Constantine

FADE IN:

EXT. ISTANBUL -DUSK

Glimpses of an ancient city. Almost motionless againstthe tide of time.

Sea swelled along an endless wall. Billowing silk frozenagainst the sky. Birds lighting on Byzantine columns.

FINAL IMAGE is of an imposing STRUCTURE beyond the trees.

INT. PRISON FOR THE CRIMINALLY INSANE

Corridor of ancient stone and steel extends into infinite

darkness. Stale air hangs in the dim half-light likeatomized ether.

There is WHISPERING. And tangled VOICES.

DRIFT IN PAST prison cells the size of closets. Brief

flashes of carved faces, insanity --COMING TO REST ON the --

FINAL CELL:

A gaunt PRISONER kneels on the granite, head bowed to awall hung tapestry of Christ. But he's not just praying.

He's digging. With his arm under the tapestry, hescratches at the stone with a SPOON. After only a year,

the spoon finally breaks through.

INT. NARROW CHANNEL

Prisoner claws his way between ancient walls, comes to adead end against a thick wooden door. He nudges ashoulder against it, digs in and pushes. DOOR GROANS

open, sucking air into the pitch black CHAMBER.

INT. PRISONER'S CELL

The tapestry covering the HOLE is pulled against thewall, then billows outward like a sail.

INT. CHAMBER -PRISONER

pulls himself inside, chokes in the heavy air. He scans

the musty room. Antique furniture. A few empty crates.

And the remains of several deteriorating skeletons.

(CONTINUED)

2.

CONTINUED:

He looks to the far wall, sees a hint of light above

through the crumbling limestone. A way out. Too high toreach, Prisoner pulls an old CHEST out of a cobwebbedcorner and slides it under the light.

He steps up onto the chest, grabs the edges of the holeand starts to shove off when the top of the chest givesway and his foot crunches through.

Prisoner reaches down to free his foot when he sees

something inside --wrapped in a red cloth. He pulls itout and as he unwraps it, he discovers the cloth is aNazi flag.

At the center is a crudely-shaped IRON RELIC. Eight incheslong. Stains on the edges. Could be the petrified tooth ofsome prehistoric animal. Or maybe an ancient arrowhead.

As he holds it, feverish sweat starts to form on his face.

MYSTERIOUS POV:

From BEHIND. As if he's being watched by someone else.

Prisoner spins, looks back AT us. Nothing.

PRISONER:

starts toward the way out.

INT. PRISONER CORRIDOR

The Guard's flashlight beam probes the cell --one by one

--falls on the tapestry. Christ billows out from the

wall, revealing the hole.

INT. PRISON -VARIOUS SHOTS

ALARMS SOUND. Lights BLAST ON. Guards with weapons rushthrough.

INT. NARROW CHANNEL

Prisoner squeezes toward light, grips the relic tight.

EXT. PRISON -NIGHT

SIRENS BLARE as SPOTLIGHTS sweep across the ominousstructure. Prisoner breaks from the darkness, runs forthe trees on the other side of the wall.

(CONTINUED)

3.

CONTINUED:

GUARDS:

(in Turkish)

Stop! Stop!

Prisoner spins, griping the relic tight. GUNSHOTS RING

OUT. Bullets streak toward him but never hit their

target. Guards check their weapons on the run.

EXT. NEAR A ROAD -NIGHT

Prisoner breaks from the trees, runs into a road.

Headlights wash over him and TIRES SCREECH. Prisoner

spins, is right in the path of a car.

BRAKES SQUEAL --car locks up but too late --IMPACTS

Prisoner who is violently thrown and lands in a heap.

CAR slides to a stop. DRIVER jumps out, sees the frontend sheet metal has accordioned all the way to the tires.

He scans the area for a body, spots the Prisoner and isstunned to see him getting to his feet. Uninjured.

Prisoner is just as amazed. He glances at the RELIC inhis hand, notes the wrist has reddened and an odd SYMBOLhas appeared as if embossed in the flesh.

Driver calls out but the Prisoner is spooked, runs off.

OVER this we hear --A CHILD'S SCREAM.

INT. APARTMENT -DAY

FATHER HENNESSEY (50), stands over a young teen (13),

JEANIE, splashes holy water on her body. She screams

again.

HENNESSEY:

Et separatur a plasmate tuo, Ut

num quam laedatur amorsu antiqui

serpentes!

Her body convulses, pulls against the bandages tying herhands and feet to the bed frame. Notice her fingernails.

Drained of color. Almost black.

Her MOTHER is off to one side, completely hysterical.

On the other side is a crowd of bewildered TENANTS, allcrammed into the hallway outside the opened door.

(CONTINUED)

4.

CONTINUED:

Nothing can compare with an exorcism. Especially onethat's gone bad.

The rather obese Priest tries to steady his hands and his

heart. It's obvious he's totally out of his league here.

GIRL lets out another SCREAM that ECHOES OVER --

EXT. AGING APARTMENT BUILDING

Not in a third world country but smack center in one ofAmerica's richest cities. Sparkling high-rises tower in

the distance while flashy billboards tout the sexiestfashions, the hottest automobiles and the smoothest maltliquor.

SUPERIMPOSE:
LOS ANGELES -TODAY

EXT. ALLEY BY THE APARTMENT

A faded yellow taxi PULLS UP and stops. Someone steps

out, grinds a cigarette butt into the asphalt.

INT. APARTMENT BUILDING -FOYER

Doors open, flood the musty darkness with a brief reliefof sunlight. A MAN --whose face we don't see --stepsinside, his trench coat hanging like the folded wings of

a raven.

He pauses, pulls an ORNATE LIGHTER and lights acigarette. Takes a puff and pushes on inside.

INT. NARROW STAIRCASE HALL WALL

Lined with tenants trying to get a glimpse of theunexplainable.

The Stranger pushes through. Suspicious faces step outof his path. The ones that don't he pushes aside --even

the gangbangers.

The man has no patience for politeness, no time for tact,

no fear of anything.

This man is JOHN CONSTANTINE.

He arrives at his destination, barges into -

5.

INT. APARTMENT 7B

One scan of the situation is all it takes. The bed -the

child --the panicked priest --who rushes to John.

HENNESSEY:

(whispering)

Thank God you're here...

John shoots him a disgusted look. Hennessey gives him awide berth.

John walks past the panic-stricken MOTHER without a

glance, sets his cigarette on the nightstand, the glowingtip drooped over the edge. He puts a gloved hand to thechild's face and it burns on contact. His demeanor

instantly changes as he leans right next to the ear of

the little girl and whispers --

JOHN:

This is Constantine. John

Constantine, a**hole.

The girl JOLTS, bandages on her arms cut into her skin.

Eyes snap open --glare right through him.

JOHN:

How ya doing?

JEANIE:

Vamos juntos a matarla.

John whips out a key chain crammed with medallions.

JOHN:

Let's see who we got here...

He holds them up so they cast shadows across Jeanie'sface. He flips through each of these sculptured SAINTSuntil the child suddenly reacts to one --tries to look

away.

John stares at the Saint responsible, seems genuinelypuzzled. He turns to the Mother --very serious.

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