House on Haunted Hill Page #3

The GROANING stops. But Kirsten and Benny remain nervous.

KIRSTEN:

First time for everything.

PRICE:

I've designed and built six of these

places -- take my word for it,

everything's fine.

BENNY:

(nervous)

How long 'til we're out of this thing?

PRICE:

Five, ten seconds, we're almost to

the top --

-- the elevator LURCHES to a DEAD STOP.

Kirsten and Benny look at each other -- anxiety on overdrive.

Price tries to reassure them, but he's not looking real

relaxed anymore, either.

PRICE:

Look:
even if, God forbid, something

...unexpected...should happen, there's

always the safety cable --

-- and now the cabin is rocking: sharp and nasty spasms that

are buffeting them into each other --

BENNY:

-- that does what?

PRICE:

Keeps the cab from just --

-- he sees something out the window --

PRICE:

-- oh, sh*t --

A loud CRACK! The cabin starts dropping -- fast. All three of

them scream.

OUT THE WINDOW:
we see the SUPERSTRUCTURE of the roller

coaster flying by. The sound of cables screeching free of

pulleys.

Benny's camera is wrenched from his hands and bounces around

the cabin. Kirsten's eyes are crazed with terror.

KIRSTEN:

Do something!

PRICE:

Like what?? This isn't supposed

to be happening!!

The scenery outside the window is a blur.

BENNY:

OhJesusohChrist!

The ground is coming up to meet them; the noise inside the

cabin is deafening.

Benny starts jumping up and down; Kirsten is pounded to the

floor. Price braces himself for impact.

KIRSTEN:

Please! Something! Oh-God!

PRICE:

Maybe if I --

With all his strength, Price throws himself across the cabin

and stabs an unmarked button on the elevator control panel --

-- the cabin suddenly stabilizes --

-- the elevator door opens --

EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY

-- revealing the cabin to be just where it should be: high

atop the roller coaster, right across from the dock where the

cars depart. They never fell so much as an inch -- all an

illusion.

The expression on Price's face has changed to a wicked grin.

He looks at the two terrified souls on the elevator floor:

PRICE:

From here on, it gets really scary.

A MAN IN OVERALLS (SCHECTER) stands on the dock, waves the

News Crew towards a rear car.

SCHECTER:

Room for two more.

The front car is already full with People strapped in so

tight they're immobile.

TIME CUT TO:

INT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY

Price still on the departure dock, punching up a number on

his cell phone. In the b.g. we can see the cars containing

Kirsten, Benny and the others, zooming at incredible speeds

on 45 degree banks, upside-down loop-de-loops, the works. All

with screams of sheer pleasure accompanying.

PRICE:

(into phone)

Alright, Princess: now what were

you babbling?

He listens for a moment -- then his eyes crimp shut with

disgust.

PRICE:

(into phone)

Congratulations:
on a scale of one-to-

ten, you just hit a 73 on the Perversity

Meter. I don't suppose for once we could

just celebrate at some nice, quiet

little restaurant --

Schecter taps Price on the shoulder.

SCHECTER:

Houston, I think we may have a problem.

PRICE:

(into phone)

Evelyn, go stir your cauldron or

something for a sec.

Price turns and watches in the distance as the coaster car

takes a screaming hair pin turn.

EXT. ROLLER COASTER - MOVING - DAY

Kirsten and Benny in the rear car, wild with delight --

-- until they see the front car derail, snap free from

theirs, and go hurtling into mid-air. Screams of panic heard

from the People in that car as they plummet to their deaths.

Kirsten screams with horror, Benny retches, as their car

continues to zip along the track and out of our sight.

EXT. AMUSEMENT PARK - DEPARTURE DOCK - DAY

PRICE:

Problem where? Looked good to me.

SCHECTER:

"Dummy 6" keeps losing his arm.

PRICE:

So disengage his Flail Arm Mechanism

and just make him a screamer.

VOICE ON PHONE (EVELYN)

Steven!!

PRICE:

(back into phone)

Here, dear -- with a suggestion --

INT. ROLLS ROYCE LIMOUSINE - TRAVELING - SIMULTANEOUS

Evelyn is livid, as she listens to Price on the phone:

PRICE (V.O.)

-- forget it. Last birthday the Manson

Family Ranch, the year before that:

Jonestown.

EVELYN:

Oh. You think this is a request. Well,

think again. I'm telling you: "Haunted

Hill" is exactly where we're having my

party this year. You'll find the guest

list on your desk by the time you get

back --

INT. PRICE'S OFFICE - NIGHT

CLOSE ON a two-page document with the title "Guest List."

It's being turned into spaghettini by a large document

shredder.

PAN OVER TO - Steven Price typing mile-a-minute on a

computer, talking to himself as he inputs his own Guest

List.

PRICE:

You want it, Precious, you got

it:
the party of your very short

goddamn life.

A tentative DOOR-KNOCK heard O.S. behind him:

WOMAN'S VOICE (O.S.)

Uh, Mr. Price? The Dreamworks people

are getting a little...antsy.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes