resounding CLANG. We hear the
SOUND of heavy bolts being thrown in place.
ALICE
whirls around. WHIP PAN with her as she discovers that the
door she came through is no longer there.
She turns back to the room, frightened. Starts moving for
the bolted steel door at the far end. As she hurries
forward, the maniacs notice her. All heads turn. Horrible
faces peer at her from everywhere. Some of the men move
toward the center of the room, blocking her way.
Alice stops. There is no way past them to the door. She
turns. The maniacs move in on her from all directions.
ALICE'S POV
Freddy's hundred fathers. A drooling, macabre parade of
human beings. Hands grope toward her. Hideous faces leer.
ALICE
watches, terrified.
ALICE'S POV
This is looking less like an insane asylum in the 1940's and
more like a nightmare scene of London's 16th century Bedlam!
The maniacs converge on her. One pushes his way through the
others. (we recognize him as Robert Englund, sans Freddy
make-up.) As he reaches toward her...
HIGH SHOT, LOOKING DOWN
as CAMERA begins to descend, pushing in, moving closer, the
maniacs surround her. As they begin to drag her down, Alice
turns her face up toward CAMERA. PUSH IN EXTREMELY CLOSE as
she SCREAMS!
MATCH CUT TO:
INT. ALICE'S BEDROOM - EARLY MORNING
Alice lunges up from bed INTO FRAME. SCREAMING. Dan
immediately sits up beside her, concerned. A hand rests on
her shoulder, between them. Alice realizes where she is.
ALICE
Jesus...
CAMERA TRACKS AROUND
until Alice's profile blocks Dan's face. The following line
begins OFF SCREEN, during the CAMERA TRACK.
VOICE (O.S.)
What's the matter hon? Bad dream?
Suddenly ENGLUND's leering face pushes into FOREGROUND FRAME,
beside Alice. It's his hand on her shoulder and we realize
that he spoke the line, not Dan. She turns, startled, then
SCREAMS.
Englund rolls on top of her, pinning her to the mattress.
CLOSE ON ENGLUND
grinning down at her, his tongue snaking out his mouth.
ENGLUND
There's no such thing as safe sex.
ALICE
pushes him away with every ounce of her strength. She starts
to sit up...
INT. ALICE'S - EARLY MORNING
Alice sits up, terrified! Looks around in panic. Realizes
she's alone in bed. Where's Dan? She reflexively glances
toward her open bedroom window. Its curtain gently billows
with the morning breeze. Dan has gone home.
Alice tries to collect herself. The dream is over. But we
can tell by her face that she is far from all right. She
pulls on a robe and shakily climbs from bed.
INT. ALICE'S BATHROOM - EARLY MORNING
Alice moves toward the shower. Pauses before it. Takes a
breath and opens the door. Looks inside. Normal enough.
Turns on the water. Watches apprehensively as it pours
serenely down the drain. She'd really rather not, but Alice
reluctantly starts to remove her robe...
DAN (O.S.)
...we stand naked and defenseless before
an ever more unimaginable horror
SLOW DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SPRINGWOOD HIGH - DAY
CLOSE ON SPRAY OF WATER FROM A LARGE FOUNTAIN
PAN DOWN from the water to a statue in the fountain's center.
And from the statue down to Dan, dressed in a graduation cap
and gown. He's perched on the statue's pedestal, his arm
draped irreverently across the stone man's shoulder, grinning
as he speaks.
DAN
...college. High school was only the
beginning for some of us. Don't forget:
S.A.T. stands for Sadistic, Anti-human,
Torture.
WIDER
Laughter from a sea of fellow graduates who are gathered
round the base of the fountain, outnumbered by their less
amused parents. Beyond them, we glimpse even more caps and
gowns milling with roving bands of adults.
DAN (cont'd)
Most of us have just this one summer to
live... and by live I mean...paaarty!
The kids sends up a cheer as Dan throws his cap into the air
and leaps off the fountain. He floats DOWN through a seas of
ASCENDING caps, disappearing into the crown of students.
PAN OVER TO GRETA AND HER MOTHER
standing at the edge of the group. Greta is living proof of
what God can create when he's having a good day. She's
beautiful. and fashion model-thin. Her only flaw might be
the hint of neuroses in her perfection.
Her mother, RACINE GIBSON, a once beautiful woman now
expanding into middle age, raises a disapproving eyebrow
toward Dan and the boisterous kids around them.
RACINE GIBSON
How colorful. Who is he?
GRETA
Dan Jordan. Captain of our football
team.
RACINE GIBSON
(with distaste)
Charming...
ANGLE ON GRETA
a head TALLER than everyone around her as she suddenly
squeals with delight, recognizing...
GRETA
Alice! Yvonne!
Through the swirling crowd we see Alice standing with YVONNE,
a very grounded black girl. Her father stands with them.
Alice is a little glum, but Yvonne breaks into a wide grin as
they both turn toward Greta.
YVONNE
Hey, girl!
Yvonne gives Alice a little tug and they hurry toward Greta.
THE THREE GIRLS
Yvonne and Greta throw their arms around one another and send
up shrill noises of girlish delight. Then Yvonne breaks into
the girls RAP.
YVONNE (cont'd)
I'm the Y, the V-O-N-N-E, and wherever I
am, that's the place to be.
ALL THREE
Yvonne!
Alice isn't getting into the spirit of things. Yvonne tries
to inject a little enthusiasm into her.
YVONNE
(to Alice)
C'mon, honey!
Alice joins in, trying to be cheerful.
ALICE
I'm the A-L-I-C-E. Blond hair on my
head, blue eyes to see.
ALL THREE
Greta!
GREAT
The G-R-E-T-A and my mom says I'll be in
magazines one day!
ALL THREE
We're the three together, and together
we'll be. The Y, the A, don't forget the
G!
The all three put their hands together in an overhead SLAP.
Greta and Yvonne break into laughter. Alice halfheartedly
joins them, about a step behind their good spirits.
YVONNE
(to Alice, good naturedly)
Hey, what's wrong with you -- let's see a
smile.
ALICE
Had kind of a long night.
YVONNE
(grins knowingly)
Dan keeping you up again? Put a lock on
that window, girl.
ALICE
(smiling)
No, the Dan part was nice...
Greta playfully tugs at her gown, interrupting them.
GRETA
These things are wild...
(striking pose)
What do you think?
YVONNE
Makes you look like a nun--
ALICE
(trying to cheer up)
Yeah - kick the habit! Break those vows!
They laugh. Greta feigns hormonal desperation.
GRETA
Find me a man!
MARK, good-looking, though considerably off-the-wall, STEPS
INTO SHOT holding a SMALL SKETCHPAD and a LARGE, EXCESSIVE
LOLLIPOP. He speaks to her as though he were a fashion
photographer.
MARK
No, it's all wrong. Sell it! More teeth
and raise the arms a bit.
Greta drops the pose and addresses the heavens.
GRETA
(sarcastically)
Maybe I should spell it for you.
ALICE
(playfully)
Maybe God's trying to tell you something.
Mark smiles at Greta, as he puts away his sketchbook.
They're old friends and this is a familiar game.
MARK
Yeah, when are you gonna come to your
senses?
GRETA
Next life. Oh, what's that?
MARK
My undying love. Have some.
Yvonne and Alice laugh.
ALICE
Give up, Mark, it's hopeless.
MARK
(with a grin)
I think I'm starting to wear her down.
(to Greta)
Have some anyway.
GRETA
(aghast)
That must never pass these lips.
RACINE GIBSON
Greta, that's not what a cover girl puts
in her body.
Past her shoulder, Greta indicates Mrs. Gibson, glaring
disapprovingly. Mark gets conspiratorial.
MARK
Meet me later. Milkshakes. Cherry pie.
Banana splits. And no mom!
GRETA
Pimples, heartburn, cellulite... and no
modeling career.
ALICE
Not to mention the heartbreak of
psoriasis.
ALL LAUGH.
MARK
Greta, come on. One burger with me?
GRETA
One with you and I'm off to comic book
land. We're high school graduates now.
Time to grow up.
Dismisses his sketchbook.
GRETA (cont'd)
And speaking of grown-ups... Daddy's
here, superhero.
All turn as Mark's father, MR. GREY, approaches. Mr. Grey
steps into shot. A rugged, blue collar type, he glances at
the girls then at Mark. His hearty cheerfulness contains a
note of reproach.
MR. GREY
Hey Rembrandt!. No wonder I couldn't
find you. I thought you'd be hanging out
with the guys.
Mark becomes uncomfortable in this big man's presence.
MARK
Oh, hi, Dad. I thought the guys could
hang out with themselves.
They offer up a trio of hellos. Alice turns to Mark.
ALICE
Did you bring your sketchbook to the
ceremony. I'd love to see what you did
to D.W.
MR. GREY
Who?
GRETA
D.W. Yates. The Principal.
He looks to Mark, who goes sheepish, then fesses up.
MARK
Uh, Dickweed, sir.
Mark's dad isn't too amused.
MR. GREY
Uh huh... I hope you had time to finish
those cross-sections I asked for.
MARK
Can we get into that later, Dad?
There is an awkward beat as everyone falls quiet.
ALICE
Good to see you again, Mr. Grey.
(begs off)
I've got to go find Dan.
YVONNE
Yeah, before they revoke his diploma.
As Alice turns away, the cheerful face she put on dissolves
and we see that underneath she's still on the edge.
FOLLOW ALICE through the crowd. Suddenly, a DARK SHAPE looms
up behind her, lifting her in a bear hug. Alice jumps,
startled. As the big arms twirl her around she comes face to
face with Dan. He smiles.
DAN
Hi, beautiful.
ALICE
Jesus! Don't do that!
DAN
Sorry, babe.
He sets her down, his feelings hurt. Alice recovers.
ALICE
Me too. Give me a kiss.
He plants one on her lips. Then...
DAN
Got a present for you.
He reaches into a pocket beneath his gown. Grins as he hands
her two AIRPLANE TICKETS tied with a ribbon. She tries to be
enthusiastic, but doesn't come off.
ALICE
The tickets.
DAN
They're coach seats, but the plane lands
in Paris. It's gonna be a helluva
summer, hon!
ALICE
I know.
Dan's well-acquainted with Alice's moods. He turns to her
with a lover's required patience.
DAN
Okay, babe. What's the matter?
ALICE
Nothing...it's just...I didn't see my
father at the ceremony.
DAN
He'll show up. C'mon, what's really
wrong?
Alice hesitates.
ALICE
I had one of those dreams last night.
Dan's face grows concerned.
DAN
About him?
ALICE
No. Well, not exactly...it's that...I
felt like I wasn't in control. For the
first time since...all that. I'm scared.
Dan gives her a reassuring hug.
DAN
You stopped it didn't you? It was
probably just a regular bad dream.
ALICE
Yeah...I guess.
DAN
You don't dream him up, he can't hurt
you. Or me. Or us. Remember...
ALICE
You're right.
DAN
There you go.
(beat)
Love you.
ALICE
Me too.
Suddenly, MR. JORDAN, Dan's robust middle-aged father,
approaches through the crowd, excited.
MR. JORDAN
Dan, this is Coach Ostrow...
Dan's father drags a gruff-looking, crew-cutted man INTO
SHOT. Dan's mother brings up the rear.
MR. JORDAN (cont'd)
(conspiratorially to Dan)
He's interviewing this week.
(to coach)
Coach, you're looking at the stat's
finest quarterback. You know what they
say = this boy feels the need for speed.
OSTROW
So I've hear.
DAN
Dad, summer's just starting --
Mr. Jordan starts to lead Dan away.
MR. JORDAN
We're talking about your future.
Mrs. Jordan shoots a less than friendly look at Alice.
MRS. JORDAN
Excuse us, dear.
ALICE
It's okay, Dan
Dan and his parents move away with the coach. Alice stares
after them as they disappear into the crowd. Turns away...
AT THE FOUNTAIN
A wall of people moves away and Alice finds herself among
Yvonne, Greta and Mark again. Mark is answering Greta.
MARK
That club sucks, they card everybody.
Let's just party at your place.
GRETA
You know my mother -- get real. What
about Alice's?
Alice shakes her head.
ALICE
My dad's got this thing about drinking in
the house.
MARK
Well we gotta do something!
Yvonne shares an amused look with Alice, then steps in takes
control.
YVONNE
All right kids, I tell you what we're
gonna do. I've got swimming practice
until six-thirty today...
GRETA
(trying to follow)
Yeah...
YVONNE
That means they're gonna give me the key
to the pool so I can lock up when I'm
done.
Mark's face lights up. He goes off like a joy bomb.
MARK
Pool party! I dig it! Babes in wet T-
shirts. No -- topless! Fucking heaven!
The three girls look at each other, annoyed. Then break out
in mischievous grins.
ALICE
The Y, the A...
GRETA & YVONNE
Don't forget the G!
On cue, the girls all give Mark a SHOVE! He falls back, arms
flailing, and lands on his ass in the middle of the fountain!
Everyone nearby LAUGHS. Mark looks up at the girls,
innocent.
MARK
What'd I say?
The girls help pull a chagrined Mark from the fountain.
Suddenly, Alice frowns, remembering something.
ALICE
Oh, damn! I have to work tonight.
GRETA
Tell Dan to bring you after.
(to Mark)
C'mon, let's get you mopped up.
MR. GREY
Mark! Picture time. Come get
immortalized. Parents and brats.
All groan.
RACINE GIBSON
(calling)
Greta! Photo opportunity, dear!
GRETA
Damn. They caught me, too. Guess I'd
better go gnash my thousand-dollar teeth
for the paparazzi.
Alice glances at her watch. Looks around for someone. Can't
find him. She looks a little more unhappy. As Mark, Greta,
and Yvonne prepare to go...
ALICE
you guys go ahead. I'll catch up with you
later.
NEAR THE TREES
Alice trudges along, staring at the ground, unhappy.
ALICE (cont'd)
(to herself)
Congratulations, Alice. You looked
beautiful up there. I'm so proud of
you...gee, thanks Dad.
VOICE (O.S.)
You do look beautiful.
Alice looks up, surprised. Her father stands before her,
near a tree. She smiles. Her father tentatively smiles
back; a gruff man, uncomfortable with emotional displays.
ALICE
I was afraid you weren't coming.
ALICE'S DAD
I watched from behind the stands. Didn't
want to embarrass you, ya know. "The
drunk showed up", that kind of thing...
ALICE
That's in the past. Unless you've
stopped going to the meetings.
ALICE'S DAD
No. A deal's a deal.
He produces a wrapped present from behind his back.
Hesitates, awkward, then hands it at her. Alice's face
lights up as she stares at the package.
ALICE'S DAD (cont'd)
Well, go on. Open it.
She gleefully rips the paper off and opens the box. It's a
camera. She smiles, delighted and surprised.
ALICE
Dad!
ALICE'S DAD
It's the model you've been saving up for.
I wanted you to have it for your trip.
Alice stares lovingly at him.
ALICE
I don't give a damn what they might
think. You're terrific.
She gives him a kiss on the cheek. He tries to take it in
stride. She ponders him a second longer. Then takes his arm
and begins to lead him toward the foundation.
ALICE'S DAD
Where are we going?
ALICE
To take a picture.
ANGLE ON PARENTS AND KIDS
lining up for a group photo. Alice and her father ENTER
SHOT. Alice hands her camera to someone just OFF SCREEN. We
see them all taking places, changing their minds, moving next
to someone else. Mark's father puts a big arm around Greta's
mother. Beams, unaware of the horror and distaste that just
leapt onto Racine's face.
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT - LATER
Parents and off spring are moving toward their cars. CAMERA
PANS across the crowd to...
ALICE AND DAN
hugging. Her father stands a few feet away.
DAN
Call me when your shift ends.
Alice nods. Dan shakes her father's hand.
DAN (cont'd)
Goodbye, sir. I'll have her home by
August.
Alice's father frowns.
DAN (cont'd)
Just kidding.
Dan smiles at Alice and heads off. Alice hands her gown and
flowers to her father as he opens the car door.
ALICE
Thanks for everything, Dad.
ALICE'S DAD
You sure you don't want a ride to work?
ALICE
It's just across the park.
He climbs into the car. Smiles his gruff smile.
ALICE'S DAD
Okay, angel. Have fun tonight.
Alice waves goodbye as he starts the car.
EXT. SPRINGWOOD - DUSK
Alice walks down an empty street. Perhaps too empty to be
right. There is a faint SING-SONG NOISE, but it's not yet
discernible as anything.
ALICE
gives a faint look of ominous recognition.
ON THE STREET
Alice passes the entrance to the park.
INT. PARK - ALICE'S POV
Groups of kids are playing on the swings, in the sandbox, on
the slide. The SING-SONG continues.
ALICE
sees something.
ALICE'S POV - PAST THE OTHER CHILDREN
The ELM STREET CHILDREN play their ominous rope games... The
SING-SONG becomes identifiable now. It's the Elm Street
Children's Anthem... "three four, better shut the door..."
ALICE
Her face hardens with resolve.
ALICE
No. This isn't going to happen.
She closes her eyes tight. Then opens them again.
ALICE'S POV
Worse now. All the normal children are gone. Only the Elm
Street Kids remain...playing their endless games.
ALICE
grows more determined. Heads into the park. CAMERA STAYS
WITH HER as she moves with increasing speed.
THE ELM STREET CHILDREN
always managing to somehow stay one turn ahead of her.
THE PARK
itself has taken on a foreboding darkness. The trees cast
oddly elongated shadows.
ALICE
has left the path. She moves rapidly now through branches
that tear at her clothing and her face. Soon she is running
blindly in the direction of the ever present VOICES. She
breaks through some bushes and finds herself in a...
CLEARING
An open green in the center of the park. She is all alone...
and the effect, even to the color of the grass at her feet,
is dreamlike. The VOICES have ceased.
ALICE'S POV - IN A 360 PAN
There is nothing but the green common with the trees and
brush all around it...
But from somewhere nearby, she hears the chanting VOICES
they've added a new couplet.
VOICES
Nine ten, Freddy's back again...
CAMERA CONTINUES IN A SECOND 360
And now, where there was foliage a moment ago we see a set of
GOTHIC STEPS, framing a SILHOUETTED NUN.
ALICE
stares with intrigue as the children's voices fade.
ANGLE ON THE STEPS - LOOKING DOWN
past stone GARGOYLES in the FOREGROUND. The nun hurries up
the steps toward CAMERA, her face obscured by her habit's
veil. As the nun moves PAST CAMERA we see Alice, at the
bottom of the steps, hurrying after her.
ALICE
Wait!
ANGLE ON ASYLUM DOORS
at the top of the steps as the nun moves inside.
ANGLE ON STEPS - FROM INSIDE DOOR
Alice runs up, INTO SHOT. Stops. Glances up at something
high above her.
ON THE ASYLUM TOWER
rising toward the sky. Immense and imposing. Three windows
set in a row at the very top, are it's only features.
REVERSE ANGEL - LOOKING DOWN AT THE STEPS
INT. HOSPITAL CONVENT - NIGHT
Completely deserted. Alice moves slowly down a seemingly
endless corridor. She passes a deserted reception area, then
an empty nurses station. Open doors lead into frightening
pits of darkness all along the hallway.
INTERCUT Alice's pensive watchful face with the shadowy
ominous world through which she is walking. We just know
that something really nasty is going to happen. As she
passes an open doorway, she hears a strange, animal SOUND
form the room within. She pauses, looks inside, then recoils
with shock as she sees a sheep, it's mouth all bloody,
standing with it's lamb, near the carcass of a large, dead
snake. Suddenly she hears the sound of rusty wheels and
whirls around to see:
A FREDDYESQUE BABY STROLLER
black, ominous looking, rusting, rolls slowly down the
corridor toward Alice from behind. As it moves toward
CAMERA, PAN WITH IT TO...
ALICE
as she backs against the wall watching the evil pram roll
past. Then Alice notices something beyond it, far down the
corridor. CAMERA follows her gaze to...
THE NUN
hurrying SOUNDLESSLY through a doorway. We only catch a
glimpse of her as she disappears from view.
ALICE
reacts. Runs past the stroller towards the nun.
THE WHITE OF A NUN'S HABIT SWIRLS OUT OF CAMERA to reveal
staircase.
SHOOTING FROM OVERHEAD as Alice moves INTO FRAME and starts
up the staircase.
ALICE'S POV
Moving up. There is a SQUEAKY ECHO OF WHEELS OFF-SCREEN.
ON ALICE FROM BELOW
as she turns to look down.
CLOSE ON ALICE
as she looks back up the stairs. She takes one step forward
and...
WHAM!!
She's yanked down OUT OF FRAME!
A SET OF DOUBLE DOORS
BANGS open. Alice lies on a gurney, her head tilted back to
face the CAMERA mounted behind her head. The gurney races
down a corridor, pushed by a dirty, unshaven, orderly.
BANG!!
She is pushed through another set of doors into
INT. DELIVERY ROOM
WHITE HABITED NURSES, AIDES, and DOCTORS all crowd around and
peer down at her.
ALICE
looks around, horrified and confused.
A DOCTOR
leans down toward her.
DOCTOR
There's nothing to be afraid of. Just do
exactly what I say.
ALICE
sits bolt upright on the gurney.
ALICE
No!!!!!
HER POV PANNING
The crowd of spectators...orderlies, nurses and doctors, have
all backed away and now crowd the walls of the room. STOP ON
ALICE AMONG THEM AND TRACK INTO CLOSE UP. (Alice is still in
hospital gown.)
ALICE (IN THE SPECTATORS)
Her eyes lock with...
AMANDA KRUEGER'S
who is now the one on the gurney, about to give birth.
AMANDA
Help me...why is this happening again?
Please! Don't let him do this...
A painful contraction wracks her body.
ALICE
tries to understand the meaning of her words.
AMANDA
is now lost in the agony of Freddy's birth.
DOCTOR
Don't panic, sister. We've got a breach
birth here. It's backwards. I'm going to
have to turn it around. Okay.
Deep breath. Here we go. I need you to
push...now! Push!
The birth proceeds.
DOCTOR (cont'd)
Holy shit!! What is it?!
A NUN
stands, holding something in swaddling (which obscures the
thing from her view. She addresses her answer to Amanda.)
NUN
This is still one of God's creatures, you
know. Take solace in that.
AMANDA
struggles upright on the operating table. She is drenched in
sweat and clearly terrified. She stares directly into the
eyes of the nun holding the swaddled bundle.
AMANDA
That is no creature of God!
THE NUN
gazes at Amanda, shocked by her words. She starts to speak.
Suddenly, the swaddled bundle begins to kick and beat
furiously. The nun fights to keep hold of it, but the bundle
struggles free from her grasp and falls under the gurney. In
a second, it scuttles into the shadows.
We hear a horrible BRAYING SOUND.
THE ORDERLIES
involuntarily step back, staring at the thing on the floor.
Then general panic sets in.
AMANDA (cont'd)
Stop it! Give it to me!
A few orderlies scramble to close the doors. Some bolt
through them, racing to get away from the thing on the floor.
Bedlam reigns as people shout and rush around.
ALICE
watches, transfixed. Then...
BABY FREDDY'S POV
streaking towards Alice. He scuttled between her legs and
out through the double doors.
AMANDA (0.S. cont'd)
Don't let it get away!
THE DOUBLE DOORS
swing closed. PAN to Alice, as she gets back to her feet and
turns.
ALICE'S POV
The delivery room is empty.
ALICE
turns back to the doors. She moves slowly and deliberately.
THE DOORS - ALICE'S POV
CAMERA moves toward them.
ALICE
scared but determined. She stops in front of them.
THE DOORS
HOLD LONG ENOUGH so that we're dead sure something evil is
going to jump right into Alice's face.
ALICE
takes a deep breath and reaches out to open the doors!
Nothing awful grabs her. Her expression changes to one of
horrified recognition.
INT. CHURCH - OVER ALICE'S SHOULDER
where Freddy "died" in Nightmare Four. That horrible BRAYING
SOUND comes from somewhere nearby. TRACK WITH HER as she
starts into the church. CRANE UP OVER HER to reveal the
church in all its horrid glory, full of Freddyized church
artifacts. There is no sign of the "baby."
ALICE'S POV
moving past row after row of pews. There are SLIMY, GULPING
NOISES now, SOUNDS even more unspeakably unpleasant that the
thing's BRAYING.
The SOUNDS echo in a way that tells Alice nothing about where
they're coming from. The thing could be anywhere.
ALICE
ain't to happy about that!
NEAR THE ALTAR
Freddy's fetid remains lie in a crumpled heap. We recognize
bits of striped sweater. A claw catches a stray bit of light
from somewhere. In the distance, Alice moves slowly forward.
ALICE
stops for a moment...staring at the place she thought she
left her nightmare forever.
There is a SLITHERING SOUND from the steps leading to the
altar!
ALICE
watches in horror.
THE FETAL MONSTER - ALICE'S POV
now we see this "baby". It's shape is vaguely human, but
with the gleaming skin of a flayed goat. It seems to grow as
it moves. The thing slithers toward the decaying remains of
Freddy's signature outfit. All the while, its shape is
becoming more loathsomely human...
ALICE
Her eyes widen as she realizes what is about to happen.
ALICE
You can't make me bring you BACK!
THE THING
begins to crawl in through on of Freddy's pants legs.
ALICE
runs toward the altar.
There is an EAR-SPLITTING NOISE OF WOOD BEING RIPPED AWAY.
THE ALTAR
rise from the floor. The floorboards begin to tilt up toward
Alice as they are torn from their foundation.
The angle of the rising floor throws Alice back. She looks
at the altar.
ALICE'S POV
It continues to rise, preventing her from reaching it.
ALICE
can only desperately, impotently try to crawl "uphill"
through the dust and smoke towards the impending
resurrection, powerless to prevent it.
WE INTERCUT
Alice's struggle to reach Freddy before he is "resurrected"
with...
SPLINTERING WOOD; SHATTERING GLASS; the RISING ALTAR.
CLOSE SHOTS of bits and pieces of Freddy's metamorphosis seen
through the growing dust of the crumbling church, as that
embryonic thing GROWS...into clothes...into the glove...into
the body.
ALICE
struggles, but there is no way she can even reach the altar,
and God knows what she could do even if she did get there.
ONE FINAL CLOSE UP
of Freddy's mid-section, stretching fully into shape. And
then, suddenly...
The floor falls back into its level position with a dust
raising THUD. Alice hits the ground. HARD.
SILENCE. And dust. Then.
ALICE
raises herself up off the floor. Looks around.
ALICE'S POV
Nothing but dust and smoke, back-lit by light streaming in
through the broken stained glass windows.
ALICE
in BACKGROUND, through the smoke as...in EXTREME FOREGROUND
CLOSE-UP, the charred remains of a hand, reconstructing
itself, reaches down and slips into the glove.
ON ALICE
as she hears the GHASTLY SCRAPING SOUND of Freddy's claws.
THE ALTAR - ALICE'S POV
Nothing but the settling dust...and somewhere behind it, a
figure silhouetted in the shadows.
FREDDY EMERGES
standing in front of the pulpit with his arms raised in an
ultimate mockery of the resurrection.
He looks even a little more grotesque than usual. Misshapen,
like the Crooked Man. His arms and legs aren't quite the
same length. The joints are twisted so that nothing in his
body seems aligned. Nevertheless, he smiles at Alice, and
his smile's more malevolent then ever.
FREDDY
It's a boy.
ALICE
backs away from him, frightened...and angry. Freddy's not in
a very good mood, either. The two circle each other, keeping
their distance.
ALICE
You can't come back! I locked the door
on you!
Freddy laughs, a dry rasping cackle. Takes a step closer to
her. Terrified, Alice reflexively strikes out. But Freddy
vanishes. His chilling laugh echoes around the church walls.
Alice follows that laughter with her frightened eyes,
searching for him. Suddenly...
Freddy appears right behind her. He slips his arm around her
waist and caresses her tummy with his clawed hand.
FREDDY
But I found the key!
Alice almost jumps out of her skin. She spins around to see
Freddy throw his head back and CACKLE...then a shaft of light
comes through the rear doors of the church. Freddy turns
toward it. His laughter abruptly dies.
Alice faces the doors too.
AMANDA KRUEGER
in her nun's habit, gazes at them from a room beyond the
doors. She is RIMLIT, caught in the light streaming from
THREE WINDOWS behind her. She points an accusing finger at
Freddy. (Amanda speaks in the austere voice of a young
woman, though it is the same actress playing Amanda
throughout.)
AMANDA
Your birth was a curse on humanity. But
the more evil that was in me is no more.
I will not allow this to happen again.
FREDDY
makes a sound of PURE HATRED as he glares at his mother.
He's almost beside himself with rage as...
AMANDA
turns to Alice.
AMANDA (cont'd)
Bring him home.
ALICE
starts to move towards Amanda. Picks up her pace as she
goes.
ALICE
Home? How? Where?
ON AMANDA AND ALICE
as Alice now RUNS toward her.
AMANDA
Rid yourself of...
But just as Alice is about to reach the doors, they SLAM
CLOSED in her face.
ALICE
No!
Alice struggles to get the big doors open. When she does,
she hurries through only to find herself...
INT. CRAVE INN - NIGHT
...walking through the diner's front door. (She's back in
her street clothes.) The place is empty. Too empty. We're
certain that Alice is still in her nightmare. She looks
around. Puzzled. Completely freaked out. She feels the
counter and furniture, checking out the "reality" of the
place.
VOICE (O.S.)
(near shout)
Alice! Where've you been?
Alice damn near jumps out of her skin. Spins around! It's
ANNE, a classmate and co-worker of Alice's. She's pretty
pissed off. Relieved, Alice starts to break down. She's
obviously disturbed and frightened.
ALICE
Anne! Oh god, I'm glad it's you. It was
terrible.
ANNE
You're hours late.
She throws her apron at Alice. WHIP PAN with the apron to
Alice. She's genuinely stunned.
ALICE
Hours? Last thing I remember was
crossing the park...
She looks at the clock. It's after midnight. Anne angrily
gathers her things.
ANNE
The party'll be history by the time I get
there... Great!
Alice just stands there, stunned. Anne shakes her head and
moves toward the door.
ANNE (cont'd)
I wish I could get a prescription for
whatever you're on.
ALICE
(not hearing)
...what?
ANNE
I said thanks a lot, Alice. For nada!
The door slams as Anne goes out. Alice reaches for the
telephone.
EXT. CAMPUS SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT
A raucous pool party in full swing. People are splashing
around in the water. Some dive from pool's edge to
cannonball their friends. Laughter. Chatter. And the blare
of loud ROCK MUSIC fills the air. Suddenly...
A GIRL'S BLOODCURDLING SCREAM
rises above the cacophony. People scatter to get the hell
out of the way as...
YVONNE
leaping off the high-dive, plunges like a graceful comet
toward the water's surface. Strikes the water where everyone
else used to be.
She comes to the surface and swims to the pool's edge amid
applause from the others. As she climbs from the water,
FOLLOW HER through the swirling crowd of partying teens to
DAN AND MARK
Dan sleepily lies in a lounge chair. An unopened bottle of
champagne, decked with a ribbon, rests beside him. Mark is
busy sketching in his book -- a "big hunk" with his arms
around two "babes". He takes a sip of beer.
Greta sits next to them in a gorgeous bikini. She reaches
into an ice chest and hands Dan a beer.
GRETA
So what did your dad say about you and
Alice going to Europe?
Dan passes the beer to Mark, who lines it up next to the one
he's already got.
DAN
Not much. He mostly screamed. Thinks
I'm throwing my life away.
YVONNE
Who's throwing their life away?
Yvonne towels off herself as she tries to catch up on the
conversation.
MARK
Dan. And he's taking Alice with him --
pretty good dive Yvonne. You've been
practicing.
YVONNE
Two hours a day, six days a week.
Greta offers a beer to Yvonne.
GRETA
Have another one, sounds like you need
it.
YVONNE
Naah, I'm done. Got to be on shift in a
couple hours.
(gesturing to pool)
Aren't you going in?
GRETA
Nah. It's getting too cold for me, and
my wonderful mother will kill me if I
screw up my hair. She's got some model
agency guy coming to dinner tomorrow
night.
DAN
Don't you ever get tired of your mom
trying to run your life?
The others turn toward him. Mark and Greta know just what
Dan means. Yvonne shrugs, matter of factly.
YVONNE
Don't let 'em.
DAN
Sure, no problem.
MARK
He's right. Sometimes I feel like I'm
living with Melicertes.
GRETA
Who?
MARK
Oh, he was this ancient guy I read about
who like, killed his kids 'cause they
didn't want to run the kingdom the way he
thought they should.
Greta stares at him, blown away.
GRETA
You're weird, you know that?
There is a beat, as all ponder this in silence. Then Mark
breaks their reverie. Grabs Dan's champagne.
MARK
Screw 'em. Open the champagne. Let's
have a party.
Dan grabs the bottle away.
DAN
Hands off squirrel. That's for me and
Alice...for later.
Behind them we hear the SOUND of a glass breaking O.S.,
followed by a loud OUCH! They turn toward the sound.
ANGLE ON POOL'S EDGE
One of their classmates clutches his foot in pain, then pulls
a piece of broken glass out. BLOOD pours out of the wound.
ANGLE ON MARK, DAN, GRETA AND YVONNE
Everyone cringes. But Mark really reacts. He turns PALE.
Closing his eyes tight.
MARK
Oh man! I could've gone all night
without looking at that.
GRETA
I don't believe this... All that gore you
paint in the comics and you're squeamish?
DAN
Just a little blood, guy.
MARK
Red ink I can handle by the bucket load.
The real stuff makes me... you know.
YVONNE
(joking)
Vomit?
MARK
Faint.
Dan shakes his head at Mark's sensitivity. He closes his
eyes and leans back on the lounge chair as a JOCK approaches
the group. Greta pats Mark on the shoulder.
GRETA
You can look now, it's safe.
Mark opens his eyes as the Jock leans toward them.
JOCK
Yo, Dan. Telephone.
Dan nods. Sets the bottle down and begins to head away.
DAN
I'll be right back -- and don't mess with
the bottle.
GRETA
We'll guard it with our lives.
INT. CRAVE INN - NIGHT
Alice talks on the telephone - trying to remain calm.
ALICE
It was him.
(she pauses)
I was awake when it happened. Do you
understand what I'm saying? He must have
dreamt himself up...Jesus, Dan...I'm
scared.
She listens. Seems to feel a little relief.
ALICE (cont'd)
I will...just hurry, okay?
EXT. CAMPUS SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT
Mark sits next to Greta, showing her his sketchbook. Yvonne
is stretched out in Dan's lounge chair. Dan hurriedly
approaches and yanks his jacket from the back of the chair,
pulling Yvonne up a couple inches.
YVONNE
Somebody die?
DAN
Nah. I just gotta go.
Mark turns to Greta with a knowing grin.
MARK
Alice beckons.
Dan starts to hurry away. Mark calls to him.
MARK (cont'd)
Hey, Romeo. You forgot the secret
ingredient.
Dan stops. Mark hefts the champagne. Dan grabs it, almost
in afterthought and rushes away.
MARK (cont'd)
There he goes, the fast man on three
legs.
EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT
Dan's truck speeds along a deserted stretch of road.
IN THE TRUCK
Dan is at the wheel. He looks intense, worried about Alice.
He's also very tired. The VOICE of an abrasive TALK RADIO DJ
fills the cab. We listen to him while Dan fights to keep his
eyes open.
D.J. (O.S.)
Right, lady...and Elvis killed Marilyn
'cause the Kennedy's put fluoride in his
water. WHAT'S THE MATTER, LADY...DID YOU
GO OFF YOUR MEDICATION?!
He hangs up on her. PUSH IN CLOSER and CLOSER on Dan as this
conversation continues.
D.J. (O.S. cont'd)
Jesus...is there anyone out there with a
functioning brain that wants to talk to
me?
(a beat)
Line two...you're on the air.
Dan's eyes close for a second. There is an eerie BUZZ and
STATIC from the radio.
MRS. JORDAN (O.S.)
I'm calling about my wayward ex-son
Daniel, who has just acted like on
ungrateful, unmanageable Dickweed, ever
since he was seduced by this bimbo, slut-
whore, Alice...
Dan's eyes open and he stares in shock at the radio which has
transformed itself into a rusting antique.
DAN
Mom...?
Then another voice comes to him through the radio.
FREDDY (O.S.)
If I were you lady, I'd kill the
ungrateful piggy!
THE RADIO
changes from "talk show" to a BLARINGLY LOUD HEAVY METAL
STATION. Les's brilliant speed metal masterpiece "Fast Track
To Hell" fills the car.
DAN
stares down at the radio. His confusion has given way to
fear.
THE SEAT BELTS
snake out to impossible length, wrapping around his arms.
Dan manages to keep his right hand free, but the belts wind
around the rest of his body, pinning his left arm uselessly
to his chest.
THE TRUCK
crosses over onto the center divider, out of control.
CLOSE ON GAS AND BRAKE PEDALS
Dan tries to hit the brakes. But as his foot comes off the
accelerator, the BRAKE PEDAL snakes around and slams down on
top of his foot, pushing the accelerator to the floor.
DAN
winces in pain. Wrenches his left arm free of the belts and
grabs the wheel. Desperately reaches with his right for the
GEAR SHIFT, which ducks away from his groping hand like a
darting cobra.
THE TRUCK
lurches across the center divider and charges into the
oncoming traffic!
DAN
hunts wildly for the elusive gear shift. Hears a LOUD POP
from inside the cab. He looks over...
FREDDY
is now sitting in the passenger seat, clutching Dan's bottle
of champagne. His side of the truck is now "Freddyized". He
takes a huge gulp of champagne. Then...spits it out. It
hits the dash, SIZZLING like ACID. More of it runs down his
arm and shoulder. It's smoking, too. He turns to Dan.
FREDDY (cont'd)
Bad year.
DAN
some of the drops hit him, burning his chest and arms. Dan
SCREAMS!
FREDDY
His striped jersey begins to smoke as the shoulder socket
melts away. Freddy grins. Turns to Dan.
FREDDY (cont'd)
Better buckle up.
LOW ANGLE ON FREDDY
as he reaches with his left arm and RIPS his right arm off.
Then he welds the smoking socket onto the doorjam above the
corner of the passenger window... and pulls his on his CLAW.
His arm STRETCHES like an extending seatbelt. He hooks his
claw into a "Freddy buckle" at his waist.
DAN
has been watching all this in horror. Suddenly...he hears a
loud HONK. WHIP PAN with Dan to his POV through the
windshield as the BRIGHT LIGHTS of an approaching truck WHITE
OUT OF FRAME.
TRACKING TOWARDS DAN
as he looks down at the gear shift lever.
CLOSE ON HIS HAND
slamming the lever into REVERSE.
CLOSE ON DAN'S TRUCK TIRE
skidding on the pavement. Burning rubber. Starting to melt
as the brakes lock!
DAN
is slammed headfirst through the windshield. Shattering
glass EXPLODES all around him, as Dan flies over the hood!
EXT. CAMPUS SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT
CLOSE ON CEMENT AT POOL'S EDGE
Dan slams down INTO SHOT, bouncing on the hard ground. His
lounge chair tumbles after him. Dan's entire body is
lacerated with small cuts, his hair is singed and what's left
of his clothes are tattered, smoking shreds.
He manages to untangle himself from the overturned chair and
get to his feet. Somewhere a telephone is RINGING. That's
what must have awakened him in time to save his life.
Dan looks around, dazed. The pool is empty. The party has
broken up. Dan turns toward the ringing phone.
Behind him is a glassed in cubicle/office. The ringing phone
sits on a desk inside. Dan tries the door. Locked. Then
suddenly comes to his senses in recognition.
DAN
Alice!....
Dan turns, and charges toward the parking lot.
EXT. CAMPUS PARKING LOT - NIGHT
DAN'S TRUCK in the FOREGROUND. Beside it sits a gleaming
MOTORCYCLE. Dan comes running INTO SHOT, searching himself
for his keys. Can't find them.
He tries to open the truck's door. Locked. He slams the
hand against it in frustration. Then notices the Yamaha
1200.
Its key is snugly in the ignition slot, like an invitation.
Dan hops on the bike. Turns the key, and kick-starts the
monster. The engine jumps to life.
AT THE PARKING LOT EXIT
From across the lot we see Dan and bike charging toward us.
He roars PAST CAMERA and screeches onto the street.
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Dan guns the bike's motor and races toward the Crave-Inn.
Suddenly...
THE ENGINE
gives a terrific GROWL. The bike's front end comes off the
ground as the bike goes into a wheelie, then accelerates down
the street at an outrageous speed.
DAN
frantically dodges several cars, swerving into the oncoming
lane to pass one, then careening back to avoid a pair of
looming headlights. Dan looks down at the instrument panel.
CLOSE ON PANEL
All the gauges are RED LINED.
DAN'S FACE
begins to distort with the G-FORCE of this impossible ride.
The bike just keeps increasing speed.
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL
goes out of control. The gauges swing erratically. They
begin to speed up dizzyingly, then...
THE PANEL EXPLODES!
Its cover flies away in shards revealing a frenzied
collection of MOVING WIRES and BLINKING LIGHTS beneath.
The wires and lights begin to ungulate in an evolution of
patterns. Soon we realize a FACE is beginning to form out of
this tangled, sparking mess.
THE BIKE
is moving so fast now the other cares are only passing blurs.
Dan slaloms through them at an impossible rate.
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL
continues to metamorphasize. Wires spark and leap as they
wind in and around each other. Lights at the top move toward
the center to form two eyes.
Shards of sparking metal marshal themselves into two rows of
electric teeth.
Other wires form cheekbones, lips, and the sickeningly
recognizable scar patterns of Freddy's skin.
And that's just what we're looking at...
CYBERNETIC FREDDY!
His electric eyes stare up at Dan's frightened face with the
glee of anticipation. He speaks with Mr. Jordan's voice.
FREDDY
Time to feel the need for speed,
Dickweed!
DAN
stares down at the face in horror. Then he sees something
really bad...
DAN'S POV
his right hand clutches the handlebar/throttle. Cables feed
out from the brake and throttle grip and PLUNGE INTO HIS HAND
with a smoking SIZZLE, attaching him to the machinery. His
skin begins to undulate and BUBBLE UP.
WHIP PAN
To Dan's left hand. Cables have melded with his bubbling
flesh there, too.
CAMERA CRANES DOWN
across the side of the bike, where the gas tank is starting
to transform into a hideous living creature/machine.
Distended ribs protrude. The gas tank/torso begins to
undulate as it breathes...
CAMERA CONTINUES DOWN
toward the cylinders, which stretch and begin to breathe,
then comes to rest between them and the whirring spokes of
the front wheel. Then...
CAMERA PANS UP
and we see Dan from below the handlebars. Through the
tatters of his shredded clothes we see more cracking,
bubbling skin. His face is wracked with torture and
something beyond even horror. Suddenly...
THE HANDLEBARS
now joined completely to Dan's hands, THRUST DOWNWARD,
slamming his chest to the body of the bike. Dan stares into
Freddy's robotic face, now an inch from his own.
CAMERA TRACKS
from left to right, passing beneath the breathing cylinders.
The highway blurs below us. The CAMERA emerges on the left
side of the bike, looking back toward Dan's left leg.
THE EXHAUST PIPE
is merging with Dan's leg. Growing into it, as Dan's skin
continues to bubble, and billow up, then peel off...
TILT UP TO DAN'S FACE
and now we realize that Dan has become a MACHINE/MAN, like a
butterfly emerging from its cocoon.
CLOSE ON DAN'S FACE
Only his eyes remain human. Dan struggles, continuing to
meld with the machine. He opens his mouth, forcing the
metallic skin to crack around the edges, and begins A LONG
HIDEOUS SCREAM.
CAMERA RAPIDLY PULLS BACK
to reveal a FULL SHOT of the FREDDY BIKE hurtling down the
street that has become nothing more than an abstract blur of
movement and light. Dan's SCREAM continues to build, forming
into a plea of terror...
DAN
AAAALICE!!!!
FREDDY'S FACE/INSTRUMENT PANEL
PUSH IN on Freddy's leering grin.
FREDDY
Don't dream and drive!
EXTREMELY CLOSE ON DAN'S EYES
looking down at Freddy.
A bright light washes over Dan's eyes; We hear an
EARSPLITTING DIESEL HORN! Dan looks up INTO CAMERA. Squints
against the light.
DAN'S POV FROM INSIDE DAN'S TRUCK
A MASSIVE DIESEL SEMI TRUCK hurtles toward CAMERA like a
juggernaut.
PULL BACK to reveal that the POV is now from inside Dan's
truck, staring out the windshield at the twin beams of an
APPROACHING SEMI!
CAMERA TILTS DOWN to Dan's unattended steering wheel...
REVERSE ANGLE - FAST TRACK
through the windshield, IN SLOW MOTION. Dan frantically
tries to return his now human hands to the wheel...too late!
DAN'S POV
the semi's BRIGHT CHROME RADIATOR FILLS THE SCREEN!
INT. CRAVE INN - NIGHT
CLOSE ON A HOT GRILL
as a HAMBURGER PATTY is dropped into it. The meat begins to
SIZZLE. A RADIO plays.
ALICE
she is pouring a late night CUSTOMER a cup of coffee.
Suddenly...the restaurant SOUNDS distort. She hears Dan's
VOICE calling her name. Alice snaps to as the coffee cup
she's filling overflows. She drops the pot of coffee. The
entire wall behind her changes to
AN EXTREME CLOSE-UP OF DAN'S RUSTED, NIGHTMARE FACE -
SCREAMING HER NAME!
Alice turns. Runs toward the wall.
ALICE
Dan...
DAN'S HIDEOUS FACE PULLS AWAY as his DISTORTED, GROTESQUE
BODY goes flying backwards down a long MEMBRANOUS TUNNEL away
from Alice.
He disappears into the depths just as Alice reaches the wall.
She stretches out her hand...and the wall returns to reality.
ALICE
is wracked with a SPASM and PAIN! She clutches her stomach
and doubles over, as though she'd been kicked. She fights
the pain away. Then gets up and runs wildly to the street.
EXT. CRAVE INN - NIGHT
Alice charges out of the diner. Behind her, far down the
street, we can make out the silhouette of a JACK-KNIFED SEMI,
back-lit by the flames and smoke of DAN'S BURNING TRUCK! We
hear the BLARE of a jammed horn.
A SERIES OF JUMPCUTS BETWEEN Alice's face and her POV END
CLOSE ON HER FACE as she SCREAMS.
CAMERA TURNS WITH HER and FOLLOWS HER as she runs panicked,
toward it. The BLARING horn grows LOUDER.
As she nears the semi, the driver's door swings violently
open! A figure LURCHES from the cab. Grabs her as she moves
past. The momentum swings them both around.
THE TRUCK DRIVER
his bloody face is lit by the burning wreck of Dan's truck.
His eyes are glazed and shocked. He SCREAMS madly into
Alice's face.
TRUCK DRIVER
He came flying out of nowhere! Like he
was a fucking rocket! I didn't even see
him...
We hear a WALL of approaching SIRENS. Alice's tear-stained
face is strobed in a flashing red light as she looks past the
semi driver to see Dan's mangled body enmeshed in the
wreckage. As she tries to get to him his eyes snap open and
he looks straight at her.
DAN
It was him!
Blood wells from his gaping wounds as he chokes and dies.
Her eyes begin to lose focus. In a moment...Alice collapses,
falling OUT OF FRAME...leaving only the black of the night
sky.
INT. HOSPITAL OBSERVATION ROOM - NIGHT
BLACK. Then... Alice's rim-lit profile moves into frame.
Track around to reveal Yvonne working in the background.
Continue tracking to reveal that we're in an unlit hospital
room. What little light there is comes from the glass
observation window in the background.
Through the window we can see Alice's father conferring with
a DOCTOR, Dan's parents and TWO POLICE OFFICERS. Beyond them
we see traffic in the corridor. Alice's eyes open suddenly.
ALICE
(quietly)
It was him.
Yvonne hears her and comes over, leaning into frame.
YVONNE
You're alright...It's okay, honey. I'm
right here.
Alice stares at Yvonne. Things are far from alright.
YVONNE (cont'd)
Alice, Dan's been in an accident...
Alice shakes her head.
ALICE
(in a monotone)
It was no accident. It was Krueger. He
used to get in through my dreams, but not
anymore. He's found some other way.
YVONNE
Alice, it's no dream. I'm sorry...Dan's
dead.
Alice stares at her as her eyes fill with tears as she
remembers. As she starts crying she clutches Yvonne in a
desperate embrace. At the sound of her crying, Dr. Moore and
her father leave Dan's parents and approach Yvonne and Alice.
ALICE'S DAD
I'm so sorry, honey...
ALICE
Daddy, he's coming back...Krueger's
coming back. Make them understand.
YVONNE
(looking at Dr. Moore
nervously)
Calm down. Take it easy. You're hitting
shock.
ALICE'S DAD
Alice. The police found fragments of a
champagne bottle...
ALICE
Dan didn't drink. You know that. It was
probably for me - to celebrate our trip.
Her father looks away, helpless. Dr. Moore turns to him and
speaks in a confidential, professionally calm voice.
DR. MOORE
These sorts of outbursts aren't entirely
uncommon. Many women have them in the
first few weeks. Especially if they've
suffered a traumatic shock.
(to Alice)
But don't worry young lady, you're going
to be fine.
ALICE
(getting increasingly
hysterical)
I won't be fine and neither will any of
my friends. We've got to do something.
Dan's already dead...Don't you see? He's
back and he's just getting started.
(as she remembers what Moore
just said)
What do you mean? What's he talking
about? What's wrong with me?
Yvonne speaks up, trying to be comforting.
YVONNE
Nothing.
She and Alice hold eyes for a beat. Everyone is silent.
YVONNE (cont'd)
You're just a little pregnant.
CLOSE ON ALICE
Stunned. She lies back, closing her eyes tightly. A tear
forms at the edge of one and spills down her cheek.
ALICE'S DAD (O.S.)
The doctor wants to keep you here
overnight...
DR. MOORE (O.S.)
Just for routine observation. To make
sure you're as comfortable as possible.
Alice hasn't been listening. We hold on her troubled face as
she opens her eyes again, the full ramifications sinking in.
ALICE
(to herself)
Dan's baby...
FADE OUT.
FADE IN:
INT. HOSPITAL OBSERVATION ROOM - DAWN
Alice lies in bed, apparently asleep. The camera pans slowly
around the room. It is eerie in here now with the long
shadows of hospital equipment thrown across the walls by the
dimmed hallway lights.
The camera continues slowly, deliberately to move around the
room until we are on the OPEN doorway. STOP.
JACOB
a boy of about six or seven years stands there, watching
Alice. He's frail. Other worldly. Not ghost-like, but
possessing a strange, transcendent quality.
He wears a white hospital robe and stands without moving,
just staring at Alice with a transfixed smile of happiness.
Alice's gaze at the ceiling slowly moves toward the child, as
though she were willed by some force to notice him.
She's startled at first by his presence. Then she realizes
he's only a boy. Even if he is a little odd.
JACOB
Hey...wake up.
ALICE
(tentative)
Huh?
They gaze at one another for a beat. They each seem to be
transfixed by each other.
ALICE (cont'd)
Hi there.
JACOB
My name is Jacob.
She smiles. She waits. He just watches. He stands there in
the way that little kids have of feeling no need to fill a
silence with conversation.
ALICE
Shouldn't you be in your room, Jacob?
JACOB
It's lonely in there, in my room.
ALICE
My name is...
He cuts her off with:
JACOB
I'm sorry your boyfriend got killed.
ALICE
(shocked)
How did you know that?
JACOB
I could tell you were sad. I just wanted
to see if you were all right.
He smiles kind of shyly and turns. Alice calls after him.
ALICE
Jacob. Wait. Don't go.
But he has already disappeared down the dark corridor. HOLD
ON Alice's troubled face.
EXT. HOSPITAL - DAY
Alice and Yvonne walk out of the building.
ALICE
Have you visited the little boy on my
floor? Jacob, the one who looks kind of
sad?
YVONNE
There aren't any little boys on your
floor.
ALICE
He must've wandered up from the
children's ward. I just wondered what
was wrong with him.
Yvonne shakes her head.
YVONNE
We don't have a children's ward.
Alice stops. Puzzled.
ALICE
But he was wearing a hospital robe.
Yvonne looks at Alice with a mixture of impatience and
compassion.
YVONNE
I don't know what to tell you.
Alice takes this in. Thinks about it. Yvonne looks a little
more concerned about Alice's state of mind.
ALICE
Did everyone call everyone?
YVONNE
(hesitant)
They're waiting for us...but let's keep
this dream stuff between you and me.
INT. ALICE'S BEDROOM - DAY
CLOSE ON ALICE
pacing and speaking animatedly. CAMERA tracks with her.
ALICE
Amanda Krueger was a part of a religious
order that ran that asylum. She was
raped and had the baby there in the
1940's. That baby grew up to be Freddy
Krueger who murdered twenty or thirty
kids right here on Elm Street.
Mark, sitting at Greta's feet. He glances up from his
sketchbook, intrigued. Track back with Alice to...
ALICE (cont'd)
He got caught but the courts cut him
loose on a technicality.
The parents of the murdered kids formed a
posse and killed him. Torched him.
Track to Greta. Hold on her disbelieving face. She lights
up a cigarette.
MARK
Cover girls couldn't smoke.
She blows smoke in his face.
ALICE
But that was just the beginning. He
keeps on killing...only now he kills
people in their dreams, their nightmares.
And he uses my dreams to get to his
victims.
ANGLE ON GRETA AND YVONNE
exchanging dubious, concerned-for-Alice looks. Mark seems
incredulous. Keeps on sketching.
MARK
I've got to write some of this down.
ALICE
That's why it's my fault Dan's dead.
YVONNE
Stop saying that, it's bullshit.
GRETA
I want to talk about the baby.
MARK
Yeah, congratulations...I guess.
Alice angrily cuts them off.
ALICE
That's not what we're here for!
There is a beat, then...
YVONNE
Look. Dan's parents were pushing him.
Pushing him hard. He was bitching about
it at the party last night. He was under
pressure. We all are.
GRETA
Pushy parents can make you more than a
bit crazy.
ALICE
What's that got to do with it?
YVONNE
When Dan died you weren't even asleep.
You said so. End of story.
Alice glares at them, adamant.
ALICE
Than he must have found another way.
Greta looks down at Mark's drawing: sees his comic book
sketch of the one-hundred maniacs.
GRETA
Christ, Mark! Mister compassion.
ALICE
Listen! This isn't a goddamn joke! He
gets in through my dreams -- somehow. I
thought I could control it, but
something's changed, and I don't know
what he'll do next.
Everyone stares at her. Not knowing what to say.
MARK
Look, we all liked Dan. And we love
you...
Great stands. Puts her hands on Alice's shoulders.
GRETA
(interrupting)
Bottom line, Alice. Anybody,
supernatural or not, that wants to hurt
you - he'll have to go through us first.
YVONNE
All of us. Right?
Greta nods in agreement.
ALICE
That's what I'm afraid of.
Hold on Alice, then...
INT. ALICE'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Alice removes a couple of frozen microwave dinners from the
refrigerator and sets them on the counter.
While she does so, the CAMERA TRACKS around and as she leans
on the counter, we push in to reveal she is lost in thought,
tears forming in her eyes.
Her father comes in carrying a bag of groceries - healthy
stuff: veggies, chicken, fruit, Rye Crisp, juices. As he
comes in, Alice covers up her tears and turns away to put the
dinners in the oven. He obviously has something to say to
her in mind and the two of them talk simultaneously.
ALICE
How was the meeting?
ALICE'S DAD
Sobering...
ALICE
Very funny.
ALICE'S DAD
(unpacking groceries)
Alice...
ALICE
(interrupting)
Since when are you such a smart shopper?
ALICE'S DAD
Since my little girl became a mom...
ALICE
You disappointed in me?
ALICE'S DAD
No, I'm not. I sort of hope it's a boy.
Be nice to have a boy playing in the
house again.
Alice looks at him, then hugs him. A beat. Her father
gently pries her away. Manages a little smile.
ALICE'S DAD (cont'd)
Just don't make a habit of it.
Alice smiles back. Reaches for the can opener.
ALICE
C'mon. Let's do salad.
INT. GRETA'S BEDROOM - NIGHT
CLOSE ON GRETA
from behind, sitting on the edge of her bed. All around her,
propped up on pillows, and covering her dresser and chairs,
are SEVERAL DOLLS. Some of which are clearly wind-up with
keys in their backs. Everything from Barbies to European
porcelain. Her mother's shrill voice comes from down the
hall as we hear her try to open Greta's locked bedroom door.
MRS. GIBSON (O.S.)
Greta...
CAMERA SLOWLY TRACKS until we are facing Greta and we see
that she is holding one of the delicate china dolls in her
hands. She stares at it, lost in thought. Her eyes move to
something at her feet.
DOWN ANGLE
An 8X10 blow-up of the snapshot taken on graduation day lies
on the floor. In the center is Dan, surrounded by his
parents and friends.
GRETA
contemplates the picture. Her eyes well up. A tear begins a
slow track down her cheek.
MRS. GIBSON (O.S. cont'd)
Our guests are waiting, dear.
Appearances, you know, let's not make
them impatient.
GRETA
(to herself)
Flash 'em your boobs. The sight of all
that plastic ought to stun 'em for a
while.
(then calling out)
Coming Mother!
Greta pulls herself together. Wipes her eyes. Sets up the
china doll on the bedstand next to the photo. Gets up.
ANGLE ON CHINA DOLL
in FOREGROUND as Greta moves to her bedroom door in
BACKGROUND and EXITS. As the door closes, the precariously
perched doll teeters then gently tumbles out of shot.
ON THE YEARBOOK - EXTREME SLOW MOTION
As the doll floats INTO SHOT, falling towards the photograph,
cracking apart on impact...
INT. GRETA'S DINING ROOM - NIGHT
CLOSE ON HANDS
opening a bottle of wine. The cork comes out with a muffled
pop and the hand begins to pour.
MRS. GIBSON (O.S.)
It's true, people are always mistaking us
for sisters.
RACINE GIBSON
sits at the head of a massive table, hosting one of her
expensively catered dinner parties. Though she doesn't look
in the least like Greta's sister, the other guests nod and
titter politely.
The house is decorated in "modern pretentiousness" and the
guests match the spirit of the room. Greta sits at the
opposite end of the table from her mother, wearing a
beautiful white dress.
One of the guests turns from Greta to her mother.
GUEST
Greta certainly has the perfect body for
modeling. You know, Eileen Ford's a
friend of mine.
(to Greta)
I told her about you. She's very
interested
Greta doesn't respond. Her mother's delighted.
MRS. GIBSON
Greta, you're being offered the chance of
a lifetime! I think you should show a
little gratitude.
GRETA
One of my friends died yesterday, mother.
DO you mind if I take a few hours off to
remember him?
MRS. GIBSON
But we're having a party, dear.
She glares at her mother. A half-drunk TRENDY GUEST speaks.
TRENDY GUEST
I read about him. Drunk or something,
wasn't he?
Mrs. Gibson cuts her off, trying to damage-control Greta's
association with someone her guests might disapprove of.
MRS. GIBSON
He was just a friend of Greta's, not
someone special, not someone she was
seeing, you understand. Really just an
acquaintance...
Another guest speaks up, a THIRTYSOMETHING TYPE.
THIRTYSOMETHING GUEST
Sad. It reminds me of Fitzgerald.
Although in his stories, it's general the
women who have pointless, violent deaths.
Greta tires to ignore him. The other guests jump in with
their own literary allusions and comparisons. Greta CLOSES
HER EYES to shut them out. For a second she seems to nod.
Catches herself. Looks up as...
FREDERICK, the caterer, steps forward and offers her
selections from a tray of food. We don't see his face, but a
sliver of a GREEN AND RED STRIPED JERSEY peaks out from above
his starched tuxedo collar. Greta shakes her head no.
GRETA
No thank you. I'm not hungry.
Frederick steps away. The other guests strangely cease
conversing mid-sentence and turn to her. Greta's mother
notices with alarm. Faces her daughter.
MRS. GIBSON
Aren't you eating?
GRETA
I don't really feel up to it.
The other guests begin to eat voraciously.
MRS. GIBSON
Really, dear. You ought to try
something.
GRETA
(sharply)
You're the one who's always slapping my
hand about weight-watching.
Her mother glances nervously at the other guests. Her voice
takes on a shrill edge.
MRS. GIBSON
But that's why we diet, dear. So we can
eat at social events and not upset the
other guests.
FREDERICK INTRUDES
FREDERICK
Madam, if I may...
He wheels in a trolley with a sterling silver chafing dish on
it. He turns to Greta and pushes in the tray to the hideous
baby chair, which Greta's chair has become, pinning her in
place.
The guests continue chowing down, while Mom beams
approvingly. Greta stiffens into a parody of too-straight
posture.
Frederick removes the lid of the sterling silver chafing dish
with a flourish, revealing a perfect, miniature doll-like
replica of Greta.
With a flourish, he proceeds to slit it open, filleting it in
front of Greta's horrified eyes with one of the blades on
Freddy's clawed hand.
Frederick has now become Freddy, transforming from the normal
Robert Englund to Freddy Krueger.
At the end of the blades on Freddy's claw, a sharpened silver
spoon now exists.
He scoops into the dissected doll and begins to feed Greta,
forcing some of the mush into her mouth. Greta resists,
turning her head to spit it out.
Freddy jerks her head back to the front.
GRETA'S POV
as her head is snapped back. Another claw/spoonful of mush
in her face.
FREDDY
You are what you eat.
The table guests laugh and feast on in the background.
MRS. GIBSON
Nothing but the best for Greta!
FREDDY
(with another spoonful)
Second helping.
The guests laugh as Greta struggles helplessly, moaning and
groaning her objections.
MRS. GIBSON
Don't talk with your mouth full, dear.
GRETA
stares at the claws/scoop wide-eyed as they force the MUSH
into her mouth.
GRETA'S POV
as Freddy shoves another spoonful.
FREDDY
Don't forget dessert.
GUEST
A rare delicacy.
WIDER
to reveal what Freddy is feeding her. He stands over Greta
scooping his claws into her TORSO as though it were made of
ice cream, and delivering the stuff back up to her mouth.
GRETA
screams in horror as she realizes what she's eating.
INT. ALICE'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
OVER ALICE'S SHOULDER
As she steps to the refrigerator and grasps the door handle,
we get a glimpse of something foreboding a split second
before she opens the door...a Freddy magnet above the handle
that says DIE BITCH.
Alice pulls the door open. PUSH IN past her to the groceries
inside. a real Freddy food feast of graveyard leftovers --
flies swarm when Alice opens the door. Maggots, rot and
cobwebs. Dripping fetid garbage. Then suddenly...
Greta's hideously mutated face SHOOTS INTO CLOSE UP from
RIGHT FRAME! Her cheeks have been horribly distended. Food
spills from her mouth as she tries to scream.
OVER GRETA'S SHOULDER
who we can now see is impossibly coming out in the open
refrigerator door. Her arms desperately reach out towards
Alice who stands frozen, FACING CAMERA, in open-mouthed
shock.
ALICE
Greta!
Then Alice leaps into action. She grabs Greta's hands and
begins to pull with all her might. But she can't get Greta
out!
ALICE (cont'd)
Dad!
PULL BACK FAST
away from the struggle, through the kitchen door, into the
living room and further back still until Alice's father
appears in LEFT FOREGROUND, sitting in his easy chair,
reading the newspaper.
ALICE (cont'd)
Dad! Help!
POV FROM INSIDE THE REFRIGERATOR
looking past the mounds of disgusting stuff to Alice and
Greta. Suddenly, FREDDY'S CLAW comes INTO FOREGROUND SHOT.
ALICE AND GRETA
Alice has managed to pull Greta a couple inches further from
the open door when Freddy LUNGES out of the refrigerator!
With lightning speed he grabs Greta's arm and YANKS the door
closed with a WHAM!
ALICE (cont'd)
No!
DOWN ANGLE ON ALICE
as she quickly yanks the fridge open again and
sees...Nothing! Everything is back to normal. No sign of
Greta or Freddy.
CLOSE ON ALICE
staring into the fridge with amazement and fear.
ALICE
closes the door and rushes to the telephone on the wall.
INT. GRETA'S DINING ROOM - NIGHT
IN THE DREAM - FREDDY AND GRETA
Freddy shoves another clawful of stuff into Greta's mouth.
She starts to CHOKE.
Freddy pulls Greta to him. Hugs her, patting her back, like
a parent burping an infant. He's almost cradling her as she
continues to choke the life out of herself.
Freddy's "patting" becomes harder. Greta jolts under each
slap on the back...
IN THE DINNER PARTY - ON GRETA - FROM BELOW, SHOOTING UP
She starts to choke. Her face goes blue. She stands.
THE GUESTS
stare at her in shocked amazement.
GRETA
stands, arms out, leaning forward as though suspended, as if
Freddy were still "burping" her. Then she pitches forward,
face first into her plate.
GRETA'S MOTHER
looks down in shock at her obviously dead daughter.
GRETA'S MOTHER
Greta?...
EXT. GREY'S CONSTRUCTION - NIGHT
A big industrial shop. Mark's father's business and their
home. Rain falls on the cement drive, glistening in the
light that spills from beneath the big, half open delivery
door. Across the door we see: GREY & SON CONSTRUCTION.
The "& SON" has been recently added. Alice and Yvonne, still
in her nurse's uniform, approach.
INT. GREY'S CONSTRUCTION - NIGHT
A huge warehouse and commercial shop. Rows of scaffolding,
filled with prefab door and wall units, recede into the
darkness.
A glass partitioned office fills a corner near the door. We
can see Mark's father moving around inside of it. Alice and
Yvonne enter and move toward the office door.
ANGLE ON THE OFFICE DOOR
Alice and Yvonne peer inside. Mr. Grey, dressed in workman's
clothes, is stoically trying to repair a broken name-plate.
We can tell that one of the two desks in here was intended
for Mark. Alice looks around, concerned.
ALICE
Mr. Grey...is Mark around?
He looks up, very upset. Nods. Angrily gestures toward the
labyrinth of racks.
MR. GREY
Back there somewhere.
IN THE RACKS OF THE SCAFFOLDING
The rays of a single worklight high on the back of the wall
stab like fingers through the maze of scaffolding.
Silhouetted against them, Mark slowly glides between the
racks on a skateboard, a solitary and forlorn figure.
Alice and Yvonne enter shot, backs to CAMERA, watching him.
ALICE
(tentatively)
Mark, are you okay?
MARK
Yeah. I'm just aces.
Looks like he's not. Mark ignores them as Alice and Yvonne
move closer. He's a tightly wound coil, ready to snap.
ALICE
I want to talk to both you guys about
Greta. And...
MARK
(snapping)
I'm very fucking sorry, but Greta is dead
today. Could we interest you in someone
else?
Alice steps closer to him, her empathy allowing her to ignore
his tone of voice.
YVONNE
It was just an accident. Like with Dan.
ALICE
No accident. I tried to warn all of you
about Krueger.
Yvonne shakes her head. Not wishing Alice to indulge her
fantasies.
YVONNE
Please, Alice...
But Alice's words have left an effect on Mark. He brings his
skateboard to a halt. Gives her a direct look.
MARK
I thought about that.
ALICE
She must've fallen asleep at the table...
YVONNE
Stop it, Alice. Just stop it. Stick to
the facts.
Mark glances at her.
MARK
Too bad.
He goes back to Alice.
ALICE
(frustrated)
I don't understand what's happening.
Krueger has to use my dreams, but he got
to Dan and Greta while I was awake.
How's he doing it?
YVONNE
(sharply)
Why don't you two stick to reality.
Mark turns his displaced anger on her full force.
MARK
Why don't you shut up and let her talk!
Two of us died in the last two days, does
that strike you as particularly normal?!
YVONNE
Mark...
MARK
I'm not finished - I loved Greta. A lot.
And if maybe, just maybe, someone or some
thing killed her, I'd like to hear about
it!
YVONNE
I can't listen to this.
She starts to turn away. Mark gets angry again. Shouts.
MARK
Then get out!
ALICE
Mark!
Hurt, Yvonne starts to get up. Turns for the stairs. Mark
realizes he's being a jerk. Punches his fist against the
scaffolding in frustration. Calms himself down.
MARK
Aww,shit...Yvonne, wait a minute, will
ya.
She stops. Turns.
MARK (cont'd)
I'm an asshole. I know I'm not dealing
with this very well and it's not your
fault. I'm sorry.
Yvonne gives him a little hug. Tries to smile.
YVONNE
It's okay.
MARK
Stick around, please?
Yvonne brushes Mark's hair from his face like a big sister.
YVONNE
Wish I could, but I'm on night shift
again...gotta go.
Mark nods. Tries to smile. Alice steps up to them. Puts a
comforting hand on Mark's shoulder.
ALICE
I can stay for awhile if you want.
INT. MARK'S ROOM - LATER
A combination studio and storage space for the world's
largest collection of comics. The entire loft is a network
of scaffolding. Shelves for his comics, fantasy posters, and
sci-fi memorabilia. Stuffed in among them are tons of books
on mythology and the occult.
MARK (O.S.)
Do you think I'm an idiot...for being in
love with her?
ALICE (O.S.)
Nobody thinks that.
Tacked to the walls and scaffolding, are dozens of drawings.
Works in progress of Mark's super hero comic book creation.
As the CAMERA pans across the sketches, we see the evolution
of this character. Several names have been tried and crossed
out as Mark's conception has continued to bloom.
CONTINUE TO PAN until we come to a SIX FOOT POSTER of the
character in final incarnation as...THE PHANTOM PROWLER.
MARK (O.S.)
I mean, I know I didn't stand a chance in
hell, but...
PAN PAST THE PROWLER to Alice and Mark, sitting near his
drawing table. She sits next to him, a comforting arm around
his shoulder.
ALICE
She cared a lot about you.
Mark nods. Thinks.
MARK
Maybe it was her mother who killed her,
with all that Polly Perfect shit.
ALICE
It wasn't her mother. The only reason
we're still here is that none of us has
slept since the grad party.
Mark looks at Alice. Sees the certainty on her face.
MARK
Tell me some more about this Krueger guy.
ALICE
Why don't I go make some coffee. There's
a lot to tell.
INT. MARK'S ROOM - LATER
Alice is coming back into the room with two steaming mugs.
She looks around. No Mark.
ALICE
Mark?...
She starts forward, looking around for him.
IN THE BED
Mark has fallen asleep.
BELOW
Alice can't see him. She approaches the drawing table.
ALICE'S POV
approaching the table.
ALICE
sets the coffee down and sees something that stops her cold.
THE TABLE - ALICE'S POV
The sketch of Greta begins to move, reassembling itself into
a drawing of the ELM STREET HOUSE. Mark stands on the porch,
opening the door...
ALICE
realizes what's happening. Reaches her hand toward the page.
ALICE (cont'd)
Mark! No!
But he goes inside.
Alice quickly picks up one of Mark's colored felt tip pens
and draws a stick figure of herself next to the Elm Street
house. She writes "Alice" above the figure then throws down
the pen and closes her eyes, concentrating.
PUSH IN on Alice, eyes closed, using all her will... (The
BACKGROUND distorts as Alice goes into the dream.) PULL BACK
from Alice's face and now we see that we're
EXT. ELM STREET HOUSE
Alice goes inside.
INT. ELM STREET HOUSE, LIVING ROOM
Alice rushes inside. Comes to a halt as she sees
A HUGE, GAPING HOLE
in the floor, with jagged "paper" edges, like something out
of Mark's cartoons. Mark desperately clings to one of the
edges, which slowly begins to tear...
Alice rushes over. Through the hole, she sees what Mark is
about to drop into...the pulsating FETAL CANAL!
CLOSE ON ALICE
as she kneels and stretches her hand toward Mark.
CLOSE ON MARK
He looks up at Alice, noticing her for the first time, and
maybe not sure if she's really there. He hesitates. The
paper tears some more. He's about to fall!
ALICE (O.S.)
Take it!
Terrified, retches a bloody hand toward Alice, straining to
reach her fingertips...
FETAL CANAL POV - LOOKING UP
Mark's legs dangle above, slipping lower as the paper
continues to tear...
MARK AND ALICE - DOWN ANGLE
Alice gets down on her belly, trying to reach closer to Mark,
who keeps slowly slipping further into the hole.
CLOSE ON THEIR HANDS
fingertips quivering a millimeter apart, then touching, then
moving toward each other's palms until their hands firmly
grip!
FETAL CANAL POV - LOOKING UP
Alice begins to pull Mark up, away from CAMERA
ALICE AND MARK - SIDE ANGLE
As Alice struggles to pull Mark from the yawning mouth of the
canal, it begins to close around him, trying to suck him back
in. With a final tug, Alice yanks Mark out, and the canal
closes, leaving no trace on the now normal floor.
ALICE (cont'd)
Let's get out of here!
ANGLE ON FRONT DOOR
As Alice races INTO SHOT toward the door. Mark follows close
behind. As Alice flings the door open, Mark comes to a halt,
BACK TO CAMERA, noticing something on his hands. BLOOD. He
stares in horror...
ALICE (cont'd)
C'mon, Mark!
CLOSE ON MARK
hands raised before his face. His eyes are opened in shock.
Then they start to unfocus as he begins to wobble. In the
next second he is FALLING OUT OF FRAME.
WIDER
Alice watches as Mark feints himself AWAKE. As he's about to
hit the floor, he dissolves away. Alice starts to turn back
to the door when something OUT OF FRAME catches her eye.
CAMERA PANS TO RIGHT until we see... JACOB standing at a
window, staring forlornly into the street.
ALICE
freezes. Stares at this odd child with a mixture of
compassion and wariness.
ALICE (cont'd)
Jacob...?
JACOB AND ALICE
Alice approaches, keeping a little distance between them.
Jacob turns. He's paler now. Sickly. As he recognizes
Alice, he looks even a little sadder.
JACOB
Oh...hello...
He goes back to the window. Alice takes on a tone of
instinctive motherly concern.
ALICE
(tentative)
Hi, you don't look very well. Are you
feeling all right?
JACOB
(still at the window)
Been having bad dreams.
Alice ponders that.
ALICE
Is this where you live, Jacob?
He shakes his head no.
JACOB
Just waiting for someone...
(then)
It's sad about Greta.
Alice stares at him, intrigued.
ALICE
Is that who you're waiting for?
JACOB
No...
Alice takes another step forward.
ALICE
I don't think this is a nice place for
you to be. Maybe we should go find your
Mom.
JACOB
She doesn't want me around
ALICE
Oh...I'm sure that's not true. I'll bet
she's very worried about you. I would
be.
Jacob turns to her. His face full of hurt and accusation.
JACOB
No you're not. You don't even care about
being a mom. How come you don't think
about me?
ALICE
(confused)
Who said I...wait, what?
his lonely eyes begin to well up.
JACOB
I like you...I want to stay with you.
Why don't you want me? Is there
something wrong with me?
Alice stares at him, stunned as the realization hits her.
She takes a step closer, almost within reach of him.
ALICE
Who says I don't like you?
JACOB
My friend, with the funny hand.
Alice doesn't like the implications of that at all. She
reaches out to lead Jacob away.
ALICE
Come on, honey. We're getting out of
here.
But he pulls away, drawn by something in the shadows near the
stairs.
JACOB
I have to go now, he wants me again.
Jacob scurries up the stairs into the shadows.
ALICE
No! Jacob!...
She runs after him, charging up the stairs and finding
herself
INT. MARK'S LOFT - MORNING
Alice climbs up the last stair and steps into the loft.
Looks around, SURPRISED; she's back in reality.
Mark sits up in his bed. Stares at the cuts in hands with
amazement, and dawning realization.
MARK
Holy...shit...he's really real...isn't
he?
Mark looks up at Alice, who's more concerned than ever.
MARK (cont'd)
Are you okay?
ALICE
He's doing something to my baby. I know
it -- he's trying to hurt Jacob.
Mark looks confused.
MARK
Who's Jacob?
ALICE
My baby!
MARK
What, you named it already?
Alice freezes. Realizing...
ALICE
Yeah. I think he already has a name...
Then, she hurriedly begins to gather her things.
ALICE (cont'd)
I've got to get away from here.
Someplace where Krueger can't find him.
She bolts for the stairs. Mark restrains her.
MARK
Whoa, slow down. How're you gonna hide
from a guy like that, leave the planet?
ALICE
I don't know!
Alice is on the verge of tears. Mark puts his hands on her
shoulders, trying to emotionally steady her.
MARK
Look, if you're worried about your baby,
call Yvonne, have the doctor check him
out.
Alice nods, getting a hold of herself. Mark hands her the
telephone. Then grabs his jacket.
ALICE
Where are you going?
MARK
I'm going to see what else I can find out
about Mr. Fred Krueger
INT. HOSPITAL CORRIDOR - DAY
Alice hurries down the near deserted corridor. Yvonne rushes
to keep up beside her. She looks concerned.
YVONNE
You had me scared on the phone. What's
wrong with the baby?
ALICE
I think Krueger's trying to do something
to it.
Yvonne suddenly pulls Alice to a halt, dismayed.
YVONNE
Oh, Alice...no. Honey, I love you but
you're going to have to get a hold of
yourself...
ALICE
Mark knows I'm not crazy. Ask him to
show you his hands.
Alice starts off again. Yvonne really looks worried now.
YVONNE
I really think you need to calm down now,
okay?
ALICE
I just can't figure out how he's getting
in when I'm awake...
Suddenly a thought strikes her. She wheels on Yvonne.
ALICE (cont'd)
Do unborn babies dream?
Yvonne hesitates, afraid her answer might feed Alice's
fantasies.
YVONNE
Yeah...they do, but...do us both a
favor...don't mention any of this to Dr.
Moore.
INT. DR. MOORE'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
Yvonne adjusts the ULTRA SOUND MONITOR. Dr. Moore finishes
his pre-examination of Alice. He is extremely irritated.
DR. MOORE
Developing fetuses can spend up to
seventy-percent of their day in what we
call dream state. More as they mature.
Yvonne shoots a frustrated look at Alice.
ALICE
Would I be able to sense them?
DR. MOORE
(annoyed)
Is that why you're here? To see if your
baby's having nightmares?
ALICE
We're here to find out everything we can,
aren't we?
DR. MOORE
Frankly, I've found nothing about you
that would indicate the necessity of
ultra-sound at this stage of your
pregnancy.
Dr. Moore throws a dark look at Yvonne.
ALICE
I just want to make sure my baby's all
right.
Yvonne hands the ultra-sound device to Dr. Moore. He runs
the device over Alice's baby.
THE ULTRA-SOUND MONITOR
The screen comes on with a BLIP. A barely distinguishable
black and white image appears...
DR. MOORE (O.S.)
The heart seems strong. Let's hear it.
Yvonne flicks a switch and a steady RHYTHMIC BEAT begins on
the TRACK, coming from a speaker above the monitor.
Alice watches the screen, fascinated. Suddenly... The
picture begins to shift and distort with electronic spasms.
The SOUND of the baby's heartbeat begins to grow LOUDER and
SURREAL.
Alice turns apprehensively to Yvonne and Dr. Moore, who are
oblivious to any of this. Then...
The wall behind Alice starts to PULSATE...become FLESHLIKE.
It ripples blue-red with veins. Then...a gaping hole opens
and we are staring into the fetal canal!
WHOOSH!
Alice is sucked through the opening!
AN IRIDESCENT BEAM OF LIGHT (ALICE)
flies through a landscape of pulsing blood vessels and living
tissue. We are inside Alice's body.
AN ENORMOUS VALVE
stretches open and the beam of "light" shoots through it,
then drops down OUT OF FRAME. Hold a beat.
Then Alice floats up INTO FRAME...a translucent figure,
ethereal. She is caught in a GLOW OF LIGHT. WE TURN WITH
HER to see...
HER UNBORN BABY
glowing with innocence. Floating...umbilical chord in the
FOREGROUND.
ON ALICE
as she approaches the child. She's fascinated...enchanted.
Until she sees something beyond the baby, a face, protruding
from the uterine wall.
FREDDY KRUEGER
smiling at Alice.
FREDDY
Hi. See a family resemblance?
ALICE
reacts in fear as she sees...
THE UMBILICAL CHORD
beginning to bulge as something forces its way through it
toward her baby.
The bulge moves down the chord, then a second one enters from
the wall...both "things" travel toward the fetus' belly like
golf balls moving through a python. Then...
WHOOSH, WHOOSH, they shoot into the fetus.
ALICE'S
fear turns to utter horror as she sees...
THE FETUS
its skin has turned translucent and we see the tiny, "as in
hideous death" souls of DAN and GRETA in the child's belly.
ON THE SOULS
screaming in terror!
FREDDY'S HUGE FACE
leering in twisted pleasure.
THE BABY'S FACE
begins to slowly transform into a mask of fear and pain. Its
eyes begin to flutter.
ON FREDDY
As he realizes the child is on the verge of awakening. He
grimaces in anger and frustration.
ALICE
screams at Freddy.
ALICE
Don't touch him!
THE CHILD
begins to turn toward Alice as it nears consciousness. Its
eyes open, staring in wonder for just a second, then...
MATCH CUT TO:
INT. DR. MOORE'S OFFICE
CLOSE ON ALICE
eyes open wide in terror. She looks around, panicked.
ALICE
What's he doing to my baby?
DR. MOORE
leans INTO SHOT, removing the testing device.
DR. MOORE
Your baby is perfectly healthy... a
little large for so early on, but as
normal as any I've seen.
HOLD ON ALICE. She's got knowledge Dr. Moore hasn't got.
She turns to Yvonne.
ALICE
He's taking their souls...Their spirits
to make the baby...like him.
Yvonne shoots a look at Dr. Moore. She realizes she'd better
get Alice out of there before he has her committed. Yvonne
moves to Alice.
YVONNE
Come on, sweety. I'll take you home.
You'll feel better after you get some
real sleep.
Yvonne manages to guide Alice from the room. Dr. Moore
watches them leave. Then he checks something in Alice's
file. Picks up the telephone and dials a number.
INT. ALICE'S BEDROOM - DAY
Alice ENTERS, carrying two mugs of coffee and speaking in a
frantic rush. Yvonne follows behind, a look of deep concern
on her face.
ALICE
...Dan was there. Greta, too. Krueger
killed them! And now he's feeding them
to Jacob!
She hands one of the cups to Yvonne, who tries to get her
attention.
YVONNE
Alice...
Yvonne sets her mug down and gently places her hands on
Alice's shoulders, adopting a very reasonable tone.
YVONNE (cont'd)
Alice, I want you to stop and listen to
yourself. Do you know how you sound?
Alice nods. Calmly replies.
ALICE
Completely insane. But I'm not
(pause)
And if you're my friend you'll try to
believe me a little.
Yvonne looks into Alice's eyes. We see that she really cares
about her, and that Alice is starting to scare her.
YVONNE
I am your friend, and I'm worried sick
about you. But, you're like a locked
safe. You've gotta start dealing with
reality.
ALICE
Krueger is reality.
YVONNE
(voice rising)
And so is your baby. You've got more
than just yourself to think of now!
ALICE
(getting angry)
What do you think I'm doing?
(pauses)
Look. Whether you believe it or not,
Krueger is back. He's after the baby and
if I don't try to do something about it,
who will??
Suddenly the door is pushed open and Mark enters carrying a
folder stuffed with xeroxed newspaper clippings. He looks
from Alice to Yvonne and back.
YVONNE
(continuing the discussion)
All I know is that you are not doing
yourself or the baby any good by acting
like a crazy woman. Why don't you take
off - leave Springwood and cool out
somewhere for a while?
ALICE
Goddamn it, Yvonne! You don't just run
away from this guy! He finds you in your
dreams.
MARK
(looking at Yvonne)
He sure found a few others before us.
Yvonne looks at him with frustration.
YVONNE
You, too?
MARK
He invited me to his house last night.
Yvonne ruefully shakes her head. Tries the calm approach.
YVONNE
Look...we're all tired. None of us had
any sleep since Friday night...
ALICE
That's the only reason you're alive...
Yvonne abandons the calm approach. Wheels on Alice.
YVONNE
(shouting)
No it's not!
She turns for the door. Mark shoves the folder towards her.
MARK
Yvonne, look through this stuff. She's
not crazy!
Yvonne knocks the folder from Mark's hand, scattering its
contents everywhere. Then she storms out, slamming the door
behind her. The xeroxed clippings float to the floor. Mark
glances at Alice.
MARK (cont'd)
You okay?
Alice nods. They start picking up the scattered clippings.
ALICE
I found out how Krueger's been doing it
while I'm awake. He's using Jacob's
dreams. We've got to stop him.
Mark looks up at her.
MARK
You know there is...one way.
Alice looks up at him, intrigued.
MARK (cont'd)
Have you thought about not having the
baby? I mean, no baby, no baby's dreams.
Alice thinks about it, very hard. Finally shakes her head.
ALICE
I couldn't do that, Mark. He's my last
link with Dan...No, I want him.
MARK
(nods, smiling)
Then we'll find another way.
ALICE
leans down again and continues picking up the clippings.
One, bearing a photo of Amanda Krueger, lies in FOREGROUND.
She picks it up, stares at it, pondering.
ALICE
I've seen her...
Her father's voice floats up from downstairs.
ALICE'S DAD (O.S.)
Alice, can you come down a minute?
INT. ALICE'S LIVING ROOM
Alice comes down the stairs. Her father is sitting in the
living room with Dan's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jordan.
ALICE
Oh, hi...
Mrs. Jordan smiles at Alice a little too sweetly. We see the
strain of her son's death in her eyes.
MRS. JORDAN
Alice...Mr. Jordan and I wanted to see
how you were feeling. Come, sit down.
Alice hesitates, this is the last thing she needs right now.
ALICE'S DAD
This isn't really a good time. Maybe if
you could come back...
Mrs. Jordan nervously cuts him off.
MRS. JORDAN
Frankly, dear, we wondered what you
intend to do with our baby?
ALICE
What I what? Well, I've thought about
it. I plan to keep him.
Mrs. Jordan glances at her husband. He uncomfortably shifts
in his chair, then reluctantly speaks up.
MR. JORDAN
We're concerned that this all might be a
little too much for you...I mean, being
single and, well everything...
His voice trails off. His wife frowns at his lack of
fortitude. She jumps in.
MRS. JORDAN
What Mr. Jordan means is that we're aware
of the burden that raising a child would
place you.
Alice continues to stare at her, not quite sure where this is
going. Mark quietly appears on the stairs behind her holding
the folder of clippings.
MRS. JORDAN (cont'd)
We're offering to help...adopt it and
raise it as though it were --
ALICE
Look, I appreciate what you're offering,
but no. He is my responsibility.
MRS. JORDAN
(getting adamant)
And ours. It's our grandchild.
Mr. Jordan, clearly uncomfortable, tries to cut her off.
MR. JORDAN
Doris, maybe this wasn't such a good --
She ignores him, getting more forceful.
MRS. JORDAN
In your present condition, Alice, we're
worried about your ability --
ALICE
What are you talking about? My
"condition"?...
Alice's father gives Mrs. Jordan a dark look. Surprised.
MR. JORDAN
We had a call from Dr. Moore. He said
Alice was hysterical. That she's been
having paranoid delusions and...
ALICE
You don't understand...
MRS. JORDAN
We know you've been through a lot but
there's more than your feelings at stake
here.
ALICE
You're not taking my baby!
Mrs. Jordan stands, losing her composure.
MRS. JORDAN
The courts may not agree with you.
Alice's father stands. Turns an angry gaze on Mrs. Jordan.
ALICE'S DAD
But I do. I've heard enough of this
crap. You think you can just walk into
my house and start threatening my
daughter?
SWIRLING JACUZZI
As Yvonne approaches. She steps up to the side and gingerly
stretches out her foot to test the water.
CLOSE ON SURFACE OF WATER
frothing and bubbling ominously. Yvonne's toe glides down
INTO FRAME, hovers, then dips into the swirling white water.
CLOSE ON YVONNE
smiling happily.
CL