SAMPLE PAGES
THIRD ACT SEQUENCE
The time is the early sixties. JAY and DANNY are deejays
who have introduced rock and roll to the airwaves of a small
desert town radio station. A group of locals, led by Trey, has
decided to take action on the night of a big live concert.
EXT. HIGHWAY - NIGHT
Trey hits the brakes. Two of his friends leap out of their
cars. They grab Sam and drag him to the truck.
TREY
I told you. No dancing tonight!
INT. TREY'S TRUCK - MOVING
Trey clicks on the interior light. Grabs Sam by the hair.
Stares into the youngster's face.
TREY
What's that on your face!?
INT. EXHIBIT HALL
Jay checks his watch.
JAY
They're cutting it a little close.
Several KIDS approach the stage.
KID
When's he gonna be on?
EXT. DIRT ROAD
The lights from their motorcycles DITHER wildly over the
bumpy road as Skimp and the Bikers race toward the
fairgrounds.
EXT. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY
Trey's truck SQUEALS to a stop. Trey pushes Sam out onto
the shoulder.
The convoy SMOKES away down the highway, leaving Sam
sprawled in the grass. His face is cut and bruised. His
mascara smudged with tears.
He sits up quickly. Something is approaching. The silver
limousine ROLLS up.
A very, very long beat. Even in the middle of nowhere,
with only one person watching, 'he' knows how to milk an
entrance.
At last, the dark, tinted window of the limo grinds down
with an electrical WHIR. The occupant leans forward:
It's none other than LITTLE RICHARD -- splendiferous in a
shimmering satin jumpsuit and outrageous Fellini-esque
shades.
LITTLE RICHARD
I wonder if you could direct us to
the fairgrounds? We seem to be
lost.
He notices Sam's face.
LITTLE RICHARD
What happened? Maurice!
MAURICE is Little Richard's colossally-muscled bodyguard.
He steps out. Picks Sam up. Hustles him inside the limo.
LITTLE RICHARD
Sweet Jesus! Get me the First Aid
kit!
The window slides shut. The limo slips off into the night.
INT. EXHIBIT HALL
A loud CHANT from the kids on the dance floor: "We want
Little Richard! We want Little Richard!"
EXT. HIGHWAY
Tilton listens to the CHANT on his car radio. He clicks it
off.
TILTON
(to another officer)
I better take a run over there.
He SPEEDS away.
INT. EXHIBIT HALL
Jay's on the bandstand. Speaks into the mike.
JAY
(on PA)
Little Richard and his band will be
here live in just a minute. But
while we're waiting, let's continue
with another hot new hit from
the big 1130, K-C-K-ELLL!
Jan and Dean's Surf City HAMMERS through the building.
INT. RADIO STUDIO
Jarvis listens to the MUSIC and CHANTING on the studio
speakers.
JAY (OVER)
(on PA)
Just a reminder that Little Richard
is live, in concert, tonight and
tickets are still available.
INT. EXHIBIT HALL
A large CROWD surrounds the stage. STOMPS and YELLS. Danny
pleads for order over the music. The deputies watch the
crowd nervously.
EXT. DIRT ROAD
Trey and his friends drive slowly up a ridge. The KCKL
tower looms into view. They switch off their headlights.
Head off the road into open desert.
EXT. FAIRGROUNDS
Tilton sits in his patrol car at the front entrance. He
looks up in alarm as Skimp and the Bikers converge on the
grounds, mufflers POPPING.
EXT. HIGHWAY
The police stand around chatting. Tilton's voice BOOMS
over the radios.
TILTON (OVER)
This is Tilton. The damn bikers are
here! All units, now!!!
Officers leap into their cars and head toward the
fairgrounds, sirens BAWLING.
EXT. RADIO TOWER
Trey and friends cluster around the tower. They gaze up at
the massive supporting guy wires stretching away into the
darkness.
INT. BACKSTAGE HALLWAY
Danny runs along. POUNDS on doors. When he finally hits
the right one:
MAURICE (O.S.)
Entrez.
INT. DRESSING ROOM
Danny rushes in.
Seated in an armchair like madonna and child are Little
Richard and Sam. Little Richard dabs tenderly at the blood
on the kid's face with cotton swabs and astringent.
DANNY
What happened?
LITTLE RICHARD
If that cracker comes anywhere near
this boy, there's gonna be big trouble in
River City!
Maurice nods grimly.
SAM
(to Danny)
Trey and some of the guys went out
to the tower.
Danny heads for the door.
DANNY
(to Little Richard)
Listen, it's getting a little crazy
out there.
LITTLE RICHARD
Shall I go on and cool 'em down?
DANNY
Please. We'll announce you.
Little Richard checks himself in the mirror.
LITTLE RICHARD
Sugar, they know who I am.
Maurice charges out, barking orders into a walkie-talkie.
He leads Little Richard down the hall to the stage.
EXT. THE TOWER
Trey goes around to the back of his truck. A CLANK. Then
the metallic flash of chains in the dusty moonlight.
INT. EXHIBIT HALL
ON STAGE
Jay moves the mike back, away from some kids who are
throwing paper cups.
IN THE WINGS
Little Richard waits, holding a microphone, as his band
members take their places.
AT THE ENTRANCE
the Deputies are startled as Skimp and the Bikers stream
into the hall followed by a very agitated Tilton.
ON THE DANCE FLOOR
Danny claws his way through the crowd. When he sees Skimp,
he runs over. A quick, frantic conference.
Skimp rounds up his Gang and rushes back out. The Deputies
are now totally confused. Tilton is delirious. He confers
with Danny: "What is going on?"
EXT. THE TOWER
Trey loops a tow chain around one of the guy wires.
Secures it to his truck.
LITTLE RICHARD (OVER)
(on PA)
Oooh-Wheeeeee!!!! Are you ready, Baaay-beee?
INT. EXHIBIT HALL
A ROAR of approval. The band KICKS the intro.
ON STAGE
Sam joins the Backup Singers. Dances insanely. Clearly,
this is what he was born to do!
JAY
(on PA)
And now, in celebration of one year
of rock and roll radio in the
Mojave Valley, ladies and
gentlemen...Mr. Little Richard!
Little Richard sweeps on. Flashes Sam a big grin. Scans
the all-white audience.
ON THE FLOOR
Some SCREAM racial epithets. Others APPLAUD wildly.
LITTLE RICHARD
(on PA)
Oooh, I just love foul mouth
cowboys! Big black boots and all
that luscious leather!
He prances over to Maurice who is
BACK STAGE
LITTLE RICHARD
All white and outa-sight! Keep the engine runnin'
-- 'case we have to make a hasty departure!
CENTER STAGE
As the band CRANKS into the original, down and dirty
version of --
LITTLE RICHARD
(sings)
GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY
SURE LIKE TO BALL!
IN THE CROWD
the Preacher reacts: did Little Richard just sing what he
thought he heard?
BEHIND THE REFRESHMENT STAND
Danny's on a pay phone. Shouts over the noise.
DANNY
I don't know. They're on their way
out there.
INT. RADIO STUDIO
Jarvis peers through the window into the darkness.
JARVIS
(on phone)
I'll keep an eye out.
INT. EXHIBIT HALL
ON STAGE
Little Richard SLASHES into the song.
LITTLE RICHARD
GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY!!
YOU SURE LIKE TO BALL!!
ON THE DANCE FLOOR
a mob of Deputies and Officers from the checkpoint BURSTS
into the hall. Tilton frantically waves them back.
TILTON
Get out to the radio station!
The Police CHARGE back out. Danny rounds up Jay and
Jennifer and they follow.
LITTLE RICHARD
WHEN YOU'RE ROCKIN' AND A ROLLIN'
INT. RADIO STUDIO
Jarvis monitors the chaos on the speakers.
LITTLE RICHARD (OVER)
CAN'T HEAR YOUR MAMA CALL!
WHEEEE-OOOO!!!
EXT. THE TOWER
Trey commands the scene from the running board of his
truck.
An array of vehicles rings the tower. Headlights pointed
outward into darkness. Each has a tow chain looped around
a guy wire.
LITTLE RICHARD (OVER)
FROM THE EARLY, EARLY MORNING
TO THE EARLY, EARLY NIGHT
Trey wheels around. Dust clouds EXPLODE over the hill as
Skimp and the Bikers arrive.
LITTLE RICHARD (OVER)
GAWD ALMIGHTY MOLLY ROCKIN'
IN THE HOUSE OF BLUE LIGHT!!!
INT. EXHIBIT HALL
The Band PUMPS as a full-blown free-for-all RADIATES
through the building.
LITTLE RICHARD
OOOH! HONEY! WELCOME TO THE WILD,
WILD WEST!!!
A fight has broken out between Kids, the Anti-rockers and
several Parents. The last view is comic, even
surrealistic:
A few isolated pockets of determined Souls, still vertical
and dancing furiously. While all around them, a sea of
horizontal Kids, Adults and Police -- kicking, flailing,
punching.
EXT. THE TOWER
Skimp kickstands his bike. Stomps toward Trey. The other
Bikers move in. Trey's Gang meets them halfway.
TREY
We'll take care of these guys.
(to two of his
henchmen)
You know what to do.
The two Gangmembers slip away into the darkness.
SKIMP
(to Trey)
You remind me of a preacher I used
to know.
He grabs Trey roughly.
SKIMP
He just hated it when anybody had any fun.
A brawl erupts between the groups. Trey strains under
Skimp's grip. Backs toward his truck.
Sirens SCREAM. A string of police cars snakes up the road,
lead by Tilton. Danny, Jay and Jennifer arrive next. Danny
leaps out. Plunges toward Trey as the Police move in.
Skimp SLAMS Trey hard against his truck. With his free
hand, Trey struggles to reach the steering wheel through
the window.
In the darkness around the tower, some of Trey's Gang
panic as Police surround them. Several release the chains
and drive away.
But the chosen Two are in their vehicles. Engines ROARING.
Waiting.
LITTLE RICHARD (OVER)
GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY
SURE LIKE TO BALL
WHOOOO!!!
Trey kicks out at Skimp, catching him off guard. Danny
moves in. He lands an almost perfect punch to Trey's jaw.
Trey's stunned. Skimp and Danny let down their guard for a
split second. Trey lurches violently. Spins. JABS his
elbow into the horn.
DANNY
No!
The horn BLASTS. Skimp rips Trey away from the truck.
Trey's two Gangmembers FLOOR their engines. Shift. And
race away from the tower.
The guy wires SNAP. Jarvis rushes out. The life drains
from his face.
The two wires cut by the tow chains are enough. The tower
QUIVERS. STUMBLES like a drunk. Desperate to keep its
balance. The rest of the wires RUPTURE. One at a time. In
a clean, methodical sequence.
TILTON
Get back everybody! She's coming down!!
The tower hangs suspended in pure space for a split
second. Everyone looks to the sky.
An aching HOWL of steel. The base of the tower EXPLODES in
a torrent of sparks. The upper sections CRUMBLE in on
themselves. CRASH to the ground. A mighty cloud of dust
and debris MUSHROOMS into the air.
Danny's head SNAPS back. He scans the fearful darkness above.
Something massive and deadly is RUSHING down toward him.
A dull THUD. Then a SCREAM of pain in the darkness.
END SAMPLE
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