Jaws Page #21

Brody complies, shaking his head. The Officer snaps him a

salute, jogs lightly back to his idling copter, buckles in,

and gives Brody a "thumbs up" as he lifts off in a flurry of

sand and ice-cream wrappers.

EXT. BEACH PARKING LOT - EARLY MORNING

And this is it -- the Dawn Patrol, the only forces that the

frantic phone calling produced. Hendricks, and the regular

summer extra deputies. The lifeguards. Half a dozen state

troopers. Some deputies from neighboring towns, and a Coast

Guard ensign with a handful of regulars in work dungarees.

Some of Hooper's friends from the institute.

Brody and Hooper, badly in need of sleep, are watching the

crew straggle in. Already the first of the holiday beach-

goers are piling out of their cars in a brightly colored

cascade of beach balls, umbrellas, blankets, portable bar-b-

ques, radios, sun visors, reflectors, rafts, balls, tubes,

and newspapers.

Hooper watches one such group: A Family of Ten getting out

of a camper-van. He watches in dismay as the family bumbles

onto the beach for a day of fun in the sun.

Brody addresses his troops, such as they are.

BRODY:

I want to thank you guys from local

agencies for cooperating, and I hope

we won't actually be needing your

services. But I'm glad to have you

here.

The Men ad lib responses: "Happy to do it," "Any time,"

"When's lunch?" "I hate holidays," etc.

ENSIGN:

I want to get our lines and repellent

out, so we better shove off.

He nods to his men, who head for some Boston Whalers (or

similar boat with surf-riding capability) and push off into

the surf to patrol the swimming areas.

BRODY:

(a last caution)

We're all on one channel, so let's

keep radio traffic to a minimum,

okay?

Everyone kind of nods acknowledgment.

HOOPER:

I hope we get some more help.

BRODY:

I wish it would rain...

EXT. BEACH - AMUSEMENT AREA - CLOSE OF SHARK MACHINE

In a shed near the bandstand, a half-dozen pinball and arcade

machines sucking quarters from holiday beach-goers. A

mechanical shark traverses the screen, is hit with an electric

harpoon and red "blood" blossoms from its side, indicating a

hit.

Sounds of electronic gadgetry, people having fun. Meadows is

there writing it all up for the paper. A move away from the

screen of this particular machine reveals the arcade, the

parking lot, and, finally, the beginnings of the panorama of

the beach that July 4th has created.

EXT. SOUTH BEACH - THE FOURTH OF JULY

four foot surfer's swell curls and crashes on shore,

riderless. The broad sandy beach is a mosaic of summer color

as one thousand vacationers practice fun in the sun, but not

in the water. Hot dog stands and ice cream vendors are

everywhere.

ANGLE - LIFEGUARD STATIONS

A half-dozen lookout lofts. As many handsome lifeguards with

Walkie-Talkies strapped to their trunks and loud-hailers at

arm's reach. Bored, two of the hot dogs train their binoculars

on some local color.

ANGLE ON TV MOBILE UNIT

A TV Mobile Unit Van is setting up: cables snaking to cameras,

a camera with a big sports zoom sitting on the platform atop

the truck, a spiffy announcer-type in a blazer with his

station's call letters on the pocket. Inside the darkened

control room, we can see the pale blue squares of monitors

in a mosaic against one wall, facing the switcher.

AT SEA:

Hooper is methodically patrolling in his boat. Tactically

flanking a three-hundred-yard apron of black repellent are

four small watch-boats. A tiny pleasure boat darts around

the repellent line. Farther out, crossing back and forth,

are patrol boats. To top it all off, a Coast Guard helicopter

hovers and patrols three hundred feet above.

INT. TELEVISION MOBILE UNIT

At least eight monitors, reflecting the outputs of three

cameras and two tape machines, as well as line, preview, and

effects monitors.

MONITOR:
CAMERA 1: Holding on a group of happy citizen-bathers

as they unpack their gear, wave to camera, run into the water.

MONITOR:
CAMERA 2: The Repellent Line, set in place by Coast

Guardsmen in small boats, setting out floats, dumping

repellent into the ocean.

MONITOR:
CAMERA 3: Close on the Bandstand, where Amity's

band is playing lilting patriotic airs.

After we've seen this activity, we can take a look at what's

going on:
the preparation of the tape segment for the six

o'clock news.

TV DIRECTOR:

Put 1 on the line. In five. 4. 3. 2.

1. Roll.

On the "Tape 1" and "Line" monitors, we see Vaughn being

interviewed by the Announcer in the blazer.

ANNOUNCER:

...and with me is the Mayor of Amity,

Lawrence Vaughn. Mr. Vaughn, how

about those rumors?

VAUGHN:

How about them indeed. I'm pleased

and happy to repeat the news that we

have, in fact, caught and killed a

large predator that supposedly injured

some bathers here. As you can see,

it's a beautiful day, the beaches

are open, and the folks here are

having a wonderful time. Amity,

y'know, means 'Friendship.'

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