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 the

center 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.”

2 EXT. STREET CORNER - DAY 2

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

2b EXT. TOKYO STREET - DAY 2b

-- 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.

2c EXT. CAMPUS - DAY 2c

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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