The Nightmare Before Christmas Page #10

But doubt immediately overtakes the Mayor as Jack expresses his

exasperation with the way things are going...

JACK:

Everyone, please, now not so fast.

There's something here that you don't quite grasp.

Confident face evaporating, the Mayor skulks off.

Jack looks down at the faces tipped up toward him -- in the

expressions, puzzlement replaces eagerness.

JACK:

(to himself)

Well, I may as well give them

what they want.

Jack picks up his song again -- the showman once more:

JACK:

And the best, I must confess,

I have saved for the last

For the ruler of this Christmasland...

Is a fearsome king with a deep mighty voice

Least, that is what I've come to understand.

And I've also heard it told

That he's something to behold

Like a lobster, huge and red...

And sets out to slay with his raingear on,

Carting bulging sacks with his big great arms...

That is, so I've heard it said.

Listening to this, the people of Halloweenland are absolutely

spellbound, rapt, and quiet for a change.

JACK (CONT'D)

And on a dark, cold night

Under full moonlight

He flies off into a fog

Like a vulture in the sky...

And they call him -- Sandy Claws.

At this conclusion, a delightful shudder runs through the

audience.

CROWD:

OOOOH....

They erupt into giddy chatter.

Jack watches them from the stage, then turns to his display table

and begins gathering up his many Christmasland souvenirs.

JACK:

(sings wistfully to

himself)

Well, at least they're excited,

But they don't understand

That special kind of feeling

... In Christmasland.

Jack shakes a Frosty the Snowman paper weight and dreamily

watches the little snowflakes drift down.

JACK:

Oh well....

Sighing, he packs his treasures.

CUT TO:

INT. JACK'S TOWER. NIGHT.

Jack happily decorates his room with the Christmasland souvenirs.

-- He festoons the electric chair with boughs of holly and a

sprig of mistletoe atop the confining head cap.

-- He tosses wreaths around the necks of the gargoyles that leer

down from corners of the ceiling.

-- He ties a red bow on Zero.

LATER,

in bed, snuggled down, wearing a nightcap, his pile of Christmas

books beside him, Jack gazes critically around his room. It is

over-bright with electric lights -- they're strung everywhere

they can be strung. Tinsel sparkles glaringly.

Lips pursed, Jack climbs out of bed to pull a string of lights

out behind an obscuring cobweb, then isn't satisfied just to see

them, but traces the intricate pattern of the cobweb with them.

He steps back for perspective, comes forward to make an

adjustment, steps back to look again... He frowns. He scratches

his head.

JACK:

It's not quite right;

something's wrong... But

what?...

He paces and looks, paces and looks -- but the mystery remains a

mystery.

CUT TO:

INT. EVIL SCIENTIST'S HOUSE. DAY.

Still suffering the effects of her own sleeping potion, a

disheveled Sally drags through the house.

The DOORBELL RINGS (O.S.).

Sally turns sluggishly.

SALLY:

(slowly)

Who could that be?

She shuffles toward it.

CUT TO:

INT. EVIL SCIENTIST'S FRONT DOOR. DAY/MOMENTS LATER.

Sally drags open the front door. There, on the front stoop, to

her utter astonishment stands

JACK.

He has on a cheery face, but it is obvious to her that he is

disturbed.

JACK:

Good morning.

SALLY:

(voice little)

Y-you don't have to say that.

You don't need to pretend. Not

with me.

He looks quizzically at her.

JACK:

Is the doctor in?

EVIL SCIENTIST (O.S.)

(calls)

Who is it, Sally?

Answering for her, Jack strides right in:

JACK:

(calls to the doctor)

It's Jack Skellington.

EVIL SCIENTIST (O.S.)

(calls)

Jack! What a surprise, my boy,

a rare pleasure indeed. Come

on back... I'm in the

laboratory.

Jack heads back. Sally looks tragically after.

CUT TO:

INT. JACK'S TOWER. DUSK.

Jack intently sets up a make-shift laboratory with equipment

borrowed from the Evil Scientist -- a microscope, mortar and

pestle, petri dishes, a centrifuge, test tubes, beakers already

filled with steaming liquid.

CUT TO:

INT. EVIL SCIENTIST'S LABORATORY. NIGHT.

As Sally shuffles timidly into the room, the scientist doesn't

look up from his reading.

SALLY:

(blurts)

Jack Skellington was here this

morning.

The scientist nods without looking up:

EVIL SCIENTIST:

Uh-huh.

SALLY:

He stayed a long time.

The scientist nods again.

SALLY:

When he left, he took a lot of

equipment with him.

EVIL SCIENTIST:

He's conducting experiments of

his own.

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