| EXT. FOREST. DAY.
They flit thorugh a lest dense forest, up a slope, looking carefully
around as they go.
RICHARD (V.O.)
The most satisfying aspec, of course, was that Monseigneur Practical,
Mr. Timetable, Mr I'll-sort-it-out-with-a-local-fisherman, he turned
out to be not so hot in your actual primordial fight or flight situation,
your combat zone, where what it takes to stay alive is quick thinking
and nerves of steel. I didn't need to say anything. I knew it, and
so did he.
They reach the top of the hill. Richard looks back. Down below
they can see the dope fields.
They continue
EXT. FOREST. DAY.
They are travelling downhill now, beside a stream.
They stop to drink from it.
ETIENNE
If we follow this down, it should lead us all the way to the
lagoon.
RICHARD
That's right, all the way down.
RICHARD (V. O.)
He was right. All we had to do was follow the water and we'd
be in paradise. Only I twasn't going to be that easy.
EXT. WATERFALL. DAY.
Water thunders from a clifftop to a pool
Etienne and Francoise are lying flat on a rock, peering over
the edge of this high waterfall. It falls in a single giant step.
On either side of the waterfall, cliffs curve away to form a
massive circle enclosing the lagoon and an area of land covered
in forest.
Etienne crawls back a few paces to where Richard is sitting on
a rock. Francoise continues to look over.
ETIENNE
Well, Richard, how are we going to get down?
RICHARD
Why are you asking me?
ETIENNE
Why shouldn't I?
RICHARD
Because you can have an opinion too.
ETIENNE
I have an opinion
RICHARD
OK, so let's hear it.
FRANCOISE
We'll jump.
RICHARD
Don't be stupid. Etienne?
ETIENNE
We'll climb down over there.
RICHARD
There?
ETIENNE
So, what do you think?
FRANCOISE
Listen to me - we can jump.
RICHARD
No, if we try to climb there we'll all be killed. Over there
looks better.
ETIENNE
Maybe we could make a rope out of some creepers.
RICHARD
Yes, or maybe we could build a hang glider and a giant staircase.
FRANCOISE
(Shouting)
Please!
They turn to her. She is standing with her back to the drop.
RICHARD
What?
She turns around.
ETIENNE
No!
She jumps.
She falls towards and into the pool.
Richard and Etienne scramble to the edge and peer over.
She surfaces and waves.
Richard and Etienne look at each other.
RICHARD
OK, so we'll jump.
EXT. WATERFALL. DAY.
Richard and Etienne jump.
They sink and then surface.
All three are ecstatic and elated, charged with the excitement
of the fall and the joy of a journey's end. They exchange hugs and
kisses.
They become aware of a single person clapping slowly.
They turn to see Keaty, a young Afro-Caribbean Londoner, standing
a few paces away.
KEATY
Congratulation. It took me the best part of an hour to work up
the balls to do that. Mind you, I was alone, so you have to make
allowances.
They say nothing.
KEATY
(continuing)
I'm Keaty.
RICHARD
Are there many people here?
Keaty raises a hand to stop Richard's question.
KEATY
The Q and A comes later. First of all, I think you'd better meet
Sal.
INT. LONGHOUSE. DAY.
Sal, a woman in her early thirties, is seated on the floor opposite
Richard, Francoise, and Etienne.
Sal is studying Daffy's map. She hands it back to Richard.
Gathered around them are about twenty assorted inhabitants of
various nationalities, all weathered travelers in their twenties
or thirties.
The longhouse is single story building made from wood and bamboo
lattice, about thirty meters long. It is divided up by low partitions
into single or double sleeping areas, some of which are personalized,
others not. There is also an open area where this action takes place.
RICHARD (V.O.)
At first they were more interested in the map than us. It seems
that Daffy, the guy who drew it, he was a founding father, he discovered
this places and set up the community five years ago. Then about
one year ago he starts to get depressed, six months later he leaves
and that's the last they hear till we turn up.
RICHARD
He's dead. He cut his wrists open in a hotel room on the Khao
San Road. The police didn't know what to do with the body. I guess
they'll incinerate him or something.
SAL
Do you tink he gave a mpa like this to anyone else.
RICHARD
I don't know. I don't think so.
SAL
And you, have you told anyone or shown anyone this map?
ETIENNE
No.
FRANCOISE
No.
RICHARD
No.
SAL
Good.
EXT. ISLAND SCENES. DAY/NIGHT.
Commence a montage of various scenes of island life involving
its citizens and the newcomers.
The longhouse stands at one edge of a clearing, dominating it.
Scattered around are several other smaller huts and a few tents.
Other locations are the beach, the garden, and the forest.
We see the inhabitants
at work in the garden
in the lagoon
relaxing on the beach
around the fire at night
RICHARD (V.O.)
Now I've got to say that my first impressions were not favorable.
Oh God, I thought, it's a tribe of hippies. I thought we'd have
to talk about our positive energies a lot, kiss the earth every
morning and recycle our waste products by some unspeakable mechanism.
Fortunately not. It really was some kind of a paradise. We grew
some fruit and some dope. The farmers on the other side left us
alone and we didn't trespass on their turf.
INT. LONGHOUSE. DAY
Everyone, including Francoise, Etiennne and Richard is sitting
around a big wooden table set for dinner. Two people are serving
side dishes of vegetables and rice.
RICHARD (V.O.)
Sal was the leader but it wasn't a big deal. There wasn't any
ideology or shit like that, it was just a beach resort for people
who don't like beach resorts.
One man begins drumming softly on the table with his hands. Another
joins in, then another. Soon everyone is tapping out a rhythm, against
the table or a bottle or a coconut shell, using their hands or a
knife or chopsticks.
This is intercut with the following scene to the point where
the newcomers have joined in and it reaches a crescendo as the main
dish -a massive complete swordfish, is served.
EXT. ISLAND SCENES. DAY.
Various characters are introduced in different locations; at
work or at rest; speaking to Richard or (as if to him) to camera.
First the three Swedes.
RICHARD(V.O.)
There was the Swedes: Christo, Sten, and Karl.
CHRISTO
We like fishing
KARL
Fishing. Yeah.
STEN
Yeah.
CHRISTO
And in the winter we like skiing.
KARL
Yeah.
STEN
Yeah.
CHRISTO
But in Thailand - there is no skiing.
RICHARD (V.O.)
Then there were the Yugoslavian girls.
SONJA
We are from Sarajevo.
MIRJANA
Our hearts are full of loss
RICHARD
I'm sorry.
They start laughing at him
SONJA
It's alright.
MIRJANA
We tell everyone that.
RICHARD (V.O.)
There was the Weathergirl.
WEATHERGIRL
I feel a tightness in my pelvis; it's gonna rain.
Heavy rain falls.
RICHARD (V.O.)
And yes, unfortunately, there was a man with a guitar.
GUITARMAN
(singing badly)
"Come as you are, as you were, and as I want you to be…"
RICHARD(V.O.)
The only person I didn't like was Sal's boyfriend, Bugs. He was
one of those pricks who just won't shut up about all the great things
they've seen and done, all of which are just that little bit better,
bigger, more dangerous, more extreme, more remote, more unusual,
more thi more that more fucking everything than anything you've
ever done.
BUGS
We were in the dessert for three weeks. It's forty-eight in the
shade and there's bugger all of that to speak of. We're on one and
half liters a day; it's practically suicide. But every morning we'd
look east and see the sunrise, and I'd thing, if I die today - it's
worth it.
RICHARD (V.O.)
The local diet was pretty good and most evenings we'd smoke some
dope. Most afternoons too, as a matter of fact, but I had a personal
rule never to smoke before lunch, although as time went on I allowed
myself a certain number of - special occasions".
Richard smokes dope.
INT. LONGHOUSE. DAY.
The drumming reaches its crescendo and the swordfish is laid
out.
RICHARD (V.O.)
This became our world. Pretty soon nothing else mattered anymore:
family, friend, future achievements - who cares. Back home was just
standing behind a counter all day wearing a stupid fucking hat saying,
"how can I help you sir, eat in or take away?" All gone,
all faded away. I settled in. I found my vocation.
EXT. BEACH. DAY.
Richard, Etienne, and Francoise are standing in waist-deep water.
Each is holding a bamboo spear.
Their hair is longer and their tans deeper than when they arrived.
They are watching Christo who stands a short distance away, spear
poised for the kill while he talks through the process.
CHRISTO
OK. Now you stand still. You wait. The fish come. You wait until
the fish are still. They trust you. You wait.
His speech is hypnotic, calming. His students take in the view.
CHRISTO
(continuing)
And then-
He suddenly throws the spear into the water. He lifts it out
triumphant.
CHRISTO
(continuing)
You kill
A dying fish wriggles on the end of the spear.
CHRISTO
(continuing)
Now, you try.
Richard, Etienne and Francoise wade apart a little and into deeper
water. They wait and look.
EXT. UNDERWATER. DAY & EXT. SURFACE. DAY.
Their feet and legs are visible. At first nothing is happening,
then a few fish swim into view.
Richard throws and misses. The other two throw and miss.
CHRISTO
No, no, no. Too fast. Slowly.
They pause
Richard throws. He hauls his spear from the water.
RICHARD
Yo!
A decent sized fish wriggles on the end.
CHRISTO
You are a natural!
They all congratulate him.
Richard raises the spear aloft.
RICHARD
And I say unto you: I shall provide.
|
