Pinhead's Dilemma - Screenplay
Included below is the full screenplay for Pinhead's Dilemma. Each scene roughly corresponds to a separate iClone project.
FADE IN:
1 EXT. ENGLISH TOWN - MAIN STREET - MORNING (1959)
The main street of a picturesque English town in the late
fifties. There is no traffic. A nearby bell tower strikes
seven. Birds sing their morning song.
There is a park with a fountain. A young woman walks briskly
through the park to a waiting bus. An older couple on a
bench enjoys the peace and quiet and the view of the statue
across the park. Or, in case of the man, of the young woman
passing by. Now and then, the man or the woman doses off.
Suddenly, the tranquility is disturbed by a the sound of a
roaring engine, followed by shrieking tires. The man and
woman turn towards the sound, distress on their faces.
NARRATOR (V.O.)
A time machine has projected Walter
Pinhead from 2011 to late 1950s
England. Let's see how he fares...
A convertible is parked along the curb. Some steam escapes
from the radiator. There are tire marks, as from heavy and
sudden breaking. In the car, WALTER PINHEAD is slumped over
the steering wheel.
Slowly, Pinhead straightens himself up. He is clutching the
wheel. He slowly opens his eyes and groans.
2 INT. CONVERTIBLE - CONTINUOUS
Footsteps approach. Pinhead turns his head towards the
sidewalk and stares into the face of a concerned CONSTABLE.
CONSTABLE
Are you alright, Sir?
Pinhead, disoriented, takes his hands from the wheel and
looks them over. Then he turns to the constable.
PINHEAD
Huh, gooday, Constable! Yes...
It's just that, well, I had kind of
a rough ride.
CONSTABLE
You're from London, Sir?
Pinhead, still dazed, just nods.
CONSTABLE (CONT'D)
I see. Well, you will want to mind
the speed limit here in town.
Pinhead, now more alert, looks embarrassed.
PINHEAD
Of course, I'm so sorry.
He looks left and right, then back at the constable.
PINHEAD (CONT'D)
Could you... would you know of a
place to get some coffee?
CONSTABLE
Well, Sir, a bit back on this side
is one of them new coffee shops.
You must have passed it...
The bell tower announces the half hour. The constable checks
his watch.
CONSTABLE (CONT'D)
They open at around eight, in half
an hour. Sir, you just sit and wait
here, and pull yourself together.
PINHEAD
Thank you very much...
He bends his head and closes his eyes.
3 EXT. ENGLISH TOWN - MAIN STREET - MORNING
The bell tower strikes eight. There's a newsagent's, with
newspapers on a stand. Pinhead is standing outside, holding
today's paper, dated July 8, 1959. It reports on a serious
fire. Pinhead studies the paper, shaking his head.
PINHEAD
What a disaster. And I wasn't even
born yet.
He continues. A couple in their mid thirties, WALLY and
MADGE, approaches--Wally is in work clothes, Madge in a dress.
They are about twenty feet away, as Pinhead reaches the coffee
shop. He peers inside, then is about to enter, when--
MADGE
Look Wally, one of them losers!
WALLY
Leave it Madge, they're harmless...
Pinhead turns around. Wally glances at him and nods. Pinhead
looks away, shocked.
PINHEAD
(to himself)
Mom? Dad? I can't believe it. I
grew up here.
He enters the coffee shop.
Wally and Madge continue their walk. They cross the street
to enter a square.
A young mother sits on a bench, a baby carriage next to her.
Madge walks up to the baby carriage for a look. Her face
softens.
MADGE
Oh, how cute! Wally, I would love
to have another little one!
A factory horn sounds.
WALLY
(shrugging)
We will see... Well, I better move
on to get to work. See you around
five.
MADGE
(somewhat peeved)
Bye, Wally.
4 INT. COFFEE SHOP - MORNING
The coffee shop has modern furniture, and art, film and jazz
posters on the wall. There is a service counter in the back
with a door opening beside it.
Pinhead sits at a table with a cup of coffee. He stares
into his cup, occasionally shaking his head. The front door
opens and closes. CYNTHIA, a pretty beat girl in her early
twenties, walks up to him.
CYNTHIA
Hello, I'm Cynthia. Forester. You
look like you've seen a ghost.
Pinhead looks up.
PINHEAD
In a way I have.
He gestures for her to sit down. Cynthia takes a seat across
him.
PINHEAD (CONT'D)
Walter. Pinhead. I just saw my
parents and found out that I haven't
even been born yet.
Cynthia has an earnest expression and nods. Pinhead sits up
a bit straighter, encouraged.
PINHEAD (CONT'D)
(quickly)
Well, I've traveled through time,
starting out over fifty years into
the future. Now I am in my
birthplace, before I got conceived.
Cynthia frowns, and tilts her head.
PINHEAD (CONT'D)
I know... Anyway, my life is made
miserable by this committee, so if I
could make sure I was never born, I
would save myself a lot of trouble.
Cynthia nods.
CYNTHIA
I sometimes wished I hadn't been
born, but, you know, you just are.
Pinhead gets to his feet.
PINHEAD
Right... Well, I would love to talk
to you some more. But, first I'm
going to find a place to stay, and
then check out my old neighborhood.
CYNTHIA
Try the Arm and Hammer. I'll be
here, my fearless time traveler.
Pinhead walks to the door. Cynthia stares after him, a
pensive look on her face.
CYNTHIA (CONT'D)
A man from the future. That's deep!
5 EXT. PINHEAD'S PARENTAL HOME - LATE AFTERNOON
A street in a working class neighborhood, with strings of
almost identical terraced houses. Pinhead approaches in his
car, driving slowly, while checking the house numbers.
PINHEAD
Now, what was the number? What did
Dad use to say? Right, at number
seven, we're in heaven.
He stops the car in front of number 7. The living room window
is open. Pinhead observes the house.
WALLY (O.S.)
Madge, I expect a raise, so we can
have another one. I promise. The
letter should be here tomorrow.
MADGE (O.S.)
Oh, Wally...
Pinhead bends his head, troubled, then drives off.
6 INT. COFFEE SHOP - MORNING
Pinhead and Cynthia sit at a table, coffee in front of them.
PINHEAD
That's why I want to get hold of
that letter. I need to know.
Cynthia perks up, looking excited.
CYNTHIA
Like in one of those spy movies!
She stares out of the window, in thought, then turns to
Pinhead.
CYNTHIA (CONT'D)
I have an idea...
LATER
Cynthia sits by herself at the table, watching the door and
looking coquettish. Music is playing, and Cynthia bobs her
head with the rhythm. Pinhead sits at a table near the door,
reading a magazine. He blushes at the contents.
The front door opens, and JOHN, the mailman, comes in. He
is in his early-40s and dressed in his postal uniform.
John surveys the room. His face lights up when he notices
Cynthia. With a nod he acknowledges AL, the coffee shop
owner. Al is in his early 30s, coifed and dressed in typical
beatnik style: beard, T-shirt with horizontal stripes, black
pants. John makes a motion of drinking a cup, and Al nods.
John leaves his mailbag near the door, then walks over to
sit at Cynthia's table, his back to the door.
Cynthia casts him a dazzling smile. From behind John's back,
Pinhead signals Cynthia with his head.
Cynthia gets up and starts to dance, moving her body
provocatively. John watches her, mesmerized.
Meanwhile, Pinhead gets up and walks to the mailbag. He kneels
down, opens the bag, and starts going through the letters.
Now and then he looks over his shoulder in John's direction,
who continues to be entranced by Cynthia's dance.
Pinhead checks the addresses one by one. After several tries,
he reads: "Mr. Walter Pinhead, 7 Strawberry Lane, St.
Edmunds". It's from Avondale Brewery. He takes the letter,
closes the mail bag, and quickly goes back to his seat.
The music stops and Cynthia finishes her dancing. John claps
and then gets up.
JOHN
I have to go.
(to Al)
Thanks for the coffee...
(to Cynthia, winking)
And the entertainment.
7 INT. COFFEE SHOP - KITCHEN - LATER
A kettle is boiling on the stove, blowing steam. Next to
it, stands Al. Pinhead and Cynthia sit at the kitchen table.
Pinhead holds the letter; its envelope lies on the table.
The letter begins: "Dear Mr. Pinhead, We are pleased to inform
you that, beginning next week, your pay will increase to 3
pounds per week..."
PINHEAD
Its delivery means my delivery...
He puts the letter on the table.
CYNTHIA
An existential dilemma...
AL
To be or not to be: that is the
question. Whether 't is nobler in
the mind to suffer the slings and
arrows of outrageous fortune, or to
take arms against a sea of troubles.
PINHEAD
That sums it up nicely...
Cynthia looks at him with compassion.
CYNTHIA
It's fate. You can't escape it.
Pinhead stares ahead of him and points at the the letter.
PINHEAD
Let's seal my fate then, by sealing
this letter and delivering it.
(to Cynthia)
Will you come along? Around five?
Cynthia nods.
8 EXT. PINHEAD'S PARENTAL HOME - LATE AFTERNOON
Pinhead sits in the car, looking at his parental home. It's
nice out and the front windows of the house are open.
Cynthia pushes the letter through the mail slot in the front
door, then returns to join Pinhead. They watch the house.
MADGE (O.S.)
Wally, it's for you, from work!
WALLY (O.S.)
Look, Madge, look!
MADGE (O.S.)
Oh Wally, you've got a raise. And
do I feel another one?
Pinhead blushes, embarrassed.
MADGE (O.S.) (CONT'D)
(giggling)
Oh, Wally, let's go upstairs!
Meanwhile, the thumping of footsteps going up the stairs.
Pinhead stares ahead with a pained look. Cynthia turns to
him and places her arm around his shoulder. They look at
each other, then Pinhead drives off.
9 INT. MATERNITY WARD - WAITING ROOM - MORNING
SUPER: "NINE MONTHS LATER"
The waiting room is empty, except for the young mother and
Wally, who is pacing up and down. He looks agitated, nervous,
an expecting father. The woman looks up from her newspaper
and smiles with understanding. Wally checks his watch.
Just then, a door opens, and a NURSE appears. Through the
open door, the crying of a newborn fills the waiting room.
Wally stops his pacing and turns to the nurse.
NURSE
Mr. Pinhead, congratulations, it's a
boy. You may come in now.
Wally's face brightens and he turns to the young mother.
WALLY
Me boy! Me little Wally!
He then follows the nurse into the maternity room.
10 EXT. ENGLISH NEIGHBORHOOD - AFTERNOON
SUPER: "2011 - SOMEWHERE IN ENGLAND"
A typical English residential neighborhood in 2011. The
houses are modest, but nice; some have gardens.
Pinhead waits in front of number 33. He carries a bouquet of
roses. The name on the mailbox reads "Cynthia Forester".
The door opens. OLD CYNTHIA, now in her mid-seventies,
appears. She is still quite beautiful; an older version of
the beat girl.
OLD CYNTHIA
Yes?
Pinhead clears his throat, nervous now.
PINHEAD
It's me, Walter Pinhead. We met
over fifty years ago.
Cynthia's face lights up.
OLD CYNTHIA
I remember now--you haven't changed
at all! What took you so long?
Pinhead smiles and offers her the roses.
PINHEAD
Thank you for believing in me.
Cynthia takes the roses and puts her free hand on his
shoulder.
OLD CYNTHIA
You gave me hope by showing me a
glimpse of the future.
She motions him in.
OLD CYNTHIA (CONT'D)
But, don't stand there. Please,
come in!
FADE OUT:
END