King Kong Page #4

LORD DARROW (CONT'D)

You're here merely to observe. Leave the digging to people who know

what they're doing, my dear.

They approach an elaborate STONE PILLAR, carved. Intricately

LORD DARROW (CONT'D)

Now look at this fine example of early Hindu art ... I don't recall any

sketches of this passing across my desk ...

ANN:

I photographed it extensively, father.

LORD DARROW:

Photography teaches you nothing, Ann! Click! One second and you've seen

all you're going to see. I want you sitting here with your paper and

pencils ... I want to see every chisel mark reproduced with painstaking

accuracy. Understand the carving and you will understand the people!

That Ann, is the key to archaeology.

LORD DARROW walks away, leaving ANN scowling at the statue.

CUT TO:

CLOSE ON ANN'S discovery viewed through a MAGNIFYING GLASS ... WALTER

DOUGLAS, a BRITISH archaeologist, slowly scans the small figure. LORD

DARROW stands beside him, a PERPLEXED FROWN on his face.

LORD DARROW (CONT'D)

It makes no sense, Dougie ... Pagan artifacts below a Hindu site.

DOUGLAS:

It's like all the others ... it's human bone.

DOUGLAS carefully places the STATUE on a linen covered table ... MARY

OTHER SMALL ARTIFACTS - clearly the work of the same culture - cover

the table. All are BRONZE, and all have BONE accessories.

DOUGLAS (CONT'D)

My guess is it's sacrificial. Some sort of offering.

LORD DARROW:

An unknown culture ... A barbaric race with no regard for human life.

CUT TO:

EXT. PALEMBANG HARBOR - DAY

PALEMBANG DOCKS - a crowded series of wharves where NATIVE OUTRIGGERS

and FISHING BOATS compete for space with rusting COASTAL TRADERS ...

Amongst the junk that litters the harbor - an old AVRO SEAPLANE ...

beached on the muddy banks, canvas ripped, wings broken.

A LARGE Tramp STEAMER - "THE VENTURE", glides towards the DOCK,

blasting it's horn at the crowd of NATIVE BOATS crossing it's path.

EXT. VENTURE DECK - DAY

POV from "THE VENTURE" of PALEMBANG HARBOR. PULL BACK to reveal a

CAMERA CREW shooting the sight from the bow of the ship. The CAMERAMAN

is HERB COOPER - middle aged, steadfastly loyal, walks with a

pronounced LIMP. The SOUND RECORDIST is RANDELL PEEK - unpleasant,

ratty faced, potential trouble maker. Their EQUIPMENT BOXES are

STENCILED with "CARL DENHAM PICTURES".

CAPTAIN ENGLEHORN, a dry, old school SKIPPER steers the ship in.

PEEK switches his TAPE RECORDER off ... removes his HEADPHONES.

PEEK:

Another God-forsaken Chinese rat-hole.

KURT VOSS is wandering past, reading an INDONESIAN/ENGLISH TRANSLATION

BOOK. KURT is an IMMENSELY STRONG ship's MATE ... BRUTISH LOOKING and

basically SLOW WITTED, the kind of guy who moves his lips when he reads

... he has a love of classical music.

Rate this script:3.0 / 3 votes