Open Hatch

Archive for the ‘Speculations and Drafts’ Category

[Update: this has been put together as a short film, and posted here, with the revised script archived here [link needs update!] in Adobe Reader format.

By Richard Alexander Hall

Concept by Robert Langford Hall

This is the first of four ideas that have been lodged in my head and which I spat out last night. I very much welcome comments and criticisms.

INT. – WHITE SCREEN

The bored head of a MALE PERSON is before us. A hand at his side reaches in and rotates an imaginary nob on his ear; as the hand does so, THE PERSON’S MOUTH ROBOTICALLY OPENS. The NARRATOR announces in his SEMI-BOILED DECLARATIVE SCIENTIFIC TONE:

NARRATOR

Hmm. Turn that dial. Travel back through time.

A SCREEN OF FUZZY GLOWING BLUE LIGHT SHIMMERS IN THE PERSON’S MOUTH for a while, THEN VANISHES. He opens and closes his mouth mechanically and licks his chops. He goes somewhat stale.

NARRATOR

The flavor of dust. It tastes like 1952!

The person rotates the unseen dial on his ear, the shimmering blue mouth light FADES IN AND OUT. He licks his chops still mechanically but a bit more vigorously.

NARRATOR

(happy)

The Nintendo Entertainment System you cleaned with your tounge in 1982. Turn that dial again!

The person again rotates the dial slack-jawed; more shimmering light and it settles. He has a pleasant expression.

NARRATOR

Ahh. Hummus of Ancient Egypt. Circa 2000 BC. Turn the dial again!

The person extracts a tub of hummus from his mouth and licks his chops. Slack-jawed dialing, shimmering, fading. He has a bitter expression.

NARRATOR

Bratwurst at OctoberFest, 1992. Misdial! Dial on!

Slack-jawed dialing, shimmering, fading. The person looks puzzled for a moment, then has a realization, and smiles.

NARRATOR

It tastes like today! Your journey is through!

THE END

[Update: this script has been written and archived here in Adobe Reader format (with this collection of my scripts).]

This is a sequel to TACO that reverses the situation in that film, with the German singing fellow arriving confused at a taco joint and singing to request a taco. Together with TACO and an as yet unwritten third, they will form THE FOOD TRILOGY.

Note – I think some as-yet unspecified event brings Luke’s grief for his father to the surface. Further, he may feel rage over a sense of betrayal. In THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK he called to Ben for closure, and hasn’t had it. I think he wants three things – 1)The ability to grieve for his newfound identification with his father 2)His father back – which he doesn’t realize right now – too much distraction with greif and also distraction with 3)His mentor back and a sense that someone in the universe understands him.

Someone said not to make a person’s objective to be understood/loved. Why? On the contrary I think this is the core objective of most people: the paradox is that acceptance comes (from those who will give it) when you understand and accept them first.

Also – I employ what I suppose must be an archetype here: sight of the sightless. The 3rd Matrix film used it and probably pulled it from the “collective unconsious” of humanity.

EXT. TATTOOINE ? BEN KENOBI’S ABANDONED HOME ? DUSK

A lone X-wing lowers to Ben’s home and lands. A figure jumps out of the X- wing and runs to the entrance of Ben’s home. It is Luke, his soul rent and enraged. R2-D2 lowers out of the X-wing droid slot and follows Luke into the home.

INT. ? BEN KENOBI’S HOME – FRONT ENTRY

Luke runs into the home in a furor, forgetting to close the door. Standing in the front entry and calling for Ben, who doesn’t show, Luke flies into a rage of SCREAMING AT BEN/VADER, his two fathers, and while he is at it Owen, about abandonment and turmoil (writ unknown). It is more than he can bear and he settles into a post-traumatic memory burial trance. The trauma won’t bury. His unconscious is aware of available help: consciousness isn’t. It exhausts him and he collapses unconscious.

EXT. – BEN KENOBI’S HOME ? NIGHT SANDSTORM ?

The sandstorm SCREAMS VIOLENTLY across the land. Impenetrable, powerful dark umber and orange gashes of sand SCREAM ENDLESSLY along our view.

INT. ? BEN KENOBI’S HOME ? MAIN ROOM

The SCREAMING of the sandstorm continues outside. Luke lies unconscious on the ground. R2 has dragged Luke into the main room and sealed the inner door. LUKE’S POV – All is deaf silent as Luke awakens. His bearing is off. 3RD POV – the sandstorm screams outside; Artoo CHIRPS a greeting to luke. LUKE’S POV – DEAD SILENT – Luke recollects consciousness and remembers why he is here. Vader, the unburied dead. Horror, grief. He inhales slowly, exhales sharply:

LUKE

(MUTED)

Vader. Father.

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