THE NEON GRINDHOUSE

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THE NEON GRINDHOUSE

Written by

Caleb K. Saniatan

V.1

03/02/2023

03/09/2023

03/13/2023

WHITE 03/16/2023

GREEN 03/27/2023

BLUE 04/04/2023

PINK 04/07/2023

YELL. 04/17/2023

FADE IN:

1EXT. RIVERBANK - NIGHT (FLASHFORWARD)1

A guy (RED) stops to catch his breath. He’s pursued by a shadowy figure he doesn’t yet notice.

AGAINST BLACK:
SUPER:

“PRELUDE”

FADE IN:

2EXT. PARK - NOON (FLASHBACK)2

RAY sits at a bench, drawing peacefully when he’s interrupted by four suits in different colored shirts: NICKY (GREEN), MEGHAN (YELLOW), CARSON (PINK), ALEX (BLUE).

NICKY:

Ray?

RAY:

Yes?

Meghan sits in front of him. Carson’s hands fall on his shoulders.

MEGHAN:

You stole something very valuable from my boss. We already talked to your friends about it and uh...let’s just say they were a lot less cooperative about it, so why don’t you just tell us the truth so we can just get this over with, alright?

He doesn’t answer. He looks at Nicky and Alex.

No response. Meghan shrugs.

MEGHAN:

Suit yourself.

In a smooth and swift gesture, she grabs one of his pencils and stabs straight through his hand. Alex looks away.

NICKY:

Boom!

Carson grabs his mouth before he can scream.

MEGHAN:

You alright, Ray? Jeez, I cannot begin to imagine how that feels.

CARSON:

Just tell her the truth, pal.

He releases him. No response. She twists the pencil around. He cries out in agony.

ALEX:

Answer her, Ray! God!

RAY:

(gasping)

Okay okay okay...I sold it. I sold it.

MEGHAN:

Who’d you sell it to?

RAY:

A guy named Chandler. He runs a pawn shop on K Street, next to the Crest.

MEGHAN:

See how easy that was?

She takes out the pencil. Blood pools out of his hand.

MEGHAN:

I really hope you’re telling me the truth, Ray. Cos if you’re not, I’m gonna come back with something a lot sharper than this, alright?

They start heading out.

RAY:

Can you at least take me to a goddamn hospital?

Carson turns around and throws a box of Band Aids at him.

Everyone laughs except for Alex. Ray spits and clutches his wounded hand.

TITLE CARD:

“THE NEON GRINDHOUSE”

3INT. LIVING ROOM - SAFEHOUSE - NIGHT (END FLASHBACK)3

We enter a standard suburban house. It’s chic, bland. Looks cheap. Probably is.

The front door bursts open OFFSCREEN. Meghan, Carson, and Alex enter.

CARSON:

Jesus f***ing Christ!

(beat)

Everybody okay?

ALEX:

I think so. Oh Christ, I think I’m gonna be sick-

She races into the bathroom. We hear vomiting OFFSCREEN.

CARSON:

Did she even fire her gun once?

MEGHAN:

Give her a break. We were all green once.

CARSON:

Ray. I’m gonna kill that little prick.

MEGHAN:

He gave us what we needed, didn’t he?

CARSON:

Yeah, well it would’ve been nice to know about all those f***ing guards. We almost got f***ing killed in there.

MEGHAN:

Well then it’s a good thing we didn’t. Cheer the f*** up.

CARSON:

Did Nick call yet?

MEGHAN:

Not yet.

She takes out her phone and dials a number. There’s a CLICK.

MEGHAN:

Hey, it’s me. Yeah, it’s done. Yeah, we made it to the safehouse. We’ll be here.

She hangs up and calls another number. CLICK.

MEGHAN:

Nick? Nick, where the f*** are you? Look, it doesn’t matter. Just get your ass to the safehouse. No I didn’t order pizza, just be there! Okay. See you in thirty minutes.

She hangs up.

TITLE CARD:

“ANGELMAKER”

4INT. GARAGE - MORNING (FLASHBACK)4

Nicky, out of uniform, enters a garage. He notices some sketchy types watching him as he approaches a car.

5INT. CAR - MORNING5

Nick gets inside, where the BOSS is sitting in the driver's seat. We will never see his face or hear his voice.

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Nick. Got a job for you.

NICKY:

Figures.

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Some nitwits decided to rob me and took something very valuable from my collection.

NICKY:

What’d they take?

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Old Civil war revolver. You’ll know it when you see it.

NICKY:

Hm. Any idea who might’ve stolen it?

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Some nobodies looking to make a quick buck. They dropped a name though, amateurs. Kid named Ray. I put together a crew for you. I want you to find out where it is and bring it back to me.

NICKY:

What’s the pay?

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Looking at 50 grand apiece.

NICKY:

Mm.

A pause.

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

What?

NICKY:

Is it possible to do it without me? I mean, I’ve got responsibilities now, man. I have a daughter now-

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

You should’ve thought about that before cumming without a condom. Negotiation’s over.

NICKY:

But-

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Sure would be a shame if your wife wasn’t around for your daughter’s next birthday. Maybe she won’t even be around for her funeral.

A tense pause.

NICKY:

I’ll do it.

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Good. In the meantime, f*** off.

He opens the door to leave.

NICKY:

Hey. One more thing: f*** you.

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Duly noted.

He closes the door. The Boss takes out a phone.

PAN IN - BACK OF BOSS’S HEAD.

THE BOSS:

(subtitled)

Jerry. I’ve got a job for you.

TITLE CARD:

“BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA”

6INT. LIVING ROOM - SAFEHOUSE - NIGHT (END FLASHBACK)6

There’s another knock at the door. Meghan goes to answer it.

MEGHAN:

Who is it?

NICKY (O.S)

It’s me.

She opens the door and lets him in.

MEGHAN:

Took you long enough.

NICKY:

Yeah, there was traffic. Where’s Alex?

The toilet flushes OFFSCREEN.

ALEX (O.S)

Hi Nick.

MEGHAN:

Do you have it?

NICKY:

Do I have...what?

MEGHAN:

The--the thing you were supposed to get!

NICKY:

Oh! Yeah. Here.

He reaches into his jacket and hands her an ornate REVOLVER.

CARSON:

Holy sh*t.

MEGHAN:

This better be worth it.

NICKY:

It should be. You’re holding a piece of history in your hands.

Back to the other two, Nick takes out a PISTOL and does a press check.

NICKY:

You guys get rid of your guns already?

CARSON:

Yeah, why?

NICKY:

Good. Makes things easier for me.

He turns around and aims at the two.

NICKY:

Put the gun on the couch.

MEGHAN:

What the f***-

NICKY:

SHHH!

Nick points at the couch. Carson tosses the gun on the couch.

NICKY:

Sit down.

They do so. He pats them down. He doesn’t see Alex behind him.

MEGHAN:

Are you mad I didn’t order pizza?

NICKY:

Shut the f*** up. Listen to me, I have a plan. Just hear me out-

Alex swings a haymaker into his back. He turns around, unfazed.

NICKY:

Really?

Carson spins him around and knocks him out in one punch.

CARSON:

F*** you!

(clutching hand)

OWWWWW!

TITLE CARD:

“PINK LEMONADE”

7EXT. DECK - RESTAURANT - MORNING (FLASHBACK)7

Meghan sits at a table, waiting for someone.

Carson sits in front of her. He’s dirty and disheveled. Definitely homeless.

CARSON:

Whaddup?

MEGHAN:

Sh*t. What happened to you?

CARSON:

(shrugs)

F***ing casinos, man.

MEGHAN:

Wait, we got how much for that last job and you’re telling me you already lost all of it?

He opens his empty wallet and holds it upside down. Meghan scoffs.

MEGHAN:

You suck with money.

CARSON:

Tell me something I don’t know.

(beat)

So, what’s going on?

MEGHAN:

Not much to be honest.

CARSON:

How’s the SO? She seemed nice, last time we met.

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