Apocalypse Now Page #7

TOM:

I don't know, sir -- it's -- it's --

KILGORE:

(hard)

What is it?

TOM:

Well, I mean it's hairy in there

-- it's Charlie's point.

Kilgore turns and looks to Willard, exasperated.

WILLARD:

Charlie don't surf.

44 FULL SHOT - HELICOPTERS - DAWN

What seems like hundreds of Hueys standing, their rotors

churning a great wind -- Inside, the men of the 1st

Cavalry Airmobile -- toughest unit in Vietnam.

Kilgore's helicopter is being loaded with ammunition and

has surfboards strapped underneath.

45 MED. VIEW

Kilgore strides up to the side door, dressed for battle.

He looks out, around. He turns to his door GUNNER.

KILGORE:

How do you feel, boy?

GUNNER:

Like a mean motherf***er, sir.

He turns to his R.T. man.

KILGORE:

Let's go.

46 FULL VIEW

Helicopter rotors build up speed -- gas turbines

belching fire from their jet pipes -- dust flying

as fifty helicopters rise; ROAR OVER CAMERA and

deploy into attack formation.

47 NEW VIEW

Helicopters moving THROUGH the FRAME: almost a dance of

dragonflies.

48 INT. COMMAND COPTER - MED. SHOT - KILGORE, WILLARD,

OTHERS:

Willard looks ahead -- Kilgore sits near the door.

Below they see the jungle whisk by and they are

suddenly over the ocean, low and fast.

49 MONTAGE

CLOSE SHOTS of rocket pods -- mini-guns in bizarre

looking mounts.

CLOSE SHOTS of the three surfboards strapped below the

command helicopter, next to the fearsome weaponry.

And finally, CLOSE SHOTS of the men -- nervous, excited

very few of them really scared -- they fondle their

rifles, grenade launchers, anti-personnel grenades,

claymore mines; plastic explosives cord; flame-throwers;

M-60 machine guns; expandable rocket launchers; mortars

and bayonets.

50 INT. COMMAND COPTER

Kilgore cranes his neck and almost leans out to watch

the waves -- then he sits back relaxed.

KILGORE:

(to Willard)

We'll come in low out of the rising

sun -- We'll put on the music about

a mile out.

WILLARD:

Music?

KILGORE:

Yeah. Classical stuff -- scares

the hell out of the slopes -- the

boys love it.

51 MED. SHOT

POV behind the PILOT and CO-PILOT -- the ocean rushes

below.

PILOT:

Big Duke six to Eagle Thrust --

turn on coordinates 1-0 -- niner,

assume attack formation.

The helicopter banks into a tight turn and bears

toward the coast.

RADIO (V.O.)

Eagle Thrust formation target

2800 yards -- begin psch-war

operations.

52 CLOSE SHOT - LOUDSPEAKERS

The ocean rushes below as suddenly the LOUDSPEAKERS

BLARE out Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries."

53 FULL SHOT - HELICOPTERS

From the water we SEE the massive grouping of Hueys -- gun-

ships -- troop carriers -- medevac and recon -- ROAR over

low in battle formation BLARING out "Ride of the Valkyries."

54 INT. HELICOPTER - MED. SHOT -CREW

POV behind pilot --

PILOT:

700 -- 600 yards -- 500 --

Commence firing.

The whole copter shakes.

55 EXT. VIET CONG FISHING VILLAGE - FULL SHOT

A Vietnamese coastal fishing village built along the

beach and palm trees -- with rice paddies behind. This

village commands a delta where ocean and river merge.

Sampans are pulled into a cover where they are being

unloaded. We SEE bunkers with N.V.A. regulars ambling

about.

Suddenly we HEAR the distant MUSIC -- Everyone stops;

they stare out to see. Men scream orders -- women run

from huts bearing ammunition and rifles -- Everywhere

there is activity to prepare for the defense of the

village.

Camouflage is removed from anti-aircraft emplacements.

People feverishly unlimber weapons of all types and run

to tunnels and trenches.

The MUSIC GROWS LOUDER with the FAINT SOUND of ROTORS

56 EXT. THE HELICOPTER FORMATION - AERIAL VIEW

coming directly at us; WAGNER BLARING.

57 HIGH ANGLE

looking down through the helicopters as they approach

the village.

58 INT. HELICOPTER - MED. SHOT - CREW

POV behind pilot

PILOT:

700 yards -- 600 -- 500 --

commence firing.

The whole copter shakes.

59 EXT. HELICOPTERS - MONTAGE

We SEE rockets ROAR from pods -- MACHINE GUNS RATTLE --

grenade launchers POUND away -- and MINI-GUNS pour

streams of lead and tracers with the SOUND of a DIESEL

HORN.

60 FULL SHOT - HELICOPTERS

POV behind lead gunship. They ROAR in over the beach

streaming FIRE from doors, pods and nose -- The ground

is alive with smoke and fire -- a hut EXPLODES. The

leads ship banks sharply up over the trees -- men run

below SHOOTING back.

61 MED. SHOT - ANTI-AIRCRAFT EMPLACEMENT

EXPLOSIONS crash around -- the MUSIC and SOUND of the

COPTERS almost drown them out. The gunner FIRES

frantically -- COPTERS are ROARING over -- GUNFIRE

rips around. The gunner is blown away.

62 MED. CLOSE ON WILLARD

as the ship he is in swoops down, its MACHINE GUNS

FIRING into the village.

63 MED. SHOT - SWOOPING COPTER

The Pilot leans out and SHOOTS a charging V.C. in the

head with his .38, then ducks back in.

CO-PILOT

We're down, Eagle Thrust -- we're

hit. We got a hot L.Z. here.

BULLETS RIP through the plexiglass. The Pilot FIRES

back.

CO-PILOT

(continuing)

Hell of a hot L.Z. Need immediate

air strike on the tree line, Eagle

Thrust.

64 INT. COMMAND COPTER - MED. SHOT - WILLARD, KILGORE,

OTHERS:

Kilgore has R.T. equipment -- he leans out near the

door gunner.

KILGORE:

Big Duke Six to Hell's Angels Four

-- bring it in on along tree line

and huts.

RADIO (V.O.)

Hell's Angels Four to Big Duke

Six -- we'll need green smoke --

suggest you have the FAC mark it.

KILGORE:

Haven't got time, Hell's Angels --

lay it right up the tree line.

65 FULL SHOT - JET SQUADRON

Four F-4H Phantoms peel off and streak toward the

coast.

66 INT. COMMAND COPTER - VIEW ON WILLARD AND KILGORE

KILGORE:

F***ing savages.

WILLARD:

Who?

KILGORE:

The enemy. Who else?

67 HELICOPTER'S POV - THE JETS

The jets streak by below laying in huge gobs of orange

napalm along the trees.

KILGORE (O.S.)

(on radio)

Very good, Hell's Angels -- suggest

you follow with cannon fire.

68 INT. COMMAND COPTER - MED. SHOT

They circle the battle.

RADIO (V.O.)

This is Baker Delta Four --

Captain hit bad -- need dust-off.

Receiving heavy automatic weapons

fire from huts about thirty yards

to our left.

KILGORE:

Big Duke Six to Baker Delta Four

-- hold -- we're right over you.

He turns to door gunner.

KILGORE:

(continuing)

Right along the doors, boy.

The gunner FIRES leaning out --

KILGORE:

(continuing)

Fine... fine... little higher.

Through the roof; yeah, that's

good.

He leans back in.

KILGORE:

(continuing)

Didn't anybody bring me any

bombs, grenades, claymores or

anything?

LIEUTENANT:

You didn't tell me to, sir.

KILGORE:

(grumbling)

You shoulda known.

Suddenly, BULLETS SMASH through the copter -- Plexiglass

SHATTERS; the copter vibrates and turns sharply. Kilgore

is thrown down where he hangs on.

KILGORE:

(continuing)

Sonuvabitch -- anybody hurt?

WILLARD:

Automatic weapons flashes along

those trees -- probably eleven

millimeter guns and AK-47's.

KILGORE:

The trees, eh...

He grabs the R.T.

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