Isle of the Dead Page #2

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ANOTHER ASPECT of the battlefield - an ox cart loaded with

the dead, some of them tied to the rear axle by their naked

legs. Two men, in the hooded coats worn by the infantry of

the Balkan allies, are busy loading the cart. They look up,

astonished, as the General and Oliver pass.

STILL ANOTHER ASPECT of the battlefield — the General pauses

as if to search out his way and then starts off determinedly

toward the left. Oliver takes two long strides to catch up

with him. The CAMERA DOLLIES WITH them. Oliver lifts the

lantern and gestures outward with it.

OLIVER:

Over there, isn't it?

The General nods and starts off again rapidly, Oliver

following.

EXT. THE MAINLAND BEACH - NIGHT

The two men come over a rise of ground and stop at the edge

of the beach.

STOCK SHOT - The moon emerging from behind clouds

EFFECT SHOT. In the foreground stand the two men. Before them

lies the sea and the Isle of the Dead. As they watch, behind

them the moon emerges from the thick clouds and a great

silver light floods over the sea.

A little way from the beach, The Isle of the Dead stands out

from the glassy—calm, moonlit water. In the f.g. is a broken

Ionic column.

There are a few flat stones at the water's edge, the remnants

of a quay which once reached out into the sea. Tied to tall

stakes are two small row boats and a third lies half-buried

in the sand. The CAMERA HOLDS until the General and Oliver

come into the scene and stand looking across the dark water.

REVERSE CLOSE SHOT - Oliver watches the General, troubled by

his intention of crossing to the island.

OLIVER:

Do you mind if I go with you?

GENERAL:

There's no one there -— nothing but

the caves and the dead.

OLIVER:

I'll only go as far as the shore

and wait for you.

The General- makes a slight gesture of indifference and moves

forward.

EXT. THE BEACH - NIGHT - (PROCESS)

MED. SHOT — the General steps into one of the boats. Oliver

casts off the minter and puts the lantern down on the sand.

OLIVER:

I'll leave this here to guide us

back.

He jumps into the boat, picks up an oar, pushes off and

starts to scull.

WIPE:

EXT THE ISLE OF THE DEAD - NIGHT

The boat noses its bow onto the shelving beach. The men climb

out. Oliver pulls the boat a little farther onto the sand and

looks back toward the mainland.

EXT. THE MAINLAND BEACH — NIGHT

LONG SHOT - The lantern is glowing at the water's edge.

Suddenly it flickers and dies out.

EXT THE ISLE OF THE DEAD — NIGHT

CLOSE SHOT — Oliver, having seen the lantern fail, shivers.

MED. TWO SHOT - Oliver and the General. On the edge of' the

wall nearest thorn is a marble figure of Cerberus, the three

headed dog which guards the dead. Two of the heads have been

carved to represent sleeping heads; the third head glares

toward the mainland with a sightless, unseeing, but ever

watchful stare, Oliver takes the General's arm and draws his

attention to the statue.

GENERAL:

Cerberus —— the watchdog. He guards

the sleep of those who are buried

here.

The two men walk forward into the towering shadows of the

cypress trees, turning toward the left. They are lost to view

in the shadows. The CAMERA HOLDS ON Cerberus.

EXT. THE LEDGE BEFORE THE CRYPTS - 'NIGHT

MED. FULL SHOT — The General and Oliver come walking onto the

ledge before the crypt. They pause a moment while the General

looks about as if to get his bearings, then he moves

resolutely toward the crypt nearest. Oliver goes with him as

far as the doorway.

MED. FULL SHOT - The doorway of the crypt. At the doorway

Oliver stops.

OLIVER:

(almost whispering)

I'll wait here for you.

The General nods, removes his hat and goes into the crypt. He

is lost in the darkness. Oliver tries to peer in after him.

The opaque blackness prevents him seeing anything. He

relaxes, pulls a square cardboard box of cigarettes from his

coat pocket, selects one, puts it in his mouth and is

fumbling for a match when suddenly the General re—appears.

Oliver looks at him in astonishment.

GENERAL:

She is not there. The coffin is

gone.

OLIVER:

Maybe you've got the wrong crypt ——

after all it's twenty years when

you wore last here.

The General shakes his head..

GENERAL:

This was the place.

They stand there for a moment in perplexity. Suddenly, the

sound of a woman's voice singing comes very faintly to them;

very faintly and from a considerable distance. Both men turn

their heads in the direction of the singing which seems to

come from the other side of the island. They look at each

other, then with a curt gesture, the General beckons Oliver

to follow him and strides off.

EXT. THE CYPRESS GROVE - NIGHT

MED. CLOSE SHOT --Oliver and the General. The CAMERA TRUCKS

WITH them as they pass under the cypress trees, their faces

alternately in moonlight and shadow. The sound of the woman's

voice singing cones over the scene very faintly.

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