The Death Artist Page #11

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Maxwell slugs back the rest of his champagne -

1ST PRETTY GIRL

You're really...eloquent.

Maxwell clunks the glass on the table -

MAXWELL:

Walter deserves every word of it!

1ST PRETTY GIRL

Makes me so glad I'm aware.

Maxwell puts his hand over the girl's hand -

Carla approaches Walter, who reels a bit in the chair - he has a sad

look on his face -

WALTER:

Did you hear what he said?

CARLA:

Yes Walter.

WALTER:

All about me...

Carla nods and smiles -

WALTER:

It's true, isn't it?

CARLA:

Every word...

Walter slowly smiles -

DISSOLVE TO:

INT JABBERJAW - NIGHT

The crowd has thinned out, people are leaving -

Walter polishes off the dregs of a bottle of champagne as Leonard

watches him -

LEONARD:

You better hold off on the

bubbly.

WALTER:

Yeah, why?

LEONARD:

You might talk too much.

WALTER:

Yeah and what would I say?

MAXWELL(O.S.)

Are you two grinders ignoring us?

Walter staggers over toward Maxwell, who is sitting with Carla,

Charlie, and the two attractive girls -

WALTER:

Oh not me Maxwell, I wouldn't

ignore you.

He puts his hand on Maxwell's shoulder -

WALTER:

I know what it is to be ignored.

CARLA:

Tell us what you're going to

make next, Walter.

WALTER:

(reeling)

I'm gonna make the most wildest

wittiest things you ever seen...

gonna make big statues and li'l

statues, tall statues n' short

statues...

Walter takes his crown off -

WALTER:

I'm gonna make statues of nobodies

and statues of famous people, statues

of actors -

(looking at Maxwell)

and poets...and people who sell things

on television...and a statue of the

mayor, and some rock singers and

their instrument friends...

The group listens to Walter -

WALTER:

An' everyone will say Walter let

me shake your hand...it's a real

pleasure to have known you...

MAXWELL:

(applauding)

Here here!

The group claps -

Leonard watches in the background as Walter polishes off his glass -

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT STREET - NIGHT

Walter staggers down the street -

WALTER:

Alley cats and garbage cans...they

know that Walter Paisley is born...

Walter removes the star from his lapel and continues to stagger down

the street -

WALTER:

Ring rubber bells, beat cotton

gongs, strike silken cymbals...

Walter turns the corner -

WALTER:

Tell us what you're gonna do

next Walter...

Walter bounces against a wall -

WALTER:

(loud)

I'm gonna make big statues and

little statues, movie stars and

poets, and people who sell things

on television, and the mayor, and

some rock singers...

Walter stops walking and leans his hand against the wall -

WALTER:

(Beat)

What are you gonna do next, Walter?

Walter all of a sudden gets a sad look on his face -

WALTER:

What am I gonna do next...

what am I gonna do next...

Walter looks like he's about to cry -

WALTER:

I gotta do something before they

forget me...I know what it's like

to be ignored...

Walter thinks, then heads off, down the alley -

EXT LUMBER YARD - NIGHT

CLOSE on a table saw - a CARPENTER pulls the saw over a piece of

wood, then turns it off -

He picks up the wood and inspects the cut - he then turns around,

only to be startled by Walter -

CARPENTER:

Who are you? Whaddya want?

WALTER:

(slurred)

Life is nothing but a homeless

guy on th' bus of art...

CARPENTER:

Huh?

Walter gets RIGHT in the carpenter's face -

WALTER:

(slurred)

What is not creation is rice

cakes...let them all crumble

to feed the creator...

The carpenter stares at him for a beat, trying to avoid Walter's

boozy breath -

CARPENTER:

Beat it, ya drunk, or I'll call

the cops!

The carpenter turns the saw back on -

Walter SPINS the man around by his shoulder -

WALTER:

(loud, slurred)

All else is rice cakes!

The carpenter SHOVES Walter hard - he lands on his ass -

CARPENTER:

Get out of here, you god - damn

freak or I'll split your head

with a two-by-four!

Walter staggers to his feet and takes a few steps back - the

carpenter gives him a wary look for a beat and then continues sawing

-

Walter then POUNCES on the man, choking him -

The carpenter tries to fight back but Walter is possessed with a

psychotic strength -

Walter begins to gain the upper hand forcing the man's neck closer

and closer to the sawblade -

The carpenter sees the blade, and struggles with all his might to

get free -

CARPENTER:

No...no!

Walter forces the man's face down on the metal -

CARPENTER:

Stop...no...NOOOOOO!

The saw makes a CUTTING noise -

CARPENTER:

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

EXT JABBERJAW - DAY

Leonard gets a PAPER out of a VENDING MACHINE -

He reads the headline - "HEADLESS MAN FOUND IN LUMBERYARD"

Leonard reads it for a beat -

Walter then approaches, carrying a box -

WALTER:

Hello Leonard! Beautiful morning,

isn't it?

LEONARD:

It was.

Leonard lowers the paper - his face drops -

LEONARD:

What do you have in the box?

WALTER:

Just wait till you see this!

Walter opens the box and removes the contents -

It is the HEAD of the carpenter - Walter shoves the sculpture in

Leonard's face -

Leonard drops the paper and staggers back -

WALTER:

Whatsamatter Leonard?

LEONARD:

(Beat)

You made...a bust...

WALTER:

(gleefully)

Yeah isn't it wonderful?

Leonard takes a few steps back -

WALTER:

Whatsamatter Leonard?

LEONARD:

Put it down, Walter.

Walter's smile fades, and he puts the head down - Leonard addresses

him -

LEONARD:

Walter...Walter listen carefully.

(Beat)

I don't want you to make any

more statues. Do you understand?

No more statues.

WALTER:

(hurt)

Well Why not? I gotta make statues

Leonard. You heard Maxwell, they

want me to make them.

(Beat)

I can't go back to being a busboy!

LEONARD:

Maxwell! He's behind all this with

all his stupid blowhard poetry!

(Beat)

Listen, you've got to stop right

away! I'm beginning to feel

responsible!

WALTER:

Well, w-what did you do?

LEONARD:

Never mind...

Leonard puts his arm around Walter -

LEONARD:

Walter...I decided to have that

show for you, right away.

Walter walks with Leonard -

LEONARD:

When Carla comes by I'll talk to

her. She'll make up some nice

invitations. We'll have them

printed up.

WALTER:

Yeah?

LEONARD:

Well invite the critics, and the

art collectors...we'll tell them...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT CARLA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

INSERT INVITATION - a fancy invitation to the Jabberjaw to showcase

the work of Walter Paisley -

Mayolia fixes up the back of Carla's dress - Cuff and Link slouch in

chairs, and Maxwell fumbles with his tie, dressed formally -

MAYOLIA:

Well I don't see why we can't

go!

MAXWELL:

Mister Leonard De Santis is afraid

to have you come. You who buy

his coffee, his potables, his food.

You are the heart and soul and meat

of the Jabberjaw.

(Beat)

And he slighted you!

CUFF:

Did you get an invitation?

MAXWELL:

I did not! But I'm going anyway.

Not to drink his champagne but

to see Walter's triumph.

Just then Walter walks through the front door, dressed to the nines

-

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