ParaNorman Page #2

ParaNorman 7.

9 CONTINUED:
9

Norman is watched dubiously by the occasional passer-by

as he shouts amiable greetings to people who simply

aren’t there.

NORMAN:

Good morning! Hey Bruce! How’s it

goin’? Not much. I’m kind of late

for school. I need to go. Hi, nice

to see you guys. Good morning.

Sorry I gotta run. Excuse me.

Pardon me. See ya.

At one street corner, Norman bends over a gutter. He is

watched curiously by a man retrieving his morning paper

across the other side of the street.

MAN’S POV - Norman crouches over the flattened remains of

raccoon road kill.

NORMAN (CONT’D)

Hey there little buddy! C’mere!

He realizes he is being stared at and slowly turns to

face the onlooker, then hurries away.

Though no one else sees them, to Norman’s eyes, a whole

host of ghosts are meandering through the streets.

NORMAN (CONT’D)

Yeah, good to see you! How you

doin’? Hi Mrs Hardman. You look

nice today. I like what you’ve

done with your hair.

HAIRDRYER GHOST:

Does anyone smell burning?

HIPPY GHOST:

Hey, peace, man.

NORMAN:

Totally.

CIVIL WAR GHOST:

As you were, soldier.

NORMAN:

Sir, yes sir!

GREASER GHOST:

Yo Norman, you playin’ hookie?

NORMAN:

No no, I’m just late for school.

Sorry, I gotta go.

(to Mobster Ghost)

How you doin’?

ParaNorman 8.

9 CONTINUED:
(2) 9

MOBSTER GHOST:

Hey, how you doin’?

A little further along Norman nods pleasantly to theghost of a parachutist impaled in the branches of aroadside tree.

NORMAN:

Hi! How’s it hanging?

PARACHUTIST GHOST

Ho ho! Haven’t heard that one

before. Well, it’s a nice day.

11 EXT. MAIN STREET - MORNING 11

Its industrial days now rusted behind it, Blithe Hollowhas become a run-down tourist town, celebrating itsheritage with lame fetes and crass knick-knacks. Amassive billboard beside the main square reads “BLITHE

HOLLOW - A GREAT PLACE TO HANG!” illustrated by a group

of waving Puritans beside an equally cheerful witchhanging from a gallows. Across the street a huge bannersuggests this year is particularly important for thetown; “BLITHE HOLLOW - 300 BEWITCHIN’ YEARS!”

The town center is lacking in charm; its historicalbuildings subsumed into a vulgar modern thoroughfare withgaudy witch-themed shop fronts and cracked sidewalks.

Everywhere Norman walks, the witch theme is prevalent.

Cars have bumper stickers that extol such witticisms as“MY OTHER CAR IS A BROOM”. There’s a dingy bar, the BARGENTO, and a greeting card store called BEST WITCHES.

Norman hurries past SHERIFF HOOPER, a heavyset blackwoman, and DEPUTY DWAYNE, lanky and awkward and lookinglike he’d rather be elsewhere.

SHERIFF HOOPER:

Watch and learn. “Parking

violation” is my middle name.

DEPUTY DWAYNE:

Really? I thought it was Rhona.

They glance up disdainfully as Norman passes by. Clearlyin this town Norman has something of a bad reputation.

12 EXT. SCHOOL ENTRANCE - MORNING 12

Norman walks up a tree lined path that leads to a squatschool building. Out front, the name “BLITHE HOLLOW

MIDDLE SCHOOL” is carved into an ugly hunk of granite.

ParaNorman 9.

12 CONTINUED:
12

SCHOOL KIDS line the path in front of Norman; a gauntlet

of jeering, merciless, pre-pubescent horror. Norman takes

a deep breath as he begins his daily walk of ridicule.

Most of the kids give him a wide berth, but others sneer

and WHISPER as he passes.

A bell RINGS the start of the school day, and everyone

makes a bee-line for the building.

Someone barges Norman with their shoulder, knocking his

backpack to the ground. Other kids SNICKER as they step

over him.

As the last of them head through the lobby doors, Norman

is left alone on the path.

Norman bends down to retrieve his spilled possessions,

and a dark shape beyond the gate catches his eye.

NORMAN’S POV - Mr Prenderghast, barely visible as he

stands within the shadow of a tree, stares back at him.

Norman frowns and squints his eyes, but now sees only

trees and shadows, so he continues up the steps.

13 INT. SCHOOL HALLWAY, LOCKERS - MORNING 13

An expanse of unevenly lacquered floor, scuffed by scores

of dragged heels. Rows of dented lockers line the walls.

Norman stands before his locker, across which someone has

daubed the word “FREAK” in marker. Clearly something of a

daily ritual, he reaches inside, takes out a bottle of

surface cleaner and a rag and proceeds to wipe it off.

Across the hallway, another kid is removing graffiti from

his locker. NEIL is overweight with frizzy red hair, and

is busily rubbing a handkerchief over the word “FATTY”.

He watches Norman with interest.

A voice behind his shoulder gives Norman a start.

ALVIN:

Hey, ghost jerk! You know what?

Norman turns to find textbook bully ALVIN, the only 6th

grader in his class who shaves, looming over him. He is

flanked by a couple of leering sycophants, one of whom

wears a T-shirt emblazoned with “TEAM ALVIN”.

Norman SIGHS.

NORMAN:

What do you want, Alvin?

ALVIN:

Why don’t you see some more

ghosts, goober?

ParaNorman 10.

13 CONTINUED:
13

The kids LAUGH uproariously, encouraging Alvin to show

off some more.

ALVIN (CONT’D)

Hey! Hey! Norman!

Alvin points to a fly that has landed on the locker

beside him. He swats it flat with his hand.

ALVIN (CONT’D)

Talk to that.

The kids around Alvin burst into LAUGHTER.

ALVIN (CONT’D)

That is so Alvin!

The bullies strut away, content in the psychological

damage they’ve managed to inflict.

PUG:

Loser!

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