Batman Page #18

ALICIA:

You said I could look at the

pictures before you -- before you --

JOKER:

Shucks, honey, I forgot.

(rolling his eyes at

VICKI)

I'm in trouble now.

(to ALICIA)

This is business, sweetie. Why don't

you go outside and see how the boys

are coming?

VICKI can't take her eyes off this strange figure drifting

eerily through the abandoned tea room.

VICKI:

(hesitantly)

... Why the mask?

JOKER:

Alicia! Come here, have a seat. Show

Miss Vale why you wear the mask.

ALICIA sits down numbly and begins to undo the mask.

JOKER (cont.)

You see, Miss Vale, Alicia's beautiful.

One in a million. A work of art. In

fact...

We're looking at ALICIA's profile as the mask comes off.

The side that's turned to us is indeed beautiful. But the

side we can't see... SENDS VICKI RIGHT OVER THE EDGE.

JOKER (cont.)

She makes you look sick.

VICKI lurches out of her seat, knocking it over, HER FACE

FROZEN IN HORROR. She finds her CAMERA, holds it out like a

weapon as THE JOKER advances on her.

VICKI:

You SCUM! You SICK FILTH!... You DID

THAT to her!

JOKER:

What? I improved her a little...

VICKI backs away, snapping the shutter on her camera. HE

BLINKS as the flash gun goes off repeatedly.

VICKI:

I'll see you burn. I'll see you dead.

-- GET AWAY FROM ME!!

JOKER:

Miss Vale, was it something I said?

(brightly)

Do you want to sniff my flower?

There's a BRIGHT PURPLE BOUTONNIERE in his lapel. He holds

it up for VICKI's inspection as he moves menacingly closer.

VICKI:

NO!

The JOKER squeezes a concealed BULB. A JET OF CLEAR LIQUID

spurts out of the FLOWER, NARROWLY MISSING VICKI.

She GASPS. BUMPS INTO A TABLE. ACRID BLACK SMOKE rises from

the floor where the clear liquid hit. Acid.

JOKER:

Come on, Miss Vale... STOP AND SMELL

THE ROSES!!

He backs VICKI into a corner. And then -- abruptly --

A SKYLIGHT SHATTERS IN A HAIL OF GLASS! A CAPED SHADOW

DROPS TO THE FLOOR OF THE RESTAURANT! And THE JOKER is face

to face with...

THE BATMAN!

On his wrist is a STEEL GAUNTLET. Ha AIMS IT at the JOKER

like a weapon. Then PIVOTS SUDDENLY -- POINTS HIS ARM

THROUGH THE DOOR OF THE RESTAURANT --

-- AND FIRES A METAL SPIKE into the adobe wall of the RAMP

OUTSIDE!!

JOKER (cont.)

... YOU!!

On the end of the spike is a CORD leading to BATMAN's belt.

In the wink of an eye he's GRABBED VICKI -- DRAGGED HER OUT

OF the tea room -- and PLUNGED OVER THE RAMP WALL, FOUR

STORIES STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE ATRIUM FLOOR BELOW!!!

The JOKER races to the edge of the ramp.

JOKER (cont.)

GET 'EM!! GET 'EM!!

His GOONS are stationed at various points along the ramp,

still defacing masterpieces. They pull their guns and OPEN

FIRE as BATMAN and VICKI plummet past.

ANGLE ON BATMAN AND VICKI - AS THEY FALL

He holds the gauntlet overhead, ROPE whistling through it.

As we watch, the gauntlet sprouts STEEL WINGS -- forming a

BULLETPROOF SHIELD over their heads!

TWO FEET ABOVE the marble floor, THE ROPE jerks them up

short -- like a bunjee cord. GUNS BLAZE as BATMAN and VICKI

drop safely to earth and MAKE FOR THE EXIT.

The doors are LOCKED. BATMAN spots the black "CLOSED" sign

on a metal stand. He HEAVES IT through the glass doors.

VICKI hustles through. He points her to a side alley.

EXT. SIDE ALLEY - THAT MOMENT - DUSK

VICKI rounds the corner just as BATMAN lobs a SMOKE PELLET

into the doorway of the Fluegelheim.

BATMAN:

GET IN THE CAR!

VICKI:

WHICH CAR?

VICKI suddenly feels quite stupid. Because -- while there

are many cars parked along the side alley -- there is only

one BATMOBILE.

VICKI (cont.)

... Oh.

The BATMOBILE is sleek, futuristic, and... well,

indescribable. Imagine your own. VICKI climbs into the

passenger seat and is immediately dazzled by a stunning

array of electronic gadgetry.

BATMAN:

Ignition!

As BATMAN sprints down the alley, a COMPUTER DISPLAY on the

dashboard registers his unique voiceprint. A tinny,

synthesized VOICE repeats the command:

COMPUTER:

Ignition.

The engines are revving up even as BATMAN vaults into the

cockpit alongside VICKI.

Guns in hand, the JOKER'S GOONS Are stumbling out of the

Fluegelheim, hacking, coughing, blinded by smoke. They DIVE

FOR THEIR LIVES as the BATMOBILE comes barrelling out of

the alley at ninety miles an hour.

THE JOKER emerges just as the BATMOBILE careens off.

JOKER:

I WANT HIM!! I WANT HIM!!

The JOKER climbs into the back of a van labelled "MONARCH

PLAYING CARDS." Half his GOONS pile into the van behind

him, the other half into a second car nearby.

EXT. STREETS - THAT MOMENT

SIRENS HOWL as POLICE CARS converge on the Flugelheim.

INT. BATMOBILE - THAT MOMENT

roaring out into CITY TRAFFIC.

VICKI:

Look! Police!

BATMAN:

I called them.

VICKI:

Shouldn't we --

A POLICE CAR whizzes past the BATMOBILE. TIRES SKID. The

COP CAR does a quick 180 and sets out in hot pursuit of the

BATMOBILE. BATMAN FLOORS THE ACCELERATOR in response.

INT. VAN - THAT MOMENT

TIGHT ON the demented face of THE JOKER. A GOON calls out

from the front of the van.

GOON:

There they are! Dead ahead!

THE JOKER screams into a RADIO DISPATCHER'S MIKE.

JOKER:

ALL UNITS! SOUTHBOUND ON RIVERVIEW!

SERIES OF SHOTS:

The JOKER'S ARMY. THUGS in cars. CREEPS in Italian

restaurants. CROOKED COPS at a coffee shop. LIGHTS FLASH,

BEEPERS SOUND, and within seconds they're racing to the

streets, eager to join the chase.

Rate this script:3.5 / 6 votes