Flash Gordon Page #12

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FLASH tightens his grip. THUN roars threateningly in the SCIENTISTS’ terrified face.

FLASH:

Goddamn it! Take me there, now!

SCIENTIST:

Very well! I will lead you to the tunnel, but shall not enter!

ZARKOV:

I will join you!

FLASH:

Thun and I will go. That air vent is our only secure way out of here. You stay here and we’ll be back.

FLASH, THUN, and the SCIENTIST exit the lab.

WHIPE TO:

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

FLASH, THUN, and the captured SCIENTIST creep down a flight of stairs. The SCIENTIST leads them to a large STEEL DOOR.

SCIENTIST:

(to FLASH)

What strange manner of mutant are you? And in league with a lionman? You are like nothing I’ve experimented on.

THUN:

And you’ve experimented on every living thing haven’t you?

SCIENTIST:

Only those test subjects who furnished me with the scientific knowledge I required. Like you and your lionmen, Prince Thun.

THUN:

So, you know who I am.

SCIENTIST:

Indeed. And your attack on Mingo City and allegiance with this alien mutant will only bring down Ming’s wrath upon your kingdom like a death hammer.

THUN:

Ming and I will settle our differences in due time.

SCIENTIST:

(to FLASH)

And who are you? Whence you came?

FLASH:

From earth.

SCIENTIST:

Ah, indeed, Ming’s next conquest. I look forward to dissecting your people. To see what interesting altercations I can devise with your alien DNA.

(the SCIENTIST stops at a HUGE STEEL DOOR)

Who you seek lies beyond this door. The tunnel of terror is guarded by a foul beast who devours man-flesh! The Gorgoth! I will not enter!

THUN growls, lifts his ray rifle, and CUTS the SCIENTIST in half. FLASH watches in disgust as the two halves of the corpse slide to the floor.

THUN:

Then your usefulness has expired!

FLASH:

Damn. Remind me to never piss you off.

THUN glances nervously at the HUGE, STEEL DOOR.

THUN:

I have heard talk of a savage beast who prowls these catacombs, earthman. With teeth like six-inch daggers that can rip through the strongest of armor.

FLASH:

I won’t judge you if you fall back.

THUN:

And leave you the glory of striking a blow at Ming alone? Where you go, I follow, earthman!

FLASH nods. He pulls a lever on the wall and the large door slides open. THUN and FLASH stand at the entrance. It is VERY DARK. From the gloom, we see it is a vast HALL OF COLUMNS. At the far end is another hallway leading to a HUGE SET OF DOUBLE DOORS.

INT. HALL OF COLUMNS – TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

ANGLE ON:
A LONG SOLEMN HALL with ROWS OF BLACK MARBLE PILLARS. Between the pillars stands a silent company of TALL KINGS carved in cold STONE. FLASH and THUN run across the dimness of the hall. Out of the SHADOWS jump six ARMORED MEN.

ARMORED MAN CAPTAIN:

There they are! Take the blond-haired savage alive! Kill the lionman!

Four of the ARMORED MEN rush THUN. They draw their swords. THUN fires the rifle and kills one of the ARMORED MEN. One knocks the rifle out of his grip. THUN spins and claws at the ARMORED MAN. The other two attack from BEHIND. THUN throws the mutilated man at them. THUN roars and leaps at the two, knocking the sword out of one’s hands.

FLASH punches one ARMORED MAN and he goes down. He drops his sword. FLASH retrieves it and fights the other ARMORED MAN in a sword fight.

In an expert move, FLASH cuts down the ARMORED MAN he is fighting, runs over to THUN, and slices at one of the ARMORED MEN who is attacking THUN. THUN grabs one of the ARMORED MEN, lifts him above his head, and glares at FLASH.

THUN:

Go on ahead! I can handle them! Save your friend!

FLASH races with a sword in hand to the set of huge double doors. HE can hear the muffled sound of popping electricity and the screams of DALE from the other side. FLASH sees a lever jutting out of the wall. He pulls it. The double doors open. He enters.

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

FLASH stumbles blindly down the ANCIENT STAIRS, reckless and uncaring, his face pale and devastated.

CLOSE ON:
FLASH'S FOOT slips... SUDDENLY, as if the ground has given way beneath him, FLASH is slipping and sliding dangerously OUT OF CONTROL.

ANGLE ON:
FLASH thudding into the BONE-COVERED rock floor, which saves him from tumbling headlong over a PRECIPICE.

ANGLE ON:
FLASH looking BACK UP the LONG STEEP STAIR. A BUBBLING HISS can be heard. There is a CREAKING as some great JOINTED THING moves with slow purpose in the DARK.

LOW ANGLE ON:
The LIGHT instantly REVEALS a HUGE LOATHSOME SPIDER/CRAB THING towering over FLASH!

CLOSE ON:
GORGOTH HISSES at FLASH! TWO great clusters of many-windowed EYES protrude from its bulbous head. Its CRAB-LIKE LEGS are bent, with a 12 FOOT SPAN and HAIRS that stick out like steel spines. ITS HUGE, SWOLLEN BODY, a vast bloated bag, sways and sags between ITS legs. THE BEASTS’ age-old BLACK HIDE is knobby and pitted, blotchy with LIVID SCARS and BOILS OF PUS.

GORGOTH beats the air with ITS ENORMOUS PINCERS.

ANGLE ON:
Calling up all his remaining STRENGTH and RESOLUTION, FLASH forces his LEGS to MOVE. He backs away - keeping his EYES on GORGOTH.

GORGOTH crawls SLOWLY towards him ... then, with sudden hideous SPEED, IT ATTACKS!

GORGOTH lashes out with its FRONT MANDIBLES ... FLASH is flung back... the SWORD clatters to the stone floor.

GORGOTH squats above FLASH, its EYE CLUSTERS fidgeting with hideous delight, gloating over a prey trapped beyond all hope of escape.

SUDDENLY! FLASH grabs the SWORD! He slashes wildly at the GIANT MUTANT BEAST; hewing off the TIP of A LEG!

GORGOTH SPASMS a WILD BLUR of thrashing LEGS!

ANGLE ON:
FLASH leaps to his feet and RUNS - not even pausing!

TRACKING BACK:
with FLASH as he careers blindly down NARROW TUNNELS, gasping in the DANK AIR looking back over his shoulder for any sign of GORGOTH.

ANGLE ON:
FLASH sees the TUNNEL EXIT ahead. . . just as he runs straight into GORGOTH!

ANGLE ON:
GORGOTH HISSES and REARS above FLASH, its MOUTH wide open revealing a jagged row of long, pointed teeth! FLASH ducks inside the arch of its LEGS and STABS into one of its EYE CLUSTERS!

CLOSE ON:
GORGOTH SCREAMS, its MANDIBLES thrashing wildly, GREEN OOZE trickling from its WOUNDED EYE.

With its HUGE PINCERS, GORGOTH picks FLASH up off the ground by his right leg. THE BEAST opens its WIDE, FANGED MOUTH, and ROARS. FLASH struggles to pry the PINCERS apart as he is DANGLED by one leg over GORGOTH’S slavering maw...

WHIPE TO:

A TITLE CARD appears, white on black:

“To be continued in the next exciting chapter:

INTO THE LAIR OF THE SHARKMEN!”

Fade out.

Credits.

 

FLASH GORDON:

EPISODE 3

INTO THE LAIR OF THE SHARKMEN

 

A triumphant Wagnerian-like theme plays over OPENING CREDITS. A vast sea of stars serves as the backdrop for the main title as a roll-up slowly crawls into infinity.

Chapter Three:

INTO THE LAIR OF THE SHARKMEN

Flash Gordon, aided by Princess Aura, was being pursued by enemy soldiers. While he hid in a rocket, the gyro-ships of the lionmen attacked the palace where Dale Arden and Dr. Hans Zarkov were being held prisoners by Ming the Merciless. Fearing for his friends, Flash took control of the rocket and attacked the gyros, bringing down their leader, Prince Thun.

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