The Grudge
FADE IN on MARIA (late 20s), asleep in bed. She’s
breathtakingly beautiful. Morning light fills the room. The
sound of wind, and rippling cloth.
Maria stirs, and opens her eyes. She stretches contentedly.
Then she frowns. Rolls over. She’s alone in the bed?
No, she’s not:
PETER (20s) sits on the edge, his back to her.Two fresh, steaming mugs of coffee sit on a tray near him.
MARIA:
Hey. Are you okay?
Peter doesn’t turn. He slowly stands and walks forward
towards an OPEN WINDOW.
There’s something strange about the way he moves -- stiffly,
almost jerkily, straining his joints and muscles.
Maria gets out of bed, concerned.
MARIA:
Peter? What’s the matter?
He pauses at the window. Turns his head to look back at her.
His eyes are vacant. His face is a blank.
Then Peter slowly leans forward. And falls from the window.
Maria stands in shock as the sound of SCREECHING TIRES from
outside reaches her ears. Then SCREAMS OF TERROR from below.
Aghast, she finally manages to numbly walk forward, towards
the window. We MOVE PAST her and TILT DOWN TO REVEAL ---
PETER’S BODY lies in the middle of the street. His head
has burst open, his body broken and twisted.
ON THE PAVEMENT:
a line of blood appears, moving down thecenter of the screen. As if hitting grooves we cannot see ---
the blood slowly forms the shape of two KANJI CHARACTERS.
A translation appears over them: “The Grudge.”
A blur of movement as hundreds of people stream up from a
subway tunnel. Most are Japanese. We’re not in Kansas.
Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 2.
Standing in the middle of the rush-hour pedestrian traffic is
KAREN (20s, American). She faces upstream, looking for
someone. The flow threatens to carry her away in a
heartbeat. She looks fragile, intimidated by the madness.
DOUG (O.S.)
Karen!
She turns to see her boyfriend DOUG (20s, American)
approaching. With a reassuring smile he takes her hand -
-- and together, they force their way through the throng,
trying to escape the flow. They’re jostled and crushed by
the crowd, and Doug protectively pulls Karen closer.
KAREN:
I’ll never get used to this.
DOUG:
Maybe we should find a different
train station.
He abruptly stops, right in the middle of traffic, still
holding Karen’s hand. She turns, wondering what’s going on.
She sees the smile on his lips a moment before -
-- he sweeps Karen into his arms and kisses her. As if the
crowd of businessmen surging around them isn’t there at all.
It’s tender and loving, and she responds... at first. But
then she pulls away, shy.
KAREN:
A public display of affection is
considered rude in Japan.
There’s an opening ahead into a SIDE STREET. Doug and Karen
deftly slip out of the traffic -
2a OMITTED 2a
-- and walk hand-in-hand down the much quieter street, away
from the crowded thoroughfare.
Doug smiles as they pass by two JAPANESE HIGH SCHOOL COUPLES,
making out on the street corner. He turns to give Karen a
sarcastic look -
Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 2A.
-- but she didn’t notice the school kids. She’s looking in
the other direction, at a trickle of SMOKE wafting up over a
nearby fence.
KAREN:
What’s that?
Doug follows as she walks toward an OLD TEMPLE, nestled
beneath a skyscraper. A collision of the ancient and modern.
The fence surrounds a GRAVEYARD adjacent to the temple.
DOUG:
We walk past this temple every day,
Karen -
KAREN:
Yeah, but I’ve never seen this
before.
A JAPANESE MAN stands before an ornate headstone, lighting a
bundle of incense and bowing before the grave.
KAREN:
It’s a Buddhist ritual. The
incense smoke carries the prayers
to the spirits of his ancestors, to
help them remain at peace.
CLINK. She turns as Doug, grinning, lights a cigarette with
his Zippo, flicking it shut and pocketing it.
DOUG:
It’s amazing. You’re like this
infinite storehouse of wisdom. Or
trivia. I’m not sure which.
KAREN:
It’s not trivia. It’s what they
believe. And it’s far better, by
the way, than your little pollution
ritual.
Doug’s grin softens to a smile. He doesn’t respond... but
the way he’s looking at Karen makes her curious:
KAREN:
What?
He turns away for a moment, almost shyly, dropping his
cigarette and crushing it. Finally:
Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 2B.
DOUG:
Nothing. I just -- I like that
about you. You seem to be able to
remember everything that’s really
important.
She smiles. A tender moment. Then... he checks his watch.
DOUG:
Except the time.
Karen checks her own watch, realizing -
KAREN:
Oh, crap -
She grabs his hand and starts to walk quickly.
KAREN:
C’mon, you’re gonna be late.
Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 3-4.
An international college in Tokyo. The autumn chill doesn’t
deter the students from enjoying the beautiful day.
Karen and Doug, still holding hands, enter the campus.
2cc EXT. NURSING CARE CENTER - DAY 2cc
Karen and Doug approach the doors of a NURSING CARE CENTER.
She pulls him to the side just as he’s stepping under a
WORKMAN’S LADDER by the doors.
KAREN:
Uh-uh. Seven years of bad luck.
(before Doug can respond:)
And I might have a vested interest
in those years.
DOUG:
Is that right?
KAREN:
Maybe.
Doug smiles, kissing her romantically. Then:
DOUG:
Will I see you tonight?
KAREN:
I’ll call you when I get home.
With a flourish, Doug SWINGS HIMSELF back under the ladder.
DOUG:
Fourteen. I hate odd numbers.
2d INT. NURSING CARE CENTER - DAY 2d
Through the front doors, we see Doug kiss Karen again. They
finally separate, and Doug walks off.
Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 4A.
Then Karen walks through the doors into a bright, atrium-like
lobby area. She waves “hello” to the RECEPTIONIST.
Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 5.
Leaning against a desk behind Reception is Karen’s boss ALEX
(40s, American). He’s got a phone to his ear -- it’s
ringing. An ANSWERING MACHINE picks up in Japanese.
Alex mutters and hangs up. Then he notices -
ALEX:
Karen!
She’s started up a STAIRCASE in the center of the lobby. She
turns and comes back down, walking over to Alex.
ALEX:
Are you free this afternoon?
KAREN:
I just came by to pick up some
books I left here. I’m not
scheduled to work today -
ALEX:
I know. But are you free? Do you
have class?
KAREN:
(shaking her head:)
Just a test to study for. Why?
Alex smiles, holding out a file.
Revisions (Blue) -- 1/26/04 6.
ALEX:
Your wish has been granted.
Karen takes the file and opens it, looking at the first page
- a picture of an OLDER WOMAN (EMMA) is attached.
ALEX:
It’s Yoko’s case, but she didn’t
show up for work this morning, and
I can’t reach her at home.
must be sick, or something.
she has the damn house key.
She
And
Studying the file, Karen squints.
KAREN:
What’s this phrase?
ALEX:
“Mild dementia with severe
lethargy.” Apparently she sleeps
through most of the day. Her
daughter-in-law doesn’t work, so
she’ll probably be there.
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"The Grudge" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 5 Nov. 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/the_grudge_1017>.
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