King Kong Page #3

MR SELAMAT GINTING, the local DISTRICT COMMISSIONER, steps forward,

thrusting a GARLAND FLOWERS around PEEK'S neck ... A TIN-POT BAND

strikes up an Out OF TUNE version of "DIXIE".

MR GINTING:

(carefully practiced)

We welcome you, Mr Denham! We celebrate the bonding of our cultures ...

the peoples of Sumatra unite in friendship with the peoples of

Hollywoodland!

PEEK hands the GARLAND back.

PEEK:

Save it buddy - you've got the wrong guy -

DENHAM (O.S.)

Roll camera, roll sound! I'm coming ashore!

DENHAM is a showman, a larger than life character - part Orson Welles,

part John Huston - a man in love with his own legend. He has

reputation for traveling to the most dangerous corners of the world,

producing exotic documentaries. These thrilled audiences in the days

before TV with their images of elephant stampedes and lions hunting.

DENHAM is overweight, has no taste in wardrobe and sweats profusely.

MR GINTING puts the GARLAND over DENHAM'S head.

MR GINTING:

We welcome you, Mr Denham! We celebrate the bonding -

DENHAM pumps MR GINTING'S HAND enthusiastically, steering around to

face the CAMERA

DENHAM:

(interrupts)

Hi, Carl Denham ... How's going. Wonderful to be here...

DENHAM moves off down the line of OFFICIALS, shaking hands, not pausing

for their names, and always playing the camera...

DENHAM (CONT'D)

Pleased to meet you ... Hi, bow's it going? Pleased to meet you! Hi,

Carl Denham ... How's it going?

MR GINTING:

We offer ourselves at your service, Mr Denham!

DENHAM:

And I appreciate that so much, I really do - a sentiment that will be

shared by audiences across America when they view my latest documentary

sensation "Indonesia ...Hell Hole of the World". Ernie Hemmingway's

agreed to write the narration. We're going out through Universal ...

Laemmale's promised me fifteen hundred screens.

MR GINTING nods politely ...

SOUND OF LOUD TRUCK HORN ... A TRUCK, fully laden with SAWN LOGS is

trying to drive onto the WHARF. "Dixie" falls apart as the BAND grab

their instruments and SCATTER.

The TRUCK reaches the DENHAM and the RECEPTION GROUP ...

JACK DRISCOLL leans out of the CAB.

JACK:

You guys are gonna have to move!

JACK is now in his early thirties ... He has not lost his boyish looks,

but years of tropical sun has darkened his skin.

The OFFICIALS look FLUSTERED ... JACK leaps out of the cab ... STRIDES

OVER. He gestures towards a CARGO BARGE moored next to the "VENTURE".

JACK (CONT'D)

If I don't get my cargo on this ship, I'll miss the sailing.

HERB'S VIEWFINDER POV ... JACK walks into shot.

DENHAM:

(annoyed)

Hey buddy! I don't know who you think you are, but you just walked into

a Carl Denham Picture! Take a hike!

JACK sees the camera pointing at him.

JACK:

What the hell is going on?

MR GINTING:

(Insincere)

It's Hollywood!

JACK:

Yeah? Well, see that?

He points at his heavily laden truck ...

JACK (CONT'D)

That's "Jack's Wood" - and it's going on that boat!

JACK jumps back into the CAB, and drives straight at the OFFICIALS,

sending the reception into CHAOS ... HERB has to quickly pull the

CAMERA and TRIPOD away - DENHAM looks FURIOUS! MR GINTING hurries over

- looking SICK with FEAR and EMBARRASSMENT.

MR GINTING:

(distraught)

I so sorry! I so sorry!

DENHAM spins around ... his mood so black, he looks as if he might hit

MR GINTING ... He suddenly breaks into a CHARMING SMILE!

DENHAM:

It is I who has to apologize, sir. It's people like him who give

Americans a bad name.

MR GINTING almost sobs with relief.

MR GINTING:

You are most kind. We will be proud to assist you!

DENHAM:

Exotic lands, primitive people, dangerous animals ... That's what the

public expect from a Carl Denham picture! Lead us into the mountains,

Sir!

MR GINTING:

The mountains?

DENHAM puts an arm around MR GINTING'S shoulder.

DENHAM:

Shut your eyes - let me paint a picture in your mind ...

MR GINTING squeezes his eyes shut.

DENHAM (CONT'D)

Our cameras are focused on the deepest Sumatran jungle. Steam rises

from the verdant foliage... Suddenly a jackdaw screams! Why? ...

Because the Beast is moving through the trees! Eyes blazing, insisors

dripping, the Beast knows no fear - for he is the most powerful

creature to walk the land!

(lowers voice ominously)

You know what I'm talking about don't you, Mr Ginting?

MR GINTING nods FEARFULLY.

EXT. LOGGING CAMP/SUMATRAN MOUNTAINS - DAY

MONTAGE SuMATRAN LUMBERJACKS are working at fever pitch, clearing a

RAIN FOREST ... SAWS and AXES rip into the TREES ... They CRASH to the

ground. A PRIMITIVE SAWMILL works the LOGS in ROUGH-SAWN TIMBERS.

WIDE Several ACRES has been stripped. The FOREMAN watches with

satisfaction as the last solitary TREE in this block is attacked by two

AXE MEN.

JACK pulls up in his truck.

JACK:

Hey, great work! You guys have earned yourselves a bonus!

JACK leaps out of the TRUCK as the LAST TREE starts to splinter ...

suddenly a TERRIFIED SCREAM comes out of the top most branches of the

tree. The FOREMAN looks sick.

FOREMAN:

(upset)

Orangutan ...

The SCREAM continues as the TREE slowly topples to the ground with a

THUNDERING CRASH ... SUDDEN SILENCE.

JACK:

Goddamn monkeys. They piss me off!

JACK strides into a makeshift wooden hut ...

INT. LOGGING OFFICE - DAY

JACK:

The sooner we clear this rain forest the better.

The OFFICE is functional and tidy.

THE SOUND OF PANIC ... JACK turns as TENKU - a SAW MILL WORKER is

carried into the office with a NASTY INJURY to his LEG.

WORKER:

Tenku hurt pretty bad, boss!

JACK clears the desk with a sweep of his arm ... They lay the TENKIU

down. JACK looks at the WOUND ... A NASTY SHARD OF METAL - the size of

a DINNER KNIFE - is embedded in his leg. JACK GRINS at TENKU, clearly

not wanting to alarm him.

JACK:

(forced casual)

Hey, it's just a splinter.

JACK takes a grip of the METAL SHARD ...

JACK (CONT'D)

How's Mrs Tenku? She must be close.

TENKU:

(gasping)

Baby due any day ... ARRGHH!!

JACK suddenly pulls the SHARD OUT. WORKERS close in, wrapping the WOUND

in BANDAGES.

JACK:

Ok boys ... Take him to hospital! Quick now!

TENKU is carried outside as a SAW MILL VEHICLE pulls up.

CLOSE ON A SAFE ... JACK quickly takes a wad of BANKNOTES and slips

them into an ENVELOPE.

EXT. LOGGING CAMP/SUMATRAN MOUNTAINS - DAY

TENKU is slid into the BACK SEAT of the CAR. JACK strides out of the

OFFICE.

JACK:

Hey! You wanna be more careful!

JACK leans in, slipping the ENVELOPE into TENKU'S HAND.

JACK (CONT'D)

You dropped this in my office.

TENKU gives JACK a GRATEFUL toothless GRIN as the DOOR SLAMS SHUT and

the CAR roars away.

AN EERIE ANIMAL ROAR suddenly echoes across the valley. The ENTIRE SITE

pauses as WORKER look around, trying to figure out where this FEARFUL

SOUND is coming from ...

JACK FROWNS.

EXT. SUMATRAN HIGHLANDS - DAY

ROAR CONTINUES ... over a slow pan across a misty ridge-line ...

Rate this script:3.0 / 3 votes