The Making of 'The Pagemaster'

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1

(ROARS)

(GASPS)

(GASPING)

WOMAN:
Alan, every ten-year-old

is afraid of something.

ALAN:
The kid's afraid

of tuna-fish sandwiches.

Mercury levels in the tuna.

Whatever.

Alan, the world is a frightening place

to him right now.

I think we could be a little more supportive.

Supportive? I'm the most

supportive father on earth,

but I'm running out

of supportive things to do.

I signed him up for Little League,

he drove everybody crazy

with statistics about

how you can develop tumors

from being hit in the head with a ball.

Did you know that shin splints

can lead to blood clots in the legs?

Claire, he brought in a medical journal.

Nobody wanted to play after that.

And now I'm building him a tree house,

in a tree he refuses to climb.

You know he hates heights.

I don't know.

I just want to be a good father.

But you are a good father.

- (THUNDER RUMBLES)

- (GASPS)

I'm OK! I'm OK!

(THUNDER CRASHES)

Aah! No, I'm not!

Hey, Rich!

(LAUGHS)

Well?

You like it?

Uh, yeah, it's great, Dad.

Hey, how about bringing me up

that bag of nails?

No, come on up!

Look. Solid as a rock.

Dad, eight percent of all household

accidents involve ladders.

Another three percent involve trees.

We're looking at 11 percent

probability here.

Fine. Just put the bag in the bucket, OK?

(RESUMES HAMMERING)

- Rich.

- Huh?

Ow! (YELLS)

Oh! Oh!

Dad! Do you have feeling in your toes?

Yes, I have feeling in my toes.

Oh, Alan, honey, are you OK?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Fine. Oh!

Can't argue with statistics, Dad.

Statistics. Here's something you can do,

go down to Gutman's Hardware Store,

buy a pound of these.

But, Dad...

Son, you can't live your life

based on statistics.

You've gotta take some chances.

Now come on, buddy.

You can do this.

This is not good. Definitely not good.

(LIGHTS CHIRP)

(WARNING DEVICE BEEPS)

- BOY 1:
All right!

- BOY 2:
Whoa! Good one!

BOY 3:
You went further that time.

- All right! Way to go, dude!

- All right, line it up.

(WARNING BEEP STOPS)

Hey, guys, look, it's Richie Tyler.

Hey, check out his clothes.

Hey, Tyler, where you going, the moon?

Get cable in that thing, Tyler?

Hey, what's the matter, you chicken?

(MAKES CHICKEN NOISES)

What's the matter, wuss,

forgot your training wheels?

(GASPS)

Uhh!

(THUNDER CRASHES)

(GRUNTS)

(YELLS)

(GASPS)

No cranial damage.

(WARNING BEEP STOPS)

- Oh!

- (ROARS)

(PANTS)

Hello?

(GASPS)

(SQUEAKING)

(WIND HOWLING)

Welcome to the library, young man.

Don't tell me. You're here

for a special book.

- Mister...

- Stop, stop, stop. Allow me to guess.

I have a talent for guessing

what people need.

You're in need of...

a fantasy.

Brave knights,

mythical fairies, ferocious dragons.

Look, all I want is...

Adventure!

Of course. You're a boy

who loves adventure!

Brimming with wicked demons,

cutthroat pirates...

No, no, that's not it.

Horror!

Horror! Evil demons!

Wretched monsters! Haunted houses!

Graveyards!

Yes.

It's horror for you, boy.

I'm sure of it.

Your library card, please.

I don't have one.

You do now.

Sign here.

Richard Tyler.

Consider this your passport

to the wonderful,

quite unpredictable world of books.

But I don't want any books.

That's what I'm trying to tell you.

I only came in here 'cause of the storm.

You mean you don't need...

Oh.

I see.

Is there a phone where

I can call my parents?

Through there.

Proceed in a northeasterly direction

until you get to the rotunda, and from there

head west through the fiction section.

And you'll find it. A public telephone.

You can't miss it.

(WIND BLOWS EERILY)

Don't be afraid, boy. If you lose your way,

merely direct yourself back to the exit sign.

(THUNDER)

(SHOES SQUEAK)

Wow!

Jeez!

(THUNDER)

Whoa! Oh!

Hello?

(VOICE ECHOING)

(SWORDPLAY)

(HORSE GALLOPS/NEIGHS)

Uh-oh.

(FALLING DROPLETS)

Huh?

Oh! Uhh!

(YELLS)

(ROARS)

(YELLS)

Uhh!

(YELLING) Help!

Mister, mister, where's the exit?

(SCREAMS)

Help!

(YELLS)

(GASPS)

Wha...

(GASPS)

Huh?

I'm... I'm a cartoon!

You... are an illustration.

Who... who are you?

I am the Pagemaster,

keeper of the books

and guardian of the written word.

(GASPS) You're the guy from up there!

Where are the others?

Why, they're here, of course!

And all around.

Maybe you can show me the way out?

Follow me.

L-ls that the way?

Oh, the only way.

Fiction, A to Z! Where all is possible!

Where a boy's imagination can take root

and grow to incredible heights!

(GRUNTING)

Where a boy's courage is a wind

that moves him to discovery!

(MEN CONTINUE GRUNTING)

And where your journey begins!

Uhh!

Whoa!

To find your way home,

you must face three tests,

horror, adventure and fantasy.

And remember this, when in doubt,

look to the books!

Aah! How do you stop this thing?

MAN 1:
I am the ghost of Christmas past...

MAN 2:
All the pirates shared a grave.

(CRASHING)

(PHONE OFF HOOK)

(MOANS)

OPERATOR:
Due to the storm, all lines

have been temporarily disconnected.

Please try your call again later.

(MOANING) Oh! Ow!

(SIGHS)

This is not good.

Definitely not good at all.

- (GRUNTS)

- (YELLS)

Where's the son of a sea biscuit

knocked me from me crow's nest?

Where's he be? Where's he be?

So here be the lubber who knocked me on

me poop deck, and with no apologies too!

(GROWLS)

You fiction or nonfiction?

I'm... Richard. Richard Tyler.

- What kind of a book would that be?

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