Planet of the Apes Page #4

DODGE:

Where there's one there's another. And

another. And another.

TAYLOR:

Let's find them all.

63-ASUNSET SHOT

64END OF THE TREK AS THE ASTRONAUTS START FROM THE CANYON

TO THE TAMARISK AREA

Absolute desolation (Ochre Area). The astronauts start down

the canyon.

65ASTRONAUTS CAST HUGE SHADOWS

As they move across the terrain (top of Crazy Canyon).

65-AJUMP SHOT

As they jump across a gap. Thunder and lightning again (top of

Crazy Canyon).

65-BTHEY MOVE DOWN

They march across Crazy Canyon overlook.

65-CREACTION SHOTS OF ASTRONAUTS

66-

A-RSERIES OF SHOTS OF DESCENT OF ASTRONAUTS DOWN SHEER FACE OF A CANYON

(Wire Grass Canyon).

For a brief moment several "creatures" appear. We cannot identify the

species.

QUICK DISSOLVE T0:

67EXT. A DRY WASH - CLOSE GROUP SHOT - DAY

Blooming tamarisks border a. dry stream bed. Taylor and Landon hover

over Dodge, who is probing the soil with his drill. Their dungarees and

faces are caked with dust.

DODGE:

It's a stream bed., no doubt about

it -- but bone dry.

Landon strightens up and looks off, startled by something he sees.

LANDON:

Look. . .

68LONG SHOT - A CLIFF BEYOND THE TAMARISKS

with the astronauts in f.g. In the distance, on the skyline, we can

make out a long row of wooden crosses. Some animal or vegetable matter

appears to be tied to the crosses.

LANDON:

Scarecrows?

TAYLOR:

Let's take a look.

Taylor plunges into the thicket of tamarisks, followed by Dodge and

Landon. Their view of the cliff is momentarily obscured. CAMERA HOLDS

on the distant crosses. For an instant only, three "creatures" again

appear on the skyline near the crosses. Then they vanish.

69REVERSE ANGLE - THE ASTRONAUTS

as they emerge from the tamarisk thicket-nearer to the base of the-

cliff. They halt and look up at:

70THE CROSSES - ANGLING UP - FROM ASTRONAUT'S P.O.V.

We can now see the pelts of unrecognizable animals have been bound to

the crosses and, thus mounted in a long row, seem to make a boundary

or serve as a warning. The living bipeds are no longer visible.

71BACK TO THE ASTRONAUTS

Dodge and Landon are still looking up at the strange crosses, but

Taylor is scanning the terrain at the base of the cliff. The sound of

rushing water can be heard.

TAYLOR:

(half to himself)

Never mind the scarecrows.

He breaks into a run, CAMERA PANNING with him as he moves toward a

declivity in the face of the cliff.

72MOVING SHOT - DODGE AND LANDON

Agonized with thirst, they follow Taylor.

73FLASH SHOT - THE TOP OF THE CLIFF

For an instant we see the bipeds again, moving in the same direction.

74EXT. A DECLIVITY IN THE CLIFF - FEATURING TAYLOR

He scrambles up a rock-strewn gorge and looks off at the terrain

beyond.

75EXT. A WATERFALL - FROM TAYLOR'S P.O.V.

The cascade is not spectacular, but the vegetation around it is

startlingly lush. (This location is not at Lake Powell, but at the

Ranch).

76CLOSEUP - TAYLOR

His parched lips break into a smile.

QUICK DISSOLVE TO:

77EXT. WATERFALL AND POOL - FULL SHOT - DAY

The cascade has formed a cool and inviting pool. Thick foliage grows to

its very edge. Dodge is on his hands and knees, testing the liquid with

his kit. The others wait expectantly.

DODGE:

It's loaded with minerals, but safe.

Without further ado Landon ducks his face into the pool. Dodge scoops

up water in his hands and drinks. Taylorfollows suit.

LANDON:

(coming up for air)

Can we take a dip?

TAYLOR:

(looks around)

Okay.

Landon and Dodge immediately remove their boots, strip down and plunge

into the pool. But Taylor does not yet disrobe. Alert and curious, he

strolls along the bank of the pool, looking around.

78DODGE AND LANDON SWIMMNG

79TAYLOR

as he briefly looks around, then starts taking off his shirt.

80DODGE AND LANDON

as they arrive at opposite shore.

81MED . SHOT - FAR SIDE OF POOL

as Landon sees something on shore.

82TAYLOR IN WATER

as he swims across.

LANDON'S VOICE

(o.s.)

Hey, Taylor! Look at this --

Dodge and Taylor climb out of the pool and squat beside Landon.

83CLOSE SHOT - WHAT THEY SEE:

The print of a large five-toad foot is clearly visible in the wet sand.

84GROUP SHOT - THE THREE ASTRONAUTS

Taylor rises and walks slowly toward the underbrush, scanning the

ground for other sports.

CUT TO:

85THE OTHER SIDE OF THE POOL - FULL PANNING SHOT

Our view of the astronauts beyond the cascade in b.g. is partially

obscured by broad-leafed foliage directly in front of CAMERA, which

PANS SLOWLY away from the waterfall and HOLDS on the astronauts'

clothing at the edge of the pool. Suddenly and inexplicably a pair of

dungarees slithers away into the underbrush. A few seconds pass. Now a

pair of bronzed and brawny shoulders fill the SCREEN, blocking our

view.

86REVERSE ANGLE - CLOSE ON A HUMAN FACE IN HEAVY FOLIAGE

Or is it human? The hair is matted, the face bearded, the jaw

prognathous, the orbital rim prominent.

87ANOTHER ANGLE - AT EDGE OF POOL

A brown thick-fingered hand appears from behind heavy foliage and

plucks at a boot. The boot vanishes.

88BACK TO THE ASTRONAUTS - ON OTHER SIDE OF POOL

Dodge is standing near Taylor and looking back at the spot where they

left their clothing. Suddenly he seizes Taylor's arm and points

silently at the far bank of the pool.

89WHAT THEY SEE:

Another pair of dungarees slithers into the underbrush and disappears.

90REVERSE ANGLE - FULL PANNING SHOT - THE ASTRONAUTS

Led by Taylor, they dive back into the pool and swim to the other bank.

Emerging from the water, they look around in bewilderment. Taylor makes

hand signals to indicate absolute silence and a reconnaissance. The

three astronauts fan out and move cautiously into the jungle (or rain

forest).

91-

93EXT. - JUNGLE (OR RAIN FOREST) - SEVERAL SHOTS - MOVING WITH THE

ASTRONAUT'S

Little sunlight penetrates this dense vegetation. These SHOTS are

INTERCUT with:

94WHAT THE ASTRONAUTS SEE:

fleeting forms as yet unidentified; trembling foliage; brown shadows

against a green backdrop.

95EXT. A SMALL CLEARING - FAVORING THE THREE ASTRONAUTS

who stop at the edge of the clearing, startled by

96WHAT THEY SEE:

a number of primitive bipeds, male and female, scarcely visible behind

trees and bushes on the other side of the clearing -- here a face,

there a portion of a head and torso. Throughout this sequence, the

primitives are never seen clearly or at close range.

97BACK TO THE AST40IONAUTS

reacting. They speak in whispers.

LANDON:

My God..they look almost human.

DODGE:

They -- there's a herd of them.

TAYLOR:

Show them we're friendly.

CAMERA PULLS BACK as Taylor advances a few steps into the clearing,

extending his empty hands and beaming like a politician.

TAYLOR:

(warmly)

Greetings!

98REVERSE - THE STRANGE CREATURES - FROM TAYLOR'S P.O.V.

There are perhaps a dozen of them. They shrink back as Taylor advances

-- hostile, frightened or both. We now see that some of them are

clutching articles of the astronauts' clothing and equipment. Taylor

stops, stares at them glumly.

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