Independence Day Page #5

INT. BRENNON MOBILE HOME - SAME

Miguel, Alicia and Troy watch the static riddled T.V.

CONSTANCE:

(filtered)

...we have a fix on three

different occurrences about to

appear over American cities. One

is headed toward Los Angeles...

INT. MARTY'S OFFICE - SAME

CONSTANCE:

(filtered)

...the other two are on our

Eastern seaboard headed towards

New York and Washington, D.C...

Suddenly hectic CO-WORKER #2 appear at the door.

CO-WORKER #2

Jamie says this building has an

old bomb shelter. We're heading

down there now.

MARTY:

(dry; to David)

Feel no shame in hiding.

INT. HALLWAY -- CONTINUOUS

A crowd of people head down the hall for the shelter while

others stay glued to the set. There is a mix of fascination

and panic. David watches the commotion, dumb struck.

MARTY:

Oh sh*t, I better call my wife.

INT. AIRPORT DINER - LATE MORNING

Depressed Russell nurses a beer at the counter. Three FLIGHT

MECHANICS walk in, having a good laugh. One of them spots

Russell and moves over to him.

MECHANIC #1

Hey, Russ, heard you had a little

trouble this morning. Dusted the

wrong field?

The Mechanics laugh. Russell tries to ignore them.

MECHANIC #2

I know, you're probably still a

little confused from your hostage

experience.

MECHANIC #2

Hostage experience? Something

happen to you, Russ?

MECHANIC #1

He ain't never told you!? Seems

years back our boy here had been

kidnapped by aliens. Did all

kinds of experiments on him and

such. Tell him, Russ.

RUSSELL:

Not today, guys. Okay.

Russell gets up and heads for the door.

MECHANIC #1

You just gotta get a couple more

beers in him, he'll tell you all

about it. Crazy stuff. Won't

you, Russ?

EXT. SMALL AIRPORT - CONTINUOUS

The Mechanic follows Russell outside, his buddies in tow.

MECHANIC #1

Hey, Russ, when they took you up

in their space ship, they do any

sexual things to you?

The mechanics crack up laughing. Suddenly the things around

them begin to RUMBLE. The SHADOW engulfs them, silencing the

Mechanics.

Panicked they turn and RUN AWAY. Russell just looks up at the

sky, grabs his Jack Daniels and takes another swig.

EXT. TRAILER PARK - SAME

Dogs bark and people stumble out of their trailers as an

enormous SHADOW creeps over them.

INT. BRENNON MOBILE HOME - CONTINUOUS

The windows grow DARK and the room begins to RUMBLE. Miguel

rushes to the door, ushering his siblings out.

EXT. TRAILER PARK - CONTINUOUS

Alicia and Troy step out the door, stopping dead in their

tracks. Miguel follows them only to look up and SEE...

THE PHENOMENON - DARK CLOUDS

The flames are burning out, replaced by huge plumes of dark

smoke billowing around the edges of the phenomena. Only small

traces of extinguishing flames illuminate it.

INT. COMPACT CABLE - STAIRWELL - SAME

David pushes past the people making their way down, fighting

against the tide. Another CO-WORKER (#3) stops halfway.

CO-WORKER #3

Aren't you coming, David?

DAVID:

No way, I've got to see this.

EXT. WASHINGTON MONUMENT - SAME

Frightened tourists run for cover as the colossal SHADOW

approaches. Reflected in the water below we SEE the fiery

apparition transfigure into the dark foreboding clouds.

THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL - WASHINGTON, D.C. - SAME

The SHADOW writhes up the detailed statue of Lincoln,

devouring him completely until we are left in total darkness.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - HALLWAYS - SAME

People are being evacuated from their offices. Patricia, the

President's daughter, breaks away from her nanny.

INT. WHITE HOUSE - OVAL OFFICE - SAME

The President talks on the phone. Constance waits nearby.

PRESIDENT WHITMORE

(into phone)

Of course, Russia and the United

States are in this together. Yes,

Mr. President, you have my word.

Yes, Das Vedanya.

The President hangs up.

CONSTANCE:

What is their position?

PRESIDENT WHITMORE

I think he was drunk.

Patricia bursts through the door and runs into her father's

arms, terrified. A SECRET SERVICE man appears.

SECRET SERVICE GUY

Mr. President, we have to go.

Abruptly, the room DARKENS as it begins to RUMBLE.

EXT. WHITE HOUSE - SAME

The long, dark SHADOW moves across the entire White House,

engulfing it in darkness.

EXT. HUDSON RIVER, NEW YORK - STATUE OF LIBERTY - SAME

In the distance we SEE the mutated phenomenon's dark gray

clouds nearing Miss. Liberty. As it approaches we SEE the New

York skyline begin to darken.

EXT. BLACK TOP BASKET BALL COURT, NEW YORK - SAME

Kids playing basket ball. A young BOY stops playing, staring

skyward. One by one, they all look upwards, stunned as a long

dark SHADOW creeps over them.

With a loud CRASH, several New York Cabs SLAM into one another

in the street. Two more cars crash into them. A pile up

ensues.

EXT. WALL STREET - SECOND LATER

Foot traffic stops as the long SHADOW crawls over the entire

area.

EXT. ROOFTOP - COMPACT CABLE - SAME

Large satellite dishes beset a doorway to the roof which flies

open. David steps out just as a long, dark SHADOW covers over

him, sending the city into darkness. David looks up to SEE...

SKYLINE AND ALIEN CRAFT

Protruding through the dark clouds we get a glimpse of the

underbelly of a colossal ALIEN CRAFT, its outer veneer of

smoke and clouds beginning to fade away.

Below we see PANIC, cabs SLAMMING into one another, people

staring, people screaming. No one knows how to react.

David runs to the other side of the rooftop, overlooking

Central Park, to get a better look.

DAVID'S POV - CENTRAL PARK - SAME

The entire park is plunged into darkness as the craft above

blots out of the sun. Amazing as it may seem, the hovering craft

BLANKETS THE ENTIRE PARK and BEYOND. We still have NOT seen

an entire craft.

DAVID:

(realizing)

My God. The signal.

EXT. LOS ANGELES BASIN - WIDE ANGLE - LATER MORNING

A panoramic view of the Los Angeles basin. Slowly filling the

screen, we SEE a portion of the enormous space craft as it

creeps towards the city, obliterating our view.

EXT. HILLSIDE RESIDENTIAL AREA - SAME

A station wagon, filled with kids and a harried HOUSEWIFE,

comes to a stop. The passenger door opens and a young six-

year-old boy, DYLAN steps out.

HOUSEWIFE:

Dylan, tell your mom you can stay

overnight again Thursday.

Suddenly a car SAILS over a nearby hill in front of them,

hitting the ground with a BANG. Two more cars follows, air

bound. As the Housewife turns she SEES...

SPACE SHIP - SAME

Rising over the mountain we SEE the Space Ship as it nears the

city, blocking out the sunshine.

Panicked, the Housewife hits the gas and peels out, leaving a

confused Dylan staring skyward.

INT. BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS

Two people sleep as Dylan runs into the room.

DYLAN:

Mommy, look at!

He rushes away. The SHADOW moves past the window, darkening

the room. His mother, JASMINE DUBROW, stirs.

JASMINE:

(re:
darkness)

It's too early, baby.

She turns back over. Suddenly the room briefly RUMBLES.

MAN:

Earthquake?

JASMINE:

Not even a four pointer. Go back

to sleep.

Shrugging, the man does.

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