Zodiac Page #10

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 54.

78 CONTINUED:
78

BELLI (O.S.)

This man is a marksman. He could

snuff me out at a moment's notice.

ARMSTRONG:

Are you sure you're up to this?

BELLI (O.S.)

Don't you worry, Inspector, I'll

be fine when the lights come on.

This man asked for my help.

TOSCHI:

You mean the man you're worried

about snuffing you.

BELLI (O.S.)

What are these, cookies? Dear

Lord, man, do you ever clean this

car?

As they turn into the KGO TELEVISION PARKING LOT. The

entrance, swarming with REPORTERS.

TOSCHI:

Sh*t.

BELLI (O.S.)

(panicked)

Good God, what?

ARMSTRONG:

KGO must've tipped other stations.

FLASHBULBS go off as they pull up. Immediately, thecheerfully rotund attorney with a foppish fashion sense pops

up from the floor, ready for the limelight.

79 INT. BACKSTAGE TELEVISION STUDIO -- MORNING 79

While Toschi speaks to the DIRECTOR in the glass control

booth, Armstrong stands briefing Belli and host JIM DUNBAR as

both are being miked up for the broadcast.

ARMSTRONG:

Get him talking, convince him to

meet you somewhere. If you see an

opportunity, we want you to

suggest Old St. Mary's Church in

Chinatown.

DUNBAR:

You'll be tracing the call?

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 55.

79 CONTINUED:
79

ARMSTRONG:

Pacific Telephone says you have to

keep him on for fifteen minutes.

BELLI:

We can do that, can't we Jim?

Dunbar doesn't look as convinced.

DIRECTOR (O.S.)

Sixty seconds! Clear the set!

80 INT. GRAYSMITH HOME -- MORNING 80

Graysmith and David, sitting. Graysmith, turning on the TV -

Flips the channel to the CHANNEL 7 - DUNBAR sits facing BELLI

and converses to the camera.

DUNBAR:

Welcome to this special edition of

our show in which we're joined by

attorney Melvin Belli who the

Zodiac Killer personally requested

to appear...

81 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE THIRD FLOOR -- DAY 81

Avery and other reporters, in early to watch.

with them. Avery opens a pad, ready to write.

Shorty sits

DUNBAR:

So, the phone lines are open, Mr.

Belli is here-

BELLI:

Here to help, Jim.

DUNBAR:

Yes, here to help, and we ask the

public not to call in so that the

Zodiac himself can reach us...

82 INT. CONTROL BOOTH -- MORNING 82

Through the glass we see Belli and Dunbar chatter banally,

waiting for the call. Toschi, checking his watch. JOLTED

when the PHONE RINGS. The booth erupts.

TOSCHI:

Roll the tape, get the tape-

A reel to reel tape recorder hooked to the phone is

activated. The DIRECTOR shushes them as in the studio...

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 56.

83 INT. TELEVISION STUDIO -- MORNING 83

Hello?

BELLI:

Silence.

BELLI (CONT'D)

Hello, this is Melvin Belli.

am I speaking with?

Who

Just the HISS of an open phone line. We pan through thebooth. Everyone on the edge of their seats...

84 INT. GRAYSMITH HOME -- MORNING 84

Graysmith and David watching.

VOICE (O.S.)

This is the Zodiac speaking.

A chill goes up Graysmith's spine...

85 INT. TELEVISION STUDIO -- MORNING 85

BELLI:

Is there something I can call you

that's a little less ominous?

A long beat. Then:

"Sam".

VOICE (O.S.)

BELLI:

Sam, is there somewhere we can

meet and talk about this?

VOICE (O.S.)

Meet me on top of the Fairmont

hotel. Without anyone else or

I'll jump!

86 INT. CONTROL BOOTH -- MORNING 86

Toschi scoops up a phone. Speaking rapidly.

TOSCHI:

I need a unit at the Fairmont

Hotel...

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 57.

87 INT. TELEVISION STUDIO -- MORNING 87

Sam?

BELLI:

Yes.

VOICE (O.S.)

BELLI:

Do you think you need medical care?

VOICE (O.S.)

Medical, not mental.

BELLI:

Do you have health problems?

VOICE (O.S.)

I'm sick. I have headaches.

CLICK.

BELLI:

I have headaches too, but a

chiropractor stopped them a week

ago. I think I can help you"

Sam" hangs up.

88 INT. GRAYSMITH APARTMENT -- MORNING 88

GRAYSMITH:

He knows they're tracing his

calls...

89 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE THIRD FLOOR -- MORNING 89

Avery, scribbling, trying to get down ever word.

DUNBAR (O.S.)

Sam, we'd like you to know that we

are not tracing these calls. It's

a long, difficult process and

ineffective with these short calls-

The PHONE RINGS AGAIN.

90 INT. TELEVISION STUDIO -- MORNING 90

BELLI:

Sam?

A beat.

(CONTINUED)

90 CONTINUED:

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 58.

90

Uh-huh?

VOICE (O.S.)

BELLI:

Sam, we're not tracing your calls.

Sam - You have my word.

Through the glass, Toschi gives him a thumbs-up.

Okay.

VOICE (O.S.)

BELLI:

Sam, you need to tell me what your

problem is.

91 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE -- MORNING 91

Avery, Shorty, and the Reporters, watching.

VOICE:

I don't want to go to the gas

chamber. I have headaches. If I

kill, I don't get them.

SHORTY:

That's f***ed up.

92 INT. TELEVISION STUDIO -- MORNING 92

BELLI:

You want to live, don't you, Sam?

Well this is your passport. How

long have you been having these

headaches?

VOICE (O.S.)

Since I killed a kid.

A beat as everyone takes this in.

BELLI:

Do you have blackouts?

Yes.

VOICE (O.S.)

BELLI:

Do you have fits?

No.

VOICE (O.S.)

I just have headaches.

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 59.

92 CONTINUED:
92

DUNBAR:

Did you attempt to call one other

time when Mr. Bailey was with us

two or three weeks ago?

VOICE (O.S.)

Yes.

DUNBAR:

Why did you want to talk to Mr.

Bailey-

BELLI:

Why do you want to talk to me?

VOICE (O.S.)

I don't want to be hurt. I don't

want to go to the gas chamber.

BELLI:

You're not going to be hurt if you

talk to me.

DUNBAR:

You're not going to the gas chamber.

BELLI:

I wouldn't think that they'd ask

for capital punishment. We should

ask the district attorney - you

want me to do that, Sam? You want

me to talk to the district

attorney?

Over the phone, we hear a SMALL SCREAM.

DUNBAR:

(panicked)

What was that, Sam?

VOICE (O.S.)

I did not say anything.

BELLI:

We heard a scream.

In a small voice:

VOICE (O.S.)

That was my headache.

BELLI:

You sound like you're in a great

deal of pain

(CONTINUED)

FINAL SHOOTING SCRIPT 60.

92 CONTINUED:
(2) 92

VOICE (O.S.)

My head aches. I'm so sick...

Another SCREAM. Belli jumps this time.

VOICE (O.S.) (CONT'D)

I'm going to kill them! I'm goingto kill all those kids!

CLICK. Another hang up.

93 INT. GRAYSMITH HOME -- MORNING 93

Graysmith shuts off the TV. David, in a small voice:

DAVID:

Do I have to go to school today?

94 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE -- MORNING 94

Avery looks down at his scribbled notes.

AVERY:

I gotta file this.

He races out of the room....

95 INT. CONTROL BOOTH -- MORNING 95

Toschi exhales.

TOSCHI:

Hell....

DUNBAR (O.S.)

Our lines are still open, Sam, and

we ask you to please call back...

96 INT. SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE -- AVERY'S OFFICE -- MORNING 96

INSERT - Avery, typing: POTENTIAL ZODIAC CALLS TELEVIHYMAN

(O.S.)

Paul, he's back on!

Avery leaps up and books back to the TV to see...

BELLI (O.S.)

(on TV)

Sam, what do you want us to do?

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