The Time Machine Page #13

EXT. THE SPHINX - FULL SHOT - LOW ANGLE - (MATTE) 145

The vapor rises like a curtain to disclose a great

bronze pedestal, green with verdigris, whereon

clawed feet support the white marble figure of an

immense Sphinx. The figure has the face of a

woman, the body of a huge cat and the tail of a

serpent. A weeping birch tree barely touches its

outspread wings.

THE TIME TRAVELLER - MED. SHOT 146

He shakes the cobwebs out of his head and, FOLLOWED

BY THE CAMERA, rises with difficulty. Still half-

dazed he presses a handkerchief to his temple, as

he loosens his collar, then reaches into the Machine,

pockets the lever and surveys his surroundings.

LANDSCAPE - LONG SHOT - (MATTE) 147

It looks like a garden untended for centuries. The

trees and shrubs are laden with strange blossoms or

exotic fruits.

In the distance there is a building that might once

have been a temple. Vines mat the ancient walls,

seemingly holding them together.

BACK TO TIME TRAVELLER 148

He smiles.

TIME TRAVELLER (to himself)

At last I've found a Paradise.

He starts off toward the building WHISTLING his

favorite tune, "The Land Of The Leal". The CAMERA

ACCOMPANIES him as he looks about with interest.

WHAT HE SEES - MOVING SHOT 149

Strange, exotic fruits bend the branches of the

TREES, some purplish and gourd-shaped, others

suggesting giant raspberries, mangoes, etc.

TIME TRAVELLER'S VOICE

Nature tamed completely and more

bountiful than ever before.

VARIETY OF FLOWERS - MOVING SHOT 150

The CAMERA PANS under boughs laden with orchids and

a multitude of other gorgeous blossoms.

TIME TRAVELLER'S VOICE

Flowers everywhere...the whole landscape

one vast garden with no sign of weeds or

briars.

EXT. ENTRANCE TO GREAT BUILDING - LONG SHOT - (DAY) 151

The Time Traveller pauses and looks up at the building.

ACROSS FACADE - PAN DOWN - (MINIATURE?) 152

Vines creep up the crevices. The ornamental stone

work, while rich in detail, is weathered and

broken with age.

TIME TRAVELLER'S VOICE

(surprised)

Unrepaired for centuries! Maybe

unlived in for as long.

(then)

It would be no Paradise if it

belonged to me alone.

INT. ENTRANCE - MED. SHOT 153

Shooting through the ARCHWAY we see the Time

Traveller mount the steps and enter the building.

INT. THE GREAT HALL - FULL SHOT - (MATTE) - (DAY) 154

In the background across the hall, the Time Traveller

halts. He is dwarfed by the height of the vaulted

ceiling. Although ancient in appearance, everything

is ultra modern in design. Sunlight streams through

windows where half the panes of stained glass are

broken. Faded curtains droop in dusty folds along

the walls, and at random about the floor are low

tables, some heavily fractured, loaded with bowls

of fruit.

His FOOTSTEPS ECHO through the great hall as the

Time Traveller crosses to:

A TABLE - MED. SHOT 155

The Time Traveller glances down at the spread of

exotic fruit. Everything looks fresh and clean as

though newly prepared. Yet there is no indication

of life or sound, either human or animal. The air

hangs in a deathlike stillness. Slowly the Time

Traveller turns and looks around the walls, his

eyes searching, scrutinizing for some clue to

this strange place. There is none.

Then he picks up an empty marble plate and POUNDS

with it on the top of the table.

TIME TRAVELLER (shouting)

Anyone here?

But an ECHO is his only answer. Curiously he re-

traces his steps and leaves the great hall.

EXT. LANDSCAPE - FULL SHOT - (DAY) 156

Pick up the Time Traveller as he walks slowly along.

Every sense he possesses is on the alert. His eyes

probe every bush and tree and object that could

possibly conceal some person or thing.

SERIES OF SHOTS 157-161

As the Time Traveller takes this long, slow walk,

INTERCUT INSERTS of the various innocent objects

he looks at with CLOSEUPS of Time Traveller as he

reacts to the bewildering SILENCE and lack of life

or movement.

The continued stretch of emptiness builds up a wave

of apprehension in the Time Traveller which grows

as he moves along. The apprehension mounts into

tension and gradually but inevitably approaches

the state of horror that a human being would

experience in a strange place where he had just

come from an innocent freshly set table of ripe

fruits and stepped outside into a beautiful but

weird vacuum.

EXT. WOODED AREA - LONG SHOT 162

As the Time Traveller reaches the edge of the trees,

he hesitates, then moves into the forest.

SERIES OF SHOTS 163-166

The trees are thick and deep shadows cut patches of

darkness through the bright sunlight which struggles

to penetrate the maze. The Time Traveller walks

with continued wariness through the trees, glancing

from left to right and occasionally stopping dead

still and quickly darting a glance behind him at

what he imagines to be some sound of movement.

But all this is imaginary on his part. There is

nothing that moves or makes a sound in this forest.

Suddenly he stops as he distinctly hears a familar

and quite HUMAN combination of NOISES. The SOUND

SPLASHING WATER and LAUGHTER. He hurries to some

dense foliage where he stops to cautiously peer out.

EXT. THE POOL - LONG SHOT - (DAY) 167

The Time Traveller's VIEW is partially obscured by

the leaves. At considerable distance upstream, the

PEOPLE OF THE FUTURE are swimming in a natural pool

and sunning themselves on a beach of white sand.

They are small, but delicately formed. Their grace

and beauty fits perfectly into this splendid new

world. The spot is also extremely lovely, surrounded

by fern trees, and with the water plunging into it

from a high waterfall. Below the pool the stream

emerges in a swift torrent.

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