Simone Page #4

HANK:

(referring to his covered

eye)

Good and bad. They think that's

what caused this. Me eye tumor.

Microwaves from the screen. It's

the size of a grapefruit. Heavy

too.

VIKTOR:

(regarding the pathetic

figure with the tilted

head)

I'm sorry.

HANK:

Don't be. It was worth it.

Hank once again indicated the bulge in his pocket. Viktor

now understands the significance of the gesture.

HANK:

You have to see her.

VIKTOR:

(loading cans into the

car)

I've seen them all before.

HANK:

Not like this --

VIKTOR:

(patronizing smile)

Come on, Hank. A synthespian,

virtual actor -- ?

HANK:

(irritated)

-- We call them "vactors".

VIKTOR:

I need flesh and --

HANK:

-- Flesh is weak.

VIKTOR:

-- a living, breathing actor -- I

can't work with a fake.

Viktor loads his film cans into the car.

HANK:

(pointing to Nicola in

Variety)

You already do. But my actor won't

get old, fat, lazy or drunk --

won't throw tantrums, demand a body

double, script changes or a bigger

trailer.

(whispers, conspiratorial)

The Disney Corporation has been

using artificial actors for years.

VIKTOR:

That's the point, Hank. No matter

how good they are, they're still

Mickey Mouse. Everyone's tried.

Everyone's failed. It can't be

done.

HANK:

It can -- with my new computer

code, you and me, we can do it

together.

VIKTOR:

I don't know anything about

computers.

HANK:

That's why you're so perfect. You

have something I don't have.

VIKTOR:

What's that?

HANK:

An eye -- for performance. You

know the truth when you see it. I

know. I've seen your movies. I

love your movies.

VIKTOR:

You do?

HANK:

"Straw God" changed my life.

VIKTOR:

You saw that?

HANK:

I've seen every frame of your work.

You're the only filmmaker in

Hollywood with the artistic

integrity to realize my vision.

You and me, art and science... we

are the perfect marriage.

VIKTOR:

Listen, Hank, it's been a rough

day.

(climbing into his car)

I'll call you about his next week.

HANK:

(at the car window)

I won't be here next week. The

tumor's inoperable. I'll be dead.

VIKTOR:

(winding down the window)

I'm already dead.

Viktor's car roars away. He looks back at the forlorn Hank

in the rear view mirror.

HANK:

Call me.

(looking at his watch)

This week!

A huge eye from a dismantled Nicola Anders billboard is

wheeled away behind him -- followed by a huge pair of lips.

INT. VIKTOR'S MALIBU HOUSE - DAY

A sea of ingenue headshots. Black X's are drawn through all

of them. VIKTOR lies amongst the rejected faces, talking on

the telephone, in his spartan bachelor beach house.

VIKTOR:

(into phone, referring to

a young woman's headshot)

-- What do you mean she won't work

with me? She's done nothing. She

doesn't have a single credit --

AGENT'S VOICE

(from phone, off-camera)

-- Better no credits than a

Taransky credit. No young actress

is going to step into Nicola

Anders' shoes and risk ending her

career before it's even started.

VIKTOR:

-- Art, you don't understand. I've

mortgaged everything to finish this

film -- creditors calling, coming

to the house, for God's sake, I

need this --

The phone goes dead. Viktor tries to re-dial --

disconnected.

VIKTOR:

-- Damn.

Sharp knock on his door. Viktor peers through a curtain and

spies an official-looking MAN IN A SUIT, carrying what looks

to be a legal notice in his hands.

Viktor slips out of the back door.

EXT. BEACH - DAY

VIKTOR hurries along the beach. When he turns, he discovers

the MAN IN THE SUIT following him. As Viktor runs, the Suit

runs -- calling out to him.

MAN IN THE SUIT:

Mr. Taransky, Mr. Taransky --

VIKTOR:

(calling back)

I'm not him.

Viktor stumbles. When he recovers, the Suit is on him.

MAN IN THE SUIT:

Mr. Taransky, Sir, I represent the

estate of Mr. Hank Aleno.

(showing him Hank's

obituary in the L.A.

Times)

It was Mr. Aleno's last wish that

you have this.

The Suit hands Viktor a heavily-sealed envelope.

VIKTOR:

What is it?

MAN IN THE SUIT:

I have no idea, Sir. He wanted you

to have it.

The Suit departs. Viktor hesitates, then breaks the seal on

the package -- inside he finds a hard-drive. The hard-drive

is labeled "SIMULATION ONE".

A TITLE APPEARS ON THE SCREEN:

SIX MONTHS LATER

CLOSE UP ON:

a VACUUM CLEANER cleaning a tatty red carpet.

On the other end of the vacuum cleaner is VIKTOR. The red

carpet leads to a rundown, downtown Los Angeles cinema -- the

venue for the premiere of "SUNRISE, SUNSET". To save money

on posters, Viktor has altered the originals, "Starring

NICOLA ANDERS" crudely pasted over with "Introducing SIMONE".

EXT. RUNDOWN DOWNTOWN CINEMA - DUSK

VIKTOR regards the sad, little premiere. No paparazzi, no

limos, no klieg lights. Resorting to giving away tickets to

PASSERS-BY, Viktor approaches a HOMELESS MAN sleeping in

trash.

VIKTOR:

Want to see a free movie?

HOMELESS MAN:

(he thinks)

No.

A taxi pulls up. Viktor's daughter, LAINEY, steps out.

LAINEY:

(kissing him hello)

Hi, Dad.

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