American Shaolin Page #17

In the b.g. is a huge bronze buddha. Drew is in the same position as the Buddha.

EXT. STREAM – DAY 106 (SUMMER TIME)

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DREW DRAWING WATER FROM THE STREAM, IN THE POINTED BARRELS.

He fills them up, and then starts moving back towards the temple, his arms up and strong.

ANGLE ON DREW:

As he goes through a thicket of bamboo. as he gets to the center, he is attacked! The staff comes out, but Drew manages to block it with one of the buckets. The staff strikes again, and Drew blocks again! A third time, and Drew raises both buckets over his head to block it – and drenches himself with the water. Then, the staff hits him in the stomach.

His attacker has vanished, leaving Drew alternately moaning from the pain, and chuckling at himself in the bamboo.

EXT. TRAINING AREA – DAY

ANGLE ON DREW AND LI

As they go through a very intricate, beautifully staged series of techniques. The last technique is a very powerful kick, and one which Drew is to block using the blocking technique he refused to learn before.

This time, the kick is thrown and Drew blocks it with the new technique, sending Li pitching to the ground is a cloud of dust.

Drew turns around and high-fives Gao.

EXT. TRAINING AREA – ANOTHER ANGLE

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF GROUP OF DISCIPLES GOING THROUGH A SERIES OF SOFT GONG FU MOVES.

Drew is next in line, and he moves through the techniques without a mistake. When he gets to the end of the routine, he breaks into a little dance step, having fun. The entire group breaks up in laughter.

EXT. TEMPLE – DAY

TIGHT SHOT OF D.S.' ARM

Gao's hands are around his elbow, pulling down.

D.S.

Using your muscles, bend my arm.

Gao pulls down, while the D.S. tries to fight back with his muscles, but finally, after great strain, his arm bends. A cheer goes up from the group.

D.S. smiles and motions for an old monk standing near him to take his place. the old man puts his arm up on Gao's shoulder, and takes a deep breath. He does not tense up his arm and shoulder.

Gao looks questioning at the D.S.

GAO:

What if I hurt him?

D.S.

You will not.

Gao starts to pull down, gently at first, but when he sees that the old monk's arm is not bending, stronger, until finally he is putting all his strength into it. The old monk's arm has not moved, and his expression of relaxation and piece has not changed.

Gao quits, not able to bend the arm. D.S. motions for Drew to get on the other side of the monk.

D.S.

Grab his arms and try to pull him out of his stance.

Drew and Gao shrug at each other and take an arm. They pull and push, straining and groaning, but there is no movement from the old monk. It is like he is a heavy stone.

They give up, and the D.S. bows to the old monk.

D.S. (CONT'D)

Master Shu's spirit is indeed strong.

ANGLE ON DREW AND GAO

Sweating from their efforts.

EXT. TRAINING AREA – DAY 110 (AUTUMN TIME)

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DISCIPLES DOING AERIAL MANUEVERS – KICKS, AERIALS, KIPS, ETC.

Drew is on the ground, trying to do a kip. He is coming up, but then is crashing back down onto his spine. The D.S. comes up to him and points at his chest.

D.S.

Try to hit me here with your feet.

DREW:

With pleasure.

Drew tries another kip, pushing his feet towards the D.S.' chest. He lands on his feet easily, surprised.

EXT. WATERFALL – DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DREW AND GAO UNDER THE WATERFALL. THEY ARE BOTH IN HORSE STANCES. THEY NOD AT EACH OTHER, AND THEY BEGIN GOING THROUGH A SLOW FORM, MOVING THEIR ARMS AND LEGS CAUTIOUSLY, BUT WITH POWER.

EXT. FOREST OF STONE – SUNSET

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DREW TRAINING IN THE FOREST OF STONE, THE BLAZING SUN BEHIND HIM.

EXT. DINING HALL – NIGHT

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DREW CARRYING THE DIRTY PLATES FROM DINNER.

He carries them out to the garbage area, and begins to scrape them off. From out of nowhere comes the staff, swinging for Drew.

Drew doesn't jump, but just calmly avoids it. The staff WHOOSHES over his head. Drew stands up, and the staff comes again, from a different direction. Drew avoids, and the staff finds empty air again.

Drew goes on with cleaning the plates, a slight smile on his face. After a BEAT, he looks around, trying to find the attacker. When he is sure no one is around, he smiles bigger.

DREW:

Allright! I did it!

As soon as he finishes saying that, the staff comes out and SLAMS him in the stomach, sending Drew to his knees in pain.

EXT. TRAINING AREA – DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF THE DISCIPLES THROWING FLYING KICKS.

The sequences are very beautiful as the monks throw kicks into the air and into targets.

EXT. TRAINING AREA – ANOTHER ANGLE

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DREW AND LI FIGHTING.

Drew is rushing Li, throwing every possible technique at him, which he blocks. Li gets into a low stance as he goes back, and Drew takes this opportunity – he uses Li's own leg as a step and jumps off of it, hitting him HARD with a jump spin hook.

Li gets up right away and slaps Drew's hand.

EXT. TEMPLE PATHS – MORNING 116 (WINTER TIME)

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF SNOWY MORNING.

A group of monks, Drew in the lead, come running down the path, barefoot in the snow.

ANGLE ON DISCIPLES

Throwing kicks and punches at icicles hanging from rocks on a cliff. Slow motion as the disciples shatter the ice.

EXT. TEMPLE FIELDS – DAY 117 (SPRING TIME)

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DISCIPLES WORKING IN THE FIELDS.

They are singing again, but this time the song is in Chinese!

EXT. ROOF OF THE WORLD – SUNSET

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DREW, POISED ON A ROCK PLATFORM AT THE ROOF OF THE WORLD, THE SUNSET IN THE B.G.

EXT. TRAINING AREA – DAY

ESTABLISHING SHOT OF DISCIPLES WORKING ON THE UNBENDABLE ARM.

Drew is in the middle, and Gao is straining to bend his relaxed arm. He is getting the hang of it.

The D.S. walks up with another monk with a spear. Together, they position a wooden target. The monk bows to D.S. and to the rest of the disciples, then positions the point of the spear in the hollow of his neck. He then hands the shaft of the spear to the D.S.

The D.S. holds the shaft and starts to push, bending the spear, slowly but surely.

ANGLE ON DREW AND THE DISCIPLES

Amazed.

ANGLE ON THE MONK

The spear is now almost bent double.

With a flick of his head, the spear goes flying into the target positioned behind him, its point finding the bulls-eye.

Drew walks over to the target and sees that the very real spear point is imbedded deep into the wood of the target.

DREW:

(bowing)

Boy, his spirit is strong...

EXT. TEMPLE GROUNDS – DAY 120 (SPRING TIME)

TIGHT SHOT OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL SPINNING THROUGH THE AIR.

Set against a deep blue sky, it could be spinning anywhere – but the CAMERA PULLS BACK TO REVEAL the Shaolin Temple "forest of stupa", where the disciples are having a pick up football game – it's Sunday, the disciples' afternoon off. The football spins into the hands of Gao, who drops it.

Drew runs over, showing Gao how to catch the ball, and how to make the cuts he has to make (no dialogue, music over).

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