Kevin Lima Will Unleash The Monkeys of Mumbai

Gordon Terry

another big "NO" . . .

(okay, on a more rational level: if Harry Potter attracted a multi-generational audience-cache and earned over 400 MILLION DOLLARS then THE FOCUS should be on making MORE MOVIES that are "consumable" by parents and their children alike not some dumb cartoon.

moving on to irrational: Take THE OMEGA MAN for instance . . . in 1971 it appeals to kids because it has ACTION and Science-Fiction and Horror elements AND it also appealed to adults because THE OMEGA MAN has Charlton Heston and "real-world issues" with the Russians and The Chinese bombing the United States of America with genetically-mutating biological weapons.

MONKEYS FROM MUMBAI is a silly, children-oriented cartoon with LIMITED BOX OFFICE APPEAL.

--

Omega Man, The (1971) movie script page 6
by John William Corrington.
Based on the novel "I Am Legend" by Richard Matheson.
Draft script, 7/18/70.


MED. SHOT - NEVILLE AT ELEVATOR
Neville unlocks an elevator, gets in and pushes the button for the top floor.

NEVILLE
Penthouse, Robert. He's probably anxious to get on with the game.
He leans back against the side of the elevator, eyes closed, exhausted, but still on the verge of laughter.

NEVILLE
Some game...

CUT TO:
LONG SHOT - ELEVATOR DOOR OPENING - NEVILLE
The elevator opens directly into penthouse. Neville coming OUT into his fortress-apartment. In left F.G. of SHOT is silhouette of profile of what appears to be a man in a military--cap. Neville drops stun gun slowly to the floor, looks around room, his eyes light on figure.

NEVILLE
Okay, Okay, Iím ready.

CAMERA MOVES PAST SILHOUETTE, MOVES ACROSS LARGE ORNATE CHESSBOARD in middle F.G. to MED. SHOT on Neville-. He pulls off dirty shirt, tosses it aside, walks to his left. CAMERA STAYS ON HIM.

NEVILLE
Go ahead ... move.

Neville walks into what seems another world, as CAMERA TURNS to FOLLOW HIM. It is a very long gallery-like room with many mahogany bookcases, walls covered with major paintings, pieces of sculpture here and there. He walks to a beautiful and ornate bar-liquor-cabinet, takes down a bottle of fine scotch. He pauses and studies the label as he twists off the cap. He speaks back over his shoulder.

NEVILLE
Why donít you have a belt? It might improve your game.

He takes a long pull from the bottle, then moves on to the far end of the room where we can SEE a beautiful bed, armoire, old fashioned wash-basin, mirror, etc. These are perhaps screened off from the rest of the long gallery area by some bookcases set at right angles to the wall, forming a small chamber behind. CAMERA STAYS at ENTRANCE to SMALL CHAMBER. Neville rummages for a clean shirt, slips it on.

NEVILLE
But tonight you're going to lose. Luck over skill...

CAMERA MOVES IN QUICKLY FOR CLOSE SHOT showing that beneath is sardonic humor, Nevilleís loneliness and isolation tell on him.

MED. CLOSE SHOT - NEVILLE
He still carries glass, and is rummaging again, this time in a storage cabinet. It is white, antiseptic, very large. It contains a multitude of canned goods. Neville gets out a can of beans. He moves to stainless steel refrigerator, also large, gets out a summer sausage, and ice cubes and a chilled glass for scotch.

NEVILLE
You hear all that downstairs? I let sundown catch me out. So he took the gambit and threw away a few pawns. I was lucky...

Neville opens can, cuts casing off one end of sausage. CAMERA moves OUT to MED. SHOT, showing this opposite end of apartment. It is as stark, barren and utilitarian as the other end is cultivated and civilized. In it are kitchen facilities, laboratory equipment, and a massive arsenal. (See Appendix for more on apartment)

NEVILLE
From time to time he gets nervous. He smells the end game coming...

Neville is looking toward center of room as he talks. CAMERA MOVES BACK so as to place chessboard once more in middle F.G.
Neville is walking toward board, scotch bottle and glass In one hand, beans (with spoon in can) in other. Summer sausage Is slang across his shoulder, held by string looped over finger of hand holding beans. He saunters to board, looks down studying situation. We now have time to SEE that the board, and its pieces, are both large and superb: a museum-quality set.

NEVILLE
But end games are fall of surprises, arenít they? Ummm. My move, and discovered ... check!

He puts down beans and sausage on edge of table, and moves knight, revealing check from his queen on opponent's king. Neville smiles and sits down.

MED. SHOT - ACROSS BOARD - NEVILLE'S POINT OF VIEW
We find that his partner is a bust of Caesar propped in the chair with an old and badly battered garrison cap on it. Cap bears eagle Insignia of colonel. CAMERA MOVES TO TWO SHOT. Neville studies board, absently presses a switch located under the table. After a moment, we HEAR MUSIC. It is Frankie Laine singing "We'll Be Together Again."

RECORD
No tears, no fears,

Jul 21 - 09:23 AM