The Terminator Page #9

CUT TO:

73 EXT. SARAH'S APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT 73

An LAPD black-and-white sits at the curb in front of Sarah's

building with two cops inside, drinking coffee. Through

the open window we hear the dispatcher's voice on the

radio.

DISPATCHER (V.O.)

...two eleven in progress at

Seven-Eleven market, Third and

Tamarac. One suspect believed

to be armed...

The car pulls out with lights and siren on.

A moment later, Terminator rounds the corner of the building

and climbs the stairs to the entryway.

He surveys the bank of call buttons, then turns to consider

the barred security gate.

CUT TO:

74 INT. SARAH'S APARTMENT - NIGHT 74

PANAGLIDE WITH GINGER as she ties her terry-cloth robe and,

leaving Matt in a dead sleep, pads through the dark apartment.

Down the hall, past the phone with Traxler's message.

Through the dark living room.

She has her Walkman in the pocket of her robe and bops to

herself in the silent gloom as she enters the kitchen.

When she opens the refrigerator to remove snack fixings, the

light briefly illuminates the kitchen and in that moment,

SOMETHING MOVES in the F.G.

TIGHT ON GINGER, MOVING WITH HER as she backs toward the

counter with her arms full of snack stuff.

A SUDDEN CRASH. A flurry of motion behind her.

She spins, dropping half her load.

Ginger fumbles for the lightswitch.

Revealing Pugsley, sitting there blinking innocently among

overturned spice bottles on the counter-top.

GINGER:

Shoo. Go on. I'll make a

belt out of you.

Pugsley disappears into a large fern by the window and Ginger

sets about her task, slathering crunchy peanut butter on

stalks of celery.

CUT TO:

75 INT. BEDROOM 75

MEDIUM ON MATT, as rustling curtains play patterns of street-

light over his sleeping face.

The sound of a faint breeze.

In the B.G. is the balcony, empty. The sliding door is open.

TIGHT ON MATT, as his eyes open at the sound of a quiet,

repeated CLICKING.

UP ANGLE - PAST MATT, as the five-inch blade of an industrial

razor-knife reaches full extension in Terminator's hand,

right above him.

It slashes viciously downward.

Matt rolls and the pillow is SLIT OPEN where his throat had

been.

MATT:

Whoah!

Terminator catches him by the hair and slashed down again.

Matt grabs the wrist in both hands.

The enormous muscles of his arms, which seem capable of bench

pressing a Chrysler, strain and knot against the pressure of

the killer's single arm...

And still the blade moves closer to his throat.

With a final heave Matt deflects the down-pressure sideways

and the blade snaps with a CLINK against the headboard.

HANDHELD WITH MATT as he rolls off the bed, spins and slams

his fists together into Terminator's temple. He picks up a

brass deco lamp and brings it down with piledriver force.

Unperturbed, Terminator knocks the lamp away and hurls Matt

over the bed.

CUT TO:

76 EXT. BALCONY - NIGHT 76

Matt crashes through the glass doors and slams against the

balcony railing.

CUT TO:

77 INT. KITCHEN 77

Oblivious to the noise, Ginger croons in rock-and-roll

ecstasy, singing to a celery stalk as if it were a micro-

phone.

CUT TO:

78 EXT./INT. BALCONY AND BEDROOM - NIGHT 78

Matt heaves himself up, powerful body gleaming with sweat

and hurls himself upon the intruder.

The titans CRASH INTO A DRESSER, reducing it to kindling.

Then into the closet door, EXPLODING THE FULL-LENGTH MIRROR.

Terminator places one hand on either side of Matt's barrel

chest. SINKS HIS FINGERS INTO THE FLESH. An inhuman grip.

Matt is raised off the floor, contorted with agony, above

the other's head.

CUT TO:

79 INT. HALLWAY 79

DOLLY PRECEDING GINGER as she returns from the kitchen with

a plate full of celery stalks and a glass of milk. CAMERA

passes the closed bedroom door and STOPS, as Ginger pauses

to set the plate on top of the glass, freeing one hand to

open the door.

AN EXPLOSION OF SPLINTERS in close F.G. as a shape smashes

through the door right in front of her...Matt's body

propelled halfway through the door by enormous force.

Ginger shrieks and leaps back, flinging milk and all into

the air.

The door begins to open the pressure of Matt's body

creates resistance.

Ginger SCREAMS and back away.

The door is wrenched open and Terminator steps through with

the massive .45 drawn.

HANDHELD WITH GINGER, the walls blur by as she runs.

TIGHT ON TERMINATOR as the pistol RISES INTO FRAME, aligning

with his eyes. BOOM!

LOW FAST DOLLY WITH GINGER as the bullet punches into her

shoulder, pitching her on her face outside the bathroom door.

LOW WIDE ANGLE as she crawls forward, gasping, drowning.

The implacable figure looms behind her.

Her expression is agony and reeling, nauseating terror.

And incomprehension: Why am I suddenly dying?

Her eyes roll, showing the whites, like a horse tethered in

a burning stable.

CUT TO:

80 INT. BATHROOM 80

Ginger scrabbles pathetically for a grip on the tile floor

as she pulls herself into the bathroom.

She clutches the rim of the toilet.

LOW ANGLE PAST HER, ON TERMINATOR, as he stands behind her.

PAN UP, off her. He takes aim.

And empties the clip.

He calmly reloads.

CUT TO:

81 INT. HALLWAY/BEDROOM 81

CLOSE ON PHONE MACHINE, as the telephone rings loudly in the

ensuing silence.

Terminator spins, drawing an instantaneous bead on the source

of the sound, but doesn't fire.

GINGER'S VOICE

(recorded)

Hi there.

(pause)

Ha ha ha, fooled you. You're

talking to a machine...

C.U. - TERMINATOR, motionless, listening.

GINGER'S VOICE

(recorded, continuing)

...but don't be shy, it's okay.

Machines need love too...

Terminator turns abruptly back to Ginger's body. He turns

it over, assuring himself that she is dead.

GINGER'S VOICE

(continuing, recorded)

...so talk to it and Ginger, that's

me, or Sarah will get back to you.

Wait for the beep.

There is a loud tone and the incoming call is heard.

SARAH'S VOICE

(on machine)

Ginger, this is Sarah...

Terminator's head snaps back and he freezes, listening.

He rises slowly as Sarah's voice continues.

TIGHT ON HIS UNBLINKING EYES.

SARAH'S VOICE

(on machine, contin-

uing)

...I'm in this sleazy bar called

Stoker's on Pico but I'm too

scared to leave. I'm really

scared, kiddo...

CUT TO:

82 INT. STOKER'S BAR - NIGHT 82

Sarah cups the telephone's mouthpiece with her hand and

glances around frequently.

SARAH:

(continuing, into

phone)

...I think somebody's after me

and I sure hope you play this

soon 'cause I need you and Matt

to come pick me up. The police

keep transferring me around, but

I'm going to try them again.

CUT TO:

83 INT. SARAH'S APARTMENT/BEDROOM - NIGHT 83

SARAH:

(continuing, B.G.)

The number here is 468-9175.

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