127 Hours Page #2

CUT TO:

INT. ARON'S TRUCK. DAY.

The doors smash open to reveal a glorious day and Aron's

bike careers into it.

CUT TO:

EXT. DESERT. VARIOUS.

It's still like a wild road movie, but now on a bicycle.

Having parked his motorized transport he ploughs into the

land like an ad for extreme sports. Past bikers, he vanishes

temporarily in their dust cloud, he wears a bandana across

his face as the bikers pass by... a final telephone box, past

remnants of those who tried to settle or work this

unforgiving land; Aborigines, frontier settlers, ranchers...

all driven away from a heartland he ploughs into.......

CUT TO:

5.

EXT. DESERT. CU on ARON.

Wearing a pair of beat-up running shoes and thick wool-blend

socks, Lycra biking shorts and a Phish tee shirt he has a

back pack with equipment but hydrates through a gallon of

water stored in an insulated three litre CamelBak hydration

pouch which he sucks on without stopping.

CUT TO:

EXT. DESERT. DAY.

His bike pummels the canyon landscape and you get a sense of

the exhilaration this man gets from pitting himself alone

against what nature can offer. He's clearly a fit and daring

young man and these are his kicks.

CUT TO:

EXT. DESERT. DAY.

Even uphill he hammers his way up the sandstone. Gasping for

oxygen, his legs screaming for rest, he pushes and pushes

until the crest and then down, down, instant speed and he can

suck on his water again. Part of a massive clan who define

themselves not by what they are, but by what they do. In a

way, he's an action movie personified and the opening should

be shot and cut to provide adrenaline in spadefuls.

Until...

CUT TO:

EXT. DESERT. DAY.

Suddenly, he hits a sand trap and hurtles forward over the

handle bars, face first into the sand, his toe clips and

momentum brings the bike with him. The bike has him trapped

on the desert floor like a takedown in wrestling. He submits,

landing nose deep in the sand. He sits up, looks around

quickly to see if anyone saw. Pulls out his camera from his

bag and takes a a self-portrait snap of the mess.

CUT TO:

EXT. DESERT. DAY.

At what seems like the only tree for miles he U-locks his

bike in the shade, pockets the keys, scoffs a muffin and

heads off into the desert.

CUT TO:

6.

EXT. GULLEY CREST. DAY.

He approaches the crest of a sand gulley and sees below him,

just 30 yards down the canyon, 2 fellow hikers. He looks

around. All of them in the middle of nowhere it seems.

CUT TO:

EXT. APPROACH TO BLUE JOHN CANYON. DAY.

He can see now it's 2 girls passing a map back and forth

between them. He rushes towards them, initially above them as

he walks along side. They're aware of him before he arrives:

ARON:

Hey. Are you doing the east pike?

Can I come along with you for a

while?

The girls don't reply, just look at each other.

ARON (CONT'D)

I'm on my own. I'm Aron.

CUT TO:

EXT. APPROACH TO BLUE JOHN CANYON. DAY. A VAST ARROYO.

He slides/surfs down so he's on the same level as them,

arriving in a haze of dust, holding out his hand for the

shake. Big smile.

KRISTI:

(looking at Megan)

Sure, I'm Kristi.

MEGAN:

Megan.

ARON:

Nice to meet you. What a day.

KRISTI:

It's beautiful.

ARON:

Did you bike or come straight from

the trail head?

KRISTI:

We left the car there. Pretty

quiet.

ARON:

I left mine at the Horseshoe Canyon

and biked here.

7.

MEGAN:

You biked from Horseshoe? That's

20 miles or more.

ARON:

17 and windy.

The girls exchange glances.

ARON (CONT'D)

I do this a lot.

They laugh. He's crazy, but harmless.

ARON (CONT'D)

Wasn't expecting to see anyone in

the canyon today.

MEGAN:

Yeah, you surprised us, sneaking up

like that.

ARON:

Sorry.

MEGAN:

It's kind of nervy seeing a lone

guy walking up to you in the middle

of the desert.

ARON:

Yeah, I know, I mean there's no one

around for 50 miles.

KRISTI:

... and suddenly there's a guy

right behind you and `wait a

minute, why is he wearing a HOCKEY

MASK!'

They all laugh.

ARON:

Let me guess... You're here for

the paintings or the Cathedral?

KRISTI:

The Cathedral? We've got a bit

disorientated and the map isn't

great. Where is it?

ARON:

The climb's a little tricky but

it's worth it.

KRISTI / MEGAN

We climb.

8.

They all laugh.

CUT TO:

INT. CAVE. APPARENTLY SMOOTH DOME. DAY

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