Life Of Pi Page #9

EXT. THE CARGO DECK - CONTINUOUS

Pi bursts on deck, coughing and gagging for air.

PI:

HELP!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!

Pi sees movement - animals running. He scrambles toward them,

the ship groaning as it lists sideways.

Oxen and deer are visible on the far side of the deck,

backlit by emergency lights; Pi hears monkeys screeching, the

clatter of hoofs pounding. In the distance, Sailors shout

orders in panicked voices.

Pi comes onto the lower deck, where he sees three men - the

Buddhist (Taiwanese Sailor) from the dining hall; the

JAPANESE CAPTAIN, and SAILOR #1 - arguing with the French

cook, who has climbed into the stern of one of the lifeboats

that hangs off the side of the ship. Pi runs to the Captain.

PI (CONT'D)

Please save my family!

JAPANESE CAPTAIN

Don't scare. Okay? Wait stay here.

He grabs a life vest and starts to put it on Pi.

JAPANESE CAPTAIN (CONT'D)

Here, put this on!

PI:

You have to help them, please! Oh

no my family, please. You have to

help them, my family is back there.

JAPANESE CAPTAIN

We don't have time.

The Taiwanese Sailor jumps onto the ship.

TAIWANESE SAILOR

We help. You must go.

PI:

Who let all the animals out?

They shove a life vest over Pi's head.

SAILOR #1

You have to go now.

34.

PI:

No wait! My father - he can't swim -

JAPANESE CAPTAIN

This is your last chance--just go!

PI:

No please!

They guide Pi to the side, where a section of the ship's

railing has been removed to give access to the lifeboat. They

push Pi over the edge; Pi falls onto the lifeboat, bouncing

on the protective tarp that is still stretched taut across

the bow. He grabs at the rope holding the bow, trying not to

slip off. The sailors are shouting at the French cook, who

stands at the stern.

SAILOR #1

Hey! You! What are you doing?!

FRENCH COOK:

Loosen the lines! Bring it down!

SAILOR #1

Tie it down! Tie it down!

FRENCH COOK:

(to the sailors:
)

Jump! Jump!

The sailors look towards the upper deck. Pi follows their

looks and watches in horror as a zebra launches itself over

the side of the ship, careening through the air toward the

safety of the lifeboat. The French cook staggers backward and

jumps out of the way, falling to the water below. Pi throws

up his arms as the life boat starts to drop. The zebra arcs

through the air, missing the tarp, landing on the exposed

stern with a sickening thud, shattering the rear bench. The

force sends the rig lines spinning.

The lifeboat plummets to the water below. The impact spins it

around, nearly washing Pi overboard. He is left clinging to

the back of the tarp, the zebra on the floor of the lifeboat

before him. As the lifeboat drops down the side of the swell,

Pi slides to the front of the tarp. The Tsimtsum's propeller

rises behind him.

As Pi steadies himself, a swell lifts the lifeboat, crashing

it onto the deck of the Tsimtsum. It drops back into the sea,

rolling over completely. The vessel instantly rights itself -

the lifeboat is designed to be virtually unsinkable. Pi lands

on the lifeboat's floorboards, next to the zebra.

35.

Pi sees the Tsimtsum at an angle, it's bow dipping below the

water. As he tries to get up, Pi notices the orange emergency

whistle that dangles from the vest. He grabs it and blows,

shouting between blasts.

PI:

HELP! HELP! SOMEBODY, HELP ME!

The deck lights of the freighter glow with a cheery,

unnatural brilliance. By the light of the ship, Pi can just

make out a distant figure in the water.

PI (CONT'D)

HEY! OVER HERE!

Pi spies a lifebuoy tied to a rope. He grabs it and heaves it

as far as he can across the water. OUT IN THE WATER, the

lifebuoy splashes a few yards away from the shadowy figure.

The moment Pi feels the tug on the line, he jumps into the

uncovered part of the boat, lies back and begins hauling the

rope in. Nearly finished, he lifts his head to peer over the

side and sees who he's rescued.

PI (CONT'D)

Richard Parker?

A beat - and then Pi realizes what he's done. He scrambles

backward in horror, trying to throw the rope overboard.

PI (CONT'D)

NO! GO AWAY!

Richard Parker paddles toward the boat. Pi grabs an oar,

wielding it against the approaching tiger. Richard Parker

tries to grab the oar. Pi yanks the oar away, falling onto

his back.

He listens as Richard Parker claws his way up the side of the

swaying boat, coughing and gagging water. Pi scrambles

backward, oar still in hand. He rises and jumps overboard.

79 EXT. THE OCEAN - CONTINUOUS 79

Pi plunges into the roiling water. An enormous wave rolls

toward Pi - filling his lungs with air, Pi dives under, away

from the assault of the raging storm.

80 EXT. BENEATH THE WATER - CONTINUOUS 80

Silence as Pi hangs below the surface, arms wide, groping for

focus and calm.

36.

Lightning casts a blazing white veil over the surface of the

water above him, backlighting fish and animals, waves frozen

in time like wrinkled bedsheets, their motionless texture

pocked and dimpled with raindrops. As the sky explodes in

white flashes, the scene is caught in surreal still shots.

A hippo swims past, it's heavy form moving gracefully.

Pi swims toward the camera - then freezes, reacting in horror

as...

A shark swoops past him and up toward the struggling animals

near the surface. Pi dives defensively - the camera follows.

Ahead, the Tsimtsum is visible, fifty feet beyond Pi, its

deck lights dipping below the surface, casting an eerie

underwater glow, bubbles flowing up to the surface; nearby,

Pi can make out the floating oar.

81 EXT. THE OCEAN/THE BOAT - CONTINUOUS 81

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