Take One (Jul 15, 1979)

SCENES FROM A MOVIE The three De Palma finalists. Political assassination and intrigue, a disaffected soundman and a canny call-girl, Dirty Tricks and cheap porno flicks, cars off bridges and guns that go bang in the mike— Brian De Palma provided the elements in his Personal Effects schematic in our January issue. Three of our readers provide the winning results. It wasn't easy—winnowing over 1000 scripts down to three finalists—but we did it with the aid of lots of strong coffee and a profound sense of mission. Take One editorial readers did the initial sifting and then passed their piles on to Brian De Palma who had final say on the final three printed here. The winners get $500, and will work up a full-length screenplay for Personal Effects in collaboration with De Palma. The Big winner of the three-man playoffs will be the screenwriter for the film. ee Scene No.I By Buzz Dixon FADE IN: INT. DARK STORE ROOM — NIGHT To one side is the door. Scattered throughout the room are various boxes and crates. Half hidden by the shadows on the opposite side of the FRAME is the MOVIE HERO, a big, prettyhandsome Aryan type dressed in outdoorsman clothes and holding a Colt .45 in his hand. The door opens slowly and with a PROLONGED AND NOISY CREAK. ANGLE ON DOOR As the door CREAKS OPEN, a GIANT CHINESE ASSASSIN steps in. He carries an exotic looking pistol. ANGLE ON HERO He suddenly steps from the shadows and fires twice, only his shots come out with a BOINGBOING SOUND EFFECT. When he speaks his lips do not synch with the soundtrack. HERO (ridiculous high pitched voice) Take that, you thilly thon of a bitch! CLOSE ON CHINESE ASSASSIN’S CHEST Blood comes out of two gaping bullet holes in NOISY TRICKLE. WATCHERS’ VOICES (low LAUGHTER) ANGLE ON CHINESE He drops his pistol with a DOPPLER WHISTLE and CAR CRASH SOUND EFFECT. He, too, speaks out of synch. CHINESE (Harlem black accent) Yo—yo—yo momma blows vacuum cleaners! ANGLE ON HERO He steps closer to CAMERA, again speaking out of synch. HERO (ridiculous high pitched voice) You can’t talk about my momma that way! WATCHERS’ VOICES (low LAUGHTER) He fires again with a BOING. ANGLE ON CHINESE He staggers back, falling out of FRAME. We hear a DIVE BOMBER SOUND EFFECT and a LOUD AND PROLONGED CRASH. WATCHERS’ VOICES (louder LAUGHTER) ANGLE ON MOVIE GIRL A beautiful MOVIE GIRL runs from the crate she hides behind to the Hero with HORSE HOOFBEAT SOUND EFFECTS. As he puts his arm around her she nuzzles his chest and the CAMERA PULLS BACK to show this is an editing console with four men watching it. The Girl speaks out of synch. GIRL (deep, macho masculine voice) I love sniffing your armpits after you kill somebody. WATCHERS (loud LAUGHTER) REVERSE ANGLE — INT. CUTTING ROOM The four men watch the film in a dimly lit room, highlighted by the console’s projection bulb. Jon, the sound man and our hero, is in his mid-twenties and dresses very casually, Army surplus style. Next.to Jon is an empty chair, then Dan, the proven if unimaginative director. Next is Bill, the editor who’s been in the business for thirty years. Last is Harry, the mixer, a laid back fellow in his late twenties. They watch the film and LAUGH as we hear music from “H.M.S. Pinafore” on the soundtrack, ALL FOUR (LAUGHTER) At this point the:door at the back of the room opens and Bud, the producer, steps in. A TAKE ONE 15