Superman

FADE IN:

EXT. STREET - METROPOLIS - NIGHT

CLOSE ON a crumpled piece of rubbish lying in the gutter. It is flattened by the wheel of a pushcart. CAMERA PULLS BACK: we SEE a street in a city neighborhood still fighting its way out of The Depression. KIDS play stickball, PEOPLE stand about, out-of-work MEN recline on tenement stoops .

Over this SUPERIMPOSE: METROPOLIS 1938

CAMERA TRACKS UP past a boarded-up store window with a "For Rent" sign on it, PAST trash cans being investigated by foraging dogs, PAST the stoop of brownstone where some care has been taken to keep things clean, PAST the parlor floor where an undershirted MAN argues with a bathrobed WOMAN, PAST the second Floor windows where a YOUNG COUPLE bend over a crib, shaking a rattle and cooing at a new-born BABY wrapped in a pink blanket, UP PAST the roof of the brownstone, higher and higher, PAST the distant skyscrapers: the Chrysler Building, the Fuller building, the great- neon globe symbol atop the Daily Planet Building.

2EXT. SKY - NIGHT - ANGLE on DAILY PLANET

CAMERA LOOKS DOWN on the Daily Planet Globe. The only sound is the wind. CAMERA TILTS toward the star-filled sky and the full moon, then TAKES OFF.

3EXT. SPACE

CAMERA SPEEDS through the heavens past the moon, through the Universe, traveling on, gathering speed, further and further through the limitless void until it bursts through into another Galaxy.

4EXT. SPACE NEAR KRYPTON

A miniscule RED DOT appears, growing larger, spreading evenly into a BLAZING SUN, which fills the SCREEN. The fiery' red SUN now grows smaller as we fall through space and see beyond it - the planet Krypton. As CAMERA CONTINUES toward Krypton, we see satellites, spacecraft, and Krypton's two distinct hemispheres. CAMERA HOLDS, PEERS DOWN at the city of Kryptonopolis.

5EXT. KRYPTONOPOLIS - DAY

CAMERA PANS the white, prismatic crystalline mountains near the city. WE SEE a gleaming, quicksilver lake.

6EXT. CITY OF KRYPTONOPOLIS - DAY

Kryptonopolis is a magical city, constructed of pure white crystalline matter that encloses and protects it from the blazing red sun. CAMERA TRACKS across futuristic glass buildings, glass skyways, tunnels, and enclosed gardens, finally CLOSING IN on a specific domed structure silhouetted against the sky. A MAN'S VOICE is heard , gathering in volume and intensity.

JOR-EL'S VOICE {V.O.)

This is no fantasy. No careless product of

a wild imagination. We are not dealing here

with idle supposition ...

CAMERA CLOSES IN on the domed roof of the building, now Dl SSOLVES THROUGH :

7 INT. TRIAL CHAMBER - DAY

An electric white aurafills the screen. The dim outline of JOR-EL'S head can be seen almost floating above it, facing away from CAMERA as he continues.

JOR-EL

... no, gentlemen. Theindictment

I have brought you this day, the

specific charges listed therein against

these individuals, their acts of

treason and ultimate aim of sedition . . .

(swivels to FACE CAMERA)

These are matters of undeniable fact!

The face of JOR-EL fills the SCREEN as he Points an accusing finger INTO CAMERA. A handsome, intelligent face with great intensity, bathed in the electric white aura which surrounds him, almost pulsating with energy.

8WIDE ANGLE - TRIAL CHAMBER

JOR-EL stands on the dark edge of a circular white ring of light thrusting down

from the ceiling of the chamber.

8CONTINUED

The domed roof rises, cathedral-like above, imprinted with giant projections of the faces of the COUNCIL OF ELDERS (eleven, besides JOR-EL) Who watch the proceedings in judgement, presumably from some other location. Each ELDER is bathed in a specific aura similar to that of JOR-EL. Trapped inside the central dazzling white ring of light are THREE FIGURES. JOR-EL circles the edge of the ring.

JOR-EL

I ask you now to pronounce

your judgement on those accused...

9CLOSE ON NON

The monstrous face of NON peers through the light at JOR-EL. A man only to the extent that he is not an animal - a force of frightening destruction whose only sounds are terrifying guttural roars.

JOR-EL'S VOICE

On this mindless aberration whose

only means of expression are

wanton violence and destruction....

NON lunges at JOR-EL with a roar, bounces back off the edge of the ring of light, which imprisons him.

CAMERA PANS TO URSA: A tall woman with a strikingly beautiful and cruel face. Consumed by a total hatred. Consumed by a total hatred of the male sex, she stares back at JOR-EL with patronizing contempt.

JOR-EL'S VOICE

On the woman, URSA, whose perversions

and unreasoning hatred of men have

finally threatened even the male

children on our planet....

CAMERA PANS TO GENERAL ZOD: Glaring defiantly at JOR-El through the dazzling

light with a staggeringly vicious face. Even trapped in the prison of light he seems to

generate an evil force of his own.

REVISION 21/3/77

9CONTINUED

JOR-EL'S VOICE

And finally on General Zod -

Once trusted by this Council, charged

with maintaining the defenses of the

planet Krypton itself - the chief architect

of this intended revolution, the author of this

insidious plot to establish a new order among

Us - with himself as absolute ruler.

10WIDE ANGLE - TRIAL CHAMBER

The huge faces of the COUNCIL OF ELDERS peer down from the domed ceiling as JOR-EL finishes.

JOR-EL

You have listened to the evidence.

The decision of the Council will

now be heard.

Silence. CAMERA PANS UP to the faces. The FIRST ELDER pauses momentarily.

FIRST ELDER:

Guilty.

The FIRST ELDER'S face instantly disappears from the domed ceiling.

SECOND ELDER:

Guilty.

The SECOND ELDER'S face disappears. One by one the remaining NINE ELDERS vote "guilty'" in rapid succession until the ceiling has become a black void.

11CLOSE ON JOR-EL AND VILLANS

JOR-EL faces GENERAL ZOD, his aura glowing as a separate island of light outside the circle.

JOR-EL

Do you have anything to say before

the decision of the Council is pronounced?

11CONTINUED

ZOD:

(cold stare)

The vote must be unanimous, Jor-El.

It has therefore now become your decision.

You alone will condemn us if you wish.

And you alone will be held responsible by me.

(JOR-EL stares blankly)

Join us. You have been known to disagree with

the Council before. Yours could become an

important voice in the New Order - second only

to my own. I offer you a chance for greatness, Jor-El.

Take it. Join us.

JOR-EL hesitates briefly, then suddenly disappears - his electric white aura extinguishing itself. ZOD's face twists with rage.

ZOD:

One day you will bow down before

me, Jor-El

12EXT. TRIAL CHAMBER IN SPACE - DAY

The domed roof of the building cracks open, starts to swivel back. In the distance:

a slate-gray atmospheric eminence (THE PHANTOM ZONE) travels rapidly through

the sky, approaches the opening.

13INT. TRIAL CHAMBER

The VILLANS are alone in the trial chamber. ZOD rants:

ZOD:

I swear it! No matter that it

takes an eternity! You will bow

down before me...

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