A Monster Calls Page #6

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ConOR

What is it?

29.

22 INT. conor’s sitting room - momENTS LATER 22

Conor and Mum set up the projector. Neither of them really

know how to do it, so they figure it out together, threading

the film, getting it wrong, eventually getting it right.

MuM

Your granddad’s old film projector.

CoNOR

You mean... like a video player?

MUM:

(laughs)

No, this is a relic, a proper

dinosaur.

CONOR:

(long beat)

What are we supposed to do with it?

Mum

I wish you could have met him. Even

your grandma softened up around

him. By the way, she is coming to

stay with us tomorrow for a few

days.

CONOR:

Aw, mum. We don’t need her here-

MUM:

You know how I get at this point in

the treatments-

CONOR:

We’ve been okay every time before-

Mum

You shouldn’t have to make yourself

breakfast every morning-

CONOR:

I’m fine-

MUM:

CONOR.

Conor’s a bit shocked at the strength of the interruption.

Mum is, too. Exhausted, she smiles again.

Mum (CONT’D)

Only a few days, I promise. That’s

all I can take, too. Like living

with your boss.

She laughs. Conor tries to, too.

30.

MUM (CONT’D)

Can we just enjoy the movie? I got

it for us.

ConoR

(picking up film canister)

What are we watching?

MUM:

King Kong. Oldie but a goodie.

ConOR

Are we really going to watch

something though? You always fall

asleep.

MUM:

I won’t fall asleep. I promise.

(stepping back)

Right. I think we got it.

Black & White TITLES come up for KING KONG.

CONOR:

(moans)

You didn’t say it was black and

white.

MUM:

(mischievous)

Be happy it’s not a silent movie.

CONOR:

Mum.

MUM:

Shush.

Conor nestles in to watch, unhappy.

31.

23 InT. conor’s sitting room - later 23

It’s dark outside now. Conor, despite himself, is still

watching. We can see leftovers of the pizza they ordered. He

looks over. His mum is asleep against the arm of the settee.

He reaches over and covers her with a blanket and keeps

watching it.

But it’s the sequence where KONG is on the Empire State

Building. BI-PLANES ATTACK and KONG falls-

Conor is surprisingly shocked by this, obviously triggering

some memory. He watches as Kong falls and falls and falls...

Then with a burst of WHITE, the reel finishes, leaving Conor

watching a blank white space. We zoom in on the white and

dissolve to:

32.

24 Int. conor’s BEDROOM/HALLWAY - that night 24

A white sketchpad sheet. A hand comes in to draw. Conor at

his desk. It’s RAINING heavily outside now, and his window is

covered with condensation. His clock reads 11.34.

He draws KONG on the skyscraper. It’s good. He FLIPS THE

PAPER OVER and draws BI-PLANES on the back. He holds it up to

the desklamp. He flicks the light on and off, making the

planes appear and disappear, like they’re firing shots (Sound

Effect:
“Ratatatatatata” leading us to sound of nightmare).

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