The Crow Page #5

trendazoids. We'll see more of this circus later. Right now

the BG

SOUND is our biggest clue to the flavor of this

establishment since we

are --

TIGHT CLOSE-UP A FRAMED 8X10

Thinly filmed in dust, mounted

among dozens of other band shots.

Visible among the posed members of a

group called Diabolique is

Eric, wielding guitar on the club stage. ND

BLUR as people

CROSS FRAME.

GRANGE, 45-50, powerful, a seasoned

assassin, cruel but loyal.

His facade remains stony as he leads three

other men briskly

down the corridor.: NGO NWA, 50ish, clad Chinese

gangster style

- white topcoat, white scarf, tinted shades - and two body

guards

supplying a power perimeter around him,lean, dark-haired Asian

killers who would gladly die for Ngo Nwa, which they will in

just a

minute.

They have just passed the Diabolique 8X10. Ngo Nwa's gloved

fingers, in passing, leave little skid tracks in the dust that

clear the

eyes of Eric in the photo.

As the foursome reaches the DOOR, Grange

turns doubtfully --

suspiciously -- to Nwa.

NGO NWA:

He will see

me... unannounced.

ANOTHER ANGLE - THE DOOR

As Grange keys in the enter

code the door hisses open. Without

a word, Nwa passes inside and the

door is pulled shut in

Grange's face by the Bodyguards, who post

themselves to either

side.

INT. LAO'S NIGHTCLUB OFFICE - NIGHT

The

door CLOSES and the BG NOISE is GONE. Through a large window

(mirrored

on the club side) all sorts of activity is visible

through automatic

mini-blinds. A fly-vision bank of 12 TV

monitors is hot with

surveillance.

LAO, a painfully clean-cut, Armani-clad Asian, impeccable,

almost dashing, but the dynamic here is crystal clear: Nwa is

the King:

Lao, the dark prince in this hierarchy.

At the desk, Lao is startled

from his contemplation of a tiny,

perfect rat skeleton by Ngo Nwa's

unheralded entry. The desktop

is bare except for and Arcane Vietnamese

fighting knife, half a

meter long with an ideogrammed blade, dramatically

positioned

beneath an Artemide lamp. Lao rises and feigns servility.

NB:
The following exchange will play FAST, and entirely in

VIETNAMESE.

LAO:

(formal greeting)

NWA:

(dismissiveness, contempt, then

chastizing anger as:)

Nwa INDICATES the blade with some ridicule.

LAO:

(phony assuagement)

NWA:

(knows it's bullshit)

Lao turns, staring out

the blinds, fighting for control. Deep

breath. He turns back to his

"master." Nwa gestures broadly at

the oppulent office, indicating that

Lao should be grateful, but

is somehow errant

NWA:

(respect is

required)

LAO:

(begrudging agreement)

Lao sees the blade. An idea.

He lifts it reverently, bears it

the Nwa hilt-first in both hands, as if

bestowing a thing of

immeasurable worth.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes