Script created with Final Draft by B.C. Software, Inc.
Script created with Final Draft by B.C. Software, Inc.
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"Popcorn Children"
by
Charles R. Fox
Chuck Fox
877.810.869
connect@chuckfox.com
"Popcorn Children"
(CREDITS ROLL AT END)
FADE IN:
EXT. SIERRA NEVADA MOUNTAIN RANGE, LAKE TAHOE - DAY
MUSIC: VAN MORRISON, "Scandanavia."
Fall. Soft snow covers this pristine mountain cathedral. We
SEE the vast expanse of the Tahoe Valley. Pine crested
mountains that sustain the majestic sapphire-blue waters of
Lake Tahoe.
SERIES OF SHOTS - TAHOE VALLEY
MOVING, TO SKY
accented by clouds similar in shape to popcorn.
MAIN TITLE IN
"Popcorn Children"
INT. LAKESIDE MOTEL ROOM - LATER
Sleeping on the two beds are HEATHER and BUDDY. Two young
children. Heather's the seven year-old cutie. Buddy's a
four year-old Pro NFL lineman. From out of the bathroom door
comes LYNN MARAGO, thirty year-old mother and wife. She
dries her hair with a towel.
ROOM DOOR - RON ENTERING
RON
Packed to go?
LYNN
Just about.
(beat)
Buddy's bathtub ducks.
RON
Saw a laundry bag somewhere.
LYNN
(points)
On the shelf?
RON
(to kids; nearing shelf)
Chris...Heather!
(moves to Buddy)
Come on, Chris. Wake up, Buddy.
(beat; to Heather)
Heather, time to see Uncle Tommy.
(no response)
Snappers...let's go! We're
gonna go see Tommy! Up and Adam!
ON BUDDY - WAKING
BUDDY
I'm not Adam!
WITH HEATHER
HEATHER
Oh yeah, we'll...
(beat)
I'm up!
The two children roll out of a slumber. HOLD.
EXT. SIERRA MOUNTAINS, LEAVING TAHOE - ECHO SUMMIT POV
MUSIC: VAN MORRISON, "Beautiful Vision."
EXT. SIERRA HIGHWAY
as we SEE a PONTIAC 6000LE cruising the twisted stretches.
We sense the purity of nature. Scenic beauty.
EXT./INT. RON'S PONTIAC - TRAVELLING
Ron drives while Lynn studies the map.
ANGLE ON BACKSEAT
as Buddy and Heather play games. Heather clutches a naked
"Barbie" doll. Buddy is holding a shiny-sequined "Barbie"
evening gown.
HEATHER
Buddy, don't be messin' Barbie's dress!
BUDDY
No!
HEATHER
Buddy... dude... ya' dissed me!
Mommy?
(beat; to Buddy)
Buddy has Barbie's dress and
won't give it to me!
LYNN
Buddy, you have the dress?
ON BUDDY
pressing the power window down and
tossing the dress out.
BUDDY
No!
HEATHER
He pitched it in the street.
POV - RON
as it REFLECTS Buddy in the rear-view mirror. Father-to-son
eye contact.
RON
Buddy, window back up, pal.
What about the dress?
BUDDY
Don't got it.
LYNN
Did you have it?
BUDDY
Not exactly?
RON
Buddy!
HEATHER
(crying)
He cranked it out the window...
(ranting)
and then it hit the pavement, like,
like wet cement!
(to Buddy)
Buddy, you ain't all that!
BUDDY
I didn't like wet cement, Heather!
HEATHER
(still hurt)
But what about Barbie's dress?
LYNN
Didn't you pack more clothes in
her suitcase?
HEATHER
Yeah, but that was her favorite.
(beat)
It had all that shiny stuff.
Heather proceeds to open her "Barbie" suitcase.
LYNN
Are you two gonna behave like
those other children? Or do we go
home and clean out the toy closet
we can find out just how special
and individual we are!
RON
Options are few. You two gonna
cool down?
HEATHER
We'll chill.
LYNN
Promise?
HEATHER
Promise.
RON
Buddy, along for the ride, ir what?
BUDDY
Only if Jenn gets the roll-away next
time
Heather whispers into Buddy's ear.
HEATHER
(softly)
Ya' better promise.
BUDDY
Promise.
RON
Alright, we'll go see Tommy.
Ya gotta behave though.
They all remain QUIET. Heather is dressing Barbie in a new
outfit. Buddy stares at her.
EXT. CAR EXHAUST
with a very dark plume of smoke pouring out.
EXT. MOUNTAIN RANGE SUNSET
A colored swatch of orange sky and green mountainscape. Time
marches onward. Approaching dusk.
MUSIC: VAN MORRISON, "Vanlose Stairway."
EXT. RON'S PONTIAC - TRAVELLING
The car SPUTTERS. Intense smoke CLOUDS the rear.
INT. PONTIAC - ON RON AND LYNN
The kids are playing in the b.g..
LYNN
What you think?
RON
'Round here.
EXT. GAS STATION, OFF HIGHWAY - DUSK
Antiquated fillin' station. Two pumps up front, HI-TEST and
ETHEL. An old tow-truck and a horde of old junked cars
outline the drab perimeter.
RON'S PONTIAC
pulling into the gas station. Smokin!
EXT. GAS STATION - UNDER CAR HOOD
Ron is huddled under the hood with RALPH, a working man in
his fifties and the attendant/mechanic/owner of the station.
We HEAR them revving the engine.
Ron appears from under the hood and moves inside the car--
INT. PONTIAC - WITH RON AND LYNN
RON
He says the float in the carb sticks.
Blowin' too much gas.
LYNN
That what made it ...
RON
Bog?
LYNN
Yeah.
RON
Guess you can wait in the house.
His wife is Betty.
LYNN
(looking to station)
Mind pointing me to the house?
RON
(smiling)
One closest to Ethyl. Got me?
EXT. CAR - AT TRUNK
Lynn opens it. Buddy immediately grabs for his football.
Heather cradles Barbie by holding her by the hair. Lynn
pulls a carry-all bag from the trunk.
EXT. GAS STATION/HOUSE - NEAR DARK
as Lynn, Heather, and Buddy move from the car, passing a
GLOWING candy machine. Buddy moves to it--
BUDDY
Candy! Candy!
Check it out!
HEATHER
We'll chill here, Mom!
(beat)
We want some!
BUDDY
(selfish)
Yeah...
(points inward)
I want some!
Buddy pulls the levers without receiving product.
BUDDY
The candy is not complete!
HEATHER
Buddy, cash helps. Geeze!
BUDDY
Cash in...candy out?
HEATHER
Exactly!
LYNN
You both want candy?
BUDDY
That's the way I see it.
LYNN
Candy, under the condition that
I have your complete cooperation
the rest of this trip.
(stern look)
Signing off on complete co-
operation?
Heather and Buddy slyly push a "candy only" nod. Lynn fidgets
thru her purse. She doesn't have change.
LYNN
(in purse)
I need to get change.
(to kids)
Wait right here. I'll go inside.
INT. GAS STATION/HOUSE
Store area of the house. BETTY, Ralph's fiftyish wife, is on
the phone trying to order a comforter set from "Home Shopping
Club." The "HSC" plays in the b.g.. Lynn walks in.
BETTY
(on phone; to Lynn)
Be right with you, hun'.
Betty holds on the line. Lynn clutches a few dollars while
moving nearer to the window.
POV - LYNN - KID'S AT MACHINE
EXT. STATION - AT CANDY MACHINE
Heather and Buddy are deciding what candy to choose.
BUDDY
I want that one!
CU - MACHINE
with Buddy's finger indicating the candy he wants.
HEATHER
Yeah, then, uh, I want that one!
Heather's finger indicates her selection.
INT. HOUSE - ON LYNN AT WINDOW
She moves back over near Betty.
EXT. STATION - WITH BUDDY AND HEATHER
HEATHER
(to station)
Mommy, hurry up!
BUDDY
I say it melts before she gets
here with the money.
HEATHER
It's not hot enough to melt.
BUDDY
You sure on thgis one, Heth?
(convincingly)
You don't know it all...
ya' know!
HOLD - BUDDY'S FACE
ON A RABBIT
hopping over to a guardrail that provides roadside protection
from a steep incline cresting a ravine.
Buddy plays toward the rabbit.
BUDDY
It's that Easter Bunny!
It's the Easter Bunny!
This is the coolest...
HEATHER
Where?
Buddy hustles toward the bunny. Football under arm.
BUDDY
Let's get it.
HEATHER
Mommy said, "stay here," Buddy!
Buddy attempts to tackle the bunny. Heather approaches.
BUDDY
Yo, Easter Bunny!
Buddy lunges for the bunny. Dropping the football near the
guardrail.
HEATHER (OC)
Buddy!
Buddy dives, startling the bunny. He rolls under the
guardrail and quickly tumbles down the steep embankment.
HEATHER
Don't do that!
Heather also dives under and down. She clutches her Barbie
doll.
HEATHER
I'm coming, Buddy!
Heather rolls down the embankment. We SEE her descend
softly, leaves pad her fall.
BARBIE DOLL
that Heather has lost hold of. It flies, mixed with airborne
leaves, in SLOW MOTION.
INT. GAS HOUSE - WITH LYNN AND BETTY
Betty is still on the phone. She clutches it with her
shoulder.
BETTY
This'll be on Discover.
(beat)
I'll take the comforter set.
The K-ten-twelve-zero-five.
(waiting)
Do you have any of the navy blue
patterning?
(beat; listening)
Thanks, honey.
Betty hangs up the phone and turns to Lynn.
BETTY
Sorry to keep you, hun!
What can we help you with?
LYNN
Some change?
She waves the two dollars. Betty moves over to the register.
LYNN
(continuing)
My children are outside circling
your candy machine like the vultures
they are.
Betty hands Lynn the change.
BETTY
Candy.
(smiling)
Necessity of the child!
LYNN
We just try to keep the peace.
POV - BETTY
Looking outside at Ron's car, framed by the window. No candy
visibility.
BETTY (OC)
What kind of trouble you have
out there?
BACK TO LYNN
LYNN
(joking)
Beside my man?
BETTY
Darlin', who doesn't!
POV - WINDOW - MEN UNDER HOOD
LYNN (OC)
Carburetor, I think?
BACK TO SCENE
BETTY
Well... your children... they're
calling it candy.
LYNN
Yeah, I guess so. We usually go
premium. It sticks.
(smiling)
Thanks!
Lynn Exits.
BETTY
Sure thing, honey...
(smiling; to Lynn)
You be lucky now. You
folk coming here... Forty-
niner luck they usta called it.
Sure thing!
Lynn smiles a look back and exits.
EXT. GAS STATION
We SEE the whole picture. Preserved for one beat of a
moment. The candy machine, the gas house, the pumpers and
the junked cars. HOLD FRAME. NO SOUND.
Lynn is outside then, quickly--
MEDIUM - LYNN
An instant, aurally crushing, head-jolting revelation. Panic
has arrived en masse. Her precious children are nowhere near
the candy machine. Not here!
POV - LYNN - VACANT CANDY MACHINE
As she SWEEPS her head to the car.
BACK TO LYNN'S FACE
as it erodes into fear.
POV - LYNN
Scanning entire area. Furious. Sporadic. FRAME FOLLOWS the
general area of the gas house. It TUGS constantly. Finally
resting down in grief. Lynn covers her eyes with her hands.
FADE TO BLACK
LYNN (OC)
No! No! God... No!
HOLD BLACK
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Script created with Final Draft by B.C. Software, Inc.