Escape from L.A.

ESCAPE FROM L.A.

Screenplay by John Carpenter

Debra Hill

Kurt Russell

Produced by Debra Hill

Kurt Russell

Directed by John Carpenter

Cast List:

Kurt RussellSnake Plissken

Stacy KeachMalloy

Steve BuscemiMap to the Stars Eddie

Peter FondaPipeline

George CorrafaceCuervo Jones

Valeria GolinoTaslima

Pam GrierHershe

Michael ForbesBrazen

Cliff RobertsonPresident

A.J. LangerUtopia

Bruce CampbellSurgeon General of Beverly Hills

DARKNESS:

A pounding, metallic beat begins. Twists of sound in a tightrope

rhythm. The snap of a military snare drum.

SUPERIMPOSE:
"1998"

FEMALE NARRATOR:

Forces hostile to the United States grow

strong in the late 20th Century.

A DARK TABLEAU - CITY STREET - LOS ANGELES - NIGHT

Graffiti-smeared walls. Fires raging. Automatic weapons fire.

Shadowy figures dash through the southern California night.

FEMALE NARRATOR:

A great moral crisis grips the nation as

social revolution and a breakdown of the

criminal justice system threaten society.

A LINE OF POLICEMEN - NIGHT

They stand like sentinels. Black uniforms. Battle helmets.

Gleaming military assault weapons. Bullet-proof shields with large

emblems:
the American eagle against a red background, and in bold

letters underneath, "THE UNITED STATES POLICE FORCE".

FEMALE NARRATOR:

To protect and defend its citizens, the

United States Police Force is formed.

A GLOWING HOLOGRAPHIC MAP

Of Los Angeles, on the coast of southern California.

SUPERIMPOSE:
"1999"

FEMALE NARRATOR:

The population of Los Angeles grows to 40

million. The city is ravaged by crime and

immorality. A Presidential candidate

predicts a millennium earthquake will

destroy the city in divine retribution.

The map of L.A. now glows a dark red.

EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES SKYLINE - DAY

A hot summer's day. Heat ripples distorts the towering shadowing

buildings in the dense smog.

FEMALE NARRATOR:

An earthquake measuring 9.6 on the Richter

scale hits at 12:59 p.m., August 23rd, in

the year 2000.

Suddenly we are hit by the loudest, booming, rolling concussion

you have ever heard. The buildings begin to shake, swaying wildly.

The Bonaventure Hotel implodes, collapses inward in the thudding,

slamming freight train of an earthquake. The 4-level Interchange

as the Santa Monica Freeway shatters, crumbles, pulling exit

ramps, cars, trees, and nearby buildings with it.

SEQUENCE OF RAPID CUTS

Buildings shaking. Streets buckling. Cars rolling, crashing.

People running. Gas mains exploding. Buildings convulsing and

dropping like tinder against an inferno.

THE SANTA MONICA PIER

As the tsunami sweeps in from the ocean, smacking into the

shoreline like the hammer of God, plunging us into darkness.

FEMALE NARRATOR:

After the devastation, the constitution is

damned, and the newly elected President

accepts a lifetime term of office.

HOLOGRAPHIC MAP:

Of the United States. A line tracks along the Mexican border, like

the Berlin Wall.

FEMALE NARRATOR:

Fearing a massive terrorist invasion from

South America, the United States prepares

for war. The Great Wall is built along the

southern border, cutting off the flow of

illegal aliens.

WHAM!

A TORCH-LIT LANDSCAPE - NIGHT

The ruins of L.A. Rubble, smoke, a lethal wasteland. An army of

terrifying figures climbs atop a mountain of debris. They raise

their weapons into the night sky.

FEMALE NARRATOR:

Street gangs, South American terrorists

and the criminally insane capture Los

Angeles, the once-great City of Angels.

ZOOM INTO A HOLOGRAPHIC MAP OF L.A

An unrecognizable L.A. After the big one. Surrounded by water,

L.A. is now an island off the new western shore, tilting on the

edge of the continental plate.

FEMALE NARRATOR:

Now an island on the border of

civilization, L.A. is a no-man's land of

chaos, anarchy and darkness.

A red line tracks along the mountainous areas surrounding the

island, defining the perimeter of the armed fortress. Police

firebases and gun emplacements are indicated in the San Gabriel

Mountains.

FEMALE NARRATOR:

The United States Police Force, like an

army, is encamped in the San Gabriel

Mountains.

ZOOM INTO L.A.

From the glowing, outlined canyons come the cries of rage of a

million lost souls.

FEMALE NARRATOR:

The President's first act as Permanent

Commander-in-Chief is Directive 17:

protect and defend the United States from

this island of the damned, Hell on Earth.

BLACK SCREEN:

SUPERIMPOSE:
"2013 - NOW"

EXT. DARK OCEAN - NIGHT

TRAVELING SHOT low, across the top of the water's surface. Climb

up the side of a massive, rusted supertanker, abandoned, years

ago. Break over the railing to reveal a gigantic neon sign which

screams "NEW LAS VEGAS." The supertanker has been transformed into

a floating resort.

The camera increases speed, moves past huge billboards displaying

gigantic glitzy ads:

"NUCLEAR NIGHTS IN HAVANA" - an extravaganza with fabulous

showgirls and laser recreations of Fidel's final night.

"MUSEUM OF NIGHT CLUB ARTS" - a virtual reality tour featuring

legendary Vegas entertainers.

"FREE ENTERPRISE WORLD" - a virtual Disneyland for the whole

family.

Now camera flies low through glittering streets and back alleyways

filled with gamblers, neon and glitz.

EXT. ALLEY - NEW LAS VEGAS, 2013 - NIGHT

An alley strangled with tourists, gamblers, hookers, hustlers, and

con men - professional expatriates from the West mingling with

excited visitors from all over the world.

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