Bates Motel
- TV-MA
- Year:
- 2013
- 45 min
- 1,672 Views
TEASER:
INT. BOY’S BEDROOM - DAY
OVERHEAD SHOT -- The light tells us it’s late afternoon and
we are looking down at a BEAUTIFUL TEENAGE BOY splayed on his
back across his bed -- still dressed like he fell asleep in
his clothes. Completely still -- unconscious? Dead? In the
BG we hear what sounds like DIALOGUE from an old romantic
comedy - David Nivens and Doris Day. We SLOWLY MOVE DOWN AND
CLOSER until we are RIGHT UP AGAINST HIS FACE...
Angelic in sleep. Sixteen years old. Good looking. Refined
features. A sweetness and a sensuality. We HEAR him
breathing. Good, he’s not dead. Soft, even breaths.
Then his eyes open. He just stares for a moment, almost as
if he isn’t sure where he is. Then he slowly sits up. Looks
a little disoriented. Turns off the TV. Was I watching this?
Norman walks down the hall. The way it’s shot is STYLIZED.
We see him from the back, shadowed. Then from a LOW ANGLE as
CU on his hands -- steadying himself on the wall for a
second. He seems almost dizzy.
Norman’s head tracks past FAMILY PHOTOS on the wall. Old,
black and white photos of hard scrabble depression-era
family members staring out at us hauntingly, like the photos
of Dorthea Lange or Walker Evans.
Further down, the photos get newer. BABY PHOTOS. Other
family members now in COLOR. We land on one photo in
particular -- a MAN and a WOMAN on their wedding day. All
happiness and light...
Norman stops to look at the PHOTO. The wide smiles of the
couple. It’s almost like it takes him out of his trance.
Norman starts to remember where he is. Then, anxious...
NORMAN:
Mom?
2.
CLOSE ON TWO POTS ON THE STOVE -- ANGRILY BOILING OVER.
STEAMING WHITE FOAM running down the sides into the FLARING
GAS BURNERS. Dinner ignored. CLOSE ON NORMAN’S HANDS
turning off the BURNERS.
NORMAN:
(where the hell is she)
Mother?
NORMAN’S POV - A FLICKERING LIGHT
What the hell is that? Sputtering on and off, coming through
the door into the house FROM THE GARAGE.
ON NORMAN:
Approaching the open door. Slowly. Not sure what’s
happening. He looks into the garage. STAY ON HIS FACE as he
sees something horrible and heartbreaking...
INT. GARAGE - CONTINUOUS
CLOSE ON A MAN’s FACE...head against the floor...eyes
open...staring...blood pooling on the floor around the back
of his head.
This is SAM BATES (45). PULL BACK SLOWLY to see A HUGE METAL
SHELVING UNIT has FALLEN OVER ON TOP OF HIM...Paint and tools
and hardware all over the place... PAINT PLOPS slowly from
one of the cans onto the floor.
BACK ON SAM’S UNSEEING EYES. We may recognize Sam -- he is
the man in the wedding picture in the hallway...
THE OVERHEAD FLUORESCENT LIGHT was hit by the falling
shelving unit. It is DANGLING on one side and slowly
SWAYING, FLICKERING and HUMMING, trying to stay lit.
CU ON NORMAN’S FACE as he kneels down and touches Sam’s face.
Realizes he’s DEAD.
NORMAN:
(shouting)
Mother!
He jumps up.
3.
INT. HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
SMASH CUT TO Norman RACING DOWN THE HALLWAY, shot from
EXTREME UP ANGLES. Toward the BEDROOM. We now HEAR A
RUNNING SHOWER...
NORMAN:
MOTHER!
He runs THROUGH HER BEDROOM. HIS FISTS POUND on the BATHROOM
DOOR --
NORMAN (CONT’D)
The DOOR FINALLY OPENS and we see...
NORMA LOUISE BATES
Closing the ROBE she’s just put on -- a quick flash of skin.
Norma is a strikingly beautiful woman in her early forties.
Smart and grounded. At the moment she has a peculiar,
HEARTBROKEN look on her face. Considering the circumstances,
should she not seem more alarmed?
We notice a SCRATCH MARK on her arm. She is nervous and
anxious but makes an effort to speak in an calm tone -
NORMA LOUISE:
What is it, Norman?
Norman is terrified.
NORMAN:
It’s Dad! He’s...
(too upset)
Hurry!
Norman turns and races back toward the garage. We STAY ON
NORMA a beat, watching her son go, bracing herself.
CLOSE ON THE SHELVING. Norman GROANS like a weightlifter as
he LIFTS and SHOVES the unit, trying to get it off his
father. But it’s too heavy. It collapses back on top of
him. Norman falls down from the effort, starts CRYING.
CU ON NORMA as she STEPS INTO THE GARAGE and sees the scene.
Her expression is not SHOCK but SADNESS, an overwhelming
sadness, as tears flood her eyes.
4.
Norman starts trying to PULL HIS DAD OUT as Norma now comes
and kneels next to him.
NORMAN:
Mother, help me!
Norma looks at Sam’s dead face with REMORSE. She puts her
hand gently on Norman’s head.
NORMAN (CONT’D)
(anguished)
Dad? Dad?
NORMA LOUISE:
Norman.
Norman just keeps SOBBING. Gives up on his rescue efforts.
Instead, cradles his father’s bloody head in his arms, not
caring that his father’s blood is getting all over himself.
Norma gently pulls him away...
NORMA LOUISE (CONT’D)
Norman, honey, I’m so sorry...
Norman falls into her, sobbing. She sits on the floor
holding him. Rocking him against her. Her heart breaking.
But, we sense, only for him. We STAY ON TABLEAU OF THEM FOR
A LONG TIME. Maybe UNCOMFORTABLY LONG. It’s kind of
beautiful. These two beings who are like one, emotionally
absorbed into each other, sitting on the floor in the middle
of this complete chaos.
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"Bates Motel" Scripts.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024. <https://www.scripts.com/script/bates_motel_92>.
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