Ghostbusters II Page #2

CUT TO:

INT. WKRR-TV STUDIO RECEPTION AREA - DAY (LATER)

A bank of monitors in the lobby show the program now running on WKRR,

Channel 10 in New York. We PUSH IN ON one of the monitors as a title

card and logo come up accompanied by some EERIE SYNTHESIZER MUSIC, and

we return to the show in progress: "World of the Psychic with Dr. Peter

Venkman." There is a video dissolve to a standard talk show set and

sitting there is our host PETER VENKMAN, the renowned and somewhat

infamous ex-Ghostbuster.

VENKMAN:

He turns TO CAMERA and talks to his viewers in a suavely engaging tone,

understated and intimate.

VENKMAN:

Hi, welcome back to the 'World of the Psychic,'

I'm Peter Venkman and I'm chatting with my guest,

author, lecturer and of course, psychic, Milton

Anglund.

(to his guest)

Milt, your new book is called The End of the

World. Isn't that kind of like writing about

gum disease. Yes, it could happen, but do you

think anybody wants to read a book about it?

MILTON:

Well, I think it's important for people to know

that the world is in danger.

VENKMAN:

Okay, so can you tell us when it's going to

happen or do we have to buy the book?

MILTON:

I predict that the world will end at the

stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve.

VENKMAN:

This year? That's cutting it a little close,

isn't it? I mean, just from a sales point of

view, the book just came out, right? So you're

not even looking at the paperback release for

maybe a year. And it's going to be at least

another year after that if the thing has

movie-of-the-week or mini-series potential.

You would have been better off predicting 1992

or even '94 just to be safe.

MILTON:

(irritated)

This is not just some money-making scheme! I

didn't just make up the date. I have a strong

psychic belief that the world will end on New

Year's Eve.

VENKMAN:

(placating)

Well, for your sake, I hope you're right. But

I think my other guest may disagree with you.

Elaine, you had another date in mind?

The CAMERA REVEALS ELAINE, an attractive, aggressive New Jersey

housewife, sitting on the other side of Venkman.

ELAINE:

According to my sources, the world will end

on February 14, in the year 2016.

VENKMAN:

Valentine's Day. That's got to be a bummer.

Where did you get that date, Elaine?

ELAINE:

I received this information from an alien. I

was at the Paramus Holiday Inn, I was having

a drink in the bar when he approached me and

started talking. Then he must have used some

sort of ray or a mind control device because

he made me follow him to his room and that's

where he told me about the end of the world.

VENKMAN:

Your alien had a room in the Holiday Inn?

ELAINE:

It may have been a room on the spacecraft made

up to look like a room in the Holiday Inn. I

can't be sure, Peter.

VENKMAN:

(humoring her)

No, you can't, and I think that's the whole

problem with aliens; you just can't trust them.

You may get some nice ones occasionally like

Starman or E.T., but most of them turn out to

be some kind of lizard. Anyway, we're just

about out of time.

(does his wrap-up right TO

the CAMERA)

Next week on 'World of the Psychic,' hairless

pets.

(holds up a hairless cat)

Until then, this is Peter Venkman saying ...

(puts a finger to his temple

and sends out a though to his

viewers)

... Good night.

CUT TO:

INT. TV STUDIO - CORRIDOR - DAY (LATER)

Venkman comes out of the studio squabbling with his producer, NORMAN, a

well-meaning young incompetent.

VENKMAN:

Where do you find these people? I thought

we were having the telekinetic guy who bends

the spoons?

NORMAN:

A lot of the better psychics won't come on the

show. They think you're too skeptical.

VENKMAN:

Skeptical! Norman, I'm a pushover. I think

professional wrestling is real.

There is a small commotion down the hall as two plainclothes cops come

out of the next studio followed by a group of mayoral assistants.

VENKMAN:

(to Norman)

What's all this?

NORMAN:

They just interviewed the mayor on 'Cityline.'

VENKMAN:

The Mayor! He's a friend of mine.

Venkman starts down the hall as the MAYOR and his principal aide, JACK

HARDEMEYER, come walking out of the studio.

VENKMAN:

(calling to the Mayor)

Lenny!

The Mayor sees Venkman, blanches and hurries off, pretending not to know

him.

VENKMAN:

(starts to follow him)

Lenny! It's Pete Venkman!

The plainclothesmen cut Venkman off and Hardemeyer puts a heavy hand

against Venkman's chest.

HARDEMEYER:

(snide)

Can I help you?

VENKMAN:

(dangerous)

Yeah, you can get your hand off my chest.

Hardemeyer smiles and drops his hand.

HARDEMEYER:

I'm Jack Hardemeyer. I'm the mayor's assistant.

What can I do for you?

VENKMAN:

I'm an old friend of the mayor's. I just

want to say hello to him.

HARDEMEYER:

(scornful)

I know who you are, Doctor Venkman. Busting

any ghosts lately?

VENKMAN:

No, that's what I want to talk to the mayor

about. We did a little job for the city a

while back and we ended up getting sued,

screwed and tattooed by deskworms like you.

HARDEMEYER:

(bristling)

Look, you stay away from the mayor. Next fall,

barring a disaster, he's going to be elected

governor of this state and the last thing we

need is for him to be associated with two-bit

frauds and publicity hounds like you and your

friends. You read me?

Hardemeyer walks off with the two cops.

VENKMAN:

Okay, I get it. But I want you to tell Lenny

that, because of you, I'm not voting for him.

CUT TO:

EXT. MANHATTAN MUSEUM OF ART - DAY

The broad front steps of the museum are crowded with tourists and

visitors. Dana arrives carrying a portfolio and artist's tackle box and

enters the museum.

INT. MUSEUM - RESTORATION STUDIO - DAY (LATER)

We are FULL-FRAME ON a larger-than-life, full-figure portrait of VIGO

THE CARPATHIAN, a demented and sadistic 16th century despot with an

incredibly powerful evil presence. Then we PULL BACK to reveal the

studio, which is a large open space on the top floor of the museum, lit

by large skylights in the ceiling. Working on the Vigo painting is

JANOSZ POHA, a youngish art historian and painter, the head of the

department, quirky, intense and somewhat creepy. Janosz is staring

longingly across the room at Dana.

DANA:

She is carefully cleaning a 19th Century landscape painting, still

preoccupied by the extraordinary near-accident with the buggy. Janosz

watches her for a moment, then comes up behind her and looks over her

shoulder.

JANOSZ:

(with an East European accent)

Still working on the Turner?

Dana jumps, startled by the intrusion.

DANA:

Oh, yes, I got in a little late this morning,

Janosz.

JANOSZ:

You know, you are really doing very good work

here. I think soon you may be ready to assist

me in some of the more important restorations.

DANA:

Thank you, Janosz. I've learned a lot here,

but now that my baby's a little older, I was

hoping to rejoin the orchestra.

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